《Survival Story of a Sword King》 Chapter 1 Prologue The sun was at its highest when Ryu Han-Bin made his way lazily for the computer by the window, stifling a yawn as he lounged on the chair. Buzzing sounds from outside indicated that the day was already in the afternoon hours. He glanced at the clock on the wall opposite to where he sat; noon¡ªanother morning lost like many others before today¡ªsleeping the day away. It seemed to him distant now, the way he did things as a military man: a completely different lifestyle to his current habits. Ironic how he had got little done these last three months since he had been discharged¡­ Back then, he fantasized about the days he would be out in the real world and all the amazing things he could do with his life, like going back to school and getting a degree. God! He hadn¡¯t even attempted to brush up his English. He pressed the power button on his PC and moved the mouse impatiently as he browsed the Internet. Nothing. Dull. Blah. Not even games seemed interesting enough to waste his time on¡­ It all happened fast. Black gushes of smoke, coming from beneath, enveloped him¡ªleaving him speechless, emotionless, without time to react. First, the smoke wrapped his ankles, then moved upward to his legs and torso, seizing him up to his neck. ¡°Uh¡± was all he had time to utter, still in disbelief whether he was awake or not. As darkness engulfed him, excruciating pain squeezed his head, paralyzing him. He screamed, ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± The empty chair creaked slowly¡­ No indication, nothing, no sign that the man Ryu Han-Bin was even on planet Earth. As if he had never been¡­ * * * It was not until he regained consciousness that the man Ryun Han-Bin, found himself blind and helpless at a strange place. Not because of darkness; quite the opposite. The intensity of the existing light was so much that it was clearly impossible to try to distinguish anything at all. Then, a voice was heard through an even brighter light: ¡°Accepted all suitable human beings.¡± It made him want to crouch and bow, such was the superiority and out-of-this-world feeling, no matter how powerful of a man he was. ¡°Am I dead?¡± was all he could think of. It would make sense that it is his soul experiencing all this. Then, to his terror, another voice responded¡ªas ethereal and powerful as the first: ¨C Is this the only number of suitable beings? I heard that the number of candidates is over 7 billion. ¨C They are estimated to be 7 billion, yielding this number of apt specimens. Wasn¡¯t the probability very low upon commencing the project? -That is correct. Han-bin was confused. What on Earth were they referring to? The voice continued. ¨C All, transplant guidelines. ¨C But can I possibly do it like this? Is it not that the compatibility of artificial match is excessive? ¨C Appropriate for motivation and adaptation. Not an issue. The effectiveness has already been confirmed through the sampling of existing fitters. -Okay. Sheer terror overcame Han-bin. He wasn¡¯t experiencing an after-life event. Much worse, this could not be an omnipotent god dealing with souls¡­ Just then, it came. He felt something penetrating him in the light as excruciating pain hit him. He screamed. Panting for breath between screams, he heard the voices again: ¨C Oh, I made a mistake. ¡°A mistake? What the hell is a mistake?¡± Han-bin thought. The voice continued, sounding embarrassed, ¨C An error indication appeared in the guideline ¨C Ah, it is only one. There are hundreds of them; one cannot be accounted for. The other responded. Before he could react, Han-bin was pushed and dropped by the owner of the voice. All he could hear were his endless screams. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± It felt as if he fell forever. Then, the voice was faintly heard in the distance: ¨C Applicant number 398, begin the dimensional transfer. * * * Ryu Han-Bin was sitting on a large rocky area full of sharp rocks and edges when he came to his senses. He could see dry swords and trees in several places. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t Korea. This isn¡¯t even Earth!¡± He couldn¡¯t have any doubts about his judgment. For one, there was no sun or clouds. Though it was too bright to be night-time, a dark-red, hazy sky shone ominously like a twilight. A thought hit him just then. He blinked. ¡°This is a dog dream, a nightmare. It¡¯s got to be one.¡± He pinched his forearms. He slapped his cheeks. Nothing had changed. Desperate at the thought that this could be real, he shivered in disbelief. ¡°No! It must be a dream! It must be a dream! If I¡¯m not dreaming, then I must be out of my mind. How long have I been like this?¡± It is unclear how many seconds, minutes, hours, these thoughts raced through his mind. ¡°This is for real¡­¡± As he came to the realization, extreme anger overcame Ryu Han-Bin, ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± Chapter 2 Should I Kill Myself? (1) The anger quickly subsided, and fear took its place. ¡°What do I do? What should I do?¡± It was a scary thought. He didn¡¯t know where he was or what had happened. It was just a moment since Ryu Han-bin had all these fleeting thoughts in his mind. Suddenly a bright light appeared in front of his nimble eyes. [Guildline Activation] It was a screen made of pure bright light. On it was a single sentence, written in Korean. -This is a parallel world, Selha Latna. You have come to this world as the ¡®Chosen One¡¯ ¡°What the hell? The chosen one?¡± Ryu Han-bin blinked his eyes like a fool. Few moments passed, and the sentence changed. -You have been selected as a ¡®Suitable Person¡¯. The goal is to survive and grow in this world. I wish you all the best. Once Ryu Han-bin had read the second sentence, the screen of light disappeared in an instant, without any further instructions or warnings. ¡°Eh, so¡­¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin tried to piece together everything that had happened before he ended up here. Sadly, there was no concrete answer which he could muster as an explanation. Was he kidnapped and suddenly dropped in this unknown place? The anger within him, which had only just subsided, burst out once again. ¡°Hey! You bastards!¡±, He shouted loudly and aimlessly threw a stone which he found near his foot. Due to his ferocious uproar, Ryu Han-bin struggled to breathe. ¡°Huh huh, I must calm down, let¡¯s calm down¡­¡± He realized that making a fuss here, would not change anything. Whether he liked it or not, he had to stay calm. -Survive and grow It was clearly written in the Guideline. ¡°But¡­..how¡­?¡± Looking at the blood-red sky, Ryu Han-bin wondered, ¡°What am I supposed to do here?¡± *** Ryu Han-bin decided to look around. He realized that nothing would make sense if he just sat and wondered. Realization dawned on him that he had changed. ¡°Come to think of it, my clothes have changed.¡± When he was online in his room, Ryu Han-bin was only wearing a running shirt and shorts, as if he had just woken up. But now, he wore a proper black top and bottom, and a pair of shiny shoes. It wasn¡¯t a completely modern outfit but inspired by the medieval European fashion. ¡°It¡¯s like an outfit from some fantasy movie.¡± It wasn¡¯t very uncomfortable. Ryu Han-bin pondered while looking at his clothes, ¡°Survive and Grow? I don¡¯t even know what it means¡­. When will I finish growing? Is there any way to grow even more for a guy who has already been to the army?¡± The screen from before appeared once again. -You can try to level up after acquiring experience points through battling powerful monsters. Follow the instructions in the guidelines to grow your skills. ¡°What!? Did I get stuck in a virtual reality game?¡± -It is reality. The guideline system takes a similar form for the convenience of the suitable person. When I think about it, a similar story was mentioned before from the voices in the light. I used to think that it was fake. ¡°What¡¯s my level right now?¡± -Ryu Han-bin: Lvl. 1 Equipped Skill: None Strength 21, Stamina 13, Recovery 13, Defense 12, Vision 5, Reflexes 7, Speed 8. Ryu Han-bin contemplated for a moment. He didn¡¯t know if his stats were high or low. ¡°Should I think of my stats as the average male persona?¡± He perpetually thought of several questions and sought answers as his mind was flooded with varying questions, thoughts, and emotions. ¡°Who sent me here? What the hell is a parallel world? What is this Selha Latna?¡± There was no response. His mind wandered off to several more questions, but there was no immediate answer. Instead, a message popped up. -You can get information about any target using the Guideline¡¯s ¡®Search¡¯ function. As directed, Ryu Han-bin searched for surrounding objects like rocks and shrubs. ¡°What is that rock?¡± ¡°What is that tree?¡± ¡°Why is the sky so red?¡± But, there was no response. ¡°So, it doesn¡¯t know anything, huh?¡± A sigh came out of his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s going on now? Am I reported as a missing person? My parents must be worried about me. What will my friends think about me?¡± Just like that, Ryu Han-bin continued to walk aimlessly. After passing a slope, he saw a small stream. ¡°Huh?¡± He felt a growing thirst in his throat as soon as he saw the water. ¡°But can I drink this water? What if I get a stomach ache?¡± -Potable. No stomach ache will be induced ¡°Oh!¡± Ryu Han-bin was irritated. Still, he thought this Guideline system was quite helpful. He was relieved and drank water with both of his hands, in a clear hurry, like a little pup. ¡°Ah, I feel like I¡¯m going to survive!¡± And about 10 minutes later. ¡°Ah, uuugh!¡± ¡­¡­He got a stomach ache. ¡°You said it was drinkable! You said I wouldn¡¯t get a stomach ache!¡± Grabbing his belly, Ryu Han-bin struggled with pain and resentment. The guidelines flashed and rose before Ryu¡¯s struggling eyes. -Code error. Error correction. Water not potable. Side effect: Stomach ache. The screen suddenly glitched, and the letters were broken, followed by a strange electronic screech. -The one who is going to¡­¡­.. And the peek went off. Even in pain, Ryu Han-bin was stunned and opened his mouth wide. ¡°What is it? Is it like a computer crash?¡± Suddenly, a voice was heard in his mind. -Ah, I made a mistake. -There is an error in the guidelines. -Well, only one mistake, it should be okay. There are hundreds of them. No one will find out, right? So, not only were people being dropped in this strange place, but even the Guideline was broken? With deep lamentation, he uttered words which were in his thoughts and tongue, several times today. ¡°I¡¯m doomed¡­¡­¡± * * * After a long struggle, the stomach ache finally got better. Ryu Han-bin muttered gloomily, ¡°What should I do now? To survive? Should I get a place to sleep or something to eat?¡± But he didn¡¯t know what to eat. It was a desolate place. Far in the distance, there was a singular object of peculiarity; a small sword stuck between a range of mossy rocks. There were no animals or creatures to be seen anywhere. ¡°Will I starve to death?¡± He was speechless. ¡®Rrrrrrrrr¡­¡­.¡¯ Suddenly there was an ominous sound. Surprised, Ryu Han-bin looked back. ¡°Ugh!¡± On a high rock far away, a grotesquely large black dog opened its eyes and stared at Ryu with a menacing gaze. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± [Race: Demon Dog. Lv. 1] Selha Latna¡¯s lowest-class monster. Having equal combat power to an unarmed adult male. WHOORGH! The dog growled and charged forward. Ryu Han-bin got his arm bitten even before he could do anything. ¡°Arrrgh!¡± It hurt like hell! The pain was killing him! He swung his other arm wildly in an attempt to fight back. Luckily his elbow hit the dog¡¯s head. The dog backed off and growled in return. ¡®Rrrrrrr¡­¡­¡­¡¯ ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡± As he crawled on the ground, Ryu Han-bin quickly wrapped his arm. He thought he would stop the bleeding in the meantime. However, there was no sign of blood. It just hurt. ¡°Didn¡¯t I get bit?¡± The moment he saw the dog growling and revealing its teeth again, he noticed the reason. ¡°¡­¡­Ah! His teeth are blunt.¡± The dog¡¯s teeth were worn as if someone had ground it on purpose. When he looked closely, his toe nails were the same. They were also blunt. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­¡­?¡± The dog rushed again towards a shocked Ryu Han-bin.¡¯ GARGH! Perhaps he realized that it was not fun, and this time, he started to smash the ground with his two front paws. Smack! Smack! Smash! Evidently frightened, Ryu Han-bin rolled around the floor. At this rate, he couldn¡¯t be bitten, but he would definitely be beaten to death! By a stroke of luck, Ryu Han-bin stumbled upon a rock as he rolled around. He struck the stone furiously. ¡°Hey, son of a bitch!¡± BANG! It worked. The dog staggered. Then he hit it again. ¡°Die! Die! Die!¡± Smash! Smash! Smash! Indeed, humans were always dependent on tools. The stone¡¯s firmness surpassed the skull of the dog, crushing it with force and blunt trauma. Blood was drawn, and with a faint growly, the dog finally died, albeit in pain. ¡®Grrrr¡­¡­¡¯ A message appeared above its body. [Lv. 1 Fighting Demon Dog Obtaining 13 EXP.] [Current EXP: 13/135] Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t stop. He couldn¡¯t dare to see the guidelines. In extreme excitement, he continued to hit the body of the dead dog, hitting and swearing furiously. ¡°D-die¡­.you bastard¡­¡­¡± It was unclear who he was swearing at. Was it the dog, the world, or the devil that threw him into this shit¡­¡­? He kept cursing and swearing. ¡°Bastard¡­¡­ bastard¡­¡­ bastard¡­¡­.¡± * * * ¡°Let¡¯s stay calm. I have to be calm.¡± After a while, even his own reconfirmations weren¡¯t working. Ryu Han-bin could barely calm down. ¡°This damn world is real. If I die, it¡¯s over.¡± He thought he might go home again if he died. But at this rate, he didn¡¯t think that it was possible. And so, with this realization which sunk in slowly, he regained a sense of determination. ¡°I will survive! I¡¯ll survive at all costs!¡± Then, another series of guidelines appeared. -Will and determination to survive has been confirmed. Combat ability is activated. -Please choose your combat ability. -Warrior: Available resource, Aura. Use various martial arts to fight within close range. -Mage: Available resource, Mana. Use magic to create a powerful long-range attack of six elemental attributes. -Spiritist: Available source, Prana. You can use healing techniques to heal yourself and your allies¡¯ wounds, reshape the battlefield, and use secondary attack techniques. -Dark Swordsman: Available resources, Force. Combining martial arts and unique martial arts, you can fight at long and close range for prolonged periods of time. ¡°So I should pick one of these?¡± Originally, Ryu Han-bin was a warrior type. Rather than shooting magic from afar, close-range characters were more to his taste. But that was only in the game. ¡°I don¡¯t want close combat!¡± He didn¡¯t want to fight at close range again after his fight with the Demon Dog. Game and reality were different things. ¡°I choose Mage!¡± -Rejected. Your talent is insufficient. The Mage option was no longer available. ¡°What? I can¡¯t even pick what I want? Do I need talent as well?¡± Seeing that response, Ryu Han-bin was in a state of disarray. In the meantime, the guidelines flashed over the remaining three items. Warrior, Spiritist, and Dark Swordman ¡°Well, then I will take¡­¡­¡± Come to think of it; it would be more advantageous to have hybrids that can do various things. ¡°Dark Swordsman!¡± -Rejected. Your talent is insufficient. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He felt like crying as now there were only two options left: Warrior and Spiritist. ¡°Spiritist, huh, by the looks of it, seems like a healer or something¡­¡­.¡± Originally, he didn¡¯t even play the healer class in games. It didn¡¯t suit his taste. ¡°But if it¡¯s reality, wouldn¡¯t the healer be more advantageous?¡± Considering this thought, he made up his mind and announced, ¡°Spiritist!¡± -Rejected. Your talent is insufficient. ¡°Damn it.¡¯ Somehow he knew it would turn out like this. Ryu Han-bin dropped his shoulders in grief. In the end, there was only one option left. -The warrior class has been selected. ¡°Don¡¯t say I selected it. You didn¡¯t give me any choice.¡± -Please choose a basic weapon. Various weapon icons such as swords, spears, axes, shields, etc., emerged at the screen¡¯s bottom. Originally he liked the long sword type. But that was because the long sword looked cool, but¡­¡­ ¡°The long-range is the best, after all!¡± If the same thing happened again, it would be advantageous to fight from a distance. ¡°I choose Lance!¡± -A long sword has been chosen. ¡°What, Dude?¡± Shocked. Ryu Han-bin was left with a gaping mouth. ¡°No, I picked a lance. What are you talking about now?¡± -Error code occurred. Starting to repaaaaiiiiii¡­.. The letters glitched, creating radio static that rung in his ears, and from above, a long sword fell in front of him. -Basic weapon, Long Sword obtained. That was it. Another error appeared¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After the interlude of silence, the cry of a young man filled with resentment echoed in the red sky. ¡°When did I ask for thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissss!!!¡± Chapter 3 [The translator decided to go with ¡®Suitor¡¯ instead of ¡®Suitable Person¡¯.] Should I Kill Myself? (2) Ryu Han-bin held the sword in his hand and gazed aimlessly at the sky shining above his head. A cool breeze was flowing in the vast desolate world. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± he let out a deep breath. A guideline window popped up in one corner of his vision. It was an updated status report of himself. -Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lvl.1 -Equipped Skill: None -Strength 21, -Stamina 17, -Recovery 13, -Defense 12, -Vision 5, -Reflexes 7, -Speed 8.¡¹ The updated status report termed him as a Prosecutor. He wondered what it meant and a little more¡­. ¡°Can I really survive in this world?¡± he thought to himself. -With your talent, the chance of surviving in Selha Latna is less than 5%. Immediate suicide is recommended as a realistic countermeasure. The newest and certainly dumbfounding message flickered on the screen as Ryu contemplated the depth of this new message. -Would you like to commit suicide? He was utterly dumbfounded. Ryu Han-bin gave a strong jerking response, which was befitting the message. ¡°Fuck it!¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin looked at the body of a Demon Dog that had been killed inadvertently. To survive here, he needed food. ¡°Can I eat it?¡± he wondered. The guidelines were activated. ¡°Edible.¡± -Meat of Demon Dog: Contains essential amino acids and fats. Recommended to be cooked first. -Devil¡¯s Blood: Contains moisture, carbohydrates, fiber, and essential minerals. Drinking is recommended ¡°It means if I eat meat and drink blood, I can get all the nutrients I need even if I don¡¯t eat vegetables or other foods?¡± Looking at the explanation, it was like a complete food, but¡­ ¡°Would there be such a convenient food in the world?¡± Apart from everything else, why did blood contain carbohydrates and fiber? Did it photosynthesize with its own blood? Even if he thought deeply about it, it definitely didn¡¯t make much sense. ¡°No matter how much I look at this, it looks like I got an error again.¡± The problem was that he had no choice. It was all he had to eat, so if he didn¡¯t want to die of starvation, he had to eat it. ¡°It said this meat was recommended to be cooked first.¡± Even if it didn¡¯t recommend it, he had no intention of eating raw dog meat. With shallow knowledge of how to make a fire, he managed to grill the meat. It was easy to say, but it took roughly six hours. It was 6 hours of suffering, stained with all kinds of trial and error. ¡°It¡¯s been hard for me¡­¡± But thanks to it, he was able to fill his stomach. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste dirty.¡± Half of the grilled meat was eaten, and the rest was left behind on the corpse. He couldn¡¯t even think of drinking the Demon Dog¡¯s blood, so he just threw it away. After he managed to fill his stomach, he was overwhelmed with intense fatigue and drowsiness. It could have been because he fell into a totally unknown world and fought in extreme tension. ¡°I need to take some rest for now.¡± It was a very uneven and rocky mountain with a completely distorted terrain, ridden with rocks, pebbles, and dirt, yet there was surprisingly a lot of space in empty spots and shallow crevices, which was enough to fit one person. He put his body in a suitable crevice and blocked the entrance with branches he scrounged from the ground nearby. Soon he fell into a deep sleep as if he fainted. An unknown world, Selha Latna. It was the first day Ryu Han-bin survived in this hell called Selha Latna. * * * A Demon Dog roared and attacked from the distance. KHAAARGH! Ryu also roared and fought back. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± A bloody dog fight ensued. Demon dogs with no teeth or claws, and Ryu, who did not know anything about martial arts, wielded his long sword like an amateur. ¡°Die! Die! Die!¡± After being beaten hard, chopped, and stabbed, the Demon Dog died. A Guideline floated in the air. [Lvl. 1 Fighting Demon Dog, Obtained 13 EXP.] [Current EXP: 127/135] ¡°I-I won¡­¡± he mumbled while he struggled to catch his breath. With a swollen and torn body, Ryu exhaled a rough breath. ¡°Oh my, knees¡­¡± It has been five days since he arrived in Selha Latna. Ryu Han-bin had found a way to live. * * * Ryu Han-bin returned to the cave, carrying the body of the fallen dog. Then he began to dismember the Demon Dog with his long sword, in an attempt to prepare it for cooking. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m used to doing this now.¡± It would still be a mess to a professional butcher, but his skills as a butcher now, were surprisingly neat compared to five days ago. He cut the meat into the appropriate sizes and put it on a bonfire to cook slowly. Ryu Han-bin muttered while chewing the roasted Demon Dog meat, ¡°No matter what, this Demon Dog is not a natural creature.¡± Its teeth and claws were dull, it was not a very threatening predator, but it suddenly appeared and attacked people. Of course, it was threatening enough for Ryu Han-bin, who bursts to death every time he fights¡­ ¡°If it were a real wild dog, I would have been bitten to death.¡± He was convinced. ¡°As expected, this is also an artificial world.¡± Did monsters appear based on the experience level of the player? The Monster¡¯s teeth and claws were also crushed so that it wouldn¡¯t instantly kill people. Even if people killed it and couldn¡¯t find food for survival, the demon dog was the perfect food for such situations. Ryu thought, ¡°First of all, it could never happen in a normal ecosystem.¡± On the other hand, the concept itself was also familiar. ¡°It¡¯s completely a tutorial area in the game, right?¡± When he thought about it, it made sense. ¡°The guideline said to survive and grow here.¡± It made sense if it was a kind of consideration to develop minimal adaptability before being pushed to the real game. There was another part he could guess. When he was first transported here, there was a conversation he had secretly heard while engulfed in the light. -Is the number of Suitors only this many? -There are hundreds of people¡­ -Suitor number 398. In other words, Ryu Han-bin was not the only one who was kidnapped and teleported into this world. Obviously, there were other people¡ªat least hundreds of them. ¡°For some purpose, they kidnapped people on a large scale and dropped them into this world. In that case, they wanted to avoid people dying unnecessarily in the beginning.¡± At that time, Ryu Han-bin suddenly came up with another question. So far, he had never seen anyone else. He only met strangely easy monsters, Demon Dogs. ¡°Wait, then where are the other people?¡± Suddenly, a message appeared in the corner of his view. -From outside the Rock Mountain area, you can pursue survival and growth in Selha Latna with other Suitors. Reach Lv.5 to leave the area and join other Suitors. ¡°Rock Mountain Area?¡± Additional explanations also emerged. -Start Zone: Rock Mountain Area -A safety zone in which only monsters correspond to the Suitor¡¯s abilities. The purpose is to help the Suitor adapt to Selha Latna by growing to Lv. 5 and increase the mortality rate along with strength. In short, it sounded like a place where he could steadily improve his basic skills without suddenly encountering a high-ranking monster and getting killed. ¡°No, why are you telling me this now?¡± He had asked it so many times where he was and what this rocky mountain was! -The one who is going to¡­ He didn¡¯t even feel angry anymore. Ryu Han-bin laughed dejectedly. ¡°Thank you so much for telling me now, fuck.¡± * * * The next day, Ryu Han-bin was having another dog fight with a Demon Dog. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± He wielded the long sword in his hand. In the meantime, he had beaten the dog to death, once again. Fuck! Fuck! Fuuuuuck! It couldn¡¯t be helped ¨C His only weapon was a long sword, so he had to engage in close combat. ¡°Damn it! Damn it!¡± Ryu Han-bin was not a fool either. He¡¯d been thinking about it in his own way. He tried to make a rough spear by cutting a nearby tree and attaching pointed stones to widen its range. It was useless. The material could not be procured. All the trees on the rocky mountain dried up and broke easily by Ryu Han-bin¡¯s own power. Rather than stabbing the Demon Dog, the spear was smashed first, upon initial impact. Of course, he couldn¡¯t even make a bow or a crossbow. All he could use was this long sword in his hand. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± He barely killed it. Another message popped up. -Lvl. 1 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtained 11 EXP -Current EXP: 139/135 There was also an additional message this time. -The required experience has been reached. Level Up. -Strength +2, -Stamina +2, -Recovery +1, -Defense +2 -The Skill ¡®Stab¡¯ has been activated. ¡°Le-level up!¡± In front of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eager eyes, his status window, which had definitely changed, was flashing. -Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv. 2 -Equipped Skill: Stab -Strength 23, -Stamina 19, -Recovery 14, -Defense 14, -Vision 5, -Reflexes 7, -Speed 8. It wasn¡¯t just Strength and Stamina that changed with his level up. There was a skill called ¡®Stab.¡¯ ¡°How do I use this?¡± he wondered He seriously stabbed his sword in the air in an attempt to figure out his new skill. At the moment, Ryu Han-bin was startled and hardened into place. ¡°Wow!¡± It was not the long sword swung in a mess, like he had been using it until now. It pierced the air with surprising sharpness. Weight movement, steps, and limb movements all made sense in martial arts. It was as if he had gained enlightenment. Excited, he stabbed and stabbed his long sword several times in the air till he had comfortably learned how to use his new skill. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha!¡± For the first time after falling into this hell, a laugh of pure joy erupted from within his being. ¡°Now I can easily get rid of the Demon Dog!¡± * * * Ten days have passed since Ryu Han-bin fell into this world. He was still fighting the Demon Dog. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± And it was still a dog fight. ¡°Damn iiiit.¡± When he learned the Stab skill, Ryu Han-bin thought that fighting against the Demon dog would be easier. Even when he didn¡¯t know anything, he managed to catch it, so it would be much easier now due to his new skill. It was an illusion. ¡®Grrrrr¡­¡¯ -Race: Demon Dog Lv. 2 -Selha Latna¡¯s lowest-class Monster. Having equal combat power equal to an armed adult male. ¡°The level has risen to 2, and the word ¡°unarmed¡± has changed!¡± That was right Obviously, this phrase was attached to the description of the guideline. -A safety zone in which only monsters corresponding to the abilities of the Suitor are placed. If Ryu Han-bin was weak, the Monsters also appeared in a weak state. In other words, if Ryu Han-bin became stronger, the Demon Dog would also become stronger. It was a natural progression aimed at the early growth of the Suitor. ¡°Ah Fuck!¡±, he exclaimed in disdain as he realized what was happening. * * * It was the 14th day since he fell into this hell. Ryu Han-bin eagerly killed any Demon Dogs which appeared near him. And at the end of each battle, it filled his experience adequately. -Lv. 2 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtaining 22 EXP -Current EXP: 284/280 -The required experience has been reached. Level up -Vision +1 -Reflexes +1, ¨C Speed +1 -The Skill ¡®Side Cut¡¯ has been activated. There was a new skill called Side Cut. Like when he acquired the Stab skill, Ryu Han-bin practiced Side Cut in the air for a long time. After confirming that he could use it even during battle, he went out and started looking for a dog. And confirmed what he had been speculating so far. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± The size of the Demon Dog he encountered was not the same as before. It was so big that anyone could see it from afar. It seemed to have grown about 10% in size and strength. A message was floating above the head of a growling Demon Dog. -Race: Demon Dog Lv. 3 -Selha Latna¡¯s lowest-class Monster. Having equal combat power to an armed novice warrior. It was no longer an adult male, but a ¡®novice warrior.¡¯ ¡°Whew¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin took a deep sigh. It seemed like he was destined to forever have dog fights. * * * The 17th day of hell life. He was spending days of faithful slaughter day by day. Suddenly Ryu Han-bin was curious. As his level rose, Demon Dog¡¯s level would also rise. ¡°Is it the same if I go out of this area after reaching level 5? Only monsters that are the same as my level will appear?¡± -The equivalent monsters are a privilege only in the safe zone. In Selha Latna or the main area, you will encounter monsters of different levels depending on the area. Work with other Suitors to overcome the crisis. If he left this area, he might encounter high-level monsters and had to escape. If so, it was dangerous to exit this rocky mountain just yet. ¡°You said I could leave here when I reach level 5? So what do I do after that? Am I just leveling up and doing it again?¡± Even if it was a game, there were no such games in reality ¨C An infinite leveling game with no story or purpose? Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a game to begin with. -When you reach level 20, the mission in Selha Latna Dimension ends, and the Suitor moves to the Latna Continent. ¡°Latna Continent? What is it?¡± The guideline snapped off. Ryu Han-bin changed the question and asked a few more times, but there was no further response. ¡°Are you not supposed to tell me, or did you get an error again?¡±, Complaining, Ryu Han-bin began to clear up his thoughts. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s imperative to reach level 5 and move to another area.¡± Chapter 4 Should I Kill Myself? (3) The 22nd day of the goddamn Hell Survival in Selha Latna Eventually, Ryu Han-bin reached level 4. [Lv. 3 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtained 40 EXP] [Current EXP: 538/530] [The required experience has been reached. Level Up.] [Strength +2, Stamina +2, Recovery +1, Defense +2] [The Skill ¡°Vertical Slash¡± has been activated.] ¡®Then is the next skill like a diagonal cut? Or uppercut?¡±, Ryu wondered curiously as he unlocked his new skill. As he got closer to his goal, he felt an increased sense of motivation. Now there was only one step left before he could leave this place ¨C Reach level 5. ¡°At level 5, I can escape this boring rocky mountain!¡± He was more actively looking for the Demon Dogs. Five more days passed. *** The 27th day of life in Selha Latna. Eventually, he succeeded in killing the last Demon Dog. ¡°I have filled my experience!¡± He was excited and waited for the message. Indeed, a message appeared. [Lv. 4 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtaining 81 EXP] [Current EXP: 1,101/1,100] [The experience required has been reached. Level u-u-u-u-up¡­] Suddenly the letters were glitching and breaking once again. Ryu Han-bin was confused. ¡°Eh? What? You have to increase my stats and a new skill too!¡± There was nothing like that. [The one who is going to¡­ The one who is going to¡­ The one who is going to¡­] The system kept glitching, as if stuck on a repeat loop, delivering a half unclear message. After a while, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s status window popped up. [Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv.1] [Possessed skills: Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut] [Strength 21(+4), Stamina 17(+4), Recovery 13(+2), Defense 12(+4), Vision 5(+1), Reflexes 7(+1), Speed 8(+1) ] Ryu Han-bin smudged his eyes. He rubbed it several times. He tried to confirm if he saw it wrong. [Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv 1] A near-death cry echoed through the red sky. ¡°¡­ Level 1?¡± * * * ¡°Calm, calm, let¡¯s calm down¡­ .¡± After trying hard, Ryu Han-bin looked at his status. Looking closely, it was a little different from when he was just at Level 1. ¡°The skills didn¡¯t disappear.¡± Just in case, he tried to successively perform Stab, Horizontal Cut, and Vertical Cut, but without any problem, the long sword sharply tore through the air. His stats didn¡¯t seem to have changed either. ¡°There are actually additional numbers attached to my stats.¡± He was sure. He was just marked as Level 1, but Ryu Han-bin¡¯s actual ability had not gone down. ¡°What could have happened?¡± It was true that he did not reach level 5. So he still can¡¯t get out of these mountains. ¡°If I think about it, isn¡¯t there a reason I can¡¯t get out from here?¡± This place was not like a closed dungeon. It was just a rocky mountain. It¡¯s an open area where you walk to another place. For nearly a month, he slept in a cave and ate only Demon Dog¡¯s meat. Staying here any longer seemed crazy. ¡°All right, let¡¯s get out! I can still come back here later.¡± * * * ¡°I¡¯m leaving! I¡¯m leaving!¡± Grinding his teeth, Ryu Han-bin went down the rocky mountain. Half a day later, part of a forest spread through the narrow canyon was seen. Now, if he passed by there, he would be well off with this damn place! That was the moment he was about to enter the forest. Suddenly a light enveloped his whole body. When he regained his senses, Ryu Han-bin stood in the middle of the rocky mountain where he had started from. ¡°Huh?¡± Guidelines appeared in front of his eyes. [Your level is insufficient.] [Achieve level 5 to leave the start zone.] ¡°This¡­I can¡¯t leave at all If I can¡¯t reach level 5?¡± * * * By investing another half of the next day, Ryu Han-bin tried to go down the mountain once more. And again, he found himself standing in the same spot where he had originally started from. Back to square one. It must have been. The moment he left the rocky mountain, he would automatically return to this place. It had been a long time since he had cursed, but this time it came out naturally. ¡°This fucking¡­¡± ¡°Should I level up from the beginning again?¡± He became gloomy for a while and struggled to find hope. ¡°Now that I am Level 1, the Demon Dog must be Level 1 too, right?¡± With his skills now, Level 1 Demon Dog was a piece a cake. Determined to look for a Demon Dog right away, Ryu Han-bin grabbed his long sword and started to scour the mountains once again. * * * Certainly, the Demon Dog monster seemed to become stronger in line with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s ability. [Race: Demon Dog Lv. 1 Selha Ratna¡¯s lowest-class monster. Having equal combat power equal to an armed novice warrior.] The level of Demon Dog he met again was 1, like Ryu Han-bin himself. However, their abilities were different. As for the explanation, the combat power was not much different from the Demon Dog that appeared when Ryu Han-bin was level 4. ¡°I thought it would be easier to handle it!¡± Although it was unfair, Ryu Han-bin eagerly continued hunting for Demon Dog. This time, he was actively hunting, so he could fill the required experience and reach level 2 much faster than before. Three days later, when the 12th Demon Dog was killed, the message he had seen before, appeared once again. [Lv. 1 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtaining 11 EXP.] [Current EXP: 139/135] [The required experience has been reached. Level up.] [Strength +2, Stamina +2, Recovery +1, Defense +2] There was no skill activation message this time. Perhaps it was because he already possessed the Stab skill. But there was a visible difference. [Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv. 2] [Possessed skills: Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut] [Strength 23(+4), Stamina 19(+4), Recovery 14(+2), Defense 14(+4), Vision 5(+1), Reflexes 7(+1), Speed 8(+1)] ¡°Does it keep increasing my stats?¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity. ¡°Then, this is rather a blessing in disguise, right?¡± If he raised to level 5 as it was needed, he would get higher stats than the average level 5. ¡°It¡¯s not such a bad thing to get an error.¡± Ryu Han-bin laughed happily. He was getting more motivated. ¡°So I¡¯m gonna reach Level 5 once again!!¡± * * * Within 15 days, Ryu Han-bin passed level 4 and almost filled the required experience needed for level 5. In the meantime, his stats had also risen considerably. The process was not easy, but he pulled it off; it was either that or suicide. As Ryu Han-bin became stronger, the Demon Dogs became stronger as well, it was a series of struggles every time, and every encounter brought new challenges. But human beings could endure with hope, and Ryu certainly did. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± In a burst of spirit, Ryu Han-bin struck a Demon Dog in front of him. The dog slowly died with a painful groan. ¡®Grrrrr¡­¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough, I got it¡­¡± With a panting breath, Ryu Han-bin waited only for a message. This was the last one which he had been waiting for. If he got this one, it would now fill all his experience points. [Lv. 4 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtained 83 EXP.] [Current EXP: 1,104/1,100] [The required experience has been reached. Level u-u-u-u-up¡­] [The one who is going to The one who is going to The one who is going to¡­] It took less than a few seconds for hope to turn into despair. [Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv. 1] ¡°Ah FUCK! Damn it!¡± * * * He went out of the rocky mountains once again, just in case and to be sure. As expected in hindsight, he returned to the middle of the rocky mountain, where he had begun once. Ryu Han-bin tried hard to hold back, although his knees were about to collapse in disappointment. ¡°Positive mind, positive mind.¡±, He mutters as if he was casting a spell and somehow settled his mind. ¡°No way, the error won¡¯t keep popping up. Next time, I will properly level up.¡± He chose to believe that he wasn¡¯t as unlucky as the situation was making it look like. Without strength to continue, Ryu Han-bin grabbed the long sword once again. The arduous process began once again. ¡°Sigh, I have to go hunting for a Demon Dog¡­¡± * * * He hunted sincerely. He became level 2 again. Again, the stats had risen. Ryu Han-bin smiled. ¡°Is there one more chance to increase my stats through this bug play?¡± It was also safe as he didn¡¯t have to worry about dying. ¡°It¡¯s hard to fight the Demon Dog, but it¡¯s not over the edge of death, is it?¡± It was a monster with blunt teeth and claws, so even if he made a mistake, he wouldn¡¯t go to an irreversible situation. If Ryu Han-bin did not give up, he could somehow win if he endured the pain of being beaten. On the other hand, if he left this rocky mountain, he didn¡¯t know what kind of monster would appear. A monster with sharp teeth or claws could make him really die in a moment¡¯s mistake. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s think good.¡± The change of mind came soon after he reached level 3 and met another dog. ¡®Grrrrrrrrr¡­¡¯ The Demon Dog in front of him growls, revealing eerie fangs. They were so sharp that they could tear off the flesh of human beings in one strong bite. ¡°Ugh! what?¡± Ryu Han-bin was frightened. ¡°Its teeth are sharp!¡± It was not just teeth. His nails were also sharp. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s stats had risen so much that he had been given sufficient lethal power to deal with an actual Demon Dog. A cold sweat ran through Ryu Han-bin¡¯s back, holding the sword. It wasn¡¯t a safe play anymore. If he made a mistake, he would definitely die! ¡°Fuck it, Let¡¯s do it!¡± * * * Since then, Ryu Han-bin had to engage in a life-and-death struggle every time. He gained many injuries in the process. Fortunately, his recovery ability was improved, and the injuries healed quicker than before. Thanks to this, he was able to avoid getting hurt and dying. Level 2, Level 3, Level 4. He barely raised the level while fighting fiercely. It was the 50th day since he fell into this world. ¡®Grrrrrrr¡­¡¯ The Demon Dog, which now became as huge as a male bull, was dying and groaning for the last time. Ryu Han-bin prayed earnestly before the death of the dog. ¡°Please, this time! This time!¡± A message popped up. [Lv. 4 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtaining 82 EXP.] [Current EXP: 1,102/1,100] [The required experience has been reached. Level u-u-u-u-up¡­] [The one who is going to The one who is going to The one who is going to¡­] Nothing had changed. He was once again back to level 1. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Despair came, and Ryu Han-bin flopped in his place. Could he never reach level 5? Would he go back from level 4 to level 1 forever? ¡°Are you telling me to grow old and die after fighting here for a lifetime!¡± The guidelines responded to Ryu Han-bin¡¯s cry full of despair. [All Suitors maintain the living age at the time of implantation in the guidelines. You can¡¯t die of old age. The only causes of death are murder and suicide.] It looked like he couldn¡¯t even die of old age¡­ [With your talent, the chance of surviving in Selha Latna is less than 5%. Fast suicide is recommended as a realistic countermeasure.] The bold option phrase that followed. [Would you like to commit suicide?] ¡°You shut up!¡± Chapter 5 No matter how much he leveled up, he was always sent back to the beginning. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn¡¯t get out of this place. This was the reality that Ryu Han-bin was facing. The average person would have panicked in despair. But he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°There must be a way to get out of this place even if I don¡¯t level up.¡± Over the past 50 days, he had suffered back and forth, leveling and being sent back to the start. Before he knew it, his mental power had surpassed the standard of ordinary human beings. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be hard to find. Don¡¯t be impatient.¡± It would be a long battle. Looking at the desolate rocky mountain, Ryu Han-bin was determined. ¡°I need to prepare to live in this place.¡± * * * He started to drink the blood of the Demon Dog. He couldn¡¯t ignore his health. Fortunately, there hadn¡¯t been any big problems so far, but it was obvious that his body would be damaged if he continued eating meat only. According to the guidelines, Eating Demon Dog¡¯s meat and blood would give him all the nutrients his body needed. ¡°Unless there was an error, though.¡± There was also evidence that it would not be an error. If this was a start zone and a space for the suitors¡¯ survival, it was normal to consume the dogs for survival. ¡°If a soldier, who has grown up and learned combat skills dies from something like scurvy, what kind of a silly joke that would be¡± The stream of water from which he drank before and had given him a stomach ache, was more likely to be used for bathing or other water use. Even if it was not for drinking, water was useful in many ways. The base also needed to be set up in earnest. So far, he was just roughly lighting a bonfire in front of the cave and crawled to sleep. If he wanted to stay here and survive, he had to pay more attention. But what material should he use to build a base in this place, where there were only strange rocks and dried dead trees? There were other materials. Ryu Han-bin used the dead Demon Dogs he had killed. He gathered stones and built walls, and made floors and ceilings out of the dogs¡¯ skins, which had now hardened into leather. Thanks to this, he was able to rest more comfortably. He also made simple tools, necessary for life by splitting and grinding the bones of the dogs. He also marked the date. Each day passed, He made a simple calendar by drawing a hatch in the corner of the cave wall. Living like a primitive man, he headed to the border of the rocky mountain every day. He continued to fight with the Demon Dogs, tried to approach all borders, pushed himself in, and returned to the original place like always. Although he was disappointed each time, he did not give up. ¡®There must be a loophole in the system somewhere. I just need to find that loophole.¡¯ The anger inside him was too great to give up. ¡°Let¡¯s see, you bastards!¡± He couldn¡¯t give up until he got revenge on whoever threw him into this hell! * * * One year has passed. Ryu Han-bin was fighting hard against the Demon Dog again. ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± The Demon Dog howled and attacked. Information floated above the head of the attacking Demon Dog. [Race: Demon Dog Lv. 2] That was all. There was no further information. The monster in front of him was already clear enough to be called a Demon Dog. It had three heads, blade-like horns on the forehead, and a snake-like tail. Such monsters attacked in various forms of lethality. However, Ryu Han-bin was not the man he was, a year ago. ¡°Burn!¡± He burst into the spirit and flew away from attacks. He avoided attacks at critical moments and dodged cautiously. Over the past year, his physical stats had increased tremendously. Looking for a chance, Ryu Han-bin launched a counterattack. ¡°You bastard!¡± He swung his sword diagonally and cut off one side of the dog. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s diagonal cut had enough power and speed, but his posture was poor. It was more of a form of wielding power, not swordsmanship. It was because his abilities rose, but his skills remained the same. Still, the only sword techniques he could use properly were Stab, Horizontal Cut, and Vertical Cut. But it didn¡¯t matter. Anyway, his Diagonal Slash was not an attack to get hit. ¡°Hah!¡± With a fierce look on his face, Ryu hit at the right timing. -Vertical cut! One of the Demon Dog¡¯s head sliced and fell off from the living body. A horizontal cut followed the previous one, and the two remaining heads flew in the air. -Stab! A fatal blow pierced the devil¡¯s heart. [Lv. 2 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtaining 22 EXP] [Current EXP: 274/280] ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin wiped the sweat on his forehead while taking a breath of relief. Although his swordsmanship did not increase, since no one taught him, his tactics continued to grow through experience. The Stab, Horizontal Cut, and Vertical Cut Skills were used according to the situation, and he was able to get rid of the Demon Dog. ¡°I survived this time.¡± But He wasn¡¯t happy. He already crossed all the boundaries. He combed the entire Rock Mountain Area, fought the dogs endlessly, and repeatedly went up and down the level endlessly¡­ Whatever he did, he couldn¡¯t find a way out. There seemed to be no system loophole in the first place. So should he give up? ¡°Do not be ridiculous!¡± Ryu Han-bin clenched his teeth. It was not yet time to give up. ¡°Even when the computer is down, if you keep clicking on it, it works at least once, right?¡± Actually, there was no such law, but he wanted to believe that anyway. So if he kept pushing to level 5 and hitting it again, then, the error might not be triggered at least once. The possibility was not zero. ¡°Just once.¡± He didn¡¯t need much. ¡°Just one success!¡± * * * Three years have passed. He went back from level 4 to 1 over and over again. Slowly, the Demon Dogs started walking on both feet. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!¡± A huge werewolf, more than 2 meters, roared furiously. It swung its muscular arms like sharp knives and attacked with elaborate movements. In line with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s growth, it began to launch attacks close to the martial arts rather than an animal¡¯s movement. No more tactics ¨C like hunting animals, could be used. Still, Ryu Han-bin did not lose. ¡°Here!¡± He took the steps according to its movement. Then, he tilted his sword and attacked his nails. It was crude, but he had got a sense of martial arts. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills were only Stab, Horizontal Cut, and Vertical Cut. He repeated and repeated those three movements tirelessly. At least he deeply understood those three movements. Due to that, his swordsmanship had also developed to some extent. He had gained a rough concept of what swordsmanship was. Should he create his own kind of swordsmanship? It couldn¡¯t be formal swordsmanship established after many years of masterful training, but at the same time, it was no longer a sword wielded only by force alone. Finally, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s sword struck the werewolf¡¯s neck. -Horizontal Cut! A message that he saw countless times before, appeared once again. [Lv. 4 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtained 82 EXP.] [Current EXP: 1,102/1,100] [The required experience has been reached. Level u-u-u-u-up¡­] [The one who is going to The one who is going to The one who is going to¡­] And he came back to level 1 again. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Ryu Han-bin sat down with his face covered. Lonely. he wanted to meet someone. He wanted to see people. He wanted to have a conversation. No, it didn¡¯t matter if it was not a person. He just wished He had a cat. He hated dogs. He was sick of dogs. He felt like he was going crazy. * * * Five years have passed. Ryu Han-bin was half crazy. He sits squatted on his base and prays reverently to heaven. ¡°Lord in heaven, let your name be consecrated¡­¡± It was a prayer that kept him sane and hopeful. He prayed and prayed, again and again in a hopeful tone. He was calling his lord to help him. ¡°Please take me out of here. I will do whatever you tell me to do. A battlefield would be fine. I will fight if you tell me so. I will kill if you tell me so. Just take me out of here.¡± ¡°Please let me get out of here! I¡¯ll do anything if you just let me out of here!¡± There was no response, and instead, a Demon Dog who heard his loud prayers, ambushed him. [Race: Demon Dog Lv.1] A huge wolf with a length of over 5 meters, which is not Level 1 at all by any semblance, appeared out of thin air. The Demon Dog flapped its large bat-like wings, which had grown on his back and flew through the air, then opened his mouth towards Ryu Han-bin and vomited flames. Wuaaah! Yes. How much they had grown, these Demon Dogs had slowly become all-weather bombers, flying in the sky and breathing fire. Holding the long sword, Han-bin opened his eyes. A wave of indelible anger burst through his throat. ¡°Khaaaargh!!¡± His roar, full of despair, resembled that of the Demon Dog. * * * Seven years have passed. There was no change. Yesterday was the same as today, and today was no different from what tomorrow was going to be. Would he fight the Demon Dog that became stronger and lives a life of turning around in this forever hell? Wasn¡¯t he just not dead? ¡°I would rather die¡­ ¡­ .¡± As if it was waiting, the guideline popped up a message. [Would you like to commit suicide?] The temptation was too strong. How comfortable would it be to just finish everything like this? It was the cries heard at that moment that held him back. Khahahaha! The light came back to his dying eyes. ¡°It appears!¡± A huge werewolf with bat wings stood in front of Ryu Han-bin. Now the dog has gone beyond simply flying in the sky and breathing fire. It talked, too. ¡°Fake frills! Lacaner Appaltra! Soron Frade!¡± With a strange murmur, he spits fireballs, shot arrows of ice and lightning. As the guideline explained, that was what magic looked like. Bang! Bang! Bang! Ryu Han-bin broke through like a berserker, in a storm of magic. He grabbed the long sword in his hand with heavy strength and burst into madness. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± For Han-bin now, the only pleasure was the battle with the Demon Dogs. When the adrenaline rushed through his veins, in the heat of battle, only then he could feel happiness. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!!¡± * * * Time has passed. Countless days and nights passed again. After ten years, he gave up checking any more dates. The cave wall used as a calendar was so full that there was no room for additional engraving. Looking at the wall of the dense cave, Ryu Han-bin spat out abusive swear words. ¡°Fuck, even the army sent me home after two years¡­¡± What to do now? Should he find a new cave wall and carve a new calendar? He didn¡¯t feel like doing that. ¡°What¡¯s different about doing that? Not like anything will change.¡± Grinding his teeth, he hit the cave wall. BANG! He smashed the rock with his bare fist, and the cave collapsed with a rumble. Endlessly repeating between levels 1 and 4, his physical abilities went up exponentially. Thus, Ryu Han-bin buried countless years, carved on that wall under the rock. * * * Time flew by. He didn¡¯t know how much longer it had passed since he stopped checking the calendar, but it was clear that at least thousands of days and nights had passed. Ryu Han-bin was still living in this empty hell. Still young, fighting with the endlessly strong army of Demon Dogs, and mechanically spent his days. The guideline posted messages from time to time. [Would you like to commit suicide?] Each time, Ryu Han-bin gritted his teeth. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna die?¡± By pondering and pondering only one goal, he determined and made his mind. ¡°I won¡¯t die! I will survive whatever it takes!¡± It was over when he died. So he decided to live. If he was alive, he might be able to return home someday. As small as a mustard seed, yet it was his only hope. ¡°I¡¯m going back home¡­ ¡­ .¡± It has been 22 years since he fell into a parallel world, Selha Latna. He was still trapped in this world. Chapter 6 The monster howled on a desolate land. ¡°Gaaaaargghhh!¡± It was indeed a huge monster. It measured more than 20 meters from head to tail, and its fuselage was only as big as a bus. Its body was a mixture of thick fur and scales with a huge coat of wings on its back. Eight horns sprouted on the wolf¡¯s head attached to the top of its long neck, and lightning struck through it. Buzz. Buzz The guidelines revealed the beast¡¯s identity, which would be believed to be a legendary dragon if it had the head of a lizard. [Race: Demon Dog Lv. 3] A man stood before the beast. He was a sturdy man with dark black hair and dark eyes. Wearing only shorts made of animal fur, well-developed muscles were clearly visible all over his body. He looked so well trained so that no fat remained on his body. His body was like a carved and chiseled statue. It was as clear and solid as a statue. Ryu Han-bin, a man who looked like a hero in Greek mythology, lit his eyes. Then, pointing at the great sword in his hand, he yelled at the monster. ¡°Come here!¡± * * * The monster opened its mouth and vomited flames. ¡°GROOOOOAAARRGHHH!¡± Red flames burned and melted the earth beneath. A flame powerful enough to change even the terrain quickly covered a range of tens of meters. Ryu Han-bin remained cool. He easily ran, avoiding the flames. There was no sign of fear. Even the monster¡¯s powerful enough to change his surroundings were just a normal routine for him now. In fact, the sharp, strange rocks that once covered the rocky mountain were worn down into round rocks after countless battles and terrain changing magic. It was artificially weathering. But that didn¡¯t mean that he could let his guard down. Because the Demon Dog always got stronger in line with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s growth. ¡°Focus, focus!¡± The monster turned its head towards Ryu Han-bin, who had escaped the breath of flame. The beast¡¯s eight horns were shining, and all kinds of light, flames, and lightning flashed out. ¡°It¡¯s magic!¡± Ryu Han-bin was nervous. Magical storms from all directions cannot be avoided with quick feet. ¡°The solution is head-on!¡± As he struck the great sword, he burst into the spirit. A huge black blade dug through the ground and raised the rocks. The soaring rocks and shield of earth blocked the magic. A binge rang out. Dum! Dum! Dum! Ryu Han-Bin rushed back in the gap. With his long black sword, he jumped on the left side of the monster, running dozens of meters away at once. And charged into a furious attack! -Horizontal Cut! The monster¡¯s side was split open, and blood was spilled. Boom! While in pain, the beast responded quickly. Soon a white light wrapped around the monster¡¯s wound. The wound healed. It was the light of healing. Well, it was expected. As he pulled out his fighting spirit, Ryu Han-bin fixed his stance. ¡°I hit enough.¡± A black greatsword which was measuring almost 2 meters, including the handle. It was a handmade product he made himself. All of the items that were initially provided have been worn out. So, he used Demon Dog skin as his clothes and made a sword using its leg bones. As the size of the Demon Dog grew larger, the leg bones he received were also growing. The durability and strength were also getting higher and almost as high as steel. He sharpened it like crazy and shaped it into a sword. Fortunately, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s physical abilities also rose tremendously, and he managed to grind it. Holding such a precious sword, Ryu Han-bin moved again. ¡°Come again!¡± Step by step, he rushes a few meters and charges at a terrifying speed. It was already a pattern of movement that transcends human limitations. ¡°Whoosh!¡± The monster struck its front paws one after another, aiming at the approaching Ryu Han-bin. He stamped his feet and jumped to avoid the offensive. By jumping in place, he flew more than 10 meters, reaching eye level with the monster. Next, he stretched out his sword and drew a large cut diagonally. ¡°Die!¡± It was not a possessed skill, but it had enough control and dealt a sharp blow. It was Ryu Han-bin¡¯s own sword skill. Closely, the monster turned his head and avoided the crushing blow. And its mouth was about to open and bite! As if waiting for it to do so, Ryu Han-bin turned and kicked. Smack! The beast, who was only paying attention to the great sword, was kicked on its nose and screamed violently. ¡°GRAAAAOOOW!¡± This was his strategy from the beginning. While deliberately pretending to be grandiose, he actually launched a light attack so that he could easily straighten his posture on the battlefield. Ryu Han-bin started to launch his real attacks after the opponent was shaken. A continuous flurry of diagonal cuts hit the monster¡¯s neck and horns at the same time. Although not cut open, the scales were split, and more than half of the blade was embedded in the horns. A series of blows threw the monster into confusion. ¡°Garrgh! Gaaaaaaarggh!¡± This technique of deliberately showing a loophole, then hitting a check, and then landing a fatal attack was one of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s winning strategies. All that¡¯s left was the finishing move. ¡°Kaaaaargh!¡± As he burst into a murderous spirit, he blew himself away. He kicks the ground at a tremendous angle, became a flashing meteor, and aimed for the monster¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± He cut off the heavy torso with a horizontal cut and split the large head with a vertical cut. A huge cross of blood and sinew engraved with an arch, an island-like stab pierced its center. It all happened at the same time, without a moment of delay in between. ¡°Cross impact!¡± That giant beast, spilling blood like a fountain, slowly collapsed as his body died. ¡°Grrrr¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°Triple cross-impact.¡± It was the strongest blow Ryu Han-bin had learned over the past 20 years of living and fighting in this hell. Of course, cross-impact was not a new skill, but he just gave it his own name. Ryu Han-bin landed on the ground, leaving the fallen monster behind. Then he smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Today, I survive again.¡± * * * As always, a message popped up. [Lv. 3 Fighting Demon Dog. Obtaining 42 EXP.] [Current EXP: 535/530] [The required experience has been reached. Level up] [Strength +2, Stamina +2, Recovery +1, Defense +2] He had reached level 4. As always, he went up to level 4 very easily. Ryu Han-bin habitually checked his status window. [Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv. 4] [Possessed Skills: Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut] [Strength 25(+1,364), Strength 21(+1,364), Recovery 15(+682), Defense 16(+1,364), Vision 6(+341), Reflexes 8(+341), Speed 9(+341)] The additional stats were up to an odd number. ¡°Even though it¡¯s only level 4,¡± Ryu Han-bin laughed incessantly. How long did he have to live like this? He didn¡¯t know how long he had been trapped here. He became depressed for a moment, but he soon recovered his smile. ¡°I can go out someday, I guess.¡± Was it the so-called nirvana state in Buddhism? Had he reached enlightenment? Or was it that he couldn¡¯t just be aware, and in fact, had his mind deteriorated? Well, it didn¡¯t matter which one it was. ¡°Yes, I can go out someday.¡± He firmly believed that the day would surely come, and he only lived to reach that day. * * * Brilliant light. A voice resonates in the sacred transcendental light. -Huh? What is this? It was a frivolous voice that did not match the sacredness of the light at all. -Selha Latna Dimension, 22 years of operation? Why is it still running? Parallel world, Selha Latna. It usually took less than half a year for the right person sent here to escape from a parallel world, at the most within a year. All the bad guys died initially, and the guys who were good enough got to level 20 in a year, even if they can¡¯t. -A parallel world would be automatically terminated when all the suitors have left, right? The owner of the voice was confused and looked at the situation. And soon, he noticed the reason. -Eek! What is this guy? A Level 4 suitor was still staying in a novice area. -It can¡¯t happen? If the suitor was weak, he would have been killed by a Demon Dog and finished early. If the suitor were strong, he would have already left the novice area. If he had lived in hiding from battle, he would have starved to death because he could not get food, and if he had a weak spirit, he would have committed suicide. He purposely put a suicide option to pick them out. Anyway, there was no way to last 22 years in a novice area. -What is this¡­ Unbelievable, the voice looked at more detailed information. [Ryu Hanbin: Prosecutor Lv. 4] [Possessed skills: Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut] [Strength 25, Stamina 21, Recovery 15, Defense 16,Vision 6, Reflexes 8, Speed 9] He had forgotten it because it was in the past, but now he remembered. -The guy with an error at that time? Is he still alive? Due to an error in the guidelines, this guy continued to gain 40,000 levels from Level 1. The situation that he ignored because it was annoying, had now caught his foot. -Uh, what to do, this is¡­ The fourth parallel world Loha Latna, which succeeded Selha Latna, had also been terminated, and the fifth world was in operation. It was not usually a big deal if it was revealed here that Selha Latna was still maintained. -If he knows about this¡­ ¡­ However, he couldn¡¯t really do anything about that suitor. Because every suitor left his hand when he implanted the guidelines and transferred them to the dimension. The owner of the trembling voice finally found a shortcut. -Ok, let¡¯s end it like this. Forced termination of dimension automatically moved the suitor to the Latna Continent. First of all, the immediate problem was to be hidden. -It might be a problem for this guy to go to the Latna continent, but¡­ He was a Level 4 suitor at best¡­ His skills and stats were also weak. -He will die soon, right? Even those who have reached level 20 would die when they went to that world. However, there was no way a suitor who had not grown properly could survive in Selha Latna for 22 years. -I have to erase all the related information before being found. All records about Ryu Han-bin have disappeared. The dual information of the status, the ¡®additional stats¡¯ that the voice owner would have noticed if he had looked closely, was likewise erased from the record. All the preparations were complete. -Selha Latna dimension ends. An impatient voice echoed in the light. -Applicant number 398, dimensional transfer started. * * * It was when he was cutting meat from a Demon Dog that had been defeated as usual. Suddenly, a message came up from the guideline that he had never seen before. [Selha Latna dimension has ended.] ¡°Huh?¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes fluttered. He did not understand what it meant at the moment. Whether it was understandable or not, the guidelines kept spouting messages. [Enforcing the dimensional shift of the suitor.] Immediately, a pillar of light fell from the sky. Ryu Han-bin screamed joyously in the light. ¡°Wow! what? What is this!¡± After a while, Ryu Han-bin no longer existed in Selha Latna. It was exactly 22 years, 5 months, and 13 days after being trapped in this world. Chapter 7 Ryu Han-bin stood in a forest, something that he hadn¡¯t seen in ages. It was a dense forest packed with giant trees and lush vegetation, brimming with life and luster. The trees were so huge that even though it was noon, the surroundings were cool and dark under the massive canopy of the trees¡­ The air was damp with moisture, and every stump was full of moss. Calmly, Ryu Han-bin looked around and assessed where he was. ¡°Where am I?¡± It was a question he asked without expecting much, but the guideline appeared. [The northern part of the Latna continent, the Satt Forest, belonging to the Grelluet Kingdom. As the nearest human residence, Baron Garrain and the autonomous city- Onpros, is located in the southwest direction.] In summary, this was a world beyond Earth; whichever world it was, he was standing on the Latna Continent, which he had learnt of years ago. It was a world that had developed civilization differently from the intelligence other than humans. Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°Is it like this?¡± He had some expectations. He had been imagining all kinds of things for a long time. ¡°Somehow, it feels a little obvious.¡± Something unexpected happened. [The required experience has been reached. Level up.] [Vision +1, Reflexes +1, Speed +1] [The Skill ¡°Language Communication¡± has been activated.] ¡°What? Did I level up?¡± To confirm, he checked the status. [Ryu Han-bin: Prosecutor Lv. 5] [Possessed Skills: Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut, Language Communication] [Strength 25(+1,364), Stamina 21(+1,364), Recovery 15(+682), Defense 16(+1,364), Vision 7(+341), Reflexes 9(+341), Speed 10(+341) .] He really became level 5. His stats also went up a little. ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t even filled my experience.¡± Could it be that he got the qualifications for Level 5 because he escaped from Selha Latna? But this didn¡¯t add up. ¡°If that¡¯s the condition, shouldn¡¯t I be level 20? I heard that when you reach level 20, you can travel to the Latna Continent. Aren¡¯t I on the Latna Continent now?¡± There were no answers to his additional questions. The guidelines were silent again. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t mean much to hold onto something that¡¯s broken.¡± Rather, he was more interested in his new skills. ¡°It¡¯s a language communication skill¡­¡± From level 5, it was said that he would meet other suitors coming from Selha Latna. If the suitors were kidnapped the globe like Ryu Han-bin, the language would, of course, be different, and it would be reasonable to break down the language barrier first. [Grelluet Kingdom speaks the Western dialect of the Latna Continent and the Coolin language.] [Would you like to register Coolin as your primary language?] He did as he was told. And as a test, he talked to himself. ¡°Can I talk to the people in this town?¡± He spoke in Korean, but a completely different language came out of his mouth. ¡°Narpas en villas durard merrill justran frey?¡± It was a wonderful experience. Not only he spoke a language he didn¡¯t know, but he could also understand what it meant. ¡°This feels weird¡­¡± The guideline was activated again. [You have reached this world as a ¡®suitor.¡¯ The goal was to adapt to this world, survive, and pursue continuous growth to raise the level and perform the final mission.] [Final Mission: Eliminate one of the Six Goddesses of Latna.] [Six Goddesses of Latna: Altia the Goddess of Light, Kybriel the Goddess of Darkness, Yesen the Goddess of Fire, Ramniana the Goddess of Water, Sorondi the Goddess of the Earth, Freleu the Goddess of Wind.] [The person who completes the final mission will be rewarded.] [Final Mission Reward: Immortality. Return to Earth while maintaining the abilities to carry out the mission. Acquiring the right to fulfill the three wishes.] To get rid of the goddesses was the ultimate reason behind all this. ¡°As far as I¡¯ve expected¡­¡± If people were kidnapped and given combat power, it would have been for war purposes, and this also meant that the demons who needed to be killed were extremely strong enemies. If strong enemies like those demons could show godlike abilities, wouldn¡¯t they be perceived as divine beings? ¡°Well, the rewards are huge. Besides, a return to Earth?¡± At this rate, it would be harsh even if they were kidnapped at their will. ¡°¡­But only if they would keep their words.¡± Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t harsh at all. They kidnapped a man and threw him into hell; they were never trustworthy. He had been trapped in hell for too long to believe in those promises purely. ¡°Anyway¡­ Six goddesses¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t expect those demons to return him home voluntarily. So he had to find another way from this world to return to Earth. So what should he do? ¡°First, lets¡¯ look for the goddess of this world.¡± It was not to fulfill the final mission. Rather, it was the exact opposite. ¡°Isn¡¯t it that the enemy¡¯s enemy is an ally?¡± At the time when the demons were hostile, those goddesses would also have similar abilities to them. Maybe they could send him back to Earth. Of course, there was no guarantee that the goddesses weren¡¯t demonically evil themselves. Nevertheless, the possibility was deliberately ignored. ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing I can do in that case anyway.¡± So, he would meet the goddess of this world. Whether he made a deal or became a subordinate, they were on the same side. And he would borrow power and return to Earth! ¡°In the meantime, if I can crush those demons, it¡¯s the icing on the cake.¡± When remembering the past, it was still Ryu Han-bin who still tried to survive. If he could kill those damn kidnappers, he was willing to endure anything except not being able to return home. ¡°Okay!¡± With determination, he looked around once more. ¡°The first thing to do is survive in this world, right?¡± It was a green forest everywhere. It was a completely different landscape from the rocky mountains of Selha Latna, which used to be infinitely desolate. Suddenly, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s face twisted strangely, reflecting a growing sense of happiness. ¡°Yes, this is no longer a damn rocky mountain.¡± Now he realized it. It was a world he still didn¡¯t know, and he was not even back home, but at least he got out of hell and took a step closer to it. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± He laughed and laughed like crazy as he made his way through the thick forest. * * * Ryu Han-bin first moved to the southwest of Satt Forest, where there was a human city. There was also a compass function in the guideline so that he could get a rough direction. ¡°It said that I should hide the fact that I am an earth man as much as possible, right?¡± Fortunately, it was indistinguishable in terms of appearance. Humans on Latna Continent were basically no different from Earthlings. There were also races similar to those of Northeast Asians. In the first place, the guidelines selected and dropped the suitors based on their races, so it would not look awkward. The Gelleut Kingdom was a pioneering country ethnic groups lived. Races that look like Asians are also common, so Ryu Han-bin would not arouse suspicion if he was careful about his behavior. [For the suitors¡¯ first adaptation period, I recommend the ¡°Hunter Wannabe,¡± who just came out of the world after living in a remote mountainous region.] If he camouflaged as a remote person, it would not be very awkward even if he didn¡¯t know the world¡¯s realities, and he could earn money and learned common sense and culture of the continent while receiving a hunter request and practicing. To this end, the guideline selected several names to be used as names and aliases of regions for the suitor to disguise their identity. ¡°My name is Eric Garoon, and my hometown is Ronta, a small village in the western part of the Grelleut Kingdom.¡± Ryu Han-bin smiled as he muttered his camouflage identity made according to the instructions. ¡°It¡¯s broken, but it¡¯s still better than nothing. I¡¯ve been swearing like that whenever it got an error.¡± He continued through the woods and moved southwest. He knew that this world also had monsters like Selha Latna, but he didn¡¯t care too much. His current self could never be weak. He couldn¡¯t get other skills because he couldn¡¯t raise his level, but his physical stats were really incredible. Of course, there was no such thing as a monster that got stronger in this world, but¡­ ¡°No way such a huge monster will come out from the beginning.¡± Originally, a suitor fell on the Latna Continent at level 20. ¡°After all, they will not push the abducted Earthman into the limb from the beginning.¡± It was time to take a leisurely walk. Suddenly, with a roar, a black shadow cast over Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Gaaaarrrgghhh!¡± A head resembling a lizard looked down at Ryu Han-bin from high above. A pitch-black body covered with thick scales stretches under the silver-haired mane that protruded along the spine. Standing on two legs with sharp claws and spreading huge black bat wings created the illusion of being covered in darkness on all sides. Ryu Han-bin was frightened. ¡°Heck?¡± He knew right away that it was a giant winged reptile the size of a car. It was a very familiar form that had been seen in many movies and animations. ¡°D-dragon?¡± The dragon lowered his head and glared at the human in front of it. A voice full of dignity resounded through the forest. ¡°How dare a filthy demon to enter my forest!¡± At that moment, Ryu Han-bin vented his anger. ¡°No, what kind of dragon pops out from the beginning!¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin grabbed the great sword and entered the battle. The dragon laughed. ¡°Are you going to fight back? Soon a gust of wind began to be sucked into the dragon¡¯s mouth. ¡°If so, then burn to death, you filthy demon!¡± Red flames spread across the forest, burning the atmosphere. ¡°Woosh! Woosh Woosh!¡± Ryu Han-bin flew away. And he chose to breathe adequately while running away from the flames. ¡°Keep calm, let¡¯s be calm.¡± The dragon in front of him was certainly huge enough to be overbearing, but the giant Demon Dog he faced on the rocky mountain was also the same size. It was a monster that breathed fire, used magic, and even self-healing, so if a dragon really existed, it would be like that. He also had to fight with such Demon Dogs every day. ¡°Yeah! Dragon or whatever!¡± Ryu Han-bin flew away while awakening his fighting spirit. ¡°I can do it!¡± He jumped close to a few meters and headed for the dragon¡¯s head and fired a neat blow, which was too fast for the dragon to spot. ¡°Heyaah!¡± The dragon yelled as it turned its head to avoid it. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± and, swinging its wings, it tried to beat Ryu Han-bin in the air. But Ryu Han-bin was faster. ¡°I caught you!¡± From the beginning, the attack was bait. His long winning pattern was to deliberately show loopholes and then make a finishing hit, followed by a strong attack, to pull himself out. ¡°One-shot with a check!¡± Dang! Ryu Han-bin¡¯s turn kick hit the dragon¡¯s head accurately. And he was just about to launch a real attack¡­ ¡°Yikes!¡± With a terrible scream, a dragon of over 10 meters tall rolled several times in the air. It was buried among the giant trees. Flap! Flap! Flap It was so intense that the forest shook, and the leaves fell. ¡°¡­ Eh?¡± Ryu Han-bin blinked his eyes. It wasn¡¯t that he threw any great special move. All he did was just kick it up slightly. ¡°But it just flew away?¡± It was so absurd that he suspected it was a trap, but it didn¡¯t seem to be. Half of the dragon¡¯s face was swollen with only one kick, its whole body was covered with blood, and the scales were broken. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Is the dragon in this town not very strong?¡± Frowning, Ryu Han-bin approached the fallen dragon with his greatsword. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it up anyway.¡± He was just about to cut its throat. The dragon begged and began to pray. ¡°Ha, surrender! Surrender! Please help me! For God¡¯s sake!¡± It was rather comedic to see a giant monster of over 10 meters in height, begging using its feet like hands. ¡°What kind of dragon is so servile?¡± It was unbelievable that Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. A seemingly unjust answer came back. ¡°I am not a dragon! I¡¯m a Wyvern!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ What?¡± Chapter 8 It was obviously a dragon, just as he had always pictured them to be. So, Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t even think about activating the search function to confirm his thoughts. [Race: Wyvern. Lv. 27] When he turned on the guidelines later, it clearly appeared as a Wyvern. ¡°You¡¯re not a real dragon?¡± Ryu asked in a confused tone. The monster squatted like a scolded cat. What Ryu had mistaken as a dragon was, in fact, a wyvern. ¡°A Dragon has four legs and wings on its shoulders, and is very big¡­ I have wings on my forelimbs, and I am small¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m obviously a Wyvern. Why did you have such a misunderstanding¡­?¡± the wyvern asked back. However, Ryu Han-bin was in a situation where he could have misunderstood. When a large dinosaur-like monster appeared with wings, it was usually a dragon. Who would think of it as a Wyvern? ¡°No, this isn¡¯t what matters now!¡±, Shaking his head, Ryu Han-bin glared. ¡°Whether you are Dragon or Wyvern, aren¡¯t you just trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, that¡¯s because you are the devil in this world¡­¡± ¡°Devil?¡±, Han-bin frowned and asked back. Then it suddenly flipped its attitude. ¡°No, you¡¯re a hero in this world, hehehehe.¡± The Wyvern was stretching his eyes with a swollen face, rolling his huge eyeballs. It looked cute in some way, but it was not cute at all because of its humungous size. Anyway, it was clear that he was no longer a threat. ¡°So, it turns out I¡¯m talking to a big winged lizard who can talk like a human being?¡± Ryu Han-bin pondered for a while, realizing that he had fallen into another world which was all sorts of strange and unknown. Common sense in the usual manner didn¡¯t apply to this world. In any case, the wyvern was the first ¡°talking partner¡± he met after falling into this world and staying alone for more than 20 years. It was a great opportunity to get information. For now, Ryu Han-bin holstered his sword and started talking in a cordial manner. ¡°What are you? Why did you try to kill me as soon as you saw me?¡± * * * Its name was Effir, a young Wyvern who had turned 18 this year. ¡°18 years old? Are you really that young? I thought you had lived for hundreds of years.¡± Effir looked at Ryu Han-bin as if he had made such an absurd claim. ¡°I am not a Dragon. How do I live for hundreds of years?¡± Wyverns looked like dragons, but they didn¡¯t have a particularly long lifespan. In terms of age, they were just like humans. ¡°Oh, since you¡¯re from another world, you don¡¯t even know that much.¡± ¡°Anyway, keep explaining.¡± Ryu told him. As they talked, Effir and Ryu moved towards a den which Effir had lived in. It was Effir¡¯s nest. Since Ryu had hurt him, he asked to go home and apply for medicine on his wounds. To be honest, Ryu was also curious about where Wyvern lived. Effir whimpered as he dabbed the potion on his scaly face. ¡°Ouch! Ah, what a waste. There are only a few healing potions left.¡± Watching a monster measuring more than 10 meters, carefully handle a small bottle less than 10 centimeters with its huge front claws, Ryu Han-bin stuck his tongue in sheer amazement. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly handy, aren¡¯t you?¡± he threw in a jolly compliment. Watching Effir, he realized that It was not just the front foot which he was using. It was Effir¡¯s front limbs, which were both used as hands and wings. It was a commendable feat to be so nimble. Naturally, he should only be able to move his thumb and index finger, but he was avidly nimble in using his entire limb and fingers. ¡°I practiced a lot. This was also in the training curriculum¡­¡± ¡°Training?¡± Ryu grew curious. Effir was originally a special unit of the Xrad Kingdom, who ruled this region, and was the Wyvern of the Flying Dragon Knights. If a flying dragon knight was injured, he had to provide first aid, so it seemed that he was also trained to handle human tools. ¡°Of course, there weren¡¯t two Wyverns that could move their front feet like me, fufu.¡±, Effir seemed to enjoy the attention he was getting. In the meantime, Effir pretended to be angry, but Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t care. There was something more that was bothering him. ¡°Xrad Kingdom? Not the Grelleut Kingdom?¡± Why was it different from the information given in the guideline. ¡°Grelleut Kingdom? It has been 15 years since the country collapsed.¡± It wasn¡¯t even Baron Garrain anymore. ¡°When the Kingdom of Grelleut was destroyed, Baron Garrain was destroyed as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin lost his speech. It felt like his back was getting cool. It¡¯s not just an error. This information was not even updated in the guidelines. It was fortunate that he met this Effir in advance because if he met the locals right away, he would have been caught. ¡°I¡¯d be in trouble if I trusted the guidelines.¡± In a hurry, Ryu Han-bin urged to continue the story. ¡°So, what then?¡± ¡°Eh, like other friends, I have been serving the Flying Dragon Knights ever since I came out from the egg¡­¡± * * * Effir was an excellent Wyvern. His physical ability was particularly superior to other Wyverns, and his intelligence was particularly high as well. So, even within the Flying Dragon Knights, he was treated specially. ¡°I ate only expensive cows and pigs, and lived in the dragon section, which was the highest quality.¡± ¡°The dragon section?¡± ¡°If a horse lives in a stable, a dragon lives in the dragon section.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Anyway, those good times ended three years ago, when the 3rd Prince of the Xrad Kingdom visited the Flying Dragon Knights. ¡°Well, that stupid Prince said he wanted to fly on a Wyvern too. He didn¡¯t even know how hard the Flying Dragon Knights were trained.