《My Reflector Is Invincible》 Chapter 1 My Reflector Is Invincible 11. Reflection of a Rainbow Inside the pitch-black solitary confinement cell of a prison, A prisoner was tied up, both hands bound. Cough, cough, cough¡­ A hacking cough continuously erupted from between the face hidden by the disheveled hair. The floor was saturated with blood flowing from wounds. The light in his eyes had long since vanished. The guards¡¯ gazes were cold, even as the prisoner looked as though he could die at any moment. ¡°That vicious bastard is finally at his end.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go near him. Remember what happened last time when someone did?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± The prisoner was quite venomous despite his weakness. To think he would bite off a guard¡¯s nose, of all things. But now, even that was over. ¡°Was the execution today?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They said to prepare for the execution as soon as the night work is over.¡± ¡°The warden really has a nasty hobby. As if torture wasn¡¯t enough, he wants to behead him in front of everyone.¡± It was to show the other prisoners the end of someone who attacked a guard. However, the guards knew the truth. ¡°It¡¯s just a hobby. That bastard enjoys tormenting the prisoners.¡± ¡°But the fact that he doesn¡¯t even show up for the executions makes me think he¡¯s just a pervert who enjoys torturing.¡± The guards snickered, then, as if they had just remembered something, they pushed a tray forward. ¡°Here. It¡¯s your last meal.¡± ¡°Might as well let him eat until the end. It¡¯ll be his last meal in this world.¡± It was the hard, black bread that the prisoners in the labor camp ate. And they didn¡¯t even give him a proper portion. ¡°Even this is a waste on you.¡± Thwack! The bread was tainted by the guard¡¯s spit. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he trampled on it with his boot. hahahaha! The guards left, still laughing. The prisoner finally hung his head. Gulp! It wasn¡¯t just the relentless torture and pain. It was the humiliation he received from the guards that he could no longer endure. Just then. Flash! The eyes of the prisoner, who should have clearly been dead, were wide open. No, it wasn¡¯t just his eyes. A voice filled with anger that had been impossible to hear until now burst out. ¡°Damn it! It took 18 years! I¡¯ve been watching the opening for 18 years!¡± * * * The protagonist. He was a gamer of ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ It was a game where you team up with a hero to defeat the Demon King and restore peace to the continent. The protagonist was a top-tier gamer among them. He had cleared achievements that everyone else gave up on at 10% to an incredible 99.99%. Now, only one thing remained. ¡°All that¡¯s left is an achievement where you have to save all the heroes while defeating the Demon King.¡± He was definitely in the middle of the final battle. At the last moment, the hero jumped forward towards the Demon King, who was about to self-destruct. [This is my duty as a hero. I will defeat the Demon King, so you live, Protagonist.] Bang! And just like that, the hero who should never have died self-destructed. The protagonist screamed in frustration. [No way, you bastard! How did I come this far! If you die here¡­!] And then he lost consciousness. Flash. When he opened his eyes, he was in someone else¡¯s body. He had been trapped in the consciousness of another being for 18 long years. ¡®I thought I was going crazy from being so frustrated.¡¯ He never would have guessed it would turn out like this. The story of the hero¡¯s soul awakening at the same time as the death of the body¡¯s owner. It was exactly the same as the opening video of ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ Clank! The cold sensation of the handcuffs and the chill of the solitary confinement cell seeped in. The torture wounds carved into his body were also excruciatingly painful. But the protagonist smiled. ¡®I¡¯ve finally regained control of my body! I can move! I¡¯m free!¡¯ Now that he had his body back, there was something he absolutely had to do. He had waited 18 years to say these words. ¡°Damn it, goodbye! Log out!¡± Whoosh¡­ A cold wind swirled through the solitary confinement cell. ¡°System window! Log out! End game!¡± No matter how desperately he called out, the game system did not respond. All he could hear were the voices of the guards. ¡°Has he finally gone mad?¡± ¡°He¡¯s being cheeky today, isn¡¯t he? Did he finally lose his mind?¡± ¡°Hey, eat up quickly! When a ghost eats well, it¡¯ll be less likely to bother you!¡± Yeah, I knew this would happen. I hoped it wouldn¡¯t, but of course it did. ¡®I have a Plan B for times like this.¡¯ I¡¯d had a lot of thoughts while watching the protagonist¡¯s life. Of course, I¡¯d thought about what to do if the system didn¡¯t disappear. It was to return under my own power. The purpose of this game was to defeat the Demon King. ¡®Surely, if I kill that guy, I¡¯ll be able to leave this world.¡¯ The game would end every time I killed the Demon King. It would probably be the same this time. There was also a hint in the 18-year-long tutorial video. [All top achievements have been achieved.] [Hardcore mode will begin.] [Achieve the final achievement.] The reason I came to this world. It was definitely related to that achievement. If that¡¯s the case, then I can¡¯t just kill the Demon King normally. Why? £¼Defeat the Demon King without a single hero dying.£¾ That was the final achievement. An achievement that no one had ever achieved before. And more importantly, there was this problem. [You will die if you do not achieve the goal within 3 years.] ¡®Yeah. It¡¯s hardcore mode alright.¡¯ Originally, it was something that should take over 10 years to complete. Of course, my top priority right now was to get the hell out of this place. This place was nothing more than a slave camp filled with criminals. It was a terrible place where even ordinary people would get sick or die. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ll get a game over here before I can even get to the Demon King.¡¯ Originally, I would have had choices appear in front of me right now. £¼The warden has set an execution date. What will you do?£¾ [1. Pretend to be dead.] [2. Bribe the guards.] [3. Be executed.] The outcome would change depending on the choice. £¼The ending of the game Balentino Saga changes depending on the player¡¯s choices. It¡¯s an open-ended style game.£¾ When I was a player, it didn¡¯t matter what I chose. But the current protagonist couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°How did I survive 18 years? I can¡¯t die in one go because I made the wrong choice.¡± There were traps hidden in the choices. Especially when pretending to be dead. ¡®Do you think you won¡¯t be executed if you pretend to be dead?¡¯ This much was obvious to the protagonist who had achieved all the achievements. Once you go with that choice, the guards come in. [What do we do with this body?] [Burn it in the crematorium, or if it¡¯s too much trouble, put it in a barrel and roll it into the river.] Usually, you could escape the labor camp by following the river and start the game. Of course, with basic equipment. The problem was when you were really unlucky. £¼You were burned alive in the crematorium£¾ £¼Escape failed!£¾ £¼Your character has died£¾ Then it was game over. ¡®That doesn¡¯t mean bribing the guards is a good choice either.¡¯ Why? [When are you giving me this month¡¯s stuff?] Once you start bribing them, you have to give them stuff regularly. What¡¯s more, there¡¯s an event where you have to fight other prisoners who don¡¯t want to lose the guards¡¯ favor(?). If you survive that, you can get a rare ability or job, but¡­ ¡®Even if it¡¯s a rare ability, it¡¯s not the best.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t worth risking his life for the protagonist. So, the only choice left was ¡®execution.¡¯ If you just listen to it, it¡¯s an option where you definitely die. ¡®Well, not necessarily. At least for beginners.¡¯ It was a beginner¡¯s trap question. A choice where you get a game over if you choose it without thinking. However, it didn¡¯t matter to the protagonist. ¡®I know how to survive.¡¯ It was one of the secrets that only the deceased knew. It¡¯s a riskier option than other choices, but it¡¯s a very easy way for a deceased person. Moreover, if you do it right, it¡¯s a special option that guarantees your future. ¡®Only here can you get good traits above the hero level.¡¯ Of course, if you make a mistake, you can die before you even get the hero level. That was when. Thud, thud. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He could hear the footsteps of the guards in the distance. They were coming to take the protagonist to the execution ground. ¡°Come out.¡± Clang! The guards dragged Joo-in toward the fearsome execution platform. Even if he were dragged away like this, he¡¯d end up getting his neck cut off, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡®Since everything¡¯s been the same, this will be the same too. I believe in the Balentino Saga system.¡¯ There was only one way to obtain a trait from this execution platform choice. £¼A player¡¯s character unlocks [Unique Trait] upon their 18th birthday.£¾ £¼The trait that is unlocked is random.£¾ The moon rose through the hole in the mine¡¯s ceiling. The moment that moon reached its peak was when his current body would turn 18. That¡¯s when his £¼Unique Trait£¾ would definitely be unlocked. ¡®Of course, I could just get unlucky and get a weird trait.¡¯ Useless traits like £¼Theft£¾ or £¼Cleanliness£¾. However, there were some unexpectedly useful traits that could pop up. £¼Beastification£¾, which allowed one to use the powers of various beasts. £¼Sword God£¾, which provided a swordsmanship buff just by holding a sword. These were traits that would allow him to escape this place right away, just as their names suggested. In fact, even if he got something worse than that, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®In Balentino Saga, the higher the probability of a high-grade unique trait appearing, the more dire the crisis.¡¯ This was a golden tip that only Joo-in, who had played tens of thousands of rounds, knew. It was also the only piece of information he trusted. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He couldn¡¯t even start if he couldn¡¯t get out of here in the first place. He might as well push himself to the extreme to get the best trait. ¡®At the very least, if I can just start with a trait that¡¯s Hero-grade or higher, then half of it is already a success.¡¯ If he played his cards right, he could even use the Hero and his former comrades, the comrades of the previous Hero. ¡®The Hero should have just been born by now, eating well and living well.¡¯ His other comrades would also be holding their own positions. They would be a great strength to him, now that he could move his body. While he was thinking like that, Joo-in arrived at the execution platform. ¡°Tie him down.¡± Thud! The guards roughly secured Joo-in¡¯s head onto the wooden board. They tied him up tightly with rope so that he couldn¡¯t move. The noseless guard sneered at Joo-in. ¡°Heh, the day has finally come when I can kill you with my own two hands.¡± He was the guard in charge of this execution. From Noble mtl dot com The guard raised his axe above his head. The prisoners watching from all sides began to shout. ¡°That son of a b*tch is finally gonna die!¡± ¡°Hurry up and chop his head off!¡± They were all hoping that Joo-in would die quickly. The warden laughed wickedly at the screams of the other prisoners. ¡°Last words?¡± ¡°F*ck you.¡± ¡°In my ten years of guarding scumbags like you, this is a first. Off you go. hahahahaha.¡± My gaming experience is 18 years, you punk. Without hesitation, the warden swung down the axe. The axe headed straight for the protagonist¡¯s neck. A single swing. An axe swing precise enough to cleanly sever the neck in one go. It was a swing so powerful that it even cut through the rope that was binding his neck. The moon reached the peak of the mine¡¯s ceiling. Swish! At this moment. The protagonist wished for one thing. ¡®Please, anything that can get me out of this situation. Even £¼Reinforced Body£¾. Even £¼Blink£¾!¡¯ Rumble! Bang! A beam of light fell from the moon towards the protagonist. Simultaneously, the speed of everything slowed down as if time had stopped. The axe that was at the protagonist¡¯s neck was no exception. However, it wasn¡¯t the axe that caught his eye. £¼[Unique Trait of the Demon King: Reflection] has been acquired.£¾ A line of text that appeared before his eyes. There was no need to check the skill separately. He knew what it was the moment he read the words. And at that moment. ¡°Rainbow Reflection! F*cker!¡± Thud! A human head flew up into the air. Chapter 2 My Reflector Is Invincible 22. How well? ¡°Why did the head of the guy who swung the axe fly off!?¡± ¡°No, why is that guy over there completely fine!?¡± The guards¡¯ fingers pointed towards the execution platform. Swish. There, Joo-yeon was calmly standing up. It was thanks to the ropes binding him being cut by the guard¡¯s axe swing. However, he himself was just as bewildered. ¡®I used it in a hurry as soon as I saw the trait.¡¯ What? The Demon King¡¯s unique trait? £¼Reflect£¾ was clearly the name of the Demon King¡¯s strongest skill. Because of that ability, one person died every time, so there was no way he could forget it. ¡®It was the same even after recruiting a new companion and obtaining a Mythical-grade weapon.¡¯ The reason the Hero died instead in the previous round was because of that trait. No wonder every player¡¯s goal was to find a way to nullify £¼Reflect£¾. There were many times when he thought that if only that ability didn¡¯t exist. It was a top-tier ability that was infamous to players to that extent. Yet, who would have thought that he would obtain that ability. But it was real. Joo-yeon had just blown away the guard¡¯s neck with £¼Reflect£¾, the Demon King¡¯s power. £¼Unique Trait: Reflect£¾ £¼Rank: Unique£¾ £¼Ability: Reflects everything directed at the user£¾ It was a simpler explanation than any other ability. If there was something questionable, it was this. ¡®Unique?¡¯ Even if it was only Hero-grade, one could be treated as a great general of a country. How many Legend-grade abilities could there be in an empire? Mythical-grade was an ability that was hard to find even on the continent. But Unique-grade? It was a grade that even Joo-yeon, who had played tens of thousands of rounds, was seeing for the first time. ¡®Since it¡¯s an infamous skill, it must be higher than Mythical-grade, right?¡¯ After all, a Unique trait meant that it was an ability that existed only once in the entire universe. ¡®Wait, does that mean that the Demon King doesn¡¯t have Reflect right now?¡¯ Of course, having £¼Reflect£¾ wasn¡¯t a good situation. £¼Currently in [Weakened] state£¾ £¼Currently in [Frail] state£¾ Right now, he had the worst debuffs on him. He would get short of breath just by walking a little, and he would get major injuries from minor wounds. In reality, his chest felt a little stuffy and it was hard to breathe, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he collapsed at any moment. He was in a state where he could die right away if he got hit just once. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s an easy way to fix this.¡¯ First, he had to escape this place. But his thoughts were interrupted. ¡°How dare you kill me, you death row inmate.¡± ¡°What are you all just standing there for! Hurry up and kill him!¡± Murderous voices erupted towards him. A completely unprecedented incident in the prison, where a guard¡¯s neck had been severed. The guards, who had been out of their minds until now, began to move. ¡°Kill him now!¡± ¡°Avenge Johnny!¡± The guards charged at him with their weapons. The prisoners were terrified and backed away, worried that they might get their necks cut if they stayed too close. But just then. ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The guards who had swung their weapons at Joo-yeon collapsed instead. The ones who attacked his head bled from their heads, and the ones who stabbed his chest bled from their chests. They all collapsed on the spot. Some of the guards didn¡¯t even move, as if they were already dead. Just like the guard whose neck had been cut earlier, they suffered the same fate as Joo-yeon¡¯s attackers. The prisoners¡¯ eyes widened in shock. ¡°What the hell is going on¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wh, what¡¯s happening?¡± There was only one conclusion they could come to. ¡°It¡¯s a curse¡­¡­. It has to be a curse! Whoever touches him will die!¡± ¡°The guards died because of the curse too. I saw it! The guards died even though he didn¡¯t do anything to them!¡± The prisoners tried to run away in fear. But someone blocked their way. It was the warden, who had been standing still until now. ¡°Who gave you permission to move?¡± ¡°I, I, well. We just had to use the bathroom really bad¡­¡­¡± The warden grabbed one of the prisoners by the head. ¡°You dare think of moving without my permission!¡± His voice was accompanied by the sound of the prisoner¡¯s head exploding. Bang! The prisoners, who saw the blood, fell to the ground and cried out. ¡°We¡¯re sorry!¡± ¡°Please forgive us! Please¡­¡­ Spare our lives¡­¡­¡± However, the warden¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Fight if you don¡¯t want to die by my hand¡­.¡± Eek! ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there gaping. Jump him! Even if you just grab him!¡± The prisoners with their eyes tightly shut charged at Joo-in. Thud! Joo-in didn¡¯t resist and just stood there. The prisoners who had grabbed him also stood still without moving. The warden let out a scornful laugh at the sight of him being held motionless. ¡®As expected, they can¡¯t bring themselves to kill a fellow inmate. I don¡¯t know what tricks you used¡­but that shallow compassion will be the death of you.¡¯ The prisoners were just meat shields anyway. The warden turned around and slowly raised his weapon. Swish. The nightstick was stained red from having beaten numerous prisoners to death. The warden, who had soon reached Joo-in¡¯s square, swung the nightstick fiercely. ¡°Die!¡± He brought it down squarely on Joo-in¡¯s skull. It was a blow that could knock out an ox with a single hit. However. Crack! ¡°Cough¡­ W-what the!¡± It was the warden who ended up spurting blood from the back of his head. His skull was badly dented. The warden turned around with a look of disbelief on his face. ¡®T-these filthy prisoners¡­ How dare they attack me?¡¯ But there was no one behind him. ¡®Huh?¡¯ All there was was an empty space. The warden¡¯s pupils couldn¡¯t help but shake. ¡°Who on earth¡­¡± He was never able to find out the answer. The warden collapsed to the floor with a look of incomprehension. Thud! * * * Joo-in let out a chuckle. ¡®It¡¯s a more useful ability than I thought.¡¯ He had expected it, but he never imagined it would even reflect attacks from a blind spot. Joo-in turned away from the fallen warden. ¡°Anyone else want to try?¡± Naturally, none of the prisoners responded. Instead, they began to cheer. ¡°The guards¡­¡­ they¡¯re all down?¡± ¡°Even the warden is dead. That means there¡¯s no one left to stop us?¡± ¡°Freedom! We¡¯re free!¡± This hellish place can be escaped. Every slave that had gained their freedom began to rush outside. However, they soon tilted their heads as they looked at Joo-eun who was still standing there. ¡°Hey! Aren¡¯t you going to escape?¡± Joo-eun let out a hollow laugh at the slaves¡¯ cries. ¡°Why should I escape?¡± ¡°Why!? Don¡¯t you know what kind of place this labor camp is? If you stay here any longer, you might die from treason!¡± ¡°You guys go on ahead. I have something important to do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more important than escaping?¡± Joo-eun¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°I plan on meeting the warden.¡± The prisoners finally looked at him as if he had gone crazy. ¡°Are you crazy to want to die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you suddenly gained the ability to kill the guards! But do you think the warden is the same as the other guards? That bastard is a former ¡®knight¡¯! He¡¯s different from the others!¡± A knight was not just a human wearing armor. ¡°Do you know how that human is in charge of this large labor camp? That guy is¡­¡­!¡± Oh, I know very well. Joo-eun, who had experienced the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ for a long time, also knew very well about the power of a knight. ¡®One-man army.¡¯ A single knight could easily take on a hundred soldiers. It was because of their special abilities. The power to lift heavily armored armor as if it were a feather and run hundreds of meters in an instant. £¼Knighthood£¾ Even those outside who claimed to have some strength could not even compare to the warden. But so what. ¡°That¡¯s not a reason for me to be scared of him.¡± ¡°No, listen to me a little more. Even if it¡¯s you, the warden is¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Stop bothering me and get out of the way. I¡¯m the one who has business with that guy.¡± Joo-eun pushed away the slaves who were blocking his path. The prisoners had expressions as if they were looking at a fool. ¡°He¡¯s acting cocky just because he knocked down a few guards.¡± ¡°Well, what can we do if he wants to die instead of us. It¡¯s better that way. He¡¯ll buy us some time to escape.¡± The prisoners moved while ridiculing Joo-eun. ¡°We were going to take him with us and sell him, but it¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°Right. Since his face is pretty, we would¡¯ve gotten a good price for him.¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been better for you to have been sold.¡± However, the prisoners did not know. ¡®That¡¯s the path to hell. How many of those guys do you think will survive?¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com It was clear that they were all blinded by the thought of freedom. Every prisoner in this labor camp had signed a ¡®slave contract¡¯. They would continue to be hunted until the magically-binding contract was destroyed. ¡®And those contracts are in the warden¡¯s office.¡¯ Well, those guys probably thought they could just run away and deal with it later. But this wasn¡¯t just any labor camp. This was a playground for nobles who treated humans like pigs. If they tried to escape without destroying the contracts, they would be brutally killed. Of course, Joo-Heon had another reason for needing to meet the warden. ¡®I can¡¯t leave until I get my revenge on those bastards who exploited me.¡¯ Joo-Heon smirked. * * * Clank, clank. Finding the warden¡¯s office wasn¡¯t difficult. Thanks to all the torture he had endured at the warden¡¯s hands during his time in this body, ¡®It¡¯s practically carved into my bones.¡¯ The face and voice of the man who had tormented his mind were still vivid. Of course, even without his memories, he could easily find the warden¡¯s office. All he had to do was follow the sounds. ¡°Uwaaagh!¡± ¡°Die! Die, you monster!¡± ¡°Drop your weapons! Keep that thing from getting closer¡­ Eugh!¡± Someone was fighting. Most of the voices were familiar, so it was clear that they were other prisoners. Those who held grudges against the warden, like Joo-Heon, had arrived first. Boom! The wall in front of Joo-Heon shattered, and a prisoner was thrown out. He was already dead, blood gushing from his mouth. ¡°This is it.¡± Joo-Heon stepped inside the broken wall. Hell was already breaking loose inside. ¡°P, please spare me¡­¡± ¡°You dare aim for the contract. You¡¯re just laughable rats.¡± Crunch! A man¡¯s kick shattered a prisoner¡¯s head. His body was covered in crimson blood. Even the sword he was holding was dripping with blood. It was the warden. ¡°Die, you rats!¡± Swish! Crimson bloodstains appeared in an instant. The terrified prisoners were carved up alive. Thud. The surroundings were a sea of blood. As many as dozens of prisoners died. Only one prisoner survived. He too had death right before his eyes. ¡°P¡­ Please save me¡­¡± The warden raised his sword at him. But then it happened. ¡°Is the contract okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The warden was startled. It was because Joo-yeon had entered the room. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m sure you were supposed to be executed today¡­ Wait. How on earth are you alive?¡± ¡°Well?¡± The warden let out a hollow laugh as if he were taken aback by Joo-yeon¡¯s words. He was a slave that he usually doted on. Why was he acting like this all of a sudden when he used to tremble at the sight of him? Could it be that he thought something had happened to him since the slaves had revolted? ¡®That slave.¡¯ The warden¡¯s lips twisted with sadism. ¡°I guess I need to teach you your place again. You piece of trash.¡± In an instant, the warden¡¯s body disappeared. He appeared right in front of Joo-yeon. ¡°Die!¡± The warden¡¯s huge fist headed for Joo-yeon¡¯s face. Bang! With a loud bang, Joo-yeon¡¯s body, which was blocking with his arm, was thrown away. Creak! It was the sound of bones breaking in his arm. Of course, that wasn¡¯t enough. The warden intended to cripple Joo-yeon. ¡°First, I¡¯ll crush all the fingers that reached for the contract like a rat.¡± But just then. ¡°Huh?¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The warden¡¯s face contorted. And a scream rang out. Chapter 3 My Reflector Is Invincible 33. Is This All? ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± A pained groan escaped the knight commander¡¯s mouth. Snap. His arm bones were shattered. It wasn¡¯t a simple fracture. Squirt! Blood spurted out of his broken arm. He was covered in wounds. Thud. His body moved on its own as if it didn¡¯t belong to him. However, the knight commander was a knight. He was a combat professional. He knew what to do even with the pain that would make an ordinary person faint. Rip! He tore his clothes with his good arm and teeth. Then he tied the wound tightly. Even if he could never hold a sword again. He did it well enough to continue the current battle. It was a cool judgment befitting a knight who had been through countless battlefields. Of course, even such a veteran couldn¡¯t understand one thing. ¡®I definitely felt the sensation of hitting him.¡¯ All the slave could do was raise his arm to defend. ¡®That flimsy thing couldn¡¯t have blocked my fist?¡¯ The knight commander¡¯s fist had definitely crushed the arm he had guarded. But it was his arm that was crushed. The knight commander quickly made a judgment. ¡®He must have hidden an iron plate in his clothes.¡¯ There were such people among the prisoners he had just killed. Unlike those who had only small pieces, Joo-ahn must have covered his entire torso. Even a knight would get hurt if he hit an iron plate with his bare hands. He had died by his own hand in the end, but he seemed to have been too careless this time. ¡°That iron plate. I¡¯ll cut it with my swordsmanship.¡± The knight commander was a former knight. Even if his dominant right arm was injured, it was nothing to cut that iron plate. However, something else irritated him. ¡°This bastard. You attacked me after I fed and worked you? You will never die a good death.¡± The knight commander pulled out his sword toward Joo-ahn. He was about to swing his sword when he stopped in surprise. It was because of Joo-ahn¡¯s actions. ¡°You¡­ You! Stop it right now!¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Joo-ahn was touching something without even paying attention to the knight commander. It was a painting on one side of the room. A painting of demons and angels rushing at a man with long black hair. He wasn¡¯t just flustered because it was an expensive item. The problem was what was behind the painting. As Joo-yeon touched the painting. Click! With a sound, the painting slid to the side. There, was the curator¡¯s secret safe. A secret that absolutely no one should have known had been opened. The curator¡¯s reason snapped. ¡°Die!¡± He charged forward with bloodshot eyes. * * * Joo-yeon had known the location of the safe containing the contract from the beginning. ¡®How can you leave it here every time without getting tired of it. You damn kid.¡¯ The location of the slave contract was always the same. Of course, there were times when it changed. But most of the time, it was hidden behind something that looked like a work of art. This time was the same. ¡®Okay, now I just have to take out the contract and it¡¯s over.¡¯ Getting rid of the slave contract and becoming free came first. If he didn¡¯t do this, it would be impossible to leave this place in the first place. So it was when Joo-yeon reached out to open the safe. ¡°Die!¡± The curator charged forward. Unlike before, this time with great momentum. Joo-yeon immediately realized what the curator was trying to do. £¼One Cut, Two Halves£¾ One of the knight¡¯s job skills. It was a skill that inflicted a strong slash on the opponent. It was so powerful that it could even cut through iron plates. Joo-yeon also remembered the skill¡¯s ability exactly. £¼One Cut, Two Halves ¨C Knight Job Skill£¾ £¼Rank: Rare£¾ £¼Attribute: Slash£¾ £¼Effect: Increases sword¡¯s instant damage & speed by 300%. Grants [Cut]. Cannot be dodged.£¾ It was quite a tricky skill. Once the skill was activated, even dodging was impossible. You had to run away before the skill was used, or you had to have a special defense skill. But the reason Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes were shining wasn¡¯t because of the curator¡¯s skill. The knight¡¯s special ability, £¼Chivalry£¾. In the Valantino Saga, the status of knight-type jobs varied greatly depending on whether they had £¼Chivalry£¾ or not. Depending on the chivalry, it was possible to use similar skills to a wizard¡¯s wide-area damage, a priest¡¯s buffs, or an assassin¡¯s sneak attacks. Put simply, an ability that makes knights even more special. However, there was no sign of chivalry from the warden. ¡®A knight without £¼Chivalry£¾ is nothing but a hollow shell.¡¯ Joo-yeon smiled at the warden running towards him. Right at that moment. ¡°One-cut-two-halves!¡± The warden¡¯s sword cut Joo-yeon¡¯s body diagonally. Swish! The powerful slash cut through not only Joo-yeon but also the wall behind him. But something was strange. It was clear that Joo-yeon¡¯s body had been cut diagonally. Thud! However, it was the warden who collapsed. His chest was cut diagonally. ¡°W¡­ why?¡± Ugh! The warden knelt down and coughed up blood. It was a wound severe enough to kill him if he didn¡¯t receive treatment immediately. Instead, Joo-yeon tilted his head. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re not dead?¡± Normally, when hit by £¼One-cut-two-halves£¾, the body would be severed. The warden should have been cut in half and died. However, his body was still intact. ¡®Looks like his raw toughness is good enough to withstand being cut.¡¯ Well, he¡¯ll be dead soon anyway. The important thing was this. He poured out his innermost feelings that he had been holding in for 18 years. ¡°Is this it? Did you really brag with just this much power?¡± This slave camp existed for the entertainment of the nobles. And the warden was the culprit who tormented the prisoners to satisfy the nobles. Joo-yeon picked up the warden¡¯s fallen sword. Swoosh. Normally, a knight¡¯s sword would reject anyone other than its master, but it was quiet. ¡®Of course. A sword of a knight without £¼Chivalry£¾ can¡¯t possibly recognize its master.¡¯ The others must have thought that he had £¼Chivalry£¾ since he was a retired knight, but in fact, he was a man without chivalry. From Noble mtl dot com There was no way that the first enemy to appear would be strong. It¡¯s just a tutorial level, after all. ¡®Instead, he used his innate toughness and strength to control the guards.¡¯ The warden fumbled as if trying to get his sword back. ¡°Gasp¡­ cough¡­¡± Looking closely, it was a face that would die on its own if left alone. Of course, it would be difficult if I just left it like this. ¡°I have to take revenge for the resentment of my 18 years. Ah, I have to do this first.¡± Joo-yeon touched the handle of the safe containing the contract. Fortunately, it looked similar to the one in the game. The problem was that I didn¡¯t know the password¡­¡­. ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡± Joo-yeon rummaged through the warden¡¯s pockets. He was looking for the key to the safe that the warden had hidden. However, it didn¡¯t come out. ¡°What the heck. Why isn¡¯t this here?¡± Just in case, I searched other bookcases and drawers. However, the key to the safe did not appear. Only other things came out. £¼Bone of unknown identity£¾ £¼Tooth of unknown owner£¾ £¼Grape-flavored candy£¾ £¼Stick candy£¾ ¡°Why are you carrying this stuff around?¡± Still, I took everything just in case. It was a habit from playing the game. Even if it was a miscellaneous item, I would take it with me for the time being, thinking that I would use it someday. In the end, Joo-yeon, who couldn¡¯t find the key, struck the safe with the warden¡¯s sword. Clang! However, not a single scratch was made. It was that hard. In the first place, it couldn¡¯t be opened with the strength of this skeleton-like body. ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to open it unless I use my ability.¡± If only the ability I gained was super strength instead of reflection, I might have been able to open the safe. Of course, super strength is a very common trait compared to reflection. ¡®But no matter how much of a country it is, it can¡¯t break this safe with £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ That¡¯s because Reflection is a skill that can only be used when the opponent attacks. The warden, who could deal that much damage, was already in a state of semi-corpse. Even if he was alive, it would have been impossible to open this safe using Reflection. Because it¡¯s still difficult for him to deal damage to the safe while facing the knight. ¡°What should I do¡­¡­.¡± I have to open this to get the slave contract. Should I just carry this out myself, even if it¡¯s dangerous? If I carry this heavy thing around, I¡¯ll be caught by the pursuers right away? At that moment, light poured out of the crystal ball in the warden¡¯s room. -Warden! Something big has happened! We can¡¯t suppress the prisoners¡¯ rebellion! -The prison guards and the guards in Block A are also missing! It was a communication from the soldiers guarding the entrance. It was clear that Joo-yeon¡¯s defeat of the warden and the guards had created a butterfly effect. But this was not a simple problem. ¨C It seems difficult to suppress! We need more troops! ¨C Captain! We need support! If you don¡¯t help us right now¡­ Ugh! ¨C The captain is not answering¡­ For now, let¡¯s request support from the nearby lords¡­ I couldn¡¯t hear the rest. But looking at the situation, it seemed like he was trying to request support from the nearby lords. If that happened, it would be difficult for Joo-yeon to escape. ¡®If I don¡¯t get out quickly, I¡¯ll be stuck here.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t just carry this heavy safe out with me. ¡®It¡¯s different from the strategy in the game, so the risk is greater, but should I lure the enemy from outside?¡¯ I was at my wit¡¯s end when¡­ ¡°Excuse me, is that safe your goal?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-yeon calmly turned around. He was a prisoner who had been in this room since he first arrived, but he had not paid any attention to him. He was barely standing, as if he was about to die. Joo-yeon shrugged at him. ¡°Why? Are you interested in the safe??¡± ¡°Of course not. What good would it do me to be greedy with this body? I just want to repay your kindness.¡± ¡°Kindness?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come a little sooner¡­ I might have really died.¡± That was true. Joo-yeon had barged in when he was about to get his neck cut off. He would have definitely died if it hadn¡¯t been for Joo-yeon. Only then did Joo-yeon look at him with interest. ¡°So how do you plan to repay me? By opening this thing?¡± ¡°Would you be okay with receiving that much for saving your life?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He said that, but it was quite a sturdy safe. How could he possibly open a safe that wouldn¡¯t even get a scratch if it was dropped from a building or a pillar? However, the man calmly approached the safe. ¡°It¡¯s sturdy, but it¡¯s not so great that it¡¯s difficult to open. Look at this.¡± It¡¯s not a great safe¡­ £¼Thief Job Skill ¨C Safe Cracking£¾ £¼Success!£¾ ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Clank! The safe opened. Chapter 4 My Reflector Is Invincible 44. Perfect Weather to Die Creak! The vault¡¯s door swung open with a heavy groan. The contents within were magnificent. Not only slave documents and treasures, but also shimmering jewels and gold. ¡°Whoa! This is awesome!¡± The prisoner who had cracked the vault couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. It was an enormous amount of wealth that one would never expect a mere warden to possess. However, the main character was surprised by something else. ¡®Can he use skills? Does that mean he has a job class?¡¯ Most characters that appear in the beginning don¡¯t have ¡®job classes¡¯. Not to mention a skill that could crack open vaults. It was clear that he had the skill of a thief, a criminal job class, £¼Vault Cracker£¾. ¡®He¡¯s not an ordinary character. He¡¯s a fated character.¡¯ £¼Fated Character£¾ A special character born with a special destiny. They could become allies or main enemies depending on the story¡¯s progression. They could be recruited as companions, but most players didn¡¯t bother with fated characters. The main character was the same. ¡®They¡¯re hard to find, and their growth in the beginning is terrible.¡¯ There were several fated characters with abilities in the labor camp, as well as in other early stories. But once you get past the beginning, there are many more companion characters who are much more efficient. That¡¯s why most people just passed them by. It was almost like a masochist¡¯s play to try and raise a fated character in the beginning when you¡¯re still weak. The main character had tried raising them a few times, but it was too difficult, so he just ended up getting the achievement. But he knew. ¡®If you just focus on the beginning, they¡¯re crazy characters who can grow into S-class depending on how you raise them.¡¯ And this wasn¡¯t a game, but reality. You could die if you made a mistake, so wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have a useful subordinate? Besides, he had the strategy to raise them in his head anyway. So, he decided to change his playstyle just this once. Anyway, with £¼Reflection£¾, he didn¡¯t have to worry much about his strength growth, which was something to worry about in the beginning. ¡®I¡¯ll use the fated character.¡¯ The reason why it¡¯s hard to raise a fated character is because their strength is low in the beginning. You could end up dying because you were too busy taking care of your subordinate and your own strength was lacking. ¡®But I don¡¯t have to think about that now.¡¯ His problem had been solved, so what a great situation this was? ¡®It¡¯ll be hard to find him if he runs away, so I have to make him an ally before that.¡¯ So Joo-eun approached the still-surprised prisoner. ¡°Hey, you. You said you¡¯d repay my favor, right?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Joo-eun put her hand on his shoulder with a friendly smile. ¡°You¡¯re mine now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t like it? Didn¡¯t you say I saved your life? That you¡¯d do anything?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­ I don¡¯t dislike it¡­¡± ¡°Then do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The prisoner didn¡¯t have time to be bewildered. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name? Kim Whatshisname?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Haken.¡± ¡°Haken¡­¡± Joo-eun searched through the safe and threw him a document. It was a slave document with [Haken]¡¯s name written on it. ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s your document. Burn it or keep it and be my slave. Do whatever you want.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Haken was genuinely confused. ¡°Can you really trust me like this? What if I run away?¡± ¡°Run away?¡± ¡°Not that, but¡­¡± He looked at her suspiciously, as if asking if he could trust her, but Joo-eun knew. ¡®He looks like a thief, but for those types, the keyword ¡®trust¡¯ works surprisingly well.¡¯ So she said, ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. What am I supposed to do if I don¡¯t trust my own people?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Haken¡¯s eyes widened. It was as if she was the first person to trust him like this, even though they had just met. But Joo-eun had her reasons. If she had a companion, she would have to work on raising their loyalty, similar toºÃ¸Ð¶È, and if their loyalty was low, they wouldn¡¯t be of any help. ¡®But while it¡¯s hard to raise their loyalty, Destiny Characters start with high loyalty, so that part is easy.¡¯ That¡¯s why he was a Destiny Character. From the moment they became the player¡¯s companion, their loyalty started at 90. Joo-eun reached out to Haken. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you. My name is Joo-eun.¡± ¡°Yes. Miss Joo-eun!¡± A voice was soon heard. £¼Haken has become your companion.£¾ £¼Loyalty 90£¾ £¼You have shown your faith, granting you additional benefits.£¾ £¼You will grow faster when you are being watched.£¾ Wow, that¡¯s a nice bonus? Juyeon chuckled. Of course, the other thing was more important right now. He soon found his own file amidst the pile of documents and burned it to ashes. Then, the slave crest on his neck faded. ¡®It looks like it won¡¯t disappear right away.¡¯ It took time for the slave crest to disappear completely. About a month. During that time, he had to avoid slave hunters and pursuers. If he was caught by them, he would become a slave again. However, that wasn¡¯t something he had to worry about right now. ¡®There¡¯s something I have to take care of before that.¡¯ Juyeon picked up a bundle of documents from the safe. It wasn¡¯t just some slave documents. It was a secret ledger with a list of nobles who considered this labor camp their playground. Of course, the existence of ¡®nobles¡¯ was quite a complication in the Valentinian era, but- ¡®If I have this, I can not only blackmail them but also cut their necks off.¡¯ Just then, as Juyeon was about to take the ledger, a voice came from behind him. -Wait! The voice came from the crystal ball that the warden held. The warden, who had regained his senses, had activated the communication device in his arms. ¡°My, my apologies, Lord.¡± -I will deal with you later, Hanson. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± Warden Hanson clenched his teeth as if he had sensed his future. It was just a simple communicator, so the image wasn¡¯t clear. However, Juyeon knew who the voice belonged to. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®A noble. The owner of this labor camp.¡¯ To be exact, the owner of the ¡®warden¡¯ who ran this labor camp. He could be said to be the one behind all of Juyeon¡¯s suffering. It was only natural that his heart pounded. Soon, the man spoke. -That document. If you get rid of it right now, I will spare your life. Juyeon frowned in disgust and smirked. ¡°Well? I think keeping this will keep my life safe?¡± -You don¡¯t even know what that document is¡­¡­ ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? It¡¯s your lifeline, isn¡¯t it? The ledger of your illegal operations in this labor camp. It even has records of your arbitrary executions of prisoners.¡± -¡­¡­! That was not all. The document also contained details of the illegal transactions that took place in the labor camp. A faint creaking sound could be heard from beyond the crystal sphere. Groan. However, the noble quickly made another offer. ¡°If you burn the document in front of me¡­ I will appoint you as the new warden of this labor camp.¡± Joo-in almost burst out laughing. New warden? Are you kidding me? ¡®Where do these guys who tormented me get off making offers?¡¯ Not only did they torture and torment him, making bets on when he would die. They even forced the prisoners to fight each other in gladiatorial matches. They enjoyed watching the prisoners fight each other. Normally, he should have remained a secret existence whose identity was known to no one. However, Joo-in was no ordinary person. ¡°Hey, Count Sanderson. I may forget kindness, but I never forget grudges.¡± In an instant, although he didn¡¯t show it, a gasp could be heard from beyond the crystal sphere. He seemed shocked that Joo-in knew his name. So Joo-in laughed. ¡°You better wash your neck and wait. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± -¡­! It wasn¡¯t just the count. The other nobles who enjoyed making bets with him were all the same. Joo-in began to tighten his grip on the sword. ¡°Watch carefully. I¡¯ll soon be coming for your necks.¡± -¡­! ¡°I¡¯ll start with you.¡± Joo-in raised his sword. The sword pierced straight through the warden¡¯s body. ¡°Keuk!¡± Blood splattered, and Joo-in shattered the crystal sphere. Kwaaang! As the crystal sphere shattered, a huge flame erupted. The warden was burned to death without a trace. Joo-in could no longer hear the voice of the noble in his ear. All he could hear was the notification sound. £¼You have dealt with the warden of the labor camp.£¾ £¼You have achieved a special feat.£¾ £¼[Rebel of the Slave Camp]£¾ £¼You will no longer be subject to the nobles¡¯ intimidation.£¾ ¡®I finally took down one of them.¡¯ He was one of the masterminds who had tormented him for 18 years. ¡®I must finish him off or the pursuers will be on our tail right away.¡¯ Have I really become the main character of this Valentino saga? It felt different from the thrill of the game, but I had no choice. It was time to go after the rest of them. ¡®Especially Sanderson. He won¡¯t stay put.¡¯ Joo-yeon gathered the remaining items in the safe. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Y¡­ Yes!¡± Taken aback, Haken followed him. He asked, seemingly worried. ¡°Are you really okay with this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No¡­ I mean, the warden. The crystal ball exploded, and the warden is dead.¡± ¡°Why, do you feel sorry for him?¡± ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a single prisoner who¡¯d shed a tear for that bastard, even if he died.¡± There was absolutely no reason to feel sorry for him. The warden was a son of a b*tch. He was a devil who tormented the prisoners. He made the prisoners fight each other to the death, and just like Joo-yeon, he executed those he didn¡¯t like. Haken only now realized that it was the nobles¡¯ entertainment. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to leave things as they are.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not¡­ It¡¯s not the end with the warden, is it?¡± The problem was the nobles behind him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was Count Sanderson?¡± He was famous enough for even Haken to know. A powerful noble in the north where the labor camp was located. He was also the head of a formidable force. ¡°I don¡¯t think that noble will just let this go?¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t let it go?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll send soldiers or an army? Or he could send knights¡­¡± He could even send the knights who used £¼Knight¡¯s Code£¾. No matter how great Joo-yeon was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat all of them. He could even send assassins. ¡°That¡¯s what nobles do.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong, but it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Yes? Why?¡± ¡°I know someone who can stop him.¡± ¡°¡­Who is it?¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°[The Knight King].¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± [The Knight King] A legendary knight who fought alongside the hero against the Demon Lord. He was the strongest knight on the continent, capable of blocking everything with his shield. He was also the man who currently protected the continent from the northern demons. Haken, the Grand Duke of the North, trembled at the name of the hero of the continent. ¡°I heard he never shows himself to anyone¡­¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯ll definitely show himself if it¡¯s something like this.¡± ¡°You speak as if you know him well?¡± Sigh. Juyeon just laughed. Of course I do. He was a companion character who fought alongside me against the Demon Lord in the past. But that was something I couldn¡¯t tell him. Of course, there was a problem. In the story, Count Sanderson pushes out the [Knight King]¡¯s family and takes over the north. ¡®That¡¯s actually the main storyline.¡¯ If it were a game, I wouldn¡¯t have cared. If I stopped the Count¡¯s plan, I could get the Knight King, but if I failed, that was that. There were other good companion characters besides the [Knight King]. But even so, Sanderson would still become the lord of the north. ¡®I can¡¯t do something good for the one who caused me 18 years of suffering.¡¯ Moreover, if Sanderson became the lord of the north, I would get some annoying enemies, and the city that I had to visit in the hard mode¹¥ÂÔ¹¥ÂÔ would be blocked. I absolutely couldn¡¯t let that happen. That¡¯s not all. If the Knight King died, this would also happen. £¼The Knight King of the North has died£¾ £¼The knights¡¯ trust has fallen (penalty permanently applied)£¾ £¼You cannot recruit companion characters related to knights£¾ £¼Some of the strong knights become your enemies£¾ Of course, it wasn¡¯t impossible to face the Demon Lord without knights. There were many other classes that could act as tanks. However, becoming enemies with the knights would be a huge loss. There was no need to make things difficult when they could be easy. ¡®I wasn¡¯t going to give up on the Knight King in the first place.¡¯ He was a character who boasted the highest stats among the companion characters. And once I met the Knight King, I could solve the current problem with this body. However, there was one problem. Bang! As we opened the door and went out, a huge explosion blocked our path. The front yard of the labor camp was in complete chaos. ¡°R, run away!¡± ¡°We¡¯re all going to die if we stay here!¡± The prisoners were running back into the labor camp. It was because of the soldiers chasing them. ¡°Kill the prisoners!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let a single rebel live!¡± Joo-in narrowed his brow at the shouts. ¡®The Lord¡¯s soldiers.¡¯ They could have been the soldiers who had been waiting near the labor camp. In any case, most of the prisoners were dead, with only a few remaining. That was when it happened. ¡°Two slaves are escaping over there!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape! Archers, prepare to fire!¡± Twang! The archers raised their bows at Joo-in. ¡°How foolish to crawl out like that!¡± Since they were shooting from the entrance of the labor camp, there was no way he could rush in and stop them. ¡°M, Master Joo-in!¡± Taken aback, Haken called out Joo-in¡¯s name. Then Joo-in¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Haken! Hide behind me!¡± ¡°But!¡± As soon as Joo-in spread his arms wide, the archers sneered. ¡°Are you giving up on life?¡± ¡°Fire!¡± The enemy commander shouted at the same time. Instantly, arrows soared into the sky. There were so many arrows that they briefly created a shadow. ¡°Blame it on the fools who rebelled without thinking!¡± ¡°Well. I wonder who the real fools are.¡± £¼Reflection£¾ Chapter 5 My Reflector Is Invincible 55. A Person He Needed to Meet There was an overwhelming number of arrows. Thwack! Thwack! Thud! ¡°Arghhhhh!¡± ¡°Spare meee!¡± The slaves who were hit by the arrows lost their lives in an instant. The same went for Joo-in. Many more arrows were pouring down on him than on the other slaves. ¡°B, be careful!¡± He could hear Haken¡¯s urgent shouts from behind him. However, instead of trying to avoid them, Joo-yeon raised both his hands. It was as if he was trying to increase his surface area to get hit by even more arrows. It also looked like he was protecting Hak-yeon. Poof, poof, poof, poof, poof, pfft! And in an instant, he turned into a hedgehog. His entire body was literally filled with arrows. That wasn¡¯t all. Whoosh! His grease-covered slave uniform caught on fire. It was clear that someone¡¯s arrow had been lit on fire. The arrows stuck all over his body also became fuel, and in an instant, they lit up the surroundings in red. The soldiers who had shot the arrows watched the scene from afar and burst into laughter. ¡°Look at that bastard over there. He¡¯s turned into a complete hedgehog.¡± ¡°He crawled out on his own like a maggot. What a sight.¡± That was when it happened. The voice of one of the soldiers trembled violently. ¡°Hey! What is that on you?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°On your forehead¡­¡± Blood was dripping from one of the soldier¡¯s foreheads. ¡°Wh¡­ what?¡± As soon as the soldier touched his forehead, blood gushed out. Poof! From Noble mtl dot com At the same time, intense pain consumed him. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The nearby soldiers were startled and jumped away from him. ¡°What¡­ what is it! What the hell is going on!¡± ¡°Get away from him quickly! Something¡¯s wrong with that guy!¡± At first, the soldier only screamed. But suddenly, his body caught on fire. Whoosh! The soldier became a torch while still standing. The other soldiers were so surprised that they couldn¡¯t even speak properly. However, the real hell had yet to begin. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°A, are you too?¡± ¡°No, you¡­ right now¡­¡± Changes began to occur in all of the soldiers¡¯ bodies. Blood began to flow from their foreheads. Poof! Blood burst out from various parts of their bodies. Some soldiers were engulfed in flames accompanied by an intense burning sensation. Whoosh! ¡°Gyaaah!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The flames spread among the soldiers in an instant. The fire was so hot that it was impossible to approach. The shocked commander shouted anxiously. ¡°What are you all just standing there for! Hurry and throw some dirt on it!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been doing that, but¡­ the fire won¡¯t go out!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if oil was poured on it. It won¡¯t go out no matter what we do! What should we do, Commander?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The commander couldn¡¯t help but be genuinely bewildered. ¡°What in the world is this¡­¡­. Did we get cursed as a group or something?¡± Perhaps this wasn¡¯t a slave rebellion, but an attack by mages? It was natural to have such a thought. The commander¡¯s face was grave when¡­ ¡°My, oh my. I don¡¯t even have any clothes to change into.¡± A slave emerged from the flames in the distance. It was Joo-in. Of course, the commander was stunned. ¡°¡­¡­He survived that attack?¡± He had clearly seen Joo-in get hit by the arrows and burn to death. However, he still had no idea. That Joo-in was the one who created this spectacle. * * * Joo-in was in a rather bad mood right now. Every time he brushed his body with his hand, arrows continued to fall off. ¡°Damn it. They shot a lot.¡± The arrows looked like they were embedded in his body, but in reality, there was no damage. The flaming arrows had also burned his clothes, but not his body. This was because he had £¼Reflected£¾ it all. ¡®But I guess I can¡¯t reflect the fire that¡¯s on my clothes.¡¯ Only Joo-in himself could be reflected. As a result, the only clothes he was wearing burned off, leaving him naked. Of course, he didn¡¯t care about slave clothes or anything like that. ¡®It¡¯s just that it¡¯s a bit weird walking around naked.¡¯ He simply disliked his current state. Still, Joo-in was able to laugh. Because he had confirmed the effects of £¼Reflect£¾ with his own two eyes. ¡®I¡¯ve roughly confirmed the effective distance of Reflection.¡¯ I could tell just by looking at the archers who were still alive. The ones who were dead were right at the maximum distance of £¼Reflection£¾. Basically, it reflected all attacks, but there was a distance limit for directly returning damage to the opponent. The ones who were alive by a hair¡¯s breadth were really lucky. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all I confirmed. ¡®I never thought this would be reflected too.¡¯ £¼Abnormal Status: Burn£¾ It was a debuff caused by a fire-attribute attack. It continuously inflicted £¼Flame£¾ damage, and if it stacked, it would actually burn you. ¡®As expected of a Unique rank.¡¯ £¼Reflection£¾ was a skill that was even more excellent than I thought. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, I didn¡¯t have much time to think. Whoosh! The northern wind was not something you could endure naked. Joo-yeon called out to Hakken, who was blankly standing behind him. ¡°Hakken. Wasn¡¯t there any clothes among the things you brought?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ there weren¡¯t.¡± Hakken¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t normal enough for him to say anything more. It was understandable, considering he had seen magic-like abilities twice. ¡®I can¡¯t help it. I can¡¯t take his clothes off.¡¯ Joo-yeon started by looting the fallen soldiers around him, taking their clothes. ¡®It¡¯s a long way to the village, so it would be nice to have at least one horse¡­¡­.¡¯ There was only one in sight. ¡®That commander¡¯s is all there is. Surely he wouldn¡¯t charge?¡¯ No matter how foolish, he wouldn¡¯t charge at me. If he charged after seeing this sight, he would be brainless. In fact, the soldiers were trembling in fear and couldn¡¯t move. A proper commander would run away and plan for another day. ¡®Yeah, there couldn¡¯t possibly be an idiot who would risk his life to kill mere slaves¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°How dare¡­ a mere slave! Charge! Charge!¡± Is there? Joo-yeon looked at the commander as if he had been doused with cold water. Regardless, the commander swung his whip at the soldiers. ¡°You idiots! What are you all just standing there watching for!¡± ¡°B, but¡­ that guy just killed dozens of people without lifting a finger¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you crazy! Do you think a slave with that kind of power would be locked up here!¡± ¡°But¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Some idiot must have touched a trap set up in the labor camp! Have you forgotten where this place is!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Only then did the soldiers¡¯ trembling stop. Some slave camps were rumored to have magical traps to prevent the slaves from escaping. ¡°But what was that arrow that pierced the slave? I saw it clearly?¡± ¡°W-well? Did you see a mirage? That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°There are traps that spew flames, so could there also be traps that show illusions?¡± Of course, they weren¡¯t completely fooled. No matter how much they thought about it, they felt uneasy. It felt like they shouldn¡¯t touch Joo-in for some reason. The commander helplessly raised the spear he had behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll show you myself! Which idiots touched the trap, and that the slave was just lucky!¡± Heeying! In an instant, the horse the commander was riding charged forward at an incredible speed. The commander¡¯s spear was aimed at Joo-in¡¯s head. It looked like he would pierce it at any moment. Suddenly, Joo-in¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®He¡¯s not running away but charging? Is he out of his mind?¡¯ If my life were precious, I would have run away immediately. It was clear that he had made a big mistake because he thought his opponent was a slave. ¡®If that¡¯s not the case¡­ Then there must be a reason why he has to kill the slave.¡¯ He might have received contact from Count Sanders. He must have charged because he couldn¡¯t show it in front of the soldiers. If so, I had no intention of letting him go. ¡®Is he a centurion?¡¯ The number of soldiers he brought with him was about a hundred, so that would be about right. ¡®Good. I needed a horse anyway.¡¯ Horses were rare in the Balantino Saga. Especially warhorses. Warhorses were so expensive that they were worth a fortune. There was no reason to refuse when someone was offering to give it to me for free. Joo-in¡¯s eyes scanned the commander who was charging at him. ¡®He looks like he¡¯s riding well, but¡­ his grip on the reins is sloppy, and his handling of the spear is awkward.¡¯ Only the £¼Cavalry£¾ class can properly handle warhorses. That means he¡¯s not a cavalryman. Even so, the fact that he can ride a warhorse means that he has the £¼Horsemanship£¾ skill. That¡¯s why it was strange. Because learning skills in this world was not an easy task. ¡®You have to receive the skill from a master of a higher class or learn it through chance.¡¯ Chance doesn¡¯t activate easily, and there are no masters who teach skills carelessly. Then all that¡¯s left is money. It costs a lot of money to learn the skills of another profession. But a mere sergeant has such a skill? Moreover, he was riding an expensive warhorse. ¡®Does he have a strong backer?¡¯ It was clear that the rearguard was supporting his skill training. ¡°He must have told them to guard this place.¡± In other words, a guard. No, he was more like a guard dog. Just then, the commander almost reached him and shouted. ¡°Cavalry Charge!¡± Joo-yeon let out a hollow laugh at the shout. ¡®Huh? How can a guy who¡¯s not even a cavalryman use one of the specialized cavalry skills?¡¯ It was a skill that pierced through the enemy¡¯s camp while galloping. One of the main skills of cavalry-type jobs that was great for boosting the morale of friendly forces on the battlefield. The soldiers moved following the commander in an instant. ¡°Die, you slave! I can never let you live!¡± Finally, the commander¡¯s spear was aimed at Joo-yeon¡¯s head. It was as if he would pierce through his head in one go with fierce momentum. And right at that moment. Bam! The commander¡¯s spear pierced through Joo-yeon¡¯s head. For a moment, it seemed as if his skull had flown up into the sky along the spear. But that was just an illusion. ¡°Commander?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this! Why did you stop¡­¡± The soldiers couldn¡¯t continue speaking. It was the commander who was supposed to pierce through Joo-yeon¡¯s skull. However, as Joo-yeon, who had approached him, pulled on the commander¡¯s leg. Thud! The commander, who was on his horse, fell to the ground. His head wasn¡¯t there. It had fallen off separately, as if it had been pierced by something. Joo-yeon grabbed the horse¡¯s reins. ¡°I¡¯m your master from now on.¡± Neigh! Was it because it had just witnessed its previous master¡¯s death? The horse didn¡¯t resist. As if it were natural, it bowed its head toward Joo-yeon. The soldiers screamed in terror at the sight. ¡°C¡­ Commander!¡± ¡°The commander is dead! Everyone run away! He¡¯s a monster we can¡¯t handle!¡± The soldiers began to flee in all directions. They were terrified of Joo-yeon, who had killed dozens of soldiers, including the commander, while dodging arrows. The morale effect of £¼Cavalry Charge£¾ had also disappeared. £¼You neutralized the enemy¡¯s charge without moving from your spot.£¾ £¼You have shown overwhelming power against enemies who outnumber you.£¾ £¼Special Achievements£¾ £¼[Assault Obstruction]£¾ £¼Morale does not waver against enemies that outnumber or overpower you£¾ £¼Your spirit becomes even clearer in unfavorable situations£¾ Morale was an incredibly important stat. If it was lacking, then negative status effects such as £¼Fear£¾ or £¼Anxiety£¾ could be inflicted. Skills could also misfire or have their effects reduced. This achievement prevented such things from happening. ¡®This achievement is essential for meeting the King of Knights.¡¯ In order to prevent Count Sanderson from blocking his path, he absolutely had to meet the King of Knights of the North. And if he met him, he could also resolve this issue with his body that was like a walking skeleton. If he was going to do it, he might as well get living expenses and an initial foundation too. ¡®In this North, winning over the King of Knights is the most efficient method.¡¯ However, he was not someone who could be easily met. ¡®In this state, it would be a hundred percent annoying.¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com Aside from achievements, there was something else he needed. ¡®I need to be able to use Reflection freely.¡¯ Reflection was the Demon King¡¯s strongest skill. However, if there was no way to overcome it, would it have been possible to defeat the Demon King in the first place? That meant that there were conditions to Reflection. Of course, Joo-Heon knew exactly what it was. He was the one who had researched it while playing thousands of rounds trying to defeat the Demon King. ¡®Right. Reflection is linked to stamina and innate defense.¡¯ In other words, the range, number of times used, and power of Reflection changed according to the physical stamina and defense. In other words, the more he raised them, the more he would become the strongest in the true sense of the word. Maybe even more so than the Demon King, no, much more so. ¡®Even in my current state, it¡¯s at this level, so I can¡¯t even imagine how strong I¡¯ll be in the future.¡¯ So he had to find someone who would introduce him to the King of Knights and someone who would give him skills. Joo-Heon began to lead his horse. He was heading toward the waterfall, where he would have had a 50% chance of surviving if he had done things the original way. Chapter 6 My Reflector Is Invincible 66. One for Now Kwa-kwa-kwa. In front of a giant waterfall. It was deep in the forest, far from the labor camp, in a remote location where people would not come. ¡®If I had done things the original way, I would have started here too.¡¯ It was the place you would end up if you chose to play dead. You were supposed to be pushed down the river on a barrel and end up on the riverbank here. Hak-Hyun tilted his head. ¡°Why have you come here? Are you looking for peerless martial arts or a magic sword?¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something like that here?¡± ¡°Then you should go to the nearby village. You can change your clothes and have a warm meal there¡­¡± ¡°Are you crazy to want to die?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°If you go like this, the villagers will welcome you.¡± ¡°!¡± They were wearing slave uniforms and bloodstained soldier uniforms. Even if they went to a village of war refugees, they would be immediately reported. ¡®Then the people sent by Count Sanderson will come.¡¯ ¡°Just spread out a mat and sleep here.¡± Haken looked very flustered. ¡°Even if you say that, there¡¯s nothing here¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for nothing. In a way, there¡¯s something more important than what you said.¡± Originally, arriving here on a barrel was not the end. They were supposed to collapse because they were exhausted. Then someone appeared. ¡°Excuse me. Are you okay?¡± A middle-aged man with a rough face, wearing leather clothes and a thick beard. £¼Hunter Jack£¾ He was an early mentor who took in and fed a prisoner who had escaped from a labor camp. He was also almost the only ally in the game. In fact, many players received his help. ¡®Clothes, shelter, and even food for when you¡¯re moving.¡¯ No wonder his nickname was ¡®Generous Jack.¡¯ Of course, that¡¯s all ordinary people get. However, protagonist Koh In knew one more thing. ¡°If you continue like this, it will be dangerous. Would you like to learn some skills from me?¡± From the hunter, you could obtain ultra-rare skills that could only be learned at the beginning. In some cases, you could even get a job. £¼[Hunter], would you like to change your job?£¾ It was a very famous job that could be obtained early on. £¼Hunters are a balanced class specializing in ranged attacks as well as melee weapons.£¾ £¼They boast strong survivability through various survival skills.£¾ It was a versatile class. However, Jooin had no intention of becoming a ¡®hunter¡¯. ¡®I can¡¯t maximize the ability of £¼Reflection£¾ with a normal job. I need a more special job.¡¯ For him, ¡®Hunter¡¯ was only intermediate at best. He wanted a one-of-a-kind job like the unique rank £¼Reflection£¾. £¼Unique Job£¾ It was a special job that existed only once in this world, like £¼Warrior£¾ or £¼Saint£¾. And funnily enough, that job could be started through [Hunter Jack]. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that I came here. ¡®I not only have to meet Jack to meet the [Kingsman], but I also have to meet Jack to get that job.¡¯ But no matter how long I wait, he doesn¡¯t come. There was no sign of him lurking either. ¡®This is strange. It¡¯s been more than enough time for him to get here by now?¡¯ Of course, it might not be anything serious. Sometimes the timing was off like this, or the route was wrong. However, in a situation where I don¡¯t have a second chance, I had to consider every situation. ¡°Haken. Find some footprints.¡± ¡°Footprints? Are you going hunting? But the beasts around here are strong¡­¡± ¡°Not animals. Find footprints the size of an adult male.¡± Well, I said it, but it probably wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡®Hunters have survival skills to erase their tracks.¡¯ A skill known as £¼Footwork£¾. ¡®It will take a while, but it can¡¯t be helped¡­¡¯ ¡°I found them!¡± Huh? Already? There¡¯s no way they could be found this easily? Joo-in headed towards where Haken was pointing. In the corner of the grass, footprints were scattered haphazardly. It was a location that wouldn¡¯t be easy to find. Which meant. ¡®This guy¡­ Does he have £¼Tracking£¾ as well?¡¯ He¡¯s a £¼Thief£¾ with £¼Lockpicking£¾ and a higher-level skill £¼Tracking£¾ from the start. Joo-in¡¯s gaze had to change. ¡®A character of destiny. He¡¯s more useful than I thought?¡¯ But Haken tilted his head. ¡°But there¡¯s more than one set of footprints? Didn¡¯t you say the hunter was alone?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The hunter who didn¡¯t show up and the footprints of several people. ¡®The broken barrels nearby and the footprints leading to the river¡­¡¯ There was only one answer. ¡°They are prisoners who escaped from the labor camp like us.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± It was entirely possible. There could have been prisoners who jumped into the river to avoid the guards at the entrance of the labor camp. And Hunter Jack must have picked up the prisoners who had collapsed from exhaustion. It was originally the story that the player was supposed to experience. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now that Joo-eun had to flee here and had taken care of the warden and come out the main gate. It seemed that fate had changed after all. ¡®But unlike players, there¡¯s no way the nature of prisoners is good.¡¯ Why did he have to take care of the prisoners of the labor camp? He was worried about the life and death of Hunter Jack. No matter how great of a hunter you are, if you get caught unprepared, there¡¯s nothing you can do. Hak-en asked Joo-eun, who had a troubled expression. ¡°Then what should we do? Should we just go somewhere else?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re going after them.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Once we find the footprints, it¡¯s over. Joo-eun knew where Hunter Jack would have taken the slaves. £¼Hunter¡¯s Rest£¾ It was a hunter¡¯s house built on one side of the forest. ¡®The only place he could take the slaves is there. If he took them to the village, there would be chaos.¡¯ However, Hak-en looked troubled. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to find footprints from this point in the forest.¡± Unlike the muddy riverbank, traces are not easily left in the flat forest. However, Joo-eun was not worried. ¡°I know the way.¡± ¡°!¡± It was a place they went to often. Originally, he had planned to meet naturally in the forest and show his face, but it seemed like he would have to change his plans. ¡®No, in a way, it might be a good thing.¡¯ He had planned to become close with Jack while helping him in the forest, but what if Jack was in danger? Wasn¡¯t there a faster way to become close than simply helping with work? Joo-eun began to move naturally, as if his body remembered. Hak-en asked in surprise at that sight. ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking the horse?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll leave the horse to you.¡± ¡°Huh? This guy to me?¡± Hak-en looked flustered. He couldn¡¯t have not known the value of a warhorse. A single warhorse was worth a huge amount of money. It was a considerable amount of money that even a wealthy merchant could live off of for several years. If it were a slave, depending on how you used it, you could live comfortably for the rest of your life. That was why Hak-en, a thief, couldn¡¯t help but look at Joo-eun in bewilderment. ¡°What if I run away with this¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want. I chose to trust you, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Hak-en stopped in his tracks. Joo-eun subtly observed his reaction. He hadn¡¯t saved Hak-en or entrusted him with the horse for no reason. Anyway, the horse wasn¡¯t very valuable to the main character, but he intended to use it to do some groundwork for Haken, a character of destiny. £¼Trust£¾ ¡®How many keywords can be fed to a thief character?¡¯ They usually like money, but surprisingly, this worked well for thieves. ¡®Maybe because they can¡¯t get trust, they desire it more.¡¯ Of course, it also depends on the person. When Haken didn¡¯t respond, the main character narrowed his eyes. ¡®As expected, money is the best for thieves¡­? Damn, that method costs a lot of money. Wait, since this isn¡¯t a game, maybe the method is different?¡¯ Just then, Haken gritted his teeth. ¡°Where is it, let¡¯s go quickly! Come on, hurry up, you idiot!¡± Yikes! Haken led the horse as if he were guarding the main character¡¯s mount, and entered the forest. Then a window popped up. £¼Character of destiny has discovered his destiny£¾ £¼Character of destiny entrusts you with his destiny£¾ £¼Haken has become a [Subordinate]£¾ £¼He will never betray you£¾ £¼Character of destiny starts growing as your subordinate£¾ £¼Acquiring new skills£¾ The main character was satisfied with the sight. ¡®Good value for money. Best unit.¡¯ * * * How long had they traveled? ¡°Hide.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes?? Ack!¡± Haken was startled when the main character suddenly pushed his head down. He looked at the main character as if to ask why he had done that all of a sudden. The main character narrowed his eyes and looked towards the forest. A small light was visible in the dense trees. Haken immediately recognized what the light was. ¡°Is that the hunter¡¯s cabin you were talking about? But why are you telling me to hide¡­.¡± ¡°It seems like my prediction was correct.¡± Prediction? Could it be that the hunter had been captured? ¡°I can¡¯t see anything from here yet, though?¡± But the main character was certain. ¡°Jack is an excellent hunter. He would never expose his location so easily. But even from this distance, we can see the light from the shack.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah¡­¡­!¡± It was something a hunter would never do. As they approached the shack, they began to hear voices. ¡°hahahaha. What the hell is this? Not only is there food, but a place to hide as well.¡± ¡°I was wondering how we were going to escape, but this is amazing luck. First, let¡¯s change your clothes, hyungnim.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Why is this punk barking so loudly? Can¡¯t you be quiet!¡± Thwack, thwack, thwack. The hunter Jack was being held captive by the men. He was covered in blood and tied up so tightly he couldn¡¯t move properly, all the while being beaten. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®I¡¯m glad I came.¡¯ I need to meet the [King of Knights], so it would be troublesome if he died. Joo-yeon checked right away. ¡°Do you know who those guys are?¡± ¡°They¡¯re the Charlie Gang who used to run rampant in the mines. Their leader, Charlie, is in here for injuring a knight.¡± ¡°Wow, a knight¡­.¡± Just some hoodlums managed to injure a knight? It might just be a rumor, but if it¡¯s true, it could be quite useful. So, there¡¯s only one thing to do. ¡°Haken. You hide here.¡± ¡°Will you be okay by yourself? There are so many of them¡­.¡± By myself? Are you kidding me? ¡°Have you forgotten where we are? This is a hunter¡¯s shelter.¡± At those words, Haken¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Shelter¡­ Ah, then surely¡­!¡± Joo-yeon smiled instead of answering. ¡®I was going to test it out anyway, so this is perfect.¡¯ That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m going to go relieve myself for a bit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go too far. These parts are dangerous because of the beasts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The sound of one of the Gang members inside leaving could be heard. Joo-yeon slowly approached the man who was peeing. The man¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Wh-what are you!¡± ¡°Me? A thief who¡¯s come to save the poor hunter?¡± ¡°Th-this¡­!¡± He tried to stop peeing and run away right away. He must have been trying to go inside and call for their leader, Charlie. Of course, Joo-yeon had no way of stopping him. It goes without saying that summoning a demon or using magic to burn the man¡¯s body as he escaped was impossible. But there was something even scarier than that. ¡°I felt safe because the landlord was there when I came in, but it¡¯s different when you come out.¡± As he said that, Joo-eun kicked something. As the string was cut, something sharp popped out of the tree. It was a stake. ¡°There are traps everywhere near the hunter¡¯s house.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the stake pierced Joo-eun¡¯s back in an instant. Puck! The eyes of the gangsters who saw it went round. They looked as if they were wondering if there was a trap in such a place. However, he soon burst into laughter as if he found it absurd. ¡°What an idiot! You fell into a trap yourself!¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t Joo-eun who fell down, bleeding. Flop¡­ The prisoner who had been running away until just now collapsed. A cold voice came out of Joo-eun¡¯s mouth as he looked at him. ¡°One down.¡± Chapter 7 My Reflector Is Invincible 77. Test Joo-eun was the strongest player in the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯. He boasted an overwhelming win rate regardless of which player he fought. Because he had high-level skills? Because he had Mythical-grade equipment? Of course, those were some of the many reasons. However, there was another reason. ¡®If you want to be really strong, you need to be able to fully understand your skills.¡¯ It was because he fully understood any skill. Once he acquired a skill, he first fully understood how it was used. This time was no different. The Demon King¡¯s unique trait £¼Reflect£¾. The higher the skill¡¯s level, the stronger it is. In that respect, Reflect was a Unique-grade skill. Originally, it was the Demon King¡¯s skill, so a test was needed to use it perfectly. ¡°Keuheuk¡­ .¡± The fallen man was bleeding to death. It was because Joo-eun had £¼Reflected£¾ the trap damage. ¡°It seems that the directional test was a success.¡± When he £¼Reflected£¾ the trap. Who would be the one to take damage? I didn¡¯t know anything else, but I definitely needed to know this. That way, no one innocent would get hurt. As expected, it should have been Hunter Jack who was £¼Reflected£¾. ¡®After all, he¡¯s the one who set the trap.¡¯ However, what Joo-yeon wanted was the criminal in front of him. Will Jack, who set the trap, get hit? Or will the criminal that Joo-yeon wants get hit? There was a chance that Hunter Jack might get hit. That¡¯s why he used a trap that he wouldn¡¯t die from. Since he knew the location of all the traps, it wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡®There was a quest to maintain traps among Hunter Jack¡¯s quests.¡¯ Of course, he also knew about traps that were dangerous, but not enough to kill. But it was really unexpected. Woong. The voice that was heard the moment he used £¼Reflect£¾. £¼It can be reflected back to Hunter Jack or escapee Roan£¾ £¼However, you cannot change the target once selected£¾ The image of Hunter Jack falling and the criminal running away appeared in Joo-yeon¡¯s mind. ¡®It¡¯s like he¡¯s telling me to choose. Whether to attack the one who set the trap. Or to reflect it to the one I want.¡¯ Of course, he chose the criminal. As a result, Joo-yeon was able to knock down the criminal instead of Hunter Jack. But the situation wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°Why isn¡¯t that bastard coming?¡± ¡°I hear a weird groaning sound outside?¡± ¡°That bastard. He said he was going to relieve himself, but what is he doing. Go and bring him right now.¡± ¡°Yes, Hyung-nim.¡± Another criminal was trying to come out from the hunter¡¯s shelter. If he stays like this, he might get caught. ¡®I still have a lot to figure out.¡¯ They were the ones who dared to touch ¡®Jack the Bountiful¡¯. He could never let them go. ¡®If I¡¯m going to test it, I¡¯ll do it for sure.¡¯ Joo-yeon grabbed the head of the fallen criminal. Thud. ¡°aaagh¡­¡­ My head¡­¡­. My head!¡± Then he dragged the fallen criminal and hid himself in the grass. It was where another trap was. The criminal who just came out of the shelter didn¡¯t see him. ¡°This is weird. I thought I heard a noise here just now?¡± As soon as he came out, he looked for the fallen man. The strange thing was that he wasn¡¯t wearing a criminal uniform. It was leather clothing like a hunter¡¯s. He seemed to have changed his clothes in the meantime. At that sight, Juyeon¡¯s gaze grew even colder. ¡®That must be the quest reward from the hunter, Jack.¡¯ It was one of the beginner sets that newbies would always wear. It was quite useful in the early stages. Originally, that was an item that Juyeon should have received. Juyeon trampled on the fallen man with his foot. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± The other prisoners who came outside were startled by the man¡¯s scream. ¡°Roan!¡± They ran towards the forest where the scream had come from. It seemed they were trying to save their comrade. ¡®They¡¯re just a bunch of ingrates who repay kindness with enmity, but they have such tearful camaraderie.¡¯ Juyeon pulled on the string next to him. Ting-. The string to which the trap was attached snapped pathetically. Then, a wooden spear sprang out from the ground. The wooden spear pierced Juyeon. Thud! The prisoners who had been running fell down on the spot. He was clutching at his abdomen, from which blood was gushing out. ¡°Keuheuk¡­¡± It was a wound as if he had been pierced by a wooden spear. Just like the wound on Juyeon¡¯s abdomen right now. ¡°Two.¡± Swish! Juyeon, who had pulled out the wooden spear with a flick of his wrist, slowly rose from his seat. ¡°Then, how many are left?¡± He hoped there were as many left as possible. The wooden spear in Juyeon¡¯s hand was shining ominously. * * * ¡°What the heck. Why aren¡¯t they coming?¡± ¡°Are they holding hands and taking a piss?¡± ¡°This bastard¡¯s eating so messily!¡± Charlie, the leader of the group of prisoners, threw the pheasant leg he had been eating at his subordinate. The subordinate who had been hit in the head hurriedly got up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll go and check right away.¡± ¡°No. Wait.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Charlie¡¯s eyes sharpened. It was clear that he had instinctively sensed that something had happened to his men. His senses, which had kept him alive despite the numerous crimes he had committed so far, were screaming danger. That was why he looked at the bloodied Hunter Jack. ¡°Hey. Didn¡¯t you say you were alone?¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Hunter Jack shook his head. He really was alone. Furthermore, no visitors would come to such a remote forest. Charlie stroked his beard. ¡°Of course. No idiot would come looking for a guy living alone in a place like this.¡± If there were any, it would only be the slave hunters. Charlie Pagari still had a slave brand. Until he got rid of it, he would be forever chased. But there was no way they would have chased him this far already. ¡°Could it be the soldiers from the labor camp?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance from the labor camp. It can¡¯t be them.¡± ¡°Then could it be slaves who escaped like us after falling into the waterfall?¡± ¡°What? No way. If that were the case, their physical condition wouldn¡¯t be so good. We barely survived thanks to this bastard.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± At Charlie¡¯s glare, his men¡¯s eyes sharpened. They couldn¡¯t let their guard down and return to the labor camp because of carelessness, after surviving this far. Charlie felt the same. ¡®I¡¯m the one who injured the knight and survived. I don¡¯t plan on getting caught by those bastards again.¡¯ He would definitely survive. He had a place to go to get rid of the slave brand. He couldn¡¯t let anyone who interfered with him live. So he ordered his men. ¡°Go out carefully and check it out. There¡¯s definitely something wrong.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± The most reliable of his men stepped forward. He was a back-alley³öÉí who was quite good with a sword. Charlie threw him something he had just in case. ¡°Take this.¡± Hunter Jack¡¯s dagger. It was the only weapon they had right now. The bow broke during the process of catching the hunter bastard. But this much was enough. ¡®If it¡¯s a guy who¡¯s used to a sword, he should be able to handle most guys on his own.¡¯ Just as he was about to send him off. Thud! ¡°Keuk¡­¡­.¡± The servant who was about to leave collapsed on the spot. From Noble mtl dot com A red stain was visible on his abdomen. There was no doubt that he had been attacked from a distance by someone. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Charlie hurriedly crouched down. However, no matter how much he searched the surroundings, he could not see the enemy. The remaining servant trembled violently. ¡°It seems that the pursuers have already arrived!¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. The remaining slaves are still there, so there¡¯s no way they could have already cleaned up that mess¡­¡­.¡± Then the most likely possibility was the slave hunter. Or that the hunter guy had deceived them. ¡°First, figure out what kind of weapon it is! So that we can counterattack!¡± ¡°That is!¡± The servant exclaimed in a bewildered voice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the wound! Blood is just gushing out from the wound!¡± ¡°What?¡± What is this all about? ¡°It¡¯s not an arrow or a crossbow bolt¡­¡­.¡± What could have made such an attack from a distance? At that moment, Charlie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Then could it be¡­¡­ magic?¡± Only a wizard can use magic. Did someone of that caliber come all the way here to catch escaped prisoners? There was something else strange. Even the most basic normal-grade magic has tremendous destructive power. It wouldn¡¯t leave such a small wound. The surroundings would have been scorched. ¡°Then what did they attack with¡­¡­.¡± Things became more ominous. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Let¡¯s take the old man first! We¡¯ll use him as a hostage and escape this place!¡± ¡°Yes! Captain!¡± The servant immediately grabbed the hunter, Jack. He pointed the dagger that their fallen comrade had been holding at Jack¡¯s neck. However, the servant¡¯s hand was trembling. ¡°C, Captain. But will this old man be useful as a hostage?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell by looking at the situation! The enemy is definitely after that hunter guy. Since things have come to this, we might as well extort some money from them!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± However, the escapees did not know. Who was targeting them now. ¡°Not only did you repay his kindness with ingratitude, but you even put a knife to your benefactor¡¯s neck¡­¡­.¡± It was a truly chilling voice. Charlie¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the lead actor appear behind him with a cold glare. ¡°As expected, these are guys who shouldn¡¯t be killed gently.¡± The eyes of Charlie and his men flickered. It was because the lead actor appeared in a bloody soldier¡¯s uniform. ¡°He¡¯s a real soldier?¡± ¡°No way¡­ He came all the way here to catch us¡­!¡± Charlie shouted urgently. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see this old man die, you¡¯d better step back! Are you trying to save this old hag?¡± ¡°Kill? Who?¡± The corners of the lead actor¡¯s mouth turned up. Charlie gritted his teeth and shouted. ¡°What are you just watching for! Cut off the old man¡¯s fingers!¡± But at that moment, the lead actor moved. He stabbed his own arm with the wooden spear he was holding. Poof! Charlie and his men¡¯s eyes widened. Just when they wondered what the crazy guy was doing-. Clang. The only weapon in the subordinate¡¯s hand fell to the floor. It was natural for Charlie¡¯s eyes to turn fierce. ¡°You idiot! What are you doing now¡­¡± ¡°C, Captain¡­¡± Thump. The subordinate collapsed to the floor. His body was trembling like an aspen tree. ¡°W, What!¡± It was natural for Charlie to be bewildered. The subordinate¡¯s condition was strange. ¡°His lips are blue? No way¡­ This is¡­¡± £¼Poison£¾ A pale face with blue lips. It looked like someone had been poisoned. But Charlie had been watching everything since the lead actor appeared. ¡°There was no sign of poison anywhere!¡± Of course, the lead actor just turned up the corners of his mouth. ¡°The abnormal condition response is also fine.¡± Poison doesn¡¯t react that quickly. But this guy collapsed right away. It was clear that it was a special effect of £¼Reflect£¾. ¡®Well, it was the same with the Demon King. Even the abnormal status effects that take time were £¼Reflected£¾ right away.¡¯ Judging by the symptoms, it seemed the poison had taken effect immediately. At that moment, Charlie felt a sense of foreboding from the protagonist¡¯s calm demeanor. ¡®If this continues, I¡¯ll die.¡¯ He didn¡¯t even have the courage to charge at him. That guy was a monster that he couldn¡¯t even dare to face. His survival instincts, which had allowed him to survive even after attacking the knights, were screaming at him. [Run away.] Charlie gritted his teeth and ran outside. ¡°I won¡¯t forget your face! I¡¯ll definitely get revenge! Definitely!¡± He was going to avenge not only his fallen subordinates but also the loss of his comfortable hideout. However, the protagonist didn¡¯t chase after him. Instead, he activated his [Reflection] aura. ¡°Is this a durability test?¡± The protagonist looked at the wooden stake that he still hadn¡¯t pulled out of his arm. The poison was still spreading because the stake hadn¡¯t been removed. And then. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Charlie, who was running away, grabbed his hand. ¡°Hand¡­ my hand¡­!¡± As soon as his hand was injured, it turned blue. It was exactly the same poison that his subordinates had been afflicted with. However, Charlie didn¡¯t stop running. ¡®I¡¯m not sure, but I think I¡¯ve heard of it before.¡¯ An advanced magician who could inflict status ailments on others without touching them. ¡®Could there really be such a guy hiding among the labor camp soldiers?¡¯ For now, he had to escape. ¡°Somehow¡­ somehow I have to survive¡­ Heuk!¡± Suddenly, Charlie¡¯s footsteps came to a stop. The poison that had started in his arm had spread throughout his body. His face was pale, and his lips were blue. As the poison reached his heart, he could no longer move. And then. ¡°What should I do? If you run, the poison will spread faster.¡± The protagonist was approaching with a cold look in his eyes. Chapter 8 My Reflector Is Invincible 88. Lifesaver Charlie was dead. His face was pale. The more he desperately ran, the faster the poison spread. £¼Hunter Jack¡¯s poison£¾ It was a potent poison for something that appeared so early on. There was no way for mere slaves in a labor camp to undo it. Of course, it wasn¡¯t completely impossible to survive. ¡®If I had learned the £¼First Aid£¾ skill that Jack could teach, I wouldn¡¯t have died, even if it was painful.¡¯ I might have even managed to detoxify myself. But that bastard had killed the goose that laid the golden eggs too soon. I hadn¡¯t learned anything from Hunter Jack. All I had gained was a little comfort for betraying my benefactor. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Charlie, who had already breathed his last, couldn¡¯t answer the protagonist¡¯s words. Of course, there were some regrets. ¡°Ugh. There¡¯s still so much I haven¡¯t tested yet¡­¡­¡± The enemies had died too easily. I hadn¡¯t been able to finish testing all of £¼Reflection£¾. But then again, how strong could a convict in a labor camp really be? ¡®I wish I could have met some stronger guys, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ There were plenty more enemies to face in the future anyway. ¡°Did the others¡­¡­ escape?¡± There had been five enemies in total. Two of the four I had defeated were nowhere to be seen. ¡°They must have been badly wounded, but they managed to escape.¡± But there was no need to worry. ¡°If they don¡¯t run, they might be able to live a little longer.¡± They were just as badly poisoned as I was. They would all be dead soon anyway. I had only left them alive because I didn¡¯t want to clean up their corpses in my bed. The protagonist¡¯s goal had been clear from the start. ¡°I¡¯ll set you free soon.¡± It was the trembling Hunter Jack. When he cut the ropes with his dagger, Hunter Jack immediately became alert. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Someone who has come to repay a debt.¡± ¡°A debt?¡± ¡°Yes. I owe you a great deal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Hunter Jack¡¯s eyes widened. What was this? He had never seen this person before. But the protagonist was sincere. ¡®There¡¯s no player in the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ who hasn¡¯t received Jack¡¯s help.¡¯ The main character was the same. He had always received Jack¡¯s help. After all, Jack¡¯s help was something that everyone who started playing ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ had to experience. Of course, he didn¡¯t intend on doing quests like before this time. ¡°I¡¯ve repaid the favor from before. But I¡¯d like to receive some help.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­¡± ¡°For starters, can you let me rest in your house?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Hunter Jack was confused. Not only did he suddenly say that he had repaid the favor, but he also wanted to sleep in a space that had been dangerous just moments ago? ¡®Is he crazy?¡¯ However, his gaze wasn¡¯t malicious. That¡¯s why Hunter Jack was somewhat flustered. He was a hunter, a lowly profession that was often looked down upon. He wasn¡¯t used to kindness more than anyone else. However, as a man of the forest, he had to repay kindness with kindness. Moreover, the main character was his savior. ¡°Of course. But before that¡­¡­¡± ¡°Before that?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you treat your injury first?¡± Hunter Jack was pointing at the wound on his hand. Blood was flowing from the hand that Joo-Heon had just stabbed with a wooden spear. ¡°Ah. I forgot about that.¡± Joo-Heon said that he had forgotten, but in reality, he hadn¡¯t forgotten about the wound. ¡®I was waiting for you to say that.¡¯ It was originally to obtain a skill that he could get from Hunter Jack. ¡®I need that to use Reflection more freely.¡¯ Joo-Heon looked at the spot where he had stabbed his own arm to test the poison¡¯s Reflection. ¡®£¼Reflection£¾ is a cheat, but it doesn¡¯t heal my wounds.¡¯ Using Reflection like this would ruin his body. Of course, he wondered if he would be able to reflect even wounds later on, but not right now. Ultimately, it meant that healing abilities were important. He needed to recover his stamina to use £¼Reflection£¾ again, and the amount he could use it would increase as well. From Noble mtl dot com And healing skills were really hard to come by. ¡®Yeah. It¡¯ll be almost impossible if it¡¯s not Jack.¡¯ He had clearly memorized the prerequisites to obtain that skill. -Achievement Conditions 1. Show kindness to Hunter Jack 2. Hunter Jack¡¯s favorability 70 or higher. 3. Receive emergency treatment ¡®If this were a game, I would¡¯ve had to do a bunch of daily quests beforehand.¡¯ The important thing is to win Jack¡¯s favor by any means necessary and get him to administer first aid, right? So Jooyeon stretched out her bleeding hand. Jack soon responded. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my house for now. I think I have something I should give to my benefactor.¡± Jooyeon smiled as if everything was going according to plan. * * * Knock, knock, knock. Hunter Jack put firewood in the fireplace. He generously used the firewood he had been saving so that his rare guest wouldn¡¯t be cold. Not only that, but he even brought out the jerky he had been saving. However, there was something increasingly disconcerting. ¡°Wow, this is really delicious. How did you know I like jerky?¡± In the meantime, there was one more guest. Unlike Jooyeon, he was an extremely frivolous man. ¡°Haken. Eat it gratefully. It¡¯s not common for a hunter to share his food.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll eat it deliciously. But Miss Jooyeon, isn¡¯t this a bit too salty? I can make it taste better.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Don¡¯t say anything. The hunter looked at Jooyeon curiously. ¡®What on earth does she do?¡¯ The way she looked at her enemies and even the way she treated her wounds. ¡®It¡¯s not easy for a hunter to show his wounds.¡¯ The hunter used poison. ¡®People who use poison usually don¡¯t show their wounds easily. You never know what might happen.¡¯ But Jooyeon held out her hand so calmly. She had eyes that completely trusted him. ¡®When was the last time I received such trust?¡¯ That¡¯s why he did his best. He brought out all the medicinal herbs he had been saving just in case her wounds worsened. Among them was an antidote he rarely used because it was so precious. ¡®My exclusive antidote.¡¯ Haken was actually amazed. ¡°Oh, this is the first time I¡¯m seeing this medicine.¡± ¡°Of course. This is something that only I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is this an antidote made from night grass? It must be a precious medicinal herb that¡¯s hard to find at this time of year. Thank you.¡± Jack was taken aback by Jooyeon¡¯s answer. W-what? He knows about this? It¡¯s an exclusive, secret medicinal herb that only I use? Even when the city¡¯s pharmacists begged me to tell them about it, I didn¡¯t? ¡°I¡¯ve seen it a lot before. I was indebted to you back then.¡± ¡°¡­¡­??¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What the hell is he talking about? ¡°If it¡¯s okay, I¡¯d like to borrow some clothes. As you can see, I¡¯m soaked in blood.¡± ¡°Ah! Then please wear my clothes. I have a spare leather outfit¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It was here. I¡¯ll wear it well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Do you have any food supplies?¡± ¡°Ah, if that¡¯s the case, please take as much as you need. They¡¯re in a hard-to-find place, so I¡¯ll¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There were also precious food supplies here. I almost forgot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh??¡± ¡®How does he know the structure of my house so well?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. ¡°If there were moonflowers, I would have been able to heal my wounds quickly. It¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Moonflowers?¡± ¡°Yes. Their habitat seems to have changed, so I couldn¡¯t find them¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, they¡¯ll be growing in the space behind the waterfall. You can only pick them when the moon rises, so if you go now, you¡¯ll be able to get them.¡± ¡°!¡± What the heck? This man? What the hell is his identity? Of course, I had guessed to some extent. ¡®The guys who attacked me. They were definitely convicts who escaped from the labor camp.¡¯ Joo-yeon was wearing a soldier¡¯s uniform, but Haken was wearing a slave uniform. He was just like those guys earlier. ¡®He must have killed the soldier and taken his clothes.¡¯ And look at the horse they brought. That was a warhorse that not just anyone could easily obtain. ¡®Could it be that he killed a knight and took his horse? Or did he steal a horse from the army and run away?¡¯ Either way, there was no doubt that he was a dangerous man. After all, he was a mere convict who had the ability to take a warhorse and kill other escaped convicts. Well, it was strange that such a person was being kind to me. Rather, what I was worried about was something else. ¡®Could it be¡­¡­ that pursuers are coming?¡¯ It was not common for a slave to escape from a labor camp. There was no doubt that a pursuit party would be formed. In severe cases, knights would personally pursue them. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡­.¡¯ Should I report it? No. Jack didn¡¯t think so. After all, he was the benefactor who saved his life. ¡°We must escort you to the village tomorrow morning.¡± However, trouble arose that evening. Rumble. Something rolled toward Haken as he slept. Thump! ¡°Hmm?¡± Haken barely managed to identify it through his sleepy eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but be startled after realizing what had bumped into his body. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The things that had rolled over were human skulls. Haken hurriedly got up in shock. He was going to wake Juyeon right away. But he couldn¡¯t move. Swish. A sword approached Haken¡¯s neck. A man holding a bloodstained sword glared at Haken. ¡°Are you the escaped slaves from the labor camp?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± He was no ordinary man. ¡®A knight?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t alone, either. ¡°Damn it. My clothes got dirty.¡± ¡°I told you to watch your step. A knight rolling on the floor after getting caught in a trap. Tsk.¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know there would be a trap here? This is unfair, Sir Aiden.¡± There were two more behind him. They too were heavily armed with armor, just like the man. It seemed like the traps Hunter Jack had set up were useless. Haken trembled at the sight. He had realized their identities. ¡®A noble, two knights¡­ C-could they be pursuers from the labor camp?¡¯ It was highly likely. Count Sanders. He must have sent them to capture them. ¡®Then all that blood belongs to¡­ the escaped convicts from the labor camp?¡¯ It was obvious from the rolling skulls. He even recognized a few faces among them. ¡®They¡¯re the slaves who escaped earlier.¡¯ Haken¡¯s legs shook uncontrollably. He wanted to run away, but he couldn¡¯t. He would die on the spot if he moved. Then, the young man with the sword asked again. ¡°Are you deaf? I asked if you escaped slaves from the labor camp?¡± Haken was too terrified to speak properly. ¡®The pursuers must have followed us¡­.¡¯ But then, Jooyeon burst out laughing. ¡°What? This is an unexpected spectacle?¡± ¡­¡­Huh? Spectacle? Chapter 9 My Reflector Is Invincible 99. Can I Handle It? The young man looked at Jooyeon, who was smiling as if he found this absurd. ¡°Look at this? You¡¯re laughing? Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± ¡°Not really? Should I be?¡± hahahaha. Finally, the young man, who seemed to be a noble, burst out laughing. ¡°For a mere slave, you¡¯re quite bold. What¡¯s your identity?¡± ¡°The master of the man whose life you¡¯re threatening.¡± ¡°A slave with another slave as your subordinate?¡± As if they found this ridiculous, the knights behind the man burst out laughing too. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You must be playing master and slave since you ran away.¡± Jooyeon couldn¡¯t help but laugh. To meet those guys here. ¡®This might work out better than I thought.¡¯ Meeting the Knight King wasn¡¯t easy. How could someone of a slave¡¯s status dare to see the Grand Duke of the North? Since this vicinity was Count Sanderson¡¯s territory, there would be many obstacles even if he went to the village. However, with those guys, it could be easier than he thought. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s my luck to meet him here.¡¯ At that moment, as he was smiling. The faint campfire flared up, revealing Jooyeon¡¯s sword. It was the sword he had taken after defeating the warden. The young man¡¯s expression became strange at the sight of it. ¡°Huh?¡± In an instant, the young man¡¯s pupils shook. ¡°That sword¡­. Is that perhaps Sir Hanson¡¯s sword?¡± Upon hearing the young man¡¯s words, the knights behind him were also shocked. ¡°Hanson? Do you mean Hanson of the Gale, by any chance?¡± ¡°That guy was definitely demoted to warden of the labor camp¡­.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, that pattern on the sword¡­.¡± On the handle of the sword Joo-in was holding, there was a design of the wind pattern. It was a pattern that meant £¼Gale£¾. The knights¡¯ pupils shook as if they were shocked. ¡°No way¡­ That Hanson was defeated by those kinds of guys?¡± ¡°Even if he was demoted, there¡¯s no way Hanson of £¼Gale£¾ was defeated by those kinds of guys?¡± That was the only possibility. Gale wasn¡¯t just a nickname. £¼Title£¾ It was something you could receive when you accomplished a special achievement Or when you possessed a power that no one could ignore. In the case of Commander Hanson, it was the former. ¡°Even if he lost his £¼Knighthood£¾ and was demoted, a high-ranking knight with a title lost his sword to a mere prisoner.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There¡¯s no way Hanson would lose to a mere slave. He must have stolen the sword.¡± ¡°You bastard, speak clearly! Where the hell did you steal that sword from?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it, I defeated him and took it.¡± The knights couldn¡¯t even speak properly after hearing Joo-in¡¯s words. ¡°What nonsense¡­!¡± Haken tightly shut his eyes at the knights¡¯ anger. ¡®Dammit. I told you to leave it, why did you bring it with you¡­.¡¯ However, the eyes of the young man looking at Joo-in became sharp. ¡°If it¡¯s true that you defeated Commander Hanson and took his sword¡­ then you guys must be the criminals who turned the labor camp upside down.¡± ¡°It might be a lie that he defeated Hanson, but he resembles the guys the soldiers in the labor camp were talking about.¡± The knights¡¯ gazes also became sharper. Murderous gazes as if they were going to kill him right away. ¡°Not only do you dare to speak insolently to the Lord¡­¡± ¡°Not only did you disgrace the honor of Sir Hanson, a knight¡­¡± ¡°¡­ but you¡¯re also the criminals who slaughtered the soldiers.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°We can¡¯t just let this go.¡± The knights raised their blood-stained swords. ¡°Lord. Please wait¡­ We¡¯ll teach these lowly beings a lesson.¡± ¡°Please forgive our rudeness.¡± The knights immediately ran towards Joo-in. Their postures were similar to the commander¡¯s, but there was a subtle difference. It was the orange light emanating from the knights¡¯ bodies. Haken flinched. ¡®Li¡­ light? No way!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a simple meaning. ¡°£¼Knighthood£¾? And both of them?¡± £¼Knighthood£¾ It was a power that only real knights, not a demoted commander, could use. A high-level ability that even most nobles couldn¡¯t have! To think he¡¯d be dragging around two people like that! ¡®Just who the hell is that guy¡­!¡¯ However, Jooyeon wasn¡¯t flustered. His eyes held a gaze that said he knew this would happen from the beginning. ¡®As expected¡­ He wouldn¡¯t have brought just anyone if he was going to come to a dangerous place like this.¡¯ A noble would always be concerned about their own safety. Not to mention the pattern on the sword the man who had been aiming for Haken¡¯s neck had. £¼A sword that rose with a gigantic shield£¾ It was a pattern he knew very well. Even Haken was surprised, but Jooyeon was all too familiar with the knights¡¯ light as well. ¡®Orange. They¡¯re definitely knights of £¼Obedience£¾.¡¯ £¼Obedience£¾, one of the 17 orders of chivalry. They were those who gained strength the more loyal they were to their master. At the same time, they hated it more than anything in the world for their master¡¯s reputation to be tarnished. That¡¯s why Jooyeon was able to laugh. ¡®There are more £¼Obedience£¾ than any other knights.¡¯ Because there were many of them, there were many ways to analyze and conquer them. That¡¯s why he had taken out Hanson¡¯s sword and made sure it was visible. He knew very well that the knights of Obedience would go berserk if he provoked the noble man who seemed to be their master. This was the result. ¡°Die!¡± The two knights¡¯ swords poured down towards Jooyeon¡¯s neck. It was a decisive blow, as if they were carrying out an execution. And in that moment. Creak. Jooyeon smiled. He thrust his neck forward as if he had been waiting for this. At that sight, the young man who had been watching shouted urgently. ¡°Stop! Lord Loren! Lord Olson!¡± The direction of the knights¡¯ swords turned at their lord¡¯s sudden cry. No matter how much they wanted to correct the impudent slave¡¯s behavior, as knights of £¼Obedience£¾, they couldn¡¯t ignore their lord¡¯s orders. Of course, they didn¡¯t just withdraw their swords. ¡®How dare you insult our lord. We must take one of your arms!¡¯ Knight Olson tried to swing his sword towards Jooyeon¡¯s arm and pull it back. Even if they couldn¡¯t kill him against their lord¡¯s orders, they were going to take one of Jooyeon¡¯s limbs. And he really did cut it off. Swish! One of his arms flew up into the air with a spray of blood. But it wasn¡¯t Jooyeon¡¯s arm. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± ¡°Lord Olson!¡± It was no wonder that the noble Aiden shouted with eyes wide open in shock. Lord Olson¡¯s arm, which had been wielding the sword, had instead fallen off. Knight Loren hurriedly took Olson and retreated. ¡°Olson! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A painful groan escaped Olson¡¯s mouth. Aiden¡¯s pupils shook in bewilderment. ¡°Th¡­ This is¡­¡± There was a reason why Aiden had told him to stop. The sudden eerie smile of Juyeon. He had told him to take it off just in case. ¡®Surely Lord Olson wouldn¡¯t really be affected¡­¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter that he hadn¡¯t listened to him. The first thing he had to do was find out how his knight had just been affected. Aiden asked his other knight in a hard voice. ¡°Lord Loren. Did you just see that?¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord. I did not see it.¡± ¡°Bl¡­ Block him, my lord! He¡¯s using a strange power! You must block him!¡± Knight Olson shouted, holding his severed arm. Perhaps he was trying to evacuate his lord, Aiden, for the time being. That was how unpredictable and dangerous Juyeon¡¯s power was. Meanwhile, Juyeon was feeling a little sorry. ¡®It was a chance to take care of both of them at once. Too bad.¡¯ For the time being, he planned to start by cutting off the limbs of the knights, the means of force. He had been thinking that way ever since he first saw Aiden¡¯s sentence. All the more so because he was an incomparable giant. Then Aiden asked with trembling eyes. ¡°Who¡­ Who the hell are you?¡± To Aiden, Juyeon was no longer a mere prisoner. Rather, he was an absolute powerhouse who could take his neck at any moment. ¡°I thought it was just a slave rebellion¡­ Could it be a trap aimed at me?¡± Of course, there was a slight misunderstanding. ¡°Who are you?¡± Juyeon replied calmly. ¡°My identity? Why? Can you handle it if you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t handle it? Do you really want to know?¡± What? He can¡¯t handle it? Aidan couldn¡¯t help but look at Joo-yeon, bewildered. The knights¡¯ eyes were also filled with murderous intent. ¡°How dare you be insolent to our Lord!¡± ¡°Do you lack manners?!¡± Although they were flustered by the sudden situation, the two of them were knights who possessed £¼Chivalry£¾. They couldn¡¯t bear to see their Lord being ignored. As expected, ¡°Olson! You stay out of this!¡± As Knight Loren stepped forward, Olson flinched, clutching his severed arm. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare use that, would you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s shameful to use it against mere slaves¡­ but I have no choice.¡± Unlike before, Knight Loren brought out the true £¼Chivalry£¾. It wasn¡¯t simply a boost in physical abilities. It was the power known as the strength of true knights. £¼Obey the Rightful Authority£¾ BAM! An orange light engulfed the surroundings. Struck by the light, Haken and Hunter Jack fell to their knees on the spot, their foreheads pressed to the ground. THUD! Blood trickled from the two of their heads. This was the true power of £¼Submission£¾. It was the power to use one¡¯s Lord¡¯s authority to make those of lower status submit. Joo-yeon knew this very well. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s a power that nobles especially love.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t for nothing that knights of £¼Submission£¾ were nicknamed scholarly knights. The weaker the opponent, the more effective the mass slaughter. The impact that knights of £¼Submission£¾ had on battles was so great that they were known as nightmares to soldiers. It affected not only Haken, but Joo-yeon as well. Groan. Joo-yeon¡¯s legs began to buckle on their own. His body leaned forward as if it was about to smash his head into the ground like Haken. ¡®Hmm. When I played the game, I was able to resist it easily.¡¯ The power of £¼Submission£¾ was stronger than before. Maybe it was because the stigma of being a slave hadn¡¯t completely disappeared. But he didn¡¯t collapse. ¡®Compared to 18 years of prison life, this kind of pressure is nothing.¡¯ At that sight, the knights shouted, ¡°How dare you resist, you slave!¡± ¡°Our Lord is the next successor of the great Duke Edmer. You have no right to endure his authority!¡± The higher the rank of the Lord the knight served, and the greater the difference in rank with the enemy, the stronger the pressure became. If he¡¯s the next successor to the Duke, he¡¯s similar to the successor of a country. Even the Edmer dukedom was a famous house on the continent. But what of it? ¡®So what?¡¯ Instead, Joo-Heon straightened his back. The knights¡¯ eyes wavered at his unyielding appearance despite the passing time. ¡°How dare a mere slave subject¡­!¡± ¡°How can he endure £¼Submission£¾? Does he have a secret origin?¡± Could he have blood that surpasses the Edmer dukedom? Does he have the bloodline of the royal family or the imperial family? The knights were genuinely bewildered. However, Joo-Heon¡¯s resistance was not due to his origin. ¡®£¼Submission£¾ isn¡¯t determined by blood.¡¯ The important thing was the will to yield to the other person. But is he crazy? To yield to those guys? Moreover, he had £¼Reflection£¾. He didn¡¯t need to use it for something like this. ¡®Actually, I¡¯m curious. How far does the power of £¼Reflection£¾ go?¡¯ The light of £¼Reflection£¾ burst out with laughter. The two knights ended up kneeling towards Joo-Heon. Thud! ¡°Wh, what!¡± ¡°Why are we¡­ .¡± Their gazes were filled with incomprehension. Joo-Heon burst out laughing at their gazes. ¡®Right. They probably can¡¯t believe that their £¼Submission£¾ has been reflected back at them.¡¯ No, would the opposite be better for him? In fact, the knights were surprised for a different reason. ¡°Co, could this be.¡± ¡°Even the strongest knight who can make knights submit¡­?!¡± The knights¡¯ eyes were filled with shock as if they had realized something. At that moment, Joo-Heon slowly stood up from his seat and picked up his sword. Then he stepped forward and opened his mouth. ¡°I think I misheard you earlier. Say it again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Can you handle it if you know who I am?¡± Everyone¡¯s faces turned serious at Joo-Heon¡¯s words. Chapter 10 My Reflector Is Invincible 1010. What the Heck The power of £¼Obedience£¾ cannot make the strong kneel. It can only make those weaker than themselves kneel. That doesn¡¯t mean they themselves can never be made to kneel. If there was a power that could make a knight kneel¡­ ¡®It would have to be none other than the one known as the Strongest Knight.¡¯ But Aiden couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask. He couldn¡¯t say anything under Joo-in¡¯s intimidating gaze. ¡°Can you really handle it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± And to think he¡¯d ask if I could handle it. Aiden quickly came to his senses under the gaze of the giant that seemed to look down on him. Ugh. He gritted his teeth. And shouted in a voice filled with genuine anger. ¡°I am Aiden Edmer. The descendant of the great [Knight King] who saved the continent with the hero of the past, and the future duke of the Edmer Dukedom. There is nothing I cannot handle!¡± Haken turned pale at his outburst. He had expected him to be more than just a common noble, but he was from a ducal family? And Edmer at that? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Joo-in burst out laughing. From Noble mtl dot com Yes, that¡¯s why he had called that bastard a whelp. £¼Edmer Dukedom£¾ That¡¯s right, that bastard was from the [Knight King]¡¯s family, who had the overwhelming support of all the knights on the continent. Part of the heroic family that saved the continent from the Demon King. ¡®To think the successor of the family I was going to visit would show up. How could I not like this?¡¯ But the atmosphere among the knights changed as soon as Aiden revealed his name. £¼Obedience£¾ It wasn¡¯t simply a power that made them follow orders. Those who truly obeyed their lord could gain new strength. The knights¡¯ momentum changed in an instant. Joo-in rather enjoyed the pressure. ¡®This is quite thrilling?¡¯ It felt like he was being pricked by needles from all sides. Haken was trembling in fear. ¡°L, Lord Joo-in!¡± He couldn¡¯t even think about running away. He judged that it would be impossible to escape in front of the knights. He was right. ¡®At that level, they¡¯d catch me before I could blink.¡¯ His body and neck could be separated in an instant. But Joo-in had no intention of running away. He had rather provoked them. ¡°Do you want to lose your other arm?¡± Use kind words when you¡¯re trying to talk someone down. The knights, realizing what he had said, were genuinely enraged. Clatter. They gnashed their teeth so hard that the sound of it filled the air. ¡°You dare to run wild, you wretch, relying on that trivial skill.¡± ¡°Do you think we retreated because we were afraid of you? If not for Lord Aiden¡¯s safety!¡± They looked ready to charge at him at any moment, but Aiden intervened. ¡°Hold, my knights.¡± ¡°But, my lord. Because of that bastard, Olson lost his arm¡­.¡± ¡°I said hold.¡± The knights¡¯ ardor was dampened by Aiden¡¯s fierce glare. ¡®Of course, they¡¯re still glaring daggers¡­.¡¯ In any case, they had definitely taken a step back at their master¡¯s command. Then Aiden spoke to Joo-Yeon. ¡°You surprised my knights. It seems you have quite an amusing ability.¡± ¡°Do you know what kind of ability it is?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t see it properly. However¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like my knights would be able to handle it.¡± Joo-Yeon was taken aback. Fighting reflections? His words were incredibly arrogant, like those of a noble. Well, perhaps it was to be expected, since he was a descendant of the [Knight King]. £¼Strongest on the Continent£¾ £¼He who fought the Demon King at the forefront alongside the Hero£¾ £¼An unbreakable shield£¾ As the successor to the strongest knightly house renowned throughout the continent, it was only natural for him to be so confident. ¡®But you¡¯ve picked the wrong person to mess with.¡¯ He had no intention of going easy on him. What¡¯s more, thanks to the incident at the slave camp, he had developed a strong aversion to nobles. The knights readied themselves to charge at the slightest command. Haken also finished preparing to flee. The situation was on the brink of exploding. However, Joo-Yeon was the one who unexpectedly put away his killing intent. ¡®Whew¡­. Right. I can¡¯t just beat up a hot-headed kid.¡¯ [Knight King] In truth, he was a character who had been his comrade in the past, a character he himself had played. In other words, he was someone he had raised. Aiden was the grandson of that comrade. ¡®I¡¯d regret it if I just killed such a big shot after all this trouble.¡¯ Originally, Juyeon had planned on becoming friendly with Hunter Jack and using him to find the lineage of the [King of Knights]. How was that possible? It was possible because Hunter Jack was a former subordinate of the [King of Knights]. It was one of the pieces of information he had picked up while learning skills and a profession from him. ¡®Those guys must¡¯ve come here knowing that too. To get help finding the escaped slaves.¡¯ Of course, it was unexpected that a descendant of the King of Knights would appear in person, but there was no doubt that they were friendly with Hunter Jack. ¡®Just look at how they¡¯re not using force against Hunter Jack.¡¯ This was something he could use to his advantage. ¡®It would look better for a successor of the lineage to bring me than a recommendation letter from a former subordinate.¡¯ It would be good to have a recommendation letter from Hunter Jack as well. Above all else, there was no comparison in terms of efficiency. If he went through Hunter Jack, he would eventually be able to meet the King of Knights, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet him right away. He would have to go through many miscellaneous quests and battles, gain recognition from his subordinates, receive a title, and finally meet the King of Knights. The problem was that the process was long and somewhat annoying. However, if he went through the successor, that entire process would be skipped. Considering the time limit of three years, this was naturally the better option. That was why he had taken a liking to him. ¡®It¡¯s a hidden route that normally doesn¡¯t activate, but did he come because of what I did in the concentration camp?¡¯ Juyeon smiled. ¡®Once I meet the King of Knights, things will naturally be resolved.¡¯ That was why he went into the plan right away. ¡°You, first apologize for trying to attack us. I¡¯ll listen to you if you do it now.¡± Aiden was taken aback. What the hell? Was this guy really crazy? Aiden asked seriously. ¡°You seem to be pretty easygoing, considering you came here after hearing the name of my family.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll generously give you one minute. You¡¯ll regret it if you don¡¯t do it now.¡± ¡°Just in case, is there any reason I should spare you?¡± ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Such an insolent and vulgar man shall be castrated immediately¡­¡­¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Am I not the one speaking right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The obedient knights were taken aback by his unusual appearance. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Master this angry.¡¯ ¡®If we carelessly intervene¡­ something worse than a roar might happen.¡¯ They resolved to never intervene again in the future. Aiden looked at Juyeon as if he was strange. He seemed to hold hatred toward nobles, but he was also enduring it. This was the first time he had seen such a slave. No, he seemed perplexed by such commoners for the first time. Maybe there¡¯s something to that guy¡­ ¡°I warned you. You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡­No, was I mistaken after all? Aiden drew his sword menacingly. ¡°A slave who doesn¡¯t value his life¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone [The Knight King] has been looking for for a long time? Weren¡¯t you supposed to find that person to become the Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± At those words, Aiden and the knights couldn¡¯t help but look at Joo-yeon in bewilderment. As if he had expected that reaction, Joo-yeon smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to get the position of Duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Aiden was confused. [The Knight King], the late Duke, had gathered his successors and said this to them. [It doesn¡¯t matter who it is. I will give the position of the next Duke to the one who finds ¡®that person¡¯.] He didn¡¯t know who it was. He didn¡¯t know the gender, let alone the age or appearance. The other successors of the family and the Duke¡¯s guards were desperately searching for that person. If he found them first, he could become the next Duke of Edmer. That was why Aiden and the knights couldn¡¯t help but covet Joo-yeon. ¡°Whose spy are you! Reveal your identity!¡± ¡°How could a mere slave know that!¡± Then Joo-yeon burst out laughing. How did he know? ¡°The late Duke of Edmer. The person he is looking for is me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± What the hell? * * * Joo-yeon¡¯s shocking declaration. Aiden and the knights, who had been verbally and physically abusing him, were furious. They were angry enough to cut off Joo-yeon¡¯s neck right away. However, he was the one who was currently. Clatter, clatter. Surprisingly, he was riding in a carriage heading towards the Duchy of Edmer. In Aiden¡¯s carriage, which was waiting outside the hunter¡¯s lodge. It made no sense in a normal frame of mind. Joo-yeon was a convict in a labor camp, a criminal who had killed the warden and cut off the arm of Aiden¡¯s direct knight. From Aiden¡¯s point of view, he was a commoner who deserved to be killed right away. However, he couldn¡¯t touch Joo-yeon. How on earth did things turn out this way. In truth, the reason was simple. ¡°You really are ¡®that¡¯?¡± ¡°How many times do I have to say it? Stop asking.¡± ¡°No, no matter how many times you say it¡­ it¡¯s still surprising.¡± While looking at Joo-Yeon as if he couldn¡¯t believe it, Aedirn apologized. It wasn¡¯t the kind of attitude the successor of a great dukedom should give to a mere slave. However, Aedirn couldn¡¯t help it. Why? ¡®This kid is [that] person my grandfather spoke about?¡¯ As if it were a lie, only the head of the family, the successors, and the late duke¡¯s personal knights knew about this fact. That meant that there was a high probability that Joo-Yeon really was ¡®that¡¯ person or related to them. ¡®Even if it is a lie, I can¡¯t just let someone who knows the family secret go. In that case, I need to figure out who¡¯s behind this.¡¯ Either way, Aedirn couldn¡¯t let this opportunity go. ¡®And that guy is special.¡¯ No matter how restricted he was, he was the man who defeated ¡®Whistling¡¯ Hansen. He even broke through the attacks of the knights of £¼Obedience£¾ and counterattacked, taking one of their arms. So, Aedirn had no choice but to take Joo-Yeon to his castle. Of course, he still couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°¡­¡­So, you¡¯re really ¡®that¡¯ person?¡± ¡°Stop it. You¡¯ve asked more than ten times already.¡± ¡°But I need to be absolutely sure before I move on¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you do. Okay? Now stop asking.¡± Aedirn narrowed his brow at Joo-Yeon¡¯s rude attitude. ¡®This impudent little punk¡­¡­¡¯ Even if he was [that] person, he was still a slave, and yet he was acting so presumptuous. However, he couldn¡¯t get mad, no matter how angry he was. ¡®My grandfather told me something like that when I was a child.¡¯ A secret that only Aedirn knew, something he couldn¡¯t even tell the knights. [If there is a power in this world that can defeat me, there is only one. And that power no longer exists.] ¡®If the power that punk was using is the power my grandfather spoke about.¡¯ It would be troublesome if he provoked the punk for no reason and he ended up using ¡®that¡¯ power. Hadn¡¯t one of his own knights already lost an arm? Aedirn carefully changed the subject. ¡°So, what is your relationship with my grandfather, or rather, the late duke?¡± ¡°What is my relationship, you ask?¡± ¡°There must be a reason why the late duke was looking for you. He told me to find ¡®that¡¯ person, but he didn¡¯t tell me why he was looking for them.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­. That¡¯s.¡± ¡°That¡¯s?¡± Instead of answering, Joo-Yeon let out a small laugh. ¡°You¡¯ll see once you meet the previous Duke. Just wait patiently as you pave your own path.¡± This brat? Aiden shot Joo-in a look as if asking if this guy was a fraud, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. Joo-in chuckled, watching Aiden. ¡®Nobles, after all.¡¯ They were the kind of people who pretended to be kind for their own benefit, but would spit you out like a fishbone if there was even a hint of danger. ¡®Do you think I¡¯ll just show you all my cards?¡¯ Right now, meeting the [Knight King] was the key to everything. That was the only way to suppress Count Sanderson and achieve the final feat through the shortest route. He was using this guy who could take him straight to the Knight King, but that was a two-way street. ¡®If I use the successor, I can make the Edmer family my home base.¡¯ In any case, since the final feat was something that no one had ever achieved, he needed as many weapons as possible. If he could forge a deep connection with the Edmer family, it would be a great help in terms of financial resources. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®If I just asked him to take me to the Knight King, I would¡¯ve been ignored, so I provoked that guy on purpose.¡¯ He recalled Aiden Edmer¡¯s personality. Of course, that alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to completely absorb the Edmer family. ¡®For now, [his] story worked, but it might not go as planned.¡¯ He needed to plan more meticulously. He also needed to increase his ability stats to the level where he could defeat the Demon King. ¡®In my current state, I¡¯ll die if the wind blows on me.¡¯ But there was something more important than that right now. ¡°Excuse me, Joo-in-nim.¡± Hunter Jack cautiously called out to Joo-in. Joo-in raised an eyebrow at his vigilant demeanor, as if he was on guard against his surroundings. ¡°What? Are you scared to go to the dukedom with us?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Not at all. I¡¯m well aware that you¡¯re being considerate of my safety, since other prisoners might come.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Hunter Jack took something out of his pocket. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to give you. This is¡­¡­¡± Hunter Jack brought out two items. But one of them was something he had never seen before. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. It¡¯s a book that compiles some of my knowledge.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Is this perhaps¡­? [Special Feat Achieved] [£¼Loner Hunter¡¯s Favorability Reached Max£¾] [You May Receive Hunter Jack¡¯s Hidden Special Reward] [Skill Acquisition Condition Satisfied] Joo-in¡¯s eyes sparkled. Chapter 11 My Reflector Is Invincible 1111. I¡¯m Actually Grateful £¼Emergency Treatment£¾ At the beginning, it was a skill that could be learned from the Hunter Jack. A technique that could heal injuries even without divine power or magic. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a perfect treatment. It was only meant to be used to hold on until proper treatment could be received. ¡®But it¡¯s quite versatile.¡¯ Since it wasn¡¯t a job-exclusive skill, it was an essential skill that anyone could learn. Normally, only the Emergency Treatment skill could be learned from Hunter Jack. However, the protagonist had met additional requirements. ¡®Saving his life and subduing the descendant of the Edmer family that Jack served.¡¯ Hunter Jack¡¯s favorability had reached its maximum. Normally, it would quickly move on to the next part, and since he was a difficult character, it would normally not be achievable. However. [Skill acquisition condition satisfied.] [Additional acquisition condition achieved.] [Additional rewards will be given.] [A higher reward than the existing reward can be obtained.] Yes, there were cases where the reward would change if the favorability was at its maximum, so I decided to take a gamble. However¡­ [£¼Crisis Detection£¾ has been acquired.] ¡®A Crisis Detection skill?¡¯ A skill that I had never seen before had popped up. Even the protagonist, who prided himself on being a veteran of the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯, had never seen this skill before. ¡®To think that Hunter Jack had this kind of skill hidden away.¡¯ Many people had received skill training from Hunter Jack. However, no one had ever been known to receive this skill. Even the achievement was new. The protagonist quickly checked his newly acquired ability. £¼Crisis Detection£¾ £¼Rank: Legendary£¾ £¼Description: Hunter Jack, from the remote mountains of the North, participated in numerous wars alongside the Knight King. The only reason he was able to survive until now was because of his special ability to sense crises.£¾ £¼Ability: Can detect attacks or threats that are life-threatening in advance.£¾ Crazy¡­ It was a truly ridiculous skill. Not only was the description long, but the content itself was unbelievable. ¡®And what? Legendary rank?¡¯ To think that it could detect the enemy¡¯s intent or threat. If I could know when and how the enemy would attack, it meant that I could deploy £¼Reflection£¾ in advance. £¼Reflect£¾ and £¼Counterattack£¾ are a match made in heaven. ¡®At the very least, I won¡¯t have to die a meaningless death.¡¯ It will also make up for the fact that I can¡¯t use £¼Reflect£¾ on attacks I don¡¯t recognize. Besides, there weren¡¯t many people who had Legendary Skills, let alone Mythical Skills. An ability that could be counted on one hand on the continent. ¡®He¡¯s giving me such a great ability just for helping him out.¡¯ Jack really is a generous giver, after all. In both the game and reality, Jack was the best. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ The developers who hid this Skill Book must have been out of their minds. Someone risked their neck on the execution block to get £¼Reflect£¾. Joo-in¡¯s eyes turned to Hunter Jack. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°hehehehe. Why do you look like that?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just so grateful.¡± ¡°It was something I didn¡¯t need.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Right.¡± I just gained the favor of one person. And I got something like this. ¡®I should take good care of the others too. There might be more Skills like this hidden away.¡¯ In any case, the first Skill I got was Legendary-grade. And it was £¼Reflect£¾, with endless uses. ¡®My luck is strangely good.¡¯ The Unique-grade £¼Counterattack£¾ and now the Legendary-grade £¼Danger Sense£¾. It seemed that I was lucky enough to clear this game. ¡®Well, the last achievement quest I was doing was the highest difficulty.¡¯ In other words, it meant that I was more likely to die if I made a mistake. ¡®Since dying means the end, it¡¯s like an extreme hard mode.¡¯ However, the items Hunter Jack gave me weren¡¯t just one or two. ¡®He even gave me this.¡¯ It was a starting item for the class he wanted. With this, I could get that class. Joo-in smiled. * * * Hunter Jack¡¯s kindness wasn¡¯t limited to Skills. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He approached Joo-in when the carriage was resting for a while. ¡°It¡¯s my first time teaching this Skill, so I don¡¯t know much, but you¡¯ll need practice to use it properly.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°While we¡¯re resting, I¡¯ll teach you myself.¡± Aiden also readily agreed. ¡°For a short while, I suppose. It will take some time to reach the duchy anyway.¡± ¡°We should also stop by the town up ahead. We agreed to meet the escort there.¡± The town was reached soon enough. However, Aiden allowed the carriage to stop. He was curious to see what Jude would learn. Thanks to that, Jude was able to walk around the forest with Jack. ¡°Is this how you do it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing well. It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve known how from the very beginning.¡± ¡°Really? Maybe it¡¯s because I like the teacher?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be it. You seem as familiar with this as if you were born a hunter.¡± Jude snickered as he threw away a poisonous mushroom. Actually, it was natural for him. The moment he saw the mushroom, he could tell right away whether it was poisonous or edible. £¼[Crisis Perception]£¾ has been activated. It was thanks to £¼Crisis Perception£¾. Thanks to the skill, he could instinctively tell which foods were not to be eaten. Of course, it wasn¡¯t without its drawbacks. ¡°This mushroom¡­ is poisonous, Your Highness.¡± ¡°It seemed fine to me?¡± ¡°Of course, consuming a small amount won¡¯t be life-threatening. It¡¯s said to be good for the body because of its slightly nourishing properties. However, if you eat a large amount of it or combine it with certain ingredients, it becomes extremely toxic.¡± £¼Crisis Perception£¾ only detects the user¡¯s own crises. If it doesn¡¯t pose a threat to life or have a significant impact on the body, it doesn¡¯t judge it as a crisis. So, even though it was a poisonous mushroom, the skill didn¡¯t activate. Even so, it was definitely useful. ¡®Is this the power of a legendary skill?¡¯ The surprising thing was that he could use the skill more naturally than when he had played the game. ¡®It seems to differentiate not only poisonous mushrooms but also other things.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t rely solely on the £¼Crisis Perception£¾ skill. ¡®How long have I played the Balentino Saga?¡¯ Even without the skill, he could reliably distinguish most poisonous mushrooms. It was to the extent that Aiden, who was next to him, was amazed. ¡°Is it really that easy to tell the difference between poisonous mushrooms and poisonous herbs?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. I¡¯ve devoted my whole life to learning it. It seems like you just have a natural talent, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± He was nonchalantly distinguishing poisonous mushrooms that he couldn¡¯t tell apart no matter how much he looked. No matter how he looked at it, Jude wasn¡¯t an ordinary prisoner. ¡®Could this be the power of [that]. In that case, is this guy really [that]?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just poisonous mushrooms. It was really amazing how he could find food ingredients in a forest where nothing could be seen. It was even more so how he learned the skills of a skilled hunter in an instant. However, that was only for a moment. Soon, it was time to leave the forest. ¡°My Lord. We should start moving soon. If we delay any longer, we may have to camp.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then let us go.¡± The carriage sped up again. The place they arrived at was a village at the crossroads leading to the Dukedom. However, the promised soldiers were nowhere to be seen. Aiden asked the knights with a puzzled expression. ¡°What happened? We were supposed to meet here, weren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Do you think we might have crossed paths because we came too quickly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± It was a little unpleasant, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. ¡°We did arrive a little earlier than the promised time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait here for today. We¡¯ll send a separate messenger to the soldiers.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± It wasn¡¯t all bad. The village chief, who recognized Aiden, came out anxiously. He seemed very friendly. ¡°Oh my, young master. How did you come to such a humble place¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just passing through, so act as you normally would.¡± ¡°How can I do that? You¡¯re not just anyone; you¡¯re from that family.¡± The village chief hurriedly called the villagers together. ¡°This is the successor of the Duke of Aiden. Make sure to keep the noise down while he¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll keep it as quiet as possible.¡± Joo-yeon looked at the villagers with curiosity. ¡°The successor of the Sword King has come!¡± It was as if they were welcoming his visit. They were welcoming a noble with open arms. ¡®Normally, they¡¯d be hiding when a group of nobles comes.¡¯ Most nobles were nothing but trouble. However, the Sword King was different. He was a hero respected by all of the North. ¡®It must be because the Sword King is such a great person.¡¯ Aiden accepted the village chief¡¯s hospitality as if it were natural. ¡°Then I¡¯ll rest for a while and be on my way.¡± ¡°Yes! Please rest as long as you like.¡± ¡°Thank you, village chief. I won¡¯t forget this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just grateful that you visited.¡± The village chief smiled brightly. The village chief¡¯s house was small, and the knights were large, so Jack and Haken decided to stay in a different house for the time being. That¡¯s when Joo-yeon, Aiden, and the knights were having dinner. ¡°Hmm?¡± Watching the soup, Joo-in tilted his head. He thought that it was a warm soup prepared by the village chief and his wife, who clearly respected Aedirn. Uung! An ominous feeling was felt in his mind. It was the feeling of the £¼Crisis Detection£¾ skill. £¼[Crisis Detection£¾ has been activated£¾ Joo-in immediately realized what was targeting him. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®Poison.¡¯ There was poison in the seemingly ordinary soup. It wasn¡¯t fatal enough to kill him. However, it was a powerful sleeping agent that could knock out even strong knights. It was quite dangerous depending on how it was used. That¡¯s why it was annoying. ¡®A mere village chief put poison in the soup? And in the food of the grandson of the King of Knights and his guest?¡¯ It seemed that he was trying to do something. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not hard to tell that there¡¯s poison in it.¡¯ Joo-in just stared at the food. Soon, his eyes widened like a fox. ¡®Is it possible? Can I reflect the poison in the food?¡¯ It was a pure but malicious smile. Chapter 12 My Reflector Is Invincible 1212. How far can you follow my orders? What is the most important thing for surviving in the wild? It¡¯s food. There was no other reason why Hunter Jack created the Crisis Detection skill. [To survive, you must always be suspicious of your surroundings. You never know when or how the enemy will attack.] [Be especially careful of food given by strangers. There must be a hidden motive behind any unwarranted kindness.] That¡¯s how the £¼Crisis Detection£¾ skill was born. Even if he hadn¡¯t exhausted himself rescuing the escapees, he would have been fine. That wasn¡¯t all. Joo-in learned from Jack not only how to distinguish between poisonous and edible mushrooms and herbs, but also how to use them. [Your enemies may use poison in the future. So, let¡¯s experience it beforehand.] [It¡¯s a way to build resistance to poison by experiencing small amounts of it.] [You can start with the weakest one.] It was a method of building up immunity by eating weak poisons in advance. Thanks to this, Joo-in was able to acquire a new skill along with £¼Crisis Detection£¾. £¼[Poison Resistance£¾ has been created£¾ £¼Weak resistance to some poisons£¾ It didn¡¯t matter unless it was an instant-acting, deadly poison. That¡¯s why Joo-eun was confidently digging into the soup. Gulp. ¡®It¡¯s nice and piquant.¡¯ £¼Resisting the sleeping poison£¾ £¼[Poison Resistance] is active£¾ £¼Resistance successful!£¾ It was different from the jerky and soup she had roughly eaten at the shelter. The warmth of home cooking and the mild taste of poison that she felt at the same time. Her body¡¯s reaction came right away. Stagger. Suddenly, drowsiness poured in. The eyes of the knights eating food next to her closed right away. ¡°Ugh¡­ Why am I¡­ sleepy¡­¡± Aiden, who was watching the knights next to her, also staggered. ¡°Sle¡­epy¡­ troops¡­¡± Thud! Everyone who was eating collapsed with their heads on the table. The only ones who were fine were the village chief and his wife. The soup didn¡¯t only contain sleeping pills. Zap! £¼Resisting the paralysis poison£¾ £¼[Poison Resistance] is active£¾ £¼Resistance successful!£¾ Her body froze. It was clear that sleeping pills and paralysis poison were used together. ¡®They¡¯re more thorough than I thought.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something that ordinary villagers would do. Of course, Joo-eun knew who the culprit was. ¡®In the north, where the King of Knights reigns, there¡¯s only one person who would do such a thing.¡¯ She had suspected it ever since there were no soldiers in the village. ¡®Fortunately, the enemies appeared at the perfect time.¡¯ That¡¯s why she pretended to be affected. Thanks to her resistance, she wasn¡¯t actually affected by the poison, but she would appear to be poisoned. ¡®You¡¯re thinking the same thing, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Joo-eun made eye contact with a man while lying down. It was Aiden, who collapsed after eating the soup. He was also sending signals to Joo-eun with his eyes. ¡®I don¡¯t know who you are¡­ but I¡¯ll make you regret messing with the Edmer family in the north.¡¯ Aiden¡¯s eyes were fierce. His gaze was murderous, as if he would attack the village chief and his wife right away. However, it seemed like he was hiding his emotions in order to figure out who was behind this. By the way, how is he immune to poison? Is it because of that necklace? ¡®That necklace is definitely¡­.¡¯ It was one of the equipment that Joo-yeon equipped to the [King of Knights]. £¼Artifact£¾ It was an item with special abilities. The one that Aiden had was special enough to be numbered. No. 99 £¼Pidoksu£¾ The effect is poison nullification. The owner of the necklace was immune to poison. ¡®Because of that, he wasn¡¯t afraid of the poison in the forest.¡¯ The characteristic of the Balentino Saga was that you could bring out the companion characters you raised in the next stage. Then, you could enjoy their changed appearance over time. And since I¡¯m the successor to the Duke¡¯s family, I thought I was the only one who could have something like that, because I wouldn¡¯t be considered the successor otherwise. Thanks to that, the poison didn¡¯t work¡­ But then, Joo-yeon suddenly thought, ¡®Oh?¡¯ ¡®Wait. If that bastard has that¡­ Can¡¯t I borrow it for now?¡¯ I had to check it out. Anyway, Aiden had been pretending to be hit as soon as he realized that the knights were reacting strangely. ¡®Well, his acting was terrible.¡¯ Joo-yeon burst into laughter. ¡®Those who planned this were just asking to die.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t just anyone, but the grandson of the King of Knights. And he was the grandson who was closest to the next Duke position. I couldn¡¯t help but look forward to what would happen in the future, since I had angered not only him, but also such a man. ¡®By the way, I wonder if Haken and Jack are okay?¡¯ Well, with Jack there, they should be fine. The crisis detection skill belonged to Jack in the first place. But then, I heard the voices of the village chief and his wife who had given me the poison. ¡°He, honey. I think he¡¯s asleep.¡± ¡°Shhh! Be quiet. You woman! What if he wakes up because of you?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m scared¡­.¡± ¡°We just have to do what we were told. Got it?¡± ¡°Ye, yes¡­.¡± The village chief and his wife whispered in the corner. After a while, the door of the house opened. The man who had guided me through the village with the village chief appeared. ¡°Village chief. What should we do with the two servants in the other house? Should we poison them too?¡± ¡°For now, just leave them. They¡¯ll come and take care of it anyway.¡± They, too, had been paid off by someone. And those guys were about to show up soon. As expected. ¡°V-village chief. They¡¯re here!¡± The door opened and a few more people appeared. They were masked men. ¡°What happened to those guys?¡± ¡°Y-yes. We put them to sleep with the medicine, just like you told us.¡± The corners of the bandits¡¯ mouths turned up. ¡°Good job. We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Th-then¡­ what about our deal?¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯ll keep it. Just like the Count promised, you won¡¯t be plundered anymore. And you¡¯ll get your reward.¡± ¡°Th-thank you. Thank you very much.¡± The village chief and his wife smiled. They had made a huge profit in exchange for offering up the successor to the great Knight King. To think that they would get this much compensation just for poisoning him. But that didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The village chief¡¯s face hardened at the sudden scream from outside. That voice definitely didn¡¯t belong to Haken or Jack. ¡°That voice¡­ could it be¡­ Oksana?¡± The village chief¡¯s body froze. But it didn¡¯t end with that scream. A villager who had been watching the situation from outside ran inside screaming. Thud! ¡°V-village chief. Something terrible is happening! They¡¯re¡­ Kuaaagh!¡± The villager collapsed before he could finish his sentence. One of the bandits who had followed him swung his sword at him. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. The bandits outside were killing the villagers on sight. The ones who had promised not to plunder anymore. ¡°What is the meaning of this! Didn¡¯t you make a deal with us?!¡± The bandits looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Did you really believe that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Or did you think we¡¯d just let the Edmer family heir live after bringing him all the way up here to the North?¡± ¡°What are you¡­¡± The village chief was genuinely confused. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the bandits continued, sneering. ¡°You were blinded by money and messed with a noble. We¡¯re just taking revenge for you despicable fools.¡± ¡°Even the Edmer family¡¯s expression of gratitude, you said you received it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± My goodness. Using them as much as you can and then trying to kill them? The bandits soon raised their axes toward the village chief and his wife. ¡°Then¡­¡­ Thank you for your hard work. Farewell.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel too resentful, we¡¯ll use the reward from this village and the Edmer family well.¡± The village chief and his wife hugged each other. They tightly shut their eyes, regretting their actions. That was the moment. Thud! The bandit who had raised his axe suddenly collapsed. Frowning at the sight, one of the bandits next to him shouted. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t fool around!¡± But that was just the beginning. Thud! The bandits began to collapse from their seats one by one. The village chief and his wife, along with the villagers, also collapsed. ¡°Wh¡­¡­ What? Why all of a sudden¡­¡­¡± ¡°Drowsy¡­¡­¡± The only one who managed to endure was a single bandit who appeared to be the leader. But even he wasn¡¯t completely fine. He was somehow resisting the poison, but his body wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°Could this be¡­¡­ poison? But we didn¡¯t eat anything?¡± At that moment, a voice was heard directed at the bandit leader. ¡°Poison isn¡¯t something you necessarily have to ingest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The bandit leader looked toward the direction of the voice. There, Joo-Heon was calmly enjoying a soup as if nothing had happened. The bandit leader shouted in bewilderment. ¡°Y, you! How is that possible! You should have been poisoned!¡± He had an expression that showed he couldn¡¯t understand it at all. But Joo-Heon smirked. £¼Reflect£¾ If I said it was the power of the Demon King¡¯s skill, would he believe me? Furthermore, he was becoming more and more used to using it. He had succeeded in £¼Reflecting£¾ the poison to a minimum amount onto the one who seemed to be the leader. ¡®I guess this is a success for the power adjustment test.¡¯ Anyway, thanks to his resistance, the poison¡¯s effect wasn¡¯t too great on him. So he was able to test the power adjustment without any hesitation. Of course, there was a weakness. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®It seems that the effect is reduced if I reflect against a large number of enemies.¡¯ The arrows raining down from the labor camp were fine. The damage was enough to knock out all the soldiers. But this time it was different. ¡®The number of enemies was much greater than the amount of poison I had ingested.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t enough to knock out enough enemies. So what could be done? I had no choice but to diligently drink the soup of others. I was able to process all of it only after drinking all the poison in it. Of course, that wasn¡¯t what was important right now. ¡®The village chief and his wife can¡¯t die here. They have to testify to Count Sanderson¡¯s crimes.¡¯ So Jooyeon tapped her fingers on the table. ¡°How long are you going to be crumpled up on the floor? It seems that the mastermind has appeared, so why don¡¯t you take care of it now?¡± Then, Adien groaned and raised his body. ¡°The mastermind hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet.¡± ¡°The culprit is Count Sanderson.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The bandit captain¡¯s eyes shook greatly. ¡°What! Count Sanderson has nothing to do with this. In the first place, I never said that he was a count¡­!¡± ¡°Look, you¡¯re confessing that he¡¯s Count Sanderson.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The bandit captain quickly covered his mouth, but it was no use. Killing intent poured out of Adien¡¯s eyes. ¡°Knights. What are you doing. Get up now and take care of those damn things!¡± As soon as Adien finished speaking, light shone from the knights¡¯ bodies. It was the light of £¼Obedience£¾ that I had seen before. Along with that, the knights rose from their seats. Of course, their bodies that had been affected by the poison were still the same. ¡°We will follow your orders.¡± They moved quickly and cut off the arms and legs of the bandits. Jooyeon whistled at the sight. ¡®As expected, the knights of Obedience are hot-blooded.¡¯ One of the fearsome characteristics of the knights of £¼Obedience£¾. It was that they would±Ø¤º carry out their lord¡¯s orders as long as they were in a state where they could hear their voices, regardless of the situation. ¡®Even if their limbs fall off, they¡¯re the kind of guys who will rush in like berserkers at the command to take care of the enemy.¡¯ It was the same even if they fell asleep or were paralyzed after eating poison. With a single command, their bodies would move first even in a state of unconsciousness. To that extent, the orders of their lord were important to the knights of £¼Obedience£¾. ¡®That¡¯s why there¡¯s a saying that in order to break £¼Obedience£¾, you must first kill the lord.¡¯ Finally, the knights rushed outside. It was to take care of the bandits who were massacring the villagers. At the same time, Adien glared at Jooyeon. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°Count Sanderson. How did you know he was behind this?¡± In an instant, Aiden exuded a murderous aura. He must have thought this was a trap meant for him. ¡°Moreover, it seems as though you knew we would be ambushed in advance¡­.¡± What on earth was his objective? Aiden had no choice but to watch Joo-Yeon with caution. ¡°If you¡¯ve been deceiving us from the start, luring us into a trap¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Of course it was to inform you. Of how perilous the Edmer family¡¯s current situation is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Aiden¡¯s vigilant eyes shook greatly. He had known that Count Sanderson had recently been gathering people. ¡°You¡¯re saying that it¡¯s dangerous for that bastard to be targeting us?¡± Joo-Yeon smiled as if he had been waiting for this reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t think of it so lightly. The fact that he¡¯s attacking so openly means that the enemy¡¯s forces are formidable.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. In the North, the Edmer family is¡­.¡± Well, a prestigious family. They were respected as a family of heroes. But that was no reason for them to not be attacked. Aiden still couldn¡¯t admit it, but it was true that more northern families than he thought had sided with Sanderson. ¡°Soon¡­ a great war will break out over the throne of the North. If you can¡¯t withstand it, even the lineage of the Sword King will perish.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± According to the main storyline he had experienced so far, this was bound to happen. That was why Joo-Yeon had waited for those guys to come on purpose. ¡®That¡¯s why I used shock therapy. If they¡¯re willing to target the heir of the family, they must realize how dire the situation is.¡¯ Count Sanderson was too formidable an enemy to face alone. It wasn¡¯t simply a matter of difficulty. As long as he had his reflexes, the only enemy who could possibly be Joo-Yeon¡¯s match was an enemy on the level of a [Sword King]. In the end, he would be able to defeat him on his own. ¡®But there¡¯s no way it¡¯s something I can resolve within three years.¡¯ I¡¯ll probably end up dying before the time¡¯s up. This wasn¡¯t something I could skip or anything like that. In other words, what Joo-Yeon wanted was the swift and utter downfall of Count Sanderson. To that end, he had deliberately made Count Sanderson the enemy of the heir to the Edmer family. Originally, there shouldn¡¯t have been a fight between the two families here. But. ¡®The soldiers who didn¡¯t show up. And the prepared trap. He¡¯ll probably realize that the enemy¡¯s machinations run deep within the family.¡¯ Having incited the North¡¯s greatest families to fight, all that remained was to drive the wedge in. Aiden seemed to have noticed that as well. ¡°So what should our family¡­ no, what should I do?¡± ¡°Good attitude. Then I¡¯ll tell you. But before that.¡± Joo-Yeon bent down with a villainous smile. ¡°How far can you follow my orders?¡± Chapter 13 My Reflector Is Invincible 1313. Beginning Slowly The situation in the village was quickly resolved. Thanks to the arrival of Aiden¡¯s soldiers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being late, Lord Aiden!¡± There were hundreds of soldiers, including knights. Although they were not knights in the sense of £¼chivalry£¾, they were of great strength. ¡®These are not troops that a mere duke¡¯s successor can bring with him.¡¯ It was a force made possible because he was the successor to the northern king, the [Knight King]. Of course, they were not the strongest force. There were knight orders known as the strongest. [North Wind] [Cold Snow] [White Wolf] There were also special knight orders that moved only at the command of the Knight King. ¡®Still, it¡¯s a considerable force.¡¯ It¡¯s quite a coveted level. However, Aiden¡¯s expression was not good. ¡°Why are you late?¡± ¡°There was a battle in the middle. A group of bandits ambushed us without fear.¡± ¡°In this north, with our family¡¯s banner, there are bandits who dare to attack?¡± ¡°They were quite heavily armed. It was hard to see them as just a group of bandits.¡± ¡°Even so, it shouldn¡¯t have taken this long to get here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± As the knights hesitated, Aiden couldn¡¯t stand it and raised his voice. ¡°Speak up, knight! I¡¯m asking you!¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord. The bandits lured us away as if they were buying time.¡± It meant that their arrival at the village was delayed. But they couldn¡¯t even wipe them out or take them prisoner. ¡°We caught some of them, but most of them killed themselves¡­¡± Suicide by poison? It was an unbelievable act for a mere group of bandits to do. It was clear that there was someone behind this. Aiden was furious, but he soon calmed down. It was because of Joo-Yeon¡¯s whisper. ¡°Just in case, it would be good to assign knights to the ones we caught in the village as well.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re going to commit suicide?¡± ¡°You just heard it, didn¡¯t you? They said they didn¡¯t take any prisoners.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Normally, he wouldn¡¯t be concerned about the likes of bandits. But there was already a precedent. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°While you¡¯re at it, assign someone you can trust.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to¡­¡­¡± Aiden, who was about to ask what he meant, flinched. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you saying there¡¯s a traitor among the new recruits? Among the knights of our house?¡± It was ridiculous. Most knights aspire to £¼Knighthood£¾. So there couldn¡¯t be a traitor. ¡°Knights who have lost their loyalty to the point of betraying their master can never achieve £¼Knighthood£¾.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what we usually think.¡± ¡°Usually¡­? At Aiden¡¯s surprised face, Jooyeon smirked. ¡®There is a way to achieve £¼Knighthood£¾ without loyalty.¡¯ S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All you need is a special item. Of course, Count Sanderson wouldn¡¯t have gotten it yet. ¡®It¡¯s more likely that he recruited people who are crazy about money enough to give up their Knighthood.¡¯ Of course, that wasn¡¯t the important thing right now. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? Edmer¡¯s soldiers were tied up by mere bandits?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­ Didn¡¯t you just hear? The bandits kept getting in their way¡­¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the problem.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How the hell did the bandits know the soldiers¡¯ route? And how did the village chief know that you and I would come here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ They knew in advance the route that I and my soldiers would take?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other way to explain what happened.