¡± The knights who were struggling to find a suitable wyvern, chose the clever Effir ¨C The best dragon knight, who had the best riding skills, drove Effir, and carried the Prince behind him. Effir trembled. ¡°This insane Prince felt it wouldn¡¯t be enough for a decent ride, so he stood up and raised his arms! Do you say that you are the king of the world or what?¡± There was a reason why you shouldn¡¯t do what you are told not to do. Eventually, the Prince fell straight from the Wyvern¡¯s back. It is seriously dangerous just to fall from horse-riding, but this was dragon-riding, high up in the sky. Effir tried to snatch him, but was a step late. ¡°Well, he died instantly.¡± The kingdom turned upside down. The Dragon Knight was beheaded, and Effir was also put to death. ¡°Fortunately, a few Flying Dragon Knights who loved me let me escape secretly.¡± After breaking the chain, he risked his life and flew, avoiding the kingdom¡¯s pursuit, he hid himself in this place, deep in the Satt Forest. Because it was a remote area out of humans¡¯ reach, the Xrad Kingdom¡¯s pursuit did not reach this place. ¡°By the way, it seems that this forest was a place where people from another world often hunted.¡± One of the other world¡¯s people appeared and looked at Effir, shouting and attacking. -Wow! Wyvern Level 21? The experience should be good. He was quite strong. If it had been an ordinary Wyvern, he would have had its neck. However, Effir was highly trained in various tactics against humans under the Flying Dragon Knights, which is why he didn¡¯t lose. ¡°Honestly, it wasn¡¯t a difficult opponent.¡± He managed to suppress him but didn¡¯t kill him. ¡°The murder of civilians is the shame of a soldier¡­¡± Effir still thought and behaved as he was trained under the code of the Flying Dragon Knights. He still remained an honorable soldier. So, he just scared him off and kicked him out of the forest. ¡°Then, this bad guy gathered other hunters and came to subdue me again.¡± He almost died then. He barely defeated them and had to struggle for days. After that event, every time people from the other world appeared, he killed them. He realized that his life was in danger if they were spared. ¡°I¡¯ve also gotten pretty strong, and the level of those people was never very high. So, I thought this time would be the same¡­ Honestly, this is the first time I met such a strong person like you.¡± At the end of the conversation, Effir began to glance at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve told you everything?¡± Ryu Han-bin nodded and said, ¡°I still have a lot of questions, but I have to ask¡­¡± Then he asked with a serious expression. ¡°How did you realize that your opponents were from the other world?¡± * * * The guidelines said that there was no apparent difference between Earthlings and Latnains, so if he was careful with his behavior, he could hide his identity. However, Effir spoke as if he was convinced of the identity of people from the other world. ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize them as people from another world from the beginning.¡± he said. It was after he killed them, Effir recognized the identity of his opponents. ¡°Because people from other world do not leave a body behind when they die.¡± Unlike the Latnains, Earthlings¡¯ body vanished as soon as they died. The reason had not yet been revealed, but it was common knowledge on the Latna Continent now. ¡°The hunters he had brought to kill me, as his colleague were Latnains, so all their dead bodies remained, while his vanished.¡± The mortals who appeared later also disappeared when they died so that he could identify them from that one fact itself. ¡°In the first place, the deep part of the Satt Forest is not as good as the risk, so humans don¡¯t come in here.¡± Those brought by the guy from the other world he first met, were the last Latnains Effir saw. ¡°After that, all the humans I met were only people from another world.¡± So, when he discovered Ryu Han-bin, he thought he was from another world. It had always been like that. Ryu Han-bin was relieved. ¡°Is it just circumstantial evidence¡­?¡± But he checked it further just in case. ¡°Is there any way to determine people from another world without killing them?¡± ¡°There was no such trick when I was a Flying Dragon Knight. I don¡¯t know how it is these days.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ryu Han-bin shut his mouth for a while and cleared her head. Meanwhile, Effir carefully put the half-used healing potion back to one side of the cave. Besides potion bottles, miscellaneous items were piled up in the cave¡ªhuman weapons, armor, backpacks, and clothes. Suddenly Ryu Han-bin asked, ¡°That¡¯s the goods taken from the otherworldly people?¡± ¡°Yeah. These are equipment for other world¡¯s people, and equipment for hunters of the Xrad kingdom.¡± Ryu Han-bin had heard that dragon races such as Wyvern, Drakes, and Hydra, which were subspecies of the Dragons, also instinctively collected treasure. ¡°Would you like to take some?¡± Effir asked, looking at him. All Ryu Han-bin had right now was only a pair of furry shorts and a large bony knife. He was no different from a beggar. Those items would be really useful, indeed. ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°You spared my life. It will be a waste to let you leave the like this, right?¡± Ryu Han-bin shed his eyes. Where was this guy going to slip away? ¡°But I haven¡¯t told you that I will let you go?¡± He could just kill Effir and take everything with him. Indeed, Effir turned pale. ¡°You want to kill me? Even though I¡¯m cooperative and friendly?¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡±He laughed. That Wyvern really had a lot of facial expressions. In a sense, it was amazing to express a variety of emotions with a lizard-like face. ¡°What should I do to this guy?¡± he wondered. The Latna Continent was said to be hostile to people from another world. And this Wyvern knew what Ryu Han-bin was. ¡°If I think about the future, I will have to definitely kill it.¡± It was not without reason. Didn¡¯t it kill every Earthling who had just fallen into this world? But he didn¡¯t want to kill Effir. ¡°How long has it been since I have spoken with someone or had a friend¡­¡± He forgot that conversation was such a joyful and humane act. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed companionship and healthy conversations. What¡¯s more, Effir was pretty good at speaking. It was not easy to stab a friendly opponent with a knife. Ryu Han-bin pondered for a moment. ¡®I don¡¯t think he killed the Earthlings because he was vicious.¡¯ ¡®He was just trying to protect himself.¡¯ And he needs to avoid humans as much as he can, right? There was not much possibility of Effir revealing Ryu Han-bin¡¯s identity to others. So, Ryu came to a conclusion. ¡°I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Effir¡¯s expression brightened. Ryu Han-bin frowned and continued. ¡°But once a murderous Wyvern story comes to my ears, then there is no forgiveness!¡± Effir lowered his head in submission and said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± As a friendly gesture, Effir gave in his suggestions, ¡°Then, take whatever you need! Would you like some styling? You wouldn¡¯t know this neighborhood¡¯s fashion if you¡¯re from another world, would you? If you don¡¯t want to look awkward in the eyes of others, you need to dress up to the latest trends¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin was truly impressed. ¡°Wow, you really have a lot of vocabulary, huh?¡± He understood why the Flying Dragon Knights loved Effir so much. He was unbelievably good and clever for a monster. ¡°If he weren¡¯t a Wanted Wyvern, it would be nice to go around for a while and get some help.¡± At least he would be much more useful than a broken guideline. Just in case, Ryu asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you ever transform into a human being?¡± In cartoons, dragons quickly transformed into humans. Effir was confused and shook his front feet. ¡°If I could turn into a human, I would not even live in a forest like this. I¡¯ll just go and live in a convenient city.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Well, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever seen a Wyvern transform into a human in a cartoon. After abandoning his lingering thoughts, Ryu Han-bin began to pack things in moderation. In the first place, there were many useful things because it was all hunters¡¯ equipment. Backpack, armor, clothes, weapons. All were more precious than gold and silver treasures to him now. First, he changed his clothes. Thanks to Effir, he now knew how to dress naturally. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so big that your clothes don¡¯t fit. I¡¯ll have to rip the arm off the top. But you¡¯re still a good match. You don¡¯t need that big knife, do you?¡± After changing all the way from head to toe, he looked quite like a local of Latna Continent. ¡°Now, no one will suspect that you are from another world.¡± Leaving Effir¡¯s promise behind, Ryu Han-bin went out of the cave. As he departed, the large Wyvern saw him off, waving his wings on his forefoot. ¡°Goodbye! Friend¡± Chapter 9 [Hey guys, here¡¯s a mass release. We¡¯re uploading 15-30 Premium chapters a week at 30 cents USD per chapter. The free release is set to be at least 4 chapters a week.] Wearing Helmet, Heading to the Ground (1) After leaving Effir¡¯s cave, he had to walk for five more days. The Satt Forest was tremendously enormous. Wherever he went, all he found was a dense forest. ¡°How much longer do I have to keep walking to get to a place where people live?¡± Ryu Han-bin grumbled while looking up at the sky, which was almost entirely covered by the expansive canopy of the trees. As if to answer his complaint, a row of bushes shook violently in the distance. A huge figure soon emerged out of it with a powerful roar. RAAAWRRR! It was a large black bear with a large horn protruding from its forehead. [Race: Unicorn Bear Lv. 22] The black bear rushed towards him, his paws fiercely banging on the ground as saliva drooled down from the fangs of his gaping mouth. It had an immensely freakish and hideous appearance. ¡°There we go! Finally, a monster.¡± Ryu Han-bin was not surprised by the monster¡¯s sudden appearance. With a bleak look, his body flew forward and struck the first punch. ¡°Ha!¡± His thick biceps and triceps linked together. As the thick tendons stirred across his forearm, his sledgehammer-like fist cut swiftly through the air. BAM! A single blow crushed the horn of the unicorn bear and smashed its skull. A fountain of blood oozed out of its head as the three-meter-long giant bear succumbed to its death. It only took two seconds for him to commit the bloodbath. The bear made a deathly mistake in ambushing Ryu. ¡°Can I eat this?¡± He wondered, his eyes looking at the collapsed body. [Not Edible] ¡°Guess not.¡± He gave up on trying to eat it and moved ahead. Since he was teleported to the forest while cutting the Demon Dog¡¯s meat, he had an ample supply of food with him. ¡°Well, there¡¯s a lot of monsters here.¡± As Effir had said, the Satt Forest was infested with monsters. Ryu Han-bin had also been attacked numerous times over the past five days by different beasts such as a tiger with five tails, a carnivorous deer with bladed horns, a wolf with two heads, etc. All of them were powerful monsters and were definitely different from the predators on Earth, but they were all beaten with just a single blow. In the beginning, he had to use his sword against them, but now he could easily handle them with bare fists. Whenever he cut a monster, he had to sharpen his weapon which was also quite a nuisance. ¡°They¡¯re so weak that I don¡¯t even get experience by beating them.¡± He was briefly dissatisfied with the fact that at level 5, beating a monster in level 20s provided him with no experience but when he thought about it, it became more likely to happen. ¡°I guess I can take it as proof that only the notation was wrong, and my actual level is much higher than this.¡± There was no shortage of power for Ryu. His years of solitary training and survival had made him a hardened veteran. What he needed to care about now was knowledge, not power. As he kept moving, Ryu Han-bin muttered under his breath, ¡°My name is Eric Garoon, and my hometown is a mountain village in the northern part of the Xrad kingdom, Comble.¡± It was his ¡®new profile,¡¯ slightly changed according to Effir¡¯s advice. -Are you from the remote western part of the Grelleut Kingdom? How can a man who¡¯s just about to start working as a hunter cross a whole kingdom? That¡¯s ridiculous. Effir was right a hundred times. Again, he couldn¡¯t believe any of the guidelines as most of them were turning out to be wrong. But the alias of Eric Garoon was not changed. -I think you can just use that name. It¡¯s not awkward or anything. He was certainly lucky to meet Effir first. It was all thanks to him that Ryu was able to get actual information about the world he¡¯s in, and he also packed him a variety of clothes and equipment. Looking at him now, no one would suspect that he was from the other world. ¡°But don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± He wasn¡¯t familiar with this world yet. He didn¡¯t know what would happen if he acted without thinking. ¡°Surviving is my top priority.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s determination was rekindled even brighter. Only through survival could he return home and get the vengeance he desired. Deep in his thoughts, his eyes reflected the finally changing landscape. Before him was a long road that tangled and spread through the rugged forest. It wasn¡¯t a paved road, but at least it was obviously a man-made path that showed signs of treading and travel. ¡°Oh! Is that the right path?¡± Finally, he had escaped from the forest! Relieving his excitement, Ryu Han-bin quickened his pace. * * * Onpros, one of the major cities, was located in the northern part of the Xrad Kingdom, it boasted a considerable size despite its location in the outskirts of the kingdom. Numerous monsters always popped the entrance of the nearby Satt Forest and the Efen Plain. Countless hunters headed to the city to make a fortune, and due to their activities, commerce and trade developed, making it the largest city in the northern part of the kingdom as a result. At the center of its territory was a large three-story building, the Onpros Hunter Guild, located near the northern gates. That day, in the spacious hall on the guild¡¯s first floor, multiple groups were sitting at the tables, their purpose There were hunters who wanted to receive new quests, hunters who wanted to get information about monsters or dungeons, hunters who were taking a break after finishing a hunt, and hunters who simply wanted to drink alone or with others. It was late afternoon when a man opened the guild¡¯s door and entered the hall on the first floor. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Huh!¡± The hunters¡¯ eyes collectively turned to the door. It wasn¡¯t any ordinary man. His clothes were simple and plain, but he was enormous in terms of size. Compared to ordinary people, he had a bigger head and a wider shoulder. The exposed forearm muscles resembled steel, and the trapezius muscles were towered like mountain ranges. The whole body was covered with thick muscles, and there was no visible ounce of fat. On his back was a large black sword made of demonic bones that stood nearly two meters in size. Being able to wield gigantic weapons such as that was an obvious sign of a great warrior. ¡®Wow!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s really big!¡¯ ¡®Who is he?¡¯ ¡®I think he¡¯s a famous hunter.¡¯ The black-haired man walked into the hall with all eyes on him. The young lady standing behind the reception desk greeted him with a smile. ¡°Welcome to the Onpros Hunters Guild. My name is Sezori, Guild Receptionist. How may I help you?¡± ¡°My name is Eric Garoon, from Comble, a small mountain village in the northern part of the Xrad Kingdom.¡± Ryu Han-bin, the big guy, responded calmly, rolling his black eyes. ¡°I came here to become a hunter.¡± * * * Introducing himself, Ryu Han-bin glanced around the hall on the first floor. Every pair of eyes in the room had been locked on him ever since he entered the guildhall. He knew why. The hunters gathered here were also large, but even they appeared short compared to Ryu Han-bin. He was now over 190 centimeters tall. ¡°As expected, I¡¯ve grown taller.¡± Originally, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s height was about 175 centimeters. He didn¡¯t know that he had grown taller before he fell into this world and met people. He was just aware that he had become quite muscular. At first, he thought that the people in this world were too small. Everyone¡¯s head could only level to around his shoulder. He simply concluded that the average height of that world was simply smaller than Earth¡¯s, but he was mistaken. They were definitely smaller than an average Earthling, but only by about 5 to 10 centimeters. In reality, it was Han-bin himself that had grown tremendously. ¡°Honestly, getting tall isn¡¯t that bad.¡± While waiting for the receptionist¡¯s response, her expression became serious. ¡°You want to become¡­ a hunter?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°In other words, you¡¯re saying that you haven¡¯t joined another hunter guild yet?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you from Comble Village in Satt Forest?¡± ¡°I am, but¡­.¡± Ryu Han-bin was confused. The response of that receptionist lady was unusual. She looked very nervous. That¡¯s not all. All of the other hunters in the hall began to be wary as well. There were even those who had their hands balled into fists. ¡°What? Why is everyone reacting like that?¡± Sezori gave the other hunters a hint. Then she addressed Ryu Han-bin with a serious face again. ¡°May I measure your skills according to the guild¡¯s procedure, Mr. Eric?¡± As she measures his skills, were the other hunters going to charge at him? Regardless, he couldn¡¯t raise suspicions now. ¡°Okay.¡± When Ryu Han-bin agreed, Sezori gestured towards the large stone plate next to the reception desk. It was a black slate that looked like a tombstone the size of a human. ¡°Please put your hand on the measuring table.¡± ¡°Measuring table?¡± He placed his hand on it as instructed. A square slate lit up, and soon a letter of light appeared in the air. It was a symbol that he was familiar with since it was similar to the light letters in the guidelines. [Occupation: Prosecutor. Lv. 5] At that moment, laughter burst from everywhere. ¡°Pfftt!¡± ¡°Prosecutor Level 5?¡± ¡°Oh, man! You scared me!¡± The cautiousness that filled the hall had disappeared. Ryu Han-bin was puzzled as he looked around. ¡°What? What is it?¡± Sezori laughed as well, finally being able to relax. ¡°Oh, sorry. Anyway, I¡¯m relieved.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I thought you were from another world.¡± Sezori shook her head in relief as she looked up at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s face. ¡°Your appearance is just too similar to the people from a different world. Most of them are from remote regions and try to join the guild by introducing themselves.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°If you had a higher level, I would have misunderstood.¡± ¡°Why does it matter if I had a higher level?¡± Another hunter in the hall answered his question instead of Sezori. ¡°Because people from other worlds are never below level 20. This is common sense.¡± ¡°How many times would a person come from the countryside and be level 20?¡± ¡°If someone was already at that level yet still had no knowledge of this world, they¡¯re usually from a different world.¡± ¡°In fact, there are already a lot of them who have been caught and decapitated.¡± Everybody went back to what they were doing. It seemed that they were no longer interested in him. Outrageous, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Is the story different from the guidelines again?¡± Since there had been so many terrestrial people, the Latnains were also taking adequate measures. ¡°It¡¯s quite fortunate that my level didn¡¯t rise.¡± Otherwise, as soon as he arrived in that world, he would have been killed. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the broken guidelines¡­¡± That being said, Sezori no longer doubted him. ¡°Eric Garoon, Prosecutor Lv. 5. Personal information has been confirmed. Please wait a moment, and you will get an official ID. The guild registration fee is 300X.¡± It wasn¡¯t possible to make an exact comparison, but 300X would be roughly 3 million won in Korean money. ¡°I heard that the guild registration fee is expensive, but I didn¡¯t know it was this high.¡­.¡± Still, he had no choice but to pay. ¡°Oh, I feel like I¡¯m being ripped off.¡± Even though he didn¡¯t want to, Ryu Han-bin pulled out a handful of silver coins from his pocket. It was such a waste, and his hand was trembling. It further concealed Ryu Han-bin¡¯s identity. ¡°Pfftt! Look at that guy. His hands are shaking.¡± ¡°Please try to understand. 300X is a large amount for a countryman, right?¡± ¡°The people from another world usually give out gold coins.¡± Based on the hunters¡¯ response alone, it sounded like basic funding was also provided for Earthlings who normally arrived from the world. ¡°It¡¯s unfair, but it has that strange feeling of being a blessing in disguise¡­¡± ¡°Please wait for a moment.¡± Sezori took the coins then went inside the door behind her. After around 10 minutes, she came out with a metal plaque. It was his Hunter Guild ID. It was written in Latna Continent characters, but thanks to his language communication skill, Ryu Han-bin was able to read it. Onpros Hunter Guild: Beginner Hunter, lv. 5 Prosecutor, Eric Garoon Sezori smiled warmly as she handed him the metal plaque. ¡°Congratulations on becoming a Hunter, Mr. Eric! Good luck on your adventures!¡± Chapter 10 Wearing Helmet, Heading to the Ground (2) Somehow, he was finally able to begin his career as a beginner hunter. Ryu Han-bin asked Sezori, ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°Do you have any quests in mind?¡± Sezori asked in return. After a moment¡¯s thought, Han-bin gave her an easy answer. ¡°Dungeon exploration¡­¡± ¡°Pfftt!¡± The mockery immediately came back due to his remark. ¡°At your current level? Please wake up from your dreams.¡± Although she laughed at him, she still seemed to have a pretty friendly personality. Sezori thought about it for a while, then she continued. ¡°It would be too much to get a single quest at level 5, so it would be better to join another hunter team and start with simple chores. The other hunters in the hall stopped what they were doing and began to chat around again. ¡°Hey, Level 5 is too low to fit in the team, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. he should be at least level 10.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s a smudged guy. Did he only come across trees in the mountains?¡± ¡°Is he really level 5? His muscles are a waste. Tsk, tsk.¡± Ryu Han-bin looked at the hunters with indifferent eyes. ¡°No, let¡¯s ignore these people¡­¡± Their level was roughly like these: [Race: Human. Prosecutor Lv. 13] [Race: Human. Spearman Lv. 15] [Race: Human. Archer lv. 12] They all had modest levels. Even Effir, who fell after one of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s kicks, was a level 27 wyvern. If Effir was released here, it would take less than a few minutes for him to eradicate all the hunters in the vicinity. ¡®So if I look at people, only the race and level would be visible, huh?¡¯ He thought. It was the same when fighting Demon Dogs in Selha Latna and also when encountering Effir or the monsters in Satt Forest. He couldn¡¯t grasp the monster¡¯s skills or stats. At that time, the guideline¡¯s answer to his question was this: [The search function of the guideline is based on the measurement magic of the Latna Continent and can only check the race, class, and level of any being.] If general information about the being¡¯s race was entered, additional explanations might be attached, but personal information such as names, skills, and stats couldn¡¯t be produced. Even the performance of the measuring stone was lower than the guidelines since it could only check the user¡¯s job and level. ¡®This is a good thing. If that measurement stone had revealed my grotesque stats, it would have been a disaster.¡¯ He chuckled profusely at the thought. As he looked at the other hunters indifferently, Sezori couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him and even tried to appease him. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. There are also those who didn¡¯t officially learn swordsmanship and only trained their bodies like you, Mr. Eric.¡± Ryu Han-bin, who was secretly checking the guidelines, looked like a new hunter who seemed helpless against the cold reality in her eyes. To be fair, from a different perspective, he really did look like he was gaping. ¡°Your basics look sturdy. You will level up in no time.¡± ¡°Ah, of course¡­¡± Just as Ryu Han-bin uttered his awkward reply, a sturdy man sitting inside the hall rose from his seat. ¡°You. Your name is Eric, isn¡¯t it?¡± He was an elderly man in his early 40s. He was wearing armor, and a shaggy beard dangled from his chin. Though not as large as Ryu Han-bin, he looked quite big and strong. ¡°Hmm? You look pretty strong.¡± [Race: Human. Prosecutor Lv. 25] His level wasn¡¯t as high as Effir¡¯s, but he still had the highest level in that hall. The man shrugged at him before continuing his thoughts. ¡°Would you like to join our team?¡± ¡°Oh my God, Mr. Buckman. Are you scouting him? You seem to like this person.¡± ¡°But his level is too low! You¡¯re going to kill him. The difference of more than 10 levels is enough to chew him alive!¡± A man called Buckman struck Ryu Han-bin¡¯s shoulder and laughed happily. ¡°We also have a mage and a spiritist on our team. There¡¯s no better condition for you than this. What do you think, Eric?¡± Ryu Han-bin pondered for a moment. After a few moments, he finally reached a conclusion. ¡°If I¡¯m going to be entering the ground, then I should at least wear a helmet.¡± It was the perfect opportunity to learn and adapt to the world¡¯s common sense next to the locals. It was a very good ¡°helmet.¡± Ryu Han-bin lowered his head in confirmation. ¡°Please take good care of me!¡± * * * ¡°Let me properly introduce myself. I¡¯m Buckman Lowerfall, a level 25 Swordsman.¡± Buckman pointed to the people sitting together at the table. ¡°And these are our team members.¡± The copper-skinned brunette woman sitting on the far left of the table introduced herself next. ¡°Amber Barnett, level 21 Spear woman.¡± To follow their example, a man with a slim body who looked to be in his mid-30s stood up as well. ¡°I¡¯m Hubert Crutas, a level 18 Mage.¡± A chubby woman who looked to be around the same age as Ryu Han-bin introduced herself last. ¡°Ewynn Lowerfall. I¡¯m a level 16 Spiritist.¡± Ryu Han-bin felt uncomfortable upon receiving everyone¡¯s introductions. ¡®Their self-introduction is so awkward¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a game. It was a living human being who was saying, ¡®I¡¯m a blah-blah level~.¡¯ ¡®But this seems to be the common culture of this world.¡¯ He introduced himself the same way they did. ¡°I am Eric Garoon, a level 5 swordsman¡­ or at least according to that stone.¡± Buckman laughed and hit Ryu Han-bin on the back. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a nice stone? You better check the stone often ¡®cause otherwise you won¡¯t know exactly how much you¡¯ve gone up.¡± Thanks to the guidelines, people from another world could know anyone¡¯s information as soon as they lay their eyes on them, but the original Latna Continent¡¯s measurement magic was not like that. The magic could only be activated by directly touching a magical tool called the measuring stone. It also required the consent of the party being measured to ensure one couldn¡¯t just forcefully find out the levels of others. The other team members also had something to say about him. ¡°Level 5¡­ It¡¯s a bit low.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Buckman¡¯s eye can be trusted.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± No one could complain about Buckman¡¯s decision. He seemed to be fairly creditworthy. Ryu Han-bin sat at the table, relieved. ¡°Then what should I do now?¡± * * * Not long ago, a new dungeon appeared in a sparse field about 30 kilometers away from the city of Onpros. Labeled as the Alpha Dungeon, numerous monsters began pouring out of it, causing the nearby residents immeasurable pain. To retaliate, the Onpros Hunter Guild had officially requested the monster¡¯s subjugation, though it was rumored that many hunters had already sweated blood due to the difficulty the dungeon possessed. After hearing the story, Ryu Han-bin couldn¡¯t help but ask what¡¯s in his mind. ¡°Are we going to attack that dungeon?¡± Buckman replied as if it was absurd. ¡°That¡¯s just not possible.¡± Ryu Han-bin learned that only senior hunters with a minimum level of 30 or more were permitted to attack the dungeon. ¡°We have to deal with the guys outside the dungeon.¡± Even among the monsters in the dungeon, there was a law of weak flesh. After a dungeon has settled on the Latna continent, the relatively weak monsters seemed to escape out of the dungeon. ¡°It¡¯s said that a group of Devolk had fled from the dungeon and settled near the Letron Village. They¡¯re now causing quite a riot.¡± Devolk was a low-level monster resembling a monkey and was only roughly around level 12. It was weak in a one-on-one fight, but they¡¯re tougher when they¡¯re gathered in a group. ¡°It looks like over a hundred of them have gathered. Our quest is to defeat them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Although he was slightly disappointed that it was not a dungeon exploration, Ryu Han-bin soon accepted it. It wasn¡¯t that bad of an opportunity anyway. ¡®Learning about this world is my top priority right now. It¡¯s better not to draw attention.¡¯ Buckman laughed and soothed Ryu Han-bin¡¯s disappointment, seeing it as a form of a beginner¡¯s spirit or motivation. ¡°Always keep your level in mind. Just because you¡¯re big doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t get a knife stuck in you, right?¡± Buckman was a pretty good person. He had good character and was extremely likable. As he got up from the table, Buckman concluded his word. ¡°We leave tomorrow. Let¡¯s meet at the front of the north gate early in the morning.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± * * * It had been three days since he left Onpros City. Presently, the Buckman team was in the middle of a fight against the Devolk¡¯s scouting party on a ridge outside of the Efen Plains. Eek Eek Eek Eek Eek! From all sides, Devolks rushed in with their claws protruding and their fangs bared. Devolks were slow, but with their numbers exceeding a hundred, they were not easy targets. Besides, their power was enough to rip through a young adult easily. Nevertheless, Buckman didn¡¯t lag behind. ¡°Not a chance, you bastards!¡± Rather, he endured and pushed the Devolk in front of him with a large shield. With the long sword in his other hands, he pierced through the Devolks¡¯ vital spots. Eeek! Amber was also elegantly swinging her splendid spear. ¡°Slow!¡± Utilizing the cover and space Buckman and Amber provided, Hurbert, the mage, began to cast magic. ¡°Firestorm! Fire Lane!¡± Ewynn, a spiritist, also joined in the fray, restoring the energy of her team members. ¡°Freleu¡¯s wind, come forth!¡± As black winds blew around them, spears and blades danced through the fray. Flames fell from the skies like searing rain as the winds healed them gently as it circled the battlefield. The screams of the Devolks echoed loudly, reaching beyond the ridge and the plains. Yikes! Eeeek! Against a group of more than 100 Devolks, the Buckman team showed off their overwhelming strength. They¡¯ve been working for a long time already, and their experiences as a group had removed any gap from their teamwork. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°¡­ Everyone fights so well.¡± Ryu Han-bin sat in a daze, hiding behind the ridge. He simply watched the battle unfold with a huge backpack on his back. It held all the luggage of the team members. Why was Han-bin made to carry all of their items? It was only logical, after all. His level was extremely low, but he was huge and strong. What position would be able to make full use of his build during a long trip? A porter. He was never expected to fight in the first place. It could be said that Buckman had deceived Han-bin. However, it was the custom for new hunters to gain experience by doing team chores. With a sigh, Ryu Han-bin could only scratch his cheek. ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t what I imagined¡­¡± * * * Buckman had apparently accepted Ryu Han-bin in his team to become a porter, but he wasn¡¯t planning on keeping him as a porter forever. He was a good person with a good heart. He made Ryu a porter simply because he thought of giving ¡®Eric, the level-5 beginner hunter,¡¯ good combat experience and exposure. While in the thick of the battle, Amber suddenly addressed Ryu. ¡°Eric! One of the Devolks ran towards there! Take care of it!¡± As the fray broke down, a Devolk was attempting to escape to the direction of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s hiding spot. -Let¡¯s start with getting you used to combat. I¡¯ve seen a lot of beginners who died wastefully without being able to level up¡ªno need to worry. The profit distribution will be exactly equal. Ryu Han-bin sighed, recalling Buckman¡¯s kind voice. ¡°I can¡¯t get mad at him for thinking about me¡­¡± Setting that aside, he was given a task. He had to accomplish it. Han-bin pulled out the great black sword he was carrying on his back and gently swung it. It was really just a slight, very slight swing. Boooom! However, the Devolk, which was the same size as a full-grown man, was swiftly and easily cut in two. It wasn¡¯t just a simple cut either. Its skin was sliced and torn up, its bones and flesh were cleanly separated, and pools of blood splatted all over the battlefield. Splaaat! The mage, Hubert, opened his mouth as he watched the purple blood drop. ¡°Eeek! What is that?¡± Why was that sword power so ruthless? Even Buckman couldn¡¯t do that if he hit it with all his might. Ewynn and Amber also had similar thoughts and expressions. ¡°That person, you said he was only a level 5 Swordsman?¡± ¡°Oh my God, what kind of power is that¡­¡± On the other hand, Buckman was delighted. ¡°As expected, my eyes were correct! If you have that kind of body, level 10 is just a piece of cake!¡± It seemed that in Buckman¡¯s eyes, Ryu Han-bin gave all that he could in that one swing from his position. Without feeling uncomfortable, he praised Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You have great quality! You will be strong in no time.¡± ¡°T-thank you.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before they managed to get rid of all the Devolk groups. After the fight, the party regrouped. ¡°With this, all the scouts have been annihilated¡­¡± Buckman gave instructions to the group as he looked at the Devolk corpses that littered across the battlefield. ¡°Take the corpses and move them to a safe distance. We¡¯re going to have to camp here tonight because tomorrow morning, we¡¯re going to be hitting their nest.¡± Chapter 11 Wearing Helmet, Heading to the Ground (3) In the Latna Continent, ¡®treating a monster¡¯s corpse¡¯ had a special meaning. Buckman¡¯s Team dug through the dead bodies of the Devolks and pulled out black beads from within. Ryu Han-bin looked closely at the scene unfolding before him. ¡°So that¡¯s what they call the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stone.¡± Unlike the native monsters of the Latna Continent, dungeon monsters had magic cores. It was called the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stone and was used as an essential material in magical tools and brewing healing potions. The magic cores¡¯ value was high simply because it was in high demand. They could receive 5X each from the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones of lower-class monsters like the Devolks alone, and hundreds from higher-level monsters. The black beads were the hunters¡¯ main source of income rather than the commission fees. It was the reason why quests requesting to slay native monsters weren¡¯t as popular as dealing with dungeon monsters. The money offered by those quests simply wasn¡¯t enough to make the hunters interested. He already had that information due to the guidelines, but it was still quite perplexing for him to see such a scene unfolding before him. ¡®People get money and items from killing monsters. Isn¡¯t that how it is in games?¡¯ However, they weren¡¯t in a game. In games, clicking on the money would automatically transfer it to the character¡¯s wallet. However, they were in reality. Flop! Flop! Floop! Everyone had a serious expression on their faces as they dug through the Devolks¡¯ bodies with the daggers in their hands. There was no exception. Even Ewynn, who had an innocent look, was smiling with her face covered in blood as she threw away monster innards. It was as if he was looking at a scene comparable to Hell itself. Han-bin couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. ¡°Ugh, I might have vomited if I were still the old me.¡± He had been drinking the blood of Demon Dogs like soft drinks for over 20 years. He had become immune to nausea. He helped the others to dig up Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones without any trouble. * * * After their looting session, Buckman¡¯s Team set up camp on a strategic location and took a break. During that time, Ryu Han-bin was able to get in touch with Latna¡¯s commonalities thanks to Buckman¡¯s personality, who liked to advise him on numerous subjects. According to him, hunters at Levels 1 to 20 were classified as Beginner Hunters. They had little experience and weren¡¯t exactly powerful. An Intermediate Hunter certification could be obtained by passing level 20. The members of Buckman¡¯s team all held that title. From level 30, they would be recognized as Advanced Hunters and would become eligible to participate in dungeon exploration and the extermination of high-ranking monsters. Hunters belonging to levels 40 to 50 were Top Hunters, and they were famous throughout the Xrad Kingdom. ¡°What if you¡¯re above level 50?¡± Buckman laughed at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s question. ¡°Why would a powerful individual like that be stuck in a place like this?¡± Hunters above level 50 targeted more powerful dungeons in the continent¡¯s center. ¡°I see.¡± Ryu Han-bin continued to ask Buckman questions. ¡°What is the standard used to determine our levels?¡± He didn¡¯t dare ask that question before out of fear of being caught, but the atmosphere felt right to do it then. Luckily, no one became suspicious of him. ¡°My friends who just started their hunter careers wonder about it too.¡± Hubert closed the book he was reading as he began explaining. ¡°Level is the number that the magic in the measuring stone identifies. It represents the soul of the subject.¡± In essence, the measuring stone calculated the strength of the soul, which grew through the accumulation of experiences and skills. This was the principle of measurement magic. ¡°Eric, you haven¡¯t properly mastered martial arts or fighting in general, which is why even with such a great body, you¡¯re still only a Level 5 Swordsman.¡± The measuring stone knew the strength of the soul. No matter how excellent the body was, if the person¡¯s experience was lacking, their level would not increase. It was a bit different in Ryu Han-bin¡¯s case, but Hubert didn¡¯t know that. ¡°It roughly fits with actual skills. In a battle between a big farmer who has never fought even once in his life and a dwarf warrior who has lived on the battlefield all his life, who do you think would win?¡± ¡°Obviously, the farmer would have higher physical abilities, but the dwarf warrior with a lot of combat experience would still emerge victoriously.¡± ¡°There are certainly cases in the world where the farmer unexpectedly won, which is why you shouldn¡¯t be too focused on levels. Even in the Hunter Guild, those who are 5 levels above and below are essentially viewed as equals.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ryu Han-bin nodded. He could roughly understand the concept of levels in that world. ¡°Level is not the perfect measure of strength, but those who are high-leveled are definitely strong.¡± The night grew deeper as their conversations lengthened. Buckman added more firewood to keep the campfire alive, then waved to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Let¡¯s all get some sleep. We have to move before dawn.¡± * * * The Devolks¡¯ nest was located in a village that¡¯s been abandoned after they plundered and took it for themselves. Just before the sun rose to the sky, Buckman¡¯s Team silently approached the outskirts of the village to scout out the situation. The village was only composed of around ten houses, all of which could be seen at a single glance. They estimated around 70 Devolks roaming all over the place. The majority of them were sleeping, while some remained awake as lookouts. Buckman grinned. ¡°As expected, most of them are fast asleep.¡± Taking advantage of the darkness before dawn, the Buckman team moved secretly. They stood hidden in the shadows as best as they could while they moved towards the sleeping Devolks. When they narrowed down their distance to the Devolks standing guard to 10 meters, Ewynn put her hands together and cast a spell quietly. ¡°Sand of Sorondi, please heal their weary bodies.¡± The heads of the Devolks who remained awake lulled down as they fell into a state of deep slumber. Not wasting the opportunity, Buckman and Amber moved quickly. They covered the mouths of the sleeping Devolks and stabbed their blades precisely into their opponents¡¯ vital spots. Tuff! Tuff! Tuff! In an instant, dozens of Devolks died. They naturally didn¡¯t expect they could continue their strategy until they¡¯ve wiped the Devolks out. The lookouts on the other side of the village soon discovered them and began to create noises. Eek? Eek eek eek! Most of the Devolks who were asleep woke up screaming. Buckman laughed loudly as he stared at the incoming monsters. ¡°Are we starting with fewer than eleven? Not bad.¡± The Buckman Team stood with one of the village¡¯s abandoned wooden structures behind them as part of their strategy on eliminating the Devolks. Buckman roared an order as he stepped forward with Amber. ¡°Ewynn! Barriers!¡± ¡°Yes, Brother!¡± Ewynn replied and chanted the incantation. ¡°Veil of Altia, give me the protection of light!¡± An invisible barrier was erected on the left side of the party around her. The Devolks who were aiming for Ewynn and Hubert were immediately blocked by it. Keek? Eeeeek! Behind the party¡¯s back was the building¡¯s wall. With this, the Devolks were only able to attack from the front. No longer needing to worry about their backs being wide open, the two warriors began to run wild. ¡°Hahaha! Die, you monsters!¡± ¡°Taaats!¡± Trusting the defense line of the two in front of him, Hubert also began to cast a series of magic. ¡°Fire Hammer! Fire hammer! Fire hammer!¡± Blades danced once more as fiery hammers were brought down upon those who opposed them. They maintained their steadfast formation and slaughtered the Devolks in the same essence they dealt with the scouts last night. There was another factor that was different from last night as well. Ryu Han-bin was also participating in the battle. -How much do you know about the real thing? Let¡¯s practice fighting in harmony this time. But don¡¯t take the lead and run wild. Mr. Buckman had a really good heart. He even gave the novice team member the best consideration. Holding his greatsword, Han-bin stepped forward. He struck his sword into the Devolk in front of him. Gaaarrgh! Even though he swung it gently, the whole spine of Devolk still got crushed, and blood splattered all over the place again. In the eyes of others, it was an intense blow that only seemed to make him exhausted. Not surprisingly, the nagging came right back. ¡°Save your strength, Eric! The battle is long!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about doing the best! You have to control your stamina!¡± Buckman and Amber worried about Ryu Han-bin so much that they couldn¡¯t help but scold him. Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m already doing my best even if I¡¯m only swinging weakly?¡± He had the sudden urge to wipe out the Devolk crowd in front of him right away just to prove himself. It would take less than a minute to kill all of them, even if he only used a small percentage of his abilities. However, Han-bin already made up his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll just take this opportunity to practice controlling my power.¡± He never had to train how to control his power. It had always been a struggle for his life. ¡°But since the situation has changed, it¡¯s become necessary to practice not to exert too much power against any opponent, right?¡± Ryu Han-bin began to see the fight against the Devolks as a form of training. ¡°Now, take it easy ¡­¡­¡± He concentrated and swung his sword. Eeeek! The Devolk¡¯s limb was brutally amputated, soaring high in the sky, and it began juggling with blood dripping from its cut veins. ¡°Eek! Too strong! A little bit gentler this time¡­¡± He swung his sword again. It was too weak this time. It was more of a slap than a cut. ¡®¡­ ¡­ Clack?¡¯ The wounded Devolk was staring at Ryu Han-bin with a look that said something along the lines of ¡®Is this kid just toying with me now?¡¯ It was a strange experience for him to have the monster¡¯s emotions in his palms. With an extra hit, he blew away the monster¡¯s leg and focused on it again. ¡°Just a bit harder now¡­¡± It was rather tiring. Ryu Han-bin frowned while swinging his sword. ¡°Wow, this is also difficult in its own way.¡± As Ryu Han-bin trained, Buckman¡¯s team steadily reduced the number of Devolks. As their defeat became more certain, the remaining Devolks started to flee. Yikes! Eek eek! Hubert prepared the final blow, which he aimed behind the Devolks¡¯ ranks. Like a conductor of an orchestra, he made elegant gestures and pointed to the air. ¡°Burn! Explosion!¡± Boom! As the flames burned down their enemies, the remains of Devolks scattered into the air, ending the battle. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Buckman approached Ryu Han-bin, who was catching his breath. ¡°How was it? Real combat is hard, isn¡¯t it? Ryu Han-bin replied with a strange expression. ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s not easy.¡± The meaning was different, but he was sincere. Hitting gently required more mental power than he thought. With a big smile, Buckman patted his back. ¡°Haha, you still need to get used to it. That¡¯s the secret to living for a long time.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s first hunter request ended without a hitch. The battles ended with victory on their side and without anyone getting injured or damage. Ewynn looked at Buckman proudly. ¡°As expected, brother. You never take reckless requests.¡± Chapter 12 Wearing Helmet, Heading to the Ground (4) It¡¯s already been 30 days since Ryu Han-bin became a Beginner Hunter. The Efen Plains was a place where various dungeons appeared every now and then including alpha dungeons which vomited monsters out into the fields. That was why the city of Onpros had become the perfect city for hunters. He continued to work as a part of Buckman¡¯s Team and was commissioned two more times. During that time, he managed to gather a lot of information and knowledge. Like most nebby people, Buckman took care of everything even if Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t ask for it. Instead of expensive inns, Buckman introduced him to public accommodations where people could stay for long periods of time. Several people stayed in a single renovated building at the same time, and frankly, it couldn¡¯t be called a pleasant sleep. It was common for people to drink and raise their voices or fight with each other in the building. However, there were also advantages. After enough drinks, everyone would just keep on talking without prohibition. He utilized the mischiefs of others as sources of information. Eavesdropping on conversations was enough to get quite a bit of miscellaneous knowledge about the Latna continent. Above all else, getting information about the people from other worlds was a huge score. * * * Earthlings. Also known as the people of another world, they were two-dimensional demons who tried to invade the Latna Continent and cull the top soldiers of Omphalos. It was around 40 years ago when they first appeared in this world. At that time, Latnains weren¡¯t that wary of Earthlings yet. They were just weak and pitiful beings in the beginning. They were just poor strangers filled with fear after falling into an unknown world. However, they quickly became strong. It all thanks to their characteristics. Much to the Latnains¡¯ surprise, Earthlings were human beings yet they still possessed the ¡®power of dragons.¡¯ Dragon races in Latna, including Dragons themselves, directly absorbed the energy of the enemy they¡¯ve slain which in turn increased their strength and capabilities. The Dragons¡¯ main composition was the Dragon Core. Aliens, too, had the ability to kill other creatures and absorb their powers like a dragon. They had the amazing ability to get ¡®experience¡¯ by simply killing enemies. They could raise their levels by gathering experience. Even their efficiency was superior. It was possible to raise their level dozens of times faster than a Dragon, and there was no limit or debuff to their ability. Even if all they did was play and eat, they would never become weaker. It maintained their status. By raiding several dungeons on the Latna Continent, the aliens quickly became stronger. Thanks to this, many people who suffered due to the monsters were saved. People praised them as the heroes of this world. But in the end, they showed their true colors. A group of aliens who used to call themselves ¡®Great Earth¡¯ went rogue and kidnapped the Freleu Church¡¯s saint! They aimed to kill Freleu, the Goddess of the Wind. Only the saint knew how to get to the goddess¡¯ sanctuary, and they intended to use her to reach the Goddess. Naturally, the Freleu Church went all out to save the saint. But it wasn¡¯t easy. It was said that the shameless men who dared assassinate the Goddess were all extremely powerful, having levels above 70. The leader was even rumored to be level 100. Huge amounts of blood were shed due to their battles, but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop them. The aliens soon successfully took their dirty feet into the sanctuary of the Goddess Freleu. But that was it. They made fun of the power of this world. The true heroes of Latna, who received the trust of Freleu, came forward. The strongest Swordsman on the continent, Baotolt the Sword King. The one who has reached the limits of magic, Zenobia the Archmage. The pinnacle of all Dark Swordsmen, Gahan the Terrible. The ultimate Spiritist, Holrien the Transcendental. The four absolute rulers of this world joined hands to defeat Great Earth as the Goddess willed. The aliens were exterminated in a flash. All of them vanished without leaving any bodies. Since then, the trust of the six goddesses had been placed on the continent. -The people of Earth are beings who have contracted with evil demons. Even if they seem gentle and good on the outside, deep down they are manipulative and malicious. They only desire blood and death! A large-scale Earthling hunt took place. Most of the aliens across the continent were killed. Those who managed to survive hid in the dark. Since then, the aliens only appeared rarely. They were still powerful. Their appearances weren¡¯t different from the Latnains which made it hard to recognize them. However, there were many fundamental differences between the two sides in their attitudes and common sense. The Latnains focused on those factors as they searched for them and killed them. They hunted them down for decades. Now, it had become a natural custom in the Latna Continent for everyone to join forces whenever an alien appeared. * * * As he gathered the information together, Ryu Han-bin bit down on his lower lip. ¡°This is a very dangerous situation for me¡­¡± In fact, the incident was huge. The Goddess even handed down the oracles herself, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that the Latnains considered the Earthlings as demons from another world. Could he meet the Goddess in that situation? Even if he was lucky enough to meet a goddess, would she believe him? ¡®But I can¡¯t think of any other way to get my revenge on those demons¡­¡¯ They were godlike beings. He couldn¡¯t help but expect her to understand his sincerity. ¡°The Goddess Sanctuary, huh¡­¡± The six goddesses existed in a place called the sanctuary, and the saints of each faction could visit the sanctuary. There was clearly a way to meet a goddess. Of course, if he approached them recklessly, he would be treated the same way the rogue group was treated. ¡®What was the group¡¯s name? Great Earth?¡¯ Those punks who chose that name shouldn¡¯t have tried something as crazy as killing a different world¡¯s goddess. With his chin up, Ryu Han-bin became lost in thought. ¡®But how do I get to the sanctuary?¡¯ * * * It¡¯s been 45 days since he started working as a Hunter. Ryu Han-bin had also completed his fourth request safely by then. The quest was to kill a group of Cobolts that appeared near the city. He could finally hunt naturally as he had gradually increased his control over his immense power. In others¡¯ eyes, he finally looked like a powerful Beginner Hunter. Even so, he was still too powerful to just be a Level 5 Swordsman. On his way back to the city of Onpros after completing his request, Buckman advised Han-bin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the guild and use the measuring stone? You should be above level 15 now.¡± If the body had been trained rigorously, an individual would grow much faster than others even if they were to learn the same skills and gain the same experience. Eric Garoon the novice Swordsman¡¯s low level was due to his lack of experience. Buckman¡¯s speculation was based on that premise. Ryu Han-bin could only shake his head. ¡°It¡¯s still a little¡­¡± He knew his level well. At that moment, he turned on the guidelines, causing his stats to appear clearly in his mind. [Ryu Han-bin: Swordsman Lv. 5 Possessed Skills: Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut, Language Communication Strength 25 (+1,364), Stamina 21 (+1,364), Recovery 15 (+682), Defense 16 (+1,364), Vision 7 (+341), Reflex 9 (+341), Speed 10 (+341).] None of his stats had changed since the first day he fell on the Latna Continent. ¡®It¡¯s obvious why I don¡¯t get experience.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a big deal that his level didn¡¯t go up. He knew he just had to hunt monsters that were powerful enough to give him experience. The problem was with teams like Buckman¡¯s, he would never get to hunt such monsters on his level. ¡°Mr. Buckman is a great person, but his level is just too low¡­¡¯ Despite his disappointment, Ryu Han-bin made up his mind. ¡®I just can¡¯t do it now. I¡¯ll need to hang around for a month or two longer and gather some funds. By that time, I have no choice but to break up with them.¡± When that time came, he¡¯d start looking for the dungeon himself using the money he had collected. * * * However, the time for goodbyes came sooner than he thought. It was even due to a reason Ryu Han-bin wouldn¡¯t have imagined before. * * * A few days have passed since he finished his fourth quest. As usual, Ryu Han-bin ran excitedly when Buckman called for him. He thought it was regarding the fifth quest. That was when he heard a phrase he never saw coming. ¡°What? You¡¯re retiring from being a Hunter?¡± Shamefully, Buckman replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been suffering from lower back pain¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± According to Buckman, his back had never been in a good condition in the first place. That was why Ryu Han-bin was accepted as a team member. Hubert was a mage, which naturally meant he had weak stamina, and Ewynn was a woman. Amber was a female warrior, but she was inevitably weaker than men. For the most part of their journey, before Ryu Han-bin came, Buckman carried most of the group¡¯s luggage alone. Due to it, he developed a back illness, which raised the need for a porter. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t easy to fill that position. Their job was dangerous. He couldn¡¯t just take anyone. However, experienced hunters tended to avoid being treated like a servant because of their pride. It was why he kept waiting at the guild for an upstart to appear. ¡°No wonder the team accepted a beginner like me¡­¡¯ Some of his earliest questions were finally being answered. He could see why Buckman tried to take care of him so much. ¡°I tried to keep working as a Hunter with the utmost caution, but it was too much. I have no choice but to go back to my hometown¡­¡± Internally, Han-bin was puzzled. ¡®Oh, come on, can this be happening?¡¯ If Ryu Han-bin was too weak to be helpful as a team member, he could¡¯ve just shown him his real skills and persuade him. However, this was a different matter. He couldn¡¯t force a sick person to keep working. ¡°What about the others?¡± Ewynn replied. ¡°I have to treat my brother, so¡­¡± They were going back home together. They were siblings, after all. Amber answered, as well. ¡°I decided to live with Buckman.¡± The eyes of Amber and Buckman met and locked together. Well, that atmosphere between them had always been somewhat noticeable. ¡°What about you, Mr. Hubert?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of taking a break from working as a Hunter and establishing my own magic knowledge!¡± ¡°Where are you going to settle?¡± ¡°¡­ The house next to Mr. Buckman¡¯s is empty.¡± He then gave Ewynn a gentle look. It was the typical look given to a woman that¡¯s been in a man¡¯s mind. Even Han-bin, who had never been in a relationship, could recognize it at a glance. Anyway, it was clear that all four of them would quit their jobs as Hunters. Buckman gave one last piece of advice to Ryu Han-bin. ¡°First, go to the guild and renew your level. When you reach level 20, scout offers will begin to line up. No, as you are now, you can take solo-party requests.¡± Buckman showed no signs of concern. To Buckman¡¯s eyes, Ryu Han-bin was already a prosperous hunter with enough strength to do his part in battles. However, Han-bin was worried. ¡®Oh no¡­ I haven¡¯t saved enough money yet¡­¡¯ Without knowing what Han-bin had inside, Buckman smiled and said goodbye. ¡°I wish you good luck, then, Mr. Eric.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± The group turned around and left without hesitation. As he watched the team of Buckman¡¯s team slowly disappear in the distance, Ryu felt lost. ¡°What do I do now?¡± The plan had gone completely wrong. Chapter 13 Devouring Experience Points (1) Still feeling lost, Ryu Han-bin went to the Hunter¡¯s Guild. When Han-bin entered the hall on the first floor, the eyes of some of the hunters inside began to light up. ¡°Is that guy over there alone?¡± ¡°Well, Buckman has retired after all.¡± The news about the retirement of Buckman¡¯s team had spread among the hunters. The same went for the news that Han-bin was now alone. The first time they saw Ryu Han-bin, they thought he¡¯d just die from the first encounter; hence they decided to just ignore him. He was only a level 5 Swordsman back then. However, he had been into multiple battles since then. It was only natural for his level to have risen. ¡®If Buckman was the one that raised him, he must¡¯ve become quite strong now.¡¯ ¡®With a strong foundation like that, it¡¯s not hard to become even more powerful.¡¯ ¡®It would be virtually impossible for him to remain the same.¡¯ Just by basing on the difficulty of the quests taken by Buckman¡¯s team, he should¡¯ve been around level 15 or even higher by then. He might¡¯ve even reached a level above 20, which was the requirement to become an Intermediate Hunter. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay alive otherwise. It was definitely a great opportunity to devour the talent others had nurtured for free. Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly as he felt everyone¡¯s gaze on him. ¡®I know why they¡¯re acting like that, but still¡­¡¯ The receptionist, Sezori, greeted him with a big smile. ¡°Welcome, Mr. Eric. I heard about Mr. Buckman. Are you independent now?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Nodding his head, Han-bin asked. ¡°According to the procedure, I came to renew my Hunter ID.¡± As if she knew it, she pointed to the measuring stone. ¡°The fee is 10X. Please put your hand on the measuring stone.¡± After paying the money, Han-bin reached out his hand. Soon, a letter of light appeared. [Occupation: Swordsman. Lv. 5] Sezori looked at the shining letters and Ryu Han-bin alternately with confusion in her eyes. ¡°Wait¡­ You¡¯re still level 5?¡± The other hunters were confused as well. ¡°What? Level 5?¡± ¡°After you followed Buckman around like that?¡± It was hard to understand. The hunters began to murmur. Someone came up with a plausible hypothesis. ¡°I heard he was just a porter¡­¡± ¡°If it were Buckman, I would¡¯ve made the porter participate in the battles. That guy¡¯s a good man. He¡¯s not the type to ignore beginners.¡± ¡°But still, Level 5?¡± ¡°Was he ordered to fight yet got no results?¡± ¡°How dull is he?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. His sword is uselessly big.¡± The hunters had made a conclusion about Ryu Han-bin¡¯s state. They thought that despite having such an amazing body, he was too dull and timid to properly fight against monsters. The hunters¡¯ interest in him disappeared immediately. Han-bin shrugged. ¡®Well, I knew it was going to happen.¡¯ Sezori said awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, but it¡¯s difficult to do a quest alone when you¡¯re only level 5.¡± Regardless of the difficulty of the quest, he must be at least level 10 to be trusted with it. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know as soon as we receive a scout request from another team instead.¡± She said those words reassuringly, but she didn¡¯t think there would be a hunter team trying to scout Eric Garoon. Buckman had already verified it. He didn¡¯t have the qualities of a hunter at all. He only looked the part. Still, he couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation, then.¡± After politely expressing his gratitude, Ryu Han-bin left the guild. He shoved his newly renewed Hunter¡¯s License into his pocket harshly. ¡°This only shows my hunter status.¡± He wasn¡¯t looking for a guild to work for as a hunter in the first place. He was still level 5, though. There was no way to submit a request. He renewed his certification only because Buckman broke up with his team. He simply needed to clear up his identity. He had to live in this world without raising suspicions. ¡°It¡¯s time to solve my next problem, then.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin seriously considered his current situation. There were two problems at hand. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough money.¡± Originally, he planned to learn about the world and raise funds for his plan under Buckman¡¯s team for at least a month or two. Without money, forget looking for a way back home or looking for a way to a Goddess. He wouldn¡¯t be able to live. ¡°They disbanded too fast for me to accumulate enough funds.¡± Of course, Han-bin alone could kill monsters and sell their drops. The second problem was holding back. ¡°My level and my actual skills aren¡¯t quite in sync.¡± Level measurement was essential wherever he went in this world. Even if he tried to apply to the Order of Knights or the Noble Guard, or even if he was conscripted as a general soldier of the army, part of the requirement was checking his level with a measuring stone. The results of the measuring stones were never wrong in Lantains¡¯ eyes. From a general point of view, it was hard to understand the reason why hunters ignored Ryu Han-bin. No matter how low his level was, he never looked weak. He was a giant that was 190 centimeters tall. He was not a dull-looking fat guy. He had a solid, muscular physique with no visible fats. If the owner of such a trained body was measured at only Level 5, it should¡¯ve been normal to think that the measurement stone was broken. ¡°But in this world, it¡¯s normal not to doubt.¡± There would¡¯ve been no reason for the hunters or Sezori to openly ignore him otherwise. They believed in levels to the point where they were blindsided by the measuring stone. He was a level 5 hunter who killed multiple monsters whose levels were higher than him. That was something that had never happened to Latnains. That would¡¯ve naturally led to doubts. -That¡¯s just not humanly possible. Maybe he¡¯s an alien? Unlike Latnains, aliens often used abilities that didn¡¯t fit their level. He had those abilities. Even at that moment, Ryu Han-bin himself was using abilities that didn¡¯t fit his level. Like the Guideline¡¯s Search function, for example. The search function originated from Latna¡¯s measuring magic, which identified the opponent¡¯s level. Measuring magic could only be used by senior wizards of level 50 or higher. To Han-bin, however, it was as easy as breathing to measure an opponent¡¯s level. He wasn¡¯t even high in level or a mage. A level 5 hunter was constantly using level 50 magic. Just like the guidelines, the aliens also used bizarre powers that weren¡¯t appropriate for their levels. Holding his chin, Han-bin muttered his thoughts quietly. ¡°As expected, solving the problem about my level should be my top priority.¡± Until it was solved, he couldn¡¯t go on a monster hunt. If he brought back a huge amount of high-level Devil Spirit Stones that weren¡¯t normally easily looted by a level 5 hunter, people would begin to doubt him. ¡°After I solve this, my financial problem will consequently be solved eventually as well.¡± It was just a matter of finding a solution to fix it. ¡°If I look at it from a simple perspective, I can just eagerly devour experience to raise my level.¡± However, it was never that simple. He wasn¡¯t going to level up, essentially speaking. Back then, his stats would continue to rise, but his level would remain the same due to the system error. ¡®Has the system error even been fixed yet?¡¯ Even though his stats continued to rise in the past, he only gained the Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut, and Language Communication skills since his level kept resetting. He had to find out what would happen if he steadily gathered experience and reached a new level. ¡°Will it level me up to 6, or will it reset me back to my true level?¡± It made him curious about how high his true level would be. ¡°I doubt it¡¯ll be low considering how long I¡¯ve been fighting by now.¡± His situation definitely wasn¡¯t normal. He almost didn¡¯t get any skills due to the error in his level, but he also thought he wouldn¡¯t be that far behind since his body was already powerful enough to execute advanced skills. ¡°Regardless, I don¡¯t have any guarantee that my level will increase by gathering experience points.¡± If he returned to his true level, everything would be solved, but¡­ ¡°There¡¯s also the probability of resetting back to level 1. Honestly, it is the most likely outcome.¡± He thought about multiple factors and probabilities before reaching a conclusion. ¡°I¡¯ll have to defeat monsters that are strong enough to give me experience.¡± He could only encounter such monsters within a dungeon. Fortunately, he knew about the location of a dungeon that could potentially hold powerful monsters. He heard a lot about it from Buckman since all the monsters they had slain all crawled out from that dungeon. He headed towards the dungeon¡¯s entrance. ¡°Alpha Dungeon. There must be strong monsters in there.¡± * * * Dungeons. Dungeons were two-dimensional spaces that Omphalos, a demon from another world that targeted the Latna Continent, created. The demon couldn¡¯t directly intervene with this world. Instead, he would crop parts of his world and send them to Latna with his own power, making it a forward base for invasion. Since the first dungeon¡¯s appearance 450 years ago, the Great Labyrinth Kaltan, all kinds of dungeons had appeared all over the continent. Considering how the monsters that came out of the dungeons could potentially cause massive damage, dungeons became synonymous with death and fear for the Latna people. However, the dungeons were also places of opportunity. The Devil Spirit Stone possessed by the dungeon monsters became the Latnains¡¯ source of income since it could be used as a material for various magical tools and magic reagents. The monsters¡¯ bones and skin were also popular because they could be used as materials for various weapons and armors. Additionally, while raiding dungeons, hunters could get several powerful magic tools, which could also be sold for a lot of money. An era had also begun where it wasn¡¯t impossible to form a party with only individual forces. Many had attempted reckless challenges aiming to gain riches and honor that came with dungeon raids. It had been hundreds of years since then. Presently, many hunters from all over the world still attacked the growing number of dungeons. Sometimes, they¡¯d gain riches, fame, and honor. Sometimes, they would never come back. The Alpha Dungeon that appeared near the city of Onpros was also one of the countless dungeons. * * * Taking advantage of the darkness, Ryu Han-bin left Onpros City. He then moved to the Efen Plains, avoiding the eyes of others. After 5-6 hours, he finally reached his destination. ¡°Is that it?¡± The entrance to the Alpha Dungeon looked like some form of ancient ruins. There was a stone building halfway down the mountain¡¯s ridge, which had a passage to the basement in the middle that served as the dungeon entrance. Before going right in, Han-bin looked around first. ¡®Is anyone around?¡¯ If someone saw him entering, it would cause him a lot of trouble. He simply wasn¡¯t in a position to meet other people. Fortunately, it looked like no one was there. During that moment of relief, he grabbed his black greatsword. ¡®Time to go in!¡¯ Chapter 14 Devouring Experience Points (2) The interior of the Alpha Dungeon was formed like an underground maze. Natural crypts and antique stone spaces were intricately intertwined like ant habitats were located inside. As he entered the southern passageway, Ryu Han-bin looked around, surprised. ¡®It¡¯s brighter than I thought it would be.¡¯ He thought it would be darker since it was located in a basement. He even prepared a spare torch. Much to his surprise, it wasn¡¯t that dark at all. Moss that glowed faintly grew all over the hallways, illuminating the pathways. For ordinary humans, the amount of light would¡¯ve been insufficient, but for Han-bin, whose night eyes were as good as an owl¡¯s, it was good enough to distinguish things. ¡®I won¡¯t have to light a torch at this rate.¡¯ He kept on the lookout as he moved through the passageways. He was confident that he had accumulated enough combat experience in his own way, but he had never experienced a dungeon before. He didn¡¯t dare let his guard down. ¡°There might be traps in here.¡± After a while, he came to a realization. A trap was not something that a layman could avoid by being wary of. Rattle! ¡°Huh?¡± Upon taking a step forward, the floor swiftly opened to reveal a pit. At the same time, six arrows were shot from the wall, all aimed at his back. Wooosh! Twang! Twang! Twang! All of the projectiles bounced back. The arrow pierced through the leather armor but failed to pierce Ryu Han-bin¡¯s back. He smiled bitterly as he looked at the arrows rolling on the floor. ¡°Giant Demon Dog used to bite down on my flesh, but now I got these little arrows. So funny.¡± Much like his other stats, his defense had also risen to a bizarre level. Han-bin stopped giggling, and his face looked hardened. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand the concept of defense.¡± If it was a game, he could just say that his defense had increased, but he was a real human being. No matter how hardened the real human body was, it was, in essence, still made of flesh. ¡®If I cut myself with a knife, would my high defense prevent my skin from being cut? This doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡¯ However, there was no meaning in thinking about reality when it was a reality where walls could be crossed by jumping in place. ¡®Besides, my defense would increase if I used my strength along with it.¡¯ There was also a time when he experimented with the rocky mountains. Without flexing his muscles, his skin was cut by the blade he sliced through it. However, when he put strength behind his muscles and tried to cut through them, it fully denied the blade from piercing through. ¡®I understand if I was cutting through the muscles, I was trying to cut through the skin.¡¯ It was strange for the skin to become harder because he concentrated his strength on it. ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to understand the concept of it.¡± Han-bin scratched his head. ¡°Hah, thinking about it now won¡¯t get me anywhere.¡± For now, he had to keep on moving. He regained his focus once more. He moved slowly, paying more attention to where he was walking. As he went deeper into the dungeon, a large stone clearing appeared. Crude torches were lit around the clearing, and a large group of monsters had gathered in it. Gigantic horns protruded from their heads, and their bodies were covered in thick scales that served as their armor. The guideline informed him of the monsters¡¯ identity. [Race: Tatyro. Lv. 31] Additional information was also available. [Due to the crustacean-scale on the surface of their body, which is also highly resistant to physical attacks, blades can barely cut into their skin. They are vulnerable to magical attacks.] The group of Tatyro turned their heads one by one as they noticed Ryu Han-bin¡¯s presence. ¡°Grr?¡± ¡°Human?¡± * * * The Tatyros bared their eerie teeth. The foul stench of their physiques had filled the entire opening. Their red eyes began to glow behind the dark. ¡°Mage?¡± ¡°No! a petty swordsman!¡± Unlike the monsters he had faced before, the Tatyros were capable of speaking in basic-level verbal communication. They also spoke using the Couling language, the native tongue around these parts. It was hard to understand in the beginning. How did monsters from other worlds the language of Latna? Regardless, Ryu Han-bin remained levelheaded. ¡®I¡¯ve already gained that information.¡¯ When a dungeon appeared, the monsters belonging to the dungeon naturally used the language near the area where it appeared. The reason was unknown, but this was also one of the common knowledge about dungeons. ¡®It¡¯s probably just due to something similar to my language communication skills.¡¯ The excited group of Tatyro slowly began to surround Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Meat! Human meat!¡± ¡°Kkyakkyakya!¡± They treated Han-bin as if he was prey. They only felt fear in the face of magic. Feeling their bloodlust pouring, he calmly grasped the situation. ¡®Level 31? I don¡¯t know how strong they are.¡¯ He at least thought they would be stronger than Effir. Because Effir was level 27. ¡®Since I handled Effir with only one shot, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be any different¡­¡¯ A vein popped out on his hand that was holding the sword. ¡®Well, It¡¯s time to see if they can give me a good fight.¡¯ The heat of battle excited his whole body. ¡®Carefully, now¡­¡¯ He took a step forward and lifted the sword up over his shoulder. ¡®This time for sure!¡¯ He charged forward like an arrow and hit the monsters! A strike landed on the Tatyro standing closest to him. Within a flash, the Tatyro was split in two. ¡®Dang!¡¯ The blow was too powerful. The blade even struck the ground after splitting the monster due to its strength. The ground cracked, and the earth began to shake. The two halves of the Tatyro¡¯s body flew towards opposite sides, spraying blood all over the clearing. Duuaak! ¡°¡­¡­Kreuk?¡± The remaining Tatyros stiffened in place. There was a flash, followed by one of their fellow monsters blowing up. Han-bin was also flustered. ¡°Eh?¡± Swords weren¡¯t supposed to work on them because of their thick scales. It was the only reason why he hit the rocks on purpose. ¡°It worked too well, didn¡¯t it?¡± The group of Tatyro shouted, staring at Han-bin¡¯s black sword. ¡°It¡¯s magic!¡± ¡°That magic looks like a sword!¡± They believed their scales wouldn¡¯t be able to be cut by anything other than magic. Han-bin laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not using magic! It¡¯s just a sword.¡± This great black sword was made from the bones of Demon Dogs. There was nothing particularly unique about it other than its durability. He could probably even achieve the same result if he were to hit them using his bare fists. ¡®I expected them to be weak, but not this much.¡¯ The heat of the battle that should¡¯ve reached its climax cooled down instantaneously. ¡®I¡¯m going to have to finish it.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin charged onwards once more. His greatsword cut through the air, causing a series of light to burst. The Tatyros tried to defend themselves as much as they could, but they were no match against him. He was too fast¡ªtoo strong. A rain of flesh scattered across the grounds as crimson fluids dyed the entire floor. Desperate screams soon filled the cave. ¡°Keek!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the Tatyros to be annihilated, their corpses scattered around the crypt. Looking down at the pile of corpses, Han-bin smacked his forehead with regret. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Even after killing so many monsters, he still couldn¡¯t gain any experience. * * * Another monster had attacked him. It was a hideous giant monster with a rugged build and height of more than 2 meters. [Race: Ogre. Lv. 33] It was immediately sliced in half by a gigantic blade. A scream filled the dungeon once more. ¡°Khuaaak!¡± Another monster appeared. It looked similar to the ogre from before, but this time it had two heads. [Race: Etin. Lv. 34] The monster was also easily cut in half. ¡°Kaaaaah!¡± ¡°Kaaargh!!¡± This time, two screams filled the dungeon. As he swung his sword to shake off the blood, Ryu Han-bin made a grim expression. ¡°This is just absurd¡­¡± About 3 hours had already passed since he entered the dungeon. Within that period of time, he encountered a lot of monsters. Most of them were within the levels of 30 to 50. They also differed from one another. None of it mattered, though. They were all killed with one swing. No one was fast enough to avoid Han-bin¡¯s blow. No one was strong enough to stop his sword. His swings hit unconditionally, and it cut unconditionally as well. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t let my guard down.¡¯ It was more tiring to keep an eye out on his guard than to actually fight the monsters. ¡®There¡¯s one more thing that tires me out.¡¯ He had slowly cleared up all the monsters in his area. He sighed as he looked at the numerous piles of corpses that were scattered all over the floor. ¡°I have to dig up the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stone again¡­¡± He collected the corpses, stacked them all up in one place, took out a dagger, then sat down. He then proceeded to dig up the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones one by one. He was initially happy due to the amount of money he could fetch from selling the stones, but he soon got bored and tired of doing the same repetitive task. It took more time to dig out a stone than to kill a monster. ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve seen a similar scene somewhere¡­¡¯ Was it like the scenes of middle-aged women on the coast of Namdo that he had seen on TV? Anyway, it wasn¡¯t very pleasant. ¡®It would be very convenient if I could just loot it all at once like in games.¡¯ Sadly, that wasn¡¯t how it worked in reality. He gave up on the thought and simply focused on digging up the stones. After his task, Ryu Han-bin continued to head deeper underground. When encountering a monster, he cut it, collected the stone, discarded the body, and went down again. That had become his routine. At least until he was interrupted by an unfamiliar scene. He saw light beads on the other side of the cave. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A faintly glowing light sphere was embedded in the wall, and a metal bracelet floated in it, giving off strange energy. He suddenly remembered the story he heard from Buckman. * * * The monsters inside the dungeon did not disappear completely, no matter how many of them were killed. Obviously, even though it had already been cleared, new monsters would appear to refill the dungeon after some time. This phenomenon called respawn occurred because dungeon monsters were essentially two-dimensional beings. By using the dungeons as a two-dimensional passageway, monsters could continue to flow in. It was the dungeon magic core that maintained that flow. If someone removed the core which existed in each dungeon area, the monsters would cease to appear in that area. These areas were called clean areas, and expanding this clean area was the objective of each dungeon attack. Additionally, all dungeon magic cores came in the form of magic tools. It still wasn¡¯t known yet why the magic cores took the form of magic items that humans could use. When dungeons first appeared, there was a time when all dungeons were ignored and disregarded. They were thought of as traps to manipulate and deceive humans to their deaths. However, after multiple wizards proved their safety in the present age, most people started entering it with no doubt. That being said, every dungeon had a central core in its deepest area that supported the entire dungeon as a whole. This core, called an Artifact, was a more powerful object compared to the magic tools used as the magic cores. Artifacts from the toughest dungeons could potentially hold the same value as castles or kingdoms. Additionally, dungeons that had lost their artifacts disappeared from the Latna Continent since it held the power for them to stay in this world. Those who achieved the feat of destroying a dungeon were called dungeon closers and were recognized as someone powerful among hunters. * * * Ryu Han-bin carefully looked at the metal bracelet in front of him. ¡°Is that a dungeon magic core?¡± Chapter 15 Devouring Experience Points (3) ¡°If I take this out, monsters will cease to appear.¡± Ryu Han-bin said while looking at the dungeon magic core. It was a rather unfortunate result for him. His goal was to gain experience. It would be a problem if the monsters stopped spawning. ¡°But the monsters here are useless anyway¡­¡± He didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to get a magic tool. Han-bin carefully pulled out the bracelet then activated the guideline¡¯s search function. ¡°What is this?¡± Light emerged next to the magic tool. [Fireball Bracelet] [A magic item that gives the user the ability to use fireball magic.] [Can be used 30 times.] ¡°Oh! Not bad!¡± Thanks to the Demon Dogs at the Rocky Mountains, he had a lot of experience dealing with magic attacks. He knew how powerful Fireball was. ¡°It¡¯s not that great, but¡­¡± With his strength, throwing stones became a lot more destructive than the Fireball spell. ¡°I can use this to cast ranged magical attacks anytime.¡± Han-bin always carried throwing daggers. However, throwing daggers had its own limitations. The movement needed alone to take it and throw it consumed a lot of time. Having magic attacks at his disposal made the scopes of his combat operations wider. Even if it wasn¡¯t that strong, it could still be used to keep enemies at bay or to check suspiciously dark corridors. ¡°Since I can use it 30 times, using it once to experiment with it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Ryu Han-bin quickly put on the bracelet. Its size was adjustable, allowing it to fit his thick forearm without difficulty. ¡°How do I use it?¡± [Aim the palm of the arm wearing the bracelet and shout ¡°Fireball¡±] Enthusiastically, he targeted the corpse of a nearby monster. Honestly, he couldn¡¯t help but feel thrilled. In his possession was the eternal romance of every man! ¡°Fireball!¡± ¡­Nothing happened. Not even a spark was created, let alone a fireball. ¡°Huh? Is it broken?¡± He began to wave his hand frantically. [User¡¯s level is insufficient.] ¡°What?¡± [Magic tools have user requirements that must be met. Raise your level to use the item.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A level requirement had been placed on the item, preventing him from using it. ¡°Raise my level? What level does it need?¡± [Fireball Bracelet¡¯s Conditions of Use: Lv. 33.] ¡°No, this isn¡¯t a game. Why is there a level requirement?¡± Han-bin removed the bracelet and threw it away in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s rubbish.¡± After calming down, he picked it up again. ¡°I should at least be able to sell it at a high price. I can¡¯t just throw it away.¡± He sighed. * * * Four hours had passed since he entered the Alpha Dungeon. Throughout that duration, he managed to collect nearly a hundred Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones. He couldn¡¯t sell them without raising suspicions, but he at least found a magical tool that should fetch him a huge amount of money. That was enough for him. Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t have plans to return yet, however. He was still yet to meet a monster strong enough to give him experience, after all. ¡°I have to head deeper.¡± After putting the stones in his pockets, he kept moving. He had only encountered two more battles since then. He reached a location where monsters didn¡¯t appear. The sloppy traps that popped out from time to time also disappeared. A piece of common knowledge about the dungeons that he had heard before came to mind. ¡°When you attack a dungeon, there would usually be an area where the monsters can¡¯t appear even though it¡¯s not a cleared area.¡± Hunters were advised to be extra careful upon reaching such a place. ¡°It serves as proof that I¡¯m close to the deepest part of the dungeon.¡± A guardian who protected the Artifact awaited at the end of every dungeon. The other monsters in the dungeon feared the Guardian, causing them to leave it alone. His extensive knowledge about dungeons all came from Buckman. ¡°He had so much knowledge about dungeons for a hunter that¡¯s never been in one before.¡± Still, any hunter was bound to have such common information regardless of their experience with dungeons. They needed to be familiar with the information in advance to survive the dungeons in the future. That being said, the monsters¡¯ disappearance served as enough evidence for Han-bin to know he¡¯s reached Alpha¡¯s deepest parts. He kept going forward without slowing down. About ten more minutes passed before the passageway ended in front of a huge building. It was an ancient temple-shaped building with its lower half buried in the ground. Thick stone pillars supported the 20-meter-high ceiling. In the middle of it floated a large beast. Its ball-like body was around 5 meters in diameter and had numerous tentacles sprouting out of it. Large eyeballs were all over its body, each emanating a dim light. [Race: Tentacle Beholder. Lv. 45] Han-bin lit his eyes. ¡°Hoh, Level 45?¡± That might give him some experience. * * * [Aerial floating monster. Its eyeballs can fire destructive rays, and its highly elastic tentacles are capable of a wide range of physical attacks.] [Ability: Magic nullification. Within a radius of 30 meters, any magic below level 38 cannot be used. This is the most powerful ability of the Tentacle Beholder. It is recommended to find the eyeball that can activate the magic nullification ability and remove it first.] Ryu Han-bin unsheathed his sword while reading through the explanations of the guidelines. ¡®Its most threatening skill is its ability to dispel magic, but I don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡¯ He began his approach towards the temple. The Tentacle Beholder found the intruder and flinched. ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± Its big eyeballs immediately began to shoot out bright beams of light. Han-bin swiftly dodged sideways to avoid its attacks. ¡°Huft!¡± The beams broke through the floor before exploding. Bang bang bang! Looking at the broken floor, he carefully analyzed the situation. ¡°This level of destructive power¡­¡± He didn¡¯t think there would be any problem even if he got hit by its beams. It was ridiculous that the hard stone floor had been turned into a deep crater, but it didn¡¯t have enough power to be a threat to him. ¡°Gaaooooh!¡± With a strange roar, the Tentacle Beholder fired a series of destructive rays. Bang! Bang! Bangbang! Ryu Han-bin dodged all of its attacks calmly. He steadily narrowed the distance while moving in a zigzag pattern. Targeting the intruder, the Tentacle Beholder furiously swung its tentacles. Like whips, its tentacles began to sweep towards him from all directions. Han-bin swung his sword swiftly, cutting through the tentacles as many times as he needed. Large chunks of tentacles and chopped pieces of flesh were scattered all over the temple. The Tentacle Beholder screamed in pain. ¡°Kaaaarrrgggh!¡± ¡°How is this mouthless monster screaming?¡± Out of sheer curiosity, he began to wonder. He had no trouble slicing through it. ¡°if so¡­¡± It was a bit reckless, but he had to try. Voluntarily, he allowed the tentacles to reach him, blocking the attacks with only his forearms. Poop! The appendages flew a few meters to the side. The monster¡¯s weight seemed to be heavier, but it got easily shoved away. ¡°Kraaack?¡± Outraged, the Tentacle Beholder swung its tentacles at him again. Upon reaching him, the tentacles began to coil around one of his calves. ¡°It¡¯s weak.¡± The monster couldn¡¯t even move Han-bin¡¯s leg from the ground. Along with a loud screech, it tried to pull at his ankle. Dang! Gripping at the tentacles tightly, he stomped on them using his free foot, crushing them mercilessly. He then ripped the tentacles off of him with ease. ¡°It¡¯s too weak.¡± He finished his experiment. He had enough grasp of how powerful a Level-45 monster was. ¡°Time to die.¡± Ryu Han-bin dashed forward nonchalantly. It was a bad move, but its outcome was still favorable. Almost as if Han-bin teleported, he instantaneously appeared in front of the monster and dealt the finishing blow. Dang! With sword strikes that caused dazzling lights to appear, the monster was split apart like a watermelon. ¡°Kieeeek!¡± With a scream, the monster floating in the air crashed on the floor. It revealed its hideous flesh as its disgusting bodily fluids flowed out of it. Pooooof! He quickly stepped back with a grunt to avoid the pool of fluids. ¡°This guy wasn¡¯t much either.¡± Han-bin blatantly expressed his disappointment with the dying monster. ¡°Will it give me experience?¡± * * * With another swing of his sword, he finally ended its misery. Fortunately, the message he expected came up. [Obtaining 113,240 EXP from eliminating Lv. 45 Tentacle Beholder.] ¡°It gave me more experience than I thought it would.¡± The experience gained from killing a Level 4 Demon Dog on Rocky Mountain was only around 80. But over 110,000? He was suddenly filled with excitement. The message that followed immediately removed it, though. [Current EXP: 113,240/54,581,975,800] ¡°¡­ Cough!¡± Han-bin choked the moment his eyes saw it. ¡°What¡¯s with that absurdly astronomical number?!¡± He was so surprised he found it hard to decipher the number. He had to count the digits with his fingers. ¡°Just how high is that?¡± He kept counting. It was about 54.5 billion. ¡°I killed a level 45 monster and got around 110,000 experience points, but the remaining experience I need to level up is 54.5 billion?¡± Through rough estimations, it meant he had to kill more than 500,000 monsters. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What level am I actually at?¡± * * * One thing became clear, at least. It was useless to slay hundreds of low-level monsters. At least in that area, leveling up was impossible. ¡°I have to save money and leave this city.¡± He had to raid extremely difficult dungeons at the center of the continent. ¡°It¡¯s time to head back soon, I guess.¡± He still had work to do before going back, however. Defeating the Guardian meant he¡¯d be able to get the Artifact. Han-bin searched inside the temple and found a pillar of light that contained something in the middle. ¡°Is this the Artifact?¡± He reached out and pulled the object out of the light. He then activated the search function. [Water Flow Creation Staff (Artifact)] [Hitting a rock while holding this staff creates 3 liters of purified water.] [User requirements: Lv. 40. 1-meter range. Usable once per day.] ¡°Doesn¡¯t this just make water?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t Artifacts supposed to be rarer and more powerful than magic cores?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a substitute for buckets?¡± There was even a daily limit. However, Han-bin immediately changed his perspective. ¡°It can be helpful with the right usage.¡± Water was essential to humans. With this staff, he could get fresh water anytime, anywhere. It was much easier to carry than a real bucket, and it was reusable. It might¡¯ve been useless for combat, but it was still useful in other fields. It was worthy of being called an Artifact. ¡°I can¡¯t use it regardless.¡± Ryu Han-bin lifted the staff and hit the floor out of blind hope, but the result was just as expected. [The user¡¯s level is insufficient.] He could still sell it for money. After putting it in his pocket, he waited for a bit. Now that he had removed the Artifact, changes were bound to happen to the dungeon. Boom Boom Boom! A roaring sound confused his senses. At the same time, his entire field of view was distorted and was shaken. It was like entering a dizzying haze. Han-bin muttered in a calm tone. ¡°Now, the dungeon collapse begins.¡± The Alpha Dungeon began disappearing from Latna after having its core taken. Chapter 16 Devouring Experience Points (4) The Alpha dungeon disappeared from Latna. The news itself wasn¡¯t that surprising. New dungeons were being created and being cleared all over the continent, after all. The problem was that the identity of the Dungeon Closer still hadn¡¯t been found out. ¡°I heard an unknown Dungeon Closer appeared?¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. Why won¡¯t the Dungeon Closer reveal himself?¡± The public was perplexed. No matter how much they thought about it, there was no plausible reason for anyone to refuse one of the highest honors a normal hunter could get. It was clear that there were circumstances at play that prevented the Dungeon Closer from standing up and revealing himself. The person could be a wanted criminal or worse¡­ ¡°Was it closed by an Earthling?¡± ¡°Ugh! Is there an alien around here?¡± If the Dungeon Closer was a Latnain criminal, then there was no reason to sneak into the dungeon. They couldn¡¯t get wealth and honor legally like legal hunters. The only way they could earn from the dungeons was looting Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones and magic tools that they must sell secretly. In that case, it was certainly better to break into a rich house. They were already criminals anyway. There was no reason for them to take such a dangerous path. On the other hand, dungeons were valuable to Earthlings. They could level up by gaining experience points through killing monsters. Among the aliens, quite a few secretly entered dungeons to hunt monsters for the sake of becoming stronger. The unidentified Dungeon Closer¡¯s actions seemed to be more akin to that of an Earthling¡¯s. The citizens of Onpros were terrified. ¡°Is there an alien strong enough to close the Alpha dungeon in Onpros?¡± It wasn¡¯t just because they were afraid of Earthlings. ¡°I heard that the Alien Interrogator and Templars from Kybriel Church are already making a move.¡± ¡°Oh my God, there¡¯s going to be a bloodbath.¡± A huge bounty had been placed by the six Church on the heads of Earthlings. There was only one condition that must be met to claim the bounty. The aliens must be captured alive. An alien¡¯s body would disappear upon death. If they were killed, there would be no evidence that they¡¯ve actually been hunted down. Witnesses were meaningless since they could part of a con to get the bounty. The bounty was paid only when the alien was captured and had been confirmed that they were actually from Earth. The problem was that it was never easy to confirm the identity of the captured alien. An Earthling¡¯s identity was only ever clearly revealed when they died. It was common for people to be killed if they were suspected to be an Earthling. If a body remained, they would be cleared of all suspicions. There were individuals who used that as an excuse to kill and murder. To prevent confusion and crime, The Churches each had an Alien Interrogator to confirm the truth. Through various interrogations and torturous methods, Alien Interrogators could identify those who originated from Earth and immediately execute them. They were still humans, however. They weren¡¯t always right or accurate. Up to that day, countless innocent Latnains were tortured to death or unjustly killed. If an Alien Interrogator came to Onpros, people would never be able to sleep soundly at night. Trembling with fear, the citizens cursed the Earthlings who caused this situation. ¡°Those damned aliens!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t they just live in their own world? Why did they ever have to invade our world?¡± * * * On the outskirts of Onpros City were shabby accommodations. Sitting alone in the backyard of one of the hostels was Ryu Han-bin. He had frustration in his eyes. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know the situation would be like this.¡± After he destroyed the Alpha Dungeon, the city of Onpros was enveloped by a ferocious atmosphere. The Church that served the Goddess of Darkness, Kybriel, had stepped in to find the alien responsible for closing the dungeon. Even as he sat there, Templar Knights continuously inquired all over the city. Han-bin also had an encounter with them. The Kybriel Church¡¯s Templars focused on those who came to the city of Onpros recently, and he was also one of those outsiders. It was fortunate that nothing happened. The moment he put his hand on the measuring stone, they immediately let go of him as they laughed. -Level 5? Phfft! Pass! Their reaction was unexpected considering the high-pressured situation they were in where they weren¡¯t certain if an Earthling had appeared or not. ¡°I kind of understand how it is.¡± After the Great Earth¡¯s fall, Earthlings aiming for the Six Churches still appeared every now and then. They were known as Devil Followers: alien beings who were all trying to kill a Goddess in the dark. The appearance of an Earthling enough reason to create such an intense response from the Churches. They did worship the Goddesses, after all. Han-bin suddenly came upon a question. ¡°Devil Followers¡­ Does that mean the summoned Earthlings are following the Devil¡¯s orders?¡± He tried to rationalize it. There was a being that kidnapped humans from earth, transported them to an unknown place, made them raise their levels, and forced them to fight under the premise that they would die if they weren¡¯t able to become stronger. Ryu Han-bin had been trapped for a long time due to a guideline error, but even under normal circumstances, he would have had to spend at least several months living in that hell. They had no other choice but to become stronger even though they didn¡¯t want to or didn¡¯t ask for it. They¡¯ve barely reached level 20 when they were sent to yet another world where new guidelines were handed. -If you kill the Goddess of this world, I will return you home! Many crazy men and women would just jump happily at the thought of being able to return home, ¡®Ah, thank you. I will train hard, raise my level, and cut off the Goddess¡¯s neck as you desire if that¡¯s what it would take for you to send me back home!¡¯ ¡°Usually, it¡¯s a win-win for both the kidnapper and the Earthling.¡± But the reality was different. Regardless, a lot of aliens still aimed for the Goddesses and The Church as ordered by the Devil. They killed a lot of Latnains in the process. How the hell did the Omphalos Devil unjustly abduct people from Earth and made them follow orders? ¡°There must be an unknown factor at play.¡± Brainwashing? Or some sort of control or penalty? Or mind domination? There was certainly something forcing the Earthlings to do his bidding. In Han-bin¡¯s case, that certain factor must¡¯ve been lost due to the errors in the guidelines. Ryu Han-bin put on a serious face, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t relax knowing my opponents are Earthlings.¡± He needed to be more alert. He didn¡¯t know what the Devil might have done. ¡°The good news is I¡¯m not at a level where I¡¯m going to be defeated.¡± Those who fell normally into the Latna Continent would be around level 20. Ryu Han-bin guessed that he would still be stronger than them for as long as he wasn¡¯t against a veteran who had already explored that world. ¡°Isn¡¯t that also weird?¡± Why send people down to Latna at level 20? If he sent them at level 100, the mission to kill the Goddesses would¡¯ve had a much higher success rate. ¡°Is the level you can raise in Selha Latna limited to only 20?¡± It couldn¡¯t be. Just looking at Ryu Han-bin alone had a much higher actual level. It was only due to an error that his level was capped at 5. Of course, he had been trapped in there for more than 20 years, but the point was that the Devil Omphalos had the ability to make the Earthlings as strong as he wanted to. Why was it necessary to send them to this world at level 20? They would still be too weak to kill the Goddess right away. ¡°Maybe the real objective isn¡¯t to kill the goddesses¡­¡± Perhaps sending a lot of aliens was the purpose itself. As the existence of the aliens eroded Latna, the power of the Goddesses decreased, causing the Devil¡¯s influence to increase. ¡°No, this doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± If the purpose was simply to increase the number of Earthlings in Latna, there was no need to give a mission to kill the Goddesses. If they played with Latnains for nothing, they would only lose count of aliens. In fact, hadn¡¯t there been a massive purging after the failure of the Great Earth? Since then, the number of aliens in Latna decreased considerably. ¡°What is the real purpose of killing the Goddesses?¡± Then why did he drop them to Latna in a weak state? After a long session of thinking, Ryu Han-bin could only sigh. ¡°I won¡¯t know until I meet other Earthlings.¡± * * * Onpros City was devasted day by day due to the tyranny of the Alien Interrogator. The hunters were particularly affected. All aliens must be level 20 or higher. This was Latna¡¯s common understanding which at least protected civilians from being hurt. Only the hunters over level 20 gained the suspicions of the Alien Interrogator. Of course, it had nothing to do with Ryu Han-bin. No one ever doubted him. His level gave him an almost invisible effect. It hid his identity perfectly. ¡°I can¡¯t work properly as a hunter, though.¡± His savings decreased as the days passed by. He couldn¡¯t make any money. If he sold the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones and magical tools that he obtained from the Alpha Dungeon, he would be able to earn thousands of X, but¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t sell those right now.¡± If he tried to sell items that were tiers above his level, the source would be questioned. He had no intention of endangering himself, considering he wasn¡¯t even in a predicament yet. ¡°I¡¯m in a predicament, to be sure, but it¡¯s not impossible to get myself out of it through other means.¡± Ryu Han-bin laughed as he looked down on his thick forearm. He was in a situation where he couldn¡¯t show his real strength because he was measured at level 5. That just meant he had to find another path. ¡°I can just work hard to earn money. Not everyone is a dungeon-crawling hunter, anyway.¡± * * * On the south side of Onpros City, a wall-reinforcement project was in full swing. Many young men carried stones and wood with their sweat and blood. These were daily laborers, temporarily hired by the Civil Engineering Guild. Among them, there was a particularly noticeable one. His body was huge and thick. He had the immense strength needed to lift and move the loads that were ten times heavier than the others. He never showed any sign of hardships or even broke a sweat. ¡°Huh! That¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you tired after carrying so many loads?¡± The workers admired and envied him as he showcased a bit of his strength. ¡°He might just be the god of manual labor!¡± The amazing talent who emerged as a giraffe in the civil engineering world, of course, was Ryu Han-bin. He grinned as he moved the materials he carried with ease. ¡®It¡¯s simple.¡¯ Level measurement was essential to live in this world through force. A job that didn¡¯t involve force needed no level measurements! He utilized his strength with ease. While others cut down trees, he carried stones by himself, and when others were carrying stones, he was carrying boulders. He was like a human crane, causing the productivity of the group to rise continuously. He was able to earn ten-days¡¯ worth of earnings in half a day. Honestly, Ryu Han-bin was also surprised. ¡°This is more than what I earned when I was working with Mr. Buckman.¡± If he could keep on working as a construction worker, he would be able to reach his target amount within a month. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to find a way back to Earth.¡± Onpros City was a small developed area. Both the Mage Guild and the Hunter Guild were also relatively small, making it near-impossible for Han-bin to find any information which he could make use of. He needed to move to larger cities. ¡°I need to find a way to trick the measuring stone about my level.¡± His hypothesis of returning to his actual level after filling the experience bar was impossible to prove at the time. The experience required for the next level up was 5.58 billion at least. Regardless of how many monsters he slew within the area, it wouldn¡¯t even amount to a single drop in a huge bucket. He had to aim for monsters that were at least level 70 or 80. However, high-level dungeons weren¡¯t easy to enter secretly. Since there were so many aliens who secretly entered the dungeons, the Church began to closely monitor the entry and exit points of all the major dungeons. He decided to find a way to trick the measuring stone for the time being. People in this world blindly believed the measuring stones. To Han-bin, it didn¡¯t matter how accurate it was. It was still made by humans. ¡°Man-made objects will always have flaws.¡± As it was a magical item, the information he needed might be available in the Mage Guild. He just needed to sneak it out. He didn¡¯t have to worry about getting caught because he was hiding his identity anyway. In the middle of his thoughts, their break ended. ¡°Let¡¯s finish loading up the rocks.¡± Just as he was about to get up, he heard a voice calling out to him. Following the sound, he found a woman waving at him from the bottom of the wall. ¡°Mr. Eric!¡± Her face looked familiar. ¡°Miss Sezori?¡± She was the receptionist of the Onpros¡¯s Hunter Guild. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a while since I went to Hunter Guild.¡± Han-bin descended and asked in a friendly but concerned voice, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Come to the Guild House with me for a moment!¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Sezori answered back with joy. ¡°There¡¯s someone who wants to scout you!¡± Chapter 17 Red Haired Mage (1) When he came to the Guild House, the person who wanted to scout Ryu Han-bin was already waiting for him. ¡°Are you Eric Garoon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The man was roughly in his mid-20s. His skin was as bright and smooth as porcelain. He was a handsome young man with red hair and red eyes that shone like rubies. He was wearing a red robe and holding a staff studded with red crystals. At a glance, he could easily be identified as a wizard. ¡®He seems to love the color red.¡¯ The young man glanced up and down at Ryu Han-bin who was deep in thought. ¡°You certainly look strong and big enough.¡± He said after surveying Han-bin. ¡°I am Artis Venister, a level 36 Mage. Eric Garoon, I want to officially hire you.¡± * * * Artis¡¯s destination was said to be in the catalysts were needed to study new magic, and some materials could only be obtained from native monsters that lived deep inside the Satt Forest. Unlike dungeons that generated a solid profit from scavenging Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones, hunting native monsters weren¡¯t popular. If anyone needed research materials, they had to pay large sums of money to purchase them from the Mage Guild. Otherwise, they would need to go directly to the source and loot the materials themselves. ¡°There is nothing difficult about hunting on my own, but it¡¯s hard to carry the collected materials. They¡¯re so bulky and heavy.¡± Han Bin smiled bitterly at Artis¡¯s words. ¡°As expected.¡± He was hired as a porter, not a fellow hunter to fight side-by-side with. Buckman accepted Ryu Han-bin to develop his beginner skills to make him useable as a team member and a porter, but what Artis wanted was a pure porter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just hire a handyman? Why me?¡± ¡°I went to the Civil Engineering Guild first. Everyone in there recommended you. What did they call you again? The God of manual labor?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s reputation in the Civil Engineering Guild had certainly resonated quite a lot. ¡°I am in charge of the battle. All you have to do is carry the luggage. I will pay 100X per day considering the risk.¡± That was a fair sum. That was much more than the money he earned in the Civil Engineering Guild. ¡°You¡¯re quite generous.¡± There was something strange about the offer. If he was an ordinary human, no matter how much money he was going to earn, he wouldn¡¯t trust a single mage in a forest filled with monsters. However, it was an offer that Han-bin couldn¡¯t reject. Satt Forest¡¯s monsters weren¡¯t even a match to him. He immediately agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s daily billing, right?¡± Artis rose from his seat. ¡°Then let¡¯s start right away.¡± He continued to talk as he walked towards the Guild¡¯s doors. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eric. I will take responsibility and protect you. You will never be put in danger.¡± * * * Four days after leaving from Onpros City, the duo finally reached Satt Forest. Having grasped the locations of the necessary monsters¡¯ habitats in advance, Artis went on hunting through the forest without delay. Ryu Han-bin just followed him closely. It wasn¡¯t long before a group of monsters rushed through the giant trees. Grrrrrrr!! Kaah! It was a group of two-headed gray wolves. Ryu Han-bin hid behind a tree and checked their information. [Race: Howling Wolf. Lv. 18] Their levels didn¡¯t pose a threat to Artis, a Level 36 Mage. He handled them with ease. ¡°Binding! Hold Object! Mass Wind Cutter!¡± He tied their feet with magically binding shackles and held their heads in the air with the Hold Object spell. Through the wind blades of his spell, he decapitated their heads one by one. The Howling Wolves¡¯ eyeballs were one of the materials he needed; hence he took great care not to damage the head. After killing the monster, Artis looked back to check on Han-bin. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Han-bin felt it was absurd. ¡®Isn¡¯t he too overprotective?¡¯ Whenever a monster appeared, he would tell Han-bin to hide. In case he might be attacked by a monster from behind, he also gave him stealth magic. There was no way to get hurt. Artis spoke in a haughty tone as if he had read Han-bin¡¯s expression. ¡°I promised to take responsibility for your safety, Eric. I have to keep my promises.¡± He then began to dig out the eyeballs of the fallen Howling Wolves. It required careful hand movements, so Ryu Han-bin, a stranger to magic, wasn¡¯t allowed to help harvest the materials. Han-bin was puzzled and continued watching from afar. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a surprisingly good person?¡± Artis had a cold expression, and his tone of speech was high, causing Han-bin to think his personality would be quite rude, but it different from what he expected. Artis did not forget to be considerate to Ryu Han-bin during the whole journey. Whenever they had to battle against monsters, he became attentive towards Han-bin. ¡°Is he the kind of person who¡¯s not good at expressing himself?¡± Artis beckoned to Han-bin. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the next target. Follow me.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get cocky if I see someone else call me using only with his finger.¡¯ Well, there was no particular reason for him to care. His relationship with Artis would end after the contract anyway. After picking up the backpack, Ryu Han-bin did as instructed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m coming. I¡¯m right behind you.¡± * * * They had been wandering through the woods for quite some time already. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s backpack had become so thick due to all the ingredients Artis had gathered. Its weight already surpassed that of a normal person¡¯s. Even the blunt Artis seemed a little worried. ¡°Are you okay? It must be heavy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± The bags of dirt, stones, and boulders that he carried during his hard labor were several times heavier than what he was carrying now. ¡°You¡¯re really strong.¡± After expressing his admiration, Artis looked around. The forest had already grown dark. The setting sun¡¯s light could barely penetrate through the thick leaves of the trees. ¡°I¡¯ll finish my hunt here for today. Let¡¯s find a safe place and get ready for the camp.¡± In places that were infested with monsters, such as the Satt Forest, it was important to carefully choose a campsite. ¡°Where can we find such a place¡­¡± Mumbling, Artis continued to search around. After a while, he began to frown. ¡°Well?¡± On the other side of the forest was a mountain cottage enclosed by fences. It looked like a normal hunter hut, but the location was strange. Humans didn¡¯t go that deep into the Satt Forest. Not to mention the structure was in a really poor state. Overall, the fences were too loose to be man-made. ¡°That¡¯s unusual. We¡¯ll have to check it out.¡± Artis approached the cottage cautiously. Han-bin also followed from behind. Instead of barging right in from the front, they went around the mountain cottage and headed for higher ground where they could observe it as they hid behind the trees. They were able to roughly grasp the situation from where they were. Monsters with wild, dog-like heads and monkey-like bodies loitered around in the hut. They numbered around thirty. Surprised by the situation, Artis mumbled a word under his breath. ¡°Kobolds?¡± Although Kobolds were monsters, they were capable of using tools due to their high intelligence, which could mean that they built the cottage themselves. They weren¡¯t a big threat to advanced hunters like Artis since they were low-level monsters. However, Artis had a serious look on his face. Kobolds weren¡¯t native monsters of Latna. They only existed in dungeons. ¡°How did those dungeon monsters get there?¡± Han-bin, unable to fully comprehend the situation, replied nonchalantly. ¡°They probably ran away from a nearby dungeon.¡± ¡°There are no dungeons nearby.¡± There were no dungeons in the depths of Satt Forest, and those who came out of the dungeons in the Plains were unlikely to get there. They would¡¯ve been annihilated by the native monsters of the Satt Forest before they could get to where they were. The native monsters¡¯ levels were much higher. ¡°It looks like a new, unknown dungeon has appeared in the Satt Forest.¡± Only then did Han-bin understand the situation. The Kobolds weren¡¯t the problem. If they kept a new dungeon open and unattended for a long time, stronger monsters would start pouring out. It could become a big problem. Artis, who had been thinking for a while, made a rather aggressive decision. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave them alone.¡± ¡°Are you going to hunt them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He thought of subjugating them first and leaving only a few Kobolds alive for interrogation. After finding out the location of the new dungeon, he¡¯d be able to report it to the Mage Guild. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It can¡¯t be that dangerous since it¡¯s only a few Kobolds. However, it¡¯s going to be hard to protect you, Eric.¡± Even a Kobold could be life-threatening for a level 5 Swordsman. ¡°If you hide around here for a while, I will take care of them myself. No, it would be more dangerous to be left alone in a forest like this.¡± After a while, Artis made a decision. ¡°It would be better to move together. I can fight thirty Kobolds while keeping you safe.¡± Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t in danger regardless of the situation. He would¡¯ve preferred if he was left alone to fight since he¡¯d be able to use his strength as much as he wanted without worrying about getting caught. However, he had no reason to object. He simply nodded in response. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Artis took the lead. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go. Stay at least three or four steps behind me.¡± The two began to approach the Kobolds¡¯ mountain cottage. * * * Artis¡¯s voice thundered through the forest. ¡°Staring Flash, Ray of Flame!¡± A ray of hot wire flew towards the cottage and hit the wooden fences before exploding, causing waves of heat to scatter all over the broken-down building. Guaaaaargh! Surprised, the Kobolds began to escape out of the hut with their weapons in their hands. ¡°Grrrrr!¡± ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the enemy!¡± As the fences burned down, two men appeared through the red flames. Artis, who took the lead, continued to cast his magic by swinging in the air. ¡°Lightning Arrow!¡± Four lightning arrows flew through the air and hit the Kobolds. ¡°Kek! Kaaaargh!¡± Those who were hit were mercilessly electrocuted to death. The difference in level was far too tremendous for the Kobolds to even have the chance to fight back. Regardless, the Kobolds did not withdraw. ¡°Krr! Kaargh!¡± ¡°Waa-wa-waaa¡± They growled to the fullest and raised their spears to surround their enemy. ¡°You stupid monsters!¡± Laughing, Artis lifted his crystal staff. ¡°Storm, Blow! Wind Wall!¡± He temporarily blocked the paths of the monsters by creating a wall of wind in front of them, then immediately continued his barrage. ¡°Ice Arrow!¡± A gelid arrow flashed through the ranks of the Kobolds, causing more of them to despair. ¡°Keeeeeeekh!¡± Without being able to resist against Artis¡¯s magic, the Kobolds fell to their deaths one after another. There was no way to escape because of the wooden barrier around them. It didn¡¯t take long before the entire group of Kobolds except for two was eliminated. Artis grinned as he captured the remaining Kobolds with binding magic. ¡°We need to get information out of them to find out the location of the new dungeon.¡± Chapter 18 Red Haired Mage (2) The Kobolds trembled against the binding magic. As Artis approached, they could only scream in fear. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± There was a big gap between their action and words. Ryu Han-bin smiled. ¡°You¡¯re begging for your life, huh.¡± ¡°These monsters¡¯ language is the same as ours.¡± Just like the other dungeon monsters, the Kobolds were speaking the crude Coulin language, preventing any lapses in communication. Artis sat in front of the Kobolds. ¡°Where the hell did you monsters come from?¡± The Kobolds snorted. ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°What made you think we¡¯ll tell you?!¡± Despite their initial replies, they didn¡¯t have the features of heroes who were courageous and fearless. ¡°If we talk, we¡¯ll be killed!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t die if we don¡¯t talk!¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t know whether to call the Kobolds stupid or clever. They weren¡¯t far from the truth. They didn¡¯t intend to keep the monsters alive after the interrogation. Artis reached out his right hand. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t think it would be that easy.¡± A crack quietly echoed through the forest as he broke one of the Kobolds¡¯ fingers. ¡°Keeek!¡± The Kobold screamed in pain, but Artis remained merciless. He gave the Kobold a cold smile as he continued with the interrogation. ¡°Do you feel like answering now?¡± ¡°A broken finger is better than a broken neck!¡± ¡°Fingers are fine! There are still nine left!¡± Apart from their vocabulary, it seemed to have enough intellect to judge their situation. Han-bin took Kobold¡¯s intelligence evaluation to the next level. Artis shook his head. ¡°That wasn¡¯t enough, then?¡± Artis began to cast a magic spell. ¡°Paralyze!¡± The Kobolds became as stiff as a rock. Even their eyelids were paralyzed, making it impossible to close their eyes. ¡°Fire Finger.¡± Artis¡¯s index finger was engulfed in flames. He stabbed it directly into the Kobold¡¯s eyeball. ¡°This should work well.¡± The Kobolds stuck their tongue out and began to drool like a dehydrated, rabid dog. ¡°W-wait a second!¡± Artis did not stop. He stretched out his finger and got rid of the monster¡¯s eyeballs. A grim scream rang as the scent of burning flesh filled the air. ¡°Arrgghhh!¡± It was a brutal sight to behold, but Han-bin had no problem witnessing it. ¡°That must hurt a ton.¡± He had killed Demon Dogs in all sorts of ways over the years. Watching what Artis did was normal compared to what he had to do to survive. The Kobold, who lost an eye, screamed in pain and finally broke down as it shook violently. ¡°We are from the field!¡± The other Kobold also confessed after witnessing the brutal ways of Artis. ¡°It¡¯s a wide field! Very, very spacious!¡± Artis laughed, ¡°Speak honestly. There¡¯s no way you can get into this deep forest at your level, right?¡± ¡°We killed everyone in our path!¡± ¡°Yes! We are strong!¡± Artis aimed his fiery finger at the remaining eyeball. ¡°Two eyeballs, perhaps?¡± ¡°Ah! He couldn¡¯t be fooled!¡± ¡°This is bad! We have to confess!¡± Han-bin shook his head. Although they were quite intelligent, monsters were always going to be monsters. ¡°Stop fooling me. Lies as stupid as that won¡¯t¡ª¡° The Kobolds cut his words off. ¡°A great man led us here!¡± ¡°He is a really great man. Very, very great!¡± Artis frowned. ¡°A great man?¡± What he wanted was the location of the new dungeon. Based on the Kobolds¡¯ reactions, however, it seemed more likely that they actually escaped from the dungeon on the Efen Plain and came here with someone¡¯s help. ¡°What do you mean by a great man?¡± ¡°He is so¡ª¡± The Kobolds stopped in their tracks. ¡°Ouugh!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± The Kobolds began to tremble both at the same time before finally succumbing to death. Han-bin turned to Artis who looked just as confused as he was. They didn¡¯t commit suicide. They were killed by someone or something. ¡°Is this Mind Suppression magic?¡± Mind Suppression was a Level-60 magic spell that could instantly kill its target upon trying to reveal a secret. A gloomy voice could be heard speaking from behind the fences. ¡°Ah, hell. I¡¯ve worked so hard on this. Who caused this mess?¡± * * * As the owner of the voice began to approach them, dark shadows were cast over the earth, which turned the lands into ice. Looking at the source of the shadows, Ryu Han-bin became puzzled. A skeleton was walking towards them. It wore a rather expensive-looking rag that had gold and precious stones embedded all over it. ¡°What is that?¡± He wasn¡¯t impressed by the walking skeleton. When he was in the rocky mountain, he also met the skeletal Demon Dog. It wasn¡¯t surprising to see other versions of it. On the other hand, Artis was turning pale. ¡°L-lich! How could such a monster be in this forest?¡± ¡°Lich?¡± Han-bin activated the search function. [Race: Lich. Mage lv. 72] [This monster has turned itself into an undead to maintain the magic of life. Its skeletal body will continue to be restored to its original state unless it¡¯s completely destroyed. It is recommended to use Aura-based, Mana-based, Prana-based, or Force-based attacks against it.] Only then did he feel the need to put up his guard a little. ¡°¡­ Level 72?¡± The Lich opened its mouth, revealing his empty eyeholes, ¡°No human ever comes around here, so how did you two just appear and ruined everything?¡± The duo looked at each other as they had a conversation based solely on their body language. ¡°This is making me angry.¡± Artis immediately stretched his hands forward and chanted a spell. ¡°Ignition Blast!¡± A ray of incinerating flames burst forth towards the Lich. Ignition Blast was a Level-35 magic spell and was the strongest destruction spell he could use. An explosion took place as soon as it hit the Lich. Boom! Without seeing the results, Artis turned around and pushed Han-bin, who was standing around with a blank look on his face. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and run away!¡± The opponent was a monster that had turned into a Lich¡ªthe ultimate state of corruption which gave even the top mages trouble in controlling. A level 36 Mage would never dare challenge such a high-level monster. Not even Artis¡¯s strongest spell could cause a scratch on the Lich. They had to run while they still had a chance. ¡°Hmm? Oh yeah¡­¡± In a daze, Han-bin also started running. Just as the duo tried to run towards the wooden fences, a somber voice entered their ears. ¡°The Dark Veil, Dome of Dooms.¡± Woooooong! The grounds shook as a black veil rose from the ground. In an instant, a spherical void covered the entire Kobold cottage. ¡°A barrier!¡± Artis tried to fire a magic attack against the black barrier. They had to destroy the walls somehow if they wanted to get through. ¡°Fireball! Lightning Bolt! Ice Ring!¡± Bang! Bang! Boom! The veil remained undamaged. As they kept on trying to create an escape route, the giggling skeleton revealed itself. ¡°It¡¯s annoying to go after those who run away.¡± The ashen-faced Artis turned to face the Lich and to take a closer look. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Lich gave them a cold look as he pointed at them with his bony finger. ¡°It¡¯s time to take the price that must be paid for meddling in my business.¡± * * * Artis cast spells with each swing of his staff. Fire and lightning struck the Lich nonstop. However, his Mana was being depleted quickly, causing him to feel dizzy. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± With a groan, he stared at the rising smoke within the dome. He was becoming more and more desperate. ¡°Nothing works against it¡­¡± The Lich remained in good shape. Despite all the magic he cast, he couldn¡¯t even touch the hem of its clothes. All of the magic had been neutralized by a powerful anti-magic field. ¡°Do you think that magic works? Paralyze.¡± The Lich chuckled. A flash of light blinded them and paralyzed Artis. Gritting his teeth, he resisted against its effects using his Mana. ¡°Aaaaaaagh!¡± He successfully lifted the paralysis magic. Paralyze wasn¡¯t a high-level magic spell. Artis could resist it if he gave it his all. The Lich pretended to click a tongue that wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°Looks like you had to expend even more Mana to free yourself from paralysis.¡± Without wasting another second, it began intermediate-level spells such as Flame Rays, Lightning Chains, and Ice Tornado, all of which flew towards Artis. Bang! Baaaang! Baaaaang! Artis immediately raised a Mana shield to prevent the attacks from hitting. He kept groaning and grunting as the spells collided. ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡± It was only intermediate-level magic. He was fully capable of stopping each of the spells, but it depleted even more of his Mana. The Lich merely desired to toy around and make Artis expend all of his Mana, and the reason was clear as to why. ¡°Damn! Is he trying to capture us?¡± Trembling, Artis glanced at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°¡­ What should I do now?¡± At that time, Ryu Han-bin was also having a similar problem as Artis. ¡°What should I do¡­¡± The opponent was a powerful level 72 monster. Artis, a mere level 36 mage, had no chance of winning. ¡°I have no choice but to deal with it.¡± If he showed his strength, however, Artis would find out who he really was. He thought about it as much as he could before reaching a decision. ¡°If that guy passes out, I¡¯ll step forward.¡± The Lich looked as if it was trying to capture Artis, anyway. ¡°He won¡¯t be killed. That wouldn¡¯t be a problem. It might just hurt a little.¡± * * * Meanwhile, Artis was looking back and forth at the Lich and Han-bin with anxious eyes. ¡°If this continues, both of us will die¡­¡± His internal conflict became visible on his handsome face, but it didn¡¯t last long. ¡°¡­ If so, then I¡¯ll just save Eric!¡± Artis rose up with determination. He spoke to Ryu Han-bin with a solemn tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eric. I¡¯ve been deceiving you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Han-bin became slightly confused. What kind of a sudden secret confession was this? But Artis was serious. ¡°I will protect you. I promised to protect you.¡± Promises must be kept even if it meant revealing his greatest secret. Artis was determined. His red eyes began to turn golden. ¡°I can¡¯t beat that Lich even if I do this, but¡­¡± His irises turned vertical and cat-like. ¡°I can at least give Eric a chance to escape!¡± Woosh! Woosh! Woosh! A series of winds blew as Artis¡¯s whole body was engulfed by a red light. The light expanded and took on a non-human form. The shape of Artis was no longer visible. In his stead stood a gigantic body that measured over 10 meters. Scales covered its entirety and had four thick and powerful legs that looked almost as durable as pillars of stones. The tail, reminiscent of a girder, was connected to a red-winged back leading to a long neck and a large reptile-shaped head. ¡°Gaaaaaaarwwwrrrrrr! Ryu Han-bin could only utter one word as he looked at the gigantic being before him. ¡°¡­Dragon?¡± Chapter 19 Red Haired Mage (3) Ryu Han-bin activated the search function while looking at the dragon. [Race: Dragon. Fire dragon Lv. 52] ¡°It¡¯s an actual Dragon¡­¡± The level had changed. It jumped from 36 to 52. Human Artis and Dragon Artis seemed to be recognized separately. He suddenly remembered Effir¡¯s complaint, whom he met for the first time after falling into this world. -Dragons have four legs, wings on their shoulders, and are really huge! My wings are attached to my forelimbs, and I¡¯m really small compared to dragons¡­ I¡¯m obviously a Wyvern. Why did you have such a misunderstanding? At that time, he wondered what Effir was talking about, but after seeing an actual dragon for himself, he finally understood. ¡°It really looks different from a Wyvern.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about the location of the wings. Effir had an overall slim body that allowed her to be swift. Even if he didn¡¯t know much about aerodynamics, she still had the body to fly quickly in the sky. On the other hand, the red Dragon in front of him was quite plump. Its arms, legs, body, belly, and head were bigger than a Wyvern¡¯s. Its tail was short and thick. Its body wasn¡¯t that long. It was larger than Effir, but their lengths were roughly similar. Even the wings were larger than Effir¡¯s. He was afraid that it would be possible to fly with those wings. ¡°Why does it feel like it hasn¡¯t matured yet? Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±, Ryu Han-bin thought to himself. Suddenly, a story he heard from Buckman came to mind. ¡°It is said that some of the young dragons escaped from human greed and decided to live while hiding from the human world.¡± In the Latna Continent, dragons were monsters whose drops fetched quite high prices. Their bones, scales, and leather were really expensive magic materials. Above all else, the Dragon Core, the very essence of a Dragon¡¯s power, had an extremely high value. For a young dragon whose strength was still insufficient, it was hard to protect itself. They lived hidden from humanity to accumulate strength and wisdom as well as to increase their bravery. ¡°The story states that humans who noticed their secrets tried to hunt them down no matter the costs.¡± One of those Dragons fearlessly revealed its identity in front of Ryu Han-bin¡ªa human. ¡®It might have been an unavoidable choice since it¡¯s going to be killed by the Lich regardless, but still¡­¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s eyes sank. His employer wasn¡¯t a human but a dragon. ¡°I don¡¯t have to take the initiative right now.¡± Looking at its level, the Dragon was unlikely to win. It was more probably to end in the Lich¡¯s victory. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to get rid of what¡¯s left.¡± * * * The Dragons were certainly a valuable race. The Lich even burst into excitement the moment it saw Artis¡¯s true form. ¡°A Fire Dragon!¡± If it was a fully grown Dragon, even the Lich wouldn¡¯t dare fight it, but Artis was still young. Additionally, in the case of Fire Dragons, the young ones were more expensive. ¡°Oh, My God! What a jackpot! I thought you were chickens or pheasants, but you turned out to be a dragon!¡± The Lich exclaimed out of avid excitement. A black aura rose from the Lich¡¯s body. It looked as if it had finally gotten serious. Unlike human mages, dragons were also physically strong. No matter how strong the Lich was, it could no longer let its guard down like before. That being said, there was still no reason for it to be afraid. ¡°Chain of Curses!¡± The Lich cast his magic. A cursed chain sprang from the ground. Slithering like a snake, it headed for the Dragon with unpredictable movements. Artis retaliated back with magic as well. ¡°Ice Wall!¡± An ice barrier emerged at the front of the Dragon to block the chains, but it couldn¡¯t hold together against it. Baaaangang! The Chain of Curses broke through the gelid wall and coiled around the Dragon¡¯s wings. Artis gave it his all to resist and to break free. ¡°Gaarghh aaargh!¡± The Chain of Curses gave in to Artis¡¯s resistance and finally broke, but its entire body was already covered in blood. It roared in an attempt to relieve the pain. ¡°Kaaarrrghh!¡± Dragon¡¯s Fear. It was a cry that could pierce through the hearts of those that could hear it to awaken their fear. Of course, neither the Lich nor Ryu Han-bin was affected. Both were not at the level of suffering from Dragon¡¯s Fear. ¡°Fuhuhu, it¡¯s a little better than when you dress as a human¡­¡± With a gloomy smile, The Lich swung his hands. ¡°Well, the level difference can¡¯t be helped! Darkness Storm!¡± A dark storm full of black blades blew over Artis. Its thick scales cracked, and blood began to seep through its skin. The Dragon shrieked in pain. ¡°Guaaaaaarrrhhh!¡± Still covered in blood, Artis shook his big forefoot as he stepped forward. Now that he had returned to his original Dragon form, he had more destructive power than flimsy magic spells but he still couldn¡¯t get a proper hit against the undead. Smash! Gliding through the air, the Lich easily evaded the Dragon¡¯s attacks. It was having such an easy time that it even criticized the Dragon. ¡°You gained quite a bit of weight. Your Dragonic power is quite ripe. Are you about 150 years old? It wouldn¡¯t be this easy for me if you¡¯ve been a little older. Its comment sounded like something butchers would say about their cows or pigs. It almost felt like the Lich believed it had already won, which only further highlighted the difference in levels between the combatants. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to stop struggling and just give up?¡± Artis ground his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh, you dirty monster! I¡¯m not going to get caught that easily!¡± ¡°Ha! You¡¯re being funny. To humans, both of us are the same. We¡¯re monsters.¡± Artis steadied his feet on the ground and inhaled deeply. His chest began to give off a red glow as it grew hotter. The Lich was taken aback a little. ¡°Fire Dragon¡¯s Breath?¡± Artis opened its mouth, causing a fiery blast to burst out of it, which spread all over the barrier with tremendous force and hit. Swooossshhhh! ¡°Certainly, Fire Dragon¡¯s Breath is an ability that cannot be ignored. However¡­¡± The Lich laughed at the river of flames that enveloped the vicinity. ¡°I¡¯m still unharmed!¡± Its bony finger cut through the air. A sharp dark blade sprinted through the earth and tore the flames apart. Whoosh! The cottage burned due to the high heat of the flames. The Dragon¡¯s irises turned into a circle as if it was astonished and perplexed with what he had witnessed. ¡®Th-that easy?¡¯ Even after throwing away his human form, the power gap was still too huge. At that rate, there was no chance left for them to escape. ¡°Muahahaha!¡± Revealing its blatant greed, the Lich smiled excitedly. ¡°Even a young fire dragon has a dragon core, right?¡± * * * Darkness, flames, and lightning poured out like heavy rain. With each strike of magic coming from the Lich, the red Dragon vomited blood and screamed in agony. ¡°Gaaaaarrrrh!¡± Looking at the miserable dragon, the Lich began to speak. ¡°It¡¯s easy to kill, but it takes time to capture it.¡± The hard skin of a Fire Dragon was more valuable if it was peeled off while the dragon was still alive; hence the Lich tried to catch Artis without killing him. ¡°Grrrrrr¡± In anger, Artis once again prepared for the Fire Dragon¡¯s Breath. The Lich was agitated. ¡°I¡¯ve shown you. That doesn¡¯t work.¡± The Dragon breathed fire. Gaaaarrrrggh! However, the breath¡¯s target wasn¡¯t the Lich. The moment he vomited fire, he turned his head towards the veil of darkness. Guaaarrrgh!! The attack pierced through the dome, creating a large hole. The Lich muttered impatiently. ¡°Tsk, were you aiming for the barrier?¡± A light of hope returned to Artis¡¯ golden eyes. ¡°I did it!¡± Even if the fire dragon¡¯s breath could not harm the Lich, Artis thought it would at least be strong enough to break through the veil of darkness. ¡°Eric! Run! Quickly! He shouted as he stepped back in a hurry. Han-bin hesitated. Run away? Why would he want him to run away? ¡°Is it because of the promise you made to protect me?¡± As his moment of hesitation prolonged, the Dark Veil began to be restored. Artis roared, ¡°What are you doing? Hurry and run away!¡± However, ¡°Eric Garoon¡± didn¡¯t move. It was understandable. He was only a level 5 human. It was natural for his body to freeze in such a dire situation. ¡°If so¡­¡± Artis glared at the barrier. There was still room for one Dragon to escape. ¡°I have no choice but to run with him!¡± Artis could hear the Lich¡¯s words from behind, however. ¡°Hey, who said I¡¯d let you go?¡± An intense energy spread throughout their vicinity as a violet light filled their sights. The Lich was casting a high-ranking magic, though it was taking some time to execute it. It only had one purpose: to block off the escape route of the Dragon. Artis became upset as he was forced to step down. ¡°Shit!¡± If he avoided the hit, ¡°Eric Garoon¡± was bound to die. Without hesitation, he threw himself at the magic¡¯s path. The Dragon¡¯s large body completely blocked Ryu Han-bin, causing the violet light to strike Artis. Smack! Smack! Smack! The Dragon¡¯s scales broke off, and its blood flowed out like a waterfall creating crimson pools on the ground. ¡°Aaaarrghh!¡± * * * The fallen Dragon let out a soft groan. ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡­.¡± The Dragon turned his head towards the human weakly. ¡°Are you okay, Eric? Did you get hurt?¡± Han-bin was confused. Artis¡¯s actions were unexpected. ¡°Uh, why?¡± He had never imagined a dragon would try to save him by throwing its own body. It was no human¡ªit was a monster¡ªyet it still willingly gave up its life for him. A soft smile formed on Artis¡¯s lips. ¡°I promised to protect you.¡± Staggering, Artis raised himself up again. ¡°It¡¯s only right to keep your promises. Everyone knows that.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the veil of darkness to be completely restored. Their escape route had been blocked once again. And, although Artis was still standing, he was already dying. He had already given up. He laughed softly. ¡°Haha, I hope I was a little stronger¡­¡± Looking back at Ryu Han-bin, the red Dragon spoke in a sorrowful fashion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep my word.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin stood there blankly. It was as if a storm had just hit his mind. There was no doubt about it anymore. Artis was sincere. He was a monster, yet he fought to protect him. He even revealed his secret in order to keep his words. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Without a word, Ryu Han-bin moved his hand to the hilt of his great black sword and unsheathed it silently. * * * The Lich began preparing the final blow. Now that the food was prepared, all that was left was to eat it. ¡°Chain of Curses!¡± The Chain of Curses emerged from the ground, coiling itself around Artis. The Dragon no longer had any power to resist. It simply closed its eyes and made peace with its end. ¡°Taaaassssst!¡± Just as the Lich was about to end Artis, Ryu Han-bin charged forward; his sword gripped tightly by his hand. ¡°E-Eric?¡± Artis freaked out. ¡°Are you insane?! A level 5 hunter won¡¯t be able to do anything!¡± Boosting himself off the ground and gliding towards the Dragon, Han-bin swung his sword. -Horizontal Cut! A black line was drawn across the chain that wrapped around Artis. For the first time since he entered that world, he swung his sword with all of his strength. A black crescent wind blew, causing formidable pressure to wrap around the chain. A powerful explosion soon took place. Pang! Pang! Pang! In an instant, The dark chain shattered into powder-like fragments and rained down on them. Artis and the Lich both created unique sounds at the same time. ¡°Eeeeek!¡± ¡°Snikt¡± One came from the rise of a dragon¡¯s spirit, while the other came from the fall of a skull¡¯s jaw. ¡°¡­ How did a level 5 do that?¡± The red Dragon blinked and looked at Eric Garoon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Artis.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s tone changed. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been deceiving you too.¡± Chapter 20 Win Over Magic with Muscles (1) The Lich looked at the scattered Chains of Curses with surprise visible on his face. ¡°How can a Level 5 do that?¡± The monster initially only showed interest in Artis. Ryu Han-bin was treated as a completely non-existent being. A normal level 5 Swordsman¡¯s attack wouldn¡¯t be able to damage it even in its sleep. ¡°Perhaps I made an error in my magic.¡± The Lich moved his finger again. ¡°Fireball!¡± The most commonly used fire magic was launched. A ball of flame the size of an adult¡¯s head flew towards Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Hooop!¡± Han-bin avoided the spell with ease. As it exploded behind him, he propelled himself forward, narrowing the distance and reaching the Lich¡¯s face in no time, almost instantaneously. He swung his greatsword against the monster. Baaaang! The sheer force of the swing alone made the earth explode. The Lich hastily retreated out of harm¡¯s way, causing the blade to hit the ground instead. Its jaw remained wide open out of pure astonishment at Han-bin¡¯s terrifying destructive power. It was beyond the capabilities of a Level 5 human. ¡°What the hell!¡± However, though it didn¡¯t make any sense, the Lich was convinced. The swordsman really did smash through its magic. ¡°Is he really only level 5? Is he a suitor? No, there is no such function in the guidelines!¡± Out of sheer confusion, the Lich could only scream. ¡°What the hell are you?!¡± Not taking the time to respond, Han-bin continued to pursue his opponent. The Lich glided around like a phantom, but Han-bin chased after him like a wild, hungry bear. The Lich quickly chanted a spell to increase the distance between them. ¡°A fallen seed, a sprout of decay! Entanglement of Gehenna!¡± Thick vines emerged from the ground and swiftly slithered their way towards Han-bin. He tried to avoid all of them, but there were far too many for him to dodge. Several vines approached from his blindspots and hastily coiled around his limbs. ¡°Did I catch him?¡± The Lich was about to feel relieved when Han-bin roared. ¡°Waarrghh!¡± Han-bin flexed his muscles. His arms¡¯ muscles tensed up, causing his thick tendons to spring out. Whoods! With minimal effort, he easily ripped the vines to pieces. Artis watched the scene with his eyes wide open. ¡°Did he just rip off Gehenna¡¯s entanglements?¡± Gehenna¡¯s Entanglements could only be burned with powerful magic or the power of Aura. Even a dragon wouldn¡¯t be able to rip it apart with sheer force alone. ¡°It isn¡¯t that tough.¡± Han-bin stretched out his sword to the sides and charged towards the Lich again. ¡°Die!¡± His black greatsword leveled the earth and pierced the Lich. The force of his swing was so intense that even though it was just a stab, the shockwave that followed sent the Lich¡¯s entire upper body flying as if a battering ram had just hit it. Daaang! But the Lich returned to life. Its scattered bone and skull fragments flew towards each other and merged in mid-air to resurrect it. The Lich shook his head as his expensively decorated rag fluttered. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have this body, I would¡¯ve been doomed¡­¡± ¡°I think you already are. You¡¯re already only a skeleton anyway. ¡° Han-bin frowned while watching his opponent recover from the blow. It didn¡¯t take long for it to look like it wasn¡¯t damaged in the first place. He heard Artis¡¯s voice behind his back, ¡°It¡¯s no use! Physical attacks don¡¯t work against Liches!¡± Artis initially couldn¡¯t understand the situation either, but he soon realized that he had never actually checked Ryu Han-bin¡¯s level directly through the measuring stone. He only looked at his guild ID, which stated that his name, level, and position. ¡°Is he an alien knight who hid his real identity?¡± It was also strange that the owner of such a well-built body was only level 5. It would¡¯ve made more sense if he was a high-level Swordsman who worked together with the Onpros Hunter Guild to hide his identity. At least that made sense to him. ¡°Use Aura!¡± Artis shouted in a hurry. ¡°Use Aura! You have to attack the Lich¡¯s Mana directly with Aura!¡± * * * The Lich¡¯s body was made of Mana that took on the bones of his past life. No matter how much its bones were destroyed, its body would return to its original state if the Mana remained undamaged. It was why physical attacks didn¡¯t work on the Lich. However, even warriors had a way to attack the Lich. Upon reaching a certain stage of enlightenment, warriors gained Auras. The concept of Aura, which turned one¡¯s life energy into power, was relatively close to the idea of Mana, Prana, and Force, allowing to damage bodies made out of pure Mana. ¡°I can¡¯t use Aura!¡± The Lich swiftly launched a spell. ¡°Wake up and fight! Air Elemental!¡± Dozens of wind blades appeared and began to assault Ryu Han-bin. A giant made out of wind and smoke also sprang into existence, its sole objective to kill Han-bin. Wooosh! It was around 2 meters in size. It was certainly huge compared to the average height of the Latnains, but it was only a little larger than Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Huuuuph!¡± With a snort, Han-bin went around the Air Elemental. It wasn¡¯t a difficult opponent considering the range of their attacks were pretty much the same. Bang! Bang! Kaaaaak! With every slash of his sword, the elemental was smashed by a huge blast. The Lich became even more puzzled. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he use Aura?¡± Han-bin was obliterating the Air Elemental with sheer force. It was certainly an incredible feat, but at the same time, it didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°If he¡¯s that powerful, why doesn¡¯t he just use aura?¡± If he cut them with a Blade Aura, Air Elementals would be immediately destroyed. Destroying spirits through brute strength was extremely inefficient. There was no way an Aura User would do something so stupid. With questions filling its mind, the Lich sent out another magic spell. ¡°Whip of Death!¡± A dark whip flew around Han-bin at an incredible pace, to which he dodged by stepping out of its reach. He then began running towards the Lich using an evasive pattern. ¡°Burn!¡± Even though the Whip of Death sent out shock waves in all directions, he cleverly went through the gap like a feline. The Lich cursed. ¡°God damn it! Stop running after me so hard!¡± Upon reaching the Lich, Han-bin attempted to slash through it again. Phaaaaak! As the sounds of bones cracking and breaking echoed, the Lich was split in half once more, and without fail, its bone fragments stuck back together to revive it. Artis screamed out of pure frustration. ¡°I told you to use Aura!¡± Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue as he heard the dragon¡¯s words from afar. ¡°I already told you I don¡¯t know how to use Aura!¡± He knew he had to attack the Lich with Aura. Even the guidelines kept reminding him about it. [Physical attacks do not work against the Lich. Use the Aura skill to defeat the opponent.] ¡°What even is Aura?¡± Ignoring such unhelpful words, Han-bin pulled out a throwing dagger. It wasn¡¯t easy to close the distance between him and his opponent since it kept running away. Just like when he fought against Demon Dogs, it was necessary to damage it from a distance. ¡°Ziiing!¡± Han-bin threw the dagger vigorously. Within the blink of an eye, it pierced through the Lich. Daang! The dagger broke the Lich¡¯s shoulders into fragments before piercing deep into the ground with a thunderous sound. Stunned, the Lich looked back at the buried half-buried weapon. He just threw a dagger, yet it was still enough to leave a crater around it. ¡°It¡¯s not even a cannon!¡± The Lich felt goosebumps rising all over its body despite not having any skin or flesh. Artis felt frustrated as he helplessly watched the Lich recover over and over again. ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± His destructive power was tremendous, but it wasn¡¯t enough to do truly lasting damage. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he use Aura? Isn¡¯t he an Aura user?¡± He found Han-bin¡¯s combat method strange for an Aura user. He didn¡¯t use the Blade Aura, which was the symbol of an Aura user. He didn¡¯t even use the Shield Aura and the Guard Aura, the most basic Aura techniques. He just kept hacking and slashing using his physical abilities. Still, he was dominating over the Lich. ¡°Daaaaang!¡± His strength was far beyond human capacity. His speed and stamina were also both extremely high. ¡°If he¡¯s far exceeded the limits of humanity, then he should be an Aura user. Why can¡¯t he use it?¡± The Lich was also in a state of pure confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know why but¡­¡± It blocked the charge of Han-bin with a magical barrier. Abandoning its thoughts, the Lich focused only on the facts in front of it. ¡°You can¡¯t use Aura.¡± The Lich finally felt relieved. ¡°If he isn¡¯t an Aura user, then there¡¯s a way to beat him!¡± No matter how strong and mighty he was, his body was still the same as a human¡¯s. His sword was also quite durable, but in the end, it¡¯s only made out of monster bones. If he couldn¡¯t protect himself or his sword with Aura, then his flaw became clear. ¡°Now then¡­¡± It just had to shoot huge barrages of magic spells that had extremely high devastating strength to the point where he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid them! With both hands opened, The Lich voiced out the incantation of a spell. ¡°Abyssal Black Flame, come to this land!¡± Abyssal Black Flame was a high-ranking level 70 spell. It filled the skies with dark clouds and caused the ground to shake. The air trembled, and the temperature of their entire vicinity dropped continuously. Woosh! Whoosh! Whoosh¡­¡­. Ryu Han-bin felt nervous. The land below him shook his legs. ¡°This looks like a pretty powerful spell.¡± The battlefield¡¯s atmosphere felt deathly. Han-bin stopped in his tracks and took a step back to analyze the situation. Artis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ugh! You can¡¯t do that!¡± If a mage was casting a powerful spell with a long incantation, it was only natural to strike them before they could finish it to interrupt the attack. It was common knowledge in anti-magic warfare. However, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s anti-magic knowledge was limited to what he learned in his battle against the giant Demon Dog. The giant Demon Dog was certainly physically powerful, but it also sent out magical attacks. He was used to avoiding or blocking powerful magic and counterattacking. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, Eric!¡± Despite Artis¡¯s scream, Han-bin still retreated as the Lich finished its chant. ¡°Cross, Flame of Life and Death! Inferno of Abyss!¡± A black flame crushed towards them like a tidal wave with a size large enough to cover the entire Kobolds¡¯ cottage. It had cut off all the escape routes. Boom! Boom! Boom! In front of certain death, Artis turned its head. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin stabbed his greatsword into the ground and raised his arms to cover his face as he pushed forward. ¡°Taaats!¡± With a crackling sound, his shirt was torn, revealing more of his thick muscles. His whole upper body swelled up to the fullest, turning it almost into a statue-like state. A mere man became a magnificent mountain as he faced a gigantic wave of black flames. Baaaaang! The wave was split in two as a large part of the forest was blown away. Explosions appeared one after another. Bang! Bang! Bang! After a few moments, nothing else remained on the battlefield. The rest of the land, except for the site of the battle itself, had been leveled. A man stood alone in the middle of all the ruins. ¡°Woo, that hurt a bit¡­¡± His whole body was quite tanned, but he was still in good shape. He remained unburned and unfazed. The Lich and Artis mumbled under their breaths, both at the same time. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°He blocked it?¡± ¡°That magic was blocked?¡± ¡°With his bare body?¡± That was impossible. Han-bin didn¡¯t use Aura. He just tensed his muscles to hold off the entire black wave. Ryu Han-bin tilted his head as he lowered his arms to his sides. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t it normal to block magic like this?¡± Chapter 21 Win Over Magic with Muscles (2) Artis couldn¡¯t understand what just happened. ¡°How did you stop the magic spell without doing anything?¡± ¡°Without doing anything? I put all my strength into it!¡± Ryu Han-bin protested as if it was unfair. ¡°I¡¯m a human too! If I don¡¯t give it my all as it hits me, it would still hurt!¡± ¡°W-well, that¡¯s not the problem¡­¡± Anyone would¡¯ve been killed upon being directly hit by magic. It didn¡¯t matter whether they gave it their all to defend against it or not. Leaving the confused red Dragon behind, Han-bin stared at the Lich again. The battle wasn¡¯t over yet. The opponent was still alive though it seemed to be panicking. ¡°Nonsense! It can¡¯t be!¡± The Lich raised its arms as it screamed. ¡°Flame Spear! The Prominence Ball!¡± The Lich sent a spear made out of flames and a gigantic fireball flying towards the swordsman. Han-bin charged at the Lich in return, taking his sword out of the ground in the process. Taats! Effortlessly, he deflected the burning spear with his sword. Baaang!! The flame spear was crushed and extinguished in an instant. The fireball that was closely following it was also hit by a crushing blow. Boom! The fireball exploded into pieces that rained down on them like a hail of fire. The Lich gritted its teeth out of sheer frustration. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± Spells weren¡¯t supposed to be crumpled easily with bare hands. It wasn¡¯t supposed to split apart like a fruit with a simple slice. ¡°How can you do that without using Aura?¡± Feeling desperate, the Lich continued to conjure spells. ¡°Pour out, Cursed Arrow! Arrows of the Damned!¡± Dozens of gray arrows crowded up in front of it. Han-bin frowned as he kept running. ¡®There are too many to dodge.¡¯ However, there was no reason to be upset. If the arrows flew at him all at the same time, then he simply had to deflect all of it away. ¡°Hhhumppp!¡± Breathing in, he pierced his greatsword into the earth and used it to scoop the ground into the sky. ¡°Haaait!¡± The Cursed Arrows hit the rising clumps of soil, causing it to explode. It was a trick Han-bin learned while battling against a giant Demon Dog. He continued to pursue the Lich as it launched spell after spell at him as it attempted to retreat, but Ryu Han-bin was much faster. Eventually, his black greatsword struck through the Lich¡¯s face. -Vertical cut! The skill¡¯s sheer force cut through the earth as the sword split the Lich apart mercilessly. The gold and jewels it was wearing scattered all over the place. Baaaang! However, the Lich still returned to life. Tak. Tak. Tak. As the sound of creaking came back, the bones of its whole body re-arranged itself together again. It was closer to reconstruction rather than regeneration. Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡®Tsk. It isn¡¯t like the giant demon Dog.¡¯ The Lich¡¯s magic itself was not much of a threat. It hurt a little, but it was easily manageable. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to attack the opponent either. It was quick and glided all over the battlefield, but it wasn¡¯t impossible to catch up to it. The problem was none of his damage lasted for more than a few seconds. No matter how much he destroyed its body, the bones simply reconstructed themselves. ¡°Khhf, fuahahaha.¡± The Lich burst into an odd laugh. ¡°So you really can¡¯t use Aura¡­¡± There was no way he would miss such a golden opportunity otherwise. It also further confused it as to how he blocked such powerful magic. ¡°My body won¡¯t be harmed regardless.¡± Without Aura, he¡¯s just a marvelous Swordman. The Lich could kill him by slowly tiring him out with magic. No matter how strong and tough he was, there would be limits for as long as he was human. Regaining his confidence, the Lich raised its Mana. ¡°I have one more good research material! Hahaha!¡± Han-bin tried to think of a solution as he watched the Lich burst into light. However, he couldn¡¯t find any plausible theory to go along with. ¡°What should I do?¡± It was during that moment when he remembered the description of the guideline. [Race: The Lich. Mage lv. 72] [This monster has turned itself into an Undead to maintain the magic of life. Its skeletal body will continue to be restored to its original state unless it¡¯s completely destroyed. It is recommended to use Aura-based, Mana-based, Prana-based, or Force-based attacks against it.] ¡°Unless it is completely destroyed¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°That means¡­¡± A strange smile crept upon his lips. ¡°I just need to smash it completely, don¡¯t I?¡± * * * ¡°I admit that you¡¯re pretty strong, so¡­¡± Laughing, The Lich pointed its finger towards Ryu Han-bin. Mana gathered at its tip, which became a coat of light. ¡°I¡¯ll just kill you slowly! Khufu¡± The Lich fired another barrage of spells. A chain of lightning cut through the air, followed by a spear of ice, as steel spikes shot out of the ground. Taats! Taaatss! Hoop! Ryu Han-bin broke the magic one by one as with ease. Thick forearms deflected the chains of lightning, His sword sliced the ice spear apart, and his feet¡¯ soles crushed the steel spikes. Paaaang! Daaang! Crunch! noises echoed through the fields, he finally reached the Lich again. His black greatsword began to shine in the dark. -Horizontal Cut! The Lich was unable to avoid it as usual. Its legs were cleanly severed. ¡°It¡¯s useless!¡± The Lich tried to reorganize its body again as it laughed confidently. ¡°Haaits!¡± With a warcry, Han-bin snatched the Lich¡¯s left foot! ¡°Eek?¡± The bones of the left foot began to emit blue light. He gripped it even tighter as the Lich laughed hysterically. ¡°Puahaha! You stupid bastard! Did you just grab my bones with your bare hands?¡± The Lich¡¯s body wasn¡¯t just a bone but a crystal made out of magically powerful energy. Anyone who held it with their bare hands would experience effects similar to being poisoned. Even an Aura user wouldn¡¯t do such something so foolish. The Lich shouted in excitement. ¡°The magical power energy will enter and poison you!¡± Indeed, Han-bin¡¯s right hand that was holding the bone began to freeze up. Ice formed on his wrists and began to spread at a fast pace. However¡­ ¡°Oh, it¡¯s cold.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s expression was as calm as ever. There was no visible sign of pain. ¡°I¡¯ll grind your foot into powder now.¡± He put the Lich¡¯s body part on the sword¡¯s surfaces and crushed it. Lightning burst, flashes of light surged out, and pure Mana shrieked. Pak! Paaaaak! The Lich¡¯s jawbone cracked open. ¡°Ugh!¡± His left foot was being ground finely. Tak! Tak Tak!. It was also very easy to grind. Han-bin made it look easier than grinding chicken bones. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Within a few seconds, the Lich¡¯s precious left foot was completely destroyed. Han-bin turned to the Lich while shaking his hand. ¡°Can it still go back after being turned into nothing?¡± Frightened, the Lich tried to reconstruct his body. ¡®Oh!¡¯ Its bones didn¡¯t reconstruct themselves. ¡°No way.¡± Satisfied, Han-bin held his sword again. His theory was right. ¡°But you still have so many bones. I should just smash it all.¡± A curious gaze ran over the Lich¡¯s body. Only then did it truly felt fear. ¡°I¡¯m really going to die!¡± The Lich frantically turned around and began to run away. ¡°It¡¯s a little too late to run away now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Han-bin chased immediately after it and sliced through its body again. The Lich¡¯s right leg was cut off this time. He grabbed the thigh bone from the air and ground it with his sword. Pak! Paaak! Again, Mana curses and ill effects poured over him and covered him. ¡°It starts to feel nice after getting used to it.¡± Han-bin looked like he was enjoying the breeze of an electric fan on a summer day. He wasn¡¯t taking any damage at all. ¡°Ahh! My legs!¡± The Lich could only limp away after losing both of its legs. He had the ability to glide and float through the air, but the Mana was disorganized, and his magic was disrupted, making it difficult to fly. Han-bin¡¯s gaze turned towards the ground for a moment. In the distance, The Lich¡¯s calf and right foot were just rolling over on the dirt. ¡°If I destroy bones close to the torso, will the remaining parts become useless?¡± If so, he didn¡¯t think he needed to smash all of the bones. ¡°I just need to break the major bones.¡± He moved in earnest. After catching up with the Lich¡¯s slow escape, he cut through its body, grabbed the right arm bone, and then crushed it with his bare hands. Paaaak! ¡°One.¡± This time it was the other side. Han-bin pulled out the left arm bone and ground it with his sword. ¡°Two.¡± After taking care of all its limbs, it was the body¡¯s turn. After slicing the Lich up, he cut out the ribs and collected them from the air to make fun of them. He held it all at once and mashed it. Paaaaaaaak! ¡°Three, four, five, six¡­ No, why am I even counting them?¡± The Lich¡¯s pitiful scream never ceased as it slowly lost its body. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± * * * A beaten-down skeleton riggled on the ground like an earthworm. It had lost too much body and could no longer use any magic. It was a view unfit for a level 72 high-ranking monster. ¡°Sa-save me¡­¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re not even a person.¡± Clicking his tongue, Han-bin sliced through the Lich. The Lich¡¯s neck was cut off, causing the body and head to be separated. After pulling out the whole spine, he held it in both hands and crushed it. Daaaaakk! The bluish remnants of its bones were scattered through the air. Even if it was infused with devilish magic, the remnants still glinted brightly as it fell. It would¡¯ve been a beautiful sight to behold for someone who didn¡¯t know what it was and pure fear for someone who did. ¡°Ugh, aaaaaarrgh¡­¡­¡± The skull groaned weakly. Han-bin muttered while picking up the Lich¡¯s skull with one hand. ¡°Once I smash this, will this bastard finally die?¡± The guidelines suddenly appeared. [This monster has turned itself into an undead to maintain the magic of life. To kill it completely, you must find and destroy the ¡®Essence of Darkness¡¯ containing the Lich¡¯s vitality.] Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°You mean it won¡¯t just die? What is the essence of darkness? Isn¡¯t it in its body?¡± [¡­¡­The one who was going to¨C going t-t-t¨C] ¡°Is the guideline really just going to pretend to get an error whenever it has nothing to say?¡± He thought he¡¯d get a short answer, at least. ¡°Fuck! I didn¡¯t want to die, so I turned myself into a Lich¡­¡± The skull cracked, and Mana leaked out. The Lich uttered its last laments. ¡°¡­ Will I die in this world after all?¡± As he finished his final words, the blue light disappeared from the Lich¡¯s eye. Ryu Han-bin was surprised. ¡°What?¡± The skull he was holding in his hand disappeared. The Lich¡¯s remnants disappeared as well. It had completely vanished as if it didn¡¯t exist in this world in the first place. All that remained was the tattered rag gilded with gold and precious stones. ¡°Is that what¡¯s supposed to happen when a Lich dies?¡± Ryu Han-bin was puzzled. Artis spoke softly and weakly. ¡°The Lich must¡¯ve been an alien¡­¡± Chapter 22 Win Over Magic with Muscles (3) The Dragon continued its thought. ¡°The corpse won¡¯t disappear just because it¡¯s a Lich. Its bones would¡¯ve remained.¡± The bones disappearing was enough proof that it was an Earthling. ¡°Maybe it was originally a human Mage, but it turned itself into an undead Lich.¡± Han-bin looked at the rags left by the Lich with a blank expression. ¡°It was originally an Earthling?¡± Another question came up. He had surely killed the Lich, a level 72 monster. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I get any experience points?¡± The guidelines replied. [The Experience Point system does not work in a battle between two Suitors. It is a precautionary measure installed to prevent the Suitors from killing each other. It is also made to ensure the Suitors will cooperate in carrying out the final mission.] It was an understandable reason. They released soldiers to kill the Goddesses of this world. It would¡¯ve been a problem if they killed each other instead. Looking at the situation, it was certain that the Lich was an Earthling. He didn¡¯t know which country it was from since it spoke in Coulin, not the Earth¡¯s languages. ¡®It wasn¡¯t probably wasn¡¯t speaking in Coulin. It was just using Language Communication skills like me.¡¯ However, it was certainly a human being who fell into this world after being forcibly kidnapped like Ryu Han-bin. ¡®Then did I just commit a murder?