¡± Of course, the same went for Jooyeon¡¯s movements. How did they know where he would go when he escaped from the labor camp? ¡°Think about it. How did they know all that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aiden gritted his teeth. This move was a unilateral decision that he hadn¡¯t told anyone about. He had acted impulsively in order to put Count Sanderson in debt for the escaped slave. So there was only one thing he could think of. ¡°Lord Olson. When did you contact the soldiers?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Right after I met the hunter. I sent the family messenger.¡± Astonishing. Aiden¡¯s teeth ground together. The family messenger was strictly managed so that no one could see them. That meant that a family traitor had leaked information to the enemy. And that person must have been quite high-ranking. ¡°To think that there is someone who dares to betray me and my family¡­¡­. Who the hell is it!¡± Aiden¡¯s murderous intent made Joo-in¡¯s eyes shine. ¡®He¡¯s not an idiot, after all.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t the successor to the Sword King for nothing. Although he hadn¡¯t properly received the £¼Succession£¾ yet. He was good enough to join hands with. ¡®Earl Sanderson is definitely not a frivolous man.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t sent the bandits just to kill Joo-in. The moment he figured out Aiden¡¯s location, he was smart enough to try and kill them both at the same time. He was even meticulous enough to use the bandits to hide himself. But none of that mattered to Joo-in. ¡®The traitor changes every time¡­¡­ But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t find them.¡¯ They were the same kind of bastards he had been dealing with all along. Catching them was nothing difficult for Joo-in. Of course, there was a prerequisite for that. ¡°Remember what I said earlier? I asked if you would do whatever I tell you to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± ¡°Tell me for sure. My orders will change depending on your answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aiden narrowed his brows. Honestly, he didn¡¯t want to listen to Joo-in, a mere slave. But the situation was too coincidental. ¡®Earl Sanderson. If that sly bastard is the real enemy¡­¡­ It¡¯s entirely possible.¡¯ He had received reports that Earl Sanderson¡¯s recent movements were strange. But to think that he would move so meticulously. Even he, a member of the Duke¡¯s family, felt threatened. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t stand this situation. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will do everything you tell me to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He had a justification, anyway. If Joo-in was [that person] that the Sword King, the former Duke Edmer, was looking for. ¡®I might even be able to mobilize my grandfather¡¯s knights.¡¯ Perhaps it was only right to ask for help. ¡°What should I do?¡± At those words, Jooyeon smiled as if everything was going according to plan. * * * ¡°Can¡¯t we go faster?¡± ¡°Anyone who lags behind will be dealt with on the spot!¡± Jooyeon and Aiden decided to move directly to the dukedom. The captured bandits and prisoners were intentionally tied up and forced to pull the baggage carts. So the knights approached Aiden and Jooyeon, looking concerned. ¡°Are you really not going to punish them?¡± ¡°They tried to kill our lords.¡± Caught in their gaze, the village chief and his wife trembled. ¡°I, if we do everything you tell us, will you spare our lives?¡± ¡°We were just protecting our village¡­ because the bandits threatened us¡­¡± As they had targeted Aiden¡¯s life, it would be difficult for them to survive. Jooyeon had told him to leave them alone, but in response to the knights¡¯ gazes, Aiden whispered quietly. ¡°There¡¯s no more information to extract, and keeping them alive will only cause trouble later. Normally, it¡¯s standard to kill them.¡± ¡°Yes, normally.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he¡¯ll be thinking too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± That was exactly what Jooyeon was counting on. ¡°Count Sanderson. He¡¯s a clever man, so he¡¯ll probably think a lot about it.¡± There is no one in the world with a heavier mouth than the dead. Originally, he would have killed Aiden and all those who had attacked them. To bury the secret forever. ¡®He must have prepared a way to deal with the bandits he hired.¡¯ Even if the mission failed, he would have come up with a trick to keep the secret from getting out. But Jooyeon caused him a problem. The villagers who should have been killed earlier. Among them were the village chief and his wife, who were solid witnesses. ¡°Witnesses who were not subordinates, but paid to commit murder. There couldn¡¯t be anything more threatening.¡± He must be very flustered. ¡°So if we leave those who should be killed alive, won¡¯t he reveal himself?¡± Aiden looked at Jooyeon, inwardly surprised. It wasn¡¯t that the enemy would reveal himself, but that he would grab him by the scruff of the neck and drag him out if he didn¡¯t? But Aiden sighed. ¡°I understand your strategy, but it¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t tried. In a situation where we don¡¯t know the exact number of enemies, our allies could get hurt¡­¡± Then Jooyeon¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Just trust me.¡± * * * ¡°Damn it!¡± James, a centurion of the Edmer House soldiers, was annoyed. It was because of the seamless surveillance. And it was even more absurd that all of this was because of an unknown slave. ¡®I can¡¯t carry out the orders of Count Sanderson like this.¡¯ Whenever he tried to approach the prisoner, the knights glared at him. Whenever he tried to poison him, a hunter interfered. [Doesn¡¯t this food taste strange? Who brought this?] But he couldn¡¯t give up. -You must kill him. If you fail to kill him¡­ you and your family will die. Count Sanderson¡¯s messenger had already arrived. At this rate, it wasn¡¯t a matter of orders, but a matter of survival. In that case, there was only one way left. ¡®He truly is a fearsome man. Did he perhaps predict this as well?¡¯ James took out a pouch he had just received from his arms. What was inside was a potent poison. £¼Crimson Spider Lily£¾ Of course, it wasn¡¯t a poison meant to kill people. However, those who ingested this would have their bodies taken over by madness. ¡®It seems they¡¯re monitoring us to prevent us from killing the prisoners, but so what?¡¯ They were monitoring the prisoners¡¯ food, but they weren¡¯t paying attention to the food of the others. This was clearly Adien¡¯s oversight. ¡®The others must have succeeded by now.¡¯ He handed half of this poison to a knight he had bribed in advance. He would take care of Adien¡¯s knights, so all that remained was his own. Finally, the pouch in James¡¯ hand was poured into the soldiers¡¯ food. Swish. ¡®Now, eat up. And kill each other. It¡¯s all for the new king of the North.¡¯ James¡¯ eyes gleamed. However, he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Well, well, well. Was it you?¡± That Joo-yeon had anticipated his actions. And at his gesture, Adien and the knights began to move. Chapter 14 My Reflector Is Invincible 1414. One is Enough Growl. The eyes of the soldiers who ate the drugged food became strange. As if possessed by rabies, they foamed at the mouth. His eyes were also tinged with red. Joo-yeon immediately recognized the symptom. ¡®Crimson Azalea.¡¯ It was a herb collected from the southern jungle. In particular, when combined with southern witchcraft, it became a forbidden drug that made one lose their reason and attack their surroundings for a short while. That meant Count Sanderson was related to the southern forces. ¡®That bastard Count Sanderson. Did he join hands with them this time?¡¯ From the beginning, the count had joined hands with one of the other regions from the start. And he used their techniques and resources. This time, it seemed to be the south. ¡®The south is famous for all sorts of poisons and witchcraft.¡¯ The snowy mountains of the north. The jungles of the south. The sea to the east and the plains to the west as well. Each region had its own characteristics. However, there must have been a special reason for him to join hands with the south. ¡®For example¡­ using poison and witchcraft as their main assassination route.¡¯ They could also use spies to cause a collapse from the inside. In fact, of the four routes, it was the dirtiest. You had to be suspicious of all food, and you had to be nervous in case an assassin suddenly popped out. You could get a good reward, but in fact, it was also the route Joo-yeon hated the most. But now it was different. ¡®I was going to test whether witchcraft could be reflected anyway. This works out well.¡¯ If it really was the £¼Crimson Azalea£¾ of the south, there was a way to use it. At that moment, the hunter Jack nodded his head. ¡°As expected of Lord Joo-yeon. He said that if he couldn¡¯t lay a hand on us or the prisoners, he would lay a hand on the soldiers¡­.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t just lay a hand on the soldiers.¡± ¡°What?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the gazes of the knights gathered separately changed. Krrr! Crimson-tinted pupils. Foam as if they had lost their reason. All of the knights were affected by the Crimson Azalea. It would be one thing if they were soldiers sharing one meal, but even the knights who had their food prepared separately were affected. It was impossible without a traitor on the inside. Aiden¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Really¡­ not only in the important positions of the family, but there were also traitors among my troops.¡± ¡°Will you believe me now?¡± ¡°I have no choice but to believe you.¡± Aiden¡¯s face looked very complicated. ¡®That can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s not just anyone else, but a direct knight who protects me has betrayed me.¡¯ Not only had a thorough background check been conducted, but even his family had been taken as hostages and were being protected separately. And yet, a traitor still emerged? Moreover, they even managed to include the direct subordinates of the successor of the Edmer family, who was known as the king of the north. As expected, it was a tactic befitting of a usurper who had overthrown the King of Knights. If only I can survive this? ¡®His face is quite handsome.¡¯ The more dangerous Count Sanderson felt, the less he would ignore the Edmer family and leave it alone. The main character intended to clip his wings before he could become active. That is, by using the Edmer family¡¯s power. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I can only achieve my achievements if I make the ruler of the north the King of Knights.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. [King of Knights] was also a character he had played. Moreover, it was one of his favorite characters among the ones he had played. ¡®Above all, Aiden was wearing the necklace I gave to [King of Knights].¡¯ Judging from that, there was a high probability that the Edmer family was also in the state he had played. It really displeased him that some random bastard was ruining the family he had worked so hard to build. That was when it happened. Growl. The knights and soldiers who had gone mad turned their eyes towards Joo-in¡¯s group. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The foreheads of Aiden¡¯s escort knights creased. ¡°Don¡¯t you even recognize your lord?¡± ¡°To think you¡¯ve lost your mind to mere poison. It seems like your mental fortitude has weakened since I last saw you.¡± ¡°You need some training.¡± Olsen and Loren, who were knights, stepped forward. Their bodies turned orange as the power of £¼Obedience£¾ was unleashed. £¼Obey the rightful authority£¾ A power that subdues the enemy by asserting the dignity of the lord. In an instant, an overwhelming aura was emitted towards the enemies. It was a power that only Joo-in had been able to withstand. However, this time was different. ¡°Growl?¡± The enemies tilted their heads. Unlike when the powerful wave had spread before, there was no change at all. Everyone was taken aback by that reaction. ¡°Obedience doesn¡¯t work?¡± Joo-in sighed as if he was disappointed. ¡°Did you think that would work?¡± ¡°Do you know the reason? Why doesn¡¯t £¼Obedience£¾ work?¡± Aiden asked anxiously. He must have been worried in case something had happened to the knights¡¯ £¼Obedience£¾. Jooyeon answered with a shrug. ¡°Even the aura works on sane people.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Sane people?¡± ¡°Among those who are drugged and have lost their minds, do you think there are any who are sane enough to follow orders? They¡¯re like beasts.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± In short, it means that the authority of rank doesn¡¯t work on crazy people. Because they¡¯re not in their right minds in the first place. I don¡¯t know if you understand what rank is. That¡¯s why it was a method often used in games. ¡®I used to cast spirit magic like Berserk on soldiers to counter the power of £¼Obedience£¾.¡¯ At the same time, the gazes of Adien and the knights turned strange, as if they had noticed something. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Surely¡­¡± Their gazes turned to Jooyeon. It was a gaze that seemed to know the reason why £¼Obedience£¾ didn¡¯t work on someone. Jooyeon grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s not it! You guys!¡± It wasn¡¯t because he was crazy, but because he had £¼Reflection£¾. The knights turned their heads away. Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter if chivalry didn¡¯t work. ¡°There¡¯s no need to use chivalry on such opponents in the first place.¡± Poison for poison. The knights drew their swords. ¡°We won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°You serve Lord Adien like we do, so just faint for a while.¡± Boom! From Noble mtl dot com The knights¡¯ swords struck the enemies directly. Their knees buckled and their spines snapped. Normally, that would be enough to knock them out. But soon, the knights¡¯ expressions hardened. ¡®They withstood the attack?¡¯ No matter how crazy they were, they shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand fainting on a biological level. That wasn¡¯t all. Boom! The knights groaned as the enemies counterattacked. They were incredibly strong. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s not just a matter of not recognizing their lord!¡± Jooyeon said. ¡°It¡¯s the effect of the drug called £¼Crimson Spur£¾. It can even blow your head off, but it also removes the body¡¯s limitations, allowing you to surpass human limits.¡± Adien looked stunned. ¡°Even if they are enemies, that¡¯s an amazing drug.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ideal, is it?¡± ¡°Not ideal?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason why the human body has limitations. They¡¯re a minimal defense mechanism.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Aidan, who followed Joo-Yeon¡¯s hand, was surprised despite wondering what she meant. Creak. The bodies of the enemies who had just attacked the knights were strange. Some parts of their bodies were turning black. They looked as if they couldn¡¯t withstand their own power and their muscles were dying. ¡°If we keep fighting like this, they¡¯ll all die from the aftereffects of the drug.¡± ¡°Then we need to take them down before that.¡± Aidan¡¯s voice turned cold. The knights shouted as if they understood. ¡°Master, your orders!¡± The power of £¼Subservience£¾ wasn¡¯t just about using the master¡¯s authority. The greatest power comes from the master¡¯s orders. ¡°£¼Command£¾ Suppress those soldiers.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Suddenly, light erupted from the knights¡¯ bodies. But it was a bit different from before. Orange light radiated from the knights¡¯ eyes. They released their own limits to receive the master¡¯s orders. ¡®If you only look at this, it¡¯s the same effect as those affected by £¼Crimson Haze£¾.¡¯ But there was a crucial difference. The two knights¡¯ eyes weren¡¯t filled with madness. Bang! In an instant, the enemies began to fall. But it wasn¡¯t easy. The enemies rushed forward, even crawling. They even uprooted trees to charge. They probably wouldn¡¯t stop until their heads were cut off or their hearts exploded. ¡°Just one drug has this much power.¡± It was no wonder Aidan¡¯s pupils were trembling. Joo-Yeon nodded. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s the South¡¯s poison.¡¯ It was difficult to½â³ýeven for the most part because it was mixed with witchcraft. The knights were also troubled. ¡°They¡¯re the master¡¯s soldiers. They¡¯re essential for the master to ascend to the throne.¡± ¡°I know that. Somehow¡­ make them immobile.¡± Then Joo-Yeon smiled. ¡°You said you¡¯d do whatever I tell you to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Aiden flinched. ¡°Surely, you aren¡¯t going to use that power?¡± The power that had blown off his knight¡¯s arm. However, Joo-Yeon chuckled. ¡®If I use , everyone will die.¡¯ But that doesn¡¯t mean the antidote works either. That poison was a complex poison combined with black magic. It was impossible to detoxify with common herbs. ¡®An enemy that absolutely must not be killed. But the enemy is trying to kill us somehow.¡¯ He really was a cunning bastard. A strategy to kill the enemy without getting his own hands dirty. But Joo-Yeon smirked. ¡®Thank you very much.¡¯ Giving him such a nice present. Solving this situation was a piece of cake for him. The reason he hadn¡¯t made a move was for a different reason. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already finished the preparations.¡± ¡°What are you¡­¡­.¡± Joo-Yeon left the bewildered Aiden behind and called out to Hunter Jack. ¡°Are the preparations done?¡± ¡°I did as you instructed. And I just received the signal.¡± ¡°Then we can start.¡± Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes sparkled. * * * Earl Sanderson¡¯s spy, James. He was blowing a small whistle with his mouth. Tweet tweet tweet. It was a black magic tool that controlled the soldiers who had been hit by . To be exact, he could designate the target to attack. ¡®Kill those bastards. Don¡¯t let a single one live.¡¯ Kuaaah! The soldiers charged towards Aiden and Joo-Yeon as if to kill them. In order to save the friendly forces that had become enemies, this whistle had to be destroyed. But would he be able to break through those troops and destroy this whistle? Guys who didn¡¯t even know he had betrayed them? Besides, had a fatal weakness. It was a secret that Earl Sanderson had told him. [ is great, but its power isn¡¯t eternal.] He could exert a powerful force, but its duration wasn¡¯t long. The more I try to save the soldiers¡¯ lives like this, the more they will die. It was a trap that had been anticipated from the beginning. The enemy, unaware of it, continued to use their strength and grow weary. ¡®As expected of Count Sanderson¡¯s words.¡¯ The method of using the flute was simple. Just think of the enemy and blow the flute. Then the spell on the flute would be cast on the target, and those who were intoxicated by the drug would attack like madmen. Of course, there was a need for caution. ¡®He told me to be careful not to have this flute taken away.¡¯ I also had to be careful not to think of my own side. If it were to break, the spell would be lifted and it would be the end, but if I were to think of my allies, I would end up attacking my own side. It was also difficult if I went too far away. In order for the spell to be maintained, a certain distance had to be kept. ¡°Well then, we should succeed in our mission while the bastards are still unconscious.¡± First, I had to kill all the prisoners to erase any trace. Then I had to deal with the chief and his wife along with the bastards. The successor of the Edmer family, who was the greatest obstacle to Count Sanderson¡¯s takeover of the north. Moreover, for some reason, there was also an order to eliminate the slave who was with Aiden. Just then, someone approached me. It was the knight who had betrayed him. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with all the troublemakers.¡± His sword was dripping with blood. He had killed all the healthy soldiers who hadn¡¯t eaten the drugged food. The rest were preoccupied with fighting those who had been exposed to the red mist along with Aiden. There was no one left to stop the two of them. ¡°Then let¡¯s move on to the next one.¡± ¡°Are you going to deal with the prisoners first?¡± ¡°Aiden¡¯s side will be taken care of without us having to do anything.¡± ¡°I see.¡± James moved towards the prisoners with the knight. To this end, the bandit prisoners had been gathered in a place slightly away from the tent. They were tied up, so they couldn¡¯t resist. The prisoners noticed James¡¯ gaze and began to resist. Sob! It was a look that begged for life. But James¡¯ hand did not stop. ¡°The Count does not forgive failures.¡± It was when he thrust his dagger towards the nearest prisoner. Clang! ¡°Kuaaak!¡± James collapsed on the bridge, feeling excruciating pain in his leg. A steel object was wrapped around his ankle. ¡°A trap? Why is there something like this here¡­?¡± ¡°It must¡¯ve been set up by the hunters who were with those guys earlier. Wait, I¡¯ll release it right away.¡± The knight approached to remove the trap. But at that moment. Tinkle-. A small ringing sound could be heard along a thin string. James¡¯s face hardened. ¡°It¡¯s an alarm trap! Those guys must have known we would come.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyway. They won¡¯t be able to do anything because they¡¯re dealing with those who¡¯ve been hit with the Red Dragon¡¯s Breath¡­¡± But the knight couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Bam! His face was smashed in by a huge force. James¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No way¡­ Did they already finish off all the soldiers?¡± Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t the knights of £¼Obedience£¾ who had taken down the knight. The ones who had attacked the knight were none other than¡­ Growl-. The knights and soldiers that James had been controlling. And not just one. Growl-. Definitely the hundreds that had gone to kill Aiden and Joo-yeon. Their eyes were filled with madness. A voice rang out behind James, who was panicking. ¡°Well, we should finish our midnight exercise quickly. Kill them. One mouth is enough.¡± ¡°Kuaaah.¡± Hundreds of crazed soldiers charged towards James and the knight. Chapter 15 My Reflector Is Invincible 1515. It¡¯s Better to Make Mistakes ¡°Ugh¡­ Please¡­ spare¡­¡± James¡¯s face was swollen. It was the result of being ganged up on by his own soldiers. Haken laughed at the sight. ¡°Serves you right.¡± Thwack! He spat and stomped on him like the other soldiers. It was a natural consequence for betraying his comrades. ¡°Even the street rats in the back alleys don¡¯t live like you.¡± He hadn¡¯t forgotten how he almost died because of this guy. If Joo-yeon hadn¡¯t stopped him, he would have killed him right away. ¡°Go easy on him. He can¡¯t die yet.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll beat him up just enough.¡± Other soldiers gathered around Hayeon. They were soldiers who had been addicted to . They all had a ferocious murderous aura. ¡°Can we join in?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The soldiers bowed to Joo-yeon and replied. Their attitude towards him was very polite. Of course. He had saved them from dying as Paladins, so it was only natural. However, the way they looked at the traitor James was different. ¡°You didn¡¯t just betray our Lord, but also us, your comrades.¡± ¡°How could you sell out your comrades for a few bucks? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Their murderous aura was flaring. ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Of course, most of the soldiers weren¡¯t in good condition. It was because they were still suffering from the aftereffects of the poison. Their bodies were covered in blue bruises because their physical limitations had been forcibly lifted. From Noble mtl dot com Even so, they were more than capable of taking care of the guy who had betrayed his comrades. ¡°Get him!¡± Bam! Bam! While the soldiers were taking care of James, Aiden approached. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°The soldiers were clearly targeting us, but how did you suddenly make them go after that traitor?¡± ¡°Oh. That?¡± At the critical moment, the possessed soldiers changed their target. The reason was simple. It was because of the light of that Joo-yeon emitted from his body. You¡¯re asking how he used Reflection when it would kill the soldiers? He didn¡¯t reflect the soldiers¡¯ attacks. To be exact, he reflected the spell that had been cast on him. ¡®Originally, is a forbidden drug combined with a spell.¡¯ It was almost like a curse. If you fed the drug combined with the spell to your enemy, you could designate the target with a spell tool and make them chase after them. A spell that made them see you as their hated enemy. That was exactly what Joo-yeon had aimed for. It reflects the target of the hex directed at him. The soldiers moved to smash the flute, a hex tool, instead of Joo-in and Aiden. That¡¯s how they dealt with the knight who had betrayed them along with James. Now, there was only one thing left to do. For a moment, Joo-in stepped between Haken and the soldiers. ¡°I have something to ask.¡± The soldiers stepped back immediately. However, they were ready to strike James at any moment. Joo-in leaned towards James. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± ¡°I, it wasn¡¯t me. It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°What misunderstanding? You had the flute, the hex tool, hanging around your neck.¡± There was also the testimony of the prisoners. Everything pointed to James being the traitor. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too pathetic to make excuses now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± James was lost for words. He never thought that Joo-in would not only break the hex but also notice the hex tool. There was no way to make excuses anymore. He bowed his head to the ground and begged for mercy. ¡°P-please spare my life.¡± ¡°Well? Is there any reason I should do that?¡± ¡°I just did what I was told to do. The person who ordered me to do it was¡­.¡± ¡°I know. Count Sanderson, is that it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± James¡¯ pupils shook. His opponent, no, Joo-in knew everything. His own death was naturally drawn in his mind. Then, Joo-in¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Do you want to live? Then, I might be able to spare you?¡± ¡°Are you, for real?¡± James exclaimed urgently. At that sight, a commotion arose among the soldiers. ¡°No! This bastard betrayed us all!¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that we almost died because of him? We almost hurt our lord with our own hands!¡± The soldiers turned to Aiden anxiously. ¡°My lord! Please don¡¯t spare this bastard!¡± The knights agreed with the soldiers. ¡°We think the same. If we spare the traitor, it will tarnish our lord¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°Those who betray once tend to do it again. We must punish the traitor with death to prevent the same thing from happening again.¡± Everyone was telling him to kill James. Aiden hesitated for a moment before approaching Joo-yeon. ¡°Are you really going to let him live?¡± His expression suggested that it shouldn¡¯t be the case. Joo-yeon shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m the one who caught him, so what I do with him is my business, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I thought you were going to kill him.¡± ¡°So now you¡¯ve come to change your mind? Do whatever you want with him.¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes were cold. Aiden waved his hands in a fluster. ¡°No, no. A promise is a promise. I was just wondering if there was a chance.¡± He was saying not to misunderstand. Joo-yeon was taken aback. ¡®These nobles, really.¡¯ They would never do anything that could potentially damage their reputation. Fortunately, Joo-yeon had built up enough credibility. If he hadn¡¯t anticipated and dealt with the situation this time, he would have been executed on the spot without question. Of course, he didn¡¯t care what the soldiers or knights had to say. ¡®That¡¯s because there¡¯s something more important than that.¡¯ It was the means of communication that James had with Count Sanderson. ¡®It seems to change every time.¡¯ Like the Major, he could have given him a modified communication crystal. However, unlike the Major, who had been a knight, James was just a soldier. In that case, he would normally use a regular messenger or a communication device. So Joo-yeon asked with sharp eyes, ¡°How have you been communicating with Count Sanderson so far? Tell me the method, and I¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± James hesitated. If he told him, he would be killed. But Joo-yeon¡¯s pressure was relentless. ¡°You¡¯ll die anyway if you don¡¯t tell me. Then you can either die here or cooperate.¡± ¡°Wha-!?¡± James was startled. As Joo-yeon made a move to step back, the soldiers approached as if they had been waiting. They were even carrying clubs, making it seem like they were about to beat him to death. He shouted in desperation, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you, so please spare my life!¡± Joo-yeon smiled faintly. * * * ¡°Th, thank you!¡± James ran away with his face swollen. As promised, it was all said and done. The soldiers¡¯ faces were filled with discontent. However, no one questioned it. ¡®Didn¡¯t he release the spell¡­ Didn¡¯t he stop the bastard¡¯s trap?¡¯ ¡®We would have died if it weren¡¯t for him.¡¯ Of course, Aiden had a regretful expression. ¡°Should we really have let that guy live?¡± It meant that he didn¡¯t like it. It was an expression that he didn¡¯t understand at all, even though he didn¡¯t try to deny it. Joo-Heon tilted his head. ¡°I never let him live?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t you just release him?¡± ¡°I released him. I never let him live.¡± Aiden tilted his head. What the hell was the difference? Soon, the truth came out of Joo-Heon¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do you think that bastard will live just because he was released here? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better for him to die right away?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to kill him?¡± There was no need to ask. ¡°Count Sanderson. That bastard is quite vicious.¡± He¡¯s not called the [King of Knights] and his family was annihilated for nothing. The count was just as dirty as he was cunning. Would he let James, who failed his mission, live? ¡®There¡¯s no way. He would rather have tortured him a hundred times.¡¯ James will soon regret his betrayal. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So much so that he would think that it would have been better to die by his comrades. Assassins will be waiting to take care of him. Aiden seemed to have realized it then. ¡°Oh right. Those guys were going to take care of the village chief and his wife right after the plan was over.¡± Only then did the soldiers understand. ¡°We don¡¯t have to get our hands dirty?¡± ¡°I was disgusted at the thought of killing someone who I used to eat with, but maybe it¡¯s a good thing.¡± The soldiers¡¯ expressions brightened noticeably. Their eyes toward Joo-Heon became more favorable. It was a rare situation where even the knights were relieved. However, they were also worried. Anyway, Count Sanderson is not an easy guy since he planted a spy in the royal family. Then Aiden asked, ¡°So why did you ask about the contact method? What¡¯s so important about that?¡± ¡°Oh, that? I¡¯m going to use it now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Everyone wondered. But in fact, it was nothing special. ¡®That guy still doesn¡¯t know the situation here.¡¯ What does that mean? Joo-yeon took out the communication device he had received from James. Click, click, click, click. He wrote a message on the parchment paper of the communication device. He had already heard how to write it. James had told him everything in the presence of the young soldiers. [Mission accomplished. All targets deceased.] Joo-yeon sent the communication device flying. ¡°Now, that guy won¡¯t be able to predict our movements.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± We¡¯ll arrive at the dukedom tomorrow anyway. In case he tries to make up an excuse not to let us in. Aiden seemed to understand and nodded. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The soldiers also began to move quickly. We had to get in before Count Sanderson figured out the lie. * * * Inside the tall, black castle. A man who had received the communication device stood up, striking the table. ¡°Finally, the successor of the Edmer family is dead!¡± The promising successor of the family of the Knight King, who was called the king of the north, was dead. Although their power had weakened recently, the Sanderson family was still a family that Count Sanderson could not mess with. For the successor of such a family to die. ¡°Now, the Edmer family will be in chaos and won¡¯t be able to do anything. Then¡­ Count, you will finally become the true king of the north.¡± Even so, those who are praised for their past glory and occupy that position. Would Sanderson, whom even the Pope and Emperor could not move, become like that? We have already seized the actual supremacy of the north. The man bowed his head to his master with an expression of joy. However, Count Sanderson¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°What about that impudent slave?¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°So, he was just a lowly thing with nothing to show for it.¡± The man couldn¡¯t understand his master. He couldn¡¯t understand why he cared more about a mere slave than the successor of the Edmer family. Count Sanderson said with a firm expression. ¡°That guy, his eyes were unusual. He was definitely someone who would block my path.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s dead. He¡¯s no longer someone for you to worry about, master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡± Count Sanderson lowered his head for a moment. ¡®I felt a chill. Did I catch a cold?¡¯ But it didn¡¯t matter anymore. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Now that the successor is dead, there¡¯s no use in the other plans.¡± The count was a thorough man. He had set multiple traps in case the assassination failed. The man understood his master¡¯s will. ¡°I will take care of the captain of the guards and the gatekeeper we had recruited.¡± ¡°James, was it? What about the assassins who will take care of him?¡± ¡°They are already waiting on-site. They will take care of him as soon as he leaves the scene. The assassins have also been given poison.¡± Only those who fail their missions are not killed. From Noble mtl dot com He also takes care of subordinates who might hinder his future actions in advance. That was Count Sanderson. As the new king of the North, he could not tolerate even a speck of blemish. Count Sanderson smiled grimly. The knight king was old, and the next successor of the Edmer family was dead. ¡°Now that the successor is dead, there will be a great commotion in the Edmer family. I will go there myself and incite chaos in the family.¡± ¡°They will come to you on their own even if you stay here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need to see the faces of those below me in advance as someone who will become their master.¡± Count Sanderson¡¯s gaze changed. Chapter 16 My Reflector Is Invincible 1616. It¡¯s Ridiculous As morning came, the group moved quickly. However, the atmosphere was very different. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Jooyeon only said a word. And Haken tried to react as usual. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some water¡­¡± ¡°Here, I brought you some water!¡± However, a soldier brought a cup of water before him. It was Aiden¡¯s soldier who had almost died from a spell due to James¡¯ betrayal. He wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Are you hungry? I have some bread left over from yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Where did you get such food? I have some dried fruit¡­¡± ¡°I have some jerky that I¡¯ve been saving.¡± As if this was their chance, the soldiers came running. They all showed favor to Jooyeon. Juyeon did not refuse their kindness. ¡°Alright? If that is truly your intention, then I can¡¯t help it. I shall eat well.¡± ¡°Thank you for accepting!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Continue to endure the hardship.¡± ¡°Lo, loyalty!¡± The soldiers¡¯ eyes lit up with joy as their presents were accepted. They had heard that the one who had saved them from their rampage was none other than Juyeon. ¡®Normally, we should have been disposed of the moment we attacked our lord.¡¯ ¡®In our monstrous state, we should have died long ago.¡¯ Yet the one who had saved them was Juyeon. Their gazes towards Juyeon could not help but change. ¡®Come to think of it, he saved our lives and didn¡¯t show it at all.¡¯ ¡®If only such a person were to become our master.¡¯ Of course, Haken shook his head. ¡®You guys are misunderstanding something. This man is not such a kind person, you know?¡¯ Haken pitied those who would become Juyeon¡¯s willing slaves, just like himself. However, it was not only the soldiers who were showing favor. ¡°Ahem. By any chance, is there anything uncomfortable?¡± The knights¡¯ gazes were also surprisingly friendly. Of course, considering Juyeon¡¯s actions so far, it might be natural. Since he had saved their lord. However, Haken whispered quietly, as if slightly worried. ¡°Be careful, Juyeon-nim. You can¡¯t trust those knights, even if the soldiers don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember who cut off that knight¡¯s arm?¡± Haken pointed at Knight Olson. He was the knight who had his arm cut off by Juyeon in the Hunter¡¯s Forest. He had been guarding Aiden with only one arm ever since. ¡°How much do you think he¡¯s grinding his teeth inside?¡± He meant that he might seek revenge for his lost arm. That the pretense of being friendly was merely a trick to let down their guard. ¡°Nobles and knights are all the same.¡± Juyeon chuckled. It seemed that Haken had quite the grudge against nobles. However, he did not know one thing. ¡°By the way, do you know that the knights have excellent physical abilities?¡± ¡°Of course I know. Why?¡± ¡°It seems like they heard everything you just said?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Haken was shocked. Indeed, the knights were looking at Haken with a sly gaze. The flustered Haken grabbed the protagonist. ¡°Am I, am I going to die now?¡± ¡°If we were going to kill you, we would have done so earlier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°In the first place, you¡¯re not some general who doesn¡¯t know honor. Do you think the righteous knights like £¼Obedience£¾ would take personal revenge?¡± It was a trait of the knights of £¼Obedience£¾. ¡®Since I think I¡¯m necessary to Aiden, they¡¯ll wag their tails if I wag mine, but they would never have thought of touching me.¡¯ Then, Olson, the knight who lost his arm, nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. In the first place, my arm was cut off because I didn¡¯t grasp your power, Sir Protagonist. If there¡¯s any fault, it¡¯s my immature skill that¡¯s at fault.¡± The protagonist laughed lightly. The knights were supposed to be prideful guys, but they seemed like unexpectedly good guys. ¡°And in fact, you didn¡¯t care about your severed arm, did you?¡± ¡°My arm, which is more important than anything to a knight, was cut off¡­ and there¡¯s no reason to care?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you intended to live as a one-armed man forever, seeing how you¡¯re holding onto your arm.¡± At the protagonist¡¯s words, not only the knights but also Aiden¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did you know that too?¡± ¡°Really, I wonder what you don¡¯t know.¡± The knights burst into laughter. Haken seemed unable to understand the current situation. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t intend to live as a one-armed man? Will your severed arm grow back?¡± ¡°Do you think people are lizards or something? It¡¯s just that the Edmar family has someone who can reattach severed arms.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Only then did Haken recall a certain existence. £¼Magicians£¾ They were people who could use the mystic arts to perform miracles. People who possessed abilities far more precious and mysterious than knights. ¡°If it¡¯s a magician¡­ surely they can reattach a severed arm. Magic is truly amazing.¡± ¡°Well¡­ magicians are great.¡± Even the protagonist admitted it, but his face was grim. Haken tilted his head. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Ah. I suddenly thought of a magician I know. The thing is, magicians tend to be rather eccentric.¡± The knights agreed. ¡°They¡¯re great when they¡¯re on your side, but they¡¯re a pain when they¡¯re your enemy. They¡¯ll chase you relentlessly, to the point where you¡¯ll tell assassins to go away.¡± ¡°Among them, the [Grand Magician] is said to be the most powerful. There¡¯s probably no one in the world who can stop him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to stop an ordinary magician, so what about a Grand Magician? The only one in the world who could make him an ally would be a hero.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible unless you¡¯re a monster.¡± I¡¯m that monster, guys. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In fact, one of my companions who fought alongside the Knight King against the Demon King was a Grand Magician. The problem was that while he was tremendously skilled, his personality was twisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how he did it, but he followed me around every time.¡± Taking him on as my colleague was half-forced from the beginning. Even when I wanted to have a different wizard as my colleague, he somehow found out and became my colleague. He would find out somehow and follow me around, which was incredible. It was as if he wouldn¡¯t tolerate me having any other wizards besides him. I let Jooyeon lead because he was strong, but he shook his head firmly. ¡®He¡¯s good, but I should avoid him this time.¡¯ Since he has reflexes, it won¡¯t be difficult. I just need to cast magic and reflect it back at him. But then, Adien sighed and looked at the knight. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the family wizard, but don¡¯t expect too much. We need the water of life to reattach your arm.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m prepared. Even wizards don¡¯t give away the water of life easily because it¡¯s so precious.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the family wizard will refuse, but it¡¯ll be difficult to obtain the item in the first place.¡± Adien felt incredibly bitter because he had lost the arm of a subordinate he cared for. However, Jooyeon unexpectedly spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know an easy way to get it.¡± What? Adien¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really? You know how?¡± ¡°Yes. You won¡¯t need to bow down to wizards.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± If Jooyeon¡¯s words were true, it would be extraordinary. ¡®Not only will the soldiers¡¯ abilities increase, but the situation could change.¡¯ It meant that this guy had an incredible weapon. ¡®It¡¯s unlikely to be a lie¡­ because I¡¯ve seen it.¡¯ Not only that unknown power, but Jooyeon¡¯s words were believable based on his actions so far. Adien couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Jooyeon. ¡®Count Sanderson. I must have this guy¡¯s help to stop him.¡¯ But then, it happened. ¡°I see the dukedom!¡± Along with a soldier¡¯s exclamation, a prosperous city appeared. It was a large city that was so advanced it was hard to believe it was the Middle Ages. The enormous castle walls were magnificent. The line of people waiting to enter the castle stretched to the end of the hill. However, the soldiers felt both joy and regret at the sight of the dukedom. It was because of Jooyeon. To the soldiers, a house or rest was important, but there was something more important than that. A superior they could trust. Some treasured the monthly pay they received more than their lives, but in the end, their lives depended on their superior. As proof, Adien called Jooyeon over when he saw the soldiers looking at him with regret. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some soldiers when we get there.¡± ¡°Oh? Really? Won¡¯t that be a waste?¡± ¡°From now on, both you and I will be targets of the enemy.¡± Aiden announced it to the soldiers. ¡°Those of you who wish to transfer, come to me. I¡¯ll assign you to that guy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. Even the knights looked at their master with surprise, as if it were an outrageous act. Joo-Yeon was also pleased because it was something he had been hoping for, but then a problem arose. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ As the carriage arrived at the castle gate, Joo-Yeon tilted his head. ¡°Huh?¡± It felt as if something was scanning him. No, it was more like eyes trying to look deep inside him. ¡®Is this¡­ detection magic?¡¯ Joo-Yeon glanced at Aiden and the knights, but they didn¡¯t seem to notice it. ¡®It¡¯s such a subtle detection that even the knights can¡¯t sense it¡­¡¯ It was certain. This was the mystic power of magic. ¡®But why would a precious wizard be in a place like this?¡¯ It was clear that someone was after him. ¡®Detection alone is not dangerous, but magic can be tricky.¡¯ Still, he had the [Grand Mage] and wanted to test it out, so it might be a good thing. At that moment, the power that was scanning Joo-Yeon delved into his body. Joo-Yeon smiled. ¡®Let¡¯s test it out.¡¯ £¼Reflect£¾ Soon, the power of reflection clashed with the magic. Chapter 17 My Reflector Is Invincible 1717. Kill £¼Detection Magic£¾ It was possible to check not only the opponent¡¯s location but also their condition. Although it was simple magic, when a high-ranking wizard used it, they could do more than just check the condition. £¼Age£¾ £¼Physique£¾ £¼Weaknesses£¾ £¼Whether or not they had mana£¾ Even checking hidden items. It was possible to grasp all kinds of conditions. The wizard on the city wall also used it with that intention. ¡°18 years old¡­ Twisted physique. Weak enough to die in one blow no matter where I hit.¡± He was looking into Joo-in, using detection magic. As he had heard, his background was that of a slave. He didn¡¯t look at other information such as the presence or absence of mana or possession of artifacts. ¡°No need to waste artifacts on a mere slave.¡± From Noble mtl dot com But it didn¡¯t end there. There was another fearsome aspect to detection magic. The wizard spoke in a low voice. ¡°Marking complete.¡± £¼Marking£¾ It was a tracking spell that could be cast on a detected target. It could track the target in real time by identifying its unique wavelength. This exposed the target not only to magic but also to witchcraft, curses, and all kinds of abilities. Protective charms were essential to prevent this. Even Aiden, a high-ranking noble, always carried them along with artifacts. ¡°Knights can¡¯t be marked easily because of their strong resistance, but a mere slave should be easy.¡± There was no kind noble who would give a slave a precious charm. Moreover, in Aiden¡¯s case, he couldn¡¯t imagine that such magic would be cast in his carriage, and in his family¡¯s territory at that. It didn¡¯t matter that he was inside a carriage with the curtains drawn. His detection magic had found Joo-in precisely. Of course, he didn¡¯t look happy that the magic had succeeded. ¡®They definitely said they killed the bastards?¡¯ He was here because of the changed orders of Count Sanderson. Count Sanderson had given the order to withdraw, but it was different for him. [Beiner. Stay behind just in case. If there are any variables, be sure to find out what happened.] ¡®Did he predict this in advance?¡¯ Either way, it was really strange. Let¡¯s say it was Aiden. ¡®How is that slave bastard alive?¡¯ Not to mention, it was slaves who were in the carriage, not his knights. ¡®It must be the variable the Count mentioned.¡¯ He had to tell the Count this news. The Count intended to completely annihilate the [King of Knights] and the Edmer family. That was why he had cast detection magic on a mere slave. His £¼Marking£¾ was special. Once the magic was cast, it wasn¡¯t difficult to kill a slave. ¡®Once £¼Marking£¾ is cast, the slave¡¯s life is in the palm of my hand.¡¯ The wizard stood up from his seat. ¡°I might as well cast Suggestion on him.¡± The £¼marking£¾ he possessed held special abilities. It could be used to insinuate suggestions and manipulate targets. Evading the surveillance of Aydin or the knights wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡®If I can figure out what the variable is, the Count will be more pleased.¡¯ But at that moment. ¡°Hmm?¡± The mage tilted his head. Sanderson¡¯s other spy, standing next to him, looked at him strangely. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± The mage hastily replied as if it were truly nothing. But his inner thoughts were different. ¡®What the hell¡­¡­. I can¡¯t detect him anymore.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t sense any information about the target. He couldn¡¯t even feel his own magic or marking anymore. ¡®This can¡¯t be. Should I cast the spell again?¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it out loud. If he did, he would have to admit his failure to the other spy beside him. And Count Sanderson did not forgive failures. ¡®If he thinks I can¡¯t even do something like this, he¡¯ll get rid of me right away.¡¯ In this situation, admitting his mistake was akin to saying, ¡®I want to die.¡¯ So the mage cast the spell once more. Subtly enough that the spy next to him wouldn¡¯t notice. £¼Detect Magic£¾ But it didn¡¯t work. Before, he could at least sense a presence. Now, it was as if a barrier had been erected, preventing the detection magic from penetrating. ¡®This can¡¯t be. There has never been a time when my detection magic has failed.¡¯ He was a mage specializing in detection and marking. Once, he had been a dark mage who moved in the shadows, taking on commissions. His magic, which boasted a 100% success rate, had failed. He, who could even detect assassins in hiding. ¡®I must have made a mistake somewhere. There¡¯s no way the detection magic I¡¯m casting on a mere slave would fail.¡¯ Perhaps he had changed positions or exited the carriage. Just in case, he tried casting it again, increasing the scale and power. Gulp! The mage froze. It was as if a giant eye was staring at him. No, it was real. -It¡¯s you. ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Waaah! It felt as if his entire body was being ripped apart. The wizard knew this feeling all too well. ¡®This¡­¡­ I¡¯ve been reverse-detected?¡¯ In that instant, he felt connected to his opponent. It was exactly the same as when he had first been hit by a detection spell in the Magic Tower. The only difference was that his information was being transferred to the other party unilaterally. Furthermore, his unique coordinates were also being transferred. Now, the opponent could find out where he was at any time. ¡°T-that¡­¡­ That can¡¯t be! This can¡¯t be done with a normal reverse detection!¡± The wizard stuck his body out of the castle wall in surprise. He turned his gaze to the carriage that Aiden was riding in. At some point, the curtains of the carriage window had been drawn back. Creepy! There was a pair of eyes there, looking at him. ¡°Did you bounce back my magic? N-no way!¡± Bouncing back the magic of another is not an easy feat. It was known that only the highest-ranking wizards, or rather, Archmages, could do it. The ultimate pinnacle of magic, the apex of all secrets, which goes beyond nullifying the magic of the opponent and returning it as it is: £¼Magic Reversal£¾ ¡°To think that such a great secret would be used by a mere slave.¡± Could it be that he was an Archmage pretending to be a slave? It was natural to have such a thought. This was the emergence of a formidable enemy that he had never expected. He might have made an enemy of someone he should never have messed with. ¡®There¡¯s a monster there that the Count couldn¡¯t even imagine. I have to let him know about this, at the very least.¡¯ After thinking that, Bayner turned around in a hurry. ¡°Quickly, I have to tell the Lord!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°That slave, he used my magic¡­¡­¡± However, Bayner¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t open any further. * * * ¡®So it¡¯s that bastard.¡¯ Joo-yeon found the man on the castle wall. He was the one who had used detection magic on him. ¡®But it¡¯s useless.¡¯ He immediately used £¼Reflection£¾. Thanks to that, the £¼Detection Magic£¾ was cast on the opposing wizard. ¡®A short stature in his 40s. His mana ring is hardened, so he can¡¯t improve his skills any further.¡¯ Mana was roughly rank 5. Considering that the lowest rank of a wizard was rank 9, it could be seen as a fairly decent ability. It was the rank that most wizards in this world belonged to. ¡®It seems like someone was trying to detect me under someone¡¯s orders, but¡­.¡¯ Instead, the magic was reflected with . It was the that had been cast on him. ¡®Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to cast even between wizards.¡¯ However, it was cast far more easily than expected. It seemed like could ignore the other party¡¯s resistance. Well, the Demon King was the same. ¡®He broke through our defensive spells and reflected magic so easily.¡¯ Thanks to that, all of the other party¡¯s information was being transmitted in real time. Since he had been marked, that guy was as good as finished. ¡®No wonder they say that unless it¡¯s a close comrade who is willing to risk their life, Marking shouldn¡¯t be used.¡¯ It was because it was a skill used to grab the other party by the throat. It wasn¡¯t easy to remove either. No one below a high-ranking wizard, such as a Grand Mage, could remove it. However, right at that moment. Flinch. The wizard beyond the castle wall moved urgently. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was trying to say something to someone next to him. Since he had reflected the magic, it seemed like he had mistaken his abilities and was trying to run away. Or maybe he was reporting to the one who had ordered him about Joo-Heon. ¡®I can¡¯t let him do that.¡¯ Woong! A reaction occurred in Joo-Heon¡¯s body. To be exact, the that was connected to Wizard Bayner reacted. This would have been absolutely impossible with a normal . However, Bayner¡¯s was special. Joo-Heon could convey his will to the wizard. -Stop. Thud! Then, surprisingly, Wizard Bayner stopped in his tracks. He froze in the exact pose he had been in, about to speak to the person next to him. As if he had listened to Joo-Heon¡¯s order. ¡®This is interesting?¡¯ Joo-Heon¡¯s eyes curved into crescents. As always, it was a player¡¯s joy to turn the tables on an enemy who had targeted him. In particular, it was important to test the new ability of . ¡®I¡¯ve gotten an interesting plaything before I even meet the Duke.¡¯ Choke! Joo-yeon dragged his thumb down and slit his throat. -Kill him. He gave the order with a murderous intent. The magician, Bayner, on the rampart couldn¡¯t refuse Joo-yeon¡¯s order. ¡°R, Run¡­¡­¡± ¡°Master Magician, why are you acting like this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What were you trying to say? That slave used magic? Ru¡­¡­ what?¡± Bayner¡¯s body froze as if it was paralyzed. However, his mana started to move like crazy at Joo-yeon¡¯s order. ¡°Master Magician Bayner, what in the world is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Are you done with your work?¡± The other spies who were watching the situation from behind approached. They should finish the order quickly and leave. They wondered why he was acting so strangely all of a sudden. ¡°If we stay here any longer, we might get caught by the guards.¡± ¡°The next shift will be here soon. If you¡¯re done with your mission, you should leave quickly¡­¡­¡± However, it wasn¡¯t only his mana that was moving on its own. In an instant, Bayner¡¯s hand reached out to the spy next to him. ¡°Master Bayner?¡± Magician Bayner¡¯s hand drew intricate seals. Then, a blue magic circle appeared and a sharp icicle revealed itself. £¼Ice Pick£¾ It was one of the mysteries that only magicians could use. An ice-type attack magic that attacked the opponent. It didn¡¯t just end with creating an icicle made of ice. The ice pick precisely pointed at the spy¡¯s heart. The spy shouted in panic. ¡°Why, why are you doing this!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not me! My body is moving on its own!¡± Puck! The ice pick pierced the spy¡¯s heart in an instant. That wasn¡¯t the end. Clack clack clack! His body froze as if it was a statue. That was the fearsome power of £¼Ice Pick£¾. It wasn¡¯t just an attack magic that pierced the opponent¡¯s body, it was the worst kind that also froze them. The other spies¡¯ eyes shook at the sight. ¡°Are you¡­¡­ betraying us!¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°No! This isn¡¯t what I¡­¡­¡± ¡°Someone has to inform the Count about this!¡± ¡°Everyone, scatter!¡± The spies quickly began to flee. However, as if expecting this, Bayner¡¯s body created a new magic. £¼Ice Wave£¾ In an instant, a chilling cold spread out from Bayner. A wave of cold that froze everyone except him slammed into the top of the wall. Crack! The cold instantly enveloped the spies. The spies could feel their bodies freezing over. ¡°Cough! Why¡­¡± ¡°Why us¡­¡± ¡°Traitor¡­¡± The spies turned into ice statues. They all died without being able to finish their last words. Bayner shouted with a face of genuine bewilderment. ¡°Why me? No! I didn¡¯t do this!¡± However, they couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. The guards below had begun to shout. ¡°Magic? Enemy! There¡¯s a magician on the wall!¡± ¡°An assassin targeting the prince! Everyone, get to the wall!¡± Screech- The sound of the soldiers¡¯ bugles signaled that the knights were approaching. They had to get out of there quickly. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening! Damn it!¡± However, Joo-yeon¡¯s gaze as she looked at Bayner was icy. Chapter 18 My Reflector Is Invincible 1818. Lucky? The assassination attempt had been dealt with for the moment. The magician Bayner hid himself with a new type of magic. Once their safety had been confirmed, the carriage carrying Joo-yeon and Aiden was able to pass through the gates of the duchy. ¡°Open the gates!¡± An enormous city appeared beyond the gates. Aiden straightened his shoulders and spoke proudly. ¡°What do you think? This is the center of the Grand Edmer Duchy. It¡¯s a city that¡¯s famous even on the continent.¡± Joo-yeon, however, wasn¡¯t that impressed. ¡°Oh. Yeah, it¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Aiden was genuinely taken aback. I was expecting the wide-eyed wonder of a bumpkin who had only ever lived underground in a mine. But the main character¡¯s nonchalant expression was completely unexpected. ¡°Have you ever seen something like this before?¡± ¡°Yeah, tons.¡± ¡°What? How can you speak so casually about the topic of slavery?¡± ¡°Can you stop being so curious about me? I have to decline your romantic interest.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± The main character wasn¡¯t lying. It wasn¡¯t a joke, he had watched over this city every day. No. He was the one who had built it in the first place. Even the four and five-story buildings that were rare to see on the continent had all been touched by his hand. ¡®Instead of the warrior king who only knows how to fight, I¡¯m the one who raised this city?¡¯ At the time, there were many people who protested, saying he was wasting money on unnecessary things. He had ended up mortgaging everything because the warrior king believed in him. Anyway, that was how this great city was created after many twists and turns. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like he wasn¡¯t interested at all. ¡®Oh? That place is still there?¡¯ What caught his eye was a large forge with a blast furnace. £¼Forge of Steel Breath£¾ It was a place that the main character had put special effort into creating in the past. It was a facility that could produce the highest quality weapons with tremendous heat, with a dwarf who could never be persuaded invited and a magic furnace created by a request to an archmage. Of course, special materials were needed to use it properly. ¡®It¡¯s still flourishing like that because it¡¯s at that level, huh?¡¯ There was a huge line of people at the entrance to the forge. It seemed like they were all trying to use the forge. It wasn¡¯t just the forge. ¡®That place is still there too?¡¯ £¼Potion of Dawn Dew£¾ A pharmacy run by a witch from the north. £¼Dragon¡¯s Hide£¾ A leather armor shop owned by a dragonkin who was half-human and half-dragon. £¼Goblin¡¯s Vault£¾ Even a bank of the goblin race who would never compromise when it came to money. The main character¡¯s stake was huge in how it had become like this. There was no other reason. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®I wonder if the things I put in the vault are still there?¡¯ If the necklace is still there, maybe that might still be there too. And maybe the password is still the one that I know. ¡®Let¡¯s stop by once I meet the warrior king.¡¯ That¡¯s how he spent quite a while looking around. Soon, the carriage arrived at the ducal residence. ¡°Welcome, young master.¡± On both sides, servants and maids stood in line. Aiden whispered quietly to Jooyeon. ¡°To others, I said that you were a slave I bought. So keep quiet until you meet my grandfather.¡± ¡°Can I hide it for long?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have to move quickly. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll move as quickly as I can.¡± Aiden warned with his eyes. It was to stay quiet without causing any trouble in the meantime. It might have been natural considering all the incidents that had happened on the way here. However, Jooyeon just chuckled. ¡°Well, is this my room?¡± In the room as big as a palace, a huge bed was placed firmly. Jooyeon told Olson to wait outside for a moment and quietly hummed. ¡°Hey, come out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want a beating? Do you just want to come out?¡± ¡°I will come out.¡± In the corner of the room, a man wearing a robe revealed himself from the window. He was none other than the magician, Bener, who had cast £¼Detect£¾ and £¼Marking£¾ on Jooyeon. ¡®How did I end up like this¡­¡­.¡¯ Right now, he was under £¼Reflection£¾, controlled by the suggestive power of his own ability, Marking. A leisurely but firm voice was heard towards the magician. ¡°Well, then. Shall we start with your self-introduction? And brief me on the situation of the Edmer family, which you, as a spy, would know better than Aiden. Now, begin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The magician couldn¡¯t help but sweat profusely. * * * Magician Bener. He was the magician who had cast detection magic and marking on Jooyeon. And now, he was covered in cold sweat. ¡®Where on earth did it all go wrong?¡¯ Did he cast detection on Jooyeon? Did he try to kill him with a suggestion? ¡®Either way, I killed the Count¡¯s spies, so I¡¯m as good as dead.¡¯ He was being manipulated by Jooyeon, but no one knew that. Everyone would think that he had killed the spies himself. In any case, the lives of his family, who were being held hostage, were in danger. However, there was no way to escape. ¡°Find the magician!¡± ¡°He¡¯s the murderer who killed the soldiers on the castle wall! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± His face was not revealed. However, magicians were rare beings. He couldn¡¯t be relieved just because he wasn¡¯t caught right away. As he looked for the rare mage, he would naturally come after him. If he didn¡¯t hurry, he would be thrown in jail as a murderer and an attempted assassin of the ducal heir. ¡®Then the count will kill me.¡¯ He had to get out of here quickly. He thought of a desperate spell to avoid the soldiers and knights. £¼Cloak of Shadows£¾ Veiner¡¯s shadow stretched out long. Soon, a cloak made of darkness wrapped around Veiner. A stealth-type spell that hid his body in the shadows. It was a hidden secret that could only be learned in the most secret place in the back alley. But something was really strange. ¡®I clearly intended to leave the dukedom.¡¯ At first, he thought of finding Count Sanderson and apologizing. But suddenly, his body started moving on its own. It was as if he was being forced to move by someone¡¯s orders. ¡®Is this the suggestive effect of being marked?¡¯ He had cast a suggestion before, but this was the first time he had been hit by it. ¡®So this is how it feels.¡¯ Veiner¡¯s suggestion was close to natural brainwashing. The caster just had to give an order. Then the caster¡¯s orders would be constantly instilled. The one who was marked would follow the caster¡¯s intentions without knowing it. Joo-in¡¯s suggestion was the same. -Come straight to the castle. -Avoid the soldiers in front and turn to the side. -Move to the other side, not that side. Joo-in¡¯s voice kept popping into his head. His body moved on its own, as if a puppeteer was controlling a puppet. Of course, controlling another person was never easy. Even if he hadn¡¯t lost consciousness, it was absurd to move another person with an ego so naturally. ¡®It¡¯s absolutely impossible unless you have thousands, tens of thousands of experiences?¡¯ Veiner wasn¡¯t good at suggestion from the beginning. It was a skill that he could barely handle after hundreds, thousands of practices. The more he thought about how great a mage he had turned into an enemy, the more frightened he became. ¡®It¡¯s dangerous. I must never meet that guy.¡¯ But unlike his mind, his body was already in front of Joo-in. He was kneeling in front of him. It was as if he was submitting. He heard Joo-in¡¯s voice in his ear. IP·ÃÎÊÆµÂʹý¸ß,ÇëÉÔºóÔÙÊÔ ¡°I will make you into a body that can¡¯t even think like that anymore.¡± A new suggestion was carved into Bayner¡¯s body. ¨C You can never end your own life by any means. ¨C Always tell the truth to Joo-in. ¨C You can never do or say anything that will harm him. Suicide became something absolutely impossible. Bayner broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Uhhh¡­ but I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t? Hurry up and tell me.¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­¡± Bayner quickly began to tell him everything he knew. * * * ¡®Phew, damn it. That was close.¡¯ Joo-in barely managed to stop the sorcerer from self-destructing. It was a self-destruction spell that was so fast, even if he had noticed it sooner, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop it. ¡®The Great Mage always died like that at the end of every ending.¡¯ He was lucky to have noticed the early symptoms of his eyes turning red and his hair standing on end. Of course, the skill he had gained from Hunter Jack had also played a part. [£¼Crisis Detection£¾ has been activated.] He moved as soon as he read the words. Of course, even if the bastard had self-destructed, it wouldn¡¯t have affected him. Because he had Reflect. ¡®But the people of this castle could get hurt.¡¯ This was a place he had built up himself. He couldn¡¯t let it be blown away by something as trivial as this self-destruction. However, it was difficult to stop the self-destruction spell that had already begun with just the suggestion of £¼Marking£¾. So what Joo-in used was none other than £¼Reflect£¾. ¡®I didn¡¯t know I could use what I tested on Haken and Jack like this.¡¯ It was a new way of using £¼Reflect£¾ that he had gained while traveling. Instead of reflecting attacks directed at him, it was to give the effect of his own reflection to anyone he came into contact with. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®I¡¯ll reflect Bayner¡¯s £¼Ascension£¾.¡¯ Ascension was a spell that overloaded the mana in a sorcerer¡¯s body and caused it to explode. The mana inside would rotate at a speed dozens of times faster than usual. What would happen if he reflected such a spell? What if the spell was completed in the exact opposite way? First, the blood and mana that were supposed to go to the heart would flow in reverse. The overload that was supposed to cause a huge explosion would cause an abnormal reaction. ¡®It will still explode.¡¯ Instead of the usual positive explosion, a negative explosion would occur. Then, several explosions would occur inside the sorcerer¡¯s body. Oxygen was scarce, making it hard to breathe, and the internal impact made blood gush out of every orifice in his body. ¡°You won¡¯t die.¡± Because Joo-in had cast a spell before it detonated. It was just going to hurt like hell. It was a fitting punishment for someone who had dared to try and take the lives of others so wantonly. But how did he know that the blood would gush out as a reflex? How would he know? ¡®Because I¡¯ve been there.¡¯ It was happening right before Joo-in¡¯s eyes. Bayner was on his knees, blood pouring out of his eyes and ears. If he had been a player, he¡¯d probably be seeing a window like this. £¼You have been hit by a reflex.£¾ £¼The mana required for self-destruction has been reversed, rupturing your internal organs. There is an error in your mana circulation.£¾ £¼[Ascension] has been canceled.£¾ £¼Danger! Healing required.£¾ £¼If left untreated, it may result in death.£¾ It was the same message he¡¯d seen so often when fighting the Demon King. Of course, that wasn¡¯t what was important to Joo-in right now. ¡°A 5th Circle Mage from the back alleys? But the aide to Duke Edmer? How is that possible?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I received a letter of recommendation from the Duke¡¯s vassal¡­¡± Bayner, who had been watching Joo-in and trying to assassinate him, was a man of Count Sanderson. And at the same time, he was the aide to Duke Edmer. Heh. It really was incredible. His comrade, who he had made into the greatest house in the North, had personnel management like this. Joo-in put on a stern face. Bayner¡¯s answers started coming faster. ¡°Was it to infiltrate the dukedom?¡± ¡°Yes. It was Count Sanderson¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°How did you get the letter of recommendation? Did you threaten them?¡± ¡°No, I bought it with money.¡± No matter how much money Count Sanderson had, it didn¡¯t make sense. Duke Edmer was the second most powerful man in the kingdom, right after the [Sword King]. To think he could reach that far, even to the position of aide. ¡°It seems the Count¡¯s machinations run deeper than I thought. I¡¯ll have to tell Aiden to get the Duke moving.¡± ¡°I¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What is it?¡± ¡°That will probably be difficult.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Joo-in tilted his head. For the successor and the Lord of the Dukedom to move directly, yet it would be difficult? This didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°Why? Is it because you¡¯re so trusted by that guy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­.¡± ¡°Spit it out. Unless you want to bleed to death from every hole in your body right now.¡± Yikes! Bayner immediately prostrated himself as if he didn¡¯t want to remember the pain from earlier. And then he revealed a secret that no one knew. It was beyond ridiculous for Jooyeon. ¡°What? Count Sanderson and the Duke joined hands? The two of them are collaborating?¡± The Duke was the one who ordered Aiden¡¯s assassination in the first place. The current head of the Edmer dukedom, who was supposed to join hands with Jooyeon to thwart Count Sanderson¡¯s conspiracy. He had joined hands with the person who wanted to ruin his family and was after Aiden¡¯s life, who was on Jooyeon¡¯s side. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Jooyeon laughed. Chapter 19 My Reflector Is Invincible 1919. Just Charge Right In As soon as Aiden arrived at the mansion, he looked for someone. ¡°Head butler! Where is the head butler right now!¡± His voice was filled with rage. His voice made the servants rush over anxiously. ¡°Where is the head butler right now?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure¡­.¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t know! Find him right now and bring him to me!¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry!¡± At his words, the servants scattered like mice. But Aiden¡¯s anger didn¡¯t subside. ¡®To think there were so many bugs in my family.¡¯ The betrayal of the head butler, whom he had trusted the most, cut him to the bone. He was the only retainer who had access to his information. And he was the one who sold his information. Creak. An ominous sound leaked from his clenched fist. But he soon regained his senses. ¡®There was a traitor in my personal guard too. There¡¯s no telling where else there might be traitors.¡¯ The family was already in chaos over the issue of the next successor. His worries about the position of the next Duke had disappeared the moment he found [him], Jooyeon, but one never knew. After all, a traitor behind your back is scarier than an enemy in front of you. ¡®I¡¯ll start with the head butler¡­and eradicate all the bugs in my family.¡¯ He also planned to take rightful revenge on Count Sanderson, who had humiliated his family. But no matter how long he waited, the head butler didn¡¯t come. The servant who had gone to look for him kept avoiding his gaze. Aiden¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and with good reason. ¡°I clearly told you to bring the Chief Steward.¡± ¡°I¡­ that¡­¡± The attendant finally opened his mouth. ¡°The Chief Steward is currently with the Duke.¡± ¡°Then bring him as soon as he is finished speaking with Father.¡± ¡°But, that¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly? Do you have a death wish?¡± At Aiden¡¯s furious voice, the knights beside him drew their swords. ¡°Our Lord is the rightful successor of the Edmer family. Are you defying our Lord¡¯s orders right now?¡± ¡°If you do not report properly¡­ I will cut off your neck.¡± His ferocious killing intent accompanied his words. The attendant, terrified, finally opened his mouth. ¡°I tried to bring him, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°The Lord¡­ told me to come and report to Lord Aiden.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He said he had something to say about the Chief Steward¡¯s work¡­¡± As expected of Father. He usually thought Aiden hated him, but he was a man of great ability as the head of the greatest family in the north. It was clear that he had already noticed the Chief Steward¡¯s betrayal. He had probably called Aiden because of that. ¡°Fine. I will go right now.¡± Aiden headed straight for the Duke¡¯s office. He thought that if nothing else, he would be able to punish the traitors. But something unexpected happened. ¡°What? Leave the Chief Steward alone? Why! That bastard sold out not only me but also the family¡­¡± The Duke replied coldly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t pass your mistakes onto others.¡± ¡°No. What do you mean by that, Father!¡± Aiden jumped up from his chair. He told him not to pass on his mistakes? How could he forgive the one who had leaked information that could have gotten the family¡¯s successor killed? If it hadn¡¯t been for Juyeon, he might actually be dead. Aiden¡¯s voice trembled with betrayal. But the Duke¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°You were the one who moved alone without the Royal Guards.¡± So don¡¯t go around getting ambushed like an idiot. The Duke¡¯s cold eyes seemed to be saying that. Don¡¯t blame others for the dangerous situations you got into because of your reckless behavior. ¡°That¡¯s!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that you went to help a runaway slave from a labor camp? Because it¡¯s a noble¡¯s duty? You¡¯re not even an heir to a mere count, yet you act so recklessly as the heir to a duke!¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± ¡°Not father, but Lord. Can¡¯t you even distinguish between the terms of address in a formal setting?¡± ¡°I¡­ I apologize, Lord.¡± Aiden was clearly trying to argue back. However, he could only grit his teeth and bow his head at the Duke¡¯s fierce rebuke. ¡°I¡¯ll have to reconsider the matter of succession. Restrain yourself until I call for you. Hmph. A so-called successor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He trembled. Aiden could not say anything in response. ¡®Even so, to discuss the matter of succession because of something like this.¡¯ The one who would decide the next Duke was certainly Duke Edmer. However, the current Senate and the family members were pushing for Aiden to be the successor on the grounds of his primogeniture and ability. No matter how much of a Duke he was, it was difficult to ignore the wishes of the Senate and his vassals. ¡®So that¡¯s why he¡¯s trying to establish a pretext with such ridiculous arguments.¡¯ It was as if Duke Edmer was being unreasonable in order to strip Aiden of his qualifications as successor. At that moment, Aiden¡¯s eyes flashed as he recalled something. ¡®Could it be that Count Sanderson wasn¡¯t the only one after my life?¡¯ Duke Edmer. He was clearly after Aiden as well. There were rumors that he wanted to pass on his position to his youngest son instead. I had thought that it was because he was fond of his youngest son, who was born late, but it seemed that it was not a mere rumor. ¡®But even so¡­ How could he order the death of his own son?¡¯ And to Count Sanderson, an enemy of the family, no less. Aiden hid his angry face and turned away. ¡°I understand. I will¡­ step down for now.¡± But it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®Father. No, Lord. Things will not go as you wish.¡¯ After all, as long as [he] was the main character, Aiden would be the next Duke. No matter how great the authority of the Duke within the family, it could not be greater than the promise of the previous Lord, the [Knight King]. Aiden left the room, his eyes bloodshot. Was it because his head was slightly feverish? He pushed past the man entering the room without recognizing his face. ¡°Out of my way!¡± He was the sorcerer, Bayner. He was a man who had come under the orders of the main character. * * * The main character was in trouble. The Duke¡­he¡¯s trying to kill Adien? Even joining hands with Count Sanderson to do it? Was it really necessary to go this far? At that moment, Veiner¡¯s voice echoed in Jooyeon¡¯s head. £¼Marking£¾ allowed the two of them to converse to a certain extent. -That¡¯s because¡­there¡¯s no justification. ¡®Justification? What justification?¡¯ -Currently, there are three successors to the dukedom. And among them, Sir Adien has an overwhelming advantage. An outstanding eldest son and a composed second son. And then there was the third son, born of a concubine. Among them, Adien had overwhelming support as the successor. -No less than two knights who wield £¼Chivalry£¾ have pledged their loyalty to him, and the majority of the knights also support Sir Adien. It was all thanks to Adien¡¯s own outstanding talents and qualities. Far from being manipulated by Jooyeon, he had the dignity to be called the next Duke wherever he went. His skills were so great that even the knights acknowledged them. What on earth could be lacking in such an outstanding successor?? There was no need to search for an answer. Because he could hear the Duke¡¯s voice through Veiner. -I told you not to act rashly. -I apologize, Your Grace. -Why is that bastard still alive? Didn¡¯t you say he was dead? It was the effect of £¼Marking£¾. He could observe the Duke¡¯s office in real time, as if he were controlling a character. Veiner was like a living CCTV. At that moment, he saw the head butler come out, drenched in sweat. From Noble mtl dot com -I also clearly¡­heard that he was dead¡­ -But he¡¯s alive? What the hell have you been doing all this time! -I apologize! -Useless fool. The butler couldn¡¯t say anything to the Duke¡¯s cold voice. No, he couldn¡¯t. -Keugh¡­ An unseen, swift sword sliced the butler¡¯s neck. It was the knight who had been standing by who swung the sword. Immediately after, the Duke¡¯s cold voice rang out. -Get rid of it. -Yes. The other knights who had been waiting dragged the butler¡¯s body away. Now, only the Duke and the magician Veiner remained in the office. -You¡¯ve been away for a long time. ¨C My apologies, Your Grace. ¨C Why? ¨C That is¡­ that is¡­ If I don¡¯t say it right, my neck might get cut off. But if I tell the truth, the Crown Prince will kill me. Vayner was in a dilemma. ¨C Tell me what I want to know. ¡®Yes!¡¯ The Crown Prince¡¯s order rang in his head. Vayner quickly opened his mouth. ¨C I was on a mission. ¨C What mission? ¨C To find out the variable, in case the prince were to come back alive. ¨C Variable¡­ The Duke already knew that Vayner was on a separate mission for Count Sanderson. Vayner was a double agent for Count Sanderson and the Duke. ¡®Is he now a triple agent, even to me?¡¯ Of course, since he was now leashed by the Crown Prince, he had no choice but to obey unconditionally. Unaware of this, the lord¡¯s voice was cold enough to make him draw his sword at any moment. ¨C What was the variable? ¨C I don¡¯t know yet¡­ ¨C You¡¯re useless. As the Duke was about to move again, Vayner hastily opened his mouth. He didn¡¯t know what it meant. But he said what the Crown Prince had told him. ¨C The Prince seems to have found ¡®him¡¯. ¨C What? Instantly, a chilling murderous aura spread throughout the office. ¡®Him¡¯ was a secret known only to the lord and his successors. The Duke supported his chin with his gloved hand. ¨C You¡¯d better start talking straight now. Where did you get that information? ¨C That is¡­ ¨C Do you want to end up like him? ¨C Magic! I eavesdropped with magic. I don¡¯t know who ¡®he¡¯ is, but the man who came with Prince Aiden called him that. ¨C ¡­ The office fell silent for a moment. ¨C ¡®Him¡¯¡­ My father clearly made a promise. To give the position of the next lord to the one who finds him. ¨C His Majesty the Sword King? How on earth did he make such a promise¡­ ¨C It doesn¡¯t matter why. What matters is that ¡®the Sword King¡¯ made the promise, and if that happens, that punk Aiden will become the next lord. The youngest will lose his chance forever. ¨C ¡­!? Vayner was visibly startled. The word ¡°that¡± revealed the duke¡¯s true intentions, which had been hidden until now. But that moment was short-lived. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°S-spare my life?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still useful. I¡¯ll decide later.¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± As Bayner left, the situation inside the office was no longer visible. However, Jooyeon¡¯s eyes had grown cold. Ha¡­ Is that all? Was that the reason? To change the successor? Are you trying to destroy the most prestigious family in the North for such a trivial reason? It was too absurd. ¡®He used to be kind in the past.¡¯ In the past, Jooyeon had a connection with the [Knight King]¡¯s family. From his lover to his children, they had all passed through Jooyeon¡¯s hands. It seemed that things that should have happened while he was imprisoned had changed. ¡®Could it be that the difficulty level has changed?¡¯ A future different from the one Jooyeon remembered might unfold. He had to move quickly. ¡®The most urgent thing right now is this rotten body.¡¯ A low-quality body that sweats and breathes heavily after walking a short distance. He had developed rheumatism from 18 years of slavery. Although it didn¡¯t matter yet because of , it was something that could hinder his movement in the future. ¡®It will be too late to heal my body when that time comes.¡¯ Fortunately, Duke Edmer¡¯s family was the same as in Jooyeon¡¯s memory. The separate building assigned to him. Something special was hidden here. Could it be an easter egg hidden for the next character? ¡®They must have spent a lot of money making this.¡¯ The design of this dukedom was Jooyeon¡¯s own, and everything in this castle had been touched by his hands. In a sense, it was Jooyeon¡¯s hideout. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in from now on.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At Jooyeon¡¯s command, Knight Olson answered resolutely and left the room. He had even warned them not to let anyone in, even if it was the lord of the house. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, then, shall we begin?¡± Jooyeon went into the bathroom. There were many buttons on the bathtub in the bathroom. It felt more modern than medieval. In fact, there were many modern things in the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ for the convenience of the game. So you could do this if you had the money. Click. When you open the cold and hot water buttons at a certain ratio, and press this button while the bubble and soap buttons are all on. Splash, splash, splash, splash. Red water was supposed to fall from the bathtub. It wasn¡¯t just water. A potion. ¡°Potions are usually said to be for healing.¡± But it wasn¡¯t an ordinary potion, and the effect was different because a higher-level potion was added. £¼Strength increased!£¾ £¼Stamina increased!£¾ £¼Speed strengthened!£¾ £¼Vision strengthened!£¾ The physical performance increases in real time. Like a complete transformation, the rotten skin peeled off. Baby-like, beautiful skin was revealed. It wasn¡¯t just the body that was getting better. £¼Dignity increased!£¾ £¼Charm acquired!£¾ £¼Charisma acquired!£¾ In an instant, it was possible to create a character with the greatest potential. It was a super-boosting elixir that completely changed the body that had become bony from 18 years of slave life. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d use this.¡¯ It was intended to be used for occasional gag characters or colleagues. No matter how trashy the characters or colleagues were, it was a special item that could strengthen them to a normal level. It was a good thing I prepared it in advance. ¡°Surely you will show your true colors tonight.¡± Don¡¯t be reassured by the name of the [King of Knights]. First of all, there was a high possibility that Duke Edmer, the head of the family, would be after him. Well, I did ask Bener to do it on purpose. Anyway, I had to finish the job before he came. ¡°More than that, there¡¯s been such a commotion, but the King of Knights isn¡¯t showing up?¡± The King of Knights was known to be receiving treatment at his mother¡¯s house after the battle with the Demon King. But no matter how injured he was, he was the former head of the family. He was the kind of person who would have come out in person with such a fuss. ¡®Is it possible that the actual reality and the game¡¯s character are different?¡¯ Or there could be something wrong with the King of Knights. It could be a female lead with increased difficulty. The situation was flowing much more urgently than the protagonist had experienced so far. But what does that matter? ¡°If you don¡¯t come out, I¡¯ll just barge right in.¡± Splash. Joo-Yeon got into the bathtub and laid down. His body began to slowly sink into the potion. Whew! And a blinding light burst out of the bathtub. Chapter 20 My Reflector Is Invincible 2020. Is This It? Thud. Joo-Yeon¡¯s body sank completely into the bathtub. ¡®I need to soak in this elixir for as long as possible.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t afford to waste time even to stick his head out. He had to absorb the elixir¡¯s energy as completely as possible. Thump, thump¡­ thump. The elixir seeped into his body as his heartbeat gradually slowed. Then, his body began to change. Crackle. His bones shattered and reassembled themselves. His muscles, which were so thin they were barely visible, grew in size as they absorbed the elixir. Snap! His body was being remodeled in real time. It was nothing short of a complete transformation. It was an instant for his frail body to be filled with muscles. £¼Muscle potential increased to max£¾ £¼[Weakling] status improved£¾ £¼Status changed from [Weakling] to [Strong]£¾ £¼Bones that were so fragile they could break from a human¡¯s breath have become as hard as steel£¾ £¼[Strong] : Steel-hard bones support the body. Increases physical durability / defense / bone strength£¾ It wasn¡¯t just his muscles or strength that changed. £¼Stamina potential increased£¾ £¼[Frail] status improved£¾ £¼Status changed from [Frail] to [Resilient]£¾ £¼The sickly body that could collapse at any moment has become a body that can withstand even the roughest storms£¾ £¼[Resilient] : Along with leather-like skin, fatigue doesn¡¯t set in easily, and the body recovers from physical fatigue quickly. Increases skin strength / stamina / stamina recovery speed / self-recovery / resting effects doubled£¾ His stamina had also increased noticeably. The pains that had bothered him from his long life as a slave were also gone. For one thing, breathing was easier. Ha¡­ The feeling of having gravel in his lungs was gone. It was as if I had a newborn body. ¡®I could barely keep up until now.¡¯ No wonder I took a carriage to get here. If I was my old self, I would have run here from the labor camp for the sake of quick progression. But with my current weak body, even that was difficult. Even riding a horse was extremely tiring. ¡®But I¡¯m not sure how long it will take to grind stats in the early stages.¡¯ As I thought about that, the light gradually dimmed. The red energy in the bathtub also began to disappear. It had absorbed all the effects of the elixir. ¡®This should be enough to withstand one or two hits even without .¡¯ But something was strange. Normally, the bathtub wouldn¡¯t emit light. I would just soak in it and that would be it. ¡®Why did it emit light this time?¡¯ I didn¡¯t have to think long about it. The reason appeared right away. £¼Hidden Achievement Unlocked£¾ From Noble mtl dot com £¼Knight¡¯s Recovery£¾ £¼Healed and strengthened a frail body on the verge of death£¾ £¼[Physical Enhancement] Acquired£¾ £¼[Physical Enhancement]: Can enhance physical abilities up to 3x for 5 minutes (Cooldown: 72 hours)£¾ I can enhance my physical abilities by 3x? 72 hours. So once every 3 days, with a time limit of 5 minutes. But even considering that, it was a good ability. ¡®Normally, buffs that enhance physical abilities have many restrictions.¡¯ Berserk was a good example. In exchange for doubling physical abilities, all strength would be lost for a certain amount of time. Becoming a berserker that lost all reason and attacked everything was just the cherry on top. Most other buff skills were similar. But this achievement skill was different. ¡®There are no aftereffects, just a long cooldown.¡¯ I just had to rest for a bit and it would be gone. To think I could get that just by soaking in a medicinal bath. ¡°It¡¯s so easy. It¡¯s ridiculous that I didn¡¯t get it before.¡± I had done something similar before, but I didn¡¯t get an achievement like this. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s only possible in the early stages?¡¯ Maybe it was an achievement that was only possible with a body that was sick and enslaved. Normally, people upgraded their physical abilities by grinding stats in a safe place. I would have done the same if I didn¡¯t have . However, there was no time to leisurely work on the stats. That was also why he had raised the incident and come to the city quickly, even at the risk of danger. ¡®It was worth it to feel uncomfortable breathing.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. As his body grew stronger, the energy of grew stronger, the energy of changed. ¡®Did Reflection get stronger too?¡¯ Of course, there were gains outside of skills. ¡®There were a few useful potions left.¡¯ There was a secret space under the bathtub. When he made this bathtub, he had left a few special potions, and a few of them were still left. They were potions of Instant Acceleration, Flame Resistance, and Resistance Enhancement. There weren¡¯t many, but as they were top-grade potions, they would be quite useful depending on the situation, whether they were sold or used. As he thought about that, the moon had already risen in the dark sky. ¡°It¡¯s a perfect day to die.¡± Darkness descended upon the villa. It was the best time to send assassins to the enemy. ¡®Unless he¡¯s an idiot, it¡¯s obvious that the Duke will aim for me.¡¯ Honestly, he was pissed. Originally, the story should have been about joining hands with the Duke to drive Sanderson out of the North. An ally is supposed to become an enemy? He¡¯s trying to hand over everything he¡¯s worked for like a traitor? ¡®Well, I guess it¡¯s because I provoked Sanderson in the slave camp.¡¯ Anyway, the Duke had done something he shouldn¡¯t have, and he would aim for him. Of course, I wonder if he¡¯ll show up so obviously¡­ Knock, knock, knock. It was a sound to let him know that someone was coming in. Joo-Heon¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you not to let anyone in.¡± ¡°I am a maid sent by Aiden-nim. I have prepared a night snack because I thought you might be hungry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± There was no way Aiden would send a night snack. He wouldn¡¯t want Joo-Heon to be revealed to the enemies of the family. Then the identity was obvious. Joo-Heon raised the corners of his lips as if he had been waiting. ¡°Tell her to come in.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door opened, and a terrified maid came in. * * * Knight Olson said with cold eyes. ¡°He is a precious guest. Make sure you don¡¯t make any mistakes.¡± ¡°Ye¡­ yes¡­¡± The handmaid hastily nodded her head. However, she was properly hiding the murderous intent contained within. ¡®That guy must be the one the Duke was talking about.¡¯ Aiden had said that he was a slave he had bought for his amusement. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem very strong. He¡¯s probably just good for chores.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t be difficult. She just had to feed him the poison she had prepared, and it would be over. ¡®He¡¯ll just fall asleep and everything will be over.¡¯ Of course, he would never wake up from that eternal slumber. For a mere slave, it could be considered a luxurious death. Furthermore, she was not alone. ¨C Team 1 ready. ¨C Team 2 in position. The reason she had knocked on the door disguised as a handmaid. It was none other than this. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and serve him.¡± It was Knight Olson. It was to draw his attention, who was wary of her. He always had his hand on his sword, ready to attack her at any moment. However, it was all futile. She was a pro. She was well prepared for situations like this. She extended a tray with dishes and drinks towards Joo-yeon, trembling like an ordinary handmaid. ¡°Here are some light refreshments and tea.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Joo-yeon unknowingly reached out for the poisoned food. Once he drank the tea, the knight would be taken care of as well. Swish. Shadows stretched out behind Olson. They were assassins, all holding blackened throwing weapons. One of them held a sharp silver needle in his hand. No matter how skilled a knight was, they couldn¡¯t easily block a surprise attack. The plan was to pierce his neck with the silver needle and kill him instantly. Even for a knight of the , if his neck was suddenly constricted and his heart pierced, there was nothing he could do. The same went for Joo-yeon. Swish. The black shadows slowly descended from the ceiling. And there were even those approaching from the terrace. This place was now completely surrounded. [Black Dagger] As the Duke of Edmer¡¯s assassins, they were naturally skilled. The Duke had even given them an item to ensure a perfect assassination. It was no ordinary item. Artifact No. 135 £¼Silence£¾ It could control the surrounding sounds and presence. In the hands of skilled assassins, it was an item that could deceive even a knight¡¯s senses. Even the assassins had perfect control over their murderous intent. ¡®No one will ever notice.¡¯ The same went for any great figure. Maybe even a big shot like the [King of Knights]. ¡®So go ahead and drink it. And die.¡¯ There¡¯s no need to be sad. Everyone in the annex will die anyway. That was the Duke¡¯s will. [¡®Get rid of everything related to ¡®him.¡¯] Not a single trace of the protagonist¡¯s existence should be left. Even if they were servants of his own family. Even Aiden was soon to be disposed of. ¡®Everything is going according to the Duke¡¯s plan¡­¡­¡¯ The protagonist drank the tea without any suspicion. Gulp, gulp. It was a luxurious tea that a slave would never be able to taste in their lifetime. It wouldn¡¯t be bad as a parting gift. But something was strange. ¡®¡­¡­What the?¡¯ No matter how long he waited, the protagonist didn¡¯t collapse. They needed him to collapse before they could start taking care of the knights and the others. The assassin couldn¡¯t help but be flustered. That¡¯s when the protagonist¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Is it strange that I¡¯m not collapsing?¡± Gulp. The assassin disguised as a maid flinched in surprise. However, the protagonist simply poured the tea on the floor. ¡°The tea is a mess. Did you not get the temperature right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°For a maid of the prestigious Duke¡¯s family, you¡¯re quite clumsy.¡± The assassin gritted her teeth. ¡®The poisoning failed. Moving on to the next plan.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t move. It was because Olson, the knight behind her, had subdued her and was holding a sword to her neck. ¡°Stay still. Then I won¡¯t kill you.¡± In an instant, both her arms were pinned down, and she was forced to her knees on the floor. But she did not give up. ¡®Don¡¯t take the Duke¡¯s assassin lightly.¡¯ She shot a hidden weapon from her mouth toward Jooyeon. It was a black needle that was hard to see in the dark night. A deadly poisonous needle that would cause immediate unconsciousness once stabbed. ¡®Even if it¡¯s a knight, not a knight grandfather, there¡¯s no way to avoid it at this close range.¡¯ She had to kill Jooyeon for sure, no matter who else it was. That was the Duke¡¯s order. But right at that moment. Thud! Jooyeon raised his hand and grabbed the sharp hidden weapon. The assassin¡¯s eyes widened. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°H, how?¡± How did he find the thin needle that was invisible to the eye? No, rather than that, how did he catch it? It was a dark night. It was a hidden weapon that was even painted black so that it wouldn¡¯t be seen. Not to mention ordinary people, even knights couldn¡¯t easily tell it apart. ¡®Just who the hell is this kid¡­¡­.¡¯ If this kept up, there was no way but to fail the mission. The assassin shouted in a murderous voice. ¡°He found us! Kill him!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Then, assassins poured out from the shadows of the ceiling. They swung their poisoned daggers at Jooyeon. Thud, thud, thud! But it wasn¡¯t Jooyeon who they stabbed. He had disappeared in an instant, and only the pillow on the bed remained. ¡°¡­¡­Where did he go?¡± At that moment, Jooyeon¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°You¡¯re slow.¡± Startled. When the assassins turned their eyes, he was already holding one of them. It was a speed that was too fast to be seen with the naked eye. He immediately ordered Olson. ¡°Hold him tightly so that he can¡¯t commit suicide.¡± ¡°I will do as you say.¡± Olson grabbed the maid, but his expression was strange. He thought he already knew Jooyeon¡¯s abilities. ¡®What the hell was that speed just now? Even I had a hard time predicting it.¡¯ It was similar to when he wielded chivalry. No, it was comparable to the knights of chivalry known as the [Swift Knights]. What was surprising was that the lead had been so feeble just moments ago. He had been in the room for a moment, and he had changed as if he had been reborn. ¡®What the hell is his true identity?¡¯ It was only natural that Olson would be so curious. However, Joo-Yeon only nodded his head toward the assassins. ¡°Is this all of you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± From Noble mtl dot com The eyes of the assassins, who had been flustered, regained their composure. They shouted with murderous eyes. ¡°Everyone, come out!¡± ¡°We must finish him here!¡± However, the assassins could not enter the room. Clack! As Joo-Yeon snapped his fingers. Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Ice shards rushed in an instant and covered them. Chapter 21 My Reflector Is Invincible 2121. I Like It Here Most of the assassins on the terrace died as they were, frozen into statues. The surviving assassins shouted in dismay. ¡°Magic?¡± ¡°Who the hell! There was no one here!¡± Suddenly, a man appeared out of thin air. It was like a cloak made of shadows being removed. It was none other than Bayner. The reason Joo-Yeon snapped his fingers was for no other reason than this. ¨C Take care of the enemy. It was an action to activate the suggestion he had given Bayner. The person who had actually cast the spell was genuinely bewildered. ¡°W, why again¡­¡­. I definitely prepared thoroughly this time.¡± Various magic charms were attached to his body. Magic items that resisted abilities. It was clear that he had intended to block the suggestion with that. However, even with the charms, he could never shake off the marking. So he had no choice but to listen to Joo-Yeon¡¯s next command. ¡°Are there any left?¡± Why aren¡¯t you taking care of this right now? His gaze seemed to say that he would talk about that later. Bayner gritted his teeth. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± His hand was automatically directed at the assassins. He was trying to use magic once again. Just like Bayner, the assassins couldn¡¯t believe the current situation. ¡®What the heck. Wasn¡¯t this kid on our side?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s definitely the duke¡¯s adjutant, so why is he attacking us?¡¯ Behind him was the traitorous wizard. Next to him was the knight of chivalry. Right in front of him was the main character with unknown and mysterious powers. No matter how he looked around, there seemed to be nowhere to escape. It was when he was about to try to get out of this place somehow. A voice grabbed them by the ankles. ¡°I still had a test left to do. This works out well.¡± What? Test? What did that slave just say? ¡®He dares to test us?¡¯ Against the secret assassination force of Duke Edmer¡¯s family? The assassins¡¯ eyes flashed with murderous intent. They made the best judgment with cold reason. ¡®That strange speed from earlier must have been the wizard¡¯s ability.¡¯ ¡®We have to kill that guy and leave somehow.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s closer than the knight or the wizard.¡¯ ¡®We just have to keep the wizard in check.¡¯ The assassins exchanged glances. And gritted their teeth and charged. They threw themselves at Joo-in¡¯s body, disregarding their own lives, in order to stab him with their daggers. Surprisingly, Joo-in didn¡¯t take any defensive stance. Thud, thud, thud! The assassins¡¯ weapons pierced Joo-in¡¯s body. They were all areas where he could die instantly. ¡°This idiot! What kind of test is this!¡± ¡°This is the price of insolence!¡± ¡°Mission accomplished! Leaving the scene!¡± The assassins tried to leave, the corners of their mouths raised. Not only were the daggers accurately lodged in his weak points, but they were also coated with a poison of a different level than the one in the soup. ¡®There¡¯s no way he can survive this.¡¯ ¡®No matter how resistant he is to poison, it¡¯s useless. It¡¯s a poison that would kill any great knight.¡¯ But their thoughts were cut short. BAM! They collapsed to the ground. The assassins who had attacked Jooyeon died from fatal wounds. It was the effect of . ¡°C, Captain.¡± Just one remained. Unlike the other assassins, the one who had not been able to land a fatal blow somehow survived. He quickly regained his senses. Leaving his fallen comrades behind, he immediately tried to escape. But it was no use. BAM! Suddenly, a torrent of blood erupted from his body, and he died on the spot. Now, all that remained was the maid who had been captured by Olson. She was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t even open her mouth properly. ¡°I didn¡¯t even touch him¡­¡± How did he die? Could it be that he had cut him down with an invisible speed? But he didn¡¯t have a weapon? The maid¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion. Jooyeon¡¯s expression, on the other hand, was calm. ¡°That¡¯s quite useful.¡± Of course, he wasn¡¯t talking about Wiener. He had only called him to take care of the annoying aftermath. What he was referring to was his ability. , the ability that had allowed him to deal with dozens of assassins. Not only could it deflect invisible square attacks, but it could also deflect the poison on hidden weapons. The assassins who had just exploded and died had all fallen victim to this skill. ¡®Internal bleeding caused by a poison that makes the blood flow in reverse.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the kind of poison typically used for assassinations. The only person who would do something like this was Duke Edmer. It seemed that he was quite displeased with Jooyeon being a guest of the Sword King. Even so, this test had been quite beneficial. ¡®I discovered that can consecutively deflect an opponent¡¯s attacks.¡¯ Its continuity was excellent. Its versatility, which allowed it to deflect both poison and physical attacks, was also quite good. Of course, this test had not only been about . Jooyeon recalled the situation from earlier. The moment something flew out of the mouth of the assassin disguised as a maid. £¼[Crisis Detection] has been activated.£¾ The ability I received from the hunter Jack was activated. Instead of £¼Reflection£¾, Joo-Yeon thought of the newly acquired achievement ability. ¡®I should test anything I get right away.¡¯ £¼[Physical Enhancement] activated!£¾ £¼Physical abilities have increased by 3 times.£¾ Thump! Thump! In an instant, his heart pounded at an incredible speed. And the world began to appear in slow motion. ¡®It¡¯s like slow motion.¡¯ The flying projectile seemed to be crawling. Joo-Yeon just had to reach out and grab it. It would have been impossible normally. Even if he could see it, his body wouldn¡¯t move as he wanted it to. ¡®I suffered too much in the labor camp. My body wasn¡¯t in a state to withstand such acceleration.¡¯ But Joo-Yeon was different now. It was thanks to the newly acquired [Steel Bones] and [Tenacity]. Of course, since they were still growing, they wouldn¡¯t be able to·¢»Ó their full power yet. It was the power of the [Instant Acceleration Potion] hidden in the bathroom that was taking effect. Thanks to that, his strengthened body and bones moved as he willed, even in the slowed-down world. And Joo-Yeon accurately caught the non-poisonous end of the projectile. Snap. It was a feat that only his past colleagues, £¼Grim Reaper£¾ and £¼Great Sword£¾, who possessed the highest speed, could perform. Even though there was a time limit, he was able to do it right away. As expected of Joo-Yeon, who had experienced countless characters as a veteran player. Of course, there was a reason he caught the projectile. £¼Resists Hemoptysis.£¾ £¼[Poison Resistance] is possessed.£¾ £¼Resistance successful!£¾ He analyzed the poison from the enemy¡¯s projectile and weapons in real time. Knowing the exact type of poison made it easier to identify its weakness and find an antidote. The greatest weapon of the assassins was rendered useless. Of course, the most dangerous thing for the assassins was that the poisoned projectile was now in Joo-Yeon¡¯s hands. ¡®Now, let¡¯s try the Specificity Test.¡¯ Specificity. It was an unusual test that was not common. ¡®If I touch the enemy¡¯s poisoned dagger¡­ will the effect of the poison be reflected back on the enemy?¡¯ Honestly, it was absurd. The enemy attacked, but he caught all the projectiles with his bare hands. It was impossible for me to £¼Reflect£¾ an attack that I didn¡¯t even get hit by. What the? Poof! Blood gushed out of the assassin¡¯s mouth. It wasn¡¯t the guy who¡¯d attacked Joo-in directly and collapsed after being £¼Reflected£¾. It was the last guy. The guy who¡¯d failed to attack and was trying to escape collapsed, spewing blood. ¡®Interesting. The activation conditions aren¡¯t clear, but¡­ could it be that this is also considered an attack?¡¯ He definitely needed to test it out a bit more. ¡®Should I try going for a synergy effect instead?¡¯ Synergy effect. An effect that occurred when two different skills were combined. Joo-in knew a few skills. Continuous Slash + Strong Slash = £¼Rampage£¾ Charge + Shield Bash = £¼Shield Charge£¾ These were commonly known synergy skills. Two skills combined to become one skill. Or one skill unilaterally affected the other. They usually occurred when you had two specific skills or used them. That was what Joo-in wanted. ¡®Like using the body strengthening ability to strengthen the reflection, or maybe I could use part of the body strengthening to strengthen only certain areas.¡¯ Of course, synergy effects weren¡¯t always good. If you failed to activate a synergy effect, you could sustain significant internal injuries. But Joo-in didn¡¯t care. He had Reflection. ¡®I can reflect any attack that comes at me. The same goes for the synergy effect penalty.¡¯ All he had to do was accept the penalty, whatever it was. It would be a problem if he used it on an ally and they died. ¡®Well, right now everyone seems to be misunderstanding that I¡¯m an Archmage thanks to £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ It was truly a one-of-a-kind skill. So he would take care of the Duke and raise his lacking physical abilities even further. Of course, he had something to take care of before that. ¡°Clean this up.¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡± Bayner sighed as he looked at the chaotic room. His body was moving on its own, even though he didn¡¯t want it to. He was no different from a slave, as long as Joo-in didn¡¯t release him. ¡®But still, to be so calm in front of all this bloodshed.¡¯ Just what was his true nature? His unknown power was terrifying. Not only magic, but the way he¡¯d dealt with the assassins had been cruel. A being that even a powerful sorcerer would be terrified to face, let alone dare to oppose. Standing before such a being, he couldn¡¯t bear the fear. ¡®I¡¯ve really poked the wrong person this time.¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t the end of his troubles. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to meet the Duke.¡± Guide me. At Jooyeon¡¯s chilling glare, Bener tightly shut his eyes. Of all people, he had to take Isha to the Duke. It seemed he was wrong to live for so long. * * * The Duke¡¯s eyebrows twitched at his subordinate¡¯s words. ¡°Count Sanderson is coming here?¡± ¡°It is said that he is moving with a large force.¡± He dares to mobilize his forces in the North without permission. Does he intend to fight the Edmer dukedom? But it was strange. The reason he had watched Count Sanderson rise until now was for a different reason. The guardian of the third son. It was because the Count had made a deal with him. ¡®If not for that, there would be no reason to watch that bastard rise.¡¯ Honestly, he had even tried to take care of the Count without his help. If only Aiden were dead, the problem would be solved. Then, he would have naturally made the third son the successor, even without the bastard¡¯s help. However, he couldn¡¯t kill him because of the eyes of others. ¡®My father¡¯s eyes and ears are still in the family.¡¯ Then, an opportunity arose. Aiden suddenly left alone for work in the labor camp. ¡®It was the perfect chance to kill the guy who had been stuck in the family.¡¯ That was why he had moved the chief steward. If Count Sanderson took care of the guy himself, he planned to hand over Aiden¡¯s power to the third son through the chief steward. How could he do that to his own child? Isn¡¯t he someone else¡¯s child? Of course, Aiden was the Duke¡¯s son. However, he wanted to make the third son the successor by any means necessary. Successor. It didn¡¯t simply mean the position of Duke. It meant passing on his position to the one who resembled him the most. ¡®Aiden resembles my father too much.¡¯ [Knight King] The former head of the family, a man who always humiliated the Duke. He couldn¡¯t be great with the title of Lord preceding his name. The Knight King¡¯s gaze was always like that. [If you don¡¯t do it properly, I will take it away anytime.] The Duke always felt humiliated by that gaze. He was the one who had rightfully taken the Lord¡¯s seat. But people always looked down on him, saying he was inferior to the [Knight King]. No matter what he did, the [Knight King]¡¯s name came first. ¡®Even my child¡­ I can¡¯t make a guy who resembles his father more than me the successor.¡¯ It was okay even if he was criticized for being mean. But it was the only chance for him to get rid of the Knight King¡¯s name. That was why he even joined hands with a guy like the Count. ¡°Are the assassins here yet?¡± ¡°No contact yet.¡± Incompetent fools. Why were there so many pathetic beings around him? It couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡®I have no choice but to take their hand.¡¯ Some people had been secretly visiting the Duke recently. They proposed a special deal. [It is a chance to leave your name higher than the Knight King¡¯s] The price was his own blood and a certain item. Of course, even if he ignored the blood, it wasn¡¯t a simple item. An item that even the previous Duke, the Knight King, couldn¡¯t easily touch. But no matter how much he hated the Knight King, he was Duke Edmer. The head of the most prestigious family not only in the North, but also on the continent. He could lose everything with just one choice. So he refused. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®What I want is the complete position of Duke. Not a position left to me like my father or others did.¡¯ But then a problem arose. Not only did Adien return alive, but he also brought [him]. With things like this happening, he had to hurry up and take care of it. He had already sent assassins to Jooin, so all he had to do was take care of Count Sanderson. Then the subordinate carefully opened his mouth. ¡°Shall we send assassins?¡± It wasn¡¯t about the 2nd army he sent to Jooin. There were assassins who used special powers left. Assassins with skills comparable to the £¼Grim Reaper£¾ Assassins Guild. The real hidden dagger of the Duke, created with enormous support without the Knight King¡¯s knowledge. But the Duke shook his head. ¡°No. Leave it alone.¡± ¡°How dare he be so insolent¡­¡­¡± ¡°I must see his face for myself. What will he say to me?¡± I wondered what he would dare to say. If he was trying to swindle the family, thinking that Aiden was dead. ¡®I will never forgive him. I will kill him without leaving a trace of him in the North.¡¯ I would kill him right away. That¡¯s what I was thinking when. ¡°This is a nice place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The door to the office opened and Joo-yeon entered. Chapter 22 My Reflector Is Invincible 2222. I¡¯ll Let You Leave Gracefully The Duke¡¯s office. Unlike the grand door, the inside was quite simple. Or perhaps I should say it was neat and elegant. The only expensive thing was the old shield that was the symbol of the Duke¡¯s family. ¡®It¡¯s still the same.¡¯ Of course, it was a very familiar place to Joo-yeon. It was exactly the office he had set up. The Duke realized the identity of Joo-yeon, who had suddenly appeared. ¡°How dare you speak informally to me?¡± Even though it was the first time he had met him, he was confident. There was only one person who would be confident in front of the lord of the Edmer family, the greatest family in the North. ¡°So it¡¯s you. The guy called ¡®that guy.¡¯¡± Not only his appearance, but it was really strange. ¡°How in the world did you get in here?¡± It wasn¡¯t the lord¡¯s office for nothing. Not only the office, but the defenses along the way to this place were solid. There were also knights in charge of security. It was difficult to break through without even triggering a single trap. But none of them had informed him of Joo-yeon¡¯s visit. The Duke opened his mouth to the familiar guy behind Joo-yeon. ¡°Bayner, it was you. You¡¯re the one who brought that guy here secretly.¡± ¡°I¡­¡­ I apologize, Your Grace.¡± ¡°No, you did well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Bayner stepped back in surprise. It was because the Duke, who he thought would punish him, was letting it go. But the Duke was sincere. ¡°Vayner, that son of a b*tch is a coward.¡± He had quite a lot of magical knowledge. However, he was a typical snob who was only strong against the weak and weak against the strong. That such a guy brought him? ¡°I wonder what happened to the assassins.¡± You could tell just by looking at the slight bloodstain on Jooyeon¡¯s pants. For some reason, all the assassins were dead. ¡°And Vayner brought such a guy here.¡± It made sense that he had broken through the tight security. The Duke was one of the few who knew that Vayner had the £¼Cloak of Shadows£¾. It would have been possible if he had used the secret passage and the magic that he had told him about. However, Vayner broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®He seems to be seriously mistaken about something.¡¯ Surely he doesn¡¯t think I used magic to bring him here? And even using the secret passage? Surprisingly, he had never guided Jooyeon to this place. He had only told him where the Duke would be by now. Then Jooyeon nodded. [Really? Then follow me. I think I¡¯ll get lost because it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been to the office.] [Huh? What do you mean¡­ . ] Jooyeon quickly disappeared from his sight. He had no choice but to use magic to track him and follow him. And he was able to see an amazing sight. Swish! [Hmm? Did something just pass by?] [What would pass by? I don¡¯t even see an ant.] [Am I a little sensitive? It seems like the wind just blew.] [Anyway, it¡¯s useless¡­ . ] Jooyeon had completely figured out the guards¡¯ patrol routes. When they would change shifts. And where to move to avoid theirÊÓÏß. It was natural to pass the guards and head to the office. He seemed to know exactly how to break through the security of the Duke¡¯s family. So it was no wonder Vayner was surprised. ¡®Most of the Duke¡¯s soldiers are highly trained veterans.¡¯ Even such people didn¡¯t notice him at all. They acted like blind fools even when he passed right by them. And Jooyeon escaped their surveillance with perfect timing. ¡®Even I wouldn¡¯t have been able to follow him without the £¼Cloak of Shadows£¾.¡¯ Fortunately, he had stealth magic. If I had tried to fly or just follow, I would have been caught by those soldiers. That wasn¡¯t the only surprising thing. [Knight? You can¡¯t just pass through here?] I breached the seemingly impenetrable defenses using clever methods. There were various methods. [If you go this way, the rooms are connected.] [If you throw a stone here¡­the guards will turn to the side. Now¡¯s our chance. Let¡¯s go.] [We¡¯ll break through above. Follow me quietly so we don¡¯t get caught.] It was as if it were Joo-in¡¯s own home. The more I learned, the more frightened I became. It felt like I had provoked someone I shouldn¡¯t have. But there was something even more frightening. [Follow me quickly. Why are you so slow?] [Y, yes, sir. Ah? This place is¡­.] [The Edmer family¡¯s secret passage. It leads to the Lord¡¯s office.] [How on earth did you¡­.] Bayner was genuinely taken aback. Originally, I was supposed to guide him through the secret passage. However, Joo-in, claiming to know it well, was instead leading me. ¡®I definitely heard that he was a slave.¡¯ There was no way a slave could do such a thing. The thought that I might have provoked the wrong person lingered in my mind. ¡®Please don¡¯t cause a scene.¡¯ If he were the Duke, he might wield his sword as soon as he saw me. I wanted to warn the Duke in advance, but I couldn¡¯t. It was because of the sudden pain in my head. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kuung! ¡®Ugh¡­even though I only thought about it, the pain is this bad.¡¯ All my thoughts were already being controlled by the°µÊ¾. Even the slightest thought of harming Joo-in brought such intense pain that it felt like my head would burst. It was like being caught in an inescapable collar. Suddenly, Bayner¡¯s body, which had been looking around, froze. ¡®What the¡­we¡¯re already here?¡¯ In an instant, we had breached the heavy defenses and arrived before the Duke. It was no wonder Bayner was looking at Joo-in with eyes full of shock. However, the Duke, unaware of this, was deep in thought. Is this guy [that person]? He was definitely the one who had sent assassins to kill me just a moment ago. From Noble mtl dot com However, the moment he saw Joo-in, his mind changed. ¡®There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t have been caught by the soldiers on his way here.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t difficult to deal with the eyewitness. However, there was bound to be a problem if he dealt with all the soldiers. The best option here wasn¡¯t to kill the guy. ¡®Even if I kill him, I should do it where no one else can see.¡¯ The first thing to do was get rid of him from this place. He even had to tolerate Joo-yeon¡¯s unpleasant informality. ¡°I see. ¡®He¡¯ certainly deserves it.¡± Anyway, he wouldn¡¯t see him again after today. The Duke opened the drawer. He threw what was in it toward Joo-yeon. Clatter. The pouch that fell to the floor opened, revealing its splendid contents. It was various jewels, including gold. This time, Joo-yeon tilted his head. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the mercy I¡¯m giving you.¡± ¡°Mercy?¡± At Joo-yeon¡¯s tilting head, the Duke answered with cold eyes. ¡°I heard you lived as a slave in a labor camp.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably wealth you won¡¯t be able to touch even if you work for the rest of your life. Take it. It¡¯s yours from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes turned to the pouch for a moment. He roughly estimated the value of the contents with the eye of an appraiser. ¡°This isn¡¯t a small amount of money. It¡¯s enough to buy at least a nobleman¡¯s mansion in the heart of the capital.¡± ¡°You seem to know its value well. How about it? Is that enough for you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was more than the wealth in the warden¡¯s safe. But strangely, he didn¡¯t feel like taking it. ¡®Why do I feel so dirty?¡¯ Because it felt like he was receiving ill-gotten gains. The Duke read Joo-yeon¡¯s expression. ¡°Is that not enough for you? After all, the lowly are always full of greed.¡± Then he uttered words that would horrify anyone else. ¡°Do you want to become a knight? If you want, I¡¯ll write you a letter of recommendation. With the name of Duke Edmer, you can become a knight of any noble.¡± The Duke¡¯s body gradually leaned forward. He clasped his hands together and looked at Joo-yeon. ¡°If you want to become a wizard, I¡¯ll send you to the Magic Tower. With the reputation of the ducal family, any Magic Tower will welcome you with open arms.¡± He could even become a noble. ¡°If you want to live quietly, I can even prepare a manor in the countryside. I¡¯ll make sure you live comfortably for the rest of your life.¡± That was one hell of an offer. It was an opportunity that any ordinary civilian would¡¯ve jumped at without a second thought. However, Jooyeon¡¯s gaze was cold. He had noticed what the Duke was trying to say. ¡°So what do I have to give you in return?¡± ¡°Go away. This is no place for the likes of you.¡± ¡°The likes of me?¡± The Duke¡¯s cold voice returned to Jooyeon, who was taken aback. ¡°Just because you burned the slave document yourself doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not a slave. It would be troubling if ¡®that person¡¯ your father has been looking for for so long turned out to be the likes of you.¡± In short, he didn¡¯t want to let Jooyeon, who had been a slave to the previous Duke, meet Aiden. Of course, his true intentions were that he didn¡¯t want to give Jooyeon the position of Lord¡­¡­. Anyway, he was saying that as a former slave, Jooyeon should be grateful for the treasure he was offering him. ¡°If you leave quietly right now¡­¡­ You¡¯ll be able to return home alive and well.¡± Clank! At the Duke¡¯s signal, the knights raised their weapons. A sharp murderous aura was emitted towards Jooyeon, as if they would charge at him any moment. It seemed that if he wanted to leave this place alive, he had to accept the Duke¡¯s offer. Duke Edmer pressured Jooyeon with an impassive face. ¡°If I make a gesture, you¡¯ll be hacked to death right here.¡± ¡°Wow. The Lord of the great Edmer family is resorting to threats?¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± Thwack! The Duke raised his hand. Then, the knights who had been at the end of the room disappeared. The moment he blinked. Clang! Before he knew it, the knights were pointing their swords at Jooyeon¡¯s neck. Jooyeon was taken aback. He may have spoken kindly, but the Duke¡¯s true intentions were like this: ¡®Take this and get lost. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kill you.¡¯ He was telling him to take the money he was offering him and disappear discreetly. ¡®I was going to let you go since you¡¯re the son of my old comrade and all, for old time¡¯s sake.¡¯ But this was too much. It seemed that his friend¡¯s son had become quite spoiled after not seeing him for so long. In a way, Jooyeon was like his own son. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I discipline a disobedient child properly?¡¯ Beating him to his senses was something only a beast would do. Jooyeon smiled meaningfully. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave if that¡¯s what you want.¡± The Duke had an expression that said he had expected this. The nature of the lowly is that they are helpless. ¡°Indeed. Since your life is on the line, you must have thought it wise to accept whatever is offered and scram.¡± Truly, these men were easy to deal with. Although the Duke¡¯s words were vulgar beyond belief, he decided to show mercy to Jooyeon. ¡°So what is it that you desire?¡± A knight¡¯s title? A mage¡¯s credentials? A local lordship? He only had to ask. Anything could be granted. Of course, it would not last long. As soon as he was out of the Duke¡¯s reach, he would vanish without a trace. Unbeknownst to Jooyeon, the Duke signaled to the knight. ¡®Kill him as soon as he steps outside the manor.¡¯ Nod. The knight understood his intentions and nodded. Unlike the butler he had killed earlier, this man was reliable. However, what Jooyeon desired was none of those things. His hand soon pointed to one side of the room. ¡°Yes, fine. Give me that one thing and I¡¯ll leave quietly.¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes widened. Jooyeon¡¯s hand was pointing at none other than¡­ The shield that was said to have been wielded by the previous Duke. It was a treasure of the family. Chapter 23 My Reflector Is Invincible 2323. Give Me Money Instead £¼Shield of the Nameless God£¾ The shield was so old that it didn¡¯t even look like it could block an attack anymore. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It looked like it had been badly damaged after taking a strong blow. The traces of time were all over it, making it look almost like an antique. The Duke looked taken aback. ¡°You want that?¡± He looked offended, as if he had been insulted. That was understandable. That shield was more than just an antique. ¡°Do you know that our family¡¯s crest originated from that shield?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the symbol of the family and represents the [Knight King].¡± ¡°And yet you ask for that?¡± No wonder the Duke was taken aback. If it were just a symbol of the family, it would be ridiculous. What was the reason for the shield with frost on the family crest? It was because it was the relic of the previous duke. It was a shield that he was said to have used personally when fighting the Demon King. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary shield. It was an Ego Shield that personally chose its master. It was similar to the £¼Holy Sword£¾ of a hero. Those who weren¡¯t qualified to become its master would be burned on the spot. Duke Edmer knew this fact all too well. ¡®But no one other than my father has ever been chosen.¡¯ No one, including the Duke, had heard of it. Since the previous Duke had fallen ill, it had been left abandoned in the study. It was a treasure that the family couldn¡¯t dare to appraise. It was a living treasure that had written the myth of the [King of Knights] together with him, and it was an object of pride for the people of Duke Edmer¡¯s family. The Duke opened his mouth with a cold expression. ¡°Even if you are royalty, it¡¯s audacious of you to say something unforgivable so calmly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little special, you see?¡± ¡°That is true.¡± Instead of cutting off Joo-Heon¡¯s neck, the Duke nodded his head. There was no other reason why the Duke had tolerated Joo-Heon¡¯s insolent behavior until now. [He] He was the man the previous Duke had searched for a very long time. There must have been a reason why the previous Duke, who was said to be the strongest on the continent, was looking for him. He might be related to the hero. ¡®Surely, if I take [him] to father, he will be very pleased.¡¯ He might be of great help to the cause of the [King of Knights]. But even so, what was impossible was impossible. ¡®Especially not that bastard.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just because he was a slave. The problem was that he was someone Aiden, the successor, had brought. ¡®If I take that guy, the position of the next¼ÒÖ÷ will definitely go to Aiden.¡¯ Aiden resembled the Duke¡¯s father, the King of Knights. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of such a guy becoming the next¼ÒÖ÷. He didn¡¯t care even if he went against the will of the King of Knights. Because, true to his father¡¯s nature of always keeping his word, that guy would be able to take the position of¼ÒÖ÷ right away. It was an unavoidable choice as a¼ÒÖ÷ who couldn¡¯t escape the status of the King of Knights. ¡®Aiden, never.¡¯ In fact, it didn¡¯t matter if he gave him the shield. Anyway, he could just kill him and take it back. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll just display something else similar in the meantime.¡¯ However, there was a minor issue. ¡°That fellow chooses its master. Even I wasn¡¯t chosen by that fellow. It¡¯s not an item that just anyone can have.¡± It wasn¡¯t an item that even a great [That] could pick up. After all, it only allowed the King of Knights. It was known that even the past warriors and their companions couldn¡¯t lift it. Even if the Duke were to give it, there was no way for Joo-Heon to take the shield. However, Joo-Heon acted unexpectedly. ¡°Then, if that fellow chooses me, can I take it?¡± ¡°What! Stop!¡± Joo-Heon didn¡¯t wait for the Duke¡¯s answer. Instead, he reached out to the shield. At that, the Duke shouted and tried to stop Joo-Heon. ¡®Surely, he¡¯s not going to just grab the shield.¡¯ But his words about it choosing its master weren¡¯t a joke. ¡®There are dozens of knights who died trying to grab that shield.¡¯ Many knights had actually lost their lives. It was because they had tried to touch it without permission. Even the Duke might have died if the King of Knights hadn¡¯t been next to him. He hurried to stop Joo-Heon, but. Grab! Joo-Heon¡¯s hand grabbed the shield. The Duke¡¯s face hardened. ¡®It¡¯s too late. The shield¡¯s defense mechanism has been activated.¡¯ Rumble! The jewel on the top of the shield shone blue. It was the start of the ritual to decide the master. If the light didn¡¯t disappear, he would be decided as the master, and nothing would happen. Flicker! If the light of the jewel disappeared like that, it meant that he couldn¡¯t become the master. In an instant, the Duke¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Ru, run away!¡± It didn¡¯t end with just not being able to become the master. From Noble mtl dot com A powerful explosion that could knock out even decent knights with a single blow, as well as a powerful judgment of electricity that could kill them instantly. It was time for punishment to befall those who had challenged it without permission. It was the Ego Shield¡¯s defense mechanism to kill those who were blinded by treasure in one blow. There was no way to avoid it or block it. The shield would naturally turn the surroundings into a pile of ash. That was why even the Duke¡¯s escort knights were guarding the front. ¡°Go behind me, my lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡± In an instant, despair washed over the Duke¡¯s eyes. In truth, the Duke cared little whether Joo-in lived or died. However, it would be troublesome if he died here. ¡®It would be troublesome if word got out that ¡®I¡¯ killed him.¡¯ Many had already seen the boy. Those who sought to make Aiden the successor would certainly point to him as the culprit. Of course, his retainers couldn¡¯t harm him. ¡®But if Father were to find out¡­.¡¯ It would be natural for him to lose his position as Duke. He was just thinking that he would have no choice but to dispose of all the witnesses, including his escort, when¡ª Clang! ¡°Yo, long time no see, kid.¡± Wasn¡¯t Joo-in raising his shield to don it, all too nonchalantly? The attack that should have occurred naturally didn¡¯t even graze him. The shield was quiet, as if it had met its master. The Duke¡¯s eyes widened in bewilderment as he asked, ¡°H-how in the world?¡± ¡°Nice?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Not only the Duke but also the escorts and even Bayner¡ª All were so shocked that they couldn¡¯t even open their mouths properly. * * * Joo-in knew the shield better than anyone else. No, in a way, he knew it better than the Duke, its current owner. It couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡®This was mine to begin with.¡¯ It was the first Mythical-grade item he had obtained after clearing an arduous, desperate quest. Even the most skilled players wouldn¡¯t dare to attempt it, as it had an incredibly low drop rate. ¡®I almost died countless times trying to pass that damn test.¡¯ The Test of the £¼Nameless God£¾. It was a legendary quest that had frustrated thousands, tens of thousands of players. Even Joo-in, who was notoriously tenacious, had only obtained it after hundreds of tries. Strictly speaking, Joo-in could be called the shield¡¯s owner. He had only given the item to the Knight King because he was a tanker Shield Knight. So Joo-in confidently took hold of the shield. ¡®Here, shield. Your master has come.¡¯ Of course, the shield didn¡¯t recognize Joo-in as its master right away. Flick! Joo-in grimaced as the light of the jewel hanging from the top of the shield went out. The defense mechanism has been activated. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± I thought that since everything I¡¯ve accomplished is connected, this shield would be too. If I had as much power as the [King of Knights], it might be different. If this were a game, it might have been possible. The problem was that this situation had become considerably dangerous. Oooong! Crackle! I could tell just by looking at the blue light and yellow electricity coursing through the shield¡¯s body. Words that were invisible to others were also inscribed on it. £¼[Mark of the Nameless God] is inscribed.£¾ Jooin clearly remembered the description from the game. £¼Mark of the Nameless God£¾ ¨C Determines the qualifications of the shield¡¯s owner. ¨C Those who are unqualified will receive divine punishment, while those who are qualified will become the owner of the £¼Nameless God£¾¡¯s holy water. There was no separate skill description. However, the £¼Divine Punishment£¾ that was wielded by the power of a god was one of the most fearsome skills in the ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ It was something to be wary of, even in the game. £¼If you do not quickly put down the holy water, [Divine Punishment] will fall.£¾ £¼[Divine Punishment] ignores the opponent¡¯s resistance.£¾ £¼Cannot be evaded!£¾ £¼Absolute judgment!£¾ If the conditions were met, it was an item that could instantly annihilate even the highest-leveled players, not to mention the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King¡¯s army. If I threw it out the window right now, I might be able to live. However, Jooin did not throw away the shield. Woosh! What he believed in was £¼Reflect£¾. As if he had been waiting for this moment, he activated the ability. Pop! The mark that had been etched into his soul disappeared. The shield, which had been fierce enough to unleash £¼Divine Punishment£¾ at any moment, now trembled. £¼[Mark of the Nameless God] is inscribed on the [Nameless God].£¾ It was exactly the same as when he had reflected Bayner¡¯s £¼Detection Magic£¾. However, there was something slightly different. -You¡­ An overwhelming presence that felt like it was from another dimension. It was definitely the aura of a god who had once been great but had now fallen. Swish. A giant eye appeared above Jooin¡¯s head. It belonged to the £¼Nameless God£¾. And his pupils swept over Joo-yeon. Crackle! Joo-yeon¡¯s hairs stood on end. It felt like he was standing defenseless in front of a wild beast. The divine pressure was so suffocating that he felt like he was going to die. ¡®If it was a game, a simple system window would have popped up.¡¯ In reality, he could feel a fragment of a god¡¯s presence. But it didn¡¯t matter. Anyway, the god couldn¡¯t do anything to Joo-yeon. It would be the same even if he continued to try to brand him through his shield. £¼[Unnamed God¡¯s Brand] is being engraved.£¾ £¼[Unnamed God¡¯s Brand] is being engraved.£¾ He just £¼Reflected£¾ it all. £¼[Unnamed God¡¯s Brand x3] is engraved on [Unnamed God].£¾ £¼[Unnamed God] feels a little more specific.£¾ He could feel Unnamed God¡¯s bewilderment through the brand. He probably never thought that his power would be blocked. ¡®It¡¯s called a god¡¯s brand, but in the end, it¡¯s just a type of detection magic.¡¯ The only difference from Vener¡¯s detection magic was that the caster was a god, not a human. Ah! There was also the difference that it encompassed not just a region, but dimensions. But Joo-yeon had £¼Reflect£¾. The only Unique-rank skill that could reach a god. ¡®If a god¡¯s divine power doesn¡¯t work because he lost his name, he can¡¯t use detection magic.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t be troubled by something like this. The most powerful skill of the Demon King, who once rivaled the gods, roared. ¡®Well, since I¡¯m not the Demon King, I might lose if I fight a god directly.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t easy to beat him either. It was difficult for gods to exert their power in the human world. To exert power in the middle realm, they needed an enormous amount of divine power. ¡®But he can¡¯t just show up in person either.¡¯ The entire continent could be destroyed by his presence alone. It was like a giant trying to catch a tiny bug by destroying a continent. To catch the bug accurately, he had to mark it using his divine power as a medium. What if he just ignored it and charged in? In that case, the other gods wouldn¡¯t just sit still. The middle realm was a treasure trove of delicious faith. A god who would lose his £¼Name£¾ wouldn¡¯t risk that. Buzz! He could feel the god¡¯s distress through the shield. He must be wondering how he blocked his brand. But Joo-in didn¡¯t solve the doubt. Instead, he fully equipped the shield. Clang! £¼Heavenly Punishment£¾ didn¡¯t fall. It¡¯s a law that you need a stigma to use Heavenly Punishment. Was the divine power that was wasted by the stigma a waste? £¼Nameless God£¾ also didn¡¯t use the stigma anymore. Whimper. There was nothing left but just watch. But right at that moment, a voice filled with shock was heard from behind. ¡°Wh¡­ How did you use that shield. No, rather than that, how are you safe?¡± Duke Edmer had a truly shocked expression. As if asking how he had the item that only the previous dukes could lift. Joo-in answered with a smile. ¡°Because I have the right qualification?¡± ¡°Right qualification¡­ What the heck is that.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Joo-in tilted his lips up at that moment. ¡°If you want to know, pay some money. Not this pocket money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The duke¡¯s face distorted strongly. Chapter 24 My Reflector Is Invincible 2424. Call to this place Pocket money? The duke¡¯s face turned red at Joo-in¡¯s words. It was the asset he had prepared just in case. As the duke¡¯s emergency fund, it wasn¡¯t a small amount of money. ¡°I could buy a mansion of a moderate noble in the capital with that money¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s pocket money. If you are trying to block my steps with just that much, it¡¯s a miscalculation.¡± Rumble. The duke gritted his teeth. He couldn¡¯t forgive Joo-in at all. He even used informal speech to him, the head of the Edmer family. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hurry up and give it to me? Then I¡¯ll take it and disappear?¡± It was because of his impudent attitude toward him. However, that wasn¡¯t important at the moment. He was recognized as the owner of the shield? Something that could never happen had happened. Someone other than the Knight King had lifted the shield that no one else could lift. Even for the owner of that shield, it had a special meaning. [Whoever holds the shield shall be granted the same authority as myself, regardless of their status.] It was an order from the Knight King himself. I remembered the story of how the previous Duke, who was called the King of the North, had been treated like that. If there was anyone who refused that order. [Even if they were my own children, I would never forgive them. I would punish them as if they had committed treason.] They would have to face the Knight King¡¯s wrath head-on. It was a completely different matter from taking [him] away. Treating the uncertain ¡®him¡¯ the same way was a completely different thing. It meant becoming a sinner who had refused the [Knight King¡¯s] order. ¡®Of course, that bastard wouldn¡¯t know that.¡¯ It was information that only the important vassals of the Edmer family knew. So I had to take care of it quickly before anyone noticed. I had no choice but to bury what happened here in the darkness. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore. If you insist on drinking alcohol¡­ I can¡¯t help it.¡± The Duke gave a signal to the knights. ¡°Take care of him and return the shield to its original place.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The knights slowly approached Joo-yeon with their swords drawn. * * * Hey, look at these bastards? They¡¯re trying to drown me right now? Are they really? I could feel killing intent from the knights. Some of them were even using their chivalry. The orange light of £¼Obedience£¾. ¡®Well, it would be difficult if they weren¡¯t knights of Obedience since they¡¯re attacking the Knight King¡¯s guest.¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com All the knights on the continent respected the Knight King. However, the knights of Obedience were more loyal to their lords than to the Knight King. To draw their swords against a man who had been acknowledged by their idol. That was why the nobles couldn¡¯t help but like the knights of Obedience. ¡®Should I use Reflection?¡¯ I could use £¼Physical Enhancement£¾ to get out of here. I could also order the wizard, Bener, to use magic. But something felt lacking. ¡®All of them are too weak to fix that spoiled brat.¡¯ I needed a powerful blow. A weapon that would shock not only that bastard but also the knights who were pointing their swords at me. Then, something came to mind. ¡®Right. I have this.¡¯ Joo-Yeon held out the £¼Shield of the Nameless God£¾ he had just acquired. This shield was a divine item. Of course, with his current low stats, he wouldn¡¯t be able to draw out its full power. So even though he couldn¡¯t use the full power of the shield like its true master, there was a way to use it roughly. ¡°Here, shield. This is food. Eat up.¡± Click. Joo-Yeon inserted the jewel he had taken from the Duke¡¯s vault into the hole in the shield. An offering to the god, a sacrifice. It wasn¡¯t pure faith, but a jewel was a lump of brilliant desire more than anything else. Light began to enter the shield with the jewel as fuel. Whirr! The sentient being moved nimbly at the rare meal. In an instant, the shield turned blue. Crackle! It was similar to £¼Heaven¡¯s Punishment£¾, an electric shock. It was £¼Blue Lightning£¾ embedded in Ego Shield. A skill that poured a massive electric shock on the enemy in exchange for an offering. Blue lightning erupted from Joo-Yeon¡¯s body, making his hair stand on end. To others, he looked as if he had been electrocuted. Only then did the Duke laugh. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right! That¡¯s the symbol of our family!¡± As expected, it was a weapon that a mere slave couldn¡¯t hold. The Duke¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s clear you were mistaken.¡± How dare a slave raise our family¡¯s symbol? He deserved to die a hundred times over. His gaze was that of someone who wouldn¡¯t mind the lightning burning him to dust. ¡°Something a mere slave like you can¡¯t have when even I don¡¯t have it!¡± Even the approaching knights flinched back at the sight of him being electrocuted. It was clear that they had judged that it would be taken care of without them dirtying their hands. But that was a ridiculous thought. ¡®That¡¯s funny. Have you ever seen a dog that attacks the one who feeds it?¡¯ God is always fair. To be exact, he treats everyone the same because he doesn¡¯t care about any of his creations. Anyway, an offering always comes with a price. ¡®Well, should I get my jewel¡¯s worth? You mutt?¡¯ Whirr! The shield reacted to Joo-Yeon¡¯s command. £¼Charging Complete£¾ £¼[Shield of the Nameless God] activates [Blue Lightning]£¾ In an instant, the lightning that had been wrapped around Joo-Yeon¡¯s body shot out in all directions. The impact was especially strong against the knights near the duke. ¡°Kuaaah!¡± ¡°aaah!¡± All the surrounding knights collapsed, trembling violently. It was just like the appearance of those who hadn¡¯t been chosen by the shield as its master. Only the duke remained unscathed. ¡°W, what the hell! What have you done!¡± Of course, Joo-Heon didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he stroked the shield. ¡®It really is useful.¡¯ In order to use , he needed to be attacked by the enemy. But now, he didn¡¯t need to wait for the opponent¡¯s attack. Just by offering some jewels or valuables as a sacrifice, he could now attack the opponent. You might say that he had put in too many jewels as offerings? It didn¡¯t really matter to Joo-Heon. ¡®I can just get more jewels later.¡¯ He also had treasures hidden all over the continent, enough to establish his own kingdom if he combined them all. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, he knew how to get more. Above all, wasn¡¯t there a golden goblin right in front of him, Duke Edmer? On the other hand, the shield¡¯s attack power was enormous. Depending on how he used it, he could even kill an enemy in one shot. They would end up like a chicken struck by lightning. Or maybe like a rotisserie chicken. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the best part. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ how the hell did you withstand that¡­¡± It was more important that he could say a few words to the shocked duke. Joo-Heon shrugged. ¡°What? You can have it if you¡¯re qualified? You must be qualified enough by now? If not, I can use it on you too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The duke didn¡¯t show it on his face, but his eyes were trembling. He didn¡¯t want to lose his family symbol and relic, but he was too scared to attack. ¡®But as long as I look like the master, he won¡¯t be able to take it away so easily. It¡¯s because of the shield¡¯s power.¡¯ But the scariest thing about the shield wasn¡¯t its power. Joo-Heon decided to tell the duke something he had forgotten. ¡°Oh right, the previous duke said something like this. He said that whoever becomes the master of this shield can use the same authority as the previous duke.¡± ¡°H, how is that possible?¡± How is it possible, you ask? Because I made it that way, of course. Of course, as a nuclear warhead, he hadn¡¯t known that something like this would happen. But it was basic to always prepare the groundwork for the next game. A shield was just one of them. ¡®There are things that need to be resolved after meeting the [Knight King] in person.¡¯ Soon, Joo-yeon spoke. ¡°Since you don¡¯t know, quickly bring the former Duke here. I have a lot to say. Especially about the incompetent son who acted on his own accord despite my orders.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure to tell him that I was the one who ordered the attack on the shield¡¯s owner.¡± The Duke¡¯s cheeks trembled with anger. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Joo-yeon laughed lightly. ¡®A brat won¡¯t learn his lesson from a beating by someone else.¡¯ There was something he hated even more. To be scolded by his respected parents. ¡°What are you doing? This is the order of the shield¡¯s owner. Bring the former Duke here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, it was also fun to watch the son¡¯s face contort in humiliation. A brat like him needed to be disciplined like this. * * * Edmer, the former Duke. The man who defeated the Demon King with the Hero. Currently known as the strongest in the world, he was respected by all the knights on the continent. And he had knights who followed him. £¼Order of the White Hundred£¾ It was the personal guard knights raised by the former Duke. Each one was a general of a country, and now that they had received training from the former Duke, they had almost reached superhuman levels. Warriors who could knock down opponents with just the force of their sharp gazes. Those who only received orders from the former Duke were now guarding the training hall. As if they were escorting him, they were guarding him like an iron wall. ¡°When will he come out¡­¡­¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Demon King¡¯s curse, he would have been ruling the continent by now¡­¡­¡± The former Duke was dying. It was because of the curse left behind by the Demon King as he died. Because of that, he was losing his life day by day. However, not all of the knights had worried looks on their faces. ¡°That¡¯s what the training is for.¡± ¡°The Knight King will surely reach a transcendent state and overcome the Demon King¡¯s curse.¡± The Knight King had entrusted all the affairs of the family to his son, the Duke. It was only to overcome the curse through training. So, it was inevitable that the knights¡¯ eyes were filled with respect. ¡°If it were anyone else, they would have been corrupted by wealth and power.¡± ¡°They would have struggled to survive.¡± The former Duke, known as the Knight King, was different. Giving up all wealth and power, he was enthusiastic about strength. Just seeing that appearance, the loyalty that had been strong from the beginning felt like it was getting stronger. Perhaps that was also the reason why he volunteered to be the escort for the previous Duke, who originally didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s protection. At that moment, someone ran towards us. Clang! In an instant, the knights assumed a battle stance. Sharp materialized killing intent also burst forth. Finishing their battle stance in just 0.1 seconds was surprising, but materialized killing intent? Materialized killing intent was something only superhuman beings had. It was no different from saying there were a hundred superhuman beings. In fact, each and every one of them was a knight considered one of the best on the continent. Of course it made sense that they would find it a waste to escort just one person. Even the servant who had been running didn¡¯t dare come any closer, and he stopped while trembling. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ the Duke¡¯s message¡­¡± ¡°Speak from there.¡± Crackle! Honestly, with the servant¡¯s skills, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to scratch a single one of the knights here. It went without saying for the previous Duke. Nevertheless, the knights were this thorough for no other reason than this: ¡®The one who saved the continent from the Demon King.¡¯ ¡®The savior of us all.¡¯ ¡®The incarnation of chivalry, chivalry itself.¡¯ It was because they respected the previous Duke that much. There was also their strong will not to make even the slightest mistake. However, the knights¡¯ composure was broken by the servant¡¯s following words. ¡°I, the Duke told me to bring the previous Duke¡­¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Just now¡­ what did you say¡­¡± Boom! An enormous killing intent burst forth. The servant peed his pants on the spot. ¡°Eek¡­! I¡¯m just delivering a message¡­¡± But the killing intent didn¡¯t stop. Rather, it only grew stronger. ¡°No matter how much you are the head of the Duke¡¯s family, how dare you¡­ to the previous Duke¡­¡± ¡°Are you telling the hero who saved the continent to come and go?¡± ¡°And you¡¯re doing it through a mere servant? You, the head of the family?¡± Even if the Duke himself had come to give the order, it was questionable whether they would have allowed it, and yet he had sent a servant, not even a knight, to summon him? This was no different from disregarding the previous Duke. The knights, who were more loyal to the Knight King than anyone else, were so furious that the ground shook. Even if he was his son. Even if he is the head of the Edmer family. The former Duke was above all that. It was unforgivable to order him around. Only a servant deserved to die. ¡°¡­¡­That, that is a really important matter.¡± ¡°How dare you interrupt the former Duke¡¯s meditation¡­¡­¡± ¡°It seems our young master¡­¡­has forgotten his past training.¡± Their foreheads twitched. The knights¡¯ anger was directed at the Duke¡¯s family. ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to take matters into our own hands.¡± ¡°Yes. The former Duke will not make an appearance. So¡­¡­¡± But that was the moment. Rumble. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The door to the training ground opened. It was a door that would never open unless the former Duke wished it. All the knights were astonished. ¡°Why is the former Duke¡­¡­!¡± ¡°There is still time left before your promised time¡­¡­!¡± What is the meaning of this? From Noble mtl dot com Chapter 25 My Reflector Is Invincible 2525. Then I¡¯ll Show You While the servant was delivering the Duke¡¯s orders. Joo-yeon smiled broadly at the Duke and said. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Give me food.¡± ¡°Wait. The former Duke will be here soon¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take a while for him to come, so let¡¯s eat something before then.¡± The Duke was speechless. He was already anxious because he had called the former Duke. ¡®Is this really the time to eat, to eat!¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t just leave Joo-yeon alone. If he really was [that]. No, that no longer mattered now that he was holding the shield. What if he didn¡¯t treat this guy properly and some other story came out later? That could be even more controversial. ¡®If my father gets angry¡­¡­all hell will break loose.¡¯ So he had to treat him well. He couldn¡¯t just kill him for no reason, and he couldn¡¯t have the nonsense spread that he didn¡¯t feed him when he was hungry. He had no choice, even if he didn¡¯t like it. But he had a question. ¡®Is that really such an ill-mannered guy [that]? The new owner of the shield?¡¯ The duke¡¯s memory of the former duke would never have expected such a man. He was a resolute and upright father, to the point of being called the incarnation of a knight. Such a father had two things he hated the most. £¼Evil£¾ £¼Rude guys£¾ Villains or occupational groups in the back alleys didn¡¯t even dare to receive a reward. Rude guys were dealt with on the spot. Such a person called such a rude guy as [him] and looked for him. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it no matter how much I think about it.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but treat him. Even though the guy was holding a shield, he was the real owner who was alive. The Duke rang the bell next to him as if he couldn¡¯t help it for the honor of the family. Ding~ Then, the chief butler, who had been waiting outside, came in. ¡°Did you call?¡± ¡°Prepare a meal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s late, can I prepare some light refreshments?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just enough to satisfy your hunger.¡± It meant that he just had to save face until the former Duke came. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was no way Jooyeon would have watched that scene nicely. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? If you¡¯re going to eat, you should eat properly.¡± How many years have I been starving? During my 18 years of hard labor, I ate nothing but garbage. Things like bread that was hard to chew with my teeth, or soup that was thinner than water. ¡®But I can¡¯t tell him to bring it out during my trip with Aiden.¡¯ Because the enemies were after me. So from now on, I planned to have at least one meal properly. Jooyeon stretched out his left arm. Thud! Then, a shield came up on the Duke¡¯s desk. The former Duke¡¯s relic and the prototype of the family crest. It was the law of the Duke¡¯s family that they had to listen if the rightful owner made a request. ¡°Surely the Edmer dukedom of the world can¡¯t fail to treat the owner of the shield to a proper meal, can it?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ Okay.¡± The Duke was angry, but he couldn¡¯t help it. No, at this point, he was rather offended. ¡°Okay. If you say so, I¡¯ll treat you very well.¡± Groan. It must have been my mood that made me grit my teeth. The Duke gave the order with all his heart. ¡°Listen, chief butler. He is my father¡¯s, no, the former Duke¡¯s guest. So show him the best our family can do. If there is any talk of it being insufficient, I will cut off your neck.¡± Upon receiving the Duke¡¯s instructions, the chief butler¡¯s gaze changed. ¡°I will prepare everything so that there is absolutely no shortage. I will stake everything as chief butler on it.¡± He was literally putting his life on the line. This was because this was not a simple order. Even though he didn¡¯t know what it was, the young lady used informal language with the Duke and¡­ ¡®She even mentioned the name of the previous Duke. This is a matter of the pride of the Duchy.¡¯ As the chief butler who had dedicated his life to the Duchy, this was an important matter that was more precious than his life. He had to give it his all, staking his life as a butler. His hand urgently rang the emergency bell. Ding-dong! With the sound of the bell, all the servants of the Duchy gathered. Even the chefs had all gathered. The butler spoke resolutely. ¡°Start preparing the banquet right now. You may use all the ingredients, so make the best dishes you can.¡± ¡°What in the world is going on in the dead of night?¡± ¡°Did royalty come or something?¡± Of course, there were those who expressed their bewilderment. Most of them were the most senior in their respective fields. No matter how great the Duchy was on the continent, it was unlikely that they would hold such a sudden banquet. ¡°There are over a hundred of us? Do we all have to get moving?¡± ¡°That¡¯s still not enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Everyone was speechless at the butler¡¯s words. Even with this many veteran chefs, it was not enough. Since there had never been a shortage at any of the Duchy¡¯s events until now, they could not help but be even more curious. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the details. But from now on, we must satisfy the heart of one person.¡± ¡°Yes? One person?¡± ¡°All these people for just one person?¡± Everyone was bewildered and didn¡¯t know what to do. Just who was this person? They looked as though the Emperor himself had come. However, the butler¡¯s following words were even more shocking. ¡°In a sense, this person is someone we must take better care of than His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Wh-what? ¡°This is a matter of the pride and existence of the Duchy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± No, just who in the world is this person that he would say something like that? No, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important. The servants really started moving in earnest. ¡°Call out the password!¡± ¡°Summon all the cooks in the dukedom. We must prepare the finest food!¡± ¡°We lack ingredients. Go to the village at once and requisition them!¡± The entire dukedom was thrown into a frenzy. * * * ¡°Ah, I¡¯m starving. When will the food come¡­¡± Jooyeon was sucking on his fingers. All he had eaten so far was a bit of soup and jerky. Even the soup he had in the village was poisoned, so it tasted terrible. ¡®I should have asked for it to be delivered here first.¡¯ He regretted it slightly. ¡°Captain of the Catering Corps reporting!¡± Jooyeon¡¯s expression lit up as if he had received a food delivery. And then his eyes went wide. ¡°This is magpie braised in soybean paste. It is to be enjoyed with the Emerald Steak, the pride of the Edmer Dukedom.¡± It was different from the game. Not only was it steaming hot, but it also had a sense of reality that pixels couldn¡¯t convey. It was so glossy and succulent that he wanted to put it in his mouth right away. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡°We have also prepared freshly caught grilled kraken and Metal Shark Chawanmushi.¡± There were also otherworldly dishes made with various fish and seafood. The tables were so full that the servants had to wait outside the office with their trays. Jooyeon was so happy that he inhaled the food. ¡°Yes, this is the taste.¡± Munch munch. It tasted like a different dimension from the garbage food he had been eating in the labor camp. It was as if it melted in his mouth as soon as he put it in. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s delicious.