¡¯ Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t experience anything like the shock of the first murder. For two decades, Han-bin had killed and killed numerous Demon Dogs. It may have been his first time murdering someone, but the act of killing itself had become boring to him. He was already used to taking the lives of others. However, he truly felt a bit bitter. ¡°Will I end up dying like that after wandering in a world I¡¯m not familiar with?¡± Perhaps that was the future that awaited for Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Han-bin clenched his fist. ¡°I¡¯m not dying here! I¡¯m going to survive and return home!¡± * * * ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you just say ¡®as expected¡¯?¡± Han-bin turned towards Artis with a question. After thinking about it, he found Artis¡¯s tone too calm. ¡°Did you already know that the Lich was an Earthling?¡± ¡°I did. It used an expression that doesn¡¯t exist in this world.¡± Replied the wounded Dragon. ¡°I have never heard of a phrase the Lich used in our world.¡± After confirming Artis¡¯s identity, the Lich shouted a phrase back then. ¨C I thought you were chickens or pheasants, but you turned out to be a dragon! From Ryu Han-bin¡¯s point of view, it was so natural that he didn¡¯t find it strange. However, the phrase was nonexistent on the Latna Continent. ¡®He noticed it with such a clue? So people can use the attitudes and common senses of the aliens to determine our identities.¡¯ The large Dragon shook its head slightly. ¡°Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only reason how I knew. There is already quite a bit of Earthly proverbs on the Latna Continent.¡± It had been several decades since the aliens appeared. Back in the early days, everyone regarded them as heroes. Many followed their words and actions. The Earth¡¯s proverbs and metaphors were currently well-known, so it was difficult to conclude that someone was an alien just by looking at their vocabulary. Han-bin felt a little relieved. ¡®Thank God. It seems like people won¡¯t be able to tell for certain just due to a simple slip of the tongue.¡¯ Artis had another reason that made him reach his conclusion. ¡°That Lich accurately recognized your level.¡± The Lich knew from the beginning that Ryu Han-bin was a level 5 Swordsman, causing it to ignore him, and when he revealed his real skills, it was astonished beyond belief. ¡°Only aliens can grasp the opponent¡¯s level without using the measuring stone and without the other party¡¯s consent.¡± If it were a Suitor and had the same Guidelines, the Lich would have grasped Ryu Han-bin¡¯s level just as immediately as he learned the Lich¡¯s level. ¡°And one more thing has become clear.¡± Artis slowly stood up. A dim murderous spirit began to spin around the wounded Dragon¡¯s whole body. ¡°You¡¯re not a Level 5 Swordsman.¡± With apparent hostility, the Red Dragon asked. ¡°¡­ Are you an alien too, Eric?¡± * * * The large Dragon emitted terrible energy. Firming its feet against the ground, it bared its fangs against Han-bin, who kept his calm. Artis had stood up, but he was wounded. ¡°Can you fight in that state?¡± Clenching his teeth, Artis shouted. ¡°Do you want me to die doing nothing?!¡± He knew there was no chance of winning. If he was going to die anyway, he wasn¡¯t going to die without a fight! He was not going to give his life to the filthy alien demons! ¡°I have no intention of fighting you at all.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Ryu Han-bin kicked his greatsword off the ground and sheathed his weapon. Artis rolled his huge eyes around. The Alien did seem to have no intention of fighting him. ¡°Is this a trick?¡± That was strange. What would Eric get by being deceptive in this situation? He was more powerful than the Lich he easily overpowered. The same Lich beat Artis almost to death. He could kill Artis in one blow if he wanted to. The Dragon¡¯s voice softened a little. ¡°¡­ Are you saying you know my identity but don¡¯t want my body?¡± At that moment, Han-bin laughed. ¡°That line would¡¯ve been weird if you said it in human form.¡± He tried to erase the moment he imagined where a handsome young man said the same line to a muscular male. There weren¡¯t any misunderstandings, at least, since Artis was in his Dragon form when he said it. ¡°I never intended to get your body.¡± Artis refused to let his guard down. Even if he didn¡¯t want the Dragon¡¯s body, he still had a good reason to kill him. ¡°I know what you are, Alien, yet you¡¯re just going to let me live? Ryu Han-bin replied swiftly. ¡°I know what you are, Dragon. Why did you try to save me?¡± Confused, Artis replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural? I made a promise to keep you safe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why.¡± Han-bin continued. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m a righteous man, but¡­ His voice became serious. ¡°I am not a villain who would kill someone who kept their promise of protecting me.¡± Confused, Artis stuttered. ¡°B-but the Earthlings¡­¡± All Earthlings were demons from a different world who have contracted with the devil. Even if they seemed gentle and good outside, it was all a lie. That was the firm belief of the Latna Continent. ¡°Ah, about that?¡± Ryu Han-bin shrugged. ¡°I heard similar stories in the Hunter Guild.¡± Every Dragon was nothing but a demon that coveted human blood and flesh. There were rare cases where they pretended to be human and showed a delicate appearance to trick humans into being eaten. ¡°People shouldn¡¯t let the Dragons mislead them and that they should be hunted down as soon as they¡¯re discovered, right?¡± Artis got mad. ¡°That¡¯s a lie that humans made to justify taking a Dragon¡¯s body!¡± ¡°Maybe, but if you change the word Dragon to Alien, doesn¡¯t it seem like a similar story?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Dragon was speechless. Its hostility and murderous spirit gradually disappeared. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know what other Earthlings are like. They could be as vile as the Latnains claim.¡± Artis¡¯ excitement seemed to have subsided, so Ryu Han-bin continued. ¡°But I have my reasons to survive.¡± He told Artis everything. From the kidnapping, the guidelines and the Demon Dogs¡¯ existence, the Guidelines¡¯ errors, about him being isolated at the Rocky Mountain of Selha Latna, and the fact that he spent over 20 years there. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Artis seemed restless. He had been forcibly kidnapped, let alone for decades, and lived every day with his life at stake. ¡°Why would I do what those bastards tell me to do? I¡¯d rather exact my vengeance on them.¡± Of course, he had no intention to kill the Goddesses. Rather, he just wanted to get help. ¡°It¡¯s your choice whether you believe me or not. But I won¡¯t kill you, and I won¡¯t reveal your identity.¡± Han-bin closed his monologue. ¡°As long as you promise to keep my secrets.¡± Artis narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡­. Are you saying that you trust me?¡± ¡°Your promise is reliable enough.¡± Artis already showed that he was trustworthy. The Red Dragon looked at the Alien in front of him in silence. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be lying.¡¯ Artis himself was not a person who believed in others easily. However, Han-bin¡¯s story was convincing. Trying to avoid a battle and talk reason into his enemy was also one of the most useful pieces of evidence. ¡®He is sincere.¡¯ Artis finally relaxed completely. ¡°I believe you, Eric.¡± A gentle smile appeared on the Dragon¡¯s mouth. ¡°You are a man of honor. You must have been a nobleman on Earth. I¡¯m sorry, I misunderstood.¡± He lowered his long neck and bowed his head politely. Despite the Dragon¡¯s appearance, He could feel the sincerity. ¡°I¡¯m alive because of you. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got some sort of¡­¡± Just as Han-bin clicked his tongue as he laughed cheerfully, Artis began to groan. The Dragon soon fell onto the ground once more. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As its tension was relieved, the pain finally registered in its mind. Its injuries were severe enough to make it hard to stand in the first place. Surprised, Ryu Han-bin checked up on Artis. ¡°Woah, are you okay? We have to treat your wounds first, but¡­ How do we treat dragon wounds?¡± * * * The large Dragon shone and shrunk rapidly. Paaats! A few moments after, a small young and naked man was left in its stead. Blood and wounds covered his entire body. Hanbin frowned momentarily. ¡®Why is he naked?¡¯ He remembered the robe that Artis was wearing earlier was torn when he transformed. ¡®Can¡¯t he transform into a human while wearing clothes?¡¯ Artis grabbed onto him as he asked for a favor. ¡°Can you bring me my backpack? My injuries are so severe it¡¯s making it difficult to move.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After pulling out and wearing a new robe, Artis began to heal himself. He sprinkled a healing potion on his wounds, drank the potion, and bandaged himself. While watching the scene, Ryu Han-bin suddenly asked, ¡°You¡¯re originally a dragon, right? Why transform into a human before treating your wounds? Do you recover faster when you are in human form than when you¡¯re a dragon?¡± ¡°No. The resilience of a dragon is probably better. It¡¯s physically strong, and its level is higher.¡± ¡°Then, why?¡± ¡°Due to our huge bodies, treating dragons costs a lot more medicines. It¡¯s hard to bandage such a huge body.¡± Humans certainly could heal themselves faster and more efficiently than dragons could. ¡®Is it all due to the expenses, then?¡¯ It would take a lot more potions to heal a dragon¡¯s wound, after all. After treating himself, Artis laid down for a while and took a breath as he waited for the medicines to take effect. About ten minutes later, he got up again. ¡°For now, the first aid should suffice. The battle was brutal, but I¡¯ve healed enough to get out of this forest.¡± Han-bin¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What if we meet a monster?¡± Artis looked up at him, stunned. ¡°Are you worried about the monsters in this forest with those skills of yours?¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Now that he didn¡¯t have to hide his identity, he could openly use his strength in front of Artis. Artis shook his head as he looked around the stubble. ¡°I just came here to get magical materials, but it turned into something big.¡± He fought against the Lich, revealed his true form, and found out his porter was an Alien. Artis suddenly put on a serious face. ¡°Wait, what about the daily fee? Should I pay more combat fee?¡± He originally hired Ryu Han-bin only to be a porter. Combat wasn¡¯t in the contract. ¡°Never mind. There¡¯s no point in calculating the daily fees in this situation.¡± Han-bin abruptly asked Artis a question as well. ¡°Speaking of employment, can you hire me for a little longer, Artis?¡± Chapter 23 Win Over Magic with Muscles (4) An idea immediately came into Ryu Han-bin¡¯s mind after finding Artis trustworthy. ¡°If I sell my items under his name, it will make my life a lot easier.¡± As a level 5 Swordsman, he couldn¡¯t just sell all the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones and magical tools he had looted without raising suspicions. However, if he sold them using the name of the Level 36 Mage Artis, there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. ¡°The process would be a lot safer.¡± Even if he went to another city, he would still need to consistently act like a normal hunter. It would be more believable to hide behind Artis, just like when he hid behind Buckman earlier. It wasn¡¯t a bad proposition for the mage either. ¡°You are a hunter too. I¡¯ll be able to help you.¡± The level 72 Lich was honestly easy to deal with. ¡°I am definitely not one of the weaklings in this world.¡± Artis laughed. ¡°What are you even talking about¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin was the strongest among the people Artis had ever seen. No, he was the strongest of all the creatures Artis had seen in his life. When a dragon laid an egg, it left. It wasn¡¯t part of a Dragon¡¯s instinct to raise their children. Not even Artis had met his parents before. He had never met any of his kin. He didn¡¯t find any when he lived in the wastelands like a beast, or even during the times after learning the ¡°Dragon-Human Morphing Ability¡± from his natural bloodline magic after raising his intelligence. It left him unsure as to who¡¯s stronger between Ryu Han-bin or a fully grown dragon, but he didn¡¯t doubt the Earthling¡¯s immense power. ¡®Even though his strength is absurdly unbalanced.¡¯ Artis had no reason to reject Han-bin¡¯s proposal. They both lived among humans, with their identities hidden. He didn¡¯t keep a cold mien or acted all high and mighty for no reason. It was his way of keeping people away to prevent them from discovering his identity due to his own recklessness. If he were with Ryu Han-bin, he wouldn¡¯t need to hide his identity. ¡°I agree. It¡¯s hard for me to find someone as strong as you to become my subordinate.¡± They reached an accord. Artis reached out his hand to initiate a handshake. ¡°I look forward to our partnership.¡± Han-bin shook his hands with a bright smile. ¡°Me too, Artis.¡± * * * His real name was Artis Amphiter Ragnawalker. Originating from the Dragon language, it was the name that was engraved into the egg¡¯s soul. ¡°I don¡¯t need to hide my name since humans don¡¯t find it strange. You can continue calling me Artis.¡± The Swordsman also introduced himself properly. ¡°Your real name is Ryu Han-bin? Is Ryu your last name?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then I can call you Han-bin, right?¡± Ryu Han-bin felt a little worried. Unlike Artis, his name didn¡¯t fit into this world. ¡°It would be better if you¡¯d call me Eric. We might get caught otherwise.¡± ¡°Can I call you Han-bin when we¡¯re alone, then? It¡¯s the name your parents gave you when you were born, after all.¡± For Artis, it was disrespectful to call someone using their alias for no reason when he knew what their real name was. The Dragon seemed to have high regard for real names. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Han-bin. I¡¯ll be careful in front of others. Latna¡¯s Dragons do not make such simple mistakes.¡± ¡°If you say so, then I¡¯m fine with it.¡± ¡°Then about our way of talking¡­¡± ¡°What about it? Can¡¯t we just keep talking to each other like this? We¡¯re partners, you know.¡± Artis¡¯s tone became serious. ¡°We might be in the same team and are physically in the same age group, so it seems natural, but you¡¯re a lot stronger than me, a Dragon. Don¡¯t you want to be honored?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯ll continue to talk as usual then.¡± Ryu Han-bin curiously looked at Artis. ¡°Fire Dragons are the same as Red Dragons, right? Aren¡¯t Red Dragons usually quick-tempered and violent?¡± Yet Artis had a fairly calm and prudent personality. Artis frowned, ¡°Where did that prejudice come from? I know there are no dragons on Earth.¡± ¡°People imagined them to be as fierce as flames since they could breathe fire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Would a human have a better personality simply because they had golden hair?¡± Clicking his tongue, Artis continued. ¡°What kind of people have such crazy imaginations? Individuals¡¯ characters and inclinations are based on their living environment and values. It¡¯s impolite to stereotype a whole race based on one¡¯s pleasurable guess!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ryu Han-bin could only scratch his head. Artis healed at an incredible pace as they talked. He could even walk now without limping in pain. ¡°Let¡¯s stay for a little bit longer.¡± Artis glanced over the smashed Kobold¡¯s cottage. Ryu Han-bin curiously asked Artis. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°The Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones of the Kobolds.¡± It was a low-class monster, which meant its stones were only worth a few pennies, but he couldn¡¯t just throw away money. Han-bin grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth the trouble to pick all of them up.¡± Most of the Kobold corpses had been smashed and scattered among the debris due to the Lich¡¯s magic spells. ¡°We¡¯d have to clean the place up to find the corpses.¡± Artis replied as he didn¡¯t understand Han-bin¡¯s point. ¡°What do you mean? I can just use magic.¡± He activated a spell. ¡°Rooting!¡± The whole mountain was covered in a magic circle. Simultaneously, Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones began to float from all over their vicinity, all of which gathered at where Artis was sitting. Upon opening the pocket of his backpack, the stones flew in all at once. Han-bin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Unbelievable! There¡¯s actually a spell to collect multiple Stones at once!¡± ¡°What made you think there wasn¡¯t one?¡± ¡°I just assumed that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Thirty low-grade Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones from Kobolds were only worth a few pennies. Of course, it was a huge sum for Ryu Han-bin, but it wasn¡¯t much for Artis, an advanced hunter. After collecting the Stones, he headed for the rags left by the Lich. The Lich itself did not leave anything behind, but the clothes it was wearing remained. Normal rags wouldn¡¯t have caught his attention, but the one the Lich was wearing was studded with gold and precious stones. It also wasn¡¯t possible to use Rooting magic to collect it. Artis laughed as he retrieved the gems one by one. ¡°It¡¯s worth the effort.¡± ¡°This is troublesome. The stones are scattered all over.¡± Regardless, they still kept on looting the trinkets. Picking up a small emblem, Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Letters were embossed in the middle of the item. Ryu Han-bin could easily read the text. He didn¡¯t even need to use the Language Communication Skill. It was written in characters he¡¯d known for a long time already. Great Earth ¡°It¡¯s in English?¡± Even the words were familiar. Artis became frightened when he saw the emblem. ¡°Oh, my God! It is a sign of a Goddess Slayer!¡± It was the symbol of Great Earth, an alien group that planned to kill the Wind Goddess. Ryu Han-bin had also heard about the alien group. ¡°That Lich, was it a remnant of the Great Earth? But I heard they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°They should be, but¡­¡± Artis had a concerned look on his face. It wasn¡¯t only humans that feared the Goddess Slayers. Other intelligent creatures of the Latna Continent also feared them. Goddess Slayers attempted to destroy the world they lived in, after all. Urgency filled his words. ¡°This isn¡¯t normal. Come on. We need to inform the Mage Guild.¡± Han-bin held him back. ¡°In order to do that, you¡¯d need to reveal that you fought with that Lich. Are you sure about that?¡± A lot of Artis¡¯s dragon blood still remained at the scene. If an investigation team came, they would be able to discover Artis¡¯s real identity easily. Ryu Han-bin would also be suspected. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Artis regained his cool. ¡°I¡¯ll keep quiet about it for now. We¡¯ll let them know when the time is right.¡± Only after the traces of Dragon blood had been erased would they be able to tell the Guild about it in a way that would keep their secrets hidden. ¡°Just in case, I¡¯d like to search a little more. Help me, Han-bin.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Both of them scoured around the place for more useful items or information. However, they found no other clues. It was just a living quarter of ordinary Kobold, nothing unusual. ¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing more to find here.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Onpros, Artis. There¡¯s nothing more we can do here anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Artis eventually gave up on his lingering thoughts. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go back.¡± * * * Three days later, Ryu Han-bin and Artis reached Onpros city. At that same moment, two individuals showed up at the site of the burned Kobold Cottage. One was a pale middle-aged man with a faded blond hair, and the other was a young woman with brunette hair. The brunette woman said. ¡°This is where Shin Ha-joon died, Richard.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The middle-aged man called Richard looked around in wonderment. ¡°Search, Activate. Due date, four days. Range, remaining traces.¡± A letter of light floated up in one of his sights. [Search for the remaining energy.] [Traces of magic have been found.] [Paralyze, Chain of Curse, Entangle of Gehenna, Air Elemental, Whip of Death, Inferno of Abyss¡­¡¹ ¡°Most of them are Shin Ha-joon¡¯s magic. Although low-level magic is sometimes seen¡­¡± Richard tilted his head. According to this trace, the Shin Ha-joon faced a mage that was no stronger than level 40. ¡°There¡¯s no way such a weak enemy could beat him.¡± Shin Ha-joon, a Suitor from Korea, was a man who abandoned his human body and turned himself into a Lich. Whatever killed him should¡¯ve left some form of a trace. But they found nothing¨C no Mana, Prana, Aura, or Force that could be strong enough to damage the Lich. ¡°But it is clear that Shin Ha-joon died here. It¡¯s stated in the Guidelines.¡± ¡°I know, Leslie.¡± Looking back at the woman called Leslie, Richard asked, ¡°Is there any way to defeat the Lich without using Latna¡¯s four powers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t.¡± She shrugged. ¡°If someone used force that surpassed the four powers, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to kill the Lich like putting it in a huge hydraulic press and pressing it hard to make it powder?¡± Richard frowned, ¡°Is there someone strong enough to do that in this world?¡± A man around the same age as Richard appeared behind a tree. He had jet-black hair, wore light-gold armor, and carried a set of twin blades. ¡°There aren¡¯t many creatures that have that level of power.¡± Richard turned towards the man. ¡°Did you find something, Alejandro?¡± He raised his finger. There was a dark fluid on his fingertips. ¡°Dragon Blood. I can¡¯t get any other, though, since three days had already passed.¡± ¡°A dragon?¡± Certainly, if it were a Dragon that had been over 500 years old, it would be possible to crush a Lich with pure physical power. Nevertheless, Richard raised an even more mysterious question. ¡°All of Latna¡¯s Dragons belong to ¡®Upper Draconium,¡¯ right? Why did the Dragon attack us, their allies?¡± ¡°Maybe there is a traitor.¡± If so, it was impossible to ignore. Alejandro asked Richard, ¡°Should I track, scout, and get rid of it?¡± ¡°Will you be okay alone? It wouldn¡¯t be easy if you¡¯re up against a Dragon powerful enough to harm Shin Ha-joon.¡± ¡°No problem. I have this.¡± He pointed at his necklace. Richard looked relaxed. ¡°Oh, yeah, well.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start right away. As luck would have it, I found something useful while chasing after Shin Ha-joon.¡± Alejandro snapped his fingers. A creature soon flew from the other side of the forest and landed on the vacant lot. It was a large Wyvern with thick shackles around its neck and a gagged mouth. Leslie looked surprised. ¡°A Wyvern? And it¡¯s well-trained too?¡± ¡°Is it a valuable item? I accidentally found it in this forest.¡± Alejandro beckoned. ¡°Bow your head.¡± The Wyvern obeyed meekly. The Wyvern could only weep as it bowed its head even though it didn¡¯t want to. Due to the magic gag and shackles, if it resisted, it would lose its life. It cried softly as it allowed the middle-aged man to ride behind its back. ¡®Hiiiirgg¡­¡­.¡¯ It hadn¡¯t been that long since it survived an Alien¡¯s beating, yet it was already in trouble due to another Alien. With a kick at its side, Alejandro ordered the Wyvern. ¡°Fly!¡± Effir, the Wyvern, sighed deeply as it flapped its wings hard. ¡®Oh, my fate¡­¡­.¡¯ Chapter 24 New Start (1) Inside a magical tool shop at the eastern commercial district of Onpros City, a transaction was being processed. The shopkeeper brought out a pouch of gold coins and handed it to the red-haired mage. ¡°The Devil¡¯s Spirit Stone value measurement is over. Combined with the value of gold and jewels, the total is 12,830X.¡± Artis sold the stones Ryu Han-bin obtained in the Alpha Dungeon in his stead. After leaving the store, Artis handed the bag to Han-bin, who was waiting outside. Han-bin laughed as he checked its contents. ¡°I won¡¯t worry about money for a while.¡± The Devil Spirit Stones prices were likely to be high since they were from monsters level 30 or higher. The Lich¡¯s gold and gems also gave him a significant sum. ¡°My savings have doubled thanks to that transaction.¡± At Han-bin¡¯s words, Artis asked in bewilderment. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s already a lot of money, but it only doubled your savings?¡± ¡°I made quite a lot of money through manual labor.¡± ¡°What the hell did you do at the Civil Engineering Guild¡­¡± The Fireball Bracelet was also sold off. The mage, Artis, didn¡¯t need it, and Ryu Han-bin couldn¡¯t use it because of level limits. He sold it off without regrets. Artis shook his head. ¡°How come you can¡¯t level up even though you¡¯re already so strong?¡± ¡°I told you, my level system is broken.¡± ¡°I heard rumors that the aliens use a technique called Guidelines, but I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s one of its effects.¡± They couldn¡¯t sell the Water Flow Creation Staff, however. Unlike the Fireball Bracelet, it was an Artifact. ¡°I¡¯m not a dungeon closer. Selling Artifacts that came from unknown sources will raise suspicions.¡± Kybriel¡¯s Alien Interrogator was still in the city. It was better not to do anything that might get their attention. ¡°No need to be sad about it. It¡¯s not a very expensive Artifact.¡± Contrary to what he heard from Buckman, the distinction between magic tools and artifacts wasn¡¯t performance. ¡°The difference in value was decided by its permanence.¡± In fact, some artifacts were exactly the same in terms of performance and abilities. The only difference between them was the number of uses. ¡°In most cases, Artifacts perform better than magic tools. Buckman isn¡¯t completely wrong.¡± In any case, there was no need to sell the Water Flow Creation Staff. Its ability was extremely convenient, and it was better to use it than to sell it off. ¡°The problem is that I can¡¯t use it either due to the level requirement.¡± Artis glanced at the staff strapped to his waist. He tried to activate it as a test, but the result was as expected. It required a level higher than 36 for it to be used. ¡°I don¡¯t know its level requirement.¡± Though he wanted to appraise the staff, it would risk him being caught with an artifact with no history of belonging to him. However, Han-bin responded as if the answer was obvious. ¡°The requirement? It¡¯s level 40.¡± ¡°How do you even know that? Oh, right.¡± Artis quickly understood and stuck out his tongue. ¡°That¡¯s quite a perk for an Alien. I can¡¯t believe you can see its qualifications without using a measuring stone.¡± The Thinkers managed the measurement stones in the Mage Guild Headquarters. They weren¡¯t just sold off to anyone and were extremely expensive. They could be seen in Guilds and Magical Tool Shops, but normal individuals couldn¡¯t easily buy them off. Now that he had Ryu Han-bin, his life felt a lot more convenient. ¡°Level 40. If I level up a little more, I¡¯ll be able to use it. It would be better not to sell it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you pass the level requirements in your dragon form?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what level I am when I¡¯m in that form.¡± To fully understand his true strength had always been one of Artis¡¯s goals. He couldn¡¯t just use a measuring stone without revealing himself in front of other humans. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious, but I have no way of finding out.¡± Ryu Han-bin gave him an answer with ease. ¡°You¡¯re level 52 when you¡¯re a Dragon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His life-long problem had been solved out of nowhere. ¡°This just feels wrong for some reason¡­¡± At the very least, he could turn into a Dragon if they really needed to use the Artifact. ¡°But let¡¯s just carry bottles of water. I can¡¯t do a strip show every time I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°Hey, are there striptease shows in this world?¡± ¡°Well, our worlds aren¡¯t that different.¡± They exchanged jokes as they walked down the street. They headed to Artis¡¯s house, which is located west of Onpros City. Artis had taken the responsibility of taking care of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s needs based on the premise that he saved his life. Ryu Han-bin began to ask Artis a question. ¡°I really don¡¯t have to pay a single penny? I should do some extra work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s the payment for my life¡¯s interest fee.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying your payment for the principal fee is different?¡± Han-bin said it as a joke, but Artis¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± With an arrogant expression, the Dragon replied pridefully. ¡°My life isn¡¯t cheap.¡± * * * Artis¡¯s house was a wooden structure located on the outskirts of the city. It consisted of the ground floor, an attic, and a small garden. It was similar to a traditional Nordic house. Ryu Han-bin had no reason to wonder why the whole Onpros City had such a design. But he was curious about what it looked like from within. He had only ever been inside poor accommodations that were almost no better than pig pens. ¡®What would its interior look like? Will there be a fireplace and a carpet?¡¯ This world¡¯s civilization was roughly at the level of Europe during the years between the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution. Imagining a lovely old-fashioned atmosphere, he followed Artis into the house. And he was surprised. ¡°Huh?¡± The interior design itself looked antique. Upon entering the house, Artis turned on the lights using a switch on the wall then opened a fridge to drink cold water. Gulps of water squeezed through his throat. He then took meat and bread out of it. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare for dinner.¡± He put the bread and meat in a box with a glass door and operated it. The cold bread and meat slowly turned golden brown, giving off a savory smell. ¡®Is that a microwave?¡¯ With an ecstatic face, Ryu Han-bin opened his mouth. ¡°Why do you have those things? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Artis glanced back at him and tilted his head. ¡°Why are you so surprised? New to the cold storage room? I heard there are similar objects on Earth.¡± ¡°That just makes it more surprising to see it here!¡± No matter how much he thought about it, such machines shouldn¡¯t be found at the level of civilization in this world. Artis frowned. ¡°You underestimate our world too much. The power of magic is greater than you think, Han-bin.¡± As it turned out, all of those were magical items. What he mistook for a light is a magic lamp that lit up with Mana, and the microwave oven was just an oven that heats up through magic. The refrigerator was also a magical tool infused with freezing magic. ¡°The mages of Latna invented those.¡± Due to the advent of the Dungeons, Latna¡¯s magical science developed swiftly. By studying the Dungeon¡¯s magic tools, they unique to this world. In some aspects, Latna¡¯s magic tools were better than the Dungeons¡¯ magical tools. The power was weak, but the duration was long. It wasn¡¯t possible to burn a house down due to the shortcircuiting of an appliance from Latna. They still haven¡¯t discovered how to create such strong outputs. However, they could start a small fire that would burn for the entire day. The dungeons¡¯ magic tools didn¡¯t offer the same abilities. Besides, unlike dungeon magic tools with a fixed number of uses, Latna¡¯s magic tools could be used for a long time and only needed to have their Spirit Stone changed to repair them. Though they couldn¡¯t be properly utilized as weapons, Latna¡¯s magic tools served as great household appliances. ¡°I heard they haven¡¯t been able to create Artifacts yet. Perhaps some of the Thinkers¡¯ latest researches are based on that.¡± Ryu Han-bin nodded with a stupid look on his face. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± He still had a lot of questions left unanswered. The standard of living in Onpros City was around the same as Europe during the medieval ages. Due to the convenience of all the appliances, they should¡¯ve been more common. ¡®Their magical science development has advanced so far, but why is the overall level of civilization still look ancient? Is it because magic tools are too expensive?¡¯ Considering Artis, who wasn¡¯t really that rich, could buy the items, they didn¡¯t seem that expensive. Still mulling over his thoughts, he approached the fridge. ¡®Being able to drink cold water is definitely convenient.¡¯ He missed the cool freshness of drinking cold water during hot days. He opened the refrigerator as his excitement grew. But it didn¡¯t budge. Rap! ¡°Huh? Why isn¡¯t it opening?¡± A message popped up. [Your level is insufficient.] ¡°Right! You can¡¯t use it at your level, Han-bin. I¡¯ll open it instead.¡± With ease, Artis opened the refrigerator instead, took out a bottle of water, and poured it into the glass. ¡°Here, have a drink.¡± Holding his glass, Ryu Han-bin stared at the refrigerator blankly. An additional message popped up. [Constant Cold Storage: Conditions of Use lv. 20.] ¡°¡­. This is!¡± He finally understood why the world wasn¡¯t riddled with magical household tools. ¡°The technology of this world cannot be used by commoners.¡± The common people wouldn¡¯t even be able to use low-level magic tools. Only high-level individuals could enjoy the perks of the world¡¯s technology. It was only natural for the appliances to be rare. The tools were created based on the Dungeons¡¯ magic tools¡¯ science. There was no way to remove the level requirements. ¡°We need a way to get rid of its limitations.¡± In response, Artis asked as if it were strange. ¡°Is anyone on Earth able to use such convenient tools?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Without any requirements?¡± ¡°For what reason would you need to be qualified?¡± ¡°Without qualifications, you won¡¯t need to take responsibility for the convenience you enjoy. That doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± In this world, all magic tools and artifacts were subject to conditions of use. The understanding of the people revolved around that notion. ¡°Well, some of the aliens sometimes carry a unique item with no level limit, but¡­¡± Such taboo items were confiscated and sealed off by the Thinkers. It was all for the sake of preventing the items from falling into the wrong hands. ¡°There is such a huge cultural difference between our worlds.¡± Ryu Han-bin shook his head. He wasn¡¯t on Earth, after all. * * * After dinner, the two sat together in the living room. Now that their stomachs were full, it was time to discuss their plans. Their biggest problem was that Ryu Han-bin was only measured as a level 5 Swordsman. Han-bin brought up a question. ¡°How can I fool the measuring stone, Artis?¡± After contemplating for a while, Artis bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a method. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t expect it to be solved that easily anyway.¡± Ryu Han-bin sighed as he shook his head. ¡°Is there no other choice but to stop measuring the level itself? But in this world, if you refuse to measure your level, you can¡¯t even work as a hunter.¡± ¡°Oh, did you want to work as a hunter while avoiding the use of measuring stones?¡± Artis shrugged. ¡°If that¡¯s the problem, then there¡¯s a solution.¡± Han-bin was surprised. ¡°There¡¯s a solution?¡± Chapter 25 New Start (2) Ryu Han-bin and Artis left Onpros City. The ¡°solution¡± Artis proposed was impossible to do in Onpros. ¡°You need to start in a new place with a new identity.¡± He already had enough money anyway. He had no reason left to stay. It took ten days for the duo to reach their destination¨C the dungeon City of Highten. The city was located in the middle of the Xrad Kingdom. It was at least far enough for his identity as Eric Garoon to be left behind. Ryu Han-bin murmured as he looked at the sceneries of Highten. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a strange-looking neighborhood?¡± A huge canyon ran through the middle of the city. Both sides were used as part of it. Pointing to the bottom of the Canyon, Artis explained. ¡°That¡¯s the Crete Valley. It¡¯s a dungeon hunting area.¡± Originally, Highten was the estate of Count Veretti, and it wasn¡¯t the same bustling place that it was now. However, a few years ago, dungeons began to appear in the Crete Valley frequently. It had become a major hunting spot for hunters. Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Are there dungeon entrances in the city? Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± It might have been better to build a city a little further away, considering how there was no way to predict when the monsters would pop out. Artis shook his head. ¡°They didn¡¯t really plan to build a city.¡± Unlike in the vast Efen Plains, In Crete Valley, people didn¡¯t have to wander far because dungeon entrances only appeared at the bottom of the canyon. To make their lives easier, the hunters built their base above the relatively safe gorge and periodically explored dungeons. Since it lasted for years, it became the cause of urbanization. ¡°The citizens don¡¯t seem to feel threatened. Count Veretti set up a tight watch from the bottom of the canyon to the city¡¯s entrance. For Count Veretti, the dungeon city of Highten was a goldmine. As such, the city was carefully managed to avoid its collapse. At the end of the explanation, Artis shrugged. ¡°You can start over here, Han-bin.¡± * * * When Artis arrived at Highten, he first bought a house near the canyon. The closer a property was to the canyon in the dungeon city, the cheaper the house was. ¡°The closer it is, the more likely it is to be attacked when monsters pop out. But the closer we are, the more comfortable it is anyway.¡± Due to the people¡¯s collective fear, he was able to buy a great house for a low price. It was even complete with magical tools and items for everyday use. Looking around the house, Ryu Han-bin felt a bit concerned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you spending too much money, Artis?¡± He spent a good deal of funds buying the house. He also spent a considerable amount of money during their 10-day trip. Because of their expenses, Artis¡¯s savings was starting to run out. ¡°Let me buy this house. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have any money.¡± Artis refused. ¡°I owe you my life, Han-bin. I hate living with debt, so I plan to pay that off as soon as possible.¡± Seeing how Artis kept helping Han-bin with everything he¡¯s got, Han-bin felt like a Dragon¡¯s debt of life was more important than he imagined. Suddenly another thought came up, causing Han-bin to laugh. ¡°If I were a real Level 5 Swordsman, how severely would I be in debt?¡± If Artis had saved him, how much would he have to work to pay off his life debt? ¡°Am I going to have to pay you back for the rest of my life?¡± He didn¡¯t think so. ¡°The cost of life from person to person. It¡¯s up to you to determine its value. If you¡¯re a humble person who considers your life cheap, you won¡¯t even have to worry about life debt.¡± He didn¡¯t intend to get paid for such a man¡¯s life. ¡°Of course, I find my life extremely valuable, so this isn¡¯t enough to repay you..¡± ¡°What an arrogant thing to say.¡± Artis replied with a smile. ¡°It really isn¡¯t a problem. Earning the money I¡¯ve spent isn¡¯t that hard..¡± It wasn¡¯t that he was spending money mindlessly. He had plans of his own. Crete Valley was also a like the Efen Plains. ¡°Han-bin, with power, we can earn a lot.¡± They came to that city to be able to maximize the usage of their power, after all. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get ready for a fresh start.¡± * * * It had been 15 days since then. Two outsiders entered the hall on the first floor of the Highten Hunter Guild. The hunters who were staying in the hall looked at them with slightly surprised expressions. ¡®Hoh!¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s a very conspicuous party.¡¯ At the front was a handsome young man sporting red hair. He wore a red robe that made him look like a mage, but his appearance was unusual. However, the hunters¡¯ main focus was on the individual standing behind the young man. ¡®And that guy?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve never seen a guy like that around here.¡¯ He had a massive 190 cm body, broad triangular shoulders, and rigorous muscles covered by his copper skin. Both the chest and the back were well-defined, revealing their presence. The tendons on the shoulders and forearms were thick and strong like ropes. His body looked as if it was purely made of muscles. ¡®That¡¯s overkill.¡¯ ¡®Wow, look at those muscles. I¡¯m so envious.¡¯ ¡®How can a human body achieve that?¡¯ The hunters had a reason to look at his body so closely. He had no top and only wore fur shorts and boots. His upper body and his thighs were left completely exposed. A rugged leather belt circled around his wide waist, and a gigantic black sword was attached to his back. He was the perfect embodiment of the word ¡°strong.¡± The duo headed straight to the reception desk. A slick-looking teenage boy greeted them cheerfully. ¡°Welcome to the Highten Hunters Guild. I¡¯m Newk, the guild receptionist. How may I help you?¡± The young man handed over a document. ¡°Artis Venetian, Level 36 Mage. I came to register as a hunter.¡± After receiving and reading the papers, Newk¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°You were originally in the Onpros Hunters Guild? Advanced Hunters are always welcome.¡± He then pointed at the measuring stone. ¡°I¡¯ll check the current level of Mr. Artis as part of the procedure. Please put your hand on the measuring stone.¡± Soon the black stone emitted letters made out of light. [Occupation: Mage. Lv. 36] Newk immediately processed the documents needed for Artis¡¯s recruitment, then addressed the giant behind him. ¡°Please put your hand on the measuring stone as well.¡± The man reached out to the measuring stone. Underneath her matted black hair, her black eyes shone brightly. A few moments passed. ¡°Rejected!¡± He crushed the measurement stone in his hand. Dang! Dang! Dang! The hard measuring stone quickly turned into powder. With a loud crack, the fragments of the magic tool flew all over the hall. Newk turned pale. ¡°Gasp!¡± The hunters in the hall stood up out of fear. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Are you here to pick a fight?¡± However, no one dared to attack. He just smashed a measuring stone with the same hardness level as granite, with his bare hands. His strength was beyond that of a human¡¯s. With the tension rising, the man shook his hand as he spoke in a cold manner. ¡°That stone is evil. I have no intention of playing around with filthy demon tricks.¡± The atmosphere began to calm down. The fierce eyes of hunters became stained with astonishment and fear. ¡°Wait a minute, did you say that measuring stone is evil?¡± ¡°N-no way¡­¡± ¡°An extremely hardened body¡­¡± ¡°and power that transcends humans!¡± Looking back at the big guy, Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°Hey, Felard. Can you stop breaking other people¡¯s properties?¡± ¡°I got too excited. I¡¯ll be careful in the future.¡± The man nodded bluntly. Artis smiled bitterly as he returned his gaze to Newk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will pay for what he broke.¡± Newk didn¡¯t even care about the broken measuring stone. The existence of the giant in front of him was a lot more important. Newk asked a question in disbelief, his eyes still looking at the man called Felard. ¡°Is this man the legendary¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Smiling, Artis nodded. ¡°He is a warrior of the Valtara Clan.¡± * * * There was a story that had been passed down as a legend on the Latna Continent. At the far end of the continent, on an island in the southern archipelago, there was a minority called ¡®Valtara.¡¯ According to legends, even the children of Valtara possessed power that surpassed bulls. It was said that slender women from that clan could destroy trees with a single blow and that their old men could cut through boulders using swords. Valtara¡¯s trained adult warriors exerted power comparable to Aura users through pure brute strength alone, and that the strongest warrior among them that broke through his limits could cause natural disasters with a single swing of his sword. They were the strongest barbarians in this world. Despite their incredible power, the Valtara Clan kept themselves isolated from the rest of the world. They never interacted with the world and lived only by themselves in the remote southern regions. Only a few of their warriors left their hometowns for the sake of training. They were all strong, warlike, and violent. Their barbaric warriors had left countless legends across the continent with their sturdy bodies and beastly spirits. Latnains regarded the Valtara warriors in awe. * * * ¡®Oh my God, the legendary Valtara warrior¡­¡­¡¯ Newk looked at the giant in front of him, Felard Bean. He immediately understood why he was wearing such an outfit. He also understood why he broke the measuring stone. The Valtara Clan, in their pursuit of the path of a true warrior, considered it an act of cowardice to wear armor like shields and helmets. It was why they never wore anything more than what¡¯s necessary. The use of magic tools was considered an evil act and was actively avoided in their culture. They believe that their soul would be corrupted if they used such equipment. Their beliefs weren¡¯t without basis, however. Latna¡¯s magic tools were made based on the magic tools from dungeons. The dungeons¡¯ magic tools all came from the Devil Omphalos. The magic of a Mage was from the Goddesses¡¯ grace, but it was the firm belief of the Valtara warriors that magic tools were curses made by demons. ¡®Yes, if he is a Valtara warrior, he can¡¯t use a measuring stone. The measuring stone is also a magic tool.¡¯ Convinced of everything, Newk carefully raised his head. He felt a little scared during the whole ordeal, but he was starting to relax. There was no way a Valtara warrior who pursued the path of a ¡°real warrior¡± would harm a child like him. He plucked up his courage and talked to him. ¡°Sorry, but according to the guild rules, you cannot register as a hunter unless you measure your level.¡± Artis replied as he knew about it already. ¡°I¡¯m going to register him as my escort. Would that be possible?¡± ¡°Oh, of course!¡± Sometimes young nobles played as hunters for fun. During those times, the knights who served the nobleman would register separately as guards. Knights who served noble families weren¡¯t allowed to register as actual hunters according to the laws of Latna. The procedure was completed without any problem. After a while, Newk came out with two IDs. Highten Hunters Guild: Advanced Hunter, Lv. 36 Mage, Artis Venetian Highten Hunters Guild: Felard Bean, Guardian Knight of Artis Venetian ¡°Mr. Felard has been registered as an escort of Mr. Artis.¡± ¡°Good!¡± The barbarian man nodded, laughing briskly. Valtara barbarian warrior, Felard Bean. Of course, his identity was Ryu Han-bin, a young Korean man who abandoned his old identity of Eric Garoon to start a new life. Han-bin sighed while acting as violently as possible. ¡®Ah, what a waste. Measurement stones are very expensive¡­¡¯ Chapter 26 Valtara Warrior (1) Artis¡¯s solution was to disguise Han-bin as a Valtara warrior. Han-bin had to stop wearing his original clothes and switch them for a fur belt, shorts, and boots to execute it. Ryu Han-bin shook his head as he looked over his own body. ¡°I¡¯m not a tribal person¡­ Do I really have to wear this?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? You won¡¯t feel cold since it¡¯s summer anyway.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not about the temperature.¡± Everyone was dressed well, but Artis wanted him to go out with his entire upper body and legs completely exposed. ¡°It looks weird no matter how I look at it¡­¡± Unlike Han-bin, who was becoming more and more uncomfortable, Artis was calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Trust me.¡± Han-bin did as he was told. The solution¡¯s results were too good for him to refuse. It didn¡¯t just solve their problem with the measuring stone. ¡°Han-bin, you can¡¯t use other magic tools anyway.¡± Due to his low level, Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t capable of using Latna¡¯s magic tools. However, high-level hunters often carried one or two magic tools. There would certainly be cases when people would naturally recommend using the items when they¡¯re together. ¡°You can¡¯t always tell the hunters that your level is low. They¡¯ll find out who you are.¡± Valtara warriors regarded the use of magic tools as soul corruption. It was indeed the perfect excuse. ¡°I agree with your plan. I just feel uncomfortable.¡± There was a reason why Ryu Han-bin felt that way. He lived wearing a similar primitive outfit for 22 years in the past. ¡°Now that I could finally live like an actual human being, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m forced to wear this again¡­¡± ¡°You just have to dress like that in front of others. Hang in there.¡± Artis continued to soothe and compliment him. ¡°Your appearance resembles the image of a real Valtara warrior. No one will doubt you.¡± He had a huge body, large muscles, and power that transcended humans. All of those were the hallmark of Valtara warriors. ¡°When I first saw you, I thought you were a Valtara warrior for a moment. Of course, seeing you wearing armor, I realized you weren¡¯t.¡± ¡°What about my race?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem either.¡± The Valtara Clan, living in the continent¡¯s southern archipelago, were close to the Southeast Asian race on Earth. They didn¡¯t have the same features as Ryu Han-bin, but their appearances were still close. Artis spoke while looking up and down at Han-bin. ¡°It will take a while to get copper skin.¡± His skin needed to be tanned. They had to be prepared in case they run into someone who knew ¡®Eric Garoon.¡¯ He had to change his looks as much as possible. People would have a more difficult time identifying him if he changed the color of his skin. Ryu Han-bin shrugged. ¡°I need to get a tan, then. Are there tanning drugs in this world?¡± It existed. It wasn¡¯t for beauty like on Earth but rather was used by criminals to disguise themselves. He drank his medicine and stayed on the roof for three days to roast himself in the sun. There was some problem on the way. ¡°Ease up your strength, Han-bin. Your skin won¡¯t burn because your defense is too high. ¡°I just can¡¯t understand how my defense works. Why won¡¯t my skin burn when I strain it?¡± ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not an alien.¡± His skin soon became copper-colored reminiscent of a bronze statue. After changing his appearance, the next step was to change his behavior. ¡°I have to act and talk like a barbarian.¡± ¡°What is barbarian-like behavior? Kaarrrh! Felard¡¯s strong muscles will make you cry! Should I do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where you got that nonsense from. Just follow the behavior of existing Valtara warriors.¡± Despite not knowing a Valtara warrior personally, Artis knew quite a lot about the Valtara clan¡¯s customs. In fact, it seemed that everyone in the Latna Continent knew a lot about them. Han-bin, who was oblivious to their existence, naturally had a lot of questions. ¡°Valtara warriors are extremely rare, and there are only a few of them in the entire continent. How does everyone know a lot about them?¡± Artis grinned. ¡°Because there¡¯s an extremely famous Valtara warrior. A legendary barbarian that made his name known throughout the continent.¡± He was famous enough to have dozens of books dedicated to his life and his feats. Artis also got most of his information from him. ¡°Han-bin, the name should be familiar to you.¡± ¡°I doubt it. I¡¯ve never heard of any Valtara Warrior before.¡± But he was someone he knew. The warrior was one of the strongest four. He was the strongest swordsman on the continent who fought against the Great Earth 33 years ago. ¡°Baotolt the Sword King, he is the strongest Valtara Warrior of that time.¡± * * * Artis taught Ryu Han-bin the custom and behavior of Valtara warriors as well as he could. As soon as they entered the Guild, he asked him to destroy the measuring stone first. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say those stones are expensive? Should I really do that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I still have enough money saved to afford one.¡± Artis¡¯s savings had already run out, but he still had the additional profit he gained from selling the Lich¡¯s gold and gems. ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to waste money, though.¡± He wondered if he could just refuse to use the measurement stone. Artis explained to Han-bin, who was in doubt. ¡°The first impression you make needs to be intense.¡± The stronger the first impression of being a Valtara warrior he left, the less suspicion he would get. Even if Ryu Han-bin exhibited strange behavior in the future, he could just attribute it to being a Valtara warrior. ¡°A Valtara member who¡¯s pursuing the path of a true warrior doesn¡¯t care much about common sense.¡± ¡°¡­ You phrased it so well, but you simply want me to act ignorant and arrogant.¡± Han-bin continued with his inquiries with a wry look. ¡°Should I smash every magic tool I see then?¡± It seemed he didn¡¯t need to. ¡°It¡¯s just to make a strong first impression. After becoming accustomed to the customs of the continent, real Valtara warriors just look at magic tools as if they¡¯re garbage.¡± Another question suddenly came up. ¡°What if I meet a real Valtara warrior?¡± He didn¡¯t know where other Valtara warriors could be. There was no law that he would never encounter other Valtara warriors. After pondering for a moment, Artis answered. ¡°I think we can get over that somehow.¡± The Valtara clan worked as a unit, but the southern families were scattered all over. They didn¡¯t all know each other. Even if he happened to meet another Valtara warrior, it was unlikely that they would know each other. ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s a saying that Valtara fighters greet each other with swords, not words.¡± Before anything else, though, they had to follow their plan first. If the hunters agreed that he had the body of a Valtara warrior, then they would¡¯ve already succeeded. ¡®¡­What¡¯s wrong with these ignorant humans?¡¯ Han-bin was relieved even though it was absurd. It was unlikely for them to get caught. ¡®If things get messed up, we can just throw this identity away.¡¯ It had been 15 days since he had learned the customs of Valtara¡¯s way of speaking. Felard Bean, a Valtara warrior, was born. * * * The scene unfolded on the first floor of the Hunter Guild. Han-bin Ryu looked at the eyes of the hunters around him. It was just like Artis said. After he broke the measuring stone into pieces, no one doubted him. They just looked at him as an object of fear. ¡°A Valtara warrior¡­¡± ¡°Why did the Sword King¡¯s blood member come to such a country?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make eye contact. He might feel offended.¡± In the midst of it all, there were still envious and longing eyes that stung him. ¡°His body is truly amazing.¡± ¡°The legend is true. Valtara warriors are born with perfect bodies.¡± ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± They might¡¯ve been whispering among themselves, but Han-bin¡¯s ears could hear all of them. ¡®Wait, who said my body¡¯s beautiful?¡¯ Stunned, he clicked his tongue. Again, Artis was right. Despite dressing like a barbarian, no one felt uncomfortable. ¡®The people of this world are weird¡­¡± It seemed like there was no longer any need to feel problematic regarding his level. ¡®The only ones who¡¯d be able to learn about my level would be those from Earth.¡¯ Meanwhile, Artis was still talking to Newk. ¡°I want to take on a job right away. Do you have any advanced quests?¡± ¡°Of course. Please wait.¡± Just as Newk was going through the Guild¡¯s documents, someone called for their attention. A man sitting at the corner of the Guild¡¯s hall spoke cautiously. He seemed to be in his late 40s. ¡°Can you excuse me for a moment?¡± Though not large as Han-bin, he was still quite big and had many scars all over his body. He looked like a warrior that had a lot of combat experience. ¡°If you¡¯re new to Highten, how about joining our team?¡± Artis replied swiftly. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Brad Fraser, a level 37 Spearman. Revealing my level in front of the Valtara Warrior feels embarrassing.¡± He chuckled. Introducing himself, Brad pointed to the group at the table. ¡°Those are the members of my team.¡± They also got up and introduced themselves. A well-trained warrior who seemed to be in his mid-20s went first. ¡°Martin Lacus, Level 36 Fighter. I use Warhammers as my main weapon.¡± Warriors who wielded blunt weapons rather than spears and swords were called Fighters. A brunette woman who looked to be around the same age followed suit. ¡°Elsa Ruin, I¡¯m a Level 33 Priest.¡± A black-haired young man in his late twenties that gave off a weak impression went last. ¡°Poel Compton, level 34 priest.¡± It was a high-level team that could attack any dungeon. However, they had an unbalanced composition. There were no mages in their ranks and only had two melee warriors and two priests. Brad began to explain their situation. ¡°Our team originally had a mage, but we lost him due to a mistake awhile back.¡± It sounded like a monster killed their mage in a dungeon. ¡°That¡¯s why we need a strong Mage.¡± His words were the exact opposite of his eyes that never left Han-bin. He looked as if he was wondering how amazing it would be if a Valtara warrior joined their team. Artis shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t join your team.¡± Brad¡¯s face darkened. ¡°It¡¯s okay. After all, a team that lost a member would seem weak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± With a bitter smile, Artis pointed to Ryu Han-bin. ¡°My escort doesn¡¯t get along very well with other people.¡± Brad was immediately convinced. The Valtara warriors were as notorious as their amazing martial arts. Still, regret remained, and he quietly asked. ¡°In that case, how about joining us only until we¡¯ve closed a dungeon?¡± Brad¡¯s team was targeting a dungeon called Tackle at the south of Crete Valley. They had reached the middle and lower floors, but that was where they lost their mage. ¡°If possible, I would like to get your help.¡± ¡°Let me ask my friend. What do you think, Felard?¡± Ryu Han-bin responded with a harsh voice while inflating the muscles of his upper body. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, but my only companion is Artis! I will not let this instance happen twice!¡± Looking back at Brad, Artis smiled bitterly. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You really are a Valtara warrior!¡± Brad burst into excitement. Han-bin was puzzled. He had been acting like a Valtara warrior, but¡­ ¡®I¡¯m not board-minded, but aren¡¯t I ignorant and stuffy?? But Brad and the rest of the party just looked at them with sincere admiration. ¡®The people in this world are strange¡­¡¯ Anyway, they made a deal to team up they¡¯ve closed the Tackle Dungeon. Brad asked for a handshake. ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± Artis smiled and shook his hand. ¡°We are the ones who look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± Chapter 27 Valtara Warrior (2) Noises echoed from within a large cave in the middle of the Tackle Dungeon. A battle was taking place underneath the faint light of a magical photosphere. Dozens of monsters kept rushing into the opening with clanky weapons. ¡°Human!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± It was a Gray Orc¨C a muscular monster with gray skin around the same height as an adult male. ¡°Hoops!¡± Brad, the team¡¯s Spearman, strengthened his spirit as he stabbed his long weapon forward. With every thrust of its blade, pained screams echoed. On the other side, Martin, armed with a Warhammer and a thick shield, cussed nearly twice as fast as he could kill the monsters. ¡°Die, you dirty Orcs!¡± The two Priests at the rear, Elsa and Poel, joined forces to assist the entire unit as best as possible. ¡°Freleu¡¯s wind! Come forth!¡± ¡°Althea¡¯s veil! Give us the protection of light!¡± Elsa maintained the entire team¡¯s vitality and energy with healing techniques, and Poel controlled the overall battle flow by preventing them from being surrounded or overwhelmed using barriers. Standing behind the barrier, Artis also began to conjure magic. ¡°Explosion! Freeze Ball! Chain Lightning!¡± Against the endless rush of Gray Orcs, Brad¡¯s team fought back without hesitation. Compared to the Buckman¡¯s team, whose team members were at the Intermediate Hunters¡¯ level, their team was far superior. However, compared to the annihilation happening on the other side of the cave, their performance was quite cute. * * * Taaaats! Enthusiastically, the giant Swordsman rushed into the Orcs¡¯ ranks, his large sword in hand. The Orcs, unable to avoid his charge, fortified themselves and held their ground. That was a mistake¨C but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Felard! Destroy them!¡± With a warcry, the Swordsman swung his black greatsword in a crescent motion. A rainstorm of blood and flesh soon followed. The limbs of the Orcs that had been reached by the attack flew away in all directions. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± One of the ax-wielding Orcs was swiftly cut in half. He also grabbed the head of the Orc that was attempting to sneak behind him, crushing its skull with his bare hands. Those who tried to run away were caught by the neck and crushed against the ground. Some were grabbed from both ends and were ripped apart in two. Like a berserker, the giant Swordsman continued to crush dozens upon dozens of Orcs without rest. Brad and Martin were horrified. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± ¡°Is he really a human?¡± They knew that Valtara warriors were comparable to the Aura users due to their formidable physical strength. However, the events before them were still far too unbelievable despite witnessing it with their own eyes. It didn¡¯t take long for the Orcs to be completely eradicated. Elsa held her breath a little as she tried to ask Han-bin a question. ¡°Shall we take a break?¡± Ryu Han-bin replied bluntly. ¡°Keep going.¡± His words were short and blunt, but they didn¡¯t feel offended by it. Valtara warriors had always been men of few words. ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t talk much.¡± Brad¡¯s team kept moving. Upon encountering another group of monsters, Ryu Han-bin stormed forward like a bullet. ¡°Felard! Destroy them!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang~! Another explosion of death and corpses transpired. Blood and meat were blown away wherever he swung his sword. As he watched the scene, Martin stuck his tongue out. Indeed, he was the same as in the legends. Silent, violent, and belligerent¡­ ¡°Felard--! Stab! Felard! Cut! Felard! Beat! Felard! Tuck!¡± ¡®¡­. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be silent?¡¯ Martin blinked. ¡°Why does he seem so talkative?¡± Artis hastily explained. ¡°W-well¡­ That¡¯s because he¡¯s one of the most talkative among the clan members¡­¡± Artis then approached Han-bin after he had killed the monsters and whispered something in his ears. ¡°Hey, fight quietly.¡± ¡°Why? You told me to behave like a barbarian.¡± ¡°I told you to act like a barbarian. When did I tell you to act like a fool?¡± ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t know how difficult this is¡­¡± He studied hard to disguise himself as a Valtara warrior, but he still seemed to be missing something. ¡®How ironic is it that I have to study to look ignorant?¡¯ Clicking his tongue, Ryu Han-bin glanced at their team¡¯s reaction. Everyone seemed amazed by his physical prowess, and they still had the look of envy on their faces. Secretly he smiled. ¡®Good.¡¯ The reaction wasn¡¯t bad. It was all going according to plan. ¡®If I keep doing this, I¡¯ll be able to meet the Goddesses, right?¡¯ * * * His disguise had solved his problem with his level. It was time to think about the next phase of their plan. ¡°You said you want to meet the Goddesses, Han-bin?¡± ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter which of the six.¡± To go back home. That was Ryu Han-bin¡¯s final goal. To achieve it, he needed to find a way to go back from this world. But, according to Artis, it seemed impossible with magic. ¡°I¡¯m not a very high-level Mage, but I¡¯m aware of the huge issue regarding the success rate of dimension transfer.¡± Even Thinkers at the headquarters of magic was still unable to manipulate dimensions. ¡°It might be possible for a deity.¡± The only way to return to Earth was to meet this world¡¯s transcendental beings and get help. Ryu Han-bin opened up his rough plan. ¡°I¡¯ll somehow infiltrate the Church, somehow get to a level high enough to be able to get acquainted with one of the saints, persuade them somehow to convey my sincerity to the Goddesses about meeting them.¡± It really was nothing but a rough plan. ¡°Pffftt!¡± Artis burst into laughter. ¡°When you use the word somehow three times, it¡¯s no longer a plan.¡± Earthlings had already attempted to kill the Goddesses once. The Church¡¯s cautiousness and security had been increased to the maximum due to the incident. ¡°You think you can still convey your sincerity to them?¡± ¡°I can at least try to build their trust in me.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that trust start from a lie?¡± Even if Han-bin became fortunate enough to get acquainted with a saint, if he revealed that he was an alien, he would immediately be labeled their worst enemy. Their broken trust would intensify their feeling of betrayal. ¡°It¡¯s more plausible to seduce a saint and blind her with love, then make her take you to a Goddess.¡± Even that plan was unrealistic. He didn¡¯t want to seduce a saint, after all. Ryu Han-bin sighed. ¡°Is there any way to meet the Goddesses? It¡¯s definitely too hard to meet one. Perhaps that¡¯s why my fellow Earthlings rely on the final mission instead. Just as he was beginning to feel disappointed and defeated, Artis gave him a ray of hope. ¡°I didn¡¯t say there was no way to meet them. There¡¯s one, but it will be difficult to achieve.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way to meet a Goddess¡­¡± Artis shrugged. ¡°But there is a way to meet all of them.¡± * * * Due to the Great Earth¡¯s sins, the six Goddesses of Latna defined the aliens as evil and subjected them to a massive purging. The Goddesses also decided to fight the Devil Omphalos more actively. ¡°The Goddesses gave their blessings to those who fought against the Aliens.¡± The four strongest members that destroyed the Great Earth 30 years ago. Baotolt the Sword King, Zenobia the Archmage, Garhan the Terrible, and Holrien the Transcendental. It was said that the six Goddesses descended directly in front of them, praised them for their hard work, and blessed them with eternal youth. ¡°It became a really huge event. Even the Absolutes trembled with emotion.¡± Though their lack of immortality meant they could still die, their body would forever remain young and strong until that time came. The four strongest people who received the Goddesses¡¯ blessings became even more eager to hunt down the Earthlings. Influenced by their actions, most of the Latnains began to participate. The Goddesses¡¯ intention to resist the invasion of the Devil actively worked well. And the blessings of the six Goddesses didn¡¯t end there. Dungeons and Aliens were vile products of the Devil Omphalos. Once every 12 years, the one who contributed the most to Dungeons¡¯ destruction and the Aliens¡¯ purgery was chosen to receive the Goddesses¡¯ blessing. Right after the Six Churches announced the news, the number of people hunting down Aliens and attacking the Dungeons increased. It was said that there were even knights, nobles, and royalty among them. It was even called the Golden Age of Hunters. ¡°Right. You mean that the six Goddesses appear when you receive the Goddesses¡¯ blessing?¡± Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t get old anyway, so he didn¡¯t need the blessing of eternal youth, but it was a great opportunity to meet the Goddesses in person. ¡°Yes. According to some sources, the Goddesses choose a blessed person from the candidates the six Churches chose after reviewing their partners every 12 years. That means you need to be recognized as a candidate to become a Church¡¯s partner first.¡± It had been nine years since the last time the Goddesses gave a blessing. There were three years left until the next blessing was given. ¡°Han-bin, if you want to meet the Goddesses in person, then that¡¯s the only way. It¡¯s not going to be easy, but¡­¡± Artis muttered while looking up and down at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°With your ability, I think it won¡¯t be impossible for you to be selected as a ¡®blesser¡¯ after all.¡± ¡°I understand most of it.¡± Han-bin nodded. ¡°Prioritize becoming a Church¡¯s partner.¡± * * * Recalling his conversation with Artis, Ryu Han-bin continued to swing his sword. ¡°Taaaats!¡± None of the monsters could block his attacks. The monsters¡¯ average level appearing in that Dungeon was at best between level 30 and 40. Of course, no experience came in. Honestly, he felt like his actions were a bit in vain, but¡­ ¡®It¡¯s like practicing force control.¡¯ Brad and Martin were astonished by Ryu Han-bin¡¯s overwhelming force, but he was still actually holding back. It was because of Artis¡¯s advice. ¡°Now that I¡¯m disguised as a Valtara warrior, can I finally use all of my strength, Artis?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a little vague.¡± The Valtara warriors were comparable to the Aura users due to their pure physical strength. They were only equal. But Ryu Han-bin was at a level that transcended Aura users. ¡°You¡¯re still too strong even as a Valtara warrior, Han-bin.¡± It was necessary to adjust his power down to the level of an ordinary Aura user. ¡°You also need to avoid enemy attacks. No matter how strong Valtara warriors are, they can¡¯t do something as crazy as blocking magic with their body.¡± So, he fought in moderation against the monstrosities that appeared. Nevertheless, the massacre caused by his blade continued. ¡°Taaaaaats!¡± Walking through a storm of blood, Han-bin suddenly clicked his tongue. ¡®What level am I actually at?¡¯ * * * Brad¡¯s team attacked the Dungeon nonstop. They proceeded with it faster than usual. It was all thanks to Felard Bean, a Valtara warrior. He killed every monster that came their way mercilessly and with ease. Everything that was caught by his swings was blown apart like a ripe pumpkin. Elsa and Poel felt excited. ¡°If we keep going like this¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be able to close the Dungeon today.¡± After a few hours, they had finally reached it. Brad¡¯s team and Han-bin¡¯s group had arrived at the deepest part of the dungeon. Chapter 28 Valtara Warrior (3) The Dungeon ended at a huge underground cave covered in pure white spider webs. Each web was occupied by a giant spider that glared at the intruders with their crimson red eyes. [Race: Tarantul Knight. Lv. 39] At the center of the swarm was a queen spider about 10 meters in size. [Race: Tarantul Queen. Lv. 46] The army and its Queen served as the guardians of the Tackle Dungeon. A creepy shriek rang across the cave. Aaaaaaaah! The Tarantul Queen had ordered her minions to attack. The Tarantul Knights swiftly mobilized, rushing at them fearlessly. Kakakakakak! Brad immediately shouted. ¡°Artis! Take care of the spider webs first!¡± ¡°Okay! Ice Storm!¡± The best way to deal with a spider¡¯s web was to burn it, but if he set fire to such a huge amount, they would suffocate and die. In Dungeons, freezing the spider webs was a common way to get rid of them. A blizzard soon began to freeze the webs. Prang! Prang! It allowed them to move swiftly without being tied up or being stuck in the webs. Brad and Martin stepped forward. ¡°Damn bug bastards! I¡¯ll turn you all into spider skewers!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll break your heads!¡± Brad¡¯s spear began to pierce through the spiders¡¯ heads as Martin¡¯s Warhammer smashed the spiders¡¯ bodies. The Priests also started chanting spells behind the short-range fighters. Elsa¡¯s spell strengthened the warriors¡¯ bodies and weapons. ¡°Ramniana¡¯s tears dwell in the body, and Yesen¡¯s protection rests in the sword!¡± Poel also set up a light barrier to block the monsters from coming into their blind spots, then cast a spell that constricted their movements. ¡°Light of Althea, become a wall! The knot of Sorondi, grab my enemy¡¯s ankles!¡± Though they were both Priests, they both had their own specializations. Elsa excelled in recovery and healing, while Poel¡¯s expertise was defending and flow control. They utilized their abilities as best as they could. Artis also cast additional spells as soon as the Ice Storm was over. ¡°Lightning Bolt! Terra Arrow! Wind Blade!¡± With enhanced body and armament, the warriors could fully block the spiders. With their front protected and their sides blocked off by the barrier, the Mage and Priests could safely concentrate on attacking from a distance. Despite their best efforts, however, they were gradually being pushed back. The Tarantul Knights were daunting monsters for Hunters whose levels were somewhere between 30 and 40. If it were any other day, they would¡¯ve already retreated long before reaching the end of the Dungeon. But that day, they were aiming for Dungeon Closure! They had the legendary Valtara warrior, Felard Bean! ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this!¡± A huge Swordsman shot forward from behind the party. He immediately jumped in front of Brad¡¯s team and caught the spiders behind them. Then he swung the black greatsword in a row. Bang! Bang! Bang! A whirlwind of steel blew through the spiders with a heavy burst. The blade storm wrecked everything it came into contact with. Keratinous fragments, frozen spider webs, and insect limbs were scattered all over the place. Brad burst in admiration. ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± He burst forth at the right time, causing their morale to increase. The flow of battle had been turned over! Taaaaaats! The others also began to rush wildly. They smashed the baby spiders around them as they aimed for the Tarantul Queen. Kakakakakakak! The thrilled monster stood up. Even her young spawns had been killed. At the rate the battle was going, she would soon be in danger as well. The Tarantul Queen¡¯s eight compound eyes rolled and began to flash. Plaaaash! It shot out a destructive red beam aimed at the Ryu Han-bin, who was leading the charge. Easily avoiding the flash, he stuck his tongue out. ¡®Does it really shoot beams from its eyes?¡¯ He learned about it from the Guidelines¡¯ explanation, but it was still strange to watch. ¡®Since it¡¯s a spider, it should shoot out spider silk or spit venom. Why shoot a beam?¡¯ It did seem to have a poisonous needle as well. The Tarantul Queen then opened its mouth and spewed out dark blue fluids like a fire hose. Kaaaaah! He didn¡¯t avoid it this time. He could have avoided it if he wanted to, but there was a high possibility that the venom would target Elza or Poel. Instead, he simply slapped it. Pong! Swinging the flat surface of the sword, Ryu Han-bin deflected the fluids away. The blow was so intense its shockwave caused even the little droplets to fly away from them. The spiders that survived were soon hit by the Queen¡¯s spit, causing them to melt slowly. Kaaaak! Kaaarg! As the remaining baby spiders died off, Ryu Han-bin swiftly moved under the Queen and hit its chin. The Queen Spider raised its forelimbs and attacked him as well. Avoiding the Queen¡¯s attack, Ryu Han-bin executed a series of deadly swings. The attack caused two of the monster¡¯s front appendages to be sliced off and crushed. Quaaack! Brad and Martin followed after Han-bin, utilizing the opening he created. Brad stabbed his spear into the Tarantul Queen¡¯s sides as Martin smote down his hammer against the monster. With their bodies strengthened by Elza¡¯s technique, their attacks dealt a lot more damage! Quaack! They had broken two more of its remaining legs. They were nothing compared to Ryu Han-bin, but they were still veteran warriors. Kh, Kaargh? The bewildered Tarantul Queen¡¯s compound eyes shook around in pain. Without missing a chance, Artis cast his spell. ¡°Explosion!¡± Flames erupted against its compound eyes. The monster shook and rattled crazily after losing its sight. With the struggling monster going haywire, Brad and Martin stepped back. They had already done their part. The only one who could end the Tarantul Queen was the deadliest warrior in their team. ¡°Wotcha!¡± Ryu Han-bin jumped up. Landing on the Tarantul Queen¡¯s head, he aimed his sword down and pierced it deep into its skull. The blade was burrowed so deep more than half of it was no longer visible. Paaaak! Still not satisfied, he twisted the handle and ran over the spider¡¯s back. His attack caused a huge gorge to form in the middle of the Queen¡¯s huge body. Taaats! He almost caused its torso to split in two. The wound was so deep that not even an insect-type monster with immense vitality could survive. Eventually, the Tarantul Queen fell to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Brad¡¯s team¡¯s cheers resounded throughout the cave. * * * Ryu Han-bin walked with his sword in his hand. He then slashed through the neck of the Tarantul Queen. Smash! With that last attack, the Queen had officially fallen. At the same time, the Guidelines popped up a message. [For defeating a Lv. 46 Tarantul Queen, you have obtained 238,110 EXP.] ¡®So level 45 monsters still give me experience.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t particularly happy with that. He already knew the next message that was going to come. And just as he expected¡­ [Current EXP: 351,350/54,581,975,800] The remaining experience requirement was 54.58 billion. That meant he needed to beat 200,000 more monsters. ¡®Even spending a hundred days clearing Dungeons like this won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ Meanwhile, Brad¡¯s team looked around the cave without hesitation. On the frozen web where the queen spider was sitting, a large hammer hanged at the center. It was the core of the Tackle Dungeon. Poel muttered excitedly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an Artifact!¡± Elsa also seemed to be impressed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an Artifact in the Dungeons. I¡¯ve only seen them when other Hunters are carrying them.¡± ¡°Right, Elsa, is this your first dungeon closing?¡± Martin¡¯s eyes, in particular, were shining. His main weapon was a Warhammer. Since it was a hammer-shaped Artifact, it naturally drew his attention. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Brad replied as he looked at the magic pattern engraved on the hammer. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a heatwave type¡­ I can¡¯t be sure until I appraise it.¡± Of course, Ryu Han-bin already knew the true nature of the Artifact. [Firestorm Hammer (Artifact) You can activate Hurricane Flare, a level 35 magic spell if you wield this hammer. Terms of use: Lv. 35. Range, 33 meters. Usage limitation: five times a day.] However, he remained silent. ¡®It would cause trouble if they were to learn that I know.¡¯ Martin eagerly urged the party to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and get it appraised!¡± Brad laughed and pointed with his finger up. ¡°Get a hold of yourself, Martin. Why do we have to go up there? We¡¯ll move up on our own.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Now that the Artifact had been removed, the dungeon closing would begin. Whenever a Dungeon disappeared, the monsters that belonged to it also returned to their original dimension. Anyone that wasn¡¯t originally part of the Dungeon was transferred outside along with their items. The shape of the landscape the Dungeon spawned in also reverted to normal. Woosh! Woosh! Woosh! Indeed, a roaring sound began to ring and distorted like a haze. The Tackle Dungeon, which lost its core, was being deported from the Latna Continent. * * * Brad¡¯s Team and Ryu Han-bin¡¯s group headed straight to the Magic Tools shop. Their profits were huge due to the large number of Dungeon guardians that they hunted down. The income they received just from the Devil Spirit Stones alone was around 2,200X per person. They didn¡¯t sell the Magical Tools and the Firestorm Hammer but instead shared them with Brad¡¯s team. It was so useful to them. Of course, they didn¡¯t give the items for free. After measuring the magic tool shop¡¯s value, they paid Ryu Han-bin and Artis the same amount. Thanks to that, they earned an additional profit of 4,000X per person. ¡®This is around 40 million won in Korea, right?¡¯ In just a single day, he had closed a Dungeon and earned a huge sum of money. ¡®It¡¯s so easy to make money¡­¡¯ Of course, considering that he had to be trapped in Hell for over 20 years to become as powerful as he was now, he couldn¡¯t say the cost was cheap. As he admired the sack of money, Brad asked him a question. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind giving that Artifact to Martin?¡± The Firestorm Hammer was a very useful weapon for warriors. Even Brad, whose main weapon was a spear, also desired to have it. Artis replied in Han-bin¡¯s stead. ¡°Valtara warriors hate Magical Tools, you know.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s¡­¡± Brad looked into Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes with disbelief. Humans could never fully hide their greed. However, after a while, Brad became astonished. He wasn¡¯t even interested in the Artifact! He looked at such a valuable weapon as if it was garbage! Of course, for Ryu Han-bin, it was indeed trash. Because the usage condition was lv. 35. ¡®If I can¡¯t use it, it doesn¡¯t matter if I covet it or not.¡¯ With sincere admiration, Brad shook his head. ¡°Huh, the legend of the Valtara Warrior really is true.¡± A new wave of greed arose. Incredibly strong, incredibly reliable, and doesn¡¯t desire Artifacts? He was definitely the ideal companion to have in a team. However, when he invited them to attack another dungeon, Ryu Han-bin replied bluntly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Martin asked carefully, feeling intimidated. ¡°Why? Did we do something wrong?¡± Honestly, nothing was wrong. Brad¡¯s team treated Ryu Han-bin and Artis politely enough and worked as their colleagues faithfully. If the two were ordinary hunters, they would have accepted their proposal. ¡®But we are not in a position to become close to anyone.¡¯ The best thing about the Valtara Warrior was that he didn¡¯t have to make utter excuses. Ryu Han-bin exclaimed confidently with his chest wide open. ¡°I don¡¯t want to because I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s like that¡­¡± Embarrassed, Brad thought for a moment. ¡®Shall we hang around longer? Oh, but it would be a big deal if he gets angry.¡¯ The Valtara clan¡¯s custom was that fists went before words, and swords went before fists. If he scratched the Valtara warrior¡¯s temper and got hit once, he didn¡¯t have the confidence that he¡¯d be able to survive. He had enough strength to destroy measuring stones like they were cookies. Brad gave up and said goodbye instead. ¡°Thank you for everything. May the six Goddesses bless you in the future.