¡± He was eating so happily when¡ª Huh? Jooyeon felt something. It wasn¡¯t the feeling of his soul being filled and growing like when he leveled up. It was more like the feeling of something being placed on his head, like when he was crowned. He had felt something similar when he had raised his shield earlier. He had ignored it then because he was busy teasing the Duke. But now that he concentrated, he could tell for sure. ¡®Could it be achievement points?¡¯ So far, Jooyeon had achieved hidden or special achievements. Thanks to that, he had been able to acquire skills and effects. But normal achievements were different. ¡®Reward points rather than skills or effects.¡¯ That was the so-called achievement points. You could buy the skills you wanted or create items by collecting points. ¡®But wouldn¡¯t all the normal achievements have been completed before?¡¯ Could it be that this game is different from the previous one? Can you get past achievements again? First, it had to be checked. It was impossible to use a system window like the achievement window. I used an unorthodox method. Clank! It was to use a shield. I put a gem in a transparent place like a mirror inside. It was a method I sometimes used in places where I couldn¡¯t use the system window. A way to check your status by offering a tribute to God. The shield, which had received the price, slowly began to engrave letters. £¼First time defeating a knight +10£¾ £¼Defeated a knight in one shot +13£¾ £¼Found a spy +1£¾ £¼Killed a spy +3£¾ £¼Killed a spy in one shot +5£¾ ¡­¡­. There were more than one or two general achievements achieved. It was strange that I hadn¡¯t noticed it until now. And it came down to the most recent achievement. £¼Tricked Duke Edmer +100£¾ £¼Guest of the former Duke +250£¾ £¼Gained the attention of all the Duke¡¯s vassals +110£¾ It was really amazing. Everything Joo-yeon, the main character, had done so far was recorded. In addition, achievement points were added. ¡®I thought I had acquired £¼Reflection£¾ and used it all up. If this is the case, it means I can fill up the achievement points again?¡¯ If you go to a special place, you can use achievement points. It was a place called the Achievement Shop. ¡®If I can earn more achievements like this, won¡¯t I be able to have another unique ability like £¼Reflection£¾?¡¯ That¡¯s when Joo-yeon thought. Ting! One more achievement was added. £¼Encountered the strongest knight on the continent (Knight King) +1000£¾ Huh? Joo-yeon was in the middle of eating a pig¡¯s leg. The last line was jarring. It wasn¡¯t just the words. THUD! The door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with light blond hair. A man with no hint of a smile, but who exuded an overwhelming, suffocating aura. He was. ¡°You there¡­ are you ¡®that¡¯?¡± It was the Sword King, the former Duke Edmar. Everyone was shocked by the sudden appearance of the former Duke and froze in place. The Duke in particular seemed to freeze completely. ¡°F-Father. No, Your Grace.¡± Gulp. It was as if a child who had done wrong had met their strict parent. From Noble mtl dot com The Duke tried to dodge, not knowing what to do. Bener, who had barely regained his senses, was just bewildered. ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­ the former Duke?¡± He had clearly heard that he had lost his life to the Demon King¡¯s curse. He had heard that he could barely move and was being treated in hiding. But by the looks of it, he seemed perfectly fine. And it wasn¡¯t just that he seemed fine. Crackle! Bener was suddenly faced with an overwhelming aura. He took the full force of the aura that the former Duke was emitting and fainted again. Gulp. A short but sturdy man. And he had made a 5th-grade Magician faint with just a glare. Then, people jumped out from behind the former Duke. The knights shouted as they pushed Bener aside. ¡°It¡¯s the former Duke! Show some respect!¡± Clatter, clatter! It was a legion of a hundred knights. Everyone recognized their armor and knelt in dismay. ¡°F-Former Duke!¡± ¡°Sword King!¡± Thud! Some people were banging their heads on the ground. Even the Duke bowed his head to the former Duke. There was only one person who remained still. It was Joo-in. Unhappy with his attitude, one of the knights drew his sword and shouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him tell you to show some respect?¡± A strong pressure was felt. It seemed he would snap my neck if I did not kneel right now. However, Jooyeon did not kneel. Instead, he tilted his head at the familiar man¡¯s face. ¡°Albert?¡± ¡°You know my name?¡± ¡°Aah. Of course, I know you very well.¡± Albert, the captain of the Knights of the White Hundred. He was one of Jooyeon¡¯s subordinates that he had raised in the past. His ability scores and skills were decent. ¡®He was quick-witted with useful traits. £¼Coercion£¾, was it?¡¯ £¼Coercion£¾ was a trait that could turn opponents into putty with overwhelming force. Not only Albert, but most of the other ninety-nine knights also had such good traits. They were knights who were truly specialized in battle. ¡®In the game, he was always by the Knight King¡¯s side. That¡¯s why he would naturally follow if you got the Knight King.¡¯ If you maintained loyalty well, that would happen. Although, he didn¡¯t know if that would be the case for dozens of years, not in a game but in reality. If not loyalty, it could also be because of the former duke¡¯s charm itself. ¡®He¡¯s the strongest knight character I¡¯ve created.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just his abilities as a shield knight. In order to handle the dukedom, he had helped raise his charm and leadership ability scores to the max. Loyalty strong enough to move mountains with a single word was basic. Of course, having children was another matter. ¡®Looking at the dukes who ignored the former duke¡¯s orders, or the grandsons who tried to defeat their fathers to become dukes, it¡¯s quite a mess.¡¯ In reality, the former duke¡¯s gaze as he looked at the duke, who was actually smiling gently, was fierce. It was a gaze as if he knew what was wrong with his child. However, Jooyeon calmly replied. ¡°You said that you¡¯ve been looking for me until now¡­ Why, don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Knight King¡¯s eyes scanned Jooyeon. He was looking as if he would pierce through everything from head to toe. However, his gaze regarding [that] was uncertain. ¡°What proof do you have that you¡¯re ¡®that¡¯?¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Jooyeon put down the fork he was holding. Chapter 26 My Reflector Is Invincible 2626. True Reward Crackle, crackle! In an instant, electricity burst out of Jooyeon¡¯s body. It was the power of the Divine Water, capable of wide-area attacks as well as personal attacks. The hundred knights realized it right away. ¡°Is¡­ is that £¼Azure Lightning£¾?¡± ¡°How is it possible for anyone other than the late Duke to use the shield¡¯s power?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now. Run!¡± ¡°Get the people out of here first!¡± The knights hurriedly retreated. They didn¡¯t forget to take the attendants with them. The Duke was dragged away with them. The Knight King¡¯s lips curled up at the sight. ¡°Can you really use the shield¡¯s power¡­?¡± He looked amused. Then he simply nodded, as if he had no intention of dodging. Jooin extended the shield forward. ¡®This is a precious top-grade sapphire. If you don¡¯t do your job properly, I¡¯ll melt you down in lava.¡¯ Rumble. It was a bluff, hoping that the Knight King, who was once his master, would go easy on him. Fortunately, the bluff worked. The shield unleashed Azure Lightning at full power. Boom!! A great number of lightning bolts converged from all directions to a single point. The firepower was so immense that it melted a part of Duke Castle, which was reinforced with a magic barrier. Bayner, who had been lying on the ground, regained consciousness from the loud noise. ¡°Did¡­ did you defeat him?¡± ¡°How dare you¡­ be so disrespectful to the late Duke.¡± Bam! Bayner was hit by a knight and fainted again. Jooin smirked. ¡®Why did he have to use the magic word?¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it the strongest resurrection spell ever? It didn¡¯t matter to him anyway. The attack he had just launched wasn¡¯t meant to kill his opponent. He could tell just by looking at the Knight King emerging from the dust, waving his hand. ¡®He¡¯s still intact.¡¯ Was it because of the magic spell? He didn¡¯t even have a scratch, let alone any dust on him. It was unbelievable. ¡®Damn¡­ How much stronger has he become?¡¯ The Knight King was even barehanded. A shield knight without a shield has less than half the defense power. Even if he was the master of the shield, how could he be unharmed after taking a full-power Azure Lightning with less than half of his usual defense power? Is his body made of vibranium or something? That¡¯s how I felt. But now was not the time to worry about that. ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡± £¼[Crisis Perception]¡­¡­£¾ Before the words even appeared, my body moved first. Joo-Yeon¡¯s head quickly turned to the side. BAM A huge shockwave exploded next to his head. The Knight King, who was far away, had just punched and shattered space. The shockwave alone, even though it didn¡¯t hit him directly, was enough to twist his body. He¡¯s not only fine after getting hit by £¼Blue Lightning£¾, but he¡¯s also counterattacking. ¡®And he¡¯s shattering space from that distance?¡¯ What kind of divine power is that? What the hell is his body made of? If he had been hit directly, he wouldn¡¯t just be in danger; he might have actually died. ¡®I would have been in big trouble if I hadn¡¯t used Leap in advance.¡¯ That¡¯s how dangerous that attack was. There was a reason he couldn¡¯t use £¼Reflect£¾. I didn¡¯t even think about using it in the first place. ¡®My body moved before my mind could even think.¡¯ It was partly because his body wasn¡¯t fully used to it yet, but it was also because his years of gaming experience had warned him first. That he didn¡¯t even have time to use £¼Reflect£¾. That he would die if he didn¡¯t dodge quickly. Fortunately, he was able to dodge it by recognizing the Knight King¡¯s unique movement just before he attacked. No, actually, he didn¡¯t dodge it. ¡®I predicted it and moved in advance.¡¯ He just saw the unique movement and moved before the attack came. But is this enough? THUD! The Knight King stomped on the ground hard and threw a punch. The next attack was already coming. ¡®I can¡¯t dodge this time.¡¯ Last time, he was able to dodge because of a combination of luck and coincidence. If he had £¼Physical Enhancement£¾, he would have been able to at least try to follow the Knight King¡¯s movements, but it was currently on cooldown. The Knight King was too fast for Joo-Yeon¡¯s current enhanced physical abilities to keep up with. But this time was different. ¡®£¼Reflect£¾ should be enough this time.¡¯ If he tried to see more of his skills, he might actually die. Joo-Yeon quickly activated £¼Reflect£¾. The Knight King¡¯s fist shot towards him again. BAM! A huge explosion erupted between Jooyeon and the Knight King, accompanied by a deafening sound. A cloud of dust rose within the Duke¡¯s office. But what the hell. Thud. Both Jooyeon, who blocked the Knight King¡¯s attack, and the Knight King, who was hit by Jooyeon¡¯s £¼Reflection£¾, were completely unscathed. Jooyeon had deflected the Knight King¡¯s fist with £¼Reflection£¾, but it wasn¡¯t enough to penetrate the Knight King¡¯s defense. So, it seemed that neither of them had taken any damage. The knights¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What the hell¡­ what happened?¡± ¡°He dodged that? Not only that, he even counterattacked the Knight King¡¯s second attack?¡± ¡°TheÏÈ´ú Duke¡¯s fist definitely hit [him]¡­ how can he be unharmed?¡± The two people who had just exchanged blows had calm expressions on their faces. Jooyeon¡¯s face, in particular, was calm. ¡®Looks like there¡¯s been a change that I don¡¯t know about.¡¯ TheÏÈ´ú Duke, no, the current Knight King, was stronger than Jooyeon remembered. The proof was in the aura and strength he felt from him, which far surpassed the past. ¡®If he¡¯s this strong¡­ I can definitely use him.¡¯ This was an extremely beneficial situation for Jooyeon. Since he would die if he failed to achieve his achievements, any useful ally was always welcome. And if he could get that bastard on his side, he would gain recognition from the knight classes. That would make it easier for him to handle them. That¡¯s what Jooyeon was thinking with a smirk on his face. Then the Knight King¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Your hands are quite fierce.¡± ¡°I had to check it out.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re the person I¡¯ve been looking for.¡± The conversation between the two was incredibly calm. It was so calm that it was hard to believe that a fierce battle had just taken place. Only Duke Edmer¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡®Yes. Keep being so impudent.¡¯ The Duke knew the Knight King very well. He was a knight who despised insolence. He wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Jooyeon¡¯s continued insolence. ¡®There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll forgive that crazy bastard who dared to impudently counterattack the Knight King¡¯s attack.¡¯ Most people were thrilled and overwhelmed with emotion when they crossed hands with the Knight King. The pinnacle of all knights on the continent. Just crossing hands with him was like an honor in itself. He would never dare to commit the impiety of attacking his body. ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll be able to see the scene where that bastard¡¯s head is cut off.¡± But contrary to the Duke¡¯s thoughts, the expression on the Sword King¡¯s face was too warm. He was looking at Joo-hyeon with warm eyes. ¡°So, you were the one I was looking for?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I think it¡¯s that person. No, maybe even better?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°That¡¯s good. Both you and I were able to find the people we were looking for.¡± ¡­What the hell is this ending? The Duke averted his eyes at the Sword King¡¯s friendly voice. He couldn¡¯t believe the gentle smile of his father, no, the former Duke, that he was seeing now. And that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°You were eating something delicious. Can I eat with you?¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a lot of food, so let¡¯s eat together.¡± That was originally our family¡¯s food, Father. That bastard is the guest! The Duke felt his insides burning as he watched the two of them sitting across from each other, eating. The people around them were just as surprised. In particular, the 100 knights were having a hard time even speaking properly. ¡°The former Duke is eating?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t eaten with his family for several years?¡± Just who is [he]? Their eyes reflected their inability to understand why the Sword King was treating him with such great hospitality. Soon, the others went into a frenzy over the former Duke¡¯s actions. ¡°The former Duke is eating with a guest! Everyone, bring out the food with all your might!¡± ¡°The best¡­ The one-of-a-kind food that can only be eaten today!¡± The finest ingredients met with the best chefs. It could no longer be called ordinary food. Joo-hyeon put a large amount of food on his fork and put it in his mouth. ¡®This is practically an elixir.¡¯ He felt his body getting stronger with each bite. In addition to the temporary strengthening effect that came from eating food, there was also a permanent buff effect. Words were engraved on his shield. £¼Consumed an elixir +40£¾ £¼Consumed a very special elixir +60£¾ £¼Acquired a permanent strengthening effect +10£¾ £¼Tasted the food of unwavering determination +33£¾ It wasn¡¯t just the buffs and achievements. The special feature of the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯. That was, consuming special food would allow him to gain experience separately. Eating food that was of elixir-grade or higher allowed him to grow. However, there were also accomplishments that were unrelated to food. £¼Succeeded in counterattack against the continent¡¯s strongest +100£¾ £¼Received recognition from the continent¡¯s strongest +300£¾ £¼Survived against the continent¡¯s strongest +500£¾ Even a fight with the Sword King, the former Duke Edmer, was recognized. The corners of Joo-Yeon¡¯s mouth turned up without him realizing. ¡®I have a lot of accomplishments to use. I¡¯ll have to lose often.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t miss the Duke, who was trying to leave his seat while doing so. ¡®He seems to be giving orders to a servant and trying to get out.¡¯ As expected, he must be trying to ask questions by scheming again. Joo-Yeon, who confirmed this, opened his mouth toward the former Duke as if he had thought of something. ¡°Oh, by the way, I had a little trouble getting here. I almost couldn¡¯t meet you.¡± ¡°You almost couldn¡¯t meet me? Why?¡± ¡°Your son told me to get lost. He said that a slave like me isn¡¯t qualified to meet the great Sword King.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± A tremendous silence fell for a moment. No matter how much of a Duke he is. How dare he try to turn away the former Duke¡¯s guest, not to mention anyone else. In particular, a voice even came out from among the 100 knights. ¡°Do you know how much the former Duke has been waiting for [him]¡­.¡± ¡°Get lost? Was that really the young master¡¯s intention?¡± The Duke¡¯s face turned pale. The 100 knights asked Joo-Yeon with hardened faces. ¡°You told [him] to get lost, so what did you say you would give him in return?¡± ¡°He roughly said that I should get lost after receiving a small bag filled with money and a letter of recommendation for a knight.¡± The knights¡¯ eyebrows shot up. There was no way their lord could be such a petty person. They asked again just in case. ¡°Only¡­¡­ that?¡± ¡°Well. I think he also said he would give me a country estate if needed.¡± ¡°The lord said he would give you a country estate that is usually given to retired knights, not a city or a castle?¡± A grinding sound was heard among the knights. ¡°Even if he is the former Duke¡¯s son¡­.¡± ¡°Only a letter of recommendation and an estate? The lord of the Edmer family, not just any other family?¡± It was too petty, even for a small bowl. The conditions set by the lord of the Edmer family, who even the Emperor of the Empire couldn¡¯t handle recklessly, were only that much. No matter how much the former Duke¡¯s son he is, it was too pathetic. The Duke opened his mouth in a hurry. ¡°Everyone, you¡¯re misunderstanding. I was just making a choice for my father, no, the former Duke, and the family¡­.¡± They were just the right amount of money for a lowly slave. It wasn¡¯t even worth spending money on. However, he couldn¡¯t finish his excuse. It was because the Knight King was glaring at him with cold eyes and immense momentum. Thud! The Duke ended up slamming his head on the ground. Such tremendous momentum made it hard to even breathe. ¡°Pathetic fool.¡± The Knight King stood up while wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°I will temporarily strip you of your position as the head of the house. Throw him in jail until his official punishment.¡± ¡°My predecessor Duke, no, Father!¡± ¡°If you are at a level where you can¡¯t even see ¡®his¡¯ true nature¡­ You are not qualified to lead the Edmer Dukedom. If what he said is true, I will take back everything I have given you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Knight King¡¯s eyes were cold. It wasn¡¯t just because of the matter regarding the main character. The one who was collapsed outside was a street magician he despised. He heard that he was the aide of the Duke, his son. To bring such a man into the family. He couldn¡¯t tolerate his son who tarnished the family¡¯s name any longer. The Duke who received his gaze felt like he was falling off a cliff. What made him feel the worst wasn¡¯t the Knight King¡¯s eyes calling him pathetic. ¡®It¡¯s all because of that¡­ That guy.¡¯ The main character¡¯s eyes looking at him. He was clicking his tongue as if asking why he had to bother him. However, the Duke couldn¡¯t bring himself to attack him. Clang! Along with the loss of his position as the head of the house, the knights¡¯ swords were pointed at him. A hundred knights escorted him as if they were taking him somewhere. The Duke lost everything along with his father¡¯s cold gaze whom he had respected the most in the world. ¡®Just because of¡­ A mere slave¡­.¡¯ The main character¡¯s gaze looking at such a Duke was extremely cold. ¡®He still hasn¡¯t come to his senses.¡¯ Who told him to touch him? He should have just quietly guided him to the Knight King. At least, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. ¡®And to be honest, if the reward was something decent, I would have just let it go.¡¯ But what was that condition? Moreover, if he had accepted it, he wouldn¡¯t have just been kicked out. There was murderous intent in his eyes. ¡®He could have sent assassins. And he wouldn¡¯t have given up until I died.¡¯ From the very beginning, he almost made two powerful families his enemies. I declined the bad ending of dying without even seeing the Demon King¡¯s face. ¡®Now, then. Shall we get to the real reward?¡¯ This was the real deal. The dukedom was just a way to announce his presence with a small revenge anyway. ¡®This should make the halfwits avoid me for the time being.¡¯ £¼Reflect£¾ was certainly fraudulent, but his body would still be destroyed by a single blow that could not be reflected yet. ¡®The safest thing is to not have to use Reflect.¡¯ He just had to raise his physical abilities in the meantime. That was why he had to achieve his goal before the Knight King¡¯s favor disappeared. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s talk about the really important things.¡± ¡°Yes. I also had something to give you.¡± Edmer, the former duke. No, the corners of Joo-in¡¯s lips curled up at the words of his past comrade, the [Knight King]. Chapter 27 My Reflector Is Invincible 2727. Time to Catch a Rat Knight King. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was a comrade that Joo-in had led alongside the Hero. It was nice to see the guy again, but. ¡®What on earth will he give me?¡¯ Joo-in was genuinely excited. There were more than one or two things he could receive from the former duke. The key to the treasury? Elixir? A letter of recommendation from the royal family? Anything more than that was possible if it was in the name of former Duke Edmer. [Knight King] The hero of the continent, he wielded influence even over the empire and the royal family. If Joo-in wanted it, it was possible for the dukedom to fall into his hands. It was like a blank check. You don¡¯t believe it? How could all those things be possible for a mere slave? But it really was possible. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Joo-in had sought out the [Knight King] first. [He], the Knight King, former Duke Edmer, had spent his whole life looking for one man. And the one who had made that happen was none other than Joo-in. To be exact, it was a certain item he had used. £¼Diary of Witch Len£¾ Rank: Legendary Effect: The contents of the diary are imprinted on the target¡¯s soul. Description: Certain information can be imprinted on the soul, changing the target. (Other job skills can be acquired. Physique and preferences can be improved. Feelings such as favor and affection can be imprinted with a low probability.) Caution£¾ Once information is entered, it can never be changed. (3/3) £¼Diary of the Witch, Len£¾ was a rare item that would occasionally appear while helping witches on the continent. Originally, it was an item used to pass on traits or skills. ¡®It¡¯s used when a warrior learns a magician¡¯s technique or when a priest learns a necromancer¡¯s technique.¡¯ It could also be used to increase favorability for a specific companion. Favorability and affection were unlikely, but there were players who specialized in this. ¡®Of course, for most people, it¡¯s nothing more than an Easter egg that makes the game easier.¡¯ Most people thought that way. However, Joo-Heon realized the true value of this item. It was something that could give information to companion characters. You must have thought about it while playing a game. What if you didn¡¯t have to start the game over every time? What if you could hide the necessary information or items in advance? ¡®This is a game where you defeat the Demon King, so you can shorten unnecessary tasks.¡¯ It was an item that made that possible. It was a hidden piece that only Joo-Heon had discovered. So originally, you could meet Hunter Jack, get recognition from all kinds of subordinates, complete quests, get a title, and then meet the [Knight King]. Even if you go through the rare route of meeting a successor, there were intermediate processes that you had to do. However, it was difficult to achieve the last achievement that way. It wasn¡¯t called the Bad Ending Maker achievement for nothing. ¡®Of course, I wondered if £¼Diary of the Witch, Len£¾ would work well, but¡­¡¯ It might have been a game, but now it was the moment when he became the main character. Although Aiden reacted to [that], it could have turned out differently. However, the Knight King recognized [that] as him. Joo-Heon was now convinced. He was saying that £¼Diary of the Witch, Len£¾ had been activated. In that case, the same would be true for the other companions. They were all companions who had joined forces to fight the Demon King. There were keywords that worked on them. Anyway, the reason he wrote to the [Knight King] in £¼Diary of the Witch, Len£¾ was because the place where he started was close to the north. And there were three things he wrote to the [Knight King]. £¼Would you like to use the £¼Diary of the Witch, Len£¾£¾? £¼There are a total of three notes that can be recorded. What would you like to enter?£¾ Joo-Heon wrote as follows: £¼1. I (Edmor) must find [that]. I don¡¯t know who it is. But [that] knows me. If I release the people, they will contact me.£¾ £¼2. I must prepare for him. Gather information about powerful forces and important items. And capable companions.£¾ £¼3. The Demon King will be resurrected. Only [that] can defeat him. I will give him what he wants.£¾ The Knight King was the closest and the first companion he could meet. ¡®He was an SS-grade companion that you could get in the early game.¡¯ Once you got him, you could create the most important base camp. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter if £¼Diary of the Witch, Len£¾ didn¡¯t work. From Noble mtl dot com Because he believed in the special system of the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯. £¼Fate£¾ The favorability rating is high for any character who was once a colleague. [Knight King] is a thorough knight based on chivalry. In particular, he couldn¡¯t stand evil or rudeness, so he had almost no close colleagues around him. ¡®In a word, it¡¯s a stubborn person who sticks to his own way.¡¯ There¡¯s no way such a person would easily take a liking to someone else. However, the Knight King recognized him. Of course, since the body is different, he wouldn¡¯t have recognized him as a colleague he worked with. However, something unexpected happened. ¡°The power you have. It looks special.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± There was no doubt he was talking about £¼Reflection£¾. Joo-yeon was a little wary. ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it written in bold letters for you to see?¡± ¡°Other people don¡¯t know?¡± In the eyes of others, it would have just looked like he was counterattacking quickly. As expected, it was a skill befitting the strongest. At that moment, the Knight King¡¯s eyes gleamed with murderous intent. ¡°That looks like a technique he used.¡± Joo-yeon was nervous inside. Of course, £¼Reflection£¾ was the Demon King¡¯s skill. I don¡¯t know the specifics, but there was no way the [Knight King], who fought the Demon King, wouldn¡¯t know. Moreover, the Demon King was the enemy who took the life of the hero, his former close friend. The [Knight King] could have easily become hostile. However, his attitude was beyond imagination. ¡°If that¡¯s the technique, then it¡¯s clear that you can kill him too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± £¼Reflection£¾ was not a demonic ability, but a unique skill in the first place. If he had it, he should be happy. ¡°But it¡¯s not enough. With that level of skill, you may be able to confront him, but you¡¯ll never be able to kill him.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s the same ability?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how strong the power you have is, but the power he has is beyond imagination. Even that hero had to risk his life.¡± The Demon King¡¯s abilities must not be underestimated. £¼Reflection£¾ may be overwhelming, but it means that various abilities are needed to defeat him. The Knight King rose from his seat. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll let you £¼inherit£¾ some of my power.¡± ¡°What?¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. It was because he had heard something hard to believe easily. £¼Inherit£¾ That was the special ability of ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ Characters could inherit all of their abilities, like skills and characteristics. It was an ability that could only be used once in a lifetime, just like creating a skill book. ¡®Normally, they would only do it for their successor or a close relative?¡¯ It was an , which they hadn¡¯t even given to the Duke, the son of the Knight King. His heart pounded even harder because it was something he hadn¡¯t expected at all. It was more precious than thousands or tens of thousands of treasures and riches, more precious than the position of the Northern King and the family. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get it if you¡¯re lacking.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± As the protagonist, he couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. He already knew all of the characteristics and skills that the had. Even if he just ate one of the useless auxiliary skills, it would definitely be a gain. ¡®It would be stupid not to eat this.¡¯ But the Knight King said something unexpected. ¡°I wonder how much you can receive. We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s hurry.¡± What do you mean we don¡¯t have much time? The Demonkin hadn¡¯t even appeared properly yet. There was plenty of time for Joo-Heon to receive the . But the Knight King¡¯s expression was urgent. Joo-Heon¡¯s face hardened as he thought of something. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the curse is that severe?¡± ¡°Of course not. He won¡¯t die from something like this.¡± ¡°Then what do you mean we don¡¯t have much time?¡± ¡°He will be resurrected soon.¡± The Knight King¡¯s expression was serious. Joo-Heon also realized who he was talking about. The . It was the purpose and final goal of ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ At the same time, the Knights were shocked by the master¡¯s words. ¡°The Demon King is being resurrected?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s over?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no Hero, so there¡¯s no one to stop him anymore.¡± ¡°What kind of bastard is the King of the Demonkin¡­!¡± Oh, that punk. The bastard I¡¯ve killed hundreds, thousands of times. Joo-Heon scratched his ear. He was frowning for a different reason. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he still have some time before he¡¯s resurrected?¡± ¡°As expected, you knew. But it¡¯s true. The bastards are coming to destroy the world Ryu-Jin, the Hero, risked his life to protect.¡± News of the Demon King had already spread? Was it the difference between the game and reality? Or was it because he had become the protagonist? ¡®¡­¡­As expected, the bad ending generator. It won¡¯t leave me alone.¡¯ There was no other reason. The Demon Lord wasn¡¯t a big deal since I had already caught him, but the problem was the phenomena that occurred with him. ¡®If the Demon Lord is resurrected, a city will be created where the power of the Demon Tribe won¡¯t grow stronger.¡¯ Other troublesome incidents also occur. The incidents that occurred around me were more dangerous. Even without that, I would have been doomed if I had met the Demon Lord without proper preparation. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll stop it.¡± ¡°No. I need more colleagues.¡± ¡°Colleagues?¡± Instead of answering, Joo-yeon narrowed his brow. ¡®The clear condition for the last achievement is £¼Defeat the Demon Lord without a single hero dying£¾.¡¯ But there was a condition for that. £¼Defeat the Demon Lord without a single hero (10) dying£¾ First of all, the prerequisite was that there had to be 10 heroes. Joo-yeon knew 10 people who had the optimal conditions for this achievement. Wasn¡¯t this an achievement that could have been successful if the hero hadn¡¯t self-destructed at the end? ¡®I think I can just put in the old colleagues I put in at that time.¡¯ I can make up for what was lacking at that time this time. Perhaps knowing Joo-yeon¡¯s thoughts, the Knight King brought up the conversation seriously. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t the Demon Lord.¡± ¡°If we just kill the Demon Lord, it¡¯s over, right?¡± ¡°His army is also a problem. Even if I try to block his followers, I won¡¯t have enough bodies even if I had dozens.¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyebrows went up. [Demon Tribe] The Demon Lord¡¯s subordinates and monsters that appear in the Demon Realm. They were the enemies that frustrated the players of ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ They were strong, but they gave overwhelming experience, so some high-level users chose to take the route of hunting them from the beginning. ¡®But are you saying that those guys are already out? That can¡¯t be.¡¯ And followers, at that. [Enemy of Humanity, Traitor] They were villains who joined hands with the Demon Tribe as humans. It was clear that people wouldn¡¯t find out the identities of those guys until the middle of the game. But are you saying that they already know? It might have been because of using £¼Witch Len¡¯s Diary£¾. Because even [Knight King] was preparing in advance. It was highly likely that other colleagues with cautious personalities had moved first. Joo-yeon thought carefully. ¡®The flow is faster than in the game. I need to hurry a little more.¡¯ The letters written on the shield earlier were like that, too. £¼Reached Main Story +100£¾ The first main story had to do with the Demon Tribe. I could tell just by looking at the main story¡¯s title. £¼Main Story 1. The Birth of Darkness£¾ It was a story where I had to catch the tails of the Demon Tribe who had infiltrated each force. The main goal of the main story was to take care of the heads of the forces that had been won over or persuaded by those guys. What happens if I fail to take care of them or if I¡¯m too late? ¡®The world will go to hell.¡¯ The holy Theocracy will become a group of fanatics. The Empire, the continent¡¯s number one military, will fall and become the starting point of a continental war. An assassin group will randomly assassinate leaders of each force. Those things will only be the beginning. The world will be destroyed as if the apocalypse had begun in a fantasy world. Then, before I even go to see the Demon King, I will die first and a bad ending will unfold. The Demon Tribe was at the center of all of this. ¡®They¡¯re not easy guys.¡¯ They were sly, sneaky bastards. The powerful people who were cooperating with them weren¡¯t easy guys either. ¡®Actually, everyone other than the hero and his companions are enemies.¡¯ Those guys were always hiding in high places. They hid behind humans and used them as shields to control them. The hero and the players had to take care of those guys one by one and return each force to its original state. That was how they could connect the links and block the Demon King¡¯s return. However, it didn¡¯t matter to the protagonist. ¡®I knew this would happen, so I prepared for it.¡¯ That was Duke Edmer. The protagonist didn¡¯t target him from the beginning just because he was after him. That guy was bait. ¡®He¡¯s the head of the Edmer family, and a man with the blood of that Sword King.¡¯ If they were the Demon Tribe, they wouldn¡¯t let go of such a delicious guy with a title and bloodline. And the protagonist didn¡¯t plan to let them swing this family around. Since that was the case, he had more to look forward to if the story of succession came up. ¡®If I do well, I can receive this territory, or the position of proxy regent of the family¡­ No, I could even claim this family.¡¯ Of course, if he couldn¡¯t succeed, it would be a meaningless story from the beginning. So the protagonist stood up from his seat. ¡°Well¡­ Then, should we go catch one for now?¡± ¡°One?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to catch the little rat hiding in this house.¡± At the protagonist¡¯s smile, the Sword King¡¯s face hardened. Chapter 28 My Reflector Is Invincible 2828. What Was Taken Away ¡°Move now.¡± The duke, who was being dragged into the room by the knights, gritted his teeth. He was being ordered around by a mere captain of the knights, and not even a hundred of them. ¡°How dare¡­ give me orders.¡± ¡°I apologize. However, these are the orders of the former duke.¡± Thud. The duke, who had even lost his position, gnashed his teeth in anger. Another knight standing next to him whispered quietly, looking around. ¡°Please bear with it until the former duke¡¯s anger subsides.¡± The lord is his own son anyway. It meant that the King of Knights would soon come looking for him again. However, the duke could not bear it. ¡®My own knights, following my father¡¯s orders instead of mine.¡¯ Even though his direct knights were imprisoned, he was currently the lord of the dukedom. Yet, the words of the soldiers and knights were the same. [These are the orders of the former duke.] Well, that might be natural. The King of Knights was the goal and the great idol of the knights. He was an object of admiration not only for the knights of the dukedom but also for all the knights on the continent. If only the duke had any power. ¡®My father would not pass on the succession to me.¡¯ It was because he lacked talent. He couldn¡¯t handle everything he had, so he couldn¡¯t give it to me in the first place. ¡®No, he must not have trusted me.¡¯ Otherwise, why would he have said that he was looking for [him] and was passing on the position of the next lord to his grandsons? He would pass on not only the position of the duke but also the succession to the next lord, not me. ¡®Yes. I understand that much.¡¯ However, he could not bear the existence of Joo-yeon. ¡®A mere slave like him is [him]. How could he abandon me, his son, for such a guy!¡¯ It was truly an unbearable insult. The Edmer family was the ruler of the north. From Noble mtl dot com It was ridiculous that such a ruling family was being pushed around by a mere slave. It didn¡¯t matter anymore. ¡®If I can¡¯t have it¡­ no one else can have it.¡¯ The duke was not a fool. Maintaining the position of the duke was not an easy task. ¡®I prepared for the worst-case scenario¡­ but I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d actually have to use this.¡¯ The duke had secretly joined hands with some people. I tried to keep the secret until the end. ¡°But there¡¯s no need for that anymore.¡± The Duke took out something he had prepared. It was a dark necklace with black pearls embedded in it. Crash! The Duke crushed the necklace in his hand. The knights noticed something strange. ¡°What are you doing right now!¡± ¡°Take your hand off it!¡± But the Duke¡¯s faint voice came out first. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Your Grace!¡± They were the ones who were going to boil his hands. However, there was nothing to cover up the fact that he had lost his position as the Duke. ¡°Then you should have followed me. Your mistake is¡­ following the orders of my father, not me.¡± The knights hurriedly tried to pull out their weapons. But right at that moment. Thud, thud, thud! Sharp claws pierced the knights¡¯ chests and protruded. ¡°Ku¡­ Crap¡­¡± ¡°Who the hell¡­¡± At that moment, a creepy voice was heard. [You¡¯ve been rejecting it so far, but have you finally¡­ decided to make a contract?] The Duke no longer hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll make a contract. Give me what I want.¡± [Tell me what you want.] ¡°The lives of two people.¡± All I had to do was to kill the Knight King and the protagonist. Then I could regain the Duke¡¯s family that ruled the North again. [Kukukuku. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be making a contract with a noble for just two lives.] The surviving knights were surprised by the conversation between the two beings and shouted. ¡°What the hell are you doing right now!¡± ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Then you should have obeyed me.¡± A dog should not bite its owner. As soon as the Duke finished speaking, a grotesque monster emerged from the black shadow. The knights trembled at the sight. A demon. It was the enemy the previous Duke had fought all his life. It means only one thing. ¡°Wh-What the¡­?!¡± ¡°Surely¡­His Grace the Duke¡­has become¡­a traitor?¡± The duke had betrayed humanity. He had joined hands with the demons and taken their side. The knights¡¯ eyes hardened. The duke¡¯s betrayal was a problem, but the immediate calamity before their eyes was a greater concern. [Be torn apart.] Just a single word. Along with the demon¡¯s utterance, an unimaginably powerful aura erupted forth. Kuwoooooo! A whirlwind surged up from beneath the knights¡¯ feet. The sharp wind tore apart the armored knights alive. ¡°Kyaaagh!¡± The knights instinctively grasped the demons¡¯ might. ¡®They must be killed without fail.¡¯ If so, there was only one way. ¡°I¡¯ll hold him off! You somehow inform the King of Knights!¡± Simultaneously, one knight broke ranks, and the remaining knights raised their shields. £¼I shall not turn my back on the enemy£¾ It was the gray light of chivalry. The chivalry £¼No Retreat£¾, a valor and strength that arose from never surrendering just by facing the enemy. The fierce wind attacked the knight, but to no avail. ¡°The title bestowed upon me by His Majesty is £¼Iron Wall£¾! You cannot kill me with that wind!¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t defeat the demon, he could certainly hold back its legs, which was why he remained. However, the demon that emerged from the shadows curled its lips. [Oh really? But even the hardest steel has its weaknesses, you know.] At that moment, the world of the shield-wielding knight came to a standstill. Kwa-thud. He had turned into an ice statue, frozen solid. The remaining knights froze in place, their expressions filled with terror. The demon, having disposed of all the knights, slowly approached the duke. [Well then, now that the pests have been eliminated, let¡¯s¡­formally seal the contract. Extend your hand.] As the demon extended its hand, the blood in the vicinity gathered in one place. The duke frowned. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®It¡¯s a contract that¡¯s only advantageous to him.¡¯ Once the contract was made, there was no way to escape his clutches ever again. If he made the contract, the duke would become a traitor to humanity. As the head of the Edmer dukedom, it would be a fall from grace to the very depths. But he didn¡¯t stop. ¡®If I can¡¯t have it¡­no one can!¡¯ It was when the duke¡¯s hand was about to reach the contract paper. At that moment. BAM! The Duke¡¯s hand was blown away, and a red puddle burst into pieces. The cause of the phenomenon was none other than a sword. Tiiing. What a powerful force. It was stuck to the wall but was shaking violently. The faces of the Demon and the Duke turned quickly. ¡°Who the hell is¡­¡­.¡± [How dare¡­¡­.] A man¡¯s voice pierced their ears clearly. ¡°Look. I heard a rat was trying to give birth to its young here?¡± It was Joo-Yeon. * * * ¡®I knew it.¡¯ As Joo-Yeon intended, the Duke ended up making a contract with the Demon. If they had made the contract in secret, it might have been overlooked. The problem was that they made the mistake of rushing things. As a result, they ended up getting caught by a man who should never have known about it. ¡°Really¡­¡­ there was a rat.¡± The eyebrows of the Knight King, who had thrown the sword, twitched. Although he had managed to stop the contract, he had an expression that could not bear the child¡¯s mistake. The other knights were equally furious. ¡°To think you would kill your own knights. How far do you intend to disgrace your honor, Lord?¡± ¡°Is this really¡­¡­ what the young master intended?¡± The Knight King and the 100 knights. They were standing right behind Joo-Yeon. The evidence was certain. The witnesses were certain. Now, the Duke had been branded a traitor to humanity. It was all according to Joo-Yeon¡¯s plan. ¡®How can he be so predictable?¡¯ Fortunately, he had been able to predict the pattern of the Demon and the Duke. If he hadn¡¯t known about the Duke¡¯s betrayal and had been hit from behind, he could have been in real trouble. Supplies could have been cut off at a critical moment. Important items could have been intercepted. Companions who needed to be found could have been scattered. ¡®Yeah. And that¡¯s a bad ending.¡¯ The Demons were very dangerous beings that increased the probability of that happening. If he couldn¡¯t handle this, the probability of death would increase even more. No wonder it was said that the most important thing in the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ was to eliminate traitors. Most traitors were leaders of their respective factions. Without a just cause, they were often more troublesome than the demons. Joo-yeon had dragged things out to this point for this very moment. Just by looking at the eyes of the hundred knights and the King of Knights, one could tell that they were filled with murderous intent. The knights who had been pierced by something and died. The knights who had frozen to death. All of them were clearly visible in their eyes. The duke, who had been momentarily bewildered, gritted his teeth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it all Father¡¯s fault! Then¡­ you shouldn¡¯t ignore me¡­ Duke Edmer!¡± However, the King of Knights did not even answer. No, as if it wasn¡¯t worth answering, he opened his mouth to the knights. ¡°From this moment on, that guy is no longer a member of the Edmer family.¡± As soon as the King of Knights finished speaking, the knights moved. A dazzling light appeared around their bodies. All the knights were moving to deal with the demons and the man who was no longer the lord. At that sight, the duke gritted his teeth and shouted. ¡°If that¡¯s Father¡¯s will¡­ I won¡¯t just stand here and take it!¡± The duke urged the demon. ¡°Demon! Hurry up and fulfill the contract! Get rid of those guys!¡± [Our contract has not been fulfilled.] ¡°What¡­?¡± [You must have seen the magic circle break earlier. To create a new magic circle, a new price is needed.] ¡°A new price! That¡¯s not what we agreed on!¡± [Or should I just leave?] ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The duke¡¯s eyes wavered. He realized what the demon was trying to say. Since the contract was not fulfilled due to interference, he was asking for a greater price if he wanted to survive here. He bit his lip. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you! I¡¯ll give you everything you want! Kill everyone here!¡± [The contract is formed.] The contract between the two beings was formed in an instant. The blood on the floor formed the pattern of the contract, and their souls were immediately connected. At the unexpected contract, the demon, a mix of wolf and bat, smiled. It must have been because he had achieved more than he had planned. [I guess I can devour the Duke¡¯s family more easily than I thought.] This territory, the power here, even the people. One could clearly see what he was calculating. He must have finished his calculations, because the demon immediately spread its two wings. [Tear them apart! Sweep them away! Storm!] A whirlwind formed around the demon. It was an enormous force incomparable to the energy from a moment ago. The storm stretched out in all directions as if it would destroy everything. Kwa-kwa-kwang! The magnificent Peacock Castle crumbled. The knights who were trying to capture the peacock were blown away by the strong gust of wind. Only the King of Knights and Jooyeon were unharmed. The 100 knights gnashed their teeth and shouted. ¡°A real demon has appeared!¡± ¡°Raise your weapons! Never let him approach the former Duke and the guest!¡± In particular, the gaze of Knight Albert, who was at the forefront, was burning hot. He was the captain of the 100 knights. He was the one who actually commanded the knights instead of the King of Knights. ¡°The 1st platoon protects His Grace the former Duke¡­ The 2nd platoon protects His Grace¡¯s guest.¡± At Albert¡¯s command, the knights surrounded Jooyeon. It was as if they were determined to protect the King of Knights¡¯ guest at all costs. However, the demon laughed at the knights and flew into the sky. [It¡¯s useless, humans. I am Siond of the North Wind. I am the one who will take your lives.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The knights gasped at the name of the demon. A demon with a title? ¡®If it¡¯s a Named-rank, it¡¯s not an ordinary opponent.¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t it capable of annihilating an entire nation¡¯s army?¡¯ ¡®Only a heroic being can handle it¡­!¡¯ Their faces turned pale. It wasn¡¯t just any demon that had attached itself to the Duke¡¯s family. In an instant, a tremendous sense of oppression spread in all directions. It was similar to when the King of Knights appeared, no, it seemed even stronger. But it was at that moment. ¡°Who said I¡¯d let you take him?¡± Jooyeon¡¯s voice rang out from among the knights. From Noble mtl dot com And another sound was heard. Snap! As if snapping his fingers. Thud! The demon that had been floating high in the sky crashed to the ground. Chapter 29 My Reflector Is Invincible 2929. The Beginning of Succession [Kyaaak!] A huge monster rolled on the floor. Siond of the North Wind. It was a demon-type demon with special powers, even among demons. A demon with the wings of a devil and the face of a wolf. The body with tough skin that was impervious to most spears and swords was covered in blood. Creak¡­ It wasn¡¯t life-threatening. However, the shock of being caught off guard was greater than expected. There was also the damage from the sudden fall. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have the £¼Power£¾, I might have actually died.¡¯ If Siond¡¯s defense had been even slightly lower, he could have actually died. If it had been another demon, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange to die in one blow from that shock. But the main character who had reduced him to this state was making an even more incredible sound. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re not dead? Are you perhaps a guy with a wind-type power?¡± When facing a demon. The most important thing was to grasp the type of power. Depending on the power, it could exert overwhelming force, or it could become an Achilles¡¯ heel. Siond thought he had hidden the details of his power as much as possible. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t reduced the shock of falling with my power, I would have definitely died.¡¯ But he knows just by looking at it? Could it just be that he has a lot of stamina? What the hell kind of guy is he? I had to kill him from the beginning, but now there¡¯s another reason why I have to kill him. Siond had another reason for infiltrating Duke Edmer¡¯s family. [Don¡¯t forget. You must retrieve that item.] The treasure of treasures left behind by the hero. It was to find the item that supposedly played a decisive role in defeating the Demon King. I just had to kill two humans. But there was a problem. ¡®I thought killing an ordinary human would be easy, even if I don¡¯t know about the Knight King.¡¯ There¡¯s no way that guy is ordinary! Not only did he reduce me to this state in one blow, but he also figured out my power. But I can¡¯t just leave it like this. ¡®The contract is absolute. I have my own purpose, but as long as I promised to kill, I have to kill.¡¯ I haven¡¯t used my real power yet. I still had a trump card left. The power of a demon comes from the contract. Woosh! Demon Siond¡¯s body seethed. The head of the Edmer family, known as the King of the North. The contract with the son of the [Knight King] was special. A supreme noble. The best bloodline. And on top of that, the twisted emotion of jealousy that demons love. To a demon, he could be called the best contractor. In fact, that was how Siond felt right now. Rumble! His bloody face gradually returned to normal. He had activated the Contractor¡¯s power. Not only had the formidable regenerative abilities of the originally strong Demonkin become incomparably stronger, but his muscles had also grown even larger. In contrast, the Duke¡¯s entire body had shrunk. ¡°Kuhahahaha¡­.¡± [Hang in there, Contractor. If you collapse now, we¡¯ll both die.] His appearance made Joo-Heon¡¯s eyes shine strangely. ¡°Oh? Can you handle it?¡± That was to be expected. There was a great weakness to a Demonkin drawing out the power of a Contractor. ¡°Do you know what it means for a Demonkin to use the power of a Contractor?¡± [¡­¡­!?] Xiond¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡­¡­Could it be that he knew that far? In truth, it was troublesome to use the power of a Contractor too much here. ¡®The more power you use, the more you become bound to the Contractor.¡¯ Among the lower-level Demonkin, there were cases of becoming dependent on the Contractor and being enslaved. Even if he were to use it, he had to use it after corrupting the Contractor. ¡®That¡¯s why I was going to use it only after making the Duke completely dependent on me.¡¯ But he had no choice. He absolutely had to kill that bastard here. [You bastard¡­¡­ It¡¯s none of your business!] And so, he completely accepted the power of the Contractor. Not only did he draw out the power of the Duke¡¯s bloodline and the prestige of the Duke¡¯s family, but he also drew out the power of the Contractor and negative emotions. Thud! Xiond¡¯s blue fur gradually turned black. Unlike before, much tougher-looking thorns protruded. He was two to three times larger than his original size. [Power¡­¡­ I¡¯m overflowing with power!] Negative emotions were more precious than any tonic to a Demonkin. He was able to exert strength that was more than usual. Of course, Joo-Heon didn¡¯t know, but the Monarch of Knights was irritated. ¡®There¡¯s no way I can be easily defeated in this state. Even if my opponent is a former comrade of the Hero who defeated the Demon King.¡¯ Monarch of Knights, Barbarian Chief, Troll Sage, Death Knight, Archmage, Grand Magician, Dwarf King, Elf Patriarch, Saintess. If it weren¡¯t for those bastards, he wouldn¡¯t have suffered such humiliation. That was why he definitely planned to leave with that thing. It was then. ¡°How dare you¡­ show your filthy face before our Lord.¡± The Duke¡¯s knights could no longer endure it. Each of them took up their weapons and charged toward the Demonkin. Xiond was dumbfounded. [Not a knight¡¯s king, and not the 100 knights who are his lackeys¡­ How dare they!] No matter how excellent the knights of Duke Edmer¡¯s family are, that¡¯s how it is. The power of a demon who has accepted the power of a contractor is at a level that a mere human cannot handle. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t an ordinary lower demon. At the very least, it was difficult to defeat him without a priest and paladin with divine power. So Siond exclaimed with an unpleasant expression. [Spread out! Crush them all!] The reason why demons are strong is not simply because their bodies are strong. Each of them has considerable authority. In Siond¡¯s case, it was £¼North Wind£¾. Kuku-ku-kung! In an instant, a huge storm began to form around Siond. It didn¡¯t matter if it was outdoors or indoors. Like a huge storm, it devoured everything, as if it were consuming the surroundings. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! The cold wind and snowstorm of the north fluttered everywhere. The storm devoured everything. Not only long-range attacks aimed at Siond, but even knights approaching him were rendered useless. ¡°Euaaagh!¡± ¡°S¡­ Save meee!¡± It was useless even if they were holding onto the building. Siond¡¯s storm literally disintegrated everything, including the building. If there was an ant in front of an elephant, it would feel like this. While using this power, he could be called invincible. Moreover, the power unique to demons remained. Siond¡¯s eyes lit up with a relaxed expression. Finally, an unknown wind trapped the people in the storm. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± Their vision was blocked, and the mansion was filled with screams. ¡®Good. At this point, they won¡¯t be able to survive.¡¯ For the time being, retrieving the item was the priority. So Siond turned around to prioritize retrieving the item. But at that very moment. ¡°Y¡­ Your Majesty?¡± There was a change in the humans who were in chaos. The knight¡¯s king, who had been watching until now, swung his sword. An ordinary blow without £¼chivalry£¾. Siond smiled bitterly. ¡®Try as they might, human power is limited. Unless they can load their swords with power beyond divine power, they can¡¯t harm me.¡¯ That was definitely the way to do it. Then suddenly, I felt as if the world was splitting in half with tremendous force. Kwaa-aa-aa-ng! No, it wasn¡¯t just a feeling. The storm centered on Ziond was split in half. The knights¡¯ eyes turned upside down. ¡°W-what the¡­ heavens!¡± ¡°It¡¯s split in half!¡± It was exactly in the direction the Sword King swung his sword. The storm disappeared with that one blow. Ziond started to stagger back, visibly bewildered. [H-how?] Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t a single scratch on him. It had cut everything except Ziond. ¡®This is dangerous. I¡¯m leaving as soon as I retrieve the item.¡¯ Originally, I planned to take care of the little guy too after retrieving the item. Ziond tried to create another storm. But just then, the Sword King spoke. ¡°That should be enough.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a black shadow sprang up. It was Joo-yeon. * * * Joo-yeon ran towards the demon and scratched her chest. ¡®That was close.¡¯ She almost missed the chance to catch the demon. A huge chunk of experience points that even dead people would give up their stories to search for. ¡®This is not the time to think about why the demon appeared.¡¯ Catching it came first. ¡®What an idiot. Why would he make a contract with a demon of all things?¡¯ Edmer, the Duke. Now, she also had to correct the mistakes of the man who had lost his position. Fortunately, the demon was weak because the contract had only recently been made. She could definitely handle it now. Besides, the rewards for catching it right now weren¡¯t just experience points. [Contractor of the Demon] Edmer, the Duke, was now a traitor to humanity. It was obvious since he had made a contract with a demon. ¡®The contract will automatically be terminated when the demon is killed anyway.¡¯ What was unexpected was that the Sword King didn¡¯t kill the demon. Normally, the other knights would have caught or killed it, but right now, the other knights didn¡¯t even dare to try. Even the soldiers and servants had a hard time protecting their bodies from the storm. If there was anyone who could deal with the demon, it was only the King of Knights. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he would open up the way like that.¡¯ He was even more surprised that he didn¡¯t kill it even though he could have. In fact, the King of Knights was looking at Jooyeon. No, rather than looking, it was closer to a test. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t catch it himself and left it to Jooyeon. ¡®Do you really have the strength to succeed me?¡¯ It was a gaze that seemed to say that if he proved himself, he could really inherit the power. That¡¯s why Jooyeon laughed. ¡®For me, this is even better.¡¯ He planned to properly show the King of Knights, no, his former comrade, who he was. Who he was. Whose power made him the strongest. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely catch it.¡¯ Did he look like he would let go of a huge chunk of experience points? That¡¯s why Jooyeon deliberately smirked at the demon. ¡°Is this all you got?¡± From Noble mtl dot com [What?] ¡°Why don¡¯t you try a little harder?¡± [This punk!] Soon, an icy storm arose, and Jooyeon ran into the storm. In fact, he wasn¡¯t worried at all. Because a storm like this had no effect on him. At first, he couldn¡¯t charge in because the rotation was too strong and he thought he would be thrown out. ¡®The King of Knights opened up the way for me, so if I can¡¯t even eat this up, then I deserve to be thrown away.¡¯ However, there was one problem: the bastard was flying in the sky. Right now, Jooyeon didn¡¯t have wings or a skill to fly into the sky. However, it wasn¡¯t like there was absolutely no way to catch the bastard. ¡®Dumbass. Do you not even remember why you fell from the sky earlier?¡¯ Jooyeon was deliberately not avoiding the wind pressure, cold, and frost that were being inflicted on him. Originally, creatures could only fly in the sky if their wings moved. ¡®Do you think you can fly like you are now, even if your wings freeze?¡¯ Earlier, he made it fall by reversing the force of the wind, but this time it was different. The power of the storm was mixed with the severe cold of the North. His body froze and the stinging sensation reached his bones. Jooyeon mustered his strength. ¡°Rainbow Reversal, you demon bastard!¡± £¼Reversal£¾ The force of the north wind, cold, and frost that were clinging to Jooyeon disappeared in an instant. And then, a change occurred in the demon in the sky. [What?] Kukuukung! Kwaddeudeudeuk! The wind that had been holding it up in the sky disappeared. Starting from its wings, ice crystals began to freeze its entire body. Siond was flustered and couldn¡¯t speak properly. [Wh¡­ What the heck?] However, Joo-Heon smiled. ¡°Figure it out with that tiny brain of yours. Don¡¯t ask your opponent.¡± [Inoooom!] Siond, whose wings were frozen, fell to the ground in an instant. Bang! Of course, that didn¡¯t kill it right away. It was a demonic beast-type with the strongest physical abilities among the demons. [You insignificant race! You dare to wound this body!] Siond shot up, breaking the ground. It shook off its frozen wings and charged toward Joo-Heon. It was accompanied by a tremendous gust of wind as if it had swallowed the north wind. Kwawakwakwang! What if there was a tornado that was breaking everything in all directions and charging toward you? The others couldn¡¯t even move because of the tremendous air pressure. Joo-Heon clicked his tongue at the sight. ¡®This bastard. It dares to try to blow away my territory?¡¯ It was an attack that covered too wide of an area. He could protect himself with , but the castle or the others could get hurt. Siond¡¯s attack range was too large for him to defend alone. Was it trying to erase it from the map since it couldn¡¯t kill it? This was very troublesome. ¡®This will be my land. It doesn¡¯t make sense for it to turn into dust.¡¯ That was the moment he was about to move to use . ¡°Huh?¡± A beam of light connected to the King of Knights. This was none other than: [£¼Succession£¾ begins.] The strongest knight. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, the power of the strongest on the continent, who had once cut the sky with a single sword, was beginning to be inherited. Chapter 30 My Reflector Is Invincible 3030. This is it £¼Succession£¾ It was akin to an act of passing on one¡¯s very soul to a successor. Handing over everything one had accumulated over a lifetime to a single person. And to Joo-in, it was something he absolutely needed to achieve his goal. ¡®Even obtaining just one of the Abilities would be enough.¡¯ If he could just utilize the strongest Ability, Reflection, that would be enough. Of course, how much to pass on was up to the discretion of the Successor. He could pass on all of his Abilities. Or he could just pass on the basics. Or he could just pretend to pass them on. That was because there was a risk involved in the Succession. £¼Insufficient aptitude may result in a failed [Succession]£¾ £¼[Succession] failure will cause the Successor to lose a portion of their existing Abilities£¾ It was a double-edged sword in the truest sense of the word. That was why the most important thing in Succession was finding a Successor with sufficient talent. Joo-in clearly remembered several of his comrades who had lost their powers due to failing to do so. [Pirate King] [Ruler of the Skies] Those were the titles of those who had been blinded by their love for their bloodline. The talent of their Successors had been so lacking that they had lost their powers and fallen from grace. The nations they had built had also perished with them. There were even cases where the Successor had died during the Succession. In the end, far from leaving behind their titles as Named, they had lost even the power imbued in their names. Perhaps in that sense, the Knight King had not intended to pass on everything from the very beginning. In fact, Joo-in was certain of it. ¡®Knowing that guy¡¯s personality¡­ He¡¯d probably just drill me with training and pass on a few Skills.¡¯ Would he really have passed on his core Abilities? ¡®No way. He¡¯d have been very stingy about it.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t have wanted to waste his energy in a situation where he had to fight the Demons . If he failed the Succession and lost his Traits or Skills, he¡¯d be in trouble. But what could he have been thinking when he saw Joo-in? [Commencing £¼Succession£¾] A golden line appeared, connecting him to the Knight King. Like a link being formed, it was a line visible only to Joo-in¡¯s eyes. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Was this really happening? The Knight King of all people was starting the Succession without any of that tedious training? It was uncharacteristic behavior for [Knight King], or rather, for Duke Edmar, the former Duke. Still, it was understandable. ¡®The Demons took away his only close friend. Of course he¡¯d want to test me.¡¯ Would he really be able to stand up to those Demons ? Would they not flee in terror at the might of the Demon Tribe? However, it seemed that they liked the sight of him standing up to the Demon Tribe so confidently. Depending on what he did next, he could inherit everything. ¡®That would change things.¡¯ Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes could not help but shine. The beginning of the inheritance meant that he could now use the Hero King¡¯s traits. Even with just £¼Reflection£¾, it would be considerable, but if this happened, the situation would change. ¡®Okay. I can feel it.¡¯ This meant that he could create the basic conditions to ascend to the level of a hero. He could also further develop his combat methods. £¼Potential has risen to its maximum.£¾ Those were the abilities that he was passing on. He didn¡¯t need to worry about how to use it. ¡®After all, I know more about the Hero King than anyone else.¡¯ He had done everything from distributing ability points to acquiring traits and skills. In some stories, he had even moved the £¼Hero King£¾ himself. So, he could move with confidence. That was when it happened. [How dare¡­ think of something else in front of me!] The Demon Tribe Siond, whose wings were frozen, charged at him. Although he could not fly in the sky, his size had tripled with the power of the contract. ¡°St¡­ stop him!¡± ¡°Everyone, protect the Duke¡¯s guest!¡± As the knights were about to step forward, the 100-man Knights Order stepped forward. ¡°You will not do it.¡± ¡°We will go.¡± They were capable people who could become captains of the guard or generals in any country if they went there right now. The knights each raised their £¼Chivalry£¾. However, at that moment, the Hero King¡¯s arm suddenly blocked the knights¡¯ path. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The surprised captain of the Knights, Albert, stopped as if he did not understand. ¡°Why are you blocking us, Your Majesty?¡± He meant that they should hurry and save Joo-yeon. However, instead of answering, the Hero King pointed ahead. ¡°Look.¡± Look? Look at what? Before Albert could even ask, His eyes shook as if they had been shocked. Bang! It was because an unbelievable sight unfolded before him. Obviously, the protagonist should have been the one to suffer unilaterally. [Wha¡­¡­ What! Why is he completely fine!?] The demonic beast Siond let out a horrified scream. His charge that seemed like it would destroy everything was stopped by a single human. With just one hand at that. He was blocking the demonic beast¡¯s charge with a single right hand. That wasn¡¯t all. BAM! With a deafening boom, Siond was sent flying. Blood burst from the forehead of the creature that not even the knights¡¯ steel swords could scratch. [Kuaaah!] Siond rolled on the ground, letting out a painful scream. His expression was one of complete bewilderment. Siond was the one who had charged at the protagonist, after all. ¡®But then why am I the one who¡¯s hurt?¡¯ Before this giant, demonic beast, a human was nothing more than a piece of paper. If he had been hit by the charge, he should have been smashed to pieces. But the protagonist was completely fine, while the one who had charged, Siond, was the one in pain. It was like he had headbutted a giant piece of steel. Of course, the protagonist was the only one who knew the reason. ¡°This¡­¡­ is it more effective than I thought?¡± It was different from the he normally used. Currently, the protagonist was in a state of . at the moment of succession, you can use the succeeded ability at its maximum potential£¾ The first succession of the Sword King was potential. It was his stamina, the highest potential he possessed. For a short while, the protagonist¡¯s stamina also rose to its maximum. £¼Your stamina potential has risen to its maximum£¾ £¼You have temporarily acquired £¾ £¼[½ð¸Õ]: The body will never break or be destroyed. £¼Negates cutting/destruction£¾, £¼Magic/ability resistance£¾, £¼Reduces physical damage£¾, £¼Damage accumulation£¾£¾ His body grew. And the that temporarily enveloped him was added on top of that. It was a level of toughness that allowed him to subdue the charging demonic beast with just one hand. In the first place, was an ability that was affected by the body¡¯s ¡®stamina¡¯ and inherent ¡®defense¡¯. In other words, the more those two abilities grew, the stronger became. ¡®The Demon King couldn¡¯t grow, but it¡¯s different for me as a human.¡¯ In that situation, what would happen if was applied to , the superior ability of defense? There was no need to ask. Siond¡¯s pained screams were proof enough. ¡®Even at a glance, the damage is more than three times my usual .¡¯ I know well, having faced many of the Demon Tribe¡¯s magic swordsmen. I could roughly predict how much damage I had dealt, as if I had memorized the stamina they possessed. However, the succession was not yet over. The second succession was agility, which was next highest to stamina. £¼Agility potential has risen to its maximum.£¾ £¼Temporarily acquiring [Swiftness].£¾ £¼[Swiftness]: Move as swift as the wind, reaching speeds where your figure disappears at its peak. £¼High-speed movement£¾, £¼Increased evasion£¾, £¼Instantaneous damage reduction£¾£¾ My muscles were already flexible and firm. But as soon as I obtained £¼Swiftness£¾, they coiled up like a dragon¡¯s tail and flared up as if they would leap out at once. ¡®Not only stamina, but he¡¯s also passing on his agility potential?¡¯ It seemed the inspiration had made up its mind. From Noble mtl dot com I could feel new abilities being realized in real time due to the succession. He truly intended to £¼succeed£¾ me with everything he had. Well, it might have been natural. ¡®All kings desire a successor who will inherit everything they have.¡¯ The [Knight King] desired, in addition to that, a successor who would defeat the Demon King. An ordinary successor could never quench his thirst. However, Joo-eun could. ¡®My favorability is already at its highest thanks to the Witch¡¯s Diary.¡¯ She even had the unique ability £¼Reflection£¾ that no one else possessed. And as a player, there was no limit to her growth. Joo-eun was the perfect existence to succeed the [Knight King]. It was no wonder her body flared up, given that she possessed the title of a king, something few had on the continent. At that moment, the demon Siond staggered to his feet. [H-how in the world did my attack¡­ .] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he soon came to his senses. Then he bared his murderous teeth. [I don¡¯t care what tricks you used. For the future of the Demon Tribe¡­ I will definitely kill you here.] The wound on his forehead had already disappeared. His recovery power was truly formidable. The guy, now fully recovered, charged at me again. But it was futile. ¡®Just because I¡¯m a knight who uses a shield doesn¡¯t mean I only defend.¡¯ Even now, the £¼Succession£¾ was proceeding in real time. I didn¡¯t know about the swordsmanship that had cut the sky just a moment ago. However, as a knight, Joo-eun knew the [Knight King]¡¯s abilities better than anyone else. Along with defensive skills like £¼Iron Wall£¾, there was just one more. She also knew about the strongest skill that made him known as the [Knight King]. If things had gone as planned, I would have acquired that skill through £¼Succession£¾ by now. However, there was a problem. [Error occurred!] [You cannot inherit everything with power that is too strong] [Cooldown occurred ¨C 3 months] [Currently inherited ability list: £¼Physical Strength£¾, £¼Defense£¾, £¼Agility£¾, £¼Stamina£¾] [Additional inheritance list: £¼Morale£¾, £¼Politics£¾, £¼Intelligence£¾, £¼Spirit£¾, £¼Occupation Skill£¾, £¼Unique Skill£¾¡­¡­] It was a sudden error message. An error I had never seen during such a long game time. Because of that, I couldn¡¯t use the skill I had been waiting for. ¡®What¡¯s more? You¡¯re telling me to wait 3 months to receive the next inheritance?¡¯ I already knew that this wasn¡¯t a game, but reality. However, 3 months was such a long time. All Joo-ahn had inherited was £¼Physical Strength£¾, £¼Defense£¾, and £¼Agility£¾. It would take years to inherit everything from the Sword King. ¡®Honestly, the game would be buggy if I £¼inherited£¾ £¼Reflection£¾ and became the Sword King.¡¯ But even so, this sudden hotfix was too much. An average player would have lost their mind at this point. Joo-ahn was barely able to regain his composure. ¡®I have £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ Of course, the bastard who seemed to have regained his sanity wouldn¡¯t give me an opening to use Reflection. However, there was something I could only use now, at the moment I was inheriting. £¼Your potential for Stamina has temporarily increased to its maximum due to the effects of inheritance.£¾ Joo-ahn smiled. ¡®This is it.¡¯ Stamina was an important stat that affected Physical Strength anyway. If I had this, I could try using ¡®that.¡¯ But there was one small problem. ¡®I need a weapon to use ¡®that¡¯¡­¡­.¡¯ The weapon had to be equipped. It was a skill that couldn¡¯t be used with bare hands. But then it happened. Siond¡¯s voice rang out to Joo-ahn, who was looking around. [You¡­¡­ You don¡¯t have a weapon.] I didn¡¯t know how he had blocked it just now. However, he knew very well how to defeat an opponent with excellent defensive abilities like Joo-ahn. Siond¡¯s body slowly rose into the air. Flap, flap! The ice on his wings had melted away. A storm and hail began to gather around him. Kuwakwakwang! Lightning struck above Siond¡¯s head. In an instant, a blue light of electricity burst from his body. £¼Thunderclap£¾ It was the strongest technique possessed by Siond of the North Wind. Joo-yeon¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡®Of all things, it had to be a wide-area attack.¡¯ It was a technique he knew well. A technique that infuses a hailstorm with lightning attributes and blows away the surroundings. The bastard clearly intended to target not only Joo-yeon but also the people nearby. If he tried to create an opening to save the others, the bastard would aim for his windpipe. Joo-yeon couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. ¡®£¼Reflect£¾ won¡¯t do much damage.¡¯ It would be the same even if he temporarily activated the inherited skill to increase the reflect damage. No matter how unique the skill, it couldn¡¯t reflect all the damage from a technique that scattered a small attack over a wide area. However, the Knight King showed no signs of moving. ¡®I guess I have to take him down before he uses that technique.¡¯ He needed a good sword to use the method he had just come up with. The swords of the soldiers lying around him would break before he could activate his skill. Just then. ¡°Lord Joo-yeon!¡± Hacken. The slave he had rescued from the labor camp, who was now Joo-yeon¡¯s subordinate, came running with an urgent expression. He had told him to rest in his room, but it seemed he had been startled by the commotion. But what mattered was what the guy was holding. He was holding the sword of the labor camp warden, Nalpalm Hanson. Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Throw it!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said throw the sword!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Hacken immediately understood and tried to throw the sword. But the distance was too great. With his strength, there was no way he could throw it all the way to Joo-yeon. Just then, a man next to Hacken reached out his hand. It was the knight Olson, who had been escorting Joo-yeon. ¡°Give it here.¡± Boom! With a tremendous sound, the sword flew towards Joo-yeon. Olson had thrown the sword with all his might. The sword¡¯s speed was incredibly fast. If he used £¼Reflect£¾, Olson might get hurt. At that moment, the Knight King¡¯s potential within Joo-yeon¡¯s body roared. Woosh! It was a resonance as if it was saying that he was different now. Joohyun agreed. ¡®Yeah. I¡¯m not a sick slave anymore.¡¯ There was a lot he could do if he had the potential of the Knight King. ¡®It won¡¯t be perfect¡­ ¡­ But it should be enough to fool them.¡¯ Joohyun recalled the time when he used to control the Knight King in the past. To be exact, it was when he played as the Knight King. ¡°This is it!¡± As Joohyun raised his hand towards the sword, it came into his hand very smoothly. It moved as if it had been there from the beginning. Thud! That wasn¡¯t all. As Joohyun pulled out the sword, a tremendous light began to rise. Kukungkung! This was the strongest attack skill possessed by the strongest shield knight. £¼Earth Cutter£¾ Joohyun swung his sword towards Siond, who was floating in the sky. Chapter 31 My Reflector Is Invincible 3131. Bite This Haken was genuinely bewildered because of Olson. ¡°How can you catch it if you throw it that hard! Are you crazy?¡± ¡°He will catch it.¡± ¡°No, are you serious right now.¡± You still need to throw it moderately! What if you throw it hard enough to smash someone¡¯s face! No matter how great Joohyun was, what he did just now was too much. ¡°He will die before he catches it.¡± Muttering. However, an unexpected situation occurred. ¡°Huh?¡± Thud! Joohyun caught the sword that was flying at a tremendous speed very easily. He caught it one-handedly as if it was natural. That wasn¡¯t all. Swish. The sword smoothly went to his waist as if it had found its place. At the same time, Joohyun lowered his posture. It was a posture that Haken knew very well. ¡°Foot swordsmanship?¡± Foot swordsmanship was originally a frivolous posture taken by novice swordsmen. However, what Joohyun was showing right now was completely different. A posture that was creepy and perfect. Haken, who had been abused by the owner for a long time, knew very well. ¡®It¡¯s a cleaner stance than Commander Haken, who had a title.¡¯ It was more perfect than any examiner¡¯s posture I had ever seen. What was more surprising was what followed. ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± With a swordsmanship speed that even Haken couldn¡¯t see. Swish! The world was split in half with a creepy sound. This was not a metaphor. Not only the castle, but also the land and mountains behind it were all split in half. So were the demons in the middle. [W¡­ w¡­ w¡­] I couldn¡¯t even recognize that my body was split. Haken couldn¡¯t even speak properly at the sight of it. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± He definitely heard it. The creepy sound of the world being cut in half. He had goosebumps all over his body and his limbs were trembling with fear. Even the Knight King had a look of disbelief. Haken barely held his trembling body. ¡°I knew you were a great person because you defeated the Commander¡­¡± That was different. It felt like the world was literally being cut in half. Everything from the sky to the ground was cut in a straight line. Gulp. Haken¡¯s eyes were blank. At first, I thought I¡¯d just stick around and repay the favor and then leave. I changed my mind. Is this what the warriors sung by the bards would be like? * * * Boom¡­ Along with the loud noise, a huge trace was left on the ground. It felt like space itself was being cut, regardless of the sky, clouds, castle, ground, or walls. The main character who created this situation collapsed on the spot. ¡°Phew¡­ That was hard.¡± I guess I used too much strength because it was the first time in a while that I used my strength. I felt weak all over, as if I had forced muscles that I hadn¡¯t used. ¡®To be honest, it wasn¡¯t difficult to receive the sword.¡¯ That¡¯s because there were abilities that were temporarily activated due to the influence of succession. Agility and strength. If it was a potential close to the maximum, I could receive it sufficiently. But that¡¯s not all. It was a coincidence, but now that the situation was set, the next part was easy. £¼Sword Draw Technique£¾ One of the most basic and core techniques of all swordsmen. From Noble mtl dot com Joo-in used the experience he had gained from wielding the sword over hundreds of thousands of times to get into position. The greatest knight, the Sword King, had also mastered the ultimate technique of sword drawing. ¡®The minimum condition for using the Sword Draw Technique is currently active.¡¯ Joo-in took a very comfortable stance, as if he had become the Sword King himself. It was to use one of the Sword King¡¯s strongest techniques, which starts with the Sword Draw Technique. £¼Earth Splitter£¾ Normally, it would be impossible to use a technique that he had not learned. However, Joo-in was the cream of the crop of the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ series. ¡®I know the stance perfectly.¡¯ He also knows how to swing the sword and how to thrust it. The only thing lacking was strength. It was the same even though he had inherited the Sword King¡¯s legacy. Right now, Joo-in could not fully·¢»Ó his strength. ¡®Then I¡¯ll fill in the missing parts from somewhere else.¡¯ Fortunately, there was a way to replenish his strength right now. It was £¼½ð¸Õ£¾, which was activated along with the inheritance of his physical potential. ¡®£¼½ð¸Õ£¾ not only reduces damage, but can also accumulate the damage taken.¡¯ He had taken enough damage from the demons. All that was left was to transfer the accumulated energy to the sword. That is solved by £¼Reflection£¾. Woowoowoong! A blue light sprang from the sword. And it shook like crazy. Clatter, clatter, clatter. The famous sword was barely holding on because the transferred power was so enormous. That¡¯s how much damage the demons had done so far. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for £¼Reflection£¾, I would have died a long time ago.¡¯ In the first place, the demons do not appear in the early stages. If it weren¡¯t for £¼Reflection£¾, I wouldn¡¯t even have thought about fighting. It would have been normal to run away without looking back. Even now, he was suppressing it, but it was not easy to control the raging sword. But Joo-in no longer controlled the sword. ¡®I have one goal.¡¯ It was the neck of the demon in front of him. ¡®All the damage I¡¯ve accumulated so far¡­ I¡¯ll shoot it out through £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t going to be difficult. With just a slight push, the lock of power that seemed ready to burst out at any moment would be unlocked. Then, the uncontrolled power would explode through the lock. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Jooyeon¡¯s eyes flashed. The sword, shaken by the enormous power, drew a sharp arc. It was just a simple swing. But the result was by no means simple. The power emitted through the sword tore everything apart. Even the dukedom. Even the sky. Even the clouds. It even cut the tough body of the demon in half. It was as if space itself had been torn apart. It was just as powerful as the Earth Splitter, the technique of the Sword King who was said to have cut a mountain range in the past. The demon was cut in half and couldn¡¯t even speak properly. [Ugh¡­ Ack¡­] Xiond pointed at Jooyeon with his trembling hand. [You, how¡­ how the hell¡­] ¡°Good.¡± [Nooooooooo¡­] Xiond tried to regenerate his body as he had done so far. But his body, his cells, didn¡¯t move at all. It felt as if the severed part had never existed in the first place. His very existence had been extinguished, and he couldn¡¯t even stand properly. [I can¡¯t die like this¡­] Jooyeon looked at Xiond¡¯s tantrum with cold eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let you die a pretty death either.¡± The dukedom that the guy had destroyed was one of Jooyeon¡¯s masterpieces. He couldn¡¯t forgive the guy who had ruined it. ¡°Bite down on this.¡± The commander¡¯s sword was almost half-destroyed by the aftermath of the powerful skill. So there was a way. Jooyeon drew the Diamond and Reflection skills to both fists. Thud! * * * ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The Sword King turned around at the sight of Jooyeon throwing a punch. The other knights approached in surprise at the sight. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to watch anymore?¡± ¡°Is there a need to watch? The opponent is already completely demoralized and has lost the will to fight.¡± ¡°That may be true, but¡­¡± In fact, Jooyeon was just toying with that great demon. With each swing of his fist, the demon¡¯s body exploded. He wasn¡¯t just randomly punching either. ¡°That¡­ like that?¡± ¡°Oh my God! Who knew one could fight so elegantly¡­¡± ¡°What kind of technique is that exactly? Does anyone know?¡± It wasn¡¯t just simple punching. With each swing of his fist, a technique they had never seen before would emerge. It was a novel application, even in the eyes of the great 100-man Knights. Just watching him was a learning experience. Some of the abilities were familiar, but many were completely new ways of using them. ¡°How on earth did he learn such innovative attacks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not some trivial combination known to the public. All the skills he uses resemble a family¡¯s vision-grade traits. I can hardly believe what I¡¯m seeing¡­¡± ¡°No, but more importantly, is it even possible for someone so young to master so many techniques? It must take ages to learn and master even one?¡± Of course, the King of Knights knew that [he] was the main character. The only being who could defeat the Demon King. No matter how powerful he was, there was no way he couldn¡¯t defeat a single demon. However, even he had not anticipated the extent of the protagonist¡¯s talent. ¡®He uses techniques as naturally as breathing.¡¯ Even the way he used his skills was refreshing. He was using skills that he possessed in ways they had never imagined. ¡®He¡¯s using the useless and discarded Dominion like that?¡¯ But there was another reason why they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. ¡®Earth Split¡­!¡¯ They had seen it clearly. Protagonist had clearly used a skill that only the [King of Knights] could use. ¡®Could he be¡­ the [he] I¡¯ve been waiting for?¡¯ As the King of Knights smiled unseen, the knights exclaimed in excitement. Perhaps they had a great realization the moment they saw Earth Split. ¡°So that¡¯s why you were looking for [him]!¡± ¡°He is worthy of succeeding the Edmer family!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the true successor to the [King of Knights]!¡± ¡°Ah, so you were looking for [him] with all this in mind, Master¡­!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The knights were impressed, but soon they tilted their heads in confusion. ¡°But didn¡¯t he use the Templar¡¯s [Dominion] as well as £¼Earth Split£¾¡­?¡± ¡°No, I think he also used the Barbarian¡¯s technique¡­¡± Was that even possible? A small commotion began to spread among the knights because of this. ¡°Could it be¡­ is [he] the [he] from the rumors?¡± ¡°I heard that the Saintess received an oracle. Wasn¡¯t that just a rumor?¡± ¡°Are you speaking of him¡­¡­right now?¡± The man they spoke of was another [he]. They spoke of the one who had escaped the law that a person could only have one occupation. The one who could possess multiple occupations. The one who could learn and use the skills of other occupations. The one whose limits of growth did not exist. ¡°That man is the hero!¡± ¡°The legend that the hero appears when the Demon King appears is true!¡± The knights had made a huge mistake. The rumor spread in an instant. ¡°The former Duke found the hero!¡± ¡°The hero defeated the mazoku?¡± ¡°Then the reason why the former Duke was looking for [him]¡­¡­was to find the hero?¡± ¡°What? I heard that the hero will become the next Duke and lead us?¡± The rumor evolved more and more as time passed. And it went beyond the Duchy of Edmer to the kingdom and even to the Pope. In an instant, the eyes and ears of everyone were focused on the Duchy of Edmer. ¡°Is it true that the hero has appeared?¡± ¡°Go! Go and confirm the existence of the hero!¡± ¡°If he is the hero, we must persuade him at all costs!¡± ¡°We must get our hands on the hero!¡± The continent began to move. Chapter 32 My Reflector Is Invincible 3232. Should We Eat the Duke¡¯s Family? £¼Edmer Dukedom£¾ The castle where the mazoku had fallen was in chaos. The people of the Duke¡¯s family were busy cleaning up the ruined castle. But all eyes were on one person. ¡°Is that him¡­¡­is that the one?¡± ¡°He looks younger than I thought?¡± ¡°He¡¯s so young, yet he defeated such a monster.¡± The people couldn¡¯t stop talking. The achievements of the main character were that great. He had single-handedly defeated a monster that even the knights of the Duke¡¯s family and 100 other knights had difficulty fighting. It was even more surprising that he hadn¡¯t received a single wound. No wonder the key figures of the Edmer Dukedom had called the main character to the conference room. ¡®Is that man the hero of the rumors?¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­But why has he been smiling so sinisterly since earlier?¡¯ Everyone was staring at the main character, who was chuckling. There was no other reason. ¡®I finally got rid of all that stress.¡¯ It was stress that had been building up for 18 years. The desire to fight was not satisfied by Warden Hanson and the soldiers of the labor camp, or even the bandits of Earl Sanderson. ¡®I was worried that he¡¯d be too weak, since he¡¯s an early-game character, and that it would end too quickly.¡¯ Fortunately, the sandbag was extremely durable. The demon Siond of the £¼North Wind£¾ wouldn¡¯t stop, no matter how much he begged. [You maniac! Stop¡­ STOOOP!] Many had fallen to his storms. I took revenge for them, without fail. But even the most durable sandbag has its limits. [Kuugh¡­ I may have been defeated like this, but we will never lose to the likes of humans¡­] [Yeah. I¡¯ll pretend that I won, not that the humans did.] S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Inooogh! You mock me¡­ even to the end¡­ Ughhh!] The protagonist¡¯s relentless attacks far exceeded the demon¡¯s ability to recover. Siond eventually disappeared into dust, his expression full of resentment. The buffs I had temporarily received when I £¼Inherited£¾ returned to normal. Now I could start properly developing the abilities I had inherited. Of course, there were a few skills that I hadn¡¯t inherited, but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡®I¡¯m not going to become a knight anyway.¡¯ For now, I had obtained the potential to develop my body, which was the most important thing for defense. I could slowly acquire the minor details later. This, on the other hand, was important. £¼You have perfectly inherited part of the potential of the King of Knights.£¾ £¼Your current potential will increase to the limit of the inherited potential.£¾ £¼Your potential is returning to its original state and rapidly increasing to the limit.£¾ £¼[Inheritance] Great Success!£¾ £¼You have achieved a new achievement.£¾ £¼Perfect Inheritor£¾ £¼The remaining inheritance cooldown is reduced by half.£¾ ¡®The inheritance cooldown is reduced by half? That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Thanks to that, I had cut the time down by half. Plus, my growth would be much faster thanks to the potential. But there was something even more important than that right now. ¡®Humans leave behind names, and monsters leave behind items.¡¯ Jooin checked the glowing objects on the table. They were the spoils of war he had obtained from killing the demon. From Noble mtl dot com £¼Demon¡¯s Horn£¾ £¼Wings of the North Wind£¾ The demon¡¯s horn was a symbol of the demon, but the wings were even rarer. ¡®If I make an item with these wings, I can use the power of the £¼North Wind£¾ directly.¡¯ The wings themselves were imbued with power. And in this world, titles and aliases held great power. £¼North Wind£¾ may not have a high rank among the mazoku, but it was an extremely rare ability. Furthermore, his infamy had spread throughout the world, becoming his title. Indeed, the people began to stir. ¡°Aren¡¯t mazoku items impossible to obtain after the Demon Lord died and the mazoku disappeared?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If the mages found out, there would be chaos.¡± It was a legendary material only heard of in tales. Not to mention, it was in good condition. Normally, one would expect it to be difficult to even recognize its shape due to fierce battles, but it was completely intact. The protagonist smiled at their gazes. ¡®Actually, I cut this off first because I wanted it.¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t use it like this. £¼Materials imbued with power must be specially processed before they can be used.£¾ In other words, he had to create an item. To do that, he needed a skilled craftsman. Special materials and a manufacturing method were also essential. But who was the protagonist? ¡®Don¡¯t underestimate a nuclear-powered relic.¡¯ He was the one who had thoroughly checked the manufacturing method in order to obtain the materials. Of course, this material was the body of a mazoku of the Named-grade. ¡®There¡¯s no one who can handle this.¡¯ Among humans, that is. ¡®Dwarves should be able to handle it well.¡¯ Even among them, not just anyone could handle it, but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡®There¡¯s already a skilled one here.¡¯ £¼Iron Breath£¾ It was the master of the forge whom the protagonist had managed to recruit here back when he was a player. That guy would definitely react to this material. The problem was that others would react as well. ¡°Oh¡­¡­ This is the rumored¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a treasure that came from a mazoku, is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± They were the nobles around the protagonist. They were the retainers who had come after hearing the news of his dukedom. Every one of them had faces that were swallowing their saliva, but the protagonist understood. ¡®Yeah. I get it.¡¯ No matter how much of a duke¡¯s family they were, their eyes would naturally be drawn to a treasure from the past that was now difficult to obtain. No. With something of this level, they could buy not just a territory, but an entire kingdom. The problem was that the protagonist was the owner of that item. Bang! The protagonist¡¯s sword was stabbed into the table and vibrated. ¡°How dare you even think of coveting it.¡± ¡°We were just going to look at it for a moment¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you want to watch, you have to pay. Why are you looking at me like you¡¯re going to steal it?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of donating this, are you? You¡¯re not thinking of displaying it in the duchy, are you? You bastards?¡± Joo-yeon openly showed her displeasure, but the nobles were surprisingly docile. Joo-yeon tilted her head at their behavior. ¡®What the heck? These guys?¡¯ She had intentionally provoked them, intending to make an example of a few, but why were they so docile? ¡®Why are they just staring at me?¡¯ Joo-yeon had often interacted with nobles. Normally, if an ordinary noble¡¯s pride was hurt, they would immediately attack. And with the Knight King here, they had nothing to fear. But what was with this reaction? ¡®Did I fight too ruthlessly?¡¯ Even she thought the sight of her using the demon as a punching bag at the end was a bit¡­ much. They probably wanted to avoid the crazy person. However, that was not the reason why the nobles were not attacking. Thud, thud. ¡°Don¡¯t make yourself look bad for no reason. Who knows, one of us might become that person¡¯s comrade.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t become the comrade of a hero like the Knight King, right?¡± ¡°If we can build wealth and fame as the hero¡¯s comrade, becoming the second House of Duke Edmer is not a dream.¡± It was because of the precedent set by the Knight King, the former Duke Edmer. Everyone knew that the former Duke Edmer, who had been an ordinary knight, had become the Knight King by accompanying the hero. They might be able to travel with the hero like the Knight King, so there was no need to provoke him. ¡®I need to look good.¡¯ Even Aiden had a look of anticipation in his eyes. Of course, unlike the other nobles, his gaze was pure. ¡®Could [that person] really be the hero? If I am recognized as that person¡¯s comrade¡­ I too could become a hero like my grandfather.¡¯ If Joo-yeon had heard that, she would have burst out laughing, asking who the hero was. However, this situation did not last long. The Knight King, who had been quietly watching until now, moved. He approached the kneeling prisoner. ¡°Do you know what crime you have committed?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Father¡­¡± ¡°The moment you betrayed humanity and joined hands with the demons, you ceased to be my son.¡± It was Duke Edmer. Until recently, he had been the great lord of the north, but he had become a traitor to humanity because of his pact with the demons. The duke was tied up, looking resentful. However, the evidence was too clear. [All the knights who escorted him to prison are dead.] [Bishop Jamie found traces of demons in the broken pendant.] No matter if he is the son of the King of Knights, this has definitely crossed the line. Even the vassals following the Duke grimaced. ¡°Oh my god. The son of the King of Knights is joining hands with the mazoku.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a disgrace to the nobility. I never expected it would happen to our family.¡± ¡°How on earth¡­ someone in such a position¡­ can make such a choice¡­¡± Everyone looked at the Duke with disgust. Some were ready to spit on him for tarnishing the honor of the family. However, no one dared to make a move in front of the King of Knights. ¡°I will give you one last chance to die honorably. What did the mazoku want?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Duke kept his mouth shut despite the cold gaze directed at him. Then, a commotion broke out around him. ¡°Please, tell us!¡± ¡°At the very least, maintain your pride as the former head of the ducal house!¡± ¡°Know your honor, Duke! You were once the one who led the Edmer Dukedom!¡± Even so, the Duke did not open his mouth. On the contrary, he hardened his heart even under the cold gaze of the King of Knights. ¡®My father will never compromise with evil. He is enduring it only because I am his son.¡¯ The moment he opened his mouth to answer, his neck would fly off. However, the Duke felt wronged. ¡®How did I become the Duke? How could my father cast me out for such a trivial mistake?¡¯ That too, because of that good-for-nothing who didn¡¯t even know his own origin. Even so, he could live if he just kept his mouth shut. ¡®If I just hide that thing, the mazoku will come to my rescue.¡¯ So the Duke kept his mouth shut. Anyway, the King of Knights would soon go into seclusion as always. ¡®If I have the support of the nobles who follow me and the King, it will be enough for me to become the Duke again.¡¯ Just a tiny gap, as thin as a thread, would do. Then, he would definitely be able to rise again. As the knights and vassals around him felt suffocated and frustrated at his appearance, Ju-yeon laughed. He seemed to see through the Duke¡¯s thoughts. ¡®Does he think he can become the Duke again?¡¯ In the first place, the King of Knights would never allow it. ¡®Do you think I will just watch?¡¯ Ju-yeon stepped between the Duke and the King of Knights. ¡°I know what they want?¡± The Duke made a genuinely bewildered expression. ¡°Wh¡­ what are you talking about. How would you know that!¡± ¡°Just like that. It¡¯s the Hero¡¯s holy sword.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡± The duke¡¯s expression hardened at Joo-yeon¡¯s words. He recognized the weight of the words spoken so lightly. ¡°Th-that¡­ how could you possibly¡­¡± Joo-yeon smiled at the duke¡¯s look of horror. In truth, there was no need to keep an eye on him. No matter how fast the story progressed, there were some things that never changed. The hero¡¯s holy sword was guarded by the paladin. ¡®And the demons would try to get rid of the hero¡¯s holy sword by any means necessary.¡¯ Preventing that was one of the player¡¯s storylines. It was the same in the first round¡¯s tutorial, and it was the same in the main story that was unlocked after that. ¡®It¡¯s definitely the main storyline of ¡°Valentino Saga¡±.¡¯ ¡®How dare he try to escape?¡¯ It was a rule to get rid of any trolls that got in the way from the very beginning. Why else would Joo-yeon have offered the next duke¡¯s position to [him] to find out where he was? It was to get rid of the duke who was highly likely to cooperate with the demons from the very beginning. Originally, Duke Edmer had a high probability of getting mixed up with the demons, so he had been a pain in the neck for players. Of course, it was unexpected that he would join hands with Sanderson. ¡®So, should we go and take a bite out of the dukedom for that bastard who thinks we¡¯re dead?¡¯ The corners of Joo-yeon¡¯s lips curled up slightly. Chapter 33 My Reflector Is Invincible 3333. Come on in The judgment on the duke was over. ¡®A worthless laughingstock is more annoying than a comrade who dies on his own.¡¯ Just because he was of the paladin¡¯s bloodline, you shouldn¡¯t feel sorry for him. It was only right to punish someone who had made a pact with the demons. If he hadn¡¯t been punished earlier, he would have continued to interfere with us while colluding with the demons. There was another reason. ¡®It¡¯ll make things easier in the future.¡¯ It was to weed out the guys who had joined hands with the demons like the annoying duke. Of course, we had to be careful. No matter how incompetent he was, the duke¡¯s bloodline was genuine. Even if it was just to use him as a contractor, the enemies would make their move. The paladin must have understood because he drew his sword. Swish. And swung it right away. It was aimed right at the duke, or rather, the wretch who had now lost everything. Screech! Kyaaagh! The duke, who had lost his arms and legs in an instant, screamed. The knight king¡¯s eyes were icy as he watched. ¡°Deal with the traitor who has tarnished the honor of his house and betrayed humanity.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± This time, 100 knights moved directly. They bound him tightly so that he wouldn¡¯t be able to struggle again. ¡°No, wait a minute¡­ I¡¯m a duke! I¡¯m a duke of the Edmer family¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet and go.¡± ¡°How dare you¡­ to our family¡¯s knight.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the knight king? He will be executed in front of everyone in the castle, so be quiet until then.¡± The duke was destined to die as soon as he saw the last sun. On the one hand, it could be worrying. Why not kill him right away? Couldn¡¯t he escape again since he escaped once? Couldn¡¯t the demons try to save him? But there was no need to worry. Joo-yeon already had a plan. ¡°Contact the temple and ask them to send priests and paladins. Just in case the demons approach.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Why? Are you embarrassed to ask the temple?¡± ¡°If it were my knights, there would be no problem even if the demons invaded again.¡± ¡°Will only the demons come?¡± ¡°What do you¡­¡± Joo-yeon mouthed a word only the knight king could see. [Traitor] It was clear what he was trying to say. There were many who had joined hands with the demons besides the duke. Of course, there were nobles, and there were also those hiding among the royal family. ¡®I have to solve it to avoid a bad ending.¡¯ They were the ones who interfered the most and were dangerous when dealing with achievements. That¡¯s why priests and paladins were needed. ¡°The temple is a continental organization that supports warriors. No matter how powerful the royal family or nobles are, they can¡¯t do anything reckless in front of them.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Paladins would be even more effective against demons. If you¡¯re not satisfied, you can set up knights as well.¡± Anything that benefited everyone was the best. The knight king eventually nodded his head. ¡°Did you hear everything?¡± ¡°Of course, former duke. I will contact the temple right away.¡± Joo-yeon added a word. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, tell the temple. Tell them it¡¯s my request.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Joo-yeon was currently known to be of humble origin. There was no way the temple would move just because he asked. But he was confident. ¡®Right now, I¡¯m known as the hero, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ Then, the temple would definitely try to confirm it somehow. Moreover, it was a request from the [Knight King]. A request from the hero¡¯s old comrade who had slain the Demon King, not just anyone. The temple had no choice but to respond to the request, even for their own reputation. They would at least send a cardinal or an archbishop, even if they couldn¡¯t send the Pope. ¡®I¡¯ll get closer to the temple and take care of the trash inside. It¡¯s perfect.¡¯ The temple was a place he had to visit in order to complete the achievement of taking care of the Demon King within 3 years. ¡®They¡¯re not easy, but there¡¯s someone I need to get there.¡¯ Of course, there was trash he had to take care of in Duke Edmer¡¯s family. The lackeys of Count Sanderson. They were guys he had to get rid of as quickly as he would traitors of humanity. ¡®No, maybe they¡¯re related to the traitors.¡¯ The Knight King watched the captured Duke intently and called Joo-hyeon. ¡°First, I have to thank you. You helped me find the rat who betrayed his family and humanity, even though he¡¯s my son.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you. You gave me the £¼Succession£¾.¡± ¡°It was only natural to give £¼Succession£¾ to [him].¡± Something natural could not be a reward. It was even thanks to Joo-hyeon that he was able to relieve his regret. ¡°Until now, I¡¯ve been waiting for someone to inherit my name.¡± A successor. The title of [Knight King] was not just a name. ¡°There¡¯s no other reason why I haven¡¯t given £¼Succession£¾ to my children or any other knights until now.¡± [Knight King] was a name that was passed down from generation to generation and would remain eternal. They were all lacking in carrying such a name. None of them had the qualities to succeed the name. Even Albert, the captain of the 100-man knights, was the same. But Joo-hyeon was different. ¡®That was definitely my £¼Sky Cleave£¾.¡¯ Of course, he couldn¡¯t follow it perfectly. It was at the level of £¼Earth Cleave£¾, his best skill in the past. But the Knight King was satisfied with that alone. ¡®He was surrounded by guys who couldn¡¯t even do half of what he did. If I miss this chance, I might never get another chance.¡¯ He just had to teach him a little. If he combined Joo-hyeon¡¯s special skill with his teachings. Not only would he perfectly inherit the Knight King¡¯s name, he could even defeat the Demon King. He was that talented. The Knight King believed in his own eyes that had directly judged countless knights. ¡®Hero Ryu-jin. A hero much greater than him might be born.¡¯ If things go as he thinks, in the next generation, the title of [Knight King] might even come before [Hero]. ¡®If that guy were to become a part of our family¡­ The Edmer family name might rise above all others.¡¯ Even for a conservative man who had come from knighthood, this was a temptation hard to give up. Of course, Joo-Heon wasn¡¯t an idiot, so he wasn¡¯t going to just fall for it. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you my power. I¡¯m just giving you a chance to learn. On the other hand, you¡¯ve helped me a lot.¡± ¡°Oh? Then what kind of reward will you give me?¡± ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll give you the position of the Edmer Dukedom¡¯s Lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Joo-Heon¡¯s eyes widened. As expected of the [Knight King]. His generosity was extraordinary. He had only killed a single Demon and a traitor. Yet the reward was the position of the Lord. The greatest prestigious family in the North. A knightly family famous even on the continent. Of course, Joo-Heon didn¡¯t accept it like an idiot. ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not a reward, it¡¯s a punishment. It doesn¡¯t have any appeal to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In an instant, the Knight King¡¯s expression hardened. Who would have imagined it? To dare speak words that belittled his family in front of the [Knight King]. His loyal knights¡¯ faces also turned red with displeasure. ¡°Not a reward but a punishment! Aren¡¯t you being too harsh with your words!¡± ¡°You¡¯re rejecting the position of Lord of the most prestigious family in the North!¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Hero! Do you think you can get away with ignoring the Edmer family in the North!¡± However, Joo-Heon was serious. ¡°The King of the North? The greatest prestigious family in the North? So what?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± It was an uncomfortable family that was rotten with incompetence on the inside while being targeted by enemies on the outside. The Knight King, who was its only pillar, was planning on stepping down and going back into training. ¡®If that happens, I¡¯ll have to do everything until I get caught?¡¯ If he was going to do it, he had to do it properly. Joo-Heon picked up the shield that was leaning against the wall and slammed it on the ground. Boom! With the loud sound, everyone¡¯s attention gathered at once. Joo-Heon shouted with a sharp look different from before. ¡°Such a great family didn¡¯t even know that their successor¡¯s life was in danger?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The successor¡¯s life is in danger?¡± The expressions of the 100 knights hardened. While the head of the family was away, something must have happened. Instead of answering, Jooyeon called someone in a fierce voice. ¡°Aiden Edmer! Come out! Tell me with your own mouth!¡± Aiden was among the crowd. He had been confused by the sudden appearance of the demons and the betrayal of the duke until now. But he did not refuse the voice calling his name. He walked out slowly and prostrated himself towards the Knight King. ¡°Grandfather, no, Your Grace, the former duke. I was attacked by the enemy while I was away on a trip outside.¡± ¡°Enemy? In the North?¡± ¡°Yes. They tried to kill me and my knights with poison using bandits. Of course, that man was also targeted.¡± If it weren¡¯t for Jooyeon¡¯s help and the artifact passed down to the successor, he would probably be dead. Everyone in the Duke¡¯s family was furious at Aiden¡¯s words. ¡°The Edmer family is a family of heroes who saved this continent with the warriors! How dare you target the successor of such a family!¡± ¡°How dare¡­ Who in the North dared to target the successor of the Edmer family!¡± The vassals turned red in the face and expressed their anger. They were ready to go to war at any moment. Then Jooyeon intervened. ¡°Earl Sanderson. The culprit is the fox of the North.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Everyone¡¯s movements stopped at his words. It couldn¡¯t be helped. [Earl Sanderson] It was the name of the only family in the North that followed the reputation of the Edmer family. He did not have a great reputation like the Knight King who shook the continent, but he was a man who had absorbed the entire North with his enormous wealth. ¡°Such a person¡­ targeted the Edmer family?¡± ¡°But Earl Sanderson should be friendly to the Edmer family?¡± Earl Sanderson usually showed absolute goodwill to the Edmer family. In many ways, he made concessions and expressed great kindness to the vassals of the Edmer family. ¡°Why would such a person be lacking in anything¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, in the first place, why would anyone in the North, let alone this continent, target our family¡­¡­¡± Jooyeon clicked his tongue at the sight of the people who were not aware of the crisis. ¡°That¡¯s why you guys are so stupid. That¡¯s why the Edmer family is called a brainless, ignorant can.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ An ignorant can? How dare you insult a knight like this¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you still understand? In order for that guy to obtain the North, he has to bring down the Edmer family. So he used both carrots and sticks.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Jooyeon¡¯s words were true. Earl Sanderson of the Balentino Saga had always been like that. On a small scale, he absorbed the vassals of the Edmer family, and on a large scale, he directly targeted the lives of the successors. He sent assassins to those who got in his way. And he showed great kindness to those who helped him. That was Count Sanderson¡¯s style. ¡®And starting with the Edmer family in the north, he aims for the kingdom, the entire continent.¡¯ Of course, he used every incident to his advantage. In the end, he would always stab them in the back. Jooyeon turned to the Knight King. ¡°If you give me the position of Lord of the Edmer family, you should be prepared. I don¡¯t know how many branches will be left after I prune it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After a moment of contemplation, the Knight King nodded. He had already chosen Jooyeon as his successor anyway. Then, all that was left was to earn his trust with unwavering support. So, he held out his sword. ¡°I have never uttered a word I would take back. If you wish, I will give you the position of Lord of this family. However, since you do not want it right now, do as you wish.¡± It was the sword he had just retrieved from the Duke. Entrusting him with his sword meant entrusting him with the full authority of the family. At that sight, the knights and family servants who were present all knelt down. ¡°We shall follow the will of the Knight King.¡± The corners of Jooyeon¡¯s mouth turned up naturally. ¡®Yes. This is it.¡¯ Originally, it would have been difficult to receive full authority. Perhaps, even as a successor, he would have assisted him. However, with this, Jooyeon could do as he pleased, while the Knight King bore the responsibility. Then, he could start more boldly. ¡®I have to cut off Count Sanderson¡¯s tail first. I¡¯ll make him regret messing with me.¡¯ The Knight King asked curiously. ¡°So, how do you plan to prune?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± What? Simple? The Knight King narrowed his eyes. As expected, he was weak against schemes as a knight. He could fight the enemy head-on with a shield, but he couldn¡¯t easily find a spy hiding among his own ranks. However, Jooyeon¡¯s expression was full of confidence. How could pruning be simple? Jooyeon knew the answer. Chapter 34 My Reflector Is Invincible 3434. Show Them Jooyeon looked for a man. ¡°Tell me everything you know about Count Sanderson¡¯s followers.¡± ¡°That¡­that¡­¡± It was the double agent, the magician, Bayner. A messenger who delivered information between the Duke and the Count. He had to know about Count Sanderson¡¯s informants. Bayner pressed his knees together and shut his eyes tightly. ¡°If I tell you that, Count Sanderson won¡¯t leave me alone.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t leave you alone because of the information you told me last time.¡± ¡°Th¡­ That and this are different¡­ This is really dangerous. Only I know¡­¡± Juyeon¡¯s body lowered slightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I won¡¯t leave you alone?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± £¼Marking£¾ was still not released. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As long as there was £¼Suggestion£¾, Bayner could not refuse Juyeon¡¯s order. Whatever the order may be. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll just kill you. Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s more precious than life to a wizard?¡± Bayner bristled as if he was annoyed. ¡°Are you threatening me with my family! Don¡¯t be ridiculous¡­¡± ¡°The knowledge of the arcane you possess. What if I made you forget all of that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd¡­¡± To a wizard, magic was more precious than life. Using £¼Suggestion£¾, it was possible to erase even the memory of learning that magic. ¡®It¡¯s a method I figured out through several experiments.¡¯ The results of the experiment showed that it was possible. Of course, more was possible. ¡°Or¡­ how about making you someone who can¡¯t use magic for the rest of your life?¡± From Noble mtl dot com Bayner let out a hollow laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! No matter how much I¡¯m under suggestion, something like that is impossible!¡± ¡°Then let me show you a taste.¡± Snap! Juyeon flicked his finger. Then, a change came over the wizard Bayner¡¯s body. ¡°H¡­My mana¡­ my magic!¡± The magical aura that had filled Bayner¡¯s body disappeared. It felt like he had become an ordinary human before he had learned magic. No, in his current state, he wouldn¡¯t be able to learn any magic. It was only through £¼Suggestion£¾ that his senses were temporarily blocked, but Juyeon¡¯s warning was certain. Wizards were beings who risked their lives for magic. They were the kind of beings who didn¡¯t hesitate to harm others for new magic. To lose all of that precious magic. It would feel like a punishment more cruel than death for a wizard. Bayner had no choice but to eventually spill everything. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you everything. So please¡­ just my magic¡­¡± The rest was easy. Based on the information from Viner, it was over if the knights of the King of Knights moved. Of course, Viner didn¡¯t know everything. ¡®Count Sanderson, he¡¯s pretty meticulous.¡¯ It was relatively easy to find a simple information broker. He wouldn¡¯t have put so much effort into mere rats. However. ¡°Count Sanderson didn¡¯t just plant rats.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The knights who had caught the information brokers flinched at Joo-Yeon¡¯s words. ¡°If not just rats, then surely not¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There are bribed vassals.¡± ¡°!¡± There were no clues about that. But Joo-Yeon wasn¡¯t worried. ¡®It¡¯s simple to deal with those who don¡¯t show their tails.¡¯ Just make them show their tails. Fortunately, someone appeared who would do that. ¡°Count Sanderson¡­¡­. The Count has arrived at the Duchy.¡± The mastermind behind everything. Joo-Yeon smiled, and the knights¡¯ expressions hardened at the news of Count Sanderson¡¯s arrival. ¡°That damn bastard is entering the Ducal family?¡± ¡°We must drive him out at once!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t he aim for the First Prince? That bastard entering our territory¡­¡­!¡± Joo-Yeon spoke to those murderous expressions. ¡°This is why they call you knights thick-headed.¡± The knights coughed awkwardly at the blunt insult. Calling knights thick-headed¡­¡­? ¡°Aren¡¯t your words too harsh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you know the rumors currently circulating in the Ducal family?¡± The knights furrowed their brows at Joo-Yeon¡¯s question. They couldn¡¯t not know. [Have you heard? The Duke of Edmer¡¯s family was attacked by the Demon race.] [What? Demon race? The Demon race attacked the King of Knights? Did he lose?] [The damage to the Ducal family is severe.] [Oh my, it seems that even the world¡¯s King of Knights can¡¯t win against time. I guess even the greatest knight on the continent is just a myth now.] Ridiculous rumors were circulating about the world-famous Duke of Edmer¡¯s family. The knights groaned. ¡°Thanks to Lord Joo-Yeon, we were able to stop it, but the Duchy did suffer damage from the Demon race¡¯s attack.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Rumors about Lord Joo-Yeon are also spreading, and those ridiculous rumors will be corrected soon¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No. Rather, it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± There were always many who sought the honor of the Knight King. As much as the title of the Knight King was hated by other kings, there were always those who coveted the position or the machinations of hostile families. ¡®Now that the territory has been attacked by the demons, it¡¯s a good opportunity for the hyenas.¡¯ The political enemies of Duke Edmer were on the move, sensing the opportune moment. It was not for nothing that Sanderson came to visit the dukedom at this time. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re holding a banquet.¡± The knights were bewildered. ¡°A banquet? At a time like this?¡± Most were bewildered, but a few nodded as if it might be alright. ¡°Rather, let¡¯s show them that we¡¯re still standing.¡± ¡°However, they¡¯re determined to cut us down. A mere banquet won¡¯t be enough¡­¡± Then Joo-yeon spoke as if he had been waiting. ¡°I heard that delegations are coming to meet me. I plan to use them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-yeon was now known as the hero. The various powers of the continent would gather to see him. ¡®Let¡¯s use that to our advantage.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. ¡®This way, we can draw out the treacherous vassals hiding within the family.¡¯ The ones that Joo-yeon had not yet been able to uncover. ¡®Fortunately, there¡¯s some really good bait.¡¯ [Count Sanderson] ¡®I¡¯ve already gotten rid of the informant who had become his ears.¡¯ The treacherous ones in hiding won¡¯t be able to move either. Because they¡¯ve already been tied up under the pretense of repairing and securing the dukedom. Of course, there was one thing that was most necessary to do that. ¡®I need competent subordinates.¡¯ Loyal subordinates who won¡¯t fall for Sanderson¡¯s or the hyenas¡¯ tricks. ¡®Actually, £¼Obedience£¾ subordinates would be the best, but there¡¯s no way to get them in the first place.¡¯ £¼Obedience£¾ was a power that could only be exerted because they were already serving someone in the first place. And how could one possibly bring those who were already loyal enough to be called £¼Obedience£¾? It was impossible in the first place. But then it happened. Someone held out a plate of food. ¡°Joo-yeon-nim, please have some. It¡¯s very delicious.¡± ¡°!¡± It was Hak-en. The guy who had somehow become chubby was showing no sign of alertness whatsoever. It was enough to make Joo-yeon speechless. ¡°It seems that being a servant suits you well.¡± ¡°Thanks to Joo-yeon-nim, everyone treats me well. hehehe.¡± Just by looking at her expression, you could tell she was happy. ¡°Is it a beggar¡¯s nature, or a thief¡¯s?¡± But surprisingly, the one who drew attention was Olson. ¡°Hand it over. That food hasn¡¯t been inspected yet.¡± ¡°Oh come on, can¡¯t you trust me, Sir Olson?¡± ¡°I trust no one. I just do my job.¡± Haken immediately raised his hands at Olson¡¯s pedantry. ¡°Yes, yes, I understand that you¡¯re aiming for the lead role.¡± He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to not notice Olson¡¯s attitude¡ªthat Olson wanted to follow Joo-in, not Aiden. Joo-in also looked at Olson as if she were surprised. There was a reason. ¡®Wasn¡¯t this guy definitely a Knight of Obedience?¡¯ Knights of Obedience were extremely loyal. Changing their master was almost impossible. Not even once had anyone succeeded in doing so in the game. ¡®Guys who are as loyal as Knights of Obedience are originally impossible to recruit.¡¯ Not just Knights of Obedience. There were guys who Joo-in wanted as a companion but eventually gave up on. From the guy who had conquered a country with just his strength, to the strongest politician, the guy who became king with just one special talent, and the guy with the only precious bloodline in the world. It didn¡¯t matter how much she tried to catch them. If she caught them with force, they would take their own lives to show their loyalty. They would pretend to be loyal and then betray her right away. ¡®Was it like they weren¡¯t systemically allowed to?¡¯ Many players had tried but gave up right away. They had concluded that it was impossible to recruit [Obedient] knights. ¡®But now, Olson is trying to change his lord¡­.¡¯ She had a feeling. A feeling that the game she had played was completely different from reality. ¡®Well, it¡¯s only in games that loyalty remains at 100 percent.¡¯ Here, she might be able to recruit them. The guys who were good but she had given up on. ¡®But in order to recruit guys like that, I can¡¯t use simple methods¡­.¡¯ Then, the King of Knights approached Joo-in. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there still a lot of time until the banquet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more important than that.¡± Thanks to Joo-in, he had been able to take care of Count Sanderson¡¯s informants. The preparations for the banquet would be taken care of by his subordinates. The King of Knights had come to find the best thing he could do. ¡°It¡¯s training for the remaining succession.¡± £¼Succession£¾ wasn¡¯t over yet. It meant that he would personally train me for a perfect succession. That¡¯s why Joo-yeon was surprised. The man called the King of Knights was going to train me personally. ¡®If the 100 knights knew this, there would be chaos.¡¯ It was a dream come true for any knight. However. ¡°Go to Bicher. It¡¯s a good place to hide.¡± ¡°Why should I hide?¡± ¡°My son¡¯s vassals are wary of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Not to mention the vassals who had followed the Lord, those who had been bribed by Count Sanderson were still hiding. What would happen if the King of Knights trained Joo-yeon personally? ¡°Just the fact that you¡¯ve succeeded me is enough to make some people jealous of you. But if I train you too¡­.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll want to kill me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen. But some cunning bastards like Count Sanderson won¡¯t miss the opportunity. They could definitely provoke those guys and make them target you.¡± It wasn¡¯t impossible. In fact, among the knights who had never seen him fight, there were rumors that Joo-yeon was an airhead. It was possible to provoke the knights with rumors. ¡®I¡¯ve been through that in the past game.¡¯ But Joo-yeon smiled instead. ¡°Where is the training ground where everyone can see?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why? They say I¡¯m an airhead? Then shouldn¡¯t I shut their mouths?¡± Joo-yeon thought it was a good thing. Because what he would receive from the King of Knights wasn¡¯t just the succession. ¡®There are a lot of £¼Obedience£¾ knights in the King of Knights¡¯ castle.¡¯ They could even deal with the annoying hyenas. And he just came up with a way to win them over. As proof of that, Joo-yeon, who was looking at the King of Knights, smiled for some reason. Chapter 35 My Reflector Is Invincible 3535. Let¡¯s fight once The training ground where the knights of the Edmer family were sweating. The knights there started to rumble loudly from the morning. ¡°The former Duke trained here?¡± ¡°And he trained with [him]?¡± The great King of Knights was using their training ground. No matter how much they were knights of the Edmer family, their hearts pounded with anticipation. The Knight King was an object of respect and a symbol of admiration for knights. That was true for any knight on the continent. There were many who would have paid a fortune just to see his sword, which he had used to fight the Demon King, up close. However, there was no time to stand around. ¡°Quickly, clean up the training ground first!¡± ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be a speck of dust!¡± ¡°Do not show an unsightly appearance to the former Duke!¡± Even amidst all of that, the knights¡¯ eyes darted around without rest. ¡°That¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it¡­¡± ¡°The one that the Knight King has chosen as his successor?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look that strong¡­¡± It was none other than Joo-in. Not only had the Knight King chosen him as his successor, but he was also personally training him, so all eyes were on him. In fact, it was only natural that he would be anticipated. Rumors about Joo-in were rampant right now. There were rumors that he had defeated a demon tribe, rumors that he was a hero, and even rumors that the Knight King had been deceived by Joo-in. ¡°Even so, he¡¯s still a slave.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°He must have just delivered the final blow to something that the Knight King had already weakened.¡± ¡°Of course he would clean it up, since he received the succession. Even I would have done that much if I had received the succession¡­¡± In particular, there were those who sent him looks of distrust and murderous intent. They were the Knights of Obedience. The eyes of those who had lost their lord due to the Duke¡¯s retirement were blazing with murderous intent. ¡°Because of that bastard, the Duke¡­¡± ¡°The former Duke must have been deceived. How could he possibly pass on the succession to that guy instead of his own son, the Duke¡­¡± Of course, they couldn¡¯t say it out loud. The Knight King¡¯s personal knights, the 100 knights, were watching them with sharp eyes. Even though they were under the same duke, the positions of the two groups were incomparable. Seniors and teachers. They were once vassals of a family that had fought alongside the former Duke against the demon tribes. There was no one here who was brave enough to speak carelessly while they were watching. At that moment, Joo-in moved. ¡°The atmosphere is good.¡± He welcomed the gazes that were filled with more distrust than admiration. The Knight King frowned slightly. He must have been displeased by the disgrace that his knights were showing. And although Joo-in had indeed received his succession, he must have still been lacking in many ways. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the individual training ground right now?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± He had requested the public training ground on purpose. As for Joo-in, he wanted to change those gazes. ¡®When that gaze turns into admiration, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll obtain my own knight.¡¯ The more difficult it was, the more motivated Joo-yeon became. Overcoming extremely difficult situations was practically his forte. In fact, the situation right now wasn¡¯t even difficult. ¡®I have more than a few cards up my sleeve.¡¯ The Demon King¡¯s exclusive skill, £¼Reflection£¾. The legendary skill, £¼Crisis Perception£¾. The Knight King¡¯s recognition and succession. And the support of the Edmer family¡¯s direct successor. Even with all that, I can¡¯t conquer the dukedom? That would mean I don¡¯t even qualify to face the Demon King. I need to resolve this minor issue quickly and move on. ¡°So, what do I do now?¡± ¡°The potential that I passed on to you only raised your limits. Right now, your potential is probably as low as it can be.¡± It was true. After the succession ended, Joo-yeon¡¯s potential returned to its original state. And it wasn¡¯t even as if he had received all of the potential. That was why the Knight King had summoned Joo-yeon to the training grounds. He didn¡¯t plan on making him do boring exercises. ¡°Potential increases the more you use it.¡± ¡°So¡­ you want to fight?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Joo-yeon tilted his head slightly. ¡°You know that I have to fight directly to increase my potential, right?¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t use that ¡®power¡¯ during training.¡± Joo-yeon laughed in disbelief. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯re not just saying that because you don¡¯t want to get hurt, are you?¡± Fighting without £¼Reflection£¾. All he received was potential, and he hadn¡¯t yet been taught any combat techniques. ¡®Plus, I don¡¯t even have a job yet.¡¯ Without a job, he couldn¡¯t learn any unique or job-specific skills. It meant that his combat abilities would be severely lacking. On the other hand, the Knight King was a knight-type job with a 1st place victory rate in the Grand Tournament. He had started as a knight, then became a higher-ranking shield knight, and then a shield knight¡¯s highest rank, guardian knight, before finally becoming the exclusive job, Knight King. He was the very pinnacle of combat. ¡°I never realized that the Knight King had a hobby of bullying the weak.¡± With this much of a gap, it didn¡¯t seem like he would win even if he had received the full succession. In the end, it would just be an easy fight like beating up a child. However, that didn¡¯t mean there was no way. As if he had been waiting, the Knight King spoke. ¡°In that case, how about receiving a knight¡¯s investiture from me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± £¼Knight¡¯s Investiture£¾ I swear to choose someone to serve as my lord. In a word, it meant becoming a knight. Then you could receive the effects attached to the faction you belonged to along with the knight profession. ¡®I¡¯ll become a knight.¡¯ Once I change my profession, I can learn all the related system techniques. A knight was the most popular profession among combat professions. Physical ability was also good, and the techniques specialized in combat gave an incomparable fighting power among any close-range combat professions. Hwayong Jonjeong was a £¼Knight¡¯s Code£¾. £¼You will have additional special powers from the moment you learn the £¼Knight¡¯s Code£¾£¾ £¼You can generally choose from strength, speed, wide-area buffs, and command specialization£¾ £¼You can only have one Knight¡¯s Code£¾ It was a knight¡¯s ability to exert similar power to other professions. There were also knights who exerted power like the mystery of a magician or buffer. It was truly the all-purpose profession of the ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ ¡®If you become the king of knights, you can use various abilities with just one Knight¡¯s Code.¡¯ Right now, I could hardly use the Knight¡¯s Code because of the devil¡¯s curse. However, if the king of knights put his heart into it, he could face the devil alone, even for a short time. Except for the hero, it was almost the only profession that could fight the devil alone. If you receive a knight¡¯s investiture from the king of knights, you can become strong quickly. There was a high possibility that you would soon obtain the final knight profession. ¡®If you look at it that way, the knight¡¯s investiture isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ Can you obtain the profession of the king of knights and related powers in a short period of time? In the past, it would never have been easy to give up. However, Jooyeon shook his head lightly. ¡®For me now, the [King of Knights] profession has too many limitations.¡¯ £¼Knight¡¯s Code£¾ was like that in the first place. It wasn¡¯t a power given simply because you desired it. £¼17 Commandments of a Knight£¾ Only those who fully×ñÊØ and follow it could obtain the £¼Knight¡¯s Code£¾. Like the knights of obedience. £¼You shall obey just authority£¾ Like the knights of truth. £¼Always tell the truth£¾ Like the knights of no retreat. £¼Never turn your back on the enemy£¾ Only a faithful knight who protects the weak, such as women, children, and the elderly, and fulfills his duties can obtain the £¼Knight¡¯s Code£¾. What happens if you obtain the Knight¡¯s Code but don¡¯t follow the rules properly? ¡°Do I even need to ask? I¡¯d lose my power right away. ¡®And I¡¯d never be able to become a knight again.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t just throw away my job as a knight. No matter how strong I get, I don¡¯t want to get a power with such strong restrictions. That¡¯s not the only downside either. ¡®To become the Knight King, I have to complete a continent-wide long-term quest.¡¯ Knights are the guardians of faith. To become their king, the [Knight King], I¡¯d have to prove my unwavering faith. It would require me to travel all over the continent, completing quests for the weak. Even if it was shortened, it wouldn¡¯t be much different. It¡¯d be just like the Hero. The main character wanted to avoid that more than anything. ¡®That¡¯s such a huge grind. I only did it because it was a game. I¡¯d never want to do it in real life.¡¯ That¡¯s why the main character wanted a different job. ¡®I¡¯ll get a better job than the Knight King¡­ no, the best job in the world.¡¯ There were a few jobs that previous players had raved about. Unique jobs like the companions of the previous Hero, of which there was only one. The main character had already experienced all of those jobs. ¡®They each have their own advantages.¡¯ For example, the Hero could learn job skills from every class, and the Saint could receive or bestow the blessings of multiple gods. The Elf Elder combined two jobs with the blessing of the World Tree, transcending their limits, and the Barbarian Chieftain summoned the spirits of their ancestors to use special powers. The Master Thief could steal items and used all sorts of hidden weapons along with shadow techniques. The Death Knight gained perfect stealth along with passive skills related to instant death. ¡®They¡¯re all special jobs. They¡¯re the best jobs that were designed to fight the Demon King.¡¯ But even they weren¡¯t as good as the job the main character wanted to get now. A fantasy job that no one had ever gotten. ¡®No one¡¯s gotten it yet, but¡­ this time will be different.¡¯ There was definitely a job that he should have gotten, but didn¡¯t, even though he had met all the requirements. It might be possible now that this wasn¡¯t a game, but reality. This was a test for that. ¡®If only the knights of £¼Obedience£¾ could change masters¡­ I¡¯d definitely be able to get that job then.¡¯ The Knight King nodded, as if he understood what the main character was thinking. ¡°Hmm. So you want to become a Hero after all.¡± It was true that the [Knight King] was strong, but he couldn¡¯t compare to the [Hero]. ¡°Yeah. I like the Hero.¡± No, not the Hero. The main character was taken aback, but the Knight King looked at him, satisfied. ¡®He certainly has the talent for it.¡¯ You didn¡¯t necessarily need to have a job to pass on battle skills. Indeed, the Sword King clearly remembered the fight between Jooin and the Demons. ¡®That Earth Split was definitely my technique.¡¯ Jooin followed suit. It should be possible then. Of course, it wasn¡¯t perfect. It felt as if he was forcibly using a technique that wasn¡¯t suited for his body. He knew it in theory, but his body wasn¡¯t able to apply it. Because of that, he felt a bit greedy and regretful. Because if it were him, he would have been able to adjust it all. That¡¯s why he rather wanted to reconsider it through this training. ¡°If you become a knight, you will be able to make the knights here look up to you as an amazing knight.¡± The Sword King drew his sword. Jooin also drew his sword and chuckled. ¡°I can make them look up to me without doing that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite spirited.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± The knights¡¯ gazes gathered. Chapter 36 My Reflector Is Invincible 3636. I Can Do It All Night Long A knight is a combat specialist. They learn various techniques that help in combat, from swordsmanship to shield techniques and armor utilization. The Sword King used the most basic skill among them. Thud! It was just a simple blow. Jooin, who blocked it, was pushed back greatly. An overwhelming gap in strength. Jooin gritted his teeth as he was pushed back. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s still too much to handle without £¼Reflect£¾.¡¯ It was the same even though he had inherited the Sword King¡¯s potential. He was one of the transcendent beings of the previous generation who had fought against the Demon King. His potential had only increased slightly, so it wasn¡¯t enough to fight him. The Sword King also frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s foolish to confront a stronger opponent head-on.¡± ¡°I know!¡± If he had used Reflect, he would have not only blocked it, but also counterattacked. However, he didn¡¯t use it on purpose. ¡®The stronger the enemy you face, the faster your potential will blossom.¡¯ In particular, physical potential rises faster the more you get hit. A head-on confrontation was the answer to quickly raising his inherited potential. ¡®This is the only way to quickly regain £¼½ð¸Õ£¾.¡¯ Only when you raise your physical potential to the limit can you acquire the £¼Diamond£¾ skill, a type of skill. £¼Diamond£¾ was a perfect match with £¼Reflection£¾. Just by acquiring the physical potential £¼Diamond£¾, your defense increases greatly. £¼Reflection£¾ is also a type of defensive skill. If your defense increases, you can use it to deal greater damage to your opponent. ¡®So for now¡­¡­ I¡¯ll fight with just my pure skills, without Reflection.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t impossible. Of course, if I just fought normally, I would be completely overwhelmed. Swish! It felt like space itself was being cut. From Noble mtl dot com It felt like a weakness was being exploited, like my lifeline was being targeted. Joo-yeon wasn¡¯t able to dodge it easily, even though he was a seasoned player. ¡®It¡¯s monotonous, but it¡¯s fast and powerful.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t for nothing that he was called the Knight King. Even the knights watching were gaping in awe. A voice kept ringing in Joo-yeon¡¯s head. £¼[Crisis detected]¡­¡­£¾ £¼[Crisis detected]¡­¡­£¾ ¡®I know! Just shut up!¡¯ So he used the only combat skill he had. £¼Physical Enhancement£¾ Joo-yeon¡¯s body turned red-hot. It was the power of a skill that momentarily enhanced his physical abilities. ¡®My physical potential increases when I get hit, but it also increases when I attack!¡¯ His strength also increased. It would be even more effective if he were to hit an opponent of the Knight King¡¯s caliber. Joo-yeon ran at the Knight King with that in mind and swung his sword. In an instant, a flurry of incredibly fast sword strikes poured forth. Clang! Clang! Clang! Joo-yeon¡¯s sword strikes grazed the Knight King in an instant. However, the Knight King¡¯s body was as hard as if he had been struck by a lump of iron. He didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°That was pretty fast.¡± He raised his sword as if this degree of resistance was only to be expected. The Knight King¡¯s defense continued. Clang! Clang! Joo-yeon¡¯s speed was so fast it was almost invisible. It was thanks to the Physical Enhancement skill. On top of that, there was also the achievement he had earned by defeating the Demonkin. [Slayer of the Strong] ¨C He brought down someone stronger than him. ¨C When facing someone stronger than him, he nullifies their aura. Since his aura didn¡¯t work on his physical enhancement, his body moved like a feather. However, no matter how fast and varied Joo-in¡¯s attacks were, they couldn¡¯t break through his defense. Even if they did, they¡¯d be blocked by his steel-like skin. And he hadn¡¯t moved an inch from his spot. It was only natural for Joo-in¡¯s eyebrows to shoot up. ¡®My strength is lacking.¡¯ It was just as he said. It was useless if he couldn¡¯t bring down his opponent no matter how fast he was. Right now, Joo-in¡¯s sword couldn¡¯t break through the Knight King¡¯s defense. ¡®Physical enhancement is a technique that can only be used for five minutes.¡¯ It was impossible to bring him down within that time. No matter how powerful the skill, it was useless before the true strength of the Knight King, who was known to have the strongest shield. Even if he was being eaten away by the Demon King¡¯s curse, his strength as a warrior remained. Then, the Knight King opened his mouth with a calm expression. ¡°You can use that strength.¡± He was talking about the method he used to replenish his strength when he used . To fill the lack of strength with . ¡°You told me not to use it?¡± ¡°I told you not to use it only for defense. I told you not to rely too much on that strength. But you must have used that power to attack as well?¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. If you use to defend, your skills won¡¯t improve. You couldn¡¯t achieve the goal that Joo-in wanted. But what if you used it to attack? ¡®I can become stronger.¡¯ This was a training out of necessity. He had to learn not only the Knight King¡¯s potential, but also many other things. Especially the hearts of the knights who were watching this duel. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, he had an idea from the fight with the mazoku. Joo-in closed his eyes briefly. ¡®First, as fast as possible¡­¡­.¡¯ In an instant, Joo-in¡¯s shadow disappeared. At the same time, Joo-in¡¯s divine power was scattered around the Knight King, who was standing still. The knights had expressions of utter shock. Finally, Joo-in¡¯s sword poured down on the Knight King. He charged forward in a straight line. The Knight King finally burst out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s right. You don¡¯t need tricks in a swordmaster¡¯s fight.¡± The Knight King swung down the sword that had been raised above his head. He then drew his secret technique. £¼Edmer Vision Swordsmanship£¾ £¼First Form£¾ £¼Thunder Strike£¾ His sword struck down from the heavens like thunder. It was a powerful sword strike, as if it could cleave the heavens and earth in half. Of course, Joo-yeon did not evade as he charged towards him. Instead, he brandished his sword with both hands and swung it. £¼Joo-yeon Style£¾ £¼Horizontal Slash£¾ A basic sword technique at best. It was an ordinary horizontal slash used by knights. However, Joo-yeon¡¯s sword did not end with a simple swing. The moment their swords clashed. Joo-yeon¡¯s body twisted violently. ¡®Right before the attack lands¡­ I can reflect the force of the impact!¡¯ Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang! The two were pushed back with an enormous sound. Even the Knight King was forced back several steps. ¡°Impressive.¡± His sword was trembling slightly. The clash had been that intense. He seemed surprised inwardly. However, the victor was clear to the naked eye. Kuluck¡­¡­. Joo-yeon was pushed back dozens of steps and coughed up blood. The Knight King had only been pushed back a few steps. Even then, he seemed perfectly fine. However, the exclamations from the knights who had witnessed the spectacle were completely different. ¡°My God. He landed a blow on His Excellency the former Grand Duke.¡± ¡°It was only a few steps, but¡­ he definitely pushed him back.¡± ¡°His Excellency¡¯s defense was broken?¡± He was the Knight King, once hailed as the invincible shield. It was shocking enough that he had taken a single step back, but he had taken several steps back. It was only natural that they were surprised. The Knight King¡¯s 100 loyal knights felt the same way. ¡°That speed and power were definitely unexpected¡­.¡± ¡°And he even stopped his momentum to momentarily increase his destructive power. He seems to know how to use his strength well.¡± However, they did not think that the Knight King had used his full strength in the first place. ¡°He must be going easy on him since he¡¯s the one we¡¯ve been waiting for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter what [he] is, breaking through Your Majesty¡¯s defense is impossible.¡± ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll spare the Morning Star.¡± It was possible because the Knight King had initially looked after Joo-yeon. However, the Knight King¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡®My Thunderbolt Strike¡­¡­ has been pushed back?¡¯ And it was pushed back by a simple horizontal slash without using any special abilities? At first, Joo-yeon missed the timing slightly, so the activation time was slightly delayed. However, he pushed back not only his swordsmanship but also his body. ¡®This is beyond my expectations.¡¯ It was clear that his strength and speed were lacking. However, he accurately targeted the weakness of his swordsmanship at that urgent moment. There was nothing to teach him. However, the Knight King, who was called the greatest knight on the continent, had a reputation to uphold. ¡®For now, I¡¯ll have to modify his knowledge to fit his body a little more.¡¯ Until now, he had not felt the need to move from his spot. He thought that was enough. But now, it was different. The Knight King¡¯s feet began to move slowly. ¡®If he¡¯s someone who gets stronger the more he fights¡­¡­ I¡¯ll burn him to the end.¡¯ Kwaaang! As the two swords clashed, the knights gulped. ¡°Is what we¡¯re seeing real¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How can¡­¡­ he fight the Knight King like that¡­¡­.¡± The knights who had been saying that Joo-yeon catching the demons was just a rumor fell silent. ¡®Could he really be the hero?¡¯ Honestly, even if they were told to face the Knight King, there was a high probability that they wouldn¡¯t be able to do as well as he did. Aside from his abilities, it was because of fear. However, Joo-yeon was different. ¡®How can he be so calm in front of that fighting spirit¡­¡­!¡¯ And in the meantime. ¡°Can you do more?¡± ¡°I can do it all night long.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The pupils of the knights watching the two shook. * * * The sparring was a success. [A special achievement has been made.] [One who lasted a day against the Knight King] [Even if your stamina is exhausted, if you have the willpower, you will never fall.] He had achieved the achievement known as £¼Tenacity£¾. With this ability, I will never fall no matter how much my physical strength is exhausted. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing I gained. [A special achievement has been achieved] [Heir of the Sword King] [ºÃ¸Ð¶È with those who have the Knight class has increased to the maximum] I even gained the favor of the knights who were watching the duel with the Sword King. From now on, Joo-yeon will be favored by any knight he meets, not just the Edmer family. Besides, the Sword King even put down his sword. ¡°There will be no more duels.¡± It means that he has already recognized Joo-yeon¡¯s skills. ¡°Amazing. What you need is not experience.¡± Usually, those who suddenly gain strength cannot control their power. So, through duels with the strong, they learn the sense of controlling their power and realize how to use it. However, Joo-yeon was different from such people. ¡°Your proficiency and usage of power are perfect. There is no need for me to point it out. You¡¯re like a crazy monster who has only fought for decades.¡± Joo-yeon looked surprised. ¡°It¡¯s not that much?¡± ¡°No. My judgment is certain. What you need now is not combat experience but basic training.¡± ¡°Basic training?¡± ¡°Yes. It would be better to increase your potential as quickly as possible. The knights have a good basic training method.¡± At those words, Joo-yeon narrowed his brows. ¡®If so, it¡¯s just hitting a scarecrow.¡¯ Honestly, dueling was easier than basic training. It was because confronting swords was more fun than simple repetitive work. It was also a matter of time. Joo-yeon shook his head at the Sword King, who was about to drag him to the training ground. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. How about letting those guys join us?¡± ¡°Those guys?¡± ¡°I mean the knights of the Edmer family. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to become stronger together?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s hand pointed to the knights who were watching from behind. Then the Sword King¡¯s eyes widened. He had only thought of making Joo-yeon, the successor, stronger, but he hadn¡¯t thought of the knights of the family. Of course, so were the knights. ¡°We¡­we too?¡± ¡°Can we train under the Sword King?¡± They didn¡¯t say it, but the 100 knights also had strangely expectant eyes. It was an honor that would never happen again in their lives to be trained by the man called the King of Knights. However, the Sword King could not hide his worried expression. ¡°Is that okay? It will be less efficient than training alone?¡± It¡¯s a million times better than a scarecrow? ¡°It would be better if we all got stronger together, wouldn¡¯t it? We¡¯re going to be fighting together in the future, after all.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± From Noble mtl dot com The Knight King¡¯s eyes became serious. He shouted towards the knights. ¡°Those who wish to train together, come forward. But! I will not allow anyone to give up before Joo-yeon. Do you still wish to do this!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°I will follow you, even to my death!¡± The Knight King was pleased by the knights¡¯ fighting spirit and smiled. ¡°Good. Everyone, follow me!¡± Waaah. The Knight King and the knights let out a cry of victory. However, they still didn¡¯t know why Joo-yeon wanted them to participate in the training. It wasn¡¯t out of simple goodwill. ¡®Good. I¡¯ll be able to do a new test for £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ If I use these guys, I can train their potential while also testing £¼Reflection£¾. Plus, I can recruit the knights whose favor I gain through this new achievement. ¡®Do you think I¡¯d be messing around with straw dummies?¡¯ As a veteran, he never wasted time. The knights just didn¡¯t know that. Chapter 37 My Reflector Is Invincible 3737. Time for Revenge ¡°What¡­ Basic training is fine. Anything but straw dummies is fine. That¡¯s good, but¡­¡± Joo-yeon looked at the large mountain behind the castle. ¡°The most important things for a knight are stamina and agility. I¡¯ve placed a sign at the top of the mountain, so go get it.¡± Yeah, if it¡¯s just mountain climbing, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard. Knights are supposed to be able to march long distances, right? ¡°Do you see the rocks over there? Each of you is to carry one up the mountain.¡± They were large boulders the size of a person¡¯s torso. Carry those things up the mountain? Even for knights, that wouldn¡¯t be easy. But the Knight King didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°All of the knights are to wear their armor while they climb. Joo-yeon, I have armor for you as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Full body armor and boulders the size of a person¡¯s torso? That was just crazy. However, no one could refuse under the Knight King¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°What are you waiting for? Only the first person to arrive at the top will get to rest. Everyone else will keep climbing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± At the knight¡¯s words, everyone anxiously began to climb the mountain. Joo-in also ran with the knights. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°This is¡­ crazy¡­¡± It was so intense that it felt easier when he was sparring. He wondered what they had done to his armor; the higher he climbed, the heavier it felt. ¡®But¡­ I can¡¯t throw it away.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t simply because he wanted to compete with the knights. He could see his potential rising in real time. [Potential has increased.] [Potential has increased.] [Potential¡­] His stamina, agility, and even strength. Joo-in¡¯s potential was rising without rest. Plus, he had £¼Reflection£¾. When his fatigue exceeded its limit, his gaze turned to the knight beside him. Like him, the knight was dying as he climbed while carrying a boulder. ¡°Are you struggling?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just grateful for this opportunity.¡± ¡°Stay strong.¡± Pat, pat. Joo-in patted the knight¡¯s shoulder. Normally, the knight would have been angry at a mere commoner touching his shoulder. However, he was touched by Joo-in receiving training from the knight commander and helping him by gently pushing him forward. ¡°I¡­ I will never give up either.¡± ¡°Thank you, Joo-in.¡± The knights had moist eyes with emotion. However, they didn¡¯t know. [£¼Reflection£¾ has succeeded.] They didn¡¯t know that their bodies would become strangely heavy after Joo-in helped them. He handed over his fatigue to the knights and devoted himself to training again. [Potential has increased.] Training while reaching the physical limit increased potential more quickly. Simply by passing his fatigue to the knights, Joo-in could obtain all the potential he needed. Of course, it was also good for the knights, sadly. As they quickly reached their limits due to fatigue, their potential also increased. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Joo-in was the first to reach the top of the mountain and come back down. ¡°You¡¯re already¡­ back down?¡± The knight commander was secretly astonished. Even if Joo-in was a veteran warrior with a lot of experience, he didn¡¯t know that his basic abilities and tenacity would be so excellent. ¡°Juyeon, you¡¯re in first place. You can rest if you want.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°This is training for me. I¡¯m not going to rest just because I got first place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Knight King¡¯s eyes widened noticeably. It was because he had found the perfect successor in every aspect, from talent and ability to tenacity and character. He felt like he had been rewarded for his long years of service. ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s what you want, you can do as much as you like.¡± Juyeon gave his first place ranking to the knight who came in second. The knight was visibly surprised. ¡°Why¡­ to me?¡± ¡°I still want to train more.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The exhausted knight collapsed on the spot. But Juyeon didn¡¯t stop training. He kept recovering from fatigue with £¼Reflect£¾ and climbing the mountain again. And again, he would come in first place and give the second place knight the right to rest. Before long, there wasn¡¯t a single knight who hadn¡¯t received his help. The knights looked at Juyeon, who was climbing the mountain with a stone on his back once again, with strange expressions. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ climbing again.¡± ¡°I saw it earlier. When I was about to collapse from exhaustion, he pushed me on my back.¡± ¡°He really is amazing. There¡¯s a reason why the Knight King chose him.¡± But the knights still didn¡¯t know. That when Juyeon pushed them on their backs, they felt a little better for a moment, but then they would feel twice as tired as usual. It wasn¡¯t just a side effect of resting and then moving. It was because they had received Juyeon¡¯s fatigue through the power of £¼Reflect£¾. After several training sessions like that, a new achievement popped up in front of Juyeon. [Special achievement acquired] [Unwavering Successor] [Your mere presence boosts the morale of the Edmer Knights] [Special achievement acquired] [Benefactor of the Training Grounds] [The Edmer Knights will trust your words unconditionally] He had captured the hearts of all the knights with just his training. Juyeon didn¡¯t just gain achievements. Most notably, his potential had increased greatly. [£¼Dragonbone£¾ acquired] [£¼Haste£¾ acquired] [£¼Giant Strength£¾ acquired] It didn¡¯t reach £¼Geumgang£¾ or £¼Shinsuk£¾. However, it was able to awaken the next potential. £¼Yonggol£¾, which is harder than steel and has excellent flexibility. £¼Junsok£¾, just before reaching super speed. £¼Georyeok£¾, which can exert several times the strength of an ordinary person. It wasn¡¯t just that the potential had increased. £¼[Basic Swordsmanship] has been acquired£¾ £¼[Edmer Family Visionary Swordsmanship (Variant)] has been acquired£¾ £¼[Lightning Walk] has been acquired£¾ £¼[Dual Wielding] has been acquired£¾ Many abilities that could be called combat skills were also acquired. They were knight-class attack skills that could be learned even by non-professionals. At first, the movements were awkward, as if wearing clothes that didn¡¯t fit, but they gradually became smoother. ¡®Even so, I haven¡¯t been able to learn a profession skill that can be called the best of the knight class¡­¡­.¡¯ Even this much was a huge benefit. Because it was registered as a formal skill. £¼Efficiency increases due to skill registration£¾ £¼Current profession: None£¾ £¼Adjusts to non-profession£¾ £¼Required resources for using this skill are reduced, and the effect is amplified£¾ £¼Combination skills can be used£¾ There was no need to fight blindly as before. I was able to move my body efficiently, just like when I fought the Demon King in the past. ¡®If it¡¯s not registered as a skill, the power goes in as power, but the effect doesn¡¯t come out well.¡¯ I wanted to register other things as well. However, after a few days of training, I could tell. £¼Potential is saturated£¾ £¼No more new abilities can be learned£¾ £¼Expansion of potential is required£¾ I had already reached the limit of potential to learn skills. It seemed that I couldn¡¯t learn new abilities until I grew a little more. ¡®Well, I already have a unique-grade skill and a legendary skill, so it¡¯s rather fortunate that I learned this much.¡¯ The Knight King¡¯s £¼Succession£¾ helped a little. Thanks to the teachings of the [Knight King], the ultimate profession of a knight, I was able to learn a little more. Now all I needed was to level up. Fortunately, there was a place nearby that could help me right now. ¡®Before that, there¡¯s something I have to deal with.¡¯ After the training with the Knight King, knights gathered around Joo-yeon. ¡°Joo-yeon-nim¡­ aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s training was really great too. Thanks to Joo-yeon-nim, my muscles have become even stronger.¡± ¡°This time, let¡¯s train with me. The new techniques I¡¯ve mastered¡­¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m first!¡± ¡°What¡­! I¡¯ve been waiting for so long!¡± The knights pushed each other, desperate to somehow get a word in with Joo-eun. In fact, Joo-eun was one of the best rewards from this training. ¡®If I do a little more, they¡¯ll beg to serve me.¡¯ Of course, most of them were guys who didn¡¯t have a lord yet. ¡®But even the knights who have lords are sneaking glances over here.¡¯ Is it fortunate that they¡¯re interested? The Knight King also noticed the knights¡¯ gazes. So he spoke to Joo-eun quietly. ¡°You can take any of the guys who want it.¡± Oh my god. The Knight King, the one who could be called the king of knights, had given his permission. The bright eyes of the masterless knights grew even brighter. But Joo-eun replied calmly. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Yes, as expected¡­ What? Okay?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± The Knight King tilted his head. Gaining more knights to follow him was one of the things all the lords on this continent wanted. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was refusing. But Joo-eun¡¯s will was firm. ¡®I want it all.¡¯ If she was only going to get one or two, she wouldn¡¯t even start this kind of boring training. ¡®Knights like the strong anyway.¡¯ Once they think they¡¯ve found someone worthy of following, they¡¯ll just stick with them. As proof of this, even the knights of obedience looked a little different. ¡®If someone like that had been my lord¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have been swayed by the demons in the first place¡­¡¯ ¡®With someone like that, wouldn¡¯t the Former Duke have given them the £¼Succession£¾?¡¯ The way they were sneaking glances at Joo-eun was unusual. With just a little push, they could gather under her banner. ¡®The only problem is Aiden¡­¡¯ Aiden was the official successor to the Edmer family. He had even received a clear stamp of approval from the Knight King as the next Duke. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t want to lose his potential knights to his subordinates. But Aiden, of all people, showed an unexpected attitude. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°hahahahaha. As expected, I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± It was an unusually affectionate voice. He put his arm around Joo-eun¡¯s shoulder to emphasize how close they were. Soon, he whispered in Jooyeon¡¯s ear. ¡°Is there any knight you fancy? Then, take them with you. I permit you as the next Duke. My grandfather would have allowed it anyway.¡± Take the knights who would become part of his family? Were these two out of their minds? It wasn¡¯t strange for Jooyeon to think that way. ¡°Does it not matter if your knights swear allegiance to me?¡± ¡°My true knights have already sworn their oaths of allegiance. I do not care what happens to the others.¡± It was truly unexpected. Even though he had knights who followed him as the Duke, his reaction was so generous. ¡®Well, since they are knights of the Edmer family, it may be natural.¡¯ The knights of the Edmer family were a bit special. While ordinary knights belonged to a family and worked there, the Edmer family often attracted people who came to learn swordsmanship or train like diners. They were all attracted by the name of the previous Duke, who was called the Sword King. Now, Aiden was going to give them all up. They would be a great asset even if he kept them as diners. He would give them up. ¡®As expected of a great family. I raised one character well.¡¯ But Aiden¡¯s words weren¡¯t over yet. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll give you Sir Olson as well. It seems that he wants to follow you.¡± Jooyeon was surprised inwardly. ¡°Isn¡¯t he your closest knight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Sir Olson wants. I¡¯ll respect his wishes. He has wielded his sword for me for a long time, so I¡¯m willing to grant him that much.¡± He would even allow him to change the target of his £¼Obedience£¾ if he wanted. This guy was also a great person. No, in a way, Jooyeon was his savior. It might be natural for him to show this kind of attitude. ¡®At this point, he won¡¯t get mad even if I take a few more.¡¯ But strangely, Aiden didn¡¯t try to leave Jooyeon¡¯s side. ¡°Ahem. Do you need a companion? I¡¯m good enough to hold your hand¡­¡± Ah¡­ As expected, he was aiming for the position of the Hero¡¯s companion. It seemed that he had heard the rumors that the Hero became stronger when he was with companions, just like the previous Duke and his companions. ¡®It¡¯s true though.¡¯ It was hard to raise companions though. In the end, it was Jooyeon who raised them. If Aiden became his companion, he could raise him strong enough to be a Sword King. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not bad.¡¯ Aiden seemed to have a good personality, and it seemed okay for him to follow him. But he couldn¡¯t accept him as a companion. ¡®You have to support me as the Duke of Edmer.¡¯ To have the head of a famous family on the continent as his own man. That was more important to the main character. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just Aiden. He planned to plant his people in each country. How was that possible? ¡°The banquet preparations are complete.¡± ¡®They¡¯re here.¡¯ This place where the envoys of each country had gathered was the opportunity. They were all people with enough fame and notoriety to be able to enter Edmer dukedom. ¡®Of course, there will be those among them who have joined hands with the demons¡­.¡¯ He planned to make those who weren¡¯t on his side. Of course, the main character¡¯s real purpose was different. Exactly, Count Sanderson. ¡°Where is he now?¡± At the main character¡¯s words, a knight bowed his head politely and answered. He was one of the knights who had fallen for the main character through training so far. ¡°As per your orders, Lord, he is being made to suffer a bit at the entrance.¡± Count Sanderson was being intentionally kept out of the dukedom. He had been made to camp outside during the few days that the main character was training. ¡°There must have been some resistance?¡± ¡°How could he dare to defy Edmer dukedom as a mere count?¡± It was a joke, of course. No matter how great Edmer dukedom was, it was a family that valued honor. They did not treat other families recklessly. It was the same even if they were enemies. ¡®It¡¯s frustrating, but¡­ that¡¯s also the charm of the King of Knights.¡¯ Anyway, the important thing was this. ¡°All the other nobles are also waiting in line, so he can¡¯t dare to cut in line as a count.¡± It was a subtle laugh. ¡°Of course, it took some time because he brought the third young master with him¡­ but I carried out the order without a problem.¡± ¡°Third young master?¡± ¡°The third young master of the Edmer family.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± No wonder Count Sanderson was so late. ¡°He was someone who was recuperating in the countryside because of poor health. It seems he brought him along because he is the eldest son.¡± It seemed that it took time to bring him because he was stuck in a corner. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I am proceeding as you said, Lord. The former duke also agreed.¡± ¡°He must be very impatient by now.¡± ¡°Yes. By now, his face must have turned quite a sight.¡± His contact with that guy was almost cut off and he had to camp outside for several days? ¡®He must be boiling inside.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t for nothing that the banquet was held. It was all to welcome that guy. ¡°Now that the banquet is ready, let him in. Don¡¯t forget what I told you.¡± ¡°I will do as you say.¡± Okay, then let¡¯s go meet him. Joo-yeon smiled wickedly. So, who dares to touch me. It was time for revenge. Chapter 38 My Reflector Is Invincible 3838. You Die if You Pull it Out Count Sanderson had a haggard face. He hadn¡¯t slept properly for days, and he didn¡¯t even have time to wash, so he didn¡¯t look good. He gritted his teeth as he looked at the castle wall. ¡®To make Count Sanderson camp outside.¡¯ The line to enter the dukedom was too long. He couldn¡¯t even complain to anyone. The nobles who were queuing in front of him were all great. All of them were dukes or of similar rank. No matter how great he was, he couldn¡¯t push his way through the envoys representing each country. Besides, there was no point in causing unnecessary conflict. It could hinder his plan to take over the dukedom in the future. However, he had one thing he could rely on. It was the sickly boy next to him who kept coughing. ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay, young master?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡± It was the third son of the Edmer family. He was a sickly child who should have been in a sanatorium. It took too long to bring him from a distant land. But he didn¡¯t regret it. ¡®The Duke will soon make the third son his successor.¡¯ He planned to use this guy as an excuse to push his way in. However, the Duke didn¡¯t move even after hearing that the third son had arrived. Usually, he would have run out at once. He called someone just in case. ¡°Has the servant I sent to the Duke returned?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. It¡¯s been a long time since he should have been back.¡± The servant didn¡¯t return even after he sent someone. When he asked the guards, they just said that they were busy because of the banquet. ¡®Is he hiding behind Aiden¡¯s assassination attempt?¡¯ That was why the Count couldn¡¯t contact the information organization or the traitors of the Duke¡¯s family. If he reached out for nothing and was suspected of being behind the assassination, it would be problematic. But several days had already passed. ¡®No matter what, this is too much. He can¡¯t just leave the successor out in the open like this.¡¯ The third son of the Edmer family was feeling extreme fatigue from the long camping. If he were to die in vain, only the Count would be troubled. So he couldn¡¯t endure it any longer. Count Sanderson pushed through the wall of nobles blocking his way. ¡°I will pass.¡± ¡°No! What is this man doing right now¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that the Duke is right here!¡± At first, the nobles were angry. But they soon had no choice but to swallow their anger. ¡°Your Highness! This way!¡± ¡°I¡­¡­ I can¡¯t believe that¡¯s the Third Prince!?¡± Count Sanderson had put Edmer¡¯s third son, Allison, in front. No matter how high-ranking the nobles were, they couldn¡¯t block the direct line of the Edmer Dukedom from entering first. Until now, the Count had endured, watching the nobles¡¯ reactions, but the legitimacy was on their side to begin with. Then the knights guarding the door blocked the two. ¡°Wait in line.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see who this is?¡± Count Sanderson pointed to Allison, who was next to him. Then Allison revealed his sickly face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Sir Jonathan.¡± ¡°Prince Allison? You¡¯re supposed to be at the vacation home, so how did you get here¡­¡­.¡± The knights looked bewildered. It was no wonder since they had blocked the path of the direct successor. Count Sanderson forced the knights aside with a faint smile. ¡°Why is there a reason needed for the Third Prince to return home? Get out of the way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you going to move?¡± The Count tried to push the knights and go inside. However, their rock-solid shoulders didn¡¯t let him pass. ¡°The Edmer family doesn¡¯t resort to such petty thievery.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same even if it¡¯s the Third Prince. The others are waiting, so please wait your turn.¡± ¡°Wh¡­¡­ What is this!¡± Count Sanderson shouted before he realized it. Aiden was dead, and the third son was the closest to the position of Duke. How dare they treat such a successor so lightly. Their eyes seemed to ask if he was in his right mind. ¡°Do you think His Majesty would forgive you if he knew of this! He is the prince he cherishes the most!¡± ¡°Even so, it cannot be helped.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Have these people gone mad? However, the knight¡¯s attitude did not change. Instead, it became even more resolute. ¡°The late Grand Duke had ordered that no one should be exempt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°The times call for it, and the prince will understand.¡± It was an order from none other than the Knight King. Count Sanderson genuinely could not understand this situation. However, the reactions of those around him were different. They were people who had always harbored ill feelings toward Sanderson, who had always ignored the other nobles. ¡°My, as expected of the Edmer family. They are strict, even with their children.¡± ¡°But who on earth is that man, trying to play the hero? Tsk, tsk.¡± This is¡­ damn it. The atmosphere was not good. At this rate, Count Sanderson¡¯s name could be openly discussed. There was only one other way. ¡°Then at least tell the Grand Duke that we are here¡­¡± ¡°He is busy.¡± ¡°Look here. I am Count Sanderson. I have dined with the Grand Duke and even shared a bath¡­¡± ¡°Those are the orders of the late Grand Duke, the Grand Duke¡¯s father. Fall in line, or turn around.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Count Sanderson turned around with a grumbling face. He was bewildered, but he did not waver. ¡®What on earth makes you so arrogant? Just you wait and see.¡¯ However, a problem arose. From Noble mtl dot com He could not get through to the Grand Duke, whom he had trusted. He had also lost contact with the spies he had planted. ¡®Even the servants who have been taking my money are nowhere to be seen.¡¯ Count Sanderson felt a sense of unease and foreboding. It was as if someone was targeting him. ¡®Nothing is going my way.¡¯ In the first place, why did the [Knight King] suddenly appear and start pushing me around? And who could not guess that the reason he was making me wait like this was to hide the internal affairs that had been shattered because of the Demonkin? Irritation filled him to the brim. ¡®Once I get inside, it will all be over.¡¯ Days passed in such anger. Somehow, I was able to pass through the gates of the dukedom and arrive at the ducal castle. However, it wasn¡¯t the duke who awaited him. ¡°The former duke has entered! Show respect, everyone!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± On the second-floor staircase, where everyone was looking, the knight king appeared. The count was surprised by the unexpectedly intact interior. No, rather than intact, it was magnificent. The nobles who were planning to wipe out the Edmer family due to the demon invasion were all surprised. Duke Edmer was nowhere to be seen. But that wasn¡¯t the strangest thing. ¡®Who is that guy¡­¡­?¡¯ The problem was the man in luxurious clothing next to the knight king. People were also buzzing. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be from the Edmer family¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What is he doing, a non-grandson of the duke acting like a successor by his side?¡± ¡°Is he a noble?¡± ¡°A hidden child?¡± However, Count Sanderson narrowed his brow. A noble? No. I¡¯m seeing him for the first time, but his face looks familiar somehow¡­¡­. Then it hit me. ¡®That guy is¡­!¡¯ The slave from the labor camp who had insulted the count through the magic crystal! I don¡¯t know what tricks he used, but how is a mere slave next to the knight king? At that moment, the count¡¯s face, which had been flustered, brightened. Wasn¡¯t he the one who had been looking for the slave who had made him lose his temper? S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®This is a chance. A chance to get my hands on the former duke, not the duke!¡¯ Surely the former duke doesn¡¯t know that guy¡¯s true identity and brought him with him. The corners of Count Sanderson¡¯s lips rose. * * * As the banquet began, everyone¡¯s gazes turned to the main character. ¡°Who exactly is that person?¡± ¡°Is he perhaps the knight king¡¯s hidden child?¡± ¡°Or maybe his disciple?¡± They watched each other¡¯s expressions, eager to speak first. If only the knight king wasn¡¯t there, they would have already rushed forward. That guy over there is the same. ¡®We finally meet, Count Sanderson.¡¯ His gaze had noticed my identity a long time ago. He was watching for a chance to attack at any moment. His gaze turned as cold as ice as he looked at the count. ¡®The time has come for me to avenge my personal grudge.¡¯ He had harbored hope for the third prince standing beside him, but it was useless to bring him along. The duke who would support the third prince had been imprisoned for a long time, and even Aiden, whom he thought was dead, had survived. Moreover, the Saintess was with the protagonist. Whispers were already circulating in the banquet hall. ¡°Weren¡¯t there rumors that the Demon King¡¯s curse was about to take effect?¡± ¡°Unlike the rumors, he seems to be perfectly fine. I would have been in great trouble if I hadn¡¯t checked for myself.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no way the greatest warrior on the continent would lose to that demon.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not called the strongest shield for nothing. He¡¯s like the guardian deity of the north.¡± News of the Saintess¡¯s well-being spread quickly. They had managed to control the rumors about Duke Edmer as much as possible. It was only a matter of time before the dukedom¡¯s reputation would spread again. ¡®You may have thought of devouring the dukedom, but things didn¡¯t go your way.¡¯ As proof of this, the reactions of the high-ranking nobles were unusual. ¡°Is that the hero?¡± ¡°Our country told us to contact him by any means necessary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for us. We were ordered to befriend him no matter what.¡± Such attention from the very beginning. Originally, something like this would only be possible for the Balentino Saga in the latter half, after they had built up their reputation. This change was also possible because this was reality. ¡®Well, it was different from the start.¡¯ Hadn¡¯t he deliberately changed the situation to his advantage? From now on, the protagonist¡¯s task was simple. ¡®Heighten their¾¯½äÐÄ against the demons and make them promise their full support for me.¡¯ That would truly shake the political landscape of the continent. As a result, he would be able to obtain things that he would never have been able to obtain otherwise. So the protagonist smiled at everyone. ¡°Yes, I am [that] person.¡± He made a graceful hand gesture as well. It seemed like a simple greeting, but it was a greeting that strictly followed noble etiquette. It wasn¡¯t a skill he had. ¡®With all the years I¡¯ve spent playing games, can¡¯t I even imitate this?¡¯ Honestly, he didn¡¯t even need special training. After finishing his training with the Saintess, his potential had increased enough. This world seemed to recognize that as well. £¼[Noble Etiquette] has been acquired£¾ £¼[Dignity] has been acquired£¾ He had acquired new abilities. It wasn¡¯t difficult for the current protagonist to obtain these abilities. And thanks to the slightly more graceful movements he showed, the eyes of the nobles around him also changed. ¡°This hero is different from birth.¡± ¡°Indeed, every action overflows with grace. It¡¯s no wonder the former Duke brought him here.¡± Everyone looked surprised. Heroes have always come from among the lowly commoners. Unlike the heroes of humble origins, Joo-Youn was too natural. At that moment, several nobles who did not miss the opportunity approached Joo-Youn cautiously. ¡°I would like to talk to you for a moment.¡± ¡°I have a message from my country that I must deliver to the hero.¡± They secretly handed him letters. There were also those who handed over what appeared to be bribes. Joo-Youn accepted what they gave him, chuckling. ¡®There¡¯s no harm in receiving it. This level of bribe is like a greeting to them.¡¯ Joo-Youn never hurried. He met the envoys of each faction one by one. From the soldiers of the desert to the immigrants of the sea. From the magicians of the Magic Tower to the priests of the temple. But something was strange. ¡®The elves of the Sky Island have not come?¡¯ One of the former hero¡¯s companions. Only the Sky Island, where the Elf Grand Duke belongs, did not send an envoy. It was strange, but he just let it go. ¡®Originally, the early stages have never been this smooth. It¡¯s not the elves that are important now.¡¯ The knights next to Joo-Youn were the problem. ¡°Do not approach.¡± ¡°Keep your place.¡± They were repelling the envoys who were approaching Joo-Youn under the pretense of maintaining order. They were so thorough as if they would not let him be taken away. It was as if they were advertising that Joo-Youn belonged to the Edmer family. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®I¡¯ve met everyone I need to meet.¡¯ He had made separate appointments with the important envoys of each faction. Wasn¡¯t there a bigger reason why he created this place in the first place? ¡®Count Sanderson. It¡¯s your turn.¡¯ Joo-Youn took a step toward Count Sanderson. Then, as if he had been waiting, the guy headed toward Joo-Youn. Eyes as if he knew his true identity. ¡®A cheeky slave. I don¡¯t know what tricks you played on the former Duke, but I¡¯ll reveal your true identity.¡¯ That gaze was felt clearly. However, Joo-Youn did not stop in front of him. ¡°Are you the third son of the Edmer family?¡± Erissen, who was next to the Count, was taken aback. He looked at Joo-in with caution. He couldn¡¯t help it. He had just returned home after a long time, and there was a guy he didn¡¯t know next to his grandfather. ¡°I¡¯m Erissen, but who are you¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong line. That line is a rotten rope.¡± ¡°Ye¡­ Yes?¡± ¡°Are you just plain stupid, or is your greed so great that it¡¯s beyond imagination?¡± Erissen was so bewildered that he missed the timing to respond. Of course, as a blood relative of Duke Edmer, he would never have received such treatment. But no one present failed to understand Joo-in¡¯s words. Especially Count Sanderson. ¡°What did this slave just say? A rotten rope?¡± Not only had he ignored him, but he had also publicly insulted Erissen, his benefactor, right in front of him. ¡°A low-born man eventually shows his true colors.¡± Count Sanderson shouted at the escort knight behind him. ¡°What are you doing! Are you just going to stand there while your master is being insulted!¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord.¡± The count¡¯s escort knight quickly drew his sword. Clang! And he tried to point the sword at Joo-in. But he couldn¡¯t extend his sword. ¡°You¡¯ll die if you draw that sword.¡± Joo-in said with a smile, and as soon as he spoke. Clang, clang, clang! In an instant, swords were pointed at the necks of not only the escort knight but also Count Sanderson. Sanderson¡¯s face turned pale. Chapter 39 My Reflector Is Invincible 3939. What will you do? Joo-in had been on good terms with the knights all this time. Most of the knights had reached out to him first. ¡®They approached me on their own before I could even pretend to be friendly.¡¯ It was thanks to his training and achievements with the Sword King. They visited him every day, asking to spar with him. Some knights even volunteered to be his personal escorts just to get a little closer to him. That Joo-in had just been insulted as a slave by a mere count. And not just any count, but Count Sanderson, who seemed to be after his family. The knights of the Edmer family could no longer stand it. Clang! Their swords surrounded Count Sanderson and his knights, ready to cut their throats at any moment. ¡®If you move, you die.¡¯ Count Sanderson, who had read the murderous intent correctly, gritted his teeth. ¡°What is the meaning of this? I am Count Sanderson. Of the North¡­ No, before that, do you not know how much support money I gave to the Edmer family¡¯s knights? The Duke of Edmer¡¯s family does not know grace¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! How dare you be rude to the late Duke¡¯s guest.¡± ¡°Absolutely unforgivable!¡± Murderous intent overflowed from the knights¡¯ eyes. Of course, they were knights who knew the identity of the protagonist. However, that did not matter much. ¡®He is not just a mere slave. He is a great man that even the late Duke would acknowledge.¡¯ ¡®Not only did he ignore Lord Protagonist, but he dared to draw his sword in front of the late Duke without permission.¡¯ The knights¡¯ anger was justified. However, they were not the only ones who were angry. No matter how angry they were, it was nothing compared to this man. ¡°Get down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At that murmured voice, the hearts of those in the banquet hall sank. Thud! A tremendous murderous intent erupted from the Sword King. Overwhelmed by the murderous intent, the entire banquet hall shook as if an earthquake had struck. Count Sanderson could not lift his head, as if his head was being crushed. ¡°In front of me¡­ how dare you draw your sword at my guest.¡± It was no different from ignoring the name of the Sword King. Soon, his sword was slowly drawn from its scabbard. From Noble mtl dot com His overwhelming presence, which could not be compared to murderous intent, made it impossible to even breathe. However, the Sword King did not swing his sword right away. ¡°It is extremely contemptible, but you are also my guests. So, I will punish that recklessness with one of your knight¡¯s arms.¡± No matter how much of a Sword King he was, he could not arbitrarily cut off the arm of a noble appointed by the king. However, the arm of a single knight would be enough as an example. Just as the Sword King¡¯s sword was about to cut off the knight¡¯s arm. ¡°Please wait a moment, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The protagonist blocked the Sword King¡¯s sword. The sword, which seemed like it would fall at any moment, stopped in mid-air. ¡°Why are you stopping me? Wasn¡¯t that bastard insulting you, and even threatening your life?¡± What do you mean by life? People were buzzing, but the protagonist smiled faintly. ¡°What crime can a knight have for following his lord¡¯s orders? If there is a crime, it is only that he followed a foolish master.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Count Sanderson¡¯s eyes widened at the humiliating words. He wanted to shout out of anger right away, but the changed atmosphere around him came first. The other nobles were in an uproar. ¡°That¡­ imbecile.¡± ¡°To dare speak to the one who accompanied the late Duke no less¡­¡± ¡°And they even call him the hero of the age. To such a person¡­¡± ¡°That man, the fox of the north? Who on earth came up with that nickname¡­¡± The nobles of the north, and indeed all the nobles of the continent, had cold gazes. Most of them looked at Count Sanderson with pity. The count shouted at the Knight King. ¡°Do you know what kind of past that man with you has?¡± He intended to say that Joo-in was a heinous criminal and terrorist who had killed the warden of a slave camp. That he was no hero. At that, the Knight King¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°The past, you say. Ah, do you perchance wish to hear the tale of how he saved my successor? Or perhaps of how the one who sought to succeed me was the owner of an illegally operated slave camp?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± This wretch, could it be that he knew everything? That he had targeted Aiden, and that he had illegally operated a slave camp? No, that couldn¡¯t be¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve looked at the ledgers well. You¡¯ve done your research.¡± Damn it. Joo-in smiled at Count Sanderson¡¯s distorted face. ¡®Yes, I knew you would turn out like this.¡¯ No matter how cunning a bastard is, if his nature is fundamentally dirty, he¡¯ll show his true colors. He had scraped at that wound ever since the slave camp. He knew that if he scraped at it again here, in front of everyone, he would surely come out. ¡®Even a weakling like you won¡¯t be able to escape here.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t weak enough to end with this. He hadn¡¯t asked the Knight King to leave Sanderson to him for nothing. Joo-in deliberately spoke as if to dissuade the Knight King. ¡°And would it not be a shame to stain such an auspicious day with blood?¡± ¡°Auspicious?¡± The Knight King tilted his head. The other nobles tilted their heads as well. ¡°Are you referring to the birth of the hero? There is nothing else of note, is there?¡± ¡°Is there another auspicious occasion that we do not know of?¡± They had gathered here in the first place to witness the well-being of the Knight King and the Edmer dukedom. At the same time, it was to confirm the birth of the hero. The invitation hadn¡¯t mentioned anything else, had it? But Joo-in smiled. ¡°Could you please focus on me for a moment?¡± Was it because a storm of blood had nearly erupted in the banquet hall? Unbeknownst to them, the nobles were all turning to the protagonist. ¡®Good. I have their attention now.¡¯ In fact, what came next was crucial if he wanted to clear the achievement by surviving. Besides, there was something the protagonist had been thinking about all this time. How could he quickly stop the Demon Lord¡¯s rampage? How could he instill a sense of crisis within the continent¡¯s inhabitants? It was time to put that method into action. ¡°I would like to take this opportunity to ask a favor of everyone gathered here.¡± A method that would only work at this moment. ¡°Please open the Forbidden Zone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened at the protagonist¡¯s words. This was because the Forbidden Zone he spoke of was none other than¡­ The Forbidden Zone of the North. It was the place where the Demon Lord and Hero that the Demon Lord served had met their end. A land cursed by the miasma that had flowed from the Demon Lord¡¯s corpse. A place where even the previous Duke, known as the Great Knight King, could not approach due to the potent miasma. It was also the place where the Demon Lord, who could not be completely eradicated, had merely been sealed away. The nobles¡¯ uproar grew louder. ¡°You want us to open that Forbidden Zone?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Opening that place would be madness.¡± The Forbidden Zone was that dangerous. No wonder the remains of the Hero who had defeated the Demon Lord were still there. They hadn¡¯t even been able to give him a proper funeral. The miasma emanating from the Demon Lord¡¯s remains was so potent that simply approaching it meant certain death. That was why it had been sealed off to prevent anyone from going there carelessly. One of the nobles who knew this spoke up cautiously. ¡°To officially open that place, you need not only the permission of the Edmer dukedom, but also the royal family¡¯s approval. Of course, the temple would also have to¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, there is a prince here from the royal family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± It wasn¡¯t just the royal family that had come. Someone from the temple had also appeared. ¡°Third Prince? And Bishop? What do you think?¡± ¡°Er¡­ Well, you see¡­¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Both of them seemed reluctant to open the Forbidden Zone. However, this was a request from a man who might be the Hero of this era. And they had received orders from above to do as he asked. ¡®Give him whatever he wants as much as possible, but make sure he¡¯s on our side.¡¯ They couldn¡¯t refuse. Besides, there was also the precedent of Count Sanderson. ¡®We shouldn¡¯t make the late Duke mad for no reason.¡¯ ¡®I thought he was weak¡­ He¡¯s gotten stronger. We must never make him our enemy.¡¯ The other envoys thought similarly. Thanks to that, the other conditions needed to lift the seal were not necessary. ¡°The desert kingdom also permits it.¡± ¡°The great tribe of the plains also permits it.¡± ¡°The children of the earth also agree.¡± ¡°The sea¡¯s¡­¡± Exactly nine out of nine forces agreed. Most of the envoys here were those entrusted with authority from the leaders of each force. With their permission, there was justification for lifting the seal. Not just a majority, but with the exception of the fairies of the sky island who did not attend the banquet, they had the consent of everyone. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®This should be enough to prevent anyone from complaining later.¡¯ It was possible because everyone was desperate to become acquainted with the hero of the age. ¡®Now, we can enter.¡¯ However, the envoys¡¯ expressions were not bright. To be honest, they did not want to permit the lifting of the seal. They agreed because the hero Joo-yeon wanted it. ¡°Why on earth do you want to go there?¡± ¡°There is nothing but death there.¡± ¡°Even the hero¡¯s companions left his remains as they were.¡± That was how dangerous it was. ¡°The devil¡¯s¡­ no, the Demon King¡¯s weapon could spread across the continent. Do we really need to risk that?¡± ¡°Could it be a trap? Are you trying to lure the demons and destroy them all at once, using the lifting of the seal as bait?¡± They said that, but their expressions were doubtful. That place was dangerous, but on the other hand, it was a land full of things that could make money. Count Sanderson also looked at Joo-yeon. ¡®I can see right through that slave. Everyone would hate that in the first place.¡¯ This was Joo-yeon¡¯s self-inflicted wound. No matter what he said, his image wouldn¡¯t improve. However, Joo-yeon said something unexpected. ¡°How long can we leave it like that?¡± At that, the Knight King¡¯s eyes shook violently. He knew exactly what Joo-yeon wanted to say. ¡°Surely the reason you want to lift the seal is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The remains of your close friend, the hero. Isn¡¯t it time to let him rest?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Hero and the Paladin King were exceptionally close. They even boasted of their friendship by sticking together throughout the game. Then, he would be the one who would want to retrieve the Hero¡¯s remains more than anyone else. That was the reason why he had spoken in front of the people. ¡®I can hear the sound of the Paladin King¡¯s favorability rising.¡¯ He could tell even without checking the system window. Even the Death Knights praised the protagonist¡¯s will to take care of even the Hero of the past. ¡°If that is the case, then we should help.¡± ¡°How can we help?¡± The gazes that had been looking at him with displeasure changed. The protagonist smiled. With this one conversation, the protagonist was able to exert a huge influence not only on the Paladin King but also on each of the Death Knights. Of course, that was not all he would gain. ¡®That thing is there.¡¯ £¼Holy Sword£¾ A sword that only he could use along with the Hero¡¯s remains. It was the item that the Demonkin feared the most in the world. ¡®The Paladin King has the key to get to that place.¡¯ That¡¯s why the Demonkin bastard joined hands with the Duke, to take away the key to get there and take the Holy Sword from the inside. Of course, it was absolutely impossible to obtain this Holy Sword from the beginning. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯ll use a fake.¡¯ By now, the temple would have kept a replica of the Holy Sword. It was a fairly capable sword, but it was considerably inferior to the original made by God. ¡®I have to gather my companions at the very end and go to the Forbidden Zone to get the real Holy Sword¡­¡­.¡¯ That too was incredibly hard. By that time, the Demonkin would have fully risen and would be sweeping across the continent. Naturally, the seal of the Forbidden Zone would also be easily broken. ¡®And those bastards will use the Demon King¡¯s flesh.¡¯ If we don¡¯t stop them in time, there will be a terrible incident where two Demon Kings are born. The past Demon King who has been revived and the new Demon King. It was naturally a difficult task to face two guys called Demon Gods at once. Many of the party members had died, and it was so difficult that it was fortunate if only one person survived. ¡®I won¡¯t let that happen this time.¡¯ Now that his life was at stake, he had to be more careful. Above all, if his guess was correct¡­ this was also a chance to gain new power. So he turned to the last person. The Paladin King. The permission of the Northern Wall family, who were guarding the Forbidden Zone, was needed. If it were any other bastard, he would have gone in without anyone knowing and laid his hands on the Holy Sword. However, the protagonist was different. So he asked the Paladin King politely. ¡°Will you open the Forbidden Ground?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Of course, there was no way the Knight King would refuse this offer. He would have wanted to properly see off his best friend¡¯s end. However, it would be disappointing to just end it like this. ¡°Oh, right. In order to open the Forbidden Ground, I¡¯ll need an observer. May I appoint that person myself?¡± What? He was going to appoint the observer himself? Joo-Yeon smiled at those who were flustered. ¡°It seems like I would need someone who could speak about me in a cold-hearted manner, don¡¯t you think?¡± Joo-Yeon pointed at Count Sanderson with her eyes. Count Sanderson raised his voice as if flustered. ¡°W¡­¡­ Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Why would I go there!¡± The Forbidden Ground was a dangerous place where you could die if you made a single mistake. Count Sanderson threw a tantrum as if to say that there was no way he could go. However, it was useless. ¡°Choose. Will you become the observer? Or will you pay the price for the disrespect you showed to the former Duke just now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Count Sanderson¡¯s eyes shook greatly. From Noble mtl dot com Joo-Yeon, who was looking at him like that, smiled as if he couldn¡¯t escape. Observer? Are you kidding me? In fact, nothing was more precious than the Count¡¯s own life. However, Joo-Yeon was a warrior. ¡®Besides, I¡¯ve already declared my intention to collect the remains of the previous warriors.¡¯ If he were to pay the price for his disrespect here, he would have to cut off at least one of the Count¡¯s knight¡¯s arms. What do you mean by that? ¡®You¡¯re bragging that you cherish your own life more than your knight.¡¯ If that happened, Count Sanderson¡¯s honor would fall to the ground. No knight would follow his banner. ¡®It would be better to go to the dangerous Forbidden Ground. At least there¡¯s a chance of survival there.¡¯ No matter how much money he had, it was useless. If the rumor spread that he had abandoned his knight like a pair of old shoes, no knight would stand under his banner. Then, the Sanderson Dukedom would easily collapse, not to mention the ordinary Viscount. No soldiers would be able to win against knights. ¡®You know better than anyone what will happen inside the Forbidden Ground.¡¯ As proof of that, Count Sanderson¡¯s fists were trembling. So, Joo-Yeon smiled broadly. ¡°What will you do?¡± Even without saying it, the answer was clear. ¡°Then, I will head to the Forbidden Ground tomorrow.¡± Frozen Earl Sanderson¡¯s face was a sight to behold. Joo-Heon laughed. Chapter 40 My Reflector Is Invincible 4040. A Trivial Matter And that was how the banquet ended. Joo-Heon had to avoid people trying to talk to him. The nobles¡¯ determination to somehow establish a connection with him was beyond his expectations. Of course, the nobles weren¡¯t the only ones approaching him. ¡°To think that I would recover the Hero¡¯s remains. I had not yet considered doing so.¡± The Monarch of Knights¡¯ eyes sparkled as he looked at Joo-Heon. His gaze held more than just simple favor; it was filled with £¼affection£¾. It was natural. ¡®After all, to the Monarch of Knights, the Hero is an important figure.¡¯ It was the same for Joo-Heon. Whenever he played the game, while all the other party members would change, the Hero was the only one who never did. Just like the Monarch of Knights, the Hero was Joo-Heon¡¯s precious comrade. ¡°Someone had to do it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± And so, the two of them hit it off. Only Earl Sanderson looked as though he were about to die. ¡®Let¡¯s see.¡¯ He didn¡¯t even need to ask to know what Sanderson was thinking. But Joo-Heon wasn¡¯t afraid of him. ¡®I know exactly what he¡¯s going to do now.¡¯ There was only one night left until the next day. One could wonder what would happen during that time. However, after the banquet ended, he ended up having a surprisingly busy time. Knock, knock. A maid knocked and entered. On her tray was a steaming cup of tea. ¡°Mr. Joo-Heon, the tea you ordered.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Joo-Heon took a sip of the tea. And then, the maid collapsed on the spot. Thud. Her face was turning blue. She looked as if she had been poisoned. £¼[Deadly Poison] has been reflected.£¾ Joo-Heon calmly drank his tea with a familiar face. Of course, his voice was cold. ¡°Take care of it.¡± The knights who had been waiting for his command came out and disposed of the maid¡¯s body. At first, I was surprised, but now it seemed very natural. ¡®This maid was also an assassin.¡¯ ¡®How many is this since the banquet ended?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s already over ten.¡¯ And that was just the ten that the knights had taken care of. There were more who had died or been captured. I could tell just by the command the Lord had just given. ¡°What happened to the others?¡± ¡°As you commanded, my Lord, we have arrested all those who suddenly collapsed in the Duke¡¯s Castle.¡± ¡°Their condition?¡± ¡°They are all showing symptoms of poisoning.¡± They were in a state where it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they died right away. It wasn¡¯t strange. £¼[Sleep Poison] reflected£¾ £¼[Scorpion Poison] reflected£¾ £¼[Paralysis Poison] reflected£¾ All of them had been hit by Joo-Heon¡¯s £¼Reflect£¾. ¡®The one who gave the poison. The one who received it. Even the one who spread it, they¡¯re all targets of £¼Reflect£¾.¡¯ I knew it ever since I reflected the Fire Arrow¡¯s £¼Burn£¾. That he could £¼Reflect£¾ it onto enemies within his range. ¡®The range needs to be wider, but I can cover at least the Duke¡¯s Castle like this.¡¯ Currently, all the vassals were gathered in the Duke¡¯s Castle. Gulp. Every time Joo-Heon poured himself a new cup and ate the snacks next to him. Someone continued to collapse somewhere in the Duke¡¯s Castle. Thud. The knights who were patrolling the castle took the initiative to drag the collapsed people to prison. They didn¡¯t even bother to treat them. That was because they knew very well that those who had collapsed were traitors. Joo-Heon continued to drink tea. ¡®I¡¯m so full I could die.¡¯ If only the feeling of fullness from eating could also be £¼Reflected£¾. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work that way. ¡®Well, maybe I can improve that later if I strengthen £¼Reflect£¾.¡¯ But anyway, as expected of Viscount Sanderson. Sending assassins as soon as he realized things were going against him. ¡®He must be trying to kill me somehow.¡¯ If I don¡¯t kill the lead tonight, the ban will be lifted. In that case, I would have to enter a place where I might die. For the Count, it was only natural that he would be worried. However, as the lead, it was rather good for me. ¡®Thanks to that, I guess I killed all the assassins that guy could use.¡¯ Not only the assassins, but most of the gangsters that the wizard, Bayner, didn¡¯t know about were also dead. There were really a lot of them, by the way. There was a poison that could melt your opponent in one sip, but there was also a sleeping pill that would put you to sleep forever, as if you were falling asleep. It wasn¡¯t just poison, either. Gulp. The tea ran down my throat. Then my heart started beating irregularly. It was a symptom that I knew well. ¡®Is it some kind of stimulant that makes your blood circulate faster?¡¯ In this world, it was used as an aphrodisiac. It was a luxury item and a medicine that all nobles had. However, my eyes were cold. ¡®This time, it¡¯s quite a high-ranking guy.¡¯ That would make sense. After all, it¡¯s not a medicine, but not a medicine. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If a healthy person takes it, it¡¯s a good aphrodisiac, but if someone like me, who trains every day, takes it, it¡¯s a dangerous poison that can make your heart explode. ¡®Medicine and poison are only a hair¡¯s breadth apart. Poison can become medicine, and medicine can become poison.¡¯ This time, it was a case of using medicine as poison. Since the poisons didn¡¯t work on me, it seemed like they had changed their methods. However, I didn¡¯t use . ¡®If it¡¯s a guy who uses medicine instead of poison¡­ ¡­ it¡¯s definitely not the end here.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the kind of medicine that could kill me now. Unlike , an achievement skill. I used the achievement skill that I seemed to be using more often than these days. Ç¿»¯ No matter how much my heart pounded as if it was going to burst from the effects of the stimulant, it didn¡¯t matter. My body was strengthened, and at the same time, my internal organs were activated. Thump-thump. My heart, which had become as hard as possible, perfectly absorbed the effects of the stimulant. Far from bursting, it made it even stronger. [Physical potential is increasing] [Agility potential is increasing] [Strength potential is increasing] It was faster than receiving knowledge through training. ¡®As expected, there¡¯s no better training than a real-life battle where you risk your life.¡¯ But it¡¯s inconvenient to be this unscathed. Joo-yeon grabbed her chest with her hand and staggered before collapsing. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­¡± She pretended to be hurt and started acting. Then the knights rushed over anxiously. ¡°Lady Joo-yeon! What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± ¡°Why is a person who is immune to poison like this!¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s lips trembled blue. ¡°M¡­ My chest¡­¡± ¡°Lady Joo-yeon is in danger! Hurry and call the priest¡­ the healer!¡± The knights rushed outside anxiously. Soon after, the healers from the Duke¡¯s family rushed in. ¡°Where is the patient!¡± ¡°What is her current condition!¡± They hurriedly tried to check Joo-yeon¡¯s consciousness. The knights had no choice but to briefly stop their escort due to the sudden situation. That¡¯s when it happened. Swish. Assassins emerged from among the healers. They were not here to save Joo-yeon. ¡°Die!¡± They were assassins sent by Count Sanderson. They came to kill her themselves in case the poison didn¡¯t work. It was an ambush to make sure she was dead. But it was useless. Thud! Thud! The sharp daggers aimed for Joo-yeon¡¯s vital points. ¡°Keu¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°W¡­ Why!¡± It was the assassins who ended up dying. Precisely £¼Reflex£¾. The assassins who were bleeding from their vital points died right on the spot. Buzz! The stimulant that made her heart beat faster actually helped Joo-yeon. ¡®The higher your cardiopulmonary fitness, the higher your stamina. You fools.¡¯ They came looking for her when her reflexes were at their strongest. Who would send someone like this? She ordered the confused knights. ¡°Check their faces.¡± ¡°This is¡­ human skin masks? They¡¯re all fake!¡± I wondered why the healers came so quickly. It was as if they had been waiting. ¡®And a face-changing mask? That¡¯s a pretty expensive item.¡¯ £¼Face-Changing Mask£¾ ¨C A fake face made from human skin. ¨C Can make you look like a different person. £¼Usage Restrictions: Must have the £¼Disguise£¾ skill in the back alley or dark profession.£¾ It was definitely not something a petty assassin would have. One of the former hero¡¯s colleagues. [Death] An item that only someone like the so-called god of assassins could create. From Noble mtl dot com No, only the world¡¯s strongest assassin guild that Death belonged to could make it. ¡®Could it be¡­ did Count Sanderson join hands with the assassin guild?¡¯ Joo-in knew Count Sanderson very well. He was called the fox of the north, but he was actually closer to a snake. ¡®That¡¯s what makes him scary. He doesn¡¯t care about his methods to achieve his goals.¡¯ So he mobilized the assassin guild in that short amount of time. Not only ordinary attendants, but also lower-ranking slaves, knights, and even nobles and vassals. He was mobilizing everyone he could get his hands on. Normally, it would be difficult to find them, and it would be impossible to find the real traitor¡­ Bang! Joo-in¡¯s door opened and Knight Olson entered. ¡°I just received a report that the finance manager collapsed. He suddenly clutched his chest and stopped breathing.¡± Bingo! He had £¼Reflection£¾. He didn¡¯t have to go through the hassle of searching for them one by one like before. Furthermore, the finance manager was one of the three most powerful people in the dukedom. He was currently the highest-ranking person in the dukedom. Just then, Aiden, who was preparing to become the official duke, arrived. ¡°Joo-in, you must have heard? Could it be¡­ was the finance manager also working with the count?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he collapsed, right?¡± ¡°So¡­ you did something.¡± Aiden¡¯s expression hardened. To think that the finance manager, a member of his core staff, was a traitor. However, there were still many traitors left. ¡®Many of them don¡¯t even know they¡¯re traitors.¡¯ They might have just thought they were receiving money for a favor. But that was a trap. They would end up giving their loyalty and information without realizing it. That was one of Count Sanderson¡¯s tricks. Did it mean that the Edmer family was in such a bad state to have fallen for this? What is the King of the North doing? Joo-yeon understood what the Edmer family had gone through. ¡®The greatest family in the North. Their reputation as a prestigious family known throughout the continent must have blinded them.¡¯ Their opponent wasn¡¯t even a duke or a marquis, but a mere count. No matter how much money they had, they could never have imagined that someone would dare to touch them. Since the other side had shown goodwill and backed down, they must have misunderstood even more. Joo-yeon said to Aiden with a stern face. ¡°It was a mistake once. But repeating the same mistake¡­ is your incompetence, Aiden, and the Edmer family¡¯s.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then hurry up and take care of the rest of them.¡± He planned to take care of everything before tomorrow morning. So he needed something. ¡°Oh, right. Wasn¡¯t there something the King of Knights told you to give me?¡± ¡°Ah! That?¡± Aiden hurriedly fumbled through his pockets and took something out. It was a small golden shield-shaped object. It was a token that allowed entry into the Edmer family¡¯s forbidden zone. It was something that could only be obtained from the King of Knights and the Duke. However, Aiden, like other nobles, seemed to not understand. ¡°Why are you going there at a time like this?¡± ¡°Well, the hero¡¯s remains¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me. I know you¡¯re not the kind of person who gets caught up in emotions. What¡¯s the real reason?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes widened at his gaze, then he soon smiled. ¡°The real reason¡­¡± Honestly, there were many reasons. ¡®The hero¡¯s remains, but the fact that I can get my hands on the holy sword is huge.¡¯ The fact that it was a place where he could send Count Sanderson to hell couldn¡¯t be ignored. Moreover, he could kill the demons that would come after him. ¡®The biggest reason is that I can let others know.¡¯ That Joo-yeon himself is the hero of this era. Of course, Joo-yeon is not a hero. Originally, he would have had to find a hero or find a suitable companion. However, he couldn¡¯t achieve his final achievement that way. He had to take the title of hero to solve it within three years. ¡®That way, I can solve things.¡¯ As far as he knew, the hero title was the most effective. It¡¯s not a method that is often used, but it is the best way to clear the game. ¡®And I¡¯ll take everything a hero can get.¡¯ He would take care of his past colleagues, destroy his enemies, and get the holy sword. Above all, he could drive Sanderson to despair. It was truly a strategy that kills three birds with one stone. The corners of Juyeon¡¯s lips slowly turned up. Chapter 41 My Reflector Is Invincible 4141. Dawn As dawn approached, the assassins¡¯ actions grew more and more violent. Then, at one point, they stopped abruptly. Hakken, who had been attending to him, was rather uneasy. ¡°This is strange. Why aren¡¯t they coming?¡± It was so quiet that it was actually scary. ¡°Did they give up, or are they all dead?¡± The expression of Knight Olson, who was guarding him, also turned serious. ¡°They¡¯re not the kind to give up easily.¡± ¡°Yes. Of course, they¡¯ll try to use a different method.¡± Dozens of assassins had already died. They must have realized by now that assassination and poison no longer worked on him. So there was only one method left. ¡°Surely¡­ you don¡¯t mean they¡¯ll use mysticism?¡± Olson¡¯s eyes flashed for a moment. ¡°Bayner! Where is the wizard Bayner right now!¡± £¼Mysticism£¾ It was a power that could perform miracles such as magic or sorcery. And the wizard Bayner was currently the only man by Juyeon¡¯s side who could use magic. Hakken shouted anxiously. ¡°Bayner is nowhere to be seen!¡± ¡°Oh no¡­ He must have gone to Earl Sanderson. I had forgotten that he was a vassal.¡± Olson also looked furious. The time when the assassins¡¯ attacks stopped was similar to the time when Bayner disappeared. However, Juyeon chuckled. ¡°As long as I hold his leash, betrayal is out of the question.¡± ¡°Leash?¡± ¡°Just know that there is such a thing. I hold something more precious than his life.¡± If he betrays me, he will lose all his mysticism. Will he? The fact that he was not here was entirely due to the favor that Juyeon had bestowed upon him. ¡°He must be hiding deep within the castle, avoiding Sanderson¡¯s men. Because I told him to do so.¡± Olson grew serious. ¡°Was it necessary to tell him to hide? He¡¯s quite a capable man¡­ Why not ask him to create a protective barrier that can block mysticism?¡± Blocking mysticism with mysticism. The reason why most nobles kept wizards by their side was to block the mysticism of hostile forces. Bayner, a back-alley wizard, would surely be good at dirty tricks. ¡°With the wizard¡¯s cooperation, Lord Juyeon can be a little safer.¡± ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be better if they cast a hex on me instead?¡± ¡°Pardon? Why would that be?¡± Because of £¼Reflection£¾, of course. ¡®I wonder what trump card Count Sanderson is hiding.¡¯ Joo-in was curious about this as well. Why had he stopped sending assassins? Despite his expression, Joo-in didn¡¯t lower his guard. One wrong move and he could die. That was when it happened. £¼[Crisis Detection] has been activated.£¾ Olsen stood up in a hurry, his expression changing. ¡°Joo-in!¡± Olsen tried to use the power of £¼Submission£¾ to protect him. However, Joo-in stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡®Detection magic? No¡­ it¡¯s more like a curse from the witchcraft system.¡¯ Something dirty and sticky was wrapped around his body. Joo-in had already experienced magic once through Vener. ¡®It¡¯s a little different, but the way to deal with it is the same.¡¯ £¼Reflection£¾ He added a little bit of power control. It didn¡¯t completely reflect the opponent¡¯s curse. It was a weak force that the opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to feel. ¡®As if it¡¯s connecting me to the opponent with a thread¡­¡¯ Then, Joo-in¡¯s vision changed. He began to sense the other person. A dark room. A man holding up a ring with strange patterns. His face was so familiar to Joo-in that he smirked. ¡®As expected, Count Sanderson. This was your doing.¡¯ An evil aura could be felt from the ring. It was clear that it was a curse that had accumulated a huge amount of blood and resentment. ¡®Anyway, these nobles¡­ they always have one or two of these kinds of items.¡¯ It was a hidden power that even Joo-in could barely feel. It was definitely not a trivial item. It was definitely an artifact that was close to being numbered, comparable to the Bloody Wine of No. 99. Just then, a voice came from beside Count Sanderson. [What happened?] [The spell was a success. I can feel the curse seeping into his body.] [As expected of an artifact. I didn¡¯t think a curse would work on someone from the Edmer family¡­ no, from the vicinity of the Sword King.] [It¡¯s a treasure I obtained for a lot of money. It would be troubling if it couldn¡¯t even do this much.] Count Sanderson¡¯s eyes flashed with annoyance. [It was something that should have been written to the previous Duke¡­ but you¡¯re making a slave like that write it.] [Can¡¯t he write?] [He can write. But a huge amount of offerings must be made. It¡¯s not an item that can be used for the time being.] An item that could work on the Knight King? A huge amount of offerings? A considerable cool time after just one use? Joo-yeon could roughly guess what kind of artifact it was. However, there were many items with similar effects, so he wasn¡¯t sure. The important thing wasn¡¯t the artifact. [I don¡¯t know why the Duke was dethroned and the previous Duke came to the forefront¡­ ¡­but I will kill that guy and Aiden and take over the Edmer Dukedom. Thus, I will have the North¡­ no, the whole continent¡­] The first thing was to read the purpose of Count Sanderson through the curse. It was fun to watch him brag thinking he had won, like watching a movie. But the Count¡¯s happiness didn¡¯t last long. [Count, what will you do with the others?] [Those idiots who couldn¡¯t even move properly after taking my money?] The story of the Edmer family¡¯s vassals came out. The guys who were kept on a pension by the Knight King but tried to help the Count kill Joo-yeon. They were also traitors who betrayed their family for a huge amount of bribe. [Many of the rats that we planted in advance are dead.] [Have you lost contact with all of them?] [Yes. Why do you think we even contacted the ¡®White Assassins¡¯, an assassin guild? We no longer have any more troops to deploy to the Edmer Dukedom.] [Hmm¡­] [Thanks to that, the Count¡¯s treasury is completely empty as we had to prepare a huge amount of request fee¡­] It couldn¡¯t be a joke. The ¡®White Assassins¡¯ were an assassin guild with Grim Reapers, who were the former warriors¡¯ colleagues. And assassins were those who moved for money. ¡®They would have demanded an even more expensive fee to kill me, who is currently known as the warrior.¡¯ It was difficult to ignore them just because they failed the assassination. They were vicious guys who were determined to kill their target, so they were called the strongest assassin guild. It was just that there were no high-ranking assassins among the assassins who could come right away because it was the remote North. ¡®They¡¯re also very prideful. They¡¯re the guys who even think that [Grim Reaper] killed the Demon King.¡¯ However, it seemed that the nobles in the remote frontier were weak to such circumstances. [I have to give money to those who can¡¯t even kill a lowly guy properly.] [But there¡¯s nothing we can do, right? If we don¡¯t pay them¡­ ¡­what if the White Assassins turn their swords against us¡­ ¡­] [Stop! Give them the money as they want. But since they failed the mission, we can¡¯t give them half of the request fee.] [Yes, I will tell them that.] They were stupid. Assassins moved for money, but they were prideful. If you tried to cut their request fee like that, they would immediately turn their swords upside down. ¡®They don¡¯t know that the Count himself was the one who made the mistake that led to the failure of the mission.¡¯ Originally, the client had to inform the assassins of the target¡¯s abilities accurately. However, there was no way he would have told them about Joo-Yeon¡¯s abilities properly. Therefore, no high-ranking assassins from [White Death] would have come. ¡®You¡¯ll soon pay the price in blood, Count.¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com Of course, this was good news for Joo-Yeon. By the time the job was over, those guys would finish him off. Unaware of this, the Count and his men were gradually stepping into hell. [When do you plan to activate the curse? Are you going to kill him right away?] [It¡¯s almost morning anyway. Now that I¡¯ve used the artifact, I can¡¯t kill him until the seal is broken.] [Is it because of the other nobles watching?] [Yes. There are too many eyes watching. If the curse is revealed for no reason, I¡¯ll be in danger. Instead, I¡¯ll activate the curse the moment he obtains the Holy Sword.] [Are you saying that you¡¯ll¡­] [I¡¯m risking my life, so shouldn¡¯t I be rewarded accordingly? The Holy Sword would be a great help to me.] Heh, right. He¡¯s thinking about eating kimchi stew before he¡¯s even been given the rice cake. However, Joo-Yeon could see through the Count¡¯s intentions. ¡®Are you aiming for high risk, high return?¡¯ If it was the Holy Sword, it was worth it. Even if Joo-Yeon died, there was still the Sword King. He would probably leave the Demon¡¯s body or the Demonkin to him and run away. And then he would use the Holy Sword to negotiate with the temple. [But isn¡¯t it the sword used by the previous hero? What good would it be?] [You fool. Just as a hero is not a mere title, the Holy Sword is not a mere object. It is a divine weapon bestowed by God.] Until now, it had been sealed for various reasons. [The temple is trusted by the entire continent. Even the kings and emperors of each country acknowledge them and bow their heads first.] Until now, they had no reason to act because there were no heroes or Demonkin. But now, with the appearance of the Demonkin, the Holy Sword also appears? [It¡¯s the perfect excuse for the temple to make a move. It means that Count Sanderson can move with the temple behind him.] [But the former Duke is still alive. Will he just sit still with his best friend¡¯s sword?] [It has been known for a long time that the Sword King¡¯s body is cursed by the Demon King. He will go into closed-door training on his own, so there¡¯s no need to worry.] [So, time is on our side.] Joo-Yeon chuckled. ¡®What? Moving the temple?¡¯ Count Sanderson was known as the fox of the north for his cunning. But even he didn¡¯t know one thing. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®It¡¯s true that the Holy Sword can move the temple. But there¡¯s something crucial he doesn¡¯t know.¡¯ It was the fact that the Holy Sword did not exist alone. Only the Holy Sword held by a hero could move the temple. ¡®When a hero chosen by God wields the Holy Sword, it is as good as God¡¯s will. That¡¯s why the temple finally has an excuse to move.¡¯ The hero was dead, but he only took the Holy Sword. Rather, I should be held responsible for killing the hero¡­ Wait a minute. ¡°Is this okay?¡± Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes sparkled. It could be more fun to torment him than to simply kill him. Even if he tried to run away, it would be useless. ¡®Moreover, the temple exists everywhere on the continent.¡¯ It was also the only institution that could officially recognize him as a hero. Perhaps I can use it to my advantage. Joo-Yeon smiled wickedly. And. Coo-coo! Morning had come. It was finally time to head to . Chapter 42 My Reflector Is Invincible 4242. An Unfinished Task Unlike the dawn when he had been busy as an assassin, the morning was peaceful. ¡°Where is the horse I¡¯ll be riding?¡± Olsen soon approached with horses in tow. Behind him were dozens of carriages and soldiers lined up. They were the ones Joo-Yeon had asked the Knight King to prepare in advance. The envoys who had finished the banquet yesterday couldn¡¯t hide their surprise at the sight. ¡°When on earth did he prepare this much¡­¡± ¡°These are not things that can be prepared in a day or two. It¡¯s as if he knew he was going to the Forbidden Zone.¡± The nobles were inwardly shocked. They were even more surprised after hearing about yesterday¡¯s events. ¡°The assassins targeted the hero last night?¡± ¡°Who on earth would do such a thing¡­¡± ¡°The important thing is not that he was almost assassinated. It¡¯s that the hero killed every single one of them without fail.¡± ¡°All of those assassins?¡± For the high-ranking nobles, assassination was like an everyday occurrence. They were used to both receiving and sending them. They had heard that there were an unusually large number of assassins last night. And Joo-Yeon had finished them all off without leaving a single one alive. It was not an easy feat, even for them. ¡°I thought he was just a hero, but¡­ this hero seems a bit special.¡± ¡°It seems that the Edmer family is very close to the hero. We¡¯ll need to show a little more sincerity if we want to get involved in that relationship.¡± ¡°I will contact the home country immediately. I will request a priority upgrade.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± It was time for the nobles to redefine Joo-Yeon¡¯s worth. The mounted Joo-yeon urged Count Sanderson. ¡°What are you just watching for? Let¡¯s go.¡± Ugh. The Count¡¯s expression twisted. Even though he was called a warrior, Joo-yeon was just a former slave. As a high-ranking noble, it must not have been easy for the Count to endure such humiliation, as he kept gnashing his teeth. However, it was more infuriating that he couldn¡¯t say anything in response. The knights who saw him whispered to Joo-yeon. ¡°Be careful. He may not show it, but you never know what he¡¯ll do.¡± But Joo-yeon just snickered. ¡°It¡¯s all an act.¡± ¡°Ex¡­excuse me?¡± Does he think I don¡¯t know that he¡¯s trying to hit my head with an artifact inside the barrier? ¡°He must be laughing inside, thinking of killing me.¡± The knight¡¯s face hardened as he realized what Joo-yeon meant. ¡°Then Sir Joo-yeon, you shouldn¡¯t go in¡­!¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± Joo-yeon approached Sanderson. Then, he calmly spoke to Sanderson. ¡°As an observer, you¡¯d better stick close to me. Unless you want to die.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in a safe place, so you should be careful.¡± Joo-yeon finally held back his laughter. Yeah, whatever you say. * * * Even in the northern dukedom, this place was remote. A majestic mountain range with steep cliffs stretched out magnificently. Whiiiiiing. Of course, the towering mountain range wasn¡¯t the only thing blocking people¡¯s footsteps. Crimson-colored signs were blocking the way everywhere. £¼Restricted Area£¾ Steel witchcraft nails were driven into the ground all around, along with the crimson letters. It was to prevent the Demon King¡¯s musical instrument from leaking out. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Halt! Who goes there!¡± ¡°If you come any closer, we¡¯ll shoot you!¡± Sharp weapons were aimed at Joo-yeon. The fortress built at the only entrance was occupied by the Edmer family¡¯s troops. It was impossible to just pass by this place, where murderous intent hung in the air. To pass, the golden badge was absolutely necessary. Swish. As Jooyeon took out the golden shield-shaped token, ¡°Ack, I apologize!¡± The soldiers who were pointing their weapons quickly backed away and began to open the fortress gate. ¡®Everyone must have wanted to come in here.¡¯ That¡¯s because there were things that were dangerous, but just as profitable. In particular, those who wished for the downfall of the King of Knights would have cheered for Sanderson. Although the consent of other forces was needed, if the King of Knights were to fall, they would be able to enter this place. Moreover, the King of Knights is the most infamous of the remaining colleagues after the death of the previous hero. Because of that, there may be some who wish for Sanderson to defeat the King of Knights. ¡®It¡¯s impossible.¡¯ I wonder if they walked along the opened gate for a long time. ¡°Right over there.¡± The soldier pointed somewhere. There, a huge lock was wrapped around with chains. Woosh! Magic circles were blocking the approach throughout the area, including the only entrance to the cliff. It was so thorough that you couldn¡¯t even enter by flying into the sky. Aiden, who was next to him, opened his mouth at the magnificent sight. However, the real problem was elsewhere. ¡°Actually, even if you go inside, there¡¯s a high probability that you won¡¯t be able to approach the Hero¡¯s Holy Sword.¡± Jooyeon tilted his head at Aiden¡¯s words. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of the barrier.¡± ¡°Barrier?¡± ¡°I heard that it was created by my grandfather¡¯s colleagues.¡± [Great Mage] [Troll Sage] [Saintess] It was a combined barrier of a grand magic barrier, a grand defense spell, and a divine barrier. It had the power to burn even approaching demons to death in an instant. ¡°The chains were made by the [Dwarf King], and the wooden stakes were made by the [Elf Godfather] himself.¡± Moreover, the legendary great sword [Cheon Soo Kwan Um] provided the materials, and there was also a blood technique that made you a target of the [Death God] just by trying to break it by force. And the [King of Knights] guards the door. It was a prohibition made by legendary heroes joining forces. ¡°You can go in, but the barrier that allows entry doesn¡¯t disappear. There will also be a defensive wall near the Holy Sword and the hero¡¯s remains. I heard it¡¯s called the Absolute Barrier. My grandfather sometimes comes here, but it¡¯s not without reason that he hasn¡¯t been able to bring the hero¡¯s remains.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s no problem at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± At that moment, Jooyeon pointed to Aiden¡¯s arms. ¡°Take out that token.¡± Once again, the golden shield-shaped emblem revealed itself. Aiden¡¯s expression was bitter. ¡°Only those of the King of Knights¡¯ bloodline can use that emblem. So, those demons must have tricked Your Grace, Father.¡± However, Aiden couldn¡¯t readily open the entrance. ¡°¡­¡­Bringing harm, could it be that you want to lift the seal?¡± ¡°Of course, we must lift the seal. Why else would the King of Knights have allowed it? It¡¯s the only way to bring the Hero¡¯s remains.¡± Creak¡­ Aiden thought it would be fine, but Joo-yeon¡¯s will was firm. ¡®To think that we can lift the seal at this timing.¡¯ Originally, in the Valentino Saga, this would only be possible in the latter half. ¡®Lifting the seal isn¡¯t the end. It¡¯s also difficult to move inside.¡¯ In fact, the Demon King¡¯s corpse polluted the surroundings and cursed everything. If it weren¡¯t for the Hero¡¯s corpse and the Holy Sword, it would have been a force that could have destroyed the entire North. That was why players had to enter this place later on and retrieve the polluted Holy Sword and purify it. As such, items capable of withstanding the Demon King¡¯s evil and curse were necessary. There was a huge chain quest waiting for that. ¡®Reversing a corrupted Holy Sword is never an easy task.¡¯ It could only be overcome with the highest level items and equipment. However, Joo-yeon had no intention of doing that. Rather, he intended to hurry more. ¡®The Hero¡¯s corpse gets more polluted as time passes.¡¯ Later on, there wouldn¡¯t even be a chance to find it. It could melt away in the Demon King¡¯s curse and disappear without a trace. In the worst case, the Hero¡¯s corpse could become corrupted and revive. ¡®I never want to see that happen.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a game. Having been in this body for a long time, it was a complete reality for Joo-yeon. So, he wanted to block the path leading to the bad ending. Of course, retrieving the remains and the Holy Sword were the objectives, but there was also another reason he had to check on the Hero inside. ¡®My memories are a bit incomplete.¡¯ Was it because of the possession? As if the film had been cut, he couldn¡¯t quite remember the last battle with the Demon King. To be exact, he remembered clearly the part where he had struck down the Demon King, but he couldn¡¯t remember much about his comrades or what happened after subduing the Demon King. Still, he felt like something would come back to him if he saw the scene of the last battle in person. ¡®Actually, it would be normal for even the King of Knights to hesitate before opening it. It¡¯s not just any mid-to-late game content for nothing.¡¯ So, he had overcome the King of Knights¡¯ opposition, which would have been impossible otherwise. Joo-yeon had persuaded him himself. [How long do you intend to leave him there?] [I too wish to bring him back and give him a proper burial. But¡­ ¡­] [The Demon King¡¯s corpse is the problem, right? But don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s me, I can handle him.] From Noble mtl dot com [¡­¡­!?] If this were a game, this would have been absolutely impossible. Just by looking at the Demon Lord¡¯s corpse directly, the player would have been corrupted. However, Joo-yeon believed in the one and only ability he possessed. With such confidence, even the Knight King ended up nodding his head. [Really¡­ Can you really bring that man back?] [Just believe in me. A hero who sacrificed his life for the continent deserves to be treated properly.] [I will believe you.] In fact, even the Knight King wished for it more than anyone in his heart. Of course, the chance comes only once. And that was the moment Joo-yeon and Aiden approached the barrier. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Suddenly, Aiden fell to his knees. ¡°My Lord!¡± The knights ran towards him, but they ended up falling to their knees as well. [Absolute Defense] The power protecting the barrier was activated. ¡°¡­¡­It seems like the barrier has read our intentions!¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It seems to have noticed that we are trying to remove the barrier¡­!¡± A situation where even the knights of £¼Obedience£¾ could not properly exert their strength. ¡°That¡¯s why even your grandfather could only watch from the entrance. Joo-yeon.¡± Although it was a benevolent power, the barrier seemed to be saying that the hero should stay here. It seemed to be saying that the hero¡¯s remains should continue to purify this place without rest. That he could not be sent out anywhere. That he could not be allowed to rest. Because of that, the power of several heroes was needed to break the absolute defense. If not that, then high-ranking demons would have to come. However, Joo-yeon smiled as he swallowed a health potion. ¡®Yes. I knew this would happen.¡¯ Paaaht! He put strength into his hand. Soon, his unique ability turned back the power of the barrier. Kwakwakwakwang! It was a truly tremendous explosion. It was powerful enough to shatter even the barriers that had been enveloping the forbidden zone all at once. Aiden, whose pressure had disappeared in an instant, opened his mouth in astonishment. ¡°¡­¡­The barrier has been shattered!¡± With this, there was no need for a token anymore. No. That wasn¡¯t important right now. He had heard that in order to open the absolute barrier, the hero¡¯s comrades had to join forces. ¡®To think that he would open it with his own strength alone¡­¡¯ He was a hero after all. Was he even stronger than the previous hero? Aiden couldn¡¯t help but be astounded by Joo-yeon¡¯s power. ** Chapter 43 My Reflector Is Invincible 4343. Comforting the Soul** Gumjin was dark. ¡®It¡¯s good that I left Aiden behind.¡¯ Jooyeon had left Aiden and the knights at the entrance. Aiden had been reluctant to let Jooyeon go alone, but- -You wait here. And finish what I told you to do. -Then what about you? -I¡¯m going¡­ to finish what I couldn¡¯t finish. The debris of the barrier, such as the fallen chains and wooden stakes, was gathered as soon as the barrier was destroyed. ¡®Okay. I got some good byproducts.¡¯ Sanderson joined a little later. He must¡¯ve been excited, thinking of aiming for me during the meeting. ¡®But that would be your downfall.¡¯ Black fog was covering the area, making it difficult to see even an inch ahead. But one thing was for sure. The huge mountain range in front of my eyes. A large crater, as if a meteorite had fallen, was carved into its entrance. It was a sight that Jooyeon knew all too well. ¡®The place where the warrior used his ultimate technique!¡¯ Then that mountain range was¡­. The object that looked like a mountain was actually the body of the Demon King. Even though it was lying down, it was such a massive body that it looked like a mountain range. Just then, Count Sanderson¡¯s soldiers collapsed, coughing up blood. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Eueughhh!¡± The black smoke was actually the Demon King¡¯s miasma. As the miasma seeped in, the soldiers with weak bodies collapsed one after another. Count Sanderson covered his mouth with his sleeve and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s miasma! Everyone, fall back!¡± ¡°Put on the items you prepared! Quickly!¡± At the officers¡¯ orders, the soldiers covered their faces with handkerchiefs. They were handkerchiefs soaked in an antidote effective against miasma. ¡®A makeshift gas mask, huh.¡¯ Indeed, it seemed to be helping them withstand the miasma. That was evident from the fact that there were no more soldiers coughing up blood. But they couldn¡¯t block all of the miasma. The soldiers¡¯ bodies were gradually turning black from the miasma. ¡®That¡¯s why I told the Edmer family troops to guard outside.¡¯ If they had come in here, they would have ended up like that. No, it would have been worse. They wouldn¡¯t run away or collapse like those soldiers. Count Sanderson¡¯s soldiers all had sullen expressions. ¡°Ugh¡­ Count, there is a limit to how much we can neutralize the music. We won¡¯t be able to stay here for long.¡± ¡°We have figured out the antidote¡­ but we don¡¯t know when we will become addicted to the music.¡± ¡°The uniforms soaked in the antidote are starting to burn. We should go outside and regroup¡­¡± They were suffering from being drenched in the music. Of course, the protagonist was also being burned by the music that was turning his body black. Crackle! Crackle! His flesh was also burning black since his clothes weren¡¯t enough to protect him. However, he didn¡¯t care. ¡®I guess I don¡¯t need to use Reflection.¡¯ £¼Potential has been strengthened.£¾ £¼Physical strength potential is increasing.£¾ The potential he had received from the King of Knights was resisting the poison. And so, his potential increased. The longer the protagonist endured, the stronger he became in real time. He recalled information from the past. £¼The Demon King¡¯s Music£¾ ¨C An evil grudge held by the Demon King that has materialized as an energy. ¨C Corrupts those who come into contact with the music and forcibly turns them into demons. ¨C Weak individuals gradually lose their lives and die. If he endured for too long, he could even become a demon. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. The protagonist spoke to Count Sanderson in a cold voice. ¡°Count Sanderson, stay here with your soldiers.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The Count answered too easily. At the protagonist¡¯s words, he even ordered his soldiers to fall back. Hmm? Why are they listening to me so well? He didn¡¯t need to think about that. After all, the Count and his soldiers were only retreating to the entrance of the barrier. They were close enough to reach on horseback at any time. ¡®I guess he¡¯s biding his time until the end.¡¯ To attack the protagonist from behind. But it didn¡¯t matter much. What was important now was that someone was calling out to the protagonist. Rumble! Rumble! A faint light could be felt within the Demon King¡¯s massive body. Like a lighthouse in the fog. A ray of light felt like it was beckoning Juyeon toward it. ¡®It¡¯s guiding me.¡¯ Juyeon slowly walked inside. Thud, thud. Toward the Demon King¡¯s chest. The Demon King¡¯s interior, which looked like a cave, was a gloomy and disgusting place. However, Juyeon did not stop walking. A faint ray of light flowed out from the inside. He simply walked slowly toward that light. As Juyeon approached, the light became clearer and gradually filled the surroundings with radiance. He could soon tell what the light was. A single object that emitted light in the dark cave. No, it was a white skeleton that emitted light. The skeleton was looking somewhere, holding a shining sword stuck in the ground. [Hero] Ryu Jin. In the past, he was a man who was born under the holy light and was chosen by the Holy Sword. Such a man had decayed into just bones. As if to say that he was still protecting this land even in death. Juyeon¡¯s pupils shook at that sight. ¡°Ha¡­ Really¡­¡­. Ryu Jin, you bastard¡­¡­.¡± He was clearly a hero who had defeated the Demon King. The hero¡¯s end was so bitter. In fact, when Juyeon told the King of Knights that he would take care of the guy, it wasn¡¯t just out of respect for the hero. It wasn¡¯t just because of camaraderie with someone who had fought alongside him against the Demon King. ¡®It¡¯s just to get the [King of Knight¡¯s] favor. I¡¯ll deal with the guys who will become a hindrance later and take the Holy Sword while I¡¯m at it.¡¯ To Juyeon, Ryu Jin was nothing more than a game character. ¡®What comrade.¡¯ It was the same even as he looked at the guy¡¯s corpse. There was no way he would feel any affection. That was certainly how it was at first. But as he looked at the guy¡¯s face. Certain memories began to surface. [Hey, Juyeon! Where are we going today!] [Demons? The Demon King? I¡¯m fated to save everyone?] [Alright. I¡¯ll trust you. I¡¯ll follow you from now on.] [From now on, I¡¯ll swing my sword for you!] They were Ryu Jin¡¯s lines that he had seen over and over again while playing ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯. There were also scenes that he had seen in in-game videos. It didn¡¯t feel like he was simply watching someone else¡¯s story. Memories of all those things began to rush in. The tens, hundreds of thousands of games I¡¯ve played until now. The memories I shared with RyuJin surfaced from within them. They felt as vivid as if the protagonist had experienced them firsthand. ¡®RyuJin was the one I spent the most time with since my rookie days, and the one I nurtured the most diligently, staying up all night.¡¯ Just as his memories were returning, so too were his feelings for RyuJin. How much he had cherished him. How earnestly he had supported him. Of course, RyuJin¡¯s affectionate feelings were the same. JooHyun could remember the warrior¡¯s final moments. ¡®He was definitely just one final blow away from the end.¡¯ However, the Demon King was just too strong. He lacked that final blow to take him down. With all of his comrades fallen, there was only one option left. To give up his life to take him down. Even if he had to die, it was the only way to save everyone else. However, that was only a last resort. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was while JooHyun was devising a way to defeat him that someone stepped in front of him. [This is my duty as a warrior. I¡¯ll take down the Demon King, so you live, JooHyun.] RyuJin, who had pushed JooHyun out of the way, ran straight at the Demon King. And used the warrior¡¯s ultimate means. A warrior-exclusive skill -£¼Sacrifice£¾ The warrior¡¯s ultimate and final desperate measure. A skill that risked everything to perish together with the opponent. He used that skill without a shred of hesitation. KWA-A-A-ANG! And just like that, he vanished together with the Demon King in a self-sacrificing spell. RyuJin left his final words as he disappeared. [Until now, you¡¯ve protected me, so now¡­ it¡¯s my turn to protect you.] That¡¯s what he said as he smiled at me. It was his usual bright smile. Even as he gave up his life, even now as he was nothing but bones, that hadn¡¯t changed. He truly was a man befitting of a warrior. ¡®In the Balantino Saga, he was nothing more than a mere colleague. But¡­ now¡­¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com Now that he knew this place was reality, it felt different. Moreover, he had given up his life to save JooHyun and everyone else. JooHyun¡¯s heart pounded. ¡°Yes. This isn¡¯t where you belong.¡± For now, he needed to take his remains and leave this place. Before that, he had to take care of what needed to be taken care of. £¼Holy Sword£¾ A sword that still radiated brilliantly. The light that had guided Joo-in this far, the power that had illuminated Ryu-jin¡¯s body, was in fact coming from the Holy Sword. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard protecting this guy.¡± Let¡¯s go together. It was when Joo-in slowly tried to approach Ryu-jin¡¯s bones and the Holy Sword. Thump! He felt a sharp pain in his heart. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Joo-in suddenly clutched his heart. It was a powerful force, as if someone was trying to grab it with their hand and burst it open. He could tell what it was right away. ¡°Curse!¡± It was the curse that Count Sanderson had placed on the artifact. As soon as it seemed like Joo-in would obtain the Holy Sword, he activated the curse. Starting from his heart, the curse spread, and blood flowed from his lips. ¡°Ugh¡­ Perfect timing.¡± Waaah! Outside, Count Sanderson and his soldiers came running. Along with the sound of footsteps shaking the ground, a scream rang out. ¡°The warrior is in danger! Everyone, help him!¡± ¡°Soldiers affected by the instrument get out of the way! Only those wearing gas masks can save the warrior!¡± It seemed that he was aware of the soldiers of the Edmer family at the entrance. As if they were forced to come to Joo-in¡¯s aid. ¡®I know you¡¯re only pretending to help so you can kill me.¡¯ In the first place, he would have only given gas masks to soldiers he trusted. They were all filled with the sole purpose of killing Joo-in. Whether it was because of the curse or not, Joo-in¡¯s face was becoming increasingly pale. The pain in his heart was also growing stronger. So much so that anyone who saw him would think he was dying. If he could just grab the sword, he could use the power of the Holy Sword to resist the curse. But in Joo-in¡¯s current state, it was impossible. Ugh¡­ More and more blood was flowing out. Only then did Joo-in realize the true nature of the artifact. ¡°There is only one curse that bursts the target¡¯s heart and makes it flow in reverse.¡± No. 79 £¼One Tied to the Horizon£¾ It was an artifact that used blood and resentment as a medium to inflict death on the opponent. Its performance varied depending on how many sacrifices had been gathered. ¡®At this level¡­ I¡¯m sure even the King of Knights would have set his sights on it.¡¯ The knight king¡¯s body is stiffening due to the devil king¡¯s curse. The exterior is so hard that it¡¯s no use even if you stare at it. He¡¯s aiming for the core organs like the heart. The problem wasn¡¯t just the curse. Kee-aaack! The cry of a falcon circling in the distance could be heard. It was a falcon that Joo-yeon knew. [Soul Hunter] It was the falcon that Jack the Hunter used to send signals. It was a signal they had agreed on beforehand. They couldn¡¯t get close to the devil king¡¯s instrument, but the content of the signal was certain. ¡°I see. They¡¯re coming.¡± The demons. It was clear that the demons had sent them. Now that the barrier had been lifted and there was a way to retrieve the devil king¡¯s body. They must have intended to take the holy sword as well. Count Sanderson, and even demons. Normally, it would be an impossible situation to survive. However, Joo-yeon smiled. He had been gathering the attacks on purpose, though-. ¡°Ryu-jin¡­¡­.¡± His eyes turned to the warrior, regardless of the curse or pain. The hero who had sacrificed himself to save the continent. Those who were now coming to defile the hero¡¯s death. Joo-yeon slowly rose from his seat. Those who were breaking the peace of this continent that his close friend had protected. And those who were trying to turn it into hell once again. Such beings were brazenly trying to invade the space where the warrior who had protected the continent was left alone. They were trying to trample on Ryu-jin¡¯s will with their dirty feet. ¡°Then I will comfort your soul with their blood and death.¡± Killing intent poured out of his eyes. Chapter 44 My Reflector Is Invincible 4444. Long-standing Grudge Thud, thud, thud, thud. The knights and soldiers came running with a cloud of dust. At first, they were shouting valiantly as if they were going to save the warrior. However, as they got further away from the entrance, they no longer hid their intentions. ¡°Kill him! Don¡¯t let him live!¡± ¡°I will give a hundred gold coins and a manor to the one who cuts off his head.¡± Joo-yeon found it ridiculous and laughed. ¡®My neck is only worth 100 gold coins?¡¯ Are you kidding me? They¡¯re not even appointing me as a knight. They¡¯re just giving me a dukedom. He couldn¡¯t help but think that they were stingy. ¡®If you fail to kill me this time, you might not only face Duke Edmer but also the entire North. Can¡¯t you spend a little bit more?¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t have much time to think. The count wasn¡¯t the only one he had to worry about. The cries of flying beasts could be heard along with the black clouds in the sky. Screech! Joo-yeon knew exactly what the flock of black birds was. ¡®Flying demons.¡¯ They were difficult opponents. They had thick skin to withstand the cold of the North and could move quickly. It was difficult to inflict even a single wound with a small force. ¡®Well, they¡¯re not as strong as the Named £¼North Wind£¾.¡¯ Anyway, they were indeed annoying to deal with. However, he had to take care of all of them. ¡®This time, I will eradicate the demons that are targeting the North and the Edmer dukedom.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to go through the trouble he had with the duke. He had to eliminate all those who were even slightly related to the demons. There was something he had to do for that. Swish. He took out the wooden stakes and sealing stones that he had brought from the entrance of the sanctuary. He placed the objects around the warrior¡¯s body as if he was making a small altar. Rumble. He carefully wrapped the sealing beads, boundary stones, and sealing stones that were at the entrance. To anyone watching, it would have looked like he was sealing something. ¡®Well, in a way, it is a seal.¡¯ It was a boundary that blocked everything around the warrior¡¯s body. But why was he sealing the warrior¡¯s body? There was no other reason. ¡®To protect it from what I¡¯m about to do.¡¯ Poof! Joo-yeon¡¯s hand hammered in the last wooden stake that would support the axis. Then, a bright light began to circulate around the sealing stones connected to the wooden stakes. [A simple sealing boundary has been installed.] £¼Simple Sealing Boundary£¾ ¨C A simple boundary created as a medium for the boundary that the great heroes of the past created to seal the Demon King¡¯s body. ¨C It doesn¡¯t have the power to seal an entire mountain range like before, but it can protect the objects inside from demons. ¨C There¡¯s strong resistance in front of me, but it¡¯s somewhat controllable. -£¼Control Magic£¾ / £¼Seal£¾ / £¼Protection£¾ / £¼Tracking£¾. I hadn¡¯t learned barrier techniques separately. The quality of the items prepared by the colleagues of the previous warriors was so good that they were completed just by connecting them. ¡®Now I don¡¯t have to worry about the warrior¡¯s remains anymore. Then next¡­¡¯ Gulp¡­ Joo-yeon¡¯s words were cut off. It was because his heart felt like it was going to explode at any moment. The curse of the numbering artifact that never ends until the opponent¡¯s heart stops. ¡®I can use reflection magic, but¡­¡¯ I can¡¯t use it now. I have to give it back to Count Sanderson with maximum pain. So I had to use a different method. ¡°If it never ends until the heart stops¡­ If I run harder, it¡¯ll stop!¡± Joo-yeon put his hand over his heart. I can¡¯t use £¼Physical Enhancement£¾ yet. However, I could use the potential I had newly learned from the King of Knights. £¼[Dragon Bone] has been activated£¾ £¼The body becomes harder than steel and more flexible£¾ £¼[Semi-speed] has been activated£¾ £¼All metabolism in the body increases, and organs are activated£¾ £¼[Great Strength] has been activated£¾ £¼Muscle density has increased£¾ The body and muscles. All the metabolisms in the body became active, and the heart pounded violently. £¼Warning!£¾ £¼You cannot stop the curse at your current level£¾ £¼This action can cause great damage to the body£¾ Joo-yeon didn¡¯t stop despite the warning in front of him. I just maximized my potential. As a result. £¼The curse has been delayed£¾ £¼Time limit activated£¾ £¼If you do not½â³ý the curse within 4 minutes, your heart will stop£¾ It was as expected. It was also thanks to the fact that my potential had increased while fighting the assassin. ¡°4 minutes is enough.¡± Joo-yeon headed towards the Demon King¡¯s body. Then the holy sword held in the warrior¡¯s hand wailed. It was an ominous sound, as if telling me never to approach. Is the Demon King, who is already dead, scary? ¡®No¡­¡­.¡¯ Jooyeon could immediately understand why the Holy Sword was roaring. Swish. An ominous murderous intent was felt from the Demon King¡¯s corpse. Black liquids were moving about everywhere. The ones who had not been able to target the Hero¡¯s remains due to the Holy Sword¡¯s interference until now had changed their target to Jooyeon. And in the center of the liquid¡­¡­ Thump, thump. The Demon King¡¯s heart was beating. The heart of the one who should have died long ago was controlling the black liquid. Screech! The black liquid melted everything it touched like lava. Amazingly, the Demon King¡¯s evil energy, which had been outside until now, was also being created from this liquid. The culprit that was corrupting everything in the vicinity. It seemed to be defiling the land along with the flesh. If he got close, his body could be taken over. However, Jooyeon did not stop. Swish. Instead, he stretched out his hand towards the heart. Then, the black blood from all sides flew towards Jooyeon. Splat. It wrapped around him like a parasitic creature rushing towards its host. At this rate, Jooyeon could be consumed. At that sight, the Holy Sword urgently surged with power. Buzz, buzz! It was the will to not let him escape like this, after having somehow managed to block the bastard until now. From Noble mtl dot com However, it was already too late. Splatter, splatter, splatter. The black blood had already almost completely covered Jooyeon. Not only his lower body, but his upper body as well. The only parts that were left uncovered, besides his head, were his right eye and mouth. A state just before complete control. It was when the Demon King¡¯s heart moved to wrap around even the remaining parts for complete domination. Jooyeon uttered in a cold voice. ¡°Get lost.¡± £¼Reflection£¾ In an instant, a tremendous light burst out of his body. * * * At Count Sanderson¡¯s command, the soldiers rushed towards Jooyeon. The sound of crows filled the air above Joo-in¡¯s head. Caw! Caw! It was a voice like that of death approaching. The sheer cliffs and piercing wind froze the heart. The mere sound of it sent shivers down the spine. However, those soldiers, blinded by greed, saw nothing. ¡°So what if it¡¯s a person?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s kill him and run away.¡± The soldiers gripped their weapons as they ran. ¡°One hundred gold coins. With that money¡­ we won¡¯t have to be soldiers anymore.¡± ¡°We can live comfortably in the countryside for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°Right. What does it matter if we¡¯re warriors or not? That¡¯s for the nobles to worry about.¡± It was too large a sum to refuse. No wonder the soldiers¡¯ eyes sparkled with greed. The fact that they had been selected to come here in the first place was proof that they were soldiers driven by such greed. Then, one of the soldiers spotted Joo-in and shouted. ¡°There he is! We just have to kill that guy!¡± Joo-in stood still, not even attempting to escape. If they just rushed forward and stabbed him, a huge reward awaited them. ¡°Out of the way! I¡¯m first! I¡¯ll kill him!¡± It was the moment when the soldiers excitedly rushed forward. Creepy! They suddenly felt a strange chill for no reason. A light burst forth from the giant crater where Joo-in was standing. Whew! It wasn¡¯t a bright light. It was a blackish light that made their bodies tremble just by looking at it. ¡°Wh¡­ What is that?¡± ¡°Strange¡­ My legs won¡¯t move.¡± Titter, titter. The soldiers sank to the ground. They felt an instinctive fear from the black light that erupted from Joo-in. It was the first time they had seen it, but they seemed to know what it was. [Demon King] The power of a being that could only appear in fairy tales was evident. Just looking at it made their eyes go blind, and they were paralyzed with fear. Some of them actually went blind. aaagh! ¡°My eyes¡­ I can¡¯t see!¡± ¡°Monster! The monster is trying to kill me!¡± The soldiers¡¯ camp collapsed in an instant. Count Sanderson and the knights tried to stop them in a hurry, but the soldiers¡¯ reactions were strange. ¡°hehehehe. Die! Die!¡± ¡°Th¡­ This monster! I will never be eaten by you!¡± They were not wielding weapons at each other. In an instant, blood gushed out from all sides, and the soldiers began to fall. Count Sanderson shouted in dismay. ¡°What the hell is going on!¡± ¡°The soldiers are running wild with the black light!¡± ¡°What is this¡­¡± The count looked for the knights in a hurry. ¡°Sir Jackson! Sir Yally! Are you knights safe!¡± ¡°We are safe!¡± ¡°Fortunately, our knighthood seems to protect us from the black light.¡± It was fortunate indeed. If the knights had gone mad like the soldiers, it would have been very difficult. Count Sanderson gave orders to the knights instead of the panicking soldiers. ¡°Leave the soldiers alone for now and move only the knights. We must take his neck here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± They immediately turned towards the host. But suddenly, the knights¡¯ bodies flinched. Creepy. It was an instinctive sense of rejection. To be exact, it was an ominous murderous intent as if they were going to die right now. ¡°Who the hell¡­¡± ¡°Could it be a trap by Duke Edmer¡¯s family? Did they set a trap here?¡± ¡°Be careful of the surroundings! Someone is definitely there!¡± Surprisingly, the enemy did not come out from the side. The source of the murderous intent was above the knights¡¯ heads. Cawww! A flock of crows poured out of the sky. The knights raised their shields in a hurry. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss! They¡¯re just flying creatures at best! Calmly shield¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re not crows! They¡¯re demons!¡± ¡°What!?¡± The knights quickly bloomed their £¼Knighthood£¾. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But their choice was a step too late. Cawww! This is not an ordinary flying creature. With claws and beaks, they were a band of demons capable of tearing through steel. They had even been reinforced by the power of the demons. All the soldiers nearby were still not in their right minds. There was nothing that could protect them. ¡°Kuaaak!¡± ¡°S-save me!¡± The knights were killed in an instant. Count Sanderson¡¯s men tried to evacuate him as his forces were being slaughtered. ¡°M-my lord! Flee! Quickly!¡± ¡°He¡¯s using a strange power! We¡¯ll hold him off¡­ Kwaaak!¡± But they couldn¡¯t escape. Demons swooped in from behind, snatching up the few survivors. Thud! Thud! And the demons threw the people into the air, then dropped them. Their armor was already heavy. With gravity added to the mix, those who hit the ground were crushed to death. Now only the count remained. The count used the sacrifice of the others as a stepping stone. He had abandoned his men in order to survive. But it wasn¡¯t long before he met the same fate as his men. Snap! He was snatched up into the air by a demon¡¯s claws. The count twisted his body, struggling. ¡°Let go! I said let go!¡± But something was strange. Unlike the knights who had been thrown into the air, the count was gently placed on the ground. He had only a few scratches and some dirt on him. But the location was the problem. Right in front of Jooyeon. It wasn¡¯t simply because the count had failed to kill him. It was because of the shocking sight unfolding before his eyes. Caw! Caw! The demons bowed their heads to Jooyeon. It was a respectful bow, as if they were showing deference to a superior. It was truly an unbelievable sight. ¡°What the hell is this¡­ How can a human control demons!?¡± The count¡¯s shouts changed nothing. But what happened next was even more astounding. Thump-thump. The object Jooyeon was holding in his hand. It was a heart that was moving as if alive. Count Sanderson could tell at a glance. ¡°Wh¡­ What the heck! The Demon King¡¯s heart!¡± The Count was particularly interested in the Demon race. He would even search for ancient books that people didn¡¯t look for. What¡¯s more, this was the tomb of the Hero and the Demon King. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you took the Demon King¡¯s flesh!¡± Humans eat the flesh of monsters and demons. It was known to be the only chance for humans to shed their species and become a new race. The problem was when they became demons. ¡®Becoming a demon means giving up all humanity along with gaining powerful strength.¡¯ Somehow¡­ the demons seemed to be following their control. Demons only listen to the orders of the Demon race. The principle was that the lower demons listened to the higher demons, and the higher demons listened only to the orders of the Demon King. The situation where Joo-Yeon becoming a demon was becoming certain. If he was a demon, killing a human would be easier than breathing. However, the Count was able to smile inwardly. ¡®He must be parasitized by a demon?¡¯ Perhaps Joo-Yeon¡¯s consciousness was taken away by the enemy. But he would never open his eyes again. In a sense, it was like dealing with the annoying slave who had been acting as a hero. And this situation was beneficial to Sanderson. ¡®I didn¡¯t know this would happen¡­ I did a good job keeping it.¡¯ It was a desperate weapon. The £¼Holy Water£¾ that he had brought in case of the Demon King¡¯s musical instrument. An item that was like a natural enemy to demons was now in his hands. But then a cold voice fell into the Count¡¯s ears. ¡°What are you snickering about?¡± What, what did he say? ¡°Why. Did you think I would die after becoming a demon?¡± Flash! Joo-Yeon¡¯s closed eyes opened. Chapter 45 My Reflector Is Invincible 4545. I Will Tarnish Your Name ¡®I finally met him.¡¯ The enemy who had tormented Joo-Yeon for 18 years. Count Sanderson, who had tortured him using the small intestine, was right before his eyes. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Caw! At his words, the demon recoiled, tilting its head back. It was the power held within the Demon King¡¯s heart. Thump-thump. A heart covered in a black liquid pulsated atop Joo-in¡¯s hand. That heart was definitely trying to devour Joo-in. Had Joo-in remained still, he would have been consumed by all intentions and become a puppet of the Demon King. However, he had reflected the bastard¡¯s ability with . ¡®Thanks to that, I can now control the heart.¡¯ He could now wield the abilities possessed by the Demon King¡¯s heart. , which allowed him to parasitize opponents with a black liquid and control them. , which enabled him to forcibly dominate dark races, demons, black magic, and curses. , which polluted and corrupted the surroundings. , which transformed humans in the vicinity into dark races with its black blood. There was no longer any need to block Count Sanderson¡¯s curse with an achievement skill. All he had to do was use the skill that exerted absolute power over those belonging to the darkness. £¼[Demonic Domination]£¾ is controlling the curse. Poof! The curse that had been enveloping his heart burst forth from Joo-in¡¯s back. It resembled a pair of wings made of darkness. Of course, was not limited to dominating curses. From Noble mtl dot com £¼[Demonic Domination]£¾ is controlling the demons. Cawww! Naturally, the demons followed Joo-in as well. They attacked the knights and soldiers as he commanded. What happened to the heart that had been forcibly deprived of its power? Thump-thump. Surprisingly, there was no resistance whatsoever. It was obediently having its power extracted by Joo-in¡¯s touch. Was it like a wicked hoodlum turning into an innocent child? In fact, the reason was different. , which polluted and corrupted the surroundings. When he reflected that ability with , this was the result. The corrupted heart had become pure by being corrupted. Of course, Joo-in was taken aback. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t a bad guy become an even worse guy when corrupted?¡¯ In any case, that wasn¡¯t important right now. It was time to conclude his long-awaited revenge. Joo-in approached Count Sanderson. Thud, thud. The man was sprawled out, having lost everything. ¡°A noble without knights or soldiers is powerless.¡± Now, there was nothing to protect him. ¡°Count Sanderson, are you prepared to meet your end?¡± The Count still seemed unable to fully grasp reality. He was trembling, yet glaring at Joo-Yeon. ¡°¡­¡­How dare you, a mere slave from a labor camp!¡± His eyes were filled with disbelief at how this could be happening. Joo-Yeon smirked involuntarily. ¡°Indeed, it must seem absurd to you.¡± After all, he was nothing more than a plaything in the labor camp he himself ran. The Count had simply tormented one of the slaves as he always did. He had never expected that the slave he had grown tired of would end up on the guillotine. He could not have known that the slave was the [One] the Knight King had been searching for, the hero who had defeated the Demon Tribe, and who had now become a monster capable of wiping out his entire force using the Demon King¡¯s heart. ¡°Are you filled with despair?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡± ¡°The emotion you¡¯re feeling right now. Are you filled with despair?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His body trembled. Count Sanderson¡¯s face turned red. He could not bear the words of the slave he had ignored and trampled upon. Yet, he could not charge at him. Cawww! As his body slightly twitched, the Demon Beast beside him moved. It let out a murderous roar, as if warning him not to move any further. The Count gnashed his teeth in fear. ¡®How¡­ how can I, Count Sanderson, cower before a slave?¡¯ The words Joo-Yeon had just spoken were his own catchphrase for decades. [Are you filled with despair? The emotion you¡¯re feeling right now.] [Don¡¯t worry, this is just the beginning.] Words he often uttered before torturing prisoners in his dungeon. How dare he use such a tone with him. Normally, he would have dragged such an insolent slave away and beheaded him on the spot. However, the Count could not bring himself to charge. Cawww. The Demon Beast was ready to pounce if he showed even the slightest movement. Yet, the Count¡¯s eyes still held life. ¡®Just once, just one chance is all I need.¡¯ He had a vial of holy water hidden in his arms. Holy water was a deadly poison to the Demon Tribe. Even a fiend who has devoured the Demon King¡¯s flesh would not be able to endure it. Count Sanderson gritted his teeth as he said, ¡°I will not despair over something like this! You are the one who should despair!¡± ¡°You still have some fight in you.¡± ¡°How dare you speak to me like that! Do you think I don¡¯t know? I know that you have taken the Demon King¡¯s flesh and become a fiend! It¡¯s obvious why the demons follow you!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Count Sanderson¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. To him, Jooin becoming a fiend was an opportunity. ¡°Does the [Knight King] know that you have become a traitor to humanity?¡± Jooin was speechless. What nonsense was this? Was he under the delusion that I had eaten the Demon King¡¯s flesh and become a fiend? He couldn¡¯t speak because he was so dumbfounded. Did he think that was an opportunity? Count Sanderson pointed a finger at him and said, ¡°Do you think the [Knight King] would spare you even after knowing the truth? Of course not! You will die by the hand of the one you trusted!¡± The count burst into laughter. His hand was pointing in the opposite direction of Jooin. ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t your death approaching from over there!¡± A group of soldiers were charging from the entrance of the mountain range. They were the soldiers that Jooin had ordered Aiden to surround and eliminate Count Sanderson¡¯s men. Leading the soldiers at the forefront was the Knight King. Jooin¡¯s eyes wavered for a moment. Perhaps it was because he saw the hero, but his heart wavered as memories of the past resurfaced at the Knight King¡¯s appearance. Unaware of this, Count Sanderson smiled triumphantly. ¡°Your end is here.¡± His eyes gleamed with madness. Originally, he had planned to kill Jooin before he could obtain the holy sword. However, there was always a chance. ¡®No one knows what will happen in the Forbidden Grounds. The Demon King could suddenly revive, or fiends could appear.¡¯ Therefore, before confronting Jooin, he had sent a messenger to the Edmer family outside. To tell them that the hero was in danger. It was a way to create an alibi for himself after killing Jooin. Count Sanderson glared at Jooin and shouted, ¡°hahahahaha! You will die by the hand of the Knight King who protected you!¡± His victory was all but assured. ¡°To think that you have become a fiend. hahahaha! I should thank you instead. I have lost all my men, but this is a chance to become a benefactor to the ducal house.¡± Jooin was a guest of the Edmer family. Moreover, he was someone close enough to be called the successor to the Knight King. But then, that bastard turned traitor and tried to kill him? He had no choice but to appear favorable to him, even to preserve the dukedom¡¯s dignity. ¡®Even the former duke had no choice but to bow his head to me.¡¯ It was a golden opportunity to rightfully become the ruler of the North. But more good fortune awaited the count. Caw! The sight of the charging Knight King drew the demons¡¯ attention. They must have sensed danger. The demons instinctively moved to intercept him. Count Sanderson did not miss his chance. ¡°Die, mongrel!¡± The count took out the £¼Holy Water£¾ in his arms and splashed it at Joo-yeon. Splash! It struck Joo-yeon¡¯s body squarely. The count laughed at the sight. ¡®That¡¯s it! If he gets hit at this close range¡­ even a demon, not a demonkin, would have taken a big hit!¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just any holy water. It was the highest-grade holy water, blessed by the Saintess and consecrated by the Pope. ¡®I¡¯ll run away while that bastard is out of his mind from the pain. And once I leave this guy to the former duke, it¡¯s over.¡¯ The lowly should live as the lowly do. That¡¯s what Count Sanderson was thinking when¡ª ¡°Holy water, was it? I thought you had a trick up your sleeve.¡± Joo-yeon was completely fine. The count was visibly flustered. ¡°W¡­ why are you okay! You should have become a demonkin by now¡­!¡± ¡°Demonkin?¡± A ridiculous notion. He had no intention of becoming a demonkin. The Demon King¡¯s Heart was firmly suppressing the £¼Demonization£¾ skill. The count, unaware of this, had made a grave mistake. A mistake he should never have made. ¡°I¡¯m not a demonkin. Of course, I¡¯m not affected by holy water. But¡­ this might be a little different.¡± ¡°This?¡± The holy water was drenching Joo-yeon¡¯s body. It ran down his face and onto his hands. At that moment, a black light shot up from Joo-yeon¡¯s hands. Kwaaang! It was the power gushing out from the Demon King¡¯s Heart. The heart was filled with fury. Thump-thump! The Demon King¡¯s Heart, the embodiment of evil. Of course, it won¡¯t vanish since it¡¯s not a saintess¡¯s sacred power. Just being touched by the holy water made it feel extremely unpleasant. The fury in the heart spread to the entirety of the castle. Kyaaak! The demons screamed in fury. It was as if they could personally feel the pain the heart was feeling. The bewildered count gradually retreated, taking steps backward. ¡°No¡­ What is this¡­ Why the holy water!¡± He probably doesn¡¯t understand the situation at all. He tried to kill the main character but ended up pulling the whiskers of someone he should never have messed with. [It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! Die! Die! Die!] The demons moved at the heart¡¯s command. They surrounded the count, intending to peck him to death with their beaks. However, the main character stopped them. ¡°Wait.¡± [No! No! No!] The heart¡¯s resistance was futile. The main character had complete dominion over the heart with his £¼Reflection£¾. At his command, all of the monsters stopped dead in their tracks. The heart shouted in a furious voice. [Why? Why? Why?] It was asking why he was letting the count live. However, the heart was making a huge mistake. The main character had no intention of letting the count live. ¡°It¡¯s for this.¡± Black smoke billowed out of the heart. The smoke soon enveloped Count Sanderson. £¼Demonization£¾ It was the heart¡¯s unique ability to turn humans into demons with its black blood. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± Count Sanderson screamed as his entire body turned black. The heart was still screaming as well. [Why? Why? Why?] It was curious about the main character. It wondered why he was giving power to the one who had caused him pain. The main character answered lightly. ¡°Do I look that merciful to you?¡± [¡­¡­!?] What the main character had done was more cruel than anyone could have imagined. The process of demonization is never simple. By the laws of the demon world, survival of the fittest. ¡°Only those who can overcome pain can become mazoku. But most collapse before they can even gain power.¡± How frustrating would that be? To finally grasp power, only to die before you can even use it properly. [Good! Good! Good!] Only then was my heart satisfied. The agony of the transformation due to demonification is unbearable, even for powerful mazoku. If I can inflict such pain before killing them, I can wait as long as it takes. However, Joo-Yeon smiled cruelly. ¡°It¡¯s not just because of the pain.¡± [¡­¡­??] It would be troublesome if Count Sanderson were to simply die here as a spectator. What if he were to die here helping theÓÂÕß, and somehow gained honor? ¡®He would be hailed as a hero, even after his death.¡¯ He might even be buried in a cemetery reserved for those who have been loyal to the country. As a noble family, they could receive a great honor along with compensation. As Joo-Yeon, I could never allow that to happen. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®At the very least, if he had respected Ryu-Jin, who died to protect the continent¡­ he wouldn¡¯t have gone this far.¡¯ But the Count had crossed the final line. ¡®What? The ruler of the North? A hero who commands the continent?¡¯ ¡°I will defile the name of that great Count¡¯s family, along with his miserable death.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The knight king was already approaching. He would notice the aura of demonification right away. To die as a mazoku, not as a human. Count Sanderson would be recorded in history not as a hero who died helping theÓÂÕß, but as a traitor who betrayed humanity. Forever. Chapter 46 My Reflector Is Invincible 4646. Be of Help Kuaaak! Count Sanderson¡¯s screams grew louder. At the same time, his body, which had been blackened, began to change. Kwadeuk. Horns began to sprout from his blackened face. The Demon King¡¯s heart reacted to that sight. [He¡¯s enduring it? He¡¯s enduring it? Is he going to endure it?] Apart from the pain, the demonification was almost complete. As proof, Sanderson smiled faintly, despite his agony. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll just take this lying down!¡± At this rate, he might really become a mazoku. Jooyeon let out a chuckle. ¡°You endured that pain.¡± Was it out of vengeance toward me? Or a thirst for power? That was also within Jooyeon¡¯s expectations. ¡®The greater the desire, the higher the success rate of demonization.¡¯ I had thought that someone who could devour the entire North would be able to endure this much. But it was no use. I had been saving a power specifically for this moment. It was the curse that was still waiting to take Jooyeon¡¯s life. ¡°One cannot intervene from the outside during demonization. One must overcome it with their own strength. But¡­ what if one intervenes from the inside?¡± [Huh? Huh? Huh?] Buzz! The curse that had been lingering on Jooyeon¡¯s back like wings was repelled by . £¼One Tied to the Horizon£¾ The power of the Numbered Artifact began to move, searching for its original owner. Swish. It was a curse that should have disappeared, blocked by the energy of demonization. But somehow, the curse had naturally settled in the Count¡¯s heart. As if it had always belonged there. Since the curse had been cast by the Count in the first place, he recognized it as his own power. Thanks to the Demon King¡¯s heart, the power of the curse, which had been dormant for a while, also began to return. Thump-thump! At that, Count Sanderson, who was in the middle of demonization, coughed up blood and clutched his chest. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± Along with the sudden pain in his heart, he felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe. The power of the Artifact had begun to constrict the Count¡¯s heart. The Count gripped his heart with bloodshot eyes. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ this can¡¯t be¡­¡± How could he endure such pain? The chance to gain immense power was right before his eyes. The power to control the world seemed to be within his grasp. Count Sanderson¡¯s face was filled with despair. Of course, since the overwhelming power he had felt just a moment ago was now gone. Jooyeon let out a cold laugh at his expression. ¡°Power? Don¡¯t make me laugh. Did you think I¡¯d give someone like you such power?¡± ¡°Nooo¡­!¡± ¡°Die in agony. As you yearn for the things you let slip through your fingers.¡± ¡°Keugh¡­!¡± The Count convulsed and went into seizures. As the demonization failed, the backlash was taking its toll on his body. ¡°Gaaah!¡± His body was gradually turning monstrous. A form that was no longer human. It was a mess, as if he had become a half-demon. ¡®So this is the end for those who fail demonization.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have the formidable power of a demon. He was a fallen being, with a body more wretched than a demon¡¯s. The Count felt it all the more deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­ I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you somehow!¡± It seemed that he had finally noticed Joo-Heon¡¯s scheme. The Count glared murderously at the one who was trying to take everything away from him. He raised his sharp claws like a demon and tried to charge at him. However, Joo-Heon only chuckled. ¡°Kill me? Go ahead, try it with that appearance.¡± The King of Knights had already reached the vicinity. If he came, this guy would die a humiliating death as a demon. Of course, the Count could charge at him before that happened. However, he hadn¡¯t succeeded in demonization, and he was nothing more than a failed demon. ¡°It¡¯s humiliating to be defeated.¡± Above all, there was someone who wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch Joo-Heon get defeated. It was the one who had been enjoying the Count¡¯s suffering until now. [hehehehe.] It was the Demon King¡¯s Heart. He had the ability to forcibly control demons and half-demons: £¼Demonic Control£¾. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not an ability that works on the Count, who is neither a demon nor a half-demon.¡¯ If he had absorbed a bit more power, he might have been able to control him. However, he wasn¡¯t the only one here. Cawww! The half-demons who had been guarding their positions until now. The Heart¡¯s voice rang out loudly. [Can I kill him? Can I kill him? Can I kill him?] ¡°Yes. My job here is done.¡± The half-demons reacted to the Heart¡¯s command. [Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!] They charged at the Count with blood-red eyes. The Count, who had been trying to charge at Joo-Heon, had no choice but to deal with the half-demons. ¡°Stop¡­ Don¡¯t hurt me!¡± Cawww! The Count was in a sorry state, no matter how strong his energy was. In contrast, the demons were numerous and fierce, capable of attacking from all sides. Kyaaak! ¡°Stop interfering!¡± A fierce battle ensued. The demons died one by one, but at the same time, the Count¡¯s body was covered in wounds. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­¡± Yet, in the end, it was the Count who emerged victorious. Despite severe wounds that included sharp lacerations all over his body and the loss of an arm and a leg, the Count remained standing. But the fighting spirit in his eyes had yet to wane. ¡°The hindrance is gone¡­¡± He was determined to kill the protagonist by any means necessary. With his dying body, the Count charged towards the protagonist. [Danger! Danger! Danger!] Even his heart blared a warning at his audacity. However, the protagonist did not move. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your neck is not worth my taking.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense. Look behind you.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d fall for that trick¡­¡± The Count¡¯s words were barely finished when it happened. Kuaaang! With immense force, a crescent-shaped object came flying in. It was a blue crescent, its sharp aura capable of cleaving the heavens. Swish! In that same instant, the Count¡¯s head was severed. His skull rolled on the ground. ¡°Huh?¡± [Huh!? Huh!? Huh!?] The Count¡¯s and his heart¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. But the protagonist remained calm. ¡°Too late.¡± Thud! With a deafening impact, a man clad in full body armor arrived. It was the Knight King. He had flown in and sliced the Count¡¯s neck with impeccable precision. ¡°I sensed the presence of a demon and struck¡­ But you¡¯re far too weak.¡± ¡°Of course you would be. After all, he was Count Sanderson.¡± ¡°He was a demon?¡± ¡°To be exact, he became a demon to covet that man¡¯s power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Only then did the Knight King notice Jooyeon¡¯s hand. There was a black heart throbbing on its own. ¡°Surely¡­¡­ The Demon King¡¯s Heart!?¡± The aura of an evil spirit that should never exist was enveloping Jooyeon. Without hesitation, the Knight King raised his sword. But Jooyeon was looking at the Viscount¡¯s corpse regardless. Whoosh. The Viscount¡¯s headless body was engulfed in blue flames and vanished. ¡®Finally, the first revenge is over.¡¯ But I didn¡¯t feel joy. That was because there were still many targets of revenge left. ¡®The Viscount is definitely an annoying existence.¡¯ He was trying to use the players as pawns between the powerful. He ruined the families of my former colleagues and interfered with the protagonist¡¯s work. The excuse that stuck with me was the Northern Viper because of how much he interfered. But he wasn¡¯t the real enemy. ¡®It¡¯s just superficial. Strictly speaking, he¡¯s nothing more than a servant.¡¯ The North was a barren place. How did Viscount Sanderson, who didn¡¯t even have a gold mine, have the money to surpass the Duke of Edmer? It was something that was possible because someone was supporting him. It was to humiliate and take away the honor of the Edmer family. Then who was the real enemy? The Demon race and the human traitors. Those were the ones that Jooyeon really had to deal with. They were also the ones hiding among the current powerful people, moving the continent. ¡®The Knight King¡¯s family was too honest, so it was easy to get hit.¡¯ That was also because their tricks were so elaborate. Perhaps my other colleagues were also being attacked similarly. ¡®It¡¯s only natural in a way.¡¯ But now that Jooyeon was here, it was impossible. I¡¯ll get rid of all of them before the Demon King even appears. There was something to do before that. ¡°Jooyeon! Throw that heart away now!¡± The Knight King shouted as if he was going to attack right away. That was because he knew the power of the Demon King¡¯s Heart. Uncharacteristically, he looked unusually urgent. ¡°Even if you just have it, it¡¯s a monster that corrupts its surroundings! This place was forbidden until now because of it!¡± Even the previous Duke, who was called the Knight King, had a hard time holding out for long. Even now, just being in the same space as the heart, I felt like I was going to be corrupted. However, Jooyeon answered nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡± Did she know about the power possessed by the Demon King¡¯s heart? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you approached me with the intention of targeting that heart from the very beginning?¡± It was possible. The Demon King¡¯s heart possessed immense power that anyone belonging to the darkness would covet. The Saintess with the power of prophecy had also warned long ago. [The Demon King¡¯s heart is a disaster in its very existence. If left alone, a second Demon King may be born through the heart.] S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was only one way to prevent that. [Together with Ryujin, I shall seal the Demon King¡¯s heart. I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t allow him to rest in peace, but if it¡¯s the power of the hero and the holy sword¡­ surely it will be able to purify the heart¡¯s energy.] From Noble mtl dot com Thus, the heart was sealed with the combined power of the entire continent. As the Knight King, he could never have imagined that Jooyeon, who he had thought was [that person], would be after it. ¡°Even if you are [that person]¡­ I cannot tolerate you using that heart!¡± Ryujin died because of that heart. He protected this continent. Could it be that she approached him for this? The Knight King raised his sword. He was determined to stop Jooyeon here, even if it cost him his life. At that sight, the heart cackled. [Blo¡­ od¡­ death¡­ screams, delicious!!] Thump-thump. It demanded more blood from Jooyeon. Of course, due to [Reflection], it had no effect on Jooyeon¡¯s mind. However, it was a powerful item capable of manipulating demons and monsters. There was no way a human would give up their power. The holy sword also wailed at Jooyeon¡¯s calm gaze. Buzz. It begged her to destroy the Demon King¡¯s heart. It was a sight befitting of a holy sword that detested the mere presence of evil. The heart mocked such a holy sword. [Me¡­ help¡­ you¡­ useless¡­] If one possessed the heart, they could become the new sovereign of the continent. Of course, it would automatically turn those around them into demons, earning the continent¡¯s curses and the scorn of fellow characters. Just like now. But instead of responding, Jooyeon slowly raised the heart. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of joining hands with those demons.¡± [¡­!?] Something was amiss. Sensing it, the heart tried to move anxiously, but to no avail. Jooyeon had come to this place with everything planned from the very beginning. There was no option to join hands with the Demon. ¡°You¡¯re no help to me anyway.¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot. His anger at his heart and his feelings for Ryu-Jin were mixing together and drawing out his strength. He aimed precisely at the weakness and injected strength into his hand. ¡°So die and be of help.¡± Crunch! The heart burst out with black blood. And at the same time. Whoosh! A bright light began to emanate from the Holy Sword. Chapter 47 My Reflector Is Invincible 4747. Courtesy to the Hero When Joo-yeon raised the Demon King¡¯s heart above his head. The Knight King¡¯s face was frozen with seriousness. ¡®Surely¡­ He doesn¡¯t plan to become [Demon King].¡¯ He wanted to believe that it wasn¡¯t the case. However, if the man who inherited him became the Demon King, it would be an unprecedented disgrace to the world. What¡¯s more, he wouldn¡¯t have the face to see his close friend, the hero who died before him. He had to stop it somehow. ¡®Even if I have to kill him¡­ I have to stop that.¡¯ Murderous intent swirled in the Knight King¡¯s eyes. For the first time since leaving the training room, he put his heart into his sword. Throb. Then, the Demon¡¯s curse within his body surged. It shook the Knight King¡¯s iron-like spirit and sapped his strength. ¡®Why does it¡­ interfere at a time like this.¡¯ Usually, he could suppress it with the Knight King¡¯s power. However, perhaps because the heart was right before him, the Demon¡¯s curse was raging to an unbearable degree. If it continued like this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to concentrate no matter what. Moreover, Joo-yeon was an existence who had £¼inherited£¾ his strength. Like the Demon King, he also had special abilities. He wasn¡¯t an easy opponent to defeat in a situation where the curse was interfering. That was something he had learned from the training over the past few days. ¡®He knows many of my weaknesses.¡¯ He might really have to risk his life. However, the Knight King wasn¡¯t a man who would give up and run away in advance. With a calm expression, he drew his sword and ordered Albert, who had followed him. ¡°Albert.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°If¡­ I fail to kill him, I entrust you with what comes after.¡± ¡°M¡­ My Lord!?¡± Albert¡¯s eyes widened. To think that he would try to kill [him], whom he cherished like a disciple. However, his answer would not change even if that were the case. ¡°I will carry it out, even if it costs me my life.¡± For Albert¡¯s loyalty was directed at only one person, the Knight King. At that moment, Joo-yeon¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°Then you must die to be of help.¡± BOOM! At the same time, the black heart in his hand burst. Then, a tremendous amount of demonic energy began to surge into the surrounding space. [H¡­ How dare you!] It was the mountain range that was already as good as dead from the Demon King¡¯s demonic energy. However, at the heart¡¯s cry, all the demonic energy scattered around began to gather in one place. [You¡­ I will never¡­ I will never forgive you!] The Demon King¡¯s heart screamed. At that terrifying voice, Adien and the soldiers who were coming to clean up the Earl¡¯s soldiers collapsed to the ground. ¡°M¡­ My ears¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to die¡­ We¡¯re going to die¡­¡± They could barely breathe just from hearing the voice. It felt like their breath would stop at any moment. It was a power that made one feel death itself. Even though it was just the [Demon King¡¯s] remains, it was an overwhelming power. The Knight King, who had approached without anyone noticing, shouted at the newly arrived knights. ¡°All of you, spread out the defensive formation! Protect Adien and the soldiers!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The 100 knights moved quickly. ¡°Everyone, push forward with all your might! Do not yield to that damn bastard!¡± ¡°This is in front of our former Lord! Everyone, show him the results of your training!¡± The 100-man Knights¡¯ Order was by no means weak. In an instant, a giant blue barrier protected the soldiers. But unfortunately, it was the Demon King¡¯s power. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°H¡­ It¡¯s not enough¡­¡± ¡°Raise your chivalry to the limit¡­!¡± The knights were powerless before the Demon King¡¯s might. As the blue barrier began to turn black in an instant, the Knight King drew his sword and stabbed it into the ground. BOOM! A giant sphere formed around the sword. The Knight King had personally exerted his power to protect his soldiers. Of course, even with his power, he could not ward off all evil. The demonic aura that had lingered in the mountains for ages, and even the curse of the Demon King within his body, were sapping his strength. Finally, a trickle of blood flowed from the Knight King¡¯s mouth. Gulp¡­ ¡°Your Grace!¡± At the sight of the Knight King coughing up blood, the faces of the hundred knights, including Albert, turned pale. Some of the knights disregarded their defense and tried to rush forward. However, the Knight King waved his hand to stop them. ¡°Hold your ground. Protect the soldiers.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Do you not hear me!¡± ¡°U¡­Understood!¡± The knights gritted their teeth and held their positions. Albert was perplexed. ¡°Your Grace?¡± Just a moment ago, the Knight King had been trying to kill Joo-in at all costs. Protecting the soldiers was important, of course. But why was he not killing [him] and wasting his energy instead? But then he looked at the Knight King and gasped. ¡®Your Grace¡­ [The Knight King] is smiling?¡¯ At first, he did not understand why. But he soon realized. ¡°I¡¯ll borrow this for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Thud. Joo-in grabbed the holy sword that the remains of the hero Ryu-jin were holding. Albert¡¯s face hardened at the sight. ¡®¤Þ¤µ¤«¡­¡¯ Normally, no one could hold that sword. Only the chosen one could lift it. [Hero] It was not merely a title given by the people. One¡¯s very class had to be [Hero]. If anyone else were to hold the sword, they would incur the wrath of the gods. They would be hunted by the entire continent and the temples, and would even receive the gods¡¯ curse. Only high priests were allowed to transport it, with the permission of the £¼Holy Sword£¾. That was why the Knight King had contacted the temple to request a high priest. With no hero present, that was the only way to transport the holy sword. If Joo-in could truly retrieve the body of the hero Ryu-jin, then he would also need to transport the holy sword. Because only those who had received the blessing of the gods could hold the holy sword. ¡®That¡¯s why the previous duke also told you to wait until the priest comes.¡¯ Jooyoung only had the potential to be a [Hero], he wasn¡¯t one yet. However, Albert¡¯s thoughts were interrupted. It was because Jooyoung calmly raised his sword. Swish! Everyone¡¯s eyes shook at that sight. ¡®The holy sword isn¡¯t resisting him¡­¡­!¡¯ It was as if it was acknowledging him as its rightful owner. Soon, a light burst from Jooyoung. Boooom! It was different from the dark energy they had seen before. A bright, golden light erupted as if announcing the dawn. The corners of the Sword King¡¯s lips twitched at that sight. ¡°My, my. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen that.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the light of the holy sword.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Albert couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the holy sword only shine in the hands of a hero?¡± He had believed that Jooyoung wasn¡¯t a hero. After all, there was no evidence. The world thought of Jooyoung as a hero, but it was only speculation. Even so, the reason he hadn¡¯t said anything was because of the benefits that would come to his lord¡¯s family. That was definitely it. ¡®Was he not pretending to be a hero, but really a hero?¡¯ The holy sword was clearly a divine relic. It could never exert its power on its own. That was common sense. But look at what was in front of their eyes. Boooom! The light of the holy sword was driving away the darkness. That was a power that only a true hero could use. It was then that Albert¡¯s and the other knights¡¯ pupils shook at the unbelievable sight. Jooyoung opened his mouth. ¡°Now let¡¯s let that guy rest in peace.¡± Of course, he wasn¡¯t talking to the remnants of the Demon King but to the holy sword. Jooyoung raised the holy sword above his head. Then, as if it had been waiting, a light burst forth. £¼Holy Sword Ascalion£¾ It was the sword that only a hero could use that had reacted. And then, an even stronger light burst out from the holy sword. FWOOOOSH! The Maou¡¯s Heart tried to block it somehow. [Why¡­ why!!] From Noble mtl dot com None of its powers worked on Jooin. After all, the holy sword was a sacred relic forged by the God of Light himself. It was no match for something like the Maou¡¯s Heart. [Ah¡­ no¡­ no¡­ noooooo.] ¡°What do you mean, ¡®no¡¯?¡± Jooin swung the holy sword forward. A radiant light followed the blade and poured down on the Maou¡¯s Heart. CRACK! The holy sword¡¯s light spread out in all directions. It was a warm and gentle light that seemed to fill one¡¯s heart with warmth just by looking at it. The light soon reached the fallen knights and soldiers. ¡°Huh? My wounds¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re disappearing!¡± Their injuries gradually vanished, and so did their fear. The holy sword¡¯s power had healed them. However, the Maou¡¯s Heart felt something different. [GYaaaH!] Its very soul was being cleansed as it came into contact with the light. What little remained of the Maou¡¯s energy was rapidly dissipating. [W¡­ wait a minute!] It tried to flee, but it was no use. Jooin, who was holding the holy sword, uttered a cold statement. ¡°Light spreads to every corner of the world.¡± FWOOOOSH! The holy sword¡¯s power illuminated the entire mountain range even faster. The Maou¡¯s Heart was struck directly by the light before it could even think of escaping. [GYaaaH!] FSSSSSSSSSSSSS. The Maou¡¯s Heart, which had been pitch black, turned white. The same thing happened to the evil spirits that had been blackening the mountain range. Wherever the light touched, verdant sprouts began to emerge, reclaiming their original color. [How¡­ why¡­] The Maou¡¯s Heart expressed its resentment as if it had been wronged. All it had to do was take his hand. Then it could have had everything. [I could have become the new Maou, lived an eternal life as the strongest of the mazoku, and even ruled over everything¡­] He said he couldn¡¯t understand how I could attack him when he had broken my heart. Joo-yeon laughed incredulously. ¡°Why? Because I obviously don¡¯t need your petty power.¡± What? The Demon King or the demons? Borrowing such power was an insulting suggestion. Not to mention my memories with the hero Ryu-jin, becoming the strongest was something I could do on my own. Plus, I was a gamer. ¡®This time, I¡¯ll finally clear the last achievement.¡¯ At that moment, the holy sword let out a wail. Boooom. I don¡¯t want to see that guy¡¯s face anymore, so let¡¯s finish this quickly. Joo-yeon agreed. He swung the holy sword at the same time. Flash! Finally, the Demon King¡¯s heart disappeared without a trace along with the light. The Demon King¡¯s body also turned to dust and scattered in the air. He could no longer torment the hero Ryu-jin or the people of the North. That was the moment. Thud! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Another body fell before my eyes. It was the hero¡¯s remains. Ryu-jin¡¯s skeleton collapsed, unable to maintain its form. Joo-yeon sighed. ¡®The bones that were intact until now suddenly collapsed.¡¯ The timing was also too coincidental. It happened exactly when the Demon King¡¯s heart shattered. The surroundings, which had been forbidden, also returned to their original state. Then there was only one reason why the remains were damaged. [Now it¡¯s my turn to¡­ protect you.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Hero Ryu-jin. He had endured until now to protect Joo-yeon and the continent. No matter how much the Demon King¡¯s heart tried to corrupt him with its wickedness. Even if his own body was corrupted because the holy sword¡¯s power was insufficient. He had been protecting this place. He had intended to keep his promise to Joo-yeon until the end. Joo-yeon was speechless for a moment. He was always like that. The heroes who always died on their own accord. [Don¡¯t die. It¡¯s enough if I¡¯m the only one who dies here.] [Live, Jooyeon. Only you can carry on my will.] [I¡¯m sure that dying protecting you will be my pride in the future.] Jooyeon was troubled by the self-destructing character, but well. Like other colleagues, the warriors were very proud to die instead of Jooyeon. So was the face of RyuJin, the warrior who had just collapsed. [I¡­ I¡­ kept my promise to you.] He must have been in pain until now. But the guy in Jooyeon¡¯s memory was smiling as if he was really happy. It was like a smile of relief that his sacrifice was not in vain. Jooyeon remembered his face clearly. ¡®You¡­ tried to keep your promise to me until the end.¡¯ At that moment, the Knight King approached Jooyeon. His face, which had been haggard, looked calmer than ever. ¡°Don¡¯t feel sorry.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He just acted like a warrior until the end. So don¡¯t pity those who have kept their pride until the end. There is no greater insult to him than that.¡± Jooyeon could feel the Knight King¡¯s heart. Only now did he realize the sense of relief that he had seen the end of his close friend and the regret that he could not die with him. Jooyeon smiled without realizing it. ¡°Take me away.¡± ¡°No, I have something to do before that.¡± ¡°What?¡± What? Chapter 48 My Reflector Is Invincible 4848. How much have you found out? ¡°He is the hero who protected the continent until the end! Attention, all troops!¡± ¡°Salute the hero!¡± Chuck! Chuck! Chuck! Everyone saluted Warrior RyuJin. It was a heartfelt greeting of gratitude to the warrior who had protected the continent. Jooyeon smiled lightly at the sight. ¡®So this is what you had to do.¡¯ Jooyeon and the Knight King also put their hands on their chests. Chuck! It was the last greeting to a close friend who had fought alone for a long time and finally collapsed. There were no more traces of the Demon King. The mountain range was also purified, so it could no longer be considered forbidden. ¡®The traces of the Demon King have completely disappeared.¡¯ The monster, the heart, the demon, and even the count¡¯s corpse had all vanished. The power of the holy sword had purified everything. Of course, there were some things that remained. £¼Obtained a wooden stake imbued with purifying energy£¾ £¼Obtained a boundary stone imbued with purifying energy£¾ £¼Wooden Stake Imbued with Purifying Energy£¾ ¨C The axis of a boundary created to seal the Demon King¡¯s power has been strengthened with the holy sword¡¯s energy. ¨C Suppresses demonic energy and forcibly weakens it. ¨C When used on a ley line, it can change that ley line to the £¼Holy£¾ attribute. -£¼Demon Sealing£¾ / £¼Boundary Axis£¾ / £¼Holy Attribute£¾ / £¼Can be combined£¾. £¼Boundary Stone Imbued with Purifying Energy£¾ ¨C The axis of a boundary created to seal the Demon King¡¯s power has been strengthened with the holy sword¡¯s energy. ¨C Blocks the approach of evil beings and can suppress demonic energy. ¨C When hung on a door, a £¼simple boundary£¾ is automatically created. -£¼Demon Blocking£¾ / £¼Boundary Designation£¾ / £¼Holy Attribute£¾ / £¼Can be combined£¾. The items left behind by the past hero¡¯s companions had been further strengthened. They were items that could form a boundary just by being placed somewhere. ¡®At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they became artifacts.¡¯ They were worthy of being numbered. However, I needed a synthesis master who could combine these items into one. Of course, any old synthesis master wouldn¡¯t do. ¡®I need a craftsman skilled enough to create numbered artifacts.¡¯ I had to find one of those as well. Still, the thing I was most excited about right now was the new numbered artifact I had acquired. It was the item that had been left behind when the count disappeared. No. 79 £¼One Fixed on the Horizon£¾. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¨C Can create a powerful curse that kills the target by offering their blood and flesh as a sacrifice. ¨C £¼Curse of Palpitation£¾: Stops the target¡¯s heart with a powerful curse. -£¼Sacrifice Absorption£¾ / £¼Soul Attribute£¾ / £¼Curse Emission£¾ / £¼Curse Absorption£¾. A ring with a red jewel embedded in it. The description was shorter than I expected, but the power itself couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡®A curse that targets a specific person¡­.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even need the target¡¯s hair or blood. I could kill them for sure just by knowing their face. Even among curse-type magic, this was a technique that was extremely difficult to acquire. ¡®Artifacts that can be used simply by offering a sacrifice are valuable.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t use it right away since I had only just obtained it. But this could come in handy quite often. I was looking at the items I had collected when¡ª ¡°I see you¡¯ve finally sent that bastard home. Thank you.¡± The Knight King looked at Joo-in with eyes as if he were looking at a benefactor. However, it seemed that there was something he didn¡¯t understand no matter how much he thought about it. ¡°How on earth did you get the Holy Sword?¡± According to the £¼Diary of Witch Len£¾, the previous Duke devoted his whole life to finding and helping [him]. It was clear that the only existence that could defeat the Demon King was the Hero. ¡®I knew that if [he] existed, he would definitely be the one to defeat the Demon King¡­¡­.¡¯ He knew. That Joo-in was not the [Hero]. He just thought he was the makings of a hero. He had never heard Joo-in say he was a hero himself. ¡°Moreover, I don¡¯t see the Hero¡¯s symbol on you.¡± It was a symbol that all heroes must have. It was usually engraved on the hero¡¯s neck. An imprint of a bird with its wings spread. Some said it was a symbol representing the face of a dragon. However, Joo-in had no such symbol. So the Knight King wanted to hear it from him directly. ¡°Tell me. Are you really the Hero of this occasion?¡± He already knew the answer. Because there was only one person who could lift and use the Holy Sword. But he still wanted to hear it. ¡®Are you really the hope of this continent¡­¡­.¡¯ Whether his lifelong search for [him] was not in vain. He wanted to confirm that. Joo-in also accurately recognized the Knight King¡¯s gaze. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the Hero.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Knight King¡¯s face hardened as if he was shocked. He had a hunch, but he never thought he would be the real Hero. However, Joo-in¡¯s words were false. He was not a Hero yet. ¡®Instead, I have the qualifications to become a Hero.¡¯ All players had the qualifications of a Hero. In fact, they had the potential to become anything, not just a Hero. ¡®There is no limit to the jobs a player can have, and they can learn anything.¡¯ If you have a specific job, your proficiency and limits will increase a little, right? Is there a slight difference in the job¡¯s ultimate skill or specialization? Of course, Joo-in didn¡¯t like being a Hero. From Noble mtl dot com Is there any need to take on the restrictive job of being a Hero? Rather, he tried to bring the existing Hero as a companion and fill in the party¡¯s shortcomings with other companions. ¡®That way, there would have been a slightly higher chance to break the final achievement.¡¯ But I still couldn¡¯t break the final achievement. However, this time it was different. I started off with the unique trait £¼Reflect£¾ that only the Devil King had, a trait of the Unique rank. ¡®I also acquired a Legendary-rank skill that I didn¡¯t even know existed, and I received £¼Inheritance£¾ from the [King of Knights].¡¯ I had also acquired skills that couldn¡¯t be acquired without being a Knight. Considering that at the start I couldn¡¯t acquire or inherit any classes, it was an amazing start. Plus, I still had the chance to acquire a class. ¡®I could really become a Hero¡­¡­.¡¯ If I was going to fight the Devil King with just my own strength, the Hero¡¯s power wouldn¡¯t be bad. The Hero is one of the strongest classes in the entire continent. It¡¯s a class that specializes in fighting the Devil King, so it¡¯s an essential class if you want to defeat him. Right now, it was floating in front of Joohyun. £¼[Would you like to change your class to [Hero]]£¾ It was the message window that had been popping up ever since he¡¯d grabbed the Holy Sword. But Joohyun didn¡¯t choose Hero. He just kept ignoring the window in front of him. There was a reason for it. ¡®Even if I acquire the Hero class, it¡¯ll be after I acquire that class.¡¯ Joohyun knew about a special class. It was a really special class that could become stronger by absorbing other classes. ¡®If I just had that¡­¡­I could surpass the limits of the Hero.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t because he was a Hero that he was able to use the power of the Holy Sword. So how was he able to use it? ¡®I¡¯m a Player.¡¯ Players could become a Hero whenever they wanted, so they could also receive the Holy Sword¡¯s recognition. Of course, they had to have the qualifications to use it properly. In fact, the Holy Sword emits pressure to test whether someone is qualified to wield it. If your level is too low, you won¡¯t even be able to withstand it. In other words, I originally had to come here when my power level was appropriate, but I just barged in without going through the process, so how could I possibly be qualified? But a qualification test? Do I know? £¼Reflect£¾ Joohyun deflected the Holy Sword¡¯s pressure. ¡®This is the power that even reflected the Nameless God¡¯s detection. I can definitely reflect the power of the Holy Sword, which is just a Divine Item.¡¯ In short, it was like a low-leveled character taking a high-leveled character¡¯s weapon. ¡®It¡¯s a bit like cheating, but what can I do? I¡¯m in a hurry.¡¯ If I didn¡¯t borrow the Hero¡¯s name to take the shortest path, I¡¯d get the death ending. But the Holy Sword seemed to like Joohyun despite everything. [You tried to protect the Hero. And by breaking your heart, you proved your will.] In fact, Joohyun had predicted this kind of reaction. ¡®This is why I cast a barrier on Ryu Jin¡¯s body.¡¯ In fact, the Holy Sword recognized Joo-Heon. [There are traces of an odd energy, but for now, you have wielded me and succeeded your master¡¯s will. I acknowledge you as my new master.] Yes. It worked. [However, be careful. If you are not qualified, you will not be able to use my power.] Alright. Just then, as Joo-Heon picked up the hero¡¯s remains, the Knight King said, ¡°I¡­ will make sure this continent gives him the best courtesy it can offer.¡± The story of the hero had already been spread throughout the temple and the castle. How the previous hero continued to seal the Demon King¡¯s heart and flesh even after his death. How he protected the continent by fighting against the Demon King¡¯s remnants. ¡°He will also let everyone know that they no longer need to be afraid because of the new hero.¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad story for Joo-Heon. ¡®The rumor that I¡¯m the Holy Sword¡¯s master will spread now.¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t all. He looked at Joo-Heon as if telling him to be happy. ¡°Soon, your name will resonate throughout the continent.¡± However, Joo-Heon clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, I wonder if it¡¯s a good thing for my name to resonate?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± The Knight King tilted his head, but Joo-Heon was being sincere. ¡®If the hero¡¯s name spreads, my fame will rise, and people will try to take advantage of me.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure how it would be in reality, but giving various quests in the name of quests was the norm. ¡®They¡¯ll even make me do all sorts of errands under the pretense of protecting the continent.¡¯ He could do that when it was a game. That was because doing quests was a way to increase fame. However, in reality, it was just chores. ¡®I have no intention of doing that obediently.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t without reason that he had put the hero character separately as a companion. It was to have him do the annoying stuff. So Joo-Heon looked at the Knight King slyly. ¡°So, wouldn¡¯t it be good if we also sold your name?¡± ¡°My name?¡± ¡°For now, say that I belong to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Knight King looked flustered, but Joo-Heon was sincere. ¡®If I use the Knight King as a shield, I can shift responsibility for most things.¡¯ There were bound to be some illegal things among the things he had to do in the future. And that wasn¡¯t all. With the Knight King¡¯s fame, he would be able to easily access restricted areas. On top of that, even if he was a hero, there would be people who would try to treat him like an idiot, saying that they had to check the contents. However, if he was part of the Knight King¡¯s group, they would be more mindful. In short, it was an offer to use him, but deep down, the Knight King was shaken. ¡°Do you know what it means to be called my subordinate?¡± The world would accept Jooyeon as the Knight King¡¯s disciple. Jooyeon spoke as if he were rather pleased about it. ¡°For the time being, just say you¡¯re my guardian. You¡¯ve already received my succession, so in a way, it¡¯s like being my disciple, right?¡± ¡°That may be so, but¡­¡± When the Knight King looked as if he were asking if he would really be okay with it, Jooyeon smiled secretly. In truth, there was no one more qualified to be Jooyeon¡¯s backer than him. There were the Hero¡¯s other former companions, but those guys were a bit too unreliable. The Knight King was the best choice. Of course, this meant that even if Jooyeon caused an accident, the Knight King would have to take responsibility¡­ ¡®This is an offer that he absolutely cannot refuse in the first place.¡¯ Jooyeon had saved Ryujin, his lifelong close friend. He had given comfort to his friend, who was his painful scar and lifelong regret. As an honorable knight to the core, the Knight King had no choice but to accept. The Knight King nodded coolly. ¡°Very well. If that name will be of any help to you, feel free to use it whenever you need it.¡± Albert looked at the Knight King in surprise. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± [That guy], [Hero], but I heard he was a slave in a slave camp. ¡°What is his true nature¡­¡± On the contrary, he might end up tarnishing the Knight King¡¯s honor. However, the Knight King didn¡¯t seem to care. He already knew that Jooyeon wasn¡¯t a bad person because he had saved Ryujin. Soon, Jooyeon spoke. ¡°Ah, by the way, just to let you know, this isn¡¯t free.¡± At those words, the Knight King laughed as if to ask why he would say that. ¡°We¡¯re already greatly indebted to you. There¡¯s no need to give us anything more¡­¡± ¡°No. The opposite.¡± ¡­What? Jooyeon laughed as if to say don¡¯t misunderstand. ¡°If you become my guardian, the Edmer family will also gain enormous benefits and fame. This is a kind of contract.¡± ¡°A c-contract?¡± Jooyeon smiled innocently. ¡°How much do you think the contract fee should be?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± When Jooyeon drew a circle with his finger, the Knight King¡¯s and Albert¡¯s mouths fell open wider than they could have ever imagined. What the heck?! Chapter 49 My Reflector Is Invincible 4949. Just Compensation [The Knight King] His unparalleled honor and spirit of sacrifice were famous tales. They were even recorded in the autobiography of heroes. £¼[The Knight King] gave up the position of Captain of the Royal Knights at the mere word of a man with nothing and went on a journey.£¾ £¼Later, he traveled all over the continent with a single sword with the hero, spending his whole life fighting evil, helping the weak, and doing good.£¾ £¼After the hero¡¯s death, he intentionally received a territory on the border to protect the continent.£¾ £¼He devoted himself solely to his training and did not pursue wealth.£¾ He was truly the epitome of a perfect knight. Even now, he was no different. As the guardian deity protecting the cold northern territory, he willingly took on the role of a breakwater protecting the continent. [Duke Edmer of the North] [The Wall of the North] [The First and Last Guardian] These were not titles given in vain. They were a tribute to his faith and sacrifice. A man who risked his life for his beliefs and duties as a knight. The Knight King had never been ashamed of what he had done so far. However, he doubted his ears at the words he had just heard. ¡­What did I just hear? It was because of what Joo-youn said. Reward? It sounded like a mere merchant, not a hero. As expected, Joo-youn spoke again with a smile. ¡°Oh, even if you become my subordinate, you won¡¯t work for free. If you put your name on my teacher, you¡¯ll only receive rewarding work in the future.¡± Albert¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡®Hero, hero¡­!¡¯ Is it because he came from a slave camp? He even thought that he was not a hero, but a mercenary who was a merchant! Soon, the Knight King put his hand to his forehead. ¡°Joo-youn¡­ [Hero] shouldn¡¯t be like that. A hero is a noble being who believes in honor and sacrifice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The Edmer family, who were the hero¡¯s companions, are also sacrificing themselves to protect the North. As a [Hero] for honor¡­¡± However, Joo-youn only turned a deaf ear. ¡°No, honor doesn¡¯t feed you. I hate working with people who talk about honor first in my work.¡± The army is enough for that. At the same time, Joo-youn looked at the Knight King, who was talking about the spirit of sacrifice. Yeah, in order to join hands with Edmer for the time being, we need to fix these guys¡¯ dangerous mindset. ¡°In the first place, did everyone in the Duke of Edmer agree to ¡®Edmer¡¯s¡¯ sacrifice?¡± ¡°Yes? Of course¡­¡± ¡°No, right? It¡¯s natural for [The Knight King] to protect the North, but there¡¯s no reason for the people below him to sacrifice themselves, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Honestly, Joo-Yeon could understand the deposed Duke to some extent. The Edmer dukedom was expected to sacrifice itself for the north and the continent. Since it was a family of heroes, the people also thought it was natural. As the head of such a family, there must have been many times when he had to make a choice that would result in damage. ¡®But the credit always went to the honorable [Knight King]. He must have hated the situation where his family only made sacrifices.¡¯ As the head of Edmer, he would have wanted to break that chain of misfortune. Of course, Joo-Yeon had no intention of defending the deposed Duke. After all, he was a traitor who tried to sell out his family. However, there was a dangerous element in the Edmer family¡¯s mindset that took sacrifice for granted. ¡®No one¡¯s sacrifice should ever be taken for granted.¡¯ If this did not change, a cunning bastard like Count Sanderson might come after the Edmer family again. The Edmer family had a high status, and there were plenty of people who wanted to exploit that. Wouldn¡¯t that make all his efforts to save them meaningless? ¡°Now, in that sense, the deposit and the price.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At Joo-Yeon¡¯s cheerful smile, both Albert and the Knight King were speechless. No¡­¡­. No matter how you looked at it, this seemed like plain self-interest? ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. There must be a lot of people who want to be my guardian.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± His words were true. It was the position of the hero¡¯s teacher, after all. Everyone¡¯s attention was bound to be focused on it. ¡®Of course it would be. It¡¯s a chance to put your name above the hero¡¯s without doing anything.¡¯ [Hero]. A name that was considered the greatest among the heroes who defeated the Demon King. A chance to put their names above such a hero. Who among those who used the names of heroes and kings would refuse? Joo-Yeon was sure of it. ¡®If they could get that position with just a word, they would offer not just money, but a huge fortune and price.¡¯ If he played it well, the honor and merit that Joo-Yeon had earned this time would also become theirs. Of course, there was another reason why Joo-Yeon was talking about being a guardian. It was also to change the [Knight King]. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®Actually, there¡¯s a place that only opens when the bigwigs move.¡¯ There was also the fact that he had become the [Hero] for this purpose. This way, he would be able to move them for sure. So, to be honest, he had no intention of getting a guardian or a teacher, but there was no reason to tell them that. Soon, Joo-Yeon laughed. ¡°Maybe even the popes of the priests who came here would want it?¡± At those words, Albert flinched. Ordinary priests would not be swayed by such a vain and empty name. However, not all priests were like that. ¡®Popes.¡¯ The representatives of God who commanded the temple¡¯s paladins and priests, and the ultimate decision-makers. So far, there hadn¡¯t been any major issues. ¡®Usually, the Saintess is placed above the Pope.¡¯ It was because Joo-yeon had often made the Saintess his companion rather than the Pope. And unlike the Popes, the Saintesses were pacifists. They also played a role in preventing the Popes from crossing the line. That¡¯s why Joo-yeon had no choice but to laugh bitterly. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped. Those Pope guys are too proud to do as they¡¯re told.¡¯ The problem was the number of temples on this continent. There were as many as 8 gods. £¼8 Great Temples£¾ The temples cooperated with each other, but they were basically in a competitive relationship. Each of them thought that the god they served was the supreme god. ¡®Thanks to the past Saintesses, the Temple of the Sea is a bit more famous¡­¡­.