¡± Chapter 29 Dragon Power Rises! (1) Artis had placed all kinds of convenient tools in his new home in Highten, the Dungeon City. His home had cold storage, magic lamps, a magic oven, etc. Of course, for Ryu Han-bin, it was all the pie in the sky. There wasn¡¯t anything that he could use. It didn¡¯t make him uncomfortable, though. ¡°Artis, water!¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Artis, food!¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Artis, turn on the lights!¡± He had someone else to rely on, after all. Artis complained while turning on the magic lamp. ¡°It¡¯s like I am serving a nobleman.¡± Out of curiosity, Ryu Han-bin raised a question. ¡°How do the noblemen use these magic tools? Not all nobles have a high level, right?¡± ¡°Royals and nobles usually have a butler to manage magic tools.¡± When it came to the great nobility or royalty, they were said to hire retired high-level Hunters as butlers. The butlers operated magic tools in their stead. ¡°So when they have a conflict against another family, the person to be most wary of should be the owner of the house, right? But the butlers are the ones with a lot of combat experiences.¡± Ryu Han-bin laughed. He thought he saw a similar joke on the Internet. ¡°Is this the strongest theory of a butler?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± After dinner, they sat together in the living room. They went over the details about that day¡¯s Dungeon raid. ¡°What do you think? Did I look natural?¡± He needed to know what Artis thought about the Valtara warrior, Felard Bean. Artis nodded, recalling the other team¡¯s surprise and admiration. ¡°Everyone looked deeply impressed.¡± He thought they could continue doing what they did that day. Eventually, one of the six Churches should contact them. ¡°If you get registered as a Church¡¯s partner, we¡¯ll proceed to the second phase of our plan.¡± ¡°About the Church¡¯s partner policy, there¡¯s something strange about it. If the six Goddesses show up in front of human beings themselves, isn¡¯t that a golden opportunity for the Earthlings, too?¡± Aliens could simply pretend to be Latnains, and when they¡¯re about to be given a blessing, they could just kill the Goddesses. ¡°Do the Goddesses really need to do such a dangerous task? It should be enough just protecting the saints.¡± Artis also had a similar question. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s also the target of the Goddesses.¡± To receive the Goddesses¡¯ blessing, you must kill numerous Aliens and close innumerable Dungeons. ¡°In other words, they could make the Devil¡¯s pawns kill each other.¡± It could be used to weaken the Devil Omphalos¡¯ power while reducing the sacrifice of the Latnains. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve prepared enough precautions for when the Earthlings attempt to use the opportunity of getting a blessing to kill the Goddesses. If I could see it happening, I¡¯m sure the Goddesses have already thought about it as well.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Rather, I feel the relationship between the Dungeon monsters and the Aliens is weirder.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Han-bin, if you kill a monster in a Dungeon, you get the spirit energy of the monster, which is called ¡®experience¡¯ by the aliens, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. In my case, it should be at least level 45.¡± ¡°The others shouldn¡¯t be that different from you because other aliens also secretly enter the dungeon to level up.¡± Artis frowned. ¡°Why does the Devil allow Aliens to kill the Dungeon monsters?¡± He would not have allowed the Earthlings to gain experience if he had to choose through killing Dungeon monsters. ¡°Then they¡¯d only aim at the Latnains.¡± The Devil Omphalos definitely did seem powerful enough to implement such a restriction. He did make a system that prevented the Aliens from killing each other, after all. ¡°If both parties were sent to invade the Latna Continent, why did they need to kill each other?¡± Ryu Han-bin blinked. He didn¡¯t think of that. He asked the Guidelines just in case, but no answer came out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not a problem that can be solved easily anyway.¡± As he shook his head, Artis took his arms out of his pockets. In his hands was a sack of gold and silver coins. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s today¡¯s profit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fair amount, but still not enough to reimburse the amount you spent on the house.¡± ¡°Homes aren¡¯t cheap.¡± Artis responded, and Ryu Han-bin jumped up from his seat. ¡°Then let¡¯s go get more money.¡± He then turned his head towards Artis and laughed. ¡°Of course, the real purpose is to raise your level, Artis.¡± * * * The Rastol Dungeon was a dungeon that resembled an ant nest. Unlike the underground labyrinth-type Dungeons like Alpha and Tackle, it consisted only of pure natural crypts. A man with a greatsword appeared in a cave covered in darkness. Red dots soon began to appear in the shadow.s The monsters dwelling within started making a fuss as they were alarmed by the intruder¡¯s presence. Kwack Kwack Kwack! The sounds of keratin wings began to flutter. From within the shadows emerged beetle-like monsters larger than a meter. Most of the creatures in the Rastol Dungeon had the appearance of mutated insects. [Race: Titan Krella. Lv. 40 Characteristics: It spreads and rubs its hard wings together to make a sound that can paralyze weak beings. Its strong exoskeleton can deflect knives, and its snout can spit out powerful acid.] Ryu Han-bin laughed after checking the Guidelines. ¡°Hey, their level is pretty high!¡± Aiming at the intruder, he was charged at by the beetle monsters. Han-bin calmly unsheathed the greatsword on his back. But he didn¡¯t swing it. ¡°Humph!¡± He shot up into the air to avoid the beetles. His jumping power was so tremendous that he could land upside-down on the ceiling of the cave over 10 meters above him. As he jumped over the monsters and headed for the other side of the cave, he glanced back. ¡®Where is it¡­¡¯ The rushing beetles turned and chased after him again. He smiled and headed for the exit. ¡°Yes, keep chasing me like that!¡± Ryu Han-bin, with a group of beetles behind his back, continued to run through the crypt. A new cave appeared. A new group of monsters also appeared. This time, it was a crowd of giant scorpions over two meters in size. Dozens of giant monsters clicked their fierce pincers and stabbed their pointed tails at him. [Race: Giant Scorpion. Lv. 43] He didn¡¯t kill them either. He ran around the cave wall, luring their gaze, and made them chase him to the next cave as well. The next group was composed of monsters that didn¡¯t look familiar, though they definitely looked like bugs. They were about two meters long and had a bizarre appearance that looked like a combination of ants, scorpions, and centipedes. [Race: Atopalios. Lv. 39] There were dozens of them. The sound of countless footsteps filling the cave rang out loud. Tak tak tak tak! The giant beetles and scorpions all joined together with the insect abominations, causing the cave to overflow with hundreds of monsters. Despite being completely surrounded, Ryu Han-bin laughed. ¡°This should be enough.¡± Holding his greatsword, he threw himself in the middle of the monsters. The monsters sprayed acidic solutions, snapped their pincers at him, and tried to inject poison into his blood flow using their stingers. ¡°Huh!¡± Still laughing, he swung his sword gently. He easily blew away the acid fluids. He then continued with his attack, cutting off the scorpions¡¯ pincers one by one. Wielding his sword sideways, he hit the monsters that attacked him with the blade¡¯s fuller like a baseball. Khaang! He sent the monsters flying almost as if he had just hit a home run. However, those who were hit by the monsters he sent flying also fell and died off. It was probably more fitting to call them bowling balls. The giant warrior dashed through the monsters like lightning. The monsters¡¯ limbs were soon sent flying by the shockwaves his swings produced. Bang! Bang! Bang! Calling his attacks crushing blows was an understatement. No matter how strong the exoskeleton was, it shattered like glass at the hands of Ryu Han-bin. Poong! In one punch, he sent one of the monsters¡¯ heads flying into its own body. Weeeeeck! The beetles¡¯ thick armor was crushed in one kick. Smash! He ran around wildly¨C crushing, breaking, and tearing whatever they could. Taaaaats! Against the numerous monsters that gathered in the cave, Ryu Han-bin launched a bombardment of ruthless violence. Their severed limbs and body fluids piled up and overflowed like mountains and rivers all over the battlefield. Within a few moments, none had remained but monsters that were all on the brink of death. Only a few of them had actually died. Insect-type monsters¡¯ vitality was more than high enough to prevent them from dying immediately after having their legs cut off and their bodies crushed. Instead, they would often fall on the floor and wriggle first. Ryu Han-bin wiped the sweat on his forehead after defeating all the monsters. ¡°Oh, there are a lot of them. This should work.¡± Then he smiled happily and screamed toward the entrance to the cave. ¡°Artis! The table is all set!¡± * * * Another individual entered the cave. He wore no clothes and had gorgeous red hair dangling from his head. A strip show in the middle of a Dungeon might have had sounded like some form of fetish, but he had a reason for being naked. The man radiated red light from his whole body. Soon enough, he transformed into a red Dragon. ¡°Gaaaaarrrrhh!¡± The Dragon breathed flames toward the fallen monsters. Fierce heat filled the cave, causing all the monsters to burn. Krrrrrkkkk! None of the insects had the power to avoid or stop its flames. With a single breath, he had massacred hundreds of monsters. ¡°Fuuuuuh¡­¡± After halting his Dragon Breath, Artis looked down at his chest with a blank expression. ¡°Oh my God, I never thought this was possible¡­¡± An enormous amount of spirit energy was gathering into the dragon core. It didn¡¯t take long for his Dragon Power to be filled. Ryu Han-bin gave him a proud expression. [Race: Dragon. Fire dragon Lv. 53] ¡°Congratulations, Artis. You¡¯ve leveled up.¡± The red Dragon had a look of disbelief. It was the first time he had absorbed so many spirits energy at once. He could feel his Dragon Power rising. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­ It took me at least two years to level up once¡­¡± Dragons grew slower than humans because of their long lifespan. That was why Artis was still only a Level 36 Mage despite already being alive for several decades in his human form. ¡°How can I even make sense of this?¡± Ryu Han-bin shrugged. ¡°Artis, how many monsters do you usually get to slay every year?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not hunting every day, so on average, about a thousand to 1,500?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill them all by yourself, did you?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m always with a team.¡± ¡°If five hunters hunted, that would be around two or three hundred monsters killed per person.¡± Ryu Han-bin pointed to the corpses of hundreds of monsters. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the number of monsters you¡¯ve just slain right now?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± Artis nodded with a blank face. It made enough sense upon hearing it. Han-bin then asked him a question. ¡°What do you want to do? Shall we go down a little more?¡± His Breath of Flame could be used up to three times a day. He still had two shots left. ¡°Of course!¡± Chapter 30 Rising the Dragon Power! (2) The giant Swordsman galloped down the Dungeon. The insect-type monsters that he had alarmed all began to pursue him. He stopped inside a large cave, the creatures closely following his back. He then turned to face the monsters with a laugh. ¡°Hey, another bountiful harvest!¡± Another series of ruthless violence unfolded. Puck! Crunch! Crunch! Hundreds of monsters fell to the ground, their bodily fluids dripping and creating pools under them. As if he had been waiting all along, Artis appeared and breathed fire. Gaaaaarrrrhhh! Ryu Han-bin laughed at the huge swarm of well-baked insects. The burnt corpses gave off quite the savory smell. ¡°I remember the fried grasshoppers I used to eat when I was younger.¡± Horrified, Artis turned to him. ¡°How do you still have an appetite after witnessing this? Did I train you to be a Valtara Warrior too well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a figure of speech. Who said I would eat that?¡± After his rebuttal, Ryu Han-bin proceeded to ask him a question. ¡°What do you think? Have you leveled up?¡± ¡°How would I know? You should be the one letting me know.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. After turning on the Guidelines, he shook his head. ¡°Your Dragon form¡¯s level hasn¡¯t risen yet.¡± ¡°What about this one?¡± Artis quickly changed into a human form. It caused the information the Guidelines offered to change as well. [Race: Human. Mage Lv. 38] ¡°You¡¯re now a level 38 Mage.¡± ¡°You mean I leveled up twice in a day?¡± Han-bin spoke in a carefree way. ¡°It¡¯s possible because you¡¯re a dragon.¡± Latnains¡¯ level rose only when they improved their skills. Taking down monsters using the tactic they were using was no different from taking down the scarecrows. If someone were to destroy hundreds of scarecrows all at once, their skills wouldn¡¯t really improve. However, those who belonged to Latna¡¯s Dragon Family could absorb energy directly from the killed monster, allowing their tactic to become effective. ¡°I feel like this should be illegal. Is it common for Aliens to develop strength this way?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but isn¡¯t this normal? Its concept should feel familiar to anyone who has played online games.¡± ¡°Online games?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain it later. It¡¯s a little complicated.¡± Evading to answer, Han-bin asked another question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you haven¡¯t thought of this before. It isn¡¯t such a difficult concept to come up with.¡± When Dragons killed enemies, they gained power at the same level as the enemies they¡¯ve killed. With that in mind, it should¡¯ve been easy to think of the same concept without any experience in playing online games. Artis grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. I have had a similar delusion. But who would think this is actually possible?¡± ¡°Why? Dragons can get stronger at a faster rate this way. Why not just help each other out? With the same logic, Artis refuted. ¡°If a rich man gives away his fortune, he can make a beggar rich. But why do humans refuse to help each other? Certainly, everyone on Earth thought it would be nice if the Middle East¡¯s oil-rich people gave them about 1 billion each. But he didn¡¯t think it was realistic. ¡°Well, at least your parents could¡¯ve helped you¡­¡± Only then did Artis realize what kind of misconception Ryu Han-bin had. ¡°Dragon has no affection between parents and children like humans.¡± The easiest way for a dragon to increase its power was to kill other dragons and absorb their entire cores. They often targetted their own kind. ¡°Even if you are a parent or child, it was the same. Artis said that male and female dragons only meet to create eggs as a part of their instincts, but they became strangers after that. ¡°So, Dragons don¡¯t even hold hands?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re all in a hurry to eat each other up. I¡¯m not living in hiding in the human world for nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising. Are the Dragons in this neighborhood mostly evil?¡± Just looking at Artis, he thought they were generally good creatures. ¡°We definitely can¡¯t be labeled as kindhearted or good, but¡­¡± Artis explained hesitantly. ¡°But we¡¯re not as evil as human prejudices. Everyone¡¯s just a little selfish.¡± They didn¡¯t want to help others, only cared about their greed, took whatever they wanted, and sometimes pretended to be human to cause chaos across the world¡­ ¡°But we don¡¯t covet human blood and flesh! There are so many things in the world that taste better than humans.¡± Artis complained. Han-bin had a blank look on his face. ¡®They still sound pretty evil.¡¯ Still, he didn¡¯t bother to point it out. He could at least be certain that Artis was an unusual entity among Dragons. ¡°Anyway, that should be enough rest. Let¡¯s move on.¡± Artis¡¯s breath still had one more shot left. He could still level up a bit more. Han-bin grinned. ¡®I have to raise the level of this guy and advance to the center of the continent.¡¯ * * * The night they closed the Tackle Dungeon and returned home, they had a conversation. Ryu Han-bin and Artis gathered in the living room to discuss their next task. Thanks to his disguise as a Valtara warrior, he managed to lose his reputation of being incompetent. However, Ryu Han-bin was still in a situation where he couldn¡¯t reveal his real strength. Even a Valtara warrior couldn¡¯t be as strong as him. ¡°Can¡¯t I pretend to be an Aura user?¡± ¡°Pretend?¡± The symbol of Aura users was a shining blade, a blade aura, and a barrier surrounding the whole body. ¡°Either by magically lighting the sword to make it look like a Blade aura, or by making the body glow to look like a barrier, so I¡¯d look like an Aura user.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a trick that¡¯s too easy to detect.¡± Most of Latna¡¯s four major users could sense energy. Right now, Even Artis could tell to which of the four energies a skill belonged to. But it was still impossible for him to figure out how powerful and how high-leveled it was. ¡°If they look at you, they¡¯ll easily recognize that you¡¯re emitting an aura made out of Mana. Well, the general public would be deceived, though.¡± ¡°I see.¡± To not be suspicious, it seemed that he had to learn how to use Aura. ¡°How can someone be an Aura user?¡± ¡°I heard that Aliens could become an Aura user just by raising their level.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in this mess because I can¡¯t raise my level in the first place.¡± Wizards, Priest, and Dark Swordsmen, could use energies such as Mana, Prana, and Force as early as level 1, but the warrior class was slightly different. They had to gradually increase their level through physical training before they could awaken upon reaching a certain level. After awakening, they would be able to demonstrate superhuman abilities. ¡°According to the Guidelines, the awakening skill comes at level 50, but it would take too long before I can get that skill due to my circumstances. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to learn Aura like a Latnain.¡± Latnains also differed according to individual talents, but they became Aura users between levels 50 and 60. Artis answered back. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, so I don¡¯t know much about Aura. All I know are basic knowledge.¡± There were usually three cases of the Latnain in awakening Aura. The first was to learn swordsmanship and martial arts handed down from generation to generation of historical knights. In the case of long-established martial arts, the art itself was said to lead its practitioners down the path of Aura naturally. However, such styles were closed off to the public and weren¡¯t just passed to anyone. Bloodlines and connections were carefully considered, and there needed to be a connection. It meant that they didn¡¯t just teach their techniques to anyone that carried a bunch of money. ¡°The first is impossible.¡± ¡°I think so. The second one is¡­¡± Some geniuses found themselves on the path to Aura. Without learning traditional martial arts, they awakened by realizing the world¡¯s logic based on long experience and outstanding high-tier skills. ¡°The founders of venerable swordsmanship and martial arts are such cases.¡± Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡®So, when it comes to martial arts masters, it means that they¡¯re the great servants of each Church, right?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t have that talent. If Han-bin had been such a genius, he would have already awakened the Aura while dealing with Demon Dogs at the Rocky Mountain. ¡°The third one?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that one.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Artis laughed at Han-bin, who was confused. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make fun of you. I really don¡¯t know. I just know there¡¯s another way to gain Aura out there.¡± The Aura user Artis met before was not from a renowned family, nor was he a genius who had been enlightened to the world¡¯s logic. Nevertheless, he succeeded in awakening Aura. ¡°He said his limit was that far, although he quit being a Hunter at level 53 to retire.¡± Besides the two known methods, he said that there were other ways for warriors to awaken Aura. Most of the Hunter-born Aura users used that method. ¡°But since it¡¯s a secret, he can¡¯t just tell anyone about it recklessly. I¡¯m a Mage, so I didn¡¯t ask anymore because I wasn¡¯t interested.¡± Han-bin was disappointed. ¡°You should have asked, geez¡­¡± Regardless, at least they knew there was a way. Rumors also had it that anyone who¡¯s a Hunter-born Aura user would immediately know. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a Hunter strong enough to awaken Aura here?¡± ¡°With a level that high, they usually don¡¯t come to the countryside anymore. You¡¯ll have to go to the Four Major Stations to meet them.¡± The Four Major Stations, located in the center of the continent, had so many powerful dungeons that they banned commoners from entering. Artis thought that there would be enough hunters who awakened Aura there. ¡°You can¡¯t even get into the Four Major Stations unless you are at the level to awaken Aura in the first place.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s next move has been decided. ¡°Go to the center of the continent, meet an Aura user, and learn how to use Aura.¡± It was already possible for him to do that. He had already solved the problem with his level and had raised enough funds. Regardless, he decided to stay in Highten for the time being. He still had to become a Church¡¯s partner first. ¡®I¡¯ll be fine, but Artis can¡¯t survive in the middle of the continent yet.¡¯ Hunters had to be at least over level 50 to safely raid a powerful dungeon in the middle of the continent. Artis was only a level 36 Mage. ¡®If he goes back to his Dragon form, he¡¯d be over Level 50, but he can¡¯t reveal his identity.¡¯ Plus, he didn¡¯t even want to break up with Artis. Thanks to him, Ryu Han-bin managed to solve many of his problems, and his life became a lot easier. Above all, there was no need to hide his identity from Artis. ¡®How likely am I to meet another friend that I can trust like this?¡¯ The next Goddesses¡¯ blessing wouldn¡¯t be given until after three years. He wasn¡¯t running out of time. Instead of going alone, he came up with a new plan. He would raise the Artis¡¯ level, so he asked him to advance to the continent¡¯s center together. Of course, Artis agreed. It was an offer with no reason to object. Artis just doubted about one thing. ¡°My level might not rise fast enough, even with your help. I think it¡¯s a waste of your time.¡± * * * Artis shook his head as he recalled last night¡¯s conversation. After thinking about it, he finally understood why Ryu Han-bin was so confident. None of what they were doing was a waste of time. ¡°I really can eat the world raw¡­¡± Chapter 31 Rising the Dragon Power! (3) Maximizing the use of his last Dragon Breath, he exhaled with everything he had. A colossal flame burst forth from the red Dragon¡¯s mouth. Guaaaarrrggh! Hundreds of monsters were once more roasted to death. Looking back at the giant warrior, the Dragon asked him a question. ¡°What does the guideline say now?¡± ¡°Dragon, Level 54.¡± Artis was incredibly pleased with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s answer. He leveled up again! He quickly changed into his human form and raised another inquiry. ¡°What about this form?¡± ¡°Mage, Level 40.¡± ¡°I finally reached level 40?¡± The red-haired young man trembled with emotion despite being naked. Han-bin replied unenthusiastically. ¡°Yeah, congrats. Why don¡¯t you get dressed now?¡± It felt strange to see a man naked and blushing. Feeling embarrassed, Artis quickly put on a robe. Han-bin pointed to the staff attached to Artis¡¯s robe. ¡°Can you make water now? I¡¯m a bit thirsty due to all the running I did.¡± Water Flow Creation Staff obtained from the Alpha Dungeon. Its requirement was level 40. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m so thrilled about it, but isn¡¯t it just like a more compact water bucket?¡± Despite his complaint, Artis quickly conjured water. The Mage went leveled up four times in one day. He felt like he could do anything at that point. Stretching his neck, Han-bin repeated his explanation. ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, all of this is only possible because you¡¯re a Dragon.¡± If he were an ordinary Latnain Mage, their plan wouldn¡¯t have worked. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how your absorption ability is very similar to the Guidelines¡¯ experience system.¡± ¡°From my perspective, the Aliens are the ones who copied us.¡± Latna¡¯s Dragons always could strengthen their Dragon Core by absorbing their slain enemies¡¯ energy. On the other hand, Aliens appeared only 40 years ago. Han-bin also agreed with that point. ¡°I¡¯m of the same thought.¡± The guidelines mentioned that the Aliens¡¯ search function originated from Latna¡¯s measuring magic. ¡°Measurement magic belongs to the Latna Continent, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. After the advent of the Dungeons, the magic was infused into measuring stones, but even before then, high-ranking Mages were already using Measurement Magic.¡± There was a job called a level surveyor in the past that measured other people¡¯s levels. ¡°After the measurement stone was invented, all of them lost their jobs.¡± ¡°I think our Experience Point system was made by copying Latna¡¯s Dragons as well.¡± ¡°It does seem like it. Just in case, why don¡¯t you double-check?¡± Following Artis¡¯s suggestion, Ryu Han-bin turned the Guidelines in his mind on. ¡®Did the Suitor¡¯s Experience Point system originate from Latna¡¯s Dragons?¡¯ [Allafternottruceexhibition¡­¡­.] ¡°Showed me an error. It seems like it¡¯s related then.¡± ¡°How do you know it¡¯s related to the error?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen its errors so many times I¡¯m starting to see a pattern.¡± Artis laughed. ¡°I guess anyone will get the hang of it after 20 years of use, even if it¡¯s broken.¡± That being said, he had already used up all his Dragon Breaths for that day. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap it up here, Han-bin.¡± ¡°I can drive more monsters. Even if you can¡¯t use your Dragon Breath, you can still absorb their energy.¡± They were all dying by the time Han-bin had finished with them anyway. All Artis had to do was cast magic to deliver the final blows to get their energy. It would¡¯ve taken a little longer, but it was still worthwhile. But Artis refused. ¡°I already absorbed too much energy. Any more, and it might cause problems.¡± He had to digest the energy he had absorbed first. Han-bin nodded. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like a game anyway.¡± Artis cast a spell on the monsters¡¯ corpses. ¡°Rooting!¡± The spell collected all of the Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones within the vicinity. Ryu Han-bin looked at Artis¡¯s pouch. ¡°How much did we make?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we made a lot of money.¡± They collected more than 500 Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones. To make their situation better, the Stones they collected all belonged to monsters around the levels of 30 and 40. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. If we sell all of these, the money will be enough to pay for the house. Such a huge amount of money and all I had to do was breathe three times¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy! I had to run around, you know. It was difficult trying my best not to kill them.¡± It was time to head back. Artis had a bitter smile on his lips as he looked across the cave. ¡°It¡¯s a little disappointing that we have to go back after coming so far into this Dungeon.¡± If they went a little further down, they would¡¯ve arrived at the heart of the Rastol Dungeon. It was an excellent opportunity to get artifacts. Ryu Han-bin shrugged. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± It was something that the two had already discussed. Not only did they not get the Artifact, but they also didn¡¯t loot any of the Magic Tools. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a Dungeon to be this comfortable when trying to level up. We should allow the monsters to keep respawning. * * * After the hunt, Ryu Han-bin and Artis went home. Since the house was near the canyon, quite a few hunters were coming and going. The hunters looked at Han-bin and began to talk about him. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that guy?¡± ¡°Why is he walking half-naked?¡± ¡°Is he boasting? Well, he¡¯s definitely in good shape.¡± Everyone thought he was weird at first, but the light in their eyes soon changed as they came to a realization. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard rumors!¡± ¡°That guy is the Valtara warrior!¡± ¡°Oh my God, seeing a living legend with my own eyes¡­¡± Admiration and envy poured out of the hunters in their vicinity. Exposing his thick chest and showing off his burning muscles, Ryu Han-bin walked boldly through the streets of Highten. As soon as he entered the house, he ran to the closet. He quickly took off his fur pants and boots, changed into a linen shirt and cotton pants, and muttered shyly, laying his hands on his chest. ¡°Ah, that was shameful.¡± Artis tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Everyone was just amazed by you.¡± Han-bin scratched his head. ¡°That¡¯s just it! I can¡¯t understand them.¡± However, he did understand. The standard of shame in this world was different from Earth. It was much more primitive compared to the modern Earth, but at least it wasn¡¯t primitive enough for people to be walking around on Baek-ju Avenue with a solid body and protruding abs. People in this world were not as strange as Ryu Han-bin thought. It was just a matter of context. On Earth, in a swimming pool or a gym, it was customary for people to show off their bodies. Envying the fantastic bodies of other people was also normal in such places. He was in a similar position. It would¡¯ve been weird if a random Hunter took off his clothes like Ryu Han-bin in the middle of town, but everyone understood since he was a Valtara warrior. ¡°It makes sense in my head, but¡­¡± It was still difficult for a person with the sensibility of a modern Earthling to accept it. Artis giggled. ¡°Get used to it. You¡¯ll have to keep doing that in the future.¡± ¡°I mean, do Valtara warriors really live without clothes no matter what? What if it rains or snows? Do they still go out wearing nothing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to prepare themselves for battle.¡± For Valtara warriors, a trained body was the most trusted and most powerful armor. Concealing it in front of the enemy wasn¡¯t the way of a true warrior! ¡°¡­ That¡¯s what people believe?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s crazy.¡± He couldn¡¯t even say he¡¯s delighted to at least be able to wear comfortable clothes at home. ¡®Wearing clothes at home and taking it off outside? The custom¡¯s been flipped!¡¯ Lying on the sofa, Han-bin continued to complain. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s hard to adapt to this world.¡± The hard time he¡¯s experiencing was making him hungry. He had to eat. ¡°Artis, give me food!¡± Artis narrowed his eyes. Due to the level limit, Ryu Han-bin still had to be served with food. He wanted to shout, ¡®Do it yourself!¡¯ but¡­ ¡°I have hands and feet, but my level isn¡¯t high enough, you know.¡± It was Han-bin who responded shamelessly. ¡°Well, you seem to be adjusting quite well anyway.¡± * * * The massacre that happened in the Rastol Dungeon remained unknown to the public. They neither created safe zones by looting the magic tools nor closed the Dungeon by taking the Artifact. There was no way the hunters could¡¯ve known since all the monsters they had annihilated already respawned. But the Tackle Dungeon was different. Brad¡¯s Tackle Dungeon Closing event caught Highten by surprise. Most Hunters were aware of it. Brad¡¯s team was obviously powerful, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to close the Tackle Dungeon. They only succeeded in closing the Dungeon and acquiring valuable items due to the Valtara warrior¡¯s help. The power of Martin had risen significantly due to the Firestorm Hammer. Naturally, other Hunters also reached out to Felard Bean for help. ¡°Would you like to join us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°Well, then, what about a one-time dungeon attack with us?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°¡­ Can you tell us why you refuse to join any team but accepts one-time dungeon raids?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay because it¡¯s okay!¡± The hunters didn¡¯t consider Ryu Han-bin¡¯s free-spirited attitude strange at all. The Valtara clan had always been kind. Even Han-bin himself couldn¡¯t help but admire them. ¡°Hey, Valtara warrior. Starting to feel comfortable in this world? You don¡¯t have to be self-conscious at all.¡± ¡°Do you know I¡¯ve become a legend? It¡¯s a bit of a vicious legend, though.¡± Artis continued to accept multiple scouting offers. Due to that, they went kept going on Dungeon attacks with other teams. ¡°At this rate, rumors will spread that a Valtara warrior has appeared in Highten, Han-bin.¡± ¡°Will the six Churches offer me a partnership because of that?¡± ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no way the Church can simply ignore the existence of a Valtara warrior. They¡¯ll contact you sooner or later.¡± Seven days had passed since then. Due to Ryu Han-bin¡¯s power, four more hunter teams succeeded in closing Dungeons. The reputation of the Valtara warrior Felard Bean resonated loud and clear throughout the Dungeon city of Highten. * * * An incident was about to unfold around the same time. In a vast field that had a clear view of Onpros City, a middle-aged man rode a Wyvern. The man, Alejandro, complained with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve tracked you this far, but where have you gone? I thought I¡¯d be able to catch up to you quickly, but¡­¡± Holding the Wyvern¡¯s reins, he looked back. ¡°I missed my target and even got useless flies buzzing around me.¡± A group of people surrounded Alejandro and Wyvern. They were the Alien Interrogator and the Templars who served Kybriel, the Goddess of Darkness. ¡°Evil demon of another world!¡± ¡°Kneel before the name of the Goddesses!¡± ¡°Kybriel will condemn you!¡± Alejandro smiled as he glanced through the Goddess¡¯s Templars. ¡°If the Goddess of Darkness were here, she certainly would condemn me. He jumped off the Wyvern. ¡°But you¡¯re not Kybriel, are you?¡± He activated his Guidelines to reveal the Templars¡¯ levels. [Race: Human. Fighter Lv. 45] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 41] [Race: Human. Priest Lv. 38] Templars didn¡¯t have unique abilities. It wasn¡¯t a job based on specific abilities like Warrior, Mage, or Priest, but rather a title that served as a social position like a Hunter or a Knight. ¡°Average level around 40? I have the advantage in this battle.¡± With a laugh, Alejandro drew one of his swords. He then immediately conjured Force. -Magic Sword: Blue Flame Blade! Blue flames engulfed his sword¡¯s blade. At the same time, five fire blades were created and began to hover around him. It was a high-ranking magic swordsmanship skill. The Templars turned pale. ¡°Just so you all know, I¡¯m a Level 75 Magic Swordsman.¡± A cold smile crept up to Alejandro¡¯s lips. ¡°Time to gather quite a bit of experience, then.¡± Chapter 32 Church¡¯s Partner (1) In a clean white shrine to the north of Highten City, chatter could be heard. Two priests of the Althea Church, the Church that serves the Goddess of Light, were having a conversation. It was the Bishop of Highten, Winfred, and Priest Emile. Winfred had to confirm if the news were trustworthy. ¡°Is he a real Valtara warrior?¡± Thanks to the Sword King Baotolt, the story of the Valtara clan also spread across the Continent. As a result, there were cases where big people with good bodies pretended to be the Sword King¡¯s blood relatives. ¡°There¡¯s no mistake.¡± Priest Emile responded firmly. ¡°Only Valtara warriors can smash measuring stones with bare hands without using Aura.¡± With such a tremendous feat, it really no longer mattered if he was real or not. It already meant he had an ability comparable to Valtara warriors. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a Valtara warrior to make their way here. They¡¯re usually at the center of the Continent.¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s quite young. Maybe he had just arrived at Latna?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Winfred once again looked at the recommended documents. Valtara Warrior, Felard Bean. And his companion, a level 40 Mage, Artis Venetian. With a thoughtful look, Winfred nodded. ¡°Give the two of them an offer to cooperate, Priest Emile.¡± ¡°I understand, Bishop. I hope they will accept the offer.¡± In hopes of getting the Goddesses¡¯ blessing of eternal youth, many aimed for a position as a Church¡¯s partner. However, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for the Church¡¯s invitations to be rejected. The Church¡¯s partner had quite annoying duties. On the other hand, only one person was allowed to receive the Goddesses¡¯ blessing every few years. Rather than seeking eternal youth, many refused the offer and focused on making money instead. Winfried smiled nicely. ¡°I agree. No matter how good some people are, it¡¯s still not enough.¡± * * * In a backyard surrounded by a high wall, a muscular warrior was training tirelessly. Taats! Hump! Taaaats! He repeated a striking and lifting motion in a restrained position. He intentionally wielded the sword slowly, making each movement thoroughly his own. His movements were simple but powerful. It was Ryu Han-bin¡¯s own swordsmanship. No matter how great his body was, his skill would rust if he didn¡¯t train. He was still human, after all. He had to train from time to time. Taats! Sweating, he kept swinging his sword. Artis, who was looking at a golden scroll, felt a bit puzzled. ¡°I heard that no matter how dormant Aliens become, their level never goes down, Han-bin. Shouldn¡¯t you be the same?¡± Ryu Han-bin shrugged while wiping his forehead. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t understand that logic. How can you not lose your ability even while dormant? I¡¯m not getting any older, though, so my skills definitely won¡¯t weaken due to age.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either, but what can I do? It¡¯s factual anyway.¡± Artis turned his attention towards the scroll again. Han-bin glanced at him. ¡°Is that the new spell scroll you bought?¡± ¡°Yeah. No matter how much energy I absorb, it won¡¯t create spells.¡± Artis complained. ¡°Alien mages gain new magic spells just by leveling up. It¡¯s unfair!¡± He recently bought seven spell scrolls that contained level 37 to level 40 spells from the Highten Mage Guild. Upon reaching level 40, new magic spells became available for him to learn. Ryu Han-bin stuck out his tongue. ¡°Aren¡¯t spell scrolls expensive?¡± The total price of the seven new spells was just over 18,000 X. Converting it to Korean Won, it was equivalent to 180 million Won. Thanks to that, Artis was broke again. However, he had no regrets. ¡°It¡¯s not expensive considering the effort and cost involved in making spell scrolls.¡± There were usually two ways a Mage could learn new spells. The first was the traditional method of learning magic by learning under the teachings of a higher-ranking Mage. They could also study the Mages themselves to gain knowledge and wisdom to apply in training to control and operate Mana better. The second was to buy and decipher spell scrolls. It was a new method that was developed through magical science. Each spell scroll detailed all the knowledge related to the spell it contained, including the operation and flow of Mana required to use it. If the Mage was qualified, they could learn spells through scrolls. It was incredibly convenient. ¡°Although the price is quite high.¡± Artis was used to studying magic spells alone and only relied on others¡¯ guidance for complicated ones. The first time he met Ryu Han-bin, he was on a quest to collect materials for his studies. ¡°I made a lot of profit, thanks to you. It was enough to buy me some spells.¡± Ryu Han-bin picked up the spell scroll and surveyed it. ¡°If I tear this apart, will the magic be activated?¡± Surprised, Artis immediately stopped him. ¡°Are you crazy!? Why would you destroy such an expensive item? What made you even think magic spells would active by tearing the scrolls?¡± The scrolls became useless after tearing them apart, just like how cellphones became useless after being smashed. ¡°Oh, the concept is a little different.¡± It didn¡¯t function the same way spell scrolls did in games and cartoons. It was a magical tool that made it easier to learn magic. ¡°It¡¯s even more confusing because the concepts differ in the little details.¡± Another thought came into his mind, causing Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes to light up. ¡°Is there any scroll for Warriors to learn Aura?¡± If a scroll meant to awaken Aura existed, then he¡¯d be able to become an Aura user quickly. He had already had enough physical strength, after all. Artis replied with a firm answer. ¡°You¡¯re really asking me if a scroll like that existed?¡± Spell scrolls were magic tools that allowed Mages to use new magic. It didn¡¯t make ordinary people a Mage. ¡°If such a scroll existed, there would¡¯ve been Aura users everywhere already.¡± He stopped for a moment, then smiled. ¡°And, even if it existed, you wouldn¡¯t be able to use it anyway.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t meet the level requirement.¡± Artis shook the scroll in his hand. ¡°The level requirement for this is 40. That¡¯s why I only bought it now.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s shoulders drooped. ¡°Is there any way for me to learn Aura by myself?¡± Still, regret remained, and he asked again. ¡°Then, is there at least some kind of swordsmanship book with an awakening method written in it?¡± Reading books had no level requirements. But Artis shook his head again. ¡°There must be, but¡­¡± Basarada-style, Ascalon Arts, and Maxbrid martial arts were revered as the Continent¡¯s three major swordsmanships. And each of the most prestigious families in each region had their own version of awakening. ¡°None of them are probably for sale.¡± Books like that were hidden from the public and passed on to the next generations. It wasn¡¯t probable for Artis and Han-bin to get their hands on such swordsmanships without any connection. ¡°The swordsmanship of the Valtara clan isn¡¯t one of the major styles?¡± ¡°The clan of Valtara isn¡¯t strong because of their swordsmanship. Their strength came from the virtue of being born with a transcendental body. Culturally speaking, they were nothing more than barbarians; hence they didn¡¯t develop any form of swordsmanship. ¡°Of course, Sword King Baotolt rose to the top by himself.¡± If the target was cut when they cut it and stabbed when they stabbed it, that was enough for the Valtara clan. If the attack was stopped, then it only meant that it wasn¡¯t strong enough! The Valtara clan believed that a true warrior sharpened a simple blow more than a brilliant technique. Thanks to their conversation, Han-bin resolved another question. ¡°So that¡¯s why nobody doubted me due to my swordsmanship¡­¡± No matter how much he disguised himself as a Valtara warrior, he didn¡¯t use Valtara¡¯s swordsmanship, but everyone was still deceived. For that reason, it made sense. After their conversation, Ryu Han-bin continued his training. Artis also focused on the scrolls again. Spell scrolls were also Magic Tools, so there was a limit to the number of times it could be used. Mages had to understand the magic scroll in 12 attempts. They devoted themselves to their craft until the sun began to set. Han-bin spoke as he wiped his sweat off. ¡°By the way, when will the offer for a partnership come? Seven days have passed since I started pretending to be a Valtara warrior.¡± ¡°It should arrive soon.¡± There was no television or internet in this world. News didn¡¯t spread as fast as it did on Earth. Still, seven days had already passed. Anyone would¡¯ve known by now. The fact that a legendary Valtara warrior appeared in the Dungeon city of Highten. * * * The two rested at home after their training. As they made themselves comfortable, someone knocked on their door. ¡°Anyone there?¡± Ryu Han-bin looked out the window cautiously. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ A young man who appeared to be in his late 20s to early 30s stood in front of their home. He wore a white coat with an intricate symbol on his chest. Han-bin muttered while looking at the other person with the Guidelines. ¡°A level 45 spiritist. That¡¯s quite a high level.¡± Artis¡¯s lips began to smile. There were only two high-ranking Spiritists in Highten. And one of them was standing right outside their door. ¡°It¡¯s Priest Emile of the Althea Church.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin and Artis became partners of the Althea Church without any problem. ¡°If promising people like you move for the world, it¡¯ll be a great blessing for the people of Latna, and Goddess Althea will be pleased!¡± Presenting the signs of the Church to the two, the Bishop of Highten, Winfred continued. ¡°I have something to ask the both of you.¡± There was a rugged mountain called Gessen about three days away from the dungeon city of Highten. Recently, a group of bandits that went by the name of Zachroldan settled there. Since then, they had been harassing the locals, forcing the locals to request to subdue the bandits. While listening to Winfred¡¯s explanation, Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡®I think I can see why there are many Hunters who refuse the offer to be any Church¡¯s partner. Isn¡¯t this just volunteer work?¡¯ A lot of people had dedicated themselves to raiding Dungeons. However, dungeons were not the only places in the world that needed Hunters. Latna¡¯s native monsters also harmed people every now and then. There were thieves among humans, and criminals hid around across the Continent. But Hunters weren¡¯t interested in things like that. None of it offered any money. However, the world¡¯s ruling powers weren¡¯t powerful enough to solve all of the world¡¯s problems. Partnerships were the Churches¡¯ way of making up for what they lacked. It was more appropriate to call it volunteer work. After a detailed explanation, Winfred asked the intentions of the two. ¡°What do you think? Can you do it?¡± He wasn¡¯t asking because he thought they wouldn¡¯t have enough power. He was a Valtara warrior! The Mage was also Level 40! It was a request to invest money and time to the Church¡¯s objectives without any form of compensation. It wasn¡¯t easy to accept. But Artis nodded. In the first place, that ¡°contribution¡± was the main goal of the duo. ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll leave right away tomorrow morning.¡± Chapter 33 Church¡¯s Partner (2) Flames were spreading in a small pioneering village at the foot of Mount Gessen. ¡°Aaaaahh!¡± Screams echoed across the lands. Shady-looking individuals roared in reply as they entered the village. ¡°Kill everyone!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a woman! She¡¯s quite young.¡± ¡°Take her!¡± ¡°What about the baby?¡± ¡°Kill it! The whining is annoying!¡± A group of armed men pointed their spears on the backs of the helpless locals. Every man and woman, even the children, were killed without mercy. Thinking of themselves as demons from hell, the dreadful group continued to massacre the village. However, they were really just a bunch of ordinary bandits around level 20 at best. Even if they were weaker than Intermediate Hunters, they were still powerful compared to commoners. Zachrol, the leader of the bandits, grinned as he watched the village burn. ¡°Hah, this is a much better business than fighting off Dungeon monsters.¡± He, too, once dreamed of becoming a Hunter. No, most of the Zacrholdan members did. However, a Hunter¡¯s path was challenging and ruthless. It was as hard as the pleasure of alcohol, gambling, and women were sweet. He became more and more in debt due to his addiction to that pleasure. Zachrol smuggled and robbed people to pay off his debts, eventually becoming a wanted man and being forced to flee all the way to Mount Gessen. Despite being searched for by the law, they continued to hunt those who were weaker than themselves. Those who were once stained with evil could never change their ways. That was why Zachroldan continued to loot defenseless villages. ¡°Evil bandits!¡± A middle-aged man clad in light armor entered the village, a spear in his hand. One of the bandits soon fell to the cold, hard ground, his blood flowing out of the hole the man¡¯s spear left behind. ¡°Kuuugh!¡± His Spearmanship was reasonably good. If measured with a measuring stone, he would probably be around level 15. And he wasn¡¯t alone. Young men from the neighboring villages also came into view, all wielding spears. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll join you!¡± They seemed to have learned martial arts from the middle-aged man as they used similar Spearmanship to block off the bandits¡¯ advance. The other spearmen seemed to be roughly around level 7-8. They looked like village vigilantes. Even if they were only simple villagers who did manual labor daily, they were still not opponents that could be easily ignored if they had mastered some form of martial arts. Spearmen were especially dangerous when in large groups. Zachrol laughed despite the number of enemies in front of him. ¡°The mountain worms dare bare their fangs at me?¡± Zachrol swung his sword at the young spearmen at the front of their ranks. His sword flashed, and blood soon splattered on the ground and the armor of the other spearmen. ¡°Gargghh!¡± ¡°Eeeegh!¡± He was a Level 21 Swordsman. He could easily overpower three or four Spearmen below level 10. However, as long as he was human, he would still be in trouble if multiple opponents surrounded him, yet Zachrol seemed didn¡¯t mind. He swiftly raised his shield and shouted. ¡°Magic Arrow!¡± Three magic arrows shot forward and struck the young men. Those who had been hit fell backward with a painful groan. Taking advantage of their broken formation, Zachrol cut down three more of the Spearmen. ¡°Die, you weak bastards! Hahaha!¡± They thought Zachrol was a Warrior, but they just saw him cast a magic spell. There was only one plausible conclusion. ¡°It¡¯s a magic tool!¡± ¡°Damn it! He¡¯s using a magic tool!¡± Zachrol had the Magic Arrow Shield, the lowest level magic tool from the Dungeon. However, even the lowest level of magic tools required the user to be at least level 20 before the user could wield them. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for you here but certain defeat.¡± Combining his physical abilities with the power of magic, he easily slaughtered the remaining youthful vigilantes. Witnessing their tragic ends, the dying village chief couldn¡¯t help but ask the bandit leader a question. ¡°Why are you doing this? We paid the fee this month¡­¡± Under the guise of protecting the village, the bandits were paid monthly by its residents for their services. Even though the compensation was lower than the amount the Kingdom would¡¯ve taxed them with, it still wasn¡¯t worth paying if not for having their lives at stake. During the past few months, the bandits didn¡¯t harm the village because it was more beneficial to collect money from the locals than to kill them. There was no reason for them to do something so vile and inhumane. ¡°Oh, things have changed, you see. Khuahaha.¡± Zachrol shrugged with a smile. ¡°I heard high-level Hunters are coming to defeat us. We¡¯re going to have to hide for a while, but we need a few pennies if we want to last for a long time.¡± The pioneering village was outside the territories where the Kingdom could guarantee its safety in exchange for taxes, making it out of the army¡¯s reach. It was also rare for high-ranking Hunters to pass by such a low-income area. However, there were still times when righteous individuals appeared to protect the village. ¡°It¡¯s only right for us to save ourselves from them, right?¡± Zachrol planted an informant in Highten ahead of time to get inside information through carrier-pigeons. If a subjugation force were to come, he was bound to know before it could mobilize. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for someone to blame, blame those nosy, short-minded bastards. Without them, we wouldn¡¯t have done this.¡± The village chief could no longer reply. He had already passed away. ¡°Now, you guys! Pack everything so we can go into hiding!¡± Zachrol ordered, causing his men to work faster. ¡°While the naughty Church¡¯s partners are fussing around, we can relax, drink alcohol, and play with women in our hideout!¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin and Artis followed the path to the mountain. ¡°Their leader is named Zachrol, and he has thirty members in total.¡± Recalling the information the Priest Emile gave them about the Zachroldan bandits, he couldn¡¯t help but complain. Their enemy¡¯s number definitely couldn¡¯t be considered small. Only the two of them were going after the bandits, after all. ¡°If we were on Earth, this would be outright ridiculous.¡± It was common sense in the modern world to put at least twice as much police force as needed, even when they¡¯re only trying to wipe out street gangs. However, in this world, the gap between individuals was so large it was normal to send just two Hunters after a group of thirty bandits. ¡°Well, the situation would have been similar in the Middle Ages during the Cold War.¡± In fact, it was much worse in the Latna Continent than in the Middle Ages. In this world, transcendental powers such as magic and Auras existed, and the abilities to individual skills. Magic Tools were also unavailable for usage unless the user¡¯s met the level requirement. The combat power gap between humans was far broader than the combat power gaps on Earth, and only those who were already powerful could wield the most dangerous weapons. ¡®It¡¯s like a fight between a child and an adult, but the adult¡¯s the only one allowed to use guns.¡¯ If the Hunter¡¯s level was high enough, massacring dozens of low-level people alone was even possible. ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t seem like a big deal, so we have to deal with it and increase our contribution to the Church.¡± * * * Ryu Hanbin soon realized that he had taken things too lightly. ¡°Boo-hoo-hoo!¡± ¡°Sob¡­¡± They could see twelve villagers crying just outside their burnt mountain village. They were the ones who barely survived the Zachroldan raid. Dead bodies could be found all over the now-desolated land. In the ashes, the body of a roasted child could be seen. The misery wasn¡¯t enough to describe the scene. At a loss for words, Han-bin displayed a stiff look. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He had only ever witnessed such horrific scenes on screens for him, who lived in Korea during the 21st century. Seeing it in person with his own two eyes, the sense of reality hit him hard. Artis had already begun investigating the incident by asking the people to gather any information they could use. ¡°Where¡¯s their base? Do you guys know the approximate location?¡± However, the villagers refused to cooperate. ¡°This is all because of you!¡± ¡°Why did you have to intervene and make us suffer?¡± ¡°We were living in peace!¡± Instead, they poured the hatred and resentment in their hearts on the people that came to subdue the bandits. If they didn¡¯t come, Zachrol would have just quietly walked away after receiving compensation. After soothing and comforting them, Artis finally got information on Zachroldan¡¯s hometown. Wasting no time, they immediately left the village. Han-bin sighed deeply after crossing the mountain pass. ¡°Was that our fault?¡± Artis shook his head firmly. ¡°The bandits would have done something like that in the end, even if we didn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°But the villagers¡­¡± He didn¡¯t come there in hopes of getting the villagers¡¯ appreciation. But he couldn¡¯t deny that he naturally imagined himself being thanked by people after defeating the bandits. He didn¡¯t expect to receive such hatred and resentment. Artis comforted Han-bin. ¡°You cannot expect reason to come from those who have lost everything. After that much suffering, it¡¯s only natural for the villagers to blame the world for everything. Don¡¯t think about it too much.¡± They had to focus on defeating the bandits and rescuing those who were captured. It was their duty, after all. ¡°It feels like everything¡¯s in vain.¡± ¡°All good works are all initially in vain.¡± Artis laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why such works are worth more.¡± With fresh eyes, Ryu Han-bin looked at the red-haired young man. Thinking about it, he realized Artis had always been that way. It was why he trusted him in the first place. He willingly threw his life away to keep his promise to a level 5 Swordsman. Artis urged Han-bin. ¡°Let¡¯s go after them. We have to save the captured women.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes began to glow. * * * An angry roar thundered through the mountains. ¡°You motherfuckers!¡± At the same time, he swung his black greatsword. The entire wooden house collapsed at the mercy of his weapon, causing a loud crashing sound to echo. Daaaaang! However, the whole place remained quiet. No one came out. Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°They all ran away.¡± The Zachroldan¡¯s home was empty. Knowing that the two were coming, they had already gone into hiding somewhere else. Ryu Han-bin demolished what was left of the house out of sheer anger. Han-bin murmured while trying to calm down. ¡°This is why evil groups can keep surviving even though there are many high-level Hunters in Highten.¡± No matter how high anyone¡¯s level was, it would still take months to search the entire Mount Gessen. Even if there was enough force to destroy the bandits, finding them alone took enough time and effort for the bandits to hide. They would wait for the subjugation forces to give up, then they¡¯d return to looting and extorting other villages. The situation was similar to the American West era. With the land being too large and there being too few people, the state¡¯s control over its own territory wasn¡¯t perfect. Looking back at Artis, Ryu Han-bin asked a question. ¡°What should we do? I need to catch them as fast as possible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a way to track them down. It might be impossible for just the two of us. High-level Spiritists can use tracers, but¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin was a Warrior, and Artis was a Mage. Neither of the two could use tracking techniques. ¡°How about hiring a high-level Spiritist who can use a tracer then coming back?¡± They have a lot of money to waste anyway. Ryu Han-bin wanted to get rid of the bandits, even if it meant spending his funds. He was simply that enraged about what they did to the village. Artis shook his head. ¡°Tracking is a level 60 high-ranking technique. There¡¯s no Spiritist as powerful as that in Highten.¡± ¡°Damn, is there no way to track them down?¡± Ryu Han-bin gritted his teeth together out of sheer frustration. A letter made out of light suddenly appeared in front of him. [Would you like to use the Tracking Skill?] ¡°Huh?¡± The Guidelines seemed to have been triggered. Further explanation appeared after the initial message. [Tracking Skill: Searches for any marks the target left behind and gives you an approximate direction to its current location. Can be used once every 6 hours.] Dumbfounded, Han-bin stared at the message. ¡°¡­ Has there always been such a feature in the Guidelines?¡± Chapter 34 Church¡¯s Partner (3) Artis was speechless when Ryu Han-bin said he had a Tracking Skill. ¡°No, you¡¯ve been using the Guidelines for over 20 years, and you never knew it has that feature?¡± ¡°There was nothing to track down on the Rocky Mountain.¡± Tracking was the act of clearly setting the target and following it. He never had to track down Demon Dogs. He just had to search for them a little bit. ¡°After I fell into this world, I had nothing to chase after.¡± ¡°Well, try it now.¡± Ryu Han-bin concentrated his mind. The message in the Guidelines had changed. [Please specify the remains or the body part of the target to be tracked.] ¡°The remains or body part of the target to be tracked¡­ It looks like we need something like hair or blood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same as the Spiritist¡¯s tracer.¡± Convinced, Artis nodded. Han-bin felt a little embarrassed. ¡°But where can we even get their blood?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the village. They must have bled somewhere.¡± * * * Watching Ryu Han-bin and Artis return, the surviving villagers fell into even deeper despair. ¡°Have they given up?¡± ¡°How can those great Hunters spend days doing nothing? They must have checked the empty quarters and quit right away!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s too early to give up! I thought they would at least pretend to go through the mountains for a day.¡± The villagers whispered among themselves, but Han-bin could hear every word they said. With a hardened look, he tapped Artis on the side. ¡®Do something.¡¯ Currently, Ryu Han-bin was disguised as a Valtara warrior, so it¡¯s up to Artis to deal with people. ¡®I know.¡¯ Standing in front of the villagers, Artis began to speak. ¡°We¡¯re not giving up the search. We just need a magic catalyst to track them down. Do you have any weapons with the blood of the bandits?¡± Hope came back to the villagers¡¯ faces. ¡°Ah, we have what you need!¡± An elderly woman quickly came forward with a broken spear blade. A vigilante young man managed to stab a bandit in the arm before being killed, leaving blood on the edge of the spear. The woman cried out as she held out the spear tip. ¡°Can you find them with this? Can you save my daughter?¡± ¡°I cannot give you a definite answer.¡± As he tried to respond objectively, Artis took the spear. The woman wiped away her tears. ¡°Sob-sob, Smith, maybe your courage can save your sister¡­¡± Still, it was comforting to know that the bandits didn¡¯t kill her son. Watching the woman cry made their hearts ache. Ryu Han-bin and Artis left the village hastily. Going back the same way to the bandit¡¯s house, Han-bin sighed deeply. ¡°Oh, this is really frustrating. I think I¡¯m going to go crazy.¡± ¡°Calm down. Our top priority is to hunt them down.¡± Artis handed the bloody spear tip to Han-bin. ¡°Try tracking it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After peeling off the dried blood off the spear blade, Ryu Han-bin activated the Guidelines. [Start tracking the target.] [Track Target: Human] A stick made out of pure light appeared in front of Han-bin. It stood upright in the air for a few moments, then fell to one side. After a while, it disappeared. ¡°¡­ What was that? Was that all?¡± [The target¡¯s location is somewhere in the direction the stick pointed to.] ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Speechless, Han-bin was struck with astonishment. Artis felt a little curious. ¡°What happened?¡± In his eyes, neither the stick of light nor the message of the Guidelines was visible. Ryu Han-bin briefly explained the situation. ¡°It¡¯s just something like a shining stick that falls to one side, and that¡¯s all?¡± Surprisingly, Artis understood. ¡°I¡¯m sure that tracking function also came from Latna¡¯s tracking technique like the search function or the level measurement function.¡± Based on the way Artis talked, it seemed that the original Spiritist¡¯s tracer operated similarly. If they activated the tracking technique and placed the light wand on the ground, it would fall to the side where the target was located, giving the Spiritist an approximate direction. However, the direction it could fall towards was only limited to the east, west, north, and south. Even if they were to follow the direction the stick fell towards, they weren¡¯t guaranteed to find the target. Han-bin was dumbfounded. ¡°This is completely out of date! You call this a tracer?¡± It was almost as superstitious as spitting on the ground or throwing one¡¯s shoes up in the air and seeing where it landed. Even Artis, a native of Latna, seemed to agree that the Spiritist¡¯s tracer seemed insignificant. ¡°It¡¯s not efficient, but that doesn¡¯t mean the result is wrong.¡± Before the tracking spell, they didn¡¯t even have a small lead to follow. The rough direction alone was already extremely useful. ¡°Anyway, you mean we¡¯ll find them if we go this way?¡± Ryu Han-bin clenched his fist. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± * * * After a long run, they still couldn¡¯t find the bandits¡¯ hideout. Han-bin frowned. ¡°What happened? Is there something wrong with the tracer?¡± The stick¡¯s direction wasn¡¯t reliable. Artis shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong. Tracers only give you a rough idea of where the target is.¡± When a Spiritist was chasing after someone, he would frequently reuse the tracking technique as he moved. It continued to infer the direction and improved accuracy. ¡°But Han-bin, you can only use it once every 6 hours, so it¡¯s very inconvenient.¡± ¡°Tsk, It should just let me use the function without any restriction.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s only right to put restrictions on the many functions of the Guidelines.¡± The Guidelines¡¯ had so many functions that Ryu Han-bin, a Warrior, could use tracking techniques. Similarly, even though he wasn¡¯t a Mage, he could use much more advanced measurement magic. ¡°The Guidelines have too many amazing functions. It can¡¯t be without limits.¡± If there were no limits in the Guidelines¡¯ functions, there would have been no need to raise Aliens from Level 1. They could just put all the necessary techniques in the Guidelines and use all of them right from the beginning. ¡°I get it, but¡­¡± Biting his lower lip, Ryu Han-bin looked around. Both mountains and forests surrounded them. It was the same, no matter where he looked. How much longer did they have to wander around? ¡°At least we know where to wander. That¡¯s a good thing.¡± Soothing Han-bin, Artis continued. ¡°Let¡¯s just rest for now while we wait for the Tracking function to cool down.¡± Ryu Han-bin controlled his emotions. Artis was right. At that point, there was no merit in rushing into things. ¡°Okay.¡± Plunging onto the ground, he turned on the Guidelines. [Tracking reactivation time: 2 hours 34 minutes 24 seconds] And the waiting time counted down in realtime. 23 seconds, 22 seconds, 21 seconds¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s wait for now.¡± * * * After that, Ryu Han-bin and Artis continued to wander around Mount Gessen. He had used the Tracking function twice already. It meant that more than 12 hours had passed. The morning sun was slowly rising up to the sky as the moon began to sink into the horizon. Han-bin was annoyed as he looked at the bright eastern sky. ¡°Can we really find them like this?¡± He already had enough sleep since he slept during the cooldown of the Tracking function. It was starting to look like it was all a waste of time. He was growing tired and skeptical of the Guidelines¡¯ Tracking function. Just as he was about to complain again, a noise began to enter his ears. It was the sound of human breath. It wasn¡¯t one or two people either. At the same time, the scent of alcohol and food filled his nostrils. ¡°Found it!¡± Ryu Han-bin looked around with glaring eyes. Artis looked at him curiously. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± Confidently, Han-bin ran towards the signs of life. As he moved about 100 meters further in the mountains, he noticed some parts of the stone walls had been disguised. At the same time, the message of the Guidelines had also changed. [Target Found. Tracking has ended.] The reason was apparent. In front of them was the hideout of Zachroldan, the group of bandits they had been searching for. * * * Kenneth, a member of the Zachroldan, stood at the entrance of the hideout. He kept mumbling complaints under his breath. ¡°No, why the hell should I stand on the lookout¡­¡± They knew that there were high-level Hunters were out there trying to search for them. To avoid annihilation, he agreed to the boss¡¯s idea of hiding in their hideout. ¡°But why do I need to guard against potential intruders? Everything is over if we get caught anyway.¡± For as long as their location remained hidden, there was no need to stay alert. ¡°But why should we stand guard so early in the morning?¡± He was still tired from all the drinking and playing they did yesterday evening with the women. At that point, all he desired was to go inside and sleep. ¡°But since the boss is the one who gave the order, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to disobey.¡± Kenneth kept talking to himself as he stretched. ¡°It¡¯s so troublesome¨C¡± Baaaang! ¡°¨CWaaaaaaaaaaaa?¡± The wooden palisade in front of him broke down with a loud crashing sound. It was so unexpected that it made him scream. ¡°What just happened?¡± Frightened, Kenneth grabbed his spear and surveyed his surroundings. A gigantic human figure made its way across the broken perimeter wall. Kenneth doubted if it was even human. ¡®Human? No, ogre? No, a giant?¡¯ Whatever it was, he knew it was big. It wasn¡¯t just tall. It was tremendously large. Its presence alone made him tremble. The large man with a greatsword on his back turned his gaze towards Kenneth and stared at him. Beneath his messy black hair, his eyes began to glow. At that very moment, Kenneth froze. He looked incredibly enraged. All he wore were fur shorts and boots, leaving his rigorous body uncovered. His forearms were so thick Kenneth felt like his entire body would explode just by being tapped by the man¡¯s fists. He groaned in fear. ¡°Th-this¡­¡± Kenneth immediately held his spear up, but it was just a kind of conditioned reflex instilled into him after days and days of murder and crime. ¡°What, you guys!¡± Kenneth threw his spear at the giant man¨C Ryu Han-bin. Han-bin stared at the opponent¡¯s attack. ¡®It¡¯s really slow.¡¯ He hunted Demon Dogs on the Rocky Mountain for over 20 years and dealt with monsters even after falling into this world. Such a weak attack looked like a still image to him. Ryu Hanbin cracked his finger. Within the blink of an eye, the black greatsword on his back right in front of Kenneth. Han-bin very gently lowered the blade of his sword down onto the bandit¡¯s head. He used only the same amount of force he used against the Devolks he fought back at Onpros. Braaaack! Kenneth¡¯s spear crumbled, his armor shattered, and his chest cracked. Blood began to spill out of his body. Paaats! Crimson fluids began to dye the dirt floor. In terrible pain, Kenneth screamed out his last breath. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Shouts erupted from inside the hideout. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a raid!¡± Armed bandits soon rushed out of the front door. Everyone looked sobber. The agitated men loudly expressed their anger. ¡°Hey, what the hell!¡± ¡°Who dares invade the Zachroldan¨C¡± Their eyes all dawned upon the gruesome scene. Their fellow bandit¡¯s chest had been ripped wide open, and a 190cm tall giant stood right in front of him. They were shaken wide awake. ¡°Waaargh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Valtara warrior!¡± Chapter 35 Church¡¯s Partner (4) Looking at the eminence in front of them, the bandits fell into despair. ¡°Oh, shit¡­¡± There was no doubt that they would die if they stuck to each other. The only difference was whether the body would float above a sea of blood or burrow in a mountain of corpses. ¡°Scatter!¡± Losing their will to fight, the bandits began to run away with their tails between their legs. With the warrior blocking their base¡¯s front, the only viable escape route was the back gate. However, Artis had already predicted their ¡°Drop on the ground, Wall of Fire!¡± A fiery barrier surged forth across the back gate. The spell effectively blocked their remaining escape route just as they were about to make their exit. With the infernal wall eliminating the only option they had left, the bandits panicked and trembled. ¡°Ah, tsk!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± They could hear the heavy footsteps of the Valtara warrior approaching them from behind. The shadow of death loomed over the heads of the trapped deers. Turning around, they fearfully raised their weapons against him. Cornered, the deers had no choice but to fight against the lion. They had to fight. ¡°We¡¯re not going down that easily!¡± ¡°Die! Aaaaaaaah!¡± Holding their weapons as tight as they could, they rushed towards the Valtara warrior. The bandits, struggling to suppress the terror in their hearts, did their best to fight the same way they had done all their life. One of them even managed to gather enough courage to stab his sword into their predator. ¡°No matter how big you are, don¡¯t think our weapons won¡¯t cut you!¡± It didn¡¯t even break the surface of his skin. Ting! Ryu Han-bin¡¯s chest deflected the blade with ease. It wasn¡¯t due to any armor. It was blocked by his thick pectoral muscles. ¡°I try to avoid doing that in front of other people, but¡­¡± Han-bin had a fierce smile on his face. ¡°With no one watching me, there¡¯s no need to hold myself back, right?¡± The bandits felt puzzled. What did he mean no one was watching? There were more than twenty of them that witnessed the scene. The realization soon dawned upon them, however. Dead men tell no tales. ¡°Hump!¡± With a shallow exhale, Han-bin began to swing his sword. Gently and quickly, he swiped his wrist back and forth, almost as if he was just trying to tap people with his sword. Tap, tap, tap. However, the only one who thought of the swings as taps were Ryu Han-bin. To the bandits, each bend of his wrist meant the death of another one of them. They were slowly turning into a mess of blood and flesh. Screams echoed ceaselessly. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± With each scream, another bandit¡¯s life was ended. Dozens of bandits quickly turned into corpses, helplessly lying on the cold hard ground. One of them tried to fight back with a Magic Tool, but it was all in vain. ¡°Magic Arrow! Magic Arrow! Magic Arrow!¡± No matter how many times he cast the Magic Arrow spell, Han-bin easily caught and crushed all of them with his bare hands. Ryu Han-bin easily blocked the magic of a level 72 Lich with his bare body. Such a low-level spell wouldn¡¯t even be able to tickle him. The panicked bandit screamed. ¡°Fuck! We were just trying to live!¡± His screamed fell on deaf ears, however. The bandit felt like the fates were maltreating him. Han-bin laughed. ¡°These crazy guys.¡± What he was doing wasn¡¯t even comparable to what the bandits did to the villagers. However, Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t feel the need to point it out. He wasn¡¯t their parents. He was going to waste his time educating them. ¡°Just die already.¡± The slaughter continued. His black greatsword steadily culled his prey as fire and electric spells continued to spread across their hideout to strengthen the cage they were trapped in. ¡°S-save me!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for him to completely annihilate the bandits. Only the boss, Zachrol, though gasping for breath and already drenched in blood, remained. He didn¡¯t beg for his life like the rest of the bandits. Instead, he gritted his teeth then let out a shout. ¡°Do you guys think you¡¯re exacting justice? Don¡¯t be ridiculous! If you guys didn¡¯t come, we wouldn¡¯t have done that!¡± The bandit wasn¡¯t lying. If it weren¡¯t for Ryu Han-bin and Artis, Zachrol would¡¯ve remained quiet and satisfied with the money the villagers paid them with. ¡°It¡¯s you guys who killed those worms!¡± Ryu Han-bin laughed coldly as he looked down on Zachrol. They didn¡¯t deny that they were the cause of the horror. But¡­ ¡°Their death is our responsibility?¡± These bandits were the ones who plundered, burned and massacred everyone in the village. They didn¡¯t even show the women and children mercy. ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot to be upset by such bullshit.¡± Ryu Han-bin decapitated the bandit leader¡¯s head. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± With his eyes open, his head rolled on the ground. * * * Ryu Han-bin and Artis rescued the women and returned to the village. A sea of tears greeted the group. ¡°Rossi!¡± ¡°Jane! You¡¯re alive!¡± After being caught by the bandits, they were made to suffer from unbearable shame. It wasn¡¯t right to tell them they were okay. Still, the fact was they were alive and were able to return to their families. That at least made them feel genuinely elated. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± The villagers bowed their heads over and over to express their gratitude to the duo. Ryu Han-bin looked at the scene, stunned. They were truly grateful. They were just resenting them yesterday. Though their hatred towards them was sincere back then, their appreciation was just as real. ¡°Wow, how can their impression of us change so much?¡± Looking at the villagers, Artis cheerfully laughed. ¡°Humans are a race that can easily adapt and change. They can genuinely hate someone as much as they¡¯re genuinely thankful to them. They¡¯re quite complex beings, but their complicated nature makes them even more beautiful.¡± ¡®Spineless creatures that swayed as easily as reeds were beautiful?¡¯ ¡°Artis, your reasoning is a little hard to understand.¡± ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not human.¡± They had successfully defeated Zachroldan. They¡¯ve accomplished what the Althea Church requested for them to do¡­ ¡°What now? Do we return with proof that we¡¯ve defeated the bandits?¡± He didn¡¯t have to. ¡°The Althea Church will send people to help the villagers because they live outside the Kingdom¡¯s jurisdiction.¡± The Church would be able to confirm the Zachroldan bandits¡¯ defeat naturally. They didn¡¯t have to prove themselves. ¡°It¡¯s time to head back, then?¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s nothing more for us to do here.¡± * * * After leaving the village, Ryu Han-bin and Artis headed to Highten. They walked at a leisurely pace as they chatted with each other. ¡°I finally discovered a new function of the Guidelines after a long time.¡± He knew the Tracking function was going to keep being useful to them. Looking back at Ryu Han-bin, who was happy, Artis asked. ¡°Speaking of which, shouldn¡¯t you try to look for more details in the Guidelines? You know, like issue a command to list all of the functions. That should make it easier to learn about all of its abilities.¡± Han-bin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already tried it before.¡± All he had to play with for over 20 years was the Guidelines. ¡°I got an error right away.¡± There were also functions that only became available for use after coming to this world. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because my level was too low.¡± Due to the constant level reset he suffered from, the skills he had unlocked were Stab, Horizontal Cut, and Vertical Cut. His stats kept increasing, at the very least. ¡°That¡¯s a little unfair. Han-bin, you can learn such basic attacks by yourself, right?¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± Those skills were part of the reason why he was able to go to this world. Ryu Han-bin no longer complained about his broken Guidelines due to that. ¡°If my Guidelines worked correctly, there¡¯s a great chance that I wouldn¡¯t be where I am now.¡± There was a chance that he would¡¯ve become one of the Devil¡¯s faithful puppets like the Aliens called Demon¡¯s Followers. ¡°Well, even if I don¡¯t know what the hell they¡¯re thinking.¡± While following the mountain path, Ryu Han-bin stopped abruptly. He looked up at the sky. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Han-bin?¡± ¡°Something seems to be approaching us.¡± He could hear a soft fluttering sound. It was faint, but considering the distance it was coming from, he felt like the creature was gigantic. They didn¡¯t need to wait too long for the source of the sound to enter their vision. Looming over them was a Wyvern with a slim body. Artis felt a little confused. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of wild Wyverns inhabiting this area.¡± They quietly observed it as it circled around them. Wyvern soon started descending onto the clearing right in front of them. As it got closer, they finally saw the man riding on its back. The man immediately cheered as he saw them. ¡°Found you!¡± Han-bin narrowed his eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s that guy? Do you know him?¡± Artis was just as confused as he was, however. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Wyvern landed on the mountain path, effectively blocking it. The man holding the reins of the Wyvern had annoyance visible on his face. ¡°I could barely follow after you. Why is the Tracking function so useless?¡± * * * The man jumped off Wyvern¡¯s back. ¡°Hop!¡± He looked to be around his 40s with reddish-brown skin and curly black hair. He didn¡¯t look particularly large or muscular. He was wearing light armor and had twin blades sheathed around his waist. Appearance-wise, he looked no more than a normal middle-aged man. However, the Guidelines revealed utterly different information. Ryu Han-bin whispered the details to Artis. ¡°That guy, Level 75 Magic Swordsman.¡± Artis¡¯s face hardened. ¡®Oh my God. I won¡¯t be able to match that guy.¡¯ His level was higher than that Lich they met at Satt Forest. It was rare to meet someone over level 50 in a single lifetime, yet in such a short period, they encountered another being with a level higher than 70. Still, it was fortunate that the level difference between the Lich and that man wasn¡¯t that big. ¡®Han-bin can deal with him if needed.¡¯ Looking at him, Artis spoke politely. ¡°What kind of business do you have with us?¡± The middle-aged man didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Looking at his level, it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s this guy¡­¡± He ignored Artis and turned his gaze towards Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Pffft! What the hell is that?¡± The man burst out in laughter. ¡°I heard there are people in this world who pretend to be Valtara warriors, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one with my own eyes.¡± At the moment, Han-bin¡¯s eyes grew cold. He dressed and acted unmistakably like a Valtara warrior. Nobody could call him weak. ¡®But now he¡¯s treating me as if I¡¯m a fraud?¡¯ The man clearly saw his level. ¡®He¡¯s an Earthling!¡¯ Chapter 36 The Second Alien (1) The middle-aged man looked up and down at Artis. He seemed to be a bit confused. ¡°Is it that Mage, then? Level 40 is still too low, but it¡¯s better than that fraud.¡± He kept talking to himself. ¡®Did he relax because he thinks nobody knows who he is?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s probably because of the Guidelines.¡¯ It was a habit Ryu Han-bin himself had. Whenever he relaxed without anyone around, he had a habit of talking to himself. Artis often nagged him about it. ¡®As expected, he¡¯s also an Earthling.¡¯ He was the first Earthling he met after falling into this world. The Lich he fought against at the Satt Forest was technically the first one, but he only realized it after killing it. In the first place, by the time he had met it, it was no longer human. That was the first time he felt like he met an actual Earthling. Han-bin felt a little happy because of that, but he kept his emotions suppressed. ¡®The other Earthlings are different from me.¡¯ The man looked calm. He didn¡¯t seem like the Devil was manipulating him. However, Han-bin still couldn¡¯t be sure that the man wasn¡¯t hostile. ¡®I¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡¯ * * * Artis took a step back and asked Han-bin a question. ¡°He immediately discovered my level. Is he an Alien?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Only Earthlings can do that.¡± The man seemed to have no intention of hiding his identity based on the way he talked. The man laughed and gave them a definite answer. ¡°I am Alejandro Fernandez. Well, my full name is a little longer. Perhaps you already know? If you belong to the Upper Draconium, you¡¯d have already heard about it.¡± ¡®Upper Draconium?¡¯ Artis was confused. He didn¡¯t know anyone who went by that name. Alejandro squinted his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you know. Aren¡¯t you from the Upper Draconium?¡± ¡°You must have found the wrong person, Alien.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a person. You¡¯re a Dragon, aren¡¯t you?¡± At that moment, Artis felt his heart sink. ¡®How did he know?¡¯ His tone had that sense of certainty in it. Giving off a laugh, Alejandro pointed at Artis. ¡°This is getting bothersome. Follow me. I¡¯d love to hear the whole story.¡± He was beginning to grow more and more arrogant. ¡®At least it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s not on our side.¡¯ Artis stealthily controlled the conversation. When fighting, it was necessary to dig up more information before the battle could start. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who killed Shin Ha-joon?¡± ¡°Shin Ha-joon?¡± ¡°Oh, of course, you don¡¯t know his name. Did you kill a Lich recently?¡± ¡®So the Lich¡¯s name is Shin Ha-joon.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin grew curious. That form of naming method felt familiar to him. ¡®Was that skeleton Alien a Korean?¡¯ Regardless, the Lich¡¯s nationality was the least of their worries. The Lich had the mark of the Great Earth. And the man before them seemed to be the acquaintance or friend of the Lich. He could also be a member of the Great Earth! ¡®I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be able to have a peaceful conversation.¡¯ Han-bin slowly began to warm his fingers up. * * * Meanwhile, Artis was deep in thought. Alejandro clearly believed that he killed Shin Ha-joon. However, his attitude didn¡¯t line up with that thought. If the enemy won against a Level 72 Lich, any level 75 Magic Swordsman would be forced to keep their guard. How could he be so relaxed? ¡®There must be something he¡¯s hiding.¡¯ Artis continued to dig up information through their conversation. ¡°A Lich? I don¡¯t know what bullshit that is. Besides, what Dragon are you talking about?¡± Alejandro raised his hand forward. ¡°Of course, you¡¯d play innocent. After all, you¡¯ll be in trouble the moment the people find out your secret.¡± He pointed his finger at Artis. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Tak! From the man¡¯s fingertip shot out an electrical wave. Artis immediately cast his own magic to defend himself. ¡°Shield!¡± The battle began too sudden, leaving him with no choice but to rely on low-level magic. The wave swiftly broke the shield and hit Artis, causing him to fall back. ¡°Ugh!¡± Alejandro laughed blatantly. ¡°Once I capture you, I¡¯ll be able to interrogate you all I want.¡± * * * ¡°Stay on top of them.¡± As commanded, the Wyvern flew and circled over the sky. Alejandro turned his gaze toward Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± An invisible force flew towards Han-bin and grabbed his limb. It was the unique telekinetic power of Magic Swordsmen, Psychic Force. ¡°Hmm?¡± Feeling the pressure being applied onto his skin, Han-bin frowned. It felt as if there were multiple men were grabbing onto his arms and legs. ¡°This should be enough.¡± Alejandro turned to Artis again. He unsuspectingly believed that he had overpowered Han-bin entirely. However, it couldn¡¯t even faze Han-bin. He could break free just as easily as pulling dozens of men off of him. ¡®He¡¯s only at this level?¡¯ Just as he was about to escape through sheer brute force, Artis sent him Telepathy Magic. -Wait!- Through Telepathy Magic, he was able to send his thoughts to anyone within 5 meters of him. However, since Ryu Han-bin couldn¡¯t use magic, it became a one-way conversation. He looked at Artis with concern. ¡®Why?¡¯ Artis¡¯s message continued. -I¡¯m going to deal with him myself, so get as much information as you can from where you are! He doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of killing me here anyway.- Ryu Han-bin easily defeated a level 72 Lich. A level 75 Magic Swordsman wasn¡¯t going to be any different. Artis still felt suspicious of the man. He was way too confident. He had to be hiding something in his sleeves. Artis had to figure it out. -Oh, if you think it¡¯s becoming dangerous, don¡¯t hesitate to move immediately.- Artis finished. He still valued his life more than anything. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Han-bin loosened his grip in agreement. Artis aimed his staff at his enemy and began to conjure magic. ¡°Ignition Ray!¡± A wave of heat washed over Alejandro. He laughed. ¡°Hah! A spell that weak won¡¯t work on me.¡± Even though it was a level 25 flame magic, he treated it as if it was a low-level spell. He was simply that strong. Alejandro raised his palm toward the incoming heatwave. ¡°Hmph!¡± A shockwave shot out of his palm, tearing the heatwave to pieces. Bang bang bang! Force Wave, like the Psychic Force, was one of the basic skills of Magic Swordsmen. Due to his high level, even basic skills were enough to destroy Level 25 magic. ¡°As expected. It¡¯s not enough.¡± Artis began to cast stronger spells. ¡°Reverse Gravity! Flame Burst! Death Blast! Electronic Explosion!¡± It was time to utilize the 18,000X investment he put on magic scrolls. He conjured a series of level 37 to level 40 magic spells. ¡°This is a little annoying.¡± Complaining, Alejandro pulled out his twin blades. He doubted he¡¯d be able to stop such powerful spells with just his Force Wave. He pointed his left sword forward and raised his right sword above his head. It was the Magic Swordsmen¡¯s peculiar stance. Just as Spiritists used spirits to cast their skills, Magic Swordsmen used Magic Swordsmanship through stances. -Magic Sword: Thunder Rumble! As the sounds of thunder echoed across the mountains, four beams of lightning descended from the skies. The beams slithered through the air like eels, swallowing up every magic in its path. The Reverse Gravity spell was destroyed right away. The rest exploded upon being devoured. Boom! Boom! Boom!! Artis hastily took a step back. ¡°That quick¡­?¡± Despite the massive gap in level, he thought his newly-learned spells would at least work. Alejandro chuckled triumphantly. ¡°I am a Level 75 Magic Swordsman. Such low-level spells wouldn¡¯t work on me.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin calmly examined Alejandro¡¯s techniques. ¡®Because he¡¯s a Magic Swordsman, I thought he¡¯d be more like a Mage, but Magics swordsmen are actually a little different.¡¯ He didn¡¯t use both the Warrior¡¯s swordsmanship and the Mage¡¯s magic but instead used a unique style called Magic Swordsmanship. ¡®It¡¯s the style that I couldn¡¯t get at the Rocky Mountain.¡¯ Meanwhile, Artis was being overwhelmed. ¡°Ugh! Uuugh!¡± No matter how many spells he attacked Alejandro with, none of it worked. Not even his barriers worked against the Magic Swordsman. Every wall he created was easily destroyed with a single hit. Bang! Bang! Bang! Artis¡¯s magic shield broke again due to the explosions. Alejandro smiled wickedly as he approached. ¡°You still don¡¯t understand the situation, Dragon?¡± If he wanted to, he could break Artis¡¯s head right then and then. He was just going easy on Artis. Now that he had figured out the opponent¡¯s identity, he couldn¡¯t kill him in human form. ¡°How long are you going to keep pretending to be someone you¡¯re not?¡± Artis decided. The opponent seemed to already know his true identity. There was no point in hiding it anymore. ¡°If so!¡± His entire body was once more engulfed by red brilliance. His transformation ripped the robe he was wearing to shreds as the light expanded further. Alejandro burst into joy. ¡®That¡¯s it. Turn into a Dragon. Only then can I check your identity.¡¯ Soon after, a large red Dragon around 10 meters tall appeared in front of him as the light dissipated. ¡°Gaaaaarrrrh!¡± Alejandro was mesmerized by the gigantic figure. ¡°Huh?¡± Disappointment filled his eyes despite the Dragon¡¯s majestic appearance. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a young fire Dragon?¡± The red Dragon roared. ¡°And you¡¯re a vile Alien! I¡¯ll show you the true power of Dragons!¡± Alejandro didn¡¯t care about what Artis had to say. ¡°So you¡¯re not the Dragon that killed Shin Ha-joon? Then who killed him?¡± He felt like he had been chasing the wrong being. ¡°Well, guess I won¡¯t have to use this then.¡± Mumbling, he touched the necklace around his neck. Then he reached out and pointed at Artis. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here already, guess I¡¯ll still use it anyway.¡± The necklace began to glow. ¡°Return to your human form, Latnain Dragon!¡± A beam of light hit Artis. ¡°Ugh!¡± Artis was astonished. His body began to shrink back rapidly. He had been returned to his human form. The fact that he had been forced to revert was definitely a problem. But he had a much bigger problem. ¡®I can¡¯t change into my Dragon form. Is it the power of that necklace?¡¯ Alejandro laughed at the naked, red-haired young man. ¡°It¡¯s a unique item¨C a Polymorph Necklace. It forces any Dragon to transform into their human form.¡± He didn¡¯t need to use it on a young Dragon like Artis. ¡°But it¡¯s easier to drag people than to drag dragons.¡± Though he was confused for a moment, he quickly recovered his smile. Even if it was still young, the red Dragon was still useful in many ways. As said before, the Dragons¡¯ body parts were extremely valuable. It was because of that that the Lich they fought became thrilled upon seeing Artis¡¯s Dragon form. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a full-grown Dragon, but tracking you down still isn¡¯t in vain.¡± At that time, a smile came to Artis¡¯s mouth as well. ¡°Even if the Dragon that killed the Lich were an adult, you¡¯d have no reason to fear them if they¡¯re in their human form. Is that what you believe?¡± Alejandro felt a little confused by what he thought was Artis¡¯s bluff. ¡°Where are you going with this?¡± Artis laughed. ¡°Well, I am not an adult Dragon, am I?¡± ¡°Then who killed the Lich?¡± Just as he was about to answer, Alejandro heard an explosion come from behind them. The psychic force that held Ryu Han-bin down had been destroyed. Baaaaang! Chapter 37 The Second Alien (2) After breaking the Psychic Force, Ryu Han-bin stared at Alejandro. ¡®You mean you believed in that?¡¯ Detailed information about his necklace appeared in the Guidelines. [Polymorph Necklace (Unique Item) Gives the wearer the ability to mimic humans. The form is maintained for as long as the necklace is worn. When used on Dragons, the opponent will be imprisoned in their human form for a day. No conditions of use. Infinite number of uses.] Besides Magic Tools and Artifacts, there were Unique Items in this world. Unique Items were neither made by Latnains nor looted from Dungeons. The Aliens favored by Omphalos due to the destruction they¡¯ve done to the world received Unique Items, though such occasions were rare. Such items were rumored to have no usage limit or even level requirement. Unique Items could give a powerless child ability to kill seasoned warriors. However, their existence was considered one of the worst taboos on the Latna Continent. ¡®Is that why he¡¯s so calm?¡¯ It was a terrifying item for Dragons, but to Ryu Han-bin, it was nothing but garbage. After unsheathing his weapon, he stood in front of Artis, blocking him from Alejandro. Han-bin looked at Artis over his shoulders. ¡°Hey, put on some clothes. You¡¯ve been taking them off way too often lately.¡± ¡°You think I want to?¡± Feeling embarrassed, Artis hurriedly wore a new robe. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t wear expensive clothes! I always tear them apart..¡± Alejandro could only look at them blankly. ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to be only level 5?¡± A level 5 Hunter broke his Psychic Force? That was ridiculous. However, there was no way he could use Magical Tools or Artifacts. He wouldn¡¯t be qualified, after all. ¡°Are you really a Valtara warrior?¡± No, he couldn¡¯t be. If he were a Valtara warrior, his level would¡¯ve been a lot higher. ¡°You! You must be a Suitor!¡± Alejandro couldn¡¯t help but yell. While they couldn¡¯t alter it, there was an Alien in the past who could make the system display their level as unknown. ¡°Is this a Guidelines¡¯ special function? Or is it a Unique Item with a level control ability?¡± Ryu Han-bin inwardly smiled. Even Alejandro, who was an Alien like him, became confused upon seeing Ryu Han-bin. That alone was a piece of really crucial information. ¡®Based on his reaction, it seems like my kind of case is unusual even among themselves.¡¯ However, he feigned ignorance. ¡°What bullshit are you talking about? I am just unique, you Alien!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really not a Suitor? But I¡¯ve never heard of any Latnain that could hide their level.¡± Upset, Alejandro hastily unsheathed his swords again. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Unlike the young Fire Dragon, he had no way of knowing the giant¡¯s level. He couldn¡¯t fully grasp just how powerful he really was. However, Alejandro didn¡¯t care. The giant couldn¡¯t be any stronger than him, who has leveled up in this world for decades! ¡°I¡¯ll just capture you along with that Dragon. Leslie would be delighted.¡± With a confident look, he dashed forward. ¡°Taaats!¡± * * * Alejandro¡¯s movements were different from before. In an instant, he had reached Ryu Han-bin and had swung his twin blades. His attacks were so swift it made his weapons look like a blur. Ryu Han-bin quickly blocked the weapons with his greatsword. Daang! The black greatsword and Alejandro¡¯s twin blades clashed against each other and remained in a deadlock. Feeling the pressure on his arms, Han-bin¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡®He¡¯s pretty good.¡¯ It was the first time since he fell into this world that he felt such intense pressure. It surprised him how a small, ordinary-looking middle-aged man could have that much power. ¡®Still, he¡¯s not strong enough for me to be unable to withstand his attack.¡¯ While it was the first time he¡¯s met such an opponent in Latna, he had met far stronger monsters during his days in the Rocky Mountain! ¡°Hump!¡± With a brief shout, Ryu Han-bin deflected Alejandro¡¯s weapons. He then lifted his greatsword above his head and cleaved it down at his enemy. It caused the ground to explode and split in two. Alejandro screamed upon being hit by the explosion. ¡°Ugh!¡± He managed to avoid the blow itself, but his body still felt it. That single swing had enough power to send a shockwave that could hurt him. ¡®What was that? Aura?¡± Han-bin continued to charge at Alejandro, not giving him time to think. He propelled himself forward and attempted to cut the man diagonally from below. Alejandro jumped backward and took a huge turn to avoid the attack. It was time for Alejandro to avoid the attack by jumping and making a big turn. ¡®Got him!¡¯ Grinning with satisfaction, Ryu Han-bin reversed the course of his swing. The elevated sword struck down like a lightning strike. ¡°Ugh!¡± Frightened, Alejandro activated his skill. -Sword of Water Flow! Alejandro¡¯s swords looked as if they were elasticated to create beautiful coils around the greatsword¡¯s blade. The swords then changed the trajectory of Han-bin¡¯s attack. Flash! Using an elegant sword dance, he quickly escaped from the crisis. Han-bin¡¯s eyes widened. It was the first time he had seen a technique that could make him miss. ¡®What was that just now?¡¯ When he activated his skill, Alejandro¡¯s body moved by itself. The timing, speed, and trajectory of the sword and the body¡¯s breathing and posture must all be perfect for it to work, yet Alejandro¡¯s body moved on its own to execute the technique? ¡®Of course, having a high level must be convenient!¡¯ With admiration, Ryu Han-bin immediately readied his sword again. He created yet another terrifying blow aimed at his opponent. ¡®How can you even make an attack like that from your position? What happened to the law of physics?¡¯ Confused, Alejandro activated the same skill. -Sword of Water Flow! Just like the first time, the elegant sword dance caused Ryu Han-bin¡¯s attack to miss. There was no reason for him to be surprised anymore since he had already seen it happen before. Again, Han-bin readied his sword and released another strike. This time, Alejandro¡¯s perception failed to keep up with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s attack. He also missed the timing to activate the sword technique. ¡°Ugh, aaaaaaa!¡± In a hurry, Alejandro stepped back and crossed his twin swords overhead. ¡°Protective Barrier!¡± The translucent magical barrier blocked the attack. However, it didn¡¯t last long before it was completely smashed. Bang! Bang! Bang! Due to the shock, the middle-aged man was blown away like a boat being washed away by a tidal wave. Fortunately, he avoided being slashed directly because of the magic barrier. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Landing violently, he broke out in cold sweat. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure I blocked his attack properly¡­¡¯ However, he reversed the trajectory of the attack, causing the blade to return. It was similar to how boxers changed their punch trajectory in the middle of a jab.1 It wasn¡¯t that he used inertia to launch a series of onslaughts but rather simply forced his sword to switch directions. That terrible strike was also as light as jabs in boxing. ¡°Nonsense! That wasn¡¯t all of his power?¡± * * * Holding the sword, Han-bin¡¯s eyes shone. ¡®That double sword, is it an Artifact?¡¯ [Left Sword Stale, Right Sword Zerohalt (Artifact) Imbued with Maintainenance Magic to keep the sharpness of the blade. Also equipped with weapon enhancement magic that¡¯s active at all times. Special Ability: Level 63 Defense Magic, Protective Barrier. Cross both blades to activate. Terms of use lv. 65. Number of uses: 11/12 times a day.¡± ¡°Taaaaats!¡± Alejandro dragged the swords through the soil. It caused piles of dirt to splatter towards Han-bin as shockwaves surged across the ground. -Force Wave! It was useless. The shockwaves disappeared with a single slap from Han-bin. Still, he managed to create a gap between them. Quickly widening the distance, Alejandro unfolded another technique. -Magic Sword: Giant¡¯s Strength! Upon reaching level 75 Magic Swordsmanship, basic physical abilities became a lot more powerful. Anyone at the same level as Alejandro could tear apart a person with their bare hands. Combined with his Physical Enhancement technique, he was confident he¡¯d still win even if he fought a Dragon! Shouting triumphantly, he launched a series of assaults from side to side. ¡°You think strength alone can make you win?¡± ¡°It can be enough.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s counterattack easily deflected the strikes. Daaang! Alejandro¡¯s eyes widened. Even though he had applied enhancement magic on himself, the outcome didn¡¯t change at all. That could only mean one thing in Alejandro¡¯s mind. ¡°I know you aren¡¯t using your maximum strength, but you¡¯re not even using half of it, are you?¡± ¡°I wanted to know what Magic Swordsmanship is like.¡± He¡¯s had enough experience with it. Han-bin started to take the fight seriously. He took a step forward, then propelled himself like a bullet, causing the ground below his feet to crack. The muscular giant thundered forward like a dark storm covering the middle-aged man¡¯s view. Upon reaching his target, Han-bin swiftly brought down his sword upon Alejandro. Gritting his teeth, Alejandro turned to avoid the attack. He then kicked with a crescent motion, causing a shockwave to burst forth. Baang! After escaping the blade storm using the shockwave, he retaliated. -Force Crash! Intangible energy flew towards Ryu Han-bin and exploded one after another. Boom! Boom! Boom! But the coppery giant remained undamaged. Alejandro clenched his fists as he stared at the muscular giant chased after him like a hungry lion. ¡°That ignorant asshole!¡± He activated Psychic Force and glared at Han-bin¡¯s feet. At that moment, Ryu Han-bin felt something grab onto his ankles, causing him to stumble. ¡°Ugh?¡± It wasn¡¯t enough to trip him, but it was at least enough to stop his charge. Utilizing the gap he made, Alejandro raised his two swords above his head and rapidly cleaved them down. -Magic Sword: Sky Lightning! A bolt of heavy lightning struck exactly at Han-bin¡¯s position. Rumble! It was definitely a powerful attack. It didn¡¯t feel inferior compared to the Demon Dog¡¯s lightning magic he met during his last days at the Rocky Mountain. Taking a deep breath, Han-bin lightly hit his own cheeks. ¡®This is quite tricky.¡¯ Alejandro wasn¡¯t a difficult opponent, but it was hard to bring him down due to his wide arsenal skills. ¡®If so¡­¡¯ Ryu Han-bin held his greatsword with his right hand. He swung it as if he was throwing a spear. Using his other arm to help him aim and balance, he stretched his shoulders to increase his attack range. ¡°Haaaaaa!¡± The blade of the greatsword sliced through the air in an attempt to hit the middle-aged man¡¯s head. ¡®Hah! Who¡¯s going to get hit with such a big move?¡¯ Just as Alejandro stepped back to avoid the attack, Han-bin executed the next phase of his plan. ¡°Waaargh!¡± Using the inertia produced by swinging the great sword, Han-bin threw a dagger with his left hand. A dagger looked as if it teleported right at Alejandro¡¯s feet and exploded. Baaang! The attack caused his posture to be destroyed. Fully exploiting the gap, he launched another cleaving attack. ¡°Ah!¡± Alejandro¡¯s eyes shook violently. The timing made the second attack unavoidable. In a hurry, he crossed the double sword over his head. ¡°Protective Barrier!¡± Han-bin laughed. ¡®I knew he¡¯d do that again.¡¯ He purposely angled the second strike in a way that made its crushing power even more potent. Smaash! The black greatsword struck Alejandro. The protective barrier and twin blades managed to protect his head but failed to stop the pressure Han-bin¡¯s attack had. The immense force caused both of Alejandro¡¯s legs to be crushed. Broken bones tore through his muscles and skin, causing blood to spill profusely. As both of his legs were crushed, the broken bones tore the skin and spilled blood. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± However, Ryu Han-bin was interrupted just as he was about to land the final blow. Pats! A light erupted from Alejandro¡¯s body, which restored his legs back to normal. He conjured a healing technique. ¡°Huh?¡± Hanbin was confused. Only Priests could use healing magic. Warriors, Mages, and Magic Swordsmen could never use healing techniques. Upon a closer look, he noticed the healing light was flowing from the opponent¡¯s right wrist. [Bracelet of Absolute (Artifact) Casts Level 65 Supreme Healing on the wearer. Terms of use Lv. 70. Number of Uses: 2/3 times a day.] ¡°How can something like that exist?¡± Chapter 38 The Second Alien (3) Alejandro, who had healed the injury, spat out a rough breath. ¡°Huh, I almost died¡­¡± Even though the bracelet had healed his wounds, it didn¡¯t seem to restore his energy. He looked fatigued. Ryu Han-bin looked at the opponent¡¯s right wrist. [Absolute Cure¡¯s Bracelet (Artifact): 2/3 times a day.] ¡®You mean he can do that two more times?¡¯ Well, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®I just need to give him two more fatal injuries.¡¯ Han-bin moved on his toes. A massive 190 centimeters tall giant silently approached and hit Alejandro. The middle-aged man quickly fought back. Unfolding another Magic Swordsmanship technique, flames and lightning soon danced across them. A chain of roars erupted in succession as a windstorm was summoned on the deserted mountain path. Bang! Bang! Bang! He fought with all he had, but Han-bin remained dominant. With one full swing, he sliced through Alejandro¡¯s defense and hacked deep into his shoulder. The cut was so deep it almost completely incapacitated his arm. ¡°Tsk, heal!¡± His injury swiftly disappeared. The bracelet only had one use remaining. The warrior continued to swing his greatsword as if dancing to the tune of chaos and destruction. His enormous blade broke through the Magic Swordsmanship again, this time burrowing deep into the opponent¡¯s waist. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± The gaping wound caused his intestines to spill out, but his body was immediately returned to its original state due to the Artifact¡¯s ability. Paaats! With the light of healing, Alejandro was saved. Han-bin looked at his wrist again. [Absolute Cure¡¯s Bracelet (Artifact): 0/3 times a day.] ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ With a satisfied smile, he changed his tactics. His attacks became less destructive and instead focused on simply knocking Alejandro out. He also purposely aimed at the parts of Alejandro¡¯s body that wouldn¡¯t threaten his life. ¡°He has more uses alive than dead.¡± The person he was fighting against was an Earthling. He had to capture him somehow to get valuable information. Han-bin struck through Alejandro¡¯s thigh, causing a flash of light to emerge, followed by a splatter of blood. With blood gushing out of him, Alejandro could only kneel down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He bound the opponent¡¯s feet. Han-bin was just about to take a step, convinced that he had caught him. Alejandro raised his left hand and screamed. ¡°Heal!¡± Yet another ray of light enveloped his wound and healed it. Ryu Han-bin was confused. ¡®I¡¯m sure he had used up the Artifact. Is there an error again?¡¯ Then it dawned upon him. The healing light wasn¡¯t flowing from Alejandro¡¯s right wrist. He had another bracelet in his left hand. The Guidelines revealed the identity of the bracelet. [Absolute Healing Bracelet (Artifact) Casts Level 65 Supreme Healing on the wearer. Terms of use Lv. 70. Number of Uses: 2/3 times a day.] ¡°¡­ Another one?¡± * * * Just in case, Ryu Han-bin activated the search function. Rather than focusing on the target¡¯s image, he focused on his opponent¡¯s armor and accessories. The Guidelines provided multiple sections of information. [Polymorph Necklace (Unique Item)] [Absolute Cure¡¯s Bracelet (Artifact)] [Absolute Healing Bracelet (Artifact)] [Absolute Healing Belt (Artifact)] [Absolute Cure¡¯s Gauntlets (Artifact)] [Absolute Cure¡¯s Breast Armor (Artifact)] [Absolute Cure Pants (Artifact)] [Absolute Healing Boots (Artifact)] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± All Artifacts had the same ability except for the necklace. Each Artifact could be used thrice daily to cast high-level healing magic on the wearer. Ryu Han-bin shouted in frustration. ¡°Are you crazy? Are all you have healing items?¡± How many times did he have to kill him? Even cats would cry in envy if they knew how many lives the bastard had. ¡°If you¡¯re a Magic Swordman, you should be damage-boosting items. Why would you bring healing items?¡± Alejandro refuted Han-bin¡¯s criticism with an unfair tone. ¡°Do you think this world is a game? My damage itself is enough combined with my abilities. However, I only have one chance at life unless I bring items like these.¡± Instead of shouting, his expression turned strange. ¡°¡­ Huh? Wait.¡± Damage-boosting items? Healing items? ¡°You are an Earthling!¡± If he were a Latnain, he wouldn¡¯t have known about those terms. Furthermore, it was impossible to check Artifacts at a moment¡¯s notice without the Guidelines. Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Oops¡­¡± He wanted to hide his identity for as long as possible, but he was too amazed to suppress his Earthling knowledge. ¡®Ah, this guy was also talking to himself.¡¯ Upon using the Guidelines, Han-bin¡¯s old habit unavoidably came out. Alejandro tried to calm himself down while he had the chance. ¡°As I thought, you¡¯re also a Suitor.¡± He carefully reflected on his battle against Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You¡¯re definitely not an ordinary guy, but¡­¡± His power and speed were really tremendous. He had fought against high-level Aura users before, but their physical power was nowhere near as overwhelming as Han-bin¡¯s. Nonetheless, one thing was clear. ¡®He can¡¯t use Aura.¡¯ He also had neither Magic Tools nor Artifacts equipped. He only fought using his sword and his fists and legs. ¡®If so, I need to change my strategy.¡¯ He had decades of combat experience. He still had enough healing items to fight. Alejandro was humiliated for ignoring the giant in front of him because he thought he was a Latnain, but he would not make the same mistake. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the power of a veteran!¡± -Magic Sword: Shaking Thunder Alejandro¡¯s four lightning strikes all slithered towards Ryu Han-bin. Han-bin lifted his greatsword and ripped it apart. Jig! Jig! Jig! He was about to chase after him again but was stopped in his tracks abruptly. -Force Wave! Alejandro jumped backward and shot a shockwave at Han-bin. It wasn¡¯t intended to damage him but rather to increase the distance between them. The moment he landed, he prepared another technique. -Magic Sword: Five Flames! Five flame swords soared through the space between them, went past Han-bin, and ricocheted around to attack from behind. The attack was going to hit his back. He had no choice. Han-bin rotated around, swinging his sword with his motion. ¡°Taaassh¡± The flame swords that flew in from behind him were easily extinguished. However, Alejandro was able to widen his distance again due to that. Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue while staring at the faraway opponent. ¡®Now it turned out like this?¡¯ If it were a close match, he would win. He could easily defeat Alejandro in a melee fight. He was superior in defense, power, and speed. But matches, where the enemy refused to come close, gave him headaches. No matter how powerful he could swing his sword, its blade would never reach anyone farther than its reach. His attacks were strong enough to release shockwaves, at least. Woong! Woong! Woong! Alejandro trembled as he was sent stumbling by the sword¡¯s sheer force. ¡®He¡¯s not using Aura, but his attacks have the same effects as Aura! It¡¯s weird!¡¯ Physically speaking, it made no sense. Still, the fact of the matter was it was happening right in front of his eyes. Taaaaats! Ryu Han-bin continued to rush, overflowing with energy. Alejandro also continued his hit-and-run tactic. As one kept retreating, the other tirelessly chased it. Their battle caused the earthen grounds to split, the skies to bring forth storms, ancient trees to die, and explosions to occur repeatedly. Bang! Bang! Bang! Little by little, the distance between the two began to narrow. Alejandro had a good tactic at play, but Ryu Han-bin¡¯s sheer speed was superior to Alejandro. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Alejandro, becoming impatient, pulled out his secret trick. He began to cast his strongest, level 75 Magic Swordsmanship technique. -Magic Sword: Flowing Star! A streak of blue flashes aimed at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s heart surged forth. Surprised, Han-bin turned around. A flash of light passed through his thick shoulders. Paaats! Blood splattered as pain entered him. Alejandro gnashed his teeth. ¡°Did I miss him?¡± Ryu Han-bin looked at his shoulder with a stiff face. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Since he came to the Latna Continent, he had never met an enemy strong enough to make him draw blood until now. ¡®Yeah, I can¡¯t ignore that technique.¡¯ In terms of stats alone, he was far superior, but Alejandro had the advantage in technology and techniques. If he let his guard down, he might get caught. ¡®He still can¡¯t kill me in one shot, though.¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s expression became serious. ¡®I have to deal with his Artifacts first.¡¯ * * * The big man kicked the ground. Boom! The distance between the two was zeroed out with the explosion. Han-bin displayed a higher level of speed. At the same time, the black greatsword was stretched forward as far as possible. He used the first-ever skill he unlocked. It was a simple thrust, but it was powerful. -Stab! He wasn¡¯t fast enough to avoid it. Alejandro¡¯s entire left body was crushed. ¡°Ugh!¡± Flipping back, he triggered an Artifact. ¡°H-heal!¡± The number of times he could heal was reduced once more. If Han-bin continued to inflict fatal injuries against him, Alejandro would eventually exhaust all of his Artifacts. But how many artifacts did that guy have? ¡®There are still five or six more left, maybe?¡¯ It meant that he had to do this more than a dozen times. ¡®But I have no intention of doing such crazy things!¡¯ Suddenly, Ryu Han-bin stabbed his black greatsword into the ground. With his hands emptied, he charged at his opponent once more. ¡®Why is he throwing away his weapon?¡¯ Puzzled, Alejandro continued his tactic. -Magic Sword: Shaking Thunder Quack! Quack! Quack! A lightning zap hit Ryu Han-bin, causing a series of explosions. But it didn¡¯t slow down his charge. ¡°If I¡¯m prepared to take the hit, then I¡¯ll be able to endure it!¡± Han-bin, who quickly narrowed the distance, reached out and grabbed Alejandro¡¯s throat. ¡°First, grab it!¡± He lifted the opponent and tore off the whole upper body armor with the other hand! Jig! Alejandro¡¯s armor, Absolute Cure¡¯s Breast Armor, was torn off of him in one pull. The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes grew like a bull. ¡®Did he just tear off an Artifact with force?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand how that was possible. It would¡¯ve taken a tremendous amount of strength to do that. The same amount of force needed to destroy a Lich with just pure brute force. ¡®This guy! This guy killed Shin Ha-joon!¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s rude touch continued. It was not enough to tear off the upper body armor, so this time he aimed for his feet. ¡°Is this shoe also a healing item?¡± ¡°U-ugh!¡± Frightened, Alejandro swung his twin blades. But it was too close to make an effective hit. Han-bin¡¯s thick muscles blocked the attack before he could swing it properly. Pop! Pop! Ripping off the shoelaces, the Artifact, Absolute Healing Boots, came off. His next target was the belt. Brak! The Absolute Healing¡¯s Belt broke, and his pants became loose. This time, he ripped off the pants as if he had been waiting. It was also a healing Artifact. Jig! Alejandro screamed in terror. ¡°Ah, ah! You crazy bastard! ¡° * * * Artis watched the fight before his eyes with a blank expression. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The muscular giant eagerly stripped the helpless middle-aged man. He took off the shoes, armor, bracelets, and then. ¡°Go away! You crazy bastard!¡± ¡°You are funny! I¡¯m holding on to you. Do you think I¡¯ll let you go?¡± It was a rare and strange sight to behold. Eventually, all of the Artifacts the man was wearing had all been torn off by Ryu Han-bin¡¯s hand. Shaking his hand, he stuck his tongue out. ¡°Ah, I almost peeled everything off. I can now say I¡¯ve done all sorts of things in my life.¡± Alejandro, who was stripped down to his underwear, gritted his teeth. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Han-bin laughed as he grabbed his greatsword. ¡°You can¡¯t use healing techniques anymore, right?¡± Chapter 39 The Second Alien (4) Alejandro admitted that he made a grave mistake. Kicking and punching that monster didn¡¯t work. Not even his swords worked against him. If he stayed around any longer, he was sure to be captured. ¡®I have to run away!¡¯ -Magic Sword: Wings of Heatwave! Fiery wings sprouted on his back. Using the flames, Alejandro flew like a rocket. ¡°Huh? He can also fly in the sky?¡± Han-bin laughed as he looked at the soaring middle-aged man. ¡°Magic Swordsmanship really has so much to offer.¡± Alejandro didn¡¯t think Ryu Han-bin would be able to attack him from the sky, considering he wasn¡¯t an Aura user. But back in the Rocky Mountain, many of the Demon Dogs he fought could fly. And Han-bin had hunted many of those Demon Dogs, too. How was it possible? ¡°Stone is a long-established weapon from prehistoric times.¡± He picked up a stone at his feet and just threw it up. Throwing stones wasn¡¯t something extraordinary, but it was a different story when Han-bin was the one doing it. Breaking the sound barriers, the stone accurately hit Alejandro in the air. Saaaash! Bang! ¡°Uuugh!¡± The middle-aged man stumbled midair. However, he was still level 75. It wasn¡¯t enough to make him crash. ¡°Not to worry. I still have a lot of stones.¡± Stones began to fly through the air in quick succession. Even if he was only throwing stones, it packed more firepower than a lot of high-ranking magic. Saaash Saaaash! Saaaash! ¡°Uh! Ugh! Aaargh!¡± Eventually, Alejandro began to fall to the ground. It was when Han-bin was leisurely waiting for his opponent¡¯s fall. ¡°C-come here!¡± Alejandro called the Wyvern. The Wyvern stopped circling around and quickly swooped in to catch him. ¡°Ah, I forgot about that one.¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t really care, however. [Race: Wyvern. Lv. 27] Alejandro, a level 75 Magic Swordsman, could only take four hits before he fell. The Wyvern wasn¡¯t even half his level. Han-bin continued throwing a barrage of stones, all aimed at the monster. However, Wyverns were known for their agility. It folded its wings and began to avoid the stones swiftly and elegantly. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! It showed amazingly sophisticated evasion maneuvers, avoiding all the stones. ¡°Huh?¡± He threw a few more stones, but the result was the same. Everything missed. ¡®What, that Wyvern?¡¯ Speechless, Ryu Han-bin pulled out a throwing dagger. He took his time aiming before throwing the dagger at it. Paaang! The dagger became a flashed towards the Wyvern. Its speed and accuracy were far superior compared to stones because it was designed and crafted. Yet, it still missed its target. The Wyvern dove down and glided, then immediately spread its wings to use it as air breaks, before finally flying away. ¡°Wow¡­¡­.¡± Han-bin¡¯s mouth was hanging wide open. He knew the Wyvern was an enemy, but he couldn¡¯t help but admire its incredible maneuvers. He wasn¡¯t even able to hit it once. It didn¡¯t have a high level, but it was definitely unexpectedly fast. Ryu Han-bin had a serious look on his face. ¡°How do I drop that?¡± * * * Resting on the Wyvern¡¯s back, Alejandro sighed with relief. ¡®It saved me¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t expect it, but the Wyvern did amazingly well. With fresh admiration, he looked at Wyvern. He felt lucky to have picked up an adequately trained object. ¡®Where the hell did it come from, and what was it doing in the Satt forest?¡¯ He had lived in this world for decades. He had met all kinds of monsters that could fly. However, he was confident the Wyvern was the first one he¡¯d seen that could fly excellently. ¡®With this Wyvern¡¯s skills¡­¡¯ Alejandro¡¯s face has changed. Initially, he was thinking of running away without looking back. However, with the discovery of the Wyvern¡¯s flying ability, the situation had changed. ¡®It¡¯s an opportunity to counterattack, Fufufuh!¡¯ He would leave the evasion to this guy, and he could just bombard the Warrior from the skies. He gave orders through a magical gag. ¡°Fly!¡± Effir, the Wyvern, was frightened. ¡®Eh? Isn¡¯t he running away?¡¯ The stones terrified Effir. Just having them zoom past her felt like she was going to die. She cried as she tried to avoid all of the projectiles as best as she could. She had no choice. ¡®This crazy guy!¡¯ However, as long as the gag was chained on her, Effir had no choice. The Wyvern folded its wings and began to descend to the ground. As the distance narrowed, Alejandro performed Magic Swordsmanship. -Magic Sword: Flowing Star! Flashes of light poured from the sky. -Magic Sword: Sky Lightning Thick lightning strikes fell one after another. Even Ryu Han-bin could not ignore those techniques. He tried hard to avoid and fought back. ¡°Please, only one hit!¡± He was throwing stones, trees, and rocks. ¡°Damn it! Why can¡¯t I get one clean hit in?!¡± The Wyvern elegantly avoided all of his attacks. The Wyvern was more challenging to deal with than Alejandro. Han-bin looked at Artis. ¡°Artis! Can¡¯t you use magic to intercept that?¡± ¡°My magic spells have long ranges, but none of them can reach that far.¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± Ryu Han-bin was clicking his tongue when he suddenly saw a necklace on the ground. It was one of Alejandro¡¯s pieces of equipment that he eagerly grabbed a while ago. All of them were healing artifacts, but the necklace had a different performance. [Polymorph Necklace (Unique Item)] ¡®I hope this works!¡¯ He quickly picked up the Polymorph Necklace. It was a Unique Item. There was no level limit. That meant even Ryu Han-bin could use it. He immediately activated it and aimed it at Artis. ¡°Did it work? Can you go back to your Dragon form now?¡± ¡°The effect is gone!¡± He knew what Ryu Han-bin was aiming for. Artis quickly took the form of a red Dragon again. He then inhaled deeply. It was impossible with magic, but the Dragon Breath could reach that Wyvern! Gaaaaarrrrhhh! The Fire Dragon¡¯s Breath heated the atmosphere. However, it still wasn¡¯t enough. Sloop! The Wyvern broadly avoided it. Han-bin scolded Artis. ¡°Are you an idiot? It flies so well. There¡¯s no way you can get it with such a slow breath!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡± Artis was confused. Why did he want him to turn back into a Dragon? At that time, Han-bin jumped behind Artis¡¯ back. He then shouted. ¡°Fly, Artis!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The red Dragon didn¡¯t fly. Instead, he sighed deeply. He immediately understood his friend¡¯s mistake. ¡°Hey, Han-bin.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t fly in the sky.¡± Bewildered, Ryu Han-bin couldn¡¯t believe what he heard. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t fly? Are those wings just decorations?¡± Artis protested. ¡°Hey! Young chicks can¡¯t fly even though they already have wings! My wings just haven¡¯t matured enough yet!¡± Artis was only 150 years old. He looked like an adult, but it was just because his mental age had risen while living among humans, but he was still just a teenage boy as a Dragon. ¡°No wonder your wings are so small!¡± Han-bin clicked his tongue and got off the back of Artis. He then pointed at the sky. ¡°Then throw me up there! Can you do that?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, sure I can. With the power of a Dragon, it could throw one person high enough in the sky. Combined with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s immense power, there was no way he would be hurt if he fell to the ground. Artis grabbed Han-bin¡¯s waist and threw him into the air. ¡°Taats!¡± However, Han-bin flew towards the opposite way the Wyvern was turning. Alejandro blinked in confusion. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ It was due to the throw. ¡°Where are you aiming, you idiot!¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± In Dragon form, he couldn¡¯t use his front feet as well as he could in human form. Artis¡¯s throw was definitely flawed. He couldn¡¯t use the same throwing technique Han-bin used. ¡°Hahaha! Die, you bastard!¡± Alejandro laughed cheerfully and continued to bombard them. He would lose if they got closer. There was no problem if he was out of reach. Flowing Star poured out, and Sky Lightning was continuously released. Bang! Bang! Rumble! Both Ryu Han-bin and Artis had to flee to avoid the attacks. Compared to Wyvern¡¯s flying skills, Alejandro¡¯s bombing was not so sophisticated that it was manageable to avoid. However, it was impossible to keep avoiding them forever. In a hurry, Ryu Han-bin threw anything he could get his hands on at the Wyvern. ¡°Hump! Hump! Huuump!¡± As he continued to throw a giant tree and a boulder, Artis exclaimed. ¡°You aim so well even though you¡¯re just throwing random items!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I had a lot of practice!¡± He had the confidence to hit his target regardless of what he had thrown at it. However, the Wyvern was too good at dodging. ¡®Wait? Anything?¡¯ Ryu Han-bin came up with another idea. There was one thing he hadn¡¯t thrown yet. He grabbed the red Dragon¡¯s tail. Artis turned its head in confusion. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Han-bin laughed. ¡°Change of plans.¡± Why should the Dragon do the throwing? He could just throw the Dragon instead. ¡°Huuummmmp!¡± The muscles of his entire body swelled up as he gathered as much strength as he could. Using his tremendous power, he threw the massive Dragon into the air effortlessly. ¡°Go, Artis!¡± ¡°Uwaaaargh!¡± Artis, who always used flowery and formal words, couldn¡¯t stop himself from cursing. ¡°Hey, you motherfucker!¡± * * * The Wyvern¡¯s evasive maneuver was still perfect. Just by turning lightly, it lightly avoided the Dragon flying towards it. However, it got the Dragon close enough for his magic spells to reach the Wyvern and its rider. ¡°Ah, that Han-bin bastard!¡± With his teeth shaking, Artis focused his mind. Now that he had been thrown, the only choice he had was to do his part. ¡®If I don¡¯t, he might throw me again!¡¯ He chanted the magic spell and aimed it at the Wyvern. ¡°Chain Lightning!¡± The magic wasn¡¯t particularly powerful. A level 30 magic spell was nothing compared to a high-ranking Magic Swordsman like Alejandro. However, he had a different objective in mind. Chain lightning had a homing effect. Jig! The chain of lightning followed the Wyvern wherever it went until it hit the monster¡¯s tail. Zaaaaap! The electrocuted monster lost its consciousness and began to fall to the ground. Alejandro muttered in confusion. ¡°How¡¯s that possible using such a low-level spell?¡± However, he soon came to a realization. No matter how excellent its flying skills were, the Wyvern¡¯s level was only 27. A level 30 lightning spell was more than enough to make it pass out. ¡°Damn!¡± Clicking his tongue, Alejandro kicked Wyvern¡¯s back. As he glided down, he performed another Magic Swordsmanship technique. -Magic Sword: Wings of Heatwave! He was going to focus on running away. But Ryu Han-bin was faster than that. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping!¡± He jumped up all the way to the opponent¡¯s face. A devastating cleave slashed through Alejandro¡¯s chest. -Vertical cut! His blood soon became rain pouring down and dyeing the ground red, while his scream became high-pitched thunder. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Chapter 40 The Second Partner (1) Alejandro crashed onto the ground as his blood spilled all over the ground, creating a pool of crimson fluids. He had a deep, gaping wound on his chest. It was a canyon that displayed his internal organs for all to see. He had no chance of survival. The life in the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes gradually faded. ¡°Lord, I don¡¯t want to die¡­ In a place like this¡­¡± After a while, his breathing stopped. At the same time, he disappeared from this world. The only thing left was the twin blades he had and the clothes he was wearing. Ryu Han-bin watched the Earthling¡¯s death with a bitter expression. ¡®I killed him.¡¯ He wanted to capture Alejandro to get more information out of him. However, he had no other choice. The situation became a race against time. ¡®I couldn¡¯t control my strength.¡¯ However, it was easier said than done since, for 20 years, he fought against Demon Dogs without holding back. He overdid it out of fear of letting Alejandro escape. He didn¡¯t feel guilt since their enemy had nothing but bad intentions for them, but he couldn¡¯t help but regret not getting what he wanted. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no changing the outcome now.¡± There were more than just two Earthlings in this world anyway. He knew he was going to get another opportunity to gather information sooner or later. Han-bin turned away from the scene, vowing to increase his control over his power in the future. ¡°I wonder if Artis is okay.¡± * * * The red Dragon rose from the ground as he gritted his teeth. ¡°Ah, that jerk, he just threw me without any warning.¡± It was fortunate that he wasn¡¯t hurt. In his Dragon form, Artis easily withstood the strength of the impact even though he was thrown far too high into the air than he was comfortable with. Ryu Han-bin also knew that, so he threw Artis without any doubt. ¡°Hey, Han-bin! You seem to be getting too arrogant!¡± ¡°All thanks to your teachings. Didn¡¯t you tell me to be a great Valtara warrior?¡± ¡°¡­ Tsk.¡± With his mouth pouting, Artis released his dragon form. Paaats! He immediately went to his backpack to find another robe. He had torn apart two robes in a single battle. ¡°I wish there¡¯s an indestructible robe out there.¡± Finally covered in clothes, Artis began to carefully investigate the items Alejandro left behind. Among the torn and tattered clothes, he found a familiar emblem. ¡°He was a Great Earth member, as I thought.¡± Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°I can¡¯t doubt it at this point. Great Earth is still alive and doing well.¡± They decided to hand over the emblem to the Highten Mages Guild. Doing so would alert the authorities of their continued existence, and unlike when they fought the Lich, they couldn¡¯t think of any problem arising since they didn¡¯t leave any evidence like Dragon Blood. Han-bin¡¯s level problem had been solved as well. ¡°The high-level members of the guild will take care of the investigation.¡± He also took Alejandro¡¯s twin blades. ¡°These weapons were quite powerful during the fight.¡± Artis looked at the swords, surveying every inch of them. Han-bin could only sigh in return. ¡°They¡¯re definitely convenient weapons, but their level requirement is too high.¡± ¡°What are their terms of use?¡± ¡°Level 65.¡± ¡°Can you still use it, though?¡± Taking the twin blades from Artis, Ryu Han-bin swung the duo without any issue. The level requirement only suppressed him from using their abilities, not the swords themselves. And even without their abilities, they were still quite masterly crafted weapons. They could still be useful to him. ¡°I can¡¯t feel any energy from it. My guess is its effects only appear when someone who meets the level requirements wields it.¡± None of its abilities or unique ability could be activated by Ryu Han-bin. Regardless, his black greatsword was still leagues better than the twin blades anyway. ¡°Even with their magic effects, I¡¯d still rather use my weapon right now.¡± Even after hitting the twin blades at their fullest potential, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s greatsword remained unchipped. Artis was dumbfounded. ¡°What the hell is that sword made out of?¡± It was neither a Magic Tool nor an Artifact. It was just extremely durable. It had no other features. That was why not even measurement Magic could identify it. ¡°Is it stronger than level 65 Artifacts?¡± Han-bin scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s made out of the leg bones of a giant Demon Dog.¡± Thinking back, it took him days before he could properly turn the bones into a full-fledged sword, even with his tremendous strength. To put it into perspective, his power was enough to rip and damage Artifacts off of someone¡¯s body with his bare hands. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sharpen them with stones, so I had to use the bones against each other.¡± Artis was blown away. ¡°Is that harder than a Dragon Bone?¡± ¡°Are the Dragon Bones that hard?¡± ¡°Do you think humans are making a fuss about hunting Dragons? My bones, which are still not mature, are harder than steel.¡± Anyway, this double sword was not that useless. ¡°Let¡¯s sell it.¡± ¡°Where? It will be a huge trouble if we sell these items at Highten.¡± The only place where they could sell such a high-level weapon was at the Four Major Stations. ¡°Damn, that means no money for us.¡± Han-bin had no choice but to take the twin blades until they¡¯ve reached the aforementioned city. ¡°We¡¯ll have our chance to sell it later.¡± He also looked at the other Artifacts. Han-bin¡¯s aggressiveness permanently damaged Alejandro¡¯s armor and pants, but the rest was intact. Artis burst in joy after examining the items. ¡°Like the Aliens who aimed at the Goddesses, all the Artifacts he possessed are high-tier.¡± There was no need to mention the Unique Item. The so-called ¡°healing items¡± were all level-70 Artifacts. Regardless of how great they were, Han-bin thought they didn¡¯t matter, though. Ryu Han-bin couldn¡¯t use them even if he wanted to. ¡°This is such a stupid game. Looting items should be fun.¡± Still, he suggested not to sell any of the healing items. ¡°We can¡¯t use them right now, but they¡¯ll be useful once you reach level 70, Artis.¡± While they were looting the remaining items, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes suddenly shone brightly. ¡°Huh? We can use this right away.¡± It was a small pouch Alejandro was wearing throughout the entire battle. [Space Compression Pouch (Artifact) Function: Compresses items and safely stores them. Terms of use Lv. 40. Number of uses: 21/40 times a day.¡± ¡°We¡¯re lucky. Space Pouches can only be obtained at the center of the continent.¡± Artis took the pouch with delight. He then opened up it up to check if there was anything inside. ¡°Not much.¡± There were only rations, miscellaneous household items such as knives, and a few books. Han-bin giggled while looking at the booklet. ¡°Was reading his hobby? That¡¯s a bit surprising considering he didn¡¯t look the part.¡± He could understand why, however. In a world without TVs or computers, people¡¯s only way to keep themselves entertained was through books. As he was flipping through the booklet to see if anything was interesting in it, Artis¡¯s face suddenly hardened. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking back at Ryu Han-bin, Artis picked up a book. ¡°¡­ It says Maxbrid¡¯s Dictum?¡± * * * There were three famous swordsmanship styles across Latna Continent. Basarada, the Style of the South. Ascalon Arts of the West. Maxbrid Martial Arts of the North. A booklet containing the Maxbrid Martial Art, one of the three major swordsmanship styles on the continent, was now in Artis¡¯s hand! Han-bin was thrilled. ¡°Really?¡± He quickly snatched the booklet and examined it. It was written in Coulin, so the contents were understandable. Pictures and explanations about different martial arts movements were drawn and written on each of its pages. Artis was a little puzzled. ¡± The three major swordsmanship styles never let their books slip out of their reach, so how did this Alien get it?¡± ¡°The owner must¡¯ve been killed with this book in their possession.¡± The booklet certainly didn¡¯t look like it was fake. Han-bin was no longer a stranger to sword-fighting. Based on the contents of it, he knew it was real. ¡°I¡¯ll take a closer look at it after we get home.¡± He carefully packed it in his backpack. They hoped it contained a way to awaken Aura. Even if there was, it still wasn¡¯t certain if Han-bin would be able to learn it. ¡°I know I complained about not having fun while collecting items, but at least I got something out of it.¡± After collecting all the useful items Alejandro had, the two moved to the other side of the forest to get a closer look at the Wyvern. The monster was still unconscious when they reached it. They even thought it was dead, but its heaving chest told them otherwise. Ryu Han-bin examined the Wyvern. ¡°What about this guy?¡± * * * The Wyvern¡¯s consciousness returned little by little. ¡°Aaaaargh¡­¡­¡± Effir groaned. Even her groan was muffled because of the gag strapped across its mouth. Opening her eyes, he could see two individuals staring at her; a copper-skinned giant and a red-haired young man. ¡°It gave you a lot of trouble, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even though its level¡¯s low, it was quick and agile.¡± Effir¡¯s vision became hazy while looking at the red-haired young man. ¡®Dragon¡­¡¯ Capable of living for hundreds of years, transforming into a human, and had a broad arsenal of magic and special abilities. Effir had always admired the existence of Dragons. ¡°What should we do, Artis?¡± ¡°Based on its flying skills, it¡¯s not a wild Wyvern. It¡¯s been properly trained to become a Saddled Wyvern.¡± ¡°Is it useful to us?¡± Artis shook his head. ¡°Saddled Wyverns are like well-trained fighting dogs. They¡¯re only loyal to their owner. From what I¡¯ve seen, it looks like it¡¯s been raised by Great Earth.¡± Looking at the Wyvern¡¯s appearance, it definitely didn¡¯t look like a threat. However, when combined with a powerful Magic Swordsman, Spiritist, or Mage, it became a bomber aircraft with the same speed as a fighter aircraft. ¡°It might become a real headache if we let it go and another Earthling rides it.¡± ¡°Right. It would be better to kill it.¡± Effir¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Kill, you say?¡¯ She became confused. ¡®Why? Why kill me? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡¯ All she did was avoid the attacks coming for her in order to survive. Springing up, Effir shrieked fiercely. She had to let them know somehow that Great Earth hadn¡¯t trained her. She was just an innocent Wyvern who got caught up in a crossfire. ¡°Eep, Eep, Eep!¡± However, it couldn¡¯t speak because of the gag on its mouth. Ryu Han-bin unsheathed his sword. ¡°Is this guy running wild again?¡± Artis nodded. ¡°Its owner is dead. It¡¯s only natural for a loyal Wyvern to be enraged.¡± Effir turned pale. She was going to die if the situation kept up. The beings in front of her seriously misunderstood her. She wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s trained Wyvern! The magical gag she had was making matters worse. In a hurry, Effir clasped its front paws together as if to plead that there was absolutely no connection between her and Great Earth. She was just a selfless Wyvern who would willingly bend her head to anyone who would save her life. In an attempt to converse with them, she tried to make gestures and relied on her body language. She moved her front and rear feet hard, rolled her eyes around, and made the saddest expression she could muster. Just as Han-bin was about to stab the Wyvern, he was hit with a strange feeling. ¡®What are you doing, Wyvern?¡¯ Was it just his imagination? For some reason, he thought he could understand what the monster was trying to say. ¡°Eep!¡± The Wyvern flapped its wings and let out a groan. She then pointed to Alejandro¡¯s clothes, then pointed to its gag and collar, her expression that of pure resentment and anger. Han-bin felt like it was telling them that it was forced to wear the gag and do Alejandro¡¯s bidding. ¡°Eeeeeep!¡± It then laid down on the ground, making a sad expression. The vicious Wyvern now gave off a pitiful aura, almost like a tranquil wildflower. Han-bin thought the Wyvern was dragged around and had been subject to terrible abuse. ¡°Eep, eep!¡± Next, she bowed her head toward Ryu Han-bin as she made a bright expression, her eyes shining innocently. ¡®Is it saying that it¡¯s thankful to us for defeating Alejandro?¡¯ It was a soundless pantomime that was genuinely artistic. The Wyvern conveyed emotions and told stories just using its facial expressions and gestures, but its appeal was so strong it moved their hearts. When the Wyvern fell, he could see the image of torment coming from the evil Earthling, Alejandro. It had a natural talent for acting. Even Artis burst into admiration. He never thought wyverns could express feelings and communicate such rich emotions. ¡°When I¡¯m a dragon, I can¡¯t convey my emotions as well as that Wyvern¡­¡± Artis and Ryu Han-bin had to talk about it. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it saying that Alejandro dragged it against its own will and that it¡¯s not loyal to Earth Great?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, but I felt that way too.¡± ¡°So, it turns out this guy¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin suddenly tilted his head the moment he got a closer look. Somehow, the Wyvern felt incredibly familiar to him. ¡°No way you¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t likely, but he had to confirm if his suspicion was real. ¡°Effir?¡± Overflowing with joy, The Wyvern nodded frantically. ¡°Eep, eep, eep, eep!¡± Chapter 41 The Second Partner (2) Ryu Han-bin grabbed the Wyvern¡¯s leash, causing the tendons of his forearms to outline against his skin, and broke the chains with a single pull. He put his hands on the gag next, causing it to shatter under the squeeze of his hand. Effir touched her face with her forefoot as soon as she was freed, her eyes bursting with joy and relief. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m safe!¡± She directed her gaze at Han-bin, then bowed her head at him. ¡°We meet again, Hero of another world. Hehehe.¡± Ryu Han-bin felt a bit uncomfortable as he looked at the sloppy Wyvern in front of him. They weren¡¯t that close, yet she was addressing him as if they were. ¡°Why were you with that Earthling?¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­¡± Effir began to tell them the story. ¡°After meeting you, Hero, I decided not to kill Aliens anymore. When another human appeared again, I thought of letting him pass by quietly.¡± That decision essentially saved her life. Upon discovering Effir, Alejandro attacked her immediately. -Why is there a trained Wyvern in a forest like this? The human possessed monstrous strength. If Effir had shown aggression towards him, she would be crossing the bridge to the underworld by now. However, due to her memory of fighting Ryu Han-bin, she went on the defensive instead, causing Alejandro to spare her life. Just like the Polymorph Necklace, Alejandro had a lot of Magic Tools against Latna¡¯s Dragon Race. He used a gag and a leash to subjugate Effir completely. ¡°Ever since that day, I¡¯ve been forced to fly and crawl as he wished. If Mr. Hero didn¡¯t save me, I don¡¯t know what other forms of abuse I¡¯d have suffered under that wicked Alien demon.¡± Effir pretended to wipe away her tears. Han-bin asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°So, am I also a wicked demon of another world?¡± With a refined look, Effir shook her front paws and replied. ¡°Well, just because Mr. Hero has the same origin as Alejandro doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a demon. A Dragon and a catfish still won¡¯t be the same even if they were both born in the stream.¡± ¡°¡­ You still speak elegantly.¡± As they talked, Artis watched from the side with a look of both shock and amazement. ¡°How can that Wyvern speak so fluently?¡± Effir puffed up her chest. ¡°People have told me I¡¯m a little smarter than normal Wyverns.¡± ¡°I think this goes beyond the definition of ¡®little.''¡± Wyverns were only as intelligent as a six-year-old child. Even if they could speak, they could only say short and simple sentences at best. Yet the Wyvern had the same mind as an adult¡¯s. It was like seeing a chimpanzee solving an advanced math problem. Unlike Artis, who couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment, Ryu Han-bin stayed relatively calm. He already knew how smart she was, after all. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re free now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Go home. I¡¯ll let you go.¡± They had nothing more to do with the Wyvern. Just as Han-bin was about to shake her hand, Effir raised a concern. ¡°About that¡­¡± Hesitantly, Effir continued. ¡°Can you please take me along with you?¡± * * * Effir lived in hiding in the Satt Forest because the Xrad Kingdom had been hunting her down. She wasn¡¯t an ordinary criminal. She murdered a member of the royal family. The incident caused people to perceive her as a dangerous animal rather than a criminal, however. ¡°I¡¯ll die if I get caught, right?¡± However, while flying with Alejandro, she was forced to reveal herself. In the Xrad Kingdom, the location of the Wyvern who killed the third prince three years ago must have been identified already. ¡°The Kybriel Church is also a problem.¡± Alejandro had annihilated the alien Interrogators and Templars of Kybriel. It was only natural for the people to see Effir as part of Alejandro¡¯s party. ¡°Yes, I understand that you can¡¯t go back.¡± Artis rubbed his face. ¡°But that¡¯s not enough reason to follow us around.¡± Effir¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t going to be solved just by following them. They couldn¡¯t even hide her due to her size. They¡¯d have to build a secret Dragon stall. However, Effir had a plan. ¡°We can use that.¡± The Wyvern pointed at Han-bin¡¯s necklace with its front flaw. ¡°That can transform monsters from the Dragon race into a human, right?¡± Yes. She managed to decipher the Polymorph Necklace¡¯s ability while watching the battle unfold a few hours back. It was used twice, and both times, it was aimed at the Dragon. Only then did Ryu Han-bin and Artis truly understood Effir¡¯s plan. ¡°So that¡¯s your plan.¡± ¡°Indeed, if you¡¯re human, you¡¯d be able to hide your true form from the public.¡± Effir appealed with a high voice. ¡°And I¡¯ve always wanted to be a human!¡± Artis, who was proud of being a Dragon, frowned. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like being born as a member of the Dragon Race?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it.¡± Effir quickly spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not about being human itself. It¡¯s the ability to transform into one that I like. I hated it when Mr. Hero asked me about it, but wouldn¡¯t it be nice if Wyverns also had the ability to take on a human form?¡± Her reasoning made sense. Ryu Han-bin looked at Artis. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t heard of a Wyvern in human form¡­¡­.¡± Wyvern had meager intelligence. Wyverns who turned into humans could only follow their instincts, crawling around like a four-legged beast and howling. They couldn¡¯t mimic the nature of humans. ¡°With your level of intelligence, there should be no problem, but is it essential for us to hand over the Unique Item? You might just take the item and fly away.¡± Effir¡¯s flight abilities were terrifyingly excellent. The moment she flew, they¡¯d never be able to catch it. Effir cried urgently just as the duo in front of her began to suspect her. ¡°No, no, think about it! Why should I leave you two?¡± Even after becoming a human through the Polymorph Necklace, she had no human acquaintances, no assets collected, and no status or ability to live among people. ¡°If I became a human and lived alone, I¡¯d only be a beggar. Shouldn¡¯t I at least have people I can depend on?¡± The most practical action was to follow Han-bin and Artis. One of them was an Alien, and the other was a Dragon. They were already adept at hiding secret identities. Of course, it was best to follow the two. ¡°Besides, that necklace can¡¯t even be sold for money. Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but isn¡¯t that a Unique Item?¡± Unique Items were taboo in this world, which meant selling them off was impossible. It also didn¡¯t have any use for Han-bin and Artis. ¡°Mr. Dragon has a natural ability to transform into a human anyway.¡± Ryu Han-bin had always been a human, so there was no difference if he pretended to be human. The only time they would need it was if they encountered a Dragon strong enough to give them a hard time. Other than that, they had no further use for it. ¡°If you let me wear it, I can keep it safe and give it to you when you need it, something like that.¡± She presented quite an eloquent sales pitch. She was definitely persuasive as well. Ryu Han-bin and Artis casually nodded. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Effir began to appeal more to them the moment she noticed they were starting to fall for her words. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you ask sincerely! All I ask in return is that you feed me and give me a place to sleep. I¡¯m pretty useful. I fly so well that even among the Flying Dragon Knights, there were lots of praises about how there¡¯s no Wyvern as excellent as I am!¡± ¡° ¡°Oh, I definitely can¡¯t doubt that.¡± Han-bin smiled bitterly while looking back at Artis. ¡°Honestly, the offer¡¯s tempting.¡± He couldn¡¯t say it out loud, but having an exclusive ride was one of the eternal romances of men. They could ride a Wyvern! That in itself was tempting!! Artis also nodded, but for a different reason. ¡°Yeah. I have no choice but to admit it.¡± He was getting tired of Ryu Han-bin bothering him every single day. ¡®As a level 27 Wyvern, she¡¯d be able to reach level 20 easily as a human.¡¯ At that level, she would be able to use a lot of Magic Tools. It would be convenient for him to have someone else doing the chores. The two finally reached a decision. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll take you with us.¡± When Han-bin gave his approval, the Wyvern¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Thank you!¡± Ryu Han-bin took the necklace out but grimaced for a moment. ¡°The necklace won¡¯t fit around your neck.¡± Effir¡¯s size was too huge for the Polymorph Necklace to be able to lock around her neck. Artis then pointed at Effir¡¯s claw. ¡°Put it on her claw like a ring. The moment she transforms into a human, the necklace would transfer itself onto her neck.¡± ¡°Then you have to hang it around your neck¡­¡­ No, it doesn¡¯t fit.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As soon as Effir equipped the Polymorph Necklace, she immediately began to shine. Paaats! The large Wyvern began to shrink rapidly. Her long neck began to shorten. Her silver mane turned into human hair. Her scale-covered black body was transformed into pure white human skin. The once-four-legged beast stretched her back up as she stood up using only two feet. The frighteningly large, winged reptile disappeared, and a small naked human took its place. Shiny green eyes, sharp nose, and red lips. Her features were dense, and the outlines of her face were clear. She was beautiful. Her silver hair that fluttered over her milky skin ended around her slim waist. Her thighs and calves were smooth and firm. What surprised them the most was the mounds protruding from her chest and an otherwise smooth groin surface. Ryu Han-bin was confused. ¡°Uh¡­¡± He had a blank look on his face. ¡°Effir, are you a girl?¡± * * * In the middle of the mountain path, a cute silver-haired girl felt a fresh breeze brush against her skin. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a real hand! I have a human hand!¡± She fluttered around in a clear and refreshing voice, then stumbled and fell to the ground. ¡°Kyaaa! Oh, it¡¯s hard to keep balance.¡± Picking up a robe, Artis approached the girl. ¡°Put some clothes on first. When you¡¯re in human form, you shouldn¡¯t move around carelessly naked.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wear your shoes. Human soles are fragile.¡± Effir quickly put on a robe and boots. The boots were loose, and the robe was oversized. She looked like a child wearing adult clothes. Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°The size isn¡¯t right, is it?¡± Although not as tall as Ryu Han-bin, Artis was 175 centimeters tall. In the 21st century Korea, society deemed anyone less than 180 centimeters as small, but in the Latna Continent, 175 centimeters was already considered tall. However, the height of Effir¡¯s human form was less than 160 centimeters. She also had a much smaller body. ¡°You can buy new clothes when we arrive in the post town. Just be patient until then.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Dragon.¡± Effir noticed how the two didn¡¯t answer. ¡°By the way, what are your names?¡± She couldn¡¯t call then Mr. Hero and Mr. Dragon forever. Han-bin answered first. ¡°I¡¯m Ryu Hanbin. Ryu is a surname. My alias is Felard Bean.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Han-bin and Mr. Felard in front of the people.¡± ¡°My real name is Artis Ampitier Ragnawalker. When in human form, I use the name Artis Venitian. You can call me Artis.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Artis.¡± Still squatting down, the Wyvern girl smiled brightly. ¡°My name is Effir. I have no surname. Nice to meet you!¡± Chapter 42 The Second Partner (3) After the conversation ended, Effir tried to get up only to stumble and fall again. Artis seemed to have expected it, however. ¡°It¡¯ll take a while to get used to your new body.¡± When he first transformed into a human, he suffered quite a bit as well. ¡°It¡¯s especially tricky to learn how to walk with two feet. It took me about three days to learn how to walk like an actual human being.¡± However, she couldn¡¯t just stay in the middle of a mountain path for days to practice how to walk. Artis looked at Han-bin. ¡°For now, I think it would be better if you carry her.¡± ¡°Sure, but¡­¡± Han-bin shrugged and scratched his head. He clicked his tongue as he looked at the beautiful girl wearing a loose robe. ¡°So you¡¯re female¡­¡± Effir felt a little embarrassed. ¡°Did I look like a male? I thought I was pretty in my own way¡­¡± Artis also scolded Han-bin. ¡°That¡¯s rude, Han-bin. Couldn¡¯t you tell by looking at it? It was a very beautiful female Wyvern.¡± Perhaps he needed to look at her from a Dragon¡¯s point of view. But what would he know? He was still human, after all. ¡°It was just a winged dinosaur that looked scary in my eyes. The roar was terrifying too.¡± ¡°Boo, I got a lot of praise from the Flying Dragon Knights for my elegant shrieks¡­¡± Artis gently soothed the disappointed Effir. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. This guy¡¯s just got feeble knowledge about us. Your cries were beautiful, so don¡¯t be disappointed.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Mr. Artis was also a magnificent Dragon.¡± ¡°Was I? Thank you.¡± Ryu Han-bin shook his head as he watched two Latna¡¯s Dragon Race members giving each other compliments. ¡°Yippie, you two are having fun.¡± It was time to move. He turned his back on Effir. ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯ll carry you.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± While hugging Han-bin¡¯s neck, she laughed. ¡°Hehehe, I¡¯m human. I became human.¡± ¡°Do you like being human?¡± ¡°Of course! Now I can read books and wear pretty clothes!¡± The voice of a chattering little girl tickled his ears. Ryu Han-bin smiled nonchalantly. ¡®She¡¯s cute.¡¯ * * * The giant with a silver-haired girl on his back and the red-haired young man continued to follow the mountain path. As they walked, Artis raised a question. ¡°How did you meet Han-bin in the first place, Effir?¡± He couldn¡¯t fathom how Ryu Han-bin, who had just arrived at Latna, would be acquainted with a Wyvern. ¡°I tried to eat him, so Mr. Han-bin slapped me hard.¡± Ryu Han-bin was baffled by Effir¡¯s answer. ¡°T-that¡¯s not wrong, but wording it that way is a bit¡­¡± Today, Effir was a beautiful young girl. A 190 cm-tall muscular man slapped such a beautiful girl? ¡®I feel like a villain!¡¯ Fortunately, Artis understood the context correctly. He continued to ask questions. ¡°You mean you fought Han-bin and managed to survive?¡± Ryu Han-bin crushed a level 72 Lich with his bare hands and easily dominated over a level 75 Magic Swordsman easily. ¡°At your level, one hit from him, and you would¡¯ve been a goner.¡± ¡°I almost died.¡± Effir shrugged. She continued to explain that her face became swollen because of the fight and that she was lucky to have healing potions. ¡°After that, he spared me in exchange for telling him everything I knew and for taking care of him. She laughed, saying that Ryu Han-bin was very clumsy. Han-bin couldn¡¯t help but admit it. ¡°She gave me a lot of help. I¡¯m really grateful to her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to that incident that I¡¯m able to become a human. Come to think of it, why are you walking around wearing nothing but fur shorts and boots, Mr. Han-bin? Didn¡¯t you bring a lot of clothes with you back then? Your skin¡¯s darkened too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± They kept walking on the path while talking to each other. As they made their way down the mountain, Ryu Han-bin realized something. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Effir was talking to herself. ¡°With the pelvis as the center of the body¡­ Straighten your back, so your back and head are in a straight line¡­¡± She kept mumbling to herself as she intently watched the steps of Artis and Han-bin. ¡°When moving, every time a foot lands, the body interlocks, and the center of gravity is reversed¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing, Effir?¡± Effir blinked as if snapping awake, then replied to Han-bin¡¯s question. ¡°Please put me down for a minute.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think I can imitate the way you two walked.¡± He put Effir down as told. The little girl stood on her feet before slowly stumbling forward. ¡°This, like this, like this¡­¡± Artis stopped her with a laugh. ¡°Is it too much? As a Dragon, it took me over three days to adjust to bipedal walking. I imagine it would be harder for Wyverns¨C¡± ¡°Oh, it works.¡± Effir was already walking correctly. The more she moved her feet, the more her body adapted. In no time at all, she could walk as naturally as a normal human being. ¡°I see. It¡¯s not as hard as I thought.¡± She then gave the duo a bright smile. ¡°I can walk now.¡± Artis¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Already? How¡¯s that possible?¡± Han-bin looked at Artis. ¡°It took you three days to walk on two feet?¡± ¡°Yeah. I had a tough time.¡± Effir only took around ten minutes. ¡°Hey Artis, aren¡¯t you just dull?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I am dull, but¡­¡± The growth of a Dragon¡¯s strength was based on Mana, which was why their motor skills weren¡¯t that advanced. That was also the reason why they took on the role of Mages as humans. ¡°But that¡¯s not normal.¡± Seeing Artis¡¯s bewilderment, Effir scratched her head embarrassingly. ¡°I¡¯m really good at moving my body.¡± After watching her incredible flying skills, they had no doubt that she was leagues ahead of her own kind. Well, there¡¯s no doubt that the massive flying skills put her far ahead of the ordinary Wyverns. ¡®Come to think of it, she was surprisingly good with her hands, wasn¡¯t she?¡¯ Han-bin recalled their first meeting. ¡°Even as a Wyvern, she could pull off the caps of healing potions easily.¡± ¡°Healing potions? Something that small?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Artis looked even more perplexed. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± The forefeet of a Dragon or a Wyvern were more akin to feet than hands. Yet Han-bin claimed that she could move her forefeet that flexibly. Furthermore, it was more difficult for Wyvern to move because the forelimbs were covered with wings like a bat. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. It¡¯s like inserting a thread into a needle hole using her toes, right?¡± ¡°Well, she did just that.¡± While they were talking, Effir had gone from walking to starting to run naturally. ¡°Running on two legs feels different.¡± She moved much better than an ordinary human. Every movement was precise and efficient. Not only did she fully adapt to the human body in a matter of minutes, but she also succeeded in switching to the human senses. Artis truly admired her. ¡°Oh my God, she¡¯s a gifted athlete.¡± Out of curiosity, Ryu Han-bin took a look at Effir¡¯s information. [Race: Human. Lv. 1] ¡°She¡¯s just a normal human being, though.¡± ¡°For now. She¡¯s still getting used to the human body, after all.¡± As a Wyvern, Effir trained herself well and gained a lot of combat experience. Her When Effir was a Wyvern, it trained itself well and gained a lot of combat experience. Her physical abilities were reflected in her human form to some extent. Even at her level, she already possessed a more advanced physical capability than an average warrior. She just didn¡¯t know how to apply it properly. Hence her level was low. ¡°If she masters human martial arts, she will be able to reach level 20 in no time. It¡¯ll probably only take a month or two¡­¡± Artis mumbled as she watched Effir. The girl had stopped walking and running and had started shadowboxing. ¡°Is it like this, like this?¡± She was imitating the bare-handed techniques of the knights she worked with during her days in the Dragon Knights. Her techniques were clumsy at first, but they swiftly became better. ¡°Yap! Yap! Yap!¡± Han-bin muttered something out. ¡°Huh, she¡¯s Level 2.¡± After a while, she practiced kicking. ¡°Level 3.¡± Next, she practiced alternating between punching and kicking. ¡°Level 4¡­¡± It¡¯s only been about 10 minutes. Her status window had already changed so much. [Race: Human. Warrior Lv. 7] Speechless, Han-bin asked Artis. ¡°When the Dragon Race transforms into their human form, do their level rise this fast in the beginning?¡± ¡°It definitely rises quickly, but not this quick.¡± Artis raised an eyebrow. ¡°There seems to be a mutation in that Wyvern.¡± After a few more minutes, Effir finally came to her senses and approached the duo. ¡°Sorry! I got distracted. Let¡¯s continue going down the mountain. I can walk now.¡± However, they had dumbfounded expressions on their faces. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Ryu Han-bin and Artis looked at each other, then smiled bitterly. They returned to their journey. ¡°No, let¡¯s go home first.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go back and talk.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± Puzzled, Effir could only follow the duo, but this time with her own two feet. * * * At the Northern part of the Xrad Kingdom and near the Satt forest was the Herald region. In the basement of an abandoned fortress located deep in its mountains, dozens of monsters were bound by chains of light. The monsters came from dungeons, such as goblins, orcs, kobolds, and ogres. With a beckoning from Leslie, a brunette woman, the monsters burst into painful screams. ¡°Aaahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Kaaaarrrggghh!¡± The monsters dried up and vomited black smoke. The smoke agglomerated and gathered in her grasp. Leslie laughed as she looked back at Richard, a middle-aged blond man. ¡°It¡¯s accumulating amazingly. At this speed, we¡¯ll be able to meet the schedule.¡± Richard clicked his tongue. ¡°Is that so.¡± The problem was the experiment in the village of Gyuzac, which Alejandro was in charge of. ¡°Why is that guy taking so long?¡± Shin Ha-joon¡¯s mission was to capture a large quantity of Dungeon monsters and bring them together in one place. It was troublesome and needed a lot of work. However, even if he died, it wasn¡¯t going to cause the experiment any trouble. Anyone could easily fill in the job. However, losing Alejandro was a different story. ¡°I don¡¯t know how far he¡¯s tracking them, but if he doesn¡¯t return soon, he¡¯ll cause problems with our schedule.¡± As his concern rose, a young man entered the basement of the fortress. He looked to be around his mid-20s, had dark brown skin and short blond-dyed hair. Leslie was a little surprised when she saw him. ¡°D¡¯Andre? What brings you here?¡± D¡¯Andre shouted, cutting off her words. ¡°Alejandro is dead!¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Richard¡¯s face had hardened. Shin Ha-joon only had a high level, but he was stupid and had no sense of combat. He was the one who became a Lich, after all. Liches were humans who turned themselves into undead out of fear of dying of old age. However, the Alien¡¯s reason for becoming a Lich was different. He didn¡¯t age after all. Shin Ha-joon was simply so bad at fighting that he was brought to the brink of death, forcing him to become a Lich. That was why its actual combat ability was subpar compared to its level. The Lich was ignored within the organization, so it didn¡¯t receive any items like Artifacts. On the other hand, Alejandro was powerful. He had years-worth of combat experience and had excellent battle senses. He had a deep understanding of the Maxbrid Martial Arts, one of the three major swordsmanships. He was also armed with all kinds of powerful Artifacts and a Unique Item, the Polymorph Necklace. But he still died? ¡°Where did he die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact details. He went too far. I only know he headed to the dungeon city, Highten.¡± Richard¡¯s expression became serious. ¡®If he lost even after using the Polymorph Necklace, does that mean the Dragon is more powerful than Alejandro even in human form? No, maybe his opponent wasn¡¯t a Dragon at all but something else?¡¯ Either way, if it could beat Alejandro, Even Richard couldn¡¯t assure victory. ¡°This is a huge problem. The Polymorph Necklace is a valuable item.¡± Richard thought about it for a moment before reaching a conclusion. ¡°You should give up on the Gyuzac village and join us instead, D¡¯Andre.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whatever defeated Alejandro isn¡¯t something we can handle on our own. We¡¯ll leave this place after finishing the experiment. The upper line will handle shin Ha-joon and Alejandro¡¯s case.¡± D¡¯Andre nodded. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s move right away.¡± Chapter 43 Everybody Levels Up, Except Me (1) Ryu Han-bin and Artis returned to the dungeon city of Highten with Effir, whose eyes shone as she looked at the two-story house in front of her. ¡°Is this your home?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll give you the keys to the attic so you can use it.¡± Using cleaning items, she immediately began to clean the attic efficiently. ¡°I used to watch humans cleaning a lot when I was in the Dragon Knights.¡± It was almost too hard to believe that she was a Wyvern just a few days ago. She continued to adapt to the human body while returning to Highten, never neglecting her bare-handed physical abilities as well. If Han-bin were to look at Effir¡¯s status using the Guidelines, he would¡¯ve been surprised again. [Race: Human. Warrior Lv. 10] She still couldn¡¯t operate the magical appliances at her level since the lowest requirement was level 20, but that didn¡¯t stop her from being as helpful as she could be. After cleaning up the attic, she swept and mopped the first floor then took care of Artis¡¯s errands. ¡°You¡¯re sincere.¡± Praising the unique female Wyvern, Artis turned his attention to Han-bin. ¡°Look at her! She doesn¡¯t use her level as an excuse to not help around the house!¡± But the muscular giant remained lying down on the couch. ¡°Felard! Idle!¡± ¡°Gosh, this man¡­¡± Han-bin suddenly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll start paying for my living expenses.¡± As part of Artis¡¯s payment for saving his life, he took care of Han-bin¡¯s food, clothing, and shelter. It left Han-bin with no opportunity to spend his money. His weapon was cared for daily by him, and he didn¡¯t need any other combat equipment since he was disguised as a Valtara warrior. He didn¡¯t need to buy magic scrolls either. His money was piling up, and he had nothing to spend it on. ¡°Honestly, haven¡¯t you done enough to pay for your life? I need to help you, too.¡± Artis thought otherwise. ¡°I don¡¯t like your lazy attitude, but I haven¡¯t even paid off the interest yet.¡± It was all thanks to Han-bin that he could raise his level quickly while making tons of money. Artis still owed him more than he¡¯s ever paid back. Han-bin shook his head in reply. ¡°That¡¯s for my own benefit as well. I need to raise your level so we can go to the center of the continent together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I haven¡¯t paid off my life¡¯s debt yet!¡± ¡°You¡¯re stubborn in the strangest ways. Well, at least I can save up funds.¡± Clicking his tongue, Ryu Han-bin went back to laying down on the couch. Artis rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not even surprised about that.¡± Effir entered the room after that. ¡°Mr. Artis, I¡¯ve put all the laundry inside the bucket. Please turn it on.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Artis headed to the backyard and put his hand on the circular bucket. ¡°Activate.¡± It was a magical washing machine. Upon putting clothes in the bucket, a water spirit was summoned to remove any dirt from them. When activated with the purification and dehydration spells, all the user would have to do afterward was take out the completely clean and dried garments. It had a simple structure and caused minimal vibration and noise. After usage, the water and dirt were automatically separated to avoid clogging. It was incredibly eco-friendly. The problem was the magical washing machine¡¯s level requirement was Level 30. Due to it, Latnains were forced to rely on the primitive way of washing clothes through washboards and brushes. Effir stared at the spinning machine with wonderment. ¡°I have to raise my level quickly, right?¡± She needed to be at a level that would allow her to operate the right magic appliances on her own to avoid bothering Artis. Artis laughed gently. ¡°Levels don¡¯t rise that fast. There¡¯s no need to be impatient.¡± Effir¡¯s level rose quickly, just like the Dragons who had just transformed into their human forms, but the effect didn¡¯t last forever. ¡°I know I should wait for at least two or three months.¡± But Effir thought differently. Scratching her head, she had one thought in her mind. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that difficult to reach level 20¡­ Am I that slow of a learner?¡¯ * * * The next day, Effir nagged on Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Please let me borrow your sword.¡± Glancing at the black greatsword on his back¨C a weapon that was almost 2 meters long¨C Han-bin thought it was absurd. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even be able to swing it.¡± ¡°No, not that one.¡± Effir didn¡¯t think she¡¯d even be able to carry it in the first place. What she wanted was the twin blades of Alejandro. ¡°I can¡¯t use its special abilities because of my level, but I can still wield them, right?¡± He had no use for the item anyway, so there was no problem with lending it to her, but¡­ ¡°What are you even going to use it for?¡± ¡°I want to practice swordsmanship. My level no longer goes up through punching and kicking.¡± Han-bin was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Have you ever practiced swordsmanship?¡± Why would Wyverns even want to learn human swordsmanship? Effir laughed lightly. ¡°I haven¡¯t practiced it, but I¡¯ve seen it in action, and I know a lot about it.¡± She woke up from her egg and spent 15 years as a member of the Flying Dragon Knights, which allowed her to watch Flying Dragon Knights¡¯ combat training all the time. She didn¡¯t only know simple training moves, but all the martial arts theories as well. ¡°Nobody hid their secrets in front of me.¡± Like Earth during the Cold War, most martial arts were treated with utmost secrecy. Such knowledge wasn¡¯t passed on to just anyone. The martial arts masters only taught their techniques to those who were chosen. However, no matter how much they kept it secret, people naturally never felt wary towards their horses. ¡°Thanks to that, I managed to memorize the martial arts of the Flying Dragon Knights.¡± ¡°Why did you memorize it, though?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I just listened and watched, and I memorized it subconsciously.¡± There was no reason to stop Effir from training on her own anyway. Han-bin was just about to hand over the twin blades when Artis objected. ¡°Those weapons are overly high-level Artifact. If someone else recognizes it, it¡¯ll cause us trouble.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be okay? Now one would know until they appraised it with a measuring stone.¡± ¡°The Aliens will see and know with a single glance at it. You have that same ability, Han-bin. Not to mention, the original owner of that twin blades was an Alien.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying the Great Earth might capture her?¡± ¡°If other Aliens were investigating the death of their friend, openly carrying his items could spell trouble for us.¡± ¡°Still, Effir is wearing the Polymorph Necklace anyway. Doesn¡¯t that defeat the purpose?¡± ¡°She can hide the necklace inside her clothes.¡± The Guidelines couldn¡¯t detect all the Magic Tools on their opponent as soon as they saw them. The user had to search for them first consciously. Even Ryu Han-bin discovered Alejandro¡¯s Artifacts a little too late. ¡°If they can¡¯t see it, they¡¯ll have a hard time finding it. The weapons would be too obvious, though.¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± Artis wasn¡¯t against Effir¡¯s training itself. ¡°It would be better if you bought her a weapon for practice.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to go to a weapon shop then.¡± Effir felt a little ashamed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to spend money on me¡­ You¡¯ve already bought me some nice clothes¡­¡± Han-bin smiled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I have money to spend anyway.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin bought a bunch of weapons in the weapon shop. He carried daggers, long swords, twin blades, gladiuses, and even rapiers. He also bought various shields like round shields and kite shields. He also had all types of spears and blunt weapons like maces and flails. Artis was dumbfounded. ¡°Why did you buy so many weapons?¡± Han-bin responded triumphantly, laying all weapons on the floor. ¡°She should try all the weapons first so she can choose the right weapon for her.¡± He then looked at the black greatsword he was carrying with a strangely sorrowful expression. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be able to choose your weapon with your own will.¡± ¡°¡­ What happened to you before?¡± Effir began to swing the weapons one by one before making a decision. ¡°Dual Swordsmanship is the best fit for me, I think.¡± The reason she tried to borrow the twin blades wasn¡¯t just because Ryu Han-bin owned them. ¡°I¡¯m small and quick with my hands, so I¡¯ll be able to excel with defense-oriented double swordsmanship. I weigh too little in human form for the aggressive sword and shield style.¡± Han-bin blinked his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for two swords to be more aggressive than the shield and sword?¡± Effir felt a little puzzled. ¡°Which quack told you that?¡± ¡°Nobody, just¡­¡± He didn¡¯t hear from anyone, but it was natural to consider having two swords to be much more aggressive than having a shield as well, which were used for defense. Effir looked at Ryu Han-bin with fresh eyes. ¡°Mr. Han-bin is so strong, yet you said something surprisingly strange like that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Think about it. Between an enemy with two swords and an enemy with a sword and a shield, which one would be able to fight more effortlessly?¡± ¡°Neither, I guess?¡± He was just going to split them in one hit anyway. ¡°Geez! Assume that they are on similar levels with you.¡± Han-bin mulled over the thought. He felt a little confused. ¡°Huh? Do you really think the one with the shield would be easier to beat?¡± All he had to do was care about the swings of the sword while he destroyed the shield. On the other hand, he had to keep a constant eye out for counters that could come from any side or both at any time when facing a dual-wielder. ¡°With a shield, you¡¯ll be able to push the enemy back aggressively to get the advantage.¡± The enemy¡¯s attack would be blocked with the shield, so he could attack as aggressively as needed. ¡°When using dual swordsmanship, it¡¯s more advantageous to keep changing the roles of the left and right swords and adhere to the counter-centered defensive style of swordsmanship.¡± ¡®Defense-oriented¡¯ and ¡®taking advantage of defense-oriented¡¯ had completely different meanings. ¡°I see.¡± Ryu Han-bin was impressed. He never thought about it that way as he only ever had to deal with Demon Dogs until recently. ¡°By the way, what about the remaining weapons? Are you going to get a refund?¡± She looked at the other weapons except for the twin swords and felt like they were wasting money. ¡°Leave them there.¡± Hanbin shrugged. ¡°I was thinking of having weapons for practice anyway. You¡¯ll be able to develop an insight on your opponent¡¯s weapons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Convinced, Effir went out to the yard. She began to practice in earnest. ¡°Like this¡­ Was it this way?¡± Swordsmanship aside, her movements were closer to looking like she was going on a frenzy. No matter how much she had seen and heard, embodying and mimicking what she¡¯s learned was an entirely different matter. After watching for a while, Ryu Han-bin and Artis rose. ¡°You can keep practicing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be out for a while.¡± The two also had work to do. Artis was almost done digesting all of the energy he¡¯s absorbed. It was time to resume their hunt. ¡°Shall we go to the Rastol Dungeon, Han-bin?¡± ¡°It has a good layout. The monsters are also tough.¡± Smiling brightly, the silver-haired girl waved her hand. ¡°Take care.¡± Chapter 44 Everybody Levels Up, Except Me (2) Rastol Dungeon was an ant-den-like Dungeon that had all types of insect monsters. Ryu Han-bin and Artis had a reason for coming to the same Dungeon again. In many ways, the Rastol Dungeon was suitable for regular level boosting. First and foremost, it wasn¡¯t as popular with other hunters because insect-type monsters¡¯ vitality was leagues higher than their levels. Bringing down insect-type monsters required twice as much effort as bringing down other monsters in the same level, yet they dropped the same tier of Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones. That resulted in a lower amount of profits. To put it bluntly, it was annoying to deal with insect-types. There were a lot more Dungeons in Crete Valley that could make Hunters more money, leaving Rastol Dungeon in a half-abandoned state. ¡°It¡¯s a suitable dungeon for us.¡± Waiting inside one of the Dungeon¡¯s caves, Artis giggled. The less popular the Dungeon was, the easier it was for two people to sneak around. The chance for them to get caught was lower. Of course, most dungeons were already enormous enough that there was a low chance of encountering other Hunters inside. However, that wasn¡¯t all. The fact that the monsters¡¯ vitality in Rastol was high was advantageous for them. ¡®Han-bin leaves them on the brink of death, but if they die before I can kill them, it¡¯ll all be in vain.¡¯ Artis kept waiting. Before long, the sound of an explosion echoed all the way from the other side of the dark passage. Rumble! Bang bang! ¡°It¡¯s started.¡± He took off his robe. After getting completely naked, he listened intently again. A few moments passed before he heard the phrase he was waiting for. ¡°The table is all set, Artis!¡± Walking towards the other end of the passageway, he returned to his original form. A red Dragon breathed flames over hundreds of monsters that had been left scattered all over the place. Gaaaarrrrrggh! Ryu Han-bin laughed. ¡°Congratulations, level 55 Dragon.¡± In human form, he was a level 42 Mage. He leveled up twice again in a single day. ¡°I¡¯m already full. Thanks. I need to digest energy first.¡± Artis put on a robe again, then looked over at the remains of the burnt monsters. ¡°But Han-bin, have all of the monsters to myself?¡± Since Artis had grown stronger, they could go deeper into the Dungeon, which meant the monsters¡¯ levels also rose. ¡°I think there are some insects in here that you can kill for the experience.¡± Ryu Han-bin shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Actually, among the monsters they hunted, some were already level 45 or higher. If he had killed them himself, he could have gained experience. ¡°If I did kill them, then what?¡± It would¡¯ve given him hundreds of thousands of experience points to enjoy, but it wouldn¡¯t have amounted to much since the remaining experience he needed to level up was 54.58 billion. ¡°It¡¯s better if I let you level up as fast as possible so we¡¯d be able to advance to the center of the continent.¡± He¡¯d be able to fight stronger monsters at the center of the continent, and that meant the experience he¡¯d be able to get was also going to be significantly higher. Ryu Han-bin jogged across the passage. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± * * * Artis¡¯ Mage level increased by 2. His Dragon level also rose by 1. As a bonus, they also managed to loot a lot of high-quality Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones. Upon selling it to the Magic Tools Guild, they earned more than 10,000 X in cash. Their day was productive and rewarding. Delighted with themselves, the two returned home. Effir, who was still training her swordsmanship in the yard, bowed at them when she saw them. ¡°Welcome back.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Artis was surprised, but not by the way she greeted them. Effir¡¯s entire body was soaked with sweat. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been busy.¡± Taking a closer look at her, Ryu Han-bin stuck his tongue out. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re Level 14?¡± ¡°Eek! Really?¡± She was only level 10 when they left, yet she already reached level 14 in such a short amount of time? Even Artis, who was boosted by Han-bin, only rose by two levels. ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting an error?¡± However, when he saw Effir¡¯s swordsmanship, he immediately took his words back. She swung the twin blades through the air with elegance and excellence. She moved and rotated around gracefully, almost as if she was dancing to a soothing melody, as she cut through her imaginary enemies. Her breathing, timing, and flow were all flawless. Artis and Han-bin could only watch in admiration. ¡°I knew she was going to reach level 20 easily, but four levels in half a day¡­¡± ¡°Is she really a genius?¡± * * * As Artis digested the energy in him, Ryu Han-bin examined the book he got from Alejandro. Maxbrid Martial Arts, one of the three major swordsmanship styles on the Continent. He read the preface of the book. The sword will remain a sword as the body changes. Maxbrid Martial Arts was a school that put more emphasis on the ¡®swordsman¡¯ than the ¡®swords.¡¯ It taught not to change oneself to fit the sword but rather to pick up a sword that suits them. A sword is just a tool. The one who kills the enemy is not the sword. It is the human holding the sword. Upon realizing the correct nature of what one held in their hand, and upon moving their body according to a set reason, then they would be able to cut the sky using a branch. That was the technique pursued by Maxbrid Martial Arts. It spoke more about the abilities of the one who was holding the sword rather than the act of using the sword itself. Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue while looking through the book. Each page was filled with techniques that were extremely practical yet profound. ¡°My swordsmanship can¡¯t be called a martial art when compared to this one.¡± Making up for his shortcomings, he steadily studied Maxbrid¡¯s tactics, starting from the basics. Artis focused on digesting the energy he had absorbed and learned the three new level 42 spell scrolls he had purchased. Five days had passed since then. They spent all that time improving their skills. However, compared to Effir¡¯s growth, their development was way too slow. * * * Ryu Han-bin also showed Effir the Maxbrid Tactic Book. There was no reason to hide it, after all. From Han-bin¡¯s point of view, practicing with her was a lot more beneficial for everyone. It resulted in Effir growing even more rapidly. ¡°You¡¯re already level 20?¡± Looking at the Guidelines, Han-bin was speechless. Artis had a similar reaction. ¡°Her leveling rate is ridiculously fast.¡± ¡°Yeah. If other people knew, they would vomit blood out of pure envy.¡± But that was all. Effir looked at her swords, then tilted her head. ¡°Why does it feel like I¡¯m stuck?¡± Artis patted her. ¡°No matter how talented you are, your body can¡¯t grow overnight.¡± Effir was Level 27 as a Wyvern. Even if she didn¡¯t have tremendous talent, she could¡¯ve reached the minimum Level 20 after a month or two since her actual combat level and experience was far higher than that. ¡°Your talent definitely isn¡¯t ordinary, considering how fast you leveled up. Still, it would be best if you gave your body proper time to grow. Effir wasn¡¯t particularly disappointed. ¡°This is enough. I can open the cold storage and turn on the oven now.¡± She felt like it would¡¯ve been better if she could reach level 30 so she¡¯d be able to use the washing machine as well, but she remained silent. ¡°Isn¡¯t your reason for leveling up wrong in the first place? People usually raise their level to become stronger, you know.¡± Han-bin was dumbfounded, but Effir didn¡¯t care. She was having so much fun using human tools. ¡°Human hands are so versatile! They make it easy to handle everything!¡± It didn¡¯t matter what she was doing. She did it with excitement in her heart, even if it was just dull sewing work. ¡°You can even do this with your hands. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been able to build so many different tools.¡± She shook, balancing the needle at the tip of her finger. She kept doing that as she admired humanity, but the problem was there wasn¡¯t just one needle on her fingertip. She put a needle on top of the needle and another needle on top of that. She perfectly balanced all three on top of each other! Ryu Han-bin and Artis¡¯ jaws dropped. ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°Not even normal humans can do that!¡± ¡°How the hell is she doing that?¡± Even as a Wyvern, she already had terrifying flexibility and agility. With human hands, she became even more powerful. Effir managed to perfectly reproduce the Dragon Knights¡¯ delicate swordsmanship using average-tier weapons. At that point, Ryu Han-bin found a different use for her. She was too talented just to be a simple servant. If she developed her skills properly, she could become a reliable companion. ¡°Hey, Artis.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wyverns are also part of Latna¡¯s Dragon Race, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, even though they¡¯re a sub-species.¡± ¡°Then can Effir also increase her level by absorbing the energy of monsters?¡± Artis contemplated about it. ¡°Once she gets regular absorption, she¡¯ll be able to improve her basic physical abilities. However, creating a Dragon Core and making it inhabited by energy is a different matter. In this case, it would be called a Wyvern Core.¡± There would have been a limit to her progress if she absorbed energy without a core since she¡¯d easily reach the Wyverns¡¯ ethnic level. ¡°How do you make that core?¡± ¡°The core is formed by grinding and refining the absorbed spirit and turning it into the four major powers of Latna. This was said to be the indwelling of the Dragon Power. As her level rises, the increased energy of the core should theoretically increase her strength.¡± For reference, Artis¡¯s Dragon Core had Mana properties because his talent was magic-oriented. ¡°But this is a feat that can only be achieved through a fairly high intelligence level, something lower-species of the Dragon Race like Wyverns doesn¡¯t have.¡± Yes, it was normally impossible. Wyverns weren¡¯t as smart as Dragons. But Effir was different. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she have high enough intelligence?¡± The two glared at Effir. ¡°Will level boosting work on her?¡± ¡°In theory.¡± ¡°Should we try?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to lose by trying, right?¡± Effir, who was sewing Ryu Han-bin¡¯s spare fur shorts, tilted her head. ¡°Why are you both looking at me like that?¡± With a meaningful smile, the muscular giant spoke to the little girl. ¡°Effir, why don¡¯t we go somewhere nice?¡± ¡°Hey, that line is dangerous, Han-bin.¡± * * * The place Ryu Han-bin chose for Effir¡¯s growth was also the Rastol Dungeon. They were already familiar with it, and it was easy to fight in. ¡°Its minimum level is 30, so it should fit well with Effir¡¯s level.¡± Aliens¡¯ experience point system didn¡¯t give a lot of experience points just because they killed a powerful monster. A level 10 Hunter killing a dying level 80 monster didn¡¯t mean the Hunter would go up gain large amounts of experience points. It was the same for Latna¡¯s Dragon Race. Even if she was to kill a monster that was a lot stronger than her, she wasn¡¯t going to be able to absorb the energy since if the monster¡¯s energy were stronger than the Dragon¡¯s absorption ability, it would just dissipate instead. ¡°Monsters only give an adequate amount of experience points if their level is only five levels away from yours, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Effir¡¯s level is 20, so it¡¯s a little off, but¡­¡± As a Wyvern, Effir¡¯s level was 27, which put her inside the effective range. The trio entered the Dungeon and looked for a suitable place to hunt. It was Effir¡¯s turn to experience boosting. ¡°The first-timer is so weak she can¡¯t even use her swords.¡± Instead of pulling out his black sword, Ryu Han-bin laughed heartily as he clenched his fists. ¡°Then take off your clothes and wait, Effir.¡± Artis shook his head. ¡°¡­ The way you say things is getting more and more dangerous, Han-bin.¡± Chapter 45 Everybody Levels Up, Except Me (3) Inside one of the dark cavities of the Rastol Dungeon, a large Wyvern crawled out of the passage and began to breathe fire. Gwaaaarrrk! Hundreds of monsters were burned to death mercilessly all at once. After repeating the same sequence thrice, Effir raised her concern. ¡°I feel weird. Is this indigestion?¡± Artis gave her an explanation. ¡°You¡¯ve reached your energy absorption limit. That¡¯s it for today.¡± Looking up and down at the Wyvern, Ryu Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s strange. Her level didn¡¯t rise at all.¡± Even after killing hundreds of monsters, Effir was still Level 27. Confused, he ordered Effir to turn into a human then measured her again. [Race: Human. Swordsman Lv. 20] There was no change. ¡°Does level boosting not work for Wyverns?¡± Artis shook his head at Han-bin¡¯s question. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± It was because Effir had not yet created a core unique to the Dragon Race. ¡°When I absorb energy, it all accumulates right inside my core. It takes time to digest and convert it into mana, but it¡¯s immediately reflected in my level.¡± On the other hand, the absorbed energy would just be scattered throughout Effir¡¯s body without a core. Her level would slowly rise over several days as the energy in her merged into her body. ¡°But her level would still rise, right?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t rise dramatically like mine. There are limits to physical development without a core.¡± Any unadjusted energy would just dissipate into the air. She needed pure energy, which purified the Dragon Race¡¯s turbid energy into one of Latna¡¯s four powers. Looking back at Effir, Artis shrugged. ¡°Once you¡¯ve absorbed a lot of energy, we¡¯ll try to see if we can use that to instill Dragon Power.¡± * * * The living room on the first floor of Artis¡¯ wooden house. The silver-haired girl knelt down and immersed herself in meditation. With her eyes closed, she focused her mind. ¡®Contemplate what¡¯s inside. Look back into me and sense the energy inside my body. Lead it to where it needs to go¡­¡± Amid her concentration, she tried to create a core using the method Artis taught her. ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s not a method. It¡¯s more of a trick. I didn¡¯t learn how to create a core from anyone.¡± It was just Artis¡¯s way of describing his own experience. Han-bin became curious. ¡°Are Dragons automatically capable of creating cores? Is it part of your instincts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar but a little different.¡± The Dragon¡¯s Breath was a kind of instinct. Before his mind had matured, Artis could already breathe flames naturally. ¡°On the other hand, in the case of core creation, the knowledge and wisdom regarding it are melted into the Dragon¡¯s lineage. It feels similar to learning human mimetic skills.¡± Dragon Cores didn¡¯t make themselves. Dragons simply realized, almost like common sense, how to create one. ¡°It looks similar at first glance, but it¡¯s a different story.¡± Ending his explanation, Artis turned towards Effir again. He smiled expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s still not certain, but the possibility for her to succeed is quite high. In many ways, she¡¯s special.¡± The reason why Wyverns couldn¡¯t create a core was that they didn¡¯t have the intelligence needed to create one, even if they were taught. Effir didn¡¯t have that problem. There was also the eccentricity called Ryu Han-bin. Since she had absorbed energy enough to fill herself to the brim, she had overflowing resources to create a core. That gave her dozens of attempts to create one before she ran out of energy. ¡°Even if it¡¯s impossible right now, if she keeps trying, she¡¯ll succeed sooner or later. Upon creating one, Effir would be able to handle one of Latna¡¯s four major powers. However, she wasn¡¯t allowed to choose her power. Her talent was the one that determined it; hence not even Artis could predict what kind of attribute she¡¯d get. ¡°I wish she gets Prana.¡± Ryu Han-bin muttered while looking at Effir. ¡°Since we already have close-range and long-range fighters, it would be convenient to have a healer.¡± A Spiritist would undoubtedly be helpful to the team in many ways. Since neither Ryu Han-bin nor Artis could use healing techniques, she would be able to fill the missing role. But Artis shook his head. ¡°I hope so, but she¡¯ll probably awaken an Aura Core.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because her talent as a warrior is outstanding. I told you, it¡¯s not what you choose. Your qualities determine it.¡± If their physical talent was enormous, the person¡¯s probability of awakening mind-related power like Mana or Prana was relatively low. If both talents were in balance, they could become a Magic Swordsman with the Force attribute. ¡°She has great physical talent, true, but her mind is equal to her physical abilities. She must be a genius that fell from the heavens.¡± Artis simply giggled. ¡°If she¡¯s that good, she would have finished creating her core, and she¡¯d be radiating the light of Dragon Power already.¡± Just as Artis spoke, Effir began to change. Paaats! Her entire body started to emit light. It was only for a moment, however. Effir tilted her head the moment the light disappeared. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± She flicked her fingers and pointed to the other side of the living room, a strange expression displayed on her face. ¡°I feel like I just found something incredibly soft and comfortable.¡± At Effir¡¯s gesture, a cushion on the living room sofa spontaneously floated into the air and then fell back. Han-bin looked at each other in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Psychic Force used by the Magic Swordsman?¡± At that point, they felt drained by all the surprises. Artis looked up at the ceiling in vain. ¡°¡­The sky must have dropped something huge.¡± * * * Awakening the Force didn¡¯t mean that she could immediately become a full-fledged Magic Swordsman. The Magic Swordsmen¡¯s special techniques and the magic sword techniques needed to be learned separately. Effir couldn¡¯t just learn those skills by herself, no matter how much of a genius from the sky she was. ¡°But money can solve that!¡± Ryu Han-bin immediately ran to the Magic Swordsman Guild and bought a bunch of beginner magic sword scrolls. Of course, the guild wondered why he was buying the scrolls when he wasn¡¯t a Magic Swordsman. ¡°I buy them because I want to buy them!¡± No reason or excuses required! If he flexed his muscles, presented her money, and demanded something, no one doubted him! ¡°Why the hell do Valtara warriors even behave like that?¡± Of course, after he bought it, he got scolded by Artis. ¡°Hey! Han-bin, you idiot! Valtara warriors avoid Magic Tools! Scrolls are also Magic Tools, so you shouldn¡¯t buy those yourself!¡± ¡°What? What do I do? Will they suspect me?¡± Fortunately, Artis taught him how to cope wisely. ¡°Just say you didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know what?¡± ¡°When someone asks, just insist that you didn¡¯t know it¡¯s a Magic Tool and you thought it¡¯s just a piece of paper.¡± ¡°¡­ Will such an excuse work?¡± ¡°Works for Valtara warriors.¡± ¡°Do Valtara warriors only have muscles for brains¡­¡± That being said, the total price of all the scrolls from level 5 to level 20 was terrifying. It was almost over 20,000X. ¡°It¡¯s about 200 million in Korean Won.¡± The savings he had been accumulating was immediately cut in half, but Han-bin didn¡¯t care. He went in and out of Dungeons so often that money wasn¡¯t a problem for him. The Magic Swordsman Guild, feeling like they just hit the jackpot, gave him a big smile as Effir got tired of seeing the bulky scrolls piled up in front of her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you spend too much money, Han-bin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have nowhere to spend it on anyway.¡± If his level had been measured correctly, he would have purchased Magical Tools or Artifacts. However, despite having enough power to split the skies and sunder mountains, Ryu Han-bin was still Level 5. He couldn¡¯t even open the fridge. To him, Magic Tools were all useless. ¡°I think of it as an investment. Effir, as you level up, you¡¯ll be able Tools.¡± Inspired, she became even more motivated. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to run the washing machine!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not why I want you to level up¡­¡± Effir devoted herself every single day to training. Her talent supported her, she never lazed around, and she was motivated beyond belief. Her progress was as fast as could be. Within a few days, she had already mastered Maxbrid Martial Arts basics and learned all the magic sword techniques he purchased for her. Likewise, her level had also risen steadily. It wasn¡¯t because she raised her level herself, but rather Ryu Han-bin made her level up. ¡°Effir, are you done digesting all the energy?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Dungeons, then.¡± Every time she finished digesting the energy, he dragged her into the Dungeon. Since her level was much lower than Artis, the regular digestion time was relatively short. Fifteen days later, her status had changed tremendously for the better. [Race: Wyvern. Lv. 33] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 29] ¡°It¡¯s getting higher.¡± Ryu Han-bin was pleased as he watched Effir become stronger day by day. He complained that he didn¡¯t have fun collecting items or leveling up, but what he was doing still made him happy. ¡°It feels like playing a nurturing simulation game.¡± It had been a month since Effir joined the group. Eventually, she succeeded in reaching Level 30. ¡°Wow! I can finally run the washing machine!¡± ¡°Is that the only feeling you have after reaching the advanced hunter level?¡± Speechless, Artis looked at Han-bin. ¡°It¡¯s about the time to register Effir as a Hunter.¡± Han-bin was worried, glancing at Effir, who was still only a cute teenage girl. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they be suspicious if she were already level 30 at that age?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Artis wasn¡¯t concerned. ¡°There are many geniuses in the world which had reached that level at that age.¡± The existence of geniuses, prodigies, and brilliant talents was unusually common in this world. Across the continent, hundreds of unique talents poured out every year. And a lot of those people died young because they overestimated their talents. Geniuses were common, but surviving ones were rare. Han-bin stuck out his tongue. ¡°Are you saying that there are many cases like her?¡± ¡°If you look at the entire continent, yeah. Well, it would be rare enough for a developed-area like Highten.¡± Looking at Effir, Artis spoke seriously. ¡°So, don¡¯t be overly confident, Effir. You certainly have superior talent, but just because you can grow faster than others doesn¡¯t mean you can grow farther.¡± Effir gave them a genuine reply as she sheathed her weapons. ¡°Yes, Mr. Artis. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± * * * If a countryman who had no connections and lacked common sense asked to be a Hunter simply because his level was high, he was likely to be suspected of being an Alien. However, Effir had a guardian named Artis and was equipped with Latna Continent¡¯s common sense. She wasn¡¯t actually an Alien, so there was no reason for others to be suspicious of her. She disguised herself as a distant relative of Artis and made an alias after his last name. Highten Hunter Guild: Advanced Hunter, Lv. 30 Magic Swordsman, Effir Venitian ¡°Looking at you two, you do look related, though the relation seems to be really distant.¡± Effir gave Han-bin a really shocked look. ¡°Somehow, I became a Hunter, too.¡± Han-bin smiled as he remembered his old days. ¡°Come to think of it, Effir, didn¡¯t you have a bad image of Hunters?¡± ¡°The Dragon Knights hated the Hunters. It wasn¡¯t good for me to get involved with them.¡± They used to say that Hunters was the cancer of society, but it felt strange to be a part of it. When they got home, an unexpected guest waited for them at the front gate. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, you two.¡± He was an Althea Church priest who served the Goddess of Light, the Diocese of Highten, and the city¡¯s strongest Spiritist, Priest Emil. On behalf of Felard Bean, the less talkative Valtara warrior, Artis, responded to him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Priest. What¡¯s brings you here?¡± Priest Emil smiled awkwardly and stated his business. ¡°I want to ask for help from the partners.¡± It seemed that there were more cases to increase the Church¡¯s contribution. Taking the opportunity, Artis replied. ¡°We¡¯re happy to help. What is it?¡± Emil replied with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s an evil spirit haunting. I¡¯m sorry for bringing you so much trouble.¡± Chapter 46 Midsummer Night¡¯s Evil Spirit (1) To the north of the Dungeon City of Highten was a village called Gyuzac. It was a typical rural settlement in an area where no monster appeared. However, on the village¡¯s outskirts laid an unusual structure¡ª the abandoned mansion of Count Kasran, a high-ranking nobleman who ruled the Gyuzac area until 15 years ago. The mansion collapsed together with the Grelluet Kingdom¡¯s fall, and it had been nothing but ruins since then. ¡°I heard that some time ago, evil spirits began to appear in the mansion. The power of the Gyuzac Dioces wasn¡¯t enough to exorcise all of them, which forced them to contact the Highten Diocese.¡± Ryu Han-bin intently listened to Emil¡¯s explanation. ¡®I guess ghosts exist in this world.¡¯ In a place where skeletons walked around and used magic, he thought it was only natural for ghosts to exist as well. Priest Emil looked at them with hope in his eyes. ¡°Can you help us?¡± He had never dealt with a ghost before, but he didn¡¯t want to refuse because he could raise his contribution with that case. ¡°Good! I will help!¡± Ryu Han-bin shouted bluntly, puffing out his chest. Artis replied calmly with a question of his own. ¡°When should we be ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come to pick you up tomorrow morning.¡± For a moment, Han-bin was confused. ¡®He¡¯s going to pick us up?¡¯ ¡°Are you coming with us?¡± Priest Emil shrugged and looked at them indifferently. ¡°Isn¡¯t your opponent an evil spirit? In that case, you need a Spiritist.¡± * * * That evening, Ryu Han-bin grabbed Artis and went into quick tutoring. He needed to know how to deal with the ghosts of this world. ¡°Exorcism? Or should I release the resentment of the dead?¡± It was beneficial to ask in advance since Latna¡¯s ghosts had a different concept from Earth¡¯s ghosts. Ghosts from Latna weren¡¯t souls of dead human beings. They were a form of calamity caused by excessive dark energy in the remnants of an area. Artis and Effir took turns explaining it to him. ¡°They¡¯re more like spiritual wastes. Well, something like that at least.¡± ¡°Ghosts and souls are completely different just as how shadows are only shadows.¡± The two explained it as best as they could to Han-bin from a knowledgeable stance. Effir had seen and heard quite a bit of knowledge under the Flying Dragon Knights. Hence she was particularly helpful. ¡°I heard that many commoners consider ghosts as dead relatives and get hurt while approaching them.¡± The way Latnains dealt with ghosts was different from exorcisms and appeasement as well. ¡°You only have to defeat it.¡± ¡°¡­ Defeat it?¡± Han-bin was dumbfounded. ¡°Is a ghost just another monster that can be defeated?¡± It was the same as Earth¡¯s ghosts in the sense that physical attacks didn¡¯t work against it. However, there were still several common means to damage it. Aura, Mana, Prana, Force. Using Latna¡¯s four powers, they could cut or crush any number of ghosts. ¡°But I can¡¯t use Aura.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Priest Emil is going with you.¡± If a Spiritist applied a secondary spirit to a weapon, even a warrior could inflict enough damage to the ghost to defeat it. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. It¡¯s just troublesome.¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to dealing with a malformed monster like a slime. It¡¯s so mushy.¡± Even Artis and Effir seemed to have quite a lot of experience with them. ¡°Well, I have been in charge of a request to fight evil spirits before.¡± ¡°The Flying Dragon Knights also regularly hunt ghosts every New Year. I¡¯ve killed a lot at that time.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it the same as the New Year¡¯s cleaning?¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s mind fluttered as he listened to the explanations of the two. ¡®The culture of this world is clearly different from Earth¡¯s.¡¯ If the existence of it was evident and the way to fight it was already known, it was no longer labeled as an unknown horror but rather something that just needed to be hunted. There was also such a proverb related to the fight against evil spirits. -If you find one ghost, think there are a hundred more invisible ghosts! ¡°Ghosts here are treated like cockroaches¡­¡± He didn¡¯t think he needed to pay special attention anyway. ¡°I can just cut it down as usual.¡± Ryu Han-bin suddenly asked another question while leaning on the couch. ¡°I have another question, Artis.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is it possible to confirm the existence of the afterlife in Latna?¡± The human soul on Earth and the afterlife were philosophical and religious concepts. However, in this world, Latna, there were ghosts, undead, and even Goddesses. Besides, listening to the story, it seemed that the human soul also existed. That begged the question, did Latains know what happened to humans after death? ¡®Wow, maybe Earth¡¯s many religions and philosophies will be overturned.¡¯ Artis gave him an unexpected answer. ¡°How would that be possible?¡± Artis smiled bitterly. ¡°According to the Churches, if you live according to the will of the Goddesses, your soul will go to their heaven. Those who¡¯ve sinned against the Goddesses will fall to their hell, but¡­¡± Effir also gave her own answer with a pout. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether that¡¯s true or not. It¡¯s just what the Priests said.¡± ¡°What do you mean, if a Goddess exists, then shouldn¡¯t it be that way? The Goddesses exist. They¡¯ve even talked to Latnains. Why don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°That sounds like the rudest question I have ever heard about the faith¡­¡± With a bitter smile, Artis replied. ¡°The six Goddesses are beings that keep the balance of the world. Human life and death aren¡¯t under their jurisdiction. Hence, the Goddesses never give a direct answer about life after death.¡± ¡°Then where did that heaven and hell concept come from? Did the priests make it up?¡± ¡°Oh, about that, um¡­¡± Artis frowned. He didn¡¯t have that much knowledge about the doctrines of the six Churches. He waved his hand passively. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, ask Priest Emil later. He¡¯s an expert at that stuff.¡± ¡°I¡¯m disguised as a Valtara warrior right now. Can I ask questions like that?¡± It seemed strange for ignorant barbarians to have such high-level questions. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare doubt the Valtara warriors that much, but¡­¡± Artis shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for us to risk it. I¡¯ll ask for you instead, then.¡± * * * Indeed, Priest Emil kindly explained. ¡°Of course, they don¡¯t answer directly. We have intelligence. We¡¯re not animals. If we do just what we¡¯ve been asked to do, we wouldn¡¯t be any different from livestock.¡± The doctrines of the Churches weren¡¯t the fundamental laws that the Goddesses directly taught. ¡°It¡¯s a fragment of the great wisdom that the prophets have discovered while living in this world protected by the Goddesses. The fragments gather continuously until we reach the truth.¡± Emil concluded his explanation with a warm smile. ¡°Human life and death must be chosen and judged by their own will. That¡¯s what the Goddesses want.¡± Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡®It¡¯s that complicated?¡¯ It would¡¯ve been easy to understand if he simply said, ¡®It is the law given by the goddess!¡¯, but he didn¡¯t result in such an unjust way. ¡®Don¡¯t the Goddesses in this neighborhood write commandments on a slate then hand them down to humans?¡¯ It occurred to him that such complex doctrines kept faith well. ¡®No, the concept of their faith itself couldn¡¯t be questioned because the Goddesses certainly exist.¡¯ One thing was certain. ¡®This world is no different from Earth when it comes to Death and the unknown realm that may or may not lie after it.¡± ¡°So, shall we continue?¡± After finishing the explanation, Emil began to move forward. Han-bin and his party also followed him. How long had it been? Beyond the low, grassy pastures, they saw a rural village with a pastoral atmosphere. It was their destination, Gyuzac village. Emil watched the sunset over the village as he talked. ¡°The sun is finally setting.¡± They left Highten early in the morning and traveled all day using a stagecoach. The skies were already starting to darken by the time they¡¯ve arrived. People typically found a place to stay in, rest, and plan their activities once the sky had darkened. ¡°Good timing.¡± Ghosts haunted at night, so now was the right time to move. Looking back at everyone, Emil gave them an order. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of the evil spirits first.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin couldn¡¯t understand the reaction of the party. -The evil spirits? Ah, that¡¯s troublesome. -They¡¯re at least not challenging to deal with, Mr. Artis. Both Artis and Effir regarded the evil spirits as if they were nothing. Priest Emil was of the same mind. -I know it¡¯s trivial. If The Valtara Warrior fought the evil spirits, it¡¯s like fighting chickens with knives made to butcher cows. Emil felt sorry. He couldn¡¯t avoid coming to them since Han-bin¡¯s party was the only Church partners who had time in the city. ¡®How weak are this neighborhood¡¯s ghosts? Why are they so relaxed?¡¯ Even after arriving at the mansion, their atmosphere didn¡¯t change. The infrastructure had remained abandoned for such a long time that its ambiance had become gloomy and dark. Spider webs, old pieces of furniture, and burn marks were all over the place. If it was put on Earth, anyone could¡¯ve made a lot of money by turning it into a horror house. Nevertheless, no one seemed to be even a little afraid. Priest Emil smiled as he looked around. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect atmosphere to fight evil spirits.¡± Upon entering the mansion, Priest Emil took a seat in the middle of the large ballroom then raised his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡± Paaats! His hands soon began to emit light that became far brighter and more vivid due to the darkness that embraced them. After a few moments, ghastly beings began to surround them, coming through the walls, the floors, and even the ceiling. ¡°Hoo¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hoooooo¡­.¡± Human-shaped beings approached the light as they groaned. ¡®Are those really ghosts?¡¯ The ghosts were visible to them, and they looked exactly just like in the movies. They weren¡¯t any different from how they imagined them to be. He found their status quite peculiar, however. [Race: Ghost. Lv. 18] ¡®Why is Ghost a race name? Do ghosts have babies?¡¯ Lich was also listed as the name of a race, yet it was undead. About a dozen ghosts slowly approached the light. Expecting a battle to erupt, Han-bin was about to pull out his sword when he stopped abruptly. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The ghosts were acting strange. They didn¡¯t give recognition to him or his party at all. They were like moths or squids blinded by the beauty of the light, causing them to pursue it mindlessly. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with them, Effir.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Artis.¡± Artis and Effir attacked the ghosts with magic spells and magic sword techniques. Along with the explosions, the ghosts began to disappear. Poof! Poof! That was it. There was no ghost counterattack. They didn¡¯t even try to run away. ¡°Hoo¡­ ¡­.¡± ¡°Hooooo¡­¡­.¡± Even though the other ghosts noticed their fellow ethereal beings disappearing, they still slowly approached the light. They were exterminated without difficulties. Bang! Bang! Bang! Han-bin smudged his eyes in amazement. ¡®What? Was that all?¡¯ Chapter 47 Midsummer Night¡¯s Evil Spirit (2) Artis secretly whispered something to Han-bin, who was standing absentmindedly. ¡°I told you it¡¯s easy but annoying.¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s not any tension, let alone a battle¡­¡± Interpreting it differently, Emil looked apologetic. ¡°I forgot about you, Mr. Felard.¡± He immediately covered the black greatsword with a spirit. Judging from the quick casting involved with it, Han-bin thought it was just a low-level skill. ¡°Then, please.¡± With a single swing of his sword, five or six ghosts disappeared all at once, causing Emil to burst in admiration. ¡°As expected from a Valtara warrior! What great power!¡± Applying spirits on a weapon only gave the user the ability to damage ethereal beings, but the amount of damage done still depended on the user¡¯s strength. It only took a single minute of ghost-slaying for them to vanquish their foes completely. After making sure there were no longer any ghost appearances, Priest Emil addressed the group politely. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve gotten rid of all of them around here. Shall we move on to the next section?¡± As Priest Emil took the lead, Hyu Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡®I was wondering why everyone was so relaxed¡­¡¯ Now he definitely understood. * * * The cleansing of all the evil spirits in the area only took three hours. That¡¯s right. It was no more than ¡®cleansing¡¯ to Han-bin and his party. It was too easy for him to label it with impactful words such as extermination and annihilation. ¡®Is this the only thing I accomplished with my time today?¡¯ Still, it wasn¡¯t all in vain. The Church¡¯s contribution score had risen considerably with their work. Han-bin sheathed the black greatsword onto his back as he addressed the Priest. ¡°Are we going back now?¡± Priest Emil smiled. ¡°Just to be sure, we¡¯re going to stay here tonight to examine the area.¡± Even if only one remained, it would still have the potential to absorb evil energy and repopulate; hence every single one of them needed to be erased from existence. They chose a living room on the second floor of the mansion and lit a fire in the middle of it. Blankets were laid on the floor to serve as their beds. All that remained was for them to wait until dawn came. Basking in the warmth of the flames, Effir began to speak perhaps out of boredom. ¡°A midsummer night, an abandoned mansion¡­ It¡¯s the perfect setting for a ghost story.¡± Emil replied with a smile. ¡°I know. Why don¡¯t we tell scary stories to pass the time?¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯ll be fun.¡± Han-bin found the conversation absurd. ¡®Are there any ghost stories in this world? You just wiped out the ghosts without problems. How would ghost stories even exist when the ghosts aren¡¯t that scary or strong?¡¯ Priest Emil began to tell a tale, his voice filled with eerieness. ¡°During my days as an Apprentice, I was working with a team of Beginner Hunters to fight a monster¡­¡± * * * As usual, the story began on the way back from fighting monsters. ¡°Suddenly, the sky darkened, and rain began to pour heavily. Everyone quickly searched for a place to stay in.¡± What they found was a huge noble mansion abandoned in the woods. Its ambiance was gloomy and sorrowful, filled with dead trees and dried grass everywhere. ¡°We went inside the mansion to avoid the rain. We made a proper fireplace and dried our bodies, but a whitish human figure appeared across the hall.¡± Artis and Effir chimed in. ¡°It is common for ghosts to appear in abandoned mansions.¡± ¡°Hey, and then?¡± As he listened to them, Han-bin soon realized the ghost itself was not the ghost story¡¯s subject. Little by little, Emil¡¯s voice began to turn into a whisper. ¡°At first, I thought it was just another ghost. I naturally tried to eradicate it without much thought¡­¡± He paused for a moment, then quietly added. ¡°¡­ But why would a ghost open a door to enter a room in the hallway?¡± Effir trembled. ¡°Hey!¡± Han-bin blinked. ¡®What? Why is she surprised there?¡¯ Regardless, it seemed to terrify the people from this world. Everyone listened to Emil with stern expressions. ¡°Surprised, we armed ourselves and immediately pursued the ghost. It was the first time we had seen it, so everyone was very nervous. But!¡± Suddenly Emil raised his voice. ¡°The candlesticks hanging on the corridor caught fire all at once!¡± ¡°Heek!¡± Artis let out a strange groan. Effir was silent, but her face was stiff. Both seemed to have been immersed in the story. Of course, Han-bin was far off. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± He didn¡¯t understand the reason why a Dragon, a being that could breathe fire from its mouth and could use all sorts of magic, would be surprised to see a little fire light up an abandoned candlestick. ¡°All of them were brave Hunters, but after that incident, even their hearts could no longer contain it. We decided to run out of the mansion hurriedly.¡± So, they went down to the first floor of the mansion. However, the unknown ghost was already standing there. ¡°With our escape route blocked, we had no choice but to fight. I prepared the spirits, and the mage cast flame-based magic, which should¡¯ve worked well for the ghost. But just as the spirits and magic spells were about to hit the ghost¡­¡± Emil paused for a moment before looking back at the party with a dark expression. ¡°It all just passed through the ghost¡­¡± The dragon and the Wyvern, both in their human forms, trembled profusely. ¡°Hump.¡± ¡°Oh, come on! Don¡¯t scare me too much.¡± On the other hand, Ryu Han-bin, a Korean disguised as a barbarian warrior, could only cover his face with both hands out of sheer confusion. ¡®I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t sympathize with them at all¡­¡¯ It was hopeless. Han-bin knew their cultures were different, but their horror stories were like night and day. Emil continued the story. ¡°Naturally, we ran away again.¡± After that, it became a typical ghost story. The ghost eagerly pursued the party, and they did their best to run away, but instead of passing through walls, the ghost knocked and opened doors. It seemed like a funny story from Han-bin¡¯s perspective, but Effir and Artis were frightened all the way to their bones. ¡°You mean the ghost opened the doors on purpose?¡± ¡°Even though it can go through walls?¡± ¡°Heeeek, it¡¯s scary!¡± He didn¡¯t want to show that he wasn¡¯t aware of Latna Continent¡¯s culture as much as possible, but at that point, he already too curious. Han-bin deliberately asked in a blunt tone. ¡°What¡¯s scary about ghosts opening doors?¡± Effir replied, her voice shaking. ¡°If a ghost opens a door, it¡¯s not a ghost. It¡¯s the soul of the dead!¡± Artis also answered him. ¡°If it keeps its old habits intact, it means it¡¯s not just an embodiment of evil energy.¡± In Latna, ¡®ghosts¡¯ and ¡®the souls of the dead¡¯ had completely different meanings. ¡°So, we¡­¡± He continued that they couldn¡¯t escape from the mansion, and they could only run away as hard as possible from an existence they couldn¡¯t fight against and managed to escape by morning. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what the ghost I met that day was. Was it just a midsummer night¡¯s nightmare, or was it really the soul of the dead?¡± Emil finished the story with a calm tone. ¡°The truth is still buried in the dark. That¡¯s the end of my story. Well, it might be boring.¡± He then tidied up his blanket and laid down on it. ¡°Let¡¯s get some sleep. The night is still young.¡± * * * Artis¡¯s magic eliminated the need for a night watch. ¡°Flow and scatter. The Sand of Dream.¡± It prevented the light, heat, and odors of the fireplace from leaking out. An alarm barrier also surrounded them, allowing them to easily detect if an enemy were to approach them. Han-bin and his party began to lie down in front of the fireplace, but they couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Priest Emil, Artis, and Effir tossed around with their blankets on. They didn¡¯t feel tired enough. Ryu Han-bin smiled as he looked at them. He was under the same experience. ¡®What should I do to tire myself out?¡¯ Lying down on his blanket, he stared at the ceiling blankly. After a few minutes had passed, he heard a faint weeping voice from the corner of the hall. ¡°Hoo¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hoooooo¡­¡­.¡± An eerie groan resonated in the dark, alerting him. Anyone would¡¯ve felt the hairs all over their body standing up upon hearing such a cry, but Han-bin and his party were different. Fed up with the ghost¡¯s wails due to the cleansing they did earlier, they stood up with a smile. Priest Emil slowly held up his finger. ¡°There are still a few left.¡± Effir unsheathed her twin blades. ¡°Good. I can¡¯t sleep anyway.¡± The party went out into the hallway. Just as predicted, a human-shaped shadow was standing across them, embraced by the darkness. However, unlike the white ghosts that they¡¯ve eradicated, its body was black and emitted more malice. It was so dark that its outline was still visible while standing in the entirely lightless hallway. Puzzled, Artis spoke. ¡°Its color is different from before.¡± ¡°It may look different, but it¡¯s still just a ghost.¡± Unbothered, Emil produced another spirit of light. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of it.¡± Ghosts were naturally be drawn to Emil¡¯s light, but the black spirit didn¡¯t approach them. Instead, it burst into a piercing roar and shuddered in the dark. ¡°Keeeeeeek!¡± The shape of the shadow had changed from human-like to a strange monster. ¡°Why don¡¯t my lights attract it?¡± A little confused, Emil conjured another skill. ¡°Light of Althea, defeat my enemy!¡± A holy light came into being, taking on the shape of a spear and surging forward towards the spirit. But instead of piercing it, the spear just passed through. ¡°Ah?¡± Before Emil could react, the black spirit moved. The shadow swelled in a flash, then turned into a pitch-black blade which flew directly at them. Bang! Bang! Bang!! Breaking the floor, the shockwave of the blade dashed towards the party. Reflexively, Artis unfolded a magic barrier. ¡°Arcane Shield!¡± A translucent shield was created in the space between them and the incoming pitch-black blade. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ However, it also just passed through the barrier. Just as the pitch-black blade was about to hit the defenseless Artis, Effir quickly rushed towards him and pushed him aside. ¡°Mr. Artis!¡± Narrowly missing them, the tip of the blade pierced against the corridor wall, causing a part of it to collapse as a tremendous explosion ensued. Rumble! Artis¡¯s face turned ghastly behind the rising dust. ¡°¡­ Did it just go through a magic barrier?¡± Effir looked at Emil with frightened eyes. ¡°Wait, what is this? Was that story of yours really true?¡± Their situation now was the same as the story Emil had just told them awhile ago. ¡°No! no, no way. It can¡¯t be¡­¡± With an expression full of disbelief, Priest Emil initiated another spirit again. ¡°Tears of Kybriel, tear through the darkness.¡± Artis also used another spell out of desperation. ¡°Fire Crash!¡± None proved effective against it. All attacks simply passed through it and hit the mansion wall. Priest Emil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Nonsense! Is it really a soul of the dead?¡± Chapter 48 Midsummer Night¡¯s Evil Spirit (3) The black spirit approached them as it let out an ear-splitting scream. ¡°Kaaah!¡± Emil and Artis stepped back out of sheer fear. ¡°No way¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The soul of the dead¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin stepped forward, his greatsword in hand. ¡°Let me have a shot at it.¡± Emil looked at him with skeptical eyes. ¡°Are you crazy? What makes you think you can cut the souls of the dead?¡± Han-bin felt puzzled deep in his heart. He had no idea why Emil thought he was insane. ¡®I can cut the living but not the dead?¡¯ It must be what the Latnains believed. In an attempt to appease the Priest, he shouted. ¡°We can¡¯t lose like this, can we?¡± ¡°T-that right¡­¡± Emil quickly cast a spell on the black greatsword. As the spell enveloped his blade, Han-bin propelled himself forward. A devastating blow hit the evil spirit. ¡°Hump!¡± He slashed against it with ease. It was just like swinging a sword through the air. The spirit immediately launched a counterattack using a whip made out of the shadows. Weeep! He quickly positioned the greatsword in front of him to defend himself. Clash! The whip passed through the blade and hit his torso. Han-bin frowned as he stepped back. ¡®It really doesn¡¯t work, huh?¡¯ The evil spirit launched another attack. A series of lashes bombarded him from every direction. Clash! Clash! Clash! Clash! He was beaten helplessly. He had no means of countermeasures against it since its weapon simply passed through every defense he tried to use. In the pouring whippings, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡®It¡¯s not a problem if I get hit by it, but I can¡¯t even fight back.¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s body was strong enough to withstand its attacks since it wasn¡¯t particularly powerful. It wasn¡¯t that fast either, so he had the option to dodge all of its attacks. But it was powerful enough to prove fatal against the other party members. He wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d be able to fight it in their real forms, but it was lethal enough to bring instantaneous death to Artis and Effir. Needless to say, Priest Emil, a simple human being, would prove to be no match against it. ¡®I should keep it focused on me!¡¯ He held on without backing down. He knew it would become a real disaster if he were to retreat and allow the spirit to assault the others. ¡®Fortunately, there is only one opponent. For now, I have to endure it and find a way¨C¡¯ However, he was proven wrong almost instantaneously. The evil spirit stopped its attack and stood idly in place. Han-bin raised his head in wonder. Keeeeeek! A door to the corridor opened in the distance. Another evil black spirit emerged from the doorway. It had the same silhouette as the other spirit and walked just the same as well. Han-bin¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°There¡¯s two now.¡± * * * Door after door opened simultaneously, and from each of them came out spirits as dark as the first two. Keeeek, keeeek, keeeek¡­¡­. The hallway soon became filled with evil beings. Effir looked at Emil, urgency drowning her eyes. ¡°What should we do, Priest Emil?¡± Emil stuttered. ¡°I-I¡¯ve never seen a-anything like this before¡­¡± ¡°But you said you¡¯ve already been through something like this!¡± ¡°I just heard it from someone else! I merely told you all about it as if it¡¯s based on my own experience story for fun! Oh my God, Althea¡­¡­.¡± Ryu Han-bin calmly talked to Emil, who was muttering the Goddess¡¯s name. ¡°For now, I will stop them.¡± ¡°But how?¡± With determined eyes, Han-bin stared at the crowd of evil black spirits. While everyone was panicking, he remained relatively calm. He carefully examined the situation, then acted upon his own conclusions! ¡°Like this!¡± Ryu Han-bin swung his sword repeatedly, not at the evil spirits, but the corridors around them and the pillars supporting the ceiling. An overwhelming force raged inside the crumbling mansion. Crack! Boom! Boom! In an instant, the walls and ceiling collapsed. Parts of the building, lying in ruins, clogged up the entire corridor. Numerous building ruins clogged up the entire corridor. Emil was confused. Indeed, he had just witnessed the incredible power of the Valtara warrior, but¡­ ¡°What was that all about?¡± ¡°I blocked the passage so they wouldn¡¯t be able to come.¡± ¡°They are ghosts! Those things would just pass through!¡± ¡°Yeah, ghosts would.¡± Han-bin softly agreed, then raised a question. ¡°But didn¡¯t they open the doors?¡± ¡°¡­ Ah?¡± ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t make sense, but there¡¯s no harm in trying.¡± With a blank look, Emil looked back at the collapsed corridor. The entire hallway had been blocked. The spirits didn¡¯t appear through the pile of collapsed buildings like typical ghosts. Instead, a sound began to echo throughout the mansion. Rumble! Thump! Thump thump! It sounded like rocks being moved and hit, almost as if they were trying to clean up the ruins to go after them. ¡°What the hell?¡± Putting the four major powers of Latna aside, the evil spirits also passed through Ryu Han-bin¡¯s black sword. It meant that they could pass through existing substances. ¡°But why are they clearing the ruins?¡± Han-bin grinned. ¡°I did it because they only entered through the doors, but I didn¡¯t think it would work.¡± He then jogged towards the other end of the hall. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat and regroup. We still don¡¯t have any answers against them.¡± * * * In Emil¡¯s ghost story, the Beginner Hunters couldn¡¯t easily escape because they kept encountering the spirit while trying to find the mansion¡¯s exit. However, Han-bin and his party didn¡¯t have to find the exit. ¡®If there¡¯s no door, then just make one!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin smashed through the wall with his sword, making a hole large enough to for a couple of people to pass through to the next room. A window reflected the mansion¡¯s yard was positioned on the other side of the room. Even if there wasn¡¯t one, they could simply get out of the mansion by destroying the wall. Quickly, the party jumped over the window. However, the moment he stepped into the garden, he became filled with confusion. ¡®Huh?¡¯ He tried to look around. He was standing inside the mansion. There were large ceilings and spacious halls, full of ruins and a lot of webs. ¡®Why am I not in the garden?¡¯ No, he was still in it. The floor underneath his feet was still grassy, but the garden was inside the building. Beyond the large hall, they could see the same garden waiting for them. Ryu Han-bin turned pale after maintaining his cool throughout their battle against the spirit. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ It felt like seeing the world reflected in a mirror. The same scene was repeated endlessly in front of them. ¡®Damn it! That¡¯s scary!¡¯ Han-bin looked around, his face stiff. Artis grinned, however. ¡°Is it a spatial distortion?¡± Effir and Priest Emil also looked relieved. ¡°It¡¯s just a normal dungeon phenomenon.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the soul of the dead, either. I was surprised for a moment, haha.¡± Ryu Han-bin made a blank expression at the reaction of the three. ¡®¡­ Are you saying this isn¡¯t a big deal?¡¯ The very space they were standing on was distorted, and in front of them was the very same scene, stretching beyond what they could see. How was it not a creepy sight for them? Why were they so relieved to be in there? He really couldn¡¯t understand. Their cultural differences were just too large. ¡®Ah, I can¡¯t ask them out loud.¡¯ It was dangerous to act like an Alien because there was Priest Emil. Artis, who was quick to notice, explained. ¡°Good thing, Felard. If it¡¯s a dungeon phenomenon, it means that the power of the Devil is involved. There¡¯s no reason to be afraid if it¡¯s just monsters imitating the souls of the dead rather than actual souls.¡± There was a similar concept on Earth. The trope was for the ghost to be an actual human all along, pretending to be an ethereal being. ¡°Now I understand why they purposely removed the ruins. Pretending to be dead, they must have done something useless.¡± Muttering, Artis turned to Emil. ¡°What do you think, Priest? It seems like we entered the dungeon as it was appearing.¡± ¡°That could be, or it could be a part of the power of the Devil that¡¯s affecting this area. As soon as they encountered the phenomenon of spatial distortion, Emil returned to his cool-hearted appearance. It was impossible to encounter the souls of the dead since it was a phenomenon contrary to the doctrines. If everything they were experiencing was due to the dungeon phenomenon caused by the Devil¡¯s powers, then it was nothing out of the ordinary. It wasn¡¯t a horror unknown to them, but only an ordinary dungeon attack. Looking at their reactions, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue out. He thought he already knew a lot about this world¡¯s norms and culture over the past few months, but Han-bin suddenly felt like he didn¡¯t know any better than when he started. ¡®This is why it¡¯s possible to identify an Alien just by the way they speak or their behavior.¡¯ He felt more gifted to be able to disguise himself as a Valtara warrior. If he pretended like he was an ordinary person, he would¡¯ve been caught quickly. As he pondered over his thoughts, Artis and Emil exchanged opinions. ¡°If the dungeon is really in progress, the solution is also simple, Priest. We need to find and remove the core before the dungeon is settled.¡± Emil urged the party. ¡°Then let¡¯s move on. The dungeon is still being created, so the interior won¡¯t be that huge yet. If we find and remove the core, those evil spirits will also disappear.¡± * * * The party went back into the darkness of the mansion. The entire mansion remained quiet. The spirits were also nowhere to be found. While keeping a lookout on their perimeter, Emil apologized. ¡°I apologize, partners. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be this big of a deal.¡± Their original mission was just to clean up ghosts. Artis shook his head and responded gracefully. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a great result for following the will of the Goddess?¡± Emil responded with a smile. ¡°The Church won¡¯t forget your hard work.¡± Essentially, since they were forced to take on more significant work than expected, the church would score them accordingly. ¡®Looking at those two joking around, it seems like they¡¯ve both finally calmed down.¡¯ After their conversation, Han-bin leaned in towards Artis and whispered something into his ear. ¡°Hey, Artis. I have a secret to tell you.¡± Sensibly, Artis distanced himself from Priest Emil. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I looked at the evil spirits in the Guidelines earlier.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°No information appeared.¡± [Race: Unknown. Lv. Unknown] ¡°It¡¯s the first time for me, so I¡¯m not sure, but are there monsters out there whose level isn¡¯t visible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s normal for us not to know the opponent¡¯s level.¡± Ordinary Latnains couldn¡¯t immediately discover the enemy¡¯s skills from the beginning. The level they knew about the monsters was just approximated based on the level of the Hunters that could kill them. ¡®Should I ask Artis about that?¡¯ As they moved forward, another black figure appeared from the other side of the hallway. A loud roar thundered all the way into their ears. ¡°Aaaaaaaaah!¡± Chapter 49 Midsummer Night¡¯s Evil Spirit (4) As the hallway filled up, dark human-like figures slowly approached. Ryu Han-bin immediately swung his sword, smashing the corridors and the ceiling. More parts of the mansion collapsed and crumbled, piling up in the hallway. ¡°Okay, that should¡¯ve bought us some time.¡± However, the evil spirits began to crawl through the fragments. ¡°Hoo¡­ ¡­.¡± ¡°Hoooooo¡­¡­.¡± Unlike before, it passed through the ruins instead of removing it. Artis and Emil looked at each other. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ve quit imitating the souls of the dead.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been caught, so they don¡¯t have to anymore.¡± Everyone looked nervous. Their fear had been overcome, but they still had no means of defeating them. If not even Latna¡¯s four major powers worked against them, what could they do to defeat them? The evil spirits cast a shadow. ¡°Keeeeek!¡± Ryu Han-bin quickly kicked up the ruins off his feet, leaving them suspended for a short moment in the air and blocking the incoming whips. ¡®The whips hit the floors and the walls before.¡¯ It could be possible to block the shadows with them. Poof! But the whips easily passed through the ruins and struck Ryu Han-bin. ¡®It didn¡¯t work?¡¯ The whips lashed at him again. This time, he tried to defend himself using his bare fist instead of using things around him. He pushed his arm forward in an attempt to clash against the weapon using his iron fist! ¡®It passed through everything, but it didn¡¯t go through my body!¡¯ The whip didn¡¯t go through Ryu Han-bin before, even though it was aimed at Artis and Emil, and he thought that meant he could use his body to block and counterattack. But he thought wrong. The whip passed through his punch and struck Han-bin¡¯s stomach. A loud cracking sound echoed across the hallway. As he stepped back, Han-bin furrowed his eyebrows. ¡®What¡¯s up with these guys?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t catch the opponent no matter what he did, yet they could hit him at will. ¡®There¡¯s nothing we can do but avoid it now, right?¡¯ Emil mumbled as he swallowed his saliva. ¡°The moment they attack, they seem to have a way to hit only the target. I haven¡¯t heard of a monster with such great ability¡­¡± At least, it was clear that they weren¡¯t up against common monsters. Otherwise, with such an overpowered ability, it would¡¯ve been infamous. ¡°What should we do, Artis?¡± Artis responded calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s run away. If we remove the core, they¡¯ll disappear. We don¡¯t have to deal with them directly.¡± * * * The evil spirits were quick. They floated in the air and could glide through any obstacles in front of them. It was natural for them to be fast. However, Han-bin and his party were faster. ¡°Aaaaahhh!¡± Screaming, Ryu Han-bin ran in a straight line. He stomped forward so hard the floorboards cracked as he charged freely through every obstacle in front of him. In a sense, he was similar to the evil spirits. He, too, passed through walls. The only difference was that instead of intangibility, he smashed everything in his path. Bang! Bang! Boom! The chaser could safely pass through the walls, but the one being chased crushed everything with ignorant force. However, it didn¡¯t make sense for the one breaking things to be faster than the one who could glitch through them¡ªthat required immeasurable strength to pull off. ¡°Wow, crazy¡­¡± ¡°Tha¡¯s beyond human power.¡± ¡°No matter how legendary a Valtara warrior is, I never thought they would be this powerful¡­¡± Artis, Effir, and Emil all felt dumbfounded as they followed after him. Everyone had a look of utter surprise on their faces. Han-bin and his party ran away nonstop as they kept an eye out for the core. Series after series of ear-splitting noises resounded throughout the ruined mansion, which used to be dominated by an eerie silence. Bang! Bang! Bang! How long did they run? The evil spirits that were chasing were no longer visible. For now, they had left them behind. Ryu Han-bin said, looking at where they came from. ¡°They will follow us soon. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Not only did they run in a straight pattern, but they also left traces behind. They were easy to find. ¡°We have to come up with some sort of plan before they get here¡­¡± Effir looked around and tilted her head. ¡°But what is this place?¡± * * * Han-bin and his party stood in a large stone chamber that was blocked from all directions. The stone chamber itself was nothing special. It was just a plain-looking room built with bricks. However, it had a half-erased magic circle in the middle. Chains and shackles hanged from its ceiling, and half-rotten monster corpses and bones littered all over its floors. Artis took a closer look at the stone chamber. ¡°Is it some kind of magic lab?¡± Dumbfounded, Han-bin replied. ¡°Looks like a slaughterhouse to me, though.¡± ¡°The two are a little similar in the first place.¡± Artis immediately went into an investigation. Emil also did the same. The two had a conversation, sprinkling waves of Mana and Prana everywhere. ¡°Is this place related to the appearance of the Dungeon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely to be that way.¡± When a ¡®unique¡¯ place appeared like this in the original Dungeon, it was where the core was often located. The two shed energy as they continued to search for the core. After a few moments, Emil spoke, his words carrying uncertainty and concern. ¡°It looks like this place was used to study the Devil¡¯s powers¡­¡± Artis began to feel nervous. ¡°Is it the Devil¡¯s Followers? Did Aliens do this?¡± ¡°Probably so, but that¡¯s not the problem.¡± At that time, Artis had a similar expression. ¡°I can see what you mean, Priest. But are you sure?¡± They both found something similar, but they found it hard to believe. Effir asked quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the both of you?¡± Emil and Artis replied in turn. ¡°There¡¯s so little left that I don¡¯t know who did what here.¡± ¡°I can only guess what¡¯s going on with the residual energy¡­¡± ¡°It seems that the evil black spirits are acting as the core of this dungeon.¡± Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t the core supposed to be an Artifact?¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s how it should be¡­¡± Artis frowned while deciphering knowledge from the mana wave. ¡°Why is it connected this way?¡± The remaining energy that the two had grasped was showing them the same information. The core of the Dungeon was moving and had the same wavelength as the evil black spirits. ¡°Looking at these traces now, the evil black spirits are not monsters. They are some kind of Artifact.¡± ¡°But Artifacts don¡¯t exist like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We need more information¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible at my level. We need a higher-level Spiritist.¡± Han-bin, who was listening, frowned. ¡°Wait.¡± With no way to defeat the spirits, the only chance they had was getting rid of the core. But the core was the evil black spirit? ¡°Aren¡¯t you just saying there¡¯s no way to fight them?¡± ¡°No, if we do more investigation, we might find another way¡­¡± Artis abruptly stopped talking as he heard a familiar voice. A gloomy groan echoed. ¡°Hoo¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hoooo¡­ ¡­.¡± Beyond the darkness of the stone chamber, evil black spirits appeared one by one. They had caught up to them. Emil looked back at Ryu Han-bin in a hurry. ¡°What should we do?¡± Should they run away? Or should they finish looking at this place and find another way? Ryu Han-bin made a decision. ¡°Investigate everything as fast as you can! I¡¯ll buy some time!¡± Pulling out his black greatsword, he stood in front of the evil spirits. It wouldn¡¯t work even if he swung it anyway, but it was better to show hostility. ¡®This way, they will only target me.¡¯ The giant warrior burst into a loud war cry while assuming a stance. ¡°Come! I will be your opponent!¡± * * * The evil black spirits rushed at Han-bin. ¡°Keeeek!¡± They slid through the air and stretched out a shadow towards him. Black whips began to beat Ryu Han-bin in a row. Han-bin also tried to fight back with his weapon. ¡°Taaaats!¡± But he remained to be the only one getting beaten up. Smash! Smash! Smash! Tried as he might, none of his attacks connected against the bodies of the spirits. Well, he didn¡¯t expect them to work in the first place. ¡®I have no choice but to buy some time while getting hit!¡¯ Blocking off all the attacks with his body, Han-bin threw himself into the middle of the group of black spirits. As the distance narrowed, the way the evil spirits attacked changed. Instead of a whip, they made various weapons using the shadows and began to attack them with full force. Han-bin was hit with pitch-black swords, spears, and even maces. Explosive sounds rang out one after another. Bang! Baaaaang! Ryu Han-bin was beaten continuously. No matter how hard he swung his sword, it just passed through, and no matter hard he tried to defend himself, the spirits just ignored it. Emil gave out a horrified look. ¡°Even if he¡¯s a Valtara Warrior, is he going to be okay?¡± Han-bin¡¯s defense was high enough for him to hold on and brace himself against the onslaught, but he was bound to lose sooner or later. ¡°We have to find another way¡­¡± Spreading out his Mana¡¯s wavelength, Artis felt nervous. They couldn¡¯t find any leads. They were in big trouble. If it continued like this, Ryu Han-bin was¡­ ¡°¡­ going to die?¡± Effir could only blink in disbelief. Han-bin was holding on too well. No matter how many times he got hit and hit, he never faltered. It wasn¡¯t like him falling and getting up again. He didn¡¯t even fall in the first place! Artis and Effir shook their heads. ¡°He¡¯s taking the blows way too easily¡­¡± ¡°Can he endure it until the sun rises?¡± Ryu Han-bin, who had been beaten, shouted. ¡°Hey! Are you guys just playing around?¡± The evil spirits¡¯ attack didn¡¯t pose any danger to him as of the moment, but that didn¡¯t mean he could continue getting beaten forever. Besides, he was feeling a sense of uneasiness. ¡®Although the attack is still monotonous now¡­¡¯ They only materialized at the moment of impact. It made Ryu Han-bin¡¯s arms and legs pass through them. What if they attacked the inside of his body like that? No matter how great Han-bin¡¯s ability was, if his heart or intestines were the ones that had been attacked, there was no way for him to defend. ¡®That¡¯s a really huge problem!