¡¯ The Temple of the Sea was a religious group specializing in healing. Unlike other temples, it didn¡¯t actively expand its power. However, the other temples were different. What if they had a chance to become the hero¡¯s master? If the hero supported their religious group? It was a chance to get ahead of the other temples. It was also a chance to become the temple that served the only god on the continent. That¡¯s why they would get greedy. ¡°Especially the Sun Temple, which is aggressively expanding its power, and the Pope of the Great Earth Temple, the oldest of all, will be thrilled.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Wait, the Sun and Earth Temples? The knights of the Edmer family turned pale. Of all places, they were the ones who had a close relationship with the Edmer family. And if Joo-yeon, who had inherited the power of the Sword King, went to them¡­¡­. ¡®The family¡¯s vision could fall into the hands of another!¡¯ But Joo-yeon didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Or maybe I should go to the Assassination Guild or the elves¡¯ World Tree. Oh, the trolls would be fine too.¡± Not there either! The hero there was the lord¡¯s old comrade, but he was someone the lord hated the most. But Joo-yeon sighed and turned around, not knowing or caring about that. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Whew. I have to find a teacher quickly before the rumors spread.¡± Just as Albert was about to get angry, the Sword King sighed. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you the money you want.¡± ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°However, as a member of Edmer, you must also be taught about the noble spirit of [Heroism].¡± However, Joo-Yeon turned her head with a shake. ¡°Sigh. Where could our Master be.¡± * * * The continent was in an uproar. ¡°The Knight King has apparently vanquished the Demons.¡± ¡°He joined forces with the Hero and struck them down?¡± ¡°Who cares who vanquished them. It¡¯s a great thing if the Demons are wiped out.¡± The Demons were the Demons, but everyone¡¯s attention was actually elsewhere. ¡°Who will become the Hero¡¯s companion this time?¡± ¡°I wonder who will be the next [Knight King].¡± The interests of the leaders of each faction were similar. The only difference was that they were calculating how to maximize the benefits they would gain from the Hero. That was why they sent out their Messengers. ¡°Become as close to the Hero as possible¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you become the Hero¡¯s companion, you may obtain a power as strong as the Knight King. Somehow attract his attention.¡± ¡°Give the Hero anything he wants. Bring me the position of companion!¡± Demons or whatever, they were nothing compared to the honor and fortune that being the Hero¡¯s companion would bring. That was the pervasive mood. However, that was only at first. The events at Geumji began to spread throughout the continent. ¡°What? The Demon King¡¯s heart? He was still alive?¡± ¡°The previous Hero, who we thought was dead, was blocking the heart¡¯s power?¡± ¡°They destroyed the heart, but the Demon King¡¯s remnants burst out?¡± ¡°Hundreds died just from its appearance, and even Knights with their Orders were felled in a single blow?¡± The power left behind by the Demon King was stronger than they had thought. ¡°The Demons, and the Demon King we thought was dead. The atmosphere is strange.¡± What was more shocking than anything else was Count Sanderson. ¡°Count Sanderson¡­¡­ was a Demon¡¯s lackey?¡± ¡°The Count¡¯s family is ruined.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that guy a big shot in the North? Are you saying that even a guy like that was a servant of the Demons?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more suspicious that he wasn¡¯t caught until now. There must be other guys like him.¡± The unimaginable power of the Demons. And the betrayal of the Count, who was practically a big shot in the North. The continent was bound to be shaken. Of course, it was Joo-Yeon who pinned all the blame on Count Sanderson. She made sure that the rumor of Duke Edmer targeting Joo-Yeon did not spread. It was the utmost consideration for the Knight King. Anyway, this was the important part. ¡°There must be followers of the Demons among us! Find them without fail!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one of them live!¡± The movements of each faction, which had come to their senses, became chaotic. The temples were just as flustered. ¡°The Knight King has requested the high priests.¡± ¡°He says that the place where the Demon King died needs to be purified.¡± ¡°The purification of the ruins that became the Demon King¡¯s heart¡­¡± Light detests darkness. The demons were the temples¡¯ sworn enemies. The temples would have moved even without the Knight King¡¯s request. But they were more impatient than any other faction. The problem was the item that Joo-yeon had brought back with the hero¡¯s remains. ¡°What? The Holy Sword? It was there?¡± ¡°Assemble the priests at once! The Holy Sword must be kept in our temple!¡± Proof that God still loved humans. A quarrel broke out among themselves as they tried to choose a temple to take charge of the Holy Sword. They tried to enshrine the Holy Sword in their own temples. ¡°Of course, the Temple of the Earth should manage the Holy Sword¡­¡± ¡°What nonsense! Who dares to take the Holy Sword that was bestowed by the Sun God! We shall manage it!¡± ¡°What are you talking about! It was made by the Gods together! Let¡¯s all bless it together instead¡­¡± ¡°Get lost! How dare you, a lowly temple that can¡¯t even compare to our faith¡­¡± ¡°Are you defying our God now! Do you wish to burn in hellfire?!¡± As they tried to take the glory for themselves, friction arose. The only one concerned about purification was the Temple of the Sea, which had the previous Saintess. It was the only place that truly fulfilled the role of priests. But even they couldn¡¯t help but jump into the fray. ¡°Wh¡­ what is this.¡± ¡°Gu¡­ guards! Where are the guards!¡± On an ordinary morning. A letter was placed by the pillows of the high priests and influential figures of the temples. [The hero says that he had help from his teacher this time. And that teacher has yet to be decided.] The hero¡¯s teacher? Not yet decided? At first, they didn¡¯t understand what this meant. But then each faction¡¯s intelligence organizations went to work. ¡°It¡¯s true. He¡¯ll give the title of teacher to the one who gives him the greatest reward¡­¡± ¡°They say he¡¯ll say that he won thanks to the power he received from his teacher.¡± Everyone from the upper echelons of each faction to the popes became anxious. The hero¡¯s teacher? He¡¯ll share the credit for taking care of the Demon King¡¯s heart? No, it¡¯s not just sharing. He¡¯ll practically spoon-feed it to them. It was a golden opportunity to raise the status of their faction. It was also a chance to get close to the new hero, who, unlike the previous heroes, seemed likely to share the benefits. ¡°Move now! Send a messenger to the Duke of Edmer! No! I¡¯ll go myself!¡± The entire continent was beginning to stir because of a single main character. Chapter 50 My Reflector Is Invincible 5050. Contact him. Right now. ¡®A horse without legs can travel a thousand li.¡¯ Like that saying, the rumor spread quickly through people¡¯s mouths. ¡°Did you hear? A hero appeared in the north and defeated the Demon King and the demons.¡± ¡°Not the Demon King, but a fragment of the Demon King, they say?¡± ¡°Oh man! That¡¯s the same thing! Anyway, it means the hero and the Demon King exist!¡± Of course, it was only spreading slowly through the kingdom for now. ¡®It¡¯s a bit slow.¡¯ It didn¡¯t feel like it had reached the people the main character needed yet. So how could this rumor spread faster? ¡°I need to use the fastest people on the continent.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t a centaur with a horse for a lower body. It wasn¡¯t a harpy or an asura with wings either. [Night Walkers] Those who wander through the darkness with the moon and clouds as their companions. Those who were faster than horses. ¡®That¡¯s right, theives.¡¯ It was a method he had used dozens of times before. Thieves have their own network, as they always have. To commit illegal acts, they had their own information channels, not to mention black markets. ¡°The fastest way is to get help from the [Great Heavenly King of Thieves] known as the King of Thieves, but¡­¡± Thieves were always suspicious, as expected. It would take time to get the King of Thieves¡¯ help. Well, there was also the method of using the King of Knights, who had been a comrade of the King of Thieves. However, that was only possible if he lowered his head first. If he used that method right now, it would backfire. There was only one thing he could do right now. When Joo-in, who had returned to the ducal palace, packed his bags, the surprised Haken followed him. ¡°M¡­ Master Joo-in? What are you doing now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving this castle.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± ¡°Follow me if you want, or stay here if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Haken¡¯s eyes shook greatly. It was because he had enjoyed the abundant life of the Duke of Edmer until now. However, his decision was quick. ¡°What are you talking about! Of course, I have to be by Master Joo-in¡¯s side!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t that guy follow the order?¡± ¡°hehehehe. It looked a bit dangerous, you see.¡± Haken quickly lifted Joo-Yeon¡¯s luggage. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll follow Joo-Yeon-nim!¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­By the way, where are we going right now?¡± Joo-Yeon spoke loudly enough for the people of the Duke¡¯s family to hear. ¡°Well¡­¡­ to look for the thieves?¡± ¡°What? The thieves?¡± Haken looked around in bewilderment. Why were they looking for thieves when they had the honorable Knight King? ¡°Weren¡¯t you also a thief?¡± Oh, right. I¡¯m a thief too. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t important. ¡°Why are you looking for the thieves?¡± Did the Knight King forget that he hated thieves? Thieves and assassins were taboo in Edmer¡¯s territory. Even though they were comrades as warriors, the Knight King really hated them. However, Joo-Yeon¡¯s attitude did not change. ¡°I have something for the thieves to do.¡± Fortunately, Haken was quick-witted. He spoke quietly so that others wouldn¡¯t notice. ¡°Surely you¡­¡­ don¡¯t plan on using the thieves¡¯ network?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Correct!¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡­¡± Of course, even if he did, not just anyone could use the thieves¡¯ network. Only the executives, or rather the top executives called the Twelve Fingers, could do so. ¡®But Joo-Yeon-nim is the warrior of this generation. Besides¡­¡­ he helped the previous warriors find peace¡­¡­¡¯ The thieves might come out and help. It was even a chance to become a warrior¡¯s teacher. It was a chance to wash away the stigma of being a thief who only robbed other people¡¯s houses and land. Considering the weight of the name warrior, it was quite possible. It was something so important that even the Great Lord might move himself. No, the Great Lord might even want to become the teacher himself. It was an opportunity to raise the status of thieves on the continent. Haken¡¯s body trembled. ¡°You really are a fearsome person, Joo-Yeon-nim¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡± ¡°Then I think there might be a way for me to help.¡± ¡°Oh, right. You were a thief too, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Could you please leave out the word ¡®were¡¯¡­¡­¡± Haken coughed unconsciously. ¡°Anyway, I know someone in the Thieves Guild in the North.¡± ¡°Oh? You seem to have a good sense of things. Were they quite high-ranking?¡± ¡°Not very high, but they have connections in the Thieves Guild.¡± Of course, if they had been high-ranking, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up in prison in the first place. Juyeon was a little disappointed. If Haken had been a mid-level executive like a regional leader, he would have been able to contact them right away. Although they were inferior to the Twelve Fingers, who were disciples of the Great Way, they were still capable enough to be in charge of a region. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. Juyeon was about to leave the ducal residence. Someone blocked his way. Chuck! It was the Knight King. Juyeon¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he blocked his path. ¡°What? Are you seriously going to use force?¡± If Juyeon fought properly, the entire ducal residence could be blown away. However, the Knight King had no intention of fighting. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I told you? I want a fair price.¡± Hoong! The Knight King snorted. ¡°You¡¯re making such a grand move for someone like that? Tell me what you want quickly.¡± Talking about thieves in front of people. Didn¡¯t he say it himself? The Knight King¡¯s face seemed to say that. He seemed to have used his head quite a bit for an old-fashioned knight. Grandmaster Albert or Aiden could have helped. But they didn¡¯t know. ¡®I was waiting for this situation instead¡­¡­.¡¯ Juyeon hid his laughter. ¡°All I want is one thing. A fair price. I want to be properly compensated for everything I do.¡± ¡°So I should pay you¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No. Not from you. I want all future work to be fairly compensated.¡± ¡°¡­¡­??¡± The Knight King tilted his head. He didn¡¯t seem to understand Juyeon¡¯s words at all. Juyeon¡¯s goal was simple. ¡®To create a breakwater called the [Knight King].¡¯ Anyone who wanted to ask Juyeon for help would have to go through the Edmer family. In fact, the teacher Juyeon really wanted was the [Knight King]. ¡°Because it¡¯s an old-fashioned, conservative family.¡± The Edmer family wasn¡¯t one that could be easily taken advantage of. If he became Jude¡¯s breakwater, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to make simple requests. However, there was a big problem with the Knight King. ¡®Knights, especially the Knight King, value honor above all else.¡¯ Knights were like that in general. They were a group of people who would run wild if you just gave them a proper cause. The [Knight King] was like their representative. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®If the Knight King becomes my teacher, someone will definitely take advantage of his personality.¡¯ The [Knight King] would definitely do something if he had honor and a cause. Even if it meant demanding the sacrifice and devotion of a hero for free. That¡¯s why he had to make sure. ¡®From now on, the Edmer family needs to faithfully fulfill its duty and responsibility as my breakwater.¡¯ To put it to the extreme, they had to only move for Jude¡¯s benefit. Otherwise, not only himself but also the Knight King would make the wrong choice in the name of devotion and sacrifice. That¡¯s why he was taking such extreme measures. ¡°I will give you the opportunity and honor of being my teacher. But step back and swing your sword for me. Former Duke, no, [Knight King].¡± I¡¯ll give you honor, but benefit me. And punish those who don¡¯t follow through. Jude was telling the Knight King this. The man who only knew honor as a knight was taken aback. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Killing intent filled the Knight King¡¯s eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten who I am? I am the [Knight King].¡± The most noble being on the continent. One so faithful that he could withstand even the Demon King¡¯s curse that corrupted and weakened its target. ¡°Are you telling me to swing my sword for profit, and to follow your orders?¡± Just for the benefit of a single person? But Jude shook his head. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do it yourself. Just point the sword. There will be someone else to step forward.¡± Jude pointed to Aiden. Aiden was so surprised that he stepped back. ¡°Me¡­me?¡± ¡°Yes. From now on, as the Lord, you, Aiden, will keep in check anyone who tries to use me or the Edmer family.¡± The Knight King would just be Aiden¡¯s sword. A means of delivering divine punishment to those who tried to use Jude. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t actually deliver divine punishment. ¡®The pressure of being able to deliver divine punishment is enough.¡¯ After all, a sword is sharpest when it¡¯s in its scabbard. Aiden¡¯s eyes lit up at those words. ¡®The lord and the hero¡¯s companion are great, but¡­¡¯ Being able to wield the name of [Knight King]. It was something that no one in the family had been allowed to do. In the first place, if Father, Duke Edmer, had had this opportunity, he wouldn¡¯t have made such a wrong choice. ¡®Perhaps the Edmer family could become the best on the continent not only in name, but also in truth.¡¯ He had to take the lead role unconditionally. Aiden called out to the Knight King with a restless voice. ¡°Grandfather¡­¡± The knights also watched the Knight King¡¯s reaction. It was because they had their own thoughts about the protagonist¡¯s words. ¡®Up until now, the Edmer family only had the name and no real benefits.¡¯ ¡®They gave Edmer the hardest parts and never helped him.¡¯ The Knight King let out a sigh at the sight of his vassals and grandson. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Of course, he was angry at the protagonist¡¯s attitude. It was because it was an attitude that showed no respect for the honor of a knight. However, it was better than letting the name [Hero] go to someone else. He also thought that he should do what the people of the family wanted at least once. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s raise the stakes for now. We should get what we deserve from those who have only put a yoke on the name [Knight King] instead of giving it honor.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± Even now, envoys from various factions remained in the dukedom. They were the ones who had received favors from the [Knight King] family in the past. But there was no reward. The sacrifice of the Hero and the Knight King was taken for granted. Most of them looked away, saying that they needed permission from their superiors if they wanted to ask for compensation. ¡®Let¡¯s change that treatment.¡¯ That was the least bit of courtesy that Jooyeon thought the previous Hero Ryuhan and the Knight King deserved. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to the Thieves Guild if it¡¯s you. You must still have connections with the great swordsmen and envoys, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t want to, but¡­¡± They were the ones he didn¡¯t get along with among his past colleagues. However, the Knight King moved diligently as written in £¼Witch Len¡¯s Diary£¾. £¼2. You must prepare for [him]. Gather information about powerful forces, important items, and capable allies.£¾ He kept in touch with his colleagues as well as the trends on the continent. He thought that his family¡¯s power was enough, but it seemed that [his] thoughts were different. Anyway, Jooyeon¡¯s eyes lit up at the Knight King¡¯s words. ¡°Then contact them. Right now.¡± The Knight King tilted his head. ¡°Why him?¡± Jooyeon laughed instead of answering. Chapter 51 My Reflector Is Invincible 5151. The Most Important Thing The ducal family was going crazy. Visitors were pouring into the family. The ducal family was shocked. They were breathless at each name on the list. ¡°They say the king sent the crown prince himself.¡± ¡°No way¡­ Prince Albert? He¡¯s the favorite to be the next king!¡± Edmer was a country to which the Sword King had sworn allegiance. The crown prince of such a country had sent a document stating his visit. The next list was even more breathtaking. ¡°Ca¡­ Cardinals are coming. The bishop of Edmer territory has personally requested permission to visit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Cardinals of which temple?¡± ¡°All eight temples!¡± ¡°What?¡± What about the cardinals of the eight temples that held the majority of the believers on the continent? They had the authority and holiness to ignore even the empire. The only time all eight cardinals of the eight temples moved at once was for the empire¡¯s coronation ceremony. They were that important. In addition, the eight temples had military power with thousands of paladins and tens of thousands of priests. The Saintess was also included in that force. Even for the Edmer ducal family of the Sword King, they were not easy to meet. But the empire had also sent someone. ¡°Report! The third prince of the Lars Empire, the next in line to the throne, Jurein, has sent a request to visit!¡± ¡°Ryart of the Thunder Wall, one of the five great generals! It is said that he will visit with the third prince Jurein as his escort knight!¡± He was a prince and a great general, one of the heirs to the throne. Of course, humans were not the only ones who recognized the seriousness of the situation. [Centaurs of the Plains] [Beasts of the Forest] [Dwarves of the Underground] [Gnomes of Development] [Hobbits of Peace] Each of the races that were famous on the continent sent a list. It was a message that high-ranking members of each race would visit the Edmer ducal family. The fact that those who would normally not even participate in human affairs were sending lists made it natural for the ducal family¡¯s chief butler to turn pale. But the herald had more news. ¡°New visitors. They are requesting permission to visit the duchy.¡± ¡°Who is it!¡± ¡°It is Duke Basteron. His ironclad knights have come with him as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Knight King rules over the northern part of the Kingdom of Elhaim. Duke Basteron was one of the four great nobles who ruled over the eastern part of the Kingdom of Elhaim. He and Duke Edmer usually growled at each other, unable to stand the sight of one another. But even those who fought politically sent out their messengers. It meant that dozens, even hundreds of factions were gathering. This could lead to problems. The nobles and rulers were overbearing beings. That was because someone could definitely cause an accident. But surprisingly, no accidents occurred. The new majordomo of the ducal house wondered about it, but he heard unexpected news from the messengers. ¡°Actually, there is something a little strange, Majordomo.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I heard from another messenger, but it is said that the faces of each faction were pale and urgent.¡± ¡°Hmm? Isn¡¯t it just because someone might take the place of the master first?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Rather than that, it seems like they were scared of something¡­¡­¡± Juyeon nodded at their conversation. It seemed that the Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild had done their job properly. Juyeon had approached them through the Knight King and had definitely left them with a warning. -Whoever it may be, those who harm the House of Edmer cannot become my master. From Noble mtl dot com That warning had definitely worked. Those who came to the Edmer Dukedom were all high-ranking nobles. Those people couldn¡¯t defy Juyeon¡¯s words. It was obvious that they wanted to be theÓÂÕß¡¯s master. Of course, they weren¡¯t nobles who would be scared by mere words. The Thieves Guild and the Assassins might have done something else. ¡®Well, maybe they brought a bloody skull to their bedside?¡¯ They used to do that in the past. Anyway, he liked the thrill. Well, it was natural. The request that Juyeon made to the Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild in the name of the Knight King was special. ¡®It¡¯s a limited request that surpasses special.¡¯ Usually, the guilds had ranks for requests. [First-class] [Intermediate] [Advanced] [Special] Special was a request that was hard to request even with a lot of money. However, the limited rank couldn¡¯t be used even with money. It was a special right that the guild leader could only use a few times in their life. Juyeon had used the right that only the Great Thief and the Assassin could use, surpassing the special rank. ¡®It¡¯s the right that the Great Thief and the Assassin gave to theÓÂÕß in return for saving their lives in the past.¡¯ If someone qualified made a limited request, the Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild had to process the request with the highest priority, putting everything aside. It was a promise that they would definitely do it, putting the guild¡¯s face and honor on the line. And theÓÂÕß handed that right over to the Knight King. Joo-Yeon made up his mind. ¡®Most warriors die fighting the Demon King. On the other hand, the survival rate for knights is over 80 percent.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help it for the next game. Because the authority given by the Greatsword and the Reaper was more useful than he thought. In fact, on the day the restriction request arrived. The Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild were in an uproar. ¡°A¡­ a restriction request! From the Knight King!¡± ¡°Wh¡­ what? Who¡¯s requesting this?¡± ¡°The Knight King! The comrade of the Warrior, the request of the undefeated knight! He used the authority of the Greatsword!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Moreover, the fact that the Knight King was asking for help from the back-alley professions had another effect. Of course, it was a request from ¡®that¡¯ Knight King. A pedantic knight among knights who never compromised with injustice. A noble knight who never forgave those who sinned. He was a man who had never used his authority once in his entire life. If he had sent a restriction request, it must have been a groundbreaking event. They had to do it no matter what, in the name of the thieves and assassins. Joo-Yeon had expected it. ¡®Their reputation will go up as well.¡¯ What would those guys do to heed Joo-Yeon¡¯s warning? It was something he could easily predict without even thinking about it. Anyway, thanks to the Knight King¡¯s restriction request, people from all over the place who had heard rumors of Joo-Yeon were gathering. The dukedom became lively with the influx of people. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a warm inn, there¡¯s the Baram Inn!¡± ¡°We have a delicious restaurant! It¡¯s much tastier and cheaper than the one next door!¡± ¡°Ours is cheaper! The other one doesn¡¯t taste good!¡± The market was also rapidly revitalizing. There were even people who were converting their private houses into inns because there were so many guests. Money and gold poured into Edmer¡¯s territory. No matter how much of a northern metropolis it was, it was a quiet place with few visitors. It was unbelievable that it was now full of people. Haken was genuinely surprised. ¡°This is truly amazing.¡± It was unbelievable that this quiet village had become so crowded. And it was all thanks to a single plan. ¡°It¡¯ll be like this for a while.¡± ¡°But did you really have to do this?¡± He wondered if he shouldn¡¯t have provoked the Knight King and done something he didn¡¯t want to do, like advertising. However, Joo-Yeon didn¡¯t think so. ¡°It was necessary.¡± The Knight King¡¯s power needed to be broken. At the same time, it would be good for him if the North, which would become his background, became stronger. Why? ¡®It compensates for the damage the North has suffered so far.¡¯ It would be difficult if the guys who would become his solid backing were weak. Anyway, it was not something that he would have to pay for. ¡®Since he doesn¡¯t even know that the Knight King has been decided as his teacher, those who want the position of teacher will come and fight a lot.¡¯ Joo-yeon and the Knight King just had to receive what they gave. If they scratched their pride, they would give more on their own. However, Hak-yeon still asked with a look of curiosity. ¡°But where are you going now?¡± ¡°I told you. I have something to do.¡± ¡°No, what is that thing you have to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the Goblin Bank.¡± ¡°Th¡­ The Goblin Bank?¡± Hak-yeon¡¯s face was filled with shock. ¡°Why are you going to that area of crazy people obsessed with money?¡± Hak-yeon was right to be surprised. The goblins¡¯ bank was a place where the storage fee was more expensive than the interest given. It was a place that even some nobles would not dare to go. ¡°It¡¯s not a suitable place to store the treasures I found in the Lord¡¯s vault. You might as well leave it to the Thieves Guild! They won¡¯t openly stab you in the back there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really trying to store it?¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to find my stuff.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hak-yeon made a face of incomprehension. A man who had been a slave until now had something to find in the Goblin Bank? Was there something that the Knight King secretly gave him? Of course, he and the Edmer family had given him a lot. One could tell just by looking at the various treasures and rights that were transferred in Joo-yeon¡¯s name. However, it was not in Joo-yeon¡¯s name. ¡®Those knights who only think about honor.¡¯ The Knight King was a man who relied on his strong body and traveled the continent with only a single sword. The Edmer family¡¯s treasure vault was full of only weapons and armor. Most of them were things that would take a long time to turn into cash. ¡®Even that is something I don¡¯t really need right now.¡¯ He had the [Unnamed God¡¯s Shield] and the [Holy Sword], which surpassed that. Of course, the Holy Sword was purely symbolic. ¡®It¡¯s a symbol that I¡¯m a hero. I need more divine items to use this guy properly.¡¯ The shield could be used, but the conditions were the problem. Every time it was used, jewels continued to be used, so his pockets were becoming too light. He was going to go to the bank to charge it and also to the bank. Of course, there was another big reason. ¡®There are good materials in the water, so I should use them.¡¯ The wings that contained the power of the Demon Tribe. It was to create an item using it as a material. In particular, if it was a wing with the power of the ¡®North Wind¡¯, it would be an object with a useful mobility skill. The materials to make that item were in his bank vault. That was the reason for going to the Goblin Bank. ¡®Of course, it might not be there, but it¡¯s worth checking.¡¯ The Witch¡¯s Diary and the Knight King¡¯s [Limited] request were successful, so he hoped for this as well. ¡®No, it has to be there.¡¯ It was because of the issue of choosing a job. ¡®I have to decide on a job soon.¡¯ Otherwise, he would hit a wall. Above all, he needed a job to strengthen his reflexes. ¡®The most important item for getting a job was obtained from Hunter Jack.¡¯ The rest of the materials were in the bank. To be exact, it was the materials to enter the place where the job was. So, even for the job he had in mind, he needed to have his belongings in the bank. And if possible, it would be nice to have ¡®those¡¯ items as well. It was the belongings of his former colleagues. That was actually the most important thing. ¡®I wonder if they¡¯re there?¡¯ So, he had no choice but to go to the bank for now. Chapter 52 My Reflector Is Invincible 5252. Stay Still [Divine-class Weapon] It was an object that God himself gave directly to humans, like a holy sword. It possessed a power that was one of a kind on the continent. ¡®Numbered Artifacts, among them, only about 1 to 9, which are called Single Numbers, are similar.¡¯ In the past, Joo-Heon had entrusted one of those items to each of his former colleagues. The [Nameless God¡¯s Shield] that he had given to the Knight King was also one of them. Anyway, only one Divine-class Weapon could be possessed per person. It wasn¡¯t impossible to possess more than one, but there were various penalties. ¡®If it¡¯s entrusted to a mediocre family, someone will definitely steal it or lose it.¡¯ Even if it was a Divine-class Weapon, there was a possibility that it could be stolen even if it was kept in a bank. However, it was different if it was entrusted to the colleagues of the warriors. They were among the top ten most skilled people on the continent. With that level of skill, they could sufficiently protect the Divine-class Weapon. Furthermore, they weren¡¯t alone. Some of them were leaders of each race, so the entire horde ended up protecting the divine relic. In any case, the divine relics were necessary for Jooyeon. They were powerful just by themselves, but they were also needed to strengthen the Holy Sword. And the Holy Sword was necessary to finally face the Demon King. ¡®So the bank should have those items even more.¡¯ That was the moment when Jooyeon entered the bank. Bam! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Something brushed past Jooyeon. His waist felt empty. Jooyeon narrowed his brows. ¡®A pickpocket.¡¯ They said there were a lot of people coming in. Hakken, who was quick-witted, immediately figured out the pickpocket¡¯s identity. ¡°Thief! Lord Jooyeon!¡± Jooyeon immediately realized what was missing. ¡®The Demon¡¯s Wing is gone.¡¯ Indeed, the weight of the pouch on his waist was lighter. Normally, it was a pouch connected to his subspace inventory. Moreover, because of the size of the wings, it wasn¡¯t something that could normally be stolen. However, Jooyeon immediately figured out what had happened. ¡®The pickpocket class¡¯ exclusive skill, £¼Theft£¾.¡¯ It was a skill that randomly stole the most valuable item from the target¡¯s possession. In Jooyeon¡¯s case, the rarest item he had on him right now had disappeared. ¡°The Demon¡¯s Wing is gone.¡± At those words, Hakken¡¯s expression turned pale. Wasn¡¯t that a precious item that couldn¡¯t be bought with money? ¡®Out of everything, why did it have to be stolen¡­¡­!¡¯ However, there were so many people that it seemed difficult to catch the culprit. ¡°We have to find it quickly¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°Yes? Why?¡± Hakken was bewildered, but it didn¡¯t matter. Jooyeon had a smirk on his face. ¡®Reflection.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t just use Reflection. While doing that, he also used £¼Defensive Stance£¾, which he had learned from the Knight King. [Defensive Stance is activated] [Movement speed is decreased by 50% and defense is increased by 200%] [Due to the effect of the defensive skill, £¼Reflection£¾ becomes even stronger] In an instant, Jooyeon¡¯s waist felt heavier. [Reflection success!] [£¼Steal£¾ is reversed] The stolen wings returned. But it wouldn¡¯t be fun if it ended here. ¡®Since it¡¯s become £¼Reflection£¾, I wonder if I can £¼Steal£¾ the bastard¡¯s stuff too.¡¯ So Joo-yeon didn¡¯t tell Haken to catch the pickpocket. Because she could mess with him even if she stayed still. But something unexpected happened. [Critical hit°kÉú!] [£¼Reflection£¾ effect amplified] Critical hit amplified due to the defensive skill effect caused by £¼Defensive Posture£¾. From Noble mtl dot com In an instant, an effect several times that of £¼Steal£¾ exploded. Bam! ¡°Huh? What?¡± Finally, a pickpocket fell from the void in front of the two. ¡°Eek!¡± Joo-yeon was rarely flustered. ¡°Huh? Why is he here?¡± ¡°T, that¡¯s right?¡± At Haken¡¯s voice, the pickpocket panicked and ran away again. He disappeared into the bustling crowd in an instant. But words floated before Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes. [£¼Steal£¾ successfully reflected.] [Critical hit effect!] [Demanding 30 times the value of the item the target stole] [The target currently does not have an item worth 30 times the value of £¼Wings of the North Wind£¾] [Compensation not possible] [Forced seizure will begin] Forced seizure? No, forced seizure for a technique that illegally steals other people¡¯s belongings in the first place. She didn¡¯t even have time to feel that something was strange. Brrr. Joo-yeon¡¯s pocket vibrated strongly. When she opened her pocket, the slave document she had taken from the chief¡¯s safe floated up automatically. And words were automatically engraved on the document. [New Slave Contract] [Subject: John] [Slave status maintained until labor equivalent to 30 times the value of £¼Wings of the North Wind£¾ is provided] [Compensation amount: 9 billion gold] [Daily wage: Not set] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± This was a ridiculous contract. However, Joo-Yeon knew exactly what to do at times like this. Swish, swish. Joo-Yeon calmly wrote on the slave document. [Daily wages: 1 Cooper] Joo-Yeon estimated that the price of a material imbued with authority was about 100 million gold. But it would be different if it was imbued with the authority of the £¼North Wind£¾. ¡®It¡¯s an all-weather authority that allows not only for movement, but also for wide-area attacks.¡¯ Joo-Yeon estimated that the value of [Wings of the North Wind] was about 300 million gold. So, it meant that he would be paid 1 Cooper every day until he paid off 9 billion gold, which was 30 times 300 million. 100 Coopers make 1 Silver. 100 Silvers make 1 Gold, so¡­ He would have to work for 9 quadrillion days. At that moment, the pickpocket who had run away came back in front of Joo-Yeon. ¡°Huh?? Why am I here again¡­¡­¡± It was because the slave contract was not over yet. The contract appeared before the bastard. Pickpocket John¡¯s eyes popped out as soon as he checked the contents. ¡°No, this is absurd! You want me to pay 9 billion gold!¡± He was so shocked that his eyes were shaking. However, the slave contract was a magic contract. A mere pickpocket could not get rid of it. ¡°I don¡¯t know! This sucks! You want me to pay 9 billion for stealing just one thing! This is ridiculous!¡± He just laid down. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He might as well have asked to be killed. Or even sent to prison by the guards. Haken agreed. ¡°Well¡­ If I were to pay that, I¡¯d end up as a slave in a coal mine. 9 billion gold is not just a name for a dog¡­¡± ¡°In the Duchy of Edmer, pickpockets get their arms cut off?¡± ¡°W-well, even so. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have my arms cut off than to be a slave for 9 quadrillion days?¡± If he was lucky, he might even die before that. However, Joo-Yeon shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s what you think. Then there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± Pickpocket John¡¯s head came up. He thought that Joo-Yeon would forgive him, since he was so lucky. ¡®He¡¯s not an idiot. What can I do when the other person is being a jerk?¡¯ It was when John smiled sinisterly. Joo-Yeon added more words to the slave document. [Automatic death if compensation is not paid within 1 year] ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± It was a very gruesome phrase. The pickpocket asked, trembling. ¡°I¡­ are you joking?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen anyone joke around with money?¡± ¡°No¡­ how in the world am I supposed to pay back 9 billion gold in a year!¡± ¡°Why are you asking me? You¡¯re the one who has to pay it back, so you figure it out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± John¡¯s body shook as he complained. He said that he simply pickpocketed a rich man who looked like he had a lot of money and now his life was ruined. However, Joo-Heon was not such a bad guy. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pay you a daily wage, and if you work hard, I¡¯ll even give you a bonus.¡± ¡°Bonus¡­ what?¡± ¡°Should we start with something easy?¡± Joo-Heon raised his hand. It was an item that had been bothering him since earlier. [£¼Theft£¾ Activation Possible!] [£¼John£¾¡¯s Possessions Will Be Displayed] It was one of the items he had in his possession. It was a seal with a blackened hand drawn on it. ¡°Are you part of the Thieves Guild? Find me the information I need. Then I¡¯ll reduce your debt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± He was doomed. John¡¯s face froze. He grabbed hold of Joo-Heon¡¯s leg. He was saying that there was no way a low-level punk like him could find good information. Of course, Joo-Heon laughed at him. ¡°That¡¯s funny. You have a normal job and a Thieves Guild seal, yet you¡¯re a low-level punk? Stop with the nonsense and quickly bring me that information.¡± In this world, having a job was proof that you were special. If he had been just a simple pickpocket, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to steal Joo-Heon¡¯s item. ¡®A job user who can even use skills is a low-level punk?¡¯ He was useful enough to receive recognition from the Thieves Guild. So, of course, he had to be used. ¡°You know, you¡¯re going to have to move quickly if you want to earn 9 billion gold in a year.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± John disappeared in a hurry. Hak-Jun was surprised at the sight. ¡°Are you really going to get information from that guy?¡± No, but how do you even know that he¡¯s capable? He could just be a low-level punk with a job? However, Joo-Heon already knew the question Hak-Jun was going to ask. ¡°Of course. He¡¯s a guy who confidently pickpockets in the [Monarch of Knights]¡¯s territory. He¡¯ll find me some pretty useful information.¡± Moreover, the guy didn¡¯t even ask who the lead was. He had already known from the start who it was and had acted. ¡°By the way, it seems like the bandits are planning something. I won¡¯t just let it slide.¡± Joo-hyeon laughed sinisterly. He had experienced things like this many times in the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯. He never let those trying to use him get away with it easily. ¡®By the way, Reflect is more useful than I thought.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect it to activate even Criticals. It was the first time I knew that reflecting the Stealing skill would do that. ¡®Well, I¡¯ve never used Steal against a Demon King before.¡¯ He was someone I had to kill from the start. It was obvious since he had only used attack skills as soon as we met. Thinking about it that way, £¼Steal£¾ might be more useful than I thought. There were many things I coveted among the items that Demon Kings or Demons possessed. Of course, that wasn¡¯t what was important right now. ¡°Huh? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯m going to the bank.¡± Joo-hyeon headed straight for the center of the Duke¡¯s territory. It was where the bank [Goblin¡¯s Vault] was located. Clang! The bank was huge, but it was more deserted than he thought. There were only goblins in suits and a few people who seemed to be high-ranking nobles. However, the goblins¡¯ gazes were unusual. ¡°Another dirty peddler has come in.¡± ¡°Beggars who don¡¯t even have money to deposit in the bank¡­ Tsk.¡± At their gestures, a guard in full body armor blocked the two people¡¯s path. ¡°Merchants are prohibited from entering here.¡± ¡°If you want to enter, pay the entrance fee.¡± It was a voice filled with laughter along with a contemptuous gaze. Joo-hyeon was taken aback. ¡°Entrance fee? The bank has an entrance fee?¡± ¡°Think of it as a fee for putting up with beggars like you coming and going.¡± ¡°The honorable people here are being charitable.¡± He really was taken aback. There was no way there would be an entrance fee in the first place. They were telling Joo-hyeon to get lost right now. Clank! It started with a sharp spear being pointed at Joo-hyeon. He was a guard who didn¡¯t even check if they were customers and just kicked them out. ¡°It seems like you need to be educated.¡± ¡°Educated?¡± The goblins cackled. ¡°This is a goblin bank licensed by the state. Inside here, we can exercise our right to self-defense.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t face any sanctions for killing the likes of you.¡± The guards¡¯ gazes turned fierce. They were about to swing their spears at Joo-Heon and Haken. But Joo-Heon calmly pushed the spears away. ¡°That¡¯s only if I¡¯m a mere nobody like you said.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m a customer¡­ won¡¯t you guys end up writing resignation letters?¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? You think a guy like you could be a customer of the bank?¡± ¡°Watch me. I¡¯ll show you your futures from now on.¡± Joo-Heon ignored the guards and walked inside. The guards tried to stop him, but they flinched and backed away from the aura he emitted. He soon reached the center of the bank. He was in front of a goblin who seemed to be of the highest rank. ¡°Are you trying to find something in my vault?¡± ¡°Joking¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like you are. Then, could you please write down your account number? I need it for verification.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Joo-Heon nonchalantly wrote down some numbers. It was the number of his birthday, which had never changed for a long time. Then, laughter erupted around him. ¡°What¡¯s with that account number¡­ It looks like you¡¯re pretending to have an account because you¡¯re broke.¡± ¡°A bank account that costs hundreds of gold just for monthly maintenance¡­ for that beggar? I¡¯ll bet my store on it.¡± ¡°If you get caught lying like that, it won¡¯t just end with you being kicked out. Inside a bank, you can be subject to immediate judgment.¡± ¡°Guards! What are you doing! Give those beggars a good beating!¡± It was only for a moment. The goblin manager¡¯s eyes, who had received the account number, shook violently as if he had been shocked. ¡°Oh my god, this is the first time an account has been opened in our bank¡­ and it¡¯s the founder of the bank¡¯s¡­¡± Suddenly, the bank shook as if an earthquake had struck. Chapter 53 My Reflector Is Invincible 5353. Oh, Oh, Oh The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck. At the same time, red emergency lights turned on throughout the bank. Beep- Beep-. The earthquake was the sound of people running. Dozens of people were running down the stairs on both sides of the bank. On the left were goblins dressed in fancy clothes. [Northern Bank Manager] At the front was the head of the goblin bank located in the Edmer Dukedom. Following him were the executives right below him. Descending from the opposite staircase were armored knights. Clang, clang! Their equipment was on a completely different level from the guards¡¯. Golden full-body armor that perfectly protected the body. From Noble mtl dot com Not to mention various magical tools, and even luxurious weapons that looked expensive at a glance. They were the [Golden Knights], the pride of the Goblin Bank. They were the ultimate force of the Goblin Bank that even high-ranking nobles couldn¡¯t handle carelessly. The knights, fluttering their cloaks, soon lined up on either side of Joo-in. And raised their halberds. ¡°Salute to the founding member!¡± ¡°Thank you for your visit!¡± Shudder! The halberds were lined up in a straight line towards Joo-in. It was a posture as if being inspected. Soon after, goblins dripping with sweat approached through the halberds. The one in the front was the bank manager, and behind him was the store manager who had received Joo-in¡¯s account. ¡®Oh my god, a founding member¡­¡­ The alarm that had never sounded since the bank was founded¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡®I thought he was just a peddler, but a founding member? I¡¯m dead today¡­¡­.¡¯ It was an alarm that hadn¡¯t sounded in 100 years. It was natural for the goblin bank manager to break out in a cold sweat. Because what Joo-in gave him was an account number that only a few people knew. ¡®That, too, was definitely the first number that only the founder could use. Knowing that means¡­¡­.¡¯ It was clear that he was one of the seven founders. They were called the de facto owners of the Goblin Bank. If the alarm had gone off, there was absolutely no way it could be false. ¡®Because it¡¯s an alarm that the founder, the Gold Dragon, made.¡¯ The goblin bank manager bowed his head 90 degrees. ¡°How could such a person come to such a place¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t heard of me yet. It¡¯s been a few days since I came to the dukedom.¡± ¡°Su¡­ surely, the hero who the royal families of the continent are visiting¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do I have to explain everything to you?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ no!¡± The bank manager was startled and bowed his head again. It was the Goblin Bank, which was said to own half of the gold on the continent. Among them, the bank manager was someone that even Duke Edmer couldn¡¯t handle carelessly. However, even the bank manager, who was said to make birds drop dead, could become nothing more than a sitting duck in front of the bank owner¡¯s words. ¡®What¡¯s more? A hero?¡¯ Who would have thought that he was the person who caused the great migration of the royal families and popes in the north. It was hard to come to my senses at the words that such a person was a founding member. And Joo-in, looking at the sight, was inwardly relieved. ¡®Fortunately, I can still use the account number.¡¯ I had expected the account to still be active based on my previous experiences, but there was always a chance. And once I get through this, there¡¯s a high probability that the contents inside will still be there. ¡®Alright.¡¯ However, goblins are weak-willed despite their great abilities. If I show any uneasiness, they might say that the items are gone and try to trick me. It would be inconvenient to use the bank. In reality, they would ask me annoying questions to try and find my weaknesses. That¡¯s why he raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Let me tell you something. I just had the most absurd experience at this bank.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± It was a shocking statement for the bank manager. ¡°They tried to kick me out, saying I was a peddler. They even tried to charge me an entrance fee because my attire was like a beggar¡¯s? Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s some new rule at the bank that I don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The bank manager¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡®What? You¡¯re telling me that a founding member was disrespected at my bank?¡¯ If this got out, his career as a northern bank manager would be over. It was such a serious matter that even the central bank manager would come running, let alone the other branches. They had committed such disrespect against a founding member, who was practically the owner of the bank. The bank manager goblin¡¯s murderous gaze turned to the guards and the goblin who had mocked Joo-Heon. ¡®Are you crazy? Did another bank manager hire you to kill me or something?¡¯ ¡®We¡¯re innocent. We just did what we always do¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡®We¡­ We didn¡¯t know that would happen.¡¯ The guards and the goblin shot him resentful looks as if to say they were innocent. The bank manager bowed his head all the way to the ground. ¡°I apologize! I will rectify this situation!¡± ¡°Rectify what¡­¡­. I want concrete results.¡± ¡°I will do whatever you ask!¡± Joo-Heon didn¡¯t say anything, but the guards and the goblin were trembling at his piercing gaze. This wasn¡¯t an issue that could be resolved by just killing one or two people. They looked at the nobles. ¡®Please help us.¡¯ ¡®Didn¡¯t you tell us to kick him out¡­¡­!¡¯ However, the nobles made their judgment very quickly. ¡°Ahem¡­¡­. I just realized I have something to do today. I should go.¡± ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s getting so late. My wife will be waiting for me. I should go too.¡± ¡°Oh? How awful to go alone! Let¡¯s go together!¡± They all got up from their seats at once. In truth, the nobles had felt uneasy ever since the sudden alarm and the earthquake. A founding member of the Goblin Bank. Anyone who had used the bank even a little bit knew the weight of that title. ¡°We should get out of here before things get worse.¡± ¡°Who knows what might happen if we get mixed up with them? We need to get a loan, and we can¡¯t afford to be on bad terms with the bank¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, we didn¡¯t do anything wrong. We didn¡¯t force them to leave.¡± ¡°We just said we were uncomfortable.¡± Of course, one of them couldn¡¯t just leave. It was because Joo-yeon had called him. ¡°You said you¡¯d support me if I opened an account. I¡¯ll be waiting to see when you¡¯ll actually support me.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± It was an unpleasant and vulgar thing to say to the nobles, but they couldn¡¯t say anything. If they provoked the bank for no reason and got attacked, even they would be in trouble. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll greet you separately later.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting with pleasure.¡± In the end, the nobles left after promising separate compensation. The higher the rank, the more they had to give good compensation to save face. They just made one mistake and ended up getting ripped off by Joo-yeon. ¡®Yeah, I should have been more careful with what I said.¡¯ There was someone else who was devastated by this sight. It was the guards who had pressured Joo-yeon. ¡®We just¡­ wanted to please the nobles and get paid.¡¯ ¡®This is a total disaster¡­¡¯ However, Joo-yeon whispered softly to them as they looked miserable. ¡°Customers can do that¡­ but you shouldn¡¯t.¡± The goblins sank into their seats with looks of despair. The goblin bank manager bowed his head anxiously. ¡°I¡¯ll punish them severely and kick them out! I¡¯m so sorry for causing you such trouble!¡± ¡°Even so, don¡¯t cut off their income. Make sure they¡¯re not kicked out.¡± ¡°Th-then what should we do?¡± ¡°You need to teach them properly from the bottom up so that they can provide genuine service to customers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Joo-yeon pointed to a bag of rags in the corner. ¡°For now, instead of spears and pens, it would be good for them to start by cleaning with rags.¡± ¡°Ack¡­¡± ¡°Starting with the sewers.¡± He was telling them to clean the sewers at the bottom of the bank. As punishments go, this was the worst. However, the bank manager didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say!¡± It wasn¡¯t his job to do it anyway. However, he didn¡¯t know that Joo-yeon¡¯s sharp eyes were watching him. ¡°The root of all this trouble is the banker.¡± That¡¯s why the guards and bank tellers could talk down to customers who were poorly dressed. That¡¯s why they had become the playthings of the nobles. It was all because the banker turned a blind eye. If he had run the bank properly, none of this would have happened. ¡®He must be getting paid enough to take responsibility for this.¡¯ But he hadn¡¯t made her clean the cesspool for nothing. If she cleaned it, it was bound to be revealed. The corruption that the banker had been hiding. ¡®I need to get my stuff out before that.¡¯ Joo-yeon looked at the banker with an impassive expression. ¡°So when can I open my account?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll open it for you right now.¡± The banker shouted anxiously, thinking he could get out of this without a hitch. ¡°Close the shutters!¡± Clang! In an instant, iron bars slammed down, blocking the bank¡¯s entrance. The knights paired off and guarded the doors and windows. It was perfect security, where no one could enter. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°We will now escort the honored guest!¡± Joo-yeon followed their lead as if it were only natural. It was an incredible situation for Haken, who was just following behind. ¡®Those¡­ those wretched goblins are being so polite. Just who is she?¡¯ [Goblin Bank] They were a monopoly that didn¡¯t even look at unprofitable work. They were known for being unkind to customers who came to deposit items. They were so arrogant that they treated even the Knight King as just another customer when he visited. But now, those same people had completely changed. ¡°hehehe. You must be hot. Here¡¯s some cold water.¡± ¡°No, water for the founding member? Go get a drink with ice in it right now!¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡­ I apologize.¡± ¡®Ice¡­? They¡¯re serving that expensive stuff in the middle of summer?¡¯ Ice was an expensive commodity that only wizards could make. And on top of that, they were providing all sorts of other services. It was an incomprehensible situation for Haken, who was usually ignored as a bum on the backstreets. They finally arrived at Joo-yeon¡¯s vault. ¡°Alright, everyone out.¡± ¡°B¡­ But we could help you¡­¡± ¡°I said get out. Only this lady and I are going in from here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Feel free to call us anytime. We¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Joo-Yeon kicked everyone out. Banks usually helped to find and pack up the things inside the safe deposit box. Confused by his actions, Haken asked, ¡°Why did you tell the other goblins to leave?¡± ¡°From now on, it¡¯s better to have as few eyes on us as possible.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± As Joo-Yeon entered the password in front of the safe deposit box. Rumble! A giant warehouse appeared. And Haken¡­ ¡°Wh¡­ What the heck?¡± Fainted on the spot. Chapter 54 My Reflector Is Invincible 5454. This Won¡¯t Do [Kleptomaniac Haken] He was a man who could never be described as having lived an honest life. Even his pledge of allegiance to Joo-Yeon was, in truth, born out of personal greed. ¡®If I stick close to that guy, I¡¯ll be able to secure a position for myself.¡¯ However, something unexpected happened. ¡°Whew¡­ Did I just black out for a moment?¡± It was funny even when he thought about it again. To think that he would faint just from seeing a certain place. ¡°Even if it was a dream, it was the first time I¡¯ve ever seen so many treasures.¡± If there was a mountain of gold, would it look like that? The sight of all sorts of jewels piled up like a giant tower. It wasn¡¯t just the treasures that were piled up like mountains. [Screech!] A humanoid-shaped herb screaming from inside a vat of liquid. It was the legendary Mandrake. [Whoa!] A fruit that emitted light, capable of reviving the dead with just one bite. The Life Fruit. Was this what the Golden Paradise looked like, where all the treasures and riches of the world were gathered? However, the problem wasn¡¯t just the objects. [Grooooowl.] From Noble mtl dot com Dead, yet with a fighting spirit that was off the charts. In truth, the reason why Haken the thief had fainted was entirely due to just one being. It was huge, but its very existence was unbelievable. ¡°An entire dead dragon. Who would have thought something like that would be in a bank vault?¡± I thought it was something you could only see in a dragon¡¯s sanctuary. A dragon¡¯s corpse was a fearsome beast. Not only could anyone have it, but it was an important object that could cause conflicts between nations. There was no way such an existence could remain intact. Just then, a voice came from behind Haken. ¡°What are you doing? If you¡¯re awake, come and help.¡± Huh? Help with what? Only then did Haken regain his senses. The place he was in now wasn¡¯t the usual room the Edmer dukedom had given him. ¡°W-what?¡± The place he had thought was a dream just a moment ago. It was the interior of a bank vault filled with treasure. ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t a dream?¡± All this really belongs to the master, no, the lead role? It was unbelievable, but there was something even more unbelievable. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, so pack it up quickly. Just pack everything you see. For now, from here to here.¡± It was an overwhelming amount that was shocking even for Haken. His shock wasn¡¯t simply because of the contents of the vault. ¡®¤Þ¤µ¤«¡¢Ë½¤Ë¤³¤³¤òÒŠ¤»¤ë¤Ê¤ó¤Æ¡¯ It was such an important place that even the bank employees were sent out. To show him such a place was a sign that he trusted him that much. For Haken, who had only been treated as a back-alley bum, it was quite a shock. ¡®Why do you trust me this much?¡¯ He trusted him enough to show him his own secrets. Trust must be repaid with trust. Haken¡¯s eyes shone firmly towards Joo-in. * * * ¡®It¡¯s convenient to have a porter to carry the bags. It would have been hard if I had to carry it myself.¡¯ But it was much easier with Haken. As expected, even in games, a porter was a necessity. ¡®By the way, do you now think of me as your master?¡¯ Haken reacted quickly to his orders. He used to be strictly calculating, but now he was really enthusiastic. As proof, a strange light could be seen near Haken. It certainly resembled the color of £¼Obedience£¾. It was normal that you would never see it in Haken, a former thief. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So I laughed. ¡®A slave who used to be a thief, and now a knight of £¼Obedience£¾?¡¯ There was only one way for a person from the back alleys to become a knight. It was something that made him realize and awaken to his own chivalry. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. Up until now, only one person had ever managed it. [£¼Knight of Thieves£¾ Leonard] He was someone who had risen from being a thief to attaining the chivalry of £¼Conviction£¾. A man who had eventually overcome his own origins and become a true knight who had surpassed the highest realm. Rather, because he had been a thief, there were certain exceptional aspects to him that ordinary knights couldn¡¯t imitate. And it was clear that, like that guy, a certain change of heart had occurred within Haken as well. For Joo-Heon, this wasn¡¯t a bad thing. ¡®In the first place, if the guy I was planning to use as a porter gets stronger, it¡¯s a good thing.¡¯ The Balentino Company didn¡¯t have an inventory. Instead, they used sub-space pockets, but even using those, the weight didn¡¯t decrease noticeably. That was why it was necessary for him to get strong enough to endure that weight. ¡®It¡¯s still too much for Haken, though.¡¯ Joo-Heon was planning to make the guy strong. Someday, the guy would be carrying a sub-space pocket stuffed to the brim. But that wasn¡¯t what was important right now. Joo-Heon looked at the items in the safe. ¡®Thankfully, everything I need is here.¡¯ He had been worried inside that the account would be alive, but the safe would be empty. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a shame that not everything is here, though.¡¯ Haken had called it a mountain of gold and treasures, but a lot of it was missing by Joo-Heon¡¯s standards. Originally, since these were items he had put in after clearing the final content, there should have been higher-spec items, precious items, and a larger amount of money. It was clear that something had changed, whether it had been due to an issue during the sealing or the passage of time. ¡®Still, this much is okay.¡¯ Most of what he had really needed had remained, and there was enough money to upgrade once. ¡®Rather, this is the important thing.¡¯ Joo-Heon took out the item he had gotten from Hunter Jack. It was a dagger. [Oath Sword] Of course, it wasn¡¯t a good sword. It was a rusted dagger that, despite being well-maintained, had a certain sense of age to it. However, its significance was important. ¨C If I did something worthy of it, Sir Knight King, no, the previous Duke gave me this item. He told me to come find him later. However, Jack hadn¡¯t gone to find the Knight King. He had treasured the item given to him by the Knight King as his own. And he had given it to Joo-Heon. ¨C This is my way of repaying you for saving my life. If you take this, I¡¯m sure the previous Duke will reward you as well. Of course, there was no use for it. From the start, he had been entangled with the Duke, and as ¡®that,¡¯ he had a strong connection with the previous Duke. However, even this ordinary dagger would be different if there was one more item to pair it with. ¡°It should definitely be around here somewhere.¡± Joo-in¡¯s hand pushed away the mountain of treasures and pulled out a hidden object. It was a tightly sealed box. As the box was revealed, light emanated from the dagger. Swish. The faint light opened the lid of the box. Inside was a small coin. [Vestige of the Conqueror] There was no special effect or description. An item made to commemorate a man who once conquered the world. However, this coin and the dagger were a pair. Joo-in grinned as he looked at it. ¡®This is all I need for now.¡¯ With these items, he could go to a specific place and obtain a special class. It was famous information that most players knew. However, no one had ever obtained that class. It was because although it had overwhelmingly powerful strength, the risk was also extremely high. However, Joo-in was different. ¡®I have £¼Reflection£¾ now. I can handle any curse or risk.¡¯ That was why he had come to find this item. To obtain a class that everyone knew about but no one had ever chosen. Fortunately, he had obtained the dagger from Hunter Jack, so the foundation was complete. ¡°Now, then¡­¡­.¡± It was his colleagues¡¯ items¡¯ turn. Joo-in¡¯s hand rummaged through the pile of treasures. But something was strange. ¡°I¡¯m sure I put it here?¡± The place where some items should have been was empty. They belonged to some of the strongest guys among his former colleagues. Joo-in narrowed his brow. ¡®As expected, they¡¯re not here.¡¯ Of course, the money and some of the items he had kept were not left in the vault, but it was still strange. ¡®There¡¯s still some energy in this vicinity.¡¯ Joo-in looked around. Did the energy of someone else remain in this vault, which no one had entered for at least several decades? Had someone come here? ¡®Did a thief perhaps steal the items inside?¡¯ However, it was rare for someone to enter such a place and take the items. The most suspicious one was Dae-ho. [Great Sword Cheon Soo-gwan] The king and god of all thieves. At the same time, he was a colleague of the previous hero and his own colleague. He was one of those he had included as a colleague to go defeat the Demon King together. Joo-in¡¯s eyes glinted. I don¡¯t know about the other stuff, but he¡¯s probably stolen at least as much as my colleagues. ¡®I don¡¯t know why he stole it, but¡­ I¡¯ll make him regret touching my stuff.¡¯ Now I have everything I need. I¡¯ve even got the materials to make a weapon imbued with the power of the mazoku. ¡®Okay, so I¡¯ve got all the additional materials now. I guess it¡¯s time to go make a weapon.¡¯ I don¡¯t need to worry about the pickpocket who went to look for information. If he doesn¡¯t want to die, he¡¯ll come looking for me right away. So I was about to pack up and leave. ¡°Are you really going like this?¡± Haken approached cautiously. He looked like he had something to say. ¡°I¡¯ve got everything I need, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I mean the bank manager. Won¡¯t it be difficult for you if you go like this?¡± Oh, I forgot about that. ¡°I need to take care of that.¡± ¡°How?¡± Joo-in just smiled. He didn¡¯t actually need to do anything. ¡®The bank¡¯s alarm went off, so they must have noticed me.¡¯ The six founders of the bank. They were powerful people known all over the continent. Most of them were long-lived and hadn¡¯t died in hundreds of years. And Joo-in had founded this bank with them. ¡®It was a quest, but still.¡¯ They liked him quite a bit. Of course, that was when he was the player ¡®Zig¡¯, not ¡®Nam Joo-in¡¯, who had possessed the body of a slave. But that didn¡¯t matter. ¡®I don¡¯t know about anything else, but they¡¯re not the kind of guys who would just stand by and watch a fellow founding member get ignored at the entrance.¡¯ It was likely that the central bank would send down an audit tomorrow at the earliest. Since Joo-in had already punished the guards and bank tellers, ¡®They¡¯ll probably try to punish the bank manager directly.¡¯ That punishment would be far from ordinary. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. It was his own fault for not managing the bank properly. Joo-in wrote a special letter for him and stuck it to the wall. ¡°If we leave it here, the founding members will come and see it.¡± I don¡¯t know who will come, though. He also included some information and instructions. Of course, since he didn¡¯t know the guys personally in this body, they might just ignore it, but that didn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that Joo-in had ordered the basement of this place to be cleaned as punishment. If they were founding members, they would quickly notice the bank manager¡¯s embezzlement there. ¡®That should be enough to take care of things here.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go to the forge now.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll guide you.¡± I left the goblins who were offering to guide me and went outside. And headed for the forge. But I was immediately blocked. Clang! ¡°No peddlers allowed here.¡± ¡°Go away.¡± What? Again?? Joo-yeon¡¯s temper flared up when she heard the same words she had heard just a few hours ago. No, is there something wrong with my appearance at this point? Joo-yeon asked Haken, touching her forehead. ¡°Hey, do I look that shabby?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Well, you look good, but you don¡¯t take care of yourself? From your messy hair to your behavior¡­¡± Smack. ¡®These bastards are useless.¡¯ It was when Joo-yeon was about to come out like she did at the bank. Someone jumped in from behind. ¡°W¡­¡­ Wait a minute!¡± Chapter 55 My Reflector Is Invincible 5555. Player Win ¡°W¡­¡­ Wait a minute!¡± The one who jumped out in surprise was none other than a dwarf. ¡°H¡­¡­ Have you just come out of the Goblin Bank?¡± ¡°Word travels fast.¡± ¡°I¡­¡­ I heard that a¡­¡­ a noble guest would be visiting.¡± The dwarf was the owner of the forge. At his bowing attitude, the guards¡¯ expressions changed. ¡°M¡­¡­ Master?¡± ¡°Before I smash your heads with a hammer, why don¡¯t you apologize right now! You¡¯ll all be dead if this person says one word!¡± ¡°W¡­¡­ We¡¯re sorry. Please spare us!¡± From Noble mtl dot com The guards knelt down with pale faces. It seemed that the bank manager had sent word in advance. He was as quick-witted as he was corrupt. He must have contacted them as soon as he judged that Joo-yeon was going to the forge. ¡®But this guy. Why is he bowing to me like this?¡¯ Usually, dwarves were known for their stubbornness and bluntness. They were known for their dirty high self-esteem in craftsmanship, comparable to, if not more than, elves. The more famous the craftsman as a blacksmith, the worse it was. Basically, strong weapons were the desire of all warriors. Naturally, it was inevitable that warriors who received such love calls would become arrogant. ¡®Especially this blacksmith dwarf, I made him come by spending a huge sum of money when I was ruling the territory.¡¯ The quest also included managing the territory. Creating a bank by gathering legendary beings as founding members was also part of that. In any case, this guy was the second best blacksmith after the [Dwarf King]. I got him drunk and forcibly signed a contract to bring him here. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t help but be arrogant. I could tell just by listening to the chatter of the people around me. ¡°No, that dwarf boss is bowing down. Who the hell is he?¡± The dwarf had the nickname Midas¡¯ Hand. There were rumors that the weapons they made were all sold for more than the price of gold, and that those who received their swords became test who dominated an era. It was no wonder people were looking at him with curiosity. However, the face of the main character was distorted. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a dwarf. Where¡¯s the real boss?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The boss dwarf turned pale at the main character¡¯s words. He wondered how he had discovered a secret that no one had noticed until now. But it was so obvious to the main character. I knew what kind of face he had, but-. ¡°Do you think you can become a dwarf by putting a beard on a gnome? You should deceive someone who can be deceived.¡± The boss¡¯s pupils shook. Until now, no one had noticed that. However, the main character¡¯s gaze became fierce. ¡®I have to leave the weapon to that guy.¡¯ But if he¡¯s not here, things will go wrong. ¡°Oh, okay. Where¡¯s the real boss? I mean the dwarf guy.¡± ¡°That, that is¡­¡­¡± The more he rolled his eyes, the more certain I was that he was a gnome. The characteristic of gnomes is that they are good at lying. Of course, the main character¡¯s voice couldn¡¯t help but rise. ¡°Haken! Contact Duke Edmer¡¯s family right now¡­¡­¡± ¡°I, I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± But an unexpected answer came back. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be the boss either! The damn boss said he had an accident! No, he¡¯s not the boss anymore. He¡¯s a slave!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Who became a slave? * * * Jooyeon entered the forge under the guidance of the fake boss. The fake boss had brought him to the office, saying that he was concerned about the eyes of others. However, what was important to Jooyeon was not the eyes of others. ¡°Tell me again. What happened?¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s¡­ He became a slave by his own hand and left.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Haken! Run to the smithy right now¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious! Not only me, but all the other blacksmiths know this!¡± In fact, it is not uncommon for dwarves to become slaves. However, most of the time, it is when they are kidnapped. It was impossible for the head of the Edmer Duchy¡¯s forge to become a slave as it is now. First of all, the dwarves were close to the King of Knights. ¡°Make the head blacksmith of Edmer Duchy a slave? And to the dwarf who made the King of Knights¡¯ sword?¡± Does anyone want to be cursed by the King of Knights? Jooyeon¡¯s words made the fake boss sweat profusely. However, the whole story he heard from the fake boss was absurd. ¡°What? The boss is addicted to perfume? So he put down his hammer and rented a bar?¡± In a word, the amount of money he owed for alcohol was enormous. It was an amount that even a great craftsman could not easily repay. However, Jooyeon snorted. ¡°Are you kidding me? What kind of alcohol did he make into an elixir?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just alcohol, it¡¯s also a little bit of gambling¡­¡± ¡°Your boss handles mithril, doesn¡¯t he? How can such a craftsman fail to pay off his gambling debts?¡± ¡°Actually, he even gambled the forge as collateral¡­¡± Oh my? A simple blacksmith gambled the forge as collateral? He was up to all sorts of things. But something was strange. ¡°No matter how addicted to perfume he was, how could a blacksmith who loves his craft more than anything put the forge up as collateral?¡± And ended up becoming a slave? Something was fishy about this. No, it was a situation that Jooyeon was very familiar with. ¡°He was framed.¡± ¡°Yes? Framed?¡± ¡°Someone targeted the dwarf blacksmith and did the job.¡± ¡°Such¡­¡± It was an event that happened occasionally in the Balantino Saga. In the underworld, which targeted the skills of blacksmiths, they often handled things this way. ¡®Drive them crazy with gambling, alcohol, and women, and make them slaves.¡¯ Of course, to do such a thing in the territory of the King of Knights, they would have to be extremely daring. If they were caught by him, who was overflowing with a sense of justice, they would be executed on the spot, which was a serious crime. However, that was not important now. ¡°You dare steal my Dwarf?¡± I can¡¯t forgive him, whoever he is. ¡°So, who is the little punk? The guy who kidnapped my slave¡­ no, my blacksmith.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± They were criminals who had taken over the back alleys with the Duke¡¯s permission. They were also part of a thieves¡¯ guild that mostly charmed people into drinking and gambling. Jooyeon was taken aback. ¡°Thieves¡¯ guild? You mean to tell me those guys did this? They must have a death wish.¡± ¡°Should I contact the former Duke?¡± Jooyeon nodded at Haken¡¯s words. It seemed like they all deserved to be hanged. ¡®The Blacksmith that the Knight King made¡­ no, more precisely, that I made?¡¯ The bank and other major facilities in the Edmer fiefdom were all places that he had created through quests. Even though the quest was a failure because the hero Ryuujin self-destructed, that was when he had played with the Knight King as a companion character. £¼Quest£¾ ¨C Manage the territory. ¨C Citizen satisfaction: 90% or higher. It was roughly that kind of quest. Since he was doing it, he wanted to do it perfectly, so he had put in a lot of effort to find precious founding members and create it. In fact, it would be fair to say that he had created the Edmer fiefdom itself. So how could he not be angry? They had turned the place he had made into a mess. And the thieves¡¯ guild? He wouldn¡¯t let them get away with it. But when he said that he would go find the Dwarf, the fake guild master shook his hands frantically. ¡°N-n-no, you can¡¯t! Absolutely not!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why not? You¡¯d like the Dwarf master to come back, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that it would be any better than now if that drunkard master came back¡­ no, that¡¯s not it! It¡¯s the thieves¡¯ guild! The ¡®Grand Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara¡¯ who is a companion of the hero¡­!¡± Jooyeon scoffed. ¡°Yeah, yeah. He¡¯s just that thief¡¯s subordinate. If the Knight King finds out about this, he¡¯ll take care of them all, won¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m talking about the real Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara! He¡¯s their backer!¡± ¡°What?¡± The real Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara? Jooyeon doubted his ears for a moment and tilted his head. ¡°What are you talking about? Are you saying that the guy who caused the accident is the Grand¡¯s son? Even if the Grand is the head of the thieves¡¯ guild, he wouldn¡¯t take responsibility for all of those guys¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m saying that the real Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara has arrived. I saw him with my own two eyes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Grand had secretly entered the Knight King¡¯s territory that he hated so much? To make the Dwarf in the fiefdom work? And a hero who knew his limits, even if he was a thief, had done such a thing? Even if it¡¯s the guy who used to be a comrade of the Dwarf King? ¡°That guy. He¡¯s a thief but he hates stealing the most? Especially an old man who hates slavery?¡± ¡°No, really. He makes some kind of gloves that look like hands¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°Gloves that look like hands?¡± I got a rough idea of how things were going. But it wasn¡¯t a bad thing for Joo-yeon. ¡®Was that bastard in this city?¡¯ His old comrades had divine weapons that he had entrusted to them. ¡®Then I can get a divine weapon without having to go far.¡¯ Joo-yeon grinned as he recalled the unexpected reunion. This meant changing plans. ¡°If you were kidnapped for money, you can just buy it back with money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Instead, it was the surroundings that were shocked by Joo-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°It won¡¯t be a small amount of money!¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough money to buy the Grand Duke¡¯s prestigious forge. It¡¯s more expensive than most castles¡­¡± Haken shouted at Joo-yeon in a panic, as if he had realized something. ¡°Surely not with the money you brought from the bank just now!!¡± ¡°Am I crazy? To spend it there?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I have to rob those bastards. It¡¯s not my money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­??¡± Of course, Haken and the fake CEO looked ridiculous. Cheonsu Gwaneum was a man known as the master of the underworld. There was no way that a casino run by such a man would be ordinary. ¡°They¡¯re guys who do all sorts of scams. What are you going to do about guys who cheat on purpose?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter how good you are, you can¡¯t win at a casino. It¡¯s impossible.¡± There were also professional gamblers there. The skills of the guys whose profession is [Gambler] are terrible. But Joo-yeon just grinned. ¡°That¡¯s even better. Originally, guys who play with their hands wrong tend to get ruined by their wrists.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He had already reflected on pickpocketing. Would it be any different for a gambler? Rather, I was curious to see what would happen. ¡°Come on, guide me. To my new cash cow, no, the guys who kidnapped the dwarf.¡± I had to finish the job before the messengers from each faction arrived. Of course, Haken and the fake CEO were taken aback. ¡°Are you really going to a casino?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this. Even our crazy CEO calls it a ruined casino!¡± No matter how he tried to dissuade Joo-in, it was no use. Joo-in had already come to the doorstep of the gambling den. Haken broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®I think I might be wrong about this one. Joo-in is too pure to deal with those swindlers.¡¯ He knew it well because he was a former thief. The gambling den was a place where all sorts of evil and deceit swirled around. No matter how great Joo-in was, there was no way he could be safe in a place determined to deceive people. ¡®And it¡¯s a gambling den created by the Thieves Guild? They¡¯ll not only take your money but your very soul.¡¯ It seemed like it was his turn to step up. ¡®I may look like this, but I¡¯m confident in gambling.¡¯ Even Joo-in wouldn¡¯t know much about gambling or the life of the underworld. Yes, that¡¯s what he thought¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡­Number 17! Pla¡­¡­ Player wins!¡± Everyone cheered at the dealer¡¯s declaration. ¡°Again! He won again!¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡­. He won with that one number out of so many?¡± ¡°What on earth is he? Is he a messenger from the God of Fortune?¡± A huge pile of gold coins was stacked in front of Joo-in. Haken was speechless at the sight. Chapter 56 My Reflector Is Invincible 5656. He¡¯s finally here Deep in the gambling den, A middle-aged man slammed the table and shouted. From Noble mtl dot com Thud! ¡°Is it not done yet!¡± His underlings barely opened their mouths at his outburst. ¡°The Dwarf won¡¯t listen to reason. He¡¯s extremely arrogant.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss. He says he¡¯s a craftsman and won¡¯t budge no matter how much we try to persuade him.¡± The man shouted at his underlings¡¯ excuses. ¡°Then drug him!¡± ¡°But¡­¡­ If we drug him, he won¡¯t be able to make a proper product.¡± ¡°Then he won¡¯t be able to make a prosthetic hand that can replace Daedo¡¯s, will he?¡± The middle-aged man grimaced. ¡°Ha¡­¡­ Really. I knew Dwarves were arrogant.¡± He never thought they would be so inflexible, even when offered both carrots and sticks. Even when tortured, the Dwarf resolutely said, -My hammer only moves for those who will become great. -I will not create any weapons for trash like you. But he couldn¡¯t kill him either. All the other dwarves had failed aside from him. All that remained was the Dwarf King and this dwarf known as the Master Craftsman. ¡®But the Dwarf King can no longer wield a hammer¡­¡¯ In the end, this dwarf was their only chance. Just then, a voice rang out. ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up. Time is on our side.¡± Darkness suddenly enveloped the middle-aged man. His subordinates were nowhere to be seen. The man flinched and took a step back. ¡°Haizen!¡± A figure emerged from the darkness. A sharp-dressed individual with two devilish horns protruding from his head. A mazoku. But regardless of the man¡¯s surprise, the mazoku merely smirked. ¡°That dwarf will have no choice but to pick up his hammer in the end. If not, I¡¯ll use my own means to make sure he does.¡± ¡°I told you not to come here. It¡¯s dangerous if the Paladin finds out¡­¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t that just mean your work is all the more important?¡± Normally, he should have been persuading the dwarf by now. He had already acquired all the materials, so all that was left was the crafting. But he still hadn¡¯t managed to make it so far. The mazoku had appeared to deliver an ultimatum. The man gritted his teeth. ¡°I have no choice. No matter how tough he is, he¡¯ll surrender if we take his fellow blacksmiths hostage. We¡¯ll torture them right in front of him and force him to work.¡± ¡°A wise decision. But what about the Hero?¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s face hardened at that name. ¡®Shuen, he said. The new Hero.¡¯ ¡°The agent I sent to him failed. He didn¡¯t secure the item and was instead captured.¡± ¡°Good grief¡­ Why didn¡¯t you send someone more capable?¡± The mazoku¡¯s words made the man¡¯s anger flare. ¡°He¡¯s a top-class agent! Top-class! Do you think it¡¯s reasonable for someone like that to fail?¡± He was a thief who ranked among the best even within the Thieves¡¯ Guild. He may have been inferior to the direct descendants of the Great Thieves known as the Twelve Fingers, but he had never failed a mission. Yet now, that same man was babbling on about needing information. ¡°I thought he was just a rookie¡­ It seems this Hero is a bit stronger than we anticipated.¡± ¡°This is no time to be complacent. If that Hero goes around stirring things up¡­ The rumors about the Great Thief will definitely spread! And then the Paladin will make his move.¡± That was why they had planned to use the item in the Hero¡¯s possession to drive him out. But Shuen had turned out to be stronger than expected. He was a dangerous man, capable of overpowering a top-class agent in an instant. The mazoku, Haizen, chuckled. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to step in.¡± ¡°Yes. You should be able to subdue the Hero.¡± There was no need to go so far as to subdue him, though. You just have to get out of the way so as not to disturb them. ¡°Even a warrior would surely put aside his dukedom to chase after you.¡± Haizen was known to be a secretive and sinister one even among the mazoku. A mental mazoku who manipulates the minds of his opponents and even crushes their will to fight. There was no way he would fail once such a mazoku had taken action. ¡°Then please make a prosthetic arm for the Great Sword in the meantime. On the day our great plan is completed, we will be able to put not only the arrogant King of Knights who ignored you but the entire guild beneath our feet, just as we promised.¡± ¡°The day of the promise is finally coming.¡± However, there was one problem. ¡°I heard rumors that the gnome is planning to sell his smithy to pay off the dwarves¡¯ debt?¡± ¡°Even if he does, it will be in vain. He won¡¯t be able to pay off all that debt by selling just one smithy.¡± It would be difficult even if he sold the duke¡¯s castle. Debt is compound interest. It grows larger and larger as time goes on. No wonder the middle-aged man was laughing sinisterly. ¡°Where will he get that kind of money?¡± But then, the door opened and a man rushed into the room. Bang! ¡°Boss! No, sir! Something terrible has happened!¡± At the man¡¯s words, the black mist vanished in an instant. The mazoku also disappeared in an instant. The other subordinates, who had been dazed, finally regained their senses. ¡°Huh? What happened just now?¡± ¡°It felt like I was¡­ sinking underwater.¡± The middle-aged man frowned at their appearance and shouted. ¡°What is it! I told you not to disturb me unless it was something like the previous duke contacting us again!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­ That¡¯s not important right now! The casino is being robbed!¡± ¡°What?¡± * * * Clackety-clack! The dealer at the casino raised his hand. ¡°No more bets. Please remove your hands from the table.¡± The ball spun around the numbered cylinder. Roulette is a simple game where the player wins if the ball lands on their bet number, and the casino wins if it lands anywhere else. There were dozens of numbers, but the dealer and the casino usually won. However, the dealer couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat as the ball approached one of the numbered slots. As the dealer remained silent, Jooin smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­ 1¡­ 17! P-player wins!¡± With that exclamation, a huge pile of chips was stacked in front of Jooin. The dealer who had paid out the chips couldn¡¯t even think about wiping the sweat from his brow. ¡®Damn it, where did it all go wrong?¡¯ Jooyeon was originally someone who shouldn¡¯t have been able to enter this place. Everyone in the casino, including the manager, ignored him. The manager, in particular, had hurled terrible insults at him. ¡°This is a VVIP casino. We don¡¯t accept beggars here.¡± He mocked Jooyeon¡¯s attire. He threw the food he was eating in front of him and ridiculed him. Then, something fell out of Jooyeon¡¯s hand. Thud! It was a gold bar. It was so big that everyone was shocked. Even the manager, who had been running the casino for a long time, was surprised by the sheer amount. ¡°Hey, show me the way. I¡¯ll show you what real gambling is all about.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± And Jooyeon showed them what real gambling was. Using his overwhelming wealth, he swept away all the chips on the table. The manager hurriedly signaled to the dealer. ¡®What are you doing! Stop messing around and win already!¡¯ But the dealer was genuinely bewildered. Normally, he would have won as soon as he received the manager¡¯s signal. And with good reason, because he had mastered the Gambler¡¯s unique skill perfectly. ¨C Gambler¡¯s Exclusive Skill It was a skill that allowed him to send the ball to any number he wanted. However, it didn¡¯t work on Jooyeon. Nevertheless, the manager kept sending the dealer glances. ¡®If you lose again¡­ you¡¯ll have to pay back the amount you lost with your body.¡¯ If that happened, he would end up in a state worse than a stray dog. Eventually, the dealer decided to use his trump card. It was the Gambler¡¯s strongest skill, taught to him by one of the twelve disciples of the legendary [Grandmaster of a Thousand Hands]. ¨C Gambler¡¯s Ultimate Skill It was a skill that allowed him to manipulate the odds of the game, reducing his chances of losing to 0%. He might not be able to fight, but he was unbeatable when it came to gambling. Finally, the ball rolled out of the dealer¡¯s hand once more. Swish! The ball rolled towards the 0 slot, which would allow the dealer to win. It was a number that, while statistically unlikely to land in, would guarantee a win for the dealer and the casino the moment it did. But right at that moment. ¡°All in!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A huge pile of chips was placed on the opposite side of 0, on 18. It was Jooyeon¡¯s chips. Number 18, a whopping thirty-six times the bet. If he won, he would have to pay a truly astronomical amount. But what if he failed? The dealer smiled, sure of his victory. ¡®That money would be enough to make up for all my previous losses.¡¯ He might even get a bonus for doing such a good job. Yes, this would make up for all his failures¡­. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Click! ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± The ball stopped, and the dealer¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The ball had landed on none other than number 18. The exact number the protagonist had bet on. The casino patrons who had been watching let out a roar. ¡°Wowww!¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? How much is that?!¡± ¡°Thirty-six times! Thirty-six times the bet! This is insane!¡± A tower of chips piled up next to the protagonist. Black diamond chips, the most expensive in the casino. Haken, who had never seen anything like it before, was so shocked that his jaw dropped and he started drooling. ¡°H-how much is all this¡­¡­!¡± Even for a seasoned gambler like him, this was an unprecedented amount. It was enough to buy the entire casino outright. Indeed, the protagonist¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°What, is it over? Are you done?¡± As the protagonist glared at him, the manager bit his lip. ¡°I-I apologize. This dealer is quite exhausted, so we will switch to a new dealer.¡± ¡°Oh? In that case, bring me a dealer who can handle unlimited betting. This is chump change, and it¡¯s no fun.¡± The manager, who had been gritting his teeth, suddenly doubted his own ears. ¡°E-excuse me, chump change? This amount of money could buy this entire casino!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still not enough. I plan to devour not only this casino, but also the local branch of the Thieves Guild.¡± Gulp¡­! The manager frantically looked around. But the other dealers all turned their heads away, avoiding his gaze. They felt wronged too. ¡®That guy is the most veteran dealer we have.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s the best gambler, having received his skills from the boss himself, who is one of the twelve fingers¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no one else left. We really did our best.¡¯ In that short time, they had all been cleaned out by the protagonist. He had won every single game, from card games to roulette, even dice games. The huge pile of chips in front of the protagonist was proof of that. But the protagonist was still hungry. ¡°What? This is it? This is disappointing?¡± The manager broke out in a cold sweat at his words. He had already noticed that the dealers were cheating. However, he couldn¡¯t give up because of the people around him. ¡®Giving up a gambling match means losing your reputation.¡¯ Who would want to come to such a shabby casino? But the manager couldn¡¯t find a way. ¡®What should I do, what should I do¡­!¡¯ No matter how much he thought about it, there was no one to ask for help. If he left it like this, the casino would lose all its money. Not only the dealers, but he and his family might be taken as slaves. But he couldn¡¯t use force. ¡°What? That man is the hero? The one who defeated the demons with the Knight King?¡± ¡°Yes. If we call the guards, we¡¯ll all be dead, Manager.¡± ¡°No, why is a hero causing trouble in a casino?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know that? What can we do? We¡¯re doomed.¡± He had no choice but to try to calm him down somehow. From Noble mtl dot com However, Jooyeon¡¯s gaze was firm. ¡°What, you¡¯re telling me to get lost like a beggar? Why? Can¡¯t you even deal with a beggar like me?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The manager broke out in a cold sweat at Jooyeon¡¯s words. In the end, they somehow managed to call the best gamblers from other places. ¡°I lost.¡± ¡°P, player wins.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore¡­ I admit defeat!¡± Even they all gave up. The casino¡¯s operation was already in jeopardy. However, Jooyeon¡¯s pressure continued even then. ¡°Hurry up and bring the money. I cleared my schedule for today. Let¡¯s play all night.¡± ¡°P¡­ please spare me.¡± When the manager kowtowed, Jooyeon laughed mockingly, as if he was talking nonsense. ¡°What? I¡¯m not going to kill you. I just want to play a game. You sound like a beggar.¡± Waaah! The manager couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and collapsed. He was thinking of kowtowing to apologize for his mistake. But at that moment. Thud! Suddenly, the door to the president¡¯s office on the second floor opened. A middle-aged man with a stern face, their boss. ¡°Which swindlers are causing a scene in my casino!¡± The spectators were astounded by the man¡¯s face. ¡°That¡­ that man is¡­¡± ¡°¡­One of the [Twelve Fingers]!¡± The corners of Joo-yeon¡¯s lips rose. The main character has finally appeared. Chapter 57 My Reflector Is Invincible 5757. Let¡¯s Stretch a Little for Once The man who suddenly appeared. Not only his impression but his intimidating presence was no joke. The spectators who had been intoxicated by Joo-yeon¡¯s victory instantly froze and backed away. ¡°That man, is he one of the [Twelve Fingers]?¡± ¡°Yes. The Thousand-handed Avalokiteshvara¡­¡± It was the appearance of the president who had only been rumored to exist. The manager hurriedly ran up to him and bowed his head. ¡°P-president! Th-this is a d-disaster. That bastard took all the money from our casino¡­¡± ¡°You incompetent fool.¡± Thud! As the president struck him, the manager collapsed on the spot. ¡°Take this useless bastard away and strip him of everything he¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°Yes, boss!¡± Even so, the situation didn¡¯t look good. The gamblers from each region were averting their eyes and keeping their heads down, and the chips in front of Joo-yeon were the military funds he had gathered for his grand plan. On top of that, behind Joo-yeon was the Gnome who was in charge of the forge. The president¡¯s gaze, who had kidnapped the Dwarf, could not help but rise. ¡®He intends to pay off his debts with that money.¡¯ If this happened, it would be impossible to create the Great Sword. If that happened, the demons would no longer support him. ¡®Then my ambition¡­¡¯ Could collapse just like that. But what made him the angriest was something else. ¡°Are you finally showing your face, punk?¡± It was Joo-yeon who was snapping his fingers at him. The president glared. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. How about a game?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still short on money. Let¡¯s play big this time. I¡¯ll bet this casino and your neck.¡± At that provocation, the president burst out laughing. ¡°Heh, I don¡¯t know who you are, but don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get out of here alive after doing something like this in my casino.¡± He shouted with a murderous glare. ¡°Set the table!¡± At the boss¡¯s command, subordinates sprang out from all directions. They created an empty space between Joo-Yeon and him. ¡°Everybody back off! The boss is going to step up himself!¡± ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t back off, drag them out!¡± In an instant, the table was set. There was only a table where only the two of them faced each other. On Joo-Yeon¡¯s both sides, fierce-looking men guarded their seats. As if they would cut off your fingers if you were caught fooling around. Joo-Yeon burst into laughter. ¡®Look at these guys?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something they had done for a day or two to surround him so that he couldn¡¯t escape. ¡®Are you trying to scare me so that I can¡¯t show my skills?¡¯ But it was nonsense. Joo-Yeon would not succumb to this level of pressure. But something caught his senses. Swish! He felt a sense of confusion subtly seeping into him. It was a subtle energy, as if it was teasing his mind. ¡®I knew you wouldn¡¯t just come out, but it looks like you¡¯ve prepared quite a lot.¡¯ Others might not know, but Joo-Yeon could see it clearly. The black fog that was spreading out subtly. And in that black fog was a man with strange eyes. Joo-Yeon narrowed his brows when he saw the figure. ¡®A demon?¡¯ It was certain when he saw the black horns. Thanks to that, Joo-Yeon immediately noticed his tricks. ¡®Then is this £¼Illusion£¾ and £¼Confusion£¾?¡¯ It was a kind of spiritual magic that demons often used. £¼Illusion£¾ was a magic that showed the enemy the appearance they wanted, and £¼Confusion£¾ was a magic that weakened their mental strength for a certain amount of time, causing them to lose their judgment. ¡®You¡¯re trying to make me lose no matter what I bet.¡¯ If those two magics were cast, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make the right choice. All the cards he saw with his eyes would be fake, and in a state where his judgment was weakened, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bet properly. But he was too foolish. ¡®If you¡¯re going to use something like this, you should have done it more secretly.¡¯ How dare he show off, believing in his own concealment. The magic he was using so confidently did not work on Joo-Yeon. Thanks to the string and wooden stakes wrapped around his body. [The effect of the Blessed Barrier is activated] [The effect of the Blessed Wooden Stake is activated] [Temporary barrier has been formed] [Strong resistance occurs in front] [Hidden/Concealed enemies have been detected] Of course, Joo-Yeon wasn¡¯t just going to stand there and defend. He interlocked his fingers under the table. ¡®Reflect.¡¯ Then, light burst out. Woosh! It was the might of £¼Reflect£¾. Just a moment ago, it was the power that made the Gamblers fall for their own tricks. It was no different for the Demonkin. Clang! The black shadow that was lunging at Joo-Yeon was repelled. £¼Reflect£¾ ¡®The Saga of Balentino.¡¯ Even in that game, it was the ultimate skill that could only be acquired after completing all the achievements. With that skill, any spiritual magic would return to its original caster. As proof of that, dark clouds and lightning appeared around the Demonkin¡¯s head. ¡®Well, well. Looks like it¡¯s a spiritual Demonkin.¡¯ No matter how strong its resistance was, there was no way it could block the magic that was £¼Reflected£¾. The more specialized the spiritual Demonkin was in charming and manipulating humans, the greater the blow. But then, something surprising happened. Pow! ¡®¡­¡­!¡¯ The Demonkin had dispelled the spiritual magic that Joo-Yeon had reflected all on its own. Normally, even if it was reflected back to it, the creature wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything about the £¼Illusion£¾ and £¼Confusion£¾. Joo-Yeon looked at it in surprise. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like it has any magic defense items?¡¯ Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In that case, did it dispel it with its own abilities? Even Joo-Yeon, the veteran, could sense that it was quite strong. It wasn¡¯t just any ordinary Demonkin. ¡®At least a high-level Demonkin.¡¯ It might even be one of the Demon King¡¯s direct subordinates. If that was the case, then it would definitely counterattack. And to think that such an enemy would appear right from the start. ¡®This is totally a sh**ty game.¡¯ Of course, that wasn¡¯t something Joo-Yeon, who possessed the ultimate skill £¼Reflect£¾, should be saying. However, the creature¡¯s reaction was strange. Swish. It was as if it had been frightened by Joo-Yeon¡¯s counterattack and had retreated. It wasn¡¯t the behavior you¡¯d expect from the usually aggressive Demonkin. ¡°Is it possible that the mental demons possess bodies?¡± Come to think of it, there were mental demons who cherished their bodies in the ¡®Valentino Saga¡¯ too. Should I say they¡¯re timid or sinister? Just then. Thud! A middle-aged man, no, the boss of the casino, who had been stomping his foot hard, stepped forward. ¡°Did I tell you who I am?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am the great Taoist Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, a comrade of the hero, and the Gambling Ghost, one of his twelve disciples.¡± [Gambling Ghost] He was a man who was crazy about gambling, as his name suggested. He was so good that he even won a bet against a high-ranking demon. That¡¯s how he was able to make a contract with the demon. ¡°Even among the Taoist¡¯s disciples, no, even Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara himself can¡¯t beat me at gambling anymore.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a match. If you beat me, I¡¯ll give you this casino.¡± ¡°What if I lose?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll naturally become my slave! I¡¯ll make you pay for ruining this casino.¡± ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do it.¡± The Gambling Ghost smiled invisibly. The hardest part about gambling was getting your opponent to sit down at the table. That difficult task had just been completed. Joo-in, who was unaware of this, tilted his head. ¡°What game are we going to play?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep it simple. A dice game. Whoever rolls the highest number wins.¡± Joo-in didn¡¯t know it, but the table had already been set. Nod. At the Gambling Ghost¡¯s gaze, his men moved. They burned a hallucinogen that prevented him from coming to his senses and played a jarring noise that got on his nerves. ¡®This is my territory. Everything is as I will it.¡¯ The Gambling Ghost pressed a button on the floor. Clank! Then, a faint electric field that was invisible to the human eye circled the table. With this, Joo-in¡¯s dice were as good as the Gambling Ghost¡¯s. The iron pieces inside the dice would ensure that only the top face, 1, would appear. Joo-in smiled, whether he knew it or not. ¡°A single round?¡± ¡°Of course. If you¡¯re a man, go for it with confidence.¡± ¡°I like that.¡± The corners of the Gambling Ghost¡¯s mouth turned up slightly. But he never let his guard down. ¡°If it¡¯s someone who defeated the others, this much won¡¯t be enough.¡± The gambler discreetly sent a signal to the demon behind him. It was the usual signal he used when gambling fraudulently. ¡°Cast an illusion on him. And make it chaotic so he can¡¯t use his skills.¡± He even made the demon use mind magic on top of the Dream-Bewildering Grass and Confusion Sound Wave. If they got caught in the demon¡¯s £¼Confusion£¾, the gamblers were supposed to self-destruct. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of guy he is, but I¡¯ll make him work like a dog under me.¡± It wasn¡¯t just to use him as a subordinate. From Noble mtl dot com According to the intel his subordinate brought from the Duke¡¯s household, Joo-in was the hero of this era and close friends with the Sword King. He was planning on using him to solidify his position on the continent. Of course, the gambler was someone who had survived until now through caution. He never underestimated Joo-in. ¡°I¡¯ll use the secret technique I learned from Grandmaster Cheon Su-gwan.¡± It was a skill he had never shown to anyone until now. It was something he had learned after stealing Grandmaster Cheon¡¯s vision. ¨C Grandmaster Cheon¡¯s Secret Technique £¼Substitution£¾ Clack! With the gambler¡¯s sleight of hand, the dice in the cup changed in an instant. The dice had iron pieces inside them, just like Joo-in¡¯s. The only difference was that these dice were made to always land on 6. The gambler slammed the cup down with a smug smile. Thud! ¡°Now, let¡¯s gamble! I¡¯ll play fair and square!¡± The gambler and Joo-in opened their cups simultaneously. But the gambler¡¯s face soon crumpled. He couldn¡¯t help it. All of his dice showed 1. On the other hand, all of Joo-in¡¯s dice showed 6. The gambler wasn¡¯t the only one who was shocked. ¡°A disciple of Cheon Su-gwan lost?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the most skilled gambler in the Duke¡¯s Commandery?¡± ¡°The Gambler King lost. This is absurd!¡± The gambler grabbed the dice with trembling hands. They were definitely the dice he had tampered with. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ No, wait! Haizen! What the hell were you doing?!¡± No matter how much he called, the demon Haizen didn¡¯t answer. ¡°He must have cheated! There¡¯s no way I could have lost otherwise!¡± Joo-in let out a hollow laugh at his outburst. ¡°What is this guy saying now?¡± It seems like my allies, the demons, have betrayed me too, but that gambling freak didn¡¯t seem to accept defeat. ¡°What are you all looking at! Hurry up and attack them!¡± At his command, the gazes of the people in the gambling den changed. Before long, the customers had all left. They all approached Joo-Heon. However, Joo-Heon smiled as if he had known this would happen from the start. ¡°That¡¯s what thieves do.¡± He didn¡¯t even need to use . Joo-Heon snapped his fingers as if he had been waiting for this moment. ¡°You¡¯ve already fallen into a trap.¡± What? Chapter 58 My Reflector Is Invincible 5858. Respect and Jubilation What? Already fallen into a trap? But that question didn¡¯t last long, as light flashed from Joo-Heon¡¯s body. [£¼Physical Enhancement£¾ is activated.] Joo-Heon disappeared before their eyes. He had strengthened his body, allowing him to evade and move at the same time. And as Joo-Heon disappeared, the subordinates gritted their teeth. ¡°That bastard!¡± They urgently chased after Joo-Heon. Soon, their swords were aimed at Joo-Heon¡¯s neck. However, the swords missed Joo-Heon¡¯s neck. The gambling freak¡¯s subordinates were genuinely bewildered. ¡°Th¡­ this bastard dodged it?¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then should we just stand still and let him hit us?¡± ¡°What are you doing! Hurry up and kill him!¡± The subordinates charged at him once again. This time, they surrounded him from all sides, leaving him with nowhere to escape. However, it was futile. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why¡­ why isn¡¯t he getting hit!¡± Joo-Heon dodged all of them by twisting only his upper body as if he were weaving. It was thanks to his potential for maintaining his center of gravity. [£¼Dragon Bones£¾ is activated.] Joo-Heon¡¯s body became as strong as a dragon¡¯s, and his muscles were as flexible as springs. Even when his body bent as if his back would touch the ground, he could maintain a stable posture. However, it wasn¡¯t simply an evasive ability. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn to start.¡± Pop. In an instant, Joo-in¡¯s body vanished. His torso, which had been leaning back, suddenly shot forward. [£¼Haste£¾ is activated.] [£¼Gigantification£¾ is activated.] Simultaneously, Joo-in¡¯s fists rapidly tore through the air in all directions. BAM! BAM! BAM! They struck the chins of his enemies with precision. His fists were imbued with the speed of £¼Haste£¾ and the power of £¼Gigantification£¾. THUD! Those who were hit collapsed unconscious on the spot. At that sight, the Gambler King shouted from behind. ¡°Falling unconscious with just one punch! And you call yourselves my men! Get up and fight!¡± What an idiot. As expected, it was a statement befitting the Gambler King, who knew nothing but gambling. The chin was a spot where even a single blow could rattle the brain. ¡®It¡¯d be weirder if they could get up after taking that.¡¯ Yet, he continued to tell them to get up and fight. It was only natural that his subordinates¡¯ morale would hit rock bottom. There were even some who tried to turn and run away. At that moment, the Gambler King raised his voice. ¡°This is an order from the Twelve Fingers of the Thieves Guild! Anyone who runs away now will have their entire family killed!¡± An order from the highest executive of the Thieves Guild. If they ran away now, they would become enemies of the Thieves Guild, which was spread throughout the continent. The subordinates gritted their teeth and had no choice but to charge forward. ¡°Kill him!¡± However, Joo-in merely chuckled. These fools were walking right into his trap. Joo-in¡¯s body shimmered slightly. Up until now, he had only been using his latent abilities, but that was about to change. [£¼Lightning Step£¾ is activated.] It was a combat skill he had acquired while fighting the Sword King. His body shot forward. Then, he grabbed the hands of the charging subordinates. ¡°Lend me these for a moment.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± SWIPE! To be exact, he was aiming for the knives in their hands. In an instant, two knives appeared in Joo-in¡¯s hands. [£¼Basic Swordsmanship£¾ is applied.] [£¼Dual Wielding£¾ is applied.] [£¼Edmer Clan Visionary Swordsmanship (Derivative)£¾ can be used.] Whew¡­ Joo-in¡¯s eyes gleamed. Dozens of lines came to his mind. He moved his hands along the lines of the Edmer family¡¯s Vision swordsmanship. In an instant, the knives in Joo-in¡¯s hands stabbed everywhere. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The charging underlings collapsed, bleeding. The surprised gambler tried to run away. However, Joo-in had already predicted all the situations. [£¼Lightning Step£¾ is activated.] One of the secret techniques cherished by Duke Edmer. Unlike £¼Ghost Steps£¾, it was a technique that he used again without any aftereffects, albeit with a slightly shorter distance. Joo-in¡¯s body instantly grabbed the gambler¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going in such a hurry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At the same time, he kicked the gambler¡¯s feet and knocked him down. Thud! And stabbed the bastard¡¯s shoulder with the knives in both hands. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Despite the gambler¡¯s scream, Joo-in¡¯s expression was sharp. ¡°You bastard. You abandoned your underlings and ran away.¡± His fist struck the gambler¡¯s head. After a while, the casino was filled with cries. ¡°Oh no¡­¡­. I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°Pl¡­¡­ Please forgive me! Please spare my life¡­¡­!¡± The gambler who had ordered the attack, in particular, had a face that was a complete mess. Of course, that was because Joo-in had beaten him up with special care. Joo-in clicked his tongue at the sight and shook his hands. ¡°So, I told you that you¡¯d be the ones falling into the trap.¡± The Thieves Guild wasn¡¯t very strong in the first place. Even among them, only the best of the best would be able to fight and survive. What¡¯s more, the gambler was a typical scammer who only knew how to gamble. How could he possibly defeat himself, who had learned techniques from the Edmer family, the pinnacle of knights? Even a light technique was enough. ¡®The only thing I was worried about was the demon, but I never thought it would attack me with mere back-alley hooligans.¡¯ Actually, that¡¯s why he was really surprised. The demon that had been with the gambler didn¡¯t help him until the end. Rather, it disappeared without a trace. ¡®Did it really just run away? A high-ranking demon?¡¯ At the very least, an upper-rank. No, if it could dispel his spiritual magic, it might even be a top-ranking demon. In other words, one of the top 10 demons might have run away? Even if the mental system is good at bouncing back, that¡¯s true. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t run away without even fighting like this.¡¯ However, the gambler was still shouting without giving up. ¡°Haizen, you bastard! Where the hell did you go! Why aren¡¯t you doing anything! It¡¯s a breach of contract!¡± Oh my? You even made a contract? Of course, there were several types of contracts with the Mazoku. A contract with a true name must be fulfilled even at the cost of one¡¯s life. In the case of a pseudonym, there was a high possibility of fraud. ¡®But Haizen¡­ No matter how I look at it, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a real name.¡¯ It was more likely that he was taken advantage of by the contract. The guy who didn¡¯t know that was having a tantrum. ¡°Deal with my enemy as promised! You incompetent brat!¡± No matter how much he shouted, it was useless. The guy who had already disappeared would never come back. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know where that Mazoku went, but it¡¯s fortunate that he¡¯s gone.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t difficult to deal with. However, if he used his strength, not only Haken or the fake boss, but other people could be in danger. It would be difficult if the peacock, which was raised with effort, was damaged. Anyway, now that the Mazoku is gone, all that¡¯s left is to deal with the gambler. ¡°It¡¯s noisy, so hurry up and bring the gambling house document. I¡¯ll deal with you next.¡± ¡°You¡­ Do you think you¡¯ll be safe after scamming me! All the thieves¡¯ guilds on the continent will¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Okay. Hurry up and bring the gambling house document and a dwarf? If you don¡¯t want to see anything worse.¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s leg stepped on the knife stuck in the gambler¡¯s body. Creak! ¡°Kyaaak!¡± The gambler writhed in pain. Only then did the guy, who felt his life was threatened, open his mouth. ¡°There is no dwarf! He¡¯s already dead!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who couldn¡¯t pay his gambling debt! It¡¯s my business how I deal with him!¡± It meant that there was nothing he could do since he was already dead. The gambling house document was the same. ¡°My men have already found the document and left. You can never have what you want!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Joo-yeon had a look in his eyes as if he had expected it. But then. ¡°Here, I brought the document you asked for.¡± ¡°Oh, good job. It was faster than I thought?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The gambler was shocked when someone approached Joo-yeon. ¡°What the¡­ How did you!¡± He was naturally shocked. The one who handed the document to Jooyeon was none other than the casino¡¯s manager. He was the only one who knew the location of the document besides himself. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. But I have to live, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°What have I done for you¡­!¡± ¡°Done for me, my foot.¡± When did he tell his subordinates to extract someone¡¯s organs? The manager, who had been saved by Jooyeon, glared at Gambler coldly. Of course, the persuasion of the blacksmith gnome, who moved at Jooyeon¡¯s command, also played a part. Jooyeon¡¯s eyes, looking at Gambler, sharpened. ¡°That¡¯s right. I told you not to make them work overtime and to pay them generously.¡± Trying to kill his subordinates for a few bucks. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t the important thing. ¡°So, is the dwarf the only one left?¡± ¡°I told you the dwarf is dead!¡± Jooyeon let out a hollow laugh at Gambler¡¯s outburst. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe a thief like you? You must have killed him. Since you have a purpose, you must have kidnapped him. Where are you hiding him?¡± ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t believe me. Then go ahead and look for him¡­¡± That was the moment. ¡°Master Jooyeon! We found the dwarf you told us about!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Hakken came in through the casino¡¯s front door. ¡°It was surprisingly difficult to find him.¡± Gambler¡¯s eyes widened. There was no way that guy could find the dwarf. However, Gambler, who looked beside Hakken, doubted his own eyes. ¡°hehehehe. This is important, right?¡± A familiar face was bowing next to Hakken. It was the pickpocket who had his life mortgaged with a slave contract, or rather, a special agent of the Thieves Guild who pretended to be a pickpocket. ¡°So, how about the bonus¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that stingy. Let¡¯s say this time¡­ I¡¯ll give you a hundred million gold.¡± ¡°Oooooh!¡± The special agent¡¯s eyes sparkled. Now the remaining debt was 8.9 billion gold! At that sight, Hakken whispered to Jooyeon. ¡°Is it okay to give him that much? If he pays off his debt quickly, he¡¯ll run away that much faster.¡± ¡°Well, I wonder.¡± There is a reason for all the amounts set. He just gave him a lot because it was the first piece of information. ¡®Even a whip needs a carrot to work.¡¯ Anyway, Jooyeon already knew the location of the dwarf before he came to the casino. Even so, I came to the casino to attract their attention and secretly rescue the dwarf. ¡®I also intended to test my current abilities.¡¯ But then, the special agent strangely watched Jooyeon¡¯s expression. ¡°Excuse me, but, Jooyeon-nim?¡± ¡°What. I¡¯m busy right now. I have to beat this guy up first.¡± ¡°That¡­¡­ As you ordered, I found the imprisoned dwarf. There was a strange old man¡­¡­ We rescued him together, but¡­¡­ That is¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Jooyeon tilted his head. The special agent was acting so cautiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Who was there that you¡¯re hesitating like this?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡­ The old man who was with him¡­¡­ He said his name was Cheonsugwan-nim, the Grandmaster?¡± ¡°Huh??¡± Why is that human there? Only then, Jooyeon, who noticed something, looked at the gambler. ¡°Did this punk lock up my teacher as well?¡± The gambler was sweating. ¡°Looks like I need to hit you some more. Haken?¡± ¡°Yes. I have brought you the club, Jooyeon-nim.¡± ¡°Now¡­¡­ Wait a minute! Wai-i-i-i-t!¡± Jooyeon thought as he beat up the gambler. I don¡¯t know why the demon is hanging around the hero¡¯s allies. But it can¡¯t be for a good reason. Well, I¡¯ll hear the details later, but this is an unexpected gain. My original goal was to only get the dwarf. ¡°So where is that man now?¡± ¡°He is locked in the basement.¡± Jooyeon¡¯s heart suddenly pounded. Aside from the former duke, it¡¯s my first time meeting a comrade from my previous life. I wondered what he would be like. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only thing I was curious about. ¡®Why the hell did that demon disappear?¡¯ There¡¯s no way a high-ranking demon like that would run away from me out of fear. Just then, Jooyeon was about to go outside. Swish. A black shadow appeared in the most secluded part of the casino. It was definitely the demon that I thought had run away from my power. However, there was no murderous intent in the demon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ah, that must be the Demon King who disappeared.¡± It was reverence and joy. Chapter 59 My Reflector Is Invincible 5959. Are You Aiming For It? The basement where the dwarf and the great taoist were imprisoned was closer than I thought. It was a place where I could see the Duke¡¯s castle right away. ¡°He must¡¯ve been crazy to be so bold.¡± He was the knight king who even his past colleagues hated because he was a thief. How dare he do something like this in the front yard of such a duke? ¡®If I get caught, it won¡¯t end with just death.¡¯ Rather, it might have been fortunate for him to be caught by Jooyeon. At least he could die cleanly. However, there was no need to spare Edmer¡¯s status. Jooyeon had already gone out and handed over the gambler to the knights of Duke Edmer, who were waiting. ¡°Not only is he running an illegal gambling den, but he also dared to kidnap a colleague of the knight king. Take him away and show all the rascals making a fuss in this land a lesson. Show them that this place is the land of the knight king.¡± ¡°We will follow your orders.¡± The knights bowed their heads with cold eyes. ¡®You will never be forgiven in the territory of the righteous knight king.¡¯ ¡®We will torture you thoroughly and make you confess all your sins.¡¯ The gambler, who sensed the atmosphere, trembled. ¡°P¡­ please spare me¡­.¡± ¡°Shut up! You will pay the price for trying to tarnish His Majesty¡¯s honor.¡± Jooyeon waved his hand at him and turned around. ¡®Anyway, that takes care of the gambler.¡¯ Now it was time to meet the great taoist. Jooyeon slowly headed to the basement. When Jooyeon entered the basement, his eyes widened. As he had heard, a short dwarf and a disheveled old man were waiting for him. Judging from the stained bloodstains, there were plenty of traces of torture. ¡®Yet, their eyes are so mysterious, like those of an enlightened monk.¡¯ However, the surroundings were in an uproar. ¡°Oh my god¡­ is that really the great taoist?¡± ¡°How could they do such a thing to the hero who saved the continent with the previous duke¡­?¡± It was because of the sight of the great taoist, whose arms had been cut off. ¡°Could it be that the so-called disciple cut off the great taoist¡¯s arms?!¡± ¡°What a terrible bastard! I¡¯ll tear him to pieces!¡± No, no, it was the devil who cut off the great taoist¡¯s arms? Jooyeon scratched his cheek as if he felt a little guilty. In fact, in the battle against the devil, each of the colleagues had to do a specific trolling action. It was the devil¡¯s debuff. Among them, the great taoist was hit with a debuff that made him kill his colleagues. So I knew that his wrists would be cut off by the devil¡¯s attack¡­ but I just pretended not to know¡­ ¡®Ahem.¡¯ In other words, it was something he had intended, but there was no need to tell the truth. Anyway, he had to make the gambler look as bad as possible. Instead, he looked at Daedo suspiciously. ¡°By the way, Needles, were you really in prison all this time? Not just lazing around?¡± Haken looked at Jooyeon with a sense of wonder. ¡°What are you talking about? Just look at the clothes you¡¯re wearing¡­¡­¡± ¡°Those guys have chubby cheeks and glistening skin?¡± ¡°Wh¡­¡­ What?¡± Haken, who looked at them both carefully, was also puzzled. Now that he thought about it, it was true. They looked as relaxed as if they were on vacation. Daedo didn¡¯t even think about hiding it. ¡°Well, I¡¯d sometimes go out and get some fresh air. That damn disciple of mine only gave me black bread. There¡¯s no way this old man could eat something like that.¡± The black bread that Jooyeon ate in the labor camp was also black bread. It was not only tasteless but also so hard that it was difficult to even chew. ¡°If you had just given me some white bread, I wouldn¡¯t have gone out like that? Hey, you gave me something that even a dog wouldn¡¯t eat.¡± Jooyeon was taken aback by Daedo¡¯s grumbling. This old geezer? He secretly escaped from prison because he didn¡¯t like the food and went out to eat? He even packed food to take care of the Dwarf? Haken and Special Agent John¡¯s mouths hung open. ¡°As expected¡­¡­ Daedo Cheonsugwanin!¡± He wasn¡¯t just a warrior¡¯s companion. If the previous Duke was the strongest knight on the continent, Daedo was the greatest thief on the continent, unmatched by anyone. Before the Demon King appeared, he was one of the leaders who ruled the underworld. Even the warrior is said to have said something like that. -Daedo¡¯s footsteps cannot be stopped by anything. As a former thief who grew up listening to his heroic tales as a child, it was only natural for Haken to admire him. At that sight, the dwarf laughed, patting Daedo on the back. ¡°You see. I told you he couldn¡¯t be trusted. It¡¯s not child¡¯s play.¡± Chuckle. Daedo and the dwarf seemed to have become friends in prison. However, that was not important to Jooyeon. ¡°So. How did you escape from prison?¡± Daedo lifted both feet while sitting down. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t have hands, I still have toes, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± His blackened toes wiggled. ¡°Just because I don¡¯t have two arms doesn¡¯t mean the prison door is flimsy enough for me not to open it.¡± When his eyes flashed coldly, Jooyeon secretly admired him. ¡®Daedo is truly Daedo.¡¯ It was truly unimaginable. ¡®No, wait, he can pick £¼locks£¾ with his toes?¡¯ The game had never been attempted even once. Of course. Since there was no way he would have the experience of trying to open a door with his toes because he had no arms. But right then, a bolt of lightning struck Joo-in¡¯s head. ¡®Wait a minute¡­ If I can use my hand skills with my feet, then¡­ Can¡¯t I use £¼Reflection£¾ in a different way?¡¯ With a skill proficiency as high as Daedo¡¯s namesake, other methods should be possible. For example, he could cast it on his party members as well as himself. Or perhaps, he could cast £¼Reflection£¾ on everyone, not just himself. What if he could cast £¼Reflection£¾ on an opponent? If he could deflect an enemy¡¯s attack before it even hit? New ideas came to his mind non-stop. The limitations of his thoughts about Reflection had disappeared. But something was strange. ¡­He could unlock the prison door, but he didn¡¯t escape? ¡®Was this bastard a pervert?¡¯ So he got himself tortured on purpose? No, that wasn¡¯t one of his characteristics¡­ Joo-in suddenly recalled some of Daedo¡¯s characteristics. [Sharp Mind] [Pragmatic Results] [Stubbornness] [Wanderer] [Item Obsession] At the same time, Joo-in had a bad feeling. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­ You¡¯ve been waiting for your disciple to make you hands, have you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. But Joo-in was sure. ¡®I knew there was something strange.¡¯ Gamers are good-for-nothings who only know how to gamble. No matter how much the demons helped, a mere gambler like him wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the ¡®Great Way.¡¯ The name of the Great Way Cheonsu Gwan-eum itself says it all. A man with a thousand hands. A Buddha who saves the forsaken. However, his comrades had another nickname for him. [Invisible Ghost] It meant a ghost that couldn¡¯t even be seen by its shadow. From Noble mtl dot com He may not be able to win a fight, but if he set his mind to escaping, he was an existence that could never be caught. At that point, Joo-in looked at Daedo half in awe and half in disgust. ¡®I see, he figured out the purpose of his disciple, the gambler, and got himself caught on purpose.¡¯ He even told me about people who can pretend to be tortured and secretly make something. Dado¡¯s eyes sank. ¡°For fifty years, I¡¯ve tried everything, but I couldn¡¯t make a hand, but my disciple can?¡± Joo-yeon narrowed his forehead. The guy who imprisoned his teacher and even stole his vision wouldn¡¯t have given him a hand out of goodwill. ¡°Why is he trying so hard to revive that hand? Did he steal something and try to appease it?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t steal anything, but he asked me to take something out.¡± Dado said he might as well tell him everything now that he knew and plopped down on the floor. His gambling disciple must have gathered the ingredients. It was annoying to borrow the hand of a demon, but he had no reason to refuse. ¡°I thought I could just kill him once I got my hand back, so I decided to put up with it for now.¡± The demons were the enemies of mankind. Not only the demons, but also all those who joined hands with the demons. Moreover, the warrior Ryu-jin was special to Dado. To think that he had to endure using the guys who killed him. ¡®With that personality, he endured it well.¡¯ The gambler and the demon would have eventually died at Dado¡¯s hands. That too, very cruelly. However, there were unavoidable victims for that. ¡°No matter how much you make a hand¡­ I did something sorry to my friend.¡± ¡°hahahahaha. Didn¡¯t I say it was okay? This is all a trial. A trial to make a hero¡¯s weapon!¡± The dwarf burst into laughter despite his painful wounds. ¡°It¡¯s more honorable to be on trial with a hero who protected the continent!¡± This dwarf has also gone crazy. Joo-yeon frowned. But come to think of it, that was a characteristic of the dwarves. [They love alcohol] [But they love heroes more] [They go crazy when a hero uses their own weapons] ¡®Perverts.¡¯ ¡°So what was it that your disciple wanted to take out while fixing your hand?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Dado, who was looking at Joo-yeon, soon made a subtle expression. ¡°By the way, who are you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m a disciple of the king of knights¡­¡± ¡°No. Didn¡¯t we meet somewhere?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-yeon looked at Dado as if it was unexpected. Well, if it¡¯s an acquaintance, it¡¯s an acquaintance. He was in the warrior¡¯s party as the player ¡®Sieg¡¯. No, to begin with, the one who led that hero¡¯s party and took down the Demon Lord was me, you punk. Including the hero, I¡¯m the one who raised you guys. ¡®If you really want to get technical, I¡¯m the 9th member.¡¯ As a support-type character, I raised the hero¡¯s party as their party leader. However, this body isn¡¯t Zeke¡¯s. There¡¯s no way the Great Sage would recognize him. However, the Great Sage glanced at Jooin as if he were a strange being. ¡°Why? Why do you look so familiar?¡± Jooin shrugged as if it didn¡¯t matter. As a player, he couldn¡¯t explain it anyway, and with Thousand Hands Guanyin¡¯s personality, she might hold a grudge for the rest of her life for losing both of her arms. Rather, what was important right now was creating his own weapon. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the forge first.¡± ¡°The forge?¡± Jooin laughed. ¡°Why do you think I sought out the Dwarf King? To have him make me a weapon.¡± At those words, Haken gasped in surprise and whispered to Jooin. ¡°Are you sure? The Dwarf King hasn¡¯t even given his permission yet?¡± Dwarves are very picky. They have a discerning eye for the heroes who will wield their weapons. ¡®He probably won¡¯t even let you into his castle unless you¡¯ve accomplished something amazing.¡¯ In fact, the Dwarf King looked at Jooin with doubt. ¡°I heard from him that you dealt with the demons in the Duke¡¯s Castle. However, just being favored by the King of Knights isn¡¯t enough to earn my respect.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the new Great Hero. I need a weapon as a hero. It¡¯s not a bad deal. I have materials you¡¯ll like¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing there? You need to make a weapon for the hero who saved me! Hurry up and come over here! My hammer¡¯s getting tired of waiting!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That sure killed the mood. The Dwarf King was already running towards the forge on his short legs. ¡®Did I play the game a little too strangely?¡¯ For some reason, he felt like he was surrounded by nothing but weirdos. * * * Clang, clang, clang! ¡°Can¡¯t you hold it properly? This is a weapon for a hero who will defeat the Demon Lord!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At the Dwarf King¡¯s command, the blacksmiths moved busily. ¡®He¡¯s truly worthy of being second only to the Dwarf King in skill.¡¯ Even the people in the forge were surprised. ¡°How is it that he¡¯s in such perfect condition¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with those people? Why isn¡¯t the master crying and working normally?¡± It seemed that his usual behavior was quite problematic. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t feeling well because he didn¡¯t have a hero to make weapons for, rather than because of the perfume. After all, the only hero nearby, the King of Knights, had cut off contact with the outside world to train. However, that was a good thing for Jooin. ¡°Heroic one, huh!!¡± ¡®Well, one slave is confirmed.¡¯ Dwarves were rare in the ¡®Valentino Saga.¡¯ But a master blacksmith with royal-class abilities was even rarer. No wonder he had such a hard time meeting the dwarves¡¯ demands when setting up the facility in the Edmer estate. But something was strange. It was because of the greatsword that was comfortably resting nearby. ¡°I may have the materials for the demon¡¯s weapon, but I can¡¯t make your hand.¡± ¡°Right. There weren¡¯t any materials in the gambler¡¯s vault, were there?¡± Haken nodded as well. Joo-yeon had searched the gambler¡¯s vault while making the greatsword¡¯s arm, but there were no materials. Not even the manager knew where the other vaults were. Even so, Daedo didn¡¯t seem to care and dragged him to the forge. That¡¯s why he said, ¡°Making your arm would require more than just some materials. And I can¡¯t exactly ask the demon who ran away.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you already have the materials?¡± Joo-yeon flinched at those words. Surely, this thief didn¡¯t? ¡°Just so you know, you can¡¯t borrow mine. I¡¯m also running low.¡± It was only enough to upgrade the demon¡¯s wings and the divine-class weapon. He needed this to clear the achievement. But to those words, Daedo smirked and replied, ¡°Of course I already stole the materials beforehand. Do you think I¡¯m called Daedo for nothing?¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± It seemed he hadn¡¯t just gone out for a drink. After all, thieves have always been first-rate when it comes to handling information. ¡®Did he see a thousand li while in prison?¡¯ He was worthy of being called Daedo after all. When it comes to stealing, even the knight king or a hero would be helpless before his abilities. ¡°As expected of the best of thieves.¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. You stole it well, like a true thief! What was it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong, but for some reason, it didn¡¯t feel like a compliment. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And he felt like he had heard those words somewhere before. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°So, what was your disciple after? Why couldn¡¯t you talk about it outside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. He was after the weapon I had and the items in the subspace.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°To be exact, the demon with him was after them.¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s face hardened in an instant. There was only one weapon that this guy could have. [Divine Weapon] Those bastards were after Joo-Heon¡¯s stuff. Chapter 60 My Reflector Is Invincible 6060. Can¡¯t You See This? [Divine Weapon] Those were items that Joo-Heon had a really hard time finding and left with his teammates. They were great items on their own, but they were especially needed to upgrade the holy sword. In any case, the owner of the items was Joo-Heon. But why were the demons after the Divine Weapon? He didn¡¯t even need to think about it. A Divine Weapon was an item with powerful abilities. It wasn¡¯t strange that the demons were after it. There was only one problem. How dare you try to take my stuff? Furthermore, the Divine Weapon wasn¡¯t the only thing those bastards were after. ¡°You mean the items in the Subspace? No way¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the stuff from the heroes and our teammates that I was holding onto when we fought the Demon King before. I haven¡¯t been able to take it out since my hand got like this¡­.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Daeho had a special Subspace ability. Using his shadow manipulation technique, he could store items that weighed thousands of tons. ¡®That¡¯s why I took everyone¡¯s luggage before we fought the Demon King.¡¯ Joo-Heon knew better than anyone what was inside. After all, they were items that he had prepared thoroughly for the great battle against the Demon King. There were top-grade relics and ingredients inside. But it wasn¡¯t just filled with consumables. There were anti-demonic items, of course, but also equipment and valuables. There were even honorary medals from each kingdom and seals of races. There were items that granted noble positions and the authority to move soldiers. There was even a token of eternal friendship from a race. ¡®These are items that usually all disappear after a direct confrontation with the Demon King¡­.¡¯ It seemed that he had managed to protect them this time. Then he remembered something. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was when he had been in the middle of fighting the Demon King. -Dammit! Daeho got hit! -Retreat, Daeho! Get out of the way! -B¡­ But! If I retreat now, the front line will¡­¡­. -You need to retreat now. Thousand-Armed Guanyin! Retreat for now and recover your energy! We¡¯ll take care of the rest¡­ We¡¯ll leave the rear to you! -I¡¯m sorry¡­ Hero. The Grandmaster quickly left the battle due to his injuries from the Demon King. It was a quick exit, unlike the usual game. As a result, he protected the subspace. Usually, he would have died or suffered similar injuries, losing the items in the subspace. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing for Joo-Heon. ¡®This will help me a lot.¡¯ That alone would be a great help in the future. It might even be possible to achieve this extreme hard mode achievement. No, I have to achieve it. Otherwise, I¡¯ll die. ¡®The problem is that I need hands to open the Grandmaster¡¯s subspace.¡¯ I can make them while making weapons from the Demon materials. But time was running out. I had to find my former teammates and retrieve all the Divine-Grade weapons before the Demons took them. ¡®After that, I¡¯ll just rip off the bastards who come after me as a broker and leave quickly.¡¯ There was something to check before that. ¡°By any chance, did you take £¼Daybreak£¾ from my disciple?¡± ¡°Of course not. Do I look like an idiot who can¡¯t even protect his own things?¡± Flick. The Grandmaster shook his empty wrist. Then, a large object emerged from the shadows. It was the item Joo-Heon was looking for. [Divine-Grade Weapon ¨C The One Who Promises Daybreak] It was a cloak. Not only did it resist all kinds of magic and environments, but it could also automatically block attacks or hide in the shadows. It was even a treasure that could change its own appearance into other objects. It was a weapon that was perfect for the wandering Grandmaster, as it also served as a defense to protect its owner. Joo-Heon reached out his hand without realizing it. ¡®My second Divine-Grade weapon.¡¯ But something moved faster than his hand. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± From Noble mtl dot com Swish! In an instant, the cloak moved away from Joo-Heon. ¡°I didn¡¯t even let my gambling disciple take it, so do you think I¡¯d let a punk like you take it!¡± ¡®Tsk!¡¯ Joo-Heon clicked his tongue. ¡°Let me just look at it. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll wear out if I touch it.¡± ¡°Who goes around touching other people¡¯s treasures! This is mine!¡± Ah, I had forgotten for a moment at the sight of the item I hadn¡¯t seen in so long. How attached the Grandmaster was to his belongings. He even thought of it as his own, even though Joo-Heon had entrusted it to him. ¡°Thieves will be thieves, after all.¡± If things continue this way, there was no way he could take it back. However, he couldn¡¯t just leave it alone either. ¡°I have no choice.¡± Joo-Yeon muttered in a low voice. ¡°Come forth, [Holy Sword].¡± Buzz! A sword appeared from the void. This summoning was possible because the Holy Sword had acknowledged Joo-Yeon. -As a reward for getting rid of the Demon King¡¯s heart along with the repose of the warrior Ryu-Jin. The Holy Sword, which appeared with a radiant light, was stabbed into the ground. Thud! Dae-Do was startled by the sight. ¡°Really¡­ were you a warrior?¡± ¡°Then can I borrow that cloak for a bit?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Dae-Do jumped up with the divine cloak on his back. It was towards the only window in the basement that led outside. ¡°You¡¯re planning to absorb the power of my cloak into the [Holy Sword], aren¡¯t you! Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡®Oh no.¡¯ Dae-Do was someone who sat and listened to rumors from a thousand miles away. Naturally, it seemed like he also knew about the connection between the Holy Sword and the divine artifact. No, it would¡¯ve been stranger if he didn¡¯t know. ¡®The warrior did absorb another divine artifact into the Holy Sword once.¡¯ Dae-Do was definitely there at the time. If things turned out like this, there was nothing he could do. Joo-Yeon gestured to Haken. ¡®Call the Knight King right now. Tell him there¡¯s a thief here.¡¯ He also gave orders to the magician Bayner, who became his subordinate through £¼Marking£¾. The reason he only gestured to Haken was to show Dae-Do. The guy read the gesture correctly. ¡°Huh! So you¡¯re trying to call that dirty old geezer!¡± ¡°So what if I am?¡± ¡°If I decide to run away, that old geezer won¡¯t be able to catch me even if he comes!¡± After all, he was a warrior from this generation. No matter how much of a warrior he was, if he tried to take his things, he would show no mercy. Especially when he was being ignored like this. ¡°Then try to catch me if you can! New warrior!¡± £¼Shadowless Steps£¾ In an instant, Dae-Do¡¯s body multiplied. As if he had multiplied into dozens, he filled every corner of the forge. Haken and Special Agent John¡¯s mouths fell open in shock. ¡°Wha¡­ What the hell? That clone is the Great Lord¡¯s signature skill!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous! Dodge it!¡± Haken and John desperately tried to protect Joo-in. But their attacks didn¡¯t work. Swish! As if passing through a shadow, their attacks had no effect on the Great Lord¡¯s clone. However, the Great Lord¡¯s clone was different. Bam! Bam! The attacks wielded by the Great Lord¡¯s clone struck the two men head-on. It was truly an absurd phenomenon. But Joo-in knew the truth. ¡®It¡¯s all real, but it¡¯s not all real.¡¯ It was a clone created by an afterimage using high-speed movement. When and how to attack was all up to the Great Lord¡¯s will. That¡¯s why he was nicknamed ¡®Invisible Ghost¡¯. It was because of his speed, which was so fast that not even a shadow could be seen. But it was useless against Joo-in. ¡°Gotcha.¡± Joo-in turned around and slammed his hand into the ground. Thud! Boom! ¡°Gwaaagh!¡± It was the Great Lord¡¯s face that hit the ground before his hand. Before he knew it, Joo-in¡¯s hand was around his neck. The surprised Great Lord quickly used his ability. ¨C Great Lord¡¯s Emergency Escape Technique £¼Molting£¾ Like a cicada shedding its shell, only the Great Lord¡¯s afterimage remained on the ground. The Great Lord, who had escaped from Joo-in¡¯s grasp, broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°What was that just now?¡± ¡°What do you mean what? I just caught a sneaky little thief.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Great Lord wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he looked at Joo-in with cold eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky just because you managed to catch me once by chance.¡± ¡°Well, was it really just once?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± The Great Lord¡¯s body disappeared in an instant. This time, not even a clone could be seen. It was the epitome of extreme speed. ¨C This is the fastest speed I can achieve. This is my true form, which my old comrades used to call the Invisible Ghost. The Great Lord¡¯s voice echoed through the smithy. It was hard to pinpoint the location as if they were speaking from all directions. There wasn¡¯t even a shadow to be seen. But right at that moment. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Thwack! Bang! Jooyeon¡¯s body turned as he grabbed the empty air and slammed it onto the ground. Of course, what was slammed onto the ground was Daedo. ¡°Ack! H, how?¡± ¡°A thief¡¯s thoughts are obvious. I guess you haven¡¯t gotten rid of the habit of looking elsewhere and attacking from behind.¡± ¡°Wh, what!?¡± Daedo¡¯s pupils shook. It was surprising that he had such a habit, but it was hard to believe that a man he was meeting for the first time knew about it. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡®If I stay like this, my innocence will be taken away.¡¯ This time, he didn¡¯t use his abilities but borrowed the power of a Divine-grade weapon. He who promises the dawn ¨C Weapon skill £¼Shadow Movement£¾ Daedo didn¡¯t spare any more strength. He mobilized the power of the Divine-grade weapon that he hadn¡¯t used until now. £¼Infinite Thunder£¾ It was an attack that combined £¼Invisible Steps£¾ with a speed that not even shadows could see and £¼Shadow Movement£¾ that allowed him to move freely between shadows. A technique that attacked regardless of direction and distance at an incomprehensible speed. ¡®No matter how good he is, he won¡¯t be able to catch this!¡¯ But it was no use. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any learning ability? What¡¯s the point of being fast when your habits are the same?¡± Bang! In the end, Daedo, who was caught by Jooyeon again, rolled on the floor. Daedo, who coughed up blood, broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®What the heck is this, this kid¡­.¡¯ You can tell his specs at a glance. Daedo couldn¡¯t believe he was losing to such a pushover. But he kept losing. ¡®It feels like he knows everything about me.¡¯ What ability to use at what timing. Even what attack to use when his attacks don¡¯t work. He felt like he knew everything. In fact, Jooyeon was sneering. ¡®How could I not know when it¡¯s a character I adjusted myself.¡¯ That¡¯s why he knew Daedo¡¯s weaknesses exactly. ¡®He never attacks head-on. That¡¯s why he always aims for blind spots.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t control his speed. That was why his attack route was monotonous. Joo-in reached out. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡­. How the hell¡­¡­.¡± Dae-do didn¡¯t rush any further. However, his gaze changed. ¡°As I thought, you bastard¡­¡­ You¡¯re too suspicious. I won¡¯t¡­¡­ just take this lying down.¡± Dae-do decided to use his final secret technique. ¨C Dae-do Eighteen, Final Secret Technique £¼Strategic Retreat£¾ Dae-do¡¯s body quickly headed towards the window. Joo-in clicked his tongue at that sight. ¡®That bastard is using his ultimate technique!¡¯ It was also known as the hit-and-run skill. It would be a pain if he used that. Hak-en and John tried to block him, but he slipped away like water. That was when Dae-do was about to disappear. ¡°Huh?¡± Everyone was surprised. They couldn¡¯t help it. Whoosh! Suddenly, pouring smoke covered the smithy. It was thick, black smoke as if it would swallow the light from the blast furnace. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t ordinary smoke. The smoke began to tie up Dae-do, who was trying to escape. Dae-do was rarely flustered. ¡°What the hell! I can¡¯t move!¡± Hak-en and the special forces agent were shocked out of their minds. Dae-do was caught. It was something they couldn¡¯t even imagine happening. However, Joo-in narrowed his brows. He was thankful that Dae-do had been caught instead of him, but-. ¡®Could it be, this smoke?¡¯ He realized who had caught Dae-do. As expected, Hak-en and the special forces agent fell into £¼Hallucination£¾, and a man appeared from within the black smoke. He was none other than the demon who had been with the gambler. Joo-in¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but turn ferocious. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d¡­¡­ resort to such underhanded tactics.¡± Had he escaped from the gambling den to find an opening? Was Dae-do his target from the beginning? To obtain the items Dae-do possessed? Now, at this very moment, to kidnap and take Daedo at the optimal timing. Jooyeon took out the shield of the Warrior King. In addition, [Holy Sword] in one hand. But it was then. Suddenly, the attitude of the mazoku became strange. I thought he was going to kidnap Daedo, but instead, he knelt toward Jooyeon¡­ Huh? What? The mazoku is kneeling? To me? It wasn¡¯t an illusion, the mazoku respectfully bowed his head in delight. ¡°aaah¡­ Demon King. Did you capture this bastard who defied you and bring him here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± No. What is this punk saying right now? Hey, don¡¯t you see this Holy Sword right now? Chapter 61 My Reflector Is Invincible 6161. It Was Nothing What the heck, this punk? Let¡¯s say he called me Demon King. ¡®That black fog definitely captured Daedo.¡¯ An intangible fog captured a person. Moreover, Daedo was so fast that even a mediocre mazoku wouldn¡¯t be able to catch him. ¡®He caught such Daedo? There¡¯s only one guy who can do such a thing.¡¯ [Rank 8 £¼Black Curtain£¾ Hirowzen] From Noble mtl dot com He was a mazoku in the top 10 ranks, known as the strongest. However, it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡®No way¡­ This punk is Rank 8?¡¯ Why did such a being appear this early? I couldn¡¯t believe it, so I blurted out. ¡°Are you¡­ Hirowzen?¡± The mazoku made a surprised expression at those words. ¡°aaah, to think that the Demon King would remember the name of a mere mazoku like me¡­¡± No. He bent over and didn¡¯t know what to do. It was a truly touched expression. ¡°It is truly an honor, Demon King!¡± ¡°No¡­ Hey, don¡¯t you see this sword?¡± Boooom! The [Holy Sword] in Jooyeon¡¯s hand emitted light. It seemed like he was surprised too. But Hirowzen went a step further. ¡°If you are the Demon King, I knew you would subdue the warrior and take that cursed sword.¡± This is the Holy Sword? ¡°A sword that demons should never touch?¡± ¡°You have surpassed the devil and even subdued the divine¡­ Ah¡­ As expected of my Demon King.¡± It seems like he doesn¡¯t understand a word I¡¯m saying. Is this what it feels like to be a celebrity meeting a superfan? But there was something even more annoying. Twinkle, twinkle. It was the way the demon was looking at the protagonist. His gaze was filled with such pure affection that he looked like a puppy. Ugh¡­ I want to punch him. It was only natural that his fist was trembling. But he couldn¡¯t punch him. Of course not, if he really was the 8th ranked demon. £¼Fog£¾ It was a legendary skill that turned one¡¯s body into fog. Just like the black fog he was seeing now, it could let all physical attacks pass through. Even if he hit it with the [Holy Sword], it would only deal a small amount of damage and disperse. To deal proper damage, he needed a magician or priest. ¡®Of course, if that brat hits me, I can use £¼Reflect£¾.¡¯ The protagonist¡¯s gaze turned to Hirozen. Twinkle, twinkle. Seeing his still-annoying puppy-dog eyes, he didn¡¯t feel like hitting him, let alone scolding him. Just then, the greatsword that had been caught in the fog shouted as if it had noticed something. ¡°What the heck, you bastard! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a demon collaborator!¡± Oh, this idiot. The others had collapsed, having fallen for Hirozen¡¯s illusions. Although he had to admit that the greatsword¡¯s ability to maintain his sanity even in the midst of such powerful illusions was impressive, he never thought he would hear everything. The protagonist called out to Hirozen. ¡°Hey! You!¡± Hirozen looked even more touched than before. ¡°Oh, you have called for me. The ruler of demons, the one who conceals the dawn. The eternal master of those who belong to the darkness¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. Just knock that old geezer out for a bit. He¡¯s being too noisy.¡± ¡°To be called by you is an honor, and to be given an order by you¡­ I shall carry it out to the best of my ability.¡± In an instant, Hirozen¡¯s eyes glowed red. Then, he swung the greatsword that was caught in the fog down hard. ¡°I knew your true nature from the moment you set your sights on my possession, you treacherous human! I will surely¡­ Kuwek!¡± Bang! Black fog descended upon the greatsword. It looked as if he were casting some kind of magic. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Greatsword has been inflicted with £¼Status Effect: Confusion£¾] -Feeling dizzy (Spirit stat decreases) [Grandmaster is affected by £¼Abnormal Status: Shock£¾] ¨C Enters a state of severe shock. (Effects and duration of abnormal status are increased.) [Grandmaster is affected by £¼Abnormal Status: Sleep£¾] ¨C Drowsiness sets in. (Sleep status is maintained.) [Grandmaster is affected by £¼Hallucination£¾] ¨C Dreams intensify. (Sleep status is strengthened. Abnormal Status: Sleep £¼Deep Sleep£¾) [Grandmaster is affected by £¼Dreamlike State£¾] ¨C Dreams become so vivid that awakening is impossible. (Natural release from sleep is not possible.) Walk steadily, you bastard. He¡¯s going to die. It was a five-layered mental magic. Once asleep, one can never wake up on their own until someone breaks the spell. It was a feat worthy of a demon who had mastered mental magic to the extreme. Even as a Grandmaster, there was nothing he could do. It was sudden, and the attack was unexpected. ¡®On top of that, I had taken off all my magic defense items so my disciple wouldn¡¯t notice.¡¯ In this state, even a Grandmaster, the king of the underworld, was helpless. After all, they didn¡¯t have £¼Reflect£¾ like the protagonist. Hirowzen, who had completely incapacitated the Grandmaster, approached the protagonist. ¡°Ruler of Darkness¡­ no, Your Majesty the Demon King¡­ I have carried out your orders.¡± ¡°Yes. Well done.¡± It will be difficult to wake him, but good job anyway. Now, all that¡¯s left is the demon. The protagonist was wondering how he would deal with him when¡­ A voice rang out in his head. [The former Duke will arrive soon.] It was a message from the wizard Vener, who had been £¼Marked£¾ by the protagonist. Unlike the Grandmaster, the Knight King was heavily armed. [I am extremely angry that the Grandmaster has set up an illegal gambling den in his territory.] This time, he will definitely kill him. ¡®Well, the Knight King and the Grandmaster are mortal enemies.¡¯ Still, it was good news that the Knight King was coming. ¡®If the Knight King does as I set him up to do, even a brilliant mental demon won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡¯ The Knight King, as befitting the strongest defensive knight, was equipped with all sorts of magic defense items. As he is now, he would be more than a match for even the eighth-ranked demon. Moreover, the Grandmaster, who was trying to escape with his bare hands, was unconscious from the mental magic. Wouldn¡¯t they make a solid pair to capture both of them? ¡®But I can¡¯t leave it like that.¡¯ The Grandmaster was one thing, but the demons were kind enough to give both materials and experience points. They could be profitable in many ways. Somehow, the protagonist had to deal with it himself. ¡®But it will take time to kill this guy.¡¯ Even if Joo-hyeon hit him, he seemed like the type of guy who¡¯d be happier if he said the Demon King hit him. So, there was a better solution. ¡°Let¡¯s make a contract.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-hyeon smiled. ¡°You know about it, right? The contract of the Demon Race?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± As if he had been shocked by Joo-hyeon¡¯s words, Hirowzen staggered. Usually, the contract of the Demon Race was made between a human and a demon. The demons give strength to humans, while humans put up everything including their souls as collateral. It was an unfair contract. However, the contract between demons was different. [An oath of absolute loyalty] It was a contract where a lower being was completely subordinated to a higher being. ¡®To humans, it¡¯s just a one-sided slave contract.¡¯ Anyway, the demons, who determined everything by strength, accepted it in a slightly different way. To belong completely to a higher being. It meant that their safety and the status of their very being would rise. It was natural that Hirowzen cried and was moved. ¡°D-Demon King, you¡¯re making me your direct subordinate¡­ Haah¡­¡± Ah¡­ He was a crazy kid after all. Joo-hyeon¡¯s face was pale, but he cut him off right away. ¡°But I can¡¯t fully trust you right now, so I¡¯ll think about it later if you show me proof that you¡¯re useful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It meant to hurry up and give him the item and get lost. I¡¯ll kill you slowly later. However, Hirowzen was so moved that he wriggled his body to express his gratitude. He seemed pretty crazy, but Joo-hyeon didn¡¯t mind. Rather, it was a huge advantage for Joo-hyeon if this guy made a mistake and misunderstood. First of all, there was an advantage to getting a contract. ¡®One of them is a job. You can get special jobs that you can¡¯t get through the normal route.¡¯ [Special Job ¨C Demon Summoner] [Special Job ¨C Magician] They were jobs that summoned demons or handled the power of demons. At the same time, they were also the jobs that players chose the most. ¡®You can also find out about the movements of the Demon Race, and if necessary, you can give someone a job.¡¯ Among the job groups that belonged to darkness, it was the strongest. Of course, there were also places that rejected the Demon Race, such as the Papal Palace. Joo-hyeon didn¡¯t intend to choose the dark job group himself, but there were many places where it could be used usefully. So, he had to do what he had to do before the Knight King arrived. [1 minute until the Knight King arrives.] Wizard Baina¡¯s voice was urgent. The arrival of the Knight King was that close. However, Joo-hyeon didn¡¯t show any signs of impatience. ¡°I heard that the Demon Tribe is after the weapons of the Hero and his companions.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve heard about that, have you?¡± As expected, Jooyeon laughed. As one of the highest-ranking Demons, he naturally knew the reason for this. ¡°By any chance, are you troubled by matters concerning insignificant beings such as ourselves?¡± ¡°Indeed. It irks me that they move without my permission.¡± Understanding the meaning behind those words, Hirozen bowed his head. ¡°I shall convey His Majesty the Demon King¡¯s will to all Demons. I shall prevent the others from making any moves for the time being¡­¡± No, that would be a pain in the neck. Jooyeon quickly interrupted him. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that right now. I¡¯d like to hear the reason first. But before that, you must provide proof of your loyalty.¡± Hirozen¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Then I shall bring forth proof so that you may trust me.¡± ¡°Very well. And remember, when I call upon you, come running without hesitation.¡± ¡°Of course. For now¡­ I shall present you with this.¡± ¡°This?¡± In an instant, Hirozen raised his hand. With a flash of light, an object adorned with a crest appeared before Jooyeon¡¯s hand. It was an object that vaguely resembled a heart. Etched upon it was the crest representing Hirozen, the £¼Schemer£¾, ranked 8th in the Demon hierarchy. Jooyeon was inwardly surprised at the sight. ¡°This is my symbol, with which you may summon me. Whenever you hold it and call my name, I shall appear before His Majesty the Demon King.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± His heart pounded with excitement. This was not merely a heart-shaped ornament. ¡®It¡¯s Hirozen¡¯s real heart.¡¯ Demons could offer their own hearts as a token of loyalty. If they were to betray their master, their hearts would explode, killing them instantly. [Hirozen, £¼Schemer£¾ ranked 8th, offers a token of loyalty.] [You have acquired the Heart of a Demon (Hirozen).] [You can now use the special mental magic £¼Confusion£¾, £¼Illusion£¾, and £¼Dream£¾.] [You can now summon Hirozen, the £¼Schemer£¾ Demon.] To living beings, the heart is life itself. For Hirozen to hand this over to Jooyeon meant that he was essentially placing his life in his hands. It was indeed the ultimate proof of loyalty. ¡°Until the day you summon me again¡­ I shall strive to earn your trust.¡± With those words, Hirozen vanished into a black mist. Jooyeon felt a sense of relief, but he was also puzzled. While he had encountered events involving Demons in the past, this was the first time one had openly declared their allegiance to him as their master. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll be meeting more high-ranking Demons in the future, so it could be beneficial to have an acquaintance among them.¡¯ Do you really think of me as the Demon King? I guess you might. £¼Reflection£¾ is basically like the Demon King¡¯s symbolic ability. It never changed, even after playing the game more than tens of thousands of times. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. Bang! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The King of Knights barged in with a huge sound. The King of Knights looked around with fierce eyes. He must have come here after sensing the aura of a high-ranking demon. ¡°Where is the demon¡­!¡± In an instant, a huge murderous aura filled the smithy. However, the clean-up around the area was already finished. ¡°I took care of it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Joo-Heon shook his heart nonchalantly. ¡°It was nothing.¡± From Noble mtl dot com The King of Knights¡¯ eyes shook at the sight of Joo-Heon holding the heart of a demon. Chapter 62 My Reflector Is Invincible 6262. Epilogue [£¼Abnormal Status£¾½â³ý spell has been used.] [£¼Abnormal Status: Sleep£¾ status is being lifted.] Flash! Daeho¡¯s eyes, which had been tightly shut as he was deeply asleep, opened wide. He grasped the current situation in an instant. ¡°Was it all a dream until now?¡± If so, it truly was the worst nightmare. Cold sweat trickled down his face at the thought of the despairing memories of the past that he never wanted to experience again. In his memories, he was so powerless. -You have to get out of here now, Cheonsoo Gwan-in! Get out for now and conserve your energy! We¡¯ll take care of the front¡­ We¡¯ll leave the rear to you¡­¡­! The voice of the Hero Ryu-jin echoed like a haunting melody. It was a phrase that had been stabbing his heart for decades. In his dream, Daeho shouted at the hero. -No¡­ I¡­ with you guys¡­¡­. -We¡¯ll leave the rear to you. -I want to fight with you guys! -We¡¯ll leave the rear to you. -If I don¡¯t go¡­ if I don¡¯t go, you¡¯ll die! -We¡¯ll leave the rear to you. But no matter how much he shouted, it was no use. And so Ryu Jin died. The sorrowful cries of his comrades echoed around the warrior. However, Dae Ho did not have the right to cry. ¡®I was the only one who didn¡¯t fight with him until the end.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because he was scared of the fight and ran away. It was just because he wasn¡¯t helpful, and even his comrades told him to fall back. The only comrade who didn¡¯t help at the crucial moment was himself. Because of his carelessness, he lost both of his hands, and because he lost both of his hands, he lost his close friend. ¡®His death is all my fault. If only I had fought with him¡­ If only I had been able to hand him the items he needed like usual¡­¡¯ If that had happened, the warrior, Ryu Jin, might still be alive. That was why he was truly enraged. ¡°How dare you¡­ make me have that cursed dream!¡± At the same time, Dae Ho stood up abruptly. His hands were still empty. Of course, if he were the Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara of the past, he would have swept across the battlefield, wielding hundreds of hidden weapons with both hands. However, not having hands didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t fight. Dae Ho twisted his body. Hidden weapons shot out from his body. His entire body was covered in dozens, if not hundreds, of hidden weapons. £¼Full-Body Hidden Weapon£¾ This was a special technique that Dae Ho, who didn¡¯t have hands, had specially developed. It was a unique legendary technique that surpassed even the hero level. Killing intent radiated from his eyes. He was so angry at his opponent that he had to use this technique. Not only at the Mazoku who had made him have such a dirty dream, but also at¡­ ¡°That dirty traitor who impersonated the warrior¡­¡± The one who had tarnished Ryu Jin¡¯s name, joined hands with the Mazoku, and targeted him first. He had no intention of letting him go. That was why Dae Ho glared at the man before him. ¡°You¡­ treacherous son of a b*tch¡­ I¡¯ll crush your head¡­ Huh?¡± Dae Ho, who had been glaring at Joo Yun, flinched. It wasn¡¯t Joo Yun. No, it was an even more sinister gaze¡­! ¡°No way¡­ You brainless, tin can bastard!?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s what you thought of me.¡± Dae Ho let out a scream at the Knight King¡¯s exasperated sigh. ¡°Dammit, why are you here!?¡± Dae Ho spat out the words. It was a natural reaction, as he had been through a lot because of the Knight King, who had hated criminals since the old days. However, Dae Ho quickly came to his senses. ¡°Tsk, your little brat is not the issue here. What about the traitor?¡± ¡°Huh, traitor? Did you have a strange dream while you were sleeping soundly?¡± ¡°What? What? What do you mean a dream¡­¡± The Knight King clicked his tongue at Dado, who was stuttering. ¡°Pathetic. You were sleeping while we were out fighting the Demon Clan, and you still call yourself a comrade of the warriors?¡± ¡°No, who said we were fighting them!¡± Dado pointed at Joo-yeon, whom the Knight King was blocking. ¡°Get this straight, you boulder-brained knight! That guy you¡¯re protecting is the Demon Clan¡¯s collaborator! Ryu-jin¡¯s enemy¡­!¡± ¡°Huh, what kind of collaborator would rip out the Demon Clan¡¯s heart?¡± Huh? What? ¡°Heart? What nonsense is this rock-for-brains talking about¡­!¡± Then, Joo-yeon held out something. Thump-thump! It was the real heart of the Demon Clan in Joo-yeon¡¯s hand. The Knight King looked at Dado as if he were a vagrant. ¡°I want to get rid of that filthy heart right now, but they said they¡¯d use it to find other demons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Please stop tarnishing the name of the warrior Ryu-jin and live, you thief.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dado wondered if he had really been dreaming. In fact, he had lost consciousness after being hit by the Demon Clan¡¯s five-fold magic. Everything was confusing. ¡°Was everything I saw a dream?¡± Was it only the ending with the warrior Ryu-jin that wasn¡¯t a dream? It was hard to tell what was real and what was a dream. That¡¯s how powerful Highrowzen¡¯s spiritual magic was. To begin with, only an extraordinary demon could use five-fold magic. However, he couldn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever fall asleep in front of the Demon Clan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you create and operate an illegal gambling den in my territory?¡± The Knight King looked down at Dado with murderous intent. ¡°And what was it? You kidnapped and imprisoned a dwarf?¡± Dado cowered under the gaze that seemed to cut people in half. ¡°Ah, no¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t trust a thief like you.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you did. Your disciple did it. As the teacher, so the disciple.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m a victim too¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a victim? You must be joking! You must have pretended to be a victim because you wanted something!¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ Ahem.¡± ¡°So you damaged my estate in the end to get what you wanted. That¡¯s your style. Ryu Jin, that fool, would have forgiven your actions because he¡¯s kindhearted, but I¡¯m different!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ahem, ahem. My eyes have gotten dim with age.¡± Daeho deftly deactivated £¼Full Body Armament£¾. Daeho, now looking like an ordinary old man, spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°I admit it. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ll make sure to compensate you.¡± ¡°Of course you will!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll also compensate that ¡®fake¡¯ hero.¡± At the word ¡®fake¡¯, the Sword King glared fiercely at Daeho, his aura flaring. He had let it slide when Daeho attacked the one-armed man because it went against chivalry, but now this? However, the person in question nonchalantly pointed to a corner of the smithy. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop it and come help me make a hand.¡± The Sword King frowned. ¡°You¡¯re going to make a hand for that guy who dozed off at a critical moment?¡± ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so much surprising as a matter of practicality. There¡¯s no need to bother with such a useless person.¡± ¡°Why, he¡¯s still the comrade of a great hero. How can he be useless?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not. He¡¯s nothing more than a useless thief, both in the past and now.¡± Daeho¡¯s expression darkened at the Sword King and Joo-yeon¡¯s words. He had nothing to say. After all, he didn¡¯t know what had happened while he was asleep. ¡°Yes, I was wrong¡­ Huh?¡± Daeho, who had been startled, suddenly began patting his body. His chest felt strangely empty, and Daeho realized that his cloak was missing. He looked around. Joo-yeon chuckled at his appearance. ¡°Are you perhaps looking for this?¡± Joo-yeon shook the cloak. ¡°You seemed out of it from sleeping, so I borrowed it for a bit.¡± ¡°This¡­ This damn brat!¡± It was no wonder Daeho was furious. The cloak was hanging limply, unlike usual. [£¼Holy Sword£¾ is absorbing the power of £¼He Who Promises the Dawn£¾] [One of the restrictions of £¼Holy Sword£¾ has been lifted] [From now on, even those who are not heroes can properly wield £¼Holy Sword£¾] [The power of £¼He Who Promises the Dawn£¾ has decreased] [It will enter a period of rest until its power is restored] Since he had already transferred his power to the £¼Holy Sword£¾. For the time being, it was nothing more than an ordinary magic cloak. However, that wasn¡¯t what Daeho was angry about. ¡°Why are you wearing it!¡± The cloak was naturally draped over Joo-yeon¡¯s shoulders. Even in its weakened state, it could still be used as a cloak. The warming and cleaning functions were still the same. Joo-Yeon shrugged his shoulders in a playful manner. ¡°Is this a reward for defeating the Demon King? Why are you so quiet when you didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Hmm¡­ The Grand Master became a mute who had eaten honey. At the same time, he came to his senses and questioned the Knight King. ¡°What the heck! A warrior?!¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s a warrior.¡± ¡°Is this kid crazy too!¡± At that moment, Joo-Yeon waved his hand. ¡°Well, then shall we go and greet the guests?¡± ¡°Guests?¡± ¡°Those who want to be my teacher are gathering.¡± Dae-Do¡¯s mouth fell open. A teacher! ¡®Wasn¡¯t that just a rumor?¡¯ Giving the position of a teacher after receiving a real price? Joo-Yeon seemed to have caught on to his expression and smiled slowly. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m also planning to give the credit for defeating the Demon King¡¯s heart to my teacher, but who would be good?¡± Even the credit for defeating the Demon King¡¯s heart? Dae-Do¡¯s appearance became urgent. ¡°W¡­ Wait, take me with you! That¡¯s your purpose anyway, right?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you really want to follow me, pay up. Why don¡¯t you just give me everything in that subspace?¡± Hmm¡­ Dae-Do¡¯s mouth was blocked for a moment. A moment later, Dae-Do came to his senses and shouted with a flushed face. ¡°You thieving bastard!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the head of those thieving bastards? If the headwaters are clear, the downstream will be clear.¡± Thud¡­ Dae-Do, who could no longer withstand his blood pressure, collapsed. Joo-Yeon burst into laughter. ¡®As expected, a hot-blooded character. He¡¯s easy to manipulate.¡¯ In fact, Joo-Yeon originally intended to take Dae-Do with him. Because he needed the items inside his subspace. He just made Dae-Do angry and knocked him out on purpose in case his [Symbol of the Bullfrog] would be activated. It was the same method he had used when he recruited him as a colleague. ¡®Well, I feel sorry for messing with his trauma, but I also did it to kill his spirit a bit.¡¯ However, the Knight King looked at Joo-Yeon with an unpleasant expression. Rather, he was trying to dissuade Joo-Yeon because he cared about him. ¡°Are you really going to take him? I acknowledge his abilities, but his nature is that of a thieving scoundrel. You too¡­¡­¡± ¡°A thief doesn¡¯t necessarily steal.¡± What? ¡°Why do you think I told you to find the Thieves Guild?¡± Joo-yeon mentioned that the guests should be arriving soon. ¡°We must investigate the identities of those who come this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°First, we have to confirm their weapons before dealing with them.¡± The dwarf, second only to the Dwarf King in prowess, made the weapons with all his might. The weapons of the £¼North Wind£¾. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°And.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°The Thieves Guild demands a price.¡± ¡°A price¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You must also pay the price for targeting me as a pickpocket. If you want to make the Guild Master your teacher, you must bring an adequate price.¡± The Knight King narrowed his brows at those words. He had no intention of accepting him from the start¡­¡­. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡­¡­Can a hero really be like this? S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Knight King thought seriously. Chapter 63 My Reflector Is Invincible 6363. To Inform Far away from the dukedom, in a hidden den of the mazoku. There, blood and screams ran rampant. Kyaaak! Mazoku were dying from the sudden enemy ambush. They couldn¡¯t even resist against the overwhelming power. It was only natural. ¡°Lord Hailouzen! Why!¡± ¡°I am your subordinate¡­¡­¡± No matter how much they begged, the enemy¡¯s hand was merciless. A sharply transformed hand cleanly sliced through the wall along with the mazoku. Screech! In an instant, the mazoku, who had lost half of his body, collapsed, bleeding. ¡°Wh¡­¡­ why¡­¡­¡± Thud! Hailouzen, the eighth-ranked mazoku. He was carrying out the orders of Joo-yeon, who was considered the Demon King. ¡°I was told to bring proof of my loyalty.¡± The black blood of the demons who follow the last Demon King should be enough. There may have been some who served me, but I didn¡¯t feel particularly sorry. The Demon Realm is a place where only power matters. Hairouzen licked the blood on his finger. Slightly. ¡°As expected, the blood of the enemy is sweet. What do you think? Will you be my opponent this time?¡± At that moment, a strong energy burst out from the hideout. It was a demon carrying a human woman on his shoulder. He was ranked 5th. Moroltia of £¼Lust£¾. He growled with his eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°I am following the orders of my new master. He told me to bring him proof of my loyalty.¡± Moroltia¡¯s expression twisted. A new master. But there was something more important than that right now. ¡°Then we¡¯ll continue this later. You haven¡¯t forgotten what day it is today, have you?¡± ¡°Today? Ohhh¡­¡± It was really a coincidence. It was the day of the annual meeting of the high-ranking demons. ¡°Well, even if it¡¯s a meeting day, there¡¯s nothing special.¡± It was a time for demons scattered across the continent to communicate. One could say that they shared their strategies and schemes. It was also a time that Hairouzen usually looked forward to the most. Because everyone was waiting for his strategy. ¡®Originally, I was just going to kill him and go somewhere else, but¡­ this isn¡¯t bad either.¡¯ He planned to make a declaration here. That he had become the new Demon King¡¯s first subordinate. That he would kill anyone, even a demon, who tried to interfere with his master¡¯s will. Hairouzen turned his sharp claws back to their original state. At that moment, light poured out from the communication orbs in the hideout. The black magic power of the other ranks appeared. [From the looks of it, it seems you¡¯ve already had a go at it.] [What is this? You¡¯re giving your heart to a human, Hairouzen.] [You¡¯re pathetic for a rank 8.] They all criticized Hairouzen. They said that it was too impulsive a choice for a rank 8 demon in charge of strategy. [No, it was just a plain stupid choice. What if he¡¯s really human? What if he¡¯s really a hero?] [Are you planning to betray the demons, your race, by pawning your life to a mere human?] It was then that everyone began to hurl sharp words of criticism. Hairouzen opened his mouth with an eerie look in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care, but if you insult the master once more¡­ I¡¯ll tear that mouth of yours apart.¡± [¡­¡­!] It was a murderous intent so potent that it sent shivers down their spines. Despite the unimaginable distance between them, they could feel its presence. The lower-ranked mazoku trembled in fear. Only then did Hyleuzen smile. ¡°And don¡¯t worry. If he turns out to be human or a true hero, I¡¯ll gladly offer my life to you.¡± [¡­¡­!?] Their faces were etched with shock. Mazoku revered the logic of strength above all else. The reason they followed this logic was simple: S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was for their own safety. Following the strong was the surest way to guarantee their own survival. And among them, Hyleuzen valued his own life the most. So they couldn¡¯t help but ask, [How can you be so sure?] ¡°Because I saw it with my own two eyes.¡± [What? You only met that disciple of the Great Sage at the gambling den. He didn¡¯t show anything special there¡­] ¡°No, no. That wasn¡¯t it.¡± Then where did they meet? In truth, the first time Hyleuzen laid eyes on the protagonist was in a completely different place. It was the place where Count Sanderson died. It was a forbidden place where even the former heroes¡¯ barrier couldn¡¯t reach. ¡°When those foolish humans broke the seal, I thought it was our chance to resurrect the Demon Lord.¡± Of course, he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to go where the Sword King was. That¡¯s why he sent his subordinates disguised as mazoku among the demons. He planned to seize the heart while the foolish humans were fighting and use it to resurrect the Demon Lord. But then, he witnessed something unexpected. ¡°I was truly amazed.¡± ¨C Die and be useful. Those cold and merciless eyes as he crushed the heart. And the way he ruthlessly dominated his opponent, showing no mercy. ¡°Ah¡­ That man is the true Demon Lord. He is the one I must serve.¡± Hyleuzen trembled at the thought. However, the other mazoku seemed to think differently. [Is that all it took for an eighth-ranked mazoku like you to switch sides?] [If he¡¯s a true hero, then it¡¯s only natural.] The other ranked mazoku were furious. No matter how great the Demon Lord was, he was just a fragment of his former power. They were confident that they could defeat him. [After all, he¡¯s been weakened for 50 years because of the Holy Sword.] [Even if we¡¯re not ranked in the top ten¡­ If we¡¯re in the top hundred, we should be able to defeat him¡­] ¡°Do you recall? The Prophecy of the Demon Tribe. The contents written in the Book of Hell.¡± [¡­¡­!] £¼Book of Hell£¾ A book left behind by the sage of the Demon Tribe, who was an aide to the first Demon King. A holy book of the Demon Tribe, said to have its cover made from the skin of humans and its text written in blood. However, the Demon Tribe remained indifferent. [What of it? What does the first Demon King have to do with a mere human?] ¡°¡®His body is cloaked in a dark radiance that mocks his enemies. Those who defy the Dark Lord shall be destroyed by their own power.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Having said that, Hairouzen turned around, a meaningful smile on his face. ¡°How pitiful it must be for those who have not witnessed his power.¡± Soon, the other members of the Demon Tribe narrowed their eyes. [No matter what you saw, that cannot be proof that he is the Demon King.] ¡°Indeed. I have yet to confirm one thing myself.¡± There was no need to ask what that was. ¡®Black Wings.¡¯ Not the ordinary bat wings of the Demon Tribe, but beautiful wings deserving to be called ¡®dark wings.¡¯ They were the symbol of the first Demon King, who was said to be the strongest among all the Demon Kings. However, it couldn¡¯t be that, could it? Secretly regretful, Hairouzen smiled cruelly. * * * ¡°Dark wings¡­¡­. Black wings!¡± Haken exclaimed at the black wings that emerged from Zhu Yan¡¯s back. Zhu Yan had finally equipped the completed item of £¼North Wind£¾. At first glance, it seemed like a simple shoulder armor covering one shoulder. However, the moment he wore it and activated the skill. [£¼Black Heaven Armor£¾ has been equipped] [Legendary Power: This is a defensive item containing £¼North Wind£¾] [You can use the unarmed skill] His equipped appearance changed. Suddenly, huge wings spread out from his back. They were not bat wings like those of the Demon Tribe. Haken¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡± He looked like an archangel. [£¼Black Heaven Armor£¾ spreads its £¼Black Wings£¾ according to the will of its master] It wasn¡¯t just the appearance of wings. Whoosh! The wind skill of the North Wind lifted Zhu Yan into the air on its own. [The unique ability of the Black Wings, £¼Levitation£¾, is being used] [Item equipment effect increases basic movement speed] [Increased chance of evading opponent¡¯s attacks] It was a comprehensive piece of equipment that combined mobility and defense. ¡®For now, basic mobility is complete.¡¯ Although it consumes a lot of stamina, it didn¡¯t matter. £¼Reflection£¾ is not an ability that requires stamina. Moreover, the greatest advantage of [North Wind¡¯s Armament] was not its mobility. That was just a bonus. [Armament Skill: £¼North Wind£¾ is activated] [North Wind¡¯s Armament] responded to Joo-Yeon¡¯s will. His eyes turned blue, and the cloudless sky changed. Rumble! In an instant, dark clouds gathered and hail fell with a cold wind. Joo-Yeon controlled his power, so no natural disasters occurred. However, there were casualties. Thud! ¡°Ouch! Kid! Can¡¯t you aim properly?¡± A hailstone hit Dae-Ho right in the head, who was standing right next to him. He shouted at Joo-Yeon with a bump on his head. ¡°You bastard! Are your eyes in your ass! Why are you dropping hail on someone right next to you!¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. It was a mistake.¡± ¡°Mistaaake? Who the hell drops hail on someone¡¯s head by mistake¡­.¡± ¡°Well, mistakes happen. How uncouth.¡± Then, Dae-Ho stood up as if he had made up his mind. ¡°I was already annoyed at having to listen to you, and now you¡¯re hailing on me. I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Dae-Ho¡¯s hand had a black hand that wasn¡¯t there before. It was the hand he received from the Dwarf Kanlo. Now that he had his hand back, it meant that he would no longer be swayed by Joo-Yeon and would leave. However, Joo-Yeon chuckled. ¡®What, I thought you¡¯d do that.¡¯ The Knight King had clearly told him not to mess with Joo-Yeon and to cooperate. However, there was something Dae-Ho didn¡¯t know. ¡®I deliberately used the power of £¼North Wind£¾ to provoke that bastard in the first place¡­.¡¯ Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes glinted dangerously as he looked at Dae-Ho. Chapter 64 My Reflector Is Invincible 6464. How Embarrassing At first, Dae-Ho tried to endure it. ¡®Even a punk like that helped Ryu-Jin find peace.¡¯ Although they didn¡¯t get along, he had helped the Knight King, who was one of his old comrades, and defeated the demons. He had intended to take care of it himself, but that damned disciple had gone and finished the job for him. So he had held his tongue and endured it. He had endured when his treasured possession was stolen, when the item he had cherished his entire life was strapped to someone else¡¯s back. Of course, there had been a warning from the Knight King before he left. From Noble mtl dot com -I would kill you right now, but I¡¯m holding back for Joo-in¡¯s sake. Don¡¯t test my patience any further. -Ahem¡­ I apologize for my disciple¡¯s actions. Without his hands, he was utterly powerless. Even as a master swordsman, he was no match for the Knight King or even Joo-in. But now, things were different. -Dwarf of the Steel Mountain. This is a masterpiece worthy of Kanro the Blacksmith¡¯s name. There is no finer prosthetic in existence. It was a work of art crafted by the hands of the second-best dwarven artisan in the world. Even though it was his own, he found it beautiful enough to covet. And it was imbued with the enchantments of both elves and dragons. [Black Hand] -Even knights would find it too heavy to lift. Only its master can wield this prosthetic. Daeho felt no weight at all. That was because he had received the [Black Hand¡¯s] approval. Furthermore, its strength and weight were not the only extraordinary things about it. -Do you see the gem embedded in the center? That¡¯s a [Gravity Stone]. It¡¯s the same thing airships use. [Gravity Stone] It was a very special gem. With it, he could regain his former strength, or even surpass it. But why was it suddenly raining hailstones? Was there any need to endure this any longer? As if reading his thoughts, Joo-in chuckled. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Didn¡¯t you hear what the former Duke said earlier?¡± ¡°Does Daeho the Great seem like the kind of person who would be afraid of that tin can¡¯s words?¡± ¡°Do I not have the title of your master anymore?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even need to see it to know how I¡¯ll deal with that master of yours!¡± Daeho moved his hand. Immediately, hidden blades emerged from all over it. Taken aback, Haken recoiled. ¡°D¡­Dangerous! Lord Joo-in! Lord Daeho!¡± ¡°King of Hidden Blades! He possesses the art of hidden blades that can pierce even the eye of a needle from a distance!¡± John, the top agent of the Thieves Guild, was already in hiding. Daeho with hands was a different beast from Daeho without them. But Joo-in simply curled his lips. ¡®You fool. Do you think I would let you get your hands on me that easily, knowing the kind of person you are?¡¯ There was only one reason he had created hands for Daeho. They were a substitute for the Knight King, whom he couldn¡¯t take with him on his future journey. ¡°Why can¡¯t you take it?¡± The curse of the Demon King was the issue. On the other hand, Daedo was different. If he were left alone, he would be nothing more than a source of inspiration for committing crimes in the underworld anyway. However, if he only had his hands, he would be able to fully demonstrate his past abilities. No, to be honest, since the Dwarf¡¯s abilities had improved, he could even draw out more power than in his prime. ¡°Of course, both then and now, his eccentric personality is the problem.¡± Soon, Daedo moved quickly, as if he had read Joo-eun¡¯s mind. ¡°You cheeky little brat who doesn¡¯t respect your elders! Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re still as ill-mannered even after losing those insolent eyes!¡± Daedo¡¯s dark energy headed towards Joo-eun. It was an attack that precisely targeted the eyes. However, Joo-eun calmly raised her hand. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use regretting it now¡­ huh?¡± At that moment, Daedo screamed. Clank! ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± The black prosthetic hand moved on its own. It was strangling Daedo¡¯s neck. ¡°Ack! What the heck! Why is my hand moving on its own¡­ Ugh!! Cough!¡± Daedo writhed in agony. Joo-eun watched Daedo like that and smiled wickedly. ¡°Did you think I was some kind of charity worker? That I would just give you that precious hand?¡± Clank, clank! Daedo couldn¡¯t breathe because his neck was being strangled. Even his face had turned pale. He tried to tear off the part where the prosthetic hand was fixed with his teeth, as if he was going crazy. ¡°Dammit, then I¡¯ll just remove it¡­ Cough, cough!!¡± Thud! Even when he removed his hand, the prosthetic hand didn¡¯t come off. Rather, Daedo¡¯s head was slammed into the ground by the black hand. Joo-eun watched the sight with her arms crossed calmly. ¡°It was already over the moment you put it on!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Daedo¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t just made of steel. It was a hand that a master blacksmith of national treasure level had made with [Black Heavy Rock], [Gravity Stone], and [Dragon¡¯s Breath]. In addition to that, all sorts of alchemy and magical secrets were intertwined. Even for the Joo-eun of the past, it would have taken dozens of years to make. She wondered how the Demon King and the gambling addict had gotten their hands on it. ¡®I should ask him about it later.¡¯ Of course, the reason the black hand was behaving like that wasn¡¯t simply because of the materials. Joo-Yeon added a special item, which he had specifically ordered from a blacksmith, as an additional ingredient. It was one of the ingredients he had taken from the bank. [Footprints] An item that gained a special ability when this ingredient was added. It ended up recognizing its owner. [You can set the owner function] [Would you like to set Joo-Yeon as the master?] [Setting complete] [Joo-Yeon is given the master qualification of £¼Black Water£¾] [Dae-Ho is only given the qualification of sub-master for the Great Sword (Thousand-Hands Guanyin)] Naturally, Joo-Yeon registered himself as the owner of Black Water. Dae-Ho was naturally the sub-master. He was inferior to Joo-Yeon in all authority. ¡®He will never be able to throw away that hand until I release it.¡¯ ¡°Who do you think originally requested the creation of that hand! hahahahaha!¡± ¡°What the¡­ Kwaaa-hahk!!¡± Dae-Ho fell to the ground screaming. No matter how much he wanted to throw away the hand, he couldn¡¯t. It didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Return to your original position.¡± Woong-Woong! Black Water returned with Dae-Ho by the scruff of his neck. And now this was possible too. ¡°Hit his head.¡± Thud! Dae-Ho¡¯s head hit the ground again. ¡°Return to your original position.¡± He stood before Joo-Yeon again. ¡°Head.¡± Thud! ¡°Original position.¡± Thud! Dae-Ho¡¯s head bounced between the ground and the air. He was so out of his mind. But he couldn¡¯t stop it. [A new command mode is registered in £¼Black Water£¾] [Current command mode: Stop / Hit head / Return to original position / Disobey orders] It was designed to be able to fly and move on its own. In other words, it was like Joo-Yeon¡¯s ego-hand. In the end, Dae-Ho couldn¡¯t stand it and shouted. ¡°Th-that¡­ Stop! I was wrong! Stop!¡± ¡°Are you done talking?¡± ¡°I¡­ I said I was wrong. Show some mercy to an old man!¡± He seems too spry to be an old man. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Joo-Yeon waved his hand, Dae-Ho¡¯s hand returned to its original place. Dae-Ho grabbed his hands anxiously and shouted. ¡°Yes! I was wrong! I¡¯m old, so I might as well be struck by a hailstorm and catch a cold!¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s my fault, so stop taking my hand! You bastard!¡± Dae-Ho, who had regained his composure, became bold. It was better than living without a hand for the rest of his life. However, there was still some resentment in his eyes. ¡®Well, let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡¯ He didn¡¯t think he could completely control his mind anyway. The important thing was that he could use Dae-Ho. However, Dae-Ho looked at Joo-Yeon with displeasure. ¡°You really do resemble him¡­¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°That damn bastard that Ryu-Jin cherished so much¡­¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°There was this monster that Ryu-Jin adored. He was like a ghost, or rather, a comrade who was more devilish than the devil.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± There wasn¡¯t enough time to continue the conversation. The magician, Bener, continued to urge them. [Joo-Yeon, there seems to be trouble in the banquet hall. The former Duke¡¯s aide has a message for you to come quickly.] It seemed like he would have to wait for another opportunity to deal with Dae-Ho¡¯s insolence. ¡®Trouble? What could be so urgent?¡¯ There shouldn¡¯t be any dangerous factors or events happening. Joo-Yeon called for Haken and John. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead, so come slowly. Ah! Old man, you better come quickly. You don¡¯t want to miss the good show.¡± Good show? Haken gave a puzzled look but followed, while Dae-Ho just snickered. At that sight, the dwarf, Kanro, spoke up. ¡°Are you not going?¡± ¡°Huh, do you think I, at this age, would listen to that punk who¡¯s wet behind the ears? I tried to attack that bastard earlier, but what can I do if he just stands there? He¡¯ll be helpless¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go?¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± [You have not followed Joo-Yeon¡¯s instructions for 5 minutes.] [Command mode entered in £¼Black Hand£¾.] [Insubordination] ¨C Activates when the protagonist¡¯s orders are disobeyed. ¨C Removes the Great Sword (Thousand-hand Avalokiteshvara). A black hand rose into the sky. Swish! In an instant, hundreds of hidden weapons circled the black hand. It looked like it was about to attack the Great Sword at any moment. ¡°Th¡­ This crazy punk!!¡± How is this a hero! The Great Sword started to run away like a madman. Chapter 65 My Reflector Is Invincible 6565. Unbelievable Flap. Joo-yeon landed on the balcony, his black wings fluttering. The wings disappeared in an instant, returning to his ordinary shoulder blades. ¡®I got here quickly thanks to the wings.¡¯ Aiden and the butler were waiting for him on the balcony. They had been waiting after receiving a message from the wizard, Bayner. Of course, their expressions were worth seeing. ¡°Th¡­ What the heck are those wings?¡± He looked like a demon. No, they were black, but strangely cool and even sacred, leaving him speechless. Joo-yeon answered calmly. ¡°What do you think? Do you like it? Do you want to fly too?¡± ¡°Huh? Could it be an artifact like the Bloodthirst? Then let me borrow it for a bit¡­¡± ¡°Aiden-nim is currently the acting head of the family.¡± At the butler¡¯s cough, Aiden regained his senses. ¡°I¡¯m good. It¡¯s black¡­ It¡¯s a bit ominous.¡± ¡°There are many ominous things.¡± The people of this world really hated the color black. ¡®Well, it¡¯s understandable since demons symbolize the color black.¡¯ Even the Demon King¡¯s heart was black. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did you call me so urgently?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Joo-yeon followed Aiden into the banquet hall. It was filled with people. From Noble mtl dot com They were people who had arrived from various factions. Leaders of each race or high-ranking people from the factions. The representative of the kingdom and the king himself. Priests of the temple. From the crown prince of the empire to the great general. They all had the same expression, waiting for the protagonist to arrive. Aiden saw them and whispered to Jooyeon. Jooyeon heard something and snorted. ¡°Really? Then they are worthy of being called.¡± But there was something to check before entering. ¡°You did what I told you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The people in the banquet hall didn¡¯t just come. They brought a huge amount of gifts, saying they would meet Jooyeon. All the gifts were placed in Jooyeon¡¯s room. ¡°But there wasn¡¯t enough space, so I had to prepare a separate warehouse.¡± ¡°Was there that much?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? We¡¯re emptying the unused warehouse and filling it up.¡± Of course, there were expensive jewels, gold, and treasures. Some people brought precious elixirs. All of them were brought to look good in front of Jooyeon. No matter what happened to the auction for the master¡¯s seat, the purpose was to get acquainted with the hero for the time being. Jooyeon chuckled. ¡°Take good care of it. I¡¯ll take it all later.¡± ¡°Whose stuff would I touch? He even stood up to the previous duke.¡± ¡°But you never know. There are people everywhere who think differently when faced with enormous wealth.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve even mobilized the knights in case there are any guys who think differently.¡± ¡°Knights? Who?¡± A group of 100 knights. They were watching in case any of the working servants did something stupid. Because they couldn¡¯t put pressure on the precious guest of the Knight King. Aiden agreed with that part. ¡®He¡¯s the one the previous duke was looking for, and he¡¯s the current hero.¡¯ He might succeed the Knight King in the future. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to treat him well in advance. It was also the Knight King¡¯s intention. -Think of Jooyeon¡¯s will as mine. Because he is the true future of this world. And the Edmer family moved perfectly according to the Knight King¡¯s words. In some ways, they were even processing Jooyeon¡¯s words before his. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t matter. That guy is going to make our family greater and grander.¡¯ Aiden also admitted it. It didn¡¯t matter who Jooyeon was. ¡®He¡¯s not only my life savior, but he also took care of my problematic father and kept the position of the next duke safe.¡¯ The third brother was now resting comfortably, regardless of his power. Jooyeon had been a great help to Aiden since the moment they met. Rather, he was so grateful that he was here beside him. However, Joo-Yeon¡¯s expression was slightly hardened. ¡°The King of Knights and those who brought gifts are not important.¡± Those gifts were something that Joo-Yeon should have received naturally. After all, how many times had he saved the continent by playing the game up until now? If there was a problem, it was on the other side. Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes flashed sharply. ¡°Have you made the list?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared it without needing to be told.¡± A book was clutched in Joo-Yeon¡¯s hand. It was a list with names written in large letters. [The Book of Execution] It contained the names of those who had prepared gifts for Joo-Yeon but had not prepared anything for the Edmer family. Joo-Yeon laughed playfully. ¡°I never thought there would be those who would come empty-handed.¡± ¡°As I said, there are more shameless people in the world than you think.¡± The problem is the other side. ¡°You¡¯re saying that there are those who have received help and forgotten about it?¡± Aiden nodded. On the continent, the Edmer family was special. It wasn¡¯t just because it was the family of a hero who had defeated the Demon King. ¨C The first and last line of defense against the northern barbarians. ¨C The honorable family that is the first to rush forward whenever monsters invade. ¨C The bulwark that prevents conflicts with other countries. The peace on the continent was all thanks to the sacrifices of the Edmer family. That was why support funds and reinforcements came from the continent on a regular basis. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything about expecting anything in return, but lately, there have been very few who have properly supported us.¡± ¡°They just took and took?¡± ¡°Yes. Those kinds of people would come and talk shamelessly.¡± They weren¡¯t shameless, they were brazen. ¨C Oh my, you¡¯re receiving gifts so openly. I¡¯m worried that the honorable Edmer family¡¯s name will be tarnished. ¨C We¡¯re always grateful. Rather than that, where is the warrior right now? I¡¯d like to meet him once. Normally, they would just express their gratitude for the Edmer dukedom¡¯s dedication and sacrifices. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yes, even if it¡¯s not something material, if they could at least express their gratitude sincerely, it wouldn¡¯t matter. The problem is that they try to freeload while badmouthing the Edmer family behind their backs. Joo-Yeon said in a cold voice. ¡°So? What did you do?¡± You didn¡¯t just let them in like suckers, did you? Aiden¡¯s lips curled up at Joo-Yeon¡¯s sharp voice. ¡°Of course, I did as you said.¡± ¨C Those listed here, please turn back. ¨C A list? What list? -You have come to the Edmer Duchy empty-handed. -¡­¡­!? It was only natural that there would be a commotion. -Are you ignoring us now? -How can the Edmer family treat us with such disrespect! -We are envoys of the Ilayeon Kingdom¡­ -You are making a mockery of the noble envoys¡­ Of course, Aiden responded coldly. -It seems to me that you are the ones who are disrespecting me and the Edmer Duchy. Clang! All 100 knights of the Order drew their weapons. The escort knights of the Knight King, who was called the strongest knight, were also present. Everyone understood what Aiden meant. Those whose names were on the death list became anxious. -No, we are here to meet the hero¡­ -We might become his teacher, but like this¡­ Aiden answered firmly, as Jooyeon had instructed him. -Those who would be teachers are indeed rude. You have come to the northern border empty-handed. -¡­¡­! -Come to think of it, I see some of you who haven¡¯t even sent proper troops until now. And some of you haven¡¯t paid your support funds for years, yet you have come here so bravely? -Ah¡­ that¡¯s¡­ Aiden drove the wedge in. -So it¡¯s not a matter of gifts now. From this moment on, those who have not sent troops or support funds will be banned from visiting the north for the rest of their lives. Of course, we will also abandon our defense of those areas. -Gasp! Why had the Edmer family been swayed by the likes of Count Sanderson in the first place? It was because the family¡¯s sacrifices were increasing while the support was decreasing. If they had provided support on time, they would not have been swayed. ¡°So what did they say?¡± ¡°Of course, they protested.¡± They had the nerve to turn red in the face and shout. -Listen here, acting head of the family! -This is outrageous! -To put personal feelings into an important matter with the hero! Of course, Aiden won. -This is the will of the hero and the £¼Knight King£¾. If you don¡¯t like it, get out. -¡­¡­!? The Knight King himself said this? He who never bargained over the lives and missions of others? The man of chivalry who protected the weak? But there was nothing they could say. After all, no one would think of fighting the Knight King or the hero head-on. It wasn¡¯t merely a difference in power. They were even being pushed around in terms of legitimacy. ¡®If we had foolishly attacked the Knight King, we would have become the laughing stock of the continent.¡¯ The same went for the warrior. Jooyeon raised the corners of her lips, satisfied with Aiden¡¯s response. ¡°So you obediently left?¡± ¡°What? He was about to go out and buy a present.¡± Even that was within Jooyeon and Aiden¡¯s expectations. They had already contacted all the merchants in the duchy. ¨C Sell goods to the outsiders on this list at 100 times the normal price. It was only natural that those who had tried to get through the crisis with minimal effort would cry out in protest. ¨C A single sack of wheat for 1 gold? ¨C No, what kind of price is that! You could buy several cartloads of wheat for 1 gold! Of course, the merchants of the duchy scoffed at them. ¨C If you don¡¯t want to be ripped off, then don¡¯t buy it. We won¡¯t lose anything if we don¡¯t sell it. ¨C Oh, really? Then we won¡¯t buy it here. We¡¯ll go to another territory¡­ ¨C The closest one is at least a week away. I wonder if the warrior will still be here by then. ¨C Cough¡­ ¨C And besides, why should we sell anything to people who have ignored Edmer territory? We won¡¯t sell you anything, so get lost. ¨C I¡­ I was wrong. Here, I¡¯ll give you 1 gold, so please forgive me. ¨C Oh, the price just went up. It¡¯s 10 gold now. ¨C What?! The merchants of the duchy remembered them. Because of those bastards, the family of the great Knight King had been treated like dirt. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, they were the reason why the already poor North had become even poorer. Even the nobles whose names were on the kill list were sweating profusely. ¨C It¡¯s not just about the money, it¡¯s downright robbery. ¨C And I remember the warrior saying that he would take the one who brought him the greatest gift as his disciple. By the time you guys get back, that position will already be filled, won¡¯t it? ¨C Oh¡­ I see. Can¡¯t I just give it to you now? The freeloaders gritted their teeth and bought the items. Thanks to them, not only Jooyeon¡¯s warehouse but also the Edmer family¡¯s warehouse was filled to the brim. And so, the banquet could finally begin. ¡°For the time being, those bastards have washed their mouths and the Duke of Edmer has certainly received what he didn¡¯t get before.¡± ¡°Not just what he didn¡¯t get¡­ It¡¯s enough to not have to worry for the next few decades.¡± ¡°Those bastards. They should have done this sooner.¡± But it still wasn¡¯t enough. This was just getting back what they were owed, and it was only a temporary measure. ¡®What¡¯s important is the future.¡¯ That way, they could use it when they needed it. ¡°Don¡¯t erase the list. Keep it with you, along with the presents they brought.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d roughly patch me up just to serve your own ends.¡± ¡°¡­¡­No, but you¡¯ll probably bleed to death even after my rough patching.¡± Aiden, the noble, knew very well. How much they had spent to see the main character. Honestly, it felt a little too much for what he deserved. But as if he didn¡¯t hear those words, the main character¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°What do you mean bleeding? You have to gush blood for it to be bleeding.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡®Once a freeloader, always a freeloader.¡¯ Freeloaders can never be trusted. ¡°How dare you trifle with the knight king and territory that I raised?¡± ¡°What? What? Who raised what?¡± So, he would continue to pester them with the excuse of the list in the future. But for now, he had to deal with the banquet hall first. Creak! Joo-yeon opened the balcony door and went inside. Chapter 66 My Reflector Is Invincible 6666. Show Them Roar. The banquet hall of Duke Edmer¡¯s castle was packed with people. Great nobles and royalty whose faces one would hardly get to see in a lifetime. Among them, everyone¡¯s gaze gathered on a particularly distinguished-looking man. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they would send him from the Empire.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not just anyone, but the 3rd Prince whom the Emperor cherishes. It shows how much the Empire is focused on this matter.¡± He was a prince who was a strong candidate to be the next emperor in the Empire. He himself, however, had no interest in the people. Instead, he was asking his attendant who came with him in a sharp voice. ¡°So where is the hero?¡± ¡°They say he has almost arrived.¡± ¡°Tell him to come talk to me as soon as he arrives. We must secure the hero¡¯s teacher qualification by any means.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°I will follow your orders.¡± In fact, everyone was the same. Everyone was eagerly waiting for Joo-yeon. The heads of each faction were after the hero¡¯s teacher position, and the powerful people were after the hero¡¯s guardian qualification. A courtier cautiously asked the 3rd Prince. ¡°Is it necessary for Your Highness to do this yourself?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure why we need to go through all this trouble for a hero who is just a commoner, no, a former slave. Above all¡­¡­¡± ¡°Above all?¡± ¡°Qualifications of a master. I don¡¯t understand a knight who would put up something like that. And I don¡¯t understand why the prince would personally take action for something like that.¡± The third prince chuckled. He fully understood his subordinate¡¯s feelings. ¡°You¡¯re saying that selling the qualifications of a master is absurd in itself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t it just a blind gamble? It¡¯s just an easy trick to gather people to the Duke of Edmer¡¯s territory¡­¡± Then, the third prince put his hand on his subordinate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes. I understand your feelings. But there¡¯s something really important that you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°W, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Until now, no one has ever been able to call themselves the master of a knight.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It is said that knights are chosen by God. They are born with special abilities and develop them on their own. ¡°None of the knights in history have ever had a master. But this time, they¡¯re selling that position for money.¡± A place of honor that will be remembered in history for a long time can be bought for just a few cents. It was inevitable that people would be tempted. Especially since it was an honor that could be solved with money, it was a very sad situation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a master who teaches martial arts. The moment you acquire the qualifications of a master in any field, be it politics or administration, the empire will be recorded as the country that has forever been the master of the knight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Only then did the vassal notice the faces of those gathered here. The pope and cardinals with kind faces. The kingdom¡¯s generals and state ministers. The leaders and top warriors of a race. He realized that they had all come to buy the qualifications of a knight¡¯s master. At the same time, this place had become the place to determine the knight¡¯s affiliation. The vassal trembled at the prince¡¯s explanation. ¡°S, surely you¡¯re not saying that the knight created this place with all that in mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± I was waiting to find out. Now I see that the others are the same. Everyone was waiting for the arrival of the main character without taking a sip of alcohol. Gulp. The vassal swallowed his saliva. What if a teacher is not decided here? What if someone who is not qualified gets the qualifications of a teacher? ¡°Then what happens?¡± At the vassal¡¯s words, the third prince smiled broadly. ¡°Then this place will be a sea of blood.¡± Clang! Behind the crown prince, the personal escort knights and the general put their hands on their swords. They weren¡¯t the only ones. The others were also looking around, their eyes glinting. Everyone in the banquet hall seemed ready to fight at any moment. That was the moment. Creak! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Juyeon entered, opening the balcony door. The atmosphere changed abruptly. Everyone had recognized who he was. ¡°Oooooh, it¡¯s the warrior!¡± ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± Everyone tried to approach Juyeon. However, Juyeon ignored them and approached the Knight King on the second floor. He was frowning. ¡°You cut your hair.¡± ¡°Because I was being treated like a beggar.¡± He looked great with short hair. His handsome face was now more visible. However, the Knight King looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s that thief?¡± ¡°Why? Do you want to see him?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m just asking because I thought he¡¯d run away again, like always.¡± His gaze was full of contempt. It was clear that he would never have allowed the Great Sword into the castle if not for Juyeon¡¯s request. Juyeon chuckled. ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon. I left him alone because he was annoying me.¡± Of course, there was a real reason why he had come first, leaving the Great Sword behind. ¡®Should I start now?¡¯ Originally, this gathering had a strong purpose of ¡®extortion¡¯, to put it mildly. However, his mind had changed after meeting the demon Highrowzen and the gambling ghost. Now was not the time to be leisurely extorting money from others. ¡®If I¡¯m not careful, the demons might take the other Artifact s.¡¯ The Artifact s that he had entrusted to his old comrades. If that happened, not only would the Demon King be revived sooner than expected, but it would also become more difficult to deal with him. He had to secure the Artifact s before the demons could do anything. However, there was one problem. ¡®What if there¡¯s a problem with my past comrades?¡¯ This world was the Balantino Saga that he had played, and it was a world where 50 years had passed since the party member, Warrior Ryuujin, had self-destructed. Even though 50 years had passed, in terms of the Balantino System, which was divided into £¼Normal£¾ and £¼Hard£¾ stages, it was considered the Hard stage. The £¼Normal£¾ stage was to gather companions and prevent the Demon King¡¯s invasion. The £¼Hard£¾ stage, which users actually called the main stage, was to prevent the Demon King¡¯s reincarnation 50 years later. In the Hard stage, the difficulty increased, but in return, you could summon the companion characters from the previous game and receive their help. In other words, it meant that everything was obvious to him. However, strangely enough, only his memories of the Demon King¡¯s battle were hazy. I know how to defeat the Devil King, but my memory of the incident is fragmented. The same goes for the memory of Daedo¡¯s arm. I know he lost an arm, but I can¡¯t remember how. However, after meeting Daedo¡­ ¡®I remembered how he lost his arm.¡¯ I also remembered the battle with the Devil King at that time. How we fought and how Daedo lost his arm. The same goes for the curse of the former Duke, the Knight King. When I met the Knight King, I naturally came to know about it. ¡®There must be a condition for me to remember something.¡¯ Joo-Yeon thought that meeting his colleagues was a trigger. So what he had to do was clear. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Where are you going all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I need to find more Relics.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Knight King¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the old colleagues of Hero Ryu-Jin.¡± I had to meet them anyway to clear the last achievement within three years. ¡°Do you know where your old colleagues are?¡± Perhaps he does. £¼Diary of the Witch Len£¾, the Knight King wrote down what he had to do there. £¼-2. I must prepare for him. Powerful forces and important items. And I must gather information about capable colleagues.£¾ Among the capable colleagues, there must be information about his past colleagues. ¡°I know the location of most of my colleagues¡­¡± The information about the north was weak because most of the intel was focused on the continent. That¡¯s why we allowed bastards like Sanderson to invade. His descendants suffered. Unaware of that fact, the Knight King frowned. ¡°Who are you planning to meet first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the Krausen Great Forest.¡± The Knight King was startled. ¡°That place definitely has¡­¡± ¡°That man.¡± One of the hero¡¯s old colleagues. The great [Barbarian Chieftain] who united all the barbarians in the north. He was there. ¡°Why are you meeting him first?¡± ¡°Simple.¡± Because he¡¯s the closest. And it¡¯s easier to find other Artifacts if you have one. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to find even those that are being held like the Great Sword.¡¯ It was to prepare for any eventuality. In case the ownership of the Artifacts had changed. He had to recover all the Artifacts somehow. ¡®The Holy Sword I have now will definitely break when I clash with the Demon King.¡¯ So he needed to strengthen it so that it wouldn¡¯t break, but there was also the reason of preventing the Demons from using it. ¡®Normally, it would take months just to look for information on Artifacts¡­.¡¯ Thanks to the Sword King, the troublesome part had been solved. So he had to repay the favor. ¡°Before I leave, I¡¯ll take what the Edmer Duchy hasn¡¯t received yet.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s wealth, I¡¯ve already given you plenty¡­.¡± ¡°No, it shouldn¡¯t be just wealth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Until now, Duke Edmer had been sacrificing himself for the continent. ¡®Then I should return that.¡¯ This was also a kind of sense of responsibility for writing £¼Diary of the Witch Len£¾ to the Sword King. That¡¯s why he called those guys here. Of course, all of this wasn¡¯t just for the sake of the Edmer Duchy. ¡°Sword King, no, Sir Edmer. I appreciate your noble spirit and sacrifice. But¡­that won¡¯t be enough to stop the approaching doom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The protagonist¡¯s sudden lowering of speech. The Sword King was bewildered, but he couldn¡¯t move easily. He had sensed an unusual atmosphere. And that intuition was correct. ¡°Soon, the Demons will reveal themselves. And a new Demon King will appear. They will divide the power of the continent before that.¡± ¡°Why are they doing that?¡± ¡°Because they were stopped by Ryuu Jin once before. They won¡¯t fail this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± If that happened, another one of the Heroes might die. ¡®I have to stop that at all costs.¡¯ The final £¼Achievement£¾ clear condition itself is ¡®no one dies, and all companions defeat the Demon King alive¡¯. And I don¡¯t know why I entered the Balentino Saga out of all the other achievements, but. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely return alive.¡¯ That¡¯s what he meant. ¡°I¡¯ll show you. To you and everyone.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± The protagonist raised his hand in a place where everyone in the banquet hall could see. The people reacted immediately. ¡°Oh! It seems the Hero has something to say.¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that in your hand?¡± ¡°What is that? It¡¯s so grotesque. It doesn¡¯t look alive.¡± Joo-yeon was holding the heart of a demon, the heart of [Hyrueuzen] to be exact. ¡°That¡¯s something you people will be curious about.¡± The people stirred greatly. ¡°Could it be proof that you¡¯ve captured the Demon King?¡± ¡°You must have come here for my teacher¡¯s seat.¡± The nobles¡¯ eyes changed. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°We will join you!¡± ¡°Then show us.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on the heart at that moment. Joo-yeon lifted Hyrueuzen¡¯s heart high. Then, a voice sounded in his head. [Would you like to use the ability of £¼Hyrueuzen£¾?] The reason he hadn¡¯t brought Dae-do first was to use this. ¡®If they see this, they might get suspicious.¡¯ He was already suspected of colluding with the demons. If he showed them this, they might cause a scene, seeing him as a demon. That¡¯s why Joo-yeon activated the Demon King¡¯s heart fragment that he had embedded in Hyrueuzen¡¯s heart in advance. It was the crystallized object left in his hand after processing the Demon King¡¯s heart. £¼Illusion£¾ Black fog filled the ceiling through the heart. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Whoa! What the heck!¡± It was the fog of £¼Illusion£¾ that showed the recipient hallucinations as if they were dreaming. That wasn¡¯t all. Woosh! A surge of energy burst from the heart and poured into people¡¯s heads. Hallucinations began to appear, as if they were dreaming. £¼Dreamland£¾ He imposed his desired hallucinations on the other person. The people in the banquet hall didn¡¯t just watch. ¡°What a strange sorcery! Raise your chivalry!¡± ¡°How dare you use sorcery in front of us! What are you doing? Hurry and use the divine art of mind protection!¡± The knights and wizards moved quickly. However, they soon had no choice but to stop. ¡°Huh? The attack¡­ doesn¡¯t seem to be working?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s suppressing the power of the demons because he¡¯s a hero¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­The hero¡¯s magic?¡± No hostility emanated from the black aura. In fact, unlike Hayarouzen, Ju-Han had no intention of attacking. ¡°Look, this is what you guys have been ignoring while you¡¯ve been fighting over trivial matters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Buzz! Their hearts reacted, and their vision turned pitch black. An astonishing sight began to unfold before the eyes of the nobles. Chapter 67 My Reflector Is Invincible 6767. Impossible to Defeat For a moment, the Knight King was worried. It wasn¡¯t because of Ju-Han¡¯s sudden descent. ¡®He¡¯s going to show us something? What?¡¯ Ju-Han had proven his worth enough so far. The raid of the mazoku. The betrayal of his son, the Duke. The rat Sanderson, the Count. The heart of the Demon King. The repose of his close friend, the hero Ryuujin. But what else could he possibly show them here? On the one hand, he couldn¡¯t help but be worried. In fact, hadn¡¯t he had this very conversation with Ju-Han? -You¡¯re going to make us compete for the position of teacher. If you choose me over them¡­ do you think you can handle the consequences? -Consequences? Handle what? -The nobles might try to kill you for humiliating them. -Don¡¯t worry. Greed means nothing in the face of survival, right? -Survival? At the time, he hadn¡¯t been able to understand what Ju-Han meant. But right now, at this very moment. Before the Knight King¡¯s eyes, before the eyes of the nobles, an astonishing sight began to unfold. ¡°Oh¡­ my¡­ god¡­¡± ¡°What in the world is that? A monster?¡± Everyone was looking at the same scene. Simultaneously, many of them began to flee in terror or collapsed to the ground. It was impossible to blame them. What had appeared before them was a monster that chilled them to the bone just by looking at it. The king of the mazoku, the absolute ruler. [Demon King] The people began to flee in horror. ¡°aaagh, save me!¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± The knights guarding the nobles moved busily. They raised their chivalry to protect their superior and their escort target. However, nothing could quell their terror. What filled theirÊÓÒ° was a brutal war. No, it was a one-sided slaughter. A huge Demon King. Behind him, countless demons surged forward. The fear of being killed at any moment dominated everyone. ¡°Calm down! It¡¯s not real!¡± ¡°Not real¡­¡­!¡± The people who were in a panic doubted their own eyes. It was because the demons who ran forward passed through the bodies of the people. Illusion. But it was a perfect illusion as if it were real. At that sight, the eyebrows of the Knight King twitched. A scene that was all too familiar was unfolding to be called an illusion. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This is what happened when we caught the Demon King.¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± The people were astonished at the Knight King¡¯s words. They must have been surprised that they could see the scene that had been passed down like a legend in the past with their own eyes. In fact, as soon as he finished speaking, other familiar illusions appeared. It was the hero and the hero¡¯s party fighting the Demon King. ¡°That¡¯s my grandfather¡¯s younger days¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Is it really from that time?¡± The people murmured as if they didn¡¯t know what was going on. Then the main character stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s the Demon King¡¯s memory. Only a small part of it.¡± ¡°How on earth did a human get the Demon King¡¯s memory¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the memory of the Demon King¡¯s heart fragment that I got from the Forbidden. It¡¯s all a situation that actually existed in the past.¡± At those words, the others were terrified. The sight of the enemies running towards the hero¡¯s party also played a part. ¡°There are so many demons, and they¡¯re not even demons!¡± The story of dealing with the Demon King remained in history as a legendary tale of bravery. In other words, it meant that it felt like an unrealistic tale of old. What¡¯s more, with the thought that the Demon King would never appear again, all information about the demons was banned and discarded. Now, only a handful of researchers knew about the demons. It was bound to be confusing from the standpoint of ordinary people. Not only that. -Ack! A laser from the Demon King¡¯s eyes pierced the continent. Even the huge mountains and the earth were cut in half in an instant. The living beings that faced it melted away. Even if they were lucky enough to escape, there was a problem. -Kuaaa! -S-¡­¡­ Save me¡­¡­. -Kudeuk! The soldiers who were attacked by the Demon King turned into monsters and attacked their fellow comrades. The demons trampled over mankind with overwhelming force. -Those who challenge the Demon King will only find death¡­¡­. -You insignificant insects. Face true death. Kwakwakwakwang! Most of the army fell before they could even reach the Demon King. No army could withstand the Demon King¡¯s forces with their overwhelming power. It would only be a matter of time before mankind and all other races were annihilated by their advance. A sigh escaped from the people¡¯s mouths. ¡°That¡¯s the Demon King¡­¡­. Just how did they ever face such a monster.¡± At that moment, there was one man who made everyone forget their fear. -Do not be afraid! I am here! The hero, Ryuujin. He began to move with his comrades, holding his holy sword. The Demon King moved to block the hero¡¯s party, but. -The hero will not be touched by even a single one of your fingers! The [Knight King] from his youth deflected the Demon King¡¯s attack. -I will open the way. Next, a young woman appeared. A magic circle spread out from the hands of the Grand Mage. A huge path was created between the horde of demons that were rushing at her magic. -Poohahahaha! Why don¡¯t you try to defeat this body! The one who jumped in there was the Dwarf King, running with a hammer larger than his own body. -What are you waiting for, my brothers! Rise and fight together! There were also the Barbarian Chieftain, the Necromancer, the Great Sword, and the Troll Sage. -The only good demon is a dead demon. -If possible, kill them without wounds like me! Their bodies are worth money! -I will take care of this place. The Elf Master and the Saintess also followed. -Do not block my path. Cursed monsters. -I will take care of healing the wounded. It was teamwork with perfect offense and defense. The eyes of the nobles in the banquet hall could not help but tremble. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ the actual battle of the heroes¡­¡­.¡± However, they pointed to an unexpected figure. ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s that guy?¡± ¡°Is he a demon?¡± Besides the well-known heroes and their comrades, there was a man in a hood that they had never seen before. The Knight King¡¯s gaze wavered as he looked at him. The greatest mind of the hero¡¯s party. The greatest strategist, whose face they had never seen, only Ryu Jin knew him. But his appearance was brief. The illusion vanished, and a fierce sight appeared immediately after. -Dammit. To be defeated there. -It was almost done¡­ Just one more step¡­ The hero¡¯s party had collapsed in front of the Demon King, who was bleeding profusely. Only the final blow remained, but none of his comrades could get up. In the end, the hero self-destructed to defeat the Demon King. It was a sight of him sacrificing himself to save everyone. Kwa-kwang! The holy power brought down the Demon King and wiped out all the monsters. The Knight King¡¯s face also hardened as he recalled the situation at that time. ¡°That¡¯s all the memories I¡¯ll show you.¡± Joo-yeon waved her hand. The illusion that had captivated everyone¡¯s hearts along with their hearts disappeared. People sighed at the regrettable sight. ¡°So that was the end of the hero.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the last battle in the North ended?¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the hero¡¯s sacrifice¡­ We would have never won.¡± It felt like they had glimpsed a part of the truth that they had only seen in history books. Most of the details about the Demon King and the hero were hidden in darkness. The problem was what came next. At the end of the video, a single line of voice awakened their minds. -I¡­ will not die¡­ I will definitely come back¡­ and dye this place with a curse. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± People were terrified by the creepy voice. It was the Demon King. The epitome of murderous intent and malice. Despite being an illusion, the viewers felt a strong sense of fear that made it hard to breathe. Soon, Joo-yeon opened her mouth. ¡°You see. This is the future you will face.¡± Silence fell over the banquet hall. ¡°That kind of guy¡­ is coming back?¡± ¡°We, no, the hero will have to face that kind of guy?¡± This was the reason why information about the demons in the past was taboo. To prevent the continent from being consumed by fear. Finally, Joo-yeon chanted as if she had been waiting. ¡°The ???? of the hero, the advent of the Demon King.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If the Demon King appears, the one who will become my master must also fight alongside me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!!¡± Those who realized the meaning of those words froze. Sighs escaped the mouths of those who had thought it was none of their concern up until now. ¡°Surely those words don¡¯t mean that we have to fight too¡­¡­¡± ¡°The Hero said in his final moments as he sacrificed himself, ¡®This is my role.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°In order to accompany such a Hero, the one who will become his master must also be firmly resolved.¡± Up until now, the Hero¡¯s master had been thought of as a sweet treat that could be bought for a few pennies. No one had known the weight that the title carried. But now, everyone knew it. ¡°I¡­¡­ I¡­¡­¡± ¡°Fight such a monster? And risk my life?¡± Everyone present in the banquet hall was afraid to speak rashly. They simply stood there, their pupils trembling with fear. From Noble mtl dot com At that sight, the corners of the protagonist¡¯s lips turned up. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t intend to simply reap the benefits?¡± Those gathered in the hall froze. Certainly, the Hero was an advantage that could not be given up, but the opponent was who it was. ¡°Are not the Hero and his companions those who possess the greatest strength in the current era?¡± ¡°Even such people fell to the Demon King¡­¡­¡± ¡°To become the Hero¡¯s master, such sacrifices must be made?¡± However, not everyone had given up hope. If the Hero had come out here, there must be some way. They looked at the protagonist with such gazes. ¡°You can stop that guy just like the previous Hero, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so if we make the Knight King our master, surely¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to win.¡± What did he say? For a moment, the people doubted their own ears. ¡°Of course it¡¯s possible to win¡­¡­ Huh? What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s impossible to win.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The protagonist¡¯s expression was indifferent. However, the faces of the people in the banquet hall who heard those words twisted in seriousness. ¡°The Hero¡­¡­ What did he just say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to win?¡± ¡°Surely he¡¯s not saying that he intends to leave everything to his master and that he¡¯ll have his master save him?¡± The temperature in the banquet hall dropped. Some of the nobles began to shout at Joo-Heon. ¡°You crazy bastard! You¡¯re giving up without even fighting!¡± ¡°You call yourself a hero! If you¡¯re a hero, you should at least think about fighting the Demon King and winning!¡± Joo-Heon waited for that reaction and smiled. Joo-Heon had shown them the vision of the Demon King¡¯s battle on purpose. And he showed them the most despairing scene. ¡®I can¡¯t show them even a shred of hope. Keep being terrified like that.¡¯ This was the atmosphere he had guided them toward in the first place. Everything was going as he had planned. Soon, people who had been confronted with reality asked Joo-Heon carefully. ¡°So what should we do? Should we just sit here and wait for death?¡± ¡°If the hero can¡¯t do it¡­is there nothing left but despair?¡± Joo-Heon shook his head at their reactions. ¡°I told you, you won¡¯t be able to win if you keep fighting over food like this and trying to become masters yourselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Everyone¡¯s gazes, including the Empire¡¯s 3rd Prince¡¯s, were focused on him. This was his chance. It would have been absolutely impossible in the game. In the first place, the option of persuasion itself would have been impossible. ¡®But now, it¡¯s different. I can pave a path that no one has succeeded in paving before.¡¯ Slowly. But surely. Joo-Heon¡¯s mouth slowly opened. Chapter 68 My Reflector Is Invincible 6868. A Story No One Knows Joo-Heon¡¯s mouth slowly opened. ¡°We have to unite the power of the continent, centered around the King of Knights, or rather, the Duke of Edmor.¡± ¡°But¡­no matter how great the King of Knights is, there¡¯s no way we can fight such a formidable enemy with just our strength, right?¡± Naturally, people were confused. Joo-Heon chuckled at their incomprehension. ¡°Do you think the heroes who defeated the Demon King were just the hero and his companions?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Joo-Heon raised his hand again. Then a familiar, radiant vision appeared before the people, along with a roar. In the fight against the Demon King, it wasn¡¯t just the hero and his companions. -Fight back! Never give up! -If we fall, everyone falls! -Never let the bastards send the Demon race to the hero¡¯s party! -We have to buy time for the hero and his companions to fight the Demon King! Across the land, there were those who fought. Undoubtedly, each of them was weaker than a hero¡¯s party. But they had a firm purpose. -Prevent the demons and monsters from joining the Demon King! -If we are breached, the heroes will be in danger! We must hold our ground! -Don¡¯t give up your weapon, even in death! Kill one more¡­ Gaaah! Despite the one-sided slaughter. Despite the overwhelming attacks of the enemy. They charged forward, disregarding their own lives. Of course, if it were an ordinary battle, none of the nobles in the banquet hall would have paid any attention. However, they quickly realized the identities of those who were fighting. ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ the former king?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my grandfather. My grandfather is there!¡± ¡°My late father is there too! I thought it was just a bluff when he said he fought alongside the hero¡­¡± The host calmly spoke to the astonished crowd. ¡°Everyone on that battlefield was a hero.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Heroes are not just those who are called heroes. Each of those tiny swords they wield is the sword of a hero.¡± Everyone was speechless. Even the host was lost in memories at the sight he had not seen in a long time. Once, it was just a video in a game. But now that he knew it was real, the host¡¯s voice grew heavy. ¡°They never gave up. They all gave their lives for their descendants, for you.¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± ¡°To think our family had such a secret¡­¡± A heavy atmosphere spread through the banquet hall. Some shed tears at the sight of their family members. The host did not miss this opportunity. He brought out the true purpose he had been waiting to reveal. ¡°Send your descendants and troops to the Edmer Firm. Those who grow strong here will return to their countries and protect everyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The expressions of the people changed. They all sensed it. They had to join forces, if only to prevent the coming destruction. Above all, the host¡¯s words were decisive. ¡°Heroes are born with a special blessing to defeat the Demon King. They have a special power that can strengthen their allies.¡± ¡°Heroes have such power?¡± ¡°Is this the first I¡¯m hearing of this?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ve heard of it before. I¡¯ve heard that those who travel with heroes become stronger. Even the Sword King over there¡­¡± The people¡¯s eyes widened. Jooyeon whispered in their ears. ¡°It is a blessing strong enough to create heroes. Of course, it can¡¯t be used for many people. But I will use that power for some of the forces that have gathered in the Edmer family for the cause.¡± Now there was no more fear in the eyes of the people. It was not a look of sadness or sorrow. Everyone was filled with desire. ¡°If you send someone to the Edmer family, will you awaken the people of our family as heroes like warriors?¡± ¡°What are the criteria?¡± ¡°Can women become heroes too?¡± ¡°What are you talking about! Don¡¯t you see the saint over there? What does gender matter!¡± ¡°That¡­ yes!¡± Suddenly, the banquet hall began to get busy. Everyone had heard Jooyeon¡¯s words. More troops than anyone else, children with excellent qualities should be sent to the Edmer family. Then they can awaken to be equal to warriors. The high-ranking nobles who realized this could no longer remain still. ¡°This is not the time. We must contact His Majesty now.¡± ¡°I will also contact my family.¡± ¡°To the Edmer family¡­ I will send my successor.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the ordinary nobles who moved. ¡°The Empire will support the new warriors and Duke Edmer.¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The third prince ordered the Imperial general who had come with him. ¡°Send all the reserve forces of the Imperial Knights to the Edmer family. I will also stop the birth of the demons at the Edmer family. Tell His Majesty. It is time for us to come out.¡± ¡°I will also join the third prince.¡± ¡°If the general is with me, I am honored.¡± A headquarters to counter the demons was set up on the spot. The center was naturally the Edmer family. The third prince lowered himself and announced in front of everyone that he would help the Knight King. ¡°Former Duke Edmer. No! Honorable Knight King! I, the third prince of the Empire, swear! I will raise my sword with honor by your side, even if death befalls me!¡± Others hurried to swear as well. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was an oath that everyone would follow the Knight King with one heart. Jooyeon smiled faintly at the sight. ¡®Good. You took the bait.¡¯ He deliberately provoked their cause. Naturally, to replenish the troops in the Edmer family. But that¡¯s not all. If you provoke them to this extent, each force will move on its own. ¡®For now, if we can only contain the demons from the beginning, more than half of it is a success.¡¯ The way mankind collapses is always the same. Most of them collapse due to the political maneuvering and backstabbing of the demons, and they end up fighting each other and destroying themselves. Naturally, there were hardly any troops left to fight the Demon King. Because of that, there were some important countries that were on the verge of disappearing. ¡®I definitely have to protect that place.¡¯ If I¡¯m even unluckier, one of the heroes might even be killed. While the countries were fighting, some annoying trolls¡­ no, ancient mines revived. Of course, in normal times, I wouldn¡¯t have cared, and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to move them. But this time, it was different. The Knight King, no, the main character who could move the Knight King would move them if he just said so. ¡®I guess I can also use this to keep the traitors in check.¡¯ In fact, the people moved immediately. All it took was Joo-Heon lightly warning them to be careful of the traitors. ¡°Investigate any information about the Demons !¡± ¡°They might be hiding in our country too.¡± Everyone did as Joo-Heon intended. ¡®This is how I can filter out the internal traitors and move the troops of the continent.¡¯ To begin with, the locations where the Demons gates would open were fixed. If it was now, we could block the large army that would come over from the beginning. ¡®This way, I can definitely compress it within 3 years.¡¯ We will definitely be able to see a different ending from before. ¡®This time, I¡¯ll finally clear the last achievement.¡¯ And avoid the bad ending, and return to my original world. Now, there was only one thing left for Joo-Heon to do. His last words brushed past the people who were extremely busy. ¡°Oh, right. Is it okay if I just call my teacher the Knight King?¡± ¡°What are you doing, dilly-dallying! Hurry and tell his Majesty this fact¡­¡± ¡°I have to quickly tell the Pope. That the end is coming¡­¡± Everyone was too busy to hear properly. But a few people heard it, even though it was vague. It was already too late. Because Joo-Heon had already turned around and was leaving. ¡°I guess everyone is busy. Anyway, did I tell you?¡± And just like that, Joo-Heon disappeared. * * * ¡°Really?¡± Joo-Heon turned his head at the Knight King¡¯s voice calling him. His expression was serious as he called Joo-Heon to the terrace. ¡°Is it true that you have a blessing that can create a hero-level hero?¡± It seemed like the Knight King was curious about that after all. There was a cause, but the nobles were entering the Edmar family as disciples for that. If it was a lie, I could be attacked for causing public outrage. Joo-in laughed at that. ¡°Of course it¡¯s a joke.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Knight King rubbed his forehead. Yes, he thought this would happen. Thanks to Joo-in, Edmere would be filled with unprecedented power, but was this fraud really the right thing to do? However, Joo-in laughed out loud. ¡°And it¡¯s not a complete lie, is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± From Noble mtl dot com It was Joo-in himself who had raised and trained the hero and his companions. He knew exactly how to develop and manage them. So, wasn¡¯t it wrong to say that he could create a hero-class hero? ¡°While I¡¯m gone, I¡¯m training them well to use them instead of me. The empire¡¯s forces will also move at your command. Heh.¡± ¡°Are the troops the problem now¡­ Including the third prince and the five great generals?¡± The Knight King frowned slightly. However, since they had all declared that they would gather in Edmere for the sake of humanity, they would not be able to complain later. In fact, he would give them a chance to become stronger. It wasn¡¯t a perfect lie. As if he had anticipated it, Joo-in continued. ¡°It¡¯s good that we have free manpower. Keep using them. If they actually become stronger, it¡¯s not a joke that they will benefit from it, right?¡± As he said that, Joo-in spread his wings. Now he had to leave this place to the Knight King and hurry to find the divine weapon for his old comrades. [The Black Wing¡¯s unique ability £¼Levitation£¾ is activated] But then, the Knight King grabbed him. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But his expression was strange. It was a serious face that he had never seen before. Joo-in tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you so serious?¡± Didn¡¯t things go well? He must have gained honor, profit, and all the military power he needed in the future. What on earth was the problem that made him look like that? ¡°What is it. What else is the problem?¡± However, after much deliberation, the Knight King finally opened his mouth. ¡°Ryu-jin. How on earth do you know that guy¡¯s last words?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± -This is my role. Ryu-jin must have used self-sacrificing magic with those words. Of course, Joo-in couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. ¡®Of course I heard it?¡¯ I also fought there together, why are you saying that again? Oh, no. The knight king didn¡¯t know that he was there together. Joo-yeon is the ¡®him¡¯ written in the Witch¡¯s Diary after all. There¡¯s no way he would remember the appearance of fighting together with the hero as a player. ¡®Hmm¡­¡­. What should I say as an excuse.¡¯ I also fought together next to him? I was one of you guys? But it¡¯s useless. ¡°I told you that I showed you the Demon King¡¯s memory. The Demon King must have heard it.¡± Joo-yeon could feel the great sword coming close to the tip of his nose. ¡®Jeez. If it¡¯s that great sword guy, he¡¯ll hear the banquet hall story and find fault with it again, saying that it¡¯s a demon race.¡¯ So he had to leave before that guy came to the dukedom. ¡°What, that¡¯s not important. Let¡¯s talk about that later.¡± ¡°Wait a minute! Wait¡­¡­.¡± Joo-yeon jumped down without listening to the knight king. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t hear the knight king¡¯s last words. ¡°How on earth¡­¡­ How on earth did you know. The last words of Ryu-jin that no one heard¡­¡­.¡± The Demon King¡¯s memory? That¡¯s even more nonsense. ¡®The Demon King was inside the barrier, so there¡¯s no way he could have heard it.¡¯ Ryu-jin¡¯s last words were something that only the knight king, who was closest to him, knew. No one else among his other colleagues heard it. Because everyone collapsed and couldn¡¯t move due to the Demon King¡¯s attack. If there was someone other than himself who could hear his last words. ¡°No way¡­¡­.¡± Only the knight king¡¯s monologue remained on the terrace of the duke¡¯s house. Chapter 69 My Reflector Is Invincible 6969. First Time? Joo-yeon left the dukedom in a carriage right away. He didn¡¯t want to stay for no reason and get caught. But Olson, the knight who was waiting inside the carriage, handed him something unexpected. ¡°The lord told me to give this to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± What he handed him was a pouch. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just any pouch. ¡°He said it¡¯s a subspace pouch. He also told me to serve you the best way I can so that you won¡¯t be uncomfortable.¡± It was filled with treasures. Jooyeon brought out the things from the warehouse, the gifts he had received from the grim reapers. It was not enough, so he also brought some of the Edmer family¡¯s fortune. It was said that a tremendous amount of wealth was packed inside. That was not the end. ¡°I will serve you, Jooyeon-nim, on behalf of the Lord from now on. I ask for your favor.¡± A knight called Olson was attached as an escort. What he brought was a whopping eight-carriage wagon. It was a carriage that only the previous dukes could ride. There were also mounted escort knights on each side. Jooyeon tilted his head. ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t need soldiers?¡± ¡°They are not soldiers for force. They are just an escort unit to guard the carriage whenever you move.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the purpose.¡± An escort unit just to guard the carriage. However, it was natural when he thought about the¼y˜Ó carved on the carriage. The¼y˜Ó of the [Knight King] was drawn on it. Furthermore, there was more than one¼y˜Ó. ¡°Huh¡­ gasp! Th¡­ that¼y˜Ó!?¡± Haken was the first to notice the¼y˜Ó. His eyes widened at another¼y˜Ó, not the Knight King¡¯s. It was natural since it was a¼y˜Ó that everyone on the continent knew. £¼Winged Sword Piercing the Heavens£¾ Wasn¡¯t it exactly the same as the one drawn on the [Holy Sword]? It was identical to the one the hero of the past used. There was only one meaning to it. Olson nodded with a moved expression. ¡°The previous duke seems to have recognized Jooyeon-nim as a true hero.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big deal.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a really big deal. The popes of the temple may not know, but the previous duke has not allowed anyone to use the hero¡¯s name until now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Even the emperor or the pope of the empire could not use the name of the hero lightly. The Knight King did not allow anyone to deface or exploit the name of £¼Hero£¾. No, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of permission; he sent troops to punish them directly. That was why there were no fake guys pretending to be heroes. ¡°In fact, that¡¯s why it¡¯s said that he¡¯s not on good terms with the Grand Duke.¡± Because the Grand Duke was a thief. As a knight whose belief was justice, it meant that he could not forgive his colleague who was tarnishing the name of the hero. ¡°I guess he¡¯s dealing with the hero¡¯s death very strongly.¡± However, Jooyeon, who knew the truth, tilted his head. ¡®Weren¡¯t they enemies from the beginning?¡¯ To be exact, it was because of the Knight King¡¯s personality. Because [honesty] and [integrity] were his main principles. He couldn¡¯t become friendly with a thief who openly committed crimes in the first place. It was no wonder that he was speaking to Olson like he was now. ¡°The late Duke told me to tell you, if you ride in the carriage, you promise to stop stealing and become a new person¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s dirty, so I won¡¯t ride in it! You guys!¡± Daedo didn¡¯t lie down inside the carriage, but on top of it. He was showing that he would rather lie on top of it than ride in the carriage, even if it killed him. The two of them were on extremely bad terms. ¡®Well, that¡¯s their problem to figure out.¡¯ Anyway, he had asked the Hero King for a separate favor. Rather, something else was more important right now. It was natural for Haken to ask Joo-yeon. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°To the Great Forest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ The Krausen Great Forest?¡± [Krausen Great Forest] It was where one of his old comrades was. Haken¡¯s face hardened slightly. ¡°Why there of all places¡­ Isn¡¯t that a very dangerous place?¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. The Great Forest was the territory of the ¡®savages¡¯. One of the hero¡¯s comrades, the [Savage Chieftain]. It was the territory of the Great Chieftain, the only one the savage savages acknowledged. Even Olson looked a little worried. ¡°Even though it¡¯s where an old comrade of the late Duke is¡­ They¡¯re not a race that can be reasoned with.¡± Even before the battle with the Demon King, the savages had always caused conflicts. They were such a warlike people that they would have advanced into the continent by now if it hadn¡¯t been for the Edmer Dukedom. Rather, it was amazing that they had gone with the hero to defeat the Demon King. In other words, no one could control them except for the hero and his comrade, the Savage Chieftain. Above all, the biggest problem was this. ¡°You don¡¯t know, but the savages¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let outsiders in carelessly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°And only those who have received special recognition can enter?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Did you know?¡± Joo-yeon smiled instead of answering. [Brotherhood Ritual] They had to fight their way through the savages from the entrance of the Great Forest. They were sensitive to hierarchy, so they never recognized anyone but the strong. Olson knew that part quite well. ¡°You will have to fight for dozens, hundreds of nights before you can meet the Grand Chief. No matter if you have the seal of the previous Duke, he is not someone you can easily meet.¡± Even if they were former comrades, the barbarians were old-fashioned in this regard. Money or persuasion did not work. They were a race that only pursued battle and honor. So there was no choice but to just perform the ritual. ¡®I performed the ritual with Ryujin too.¡¯ That was when I didn¡¯t have a single proper item. Back then, my only companion was [King of Knights], so it was incredibly difficult. ¡®Well, that time it took about a week.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t simply a matter of strength. I had to compete in strength with thousands of barbarians and climb my way up. I had to step on each and every rank from the bottom, so it took a while. But this time was different. ¡®I have Counter.¡¯ My had especially goodÏàÐÔwith barbarians. Why? ¡®Most barbarians are melee fighters. And they give their all in every attack.¡¯ That meant that I just had to turn on and climb my way up. I didn¡¯t have to waste my energy fighting each and every one of them. I didn¡¯t even need to rest like I did when I came here with the Hero. ¡®A week? Hell, a day is enough.¡¯ No, maybe I could do it in half a day? I might set a new record this time. That¡¯s why I was looking forward to it, but Haken was still anxious. ¡°The barbarians are said to be very ferocious. If it weren¡¯t for the previous Duke and the Hero, they would have been subjugated before the Demons¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. They¡¯re nicer than you think.¡± ¡°Ni, nicer¡­¡­?¡± Joo-Heon chuckled. They were just fond of showing off their strength, but the barbarians themselves were innocence personified. ¡®You could say they have a timeless purity. They¡¯re the kind of guys who get happy over a single present.¡¯ They were also honorable warriors who valued gold like it was a rock. Because of that, they got along especially well with [King of Knights]. After all, birds of a feather flock together. And that wasn¡¯t all. ¡®It¡¯s not for nothing that they¡¯re the number one choice for recruiting.¡¯ Barbarians would never betray their comrades first. Once they became close, they would blindly trust the other person. They were comrades you could truly trust your back to. ¡®Unlike that thieving geezer.¡¯ Of course, if you only looked at his abilities, Dae-Ho wasˆRµ¹µÄand useful. Even now, you could see that. Knock, knock! The Great Shaman signaled from the ceiling of the carriage. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Are we there already?¡± ¡°No, not the Great Forest yet, but near the entrance. Carriages are forbidden from here on.¡± If we don¡¯t leave the carriage, we¡¯ll be ambushed by the barbarians. It was a warning not to waste our energy before the [Brotherhood Ritual]. As expected of the Great Shaman. ¡®The complete opposite of the barbarians, who are clueless and only follow orders.¡¯ Nevertheless, Joo-yeon favored the barbarians. He preferred colleagues he could trust completely over those who might betray him at any moment. ¡®Well, that doesn¡¯t mean the Great Shaman would betray me first.¡¯ It¡¯s comforting to have a barbarian chieftain with high credibility. So Joo-yeon got out of the carriage. The familiar sight of the forest came into view. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time.¡¯ Now, declare the Brotherhood Ritual on the mountainside, and fight the barbarians who know nothing but muscle and strength. Defeating them one by one and reaching the top of the Great Forest. That was the only way to build camaraderie with the barbarians. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yes, starting from that entrance¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Joo-yeon tilted his head. The entrance Joo-yeon remembered was an ordinary village. Yes, a sweaty place where barbarian warriors fought each other for honor¡­ ¡°Wow, let¡¯s play, hyungs!¡± Instead of sweat¡­ ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m out of chips! Bring me more money!¡± ¡­smelling of money¡­ ¡°Oh my gosh! I lost again! You damn idiots!¡± ¡°Lend me some money, kid!¡± ¡­smelling of money instead of sweat. ¡®¡­What the?¡¯ Is this really the Great Forest? The barbarians were definitely known to be a hardworking and honest race. Flash, flash! A golden signboard I had never seen before was bursting with brilliant light. Drunkards shouted along with the music from all sides. It seemed like they were making some kind of bet. ¡®Those who didn¡¯t even care about money.¡¯ They were enthusiastically watching something like people in a dogfighting ring. There were also many people dressed in revealing clothes, which could be seen as a red-light district. Joo-yeon grabbed a nearby person, inwardly flustered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you originally hold the Brotherhood Ritual near here?¡± Then, the reply that came back was amazing. ¡°Go back. We no longer accept brethren.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A muscular warrior that looked like a gatekeeper blocked Joo-in¡¯s group. At first glance, he had a ferocious expression. Haken stepped forward at that sight. ¡°We are the delegation that brought the letter from the former Duke Edmer, no, Knight King. We came to see the chieftain.¡± ¡°If you wish to meet the chieftain, write your name in the reservation book over there and wait.¡± Reservation book? Next to the gatekeeper was an incredibly thick book, even at a glance. Haken looked through the reservation book with a fed-up expression. ¡°How long will it take if we make a reservation here? A week¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait about ten years.¡± ¡°Yes?!¡± Ten years? Haken tried to slip the gatekeeper a money pouch. ¡°No. Don¡¯t do that, and take this¡­¡± ¡°Visitors without reservations cannot enter. Don¡¯t you even know that? You guys are too barbaric.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Being called barbaric by barbarians? Haken immediately gave up on persuading the gatekeeper. ¡°It seems like something has changed with those guys.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a good change.¡± I was going to try shortening the record for once. This couldn¡¯t be helped, it was an annoying situation. And even the name of the [Knight King] didn¡¯t work on those barbarians. If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing we can do. ¡®We have no choice but to use the desperate measure.¡¯ Joo-in¡¯s eyes glinted. Chapter 70 My Reflector Is Invincible 7070. Bring them to me at once It was the method I least wanted to use. Unlike with the [Knight King], I had to utter words that concerned the entirety of the barbarians. If I made a mistake, I could turn the entire barbarian tribe into enemies. That meant the risk factor was significant. But I couldn¡¯t help it in this situation. In the end, it was time for Joo-in to use that method. ¡°Hey, brothers! Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± A man with tanned, muscular arms blocked Jooyeon¡¯s path. He was a macho man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and lots of gold jewelry. ¡°Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time in this life.¡± The macho man¡¯s eyes grew wide, and he burst into laughter. ¡°hahahahaha. You¡¯re a funny guy.¡± Of course, Jooyeon wasn¡¯t laughing. ¡®What the heck? Is this punk a tourist?¡¯ He looked exactly like a punk who would rip people off. He even looked like an alcoholic with the bottles of alcohol in both hands. Suddenly, the man put his arm around Haken¡¯s neck. ¡°Hey, what are you doing! Let go of me!¡± ¡°Hey, everyone who comes to this town is like a friend.¡± Haken struggled, but it was no use. Jooyeon¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the sight. ¡®What the heck?¡¯ His face was clearly drunk. He reeked of alcohol, and his pupils were dilated. But Jooyeon wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡®Haken is a pushover, but he¡¯s a master at dodging attacks.¡¯ Even Haken couldn¡¯t escape. What did that mean? ¡®Could he be¡­¡­.¡¯ Jooyeon soon saw Olson. Knight Olson, who understood Jooyeon¡¯s gaze, stepped forward. ¡°Let him go.¡± ¡°Oh? You look like you can put up a fight?¡± Thud! In an instant, the two men¡¯s hands met. They began to wrestle. At first, it seemed like Knight Olson would overpower the macho man. But his face gradually crumpled. ¡°This¡­ guy!¡± Olson¡¯s arm was gradually twisted back. No matter how hard he tried, the macho man¡¯s arm wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong, but you¡¯re no match for me.¡± Creak! As the macho man exerted his strength, Olson¡¯s body was gradually pushed back. It was anˆRµ¹µÄ¤ÊÁ¦ overwhelming power. Even if he was a savage, he was overpowering Knight Olson with ease. Juyeon¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡®As expected.¡¯ He could tell just by looking that this wasn¡¯t a punk who was merely out to extort money. ¡®But this is quite unexpected.¡¯ [Great Warrior] These were the ones just below the Great Chieftain in rank. And they were the barbarian generals who were qualified to challenge the Great Chieftain at any time. They were also the guardians of the barbarians, who were said to be unmatched in physical strength. If his guess was correct, that macho man was definitely one of those Great Warriors. But that made it even stranger. ¡®Normally, Great Warriors are idiots who only know battle and honor?¡¯ And yet he was walking around so casually? Even if the lower-ranked ones were like that, those who were susceptible to outside influence like this should never have existed. By this point, it was clear that something had happened to the barbarians. If not, then the criteria for ¡®Great Warriors¡¯ that Juyeon knew had changed. Just then, Olson¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°How dare you insult Lord Juyeon like this.¡± £¼Thou Shalt Obey Rightful Authority£¾ His body glowed orange. He was trying to invoke the Knighthood of £¼Obedience£¾. Even if Aydin wasn¡¯t here, so he couldn¡¯t use the same power as before. ¡®I am now a knight who serves Lord Juyeon. I shall wield my power only for him.¡¯ He had found a new lord to serve. Usually, the power of £¼Obedience£¾ was determined by the title of its master. ¡®But what does a title matter? From now on, the one I serve has something greater than that.¡¯ The man who had inherited the title of Sword King from the previous Duke Edmer. The wielder of the one and only Holy Sword in the world. ¡®The one I serve is a hero!¡¯ [£¼Obedience£¾ has found its true object of loyalty] [The light of £¼Obedience£¾ grows stronger] Olson¡¯s body began to burn with an orange light. This was the moment when he would unleash the true power of £¼Obedience£¾. At that moment, the macho man¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Insult? We¡¯re the ones who¡¯ve been insulted.¡± What? The face that had been smiling and joking until now turned murderous. ¡°The Chieftain is our one and only sun. How dare you compare him to a dog who drinks from the village well!¡± Boom! Killing intent burst from the macho man¡¯s eyes. The aura was too intense to ignore. ¡°Gaaah!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that killing intent¡­ Gah!¡± The others watching around them collapsed on the spot. ¡°P¡­ Please spare me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°M¡­ Mom!¡± Some even peed their pants. In that situation, only Daedo was still standing. But even he seemed a little surprised. ¡°What the heck. I thought he was just a common hoodlum, but he¡¯s a high-level warrior at this rate?¡± He was strong enough to unleash killing intent capable of knocking everyone around him unconscious. There were only a handful of such existences within the Barbarian tribe. Daedo clicked his tongue as he looked at the still-standing Jooin. ¡°You must have known about this, didn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°Well, I had a hunch.¡± ¡°Your instincts are sharp. Reminds me of someone¡­¡± It was clear he was referring to one of the Hero¡¯s former comrades. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°By the way, are you okay, old man? Your legs seem to be wobbling a bit?¡± ¡°What, they¡¯re not wobbling?¡± ¡°My eyes don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Tch! Then why are you still standing?¡± Why, indeed. ¡®Reflection.¡¯ Well, I didn¡¯t actually need to use to handle this level of killing intent. With the Demon King¡¯s heart, I could absorb some of the killing intent. Unlike Daedo, who was just barely holding on with willpower. ¡®He¡¯s not a holy knight who can repel killing intent, so he should have just dodged it. Anyway, pride is¡­¡¯ Daedo, who had interpreted Jooin¡¯s pitiful gaze, suddenly snapped. ¡°Why! Is there some rule that says a thief should collapse and piss themselves when they¡¯re exposed to killing intent like this?!¡± Jooin nodded, but for a different reason. ¡®Right. Daedo almost died a lot.¡¯ Jooin could remember over a hundred instances. Honestly, since he tended to prioritize saving the Hero or other fighters, there were many times when he couldn¡¯t pay much attention to Daedo. Or to put it more honestly, he just didn¡¯t care. As a result, Daedo had apparently grown into someone with incredible resilience and tenacity. ¡®Well, I guess you could say I¡¯m his benefactor in a way.¡¯ Of course, that wasn¡¯t important right now. From Noble mtl dot com The macho man¡¯s expression changed. ¡°You withstood that?¡± He must have been surprised by Jooin and Daedo¡¯s composure. Jooin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Where do you plan to try next?¡± Then, the macho man laughed out loud. ¡°Kidding, kidding. New friends. You want to meet our chieftain? I can help with that.¡± ¡°How do we do that?¡± ¡°You can pay money. Or else-¡° The macho man pointed upwards. There was an enormous sign there that the party had failed to notice until now. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [Krausen Colosseum] £¼Challengers Welcome!£¾ £¼No Money, No Life£¾ £¼Current Champion: Chieftain Karacen£¾ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The macho man chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s the fastest way to meet our chieftain without money. Challenge the champion. Of course, you¡¯ll need to win the tournament first.¡± Dae-do flared up immediately. ¡°Alright, quickly tell Karacen that his old comrade has come to visit!¡± He was telling him to hurry up and bring the chieftain without wasting time with useless talk since he was busy. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since the elder has come, but the rules of the village have changed a bit. There are a lot of people who want to see our chieftain.¡± Joo-yeon was dismayed. Not only was the great warrior dressed like a street punk, but the chieftain was also acting as a mere champion. However, that wasn¡¯t the most serious issue. ¡°I was a comrade of that chieftain you serve! How dare you treat me like this!¡± The macho man was even more delighted by Dae-do¡¯s outburst. ¡°Oh? You were a comrade of the warrior? That makes it even better. You can meet the chieftain if you win a hundred matches.¡± ¡°How long will that take?¡± ¡°A date has been set, so if you can win them all, it¡¯ll be about a year at the earliest? By then, you might be able to meet our chieftain in the finals.¡± A year? ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t that better than ten years?¡± Joo-yeon knitted his brows. ¡®The demons must be after other artifacts. So, we can¡¯t waste time in a place like this.¡¯ Joo-yeon¡¯s expression changed. However, the macho man shrugged. It was something they couldn¡¯t help. ¡°Our chieftain is a king who ruled over the Northern Great Forest before he was a champion. It¡¯s natural that not just anyone can meet him. And.¡± And? ¡°Participating in the tournament might actually be advantageous to you guys?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°Our chieftain is different from the chieftain you knew.¡± Dae-do furrowed his brows. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What kind of nonsense is that? Karacen isn¡¯t the chieftain he used to be?¡± ¡°After the last fight, you received a blessing from the God of War. The problem is that too many visitors have come to receive his blessing.¡± ¡°Blessing?¡± What is this? At Joo-yeon¡¯s gaze, the macho man pointed around. He pointed to the drunks that had collapsed on the floor from his aura just a moment ago. But something surprising happened. ¡°This bastard!¡± ¡°Why did he suddenly start acting crazy?¡± ¡°Kill him! Kill them all!¡± The drunks rose with immense momentum and started fighting those nearby. The surprising thing was their strength. They had incredible strength, throwing and blowing away opponents with one hand. Joo-yeon noticed it right away. ¡®They are like those under the Berserk spell.¡¯ The difference was that they had their sanity and their strength was even greater. The macho man let out a chuckle. ¡°They all received a portion of the blessing. Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± A curse escaped Dae-do¡¯s mouth. The blessing of the God of War was that powerful. The method of receiving a portion of the blessing was easy. ¡°Just stay near the patriarch for a long time. Well, you will get stronger just by being in the village.¡± ¡°Just by staying in the village?¡± ¡°Oh, of course, just staying won¡¯t do it.¡± There was one condition. ¡°You must bet everything you have. God takes pity on devoted believers.¡± The more you bet of your own possessions, the stronger you become. You could even bet your life by challenging the arena. You could gain strength every time you had a life-threatening duel. ¡°Of course, money is the best, but you don¡¯t seem to have that much, so I recommend the tournament.¡± ¡°What tournament? You have to pay an entry fee for every match!¡± ¡°You can receive a blessing too. You will get the blessing after about 50 tournament matches.¡± Joo-yeon scoffed at that. The blessing of the God of War? Joo-yeon wasn¡¯t interested in that. He had a rough idea. So he had to meet the patriarch and confirm the innocence. ¡°So, if I want to meet the patriarch right now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The patriarch likes money, right? How much should I show him to see his face?¡± The macho man frowned as if he didn¡¯t like that response. ¡°Heh, you seem to have some money. If you¡¯re not bringing at least 100 million gold, don¡¯t even bother to speak¡­.¡± ¡°100 million? That¡¯s nothing.¡± Joo-yeon turned his own pocket inside out. Clatter! It was a truly enormous amount of gold coins and treasures. The macho man could only gape at the dazzling sight. ¡°You want this? If you want it, that guy named Champion.¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Bring him before me right now.¡± Chapter 71 My Reflector Is Invincible 7171. Huh? ¡°What are you doing? I told you to bring him quickly?¡± The great warrior was speechless at Joo-yeon¡¯s words. It wasn¡¯t because of the impudence of asking him to bring the Champion, the tribe¡¯s patriarch and spiritual pillar. [Gold] And it was an uncountable amount, even if one were to try to count it with their eyes. It was as if the gold had been piled up like a tower. Before he knew it, his sunglasses had slid down his nose in his shock. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen so much gold in my life.¡± The macho man¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Wh¡­ Where did you get this much wealth¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my money, so what? Do you have a problem with that?¡± There was no way he could have a problem with it. ¡°No, this should be enough to qualify you to meet the patriarch.¡± ¡°Then lead the way.¡± ¡°I will. But first, let¡¯s take care of this gold.¡± Just as the macho man bent down to pick up the gold, Joo-yeon stopped him. ¡°The patriarch comes first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-yeon smiled like a fox at his bewildered expression. ¡°Why? You might as well just take the money and run, right?¡± ¡°How can we possibly trust you?¡± ¡°Aha! So your patriarch is such a wimp that he can¡¯t even catch a guy trying to escape from his own territory? Then I guess there¡¯s no need to meet him?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Tch.¡± The macho man frowned. He wanted to say, ¡®Yeah, take the money and get lost,¡¯ but it was too much money to do that. While he hesitated, the eyes of the tramps, blinded by the gleam of the gold, flashed. ¡°Mo¡­ Money!¡± ¡°I could have another go at it with that money!¡± They all rushed towards it as if possessed by the allure of gold. To be more precise, they were aiming for the leading role. The macho man grimaced. ¡°Get lost this instant!¡± BAM! The men whose eyes had been clouded by his overwhelming aura were all sent flying. However, no matter how powerful his aura was, it couldn¡¯t extinguish the people¡¯s desire for gold. ¡°You think you can have it all to yourself!¡± ¡°As if!¡± Some of them charged at him with daggers in hand. Of course, it was futile. CLANG! They were repelled by his dark brown muscles. And that wasn¡¯t all. The macho man caught the flying daggers in his mouth and shattered them into pieces. In the meantime, those who had rushed at him had their waists bent double. That was the end of the situation. Dozens of people had been subdued by a single man. His appearance made Joo-in¡¯s eyes gleam. ¡®He¡¯s quite something?¡¯ In particular, the technique he had just used looked familiar. £¼Steel Skin£¾ It was a technique that the barbarians basically learned, which allowed them to temporarily make their skin as hard as steel. If mastered to the extreme, it was a technique that could even return damage to the opponent. It was somewhat similar to £¼Reflection£¾. ¡®However, unlike £¼Reflection£¾, it¡¯s impossible to perfectly reflect.¡¯ It simply received the damage in full and returned only a portion of it. But even so, there was something noticeable about it. ¡®Is that the blessing that the barbarian chieftain recently received?¡¯ Monstrous strength capable of crumpling a human body like a ball. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Reflex nerves that activated in less than 0.1 seconds. He had even shattered the dagger with his teeth. The great warriors of the past were also incredibly strong, but the man before his eyes seemed special. The macho man, who had quickly cleaned up the surroundings, shouted. ¡°What are you all doing! Hurry up and throw this trash out of the village!¡± Wow! Warriors who had been hiding at the great warrior¡¯s command revealed themselves. Their appearance made Haken gasp in surprise. ¡°Where the hell were you all hiding?¡± Dae-do clicked his tongue. ¡°Clever bastards. They were lurking in the shadows.¡± Did it mean they had that much faith in the macho man since none of their peers came out? At that moment, the macho man turned his back on the retreating losers. ¡°This money is mine.¡± He tried to pick up the massive amount of gold that Joo-yeon had failed to retrieve. But there was nothing there. For a moment, the macho man looked confused. ¡°Oops. Sorry. You were too slow, so I helped myself to some.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Dae-ho had gotten there first. He had used his skills, which were almost as good as they had been in his prime, to sweep up every single coin. It had all been according to Joo-yeon¡¯s plan. From the very beginning, he had left a large amount of gold in front of the enemy because he trusted them to some extent. ¡®Take good care of it. Don¡¯t lose a single penny.¡¯ ¡®Trust me, man. Do you think I¡¯d steal something like that?¡¯ ¡®How can you trust a thief? I¡¯ll check it later, so don¡¯t try anything funny.¡¯ ¡®Ugh¡­¡­.¡¯ Dae-ho had been annoyed, but Joo-yeon knew him very well. [Kleptomaniac] It was one of Dae-ho¡¯s quirks. He had a habit of stealing other people¡¯s things without even realizing it. ¡®If you let your guard down, he¡¯ll even steal your underwear.¡¯ Of course, if their affinity was high, there was no safer joker than him. For example, he would automatically defend against the enemy¡¯s item theft. He was literally the best watchdog. ¡®But raising that affinity is a pain in the ass.¡¯ After all, it¡¯s not easy for a thief to sincerely follow someone else. Of course, the important thing right now was this. ¡°If you don¡¯t let us meet the patriarch, we¡¯ll take this money and go. Is that okay?¡± Joo-yeon looked at the macho man, who was gritting his teeth. He could tell just by talking to him. From Noble mtl dot com The men were pretending not to be, but judging from the atmosphere in the village, they were crazy about ¡®money¡¯. Did they really think that gambling, entry fees, and tournaments were all just for fun? On top of that, they weren¡¯t rich enough to have their eyes on this amount of money. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know why these savages, who look down on gold, have become like this.¡¯ So he had no choice but to capture them. They were the ones who had come looking for them, but it was actually the other side that was at a disadvantage. ¡®Get it? It¡¯s not you guys who are making the offer, it¡¯s me.¡¯ As expected. ¡°Follow me.¡± Joo-yeon smiled as the macho man turned around, gritting his teeth. * * * The place the macho man led to had a clear view of the arena. It was filled with the shouts of the people. Wow! Kill! Kill them all! Inside the arena, people were fighting monsters. They were people who looked like debtors and monsters that looked like lions with sharp teeth. Roar! Of course, the fight was one-sided. The people were bitten by the monsters¡¯ teeth. In an instant, blood spurted everywhere. At that sight, Haken frowned. ¡°What kind of cruel thing is this!¡± The macho man replied as if it was nothing. ¡°It¡¯s the most popular fight these days. A fight with monsters for your life.¡± ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s too cruel¡­¡± ¡°They all fight because they want to. If they win, all their debts will be cleared.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the deal. If you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t do it. We didn¡¯t force you.¡± Haken grimaced. In his experience, those who said such things were the worst. So it was even more surprising. ¡®Those who say honor is more important than life are doing such a thing. They¡¯re worse than the thugs in the back alleys.¡¯ However, Jooyeon was curious about something else. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys fight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fun if we fight. We can kill those monsters with one blow.¡± The macho man showed off his bulging muscles. Judging from his skills earlier, it was definitely not a lie. It was because of a much stronger power than Jooyeon remembered from the past. ¡°Is it because of that blessing?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s called the Blessing of the Body. Just by breathing here, we become stronger.¡± ¡°So where is the chieftain?¡± ¡°This way.¡± The place the macho man headed to was at the end of the stands. It was on a whole different level than before. [VVIP Room] It was a room that was the epitome of luxury. All kinds of alcohol and food, and naked people were everywhere. The nobles and savage warriors in the room were enjoying themselves to the fullest. Dae-do scoffed at the sight. ¡°Warriors who know honor indulge in alcohol and women. Even the savage warriors are all dead.¡± ¡°A night thief dares to talk about honor? How funny.¡± ¡°What, Inma? Even thieves have their own honor! At least these¡­ are so different from the ones I knew!¡± However, Daedo did not move rashly. ¡®All the greatest warriors are gathered here.¡¯ I could tell by the energy alone. Each and every one here was a top warrior, just below the greatest warriors. The problem wasn¡¯t just the savage warriors. Haken whispered to Jooyeon. ¡°The nobles¡¯ escorts are no joke either, are they?¡± ¡°Of course. They must have the wealth and power to stay here so comfortably.¡± It was truly a tiger¡¯s den. If you make a mistake, you could lose your life to the nobles or the savage warriors. However, Jooyeon chuckled. ¡°This is fun.¡± What should I call these guys? Corrupt warriors? Or crazy warriors of God? The power they felt was extraordinary. It seemed that the blessing of the gods was not a lie. It seemed that they had some ability that he did not know about. At the same time, Jooyeon¡¯s eyes, who had come here to get a job, narrowed. ¡®Maybe the abilities of the jobs I get here have changed as well.¡¯ It was then. The macho man guided them to the transparent glass. It was a glass that showed a huge arena. Jooyeon tilted his head. ¡°What? You said you¡¯d let me meet the patriarch, but what is this.¡± ¡°Look over there.¡± That was the moment. Bang! One of the doors of the arena shattered, and a monster appeared. It was huge compared to before. It was a monster that Jooyeon knew well. ¡®Drake?¡¯ It was a monster that was considered a subspecies of dragons. In terms of physical abilities alone, it was comparable to a dragon. It wasn¡¯t just physically capable. Kuoooo! It even breathed fire from its mouth. It was not comparable to a dragon¡¯s breath, but it was enough to burn the savages who were holding it back. Kyaaak! The savage warriors instantly turned into ashes. Of course, they weren¡¯t dead. Other warriors popped out to replace the fallen ones and subdued Drake. Jooin frowned. ¡°What the hell. Did you bring me here just to show me something like this?¡± ¡°Of course not. We wanted to show you our main event.¡± Main event? As soon as he finished speaking, the door on the other side opened. There stood an incredibly large giant. Jooin and Daedo¡¯s expressions changed at his appearance. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That guy is!¡± Jooin was shocked. It was the guy he had been looking for. Chapter 72 My Reflector Is Invincible 7272. Long time no see? It was certain. ¡®That guy is.¡¯ His old comrade and one of the The warrior¡¯s companions, the [Savage Chieftain]. He was a guy who valued honor and warriors¡¯ battles more than anyone, even to the point of getting along well with the Knight King. But something was strange. His face was definitely the Savage Chieftain¡¯s. ¡°Kuaaa!¡± It wasn¡¯t the Chieftain he remembered. He was as large as a half-breed of a giant. He looked at least three times larger than a tall, muscular man. ¡°Killed¡­all!¡± Boom! The Savage Chieftain, who seemed to have become a monster himself, jumped up. He was so fast that the air seemed to bounce off him. Kuooooh! Drake tried to confront him, but it was no use. Flames, claws, teeth, and even tail attacks didn¡¯t work. Boom! Drake¡¯s body collapsed from the Savage Chieftain¡¯s fist. Jooin looked at the muscular man as if to ask what this was. But the muscular man just shrugged. ¡°Why? You wanted to see our Chieftain, didn¡¯t you?¡± Jooin was shocked. ¡°Is that Karasen?¡± [Barbarian Chieftain Karasen] He was an intelligent man who knew honor and how to persuade his peers. He was the only intellectual born in a savage tribe that pursued battles and blood. He was also a sage who was respected even by Ryuujin¡¯s comrades. He was also a guy who cared quite a lot about appearances. He definitely was. Kuwoooooo! Bang! Bang! What is that giant beast with the crazed eyes? No matter how positively I think about it, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s Karasen. Not only his appearance, but just looking at his eyes that are filled with madness, I can be certain. That guy isn¡¯t the guy that Juyeon knew. Kwaaang! The body of the giant monster shook from the beast¡¯s fist. There was none of the delicate techniques that the macho warrior from before had used. Just simple, brute strength. He was cornering Drake with the overwhelming strength that was bursting out of his entire body. Of course, Drake wasn¡¯t just taking it. Kurarararara! Drake¡¯s mouth opened wide. Hot flames erupted from his mouth. It was a powerful firepower that could melt not only the stadium, but the ground as well. Hwarurur! ¡°Everyone, get away! The ground is collapsing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get close! Once you catch on fire, it¡¯s over!¡± The spectators nearby scattered in panic. Not only them, but all of the audience knew exactly how powerful Drake¡¯s flames were. But there was only one. Kukhahahaha! Karasen¡­ no, a single, crazy beast jumped into the flames while laughing maniacally. Haken looked at him with disgust. ¡°Is¡­ isn¡¯t that crazy? Is he crazy for trying to become firewood? Drake¡¯s fire is strong enough to melt bones?¡± ¡°No. Look closely.¡± At Daedo¡¯s gesture, everyone doubted their own eyes. ¡°Wh, what? He¡¯s fine?¡± Even in the flames, Karasen was fine. His skin was a bit burnt, but he didn¡¯t care and instead was pushing through the flames. Soon, he approached Drake¡¯s face and swung his fist. Kwabang! Drake¡¯s head rolled away, still spewing fire. Several sharp teeth flew through the air. ¡°Crazy¡­ How the hell did he get such monstrous strength?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem! He¡¯s completely fine in those flames!¡± Some of the spectators were burned by the flames Drake scattered as he collapsed. However, the monstrous bastard known as the Champion was completely unscathed. ¡°Look! His skin!¡± ¡°His wounds are healing in this situation?¡± Just as Haken said. The monster¡¯s skin was bubbling as it returned to its original state. It was a ridiculous recovery power. A power that looked like that of a demon. However, the conversation between the two didn¡¯t last long. Kuaaah! The chieftain grabbed Drake¡¯s mouth with both hands. And then he tore it off. Screeech! Drake¡¯s blood splattered everywhere. The only one still standing beneath it was the savage chieftain, Karasen. He burst into madness, his whole body soaked in red blood. Kukukukuhahahahaha! Daedo¡¯s eyes trembled fiercely. ¡°That¡¯s not the Karasen I knew. That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s just a mindless monster.¡± Jooyeon also narrowed his brow. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®What the hell happened to Karasen?¡¯ This was the first time something like this had happened in his long gameplay. It didn¡¯t exist in any route, and it shouldn¡¯t have happened. It was clear that someone¡¯s intervention had caused the change. Daedo glared fiercely. ¡°How dare you lay a hand on my old comrade.¡± Ugh. He was angrier than when he had been betrayed by his disciple. His eyes looked like they would overturn this whole place at any moment. Jooyeon felt the same way. However, he calmly maintained his reason. ¡®Getting angry won¡¯t change anything. The important thing is what has changed.¡¯ The beast before his eyes was no longer the Karasen that Jooyeon knew. If it continued like this, his plan to get a job through Karasen could go awry. Of course, the relic wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡®The relic is right there.¡¯ The wing feather stuck in Karasen¡¯s head. The object that seemed like a common trinket was actually the oddity. ¡®I can get another job anyway. Let¡¯s get the oddity and the Karasens first.¡¯ That was when Jooin was about to move. The macho warrior suddenly fell to his knees. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­. Are these the ones.¡± An old man suddenly appeared behind Jooin. An old man wearing all sorts of accessories, unlike the bare-bodied warriors. The atmosphere of the room changed in an instant. Gooooooooo. It was a heavy and wicked energy. Everyone broke out in a cold sweat, not knowing what to do in front of that overwhelming power. Dae-do quickly distanced himself and took out his hidden weapon. ¡°Who are you!¡± He looked heroic, but even he was sweating on the inside. That¡¯s how formidable the energy he felt from the old man was. The only one who was fine in this place was Jooin. The old man looked at Jooin with interest. ¡°You have eyes that already know me.¡± ¡°There is only one person in the Barbarian who could have such great shamanic skills.¡± [Grand Shaman] He was the second-in-command of the Barbarians. He assisted the chieftain with all sorts of shamanic powers and wise wisdom, and he was the one who led the tribe. If the Grand Mage specialized in attack magic and artifacts, the Grand Shaman specialized in curses and shamanic powers. ¡®To deal with that guy properly, you need to be at least a Grand Warlock or a Sage.¡¯ Only those who used the same mystery could properly defend against curses and shamanic powers. The Grand Mage couldn¡¯t recklessly touch him either, due to their compatibility. Shamanic powers were strange and secretive powers. The others were already under the shamanic powers of the Grand Shaman and had lost their minds. Jooin would have been under their effects too if he had been careless. However, he had a special power. [Shamanic power £¼Resonating Beat£¾¡¯s £¼Oppression£¾ effect is reflected.] [Shamanic power £¼Sinking Cry£¾¡¯s £¼Suppression£¾ effect is reflected.] [Shamanic power £¼Constriction£¾¡¯s £¼Fear£¾ effect is reflected.] I wondered why the second-in-command showed up so late. ¡®Was it to cast shamanic powers without people knowing?¡¯ However, no matter how secretive the shamanic power, it was useless in front of £¼Reflection£¾. Of course, he didn¡¯t reflect it on the Grand Shaman. ¡®If I had, he would have been wary of me right away.¡¯ So I secretly reflected on it to someone else. Who did I send it to? ¡°Ugh¡­ Why is my body so heavy¡­¡± It was Daeho. In other words, he was like a scarecrow. Even now, Daeho was getting double the effect of the spell. It was possible to send the [Black Water] that became his hand the damage of the reflection. ¡®His life force seems to have increased, so please do well.¡¯ The great shaman, unaware of this, extended his hand to Jooyeon with eyes full of greed. ¡°I¡¯m skilled enough not to care about such a low-level spell, but you¡¯re this young. You must be quite useful. Do you belong to any group?¡± ¡°Why? Are you going to give me a position if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°We¡¯re always short on skilled people. If you just stay by our champion¡¯s side, you¡¯ll be able to gain even stronger power, so it wouldn¡¯t be a bad offer for you.¡± Jooyeon scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s not even worth listening to.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested unless I¡¯m the best. And I absolutely hate being a useless second-in-command.¡± Anyway, all I need is the Barbarian Chieftain. What do I need you for? The great shaman¡¯s face hardened as if he understood what that meant. ¡°You¡¯re cockier than I thought.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I be cocky enough? You guys have a lot of money, don¡¯t you?¡± At those words, the great shaman¡¯s gaze immediately changed. He must have already heard through the Great Warriors and other barbarian warriors. In fact, Jooyeon laughed as he looked at his greedy eyes. ¡°Did you come here in person after hearing that story?¡± ¡°Yes, they said it was enough to build a tower of gold. I needed a little more money to build an arena in the capital anyway.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to build an arena like this in the capital?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten everything I can get here. It¡¯s time to play in bigger waters.¡± Jooyeon burst out laughing. Are you going to mass-produce those who are crazy about power, gambling, and murder in the capital of the kingdom? What on earth for? No. There was no longer any need for a reason. ¡®He¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Could he be the one who changed the barbarians? Just as Jooyeon was about to move, the guy opened his mouth first. ¡°I heard you wanted to meet the chieftain? But you didn¡¯t pay to come here, did you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Pay me first. Then I¡¯ll let you meet the chieftain right away.¡± He¡¯s funny. His smiling eyes were clearly hiding murderous intent. There was no way he would just show it to him. He must be thinking of stalling for time and extorting money. ¡®And if it turns out that I don¡¯t have any money, he¡¯ll stab me without looking back.¡¯ That was why Joo-Heon laughed out loud. ¡°Right, you said I need to pay an entrance fee to meet the Patriarch.¡± ¡°Yes, so¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do I really need to do that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-Heon pointed outside the window. ¡°The person I¡¯m looking for is out there. Why do I need to pay money to meet him?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Grand Sorcerer and Grand Warrior realized Joo-Heon¡¯s intentions right away. They shouted toward the guards protecting the room. ¡°Stop that man!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to the window!¡± They tried to catch Joo-Heon too, but it was useless. Joo-Heon¡¯s body was already dashing toward the window overlooking the dueling grounds. The guards threw their bodies at Joo-Heon. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go any further!¡± But it was useless. Swish! Joo-Heon¡¯s body scattered, leaving behind a faint afterimage. He dodged the guards¡¯ bodies like the wind and slipped past them. The guards missed Joo-Heon. The Grand Patriarch was surprised and shouted. ¡°That¡­ that crazy bastard!¡± He couldn¡¯t help it. The technique that Joo-Heon had just used was very familiar. No. It was a technique that he knew better than anyone. -Grand Patriarch¡¯s Eighteen Secret Techniques: Basic -High-Speed Movement Technique £¼Shadow Step£¾ That was the Grand Patriarch¡¯s technique. It was also the basis for £¼Invisible Step£¾ that the Grand Patriarch had used in the forge where he fought Joo-Heon. However, he had only used that technique once in front of Joo-Heon. ¡®And he stole it just by watching it?¡¯ What kind of guy was he? No matter how much he had inherited from the King of Knights, this was an incomprehensible level of potential. But there was no time to be surprised. Crash! Joo-Yeon broke the glass window and fell outside. Startled, Haken shouted. ¡°Joo-Yeon! This is the top floor of the Dueling Arena!¡± But Joo-Yeon patted her shoulder instead of answering. [Darkwing uses £¼Levitation£¾] She didn¡¯t spread her wings intentionally. She didn¡¯t want people to see her black wings. ¡®But at least I can fall more slowly this way, even if I can¡¯t fly.¡¯ Thud! Finally, Joo-Yeon landed in the Dueling Arena. The eyes of the monster named Savage Chieftain turned towards her. At that sight, Joo-Yeon slowly got up with a smirk. ¡°Hello? It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Chapter 73 My Reflector Is Invincible 7373. Rainbow Reflection x2 ¡°Hello? It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± The place where Joo-Yeon jumped down was the center of the arena. In front of her, the furious Savage Chieftain Karassen glared at her. Soon, he charged at her. Kreee! Joo-Yeon instantly grabbed her head. ¡°Ugh!¡± It wasn¡¯t because she was scared of Karassen charging at her. Memories were mixing into her mind. ¡®This time¡­ it¡¯s memories of Karassen.¡¯ It was similar to the times as the Hero or the Paladin King. -From the moment we shared a fist, we are blood brothers. -If you wish to kill my brother¡­ you must step over my dead body first! -Go! I¡¯ll handle the rest! Moments she had shared with Karassen came to mind. And the last moment with the Demon King. -No! Karassen! -Cough¡­ Go, brother. I entrust my life to you. The sight of him risking his own life to create an opportunity was vividly imprinted in her mind. A man who always knew how to sacrifice himself first. To Joo-Yeon, that kind of comrade, who was like a father and a brother to her, was now charging at her to kill her. Kreee! His red eyes were filled with murderous intent. A fist as fierce as if it would pierce through his heart right away. It could be easily blocked with a reflex. ¡®But if I do that, he might die right away.¡¯ Karasen was more aggressive than any savage warrior at the moment. He was completely disregarding defense. ¡®He must be relying on his enhanced attack power as much as his reduced mental power.¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t kill the man. It was partly because he was a former comrade, but it was mostly because he had something he had to tell him. ¡®So, I¡¯ll just dodge it for now.¡¯ There was a technique that was perfect for this. ¨C Great Way Eighteen Visions Basics ¨C Movement Technique £¼Shadow Step£¾ It was the technique from which Great Way¡¯s main technique, Shadowless Step, originated. It was one of the core skills mainly used by thieves. He hadn¡¯t just learned it by watching. ¡®I was the one who recommended Karasen learn Shadow Step from Great Way in the first place.¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com He also knew how he had reached Shadowless Step. Therefore, he could naturally figure out how to use it. ¡®Plus, I learned something when I inherited it from the King of Knights.¡¯ It was reproducing a technique used by his former comrades. It was difficult to reproduce a high-level technique like Shadowless Step at once. However, it wasn¡¯t hard to imitate the technique it originated from, thanks to his potential. [£¼Shadow Step£¾ has been used.] [Evasion rate increased!] [Agility stat increased!] [Counter probability increased!] Just then, Karasen¡¯s fist pierced through Joo-in¡¯s heart. Bam! Karasen¡¯s fist went straight through Joo-in¡¯s back. However, he tilted his head. ¡°Huh?¡± It was a genuinely bewildered face. Soon, a voice came from behind Karasen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that was just my afterimage.¡± The figure of Joo-in, whose heart had been pierced, faded away. He had dodged it with instantaneous speed. Swish. Multiple afterimages appeared as if he were using Great Way¡¯s Shadowless Step. Karasen wildly swung his fists at the clones with a furious expression. CRaaaSH! Of course, Joo-in wasn¡¯t going to be hit by those mindless fists. Instead, he was dodging them while thinking. ¡®How do I subdue him?¡¯ His former colleague had gone half-mad. It was difficult to subdue an opponent of this level without killing him. But he couldn¡¯t act recklessly either. ¡®If that guy punches me just once right now, it¡¯ll smash the stadium wall.¡¯ Joo-in¡¯s frail body would be shredded if it were just grazed. ¡®I wish I had a mystic right now.¡¯ I¡¯m talking about a Grand Master. Just then, the Grand Warlock showed his face outside the broken window from above. ¡°How dare you! A mere moneybag! You think you can mess with me?¡± Oh, right. That bastard was here too. A sinister murderous intent spread from the Grand Warlock¡¯s eyes. ¡°What are you all just watching for! Take everything valuable from that guy! Whether it¡¯s his organs or his subspace pockets, take it all!¡± Wow! At the Grand Warlock¡¯s command, the Barbarians in the VVIP room jumped down. The Barbarians who had been stationed all over the stadium also began to enter the stadium. They were swarming in from all sides. ¡°There sure are a lot of you.¡± It made you wonder where they had all been hiding until now. But maybe that sight had the opposite effect. Karasena shouted in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡­ interfere¡­¡­!¡± BOOM! The Barbarians were sent flying by his fist. Joo-in also raised his hand towards the Barbarians running at him. ¡°It won¡¯t be fun if you just rush in like that.¡± ¡°Shut up! Outsider!¡± ¡°How dare you incur the Grand Warlock¡¯s wrath. We won¡¯t let you die a clean death!¡± All sorts of weapons flew towards Joo-in. But it was useless. [Reflected] [Reflected] All he had to do was reflect them. The sword that swung down at Joo-in returned to its owner. ¡°What! My attack!¡± ¡°Ack! Not there!¡± The Barbarian who had stabbed with a spear had a hole in his stomach. As the man raised his sword to strike, his body suddenly disappeared, leaving only his torso behind. Those who had intended to attack the main character instead collapsed to the ground, bleeding profusely. That was the moment. Thud! ¡®¡­¡­!¡¯ The savage warriors who had been relentlessly charging forward came to an abrupt halt. They only surrounded the main character, not daring to approach him. Their morale plummeted, and their attacks weakened considerably. The great sorcerer shouted at the sight. ¡°What are you all doing!?¡± ¡°B-but, Great Sorcerer, something¡¯s not right!¡± ¡°The ones who attacked are the ones getting hurt! Sorcery¡­ It must be sorcery!¡± At his exclamation, the main character smiled as if he had been waiting for this moment. The savage warriors were strong. But they had one fatal weakness. ¡®They¡¯re vulnerable to superstition.¡¯ They feared sorcery and phenomena they couldn¡¯t understand. The main character¡¯s counterattack just now was proof of that. The sight of their comrades being injured by their own attacks? It must have been a spectacle they had never witnessed before. ¡®Yes, I could have neutralized their attacks with my Iron Skin.¡¯ But reflecting the damage back at them like this was something they had never seen before. After all, among the savages, only their chieftain, Karasen, had experienced the Demon King¡¯s reflection firsthand. There was no way any of the other savages would be brave enough to attack under such circumstances. Especially not these warriors who had been corrupted by wealth. The great sorcerer grimaced at the sight and stepped forward. ¡°To think I¡¯d have to get my own hands dirty with these useless fools. And Karasen, what are you doing!? Why are you attacking your own side!? Stop this instant!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ interfere¡­¡± ¡°You imbecile!¡± Karasen was still caught up in the heat of battle. He ignored the great sorcerer¡¯s orders and continued to attack the savage warriors. Finally, unable to contain his anger, the sorcerer raised his staff, which was adorned with numerous skulls. ¡°Ommaerbaenum¡­¡± As the great sorcerer¡¯s eyes turned red, so too did the eyes of the skulls on his staff. Flash! At that moment, a spell erupted. But the spell was not aimed at the main character. It was aimed at the savage chieftain, Karasen. ¡°Gaaah!¡± The monstrous giant clutched his head in agony. Stabbed by swords and spears, and unharmed by Drake¡¯s flames, Karacen screamed for the first time. He looked very painful. The Grand Warlock¡¯s spell was strangling him. ¡°You still don¡¯t understand after being treated like that, Karacen! It¡¯s no use resisting! Listen to me now!¡± ¡°¡­¡­No!¡± Karacen tried to resist, but it was no use. Krrr! The pain of the spell intensified. The eyes of the guy who was full of madness turned white in an instant. And he just stopped there. Thud! He was like a doll that had lost its will. No, he was a slave. The Grand Warlock smiled at the sight. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s how you should listen to me! How dare you, a slave, rebel!¡± The Grand Warlock, who had subdued Karacen, looked at Jooin. The staff with red-eyed skulls was also pointed at Jooin. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How dare you¡­ try to interfere with my cause. I will never forgive you.¡± Are you going to use another spell? Jooin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. To think that he still had room to cast a new spell while controlling Karacen. ¡®It¡¯s not the level of a Grand Warlock that I know.¡¯ It seemed that there was more going on than he knew. However, he was not very worried. ¡®There¡¯s always a price to pay for such great power.¡¯ He might have received power from the god who gave him that blessing. He was used to such tricks anyway. So he waited until the Grand Warlock¡¯s spell was completed. ¡°You will never die a good death!¡± With that cry, the skulls on the staff began to wail. It sounded like a sad song, but in reality, it was a groan close to agony. But Jooin knew. ¡®It¡¯s a trigger for the spell.¡¯ A trigger was a method necessary when using magic or mystery. It compresses the incantation and gestures of the spell. In an instant, a huge amount of spells poured down on Jooin. [Frog Transformation] [Berserk] [Divine Punishment] [Skin Disease] [Despicable] [Collaboration] [f*ck¡­¡­] It was on another level compared to ordinary sorcery. It was a special sorcery that only a Grand Sorcerer could add to. ¡°Let¡¯s see you block it with that wonderful ability of yours if you can!¡± The Grand Sorcerer exclaimed with smug satisfaction. He was brimming with confidence as if it was absolutely impossible to block. ¡®Well, it makes sense.¡¯ In fact, even Joo-yeon could tell that it was no ordinary sorcery. Dozens of sorceries were flying at him, intertwined in a single spell. [Grand Mage]-like, it couldn¡¯t inflict massive damage instantaneously, but it was a sorcery that would continue to torment him without end. ¡®Is it a way of linking numerous sorceries together to inflict an unavoidable death upon the enemy?¡¯ It was closer to a curse than magic. It was even more malicious in that it would pursue its target forever. At that point, even evasion would be useless. ¡®Reflecting it will only send it back to me.¡¯ It was impossible to reflect the endlessly approaching sorcery. It was an endless fetter. It was bound to come to an end someday. However, even a single hit from the opponent¡¯s sorcery would be fatal. ¡®I have no choice but to be defeated if I just stay still.¡¯ But there was one thing the bastard didn¡¯t know. ¡®If it¡¯ll return even if I reflect it¡­ If I don¡¯t just reflect the sorcery, but reflect the target itself, that should do it.¡¯ There was one more thing he had been meaning to test out anyway. He had only ever used reflection with one hand until now. But he had two hands. ¡®I was curious about it anyway, so this is perfect.¡¯ Joo-yeon¡¯s fingers on both hands overlapped. ¡°I¡¯m not going to just return it to the bastard who treated my comrade like a doll.¡± It wasn¡¯t the ordinary reflection he had used until now. All the more so because it was double. ¡°Double Rainbow Reflection!¡± Chapter 74 My Reflector Is Invincible 7474. It¡¯s Too Late to Regret It Now Joo-yeon was surrounded by sorcery. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s lips curled up at the sight. ¡°You fool. No matter how useful your skills are, you can¡¯t block my sorcery.¡± He already knew that Joo-yeon had special abilities. But it was useless to try to deflect it with that ability. The warlock¡¯s activated spell was nearly infinite. Once targeted, the opponent couldn¡¯t escape until they died. ¡°Can a Grandmaster really dodge that well? But before my spell, even evasion has absolutely no meaning.¡± It was a spell that would pursue you to the ends of the earth. In the end, you had no choice but to face it. And if you get hit by even one, the next attacks will immediately follow up. There were hundreds of spells. What would happen if you were hit by all of them at once? Any being would die a miserable death. But that¡¯s when it happened. From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Double Rainbow Reflection!¡± At Joo-in¡¯s cry, the warlock¡¯s face twisted. It was because an incredible sight unfolded before him. Ting! The spells had clearly reached Joo-in. But the spells, which were nearly infinite, were deflected. That was fine so far. ¡®I noticed long ago that the bastard had a special power anyway.¡¯ The spells had been cast with that in mind from the beginning. But not only were the spells being deflected by Joo-in. ¡®It just stopped?¡¯ And they¡¯re all coming this way? ¡°How the hell? What did you do!?¡± There was no time to be surprised. ¡°Grand Warlock! You¡¯re in danger!¡± ¡°The spells are moving towards the Grand Warlock!¡± The spells were flying like bullets. The warlocks who had put up a barrier around the stadium raised their hands anxiously. ¡°Block it! Create a barrier with the spell!¡± ¡°½~Œ�¤ËGrand Warlock¤Ë½ü¤Å¤±¤Ê¤¤¤è¤¦¤Ë¤·¤í£¡¡± In an instant, a protective barrier made of spells appeared. Of course, the Grand Warlock didn¡¯t just stand there and watch. Thud! His staff hit the ground. Then the skeletons began to howl. Ooooo. [Earth¡¯s Wall] [Legacy of the Ancestors] [Soul Ring] The earth rose up beside the Grand Warlock. Ghostly old men with axes in both hands guarded the front. The souls pouring out of the skeletons formed a ring, blocking access to the surroundings. The protective spell had been activated. But it was too early to relax. Screech! The spells rushed in as if they would break through the defensive barrier. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, a huge explosion erupted. Boom! It was a deafening roar. Not only the barrier but also the bodies of the sorcerers who formed the barrier shook. But soon they raised their hands and cheered. ¡°We did it!¡± ¡°We blocked it!¡± The spells that hit the protective barrier were all shattered. However, the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s face was grave. ¡°You idiots! Look carefully!¡± Thud! The spells had indeed been distorted when they hit the barrier. However, they were immediately restored to their original state. The sorcerers couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. ¡°Oh my god¡­ A spell that recovers on its own!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a spell that only a Grand Sorcerer can cast?¡± The sorcerers frantically cast defensive spells again. Boom! They blocked the spell, repelled it, blocked it again, and it was an endless battle. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s face was contorted. ¡®How the hell did he do that?¡¯ He used his spell by designating a target. It was different from general magic that attacked a random location. He could accurately specify and send it to the target. It was a weak but deadly spell, like a curse that killed only the targeted person. Until now, no one had ever properly blocked it. ¡°But how the hell¡­ Did he send my spell back to me?¡± He clearly designated Joo-yeon as the target of the spell. Even as a Grand Sorcerer, it was impossible to change the target of a spell once it was designated. But Joo-yeon did it. Boom! The spells pouring down on the Grand Sorcerer were proof of that. In an instant, red blood gushed out of the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s mouth. Cough¡­ It was because part of the defensive barrier had finally been broken through by the continuous attacks. And part of the spell touched his body. Cough! Parts of his face, along with his skin, had turned into something resembling a frog. The Grand Sorcerer noticed the situation right away. ¡°Frog transformation? Did you really follow my technique?¡± However, he didn¡¯t have much time to think. BOOM! His vision turned red, and lightning struck down from the sky. The Grand Sorcerer was exposed to all the magic without any time to dodge. Drip. Blood flowed out of his nose. Not just his mouth, but blood also flowed out of his ears and eyes. The more he was exposed to the magic, the worse his body¡¯s condition became. Even the rosary necklace he was holding in his hand fell. BAM! The necklace shattered in an instant. The sorcerers were shocked beyond belief. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡­. The necklace of the Grand Sorcerer, Yasata, has been broken¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t just the Grand Sorcerer. ¡°Keuk¡­!¡± The magical items on the other sorcerers¡¯ bodies also shattered and fell. ¡®Surely it¡¯s not past its limit¡­!¡¯ That¡¯s why it was even more perplexing. The limit of the magic defense, which didn¡¯t even flinch at the Dragon¡¯s attack, was reached while fighting just one person? Was that even possible? However, there was a bigger problem. ¡®I no longer have any magical items to protect my body.¡¯ ¡®I will definitely lose if I keep fighting like this.¡¯ ¡®Unless I know the true nature of his power¡­!¡¯ The Grand Sorcerer couldn¡¯t help but burst out in an angry cry. ¡°Nenoom! What the hell did you do!¡± However, Joo-yeon was only bewildered. ¡°What did I do? You¡¯re the one who did something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The hero who saved the continent, the chieftain who should be respected, what you did to him is even more disgusting.¡± The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s eyes shook for a moment. ¡°You¡­ how much do you know?¡± Joo-yeon already knew all the facts. It was thanks to Karasen¡¯s memories that flowed into him when he faced Karasen. ¡®Karasen killed the Demon King and was cursed by him.¡¯ [Demon King¡¯s Curse: Infant Regression] The Knight King was also cursed by the Demon King, but it was a little different from the £¼Petrification£¾ he suffered. It was a curse that only regressed the mind while leaving the body intact. His body became a large baby-like stick. ¡®The strongest barbarian chieftain with the strongest body became a one-year-old baby.¡¯ The problem was the strongest body playing separately from the spirit. Karacen, who had become a young baby, only had his aggression left and attacked his tribe members. -Jo¡­ Chief! Why! -Everyone, stop the chief! Hurry! In an instant, the precious tribe members who could be considered Karacen¡¯s fingers collapsed. There were many cases where family members died or became unconscious. If Karacen was in his right mind, this would never have happened. Jooyeon looked at the great shaman with contempt. ¡°You knew how much Karacen¡¯s soul was suffering, but you didn¡¯t help him.¡± ¡°What nonsense! I¡­!¡± ¡°You were trying to save him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I helped him despite the tribe¡¯s prohibition!¡± There was a prohibition among the barbarians that should never be broken. It was a place only the chief was allowed to enter. [Ancestral Land] Those who practiced shamanism should never enter. That was the law of the barbarians. Jooyeon, who knew about it, spoke with a cold voice. ¡°Really? For something like that¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like what you got there was for Karacen¡¯s healing.¡± Gulp! The great shaman¡¯s body stiffened. As expected, Jooyeon¡¯s eyes flashed eerily. ¡°Since when has controlling the chief become a cure?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The great shaman¡¯s pupils shook. As Jooyeon said, what the great shaman had obtained from the forbidden place was not healing magic. It was the shamanism of ¡®taboo¡¯. It was a ritual to awaken an existence sealed by ancient shamans. Jooyeon looked at the great shaman as if wondering where he planned to commit fraud. ¡°You controlled Karacen, didn¡¯t you?¡± Then the great shaman burst out laughing. It was because he never thought Jooyeon would know that far. ¡°Yes. I controlled the chief with the power I gained from that place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t just simple manipulation. The great shaman¡¯s shamanism turned the barbarian chief into a monster. It was easy after that. ¡°I took over the tribesmen according to what the ancient being said. I got rid of anyone who got in the way.¡± It was possible because of the barbarian chief Karacen¡¯s strong power. With the addition of the great shaman¡¯s shamanism, there was virtually no one who could stop him. ¡°So what are you going to do about it?¡± Those who had already fallen for the Grand Sorcerer had all been killed by the chieftain. A few survivors had escaped, but they were nobodies, not worth the effort. Those who carried the bloodline of Karassen would soon be dealt with as well. ¡°You can¡¯t stop me anyway. I don¡¯t know how you blocked my sorcery¡­ ¡­but it will be useless against the power of Karassen.¡± The Grand Sorcerer swung his staff. Karassen, whose pupils had turned white and had been motionless, began to move. However, Joo-yeon looked at Karassen as if he were pitiful. A strange voice seemed to reach Joo-yeon¡¯s ears. It was the sound of Karassen¡¯s soul crying out. -I don¡¯t want to kill my brothers anymore. -Please kill me instead. -Don¡¯t let me hurt my brothers¡­ my family! It felt similar to when he had gone to find the holy sword and heard Ryu-jin¡¯s voice. No, it felt like an even stronger emotion than that. ¡®Is it because Ryu-jin is dead, but Karassen is alive?¡¯ Joo-yeon felt a strong churning in his stomach. This must be anger. The savage chieftain Karassen loved the little ones and cherished his comrades more than anyone else; he couldn¡¯t bear to see them get hurt. Even if Joo-yeon just grazed him, he would immediately become restless and think it was his fault; he was such a good guy. But what had they done to such a guy? It was enough to make fire shoot out of his eyes. ¡®It¡¯s definitely important to retrieve the Artifact .¡¯ The job he would get through Karassen was also important. However, what took precedence over all of that was this. ¡°I will make you pay for what you did to my comrade. With interest.¡± He was a comrade who had crossed the river of death with him countless times in the past. He couldn¡¯t stand for anyone to touch him. However, it seemed that the Grand Sorcerer was thinking along similar lines. ¡°You talk big. How do you plan to make me pay! Just hand over your money quietly and die!¡± The Grand Sorcerer got up from his seat, covered in blood. His staff pointed at Joo-yeon. ¡°Go! Karassen! Destroy the one who has insulted me on my land!¡± Kreeeuuugh! Red light shot out of Karassen¡¯s eyes. The red bloodlust rose in the arena. Kreeeuuugh! The savage warriors also charged forward, shouting. The great warriors did the same. ¡°Come forth! My Lord!¡± A red aura rose above the savage tribesmen charging towards Joo-yeon. It was as if something was taking form. If he waited a little longer, it seemed like it would descend. From Noble mtl dot com However, Joo-Yeon laughed as if he were amused. ¡°You idiot. Did you really think I¡¯d wait for you to summon a spirit?¡± It was the universal rule to attack during transformation. In fact, it was a waste to even use Reflection on someone like that. That bastard had crossed the line. In an instant, Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes flashed gold. Dae-Do looked at Joo-Yeon in surprise. For a moment, did he seem to overlap with someone else? [£¼Physical Enhancement£¾ has been activated.] Time began to slow down as if it had stopped. [£¼Black Wings£¾ has been activated.] In a world where everything had slowed down, black wings sprouted from Joo-Yeon¡¯s back. Feathers scattered in all directions. [£¼North Wind£¾¡¯s authority has been activated.] That was the power of the North Wind¡¯s Siond, the original owner of the Black Wings. Thunder and lightning began to strike down on the arena. That wasn¡¯t all. Light burst out from all over Joo-Yeon¡¯s body. [£¼Dragon Bones£¾ is activating.] [£¼Haste£¾ is activating.] [£¼Giant Strength£¾ is activating.] It was the culmination of all the power he had gathered so far. He could feel the Archmage¡¯s face stiffen. However, Joo-Yeon raised a finger and replied. ¡°It¡¯s too late to regret it now.¡± Chapter 75 My Reflector Is Invincible 7575. The Price of Wreaking Havoc ¡°Ki¡­¡­ Kill him!¡± ¡°What are you just watching for! Hurry up and take care of him!¡± Wow! Dozens of savage warriors rushed towards Joo-Yeon. But that was the moment. Snap! As Joo-Yeon stretched out his hand, thunder and lightning began to pour down from the cloudless ceiling. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! In an instant, warriors struck by lightning fell one after another. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The warriors¡¯ screams echoed. The bodies of those struck by the lightning were charred black. However, Joo-Yeon¡¯s attack was not over yet. As Joo-Yeon changed the direction of his fingers, a pillar of wind sprang up in the stadium. It was a whirlwind strong enough to blow away the muscular warriors. ¡°eeek!¡± ¡°I¡¯m flying!¡± ¡°Hold the ground!¡± Most of the warriors were swept away in an instant. They tried to hold on, but it was no use. Some tried to attack even as they were being blown away, but Joo-Yeon simply drew a light pattern with his finger towards them. ¡°This is how you use it?¡± Crack! Lightning struck towards Joo-Yeon. Yellow light flowed over his body and gathered in his hands. [£¼North Wind£¾ authority has been used.] [Creating £¼Lightning Sword£¾] Crackle! Crackle! Lightning swords appeared in both of his hands. This was a method often used by the demons with the authority of the North Wind. At the same time, the Knight King¡¯s techniques came to mind. [£¼Dual Swordsmanship£¾ is activated.] [£¼Lightning Step£¾ is activated.] Dual Swordsmanship allowed him to freely wield two swords, and Lightning Step was the Knight King¡¯s high-speed combat movement technique. Joo-Yeon took a step forward. Whoosh! His body disappeared in an instant. The eyes of the savage warriors chasing Joo-Yeon widened. ¡°He¡¯s gone!¡± ¡°Damn it, everyone watch your surroundings¡­ Huh!¡± Joo-Yeon appeared behind a savage warrior. He lightly swung his lightning sword as if he were brushing past him. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Thud! Yellow lines were drawn on the savage warriors¡¯ bodies. The warriors with the lines drawn on them collapsed, their bodies trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them.¡± [£¼Lightning Sword£¾¡¯s Electrocution effect is activated.] [Opponent is afflicted with £¼Paralysis£¾] [Opponent is afflicted with £¼Stun£¾] Electrocution was a property effect of lightning that rendered the opponent unable to fight. Thanks to that, Jooyeon was able to subdue them easily without taking their lives. Now, there was only one person left in the arena. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­ I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡± It was the savage chieftain, Karasen. He was standing on the ground, enduring the thunder and storm. Although he was being controlled by the Grand Warlock, he had the legendary prowess of a hero who had once defeated the Demon King. Kuaaa! Finally, with a roar, the giant figure charged through the storm and lightning. It was a fierce charge, just like when he had broken through Drake¡¯s flames. His fist, hard as rock, was aimed at Jooyeon¡¯s life. However, Jooyeon didn¡¯t dodge like before. No, rather, he seemed to have been waiting for this situation. ¡°Actually, I was really curious.¡± The savagery of the savages was the strongest on the continent. Among them, the savage chieftain was the strongest in terms of physical strength. Even among the warriors of the hero¡¯s party, who could be called the strongest on the continent, he could be considered the strongest in terms of physical strength. And he had been further strengthened by witchcraft. ¡°I wonder if I can reflect the attack of a warrior of your caliber.¡± Now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about Karasen dying. Since the Grand Warlock¡¯s spell was cast on him, he wouldn¡¯t die right away even if he was hit by a moderate attack. Rather, the Grand Warlock would surely use his power diligently to defeat Jooyeon. And if he could just reflect Karasen¡¯s attack, who had the strongest physical strength. ¡®For now, I don¡¯t have to worry about physical attacks.¡¯ Kwaang! Finally, the two men clashed. A tremendous shockwave and sand and dust obscured the arena. The spectators in the arena screamed, covering their eyes with their hands. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°What about the Champion?!¡± They were in chaos. Things had started to get strange from the moment the young man suddenly entered the arena. Even the savage warriors and warlocks, who were supposed to be responsible for safety, had collapsed. The figures of Jooyeon and Karasen, who had actually defeated them, were obscured by the dust, so they couldn¡¯t be seen properly. But then, suddenly, a gust of wind blew. ¡°The dust is clearing!¡± ¡°Look over there!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± Soon, as the dust cleared, the dueling ground began to appear. Two men were standing in the center of the dueling ground. It was Jooyeon and the savage chieftain, Karasen. Karacen¡¯s fist was unilaterally thrust towards Jooyeon. But Jooyeon¡¯s face was pale. Gulp. A trickle of blood flowed down his lips. Karacen¡¯s attack had pierced through Jooyeon¡¯s . But Karacen wasn¡¯t unscathed either. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Thud! Karacen collapsed to the floor first. A large hole had been pierced through the center of his impenetrable body. His copper-colored flesh was gradually turning red. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s voice of astonishment filled the arena. ¡°What¡­ What! What¡¯s going on!¡± His shock was understandable. For Karacen, whom he thought was the strongest and most invincible being, to be defeated so easily. ¡°But why is that bastard so unscathed?¡± ¡°He¡¯s bleeding too¡­¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Karacen was hit so hard! How can you compare that to a few drops of blood?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± The warriors, as well as the Grand Sorcerer, had expressions of disbelief. ¡®What on earth is his true identity?¡¯ ¡®Is he even human?¡¯ But there was no time to just stand there and wonder. ¡°That bastard is approaching the chieftain!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The warriors rushed out. But the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s expression, despite seeing this, did not brighten. ¡®To think that these are all that remain of the tribe¡¯s elite warriors.¡¯ He had a bad feeling ever since the Great Taoist arrived, but the Great Taoist wasn¡¯t the problem. ¡®That bastard.¡¯ At first, he thought he was just a rich young master who brought along the warrior as an escort, but that wasn¡¯t it. In fact, he was the most dangerous person among them. At this rate, not only the arena but also his position and even Karacen could be taken away. ¡®I performed the ritual too easily because I underestimated him.¡¯ As a result, the ritual was broken too easily, and there were no more warriors left to use as sacrifices. Even if he wanted to use the rebels imprisoned in the dungeon as sacrifices, they were too far away. The warriors who were now attacking Jooyeon were too weak to be used as sacrifices. ¡®To summon without a sacrifice, I would have to offer a sorcerer of my level. But¡­ I can¡¯t do that.¡¯ He could offer everyone else, but he couldn¡¯t offer himself. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s body stealthily retreated. But then, someone blocked his way. ¡°Oh! Where do you think you¡¯re running off to!¡± It was Daedo, who had been watching until now. Swish! Dark energy burst out from Daedo¡¯s body. They were weapons from a subspace connected to [Heuksu]. However, the Great Mage still had one more trick up his sleeve. ¡°Daedo, is it? Yes. I was wondering when you¡¯d make your move.¡± Thud! The Great Mage¡¯s staff pounded the ground. ¡°My slaves. Seize him.¡± Bam! Something grabbed Daedo¡¯s legs. Not one or two, but dozens of hands. ¡°Wh-what the?¡± Daedo was startled and tried to pull his body away. But it was no use. The grip strength was so strong that even Daedo, a seasoned thief, couldn¡¯t easily escape. And no wonder, for the ones holding Daedo back were the warriors who had been lying on the ground. They had risen like zombies due to the Great Mage¡¯s sorcery and were now holding Daedo captive. ¡°Damn you!¡± At that moment, the Great Mage¡¯s body vanished with the wind. Daedo didn¡¯t miss it. Swish! Dark energy pierced the Great Mage¡¯s arm. But by then, he had disappeared, and the warriors who had been restraining Daedo collapsed to the ground, their heads hitting the dirt. The caster of the spell had disappeared, causing them to lose consciousness. Daedo frowned. The Great Mage had already escaped the arena and was far away. ¡°Dammit. I¡¯m going to hear about this again.¡± Daedo was certainly a continental hero. But strangely, everything related to Joo-in seemed to go awry. This time was no different. To think that he had let a single sorcerer escape, not even hundreds of savage warriors. Joo-in wouldn¡¯t just let it go. He might harass him again by manipulating Heuksu. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®No, no. No, he can¡¯t. Maybe he didn¡¯t see me because he was busy fighting the savage warriors?¡¯ Daedo chuckled. Yes, how many savage warriors had swarmed Joo-in? He must have dealt with all of them¡­ ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Daedo¡¯s heart nearly leaped out of his chest at the sound of Joo-in¡¯s voice behind him. Behind Juyeon were fallen savages. ¡®What? You already finished them off?¡¯ But Juyeon didn¡¯t care about the greatsword. ¡°It¡¯s noisy. Hurry up and take care of this guy.¡± ¡°This guy?¡± Karasen was the one Juyeon was pointing at. He had collapsed with his head in a pool of blood. ¡°What are you going to do with a dead guy? Cut his throat and make him a warrior¡¯s trophy?¡± Juyeon looked at the greatsword and clicked his tongue as if it were crooked. ¡°There¡¯s no way Karasen would die from a wound like that.¡± ¡°What? Is he really alive?¡± The greatsword hurriedly put his hand to Karasen¡¯s nose. Sniff, sniff. He was breathing just fine despite being covered in blood. He¡¯d be perfectly fine if he just got some treatment. The greatsword looked at Juyeon as if he was shocked for a different reason. ¡°That powerful attack¡­¡­ you deflected it and even toyed with him?¡± To be honest, the greatsword didn¡¯t think Juyeon would be able to stand up to Karasen. Because he had seen that strange power. And no matter what, when it came down to it, Karasen was not his old self. ¡®Our guild¡¯s disciples could control an idiot who¡¯s lost his mind like that.¡¯ But there¡¯s a world of difference between simply being able to restrain someone and being able to kill them. He had to admit Juyeon¡¯s strength. That¡¯s why the greatsword thought Juyeon would definitely kill Karasen with that power. Yeah, Juyeon isn¡¯t Ryujin. There are no more true warriors in this world. But he didn¡¯t kill him? Wouldn¡¯t that be more dangerous for him? The greatsword couldn¡¯t understand. But he quickly turned his head when Juyeon frowned. Juyeon said. ¡°What? Did you miss the Grand Warlock?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I was taking care of the warriors.¡± ¡°I saw him disappear right before your eyes.¡± ¡­Such a meticulous bastard. When did he see that again? ¡°Well, I guess you couldn¡¯t kill the savages that were holding you back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You know where he is anyway.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did you track his location?¡± The Grand Master was referring to the hidden weapon he had embedded in the Grand Warlock¡¯s arm at the last moment. ¡°If that¡¯s the Grand Master you¡¯re talking about, there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What is this guy? Why does he believe in me? However, Joo-Yeon smiled. He could have tracked the guy down even if the Grand Master hadn¡¯t done that. Rumble, rumble. Clank. It was the magic embedded in the guy¡¯s body. The magic that Joo-Yeon had reflected back was telling him the guy¡¯s location in real time. ¡®This is why magic is as dangerous as a curse. No matter how far away you are, the caster can control the magic.¡¯ But the Grand Master seemed worried. ¡°I know his location, but the place he¡¯s gone to isn¡¯t good. It¡¯s the Shrine, or something like that. He seems to have gone there to summon that guy.¡± He was a being who blessed the savage tribe. It was not good for humans to get involved. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°He must have gone to the [Shrine of Ancestors] in the first place. It¡¯s forbidden to the savages. Not just anyone is allowed to enter, but non-savages may die there.¡± ¡°You know a lot about it?¡± ¡°I heard about it from Karacen before. I heard that those who enter without permission die from ancient magic.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Joo-Yeon had intended to go to the Shrine of Ancestors in the first place. It was because of the job he would get in the future. He could get it there. But the Grand Master frowned. ¡°To get in there, you need a key as proof of permission. We can¡¯t get in in the first place¡­¡± ¡°Step aside for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-Yeon pulled a feather from Karacen¡¯s head, who had collapsed. It was a Artifact that had been entrusted to the savage chieftain. ¡®He couldn¡¯t use the Artifact because he was in his juvenile form. But I¡¯m different.¡¯ With this Artifact alone, he could enter the Shrine of Ancestors. This was the Artifact of the savages and the key to the Shrine of Ancestors. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s get revenge for messing with my colleague¡¯s tribe.¡± Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes were chillingly cold. Chapter 76 My Reflector Is Invincible 7676. Almost There Joo-Yeon had rescued his old colleague. He had also obtained the Artifact . However, he couldn¡¯t use it right away. ¡®It¡¯s sealed with savage magic.¡¯ It was Karacen¡¯s magic. It must have been something he did before he lost consciousness due to the Demon King¡¯s curse. ¡®If he had the power of a relic, no one would be able to stop him.¡¯ Even in that situation, he was thinking of his tribe members. It was a very typical thing for him to do. It was fortunate for Joo-in. ¡®If he had a relic, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to subdue him so easily.¡¯ If he had deflected the power of the relic, Karacen¡¯s life would have been in danger. Anyway, only one thing mattered now. ¡°We can figure out where the Grand Warlock is, but the entrance is the problem.¡± The Grand Warlock must have entered the sanctuary in the mountain. However, the problem was the entrance. To enter, he had to find the exact entrance. ¡°If it¡¯s not the designated entrance, you¡¯ll either be swept away by all sorts of spells or become lost in a dimension. Once you find the entrance, it¡¯ll be easy to chase him from there.¡± Even for a Grand Master, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Warlocks might know, but¡­¡± ¡°Those who know the location are all unconscious.¡± A few of the savage warriors had regained consciousness, but they seemed out of their minds. It was because of the protesting spectators. ¡°Calm down. Right now, all of the higher-ups are unconscious¡­!¡± ¡°Who cares if you¡¯re unconscious! I made a bet! Why aren¡¯t you paying me my winnings!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any strength! Give me back my strength!¡± ¡°This is a scam! I bet all my fortune! Hurry up and give me back my strength! Strength!¡± The spectators were rioting. The savage warriors seemed preoccupied with controlling them. However, they were secretly looking at Joo-in. Hak-en, who was quick-witted, noticed what they meant. ¡°It seems like they¡¯re asking for your help?¡± ¡°To sort out this mess?¡± Dae-do laughed as if he found it absurd. ¡°Even if the savages are in chaos, it¡¯s ridiculous to ask for help from someone they were trying to kill just a moment ago. It seems like those brutes have lost their minds.¡± Dae-do looked at Joo-in with a sly expression. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± If it were Ryu-jin, he would have definitely helped. Joo-in also understood Dae-do¡¯s intentions clearly. ¡®If I were a hero, no, if I were Ryu-jin, I would have helped without hesitation.¡¯ Above all, it was a matter related to the tribe of Karacen, the savage chieftain. As a former comrade, he would have helped even more. However, Joo-in was different from Ryu-jin. He would definitely ignore it without looking back¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Daedo was taken aback by the unexpected response, but Jooyeon laughed. ¡°You have to help me. In return for helping me with this mess, you have to give me this stadium.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡­¡­This damn bastard. ¡°This is the hero of this generation? Ryujin¡­¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be like that.¡± ¡°Why? A hero¡¯s job is to help others. What¡¯s wrong with helping?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Jooyeon¡¯s expression made Jooyeon laugh out loud. Actually, that was Daedo¡¯s personality. He wasn¡¯t good at helping others, but he didn¡¯t readily step forward either. That¡¯s why he liked Ryujin. ¡®Whenever Ryujin stepped forward, I helped him from behind. It was a surprisingly well-matched combination.¡¯ But even Daedo didn¡¯t know one fact. ¡®I wonder if that guy knows Ryujin¡¯s secret.¡¯ No, to be exact, it wasn¡¯t Ryujin but the ¡®Hero¡¯s System¡¯. [The hero accumulates points by doing good deeds] [You can strengthen your abilities with the accumulated points] [You can also use points to learn skills from various professions] [You can purchase special achievements] The hero had a special system. To be exact, it was called Hero Points. ¡®Of course, even without such a thing, Ryujin would have done good deeds without expecting anything in return.¡¯ On the contrary, it was he who forced him to use those Hero Points. In fact, while he was developing other characters such as the Sword King, he had left him alone to train freely, and he had only done good deeds without using any points. Literally, he had only done good things for others. That¡¯s why Jooyeon felt frustrated and included the use of points in his forced actions. -Your points are disappearing! You punk! This precious thing! He was definitely a good person, but it was hard from the player¡¯s point of view. He suddenly remembered a difficult memory, but this is what¡¯s important. ¡®It¡¯s damn hard to raise a hero.¡¯ Still, the Hero Point System itself was very useful, so if he was treated as a hero, he might get the system. ¡®No, it will definitely happen.¡¯ The Hero Point System can be activated separately if you meet the conditions of a hero. One of those conditions is to activate all stages of the Holy Sword. It must be strengthened using a divine weapon. ¡®I¡¯ll get that and something that symbolizes a hero.¡¯ With that, he could get the benefits of a hero with the job he wanted. ¡®Then I¡¯ll lift the curse of Karasen and get the job I wanted.¡¯ And the most problematic entrance was¡­¡­. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± An unexpected person stepped forward. * * * ¡°Is this really the right way?¡± Haken looked at the man before him with eyes of disbelief. The main party was climbing a mountain. And the one guiding them was none other than the great warrior, Macho Man. It was hard not to be suspicious when the one who had been their enemy suddenly offered to show them the entrance to the forbidden land. ¡°You keep saying ¡®just a little further, just a little further¡¯, but it¡¯s been three hours already. If you¡¯re trying to lead Lord Joo-eun into a trap¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s real.¡± Olson followed silently, but his eyes held no trust. Eyes of complete distrust. Olson kept one hand close to his sword hilt, ready to draw it at any moment. Can I trust this guy? Is he really not trying to lure us into a trap? His eyes were constantly filled with worry. However, Joo-eun didn¡¯t seem to care. So much so that he even scolded the great masters Haken and Olson. ¡°Relax, you guys! Why would a great warrior like him do something like that?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t the ones who attacked us in groups in the arena earlier great warriors?¡± ¡°That was because the Grand Warlock made them do it! He¡¯s different!¡± ¡°How is he different?¡± The great master fell silent. However, Joo-eun knew what he couldn¡¯t say. ¡®When all the great warriors moved at the Grand Warlock¡¯s command. He was the only one who didn¡¯t move.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. When the savage chieftain Karacen collapsed, he was the only one who showed killing intent towards Joo-eun. It was a killing intent that wouldn¡¯t have been strange if he had already charged in, if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that he was still alive. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®The reason he¡¯s moving with us is probably because of Karacen.¡¯ Karacen was currently being carried by Joo-eun. Dae-do and Macho Man were carrying him together. However, it seemed like Dae-do was finding it a bit difficult. ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­ Do we really have to take this guy with us?¡± A warrior of Karacen¡¯s caliber would weigh more than one could imagine. It was only natural that he would find it difficult¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t complain and hurry up and bring him. What do you think would have happened if we had left him there in the first place?¡± There was no need to think about it. Even though he was unconscious now, he would have definitely turned into a bloodbath. The hero who had once saved the continent would have become a mere murderer. ¡°We have to keep him with us until the Grand Warlock¡¯s spell is lifted.¡± The Demon King¡¯s curse had to be lifted as well. ¡®Fortunately, unlike magic, sorcery and curses have something in common.¡¯ Surely, if all the sorcery in the world remains [Forbidden], the Demon King¡¯s curse could be lifted right away. Of course, taking Karacen to the Forbidden wasn¡¯t only for Haeju. It was also necessary for Jooin. ¡®To get that job, I definitely need the help of the Forbidden and the Barbarian Chief.¡¯ Of course, there was something to take care of in order to do that. Jooin suddenly stopped walking. ¡°Hey. I think we¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Upon Jooin¡¯s words, the macho warrior stopped as if surprised. His face seemed to say that he couldn¡¯t believe Jooin would say that here. However, Jooin crossed his arms as if asking if he was just going to pass by. ¡°Isn¡¯t the entrance here?¡± The macho man who had been flustered slowly smiled. ¡°Yes. This is it.¡± He gestured, and an astonishing sight unfolded. Kugugug! A cloud bridge slowly began to appear on the cliff where there had been nothing. Everyone¡¯s mouths dropped open at the sight. ¡°That¡¯s!¡± An old and worn-out cloud bridge that seemed to have been built long ago was laid out. The macho man gestured. ¡°You just have to cross here.¡± It was a bridge that looked extremely dangerous. It seemed like the bridge could collapse if they tried to move the large Karacen. However, there wasn¡¯t much time to think. Kwaaang! A red pillar was rising from the village at the foot of the mountain. Kugugugug! Its energy was heading straight for the top of the mountain. Chapter 77 My Reflector Is Invincible 7777. Flying Away Kuku-kukukung! A red pillar rose to the top of the mountain. It was a red pillar that looked like it was made of blood. Everyone shouted in confusion. ¡°W-what the heck is that red pillar?¡± At that moment, the barbarians who had been secretly following Jooin¡¯s group collapsed one by one. ¡°Ugh¡­ The energy¡­¡± ¡°So sleepy¡­.¡± Thud! It wasn¡¯t just that they collapsed. The crimson threads that emerged from their bodies shot up into the sky toward the summit of the mountain. Haken¡¯s eyes widened as if he had noticed something. ¡°Surely that pillar is from the bodies of the people¡­!¡± ¡°It seems that the crimson threads have gathered together to appear as a pillar.¡± Having noticed something, Daedo¡¯s gaze was colder than ever. ¡°It must be the doing of the one called Jeon-shin. He has sucked the spirits of his contractors. All the barbarians must have collapsed.¡± The problem is that what he sucked out wasn¡¯t just spirits. The faces of those who had collapsed were completely drained of blood. ¡°It seems that he has sucked out their life force as well. We must hurry.¡± ¡°Who on earth?¡± At those words, Haken looked at the macho man with great vigilance. ¡°Well, there is one guy who is strangely intact.¡± At Haken¡¯s words, the group turned their heads. The macho warrior. His face, which had been leading the way, was completely intact. Daedo glared at the macho man. ¡°Why are you intact?¡± All the other barbarians had collapsed, so why was he the only one? Then the macho man, who had his arms crossed, chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t trust the strength that others give me.¡± The macho man showed off his solid muscles. ¡°I don¡¯t gamble on the battles of honorable warriors. So I have no need to receive his spirits.¡± At those words, the expressions of Joo-yeon¡¯s group became strange. In other words, that macho man didn¡¯t fall for the Grand Warlock¡¯s schemes. But wait? So he looks like that because it¡¯s his taste? He looks completely depraved, let alone battle-ready. Olsen nodded as if in agreement. But now was not the time for this. Haken asked Joo-yeon with a heavy face. ¡°If it¡¯s not that guy¡¯s doing, then it¡¯s the Grand Warlock¡¯s doing. Why is he sucking the blood of his own kind? Aren¡¯t they his own people?¡± ¡°Because he was caught.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Because he was caught by Daedo. He must have known that it would now be known to all the countries.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Thieves Guild is all over the continent. If Daedo moves, the Thieves Guild moves too. Joo-Yeon stuttered. ¡°Thieves are good with their mouths, you know. They spread information everywhere for their own gain.¡± Dae-Do pouted as if he was offended. ¡°You punk! Even if you are a warrior, that¡¯s too much. Do you think I¡¯m that loose-lipped?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°In the first place, when I was captured by my disciple, I lost contact with the Guild guys for a while¡­.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dae-Do was furious, but it was no use. ¡°I know everything. I know that you secretly contacted the Thieves Guild. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Dae-Do was genuinely surprised. Dae-Do¡¯s secrecy was the best in the world. What¡¯s more, he had just gotten used to his new arm. ¡®My skills are nearing their peak right now.¡¯ He had secretly contacted the Thieves Guild even though he was like that. There was information about Joo-Yeon, who was known as the warrior, but he had also sent various trends. ¡°But how did you know that?¡± It was surprising to Dae-Do, but it wasn¡¯t difficult for Joo-Yeon. [Dae-Do uses £¼Inspect£¾] [Reads information about the target (Joo-Yeon)] [Dae-Do sends information he found out through the £¼Shadow Network£¾] His ability reacted first. [Do you want to £¼Reflect£¾?] But he didn¡¯t do it right away. It was because it was something that Joo-Yeon surprisingly needed. ¡®I need my story to spread far and wide if I want to get the Warrior System.¡¯ Of course, there was another decisive reason. ¡®There¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t know about £¼Reflect£¾.¡¯ It was to test it out against Dae-Do. Above all, the thief skill, £¼Inspect£¾, can read the opponent¡¯s weaknesses. From the amount of money they have, to their abilities and skills, to their relationships with friendly clans. It could read information that could be a weakness. So, he was testing it. For example, changing some of the information that Dae-Do was reading. ¡®I¡¯ll change all the information that could be my weakness, especially.¡¯ The same went for information about the amount of money he had or his relationships. And £¼Reflect£¾ didn¡¯t betray him. [You have successfully £¼Reflected£¾!] [You have £¼Reflected£¾ some of the contents of £¼Inspect£¾] [Modify the target¡¯s information] I revised all the information that is not helpful to the protagonist. So I was confident. ¡°Do it moderately, Muse.¡± The embarrassed Grandmaster coughed. On the other hand, Haken quickly noticed the situation. ¡°Does that mean that all the forces on the continent will soon launch a full-scale offensive against the barbarians!¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes. As an Archmage, the only answer would have been to run away with the power I¡¯ve gathered so far.¡± I think he must be thinking that he could start over somewhere else by now. Because if he just creates a Colosseum, his power will naturally gather. But it was impossible. ¡®I¡¯m sure he plans to steal my body and run away, but that¡¯s not going to happen.¡¯ Because he has to get my job class. Soon, the protagonist headed for the bridge pointed out by the macho man. That bridge wasn¡¯t ordinary. In fact, the moment Olson, who volunteered first, tried to cross the bridge. Rumble! Suddenly, a gust of wind blew from below and something terrible happened. ¡°Huh?¡± Snap! Olson¡¯s leg completely shattered the wooden plank. The foothold collapsed. Olson barely held on and dangled from the rope. The Grandmaster and Haken hurriedly rescued him. ¡°Hold on! You can¡¯t let go!¡± Olson climbed up with a pale face. ¡°Ugh¡­ I guess the weight of the armor was too heavy.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not the weight of the armor.¡± ¡°Huh? Then why¡­¡± The Grandmaster didn¡¯t answer Olson¡¯s question. Instead, he looked at the macho warrior. ¡°How is it? Am I right?¡± Then the macho warrior raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°I forgot to mention it, but this is one of the trials of the ancestors.¡± ¡°The trial of the ancestors? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a trap spell?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Those who haven¡¯t proven themselves can¡¯t cross it.¡± It meant that only a brave man who had reached the level of a barbarian warrior could cross it. There was only one way to get across. The macho warrior pointed to his back. ¡°I can carry you. How about it? Will you ride on my back? 1 gold per ride¡­¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± The protagonist was resolute. Time was running out to carry them all on his back. ¡°I hate to be carried on a muscle-man¡¯s back even more.¡± Daedo laughed. ¡°Oh, come on! It¡¯s just a spell.¡± Daedo moved in an instant. Swish! His movements were as light as if he were flying through the sky. He stepped onto the rope above their heads as lightly as a feather. It was like he was tightrope walking on the rope. But just when it seemed like he was going smoothly. Whoosh! A strong gust of wind blew, and his body flipped over. ¡°Oh no!¡± ¡°Daedo!¡± Olsen and Haken¡¯s faces hardened. Daedo¡¯s body was too far away for them to reach. But right at that moment. Clack! Daedo¡¯s black hand moved. No. It was Jooin, who had been watching from afar, who had pulled the [Black Water]. From Noble mtl dot com Daedo was barely able to pull himself back up to the cliff. ¡°Whew¡­ Thank you.¡± If Jooin hadn¡¯t pulled him, he would have fallen to the bottom of the cliff. Daedo¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°Well. Do you think you guys can do it?¡± ¡°Well. It seems difficult?¡± As they were flying, they couldn¡¯t use their wings here. ¡°It¡¯s not just wind. If you spread your wings, they¡¯ll be ripped apart in no time.¡± The macho warrior shrugged. ¡°I told you. It¡¯s an ancestral trial.¡± In the end, Haken spoke. ¡°Can¡¯t we just be carried by that person?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± The macho man chuckled. ¡°Carried? Now that¡¯s an idea.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jooin walked toward the cliff alone. Jooin¡¯s party looked at him anxiously. ¡°What the hell is he going to do¡­ Huh!¡± Instead of crossing the bridge, Joo-in ran toward the cliff. ¡°That crazy bastard!¡± ¡°No¡­ Stop!¡± Everyone shouted at Joo-in in shock. Only the macho warrior had a stiff face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Does he know a way to cross this bridge?¡± The way to cross the bridge with a powerful spell was simple. £¼Test your courage£¾ Whether the bridge breaks. No matter how much you stagger. Just walk straight without being scared. Of course, no one has ever fallen off a cliff. ¡°It¡¯s a powerful spell that constantly pulls you to the bottom of the cliff. Even the chieftain can¡¯t fall barehanded!¡± But right after that. Thud! A loud noise was heard from the bottom of the cliff. ¡°See, what did I tell you! I said it was dangerous!¡± ¡°D¡­ Do you think Joo-in is dead? It made such a loud noise¡­¡± ¡°It will be hard to even recover the body.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± However, Daedo and Haken¡¯s worries were meaningless. Right at that moment. ¡°Huh?¡± Everyone¡¯s mouths couldn¡¯t help but open. ¡°He¡¯s flying?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ Joo-in? How the hell is he flying in the sky?¡± It was literally true. He couldn¡¯t fly in any way because of the powerful spell. However, Joo-in ignored it and flew up into the sky. He didn¡¯t even use the item of the child of the north wind. Yeah, he didn¡¯t use any items¡­ What? ¡°What?!¡± ¡°How is he flying?!¡± Chapter 78 My Reflector Is Invincible 7878. I will allow it Joo-in already knew very well about the spells that were spread out in the forbidden zone. ¡®It¡¯s a place where you can lose your life if you enter without any preparation.¡¯ Spells were spread out all over the forbidden zone. [Illusion spell that makes you lose your way] [Deadly plant traps that devour people] [Poisonous bugs that carry deadly diseases] These were traps that were difficult to see, not just for ordinary people, but even for knights. The poisonous bugs, smaller than a fingernail, could cause fatal diseases with just one bite. ¡®These poisonous bugs are really the worst. They also suck the moisture from your entire body.¡¯ However, none of this mattered to Joo-in and his party. That was because the one leading them was a Grand Warrior. Those tasked with defending the Forbidden Grounds were immune to magic. ¡®It¡¯s not just simple immunity, either. The moment magic recognizes a Grand Warrior, it doesn¡¯t activate.¡¯ All they had to do was have the Grand Warrior in their party. The Forbidden Ground¡¯s magic would never harm the barbarians, especially those ranked Grand Warrior and above. It wasn¡¯t without reason that he had readily agreed to come along when that guy had asked to join them. However, the last one was different. [The Stairs of Courage] Even Grand Warriors had difficulty crossing this. ¡®You have to cross without a single ounce of hesitation. If you show even the slightest bit of doubt, the magic will drag you to the bottom of the cliff.¡¯ What if you get even a little scared or worried that you might fall? Even a Grand Warrior wouldn¡¯t be able to escape death. Of course, Joo-in had no doubt that he would be able to cross it. ¡®I¡¯ve crossed this bridge hundreds of times.¡¯ Even if the game had become reality, that wouldn¡¯t change. He was confident that he would be able to cross it without any problems. ¡®Although, when I played the game, Karacen talked so much that it was annoying.¡¯ At the time, he had been annoyed that he couldn¡¯t skip it, but now, he kind of missed it. ¡®Failure means instant death.¡¯ In any case, all he had to do was cross the bridge. However, he didn¡¯t cross the bridge. ¡®That¡¯s why it takes so long.¡¯ It¡¯s not like the bridge was the end. This bridge was merely the ¡®first¡¯ trial. It would be troublesome if the Grand Mage were to run off with his belongings while they were leisurely taking the trials. So, he jumped down. Whoooosh. The wind rushed towards Joo-in as he fell. The sharp wind, which could cut skin just by brushing against it, rushed at Joo-in¡¯s body as if it was going to tear it apart. Creak! Creak! However, it was useless. Instead of Joo-in, who was falling, the rocks next to him were carved with sharp marks. [£¼Reflect£¾] He could reflect magic like this any day. However, the Grand Mage¡¯s real danger didn¡¯t lie in wind like this. Right at the very bottom, there were vengeful spirits. ¡°Ooooooh.¡± The deceased stretched out their hands towards Joo-in, who was falling. [Swamp of vengeful spirits] The worst black magic that sucked the life out of the living and turned them into the dead. They were the ones who had fallen under that spell and were unable to rest in peace. They were spewing resentment from their eyes to turn the falling being into the dead like themselves. ¡®Once you fall for it, not even a knight king can escape on their own.¡¯ There was only one way to escape. He needed the help of a colleague with divine power. It was such dangerous black magic that if they didn¡¯t help quickly, he would be turned into the dead in an instant. However, Joo-in was different. ¡®If my guess is correct¡­ this will work!¡¯ In an instant, Joo-in¡¯s body got closer to the ground. The deceased rushed towards Joo-in and reached out their hands. -Come to us. -You, too, will become one with us. Joo-in ignored their words. Instead, he put his shoulder out and charged with a shoulder tackle. ¡°Get lost!¡± Kwaaang! A huge sound erupted as Joo-in and the ground collided. The deceased smiled gleefully. -It¡¯s no use. -We are ghosts tied to this place, unable to escape death. -From now on, you will be with us forever. However, the deceased¡¯s laughter didn¡¯t last long. -W-what? -Where are you going! -Don¡¯t go! -You bastard! How the hell¡­ Take us too¡­ Take us too! It was natural for the deceased to be bewildered. They had thought that Joo-in would hit the ground and turn into rags. But instead of flying into the sky, he was bouncing off the ground. That wasn¡¯t all. -W-why is my body¡­ -My flesh is breaking apart¡­ Kooooo. The bodies of most of the deceased crumbled. Since their bodies were made of souls, they did not face death. However, it was clear that his body had received a blow that was enough to make him lose his balance. Joo-won laughed as he flew up into the sky. ¡°I knew it would work.¡± ¡®Grand Magic¡¯ draws living beings to the cliff. As if by manpower. It was as expected that reflecting it would make people spit out in the opposite direction. Anyway, even if he tried to fly using his wings here, he would be dragged under the cliff because of the power of magic. So, in order to get to the top, he had to deal with this first. Of course, the shock of hitting the ground did not come to him either. [£¼Reflection£¾ activated] The moment he hit the ground, he dispersed the shock to the undead. If they hadn¡¯t been there, he wouldn¡¯t have even tried. ¡®Even if I reflect the shock of falling, I could get counter-damaged.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure if it would be safe to fall. So, that was the intention. He sent the shock of hitting the ground to the undead, and reflected the magic to fly into the sky. But there was unexpected help. At first, he only intended to remove the power of manpower that would interfere with the black wings. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I could fly this fast?¡± Whoosh! Wasn¡¯t that a tremendous force of wind pushing him in the back? It was because not only the power of the undead, but also the magic of the wind that made people fall, was £¼Reflected£¾ together. Joo-won¡¯s body shot up like a missile. ¡°At this rate, I won¡¯t need to use the power of the black wings.¡± ¨C No! Come here! Joo-won ignored him and flew away. The destination was the forbidden peak. * * * The Grand Warlock frowned. ¡°Of all people, why did that Great Dao guy come?¡± If it was Great Dao, he would have already spread the news of the savages throughout the continent. Then, it was clear that they would send troops from all over to stop him. Thanks to that, he had to abandon the stronghold of the savages that he had worked so hard to build. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡®I still have warriors and warlocks who follow my will scattered all over the continent.¡¯ His desire to conquer the continent had not yet been extinguished. Rather, it might have turned out well. ¡°While they¡¯re attacking this place, I¡¯ll grow my power even greater in other places.¡± If only there was one annoying thing. ¡°Why isn¡¯t that Karasen guy answering my call?¡± By now, the barbarian chieftain should have regained his senses. But strangely, he didn¡¯t respond to his magic. Normally, he would have come to his side by now. ¡°It¡¯s like my voice is bouncing back.¡± He couldn¡¯t help it now. First, he had to get out of here. ¡°That guy can¡¯t escape from me anyway.¡± Karasen had nothing to worry about. Since his magic was cast on him, he was like a puppet. He would come running whenever the Grand Sorcerer called. Soon, as the Grand Sorcerer gathered his strength, the red pillar in the village grew larger and larger. ¡°aaah¡­¡± It was an ominous aura just to look at. The moment that power was absorbed by the Grand Sorcerer, it transformed into an enormous force. From Noble mtl dot com With this power now, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to deal with that fool in the arena. It was the moment his eyes flashed with bloodlust. [Foolish. Are you satisfied with that level of power?] ¡°My Lord!¡± The Grand Sorcerer fell to his knees at the voice that pierced his mind. He couldn¡¯t help it. Until now, it was the voice of the Supreme Being that he had cried out with all his might. Normally, it was a being whose voice was difficult to even hear. However, his aura felt stronger because he had absorbed the bloodlust from the forbidden land. But the Supreme Being¡¯s voice was chilling. [With that level of power, you cannot conquer the continent. Why haven¡¯t you gathered more power as I instructed?] ¡°Forgive me¡­ I apologize. But I couldn¡¯t help it. Suddenly, the Great Mage, the ally of the former hero¡­¡± [Make no excuses!] Gulp! The Grand Sorcerer coughed up blood at the Supreme Being¡¯s sudden surge of energy. It felt like all the energy in his body was flowing in reverse. ¡°I am truly sorry. But¡­ soon, I will be able to gather more energy at the new stronghold. Please forgive me.¡± [Pathetic. Pathetic. At this rate, the day of my resurrection will only be further delayed.] ¡°I have no words to say, even if I had two mouths.¡± The Grand Sorcerer trembled. The identity of the one called the Supreme Being was none other than the ancient Barbarian King. Moreover, he was the great Barbarian Emperor who had unified the continent. The reason he gathered bloodlust was to resurrect himself. [I need more bloodlust to revive the Great Empire.] ¡°Of course. I will definitely offer more bloodlust. Just¡­ please wait a little longer.¡± [Truly, you are an unsatisfactory descendant. I have already been interrupted once, what will you do if those guys chase after me again?] The Grand Sorcerer raised his head anxiously. ¡°Do not worry. It is I, the monarch.¡± The path leading up to the forbidden area was impassable to all but the greatest warriors. ¡°But there are no great warriors who would aid those cursed beings.¡± [What if, by some chance, there were one who would aid them?] ¡°That is impossible.¡± The remaining great warriors were all on the side of the Grand Warlock. Those who had followed the former chieftain had all been dealt with by him personally. Or rather, they had been killed by the hands of Karacen, who had become his puppet. ¡°Even if someone were to aid them, it would take a considerable amount of time to cross the bridge and reach the summit.¡± What if one of the great warriors were to carry them across? It would be futile. No matter how fast the great warrior may be, they would not be able to arrive before the Grand Warlock left this place. ¡°So please, give me a portion of Your Majesty. I shall take it with me as I leave this place and gather my strength.¡± [Hmm¡­ I suppose I have no choice, since I cannot be revived here if those cursed beings were to come.] The air around the forbidden area began to ripple. The stone slab left behind by the former Savage King shook, and something began to rise from it. It was an object wreathed in red energy. [Take it. It is a part of my flesh.] ¡°Oh, glorious day¡­¡± The Grand Warlock trembled with ecstasy. A part of the flesh of the Savage King, who had once ruled over a great empire, was now in his hands. ¡®With this¡­ with just a little more bloodlust, I shall be able to revive His Majesty the Emperor.¡¯ And then, the age of the barbarians would begin anew. A world where the strong ruled over all. [This is your last chance. If you fail¡­] ¡°I swear on my soul that I will not fail. I absolutely will not fail.¡± And so, the Grand Warlock¡¯s hand reached out towards the flesh. Kwaaang! With a deafening roar, something fell from the sky. It was Joo-in. ¡°You¡­ you bastard!¡± Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be a prisoner in the arena? ¡°How in the world did you get here?!¡± How indeed. Joo-in pointed to the sky with a smirk. ¡°I flew?¡± But he seemed even more shocked by what Joo-in said next. ¡°What do you mean? This place is supposed to be covered in a barrier that prevents flight.¡± The wind itself seemed to swirl around him. As if it had guided him here, it bowed to him respectfully. Joo-in simply laughed in response. ¡°Well, like you said, I didn¡¯t use flying magic. I just spread it out, and it brought me here on its own.¡± What¡¯s going on? However, Joo-Heon looked at the whole body that had revealed itself and rested his chin on his hand. ¡°Ah, so that was the true identity of the whole body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The great sorcerer who met Joo-Heon¡¯s gaze soon burst into laughter. ¡°Yes. It can¡¯t be helped if that¡¯s the case.¡± He chanted as if he understood. ¡°I shall allow it.¡± Joo-Heon tilted his head at his words. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Huh? Allow what? ¡°I shall allow you to look upon the existence of the great king.¡± Joo-Heon laughed at his words. ¡°Really? Then I shall allow you as well.¡± What? The great sorcerer¡¯s eyes opened wide. However, he didn¡¯t have time to ask back. At that moment. Kwaaang! A huge shock hit the great sorcerer¡¯s face. His body was thrown toward the stele. Chapter 79 My Reflector Is Invincible 7979. The Last Piece [Would you like to £¼Reflect£¾?] As always, a voice echoed in Joo-Heon¡¯s mind. He nodded as if it was obvious. ¡°Really? Then I shall allow you as well.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? What are you allowing¡­¡­¡± Kwaaang! £¼Reflect£¾ caused the great sorcerer¡¯s face to explode and sent his body flying. It was the shock created as Joo-Heon, who had risen high into the sky, fell to the ground. The bastard smashed into the stele and collapsed to the ground. ¡°Cough cough¡­ You bastard¡­¡­¡± However, Joo-Heon¡¯s eyes that looked at him were cold. The great sorcerer had been sent flying, but he hadn¡¯t met Joo-Heon¡¯s expectations. Even though it might have looked like he had taken quite a bit of damage to others, all Joo-Heon saw was a momentary shock and a bloody nose. ¡°That¡¯s strange. It was an attack that wouldn¡¯t have been strange if he had collapsed.¡± The bastard had clearly let his guard down. He had allowed the attack without any proper defense. Yet he remained conscious. ¡®Did he say full body? Did he absorb the power that the guy gave him?¡¯ The red pillar he had seen earlier. The Grand Sorcerer must have absorbed the energy that was heading toward the summit and grown stronger. There was no other way he could be so unscathed. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I was going to take him down anyway since he was after my stuff.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh! You bastard!!¡± The Grand Sorcerer jumped to his feet. ¡°How did you get up here so quickly? This place should be crawling with traps!¡± The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s eyes flickered as he spoke. Even he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°And how did you cross the bridge! That place isn¡¯t easy for even great warriors to cross!¡± Even the Grand Sorcerer was wary of that place. No matter what, that wasn¡¯t a place that a mere child could easily pass through. ¡°And even if you did get through, it would have taken you a long time to get here¡­.¡± ¡°I told you, I flew. Are you deaf?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± Joo-in¡¯s nonchalant answer made the Grand Sorcerer feel uncomfortable. Irritation welled up deep inside him. But he managed to smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know what tricks you used, little boy¡­ But coming here alone without a Great Sword¡­ That was your mistake!¡± Great Swords are dangerous. The feats of his past companions, the warriors, were known throughout the continent. If he called out, the great heroes of the past might gather. ¡°Let me show you why this place is forbidden to our tribe!¡± This place was not simply hidden from human eyes. The revered spirits of generations of barbarians slumbered here. They would never welcome intruders. Oooooooooo. As proof, vengeful spirits wailed from all sides. In the darkness, there were countless pairs of malevolent eyes. Swish! Before Joo-in knew it, vines had approached him and wrapped themselves around his legs. They didn¡¯t just bind his feet. Squish, squish. The vines injected poison into Joo-in. They sucked his life force. [You have been infected with £¼Plant Poison£¾] [You cannot move your body ¨C Status effect £¼Paralysis£¾] [Suffering damage every second ¨C Abnormal Condition £¼Addiction£¾] [Life force is being absorbed ¨C Abnormal Condition £¼Life Absorption£¾] [Leaving unattended for a long time can lead to death] From all sides, ferocious beasts leapt forth and charged toward Joo-in. Growl! They were beasts with sharp teeth and claws, like wolves and bears. Without exception, their eyes emitted bloodlust. They lunged as if to kill him in one bite. Insects carrying all kinds of germs also flew toward Joo-in. [Contaminated by germs] [Body fluids are being lost ¨C Abnormal Condition £¼Dehydration£¾] [Mind becomes hazy ¨C Abnormal Condition £¼Fever£¾] [Difficulty breathing ¨C Abnormal Condition £¼Dyspnea£¾] [Stomach hurts like crazy ¨C Abnormal Condition £¼Diarrhea£¾, £¼Stomachache£¾] Before the Great Mage could move, Geum-ji moved first to eliminate the enemies. ¡°Before the great will of our ancestors, fall!¡± Truly, the earth, the mountains, everything of Geum-ji¡¯s was trying to eliminate Joo-in. However, Joo-in simply walked. ¡°The great will of our ancestors. It¡¯s too insignificant for something like that.¡± [Would you like to £¼Reflect£¾? Joo-in extended a finger and snapped it lightly. ¡°I permit it.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the reaction burst forth. Snap! The vines that had been injecting poison into Joo-in and stealing his life force withered away. Their life force had been completely drained. As if they had been poisoned, the entire vine turned green. It wasn¡¯t just the vines. The insects withered and fell, or simply stopped breathing. ¡°Keuheung!¡± The ferocious beasts also had blood spurting from their wounds along with teeth marks. The bear that swung its foreleg toward his head collapsed, blood gushing from its head. In a way, it was strange how it seemed to show where the bastards had tried to attack. Literally, the enemies that had been targeting Joo-in fell silent in an instant. Of course, their deaths were not in vain. [£¼Toxicologist (D)£¾ proficiency has increased] [Discovered a new type of poison] [Acquired plant poison, insect poison] [Available poison types have increased] The enemies had left a lot for Joo-in. In particular, the increase in the grade of Toxicologist, which had been only E-grade, was encouraging. ¡®I hadn¡¯t grown because I hadn¡¯t been exposed to poison for a while. I guess I¡¯m lucky.¡¯ The more new poisons he created, the more advantageous it was for Joo-in. The wider the range of poisons available, the more his enemies would suffer. However, the Archmage seemed to be in shock. ¡°Wh-what in the world is this¡­¡± He was unconsciously taking steps backward. It was clear that he was shocked by something beyond his comprehension. From Noble mtl dot com However, he did not give up. ¡°His Majesty¡­is watching. You will never¡­never escape.¡± ¡°His Majesty?¡± Joo-in tilted his head. But instead of answering, the Archmage swung his staff with all his might. There were still unused secret moves left. Wooooooosh. The skulls on the staff wailed. It was similar to the duel but a completely different spell. ¡°This place is our tribe¡¯s sanctuary. Where all the spirits and wisdom of our ancestors gather.¡± As the Archmage chanted, spirits emerged. They were the spirits of the Barbarian tribe¡¯s past sorcerers. Normally, they were beings so ancient that even the Archmage could not summon them. And yet, he was able to. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s will is with me.¡± Among all the spirits, the one at the very top. It was because the spirit of the Barbarian King, whom he called his predecessor, had chosen him. Then, the mouths of the ancient spirits opened. -By His Majesty¡¯s will¡­ -Kill the intruder¡­ -Dispose of the wretch who trespassed the sanctuary. In an instant, the air in the sanctuary became still. As if all the energy was moving towards the spirits, gathering in one place. Beings incomparable to any ghosts he had ever encountered. Ancient sorcerers who wielded all kinds of spells began to mutter. -Ukumatuaik Kanakumunga. -Tokwitok Akiphau. Spells soared above the spirits. From forbidden spells that could drain the blood from one¡¯s entire body with a single touch to spells that could rip out one¡¯s heart. There were even diabolic spells that could dissolve all the bones in one¡¯s body. Even Joo-in was surprised. ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­a joke, is it?¡± It was an overwhelming spell that distorted the space itself. All the magical power of the sanctuary was gathered in one place. A force that even the Archmage would find difficult to control. Ughhhhh. The great sorcerer¡¯s face twisted. His eyes were bloodshot and his face looked like it would burst as his veins protruded. ¡°This place will be your grave.¡± The great sorcerer raised his hand. Screech! The earth responded to the great sorcerer¡¯s will. Earth rose up like walls on all sides, covering Jooyeon completely. Thud! Jooyeon, who was now completely trapped, was bombarded with the vengeful spirits¡¯ sorcery. This was one of the great sorcerer¡¯s secret techniques. [Millennium Gu Poison (ǧÄêÐM¶¾)] Gu refers to a technique of putting all sorts of bugs in a jar and using sorcery to create a single monster. But this time, it was a little different. ¡°It¡¯s a forbidden technique that infuses thousands of spells into a single sacrifice. You will be reborn there as my servant.¡± The longer it matures, the more monstrous it becomes. He had wanted to use Karas as a sacrifice, but there were too many guys to deal with, so he hadn¡¯t been able to use it yet. This was a great sorcery that he hadn¡¯t even thought of using unless things had turned out this way. ¡°An ordinary sacrifice would have been reduced to rags by the force of the spell, but you will surely endure it.¡± And Jooyeon would be reborn as a monster infused with all sorts of spells, helping him in his grand plan. The great sorcerer couldn¡¯t stop the corners of his mouth from turning up. No, he couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter. ¡°hahahaha! You fool!¡± Finally, he had gotten rid of the last annoying guy. ¡°Then, Your Majesty¡­ shall we move? I will escort you to a new stronghold.¡± But he soon had to stop. [It¡¯s not over yet.] ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± That was the moment. ¡°You made a room out of dirt for a precious guest who should have run away barefoot? Isn¡¯t that a bit insincere?¡± Thump-thump. The great sorcerer¡¯s body froze. He knew who it was without even having to check. ¡°You¡­ how! I definitely locked you up in the Millennium Gu Poison!¡± It was definitely Jooyeon standing before him. And she looked perfectly fine. There was no other reason. [£¼Hirowzen£¾¡¯s ability £¼Illusion£¾ has been activated.] [£¼Hirowzen£¾¡¯s ability £¼Dream£¾ has been activated.] It was the ability of the heart of the demon tribe¡¯s Hirowzen that Jooyeon held in her hand. His heart could adjust the consciousness of the other party and show the desired illusion. This time it was the same. The Grand Warlock who noticed it shook his head as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°That wasn¡¯t an illusion! The spell was definitely poured into the medium¡­¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to that, a poor bear is suffering.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± One of the beasts that attacked Joo-yeon. The bear, which had been bleeding and collapsed, was thrown into solitude. Thanks to that, the bear was now a medium for the spell and was suffering. Joo-yeon couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Is it my turn to treat you now?¡± The Grand Warlock¡¯s eyes turned fierce. ¡°Noooooooo!¡± But it was useless. Joo-yeon disappeared from the Grand Warlock¡¯s sight in an instant. [£¼Physical Enhancement£¾ has been activated] The time around him slows down. [£¼Super Speed£¾ has been activated] [£¼Lightning Step£¾ has been activated] Joo-yeon is the only being moving in a stopped world. His sword flashed in an instant. The Grand Warlock didn¡¯t even have time to react. ¡°Huh?¡± Swish! The Grand Warlock¡¯s neck flew into the sky. His gaze moved from the front to the void and to the ground, facing Joo-yeon. ¡°You die if you let your guard down.¡± ¡°Nnnngh¡­¡± The Grand Warlock couldn¡¯t understand what had happened to him. He was the one who resurrected the Savage King and tried to conquer the world. He was the one who once controlled the entire tribe by manipulating the chief he served. He never thought he would die so easily. In fact, Joo-yeon had no intention of killing him. ¡®I had something to figure out from him.¡¯ But he changed his mind. Originally, he was a being that should have been indispensable, but now a Grand Warlock is no longer necessary. Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes turned to the red soul floating above the Grand Warlock¡¯s body. ¡°Did you say you were the whole body? I think you said Your Majesty. What should I call you?¡± [Call me His Majesty the Emperor. You lowly thing.] ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Savage King. I was looking for you anyway.¡± The mastermind who can grant Joo-Yeon the job she wants. It was right before her eyes. Chapter 80 My Reflector Is Invincible 8080. Barbarian King [We¡¯re you¡­ looking for me?] Why? The Barbarian King¡¯s spirit tilted its head. However, Joo-Yeon opened her mouth confidently. ¡°I want to receive your power. Not the garbage power that you gave to that sorcerer, but the real Barbarian King¡¯s power. Give it to me.¡± [¡­¡­!?] [Barbarian King] The worst evil spirit sealed by the Barbarian¡¯s prohibition. In the past, it was the being that gifted jobs to players. When you go with Karasen, he would utter these lines. -You have been acknowledged by Karasen, who is said to be the greatest among the chieftains¡­ S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -I have been waiting for someone like you for a long time. -Spread my will throughout the continent. -Trample the continent! Make the name of the Barbarian King roar again. And then he would give you a job. [Job: You have acquired £¼Barbarian King£¾] [You have acquired a £¼Legendary£¾ grade job)] [You have acquired the unique trait £¼Right of the Victor£¾] [With this job, you will be able to absorb the abilities of those you have defeated] The greatest advantage of this job is that you can take the abilities of the enemies you defeat. Literally, it was a legendary job with endless possibilities. In addition, the title of ¡®King¡¯ also granted special achievements and powerful feats. Just looking at the abilities themselves, it was a top-tier job. It was a 0th-rank job that everyone desired. ¡®But even so, many players don¡¯t choose that job.¡¯ To be exact, it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t choose it, but that they can¡¯t. That¡¯s understandable because theȱµã was too obvious. ¡®It¡¯s too hard to grow.¡¯ In order to obtain useful abilities, you need to defeat strong enemies. However, in the extremely weak early stages, you can¡¯t even think of such enemies. Of course, time eventually solves that problem. ¡®Actually, the biggest problem is that you can¡¯t lose.¡¯ If you lose even once, the abilities you gained after getting this job will disappear. However, for Joo-Yeon, it wasn¡¯t a disadvantage. ¡®With just £¼Reflection£¾, it¡¯s easy to defeat the opponent.¡¯ It meant that she could defeat strong enemies and gain equally strong abilities. ¡®In the first place, there¡¯s no other ability than this one to raise Reflection.¡¯ Skills and talents that help strengthen reflection could never be acquired from just one profession. Of course, it wasn¡¯t an easy profession to obtain. It wasn¡¯t the top-ranked 0th-rank profession for nothing. Several conditions were required. The hunter Jack, who you meet after the prologue. Getting his seal was the beginning. And then you had to receive recognition from the King of Knights and Karacen. But that¡¯s usually not easy. [In order to obtain the £¼Seal of the Savage King£¾, a certain amount of favorability is required.] [Remaining quests for required favorability: 128] [Remaining quests to receive recognition from the King of Knights: 325] The case of Karacen, the savage chieftain, was even worse. [In order to receive recognition from Karacen, you must complete the savage tribe¡¯s quests.] [Receiving recognition from the savage tribe] ¨C Remaining quests: 153 [Raising the savage tribe¡¯s status] ¨C Remaining forces: 12 [Achieving victory against the savage tribe] ¨C Remaining great warriors: 53 ¨C Remaining warriors: 8,242 ¨C Remaining shamans: 432 [Resolving the savage tribe¡¯s food shortage] ¨C Remaining starving tribesmen: 43,212 Most of the quests were very repetitive. They were notorious enough that most players gave up out of exhaustion. Of course, there was another way to receive recognition. [In order to receive recognition without completing the quests, you must survive a one-on-one duel against Karacen.] Karacen, the savage chieftain. He wasn¡¯t just a man with great strength. He was also skilled in all kinds of shamanism, and it wasn¡¯t easy to survive a duel against a man protected by guardian spirits. It was even harder if he had a relic. He was an unbeatable opponent in the early and mid-game, if not in the late game. ¡®Honestly, it¡¯s not because of £¼Reflection£¾, but because he¡¯s not very intelligent that I won so easily.¡¯ As the main character, it was actually the past Karacen who was harder to deal with. Anyway, for this reason, most people completed the annoying quests. But this time, it was different. ¡®I received recognition from the King of Knights by defeating the demons without doing any favor quests.¡¯ I defeated Karacen head-on, something that would have been impossible in the past. ¡®At least the conditions are met.¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com Joo-Heon looked at the Savage King. As expected, he would have given me a job like he did in the Valentino Saga¡­ [How dare such an insignificant little bug covet my power? Unforgivable!] The Barbarian King¡¯s aura grew increasingly menacing. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The atmosphere around them became heavy, as if the mountains themselves were groaning. Joo-ahn was taken aback by this unusual reaction. ¡®What the heck? This isn¡¯t right?¡¯ Usually, he would give me a job as soon as I spoke. He had never reacted so violently before. ¡®Could it be¡­ because I didn¡¯t come with Karasen?¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be it. With or without Karasen, the Barbarian King had always given him a job. After all, he had acknowledged Joo-ahn¡¯s accomplishment in passing the barrier that the Chieftain guarded. If there was one thing that made him suspicious, it was this: ¡®Could it be¡­ because that Archmage guy got to his power first?¡¯ Originally, the barrier was a space that no Shaman could enter. This was because it was strictly controlled by the successive Barbarian Chieftains. When Karasen was around, no Shaman would have even dreamed of entering the barrier. However, Karasen was currently unable to perform his duties properly due to the Demon King¡¯s curse. And the Barbarian King had chosen the Archmage to be the one to spread his will. ¡®Well, it seems like the power that the Archmage took is a different kind of power.¡¯ In fact, from the moment he arrived at the Barbarian village, he had noticed that the ¡®blessing¡¯ that the Barbarians spoke of was the Barbarian King¡¯s blessing. However, even that was a power that he had never seen before, so he was just curious. ¡®Fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem to be the £¼Right of the Victor£¾ that I need to obtain.¡¯ It was clear that the Barbarian King had a hidden power that had not been revealed until now. Was this situation related to that, by any chance? It was possible. After all, the Barbarian King that Joo-ahn had seen until now had always been lethargic. -I have grown weary of waiting for so long. -There is no one among my descendants who is worthy of inheriting my full power. -Therefore, I shall give you my last chance. -Spread my will throughout the continent and show them the might of the Barbarian King. ¡®In any case, it seems like the situation has changed a bit.¡¯ Just then, the Barbarian King¡¯s spirit cried out. [You worthless fools! Why do you just stand there and watch!?] -Forgive us, Your Majesty. The vengeful spirits rushed forward at the Barbarian King¡¯s command. However, Joo-ahn did not take any defensive stance. [£¼Reflect£¾ has been activated.] Phantasmal Stone. The vengeful spirits that had rushed at Joo-ahn collapsed from their own attacks. The vengeful spirits shouted in a panic. ¨C Your Majesty¡­ Our attacks aren¡¯t working on him. ¨C My body is breaking apart¡­ ¨C I¡¯m sorry¡­ The vengeful spirits floundered around, not knowing what to do. The Barbarian King¡¯s soul was genuinely furious. [These useless beings! All of you are useless!] Joo-in let out a smirk. ¡°No matter how great of a king you were, you¡¯re just a soul now, with nothing but your mouth left.¡± [You dare¡­ You dare mock me!] At that moment, Joo-in took something out of his pocket as if to stop him. It was the seal he had received from the Hunter Jack. [¡­That¡¯s!] ¡°Barbarian King. It¡¯s something you left behind.¡± [How did you¡­] ¡°Do you remember what this seal means?¡± [Of course¡­] This seal was something that the Barbarian King had used in the past. He handed this seal to his successor with one promise. Just once. No matter what the situation, he would grant one wish to the seal¡¯s owner. So Joo-in confidently opened his mouth. ¡°As the owner of the seal, I demand it. Give me your power, Barbarian King.¡± [Hmph.] The Barbarian King was taken aback, but a promise was a promise. It was even more important now that he had become a deceased vengeful spirit. ¡°You know, right? A soul that breaks its promise immediately perishes forever.¡± If he broke his promise, he would never be able to dream of resurrection again. Joo-in¡¯s threat had worked perfectly. The Barbarian King let out a hollow laugh. Isn¡¯t this guy the very same kind of rapist that the barbarians hated the most? ¡°If you don¡¯t like it¡­¡± [Alright, Joo-ma. Take it. Take my power.] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With those words, his soul shone red. He couldn¡¯t use his power now that the Great Mage had collapsed anyway. He couldn¡¯t take the seal from Joo-in either, so instead of perishing, he decided to hand over his power obediently. [Job: £¼Conqueror£¾ has been acquired.] [£¼Unique£¾ Grade Job has been acquired.] Joo-in¡¯s eyes widened in an instant. ¡°What? Unique rank?¡± Not a legend rank? He was rarely flustered. Of course, unlike when he was a part of the Valentino Saga, he had received the King of Knights¡¯ full recognition and had brought down Karasendo. If he were to get a bonus, he thought he would receive a few more skills or something. But a unique rank class? [£¼The Conqueror£¾ is the only class of its kind in the world.] [It consumes the powers of those with feats of strength of £¼Legend£¾ rank or higher and grows stronger.] [Current consumed title: Barbarian King] This was different from before. Voices continued to ring in the protagonist¡¯s mind. [You have acquired the Barbarian King¡¯s ability, £¼Right of the Victor£¾.] [The Conqueror grants an effect.] [£¼Right of the Victor£¾ is strengthened to £¼Conqueror£¾.] £¼Conqueror£¾ [Unique Trait] [Rank]: Unique [Effect]: Can steal abilities and skills from opponents. Can evolve stolen abilities. Can forcibly steal abilities. [Description]: The probability increases when the opponent is weaker than you or has been attacked. £¼Caution£¾ There is a chance of having your abilities stolen if you are defeated in battle. If you are defeated even once, your abilities will be halved. [You have acquired the Barbarian King¡¯s ability, £¼Blood Oath£¾.] [You can acquire bloodlust simply by being on the battlefield.] [You can bestow bloodlust upon others or control those into whom bloodlust has been infused.] [The Conqueror grants an effect.] [£¼Blood Oath£¾ is strengthened.] £¼Blood Oath£¾ [Rank]: Myth ¨C Can use bloodlust to unleash various abilities. ¨C Can use £¼Blood Oath£¾, £¼Frenzy£¾, and £¼Bloodline Domination£¾ £¼Caution£¾ Rapidly depletes stamina. Can be life-threatening if you run out of blood. They were great abilities just by looking at them. ¡®Originally, I could only randomly steal abilities, and I couldn¡¯t evolve them or anything.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. ¡®I didn¡¯t know I could even get the £¼Blood Oath£¾ skill.¡¯ It was a rare skill that only high-ranking vampires could acquire. What if I had gotten £¼Reflection£¾ while I was in this state? Wouldn¡¯t my already strong ability have become even stronger? Joo-Heon couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. However, the Barbarian King only looked tired. [Is it done now? Then get lost. I need to go back to sleep.] To build up his strength again. To be able to resurrect once more. The Barbarian King decided to go back to sleep while waiting for a new successor. It was when his soul was slowly heading back to the tombstone. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Who gave you permission to sleep?¡± Joo-Heon grabbed the Barbarian King as if he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. ¡®Do you think I¡¯d let this bastard go?¡¯ Normally, he would just take the job and leave, but what about now? ¡®The Barbarian King¡¯s soul is a force beyond imagination.¡¯ Would he just let a Transcender like me go? Are you kidding me? But the Barbarian King frowned at Joo-Heon¡¯s voice. [I¡¯ve given you my power, so shouldn¡¯t that be the end of it?] ¡°There¡¯s still something else I need.¡± The Barbarian King¡¯s face became distorted. [I¡¯ve given you all of my power. And you¡¯ve even gotten a job class. How greedy can you be? You lowly thing.] This place was a sanctuary, a resting place for the souls of past generations. There was no treasure here that Joo-Heon could possibly desire. As a soul, there was nothing more he could give. Joo-Heon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m not the kind of guy who would scam someone.¡± Even though he seemed like the kind of guy who would. The Barbarian King was annoyed, but he endured it for now. He was curious to see what this guy, who had interrupted him, was up to. Then Joo-Heon spoke as if he saw an opportunity. ¡°You must have realized it. What has happened to the current Barbarians?¡± [Hmph, I have no interest in those foolish descendants.] ¡°But you should be interested?¡± [What nonsense are you trying to spout now¡­¡­.] ¡°You think you can resurrect without your foolish descendants? Did you plan on leaving the position of Chief empty? If you do, the Barbarians themselves will disappear?¡± [¡­¡­.] Joo-Heon¡¯s words were not wrong. The Barbarian King needed a lot of blood in order to resurrect. And that meant that his descendants, the Barbarians, had to fight a bloody war. [So what do you want me to do? Do you want me to lift the curse?] The curse of the Demon King was powerful. The Barbarian King, who had already lost most of his power, would have to be prepared for annihilation if he were to use his power. Then, instead of answering, Joo-Heon laughed out loud. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just do one thing for me.¡± One thing? Joo-Heon smiled at him in his confusion. Chapter 81 My Reflector Is Invincible 8181. Let¡¯s Find Out Now What the hell is one thing? At that look, Joo-Heon pointed to the floor with his finger. ¡°Before that, wake this bastard up.¡± [This bastard?] As soon as Joo-Heon finished speaking, a soul rose up from the corpse of the dead Grand Sorcerer. -Wh¡­ What? It was the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul. Since he had died in the Forbidden Zone, he had also become a vengeful spirit of the Forbidden Zone. ¡°Now, then, hurry up and tell me.¡± What the hell was his plan to do this? And who helped awaken the Barbarian King? ¡°I have to hear everything.¡± Joo-Heon¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply. -What do you want to know¡­¡­ The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul was infinitely depressed. There was no trace of his overbearing and eccentric appearance. It was the appearance that Joo-Heon knew well. ¡®Yeah. This is the original Grand Sorcerer.¡¯ In the past, the Grand Sorcerer had been unable to exert himself under the pressure of the great Barbarian Chief Karasen¡¯s name. He was respected by the tribe, but he did not act rashly. ¡®Did he say blessing? Did his true nature come out thanks to that power?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t important now. ¡°Tell me. Starting with how you came to the Forbidden Zone.¡± From Noble mtl dot com -That¡­¡­ I just¡­¡­ to find a way to heal the Chief¡­¡­ ¡°Lies.¡± Without the Chief, the Grand Sorcerer was as good as king. Even if Karasen¡¯s sanity was unstable and problematic. ¡°You would have just waited and he would have submitted on his own, so why did you do something so dangerous?¡± It suits your personality well. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul was drenched in sweat. It was because of what Joo-Heon had said, as if he knew him well. -Seriously¡­¡­. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it can destroy your soul too.¡± Jooin¡¯s gaze changed. An energy that was strong enough to send shivers down the spines of even souls burst out. [Conqueror] He could completely conquer even the opponent¡¯s soul. This was especially the case when they were facing a perfect death like they were now because of Jooin. The corners of Jooin¡¯s mouth lifted. ¡®I¡¯ve been wanting to test out my new powers anyway. Perfect timing.¡¯ £¼Blood magic£¾ didn¡¯t work on souls without bodies. But [Conqueror] was different. If Jooin¡¯s guess was right. ¡°I can devour your soul without leaving a trace.¡± Was Jooin¡¯s glare too ferocious? The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul ran to the Savage King. -Y-your Majesty, please help me. [Lowly creature. You¡¯re the reason I¡¯m in this state. Figure it out yourself!] -Y-your Majesty! The Savage King pretended not to see the Grand Sorcerer. He needed to rest after giving up the rest of his energy anyway. ¡®He wants me to fight that damn bastard in this state? He seems to have gotten stronger since our last fight.¡¯ Of course, if he used all of his power, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to get rid of that bastard. ¡®No, actually, it might be a bit difficult.¡¯ The biggest problem was that strange power that Jooin had. He might end up losing if he had that. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul turned pale when the Savage King coldly refused. He couldn¡¯t help it if things turned out this way. -W-well¡­¡­ what happened was¡­¡­. The Grand Sorcerer told him everything he knew. ¡°A strange man helped you?¡± -To be exact, he asked me if I didn¡¯t want to be the king who ruled the continent, not the Northern Barbarians. The man even told him exactly how to do it. -He said that I should awaken Your Majesty¡¯s soul that was trapped in the Forbidden Grounds. He just needed to awaken the Savage King¡¯s soul and receive his strength. Then he could start with the Barbarian village and become the true king of the continent. That was what the man had said. If he hadn¡¯t been stopped by Jooin, that was probably what would have happened. -I don¡¯t know who he was. He just disappeared after that¡­¡­. ¡°So you¡¯ve been doing what that bastard told you to do until now?¡± -Th-that¡¯s right. ¡°That¡¯s not all, is it?¡± -¡­¡­. The Grand Sorcerer clenched his jaw. It was an expression of will as if he could no longer speak. In this case, Joo-Yeon had no choice either. ¡°You¡¯re going to do as you¡¯re told, but you still won¡¯t cooperate until the end.¡± Joo-Yeon¡¯s hand seized the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul. [£¼Conqueror£¾ is activated] [Caution! The target is not a being with a Monarch-class Job] [It is a weak being that does not even need to explore the Great Work] [Conquering the target] It was the first time he had used this power, but it felt as natural as breathing. Since it was already suppressed, there was no interference. Then the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul reacted. -Euaaak! Was it like having his soul ripped out? In reality, the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul continued to suffer enough to fade away. The Grand Sorcerer began to beg Joo-Yeon. -P-please¡­ spare me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say that when I told you to?¡± -I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll tell you! I¡¯ll really tell you! ¡°No. You need to be punished.¡± -Euaaak! A long time seemed to pass. The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul collapsed, torn to shreds. He could no longer speak. However, it didn¡¯t matter to Joo-Yeon. [The Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul has been conquered] [You have acquired the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s abilities] [You have acquired £¼Grand Sorcerer¡¯s Sorcery£¾] [You have acquired £¼Intuition£¾] [You have acquired £¼Minor Prophecy£¾] He devoured the abilities as the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s soul was conquered. Since it wasn¡¯t a title above the Legendary-grade, his abilities weren¡¯t strengthened. ¡®But it¡¯s not bad.¡¯ £¼Intuition£¾ and £¼Prophecy£¾ were particularly useful. £¼Intuition£¾ -You can instinctively grasp the crises that will come to you. £¼Caution£¾ You cannot detect crises from enemies that are too powerful. £¼Minor Prophecy£¾ -You can detect an uncertain future. £¼Caution£¾ It is unknown when or how it will be activated. It was an ability that was used automatically without any specific need to use it. It was similar to a reflex. ¡®Especially £¼Intuition£¾ goes well with £¼Crisis Detection£¾.¡¯ They were both similar abilities. If the two abilities could be combined into one, the rank could be raised. ¡®Furthermore, it is the magic of a Grand Sorcerer. This is a really rare ability.¡¯ Of course, I couldn¡¯t use it as perfectly as a Grand Sorcerer. However, if I continued to use it, I would be able to use it better than a Grand Sorcerer. Moreover, [Conqueror]¡¯s power did not end there. [A target that has been perfectly subdued and killed] [You can read the memories of the conquered target] Memories seeped into Joo-ahn¡¯s mind. The memories of the Grand Sorcerer being born and growing up. Since most of them were unnecessary, I only recalled important information. ¡°That guy kept supporting him.¡± He provided the funds to build the arena and sent high-ranking visitors who could become connections. He even protected it so that rumors would not spread outside. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just like a servant?¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Joo-ahn¡¯s eyes turned to the Barbarian King. ¡°Did you know about it?¡± [Yes.] ¡°Unexpected?¡± [What are you talking about?] ¡°The great and mighty Barbarian King received help from a mere mortal.¡± [Hmph! It was not help. It was just a tribute that I received as an emperor.] Oh, is that so? Joo-ahn laughed as if it was funny. ¡®It¡¯s different from the time of the Balantino Saga.¡¯ The Barbarian King receiving help from someone other than the barbarians. The Grand Sorcerer awakening the Barbarian King. All of it was something Joo-ahn had never experienced. But I could guess. And Joo-ahn¡¯s target was the Barbarian King. His eyes lit up as he thought about how to lure him in. ¡°To receive tribute from a Demon. You really are a great emperor. I¡¯m impressed.¡± [¡­¡­?!] The Barbarian King¡¯s soul burned red with anger. [Demon! There¡¯s no way I would receive tribute from them!] Bang! Demons are the enemies of this world. No one should join hands with them or acknowledge their existence. Literally, he was like an alien in this world. Joo-yeon smiled meanly at that reaction. ¡°What? You should be shameless to a certain extent. Do you think not knowing about it makes the fact that you received an offering from the Mazoku disappear?¡± [What are you talking about! Mazoku! You, you wouldn¡¯t have received an offering from those dirty bastards, would you?] At the Barbarian King¡¯s exclamation, the Great Shaman¡¯s soul let out a groan and said. -That can¡¯t be true! No matter how much we are called barbarians, there¡¯s no way we would have received help from trash like the Mazoku¡­¡­ [You! I won¡¯t let you get away with this false accusation¡­¡­] ¡°No. It¡¯s definitely the Mazoku.¡± [¡­¡­!] The Mazoku wants chaos on the continent. Before the Demon King appears, it was to sap the strength of the continent. ¡®They know it too.¡¯ No matter how strong the Demon King and the Mazoku army are, the strength of the continent when united is not to be underestimated. So before a fight always breaks out, they try to sow discord and sap their strength. ¡®This incident with the Great Shaman is like that too. It¡¯s something they would do.¡¯ There had never been anything like this before. However, Joo-yeon, who had fought the Mazoku for a long time, could sense it. That the Mazoku was involved in this incident. Moreover, there was a reason he could be certain of it. As proof, Joo-yeon looked at the Great Shaman. -Ah¡­¡­ No! I really didn¡¯t receive help from the Mazoku¡­¡­ Soon, a black fog rose from the Great Shaman¡¯s body, which was starting to panic. -W-what? What is this? The barbarians reverently enshrined their dead for generations. No matter how hostile the relationship was, they would at least make sure to bury them. However, look at the situation now. Woosh. The corpse was turning black and decaying. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, even the Great Shaman¡¯s soul was turning black. -Ugh! The Great Shaman writhed in pain. His eyes were completely filled with the whites, so you could tell how intense the pain was. Something was attacking the soul through the Great Shaman¡¯s body. The Barbarian King was unusually furious. [This power! Are you saying it¡¯s really the Mazoku!] The barrier shook violently. A powerful force spread out in all directions. [How dare you! You dare try to defile the body and soul of my fellow tribesman right before my eyes!] The Mazoku¡¯s contract was not an ordinary power. No matter how great the sorcery, there was absolutely no way to stop it. Joo-yeon knew it for sure. ¡®What they use is a contract between souls.¡¯ The shamanism of the barbarians treasured both soul and body. There was no way there would be a shamanism that could break the contract of the soul. As the Barbarian King, he could only be furious. [That idiot! Are you saying he really made a contract with a demon?] The Barbarian King¡¯s anger surged to the top of his head. A contract he didn¡¯t know about had been made behind the scenes. What¡¯s more, he was furious because it had happened to the Grand Shaman he had appointed as a proxy. However, Joo-yeon was calm. ¡°Originally, the demons¡¯ contracts are like that.¡± They are secretive and deadly. They would have gradually eroded him from the bottom without the contractor noticing. ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t carelessly eat things given by others.¡± The Barbarian King frowned. He wanted to say something to Joo-yeon, but he couldn¡¯t. For now, he had to at least block the demonic energy rising from that taboo. [Listen here, lowly human.] ¡°It¡¯s Joo-yeon.¡± [Yes, Joo-yeon¡­ If it¡¯s you, you should be able to block that power now, right?] Of course, he could block it. ¡°But I won¡¯t block it.¡± [Why not! Are you going to just watch the actions of those dirty bastards!?] It didn¡¯t matter that they had been fighting just a moment ago. Anyone who lived on the continent had to be hostile to the demons. It was the way of this world. From Noble mtl dot com It was natural for the Barbarian King to be so furious. [Surely you¡¯re not an agent of the demons!] Joo-yeon smirked. ¡°Why would I call myself an agent of those guys?¡± [Then?] Instead of answering, Joo-yeon walked towards the Grand Shaman¡¯s corpse. ¡°Actually, this demonic contract is quite interesting.¡± Although it can be cast without the other party¡¯s knowledge, there are also many contracts that are activated when the other party dies. It was activated by feeding on the powerful energy of death. ¡°And all the demons are perverts, you know.¡± [What are you talking about?] ¡°Literally. They¡¯re all watching this place right now.¡± [¡­?!] As soon as Joo-yeon finished speaking, a change began. Woong. Black smoke formed into something like an eyeball. And then a voice leaked out from the eyeball. -Interesting. You¡¯ve noticed me. ¡°Yes, you pervert.¡± -¡­¡­. The eyeball quivered. The eyeball transmitted the intense energy of the Demon. -How dare you know who I am¡­¡­. ¡°I¡¯ll find out from now on.¡± What? At that moment, Joo-Yeon¡¯s fingers intertwined. And his foot pressed down on the corpse of the Grand Warlock. ¡°It¡¯s a rainbow reflection, kid.¡± -¡­¡­!? At that moment, Joo-Yeon¡¯s vision changed. What he saw was no longer the forbidden land of the Barbarians. A black space. Someone was sitting alone at a huge table. Chapter 82 My Reflector Is Invincible 8282. First, that guy Joo-Yeon¡¯s vision changed. There was a table on the dark room. ¡®That¡¯s him.¡¯ Joo-Yeon was floating in the air. He was using the ability of the Demon as it was. He waved his hand toward the Demon. ¡°Hello?¡± Then, the guy jumped up in surprise at the sudden intrusion. ¡°You¡­ How did you get here!¡± ¡°Eavesdropping isn¡¯t the exclusive property of the Demons.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You backtracked my power!¡± That was the correct answer. To be exact, he backtracked the guy¡¯s energy with . ¡®If I just reflect the eyeball he sinisterly planted there, it¡¯s over.¡¯ [Seed of Darkness] It was a curse that parasitized the dead and transmitted the situation. It could send images or convey words. Now, not only could he backtrack, but he could also use the guy¡¯s power in reverse. The more he got used to , the more he would be able to do. But there was no need to kindly explain that to him. ¡°Did you think a mere Demon¡¯s magic would work on me?¡± Then, the furious one yelled. ¡°I am not just any demon! My name is Kane! I am the Chief of Staff of the Demon Tribe!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Joo-yeon could recognize him right away. The Chief of Staff is right below the Commander-in-Chief. He was none other than the second-in-command of those who were in charge of conquering the continent. ¡®Then this must be their base camp.¡¯ It was clear where the demons gathered. Although there was only Kane because the meeting must have ended. ¡®The demons were targeting the Barbarian tribe here.¡¯ The reason why the demons were targeting the Barbarian tribe was obvious. The Barbarian tribe is a unique force on the continent. There were still frequent battles to the point of being in conflict with the continent. And war originally sows the seeds of conflict. ¡°Your guys¡¯ plan is over now.¡± At those words, the demon Kane frowned. ¡®I didn¡¯t notice the backtracking at all.¡¯ If he was only this good, he wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary guy. He gulped nervously as if on guard. At the same time, he asked to figure out Joo-yeon¡¯s identity. ¡°What we were after? Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Causing a war on the continent with the Barbarian tribe. Corrupting the Barbarian Chief Karasen and causing discord among the heroes. Even stealing the power of the Artifact . Of course, it was nonsense as long as Joo-yeon knew about it. ¡°You were after Ilta-sampee. What are you going to do? Because you ended up losing everything?¡± ¡°You¡­¡­ How did you.¡± Kane, the demon, was genuinely taken aback. He could have noticed about the Barbarian tribe and Chief Karasen. However, the Artifact was different. ¡°Even the warlock and the Barbarian King didn¡¯t know about that¡­¡­¡± ¡°A secret?¡± The corners of Joo-yeon¡¯s lips went up. Well, yes. There were few people who knew about the Artifact . It was usually hidden because of the power of the Artifact . ¡®Since it was even sealed with sorcery, there wouldn¡¯t have been a trace of it.¡¯ However, Joo-yeon was different. He was the one who had collected all the Artifact , and the one who had distributed them to his comrades. He knew all about their appearance and how to use them. That was even more the case with Karasen¡¯s Artifact . ¡°Celestial Island. That¡¯s what you were really after?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Kane¡¯s pupils shook at the unexpected statement. [Celestial Island] One of the treasures of the continent left behind by the God of the Sky in the past. Now, it was a name that only remained in legends. However, that wasn¡¯t the real reason Kane was flustered. ¡®That he knows that name, our purpose.¡¯ They had to read the Demon King¡¯s memories to find out themselves. ¡°Just¡­¡­ Just what the hell are you.¡± Kane¡¯s eyes shook violently. His face was shocked on a different level than before. However, Joo-yeon knew everything. ¡®Since the Artifact that Karasen has is also the key to Celestial Island. Of course, the Demons would covet it.¡¯ That didn¡¯t mean they could mobilize troops or magic hand to steal the Artifact . It would have been difficult if the barbarians had joined forces and attacked. It would have been really difficult if the barbarians had joined hands with the continent. ¡®The Barbarian King was there in the first place, so they must have tried to avoid touching him directly.¡¯ Because the Barbarian King despised the Demons . No, it was normal for anyone who lived on the continent to hate them, not just the Barbarian King. And the Barbarian King was not an easy opponent to face. Even if he hadn¡¯t distributed his power for resurrection, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to approach the holy ground at all. So, it must have been a planned scheme. ¡°You must have thought about taking Karasen¡¯s Artifact , but it¡¯s impossible.¡± However, Kane was embarrassed in a different way. ¡°How the hell did you know that! We also just found out the identity of Celestial Island!¡± ¡°Well? Because I¡¯m above you?¡± ¡°This damn human bastard!¡± Kane glared, but Joo-yeon was interested in something else. ¡®Oh ho? Look at this?¡¯ The environment of the conference room where the Demons bastard was sitting was the problem. ¡®Was there a fight?¡¯ There was a lot of blood flowing around. It meant that there must have been a fight. However, Joo-yeon felt it was strange. ¡®No matter how reckless the Demons are, they¡¯re not violent enough to take each other¡¯s lives in a conference room like this.¡¯ They were instinctive, but they weren¡¯t stupid. They were the ones who always kept their hierarchical relationships clear in any situation. Had it become such a mess that the hierarchical relationship collapsed? Then there was only one reason. ¡°Hirowzen. Was it that bastard¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Mazoku¡¯s face had now truly turned pale. It was because of Juyeon¡¯s attitude, which seemed to grasp everything with just a glance. ¡°Such fearsome insight. It sends shivers down my spine.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡± ¡°You guy¡­ you¡¯re no ordinary human. Just who in the world are you?¡± Cain¡¯s body froze as if struck by lightning. Something seemed to have come to mind. ¡°Co¡­ Could it be? Are you the ¡®he¡¯ that Haroizen mentioned?¡± ¡°Did that guy talk about me that much?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really ¡®he¡¯! Why are you interfering with our work!¡± Cain was genuinely furious. Haroizen had clearly said: ¨C aaah¡­¡­. He is the true Maou. Soon, the entire continent shall fall into the hands of the Mazoku under his guidance. That ¡®he¡¯ was in the form of a human. The fact that the Maou was a human and not a Mazoku was unbearable. And yet he even dared to interfere with their grand plan. ¡°Did you do what you did knowing full well what the Sky Island is!?¡± The Sky Island is not just any island. It is a strategic fortress floating in the sky. It was an ancient legacy that the Mazoku had coveted for a long time. ¡°Do you know how many Mazoku have lost their lives because of that cursed thing!?¡± But Juyeon just smirked. ¡°So what? Who told you to touch my stuff?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡± ¡°The savage tribe, Karacen, Shindae, and the Sky Island are all mine. And you touched my stuff.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Cain couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. A great darkness surged from his body. And it poured towards Juyeon. KWA-KWANG! The place that seemed to be a conference room was instantly shattered with a huge explosion. Light poured into the dark basement. It was so powerful that it had pierced all the way from the underground to the surface. But it was all in vain. ¡°Are you an idiot? I¡¯m not a physical entity right now.¡± Juyeon was currently nothing more than a projected image. It was a reflection of Cain¡¯s power, which he had shamelessly spied on. Naturally, no force could reach him. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Juyeon was just going to sit and watch. Swish! Before Kane noticed, his body had turned pitch black. A demonic contract that used souls as collateral. Originally, the target was the Archmage¡¯s soul, but now, it was extracting Kane¡¯s soul. Kane quickly realized it too. ¡°When did this happen!¡± Kane quickly canceled the contract. [Contract Canceled] [Failed to Enslave Soul] If he had hesitated just a little longer, his soul would have been taken. Jooyeon clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°Too bad. If it had been just a little longer, you would have become my slave.¡± He was in the middle of reflecting the contract that had been cast on the Archmage. ¨C Contract is being [Reflected] ¨C Contractor has changed ¨C Archmage -£¾ Kane ¨C The Demonic Contract is being executed on the changed contractor (Kane) From Noble mtl dot com That¡¯s why he had purposely dragged out the time until now. To divert his attention and turn him into a slave. But luckily, he noticed it. At that moment, Jooyeon¡¯s figure grew faint. ¡®As expected.¡¯ It was only natural since the power that connected them had disappeared. However, Jooyeon raised the corners of his lips towards him. £¼[Seed of Darkness] has been safely planted in the sacrifice£¾ He didn¡¯t know, but a small seed had been planted next to what looked like Kane¡¯s heart. Originally, it was a curse that had been cast on the Archmage. A mysterious curse that could corrupt the target and allow him to see into their very core. Well, whether or not it would activate remained to be seen. Jooyeon waved his hand without showing any expression. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you again next time.¡± It won¡¯t end so easily next time. Jooyeon¡¯s figure disappeared. Then, the demon began to furiously shoot out power. ¡°I will never forgive you! Never!¡± * * * Flash! Jooyeon opened his eyes again. The place he was in was forbidden. ¡®Too bad. If it had been just a little longer, a high-ranking demon would have become my slave.¡¯ Even so, there was a gain. ¡®Since I angered a guy who was as good as a Chief of Staff, the Demonkin won¡¯t be able to hide in the shade any longer.¡¯ Rather, they will have to reveal themselves. That will make it easier to get the continent¡¯s forces moving. The more the enemy shows itself, the more the allies will become united. If the Demonkin cause a ruckus, the continent¡¯s forces will have all the more reason to unite. In that case, they won¡¯t be able to avoid making a mistake. Just then, the Wild King¡¯s soul approached. [What happened? I couldn¡¯t feel your soul until just now.] ¡°Well, it was resolved well.¡± As soon as Joo-Heon finished speaking, the Great Mage¡¯s face began to tremble. Srrr. The black smoke disappeared, and his body turned blue. It was the result of the Demonkin¡¯s contract being canceled. [The Great Mage¡¯s soul has regained its freedom.] As a result of the Demonkin¡¯s contract being canceled, the Great Mage could now regain his freedom and be buried with his ancestors. Joo-Heon also received a special achievement reward. [A special achievement has been made.] [£¼Liberator of the Free Soul£¾] [You will always be recognized as a close friend by the Wild Tribe.] If you just read the contents, you might think it¡¯s nothing special. However, this was quite a good reward. ¡®Being recognized by the Wild Tribe is like grasping at the stars.¡¯ Even Karasen, the former Wild Chief, took several years to become a close friend. Being recognized by the entire Wild Tribe was something that was nearly impossible no matter how much time you put in. It was something that all players had given up on. But now, he had obtained it like this. ¡®The Wild Tribe never betrays their friends.¡¯ Once they trust you, they will understand and forgive you no matter what mistake you make. In some ways, they were similar to the King of Knights. However, there was a fundamental difference between the Wild Tribe and him. ¡®The King of Knights is a righteous knight. He won¡¯t get involved in anything that isn¡¯t righteous, even if it¡¯s for me.¡¯ However, the Wild Tribe, who became friends with just a word from Joo-Heon, would gladly rush to the battlefield. It was like he had gotten his hands on a card that he could use without anyone knowing. But the Wild King looked at him as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. [How did you do it? The Demonkin¡¯s contract should be absolute?] No matter what, it shouldn¡¯t be possible to nullify the contract. Even the Wild King, who had been giving the Great Mage his strength, must have eventually been touched by the Demonkin¡¯s hand. It was strange to him, who had been prepared for that. [Those cruel bastards would never let go of their prey once it¡¯s in their grasp.] However, Joo-Yeon shook his head. ¡°Is that important right now?¡± [What did you say?] Joo-Yeon¡¯s eyes flashed sharply. ¡°I saved the souls of your descendants, so shouldn¡¯t I be compensated?¡± The Grand Sorcerer felt a chill. The Barbarian King grimaced. [I have no more to give. Don¡¯t look at me.] S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Joo-Yeon calmly looked beyond the barrier. ¡°There, they are coming.¡± At Joo-Yeon¡¯s words, everyone turned their heads. Someone was hurriedly climbing up from below. ¡°You fool! How could you come alone so recklessly!¡± ¡°Lord Joo-Yeon! Are you safe!¡± ¡°We¡¯re here, Lord Joo-Yeon!¡± It was Daeho and his group. They seemed exhausted, especially Karacen, the Barbarian Chieftain. ¡®Daeho must have been delayed protecting the others.¡¯ Joo-Yeon looked at the Barbarian King as if to settle the score. ¡°Cure Karacen.¡± [¡­Don¡¯t make unreasonable demands. If I lift that man¡¯s curse, I will exhaust all my power.] ¡°That¡¯s not my concern.¡± This guy? Restore Karacen to normal and open the Floating Island. Joo-Yeon let out a sly laugh. Chapter 83 My Reflector Is Invincible 8383. Come to Me The Grand Sorcerer was struggling to lift the spell on Karacen. He was concentrating so hard that his soul was trembling. -Groan¡­ ¡°Hang in there, hang in there!¡± -Inspiration is coming! ¡°You really have a nasty personality.¡± -You¡¯re interrupting me! The Grand Sorcerer and Daeho continued to bicker. The macho warrior watched them with a vacant expression. ¡°What the hell happened here¡­¡± The barrier was broken in several places. The vicious grand sorcerer was struggling to undo the spell with a look of constipation on his face. What was more surprising was the giant soul next to the grand sorcerer. [Be quiet. Do it while shutting up.] -So¡­¡­ sorry, Your Majesty. Your Majesty? Did he just say Your Majesty? ¡®Could it be the Barbarian King?¡¯ The legend of the great Barbarian tribe? Even the macho warrior had heard of him. In the past, it was said that there was a king of the Barbarian tribe who had the entire continent in his grasp. He was also called the ¡®Blood God¡¯ because he was covered in blood. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could it be¡­¡­ that the power that has been passed down to the tribe until now was his power?¡± The momentum felt from the soul was enormous. It was so difficult to even breathe in front of the Barbarian King. However, there was someone who treated such a being casually. ¡°Are you going to help or just keep your mouth shut?¡± [Can¡¯t you guys let me sleep because you¡¯re so noisy! And didn¡¯t I clearly help you!] It was Joo-yeon. However, the Barbarian King¡¯s words were not wrong. The other souls also nodded their heads as if they agreed with the king¡¯s words. They were the ancestors who had awakened because of the grand sorcerer¡¯s commotion. Even so, Joo-yeon¡¯s attitude did not change. He harbored resentment towards them for turning his comrades into this state. ¡°You guys are the ones cleaning up the crap you made, so if you don¡¯t want to achieve Buddhahood, just shut up.¡± -Yes¡­¡­. It was five minutes before the real chaos. The macho warrior gave up on understanding the current situation. It was just a headache to think about something he couldn¡¯t understand anyway. Rather, this kind of chaos was not important to him. Only one person mattered. Only the man he had never taken his eyes off of mattered. At that moment, the macho warrior¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Aah¡­¡­ the chieftain¡¯s face¡­¡­.¡± The face of the Barbarian chieftain, Karacen, was becoming relaxed. Wasn¡¯t it peace settling on the face that had only shown malice and murderous intent? It was a face that seemed to have returned to the past when he was as innocent as a child. ¡°I have been waiting for your return for a long time.¡± The macho warrior couldn¡¯t hold back his tears. And he carefully knelt down. It was a gesture of welcoming the revival of the chieftain he respected. Surprised by the unexpected sight, Joo-yeon and his party could only stare at the macho man. The Grand Sorcerer looked as if he would vanish. -Huff, huff¡­ Just a little bit more. I have almost undone the curse I cast. However, the Great Daoist¡¯s expression was not good. He knew that the real difficulty started here. ¡°The problem is the Demon King¡¯s curse.¡± The Great Daoist sighed. After all, the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s curse only changed his purity to evil. The real difficulty was the curse that turned Karacene into an imbecile. [Regression to Infancy] If that was not resolved, the fundamental problem would not be solved. ¡°You couldn¡¯t break the curse of that tin can Knight King either. What makes you think Karacene will be any different¡­¡± Joonyoung nodded. ¡°There is always a way.¡± First, he needed divine energy. With the power of divine energy, he could undo the Demon King¡¯s curse. However, he couldn¡¯t just pull it out. ¡®Divine energy is protecting him.¡¯ The reason the imbecile Karacene was able to remain untainted and unharmed until now was entirely thanks to the divine energy. In other words, the divine energy was closely connected to Karacene. If he just pulled it out, Karacene¡¯s soul would be torn apart. ¡°If I make a mistake, Karacene will die.¡± ¡°What are you¡­¡± ¡°If I break it, he will be able to run wild like before, so he is blocking it well.¡± Muscleman and Great Daoist nodded. ¡°I will definitely stop him, on the honor of a Great Warrior.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He is just a dimwit with a head full of flowers.¡± Muscleman glared at Great Daoist at that, but Great Daoist didn¡¯t even care. Rather, it seemed he couldn¡¯t even imagine what Joonyoung was going to do. Joonyoung put his hand on the feather-shaped divine energy that Karacene was wearing. ¡°Hey, Savage King. How about you help me out a little?¡± [You tell me to shut up sometimes.] ¡°Oh, you¡¯re mad about that? Fine, don¡¯t help if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Soon, Joonyoung¡¯s eyes turned red. [The power of the Dominator is activated.] This was the power that the Savage King originally had. The Savage King knew better than anyone how dangerous the power was that he had given to Joonyoung. So, he hurriedly shouted. [Why are you so impatient! Who said I wouldn¡¯t help! Sorcerers! Move quickly!] -Yes¡­ The souls of the sorcerers stepped forward. They dragged the fallen Grand Warlock forcibly. -Because of you, we ended up like this. -We won¡¯t let you off easy, you punk. -No, seniors¡­¡­! -What senior! You little punk, don¡¯t act tough! Jooin spoke at that sight. ¡°You leave quickly too.¡± The Savage King¡¯s expression hardened. [I¡¯m powerless too, you punk!] Jooin¡¯s gaze changed. [The power of the Ruler is activated.] At that moment, a colossal power swept away the prohibition. From Noble mtl dot com In the end, the Savage King headed towards Karacen with a groan. It seemed he regretted picking the wrong descendant. [Certainly¡­¡­ It seems he made it difficult to undo unless it¡¯s someone at my level.] The Savage King¡¯s eyes, which were looking at the artifact, turned red. An axe made of souls was created in his hand. [In the name of the Savage King who ruled the continent. O sorcery of the northern descendant, be released!] The Savage King swung down the axe towards the artifact. Clang! Then, the sound of glass breaking was heard. It was the translucent something on the head ornament that had broken. Tch, the Savage King grumbled, annoyed that he had wasted his strength for nothing. [I wonder who that damn talented descendant was. They sealed it so damn well.] The Savage King turned around, saying he would return to the tomb. [Call me if anything happens. If it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll gladly grant you an audience.] Oh? That punk is leaving like that? The Grand Warlock also tried to follow him secretly, but it was impossible. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± [The power of the Conqueror is activated.] -Keuk! The Grand Warlock¡¯s soul was restrained by Jooin¡¯s power. The Grand Warlock exclaimed in a fluster. -Didn¡¯t I do everything you asked? Then can I finally¡­¡­ ¡°You¡¯re funny. You¡¯re staying.¡± He needed to be prepared just in case there was a problem with the sorcery Karacen had been afflicted with. ¡°In the first place, how many great warriors of the Savage tribe did you kill? Did you think you could run away after doing something like that?¡± -¡­¡­! The Grand Warlock had to pay the price. But it wasn¡¯t himself who would demand it. ¡®Karacen was a benevolent chieftain who loved his tribe. The right to punish that punk belongs to him.¡¯ That¡¯s why Joo-yeon transferred the soul of the Great Mage to the macho warrior. ¡°Take good care of this guy, too.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t touch a soul?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve used my powers so that you can touch it.¡± ¡°Then by all means!¡± He grabbed the Great Mage¡¯s soul under his arm. Even though it was a soul, it couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°Now, then.¡± Joo-yeon lifted the unsealed artifact. [You have obtained the Artifact of the Celestial God of the Heavens] [You have obtained £¼Natural Disasters£¾] £¼Natural Disasters£¾ [Rank]: Mythical [Effect]: You can manipulate weather effects through religious activities such as sacrifices or prayers. [Description]: Causes natural disasters in the heavens and on earth, such as droughts, floods, earthquakes, and heavy rains. [Additional Skills]: £¼Protection of the Celestial God£¾ / £¼Summon Sun£¾ / £¼Heavy Rain£¾ / £¼Earthquake£¾ / £¼???£¾ [Caution]: If you lack faith, the caster will be offered as a sacrifice instead. It was an incredible artifact. The artifact that even the Great Guanyin Bodhisattva had was only able to use shadows and darkness. Of course, it could move freely and it was easy to use against enemies. However, the artifact that he gave to Karasen could manipulate celestial bodies. ¡®It¡¯s an artifact that can cause a massacre. It does have the disadvantage of requiring a lot of divine power¡­.¡¯ It had enough power to suppress that. Furthermore, £¼Protection of the Celestial God£¾ had the effect of protecting the user of the artifact. In a space where the sun and moon were shining, they received absolute protection. It was also possible to nullify attacks from long distances. It was perfect for Karasen, the savage chief who specialized in physical combat. Above all, there was another true power to £¼Natural Disasters£¾. It was the £¼???£¾ skill. Usually, players who experience it for the first time don¡¯t know how to use it. But Joo-yeon was different. He drew his hand over the artifact, £¼Natural Disasters£¾, of the Celestial God of the Heavens. Drip, drip. Drops of blood flowed down Joo-yeon¡¯s hand. Then, Haken ran over in surprise. ¡°Lord Joo-yeon! You¡¯re hurting yourself!¡± ¡°You should stop the bleeding first.¡± Olsen tried to tear his clothes and hand them to Joo-yeon. However, he didn¡¯t accept them. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°But¡­ blood is gushing out like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, so just wait.¡± At Joo-Heon¡¯s resolute expression, the party backed away. A moment later. Light began to pour out of the bloodstained relic. [The secret of the hidden skill has been revealed] [£¼???£¾ skill has been unlocked] The letters that had question marks changed. The name of the relic also changed. [£¼???£¾ has changed to £¼Summoning of the Heavenly Island£¾] [£¼Summoning of the Heavenly Island£¾ can be used] Joo-Heon didn¡¯t wait any longer. He raised the relic. ¡°O island of the sky. Come to me.¡± Right at that moment. The sky filled with clouds split in half. Something was revealing its form as the sky opened. Chapter 84 My Reflector Is Invincible 8484. Function Unlocked Light poured out from between the clouds, and a gigantic object revealed its form. An island that looked huge just by looking at it. Such an object was falling from the sky. It looked just like a meteorite falling. ¡°W¡­ what the hell? An island appeared in the sky!¡± ¡°Everyone, run for your lives!¡± Haken and Olson panicked and screamed. Joo-Heon understood their reactions deep down. ¡®This must be their first time seeing something like this.¡¯ The only race that could fly in the sky was the Celestial race. Even among them, only a handful had seen them directly as they lived in hiding. So an entire island was falling from the sky? They must have never heard of or seen anything like it. And the island wasn¡¯t just simply falling. Woo-deuk-deuk. Kwa-kwang! The atmosphere was crushed as the island fell. The gravity was so strong that they couldn¡¯t move. It was shocking enough to make even ordinary people tremble in fear. Even the Great Mage who had traveled all over the world. ¡°Oh my, is this a sign to stop messing around now?¡± I just stared blankly at the Floating Island of the Sky Dragon. Maybe it¡¯s natural. ¡®The Floating Island of the Sky Dragon was an event that only players could enter.¡¯ Even the warrior Ryu Jin didn¡¯t know about the island¡¯s existence. Only players could use it. And on that island was something the protagonist absolutely had to obtain. But I had to be careful. ¡®Something has changed.¡¯ Is it because this is a different reality than the game? My companions were all looking straight at the Floating Island of the Sky Dragon with their own two eyes. ¡®Normally, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to perceive its existence.¡¯ Right at that moment. Rumble, rumble! The Floating Island of the Sky Dragon approached right before our eyes. It was truly a magnificent sight. [Summoning of the Floating Island of the Sky Dragon complete.] At that moment, the Great Taoist approached the protagonist. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s something the demons would desire.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we hurry?¡± If we don¡¯t move it, the demons will invade to seize this island. But the protagonist reassured the Great Taoist instead. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have a plan.¡± It wasn¡¯t for nothing that he had reflected the demon¡¯s contract. The protagonist had purposely angered him. It was because he knew well the special power that the Floating Island of the Sky Dragon possessed. At that moment, a pillar of light fell from the island. [Entry permitted.] A circle was drawn on the ground around the protagonist. It was a small circle that looked like a foothold. The protagonist moved slowly. ¡°Now then, old man. Let¡¯s go up to heaven now. Oh, but it seems you can¡¯t come?¡± The Great Taoist glanced at the Savage King, thinking that the young punk should watch his tongue. ¡°Are you just going to leave the Savage King here? If I were to, let¡¯s say, hit him in the back of the head¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll see him again soon.¡± Karasen will be going with him anyway. If the protagonist left now, he would be defenseless without his divine weapon. That¡¯s why he chuckled and stepped onto the foothold. In an instant, the protagonist and his party disappeared from the Forbidden Zone. * * * Instantly, the foothold lifted everyone up to the island of the Sky Dragon. ¡°Wow¡­ what in the world is this place?¡± ¡°Is this a paradise?¡± Everyone¡¯s mouths hung agape. An unimaginable sight spread out before them. A boundless meadow, and beyond the meadow, a colossal mountain as if embracing the meadow. All sorts of animals were peacefully grazing. It was a sight that they had never seen or heard of before. However, Jooin ignored them and took the lead. ¡°This way.¡± ¡°H-hey¡­ wait for us, Jooin-nim!¡± As Jooin took the lead, everyone followed behind him. The place they arrived at looked like ruins. ¡°What is this place?¡± ¡°It looks like the building is so old that it has rotted.¡± Jooin agreed with them. ¡°It must be because it hasn¡¯t been used properly for a long time.¡± ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s a treasure here?¡± ¡°A treasure?¡± Well, that would be nice. Jooin wasn¡¯t interested in such things. ¡°There it is.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Dado¡¯s expression turned strange as he looked at the place Jooin pointed at. ¡°A nest?¡± A nest made of wood was hidden inside the building. It was also quite large. ¡°What¡¯s in here¡­ huh?!¡± Haken exclaimed in surprise. ¡°An egg? Isn¡¯t that an egg?¡± No, it was too big to be called an egg. ¡°Such a huge egg. Is it really a dragon¡¯s egg?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the Sky Dragon¡¯s egg.¡± Jooin finally found it and laughed heartily. He needed this item. ¡®This is proof of a warrior.¡¯ It was an essential item to obtain the warrior system. ¡®I need this to become a warrior instead of the real £¼Warrior£¾ who must be somewhere else by now.¡¯ Not only that, the Sky Dragon was not just a symbol, but it also had very useful abilities. Originally, it grants many beneficial effects to the warrior as the warrior¡¯s partner. And the method to hatch such a Heavenly Dragon was simple. The hero must realize that he is a hero and be acknowledged by the gods. Then, the Heavenly Dragon would awaken from its egg and go in search of the hero. ¡®However, the hero has yet to realize his own power. He has just left his hometown and is about to embark on his journey.¡¯ As long as the hero doesn¡¯t realize it, the Heavenly Dragon won¡¯t awaken on its own. From Noble mtl dot com So, I have to trick the Heavenly Dragon. ¡®Originally, I planned to use the method that the mazoku were going to use.¡¯ Joo-in approached right before the egg. ¡°Oh, God of the Heavenly Dragons! It is time to awaken your divine beast!¡± He raised the artifact, [Key of the Heavenly Dragons], that he had obtained from Karacen, the chieftain of the barbarians, above his head. The sunlight poured down onto the egg through the artifact. Hwaaa-ahht! The holy light filled the old building. The Heavenly Dragon was originally the divine beast of the God of the Heavenly Dragons. If he had his artifact, it was possible to forcefully awaken it like this. Kwa-dad-deuk! A sound began to come from the Heavenly Dragon¡¯s egg. It was the sound of the egg beginning to crack. However, it was slow. ¡®It¡¯ll take a long time at this rate.¡¯ I had prepared for something like this. Joo-in took out the shield on his back. He fed a jewel to the [Unnamed God¡¯s Shield]. Woong-woong! Another light burst out from the shield. It was the divinity of the [Unnamed God]. Kwa-dad-deuk-deuk-deuk! As expected of a holy dragon, the Heavenly Dragon¡¯s egg, which had absorbed the light of the artifacts, cracked more than halfway. However, Joo-in had more prepared. A light burst out from the mantle on his back as well. The artifact, [He Who Promises the Dawn], that he had taken from the Great Mage. Paaa-ahht! Black light, befitting of an artifact of darkness, poured down onto the Heavenly Dragon¡¯s egg. And finally. Sreung! A shining sword appeared out of thin air. It was the hero¡¯s holy sword. The holy sword was a sword that originally only the hero could wield. Although Joo-in wasn¡¯t the true master of the holy sword, he had been granted this much power as he defeated the Demon King¡¯s remnants. Kuku-ku-ku-ku-kung! That was a tremendous surge of energy. The egg of the Sky Dragon began to crack in all directions. Zzzzt! The egg exploded with light. Kwaaang! The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred. Including Joo-yeon, everyone¡¯s bodies were launched into the air. To be precise, the ground was rising. Everyone screamed in surprise. ¡°Suddenly, wh¡­ what the!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trap! We have to run!¡± However, Joo-yeon was calm. This was because he knew about this phenomenon very well. ¡®Ah, now I miss it, I miss it.¡¯ It was the opening scene of a game that he always skipped. If only he could skip it now too, but this was reality that could not be skipped. ¡°Fall back!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kwa-thud! The appearance of the ruined building began to change. It shot up as if a new building was being constructed. It was a castle. Their eye level had also changed. It felt as if they were looking down at an island. Hak-en asked in surprise. ¡°What is all this?¡± ¡°What is it? It¡¯s the true form of the Sky Dragon¡¯s Island.¡± Until now, the master of the island had not awakened, so it had been hiding its form. However, since the sacred instruments and the holy sword had awakened the Sky Dragon. The island was revealing its true form. It wasn¡¯t just the island that revealed its true form. Kuoooooooooo! In the midst of the smoke covering the egg, a gigantic roar spread out. A powerful shockwave that shook the entire island came with it. Soon, the smoke cleared and a beast revealed itself. [Sky Dragon] It was a guardian deity that had fought alongside heroes against the Demon King since time immemorial. Golden scales. Golden eyes that saw through everything. A size larger than a castle. Daedo¡¯s mouth fell wide open at the sight. ¡°My God¡­ Is it really Cheon-gong-yong?¡± Daedo vividly remembered Cheon-gong-yong fighting alongside the Hero against the Demon King in the past. He asked Ryu-jin where he had come from. -I don¡¯t know where I came from either. He¡¯s just been by my side since some point. The Saintess had said something similar. -Cheon-gong-yong is said to be born with the Hero and shares his destiny. Cheon-gong-yong had disappeared after the Hero Ryu-jin died. That¡¯s why Daedo thought he would never see the creature again. But here he was. Daedo couldn¡¯t help but stare at Ju-yeon in disbelief. ¡°¡­He really was the Hero. He was the Hero.¡± He had finally learned the secret story of Cheon-gong-yong¡¯s birth. However, Ju-yeon was staring at the healthy-looking Cheon-gong-yong with narrowed eyes. ¡®Well, the Demon Tribe tried to hatch him without the Holy Sword. It takes time, but it¡¯s good for corrupting him with darkness.¡¯ But Ju-yeon was different. He had hatched Cheon-gong-yong with the Hero¡¯s Holy Sword. Cheon-gong-yong, who had absorbed the power of the Holy Sword and the spirits, could use special powers as well as the power of the Holy Sword, which had been strengthened by the power of the spirits. Moreover, Cheon-gong-yong, who had been fully revived, could use a special ability once. Ju-yeon wanted a complete½â³ý. That¡¯s why he shouted as if he had been waiting. ¡°Cheon-gong-yong. I ask of you. Undo my friend¡¯s curse¡­¡± But right at that moment. Kuooooh. The golden eyes turned in one direction. It was the opposite direction from where Ju-yeon¡¯s party had come. Daedo, who had just realized something, widened his eyes. ¡°Oh no¡­ They¡¯re demons!¡± ¡°De¡­ Demons?¡± ¡°The Demon Tribe is bringing demons!¡± The aide seemed very angry. Daedo quickly finished his analysis. ¡°A hundred flying demons and ten demons!¡± Of course, the number of demons was still growing. Daedo¡¯s eyes continued to assess the enemy. ¡°The number of flying demons is increasing! 215, 260, 312¡­!¡± Daedo shouted anxiously. ¡°We might lose Cheon-gong-yong! Hurry!¡± He meant to quickly½â³ý the island¡¯s summoning, take Cheon-gong-yong, and run away. They couldn¡¯t let the Demon Tribe take the Hero¡¯s possession. However, Jooyeon shook his head. ¡°Denied!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the bastards will come before we escape. Or we¡¯ll lose this island.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces hardened. Either way, their lives were on the line. Chun-gong-yong had just woken up, so if this floating island fell into the hands of the Mazoku, the entire continent would be a sea of fire. There was no proper means of escape either. There were too many of them to escape on Chun-gong-yong. But there was no need to worry. Flash! The golden dragon stared at Karasen with its mysterious golden eyes and opened its mouth in front of him. Kuuu. Black smoke poured out of Karasen¡¯s body. It was the curse of the Maou. It was the terrible entity that had turned the great Barbarian chieftain into an idiot. Chun-gong-yong sucked the curse into its mouth. It had accepted Jooyeon¡¯s request. Dae-do shouted urgently. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re saving Karasen, but there are too many of them!¡± At this rate, they could only fight in isolation. No matter how much they were the companions of a past hero, it would be difficult to fight against such overwhelming numbers. But Jooyeon just smiled. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t wait, escape first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Dae-do¡¯s eyes wavered. Five minutes ago, he would have escaped without looking back. He thought Jooyeon was a Mazoku who was imitating the hero. However, it was different now. ¡®He awakened the hero¡¯s Chun-gong-yong.¡¯ If that guy wasn¡¯t a hero, who was? Jooyeon was carrying on the will of Ryu-jin, the past hero. He couldn¡¯t leave such a guy behind and escape. [Black Water Maneuver] [Mugu Skill ¨C Full Body Weaponization Activated] Numerous hidden weapons sprouted from Dae-do¡¯s body. ¡°Running away once is enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­This time, I¡¯ll protect the hero!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy you time to escape.¡± Joo-eun smiled at the determined face that seemed ready to face death. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Even if I die, you have to live! There¡¯s no other way now¡­¡± Instead of replying, Joo-eun chanted. ¡°Celestial Dragon, fire the absorbed curse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Joo-eun stretched out her hand towards the enemies approaching the island. Then, the Celestial Dragon with its golden body turned its mouth towards the demons and the devil¡¯s army. And. Kwaa-aaang! A breath mixed with gold and black began to fly towards the enemies. Chapter 85 My Reflector Is Invincible 8585. My Comrade The breath mixed with gold and black crossed the sky. It pierced through like a giant blue canvas being torn in half. Kwakwakwakwang! The demons and the devil¡¯s army hit by the Celestial Dragon¡¯s breath exploded as it was. There were a few that survived. ¡°Wahh, wahh.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bad. Fight.¡± They turned into children due to the power of the breath mixed with the Demon King¡¯s curse and began to fight each other. Blows aimed at taking their lives crossed each other. In an instant, the large army of demons collapsed. Dae-do¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment at the sight. ¡°Oh¡­ my god¡­¡± To use the curse of the savage chieftain, who used to be his comrade, like this. Moreover, he had never seen the Celestial Dragon have such an ability, even when he was with the hero Ryu-jin. No, it wasn¡¯t that he had never seen anything similar before. ¡°Surely when fighting the Demon King¡­ I think there was a time when he absorbed the bastard¡¯s power.¡± However, the Demon King¡¯s power was enormous. Just once. The Celestial Dragon had absorbed his power and released it, and had immediately withdrawn from the battle. Now, he was seeing that sight again. Joo-eun also knew this information well. ¡®It¡¯s a technique that the Celestial Dragon can use when it reaches its final evolution. Originally, it should only be usable near the end.¡¯ From Noble mtl dot com The current situation was a little special. It was because the Celestial Dragon had absorbed the power of the Artifact s and the holy sword and awakened into its final form. Of course, it was a pity that it could only be used once¡­ [The Sky Whale begins to gather its strength] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the Sky Whale. Gathering its strength? ¡®Could it be that it can be used again?¡¯ Was that possible? ¡®Are there any other conditions?¡¯ Just then, the voices of the Demons seemed to be heard from afar. ¡°You son of a b*tchhhhh!¡± Of course, it soon disappeared. As if it had been hit hard by Breath, its wings burned and it fell to the ground. Joo-yeon shrugged. ¡°Well, that¡¯s none of my business.¡± Anyway, most of the flying Demons and the Demons had been taken care of. For the time being, it would be difficult to see enemies flying through the sky and nagging. Unaware of that fact, the party was simply busy admiring it. The Sky Whale¡¯s mighty power. Joo-yeon, who had awakened and used it. The flying Demons and Demons that had disappeared. It was something they could only admire. However, Joo-yeon had no intention of continuing to watch this sight. ¡®The Sky Whale¡¯s power is over for now.¡¯ There was no more power left to protect the island. Before the Demons sent more troops, everything had to be wrapped up. In reality, the Sky Whale, which was larger than a building, was gradually shrinking. Joo-yeon gave the Sky Whale an order. ¡°Sky Whale. Hide the island from the Demons.¡± Kuooooh! The Sky Whale cried out toward the sky. Then, a fog rolled in toward the giant island. It became transparent, as if it were going to disappear into the clouds. Of course, this alone would not be enough to avoid the eyes of the Demons. ¡°Send the island to the Valley of Dragons. So that it can be protected from them.¡± Kuooooh! At the Sky Whale¡¯s cry, the island began to move. Kukukuku. It was moving toward the Valley of Dragons, where the dragons that flew through the sky gathered. Now, this island was moving to the safest place in the world. ¡®My journey ends in the Valley of Dragons anyway. I have something to receive there after meeting the Dragon Lord.¡¯ Joo-yeon planned to leave this island. If he remains here, the demons will only become more likely to target him. Of course, there was something to confirm before that. ¡°How is Karacen? Has the curse been lifted?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ th-that, that¡¯s right! The curse?¡± Daedo¡¯s head turned urgently to the side. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the macho warrior guarding the savage chieftain Karacen. The macho warrior nodded coolly. ¡°For now, I can no longer sense any trace of the curse.¡± Jooyeon nodded, having confirmed everything. ¡°Good. We will leave here.¡± Then Karacen would have been resolved as well. ¡®Now, let¡¯s deal with the real nuisance.¡¯ If we leave him alone, he will definitely cause more problems. It was time to take care of him and then leave for the Artifact . * * * When the floating island rose into the sky, the savage king was furious. [Everything has gone to hell. It¡¯s all your fault.] Before him, the grand sorcerer was prostrated on the ground. -My l-lord, I have committed a grave sin. [Because of you, I have become a wretch who received tribute from the demons. How will you atone for this disgrace?] The savage king gnashed his teeth and kicked the grand sorcerer away. However, there was something else that grated on the savage king¡¯s nerves. It was the demons flying in from the opposite side of the island. They must have been sent by the demon with whom the grand sorcerer had contracted. The furious savage king let out a great roar. [How dare¡­ the demons set foot on my land!] The castle shook at the savage king¡¯s roar. As if responding to his roar, the savage ghosts soared up. [The moment they set foot on the ground! Eradicate those cursed beings!] -Oooooh! The savage warriors¡¯ eyes were filled with murderous intent. Then, something was launched from the island floating in the sky. Kwaa-aaah. The force instantly knocked the demons off their feet. And there was an explosion in the sky. Kwakwakwakwang! It was a truly magnificent sight. Not a single one survived; they all fell to the ground, burning. Even those who did survive ended up killing each other. The savages could only be bewildered. [What in the world is this power¡­.] Even the most savage king would not have been able to match this power. I was horrified by the force that was so great that I could not even imagine it. If that came towards us, I did not know what would happen. Even the ancestral spirits of the savage tribe, who were in a state of being ghosts, whispered in fear. -Ahem. You have lost a lot of energy, so why don¡¯t you go in and rest for a bit? Your Majesty. [W-well¡­ should I?] -Don¡¯t you have more important things to do? [Yes.] The demons would have all disappeared by now, anyway, so I had to regain my strength and make a plan. Even though the protagonist had interfered, I would set up battlefields all over the continent again to regain my strength. ¡®Once that guy leaves the savage lands¡­¡¯ But that moment came right away. Clank, clank, clank, clank! [¡­!] Iron chains poured down from the sky. They tied up the savage king, who was trying to return to his grave. [Ugh!] The savage king exerted his strength to break the iron chains. However, far from breaking, the chains only shook slightly. Rather, they only tied him up more tightly. [Kuaaa.] No matter how hard the savage king tried, it was no use. He shouted at the remaining savage spirits. [What the hell are you just watching for! You idiots!] -I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty. The shaman¡¯s spirit ran over. And they tried to remove the iron chains with various spells. However, it was no use. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Gasp¡­ Your Majesty. This power is¡­. [What¡¯s wrong!] -Th¡­ that¡¯s because. [Just say it because it¡¯s annoying!] -It¡¯s the spell that your descendants used to seal you in the past. [What¡­ what!?] The savage king¡¯s voice trembled violently. In the past, he had been a cruel emperor. He had been a tyrant who had made not only the continentals but even the savages tremble in fear. It was no wonder that his descendants, who even held the flesh given to them by their ancestors as sacred, had come out themselves to seal him. He was not even buried in the land of his ancestors and was destined to have his name erased. It was a disgrace and a dishonor. That¡¯s why he made a promise to the savages. £¼Never to go beyond the Forbidden Zone, and to serve the tribe£¾ It was a trap, a deal to be buried in the Forbidden Zone, which could be called the ancestral tomb. In return for that honor, the Barbarian King had passed down all sorts of sorcery and power to the Barbarian chieftains through the generations. However, the promise he had made to his descendants had long since vanished. Instead, he had used the Grand Warlock to break the seal. And now, that same seal had been cast again? Then there was only one culprit. The Barbarian King¡¯s fury turned toward the Grand Warlock. [You black-haired beast, who knows no gratitude! How dare you try to seal me?] But the Grand Warlock protested his innocence, wringing his hands. -I¡­ It wasn¡¯t me! How could I possibly dare to restrain Your Majesty! [Silence!] The Barbarian King¡¯s fury erupted into flames. Like an incarnation of fire, he burned his surroundings. The spirits screamed in agony as they were extinguished. Then, a voice boomed from the sky. ¡°Enough. Ancestor of the forgotten empire. I am the one who cast that seal.¡± [Who are you!?] He turned his head and saw Zhou Ye and his party. Their faces were obscured by the swirling dust. However, the man at the front had bound the Barbarian King with iron chains. The Barbarian King¡¯s eyes widened in shock. [You wretch! How dare you! Trying to restrain me, who was once an emperor!] ¡°Barbarian King, you did not keep your promise.¡± [What nonsense are you spouting!?] ¡°Have you forgotten our agreement? To remain sealed until you had atoned for all your sins, to protect your descendants.¡± [¡­¡­!?] The Barbarian King stumbled backward in surprise. He had indeed made such an oath. But no one remembered that promise anymore. It was a promise that even the Grand Warlock, who had helped him break the seal, did not know. [You¡­ who on earth are you!] The wind died down as those evil words left his mouth. The Barbarian King gasped as he finally saw who he was facing. Thud! Impressive muscles. A gaze as fierce as a warlord¡¯s. A stern face with wise eyes. The man¡¯s mouth slowly opened. ¡°I am your descendant, the current representative of the Barbarian tribe. The one who has inherited the ancient promise.¡± [Wha¡­ what?] Following him, Joo-in also appeared. And stood beside the man. ¡°And my colleague. This guy is the Barbarian Chief, Karacen.¡± Chapter 86 My Reflector Is Invincible 8686. Brothers The Chief who reunited and unified the Barbarians that were scattered in dozens. The hero who mastered countless shamanic techniques and blocked the Empire¡¯s large army with his own power. The man who achieved numerous feats as a comrade of the warriors and became a fool due to the Demon King¡¯s curse. [Barbarian Chief Karacen] He was the great Chief recognized by all Barbarians. The first thing he did as soon as he regained consciousness was not something else. ¡°Bring me the sealing beads.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°The ancient soul that shouldn¡¯t be awakened has awakened. He must be locked up again.¡± How he regained consciousness. Who helped him. Why he was lying on a foothold in the air. Those circumstances were not important now. What was important to him was to seal the Barbarian King. Joo-in knew the reason exactly. ¡®Yes. This is the Barbarian Chief Karacen.¡¯ He was similar to the Knight King but different. Unlike the Knight King who fought for honor to the end, Karacen was a more noble person. A man who knew how to sacrifice himself for a cause. He was the same now. ¡®He felt the Barbarian King¡¯s energy as soon as he woke up and tried to seal him first.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t for nothing that he was considered the best among his colleagues. That¡¯s why Joo-in didn¡¯t hesitate. He handed over the iron chain he had retrieved from the treasury where the Holy Sword was sleeping. From Noble mtl dot com He had two sealing beads. An iron chain and a wooden stake. However, he didn¡¯t hand over the stake. Anyway, the Barbarian King had all his powers stripped by Joo-in. If it was Karacen that Joo-in knew, this level of sealing beads would be enough. In fact, Karacen, who had uttered a few shamanic words, was able to subdue him perfectly. The Barbarian King recognized Karacen right away. [You are definitely¡­ the descendant who was cursed by the Demon King!] The Barbarian King shouted in anger. [Why is a descendant blocking the path of his ancestor! If you also have my blood, you should be on my side!] ¡°Descendants aren¡¯t obligated to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors.¡± [What?] ¡°Can you really call someone who broke their promise an ancestor?¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [What are you¡­¡­] ¡°If you had kept your promise to care for your descendants and lifted my curse, I might have felt some inclination to follow you. Even if it wasn¡¯t me, you should have protected the tribesmen. But you didn¡¯t keep your promise. Instead, you coveted the blood of your descendants.¡± [¡­¡­] The promise with the Savage King was a secret passed down only to the core figures of the Savage tribe. It was passed down in secret from the previous chieftain to the next only through the patriarch. Most new chieftains reached the Forbidden Land, received his strategy and power, and protected the Savage tribe. However, Karacen was different. Karacen had already unified all the Savage tribes and mastered all the magic. As he became a comrade of the Hero, he grew strong enough that he didn¡¯t need the Savage King¡¯s power. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t need to receive the Savage King¡¯s power. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve forgotten the ancient promise. Have you forgotten why you were sealed? How we fell because of that?¡± [Tha¡­¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡­] ¡°And yet you forgot the failures of the past and hurt your descendants again.¡± Karacen¡¯s eyes turned to the battered Great Mage. ¡°Great Mage.¡± -Ka¡­¡­ Karacen¡­¡­ The Great Mage, who had become a mess after being hit by the Savage King, trembled. Karacen spoke. ¡°I understand you. You grew tired of waiting without hope and made the wrong choice.¡± -aaah¡­¡­ Karacen¡­¡­ Our great chieftain¡­¡­ The Great Mage¡¯s soul shed tears. He could be angry if he cursed and spat at him, but he could still be angry if he showed him kindness. However, he couldn¡¯t bear this kind of friendly voice and gaze. He collapsed under his own sense of guilt. He couldn¡¯t even look up at Karacen, who had once been his chieftain. However, Karacen¡¯s gaze as he turned to the Savage King was cold. The Savage King felt wronged by that gaze. [What did I do wrong! I endured and waited for an eternity. And I just took my chance when it came!] ¡°Haven¡¯t you already experienced the collapse of a kingdom built on blood? Was the wealth and honor built on the blood of your kin so sweet to you?¡± [¡­¡­] ¡°Nothing has changed in a thousand years.¡± Karacen gestured. ¡°You know your sins better than anyone. You can no longer be called an ancestor.¡± The Savage King couldn¡¯t bring himself to argue. It was because of the look Karacen gave him. It was heavy. And serious. The Savage King was his long-lost ancestor. From the moment he called himself ancient, he had become the ancestor of all barbarians. But now, this moment. Karassen, who could be called his descendant, was looking at him with eyes full of reproach. It felt like a child being scolded by an adult. [Damn it.] Was he making the same mistake again? No, it wasn¡¯t a mistake to say that he had created a ridiculous precedent by accepting the offering of the Demon Tribe. That¡¯s when something amazing happened. ¡°Barbarian King!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Unexpectedly, the Barbarian King did not refuse Karassen¡¯s spell and accepted it. And left a final word. [Even if a thousand years pass, and another thousand years pass¡­ I will not return this time.] And so, the Barbarian King¡¯s soul disappeared. The souls that followed him also silently seeped into their original tombs. They had also chosen eternal imprisonment as punishment for aiding the king¡¯s wrongdoing. The moment all the souls disappeared. Only one soul remained forbidden. A soul that was now fluttering as if it was about to vanish. It was the Great Shaman. He was shedding bloody tears, unable to maintain his soul¡¯s form properly. -Despite the humiliation you suffered because of me¡­ even now, do you pity me, Chieftain? ¡°It is not pity, brother. You were a part of the tribe that I should have taken responsibility for, so now that I have returned, I will bear your wrongdoing as well.¡± The Great Shaman collapsed on the ground and wailed. -Ooooooh! He was recalling the countless brothers who had died because of his greed. It didn¡¯t matter if it was the Demon Tribe¡¯s instigation or if he had become obsessed with its power. He had used the Chieftain to kill his fellow tribesmen. His hands were stained with the blood of his tribesmen. -Chi¡­Chieftain. Never forgive me¡­ The Great Shaman¡¯s soul simply dissipated. If he had endured, his soul could have recovered and been buried in the tomb of his ancestors. However, he couldn¡¯t endure it and chose to disappear on his own. Karassen watched the sight with a bitter look. Then Jooyeon approached. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Karassen.¡± Jooyeon knew his old comrade well. He was affectionate, but he never cried. He was a man who shed tears in his heart, no matter how painful or agonizing the moment was. That¡¯s why he was the Chieftain unanimously chosen by all the barbarians. Indeed, the pride of the barbarians, the valiant and formidable chieftain¡­ ¡°But who¡­ might you be? How do you know me?¡± Oh, this was unexpected. Juyeon was genuinely taken aback. * * * How was he supposed to explain this? In truth, the relationship between Juyeon and Karasen was quite ambiguous. He was too young to be called a comrade. Yet, they wouldn¡¯t believe him if he claimed they used to be comrades. ¡®Even the Sword King and the Great Mage don¡¯t remember me.¡¯ It would be even more difficult for Karasen, the barbarian chieftain, to remember Juyeon. ¡®No, he shouldn¡¯t be able to remember me in the first place.¡¯ He was originally a player! Of course, he had many memories of Karasen. The barbarian chieftain Karasen was like a spiritual mentor to Ryujin and the players. After all, he had helped them overcome many crises with his guidance. But explaining this wouldn¡¯t be easy. To his surprise, Karasen spoke first. ¡°I have a question for you first.¡± ¡°A question?¡± Karasen lifted the chain he was holding. ¡°This is a familiar object. Where did you acquire it?¡± The Great Mage had gathered the materials. The Dwarf King had forged it. The Saintess had blessed it. The barbarian chieftain and the sage had cast spells on it. It was the only item in the world that bore the mark of the Death God. The item had only one purpose. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t break the Forbidden Seal and bring this object here.¡± In an instant, an overwhelming aura erupted from Karasen. It was an oppressive killing intent. His eyes gleamed as if he were about to slaughter Juyeon right then and there. The flustered Great Mage stepped forward. ¡°Hey there, handsome! Karasen! It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°A misunderstanding? You mean it¡¯s a misunderstanding that I have this object in my hands?¡± The air grew so heavy it was hard to breathe. His killing intent intensified, as if he wouldn¡¯t spare even the Great Mage, despite their former camaraderie. Of course, the situation was certainly understandable from Karasen¡¯s perspective. That chain was the object that had sealed the Forbidden Seal. To seal the Demon King¡¯s physical body, it was an item made while abandoning the body of his close friend, Ryuujin. Is that item here now? ¡®The only thing I can think of is that he explored the iron chains and released the forbidden seal.¡¯ The iron chains and the wooden stake were the ultimate sealing tools. Since there was only one, there was a chance that it could produce a unique class if used properly. Jooyeon also thought it was natural. However, he calmly opened his mouth. ¡°Yes. I brought it from there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Karasen¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He scanned Jooyeon as if he was seeing through everything. ¡°What happened to Ryuujin?¡± ¡°The King of Knights took him to a safe place and held a funeral. Along with the price he deserved.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Only then did Karasen¡¯s murderous intent disappear. He was a wise man. He realized the truth of the misunderstanding after a few conversations. ¡°That man entrusted you with those iron chains¡­ Does that mean you were the one who saved Ryuujin?¡± Karasen offered a prayer in the direction where Ryuujin would be. ¡°Ancestors. I am grateful for your blessing¡­¡­.¡± Warrior Ryuujin. Not being able to help him remained a regret for his old comrades. Karasen was the same. Although he had become innocent like a child, he still remembered the death of his old comrade. He had the sadness of not being able to help him. That was now resolved. Jooyeon also knew that and carefully opened his mouth. ¡°And speaking of which. In fact, I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jooyeon¡¯s words were cut off before he could finish. Karasen¡¯s eyes were as calm as ever. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who you are or how you know me anymore.¡± The only thing that mattered was that Jooyeon had helped Ryuujin in his final moments. All he needed to know was that he had given him peace. Karasen put his hand on Jooyeon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you helped my brother find peace¡­ You are worthy of being my brother as well.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡­.¡± The Great Mage was lost for words. ¡°When I asked you to do so, you wouldn¡¯t call me your brother¡­¡­.¡± For decades, those Karacen called brothers could be counted on one hand. Of course, Daedo was never among them. Daedo pouted, but Joo-Heon was also a little surprised. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because of the achievement effect.¡¯ [Friend of the Savages] Maybe he gained the effect of befriending all savages. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t important right now. The Savage Chieftain became his ally. He also obtained the Divine Artifact. He even took care of the Savage King who was getting in the way of the restriction. His business here was almost done. That was when it happened. Kyaaak! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Sky Dragon that had taken the island to a safe place descended from the sky. Its gigantic body disappeared without a trace, and a small creature the size of Joo-Heon¡¯s palm landed on his shoulder. ¡°Well, then. Shall we go find the next Divine Artifact?¡± It was time to leave. But then, a strange notification appeared. Chapter 87 My Reflector Is Invincible 8787. Divine Name [You have achieved a special achievement.] [£¼Master of the Divine Sky Dragon£¾] [You are protected by the Divine Being and can distinguish evil.] From Noble mtl dot com Joo-Heon¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected notification. ¡®This is.¡¯ It was an achievement that even Joo-Heon knew well. £¼Divine Protection£¾ is a protection effect from the Divine Being. £¼Divine Eye£¾ is an eye that can distinguish evil. However, these were abilities that only heroes could use, so Joo-Heon had never used them before. It was an ability he wouldn¡¯t regret having. If he had both abilities, he would also gain Divine Power, although it would be weak. ¡®Of course, he¡¯ll naturally become hostile toward evil-type jobs.¡¯ At the same time, the Sky Dragon rubbed its cheek against Joo-Heon¡¯s shoulder and cried. This was definitely a sight that acknowledged him as a hero. That¡¯s why Joo-Heon felt dizzy. ¡®If the Sky Dragon¡¯s egg had been corrupted by the Mahwas¡­ .¡¯ At that moment, the Sky Dragon would have been born as a Dragon with an evil nature. And evil nature had the power to ignore the opponent¡¯s defense. Just think about it. A Breath that absorbs the opponent¡¯s power and fires it would ignore the opponent¡¯s defense. Any hero-level ally would die in one shot. In that case, the protagonist would be in trouble. ¡®Because I won¡¯t be able to clear the last achievement.¡¯ Then everything ends. It was a death end as it is. It was no use for the protagonist to get stronger alone. In order to escape this place, I had to see the last ending. Not even one of my companions should die. I don¡¯t know why such a difficult problem was given to me, but anyway, this was a very important issue. But the possibility of an achievement that no one had ever achieved began to appear. Just looking at the ability of the newly achieved achievement besides Sky Piercer, I could tell. [A special achievement has been made.] [£¼The One Who Perfectly Sealed the Barbarian King£¾] [You can perfectly subdue and summon an opponent with a job class of King or higher.] [Current summonable target: Barbarian King] The protagonist¡¯s lips moved pleasantly. ¡®I can summon and fight the Barbarian King?¡¯ The Barbarian King clearly swore that he would never come back. But was summoning really possible? I needed to check. ¡®Of course, since he¡¯s the one Karacen kicked out, I should do it secretly from Karacen.¡¯ But besides the achievement, there was something else that came into my hand. It was the jewel that the Great Mage¡¯s soul left behind. A great power dwelled within it. Karacen, the chieftain, also willingly yielded it to the protagonist. [Heart of the Great Mage] -Rank: Legendary -A sorcery that wants to protect the owner dwells within. -Has strong resistance to sorcery and magic. -Replaces the owner¡¯s death only once. But the written content was unusual. ¡®Only once. It replaces the owner¡¯s death?¡¯ It was a very good item, but the reason the protagonist found it strange was for another reason. ¡®There was no item with a similar effect in the game.¡¯ If there was an item with such an effect in the first place, my companions wouldn¡¯t have had to die. If I had only left it to the hero, I would have cleared the game. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®If only I had this¡­¡­.¡¯ If I gathered items that would replace the deaths of my companions. No, if I armed my companions with items with similar effects. This time, I could finally clear the last achievement. But why was I checking these things when I said I was leaving? He said he would leave, but he couldn¡¯t leave right away. The macho warrior was a problem for one. ¡°You¡¯re my son?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The main characters screamed at the unexpected truth. The strangely inclined macho warrior. He was Karasen¡¯s son. Daedo seemed surprised as well. ¡°I-Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Karasen also showed signs of rare confusion. At the same time, they came to understand what had happened until now. ¡®No wonder he was so loyal to Karasen.¡¯ Not only his abilities, but was it because he didn¡¯t believe in the power of the Grand Sorcerer? ¡®He must have been protecting his childishly regressed father.¡¯ No matter how wise Karasen was, he didn¡¯t know what to do, as he was so flustered. He was a son who had left to go on an adventure with a hero and hadn¡¯t even seen him being born. ¡°Then she is?¡± ¡°My mother died during the tribal war. I disguised myself as someone else to avoid the Grand Sorcerer¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± The macho warrior didn¡¯t have a name. It was because his father, a warrior, hadn¡¯t given him one. ¡°My mother believed that my father would regain his senses. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t give me a name.¡± To the barbarians, the name given by their father was special. It meant inheriting and also developing his name. That was why the macho warrior had lived with a fake name until now. ¡°In case I used a similar name to my father¡¯s, the bastard might notice.¡± That was why he had been able to survive. Karasen nodded. ¡°In the past, I promised your mother a name. Karaon. [He who carries glory].¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The macho warrior. No, Karaon, as he was now called, shouted with burning eyes. ¡°Thank you, Father. No, Chief!¡± ¡°You may call me Father.¡± ¡°No. I will follow you as a tribesman until the tribe is rebuilt.¡± Karasen and Karaon had each found a son and a father. However, the real work was just beginning. Karasen¡¯s face hardened as he checked the state of the village. ¡°The tribe has declined considerably.¡± The current state of the barbarians was at its worst. Most of them had been intoxicated by the power of the Barbarian King, who called himself the Supreme Being. Some of the great warriors who had followed the Great Shaman even fled upon Karacen¡¯s return. Karaon also spoke with a serious face. ¡°All that remains now are those blinded by wealth and power, and the elderly and weak who cannot protect themselves. Most of those who pursued honor and glory have left the tribe.¡± Even those who remained were addicted to violence and drugs and could not think straight. The glorious barbarians of the past were no more. However, Karaon puffed out his chest and said, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. The true will of the barbarians has not yet been broken.¡± ¡°Is that why you stayed by the Great Shaman¡¯s side¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. I was waiting for my father¡¯s return with the true warriors of the barbarians.¡± Karaon had been pretending to be a macho warrior all this time, hiding the true warriors. The true barbarian warriors had been guarding their pride as warriors in a remote place where no one would find them. For a while, they had not been able to contact each other properly due to the Great Shaman¡¯s surveillance, but they would return as soon as they were contacted now. Karacen¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Then we shall gather the tribe together once more. Karaon, light the beacon.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Karaon did not hesitate to set fire to the village. The village, which had been corrupted by blood and gold, no longer existed. The smoke from the burning village rose over the mountains like a giant beacon. Haken¡¯s mouth fell open at the sight. ¡°Are you crazy? I thought you were going to burn something on top of a mountain because it was a beacon.¡± He never would have guessed that they would burn down the village. However, Juyeon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°They¡¯re barbarians.¡± ¡°Even barbarians can¡¯t be this ignorant, can they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not ignorant. That¡¯s their tradition.¡± ¡°Tradition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pledge to bid farewell to the past and live in the present. It also means burning and purifying things that have defiled the honor of warriors.¡± Those barbarians were the most fearsome of all. Those who knew honor only looked at one thing and ran towards it. They did not even fear death. It was the spirit that the apostates and the demons had wanted to corrupt. ¡®Well, it must have been their doing to manipulate Sanderson.¡¯ In any case, the barbarians were often spread out doing mercenary work all over the world. News of this place would already be spreading through the continent. But then a problem arose. Karacen approached with a hardened face. ¡°There¡¯s a problem, brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The warriors who were supposed to come with the beacon haven¡¯t arrived. I tried contacting Karahan just in case, but¡­¡± The warriors themselves have actually run into a problem. Apparently they got into a big fight with the Great Shaman¡¯s minions and some demons and were badly injured. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt, but they were protecting the tribesmen and ended up with a lot of casualties. Even with the great chieftain¡¯s return, there were only a handful of warriors who came back. Karahan looked genuinely apologetic as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t travel with you, brother. As chieftain, I have a duty to protect my people.¡± Jooin had intended to take the savage chieftain Karahan with him on his journey along with Daeho. But it was impossible now. At the very least, they¡¯d have to wait until the savages could stand on their own two feet again. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to hold down the fort until the warriors return.¡± ¡°How long will that be?¡± ¡°A few years at least.¡± A few years was a problem. Jooin had less than two years left. He had to defeat the Demon King in that time. So what could he do? ¡®I¡¯ll either have to leave Karahan and find a new companion, or help him fulfill his duties as chieftain quickly.¡¯ The solution was simple. Jooin decided to change his next destination. ¡®I was going to visit the Elf Godfather, but I guess I can¡¯t.¡¯ The Elf Godfather is the guardian of the World Tree. Any player who has defeated the Demon King even once can receive help from the World Tree. The World Tree is a demigod with the power of omniscience. Jooin had intended to use the World Tree¡¯s help to learn some information. It was a necessary choice, as Daeho couldn¡¯t open a subspace yet. But now that things had changed, he had to change his order of destinations. ¡®I¡¯ll have to meet the Saintess first.¡¯ The Saintess and the Order¡¯s power could restore the savage warriors. This was a request that Jooin, with the hero¡¯s holy sword, could easily make. Fortunately, a cardinal from the Order had been dispatched to the Edmer territory in the north. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for the Saintess¡¯s help through the cardinal for now.¡± If all goes well, he could request the Saintess¡¯s support and then go meet the Elf Godfather. Daeho suddenly spoke. ¡°Do you really think a hoodlum hero like you will be able to meet the Saintess? Aren¡¯t you going to get brainwashed in the name of god?¡± Jooin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He knew the Saintess better than anyone. On the contrary, I¡¯m the one who gave that Saintess mental training. Having made that judgment, Joo-yeon quickly sprang into action. * * * Inside the radiant church, A man knocked on the wooden door. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± A woman with a melodious voice answered from within. The visitor spoke with a hardened expression to the woman whose face was hidden by a white veil. ¡°Grave news, Saintess.¡± Yes. She was the Saintess of the Order of the Great Sea. Esmeralda, the Saintess who, in the past, had defeated the Demon King alongside the Hero. She tilted her head, her expression gentle. ¡°Cardinal Hansen. What seems to be the matter?¡± ¡°A Hero has appeared.¡± ¡°I have heard tales of a Hero emerging in the North. Thanks to that, our Order has been searching for apostates, have we not?¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°That is not it, Saintess. A genuine Hero. It is said that a true Hero has appeared, separate from the Hero of the Edmer Dukedom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The Saintess¡¯s face hardened. A genuine Hero. It was a statement she could not comprehend. ¡°Explain this properly, Cardinal. What exactly are you saying?¡± ¡°A true Hero has appeared, bearing the divine mark on his neck. He demands verification, claiming that the Hero of the Edmer Dukedom is a fake.¡± This was an absurdity. In every era, there has only ever been one Hero at a time. Yet, a new Hero had appeared, and he was saying that the current Hero was a fake. But what if his words were true? That would be a great problem in its own right. ¡°How dare they¡­¡­ trifle with the sacred title bestowed by the gods?¡± Yes. There was a reason why there had never been a fake Hero until now. Upon the appearance of a Hero, the temples would perform their verification, and if they were proven to be a fake, the temples would burn the fraud at the stake. Of course, there were times when the Monarch of Knights would act before that. If so, they would be subjected to horrendous torture and executed in the plaza of the royal capital. The reason being that they had sullied the name of their comrades and the sacred title. But what if Joo-yeon was truly a fake? ¡°Contact all the temples. I must meet this Hero myself.¡± Joo-yeon, too, must face the wrath of the temples. He must face the punishment of being burned at the stake for the sin of sullying the title of Hero bestowed by the gods¡­ Chapter 88 My Reflector Is Invincible 8888. The Fake Hero ¡°I may not be able to go with you, but from now on, my son will aid his brother.¡± The savage chieftain, Karassen, bid Jooyoung farewell with a hint of regret. Jooyoung worried about his son. ¡°We met after decades, and we have to part ways like this?¡± ¡°He¡¯s our tribe¡¯s greatest warrior. As the greatest warrior, he must bear the responsibility for his tribe.¡± Helping Jooyoung was akin to helping the tribe. The reason he was moving in the first place was to heal the warriors. Karaon agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Saintess¡¯s help is needed to restore the tribe¡¯s warriors. Until the mission is complete, I shall become your blade in place of my father.¡± ¡°I have enough blades¡­.¡± Olsen interjected. As a knight, he was essentially Jooyoung¡¯s blade. Karaon chuckled. ¡°Then you shall be the blade that protects my father¡¯s brother. I shall be the spear that vanquishes the enemies.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was a play on words. Olsen, however, seemed to agree and let it slide. Jooyoung was taken aback by the scene. ¡®They say knights are simple-minded, after all.¡¯ The purpose of a blade was to vanquish enemies anyway. Karaon had essentially tied Olsen down with the promise of protecting Jooyoung while declaring that he would handle the demons. He was quite intelligent for the greatest warrior of the savage tribe. Well. As the son of the great Karassen, he might have been different from the start. ¡®Well, if they¡¯re fine with it, it¡¯s none of my business.¡¯ Still, with veteran former Demon King slayers, he felt secure. Jooyoung asked as he rode in the carriage, ¡°How long will it take to reach Edmer¡¯s territory?¡± ¡°We should arrive within a week.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take longer than I thought.¡± ¡°It took us about the same time when we came¡­.¡± Still, Olsen¡¯s face was quite bright. ¡°His Majesty the Knight King will be delighted to hear this news.¡± ¡°He probably will be.¡± In the past, the Knight King and the savage chieftain, Karassen, were the best of friends. Perhaps because they were muscle men who communicated through muscles, they had an unusually high level of affection for each other. It was comparable to how they felt about the hero, Ryujin. ¡®But they haven¡¯t seen each other since the Demon King¡¯s death. They were both in a mess, afflicted by the Demon King¡¯s curse.¡¯ However, Karacen had defeated the Demon King¡¯s curse. If the King of Knights heard the news of Karacen, he would naturally be happy. However, Olson laughed and said it wasn¡¯t that. ¡°Rather than that¡­ I think he¡¯d be very happy to hear about Joo-yeon.¡± ¡°Me?¡± What are you talking about? ¡°Because he cares about Joo-yeon. He asked me to tell him anything about Joo-yeon, no matter how small.¡± That iron-like guy said that? That¡¯s unexpected. A long time passed like that. ¡°Everyone looks tired.¡± ¡°I guess there must have been a lot going on in the barbarian territory.¡± Olson shook his head as if he was also tired. Indeed, it must have been hard. The duel with the Grand Warlock and the barbarians. Forbidden spells. It must have been more difficult and exhausting than a normal battle. In the end, Joo-yeon decided to stop by the village before heading to the territory. ¡°We need to stop by the village to restock.¡± ¡°Yes? It¡¯s okay. There are still items left¡­¡± ¡°No. I have some business to attend to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He couldn¡¯t ignore the party¡¯s fatigue. It was always a problem in the Balantino Saga. [£¼Fatigue£¾ of companion characters is high, stats will decrease] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [If high fatigue is left unattended, companion characters may leave] You shouldn¡¯t think of it as just a decrease in stats. Abilities like strength and agility also decrease, but it also has a great impact on accuracy and skill success rate. The current Joo-yeon can ignore fatigue through £¼Reflect£¾, but his companions cannot. ¡®But I can¡¯t ignore it. I can¡¯t throw away the Great Sword yet.¡¯ The Great Sword still can¡¯t use Black Water perfectly. If he can¡¯t open his subspace warehouse, he won¡¯t be able to get the necessary equipment and materials. The same goes for Haken. He¡¯s not yet at the level to face the Demon King, but he¡¯s being used as a porter, and his growth rate is beyond imagination. ¡®And it feels like he shows up at the right moment, which is strange.¡¯ When he opened the safe in the slave camp. When he appeared with a sword in hand to face the demons. Like right now, dealing with the talkative and nagging Great Sword. ¡°Huh? Great Sword, is this how you do it?¡± ¡°Ooh? You already succeeded at that? You¡¯re quite skilled!¡± ¡°hehehehe. That¡¯s because Great Sword taught me well.¡± ¡°Then try this.¡± Haken was steadily mastering the Great Sword technique. It may not be helpful at the moment, but at some point, it may be able to replace the Great Sword. Of course, Great Warrior Karahan clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯re tired from this much? The humans of the continent are too weak.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even fight?¡± ¡°I was holding back the Great Mage. There was nothing harder than that, considering the tribesmen who believed in me.¡± Yeah, it¡¯s good to have someone with stamina to spare. ¡°As expected, the greatest among the warrior companions are the barbarians¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll use you as bait when necessary.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Having arrived at the village, Joo-Heon looked around. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the largest village in the vicinity. I stopped by a few times when I went on missions.¡± ¡°Missions?¡± ¡°There are a lot of fake warriors, so I often go to catch them. It¡¯s rare these days, but there used to be quite a few.¡± Olsen stopped the carriage near the village. ¡°It won¡¯t be comfortable to rest if you take this carriage inside. I¡¯ll take care of the carriage here.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you rest too, Sir Olsen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a knight. This is nothing.¡± Besides, this carriage was special. There was a reason why the King of Knights gave it to Joo-Heon. Whirrr. A curtain was drawn over the carriage. It was a camouflage curtain that others could not see. The horses could rest at ease. Olsen said, preparing the horses¡¯ food. ¡°Go ahead. Don¡¯t worry about me or the carriage.¡± Joo-Heon burst into laughter at his appearance. This was also a function originally found in the Balantino Saga. £¼Guardian of the Cave£¾ It was a function that could set up a perimeter. ¡®At that time, I left it to the King of Knights, but this time Olsen is in charge.¡¯ It was a good choice to pick the King of Knights. If I hadn¡¯t chosen him, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to have the knight class as my companions. I could tell just by looking at how the others didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of sacrificing themselves like Olsen. ¡®Haken and Daedo are thieves, so of course.¡¯ Great Warrior Karahan didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of leaving Joo-Heon¡¯s side at Karasen¡¯s orders. He¡¯d rather follow Joo-Heon around than set up a perimeter. That meant that only knights with the loyalty attribute could do such a thing. ¡®I guess I have to include a knight as a companion character.¡¯ If there was a problem, it was on the other side. It was none other than Cheon-gong-yong. He was trying to get the dragon, who had no intention of leaving his side, off his shoulder. Cheon-gong-yong didn¡¯t seem to want to come off, but Joo-eun had no choice. ¡®Cheon-gong-yong is too conspicuous.¡¯ He caught people¡¯s attention. ¡°So you stay here with Olson and¡­¡± But right at that moment. Poof! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Cheon-gong-yong, who had been straining for a moment, disappeared. No, he didn¡¯t disappear. Joo-eun could still feel his weight on his shoulder. ¡®This kid, did he just mimic the magic used on the carriage?¡¯ Joo-eun stroked Cheon-gong-yong¡¯s head, which was covered by a veil. ¡°A camouflage spell? Did you see it and copy it?¡± Poof! As expected of a dragon. This way, they could move together. Joo-eun and his party headed into the village. * * * There was only one inn in the village. It was a medieval-style building with a tavern on the first floor. Joo-eun went straight to the innkeeper. ¡°I¡¯ll stay for a night.¡± ¡°Would you like a room for your whole party?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll take a separate one.¡± Hak-en interrupted Joo-eun¡¯s decision. ¡°Huh? You¡¯ll take a separate one? Isn¡¯t it safer to sleep together?¡± ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll sleep alone, and the others can share a room.¡± ¡°Well¡­ then¡­¡± Hak-en glanced at the party members. The great warrior Karah-on and Dae-do. However, it seemed that he didn¡¯t want to sleep with the macho great warrior. He decided to share a room with Dae-do. Only Joo-eun and the great warrior took separate rooms. Karah-on asked Joo-eun. ¡°Are you really okay by yourself? The demons might attack.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. In fact, I¡¯d appreciate it if you came.¡± Joo-eun had taken a separate room to sort out the items he had acquired so far. And this time, he wanted to check how much power the warrior¡¯s ability he had gained could exert. Especially the £¼Divine Eyes£¾ that could distinguish between good and evil. All the more so because it was an ability that even the protagonist had never used. Of course, since he had turned the high-ranking demons into enemies, it could be a bit dangerous if the demons really did invade, but it was fine. ¡®Because there¡¯s a countermeasure.¡¯ Joo-yeon gestured to the party. ¡°For now, we¡¯ve secured a place to sleep, so let¡¯s rest on the first floor and go up later.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for those words.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Shall we test the warrior¡¯s drinking capacity?¡± Dae-do and Karahan ran to the tavern. They looked a bit stiff, as if they had been cooped up in the carriage until now. From Noble mtl dot com Joo-yeon followed them helplessly. ¡®Come to think of it, this is my first time drinking alcohol.¡¯ He had only drunk water for 18 years. There was no alcohol served at Duke Edmer¡¯s banquet either. It was because of the Knight King. ¡®It¡¯s strangely ascetic, you could say.¡¯ Had he said that alcohol was poison to knights? The knights of Duke Edmer had a culture of abstinence. Thanks to that, he had never even tasted alcohol. So while everyone was excitedly ordering drinks and challenging each other to drinking duels, ¡°Excuse me, but there are no rooms available at the inn?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± There was a commotion outside. He didn¡¯t know who had arrived, but he could see that the attendant was in a difficult position. ¡°Excuse me¡­ the remaining rooms were just taken by other guests.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am! I¡¯m a comrade of the warrior! Are you saying you can¡¯t give a room to a warrior who is sacrificing himself for the continent?¡± The commotion grew louder as they grabbed him by the collar. Then, Dae-do¡¯s ears perked up at an unexpected word. ¡°Warrior? A comrade of the warrior?¡± What is this all about? But then it happened. ¡°You? You¡¯re the one who took all the last remaining rooms?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The guy who had been pestering the innkeeper until just now approached Joo-yeon. And shouted fiercely. ¡°Hand over the room. We¡¯re comrades of the warrior.¡± ¡°Offer the room for the warriors who are working for the continent!¡± The corners of Joo-yeon¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°This is getting interesting.¡± Chapter 89 My Reflector Is Invincible 8989. Warrior Ryujin ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, hand over the room!¡± The savage warrior threatened, grabbing Juyeon by the collar. A savage warrior is the basic job class for savages. It was a job class that all savages had from birth. ¡®Karasen is a case that went from savage warrior to gladiator, then to great warrior, and finally to great chieftain.¡¯ The important thing is, as a savage warrior, this guy must be one of Karasen¡¯s lackeys. And the lowest of the low at that. In fact, the expression on the face of Karaon, the great warrior who was the highest warrior rank, was worth seeing. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°If you need a room, you should talk to the innkeeper. Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°There are no rooms!¡± At that voice, the innkeeper came running over anxiously. ¡°Seriously, if you keep doing this, it¡¯ll be difficult. Guest¡­¡­somewhere else¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There are no rooms anywhere else either? Are you saying you can¡¯t even give up one room for a warrior?¡± Juyeon¡¯s eyes grew cold at that. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me to give up my room?¡± ¡°Yes. You should show at least that much goodwill to a warrior who¡¯s working day and night for this continent!¡± ¡°Working hard¡­¡­.¡± The warrior that Juyeon knew wouldn¡¯t have started traveling that long ago. On the other hand, Juyeon had done a lot during that time. ¡®I got the heart in the north, and I also took care of the savages¡¯ business. I even took care of the grand sorcerer and the savage king.¡¯ Meanwhile, what had the warrior done? A guy who had only just arrived in the north by now. Had he caught a single demon? ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± ¡°Hmph, this punk dares to insult the warrior?¡± The savage warrior picked up Juyeon¡¯s beer that was on Juyeon¡¯s table. And after taking a swig, he splashed the rest on Juyeon. ¡°Get a clue! Do you think the warrior is your friend?¡± Juyeon¡¯s clothes were soaked in the leftover beer. The savage warrior looked at Daedo and Karaon, who were sitting still at the table, and laughed. ¡°And to think he only gathers cowards like himself as his companions.¡± hahahaha. The savage warrior burst into laughter. Daedo quietly raised his black water onto the table. Karaon, who had been covering his entire body with his robe, clenched his fists. But he didn¡¯t move. -Don¡¯t move until I give the order. Before they could make a move, the protagonist¡¯s voice was heard first. The savage warrior raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are you scared? Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± ¡°Th¡­ This isn¡¯t right, customer.¡± The innkeeper tried to approach to stop him, but the savage warrior kicked him away. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m having a conversation? Get lost!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± The innkeeper fell to the floor. At that moment, the protagonist¡¯s sighing mouth opened. ¡°You¡¯ve just made three mistakes.¡± ¡°Oh? Three mistakes? Who are you!¡± He grabbed the protagonist by the collar as if he didn¡¯t care. He intended to grab the protagonist by the collar and throw him away. But something was strange. ¡°What the heck. This kid¡­ Why is he so calm?¡± The protagonist¡¯s face was calm, even though he was grabbed by the collar. He didn¡¯t even need to use . It was because he didn¡¯t take any damage from this level of attack. ¡®Is it thanks to the training of the King of Knights? It¡¯s definitely true that my tenacity has gotten stronger.¡¯ This was the important thing. ¡°First. You attacked a citizen in the name of a warrior.¡± A warrior is a being who protects the continent. Ryu Jin, the previous warrior, protected the continent with his life. How dare those who use the name of a warrior tarnish the honor of a warrior. ¡°Wh¡­ What! I just kicked him.¡± ¡°Second. It doesn¡¯t matter if you insult my party members, but you insulted me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The savage warrior¡¯s pupils shook. He realized what the protagonist was saying a beat too late. ¡°What the heck are you talking about! Isn¡¯t it usually the other way around? Your comrades come first!¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t let those who insult me go.¡± Bam! The protagonist¡¯s leg lifted the savage warrior¡¯s chin. Cough! In an instant, his head snapped back and blood gushed out of his nose. The protagonist, whose collarbone was released, punched the guy hard in the stomach. Bam! ¡°Guek!¡± With a pig-squealing sound, the savage warrior fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Thud! ¡°Third. You drank my alcohol.¡± Finally, the barbarian¡¯s head was planted firmly into the ground. However, Joo-Yeon was not finished yet. ¡°Fourth. He was just unlucky.¡± ¡°What?! I said three¡­ Ugh!¡± As the barbarian finally lost consciousness, Dae-Do approached Joo-Yeon. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go a bit too far?¡± ¡°This is not enough. My neck is expensive, you see.¡± ¡­¡­If he grabs me twice, even my internal organs will be damaged. ¡°Anyway, what do you mean by saying it¡¯s okay to insult the group?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­This bastard. Are you saying that because I¡¯m a thief? Do you think it¡¯s okay to insult me as a thief?¡± Dae-Do flared up and started fuming. However, Joo-Yeon ignored him. Karahan clicked his tongue and lifted the barbarian with one hand. ¡°If you had just left him to me, I would have dealt with him according to our clan¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°Then you would have had to leave your post. It¡¯s not necessary¡­¡± But then, someone opened the door of the inn and came in. ¡°Krak! Did you secure the inn?¡± ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long to secure one room? Why are you still lazing around¡­ Huh?¡± The group of men and women who entered the inn stopped talking. They spotted Krak, the fallen barbarian. Their eyes blazed with fury in an instant. ¡°Did you lay a hand on our comrade?!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t let this go!¡± The man who stepped forward first was wearing a circlet. What was surprising was the warrior¡¯s emblem drawn on his neck. The customers in the tavern who saw the emblem exclaimed in surprise. ¡°He¡­ He¡¯s a warrior! A real warrior has appeared!¡± ¡°That punk was a warrior¡¯s comrade? This is going to get messy¡­¡± A warrior is one who has been chosen by a god. If he were to be disrespected, the temple might investigate. So, everyone was scared and tried to avoid him. However, Joo-Yeon was different. ¡®Fake.¡¯ The mark on his neck was similar in shape. But crucially, his lacked divine power. ¡°What do you think, old man?¡± Groan. Dae-Do gnashed his teeth instead of answering. Joo-Yeon nodded in understanding. ¡°I didn¡¯t need to ask.¡± He hated fake heroes as much as the Knight King. He even hated Jooyeon, thinking he was a fake. ¡°Huh, that stigma was just made to shine with magic. I was taken aback because I heard he was a hero, but I missed my chance to cut him down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± From the looks of it, Daedo still seemed to suspect Jooyeon and the Demon tribe were in cahoots. Of course. Jooyeon didn¡¯t have the stigma, the mark of a hero, right now. It was hard to trust him. But Daedo skillfully raised his sword. ¡°Can I take care of this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself. You need that arm to open the subspace.¡± ¡°Even after seeing that?¡± ¡°That?¡± Daedo pointed at one of the fake hero¡¯s party members. It was a woman with the profession of a thief. ¡°She¡¯s helping them even though she knows they¡¯re fake. She¡¯s getting paid for it.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Jooyeon looked at them closely and curled his lips up as if he realized something. ¡®Berserker. Thief. Magician. Hero.¡¯ It was a natural combination. But something was strange. ¡®Why isn¡¯t there a priest?¡¯ They were the most essential member. But that wasn¡¯t important. Since he knew that his opponent was fake, it was better to take care of them. It wasn¡¯t just because they tarnished Ryuhan¡¯s honor. ¡®The more fake heroes there are, the smaller my position becomes.¡¯ The best thing to do would be to contact the Edmer dukedom and have them send troops to take care of them. But that would take too much time. Jooyeon snapped his fingers. ¡°The last one to finish them off pays for all the drinks tonight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Jooyeon started to move towards the people charging at him. * * * KWAANG! The inn¡¯s door was smashed to pieces and people came flying out. They were the fake hero party who had been shouting about avenging their comrade just a moment ago. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡± Following them, a man walked out of the broken inn door. It was Jooyeon. He was the man who had been toying with them until now. They charged at him with their weapons, but he just blew them away. The fake hero shouted at the magician. ¡°Reina! Don¡¯t just stand there, do something!¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m trying!¡± At the fake hero¡¯s words, the mage hurriedly cast a spell. [Novice spell ¨C Fireball] A sphere of fire as large as a human head appeared in her hand. At that sight, the fake hero exclaimed excitedly, From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Kill him!¡± KWAANG! The fireball struck the main character directly. In an instant, acrid smoke filled the air. The fireball may have been a novice spell, but it was a powerful fire spell. Until now, it had been the greatest contributor to defeating monsters. ¡°Did we get him!¡± ¡°No one who has ever been hit by that has survived.¡± He must have been defeated. However. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Reina!¡± The body of Reina, who had cast the spell, was charred black. She looked like she had been hit by a fire spell. The fake hero urgently raised his sword and shouted, ¡°Who is it! Who is targeting us!¡± He looked around, but there was no one there. ¡°What¡­ what is this. Then who did Reina get hit by¡­¡± ¡°It was me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The fake hero turned around. Before his eyes stood the main character. He had been hit directly by the fireball, yet he was not even covered in dust. ¡°What¡­ what! How are you alive¡­!¡± ¡°Do you think I would die from a novice spell.¡± The reason he had used £¼Reflect£¾ was simply because he did not want his clothes to get burned. Without hesitation, the main character swung his sword at the fake hero. SEUK! The fake hero collapsed, bleeding. The main character looked up at the inn. ¡°Is the thief the only one left?¡± There was someone fighting on top of the inn. It was the big sword user and the thief. In fact, it was a stretch to call it a fight. One side was being completely overwhelmed. ¡°aaah! Please spare me!¡± Daedo looked at the thief with pity. ¡°You¡¯ve committed three wrongs. The first is that you¡¯ve tarnished the honor of the Thieves Guild by associating with a fake hero.¡± The thief collapsed, dozens of throwing knives embedded in his body. ¡°So¡­ I was wrong¡­¡± ¡°The second is that you¡¯ve tarnished the honor of Hero Ryu Jin.¡± ¡°Th¡­ the third?¡± ¡°You followed such an idiot. If a thief can¡¯t be quick on his feet, he should at least be quick-witted!¡± Daedo severed the thief¡¯s wrists with throwing knives. It was the worst possible punishment for a thief. It was as good as ending his career as a thief. Hero Ryu Jin¡¯s name was on Daedo¡¯s lips, his eyes murderous, but it was only for a moment. Daedo laughed as he landed on the ground. ¡°I guess that handsome barbarian chieftain¡¯s son is paying for all the guards tonight! Then I¡¯ll have another drink!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Daedo sneered at Karahan, who hadn¡¯t caught a single one. Of course, Karahan wasn¡¯t able to use his powers because of Daedo¡¯s interference, but Daedo just chuckled, saying, ¡°That barbarian chieftain¡¯s son is nothing special.¡± Karahan¡¯s face turned ugly. Jooin looked at them, bewildered, as if wondering who the main character was. ¡°Why are you copying what I say? Did it look cool? Cool enough to do it even if it meant getting in Karahan¡¯s way?¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem! I just did it.¡± Daedo coughed awkwardly, as if he were embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ve contacted the Edmer Estate. The knights will be here soon to take these guys away.¡± It was to set an example. To execute the fake hero in front of everyone so that he would never appear again. It wasn¡¯t a bad choice. ¡°So don¡¯t worry¡­¡± ¡°No. The most important thing is still left.¡± ¡°What?¡± The most important thing? Instead of answering, Jooin showed him something. It was the fake hero¡¯s circlet that he had just retrieved. ¡°This item creates the hero¡¯s¼y˜Ó and makes it shine. There must be someone behind this.¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± ¡°Well, I already asked the fake hero, but he said it was on the magician¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jooin poked the magician who was still unconscious because of . ¡°Hey. I know you¡¯re not dead yet. Wake up.¡± But then it happened. While Jooin was looking at the magician, the fake hero, who had been pretending to be dead, jumped to his feet. ¡°Ugh! Do you think I¡¯ll be caught like this!¡± ¡°That bastard!¡± He began to run away in rags, with neither the crest of a warrior nor a circlet. Dado clicked his fingers as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°He really is a worthless fellow. Shall I go catch him?¡± ¡°No. I was planning to test something out, so this is perfect.¡± Jooyoung was about to use £¼Reflection£¾. But at that moment. Swish! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The head of the fake warrior who was running away was split in two. It was a horrifyingly clean sword strike. Even Dado was put on high alert by its dangerousness. ¡°Who is it!¡± Clack, clack. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Someone was walking towards them from the other side. They were too far away to see their face properly. Dado exclaimed in shock. ¡°You launched a sword attack from that distance?¡± He was skilled enough to easily handle even a decent knight. He needed to be careful. But Dado¡¯s body froze in place. He couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Warrior¡­¡­?¡± The man who appeared from the darkness had the crest of a warrior around his neck. It wasn¡¯t a fake one created with magic like earlier, but the genuine crest of a warrior imbued with divine power. Chunkoongyong on Jooyoung¡¯s shoulder flinched. Dado was confused. ¡°Ryujin¡­¡­ Is it really Ryujin!¡± The newly appeared warrior looked exactly like Ryujin, the warrior of the previous generation who had died. In this ridiculous situation, Jooyoung laughed as if he had been waiting for this while also being wary. ¡®This time¡­¡­ It¡¯s the real one.¡¯ He had been wondering when they would meet. He had finally met the warrior. Chapter 90 My Reflector Is Invincible 9090. Who is the Warrior? A warrior is a unique class. Like the unique skill £¼Reflection£¾, only one exists in the world. Of course, for Jooyoung, there were two warriors. ¡®Ryujin¡¯ and ¡®Leo¡¯. In the game, two warriors would take turns appearing. When one died, the other would come out on the next turn. That¡¯s how the story of the game progressed. That¡¯s why I was sure of it. ¡®Since it was Ryu Jin last time, it must be Leo this time.¡¯ Ryu Jin and Leo were warriors of completely different types. If Ryu Jin was the calm and composed moon, Leo was a hot-blooded warrior who represented the sun. He was so passionate that he burned fiercely with heat. But right at that moment. The name that came out of Daedo¡¯s mouth was not Leo¡¯s. ¡°Ryu Jin¡­ Are you really Ryu Jin?¡± Even Daedo¡¯s pupils were shaking violently. Silver hair and golden eyes. Eyes as cold as moonlight. A long blue coat. It was an appearance that could be called the symbol of the warrior Ryu Jin. Jooin couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes either. Warrior Ryu Jin was really standing before his eyes. ¡®But I¡¯m sure¡­ I buried him in Edmer¡¯s dukedom after he turned into a skeleton?¡¯ Just then, the warrior who resembled Ryu Jin opened his mouth. ¡°I am not Ryu Jin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Daedo exclaimed in surprise at the cold reply. ¡°Then who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Leo. A warrior.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Daedo couldn¡¯t believe it at all. He looked and spoke exactly like Ryu Jin, but he wasn¡¯t him. However, Leo¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant. I am Leo. The one chosen as a warrior.¡± ¡°Do warriors even have similar faces? Or could you be Ryu Jin¡¯s son?¡± That¡¯s how much he resembled the Ryu Jin in Daedo¡¯s memory. However, Jooin shook his head. ¡®Warriors are not connected by bloodline.¡¯ It was something that had been a big controversy among players in the past. As a result of numerous playthroughs, it was confirmed that Ryu Jin and Leo were not related by blood. None of the warriors were connected by family ties. ¡®But to resemble him that much. It¡¯s strange.¡¯ Even Jooin was confused. It was then that Warrior Leo spoke first. ¡°I don¡¯t know who Ryu Jin is, but have you said all you need to say?¡± Clang! Leo raised his sword without hesitation. A clear battle stance. Daeho couldn¡¯t bring himself to raise his hidden weapon and froze. It was because Leo spoke with the same face and voice as Ryu Jin, his former comrade. Jooin, on the other hand, tilted his head. ¡®He looks and acts like Ryu Jin, but his name is Leo?¡¯ What in the world was going on? Jooin had watched over countless warriors until now. Ryu Jin and Leo were completely different in both appearance and ability. He wasn¡¯t cold-blooded enough to cut someone¡¯s neck like that. He had to check just in case. Jooin ignored Leo¡¯s blade pointed at him and pointed to the fallen fake warrior. ¡°Why did you kill that man? I was going to take him in as a prisoner of the Edmer Duchy.¡± ¡°Anyone who impersonates a warrior must die.¡± ¡°What¡­ what!?¡± Jooin and Daeho¡¯s mouths fell open. It was a statement that was unbelievable coming from a warrior. Most of them were guys who respected life so much that you could call them tree-huggers. But Leo¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°The Demon King will appear soon. Fake warriors will only hinder the unity of the continent and cause chaos.¡± Wow. That¡¯s refreshing. Jooin had had the same thought many times. But until now, the warriors had never said such a thing. -How can you say such things to people! -If we work hard, they¡¯re sure to understand our intentions. -They are also people we must protect. Even if they were turncoats, traitors who had betrayed humanity. They would unconditionally spare the villains they had defeated. There were even guys who refused to kill, saying that even among the demons there were those who could be reformed. But then, later on, those guys would come back even stronger and block their path. That was pretty much the identity of a warrior. ¡®I used to think it was just an excuse to extend playtime.¡¯ That¡¯s why Jooin had tried to eliminate the warriors this time. They were just getting in the way of clearing the achievements. But if they had such a personality, was there a need to eliminate them? ¡®Maybe I should make him my ally instead.¡¯ After all, the specs of a warrior were top-tier even among heroes. Maybe it would be better to change the plan he had in place. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®Yeah, he might actually be useful.¡¯ But at that moment. Leo pointed his sword at Jooyeon. ¡°You too. You¡¯ve been impersonating the hero all this time.¡± Gasp! In an instant, an enormous murderous aura could be felt. And the figure of Leo, who seemed like he would kill Jooyeon at any moment, disappeared. Daedo shouted anxiously at the sight. ¡°Watch out! Wielder!¡± Ryu Jin, who had disappeared a moment ago, was floating in the air. He had leapt high into the sky and swung his sword at Jooyeon. Swish! It was the pure white longsword that had cut down the neck of the fake hero just moments ago. The longsword, which seemed to have absorbed the moonlight, was aiming for Jooyeon with an eerie chill. [£¼Intuition£¾ has been activated.] All of Jooyeon¡¯s senses screamed danger. To dodge right away. However, he did not meet the longsword flying towards him head-on. ¡®He may have Leo¡¯s name, but that guy is Ryu Jin.¡¯ Ryu Jin was the hero of the moon. That was why most of his techniques also had the power of the moon. In that case, the one he was using now would be the same as before. Jooyeon swung his sword down. Clang! Sparks flew as the swords clashed below. Ryu Jin, who had soared high into the sky, disappeared like a mirage. The place where he revealed himself was in the darkness. Ryu Jin¡¯s eyes, as if hidden in the shadows, widened in vigilance. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Well, how do you think I knew?¡± In truth, Jooyeon knew most of Ryu Jin¡¯s techniques. Especially that one just now, it was a basic technique he had always used as his first attack. [Moon Shadow] Also known as the technique called ¡®Shadow Reflected in the Moon¡¯. The moon reflects light. That¡¯s why it can show false illusions. It was a technique that lured attacks with illusions that deceived the opponent, while the main body delivered a surefire blow from the opposite side. That was the essence of this technique. ¡®It¡¯s a technique that you can¡¯t help but get hit by the first time.¡¯ That was why Jooyeon also always assigned £¼Moon Shadow£¾ as his first attack. Still, he hadn¡¯t blocked it perfectly. His reaction had been slightly delayed. Leo¡¯s dark sword was now at Jooin¡¯s neck. Clang, clang, clang. The two swords fought fiercely in the air. Jooin was pushing Leo¡¯s sword back, albeit slightly. ¡®I have a slight advantage in strength.¡¯ It was thanks to inheriting the Sword King¡¯s legacy. Of course, he couldn¡¯t be completely at ease. The difference was so subtle, it was almost negligible. Jooin pushed Leo back with all his might. Clang! Leo¡¯s body was pushed back violently. Long skid marks were left on the floor. He opened his mouth in surprise. ¡°You can see through my technique and laugh at me¡­?¡± Just who are you? Leo¡¯s eyes glinted with killing intent, as if asking that question. It was a killing intent so powerful that it could be considered playful until now. Jooin was secretly impressed. ¡®Is this almost at the Sword King level?¡¯ Honestly, it was an absurd ability. The hero at this point in time should be in the early stages of developing his strength. But how could he have this much power? ¡®It¡¯s like Ryu Jin and Leo combined.¡¯ Ordinary players usually distinguished between Ryu Jin and Leo as follows: Leo of £¼Strength£¾. Ryu Jin of £¼Technique£¾. Leo¡¯s physical abilities were far superior, while Ryu Jin¡¯s skill in handling techniques was overwhelmingly better. Depending on their preferences, players often had a hard time choosing their hero. Jooin had always been a Ryu Jin man. ¡®No matter how strong you are, if you lack technique, you¡¯re nothing more than a strong ox.¡¯ But what if Ryu Jin had Leo¡¯s physique? His technique would be perfect, and he would be powerful. Furthermore, he had gained a killing intent and decisiveness that he never had before. ¡°You¡¯re a dangerous man. I¡¯ll eliminate you for real, starting now.¡± [£¼Crisis Detection£¾ has been activated.] His senses screamed that he was in grave danger. If he didn¡¯t use £¼Reflection£¾, he could be in real trouble. The clear weather was also a problem. ¡®Ryu Jin is a hero chosen by the Moon Goddess. He can exert even greater power under the moonlight.¡¯ There was a crescent moon out tonight. It wasn¡¯t as good as a full moon, but it was still an environment where Ryu Jin¡¯s power could be maximized. Indeed, even now, the moonlight was increasing his power. [Moonlight] Leo¡¯s head took in the moonlight and began to shine brightly. As if it would cut everything, the cool moonlight spread out in all directions. Those with weak mental strength collapsed on the spot. Thud! Only Jooyeon and his party were able to withstand the power. Jooyeon quickly used . When Jooyeon didn¡¯t move, Leo narrowed his brow as if surprised. However, it was not yet time for Jooyeon to rest assured. ¡®£¼Moonlight£¾¡¯s sleep-inducing effect is only a symptom of a certain skill.¡¯ The £¼Moonlight£¾ that gathered power creates a huge tragedy that destroys everything. At that moment, the Great Mage glared at Leo. ¡°Stop it, Ryujin! No, Leo. If you¡¯re a real hero, this guy isn¡¯t the fake you think he is.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°How could someone who isn¡¯t a hero in the world defeat the Demon King¡¯s heart and bring Ryujin¡¯s remains?¡± Thud. Leo¡¯s sword, which seemed like it would cut Jooyeon at any moment, stopped. Jooyeon looked at the Great Mage in surprise. Oh. I didn¡¯t know that guy would take my side? However, Leo aimed his sword again. ¡°Anyone with enough power can defeat the Demon King¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Power that strong is impossible unless you¡¯re on par with the Saintess. Is there any other strong person in this world besides the hero who has as much power as the Saintess?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If it¡¯s the Pope, it¡¯s enough¡­¡± ¡°Huh!¡± The Great Mage snorted. Jooyeon nodded as if he had done well at that reaction. Yes, yes, former colleague. You¡¯re doing very well. You¡¯re taking care of everything while pretending not to. Yes, with that momentum, hit that guy¡­ ¡°If that¡¯s the Pope, then I¡¯m God, you bastard!¡± ¡­What the hell? ¡°There¡¯s no way a Pope can do a fake hero¡¯s job! God will never forgive you!¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t prove that he¡¯s a hero.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not proof that he¡¯s not! You son of a b*tch!¡± Jooyeon burst out laughing at the sight. It was because he was reminded of the old days. ¡®Those two always fought.¡¯ ¨C Ryujin! We have to kill that guy! It¡¯s dangerous to leave him alive! ¨C Even so, we must trust people. Anyone can change. Is there a logical reason for wanting to save someone? ¨C Ugh! It¡¯s frustrating! Just leave him! ¡®I miss her, but at this rate, the whole night will pass by.¡¯ If things went on like this, there was nothing I could do. It was nice to see Ryujin, but I had no choice but to make that bastard into a honey-tongued fool. Soon, Jooyeon stepped forward. ¡°I have something I¡¯m curious about.¡± Unlike before, Leo was wary of Jooyeon as if he were a strong opponent. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It seems like this old man has said a lot about the evidence of me being a warrior. Then, can you show me your evidence of being a warrior?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Leo¡¯s head turned slightly. ¡°You want me to show you proof of being a warrior?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m curious as to what gives you the right to go around killing people.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see my emblem?¡± Leo pointed to his neck. There, the warrior¡¯s emblem was clearly imprinted. Jooyeon gave a sly smile. ¡°Oh, that? I have it too.¡± He put on the circlet that the fake warrior had used earlier. Then, an emblem appeared on his neck. Leo¡¯s eyes grew icy. ¡°You must have a death wish. You¡¯re trying to deceive me with such a toy.¡± ¡°Deceive? Well, how about this?¡± Jooyeon raised his hand. Then, a slender sword appeared in the air. He grabbed the sword and stabbed it into the ground. Thud! ¡°Does this look like a deception?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ By any chance. The holy sword?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the symbol of a warrior, and the proof that I am a warrior.¡± Jooyeon looked at Leo, who was bewildered, and his eyes sparkled. ¡°Only a warrior can wield the holy sword. So, what about you? What kind of sword do you have?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Leo¡¯s hand slowly lowered. In his hand was a longsword commonly seen around. It was not a proper holy sword. ¡°So. Who¡¯s the warrior now?¡± The corners of Jooyeon¡¯s mouth curled up. Chapter 91 My Reflector Is Invincible 9191. I¡¯ll Be Waiting The holy sword is proof of a hero that no one can deny. Leo does not have a holy sword. Joo-yeon brought that point up. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t even have the replica that the temple has. How can you be called a hero?¡± There was only one way for a hero to obtain a holy sword. Defeat the Demon King¡¯s heart and grant Ryujin peace. If that was impossible, the only option left was the replica holy sword in the temple. ¡®But you have to clear the quests of the 8 temples and ultimately receive the Saintess¡¯s approval.¡¯ But that was quite difficult. The people at the temple were arrogant. They wouldn¡¯t easily hand over a fake holy sword. They only gave it to you after making you do all sorts of trivial quests. Of course, even with specs, the replica couldn¡¯t beat the real thing. So Joo-yeon, who had the real one, could confidently say, ¡°This is undeniable proof.¡± Then the holy sword roared, telling him not to lie. But even with Joo-yeon acting like that, there was nothing he could do. That was because he, too, was qualified to be a hero as a player. There was no way to escape his hand, which couldn¡¯t be intimidated. Joo-yeon looked at Leo and laughed. ¡°A hero with a holy sword and you without one. Who¡¯s the real hero?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± The moment Leo¡¯s mouth slowly opened. Suddenly, someone intervened. ¡°Stop!¡± It was a middle-aged priest. Behind him were dozens of paladins. ¡°What are you doing, killing a hero!¡± At those words, Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. ¡®By the way. I heard that the priest position was empty in the fake hero party.¡¯ Was he there? From Noble mtl dot com It seemed he had stepped out for a moment. And Dae-do¡¯s eyes turned fierce at the appearance of the priests. ¡°Are those bastards the ones who brought out the fake hero?¡± Joo-yeon stopped him with a laugh in response to his reaction that he wouldn¡¯t let them go. ¡°Wait. It¡¯s good to be on good terms with the temple guys.¡± The temple is one of the central forces that you must pass through in the north. They were annoying to heroes, but there was no need to turn them into enemies from the start. ¡°It¡¯s good to keep those rich guys in your pocket and make them your customers. Anyway, the old man was annoyed that the Thieves Guild was being held in check by the priests, right?¡± Dae-do, who had been troubled by Joo-yeon¡¯s whispers, nodded. Well, if the protagonist is smart enough, he could roast them alive¡­¡­ ¡°To think you¡¯d mistake a fake hero for the real thing. Are the priests blind? Damn bastards.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?!¡± No, didn¡¯t you say your goal was to get along with each other?! Daeho opened his mouth in bewilderment, but Jooyeon burst out laughing. ¡®There are eight temple forces.¡¯ I don¡¯t know which temple he belongs to, but depending on how I use him, I can attract other temple forces. It¡¯s a tactic called ¡®using barbarians to control barbarians.¡¯ ¡®For now, I¡¯ll let those incompetent fellows become sacrifices and make the popes fight among themselves.¡¯ But then, the priest said something unexpected. ¡°How dare you do something unforgivable to a hero chosen by the Temple of the Sun!¡± Hmm? Jooyeon tilted his head at the unexpected words. I was going to say that his eyes must be crooked because he couldn¡¯t tell a fake from the real thing, but what? ¡°A hero chosen by the temple?¡± ¡°Yes! Do you know who that is? He is the only son of Cardinal Galatheron of the Temple of the Sun!¡± The priest pointed to the fallen fake hero. At that moment, Jooyeon remembered something. ¡®Come to think of it, there was an event like that sometimes.¡¯ It was an event where a special fake hero appeared. The temple gives the fake hero they will use a fake holy sword. And the story was that he would fight against the Demon King. ¡®Of course, most of them die before they can face the Demon King.¡¯ They were somewhat useful in the sense that they harmed the demons. Because they were selected by the temple, they were assigned plenty of support and paladins as guardians. And then the content was to reveal the identity of the fake hero and subdue him. The content was easy, and the rewards were good, so many people participated. Of course, Jooyeon ignored it. ¡®In the game, there was a bug, so people complained that they didn¡¯t give out the rewards.¡¯ But what if that wasn¡¯t a bug? What if it was real here? ¡®Well, it wasn¡¯t me who dealt with it, but Leo.¡¯ Jooyeon glanced at Leo. As expected, as the paladins rushed to the fallen fake hero, the problem began to grow. ¡°Th¡­¡­ The hero!¡± ¡°Leon-nim¡¯s neck has been cut!¡± ¡°Who is it! Who dared to kill our Leon-nim!¡± Look at that, even their names are similar. At the paladins¡¯ flustered voices, the priest glared at Jooyeon in excitement. ¡°Did you do this?!¡± The one who doubted Joo-yeon, who was holding the sword, was¡­ Joo-yeon turned her eyes slightly. Hmm, I want the compensation, but I don¡¯t want to build up a grudge. Then I should just shift all the blame. Joo-yeon¡¯s finger pointed somewhere. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it me? It was him?¡± It was Leo. Leo, who was pointed at, made a face of bewilderment. However, Joo-yeon spoke confidently. ¡°That¡¯s right. You did it. You swung the sword. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Leo remained silent, bewildered. That was because her words weren¡¯t particularly wrong. However, he couldn¡¯t deny it either. ¡®Heroes basically can¡¯t lie.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a matter of conscience. It was just that they hated lies because they were fools who couldn¡¯t be righteous. Especially in a case like this where the responsibility was clear, they couldn¡¯t lie even more. And to Leo¡¯s inability to deny it, the priest shouted in anger. ¡°This bastard! How dare you to Sir Leon!¡± ¡°What are you guys doing! Arrest the criminal right now!¡± At the priest¡¯s cry, the paladins moved. Perhaps the fake hero was a famous guy in the temple, the paladins¡¯ eyes gleamed with murderous intent. ¡°He¡¯s the one who killed Sir Hero! Get him!¡± Leo didn¡¯t ignore the paladins who were running towards him. Rather, he confronted them with a cold look in his eyes and brandished his sword. Clang, clang, clang! In an instant, the swords of the paladins and Leo clashed. Of course, there were no immediate casualties. First of all, Leo was stronger than the paladins, but the paladins themselves were monsters who couldn¡¯t be knocked down. [Sun Paladin¡¯s Job Skill] £¼Sun¡¯s Mercy£¾ It was a skill that healed them in real time. It ignored even leg wounds that would normally be impossible to stand up from. No matter how strong Leo was, it meant nothing if he couldn¡¯t kill them in one blow. ¡®That¡¯s why they¡¯re nicknamed cockroaches.¡¯ It meant that they had a strong vitality like cockroaches. However, the reason why they were strong wasn¡¯t just because of their recovery ability. They had a special ability. ¡°Sir Wellman! Permission for the Sacred Laws!¡± [Holy Law] A skill granted only to divine classes. If priests specialized in protection and recovery with spells like £¼Complete Recovery£¾, £¼Purification£¾, and £¼Divine Barrier£¾, then paladins specialized in offense and defense. The priest called Jalman responded immediately. ¡°I grant permission to use Holy Law!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Thud! The paladins slammed their weapons into the ground. A flaming sword of light was created in the air. [Unique Combined Skill of the Paladins of the Sun] £¼Sword of the Sun£¾ The swords were planted around Leo. Then, resonating with each other, they began to restrain him like a transparent barrier. Thud! Thud! Despite Leo¡¯s strength, the barrier only shook and did not break. It was because the barrier was being maintained by over ten paladins. Priest Jalman¡¯s eyes flashed at the sight. ¡°You dare to kill a hero! On behalf of the Temple of the Sun, I will never forgive you!¡± Leo¡¯s face hardened at the sight. Unlike the fake hero, he had no intention of laying a hand on these people. ¡°But if you defend the fake hero, then you are also my enemy.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes shone coldly. Even within the scorching barrier, moonlight began to descend upon his head. He must be gathering his strength to break the barrier in one go. However, Jooyeon knew. ¡®It will be difficult with that amount of power.¡¯ No matter how strong a hero was, it was not easy to break the barrier of the Temple of the Sun. Both were classes that used divine power. If they were of opposing attributes, the damage would be halved. Leo did not have a holy sword, so he was bound to lack power. Without help, he would be captured. That was when Daeho stepped in. ¡°Are you not going to help?¡± ¡°Would you like me to help?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Daeho¡¯s gaze was hazy. It was as if he saw Ryujin¡¯s shadow in Leo. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose him like that time.¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you saying this knowing that they belong to the Temple of the Sun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± [Temple of the Sun] One of the eight major temples, an international organization belonging to the right seat. If you mess with them, you could be treated as a heretic and it could become a public matter for the continent. It could be said that it was a really dangerous thing to do on the continent. However, Daeho didn¡¯t seem to have any change of heart. ¡°They¡¯re thieves anyway. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of if those pesky priests chase after us.¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s thieves¡¯ everyday life to be chased.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s only for those who committed sins!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll commit a sin right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Daeho¡¯s face flushed red. However, there was no need to fight. ¡®I can use this to my advantage anyway.¡¯ He was already thinking of what to do with Hero Leo. In order to meet the Saintess and ask for her help, the temple¡¯s cooperation was necessary. ¡®Hero Leo and the Order of the Sun. I¡¯ll use them all.¡¯ Before that, he had to stop that first. Leo, who had gathered enough strength, swung his sword towards the barrier. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Kwa-kwa-kwang! It was a tremendous shock. Even the Paladins who were casting the barrier shook from the shock. The priest shouted anxiously. ¡°We must not let it break!¡± ¡°But sir priest! The bastard¡¯s power is too strong.¡± ¡°Shut up and hold on until the interrogator arrives!¡± Jooyeon let out a hollow laugh at those cries. ¡®An interrogator, huh.¡¯ The core of the temple, and the name of the strong. ¡®If that guy comes, things will get really messy.¡¯ Jooyeon grabbed his shoulder tightly. ¡°Are you going to stop now?¡± The priest glared at Jooyeon as if he was having a seizure. ¡°Are you in cahoots with that bastard too! How dare you, a sinner who killed the Hero-nim, lay a hand on me, a priest directly under the Cardinal! Heretic! Hereeetic!¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better for you to watch your words.¡± ¡°What the¡­ Huk!¡± Jooyeon pulled out his sword. It was in a direction where the hero¡¯s emblem could be seen properly. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell even after seeing this? What are you doing right now?¡± The priest¡¯s pupils shook after seeing the sword. ¡°Th¡­ That sword¡­ Is it by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the Holy Sword. The proof of the hero.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The blood drained from his face. ¡°That can¡¯t be! The Pope clearly said that Sir Leon was the hero.¡± ¡°Well, maybe they were trying to raise him as a hero in secret. What are you going to do? Now that you¡¯ve been caught by us?¡± Joo-yeon laughed at his flustered expression. ¡°Impersonating a hero must be a serious crime.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Attacking a true hero would never be forgiven. After all, they were the heroes of the continent. Priest Zalman soon recognized Joo-yeon¡¯s face. ¡°Yo¡­ You¡¯re not. Joo-yeon? The hero who appeared at Duke Edmer¡¯s?¡± ¡°You recognize me now?¡± ¡°Bu¡­ But that can¡¯t be.¡± Priest Zalman took a step back in confusion. It was because of what the Cardinal had clearly told him. -The hero in the Duchy of Edmer is a fake. That was why he had believed Leon to be the hero and followed him. He had even led the Order of the Holy Knights himself. The Holy Knights were just as confused. ¡°Priest Zalman, what¡¯s going on here?¡± It was the fear of having attacked the real hero. Moreover, the temple was an existence that thoroughly protected the hero. The guilt of feeling like they had betrayed their own god weighed heavily on them. From Noble mtl dot com Priest Zalman¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but turn pale. ¡®Is this man real? Then who is that man?¡¯ His gaze turned towards Leo. Then, Priest Zalman gasped when he saw Leo¡¯s neck. Until now, his eyes had been clouded with anger, but now he could see clearly. ¡®That¼yÕÂis¡­!¡¯ Joo-yeon, who couldn¡¯t miss his trembling gaze, smiled as if he had been waiting for this moment. Priest Zalman tried to flee in a hurry, but it was no use. Joo-yeon was already holding his shoulder firmly. ¡°Impersonating a hero is a serious crime. But you didn¡¯t impersonate him on purpose, did you?¡± Priest Zalman nodded, understanding the meaning of Joo-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The Cardinal¡­!¡± Then, Joo-yeon smiled broadly. ¡°The great Cardinal couldn¡¯t have lied. So, what should we do now?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Shall I tell you the answer?¡± Nod!! Priest Jalman¡¯s head shook violently up and down. Joo-in didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Bring the Saintess before me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± At that moment, Priest Jalman and the Paladins¡¯ mouths fell open wide. The words that came out of Joo-in¡¯s mouth were that shocking. ¡°How dare you call the Saintess¡¯s name so casually!¡± ¡°No matter how much of a warrior you are, you shouldn¡¯t say such things! The Saintess isn¡¯t someone just anyone can meet¡­¡­¡± ¡°Take back those words this instant!¡± Yes. Joo-in knew it very well too. ¡®Right now, the Saintess is in the deepest part of the temple.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t easy to meet or call her. However, Joo-in had to meet the Saintess. ¡®That¡¯s the only way to heal the barbarians and make the barbarian chieftain, Karasen, my ally.¡¯ Kar-aun was strong, but he wasn¡¯t an existence that could compare to Karasen. So this was the only way. ¡°Only the Saintess can verify a true warrior. Right?¡± ¡°We-well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the Duke of Edmer¡¯s territory right now. Tell the Saintess. Tell her that I¡¯ll be waiting for her there.¡± Anyway, the one who would be proven to be a warrior was Joo-in. Because he had the Sky Piercer. Chapter 92 My Reflector Is Invincible 9292. Heater ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about earlier.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t know you were a real warrior¡­¡­¡± ¡°How can we apologize to you?¡± The Paladins bowed their heads to Joo-in. Priest Jalman had gone to meet the Saintess, and in his place, the remaining Paladins came to apologize to Joo-in. It seemed that the incident earlier was weighing on their minds. However, the direction the Paladins were bowing in was strange. ¡°Hey. That¡¯s not the right way.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Lord Joo-in.¡± ¡°No matter how I look at it, this person seems more real¡­¡­. Did you say your name was Leo?¡± ¡°This silver hair is exactly the same as the person the Saintess told us about¡­¡­¡± The Paladins glanced at each other, looking embarrassed. Dae-ho snickered as if their expressions were funny. ¡°Anyone can tell that he¡¯s the warrior.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s handsome.¡± Look at this kid? Of course, Leo looked like a hero. Anyone can see that he is handsome and has the unique atmosphere of a hero¡­ ¡°For the time being, you¡¯re acting like a villain boss.¡± This kid? ¡®Even so, I¡¯m the one holding the holy sword.¡¯ These guys were discriminating against people based on their appearance. However, the protagonist¡¯s companions thought differently. ¡°I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°I think Lord Joo-hyeon is a hero, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I agree, Lord Joo-hyeon.¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re better than that pale, lanky guy.¡± Karahan, Haken, Olson, and Daedo were there, too. Of course, among the new characters, there were some who believed in Joo-hyeon. Unlike the priests, she was a woman. ¡°Mister, I still think you¡¯re a hero.¡± ¡°Who are you calling mister?¡± She was the little girl that Priest Jarman had left behind. To be exact, she was a child who had persuaded Priest Jarman and stayed on her own. ¡°Were you planning to join the fake hero¡¯s party?¡± ¡°Priest Jarman told me to.¡± She was a junior priest. However, Joo-hyeon could tell right away. ¡®¡­This is the next saintess.¡¯ You can tell just by looking at her face. Those around her or herself were not aware of it at all, but she was a person who would awaken as a saintess with overwhelming power. It was also the main quest of the Sun Temple. Even the popes did not know her true identity, but they knew why Jarman had tried to attach her to the fake hero¡¯s party. ¡®Because this guy can understand and handle the language of beasts.¡¯ Depending on her growth, it was also possible for her to use the divine beast. So Jarman¡¯s purpose was obvious. ¡®Were you planning to give the fake hero a divine beast instead of the holy sword?¡¯ Of course, no matter how much of a saintess she is, it is difficult to awaken the divine beast. So, he might have tried to attach a divine beast that was similar to the divine beast. Because the symbols of the hero were the holy sword and the divine beast. If the divine beast followed her around, it would have seemed plausible. In fact, it was almost certain from the information he had heard from Daedo through the Knight King. ¨C It seems that the temple is looking for a divine beast. They said that even if it looks a little similar, they don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a divine beast or a demon beast. It seems that they have judged that it is virtually impossible for a human to obtain a divine beast. ¡®But I have that impossible divine beast.¡¯ It is currently in a state of darkness, so no one here knows that it is here. That¡¯s not all. I didn¡¯t have to worry about other guys taking it away. Animals have an instinct to £¼imprint£¾ the first person they see when they¡¯re born as their parent. ¡®The same goes for the Heavenly Dragon. Since I was the first one it saw, it¡¯s supposed to follow me like a parent.¡¯ They never go against their parent¡¯s will. That¡¯s why the Demon Tribe worked so hard to get their hands on a Heavenly Dragon. Once they £¼imprint£¾ on someone, they can ignore their instinct to follow the Hero. In short, the Temple is doing something they shouldn¡¯t be doing. But what Joo-in found strange was something else. ¡®Why me, not Leo?¡¯ Joo-in looked at the young priestess. She had stayed here after arguing with Priest Zalman. Priest Zalman had scolded her in shock. -What do you mean you¡¯re staying here! Surely you don¡¯t think that¡¯s the real Hero? -That¡¯s what I think. -You fool¡­! With Lord Leon gone, the Cardinal won¡¯t leave you alone! -Shouldn¡¯t you be the one thinking more clearly, Priest Zalman? -What? You insolent¡­! Fine. Do whatever you want, even if it kills you! Actually, Joo-in thought she had stayed because of Leo. But wasn¡¯t she actually sticking close to Joo-in? She glanced at Leo, but she seemed to believe in Joo-in more. That¡¯s what was strange. ¡®Aren¡¯t priestesses supposed to be drawn to the Hero?¡¯ Technically, Leo was still the Hero. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡®It¡¯s about time I showed up.¡¯ That was because the guy I thought would show up before I got to the Duchy hadn¡¯t appeared. But then it happened. Screech-. Suddenly, the Heavenly Dragon rubbed its face against Joo-in and wailed. Its eyes were bloodshot. The Great Mage was so surprised that he jumped off the carriage. ¡°Enemy!¡± Joo-in¡¯s eyes also flashed. ¡®Yup. I knew you¡¯d show up, you bastard.¡¯ Soon, a man appeared in front of the carriage. Black robe. Black mask with a red pattern. I couldn¡¯t see his face properly. Olsen shouted angrily at the sight of him. ¡°Who are you! How dare you block our path when you see the crest of the carriage?¡± The carriage bore the crests of the Edmer family and the Hero. ¡°If you weren¡¯t a demon, you wouldn¡¯t even dare to block us! How can you commit such an unholy act in the North!¡± Then, the man who had been hiding his face spoke. ¡°My name is Shaska. An interrogator from the Temple of the Sun.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± Everyone¡¯s faces, except Joo-Yeon¡¯s, hardened. They knew the danger that the three letters ¡®interrogator¡¯ held. An entity that punishes on behalf of the temple. Superhumans of the Eight Temples. Even if their pure divine power was inferior to that of the cardinals, they were combat specialists whose combat abilities were comparable to even the pope. Even a knight like Olson couldn¡¯t help but tremble at his voice. ¡°Why is an interrogator¡­¡± Blocking the carriage? Can¡¯t you tell when you look? Joo-Yeon chuckled lightly. As expected. A cold voice flowed from the mouth of interrogator Shaska. ¡°Because you killed Lord Leon.¡± ¡°Lord Leon?¡± ¡°Surely¡­ the fake hero? Did you come here to avenge his death?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, murderous intent gushed out. It was a dangerous murderous intent that one wouldn¡¯t believe came from a figure of the temple. However, Joo-Yeon¡¯s face remained calm. He had heard the news of the interrogator from the priest¡¯s mouth beforehand. ¡®Of course, I expected a hunting dog to come out.¡¯ It was a matter related to the son of a cardinal, who could be called the head of the Eight Temples. It was a ploy to shut the mouths of witnesses. There were often such cases in the game, so he knew it very well. ¡®I needed the item the interrogator has anyway. This works out well.¡¯ At that moment, the interrogator lifted an object in his arms. A round medallion with the crest of the Temple of the Sun. Soon, light poured out of the medallion and pointed at Leo. ¡°You¡¯re the one.¡± That was what Joo-Yeon needed. [Mark of the Sun] It was an item with an effect similar to the ¡®Mark of Death¡¯ that his former comrade, ¡®Death¡¯, used to cast. The Mark of Death chases its target until they die. However, if you cast the Mark of the Sun on someone, you can identify the location of the culprit who harmed them. You can¡¯t escape anywhere under the sun. However, Joo-Yeon also knew another way to use it. ¡®If you use it on your opponent, you can track the target as long as the sun is up.¡¯ It can also be used for . The disadvantage of Reflection is that you can¡¯t attack if your opponent loses their will to fight and runs away. But with this, no matter where the demon runs, I can definitely catch it. Finding the interrogator was a problem, but I could say that I had less to do because he came to me on his own. ¡®He¡¯s definitely strong. Leo can¡¯t handle him right now.¡¯ He was the kind of strong guy who could handle most demons by himself. Of course, Joo-eun could handle him. ¡®I have £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ Whether he knew that or not, Leo took a step forward as if he felt a little sorry. It seemed like he was concerned about getting into trouble. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere. This is my problem.¡± ¡°Of course, human! It¡¯s not like I did anything wrong. Can I help you fight?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Joo-eun only had to get the item. But Leo shook his head. He couldn¡¯t understand Joo-eun¡¯s way of thinking at all. Then he took out his sword. So did the interrogator. From Noble mtl dot com Instead, Joo-eun said. ¡°By the way, do you know that he has the hero¡¯s seal? Just in case.¡± No matter how much of an interrogator he is, he can¡¯t harm the hero. That would be the same as negating the very existence of the Eight Great Temples. Then the interrogator chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not here as an interrogator right now. I¡¯m here to avenge my master.¡± With those words, the interrogator attacked Leo. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Joo-eun was very satisfied. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s what you should do.¡¯ At that moment, Leo and the interrogator¡¯s swords clashed. Clang! At that moment, Joo-eun secretly used £¼Reflection£¾ while pinching his hand. [Please select a target] [£¼Hero Leo£¾, £¼Interrogator Shaska£¾, £¼Seed Haken£¾] At the same time, an invisible force tormented the interrogator. Crackle! Pain rose from various parts of the interrogator¡¯s body. Joo-eun secretly stabbed himself with a knife and stabbed his eyes. Unaware of this, the interrogator gritted his teeth. ¡°This vicious bastard. You¡¯re attacking me so despicably!¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know an invisible attack?¡± It was actually fun to watch Leo¡¯s expression of injustice. Dae-do glanced at Joo-eun, who was watching with his arms crossed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, did you do it?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± ¡°You¡­are you enjoying this situation? Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How could I-¡° Joo-Yeon glanced at the interrogator and Leo. In fact, there was no other reason he had made the two confront each other. ¡®I¡¯ve roughly confirmed Leo¡¯s abilities. He¡¯s faster than I thought, but it¡¯s within my expectations.¡¯ But that¡¯s why it¡¯s more regrettable. Joo-Yeon, an experienced veteran, could tell. ¡®This guy is not an ordinary guy.¡¯ He was still growing, but he had overwhelming specs among the guys of the Valentino family. It made sense because he was a combination of Ryu-Jin and Leo, who were considerable even alone. Maybe he could become stronger than himself in the end. Of course, that was excluding Ban-Ya. ¡®Anyway, there are more than one or two strange things, like the fact that he has Ryu-Jin¡¯s face, who is already dead.¡¯ One thing for sure was that he could achieve something if he used this guy properly. ¡®It would be good to make him an ally before he becomes stronger than me.¡¯ Soon, Leo bounced off. Leo¡¯s mouth was roughened by the attack of an opponent who was stronger than he thought. ¡°You call yourself an interrogator. Did you just flap your lips like that?¡± Oh! Good! You were a guy who could do it if you tried. Ryu-Jin was too kind, and there were more than one or two times when he almost got angry. That¡¯s why Joo-Yeon deliberately added fuel to the fire. ¡°That¡¯s how those guys are. They talk big, but they don¡¯t have the skills.¡± The interrogator twitched his eyebrows at Joo-Yeon¡¯s words. It was a look that was properly stimulated. ¡°Indeed. Beheading him like this would not be an apology to the master.¡± The interrogator raised his hand. Then, a tremendous amount of divine power soared into the sky. Kwaaang! The paladins and the candidate for the saintess recognized its identity. ¡°That¡­that¡¯s our temple¡¯s highest sacred law?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Eternal Flame! Run away!¡± [Eternal Flame] It was the highest sacred law of the Temple of the Sun, a technique to create another sun. It¡¯s not as hot as the real sun. However, it was a sacred law with such powerful firepower that it could be considered comparable to it. It was a large-scale technique that the Temple of the Sun was proud of. It was a force befitting the intention to kill all witnesses. In fact, even Leo was resisting the aura of the sun with the aura of the moon. The sun and the moon were incompatible. So I can endure it. And Jooyeon knew. Many warriors die like this. But Jooyeon smiled. ¡®Yeah, this much is worth it for the attack to work.¡¯ He stepped out as if he had been waiting for this much. ¡°Who turned on the heater when it¡¯s already so hot!¡± Jooyeon jumped up. And a giant sun struck his body. [£¼Reflection£¾ activated] He could not identify the enemy behind the giant sun, but it did not matter. His £¼Reflection£¾ could reflect the attack right back at the opponent. Kuaaak! Chapter 93 My Reflector Is Invincible 9393. Come Here The Sanctuary of the Edmer family. There was a new building built there. [Here lies the great hero who protected the continent even after death] It was the entrance to the tomb leading to the hero Ryu Jin. Of course, not just anyone could approach it. 100 knights guarded the entrance to the tomb. But right now. Thud, thud. Two people passed the knights and arrived at the entrance to the tomb. They were a graceful young woman and a middle-aged man. ¡°Is this the place?¡± ¡°Yeah. Shall we go in?¡± They were the previous Saintess and the Knight King. But at the Knight King¡¯s words, the hero¡¯s companion and the previous Saintess shook her head. There was no time to mourn Ryu Jin in peace. ¡°I heard his name is Jooyeon. It¡¯s about time the man who led me here arrives.¡± The Knight King looked at her in surprise. After the hero¡¯s death, she had been in seclusion, so why had she suddenly come out of seclusion to find the Knight King? In a word, something serious enough to make her come out of seclusion must have happened. Something like the very existence of the temple being in danger. And to think that it was because of Jooyeon, the Knight King could not help but be nervous. ¡°What in the world happened?¡± ¡°I heard that he cut off the head of the son of the Sun Temple¡¯s Cardinal, who had been pretending to be a fake hero.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± What? Whose head did he cut off? Even the Knight King was shocked by the news. Even if he were a fake hero, he had killed the son of a Cardinal. This was not a common occurrence. It could lead to a war with the Temple. But he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°How could the son of a Cardinal be a fake hero?¡± ¡°The demons and apostates are showing themselves more and more often. The opinion of the Eight Great Temples is that we must somehow respond to them.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ So they plan to counter the Demon King with a fake hero.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not unprecedented.¡± Even so, a fake hero¡­ The previous Saintess, Esmeralda, sighed. ¡°I think he secretly joined hands with the Demon Tower. It seems they even created an artifact that bears the Hero¡¯s Crest.¡± Could it be that he was also involved with the sorcerers? The Knight King was surprised. One of the untraceable companions was a Grand Sorcerer. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a sense, it was a perfect opportunity to track them down, but this matter took precedence. ¡°They say that he couldn¡¯t obtain the qualifications of a Hero¡¯s master, but it¡¯s actually rather suspicious.¡± A fake hero would only hinder the real hero. And yet, the Sun Temple had created a fake. ¡°It seems that while I was in seclusion, the Cardinals and my disciple were up to something.¡± ¡°Your disciple? Surely not?¡± ¡°The girl who succeeded me as Saintess.¡± The Knight King¡¯s expression hardened. Could it be that they had created the fake hero? ¡°And this person named Jooyeon ordered her to bring the Saintess before him.¡± The Knight King coughed uncharacteristically. Oh no. He ordered her to bring the Saintess before him? The Saintess was the spiritual pillar of the Temple. It was like asking them to bring their leader! He could imagine how the Temple would react. If not for the Demon King¡¯s curse, he would have gone himself. However, after hearing the story, the Knight King asked curiously. ¡°But another hero? Wasn¡¯t Jooyeon the only one?¡± ¡°They say there was another hero named ¡®Leo.¡¯ They say that he was the one who actually killed the Cardinal¡¯s son.¡± Two heroes, they say. But if one of them was real, the other must be fake. Wouldn¡¯t they have fought each other? Moreover, if he was strong enough to kill the Cardinal¡¯s son, his opponent must have been quite skilled. Esmeralda looked at the Knight King with surprise at his expression. He was anxious and worried about others in such a way. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This Jooyeon subdued the other hero and requested a Rite of Authenticity.¡± The Knight King¡¯s eyes widened, an unusual sight. Not only had he subdued the Hero, but he had also requested a marriage ritual. ¡°I knew there was something special when he shattered the Demon King¡¯s heart, but¡­¡± I never would have guessed he would be this audacious. ¡°This Leo, he must be an imposter, right?¡± ¡°Well, he did have the Hero¡¯s crest around his neck, so I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Knight King rubbed the back of his neck. Well, that didn¡¯t matter. Even if the main character was a fake, he was still a benefactor to the Edmer House. Edmer intended to protect him to the end. Actually, he could even make him his successor and train him as a knight, so this might turn out well. Yes, if he were to be selfish, he would rather the main character not be the Hero. ¡°The problem is that the Temple of the Sun might get involved in this.¡± ¡°Surely they wouldn¡¯t dare brandish their swords in my territory?¡± ¡°They might not be that impatient. This is their first outing in a long time, so they must have a headache already.¡± ¡°This kind of headache isn¡¯t our problem.¡± In the past, the Hero¡¯s party¡¯s decisions were always made by one man. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t the Hero, Ryuujin. [Zig] The unknown ninth member of the Hero¡¯s party, and the first member. Until now, he had never shown his face to anyone but the Hero, but he was the one who made all the decisions. Even though the other members objected, they never refused his decisions. Zig was a man who hid in the Hero¡¯s shadow, helping them from the sidelines. He was like a commander, showing them the path forward. He was always there, behind every victory. ¡°Even their victory over the Demon King was thanks to his idea. If it weren¡¯t for Zig and the Hero, they wouldn¡¯t have even been able to face the Demon King.¡± Of course, no one knows where he is now. Just as he had only ever communicated with the Hero, he disappeared after Ryuujin¡¯s death. He was the shadow leader they could only long for in their hearts. ¡°How do you think Zig would have handled this?¡± ¡°Well, he probably would have started by smashing the Cardinal to pieces.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± He wasn¡¯t the type to leave any regrets behind him. Moreover, the Hero¡¯s party in the past was known as the strongest on the continent. They would have definitely taken care of things. But the main character is different. ¡°The main character isn¡¯t as reckless as that guy.¡± ¡°Of course, there couldn¡¯t be another reckless person like that.¡± The Saintess nodded and asked, ¡°In that sense, was it the right decision to call this Mr. Main Character here?¡± The previous Saintess had come to the Knight King and asked him to bring the main character¡¯s party back to Edmer Castle. She wanted to ensure their safety before they clashed with the Cardinal. The knight commander said, as if telling them not to worry. ¡°Yes. I sent a letter to have her return to the castle first¡­.¡± But right then, ¡°W-We have a problem. Saintess!¡± A priest came running with an urgent expression. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, as soon as the heroes arrived, they went straight to the Sun Temple!¡± What? ¡°Why on earth!¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°They said that Lord Jooyeon would have a pleasant meeting with the Saintess¡­.¡± Their faces turned pale. What?! * * * In the end, the interrogator was captured while burning. Jooyeon also benefited greatly. Because [Conqueror] had taken the interrogator¡¯s abilities. [You conquer the target.] [You have acquired the ability of the Sun Temple Interrogator.] [You have acquired £¼Sun¡¯s Power£¾.] [You have acquired £¼Sun¡¯s Grace£¾.] [You have acquired £¼Sun¡¯s Compassion£¾.] [You have acquired £¼Eternal Flame£¾.] ¡®Purification during the recovery period. And even the Eternal Flame.¡¯ His faith was lacking, so he didn¡¯t have much divine power. However, except for [Eternal Flame], they were abilities that he could use whenever he wanted. It was only natural for Jooyeon to smile. On the other hand, Leo¡¯s face was stiff. Because Jooyeon had gotten rid of that huge sun all by himself. No. Rather than that, he might have been astonished by the overwhelming difference between him and Jooyeon. Rather, he must have realized the difference more quickly because his abilities were better than others. The problem was that Leo was the only one who had seen that sight clearly because of the flames. So he had no choice but to follow Jooyeon, who was heading to the temple, and ask. ¡°How on earth did you do it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The attack that defeated the interrogator.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it at all. He had turned that huge sun back on the interrogator. ¡®That¡¯s only possible if you have a stronger power than your opponent.¡¯ He had to withstand his opponent¡¯s power and have enough power to turn it back on them. ¡®Could it be that it¡¯s something that only those who have reached a certain level can do?¡¯ Moreover, he turned him, who has a strong resistance to flames, into a piece of charcoal. Even for a hero, it was an impossible feat. ¡®He may have special characteristics, but it shouldn¡¯t be easy to do that.¡¯ ¡°How on earth did you¡­¡­¡± However, Jooyeon shrugged. ¡°Then will you tell me all of your abilities? While you¡¯re at it, all of your characteristics as well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Leo shut his mouth tightly. No matter how curious he was about Jooyeon¡¯s secret, he couldn¡¯t reveal everything about himself. Well, of course. ¡®In this world, abilities and characteristics are proof of strength and a sore spot.¡¯ If you analyze the two abilities well, you can figure out their weaknesses. Even for a hero, you can find a vital point to kill them instantly. Of course, there was no such weakness in , but it wasn¡¯t a deal in Jooyeon¡¯s favor. That¡¯s why he said this on purpose. ¡°You don¡¯t want to tell me yours, but you ask about mine?¡± Isn¡¯t this being selfish? At Jooyeon¡¯s expression, Leo realized what he had done. So he didn¡¯t ask any more. However, Leo didn¡¯t know. ¡®Actually, I know everything even if you don¡¯t tell me, human.¡¯ Jooyeon had raised countless heroes until now. Even if he just stayed by their side, it was a piece of cake to figure out the specific characteristics and skills they had. Why? Jooyeon whispered quietly to Daedo. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something. Can by any chance use on that guy as well?¡± At those words, Daedo snickered for some reason. ¡°Should I test if it works?¡± is a technique to steal information from the opponent. Usually, Daedo would obediently follow Jooyeon¡¯s words, but surprisingly, he followed Jooyeon¡¯s words this time. However, something strange happened. [£¼Daedo Cheonsugwan-eum£¾ uses Inspect] flew not only to Leo, but also to Jooyeon. However, Jooyeon smiled as if he had been waiting for this. ¡®Yes, I knew you would do this.¡¯ Normally, Jooyeon would say something even if he tried to use , but what if Jooyeon was curious like now? He would pretend to satisfy Jooyeon¡¯s curiosity and secretly check on Jooyeon as well. That¡¯s why Jooyeon asked that question on purpose. He knew this sly bastard would do this. For this very situation. [£¼Reflect£¾ is used] [Reflecting on £¼Hero Leo£¾ in secret] I tried it out on a whim, but my hunch was right. [Succeeded in stealing information on Hero Leo using the £¼Observe£¾ reflection.] Normally, £¼Observe£¾ shouldn¡¯t work on someone like Leo, but it seemed he couldn¡¯t completely block something that had been reflected once. Soon, countless pieces of information floated up, piquing Joo-in¡¯s interest. ¡®Oh. He has all the basic hero traits, but he¡¯s barely learned any separate abilities?¡¯ That¡¯s what was surprising. ¡®Wait. He was that strong without any other job skills?¡¯ I had naturally assumed he¡¯d have other job skills. Then there was only one possibility. ¡®That guy¡¯s hiding a special trait.¡¯ There were a few guesses I could make. [Lone Wolf] An extremely rare trait that made one stronger when alone. There was a similar ability called £¼Comradeship£¾ that made one stronger as one¡¯s comrades fell. But this guy was alone, so there was no way he had that trait. However, this was the most noticeable thing. [Possesses a unique (unknown) trait] Joo-in smiled. ¡®Yep. It¡¯s over once I confirm that.¡¯ Is it because he¡¯s a hero that he has a unique trait? Of course it was a trait. Traits were weaker than abilities like £¼Reflect£¾, but they allowed one to surpass certain limits. I couldn¡¯t see everything in detail, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®There¡¯s only one unique trait that can manifest in a hero.¡¯ Amongst players, there was a fantastical hidden trait that was said to rarely manifest in heroes. No one had ever confirmed it, but if it existed¡­ If it did, it would be an incredible power for Joo-in. ¡®Well, if I raise the Great Sword¡¯s ability, I¡¯ll be able to see everything.¡¯ I could slowly confirm the details later. The important thing was to make that guy my absolute ally. However, the Great Sword¡¯s expression as he used his skill was strange. ¡°Eugh, what the heck! Why can¡¯t I see yours! I could at least see one of his!¡± Unlike Joo-in, it seemed he couldn¡¯t see much information. ¡®Well, Leo probably blocked it right away, so that makes sense.¡¯ Even so, £¼Reflect£¾ shouldn¡¯t have detected it. However, Joo-in kept his face blank. ¡°What? Did you secretly look again? That¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re stronger than that guy?!¡± At those words, Leo flinched, but soon looked at the Great Sword with sharp eyes. It seemed he had noticed the culprit who had stolen the information. And at that moment, as he approached with the gaze of a thief who couldn¡¯t shake his bad habit¡­ ¡°Hold it. I¡¯m not your opponent.¡± ¡°What?¡± Joo-yeon, who had stopped Leo, looked at the building in front of them. It wasn¡¯t Edmer Castle, but it was the Temple of the Sun located within the Duchy of Edmer. The Cardinal crossed his arms and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you know this already. Do you think we¡¯d open the door just because you came here?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I just need to see the Saintess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You do know we can¡¯t let the Saintess go, right?¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just have to make her come out.¡± ¡°What? What are you going to do¡­..¡± However, the Cardinal couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. BOOM! With Joo-yeon¡¯s kick, the entrance to the temple flew open. ¡°Come on out!¡± Chapter 94 My Reflector Is Invincible 9494. New Power ¡°Come on out!¡± BOOM! Joo-yeon¡¯s light greeting. To think that the main gate of the temple would be smashed to pieces and blown away was a major incident. In an instant, weapons were drawn from all sides. However, Joo-yeon¡¯s voice remained calm. ¡°Isn¡¯t Cardinal Galatheron inside? Bring him out quickly.¡± The knights who came running looked at each other with wide eyes, wondering what was going on. ¡°How dare you¡­.. speak the Cardinal¡¯s name so casually!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Cardinal would want to see me?¡± ¡°What is this¡­..¡± Joo-yeon pointed behind him. There, Leon, who was pretending to be a fake hero, and the Inquisitor were tied up. The eyes of the priests who recognized them grew wide. ¡°L¡­¡­ Lord Leon!?¡± ¡°That person is¡­.. surely Inquisitor Shaska?¡± ¡°Why are those two tied up like that!¡± Oh my, look at these guys? Who do they think they are getting angry at? Instead of answering, Joo-yeon pointed at Leo. ¡°What do you think the crest on that necklace is?¡± Those who had charged at Joo-yeon froze. ¡°S¡­¡­ surely, the Hero?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? The Hero is obviously the Lord¡­..¡± ¡°Priest Zalman said that the Cardinal¡¯s son is fake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Priest Zalman?¡± The paladins and priests were abuzz with questions, but Jooyeon didn¡¯t give them time to think. ¡°So, where is Cardinal Galatheron?¡± ¡°He is currently inside, but¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then bring him. I have business with him.¡± ¡°Bu¡­¡­ But he is currently with the Saintess¡­¡­¡± Saintess? Could it be Esmeralda? Jooyeon thought she would be at the Hero¡¯s Tomb. It was natural since the two were as close as siblings. ¡°I told Zalman to bring the Saintess, but I didn¡¯t think he would actually bring her. Esmeralda is with the Cardinal?¡± However, the priests unexpectedly exchanged glances at those words. ¡°We¡­¡­ We are not referring to the previous Saintess.¡± ¡°What? Previous? Esmeralda is the previous Saintess?¡± ¡°That is correct. The current Saintess is someone else.¡± Jooyeon was taken aback by the priest¡¯s words. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There is a Saintess who wasn¡¯t chosen by the Hero? Originally, the Saintess was decided by the Hero. To be exact, the player could choose on behalf of the Hero. It was a way to induce a kind of £¼Awakening£¾. ¡®Then, usually, the affiliated temple is randomly decided.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter if he was a priest of the Sun Temple. Since the £¼Awakening£¾ of the Saintess could make her a priestess of the Ocean or Moonlight Temple. However, veterans had a tip that went beyond that. ¡®If you have a certain item, you can change the affiliation of the Saintess to the desired temple.¡¯ There was an item for that. [Emblem of the Sun] Using the Emblems of the Eight Temples that each Inquisitor had, it was possible to awaken them as the Saintess of the desired temple. ¡®Most people don¡¯t know. That you can control the awakening of the Saintess with this item.¡¯ But why is the affiliation of the temple important? For one, each temple¡¯s Saintess had different characteristics. [Attack] [Defense] [Recovery] [Buff] For example, the [Punishment] of the Sun Temple deals additional damage to targets with evil tendencies. The [Barrier] of the Earth Temple increases various defense powers. The [Tidal Wave] of the Ocean Temple amplifies healing abilities with divine power. [Moonlight] of the Silver Moon Temple recovers resources for using skills. Of course, Joo-Yeon always chose a saintess from the [Great Sea] Temple as the lead. The reason was simple. From Noble mtl dot com ¡®[Great Sea] Temple boasts powerful divine power and inclusiveness that never runs out.¡¯ In a word, it specialized in recovery. But this time, it was different. ¡®Do I really need to choose a saintess from the Great Sea?¡¯ He didn¡¯t need recovery. If Joo-Yeon fought the Demon King in the front, the other party members just had to stay alive. Rather, a saintess who specialized in defense or protection was more beneficial. But there was a problem. They said there was already a saintess. ¡®If this happens, my plan will go awry?¡¯ I was planning to shake down the cardinals of the sun and extract some compensation. That¡¯s how I was going to get the Artifact from Saintess Esmeralda. ¡®And I was going to make a new colleague a saintess.¡¯ This made things a little difficult. However, Joo-Yeon did not give up. No, to be exact, he couldn¡¯t give up. ¡®A saintess that the hero didn¡¯t even decide on? Something about this is suspicious?¡¯ This had never happened before. However, it wasn¡¯t unexpected. ¡®If there¡¯s a fake hero, there could be a fake saintess.¡¯ Then the solution was simple. Just like the fake hero who got his neck cut, all I had to do was deal with the fake saintess. And the priest that Joo-Yeon chose would become the saintess of the time. She would be able to give him the buffs he needed. ¡®For that to happen, I have to meet the cardinal first.¡¯ The Grand Master sighed, wondering what he saw in that expression. ¡°You¡¯re full of thoughts about shaking us down.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I the best leader for thieves?¡± ¡°Well, judging from the looks in their eyes, it seems like they¡¯re going to rip your flesh off.¡± ¡°Aha, just like someone who threw hidden weapons without warning?¡± ¡°What, what? That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t know much about your guy¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, if you didn¡¯t know twice, you¡¯d kill someone?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡­.¡± Like that, Joo-Yeon and his party headed towards the inside of the Sun Temple, guided by the priests. At that moment, Joo-Yeon recalled something. ¡®Come to think of it, I forgot.¡¯ Like the saintess, each temple had its own special player perks. Of course, I don¡¯t know if those perks would be activated in reality, but if it¡¯s the [Sun] Temple, it¡¯s definitely a place with skill-related perks. ¡°Why don¡¯t we try?¡± If it worked, then it would be possible to obtain things in other places as well. After organizing his thoughts, Jooyeon remained in place. The knights¡¯ gazes sharpened at his behavior. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re planning on doing something reckless¡­¡± But Jooyeon smirked. ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯m not sure if I can follow you guys.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the Cardinal who made the fake hero? From what I can see, he¡¯s a fraud, so isn¡¯t it only natural that his subordinates would also be frauds?¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°Even now. Perhaps you¡¯re planning on taking us away to silence us.¡± ¡°Nonsense. There must be some kind of misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°Or perhaps it¡¯s this.¡± Jooyeon pointed to the sky with a smile. ¡°Did God perhaps order you to create a fake?¡± Sparks flew from the knights¡¯ eyes at Jooyeon¡¯s words. Of course they understood the meaning behind his words. ¡°How dare you blaspheme God!¡± ¡°Subdue the heretic!¡± ¡°Wash away his sins with blood!¡± Without hesitation, the knights stabbed Jooyeon. But then something surprising happened. Swish! Suddenly, Jooyeon¡¯s legs wobbled. He had allowed the knights¡¯ attack to hit him. Even so, if Jooyeon hadn¡¯t grabbed the shaft of the spear, he could have been in a considerably dangerous situation. The knights laughed at Jooyeon. ¡°Was that all the arrogance you had?¡± As Jooyeon bled, Leo looked at him with apparent surprise, and the rest of the party also wore shocked expressions. ¡°How dare you attack Lord Jooyeon!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never get away with this!¡± Haken and Olson even tried to fight the knights. Daeho was just as shocked. ¡°Why¡­ aren¡¯t you using that power?¡± He had been somewhat expecting the power of £¼Reflect£¾. Though he didn¡¯t know its true nature, he hadn¡¯t imagined Jooyeon getting hurt. ¡®Could it be? Is he worried about the knights getting hurt?¡¯ That didn¡¯t seem like him. But Jooyeon had been injured and was now in a dangerous situation. Daeho¡¯s eyes blazed with fury. I think I was over-relying on Joo-in and putting too much burden on him. ¡°I won¡¯t lose any more of my comrades!¡± He rushed forward, and the Paladins charged at Joo-in. However, Joo-in just smirked. ¡®I didn¡¯t use Reflect on purpose.¡¯ In fact, the Paladins had intentionally provoked him. There was only one reason for this. At that moment, something incredible happened. Wheeing! Red light began to pour out of Joo-in¡¯s body. It was a warm red light, like the sun, and as comforting as the beginning of all things. The Paladins were astonished and stepped back at the sight. ¡°Th¡­this light?¡± ¡°Surely not the same divine power as ours, from the Temple of the Sun?¡± ¡°No. How! Doesn¡¯t killing the young master¡­mean you¡¯re a heretic?¡± The Paladins were genuinely bewildered. But Joo-in laughed inwardly. ¡®This is the power of the Conqueror.¡¯ -Unique recovery skill of the Paladins of the Temple of the Sun- [Sun¡¯s Mercy] It was a technique he had taken from the Inquisitor. A unique recovery skill primarily used by the Paladins of the Temple of the Sun. There was no way they wouldn¡¯t recognize it. That¡¯s why he could be a bit cheeky. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit harsh, for believers who worship the same god?¡± He simultaneously drew his holy sword. The Paladins looked at him in even greater confusion. ¡°You¡¯re the Hero?!¡± Dae-do looked at Joo-in as if he were crazy. ¡®Well, yeah. There¡¯s no way that punk would do that without thinking.¡¯ By the way, that punk¡­he really lies without batting an eyelid. ¡®Same faith, my foot.¡¯ There was no way Joo-in had any faith. Surely there was a reason he¡¯d accepted the quest in the first place. ¡®Those who don¡¯t know that are the ones to be pitied.¡¯ As expected, Joo-in laughed. [You have achieved a special feat in the Temple of the Sun] [Special benefits will be unlocked] [The Akashic System will be opened] Joo-in rejoiced as if he had succeeded. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll bite.¡¯ In the Temple of the Sun, there was no other way to unlock the achievement. £¼Use the skills of the Temple of the Sun inside the temple£¾ In short, it meant using the priest¡¯s skills. Originally, you would learn the basic skills by rolling around in the temple. If you use it, you can unlock the achievement here, but haven¡¯t you already acquired the skills of the Temple of the Sun? Right from the interrogator. ¡®If there¡¯s a downside, this recovery machine can only self-heal.¡¯ In the end, Joo-yeon needed someone to inflict wounds. ¡®I feel a little sorry for the Paladins, though.¡¯ In fact, the Paladins were really flustered. That was because there was absolute discipline within the temple. [Never attack a believer of the same faith] [Do not spill the blood of believers on the floor of the temple] What happens if you don¡¯t follow this rule? ¡®You will be cursed by the Sun God.¡¯ There is no way to avoid the curse. The Paladins were sweating profusely. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°We really thought we were heretics¡­¡± They didn¡¯t even ask how he used divine power. In the first place, it was natural for a warrior to use divine power, as long as they wielded a holy sword. ¡®Divine power is a sign of firm faith in God.¡¯ The demons alone could not imitate that. That¡¯s why the Eight Great Temples were respected on the continent. Because the possibility of a turncoat was extremely low. But you attacked a believer who uses the same divine power? And on top of that, it¡¯s a hero? Needless to say, the despair that the Paladins must have felt. That was the moment. [The Paladins feel strong despair] [The effect of £¼Conqueror£¾ is activated] [Acquired £¼Divine Blessing£¾] [Acquired £¼Holy Shield£¾] [Acquired £¼Devotion£¾] [Acquired £¼Exorcism£¾] [Acquired £¼Divine Protection£¾] Countless spears rose. As a result of the Paladins surrendering to Joo-yeon, the effect of £¼Conqueror£¾ was automatically activated. Joo-yeon didn¡¯t come here for nothing. ¡®Aside from the Knights, this is the place with the most professions in the Edmer Dukedom.¡¯ I intended to subdue them to gain skills. And it was a bullseye. ¡®Sorry. But I need to live too.¡¯ Soon, Joo-eun turned her head. If that was possible, there was something she had to do before meeting the Saintess. In fact, she did this because Leo showed up. Soon, the statue in the temple emitted light like the sun. [Opening the Akashic System] Joo-eun¡¯s physical body was in the temple filled with marble, but her mind was moving to a new place. A scene like being in the middle of the universe unfolded. Transparent trees that seemed to be made of stars were spread out in front of her. [Skill Tree] All the skills that Joo-eun currently had were displayed. Among them, one shone the most beautifully. [£¼Reflection£¾ can be strengthened] It was time to gain new abilities. Chapter 95 My Reflector Is Invincible 9595. Why Don¡¯t You Come? A voice came to Joo-eun, who was standing in front of the tree. [You can strengthen and delete skills from the Skill Tree] It was exactly as it said. In this place, she could strengthen her skills. ¡®This is something that was only possible in the Temple of the Sun.¡¯ That¡¯s why it was originally a place that players visited the most. A character¡¯s strength usually depends a lot on their skills. Of course, the other eight temples also had different Akashic Systems prepared. The sun is for strengthening skills. The great sea is for strengthening achievements. The silver moon is for creating buffs. The earth is for crafting equipment. It was like this. Of course, Joo-eun¡¯s most fundamental and core skill was £¼Reflection£¾. ¡®I decided to visit the Temple of the Sun first in order to strengthen £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ Anyway, the important thing was this. [Would you like to strengthen £¼Reflection£¾? ] £¼Reflection£¾, the most shining skill among the skills. From Noble mtl dot com The skill upgrade window popped up before Joo-eun¡¯s eyes. Of course, it¡¯s not something you can do unconditionally. Strengthening points were required. How do you get that? You can obtain it by offering the skills you have. Of course, the skills don¡¯t disappear. [Reinforcement points are paid according to the grade offered] [Normal 1/Advanced 2/Rare 3/Hero 4/Continental 5/Legend 8/Unique 10] For this reason, Joo-Yeon acquired [Conqueror]. Because it was the easiest to acquire skills among all the professions. Of course, it was possible to acquire skills with other professions as well. By paying money to other occupational groups, or by inheriting them. Or by completing quests. There were various other ways to acquire skills. That was also the reason why the profession of £¼Warrior£¾ was often played. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Warriors can purchase skills from other professions through Warrior Points] Warrior Points are accumulated just by helping others. It was much easier to acquire advanced skills than with money or inheritance. But that¡¯s as far as it goes. ¡®Every time, you have to do a forced quest, and if you see injustice, you automatically run to it.¡¯ [Sense of Justice] There was a trait that gave a very small chance of self-destructing against the Demon King. Joo-Yeon also suffered a lot because of this characteristic of a warrior. ¡®On the other hand, £¼Conqueror£¾ is so clean.¡¯ The advantage of £¼Conqueror£¾. It is that you don¡¯t have to work hard to clear quests. Because there are more skills that you can acquire by subduing them at once. There was also the advantage that you could acquire ultra-rare skills that are hard to find otherwise. Just look at what I got from the Paladins a little while ago. £¼Divine Blessing£¾ is a secret technique of the Paladins that grants divine attributes for a moment. £¼Holy Shield£¾ is an ultra-rare skill that creates a shield made of divine power in front. Only the captain-level of the Paladins could have it. ¡®Well, only Paladins can use something like this, so it¡¯s better to sell it.¡¯ Soon, Joo-Yeon planned to offer the skill and strengthen the reflection. ¡®I can¡¯t offer just any skill.¡¯ For professional reasons, Joo-Yeon offered skills that he couldn¡¯t use, inferior compatible skills, and skills that were too restrictive and caused damage. [You have acquired 3 skill points] [You have acquired 2 skill points] ¡­¡­. [You have acquired 3 skill points] A few more were deleted in addition to that. £¼Take a Break£¾ £¼Digging£¾ £¼Screaming£¾ £¼Steal£¾ £¼Inspect£¾ £¼Mugging£¾ These were useless skills I had learned while training with the King of Knights. I had been waiting to get rid of them anyway, so the timing was perfect. ¡®Stealth, Mugging, Inspect, these are all rogue techniques.¡¯ I learned these skills by watching the Rogue teach Haken from the side. I also got rid of a few others, and managed to accumulate 35 points. That was a lot of points for the early stages. ¡®Now, let¡¯s try strengthening.¡¯ [Would you like to strengthen £¼Reflect£¾? ] [Required points: 10] If 1 point is required for normal skills, the Unique-grade £¼Reflect£¾ requires 10. However, Joo-Heon¡¯s hand did not hesitate. Joo-Heon¡¯s hand tapped on the glowing branch. Then, a bright light began to spread from £¼Reflect£¾. Paat! [£¼Reflect£¾ has become LV2] [Reflect¡¯s range has increased] [Reflect¡¯s power has increased] In an instant, the power of Reflect had become stronger. But there were still many points left. [10 points required to level up] Flash! [£¼Reflect£¾ has become LV3] [Reflect¡¯s range and power have been amplified] The wording changed slightly. From ¡®increased¡¯ range and power to ¡®amplified¡¯. It seemed like a small difference, but it was actually quite significant. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be stingy with skill points.¡¯ £¼Reflect£¾ had become stronger than I thought. The range alone felt like it had become at least five times stronger than before. But I still had points left. [Remaining points: 15] Of course, I didn¡¯t just choose this time. Unlike before, the appearance of the skill tree had changed slightly. A new fork appeared on the tree. [Reinforcement Trait Type] [1. £¼Double Reflect£¾] -You can reflect on two enemies at the same time. (No damage reduction) [2. £¼Reflection Guard£¾] -You can cast Reflect on an ally. (You cannot use £¼Reflect£¾ on yourself while Reflect Guard is active.) Joo-in was secretly nervous. In fact, this was where it all mattered. ¡®Depending on my initial choices, my ability¡¯s potential for growth will change completely.¡¯ He had already done a lot of tests on £¼Reflect£¾. He knew well enough how much power it had. And he had to consider who his future opponents would be. ¡®Especially the Sun Temple¡¯s Cardinal and Saintess are going to be a problem.¡¯ Joo-in had played the game countless times. As a result, he knew very well how things would play out once a fake hero like him appeared at the Sun Temple. ¡®They¡¯ll try to kill me by any means necessary.¡¯ He might end up having to fight against Duke Edmar¡¯s Sun Temple. That was why he had intentionally refrained from summoning the Sword King or the Saintess. The two honest individuals might hesitate to fight against the Temple. For now, he had to assume that he would be dealing with them alone. ¡®But the Sun Temple is like their home base. There are bound to be traps.¡¯ That was why these choices were so important. He would need to block their attacks and counterattack. ¡®So my choice is¡­!¡¯ Joo-in¡¯s finger pressed down on one of the branching paths. * * * Galatheron, Cardinal of the Sun Temple. He had a very stern face. And with good reason. ¡°Car¡­ Cardinal! It¡¯s him! The hero who killed your Grace¡¯s son has come to the Temple.¡± The enemy he had been waiting for had come to the Temple. Killing intent flared in Galatheron¡¯s eyes. ¡°The bastard who killed my son¡­ has come to the Temple? And he came looking for me?¡± The Cardinal gritted his teeth. And then he tried to charge at Joo-in to exact his revenge. But a woman stopped him. ¡°Please, restrain yourself, Cardinal.¡± ¡°My son is dead! He may have been useless, but you want me to restrain myself after my son was killed??¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Cardinal¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly. But he couldn¡¯t defy the woman. And with good reason, for her identity was the problem. Saintess Labelda. The woman who succeeded Esmeralda as the saintess. However, the reason the saintess dissuaded the cardinal was not out of compassion as a saintess. ¡°He is already dead. Shouldn¡¯t the important thing be the intention of the fake claiming to be the hero?¡± ¡°Perhaps he simply came to verify the hero¡¯s authenticity?¡± ¡°Instead of going straight to the Hero King, he deliberately came here first? Isn¡¯t he trying to make the Temple of the Sun a liar that produces fake heroes?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± In fact, both of them knew that Leon was a fake. After all, they were the ones who made him a hero and gave him the fake seal. The problem was that it would be troublesome if this fact was revealed. ¡°We have two choices. One is to admit our mistake and make a sincere compensation to the hero.¡± ¡°And the other?¡± ¡°Kill the one claiming to be a hero and bury our sins.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The cardinal was not surprised. He simply looked around as if asking if it was okay. ¡°The Hero King or others will not sit still, so what do you plan to do about that?¡± ¡°What does that matter? If we just take the holy sword, no one will believe that he is a real hero.¡± That¡¯s right. The main character no longer had the Hero¡¯s Seal. Another person had the seal, but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡°We¡¯ve already joined hands with the Demon¡¯s Tower anyway. If we use the name of the [Great Demon], we can create a new hero whenever we want.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea. We¡¯ll get our hands on the holy sword once we kill him anyway.¡± In an instant, greed appeared in the cardinal¡¯s eyes. In the first place, the reason they created a fake hero was to make the Temple of the Sun the greatest. At some point, the hero didn¡¯t even choose the Temple of the Sun, and no saintess appeared. That was why he used the power of the Eight Temples¡¯ Sub-leaders to make Labella a saintess. ¡°Then I shall order the paladins to kill him.¡± ¡°Be careful. I heard that he has a peculiar power. Priest Juan confirmed his ability.¡± ¡°What kind of power is it anyway¡­¡­.¡± Saintess Labella whispered in the cardinal¡¯s ear. ¡°They say that attacks don¡¯t work on him. As if he¡¯s repelling the attacks.¡± ¡°How can we defeat someone like that?¡± ¡°Simple.¡± Saintess Labella smiled brightly. ¡°Don¡¯t aim for him, aim for the people around him.¡± ¡°The people¡­¡­ around him?¡± ¡°I heard that the Great Mage and a few others came with him. Take them hostage and make demands.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°It is possible.¡± The saintess said resolutely. ¡°A true hero would definitely sacrifice their own life to save their comrades. That¡¯s just the kind of people they are. Isn¡¯t it obvious when you look at the previous heroes?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The two of them smiled wickedly. That was why they had meticulously prepared a trap for Joo-Heon. However, a little while later. The Cardinal and the Saintess couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. ¡°Why the hell aren¡¯t those bastards coming?¡± ¡°W-well, I don¡¯t know?¡± No matter how long they waited, they didn¡¯t come. Chapter 96 My Reflector Is Invincible 9696. You¡¯re Finally Here [£¼Reflection£¾ has been strengthened.] Joo-Heon had acquired a new ability for Reflection. He had a few points left. However, he didn¡¯t plan on using them. ¡®It¡¯s better to strengthen Reflection again later, rather than strengthening other skills.¡¯ So that was the end of skill strengthening. [The Akashic System is closing.] Stars of light swirled around Joo-Heon. It looked as if they were being sucked into him. Flash! Joo-Heon opened his eyes. Before he knew it, he had returned to the temple from the space that looked like the universe. He was facing the statue in prayer, just like before he had entered the Akashic System. But the atmosphere around him was strange. Hubbub. The priests and paladins surrounding Joo-Heon were at a loss. ¡°Do you see? The Sun God is blessing him.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°Oh my god¡­ Does that mean he¡¯s the real hero?¡± What the hell? Joo-Heon glanced around while maintaining his prayer posture. A radiance as bright as the sun was pouring down from the Sun God¡¯s statue. It looked as if it were a blessing. ¡®What the hell. Did they mistake me accessing the Akashic System as a blessing?¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter. No, it was rather advantageous. He would appear to be a hero chosen by the Sun God. At that moment, the believers nearby quietly knelt down. ¡°Let us pray together with the hero.¡± ¡°We are also watched over by the Sun God.¡± Everyone at Juyeon¡¯s side began to pray. It was ridiculous. ¡®What the hell are these idiots doing?¡¯ Do they think that if they pray like me, they¡¯ll be showered in light? That made me think of something I¡¯d always wondered. ¡®Every time I came out of the Akashic System, the people from the temple would be praying around me¡­¡¯ Was that the reason? But I didn¡¯t stop them. The paladins who were supposed to take Juyeon away were struggling because of the believers. ¡°Excuse me, sir? His Eminence is waiting, shouldn¡¯t we take him now?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Everyone was afraid to touch Juyeon. To be exact. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until their prayer is over.¡± ¡°But¡­ His Eminence ordered us to bring him right away?¡± ¡°Then you stop it.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He didn¡¯t have the confidence to disperse the people who were praying so devoutly. No matter how great the 8 Temples were, public opinion mattered. It was difficult to interrupt the prayers of the believers and Juyeon, who now looked like a hero. ¡®Of course. The strength of the 8 Temples is determined by the number of believers.¡¯ Imagine if rumors spread that he had interrupted the prayer. It was impossible to predict the negative impact it would have on the Sun Temple, which was the leading temple among the 8 Temples. ¡®The more time passes, the more impatient he¡¯ll get.¡¯ That was when it happened. ¡°What are you all doing right now!¡± A roar came from afar. There was no need to wonder who it was. ¡®It¡¯s the Cardinal.¡¯ Cardinal Galatheron had come looking for Juyeon because he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Soon there was a commotion. ¡°Where are those bastards?¡± ¡°Those bastards?¡± ZAP! The priests lowered their heads under the Cardinal¡¯s glare. They couldn¡¯t bring themselves to report the current situation. Seeing this, the bishop next to the Cardinal stepped forward. ¡°Surely¡­ you¡¯re not hiding those bastards?¡± ¡°Over there¡­ Over there.¡± ¡°Over there?¡± The priests pointed to the center of the believers. There, Joo-in was offering a prayer in a reverent posture. The bishop opened his mouth in disbelief. ¡°That bastard¡­ what is he doing in the holy temple right now?¡± The priests quietly observed the situation. ¡°He was heading towards the cardinal and suddenly said he wanted to pray¡­¡± ¡°So you just let him?¡± ¡°Well, we made a bit of a mistake¡­¡± ¡°A mistake?¡± Under the priests¡¯ gaze, the paladins confessed. ¡°We accidentally stabbed him.¡± ¡°But he used the same divine power as us.¡± ¡°What? He used the divine power of the Sun God?¡± Was that even possible? Even the bishop was confused. Then the cardinal stepped forward. ¡°No. It¡¯s not impossible.¡± Throughout history, warriors have used divine power. It was just that the warriors who appeared a long time ago chose the temple of the ocean instead of the temple of the sun. It was recorded that they all had the power of faith. ¡®Could he really be¡­ a warrior?¡¯ No. He couldn¡¯t be a real warrior. The bishop cautiously whispered to the cardinal. ¡°What should we do? This is a difficult situation.¡± ¡°It would be troublesome if the authority of the Sun Temple were to be tarnished over something like this.¡± Joo-in had to die, even if it meant taking away his holy sword. After finishing his thoughts, the cardinal pushed aside the believers and approached Joo-in. Then he grabbed his shoulder. ¡°This is not a place for sinners to offer unholy prayers. Follow me. I will hear your confession¡­¡± But right at that moment. Ting! The cardinal¡¯s hand was flicked away. And as if he had touched something hot, part of it was even burned. ¡°This power?¡± ¡°Your Eminence! Are you alright?¡± Everyone rushed to the cardinal in surprise. They confirmed that his hand was severely burned. However, the cardinal himself didn¡¯t seem to care about the wound on his hand. ¡°Can a human being exert this much divine power?¡± At that moment, I felt a great power enveloping Jooyeon. It was a divine power that surpassed even the Pope¡¯s. It was a power as vast as the sun, as if the Sun God himself were looking down. I didn¡¯t wonder how it was possible. Rather, I felt a thirst for the sudden influx of divine power. ¡®Just a little¡­ I want to feel it a little longer.¡¯ I wanted to feel the connection with God just a little longer. So I reached out to Jooyeon again to feel it a little more. Thwack! But someone slapped the Cardinal¡¯s hand away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The Cardinal¡¯s voice hardened. But Jooyeon¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°This is truly a disappointing place.¡± ¡°This is the Temple of the Sun. You¡¯d do well to think before you speak.¡± The Cardinal¡¯s voice shook the temple. Along with his powerful murderous intent, his immense divine power shook the temple. But Jooyeon¡¯s words did not stop. ¡°To interrupt a believer¡¯s prayer to God. And you call yourself a Cardinal?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°Not only are you a fake warrior, you even interrupt prayers. I can¡¯t tell if this is a temple or a marketplace.¡± The Cardinal was speechless for a moment. A prayer to God. Would someone with such reverence break down the door of a temple? Jooyeon stood up and gestured to his companions. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We have no more business in this place.¡± ¡°No. Wait¡­ Wait a minute!¡± The Cardinal, who had felt the mysterious power, tried to grab him, but it was no use. ¡°Lord Jooyeon says we have no business here.¡± ¡°Get out of the way! Let us pass!¡± Olsen and Haken blocked them with their bodies. Jooyeon simply walked out. ¡®I¡¯ve seen all I need to see here.¡¯ I had no intention of going inside anyway. Just by the fact that the Cardinal and the Saintess hadn¡¯t appeared for so long, I could guess the reason well enough. ¡®They must have set a trap inside.¡¯ Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Do you think I¡¯d walk into a trap? There was another reason I came to the Temple of the Sun. The first, of course, was to access the Akashic System. ¡®That ended up being an upgrade to £¼Reflection£¾.¡¯ Next was to draw out the traitor hiding in the Sun Temple. For that, Joo-won even gave Dae-ho an order. -While I draw their attention, investigate the temple. -Search the temple? Why? -There¡¯s bound to be evidence of foul play inside the temple. Especially, dig into the Saintess. She¡¯s suspicious. -Even if it¡¯s the country¡¯s¡­ the Saintess is a bit¡­ -What if that Saintess is a fake? Does that whet your appetite? -Fine. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d make me do something pointless. And so, Dae-ho quietly disappeared without anyone noticing. ¡®I¡¯ve stalled enough time. He should have found the evidence by now.¡¯ So it was time to leave. If they were really up to something, it was to counterattack properly. ¡®There¡¯s no need to fight inside the temple, which is like their home ground. So I¡¯ll draw them outside.¡¯ Joo-won¡¯s goal was to lure the enemy out of the temple. He planned to catch all the guys who had done such nonsense there. As Joo-won headed outside, the Cardinal approached him. ¡°Hold on! Let¡¯s talk. I still have things to say!¡± Unlike his initial confident attitude, his eyes were full of desperation. He also seemed to be hoping for something. Normally, the Cardinal wouldn¡¯t show such a demeanor. ¡®But why is he like that? It must be because of his contact with me earlier.¡¯ The Cardinal must have felt it too. The enormous will he felt the moment he came into contact with the bastard. It was the exact same sensation he felt when he first connected to the [Unnamed God¡¯s Shield]. [Sun God] It was a giant sun that felt like his whole body would burn just by looking at it. He was clearly trying to convey something through the Cardinal. But Joo-won cut him off. ¡®I can¡¯t strengthen the enemy.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the intentions of the Sun God who had accepted him. But why would he do something good for the enemy? And so, while Joo-won ignored the Cardinal and went outside. Swish. Someone approached Joo-won. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± It was Dae-ho Cheonsu Gwan-eum. Joo-won whispered so that others couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°I found it. They were up to some shady stuff inside.¡± There were also those who appeared to be apostates. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Especially the Saintess. It seems like she¡¯s up to something with those apostate bastards.¡± ¡°Up to something? You haven¡¯t even confirmed that properly?¡± What the hell. Even the Great Thief King has become washed up. Joo-yeon¡¯s expression turned sour as the Great Thief shouted, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy to find out this much while inside their stronghold!¡± ¡°Evidence?¡± ¡°That¡­ I couldn¡¯t obtain it. Those guys were guarding it too tightly.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then go back in.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The Great Thief was so taken aback that he couldn¡¯t even speak properly. ¡°With all these priests and paladins, you want me to go back in there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll draw their attention again.¡± ¡°How?¡± The Great Thief tilted his head. To draw attention in a place crawling with apostates. His expression was asking if that was even possible. ¡°There¡¯s always a way. I¡¯ll be making an appearance soon.¡± ¡°Soon?¡± Joo-yeon quietly began to count. ¡°5. 4. 3. 2.¡± From Noble mtl dot com And right at that moment. ¡°Halt right there.¡± A woman appeared behind Joo-yeon. Leading a group of fierce priests and paladins, no less. ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived.¡± The Saintess had made her appearance. Chapter 97 My Reflector Is Invincible 9797. A Question That Must Be Answered White and red priestly robes. An outfit that seemed to symbolize the sun. Joo-yeon smiled at the Saintess¡¯ appearance. ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been waiting for me. My apologies.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. If you¡¯re going to apologize, you should do it to the gods who must be disappointed at the temple that has forsaken its manners.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Saintess¡¯ impression turned slightly sour. She had already received a report about Joo-yeon. The cardinal who had informed her of this bowed his head slightly. ¡°My apologies, Saintess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. I am more apologetic for putting you in such a difficult position, Your Eminence.¡± The Saintess¡¯s eyes grew cold and distant. Jooyeon had received the blessing of the Sun God, which was said to emanate from the stone statue. This was not someone to be trifled with. However, she smiled gently, as if nothing had happened. ¡°I have something I would like to discuss with you. Would you care to step inside for a moment? I have had some refreshments prepared.¡± ¡°And if I refuse?¡± The Saintess was momentarily speechless. After all, she was a Saintess revered by the entire continent. Moreover, she was the Saintess of the Sun Temple, the head of the eight temples. No one dared to treat her with such disrespect. No. She had never experienced such treatment before. ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± ¡°Of course. I know all about the traps you¡¯ve set inside. Why don¡¯t you tell me what they are right here?¡± The Bishop who had accompanied the Cardinal muttered involuntarily, ¡°How did she know¡­¡± Apparently, they had used people known for being tight-lipped. So how had this happened? As if reading his thoughts, Jooyeon replied, ¡°I have my ways.¡± The veins in the Cardinal¡¯s forehead were throbbing, but he held his tongue. Jooyeon chuckled. ¡°If you have something to say, why don¡¯t we do it here? In front of all these people.¡± The temple courtyard was already teeming with priests and paladins. And they weren¡¯t the only ones. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are there so many priests and paladins?¡± ¡°Even the Cardinal and the Saintess are here?¡± ¡°But why is the atmosphere so tense?¡± More and more townspeople were gathering. There was no telling how many more would come if this continued. The Saintess let out a bitter laugh. ¡°My, my. You truly are a troublesome one.¡± The breathtakingly beautiful Saintess sighed. The people couldn¡¯t help but want to listen to her speak. But Jooyeon merely snorted. ¡°If you have something you can¡¯t say in front of people, then you shouldn¡¯t say it at all. Didn¡¯t the previous Saintess teach you any manners?¡± ¡°I am not the Saintess she chose. I am the Saintess chosen by the Sun Temple.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re a fake?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!?¡± The veins in the Cardinal¡¯s forehead were throbbing. The saintess¡¯s gentle face flushed red for the first time. The Hero¡¯s words were that humiliating. To be honest, it was themselves who were troubled by the Hero coming here. However, she endured with the firm patience befitting a saintess. ¡°Well, if I were an impostor, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do this.¡± Right at that moment. The saintess raised her staff high. -Sacred relic of the Sun God [Eye of the Sun] It was a sacred relic that only the Sun God¡¯s priests could use. Soon, light poured out of the relic and toward the Hero. [£¼Eye of the Sun£¾ is using the Innocent skill] [£¼Judgment£¾ is activated] £¼Judgment£¾ could use divine power to discern the opponent¡¯s lies. What if they told a lie? [If you tell a lie while under the effect of £¼Judgment£¾, you will immediately receive divine punishment from the Sun God] Those who told a lie would be burned to death on the spot. There were two ways to escape divine punishment. The Hero knew very well. ¡®Tell the truth or choose silence.¡¯ But they couldn¡¯t choose silence. ¡®Choosing silence in the first place is like admitting that it¡¯s a lie.¡¯ Right at that moment. The saintess shot a question at the Hero. ¡°Let me ask you. Were you chosen by God?¡± It was a simple question. However, the saintess¡¯s voice was filled with enormous divine power. ¡°You¡¯d better answer honestly. If you answer my question with a lie, you will lose your life.¡± ¡°Oh my. How scary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ability that works on high-ranking demons as well. If you¡¯re a fake hero, you¡¯ll burn to death right away.¡± There was no lie in the saintess¡¯s words. She probably intended to finish off the Hero with that question. ¡®If I burn that man in front of everyone, all future actions of the Sun¡¯s Temple will be justified.¡¯ Everyone will think that the Hero is a fake. They will also be absolved of the sin of killing the successor to the Knight King. Impersonating a hero was that heinous a crime on the continent. ¡®Of course, I know that man has special powers.¡¯ However, the saintess had already prepared for everything. That man was an ability user who could avoid attacks directed at him. ¡®Even so, he won¡¯t be able to avoid the £¼Eye of Judgment£¾.¡¯ However, the answer that came out of Joo-yeon¡¯s mouth was very simple. ¡°Yes.¡± Soon, the Saintess¡¯s face became distorted. [Truth] She wasn¡¯t the only one who heard the result. The people gathered at the entrance of the temple also heard the result. ¡°As expected. I knew Joo-yeon-nim would be a warrior.¡± ¡°But why are you asking such a question? Isn¡¯t it obvious that Joo-yeon-nim is a warrior?¡± ¡°Are they really intimidating the warrior at the temple?¡± The surroundings were buzzing. Perhaps that was natural. Joo-yeon was a warrior who had done a lot for the Edmer Dukedom until now. He was also the successor to the revered King of Knights. In the first place, it didn¡¯t make sense to conduct such an interrogation. However, the Saintess was genuinely bewildered. ¡°Tru¡­ Truth?¡± Wasn¡¯t he a fake warrior? ¡°A warrior without a seal, how¡­!¡± Not having that meant not being chosen by God. Suddenly, she was speechless at the unexpected result. Daedo was equally surprised. ¡°Huh? Was it real? No, I thought it wasn¡¯t fake.¡± A real, true warrior? Daedo¡¯s eyes turned to Joo-yeon. Joo-yeon gave him a sly smile. ¡®I¡¯m a player.¡¯ He didn¡¯t choose the warrior class. But he was a player. It was the same as being chosen by God. He was also qualified to be a warrior. ¡®I should have asked the question better.¡¯ If he had asked directly if he was a warrior, it could have been a little dangerous. However, the people of the temple always make mistakes by using ambiguous sentences. Just like right now. ¡®Is it a loophole in the £¼Eye of the Sun£¾?¡¯ As it was now, he could evade it with vague words. Perhaps the apostates of the temple also avoided judgment in that way. Joo-yeon chuckled. ¡°Is that all you¡¯re going to ask?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Saintess was too shocked to ask any more questions. Beside her, the Cardinal spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Saintess, focus. This is not the time. People are watching.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Not only the two of them, but the priests and paladins were also confused. Then Joo-in opened his mouth. ¡°Then I will ask you a question.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Only those permitted by the Sun God can use the £¼Eye of the Sun£¾¡­¡± ¡°It is not a sacred relic that anyone can use. Even if you are a hero, it is impossible¡­¡± The priests on the side also made a fuss. However, Joo-in could do it. He now had the [Judgement] used by the Saintess¡¯s sacred relic. [Would you like to use £¼Reflection£¾? ] [Target: £¼Saintess Labelda£¾, £¼Great Sword Cheon Su Gwan£¾, £¼Knight Olson£¾, £¼Cardinal Galatenon£¾] ¡®I will reflect it.¡¯ Woong. In an instant, a red light spread from Joo-in¡¯s body. It was a bright light that looked like the Sun God¡¯s divine power. The Saintess was startled by the sight. ¡°No, that divine power is¡­ How can you use that power? It is a power that only the high priest permitted by the Sun God can use¡­¡± ¡°Ask the god you serve.¡± Joo-in¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°If the hero is chosen by the god, why do you, a human, and a Saintess who can be called the god¡¯s limbs, misunderstand me as a fake?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why are you attacking the same side that should be fighting the demons?¡± There was no need to ask if she was the real Saintess. The power of the Pope of the 8 Great Temples could create a Saintess. So, he asked the most fatal question for his opponent. ¡°Let me ask you. Did you join hands with the traitor and the demons?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At that moment, the Saintess became silent at Joo-in¡¯s question. The surrounding priests and paladins urged her. ¡°How can you ask her such a question? How dare you look down on our Saintess!¡± ¡°Please answer that question, Saintess.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Saintess?¡± However, the Saintess did not answer Joo-in¡¯s question. Rather, she took a step forward and said something else. ¡°I can¡¯t trust you. How did you learn to use the power you¡¯re using right now?¡± ¡°Why? Are you anxious?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not anxious.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you answer me? It¡¯s a simple question, right? It¡¯s an answer that you should be able to give if you¡¯re the real Saintess, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The saintess still did not answer. The priests and paladins were anxious. However, the saintess¡¯s face changed. She suddenly smiled brightly like a flower. ¡°You¡¯re an interesting person.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°I heard from the paladins that you are using the power of our temple. You must be trying to deceive me with that.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then answer me. It¡¯s not a difficult question.¡± The saintess thought that Joo-yeon was bluffing. ¡®£¼Eye of the Sun£¾¡¯s £¼Judgement£¾ is an innocent skill that can only be used once a month. Humans cannot imitate that power. No matter how sacred it is, it is because it contains fragments of God. He had already used one chance on Joo-yeon. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you. I am the real saintess. And I have not joined hands with any traitors.¡± Her voice was full of conviction for anyone to hear. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From Noble mtl dot com Then Joo-yeon smiled. ¡°Gotcha, you bastard.¡± No wonder a window popped up in front of him. [False] That very moment. Kwaaang! A huge flame soared from under the saintess¡¯s feet. It was a pillar of powerful flame, as if God was punishing her. ¡°Gyaaak!¡± The saintess screamed as her whole body burned. ¡°Wh¡­ Why! This is the real power of the Eye of the Sun!¡± ¡°No kidding! It¡¯s because you lied.¡± Did you think I was joking? He said he suddenly felt confident. It seemed he thought Joo-yeon was deceiving him with lies. ¡°So what? All your lies have been exposed?¡± ¡°Gyaaak!¡± The saintess tried to put out the fire on her body somehow. But it didn¡¯t go out. £¼Judgement£¾ of £¼Eye of the Sun£¾ has the power of the sun god. Even the saintess could not easily put it out. What¡¯s more, none of the people around her were thinking of putting it out. ¡°Wh¡­ What do we do? Should we put out the fire? Save the saintess?¡± ¡°But¡­ didn¡¯t she just lie? Was she really the real saintess in the first place?¡± A commotion. Everyone was uneasy. Perhaps it was only natural. It was as if the Sun God was judging them directly through the £¼Eye of the Sun£¾. No priests or paladins of the Sun Temple could defy the will of the god they served. And so, the saintess was burned. ¡°Kuuk¡­ Kuuk¡­¡± A reward appeared before Joo-yeon. [You have achieved a special feat.] [£¼Tongue Sharper than a Sword£¾] [When arguing with an opponent, speech ability increases by 2x.] It wasn¡¯t just any special feat that she had received after a long while. [You have subdued £¼Fake Saintess Labelda£¾.] [You have obtained £¼Radiance£¾.] [You have obtained £¼Divine Barrier£¾.] [You have obtained £¼Divine Boundary£¾.] [You have obtained £¼Punishment£¾.] [You have obtained £¼Divine Beast Search£¾.] At that moment, the cardinal stepped forward. ¡°Take the saintess and heal her.¡± ¡°B¡­ But, Your Eminence. This person! No, this woman has received the Sun God¡¯s judgment!¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The cardinal¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°Regardless of the truth, she is the saintess chosen by the Pope. It¡¯s not too late to take her to His Holiness for judgment.¡± ¡°B¡­ But.¡± ¡°If she is a traitor who has joined hands with the demons, we must find out who is behind her. So keep her alive and make her talk.¡± ¡°Y¡­ Yes!¡± Only then did the priests finally start to move. The cardinal approached Joo-yeon. ¡°I apologize for putting you through such an unpleasant experience.¡± The cardinal had a leisurely smile. Joo-yeon smiled coldly at the sight. ¡®He thinks I can¡¯t use the £¼Eye of the Sun£¾ or the Saintess anymore.¡¯ He believed she was safe. And indeed, he was right to think so. After all, the £¼Eye of the Sun£¾ had already run out of uses. However, he was terribly mistaken. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°What? What do you¡­¡± Joo-yeon¡¯s eyes were still glowing red. His enhancement of the £¼Reflect£¾ he had chosen was none other than that. [£¼Double Reflect£¾ has been used.] [Current targets of £¼Judgement£¾: £¼Saintess Laberda£¾, £¼Cardinal Galatheron£¾] Therefore, he asked again with sharp eyes. ¡°Tell me, Cardinal. Did you also take the hand of the apostate, like the Saintess?¡± It was a question that had to be answered. Chapter 98 My Reflector Is Invincible 9898. I am not alone The Cardinal was bewildered by Joo-in¡¯s words. What? He wondered if he was just bluffing to threaten him, but the energy around Joo-in proved that he was not bluffing. ¡®No¡­ how on earth?¡¯ The Cardinal couldn¡¯t speak properly in shock. He spoke without realizing it. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that ability unusable anymore?¡± ¡°Who said that? That I can¡¯t use it?¡± Dumbass. Do you think I prayed for nothing? Joo-in had sacrificed his skills as offerings to strengthen £¼Reflect£¾. It was all for this. £¼Double Reflect£¾ It was the ability to use £¼Reflect£¾ on two people at the same time. That was why he was able to use £¼Judgement£¾ on the Cardinal as well as the Saintess. ¡®Since I know that the enemies are the Cardinal and the Saintess, this was an inevitable choice.¡¯ The ability to cast Reflect on allies wasn¡¯t bad either. However, it wasn¡¯t necessary to protect them himself. ¡®That¡¯s something I can do by recruiting a Saintess who specializes in protection.¡¯ Furthermore, during £¼Reflect Protection£¾, it was impossible to cast £¼Reflect£¾ on himself. So, it wasn¡¯t even an option in the first place. Joo-in slowly approached the Cardinal. ¡°So, what about it? What¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Cardinal couldn¡¯t answer right away. ¡®I want to think of it as a bluff, but¡­¡¯ What he felt from Joo-in¡¯s eyes was the Sun God¡¯s divine power. It was the same energy as the sacred relic, £¼Eye of the Sun£¾. What if it really is £¼Judgement£¾? But what if he lied? ¡®I will also be burned like the Saintess.¡¯ So I couldn¡¯t answer rashly. If I made a single misstep, I could end up burning like the saintess. That thought alone made my lips tremble. However, the Cardinal quickly pulled himself together. ¡°I will gladly answer your question. I, Cardinal Galatheron of the Temple of the Sun, have not joined hands with traitors or the demons.¡± Oh? Is this guy making a mistake like the saintess? Joo-yeon smiled. However, the result was surprising. [Truth] ¡°Truth?¡± Instead, the Grand Master watching was surprised. The Cardinal also thought that like the saintess, he had naturally joined hands with the traitors. Anyone would have thought so. However, the Cardinal now had a relaxed expression. ¡°Did you think that the Cardinal of the Temple of the Sun would join hands with those filthy traitors?¡± The priests and paladins watching him shouted. ¡°As expected of the Cardinal!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way our Lord Galatheron would join hands with such wicked things.¡± ¡°We believed in the Cardinal.¡± The citizens also raised their hands and cheered. Of course, Joo-yeon was not fooled by the Cardinal¡¯s words. ¡®If I ask one more time, I think I can send him to the guillotine.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t use [Judgement] anymore. That doesn¡¯t mean there was no other way. ¡®I¡¯ve been in this situation countless times.¡¯ Fighting the Demon King was easier than eradicating traitors. Joo-yeon had met all sorts of traitors in over thousands of games. He was an expert in dealing with such tricks. So he whispered slowly in the Cardinal¡¯s ear. ¡°If you say that, did you think I¡¯d just say, ¡®Yes, I understand.¡¯ and let it go?¡± ¡°You must also admit the truth and accept it humbly in order to be recognized.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so? Should I ask again in front of the people? Did you join hands with the saintess who was in cahoots with the traitors?¡± In an instant, the Cardinal¡¯s face hardened. As he had just answered, he did not join hands with the traitors. He only held the hand of the saintess who had joined hands with such guys. It was a method that politicians, whom Joo-yeon knew well, often used. ¡®To be exact, he must have tacitly approved. He must have joined hands with the saintess for his own benefit.¡¯ That doesn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t on the same boat as the traitors. It was clear that he intended to say that he was innocent if the problem arose. However, it was absurd to Joo-yeon. ¡°A fake saint who holds the hand of an apostate, or a cardinal who holds the hand of such a fake saint, they¡¯re all the same.¡± I have no intention of being used like an idiot. Rather, I planned to take advantage of these guys and gain some benefits. The cardinal was momentarily speechless. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Why? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t even know that much? It¡¯s obvious, that kind of method.¡± The cardinal, who had been trembling a moment ago, now looked at me with provocative eyes. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d fall for such words? You can¡¯t use £¼Œ�ÅУ¾ anymore anyway.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jooyeon smirked. As the cardinal said, I couldn¡¯t use £¼Œ�ÅУ¾ right now. That¡¯s why he¡¯s acting like that. ¡®But do I really need to use it?¡¯ Guys like the cardinal are full of doubts. If I use that, things will be much easier. [£¼ÉñÂ}Á¦£¾ is used.] A red light appeared on Jooyeon¡¯s body. As if he could use £¼Œ�ÅУ¾ again. The cardinal flinched at the sight. This bastard¡­ can he still use that power? What kind of power does he have? He even felt scared. It was just as Jooyeon intended. ¡®It¡¯s so easy to handle these guys.¡¯ All you need is a whip and a carrot. Attacking their weakness was easy in the first place. Just by holding hands with the fake saint, he became a target for demotion, and there was also a delicious bait. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to feel that ecstasy again?¡± Unlike before, the cardinal flinched at Jooyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Surely you felt that power too?¡± ¡°Of course. In the first place, wouldn¡¯t you be able to feel that power again without me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Originally, there was an event that occurred through contact with the priests. [God¡¯s Quest] It was linked to the main quest of defeating the Demon King. Usually, it tells you the location of the necessary relics or items. It was a rare quest that strengthened the player. The problem is that the effect is completely random. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®These guys really like randomness.¡¯ I wonder if the developers would like it if their salaries were also random. That¡¯s why I actually cut off the connection. There was no way he would do anything good for me before he helped himself. But I could write it like this. ¡°Do you want to be publicly humiliated and go to prison? Or do you want to be my obedient dog?¡± Stop being difficult and submit. The Cardinal understood Joo-Yeon¡¯s will clearly. ¡°I¡¯m a Cardinal.¡± ¡°Oh. You¡¯re protecting your last bit of pride? Fine. I¡¯ll send you to prison¡­¡­¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m not a dog.¡± From Noble mtl dot com ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As expected. The Cardinal surrendered right away. ¡°What do you want me to do from now on?¡± That¡¯s right. Joo-Yeon had spoken harshly for this very reason. ¡®With this guy, it¡¯ll be easier to handle the Eight Temples as I wish.¡¯ Furthermore, he was a candidate for the next Pope of the Sun Temple. He would be useful to have on hand. ¡®I¡¯ll deal with him after I achieve my goal.¡¯ Just then, a priest came running. ¡°Car¡­¡­ Cardinal!¡± ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m having a conversation with the warrior right now?¡± Really? He¡¯s started calling me a warrior now? But the priest who delivered the message had a serious expression. ¡°The Saintess is looking for you, Cardinal.¡± ¡°Just have her treated. There¡¯s no need for her to talk to a traitor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡­ She says she has important information.¡± Really? Is she trying to leave a will or something? Joo-Yeon and the Cardinal headed to where the Saintess was. But what Saintess Labelda wanted to leave wasn¡¯t a will. Despite her whole body being burned, she was pointing at me with strong hostility. ¡°Tha¡­¡­ That warrior is a fake¡­¡­. He¡¯s not a Judge, he¡¯s using a false power to trick the Cardinal!¡± She seemed sincere, to anyone who saw her. ¡®Well. It is pitiful to see her say no to the end, even with her body burned like that.¡¯ The eyes of the people were all directed at Joo-Yeon. But it was nothing. To begin with, it was routine for traitors to struggle until the end for Joo-Yeon. He took out the card he had been saving for this moment. ¡°Show yourself. Cheon-gong-yong.¡± BEEP! Cheon-gong-yong appeared from Joo-Yeon¡¯s shoulder. Flash! Light spread from the shoulders of the protagonist. Although it was small, there were no priests here who did not recognize the divine power of the Heavens. ¡°Oh my God¡­ It¡¯s really the Heavens!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the holy water that was given to the hero!¡± Saintess Labelda¡¯s eyes flickered. Surely the plan to risk her last life would not fail. ¡®Do you think I¡¯d go down that easily?¡¯ My life is on the line too? Rather, he had been waiting for this. The moment to punish the fake saintess in front of everyone and reveal himself as the real hero. There is only one reason. ¡°H¡­ How did you get the Heavens? I couldn¡¯t find it no matter how much I looked for it¡­¡± ¡°But what can I do? Ta-da! It¡¯s here?¡± Saintess Labelda had a look of despair. But soon, the situation became even more desperate for her. ¡°I knew it! How dare you try to make Master Jooyeon a fake!¡± ¡°I told you that I knew that woman was a fake saintess from the beginning! How else could you have said that Master Jooyeon, who has the Heavens, is not a hero!¡± It was because everyone around her was insulting the saintess. ¡°Drag out the saintess!¡± ¡°Burn the fake at the stake!¡± Nowhere was Saintess Labelda¡¯s side. A voice came to her, who had been cornered to the end. -You useless thing. In the end, you make me come out. Soon, black smoke began to billow out of her mouth. ¡°D¡­ Demon!¡± ¡°Everyone, run away!¡± In an instant, people fled in panic. They had no choice. The energy of the Demons . It was an energy that corrupted the surroundings just by being near it. Those who were not priests or paladins would be affected even if they just went near it. However, the priests were shocked. At this point, no one could deny the reality. ¡°Did the saintess really join hands with the apostate?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? If that were the case, there¡¯s no way we, the cardinals, wouldn¡¯t have known?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the cardinal. However, he was just as wronged. ¡°I saw her use divine power with my own eyes. Didn¡¯t you guys see it too! Her using the holy relic!¡± ¡°Th¡­ That¡¯s true, but how on earth¡­¡± ¡°How can a Saintess produce Demonic Energy?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know that! This is not the time for that!¡± The people of the temple began to block the Demonic Energy with their Divine Power. Haken, who was behind, asked Jooyeon with a pale face. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that apostates can¡¯t use Divine Power?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But there are some among the Demons who can create special apostates.¡± [Demon Rank 25. Xargas of Greed] That¡¯s what happens when that guy creates an apostate. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a Demon ranked 25th would appear.¡± ¡°What?! Why would a high-ranking Demon like that¡­!¡± Jooyeon was also a little puzzled. Rank 25 is not among the top 10, the most powerful Demons, but it is still a high rank. ¡®Normally, they hide their presence until the end, but I guess he¡¯s really pissed off.¡¯ Well, it¡¯s not just anyone, it¡¯s the Saintess. There couldn¡¯t be many apostates with such a precious and coveted position. Then this was rather an opportunity. ¡®He usually works in secret until the Demon King appears. Most players struggle to deal with him.¡¯ This was a chance to get rid of him now. And I figured out his purpose too. And right at that moment. -Hero! The black fog soon transformed into the figure of a giant Demon. But there was one thing he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Do you know where you¡¯ve gotten yourself into?¡± This is not the heart of enemy territory. He¡¯s the one who has come to the most dangerous place, of his own accord. Chapter 99 My Reflector Is Invincible 9999. Home Ground £¼Xargas of Greed£¾ He was genuinely furious. -To think you would interfere with us again! Xargas emerged from the Demonic Energy radiating from the Saintess¡¯s body. From what seemed like a black abyss, a head and one arm emerged first. [True Form] This was Xargas¡¯s true body in the Demon Realm. He had even broken the Demons¡¯ absolute taboo in order to kill Jooyeon. Well, that might have been natural. ¡®The plan I¡¯ve spent decades on was ruined because of that one guy.¡¯ It would have been easier if I could control the temple. For that purpose, they made the shabby priestess Labelda into a Saintess. How did the Demons make a lower priestess into a Saintess? The Apostates of the Sun Temple, created with the power of Xargas. They occupied the upper ranks of the temple. If they all moved with one purpose, creating a Saintess wasn¡¯t a difficult task. But now, there weren¡¯t many Apostates left. ¡®It¡¯s all because of that guy.¡¯ All the forces on the continent moved because of Joo-ahn¡¯s speech. The 8 Great Temples also started to find Apostates within them. Only a few Apostates survived. ¡®Well, that doesn¡¯t matter. We can make as many Apostates as we want.¡¯ In fact, there was a bigger problem. [£¼Black Curtain£¾ High Rowzen] It was because of the guy Joo-ahn insisted on calling ¡®His Grace.¡¯ The fact that a human, and a Hero at that, was the Demon King, caused the Demons to split into three factions. ¡®He must have done that on purpose.¡¯ The highest-ranking Demon, who was closest to the Demon King, was an unpredictable man. So why were there three factions? It went beyond the simple question of whether Joo-ahn was the Demon King or not. ¡®If a human can become the Demon King, then why can¡¯t we?¡¯ Of course, one of those guys was £¼Greed£¾. He made a Saintess and even a fake Hero to become the Demon King himself. But now, he was interfering in the territory he had created. And that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°It¡¯s a Demon! Use the Divine Law!¡± The Cardinal, who had been won over using the Saintess, changed his mind. He was supposed to hold the Saintess¡¯s hand and help their cause. His teeth itched at the betrayal of a key figure, but it didn¡¯t matter much. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the temple¡¯s barrier reacting?¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡­ The Sun God should be burning that Demon!¡± Laughter escaped from Xargas¡¯s mouth. ¡®Fools.¡¯ The Saintess, who was being manipulated by him, had already approached the heart of the temple and tampered with the core of the Divine Barrier. That¡¯s why this was possible. [Sun Temple Clergy¡¯s Unique Combined Skill] -Sun¡¯s Restraint In an instant, a huge wall of Divine energy covered the Sun Temple. It was a powerful barrier, as if it was imprisoning the Demons. But the Cardinal¡¯s face hardened at once. ¡°Who is it! Who used the Barrier Divine Law!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that if you use this Divine Law here, it won¡¯t imprison the Demons, but us!?¡± That¡¯s right. This sacred spell imprisons both the target and the caster, preventing either from escaping. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under these conditions, it cannot be lifted until Xargas is dead. Rather, all of them are trapped here. ¡°But this is a group sacred spell. Can it be used if only one or two contribute their power¡­?¡± In that instant, the priests who had realized something turned ghastly pale. Doesn¡¯t that mean that there¡¯s another traitor? It couldn¡¯t be helped. Poof! ¡°Cough¡­ Why did you¡­ Aren¡¯t we comrades?¡± ¡°Kyaaagh!¡± A bloody storm raged among the priests. Xargas slowly rose to his feet. ¡®The Saintess¡¯ betrayal has yet to be revealed.¡¯ If he kills everyone here, he can maintain his position as Saint. The grand plan to manipulate the Temple of the Sun from the shadows could continue. ¡®The problem is, that guy is included in all of it.¡¯ He looked at Juyeon. He was the one that Hairouzen had referred to. ¡®That guy is our Demon Lord? Do you think I¡¯d believe such nonsense?¡¯ They said he even wielded the power of a Hero. He just had to be careful of that. Xargas hadn¡¯t revealed himself for no reason. He had brought something that was more than enough to seal away a single Hero. ¡®I¡¯ll cut off the breath of the Hero pretending to be the Demon Lord here.¡¯ He¡¯d also smash Hairouzen¡¯s plan to smithereens. But there was one thing he hadn¡¯t counted on. ¡°I guess it¡¯s about time we got started.¡± Juyeon immediately called out to the man standing behind him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold back anymore.¡± -! The man in robes who had been quietly following Juyeon¡¯s party up until now. He slowly removed his robe. At that, Xargas¡¯ face hardened. It was because of the object shining around his neck. -That¡­ That emblem, surely not? [Hero¡¯s Sigil] There was no doubt about it. The thing shining around the man¡¯s neck was that detestable sigil. At the same time, Xargas was bewildered. No, wait a minute. ¡®There was another Hero?¡¯ No way. From Noble mtl dot com That means Hirowzen has misidentified the main character¡­ But then the main character¡¯s hand glowed. [Holy Sword Release] Shugas¡¯s expression changed at the light. Seeing his expression, the main character smiled and asked why he looked like that. ¡°I thought I could at least £¼Seal£¾ one Hero?¡± -!! Shugas¡¯s pupils shook. He knows about £¼Seal£¾? No, that¡¯s not important. ¡®Two would be too much.¡¯ Leo raised his sword. Shugas backed away without realizing it. The main character¡¯s lips curled up into a grin. ¡°Try to seal me. Where?¡± The main character drew closer. ¡°Why? Is two too hard? Can¡¯t do it? Ah, is two really too much for you?¡± ¡­Damn it! * * * ¡®That Leo kid listens well.¡¯ The main character looked at Leo with admiration. The truth was, there was another reason he had endured until now. ¡°Stay back and be quiet until I tell you to move.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If you only swat at the bugs you can see, you won¡¯t be able to pull out the roots.¡± Leo didn¡¯t understand at first either. Why was he just being told to hold back, even though the traitors were right in front of him? He just watched as the Hero known as Shuyin was slandered and ignored. Even when the Saintess¡¯s betrayal was confirmed. He had barely been able to hold back, gripping the hilt of his sword until it creaked, as he watched Shuyin stand there doing nothing. Honestly, he thought Shuyin was a traitor. That¡¯s why he thought about getting rid of Shuyin. But once [Sun¡¯s Restraint] was cast, he finally understood Shuyin¡¯s intentions. ¡®There were this many traitors hiding?¡¯ Not just priests and paladins, but even ordinary townspeople. The corrupted clerics were all using divine power to attack people. If Leo had acted alone, he never would have found them. Shuyin looked at Leo¡¯s serious expression and chuckled. ¡®I¡¯m glad I brought him with me.¡¯ Shuyin had known about the traitors in the temple to some extent. Of course, when playing the Balantino Saga, it wasn¡¯t a route that the hero often took since it was a route where the hero often died. ¡®Either £¼Seal the Hero£¾ or £¼Sacrifice£¾, right?¡¯ Usually, the hero dies from one of those two. Well, you get a great reward in return, but I can¡¯t die now, can I? I¡¯m the hero. That¡¯s why I brought Leo along on purpose. Well, I didn¡¯t plan on doing anything as dirty as killing Leo, another hero, so that the other could survive¡­ ¡®That¡¯s not bad either.¡¯ If it were a game, it would be a strategy worth considering, but I can¡¯t kill a perfectly healthy person, can I? Especially someone who would be more beneficial to have as an absolute ally. ¡®Still, if I leave things as they are, my mentality will collapse.¡¯ Hero bastards are strangely stubborn. So the protagonist ran straight at the demon. Woosh! Light burst out of the holy sword in the protagonist¡¯s hand. Divine power that burned brightly like the sun struck Xargas directly. -Kyaaak! He tried to use £¼Seal the Hero£¾, but he couldn¡¯t. [Moonlight] Leo¡¯s moonlight flash didn¡¯t give him an opening. Flash! -Damn it, these damn things! Xargas immediately unleashed his power, but the range of his attack was weaker than expected. That¡¯s because he hadn¡¯t finished summoning his true form yet. ¡®Strange. Why can he attack me in my true form?¡¯ He had been intentionally drawing out the power of his true form so as not to be attacked. And the true form is the embodiment of a demon. Normally, humans would lose their minds and run away from the power of [Overwhelm]. Given the situation, he was thinking about how to deal with one of the two heroes. But why are these two pups attacking so easily? The protagonist smirked at that expression. ¡®I bet he¡¯s agonizing over why Overwhelm isn¡¯t working.¡¯ The answer was very simple. ¡®¤ä¤Ï¤ê [ÃâÒß] ¤ÎŒg¿ƒ¤À.¡¯ The protagonist had an achievement that made him immune to the effects of [Overwhelm]. Leo, as a hero, is endowed with the innate trait [Indomitable]. It prevents him from ever shrinking back or feeling fear when facing a stronger opponent. That¡¯s why he was able to fight like this. ¡®Well, he¡¯s been strangely strong from the beginning.¡¯ Ryuujin and Leo have the [Indomitable] trait because they are heroes, but they shouldn¡¯t be this composed against a superior demon, should they? ¡®He seems just like Ryujin.¡¯ It was as if the Ryujin who had just defeated the Demon King had traveled back in time. Thinking about it, the spec he had briefly glanced at earlier was also very similar to the Ryujin he knew. ¡®But that can¡¯t be.¡¯ Still, this was good for Jooyeon. ¡°Leo! Attack the parts that haven¡¯t been summoned yet! Only target the parts that have already been attacked!¡± Leo furrowed his brows. His face was dubious, but he moved exactly as Jooyeon commanded. However, Leo would never know. ¡®Oh? That trait that evades those attacks is [Wings of the Wind]?¡¯ Jooyeon was observing him as he gave his orders. It was to confirm the trait that he couldn¡¯t confirm with [Inspect]. ¡®I¡¯m going to take the Hero title from that guy anyway.¡¯ It was to confirm the Hero¡¯s ability firsthand. And that was when. Soon, Whanggas let out a furious shout with a pained expression. -You¡­ Despicable bastards! Heroes! Fight fair and square! ¡°What fairness with the Demon Tribe! If you want to fight like that, then release the brainwashing on the humans!¡± -¡­¡­. Whanggas¡¯ mouth closed. ¡®No. He¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ Why did this make him feel so bad? However, he couldn¡¯t just keep taking the hits like this. ¡®There¡¯s not only £¼Seal£¾ when it comes to dealing with Heroes.¡¯ -I know the power you possess. And that very strength will be your downfall. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± KWA-AANG! An enormous amount of magic power poured down on one spot. And just before it reached Jooyeon. KABOOM! It began to split apart into countless magic power. The magic power, which spread out like a black flower, was targeting the humans around them. -Those people will die because of you! POO-hahahahaHA. Whanggas deliberately laughed more evilly. A Hero¡¯s weakness is their sense of justice. The more malicious the enemy, and the more dangerous the situation, the more the Hero exerts £¼Sacrifice£¾ and dies. However, Jooyeon laughed more evilly than Whanggas. ¡°Is that all?¡± -Wha¡­ What? ¡°You didn¡¯t know, did you? This is my home ground.¡± Joo-eun raised her hand. Chapter 100 My Reflector Is Invincible 100100. Will It Work? Black petals made of magic flew in. Joo-eun couldn¡¯t block them all with her current abilities. ¡®Even with , I can¡¯t burst that much magic.¡¯ If she missed even one, the people of Duke Edmer¡¯s territory could die or get hurt. It was similar to the situation at Xion. But there was something completely different from then. ¡°I¡¯ll stop it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here too.¡± Leo used the warrior¡¯s technique. [Crescent Moon] A divine power barrier was created under the huge moonlight. Dae-ho kept throwing hidden weapons. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You demonic bastard!¡± He burst the magic flying with the hidden weapons. But Leo¡¯s barrier was too small, and no matter how many hidden weapons Dae-ho threw, more magic spread. Joo-eun shook her head. ¡®Yes. Those two aren¡¯t the solution.¡¯ Even those two couldn¡¯t block everything. ¡®If I could just fill the range.¡¯ As it happened, Joo-eun had the right skill. At Xion, the King of Knights took care of the enemy, but now the range and power of the reflection were much stronger than then, weren¡¯t they? Yes. A desperate technique different from then! [£¼Barbarian King£¾ is summoned] In an instant, a shadow covered Joo-eun. Kuooooooooo! It was a summoning skill that she had acquired with her class. She had felt it in the Forbidden Zone, but it was really huge. As soon as the Barbarian King was summoned, he looked for Joo-eun. -Why have you awakened me, who promised never to return again? Man who inherited my power. ¡°Shut up and just grow bigger!¡± Huh? The Barbarian King couldn¡¯t understand Joo-eun¡¯s words right away. But he was a summon. He grew bigger as Joo-eun, the summoner, ordered. [The Barbarian King¡¯s skill, , is activated.] The Giant King¡¯s body continued to grow larger. He was about to be as large as the Sun Temple. -But why did you say that the body is weak all of a sudden? But as soon as he finished speaking. -Huh? What is this? Flower petal-shaped lumps of magic began to pierce his eyes. BAM! -Argh! The magic struck the Giant King all over his body. No matter how strong you are, there is no way you can withstand this without any defense. BAM! The Giant King collapsed as soon as he appeared. Xargas, who had cast the magic, laughed at him. -You used your summoned beast as a shield. You¡¯re really an idiot. ¡°But I blocked it, didn¡¯t I?¡± -¡­¡­!? Xargas was so surprised that he could not speak properly. The Giant King was simply too powerful to be used as a disposable summon. Meanwhile, Joo-yeon laughed. He said this, but Xargas¡¯s original purpose was not to defeat Joo-yeon and his party. It was to spread even a single step and kill people. ¡®If we block all attacks, we win. If even one step kills someone, that bastard wins.¡¯ To be honest, it was dangerous. But will it go as he intended? Then Xargas opened his eyes wide. Rather, he changed his attack method because Joo-yeon used his summoned beast. It was an attack that could scorch a much wider area, albeit with less firepower than before. [Black Flame] It was not an attack that could kill people. However, it could burn down the dukedom and hurt people. Fwoosh. In an instant, black flames began to spread across the Edmer Dukedom. ¡°Sa¡­ Save me!¡± ¡°Kyaaa! It¡¯s fire!¡± From Noble mtl dot com People screamed in panic. Xargas¡¯s eyes flashed with murderous intent. -Now, go save the people like a hero. I¡¯ll watch your back while you save the people. Xargas¡¯s eyes seemed to say so. However, Joo-yeon just smiled and didn¡¯t move. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This is my home ground?¡± If only I could block his first attack, it would be over. Joo-ahn thought that the grin was just Joo-shin bluffing. -If you think this fire will go out on its own, you¡¯re wrong. [Black Flame] was a power that even Joo-shin could not handle properly. It was not easily extinguished unless it was the power of a higher race. At least, it was a power that was impossible with Joo-ahn¡¯s divine power. Then there was only one way. -Now, let¡¯s see you use it. The power of the Demon King! Didn¡¯t Hyruuzen say that? That he was the great Demon King. If that was true, he could solve this too! But Joo-shin knew. That man was not the Demon King. He was either using a similar power to deceive Hyruuzen, or Hyruuzen was trying to use Joo-ahn. Just as that man had brought out the traitor, he would get his revenge in the same way. In any case, if Joo-ahn showed any sign of using magic to control the fire, that would be proof that he was a traitor! -At that moment, the world will know that you are not a hero¡­ That was the moment. Kwaaa-ang! The sky split in half with a blinding light. There was no need to confirm whose technique it was. -The unique±Øš¢¼¼ of the Knight King [Parting the Heavens] It was now a technique that was almost his signature. Joo-shin¡¯s breath caught in his throat. -Heok¡­ He felt the terror of his neck being cut off as he looked around. ¡®This technique¡­ could it be!?¡¯ Daedo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This tin can, you¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to you! You¡¯re all rusty!¡± But Joo-ahn just smirked. It seemed to have missed, but the target of [Parting the Heavens] was not the Mazoku¡¯s neck. Nor was it simply to part the heavens. Air began to be sucked into the space that had been split in half. ¡®If there¡¯s no oxygen, the flames can¡¯t burn.¡¯ Even if it was a black flame created by magic, it was the same. The black flames disappeared in an instant. Joo-shin realized who had performed the miracle. -The Knight King! How did he get here! The Knight King had already reached the barrier. And then with a single sword strike, he quelled the flames that had begun to spread throughout the Duchy of Edmer. ¡°How dare a filthy demon set foot on my territory.¡± His previously indifferent expression was now filled with nothing but fury. He could not forgive the demons for not only trespassing on his territory, but also for attempting to slaughter the people who lived there. Junggars, however, could not understand the current situation. -How did he know and come here? How long has it been since I arrived here? He had determined the location of the Sword King as his top priority. He should have been in the Duke¡¯s Castle, which was located on the exact opposite side of the Temple of the Sun. No matter how fast he traveled, it would be impossible for him to have already arrived here. But he was already here? How did he know? Of course, Joo-Yeon knew the reason. ¡®I knew he¡¯d come running as soon as he heard that I had gone to the temple.¡¯ Originally, it would have taken a little more time. However, Joo-Yeon had whispered to Vener, the Duchy of Edmer¡¯s magician. Of course, it was only natural that he would arrive by now. But Junggars did not despair even at the appearance of the Sword King. -Don¡¯t make me laugh! You can¡¯t stop my plan with that kind of power. Junggars still had the black flames within his body. He just needed a sacrifice to make them burn. Then he could burn the Duchy of Edmer down once again. -I¡¯ll make sure to aim for a place where you can¡¯t pull them away. Junggars aimed for the places where there were many people. His targets were especially the priests, many of whom had been injured due to the traitors. -No matter how ruthless you are, Sword King, you can¡¯t get rid of all the oxygen in a place where people are gathered! If the black flames burned the entire city, not even the Pope, let alone the Saintess, would be able to put out the flames. If that happened, the north would become a desert with not a drop of water. The solidarity of the humans, who had been trying to gather around the Duchy of Edmer, would naturally come to an end. But Joo-Yeon simply clicked his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s no use. It was over the moment you failed your first attack.¡± The Sword King was not the only one who had arrived here. He had just come first. Fwhoooosh! In an instant, a vast divine power enveloped the square. It was as if a barrier made of divine power was protecting all the priests from the black flames. -This power is¡­! Even Junggars realized the source of that power. ¡°I apologize for being late.¡± The person who had arrived next to the Sword King was the former Saintess, Esmeralda. She was the Saintess of the ocean. With her endless divine power, she stopped the black flames from spreading. Joo-yeon chuckled. ¡°I told you. This is my home ground.¡± Edmer Duchy, a place where everything about Joo-yeon was concentrated. Since he first started his journey, he had met and formed connections with many people. ¡®Normally, heroes don¡¯t rely on connections and try to solve everything on their own.¡¯ That was foolish. ¡®Only an idiot would refuse manpower and just use their own body.¡¯ The methods of the Demon Tribe were predictable from the start. That was why he was able to prepare in advance. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t just his old comrades who were helping Joo-yeon in this place. ¡°Lord Joo-yeon is over there!¡± ¡°Charge, everyone! Eliminate the traitors who defile the Edmer Duchy!¡± Numerous knights were galloping over on horseback. Knights of the Edmer family. There were also knights from the continent who had joined after Joo-yeon¡¯s speech. They swiftly swept away the traitors who were attacking theîIµØ people. Xargas clenched his teeth. -They¡¯re just traitors, after all. That was the truth. And the traitors weren¡¯t limited to priests. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were more traitors hiding within the Edmer Duchy from the start. ¡°Now! Everyone, attack the commercial district!¡± ¡°Burn it all down!¡± In truth, Xargas had another target. It was the Edmer Duchy¡¯s commercial district. It was a place that was becoming a center for the humans of the north and the continent. ¡®If we burn that place down, the unity of the continent will be shattered.¡¯ If that happened, the continent would no longer have the strength to resist the Demon Tribe. That was definitely his intention, but¡­ ¡°Draw your swords, everyone!¡± ¡°Eliminate the enemies who threaten the Founding Member!¡± The Golden Knights charged out from the entrance of the commercial district. They were the Goblin Bank¡¯s warriors, armed with all sorts of magical tools and equipment. Even theîIµØ people were surprised. ¡°The Goblin Bank, who would normally run away first, are fighting on the front lines.¡± ¡°Just who is this Founding Member?¡± Joo-yeon scratched his face. ¡®The bank manager did change in the meantime, though.¡¯ It seemed that the threat he had sent before reaching the Sun Temple had worked well. Furthermore, there were also Dwarf craftsmen next to the Golden Knights. ¡°You beastly orcs! I shall use you as ingredients!¡± He was like a mad dwarf king. The traitorous mercenaries quickly began to flee at that sight. Of course, they didn¡¯t get far. ¡°Keuk¡­¡± Thud. The traitors collapsed in an instant. The ones who brought them down were the Thieves Guild¡¯s combatants. ¡°Each head is worth money. Keep them alive as much as possible to extract information.¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s too hard, you can kill them. We only need one mouth to get the information.¡± At Daedo¡¯s command, all of the special agents were deployed. They were all people who had connections to Lord Edmar in the past. Syargas was terrified. With his plan thwarted, the only option left was to escape. However, that was also impossible. ¡°I wonder if I can get some money for catching that guy.¡± Swoosh! Great Warrior Karahan tied Syargas¡¯s feet with chains. They were no ordinary chains. In the past, it was a spell that the Barbarian Chieftain used to bind the Barbarian King. -Kuaaak! No matter how much he resisted, the chains would not come off. Syargas¡¯s eyes, filled with curses, turned to Joo-in. ¡®It¡¯s all because of that bastard.¡¯ At the same time, he thought. It would be dangerous to let that guy live. Fortunately, Syargas had one last resort. £¼Greed£¾ It was his title and the power he was in charge of. ¡®I will pour all my power into that guy. And corrupt him.¡¯ As long as he was human, he would inevitably be influenced by £¼Greed£¾. All he needed was a little interest in power or wealth. Then, he could turn him into a traitor like the other humans. ¡®I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. They say you crave money and fame.¡¯ Syargas didn¡¯t care if he died. If he could only corrupt the hero, his name would live on forever, even in death. ¡®The hero himself will be on our side.¡¯ So he unleashed his £¼Greed£¾. -Even if I die! Our will shall live on forever! A powerful £¼Greed£¾ poured out of Syargas. However, this was the moment that Joo-yeon had been waiting for. ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± -¡­¡­! The voice that suddenly rang out caused Wukas to freeze. For some unknown reason, Joo-yeon¡¯s energy felt different than before. The demon could sense it clearly. This was absolute terror. Joo-yeon¡¯s gleaming eyes were like¡­ ¡®Could it be the Demon King?¡¯ Soon, the corners of Joo-yeon¡¯s lips turned up wickedly. ¡°Did you think that would work?¡± Joo-yeon twisted his fingers. [£¼Reflection£¾ has been activated.] The energy of £¼Greed£¾ poured out towards Wukas once again.