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin continued to strike them as the pressure built up. It was still all in vain. Again, the blade just passed through the evil spirits. However, since he couldn¡¯t be damaged either, he tried all the risky moves he could think of, even the backspin knuckle, which required him to swing his arm as wide as possible. By chance, one of the black spirits also swung its mace, aiming at his forearm. The timing of both sides overlapped exquisitely. Boom! The shadows scattered along with the explosion! Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Huh? I can feel it?¡¯ ¡°Hoo¡­¡­¡± With a strange groan, the spirit retreated. The shaking of the stretched shadow made it look surprised. Han-bin Ryu glanced down at his arm. He definitely felt it just now. He clearly hit the opponent. But why? ¡®Why did it work this time when nothing else worked before?¡¯ Chapter 50 Midsummer Night¡¯s Evil Spirit (5) Another evil spirit stormed in, a black mace in hand. Han-bin naturally tried to fight back with his greatsword. After doing a few flips, he slapped his forearm at it. ¡°Haaaaa!¡± That time, his right arm passed through the evil spirits without any resistance. ¡®Isn¡¯t it possible to beat it with my forearm?¡¯ Well, his line of thinking didn¡¯t make sense in the first place. They ignored all of his punches and kicks. It was illogical to think they could be beaten using his forearms. The evil spirit¡¯s mace then flew towards Han-bin¡¯s shoulder. Just as it hit, he hardened his body again. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ At that moment, an idea came up in his mind. Ryu Han-bin crouched down. And pushed up as the mace hit his shoulder! ¡°Haaaaa!¡± He twisted his body and slapped the mace with his shoulder! Baang! The mace was broken, and the evil spirit was blown back. Han-bin¡¯s eyes filled with hope. ¡®It works!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin suddenly threw away his black greatsword. Artis and Emil, who were watching, became filled with concern. ¡°Felard?¡± ¡°Why did you¡­?¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t care. From then on, he didn¡¯t need weapons to fight back. He didn¡¯t even need any defense! Instead, he spread his arms wide and rushed through the hordes of evil spirits, showing all of the vital spots of his entire body! ¡°Come at me!¡± He posed as if he was asking to be beaten. The spirits began beating him up even more eagerly. ¡°Keeeek!¡± ¡°Keeeergh!¡± A black blade was directed at Han-bin¡¯s head. The moment the blade touched, Han-bin banged his head against it! ¡°Haaaaa!¡± The weapon was smashed completely. The shadows scattered, and the evil spirit trembled. Han-bin laughed. ¡®So, it¡¯s true.¡¯ Regardless of how much they remained intangible, they weren¡¯t perfectly unilateral. At the very moment of impact, they had no choice but to materialize to apply damage against their opponent. His theory had been proven when he broke the blade using his head. ¡°It means I can break their weapons using my body!¡± Ryu Han-bin opened his chest and walked confidently. A thick mace was swung, aimed at his temple. ¡°Haaaa!¡± Simultaneously, as he was being beaten, he smashed the weapon with the same body part it aimed for! Bang! The mace crumpled to pieces, and the evil spirit trembled. They were finally feeling fear. The evil spirits continued to attack. Han-bin also continued to ¡®retaliate.¡¯ When an evil spirit tried to punch him in the face, he smacked its fist away with his nose. Paaaak! When a kick came in to hit his side, he broke the opponent¡¯s calf with his ribs. Baang! When a heavy mace was swung towards his groin¡­ ¡®No, this is scary.¡¯ As long as he was still a man, he didn¡¯t dare fight using his treasure. He quietly avoided it. Using his body as a weapon, he moved forward nonstop, forcing the spirits to back away. Pang! Baang! Poong! Ryu Han-bin jumped right into the middle of the mob and twisted his body. He broke a spear blade with his ¡®stomach¡¯ and smashed a sword with his ¡®shoulder.¡¯ An attack on his backside was bounced away with his muscles, and his buttocks shook slightly to break a whip! The screams of evil spirits erupted continuously. ¡°Keeeek!¡± ¡°Keek!¡± The figures of the evil black spirits began to fade. Priest Emil and Artis had their jaws dropped as they watched him fight unorthodoxly. ¡°What is he doing?¡± ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± To them, he looked like he was jumping through the evil spirits and flexing the muscles of his body, yet for some reason, it caused the evil spirits to dissipate as explosive sounds echoed. No one had any idea what the hell he was doing. At least Effir could understand to some extent. ¡­ But just because she understood it didn¡¯t mean she was convinced. ¡®Wow, is that really possible?¡¯ ¡°What kind of magic is that?¡± Priest Emil¡¯s stupid question made her perplexed. How would she even describe it? ¡°Should I say that¡­ highly developed muscle strength is indistinguishable from magic?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± * * * The group of evil spirits had been wiped out. Ryu Han-bin sighed in relief. ¡®Thank God.¡¯ The technique he used had apparent weaknesses. If they had attacked the inside of Han-bin¡¯s body, it would never have worked. ¡®No matter how strong I am, I could never bounce a blade with my appendix.¡¯ Fortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to be able to do that either. Ryu Hanbin asked, his expression blunt and calm. ¡°What now?¡± The evil black spirits had been defeated. He had no idea what he had to do next. Before his question could even be answered, the mansion responded first. Woong! Woong! Woong! They hear a familiar roar. The Dungeon was closing. Then, after a while, Han-bin¡¯s party found themselves standing in the garden outside the mansion. The distortion of space had disappeared. All they could see was an ordinary abandoned mansion and a desolate garden. Priest Emil sighed deeply in relief. ¡°It¡¯s finally over.¡± The eastern side of the sky began to turn red. Dawn slowly rose. * * * The next day, Han-bin and his party returned to the Dungeon city of Highten. As for the strange phenomenon at the Gyuzac village, the Althea Church immediately sent people to the forefront. It wasn¡¯t at the level that the Highten Diocese alone could handle, so priests with higher ranks were dispatched. ¡°If the Aliens are involved, it could turn into a huge deal.¡± Priest Emil thanked them once more, explaining the situation. ¡°Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. The Church will never forget this.¡± It wasn¡¯t empty words. Indeed, the contributions of Ryu Han-bin and Artis had increased significantly. Their ranks also became Blue-Rank, from the Red-Rank, which was the lowest. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now. Thank you.¡± After seeing Priest Emil off, Han-bin, Artis, and Effir gathered in the living room. Ryu Han-bin laughed. ¡°Blue Rank, huh. With this, we are more likely to be chosen as the receiver of the Goddess¡¯s blessing. Of course, there¡¯s still a long way to go.¡± No matter how much they contributed to the Church in the countryside, they wouldn¡¯t get many scores. They had to advance to the center of the continent and destroyed more powerful Dungeons to achieve more. In doing so, their contribution was bound to rise quicker. ¡°So, both of you need to level up quickly. Do me a favor.¡± ¡°Are we leveling up? Han-bin, you¡¯re the one which increases our levels. Don¡¯t be lazy and work harder.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been strangely shameless, Artis.¡± Clicking his tongue, Han-bin Ryu stood up. ¡°Speaking of which, let¡¯s go to the Dungeon. We don¡¯t have anything to do today anyway, do we?¡± The eyes of anticipation glistened, and Effir grabbed her twin blades. ¡°Yes, Mr. Hanbin!¡± * * * At an abandoned fortress located at the Herald province, part of the northern territory of the Xrad Kingdom, a middle-aged man practiced his swordsmanship on the broken terrace. ¡°Haa! Haa! Taats!¡± Exquisite movements were repeated endlessly with incredible precision. The level of execution alone was excellent. It looked more like a machine repeating the same set of actions due to the accuracy and quality involved. However, the middle-aged man, Richard, wasn¡¯t focused at all. ¡®Somehow, we made it in time, but¡­¡¯ Due to Alejandro¡¯s death, the experiment in the Gyuzac village was abandoned entirely. The traces of Great Earth¡¯s involvement were quickly erased, and all the personnel was moved to the Herald province. Thanks to that, the ongoing research rapidly progressed and gradually entered the final stage. ¡®The problem is we haven¡¯t completely processed the Gyuzac experiment.¡¯ If they had time, they would have even taken care of the specimens. However, Richard, Alejandro, and Leslie were the only ones capable of destroying the ongoing experiment among the dispatched teams. If they spent more time in there, the Herald¡¯s research would have been delayed. ¡®If Shin Ha-joon were alive, we could have left it to him. Losing him was a shame.¡¯ Even though Shin Ha-joon didn¡¯t have any sense of combat, his level was high enough to deal with it. But there was no use feeling sorry for the dead. ¡®Rather than that, the Althea Church is a problem. D¡¯Andre surely erased the traces, so there¡¯s no way it¡¯s going to chase us all the way here, is there?¡¯ As he trained alone, Richard kept mulling over his thoughts. At first glance, it was an incredible sight. His mind was full of thoughts rather than concentration. Nevertheless, his body still followed his swordsmanship faithfully, breathing and spirit included. He looked like a machine following the same set of commands over and over again. ¡°Haaa! Haaaa! Taaaats!¡± It was thanks to the macro system of the Guidelines. If an Earthling set a particular motion, they would be able to repeat it by letting the Guidelines move their body. The Latna Continent¡¯s prevalent belief that their level didn¡¯t drop even though they only lazed around wasn¡¯t true. No matter how strong someone was, if they didn¡¯t consistently train, their skills would deteriorate. But the Guidelines solved that. No matter how weak-willed, if the macro system were used, training would take place automatically. Had that misunderstanding arisen because even the aliens, who were lazy and never practiced for long periods, maintained their skills? Of course, Richard wasn¡¯t lazy, but it was much more efficient to use the macro system. As he was running the macro system, a young woman walked out onto the terrace. After turning off the macro, Richard turned his head. ¡°What is it, Leslie?¡± Leslie raised her right hand. She was holding a smooth black crystal. ¡°The Devil¡¯s Blessing has entered the third stage.¡± Black smoke trapped in the crystal hit the stretching fluctuations. Checking with the Guidelines, Richard smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Excellent.¡± Before entering the third stage, this black smoke was reflected in this way. [Race: Unknown. Lv. Unknown] But now it was different. [Incomplete Omphalos¡¯ Blessing (Unique Item) No conditions of use. Infinite number of uses.] ¡°Now, if we have a newbie to use as a sacrifice, it¡¯ll be complete.¡± Initially an online game term referring to a clumsy beginner, a newbie on the Latna Continent was someone who had just fallen into the world. The meaning was still essentially similar. There was a reason why they used them. An alien whose level was too high could not be used as a sacrifice. It was also the reason why they came all the way to the countryside. Most of the Earthlings who fell into the Latna continent appeared on the continental border. Leslie assured Richard. ¡°We have planted people in each nearby city where a Hunter Guild is located. When a newbie appears, we will be able to spot them immediately.¡± Chapter 51 Newbie¡¯s Appearance (1) A few days had passed since the ¡°unidentified evil spirits incident.¡± The lives of Han-bin and his party had also returned to normal. Ryu Han-bin consistently threw Artis and Effir into the Dungeons. Both eagerly absorbed energy and raised their levels. They also didn¡¯t neglect to acquire new skills whenever they qualified. At the backyard of Artis¡¯ house, located near the Crete Valley, Effir took a deep breath as she assumed a stance. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Unlike usual, she wasn¡¯t holding her twin blades. Among the magic swordsmanship, there was also a technique that utilized bare hands. She raised both hands and pretended to pull back the string of a bow. -Magic Sword: Arrow of Flame! Flutter! A bow of light appeared in her hands, and a burning arrow was nocked on it. As soon as she released the string, the arrow cut through the air and hit her target. Baang! The target shook due to the light explosion. Effir tilted her head to see if she was pleased with the result. ¡°It¡¯s harder to control the Force than I thought. I have to practice a lot.¡± Ryu Han-bin, who was watching, stuck his tongue out. ¡°You can¡¯t say that after you¡¯ve succeeded after two thrice.¡± While the magic sword scroll made it easier to learn the technique, it wasn¡¯t by a lot. Artis also failed several times when learning the new magic scrolls. ¡®That alone shows your great talent.¡¯ The Guidelines brought her status to Han-bin¡¯s eyes. [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 36] Not long after she became a human, she had already caught up with the level of Artis in the past. ¡®Artis wandered about 70 years trying to raise the Mage¡¯s level, maybe?¡¯ That didn¡¯t mean that she had already caught up. Artis had also become quite strong over the same duration. Ryu Han-bin looked at the red-haired man meditating across the yard. [Race: Human. Mage Lv. 46] Both were growing at a rapid pace. Well, it wasn¡¯t strange, considering all the energy they had absorbed. Ryu Han-bin rose. ¡°I have to work hard too.¡± In the meantime, he steadily learned Maxbrid Martial Art. Thanks to it, he was slowly fixing his own techniques, which were full of flaws. Above all else, he was able to learn how to deal with people. Because he only fought with Demon Dog, he did not have much experience in combat with humans. ¡®I still don¡¯t have any idea how to learn Aura, but that¡¯s not a matter to be hurried.¡¯ If he could learn Aura in a few days just by reading a book, there wouldn¡¯t have been anyone in the world who hadn¡¯t mastered it. ¡°Only those who have built a strong foundation can build a tall tower.¡± Recalling the teachings of the book, Han-bin continued to wield his black sword. Because of the Guidelines error, he couldn¡¯t level up and acquire skills like other Earthlings. So what? What was wrong with that? ¡®I just have to learn it myself.¡¯ In the first place, it was strange for technology to just drop from the air. Latnains and many people on Earth developed their own skills to become stronger. That was normal. While sweating, Han-bin struck his arms out. With the right reason, the enormous black sword tore through the air fiercely. ¡°Taah!¡± * * * They had to take a break after enthusiastically training for such a long time. They all sat together in the living room as they sipped on a cup of tea. Han-bin voiced out his thoughts. ¡°Should I practice using bows too?¡± He was quite confident in throwing, but he had never tried using bows. ¡°When I was in the Rocky Mountain, I tried making bows and arrows with the bones of a Demon Dog, but I didn¡¯t produce any good result.¡± The bones of the Demon Dog had sufficient elasticity and strength to make a strong bow. The Demon Dog¡¯s tendon was also tough enough to make a string. However, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s dexterity couldn¡¯t keep up with the materials. ¡°Rather than failing and making a mess, it was better to just throw stones.¡± Not all Earthlings that fell into the other world could make things properly. He was more like a liberal-arts type of person, and he wasn¡¯t as experienced in making practical objects. Producing the same appearance didn¡¯t mean the performance of the item was the same as well. The Demon Dog¡¯s shoulder bones that he used was so huge it caused the center of gravity and grip to become unbalanced. ¡°Huh?¡± Effir gave a suspicious look. ¡°If you can master it, of course, it will be useful. But is it easy to find a bow that you can use?¡± Standard bows could never withstand Han-bin¡¯s power. ¡°I think it would be much stronger for you to throw a stone than to use a weak bow. Your hit rate is high anyway.¡± She still hadn¡¯t forgotten the frightening series of boulders and other debris that had flown towards her. The memories of her life flashing before her eyes weren¡¯t easy to forget. Ryu Han-bin shrugged. ¡°It has been polished for quite a long time after all.¡± Even so, bows would be more useful if he could use them with the same efficiency. ¡°So, I thought I had to learn it¡­ Wait.¡± Suddenly, Han-bin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Shall we make a gun?¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t have the talent to make his own guns. But what if he provided the idea and then borrowed the power of Latna¡¯s blacksmith or Mage? ¡°Making gunpowder would be a problem. Still, once I give the basic knowledge, then¡­¡± Effir frowned at Han-bin. ¡°Gun?¡± ¡°Oh, guns are weapons from our world¡­¡± He was just trying to explain, but she cut his words. ¡°I know what a gun is. It¡¯s a gunpowder weapon used on Earth.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Yes. He wasn¡¯t the only Earthling that had fallen on Latna. Of all those people, Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t the only one who came up with the idea of making a gun. Artis and Effir shook their heads. ¡°Han-bin, it can¡¯t be helped. You are an Alien too, after all.¡± ¡°Why do Aliens always want to make guns?¡± Ryu Han-bin looked at them blankly. After hearing the story, he realized no Earthling had ever thought of making a gun. ¡°Do you have guns in this world?¡± That made no sense. So why did everyone shoot arrows? ¡°There used to be.¡± Artis answered in a carefree way. ¡°More than 30 years ago, before the Great Earth went crazy.¡± * * * After the first Alien appeared, many Earthlings fell to the Latna Continent. The first thing they wanted to make was a gun. Honestly, when modern people looked at Latna¡¯s old-fashioned weapons, they couldn¡¯t help but think of a gun. Recalling the past, Artis continued. ¡°In the beginning, I heard that some people made pretty good things.¡± Unlike Effir, who was only 18 years old, Artis was a 150-year-old Dragon. He started to wander around the world as a Hunter about 40 years ago. He knew quite a bit about what was going on at the time. ¡°A combination of gunpowder, Musket? Well, they developed a weapon of that name.¡± However, it was not accepted by the Latna people. ¡°Because it had no great use.¡± The utilization of guns was not as high as the Earth if magical transcendental forces existed. Especially early guns like Musket. ¡°There was also a serious drawback: Anyone could use it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an advantage? Even ordinary people who suffered from monster attacks will be able to protect themselves.¡± Han-bin, unable to understand, asked since that was just the way people on Earth thought. Levels didn¡¯t exist there, after all. Artis looked at him dead in the eye. ¡°If an unqualified person gains strength without effort, the order of the world will be broken.¡± People had to undergo long training to master old-fashioned weaponry. On the other hand, guns could kill people just by having their triggers pulled. ¡°Even a child would be capable of killing people with that thing. Doesn¡¯t that sound like an idea from the Devil? Of course, it was designated as a taboo item across the continent.¡± In other words, it was similar to a Unique Item. Han-bin stuck out his tongue. ¡°Wow, does that translate that way?¡± Of course, no matter how much people banned it, efficient weapons would eventually be widespread in the end. If monsters killed people even though it was illegal, who was to blame? In fact, it was said that crossbows were illegal in the past since it could kill with a single trigger pull, but they were so widespread throughout the Latna Continent that they had no choice but to allow its existence. The problem was that the Aliens would become the continent¡¯s meritorious subject, and most of the Earth¡¯s culture and goods were taboo. ¡°In particular, in the case of gunpowder weapons, The Thinkers paid special attention.¡± Like those who laughed at the level of Latna¡¯s civilization, Aliens did not hide information about the Earth¡¯s guns. The Thinkers, the Mages who encountered the concept of the Earth¡¯s weapon, came to a tense conclusion. -At the moment, gunpowder weapons are not very threatening, but if the Earth¡¯s advanced weapons are reproduced in Latna, we believe that chaos will occur. They had to come up with a countermeasure. ¡°Gunpowder weapons had a serious weakness.¡± A wide array of subtle fire barrier magic was created aiming at that weakness. It wasn¡¯t powerful magic, either. It was just a barrier with meaningless power, just smoked out of dry straw. But gunpowder just exploded! It was too simple, so it was not difficult for anyone to use it with a Mage¡¯s business card, and it was easy to turn it into a Magic Tool. Of course, guns quickly disappeared from Latna. ¡°It¡¯s useless, and it¡¯s tricky to make, but if you get caught making it, you¡¯ll become a criminal.¡± ¡°But who¡¯s going to make it?¡± ¡°Just in case, don¡¯t even talk about guns to anyone, Mr. Han-bin. The knowledge is so common that I forgot to tell you.¡± Artis and Effir had to make sure. Ryu Han-bin groaned. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­.¡± Well, it was quite different from what he imagined. He knew that a lot of transformation would occur on the Latna Continent with the power of advanced civilization as the 21st century¡¯s Earthlings poured out. However, intellectuals in this world were also difficult. Rather than being astonished like a monkey at encountering the Earth¡¯s civilization, they analyzed the concept calmly and rationally accepted its usefulness. The Thinkers ignored the gunpowder weapon itself, but they were rumored to have accepted the firearm¡¯s functional structure. It was like a magic cannon that shot out massive amounts of bullets using repression magic. ¡°You know that magic cannons are useless to you, right?¡± Ryu Han-bin sighed. ¡°It¡¯s going to have a level requirement, of course.¡± He reached a conclusion. ¡°I must give up on guns.¡± He was going to buy a bow suitable for his level and learn archery instead. ¡°Can I get a decent bow around here?¡± Artis livened up. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to get new equipment for Effir anyway. Let¡¯s also look for your bow.¡± Chapter 52 Newbie¡¯s Appearance (2) In the Dungeon City of Highten, the weapon shop was positioned adjacent to the city guard headquarters, just like the magic tool shop. As it was a business that sold tools that could harm people, there was a high probability for the shop to experience or be involved in dangerous emergencies. It was, therefore, necessary for it to be located within a short distance from troops that could be dispatched in the case of a crime. ¡°Welcome back!¡± Upon entering the store, a middle-aged man greeted Han-bin and his party happily. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Mr. Felard.¡± The store owner was smiling at the Valtara warrior, whom everyone feared. In the past, Han-bin Ryu bought a lot of weapons from him to practice, and all at full price as well. ¡®I gained huge profit that day, fufu.¡¯ Valtara Warriors never haggled down prices. They were the perfect customer. The merchant rubbed his hand in anticipation of making a big profit today. ¡°Yes, what are you looking for?¡± Artis pointed to Effir. ¡°She needs equipment she could use.¡± The owner nodded, looking at the silver-haired girl. ¡°I guess this lady is that genius dual-wielder.¡± Effir leveled up like crazy, thanks to her insane energy. Word about her quickly spread, and she soon became a celebrity. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there are any items suitable for her in the countryside.¡± Since Highten was a border city, it did not have the same excellent weapons as the cities at the center of the continent. Strong armor naturally also had a high-level requirement, which meant it wasn¡¯t as necessary to sell in a place where the main customer base was low-leveled. ¡°How about these?¡± The merchant introduced a pair of swords with elastic strengthening magic and light armor. There were no enchanted armors, and even if there were, the required level was so high that Effir wouldn¡¯t be able to use it. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go to the center of the continent to get the really good stuff. Of course, you should only go there when your level is high enough.¡± Effir was at least satisfied already with what the merchant showed. ¡°The armor is pretty. I like it.¡± The problem was Ryu Han-bin¡¯s bow. The owner presented all the powerful bows and crossbows, but there was nothing he could use. Trying pulling one, he sighed. ¡°Weak¡­¡± He lamented when he pulled the second bow. ¡°This is also weak¡­¡± After pulling the third bow, he gave a heavy sigh. ¡°If I give it some strength, it will break right away.¡± All were nothing but fragile toys based on Ryu Han-bin¡¯s standards. Han-bin was about to turn around, saying that he had to give up on using bows. Among the things that had been tried, Effir picked up the most powerful bow. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be enough?¡± * * * Han-bin and his party headed for the weapon shop¡¯s backyard with bows and arrows. The entire place had been turned into a training center where customers could test weapons. All weapon stores were equipped with such a facility to help the customers choose the proper weapon for them instead of making them buy weapons not suitable for them. Ryu Han-bin shot an arrow at a wooden target 15 meters away. Peeeek! It was missed by a vast distance. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s that difficult?¡± ¡°Of course, not many people hit the target the first time they used a bow.¡± He let Artis¡¯s nagging into one ear and out the other as he kept on shooting arrows. After shooting over and over again, he only hit the target a few times. The bow was definitely strong and durable, allowing him to drill the arrow deep into the target without destroying the weapon. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad¡­¡± With a wry look, Han-bin lowered his bow. ¡°I think this is better for me?¡± That time, he grabbed the arrow with his bare hand and threw it at the target like a dart. Saaaaaack! A pulsing sound reverberated as the arrow impaled the middle of the target. It was so powerful it caused the thick log where the target was positioned to split. ¡°You pervert.¡± Artis was blown away. The accuracy and power of his throw were overwhelming. ¡°How are you better at throwing it with bare hands than shooting it with a bow? It¡¯s not a throwing weapon. It¡¯s an arrow!¡± Ryu Han-bin said, looking back at Effir. ¡°I don¡¯t think a bow like this is useful.¡± She shook her head. She didn¡¯t say it was enough in that sense. ¡°Try it again. But this time, try to control the power so that you can stick the arrow into the mark without breaking the target.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s so hard about that?¡± Puzzled, Ryu Han-bin threw an arrow at another target. Bang! The target was fiercely split again. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s hard?¡± Fortunately, there were quite a few targets in the backyard. He tried again. Bang! It was smashed again. ¡°Ugh, that was still too strong?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± As if he understood, Artis laughed. ¡°If your purpose is to suppress it, it is better to use a bow!¡± Unlike swords and thrown weapons, the strength of a bow was determined by its tension. Even Han-bin, who was not good at controlling power, could produce no more than adequate amount of damage. ¡°You¡¯re not going to smash all the enemies you¡¯re against, right?¡± ¡°Right. I haven¡¯t thought about it that way.¡± Convinced, Ryu Han-bin lifted his bow. ¡°Then I should buy this as well.¡± * * * The owner of the weapon dealer was trembling. ¡°Oh my gosh¡­¡± He could see the backyard of the store through the window on the counter. He watched clearly what the ruthless Valtara warrior was doing. Bang! Bang! Bangbang! ¡®He throws an arrow with his bare hands, but the target breaks? Is that what that guy can do?¡¯ Besides, why was he suddenly continuing such a ferocious performance when he wanted to try out the bow? The owner was sure. ¡®He¡¯s asking for a discount!¡¯ There was no way an exciting Valtara warrior would get angry with money. But the Mage next to him was different. Obviously, he¡¯d been nagging about all sorts of negativities about the practice weapons he paid for, and that was why Valtara Warrior was doing that! After a while, Han-bin and his party returned to the store. Artis asked the total price. ¡°How much is it all?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a regular, so of course I¡¯ll give you a discount! You can buy them all for only 2,000 X!¡± Artis was slightly confused by the strangely polite way the owner spoke. ¡®Isn¡¯t that too cheap? Besides, I feel like his attitude has suddenly changed¡­¡¯ Regardless, there was no need for them to refuse to get what they wanted at a low price. Instead of rummaging his wallet, he asked again. ¡°Oh yeah, we accidentally broke a few targets. I should pay for that too¡­¡± Artis was a Dragon, and that meant he led a disciplined life. He never intended to pretend to be unaware of the damages Han-bin caused. The owner of the weapon shop shook his head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s okay! People can break the targets! We¡¯re close, so you don¡¯t need to think about that.¡± ¡®¡­ When did we ever become so close?¡¯ He was even more puzzled, but well, there was no need to refuse the owner¡¯s intention not to accept the money. ¡°Thank you. I hope your business flourishes.¡± After that, Han-bin and his party went outside the store. Only then did the owner feel relieved. He grabbed onto his beating chest tightly. ¡®Phew, I¡¯m safe.¡¯ * * * ¡°He¡¯s a good person. He gave us such a huge discount.¡± ¡°Yeah. What a conscientious merchant.¡± Unaware of how the merchant truly felt, Ryu Han-bin and Artis were just happy. Effir also had a bright face. She was quite pleased with her new armor, but upon realizing how much they spent on her, she looked back at Ryu Han-bin as if she was sorry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I made you spend so much money on me again.¡± Even after earning a lot of money, Han-bin was still half-naked. As long as he was pretending to be a Valtara warrior, he couldn¡¯t help it. Ryu Han-bin smiled while looking at Effir. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. It¡¯s pretty fun to play changing clothes with a girl.¡± ¡°¡­ When you say it like that, you sound like a pervert again.¡± They were on their way home when several Hunters passed by Han-bin and his party while having a conversation. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°At the guild house this morning¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin stopped walking. He accidentally heard a story without paying much attention. He hurriedly approached the group of Hunters, his shadow dauntingly looming over them. ¡°Hey! What did you just say?¡± The Hunters stiffened in pure fear. Their opponent was a famous Valtara warrior. Artis was also a high-ranking Mage at level 46, and even the little girl standing next to him was a Magic Swordsman at level 30 or higher. Compared to Han-bin and his party, Dungeons were far-off for the Hunters who couldn¡¯t even enter and catch mischievous monsters from outside. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did we do something wrong?¡± Han-bin shook his head. ¡°I just want to hear what you two were talking about again.¡± The Hunters felt relieved. ¡°The one we were talking about¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Highten Guild House this morning¡­¡± ¡°The rumor that an Alien appeared?¡± * * * At a back alley on the west side of Highten, a brown-haired warrior threw a punch. ¡°Taaats!¡± Pushed backward, the young man with black hair narrowed his eyes. The letter of light came to the young man¡¯s eyes. [Race: Human. Check Lv. 18] The young man felt nervous as he pulled out his scimitar. ¡®It¡¯s not easy¡­¡­.¡¯ Although his enemy¡¯s level was lower than his own, he still couldn¡¯t guarantee victory. If he made a mistake, his life could be put in danger. Several bickering soon filled the place. Blade against blade, they collided, causing a metallic sound to ring. Bang! Tatang! The moment he was waiting for finally came. The black-haired young man immediately activated a skill. The strongest sword skill he could currently use that could be learned by reaching Swordsman Level 20. -Wind Rush! Wind and lightning didn¡¯t really come out of his sword. It was just continuous strikes in the form of an image. In simple terms, he swung gently but hit hard. The first attack unarmed the opponent, and the second attack sliced his chest open. Blood spurted as his foe screamed. ¡°Kaaargh!¡± The brown-haired warrior groaned and collapsed. ¡°The cursed demon of another world¡­¡± As he succumbed to death, he locked his hateful gaze at the black-haired man. Loud noises soon reached them. ¡°I heard a scream!¡± ¡°That way!¡± The young man quickly covered his face with a hood. He then went deeper into the back alley as he cursed. ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡± While running through the dirty alleyways, the young Chinese man, Zhang Luxin, recalled what happened this morning. ¡®Where did it go wrong?¡¯ Chapter 53 Newbie¡¯s Appearance (3) At the Guild Hall of the Dungeon City of Highten, a young, black-haired man appeared in the reception area. Several Beginner Hunters had gathered in there for different reasons. The young man¡¯s eyes gleamed as he looked around. ¡°Is this the right place?¡± The boy standing behind the reception desk greeted him with a smile. ¡°Welcome to Highten¡¯s Hunter Guild. My name is Newk, the guild receptionist.¡± ¡°My name is Ras¡¯al Grield, from Lopalt, a small fishing village in the southern part of the continent.¡± The young man, Zhang Luxin, calmly recited the profile he had prepared in advance. ¡°I came because I wanted to be a Hunter.¡± After saying that, the situation started to feel strange. Newk¡¯s expression visibly stiffened. His eyes had become wary of the young man. ¡°Is this your first time joining a Hunter Guild?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you are from¡­ A small fishing village in the southern part of the kingdom?¡± The other Hunters gathered in the reception area had begun to show signs of nervousness as well. Zhang Luxin was confused. He followed the Guidelines faithfully. The Hunters weren¡¯t supposed to be doubting him. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with these guys?¡¯ Newk was starting to be convinced. ¡®Could he be?¡¯ He had been trained to find out the aliens, but he didn¡¯t really expect one to appear during his shift. Not wanting to jump to conclusions, Newk continued with the procedure, his voice trembling. ¡°M-may I measure your skills as part of the Guild¡¯s requirements, Mr. Ras¡¯al?¡± Zhang Luxin put his hand on the measuring stone. [Occupation: Swordsman. Lv. 21] By the time he got out of J¨¦ren Ratna, he was already Level 20, but he gained one more level due to the monsters he killed on the way to the city. ¡°His level¡­¡± ¡°21!¡± The moment Zhang Luxin¡¯s level was revealed, several Hunters frantically stood up. They seemed prepared to launch an attack. Nervous, Zhang Luxin held onto the hilt of his sheathed sword tightly. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong!¡¯ But he didn¡¯t know what the problem was. What¡¯s wrong with level 21? His level was similar to those of the people present at that moment. Newk beckoned at the Hunters to stop. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ Although he had already displayed multiple suspicious behaviors, he was yet to meet the final condition. ¡°Ras¡¯al Grield, Swordsman Lv. 21. Personal information confirmed. Please wait a moment as I prepare your official ID. The guild registration fee is 300x.¡± Zhang Luxin was relieved. ¡®Is it because I don¡¯t look like I have any money?¡¯ If so, there was no problem. He rummaged through his wallet and, arrogantly, took out a gold coin, tossing it onto the desk. ¡°Here you go. I will accept change in silver coins.¡± It was a gold coin. A shiny gold coin. It was a super expensive gold coin that no one in their right mind would ever take out at such a place! Newk quickly hid under the reception desk and screamed. ¡°He¡¯s an Alien!¡± As if they had been waiting for that, all the Hunters in the room immediately went on the offensive. ¡°Attack!¡± ¡°Catch him!¡± Zhan Lixin began to panic. ¡°Why? How come?¡± Fortunately, there were only Beginner Hunters at the Guild Hall at that time. The Advanced Hunters already came to the Guild Hall early in the morning. Without anyone more extremely powerful than him, Zhang Luxin could barely escape the guild house, but he couldn¡¯t get out of Highten. A network of search parties had been deployed across the city to find him. The Mages Guild immediately sealed the gates and closely monitored everyone who was coming and going. The Hunter Guild organized squads and scoured the entirety of Highten. He was forced to disguise himself as a beggar as he kept running away, choosing a few places to hide, but he was discovered several times, forcing him to engage in battle. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Squatting down like a rat in a dirty back alley, Zhang Luxin ate a stolen bread. The filthy smell of the place surrounded him, causing him to feel even more miserable. Feeling as if he had been treated unjustly, he gritted his teeth. ¡°Why did this happen? I¡¯m sure I did everything it told me to do.¡± * * * ¡°A Level 21 Swordsman¡­ He must be an Earthling who has just fallen to Latna.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes shone as he organized the information he heard from the hunters on the road. It was an excellent opportunity to obtain information on Suitors with standard Guidelines. At level 21, he would be weaker than Effir, not to mention Han-bin. He was going to be easy to capture. Artis also nodded in agreement. ¡°We have to move fast before the other hunters find him.¡± Anyone who could capture and hand over an Alien to the Six Churches would receive vast sums of money as a reward. Many hunters were already searching all over the city. Han-bin and his party went straight to Highten¡¯s Hunter Guild. They heard that the Alien fought inside the Guild Hall upon appearing. There was a high possibility that their blood or any other body part would remain. ¡°I¡¯d be able to use the Tracking function afterward.¡± As they walked, Artis asked Han-bin a question quietly. ¡°After getting information, what are you going to do with the Alien? Are you going to befriend them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decide after we meet the person.¡± According to Han-bin¡¯s hypothesis, other Earthlings were likely to have been brainwashed by the Devil. Even if they weren¡¯t, it was dangerous to befriend them blindly. However, it didn¡¯t mean that he would extract all the information he could and just hand him over to the church. ¡°I can at least give him a way out of Highten, depending on what kind of person he is.¡± They arrived at the Guild Hall a few minutes later. The receptionist, Newk, was cleaning up the mess inside the first-floor hall. Several wounded Hunters were also resting inside. Artis shouted at the Hunters. ¡°Is there anybody with alien blood on their weapons? I will pay handsomely.¡± One of the hunters asked, puzzled. ¡°The blood of the Alien? Why are you looking for it?¡± He couldn¡¯t tell them that they were going to use it to track him down. Tracing was a skill that could be only be learned by Spiritists level 60 or higher. He already had an excuse in mind. ¡°Aliens are good research subjects in more ways than one.¡± It was customary in the Latna Continent for Mages to study all sorts of things that piqued their interest, no matter how random. The excuse to study Alien¡¯s blood sounded natural enough. One of the Hunters pulled out his sword. ¡°I managed to cut the Alien¡¯s arm. There must be some blood still on the blade.¡± After being handed a long sword with dark red blood, Artis paid for it. The beginner Hunter had a joyful expression. ¡°I¡¯m pretty lucky too. To think I was just envying the Dennis guy.¡± ¡°Dennis? What do you mean?¡± ¡°He also sold Alien¡¯s blood. A few hours ago.¡± Apparently, a woman in her 20s with brown hair also bought a blade with blood on it. Ryu Han-bin and Artis looked at each other with strange expressions. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®Is there really a Mage trying to study Alien blood?¡¯ * * * At the back alleys of Highten, where the evening glow thickened in the reddened darkness, Zhang Luxin unsheathed his scimitar and activated his skill. -Wind Rush! Two strikes were delivered towards the opponent. However, the opponent easily deflected his attack with a war hammer. ¡°It¡¯s useless, Alien!¡± At the same time, his enemy swung the hammer at him while narrowing the distance with elaborate footwork. Baam! The tip of the hammer brushed slightly over the armor worn by the Zhang Luxin. That alone was a considerably powerful blow. Shocked, he stepped back and gasped for breath. ¡°Huh, huh¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t a match for his opponent. He had already utilized the Wind Rush skill several times, but he couldn¡¯t touch him. His opponent was a level 36 Fighter. Zhan Luxin had no chance of winning at only Level 21. Nevertheless, he still managed to hold on because his opponent wasn¡¯t swinging with full force. He was to be captured alive, not dead. ¡®The bounty is my mine.¡¯ Martin Lacus felt delighted as he recalled the colossal prize money hanging on the Alien¡¯s neck. Zhang Luxin tried to escape instead of fighting back. ¡°You can¡¯t run!¡± Laughing, Martin lifted the battle hammer. He then shouted out a chant. ¡°Hurricane Flare!¡± Flutters! A wall of flames blocked Zhang Luxin¡¯s path. Surprised, he looked back. ¡®How can a warrior use magic?¡¯ Only then did he worry about the weapon which his opponent held. Jang Luxin activated the Guideline¡¯s Search function. [Firestorm Hammer (Artifact) The user gains the ability to activate Hurricane Flare, a level 35 magic spell, upon wielding this hammer. Terms of use: Lv. 35. Range, 33 meters. Usage limitation: 4/5 times a day.] It was common knowledge to check an opponent¡¯s weapons before the battle, but he forgot about it, resulting in his confusion. Martin strolled toward Zhang Luxin. ¡°This battle hammer is amazing.¡± With the powerful artifact that he got thanks to the Valtara warrior, Felard Bean, the warrior himself could simply block the enemy¡¯s retreat. Martin pointed the hammer at the young man with excitement. ¡°Surrender, Alien! You don¡¯t want to die here, do you?¡± Gripping at the scimitar, Zhang Luxin looked around him. There was no way to escape due to the flame barrier blocking off all his exit points. ¡®Damn, will this be where I die?¡¯ He had no choice but to surrender. He didn¡¯t know why, but he didn¡¯t think that the warrior would kill him right away based on the way he spoke. ¡®Once I surrender, I have to look for an opportunity to escape somehow¡­¡¯ Just as he was about to throw away his weapon, a white beam flew in like an arrow. Dig! A flash of light pierced Martin¡¯s throat. Martin, who had a hole in his neck, fell, trembling and unable to scream. ¡°Ggk, gggaarh¡­¡­.¡± Martin sprawled on the ground, lifeless. Zhang Luxin turned his gaze toward where the flash came from. ¡®What was that?¡¯ A woman was walking along, cutting the blazing wall of flames in half. She looked like a brown-haired westerner who seemed to be in her mid-twenties. The Guidelines displayed her information. [Race: Human. Spiritist Lv. 73] ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Zhang Luxin was frightened. Level 73? ¡°¡­ You?¡± The woman smiled gently at him. ¡°I am an Apostle of Omphalos.¡± Introducing herself to him, she continued. ¡°You are in a dangerous situation because the information in the Guidelines has not been updated. I¡¯m here to admit our mistakes and make an appropriate additional reward.¡± ¡°Additional¡­ reward?¡± Zhang Luxin was convinced. He followed the Guidelines correctly, yet that still happened. As she smiled, the woman nodded her head. She then pulled out a black square crystal from her arms. ¡°Yes, you can consider it a special case.¡± Zhang Luxin¡¯s Guidelines revealed the identity of the black crystal. [Incomplete Omphalos¡¯ Blessing (Unique Item) No conditions of use. Infinite number of uses.] His eyes widened. ¡®Unique item!¡¯ Chapter 54 Newbie¡¯s Appearance (4) Leslie, the brunette lady, had a bitter feeling in her heart. Of course, she was not something like an ¡°Apostle of Omphalos.¡± She was simply an Earthling with more experience than the black-haired young man in front of her. All the words like ¡®mistakes¡¯ or ¡®additional rewards¡¯ were just to create a plausible story. ¡®Incomplete Blessing of Omphalos¡¯ must be voluntarily accepted by someone for it to take effect. Leslie presented the black crystal to Zhang Luxin. ¡°Please take it. It¡¯s yours now.¡± Zhang Luxin hesitated. He avoided being caught due to the woman¡¯s intervention. But in such a critical situation, she appeared out of nowhere with perfect timing. He inevitably and instinctively felt doubts. Zhang Luxin squinted his eyes at her. ¡°Will everyone in the same situation as me get the same benefits?¡± Leslie shrugged. ¡°No. This is only for you.¡± She spoke in a subtle, soft, and sweet tone. ¡°You have been chosen.¡± If Zhang Luxin was really just one of the billions of commoners on Earth like a grain of sand on the seashore, would he had been able to stand in that world? ¡°Do you think this opportunity is given to ordinary people?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Zhang Luxin¡¯s eyes wavered. Leslie gloated deep in her heart. She was convinced that the young man before her eyes would eventually accept her offer. ¡®There is no choice, after all.¡¯ She presented it as if he had other options, but he only had one correct answer in reality. No one could deny the power in that situation. ¡®Neither I nor everyone else.¡¯ Despite her bitter feeling, Leslie still maintained a soft smile. Eventually, Zhang Luxin came to a decision. ¡°I¡¯ll accept it.¡± The black crystal spontaneously floated into the air, flew to Zhang Luxin, and then settled lightly on his palm. With a blank look on her face, Leslie bowed down politely. ¡°May the Lord Omphalos¡¯s protection dwell on the chosen ones.¡± She turned her back against him. Black mist shot up and wrapped around Leslie¡¯s whole body. A cold smile crept up her lips. ¡®I¡¯m not lying. You were indeed chosen.¡¯ * * * Zhang Luxin was alone again. He tilted his head, looking down at the black crystal in his hand. ¡°How do I even use this?¡± The Guidelines answered. [Holding the Incomplete Blessing of Omphalos, shout ¡®United.¡¯ That will cause you to accept the blessing.] ¡°Good!¡± He immediately used the crystal. ¡°United!¡± The moment he shouted, great darkness struck him. At the same time, an eternal sense of uplift surged into his mind. ¡°This, this..!¡± It was a terrifying power! Overwhelming and absolute, he felt terrifying power that could make the whole world kneel! With darkness enveloping his body, Jang Luxin burst into mania. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± * * * As soon as he obtained the Alien¡¯s blood, Ryu Han-bin immediately activated the Tracking function. He searched for the Alien everywhere as he followed the direction the light stick pointed towards. It had been almost 6 hours. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find him in the end.¡± Underneath the western city walls of Highten, Artis clicked his tongue. He kept looking around in an attempt to find the Earthling, but he couldn¡¯t find anyone that arose suspicion. The Tracking function of the Guidelines was the same as the one that Spiritists had. Both only gave an approximate direction of the target from the position of the user. Effir shook her head. ¡°The problem is that the waiting time is too long.¡± The Spiritist could use tracking skills frequently to adjust to the target¡¯s direction as they kept moving. Meanwhile, the Guideline¡¯s Tracking function could only be used once every 6 hours. ¡°It won¡¯t amount to anything if the other person moves while we¡¯re tracking them.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll be able to use the Tracking function again soon.¡± Ryu Han-bin popped up the Guideline while kicking his tongue. [Tracking reactivation time: 0 hours 3 minutes 31 seconds] ¡°There¡¯s still 3 minutes left in the cooldown.¡± ¡°If we still can¡¯t find them, do we wait for another 6 hours?¡± Effir pouted her mouth. Artis shook his head. ¡°That Tracking function is really inconvenient. How can we reduce its cooldown?¡± Han-bin sighed deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± The party asked various questions in an attempt to find out the condition to reduce the cooldown of the Tracking function. But the Guideline¡¯s answer remained the same. [Personfretalklonghike¡­¡­.] ¡°All I get is an error, damn it.¡± Even for the Suiters with the right Guidelines, there didn¡¯t seem to be any other way. ¡°Even Alejandro¨C that South American guy said something similar.¡± After tracking down the Han-bin group, he said something as soon as he saw Artis. -I could barely follow after you. Why is the Tracking function so useless? He wouldn¡¯t have said that it was useless if he could use the Tracking function frequently like a high-level Spiritst. It wouldn¡¯t have taken days to track Artis. ¡°I don¡¯t think the waiting time would be reduced even if my level rises.¡± Three minutes had passed. Ryu Han-bin activated the Tracking function again. The stick of light stood tall and then quickly fell, pointing southeast. Han-bin and his party were at the western wall of Highten City. They had to go to the southern wall. Effir and Artis reasoned. ¡°It looks like he¡¯s trying to get out from the south.¡± ¡°He would want to get out of this city, after all. If so, would he be heading towards the south gate?¡± Han-bin beckoned to his party. They had to catch up with the Earthling before it was too late. ¡°I can¡¯t miss this chance. But do we have the chance to catch him?¡± * * * A Zhang Luxin ran through the pitch-black streets under the night. He hid his face under a hood as he headed for Highten¡¯s southern wall. ¡®Once I leave this city.¡¯ Until just a little while ago, there was no way to get out of Highten. The city walls were too high for a level 21 swordsman to sneak over, and Latna¡¯s Hunters and Mages guarded the gates. But his situation had changed. With the unique item that gave him superhuman power, he could easily jump over the wall! ¡®With this power, I don¡¯t even have to run away. I can defeat them all.¡¯ Reminiscent of his new ability, Zhang Luxin laughed. Just thinking about it, he felt pride filling his heart. Nevertheless, he behaved carefully. He had just fallen into the world. Nothing was more important than making sense of his current situation first. ¡®It would be stupid if I just raged around with pure strength.¡¯ Even though he had just burst into mania, it was because he was so excited he did it without realizing it. While he was running, a group of Hunters appeared across the road. The Hunters found him first and had already alarmed others before Jang Luxin could hide. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Alien!¡± Five Hunters surrounded him as they pulled out their weapons. ¡°How did you know who I was?¡± Zhang Luxin was puzzled. He covered his face well, and besides, he moved under a lot of darkness, yet they still recognized him right away from a distance. Was that how good their eyesight was? But all of them were Level 18 to Level 22. It didn¡¯t seem that they were capable of that. The Hunters laughed. ¡°You stupid!¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious if you¡¯re the only one covering your face at night!¡± Zhang Luxin immediately realized his mistake. ¡®No wonder everyone easily recognized me!¡¯ It was neither raining nor sunny. It was suspicious to wear a hood outside. ¡®From now on, I should walk around naturally without covering my face.¡¯ The Level 22 Swordsman on the lead threatened him. ¡°We outnumber you! Surrender peacefully, Alien!¡± Zhang Luxin laughed. He would¡¯ve surrendered if not for the crystal. He would¡¯ve had no chance to win against five people at the same level range as him. But he was no longer the underdog. Booong! With a roar, his scimitar¡¯s blade turned black. The Hunters became confused as their faces stiffened. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°He¡¯s using a magic sword!¡± ¡°No one told us about that!¡± Zhang Luxin surged forward. A new human form flew several meters at once over the Hunters¡¯ heads. The hunter¡¯s eyes widened. He displayed a physical ability beyond the capacity of a level 21. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What?¡± As he moved, he activated a skill. -Diagonal Slash! An onyx glow flashed, followed by a pitch-black shockwave slithering through the ground. Two Hunters fell as they vomited blood. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Kugh¡­¡­.¡± He wasn¡¯t done yet. As he landed, he oscillated his sword. -Continuous stab! He then delivered the final blow. -Wind Rush! It was ordinary swordsmanship, but his power was beyond his normal capabilities. The unique item gave Zhang Luxin ruthless power and speed. Whenever the sword was swung, darkness rose and bounded the Hunters¡¯ limbs. He easily culled his opponents in a rooted state as he passed by, sending shocks into their bodies. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Kuugh!¡± The remaining three Hunters also fell screaming soon. The fallen men looked up at Zhang Luxin, fear filling their eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s definitely Level 21¡­¡± The Alien, covered in darkness, glared at the fallen hunters with eerie eyes. ¡°Huh! Did you just show off with that much power?¡± The Hunters trembled under his shadow. If it continued on like that, they would die at the hands of an Alien! However, Zhang Luxin sheathed his scimitar. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. You should be grateful.¡± The power gap was so severe that there was no need to kill them. ¡®I am not a bloodthirsty killer.¡¯ As he was about to step away and run towards the wall, Zhang Luxin had a thought. ¡®Still, if I keep those guys alive, they¡¯ll find out what I¡¯m up to.¡¯ If so, it wasn¡¯t very smart to keep them alive. He raised his weapon again. The Hunters who were relieved to have survived suddenly became pale again. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t kill¡­¡± He ended five lives in one blow. Blood pooled up on the street floor. ¡®Done.¡¯ Strange. Despite saying he wasn¡¯t a killer a little while ago, he quickly changed his attitude and murdered him without any pressure. However, Zhang Luxin didn¡¯t realize his change. Before he knew it, he was rationalizing himself. ¡®I¡¯m not a killer, but I¡¯m not soft enough to save those who fought to kill me.¡¯ Believing that notion, he fled again, disappearing beyond the darkness. Chapter 55 The Devil¡¯s Blessing (1) Avoiding people¡¯s gaze, Zhang Luxin swiftly reached the south gate of the Dungeon City of Highten. All he had to do was cross the wall in order to escape from the city. However, there were already a group of Hunters waiting at the foot of the wall. Zhang Luxin clicked his tongue. ¡®How did they know I would come this way?¡¯ Only a few Hunters waited at the city¡¯s four entrances. They hoped that they would be lucky to catch the Alien. The Hunters swiftly spotted him and frowned. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°That guy¡­¡± One of them quickly opened a wanted flyer where Zhang Luxin¡¯s face was drawn finely. It definitely couldn¡¯t be labeled as a clumsy sketch. It was as good as the photographs from the modern Earth. The Mage used the memory of the Hunters who fought against the Alien to reconstruct his face. In Latna, where magic existed, people could easily reproduce the description of others on paper. The Hunter burst into delight after double-checking if they had the right person. ¡°It¡¯s the Alien!¡± ¡°Tsk, even if I take off my hood, the result is still the same.¡± Clicking his tongue, Zhang Luxin narrowed his eyes. He swiftly checked the levels of the incoming Hunters and the weapons they were wielding with the Guidelines. There were about a dozen people, but four stood out among them. [Race: Human. Mage Lv. 39] [Race: Human. Warrior Lv. 37] [Race: Human. Spiritist Lv. 35] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 40] Among the group, they were relatively higher in terms of level and were armed with powerful Magic Tools and Artifacts. ¡®They¡¯re around the same level as the hammer guy.¡¯ Zhang Luxin laughed maniacally. At his level, he had the confidence to deal with the Hunters. The darkness whispered, telling him that he was stronger than them, and he truly did feel that way. The Hunters surrounded him. The sharp spear of the Warrior was thrust against him multiple times from different angles. The Mage¡¯s staff and the Spiritist¡¯s sigil followed through. The Magic Swordsmen, who unfolded their magic swordsmanship, gleamed with greed. A Level 40 Magic Swordsman, a man in his 30s wearing light armor, shouted at him. ¡°Kneel down, demon of another world! If you resist, we will tear your limbs apart!¡± Zhang Luxin¡¯s eyes lit up as he felt the opponent¡¯s gaze looking at the game he had won. Faint laughter leaked out of his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s funny, these weak people¡­¡± Fishes learned how to swim without the need for a teacher. His way of dealing with the darkness naturally began to erode his mind. As he pulled out his scimitar, Zhang Luxin exuded his strength. ¡°Taaaaaah!¡± The Hunters were a bit nervous seeing their opponent, whose body was stained with darkness. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Does he have magic tools?¡± But they didn¡¯t feel the need to be cautious. ¡°It looks pretty good, but¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a level 21 Swordsman, right?¡± The power of Magic Tools that could be used at that level was also limited. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to surrender easily, Alien!¡± The four Senior Hunters took the lead, starting the attack against him. The Spiritist went first, unfolding a barrier that blocked his retreat. ¡°Kybriel, give me the veil of the night with your grace!¡± Then, the Mage chanted a spell aimed at him. ¡°Arrow that burns the sky! Fire Bolt!¡± A flame arrow broke through the air. Due to the slow speed of the spell, Zhang Luxin sidestepped to avoid being hit by it. At that moment, the Warrior and the Magic Swordsman joined the fray. ¡°We won¡¯t kill you!¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter if we cut off one of your legs!¡± The Magic Swordsman thrust his sword forward, lightning enveloping its blade. -Magic Sword: Raol¡¯s Lightning Strike! It was a fairly powerful attack. On the other side, the Warrior also let out a powerful sword attack combined with heavy force. Zhang Luxin moved. ¡°Huh!¡± With a short snort, he jumped towards the giant Warrior and simultaneously activated a skill! -Horizontal Cut! A blow smashed the sword of a Level 37 Warrior and tore his armor. The Warrior bounced back, leaking blood, and screamed. ¡°Kaaargh!¡± Without interval, Zhang Luxin turned around, his scimitar still in his hand. He activated another skill once more towards the lightning sword behind his back! -Diagonal Slash! The lightning split in two, and his skill dug deep into the shoulders of the Magic Swordsman. It all happened in one breath, almost instantly. The Mage and Spiritist entered a state of confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He beat Mr. Chris in a single blow?¡± The duo tried to conjure additional magic spells and spiritual arts to save their companions. But Zhang Luxin was faster. -Wind Rush! Wind Rush combined with the darkness around him brought the skill out of the level of ordinary swordsmanship. The skill produced wind and lightning, unlike before. Bang! Bang! Bang! A black tornado hit the Spiritist. Black lightning slithered through the ground like a snake and electrocuted the Mage. ¡°Kaaargh!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± The other Hunters were puzzled. The top four Hunters fell all at once without even being able to do anything. ¡°Well, didn¡¯t they say that he was level 21?¡± ¡°How did he suddenly become so strong?¡± Did they measure his level the wrong in the guild house? No, it couldn¡¯t be. The measurement stone never made a mistake. And that Alien proved his level by using a measurement stone. Based on the widespread preconceptions of the Latna Continent, the Hunters guessed what happened to Zhang Luxin. ¡°It¡¯s a dirty trick by the Devil!¡± ¡°The Alien is using the power of the Devil!¡± They weren¡¯t completely wrong. It was really the power of a Unique Item. ¡°Let¡¯s attack together!¡± ¡°Even the Alien can¡¯t beat our number!¡± Dozens of Hunters began to attack all at once. ¡°Dumb bastards.¡± While fixing the Scimitar, Jang Luxin looked at them solemnly. ¡°Do you think you can win by pushing me with numbers?¡± He performed a steel and bloodlust dance with his scimitar, scattering sword light over the heads of the hunters. Blood splattered and splashed across the ground. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Eaak!¡± Again, three Hunters fell. But they didn¡¯t die. It was thanks to Zhang Luxin¡¯s inadvertent control of his strength. ¡®I don¡¯t need to kill¡­¡¯ At the same time, questions arose. ¡®But there¡¯s really no need to spare their lives either.¡¯ They were fighting to capture him for execution. There was no reason for him to care about them. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t have any experience with murder in the first place. He had already killed several people. ¡®Well, after all this time?¡¯ A pitch-black blade blew a Hunter¡¯s head off. Srack! Blood spurted, and the human head flew away from view. He felt so happy. ¡®Yes, the villains have to die.¡¯ Zhang Luxin continued to swing his sword. He could no longer hold on to his sanity. ¡®Cut and stab.¡¯ ¡®Tear their stretched flesh and crush their bones.¡¯ He kept on ending their lives, causing blood and innards to scatter across the entire vicinity. His overwhelming power and speed were tainted with brutality and cruelty. The Hunters fearfully tried to step away from him. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to die!¡± ¡°Retreat!¡± Zhang Luxin raised his right hand. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna let you go?¡± The dense darkness deepened into reality. Gigantic fists rushed towards the backs of the fleeing hunters. ¡°I won¡¯t miss a single one!¡± Darkness struck the Hunters. Countless screams echoed in the dead of night. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± It was like an orchestra chord. ¡°Hahahahaha¡­¡± Zhang Luxin laughed cheerfully. * * * Unlike in the modern Earth, the night in Latna was quiet. No cars were running with noise, and people tended to refrain from going out after the sun had gone down. As such, the fuss caused by Zhang Luxin resonated far in the city of Highten. Other Hunters continued to flock from all directions. ¡°It¡¯s the Alien!¡± ¡°Catch him!¡± They still thought of him as a level 21 Swordsman with a huge bounty on his head, considering they didn¡¯t witness the bloodbath that had just transpired. ¡°B-but how did they get beaten up like that?¡± Only after arriving at the scene did they panic at the sight of the scattered bodies, but it was too late by then. The darkness of the Alien struck them down and squeezed their blood out. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Zhang Luxin was satisfied. ¡°This is great.¡± Obviously, at first, he was going to deal with it in moderation and run away. But now, he didn¡¯t think of anything like that. ¡®Why am I running away? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡¯ He swung his scimitar. His opponent was split in two. The sweet scent of blood tickled the tip of his nose. Easy. People died too easily. It was fun. Even after murdering countless people, he had only ever felt pleasure. Why? Even that question disappeared. A strange sense of uplift made his heart feel warm. ¡°Hahaha!¡± With a burst of mania, Zhang Luxin continued to wield the power of darkness. The dense darkness became his sword and claws. Whenever darkness passed by, humans vomited blood, and buildings collapsed. People were squeezed lifeless like toothpaste. The world crumbled like a cookie. It was so fun. He couldn¡¯t believe there was such a fun game in the world! ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Highten¡¯s Hunters kept coming. Like a moth attracted by the light of a lamp, they continued to charge at him for his bounty. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Zhang Luxin was delighted. The play continued, and there were still many toys for him. * * * Artis¡¯s eyes lit up upon arriving at the southern gate of the city. ¡°I found him. It¡¯s that guy!¡± The black-haired young man standing in front of the gate had the same face as the Hunters Guild¡¯s wanted flyer. No, just seeing that he was struggling against countless Hunters was enough evidence to know he was the Alien. ¡°I found him, but¡­¡± Artis face hardened as he examined the situation. Whenever the Alien sprayed darkness, terrible destruction followed. With a single blow, people were torn, roads were overturned, and buildings collapsed. Bang! Bang! Bang! Effir also had a sickened look on her face. ¡°He looks more like a monster.¡± It was an unimaginable assault, even for the two members of the Dragon Race. They weren¡¯t sure if they could even cause half of the destruction he had caused if they were to return to their actual bodies. Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡°They said he was Level 21. Did the Guild make any mistakes?¡± They didn¡¯t. The Guidelines still appeared like this. [Race: Human. Swordsman Lv. 21] Just in case, he checked him out further. Indeed, the source of the darkness that the young man wielded was recognized separately. [Incomplete Omphalos¡¯ Blessing (Unique Item)] It wasn¡¯t like a Magic Tool that triggered darkness, but it looked almost like darkness itself was turned into a Unique Item. ¡®How¡¯s that possible?¡¯ There were doubts, but Han-bin pushed all of it away. Their priority was to prevent the slaughter in front of them. In the bloodied sea of corpses, Hunters continued to die as they screamed for help. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± It had already exceeded the level of self-defense. Everyone could tell he was laughing like crazy, drunk with slaughter. ¡®I have to try subduing him.¡¯ Han-bin charged forward while holding his greatsword. ¡°Taaaats!¡± Chapter 56 The Devil¡¯s Blessing (2) Zhang Luxin noticed someone running towards him. He was a muscular man with a bigger head than himself. If he met such a big guy in Shanghai, he would have avoided him by trying to avoid eye contact as much as possible. But he was different now. ¡®Just another toy for me! Laughing, Zhang Luxin made a giant¡¯s fist using the darkness and smashed it down on him. ¡°Huh! Ridicu¡­¡± Before he could even finish his words, the muscular giant swung his sword. ¡°Hump!¡± The darkness broke apart, and in an instant, the opponent quickly removed the distance between them. Not wasting a single second, he exerted out a frontal kick that successfully struck his darkened abdomen. With a scream, Zhang Luxin was blown back. ¡°K-aaargh!¡± The kick was so powerful it didn¡¯t just blow him away. It made him bounce on the stone floor like a jetski. Bang! Bang! Boom! Upon hitting the wall of a building, the building shook as he left a crater on it. Boom! Boom! Zhang Luxin felt astonished. He groaned as the wall¡¯s debris buried him. ¡°¡­ What, what?¡± * * * A muscular warrior stood tall under the night sky. He appeared in the moonlight, a magnificent greatsword in hand to match his tower-like figure. The Hunters cheered at the majestic sight. ¡°It¡¯s the Valtara warrior!¡± The legendary Valtara warrior had arrived. They knew the Alien would no longer be able to run wild. In relief, the Hunters stepped back. ¡°We¡¯re safe¡­¡± ¡°Everybody, get away!¡± A large space was created around Ryu Han-bin and Zhang Luxin. As he came out through the collapsed wall, Zhang Luxin patted his neck. ¡°Oh, I was just off guard for a moment!¡± Although the wall had been crushed, there was no wound on his body. The darkness wrapped around his body raised his defense terrifically. Ryu Han-bin pointed the tip of his greatsword at his opponent. ¡°Surrender, Alien!¡± Zhang Luxin let the recommendation to surrender go out through one ear. Instead, he looked at Han-bin and wondered. ¡°Level 5?¡± Nonsense. Just by looking at his kick, he could never be Level 5. ¡°Of course.¡± As if convinced, he muttered. ¡°It seems that humans in this world are also using Unique Items.¡± Ryu Han-bin was also puzzled. Somehow the reaction was different from Alejandro¡¯s. ¡®Isn¡¯t he suspicious that I¡¯m an Earthling?¡¯ Maybe he didn¡¯t know anything because he just fell into Latna. ¡®Does that mean that even normal Guidelines do not convey information about this world in detail?¡¯ Han-bin didn¡¯t respond. ¡®There are too many eyes. I don¡¯t want to risk a slip of the tongue.¡¯ Raising his greatsword, the Valtara warrior burst into a roar. ¡°Gaaaaaargh!¡± * * * A meteor hit the black-haired Alien. His terrifying sword cut through the air, but Zhang Luxin¡¯s scimitar blocked it. Daang! Ryu Han-bin was confused for a moment. ¡®He blocked it?¡¯ Of course, he wasn¡¯t putting a lot of strength into it. He couldn¡¯t kill it. Still, he exerted enough power to make it hard to block. ¡®He¡¯s stronger than expected.¡¯ Zhang Luxin launched a counterattack. ¡°Die!¡± With a shout, he charged towards Han-bin. Han-bin also quickly swung his sword to defend himself. The two blades collided several times in the air. Bang! Bang! Bang! Whenever the blade struck, the darkness would burst forth along with loud clashing metallic sounds. Every time their weapons connected, shocks crawled up his forearms. Based on his strength, he seemed to be stronger than Alejandro. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have to loosen up a little bit more.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin¡¯s forearm swelled thickly, and his tendons outlined against his skin. His black greatsword began to rush the opponent mercilessly with a violent gale. ¡°Taaaaats!¡± As expected, there was no more counterattack when he decided to put more strength. Zhang Luxin was only concerned with defense. ¡°Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!¡± Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t pushed out. Standing unwaveringly, he managed to block or avoid all sword attacks. Ryu Han-bin stuck his tongue out. ¡®How strong is this guy?¡¯ Then Zhang Luxin spoke. ¡°How strong is this guy?¡± ¡°Pfftt!¡± Han-bin laughed for a moment. The other person was having the same thoughts. The problem was that the laugh seemed to ridicule Zhang Luxin. ¡°You dare laugh at me?¡± In anger, Zhang Luxin began to take action in earnest. He activated a skill while swinging his scimitar continuously. -Wind Rush! A pitch-black vortex spiraled towards Ryu Han-bin. At the same time, black lightning forked and crept up from both of his sides. It was a pincer attack. Han-bin turned around calmly. That type of attack was familiar. At the Rocky Mountain, giant Demon Dogs equipped with magic used to rush at him from all directions. Ryu Han-bin slashed the tornado in front of him. ¡°Taaaats!¡± It wasn¡¯t the ¡®real Horizontal Cut¡¯ that he learned through the Guidelines. It was a crushing blow that followed the teachings of Maxbrid Martial Art. It was the ¡®Horizontal Cut¡± that had been trained hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of times over decades. He had already mastered it, disallowing him from using it carelessly. Otherwise, he could eliminate his opponent in one blow. Of course, the ordinary Horizontal Cut was also powerful. The vortex of darkness was smashed singlehandedly. Baaaang! Han-bin¡¯s cut power even struck the lightning behind his back. The black lightning was torn, and the third burst of resilience flew towards the opponent¡¯s head. ¡°Ugh!¡± It was like a three-series of firework bursts. The confused Jangr Luxin activated another skill. -Block! He had to stop the perfect swordsmanship technique. Ryu Han-bin twisted his waist while he was swinging his sword. The greatsword glided over the scimitar, causing sparks to fly. He momentarily lowered his posture and delivered a low kick. Unable to cope at all, Zhang Luxin couldn¡¯t help but let the attack connect. ¡°Kaaaarh!¡± Although it might seem simple, Han-bin¡¯s attack contained the secret of Maxbrid Martial Art. On the other hand, Zhang Luxin¡¯s blocking was a skill learned from the Guidelines. It was not a skill he had learned directly. Only his outward appearance was plausible, but his understanding of actual swordsmanship was extremely poor. ¡®You should have worked hard instead of relying on Guidelines!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin, who caught the chance to win, began to charge forward in earnest. He attacked from all directions. A bomb-like strike blew in with a black wind. Woong! Woong! Woong! Zhang Luxin, who had been insanely pushed back, gritted his teeth. ¡°Tsk! This bastard!¡± Darkness sprouted from his whole body, taking the form of a deadly beast¡¯s sharp claws and attacking Ryu Han-bin. ¡°I¡¯ll cut you, you little bastard!¡± Looking at the claws of darkness flooding from all sides, Han-bin was nervous. ¡®This is a bit tricky.¡¯ It was harder to detect the darkness, which just ran wild freely, rather than a sword that only believed in skill and was wielded clumsily. For now, he calmly avoided and started to defend. Bang! Bang! Bang! With a series of explosions, pitch-black fragments began to fall all over the place. Zhang Luxin burst into a roar and pulled out the darkness again. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± He shot, swung, and threw the darkness. At the same time, he flew over, slashed, hacked, and stabbed with his scimitar. Ryu Han-bin retaliated with ease using his black greatsword. The scattered darkness overturned the streets, and a devious charge cut through the building. Explosive sounds came and went endlessly. The sounds of buildings collapsing and metals colliding awakened Highten¡¯s night clamorously. Bang! Bang! Bang! * * * Artis and Effir just watched the battle from the sides. ¡°Umm¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡­.¡± The original plan wasn¡¯t like that. Ryu Han-bin was just going to watch, and Artis or Effir was going to capture the Alien. He was level 21 at best. Artis aside, Effir alone had enough level to overpower him easily. Ryu Han-bin, who could not control his strength, had a greater risk of killing the opponent. But unexpectedly, the Alien was stronger than they were informed. Effir clicked her tongue while holding her twin blades. ¡°We¡¯re not a match to join them.¡± While growing at a frightening pace, her level was still in the mid-30s. Artis¡¯s level was only in the mid-40s. Neither had the guts to intervene in such an intense battle. However, they couldn¡¯t just let it go. ¡°Still, if it¡¯s like this¡­¡± Artis prepared magic as he kept thinking about the situation. With his staff upright, he shouted. ¡°Everyone, step back! Wall of Fire!¡± A huge wall of fire soared in front of the Hunters. The Hunters were surprised by the high heat, causing them to jump away. ¡°Ugh?¡± ¡°Oh, are you blocking his retreat?¡± ¡°Tsk, I can¡¯t see what¡¯s happening. Although they complained, the Hunters didn¡¯t really find it strange. It was natural to prevent the enemy from fleeing the battle. With complacency, Artis gave a magic message. -Their eyes are covered, Han-bin! You can fight comfortably now! Ryu Han-bin¡¯s face also brightened. ¡®Artis! You¡¯re smart, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Han-bin flew away, bursting with energy. ¡°Taaaats!¡± He intentionally exposed the gap and focused only on hitting. Zhang Luxin was caught right away. ¡°Your body is open, you idiot!¡± The spear of darkness immediately thrust at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s heart. At that moment, Han-bin tightened his pectoral muscles. ¡°Hmph!¡± The spear¡¯s blade couldn¡¯t penetrate his body and instead was deflected away. Zhang Luxin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Eeek!¡± The black greatsword soon struck him. Zhang Luxin also quickly lifted his sword to block it. ¡°No use!¡± The scimitar¡¯s blade and the darkness in it were both smashed simultaneously, causing a magnificent blast to reverberate. Baaang! Scattering with the darkness, the opponent flew away like a crotch leaf. Zhan Luxin fell, his face filled with surprise. ¡®Why are my attacks suddenly not working?¡± Ryu Han-bin had always been capable of stopping his attacks with his bare body. He just decided against it due to the other Hunters around them. They forced Han-bin to avoid the attacks of his opponent eagerly. No matter how strong the legendary Valtara warriors were, it would¡¯ve still been strange to bounce the darkness that could split rocks apart with only his muscles. Han-bin looked down at the opponent. ¡°Now, I can ¡®suppress¡¯ you properly.¡± Chapter 57 The Devil¡¯s Blessing (3) Ryu Han-bin had been struggling quite a bit to control his power. After he got the Maxbrid¡¯s Martial Art Book, he increased his overall ability even further. Still, the art alone wasn¡¯t enough to teach him how to overpower the opponent without killing it. In the first place, he wasn¡¯t very sensible. When he was in the Rocky Mountain, the Guideline often gave him a message stating, ¡®You don¡¯t have talent!¡¯ He had gotten pretty used to controlling his power, but whether his foes would have a fine corpse, separated bones and flesh, or a completely bloody mush, all fell to the difference in level. Regardless, the result always ended in their deaths. Overpowering the enemy while keeping them alive was a lot more complicated than the other option for him. He couldn¡¯t just eliminate all the enemies he met and walk on their blood. To that problem, Effir offered a clear answer. ¡°If it¡¯s for non-lethal use, use a wrestling principle. Aim for their joints.¡± existed in Maxbrid Martial Art, which pursued the ¡®battle law of the wielder of the sword.¡¯ After pushing away and tackling the enemy with a sword, wrestling against them was considered swordsmanship by the Maxbrid Martial Art. ¡°It is the safest way to keep the enemy alive. Just grab them and break their limbs.¡± Han-bin felt shaken. ¡°It would be difficult to keep them sane with such wounds. It seems a little too much for suppression¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s still better than dying, right?¡± ¡°Well, first of all, I see that the standard of safety here is very different from Earth¡¯s.¡± In a world where cutting people¡¯s limbs was a common practice, that would be safe. Effir shrugged. ¡°Speaking of which, let¡¯s practice together. You can¡¯t practice it without an opponent.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin stared at Zhang Luxin. ¡®It was difficult to get closer because of the many eyes watching us.¡¯ Thanks to the flame barrier, he could finally block all of his enemy¡¯s attacks using nothing but his body. Through that, he would be able to get the opportunity he needed to get closer to him. ¡°Ugh, motherfucker!¡± As he got up again, Zhang Luxin cursed. He picked up the broken scimitar again. Boong! The pitch-black blade sprang up and completed the missing parts by itself. ¡°Taaaats!¡± Along with a roar, Zhang Luxin swung the scimitar in the air. Each time he used the sword, a dark arrow was created and flung towards Ryu Han-bin. Hanbin didn¡¯t try to avoid them. Instead, he simply engaged his whole body and bumped into them! Bang! Bang! Bang! Ignoring the explosions, he approached his opponent. Like a windmill, he threw his sword at him, causing it to spin as it charged towards Zhang Luxin. ¡®Like this!¡¯ Zhang Luxin twisted his body to avoid the certain death coming for him from overhead. ¡°Take it!¡± With Han-bin¡¯s cry, the black greatsword changed its orbit and stretched horizontally. Having no means of escaping it, Zhang Luxin made a shield using the darkness. Bwaang! Though the shield was smashed completely, it managed to deflect the greatsword away. Zhang Luxin smiled with confidence. ¡®I stopped it!¡¯ But it soon disappeared. The only thing that bounced off was the greatsword. He couldn¡¯t see the gigantic man anywhere. ¡°Huh?¡± After throwing away his sword, he charged forward. As the opponent focused on the greatsword, he executed a magnificent tackle. He pushed Zhang Luxin¡¯s body down with his entire weight, maneuvered his way to his opponent¡¯s back, grabbed his head, and disturbed his balance. ¡°Uh, uurgh?¡± Han-bin wrapped something thick around the confused Zhang Luxin¡¯s neck. It was his forearm. He had positioned himself at his foe¡¯s back, putting him in a chokehold. ¡°I got you, you bastard!¡± Han-bin laughed and began to contract muscles. Zhang Luxin groaned. ¡°Ugh, huh!¡± ¡®Come on, faint!¡¯ He remained conscious, however, never fainting for even 10 seconds. ¡®Did I execute it improperly?¡¯ His technique wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. Bare-handed, rear-naked choke was a very simple yet powerful technique. It was easy to do once the enemy had been roughed up. But it was difficult to make it work on him. The darkness served as Zhang Luxin¡¯s armor, protecting his neck from being crushed or being constrained. It was like hanging a person with a cast around his neck. Even though it was causing him pain, it wasn¡¯t enough to prevent air from entering his lungs. Still, it was enough to make Zhang Luxin struggle. ¡°Let me go!¡± A black tornado emerged around him and hit Han-bin. ¡°Huh!¡± Ryu Han-bin did not back down. He crushed the attack with his bare body and made an aggressive move. ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you go?¡¯ He clenched his teeth and took another stance. After digging into the opponent¡¯s lower body like a snake, he suppressed his hamstrings, pulled on his heels, and bent his knees in reverse! Crunch! His leg broke in the blow, causing a painful cracking sound to emit from Zhang Luxin¡¯s body. Unable to bear it, he let out a scream. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± * * * Stumbling, Zhang Luxin sat down on the floor and groaned. ¡°Ah¡­Ah¡­¡± He was about to tear up with excruciating pain. His fighting spirit had disappeared completely. He just stared up at the giant in front of him and ground his teeth. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re only a Level 5. How come you got a good item¡­¡± Han-bin Ryu laughed. ¡®Aren¡¯t you talking about yourself?¡¯ Didn¡¯t he just go on a rampage with a new power unfit for a level 21? Regardless, he still got satisfactory results from it. He didn¡¯t kill the opponent but rather just incapacitated him for combat. ¡®I have to finish this.¡¯ But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Looking at the defeated opponent, he moved slowly. He appeared relaxed yet powerful beyond belief. Zhang Luxin turned pale with fear. ¡°U-uuugh¡­¡± The real reason Han-bin moved slowly wasn¡¯t to put on a show but to prepare for any possible counterattacks, but his opponent wasn¡¯t aware of that. Zhang Luxin looked around frantically. ¡®I have to run away!¡¯ But how? He broke his leg and couldn¡¯t walk anymore. ¡®Damn it! Does this item have anything like a flying ability?¡¯ Zhang Luxin¡¯s Guideline was activated. [Dark Wings: This is one of the powers given by Incomplete Blessing of Omphalos. Shout ¡®Dark Wings¡¯ to start it.] ¡®¡­ Are you kidding me? There is!¡¯ Surprised, he opened his mouth wide open. ¡®If I was going to do this, I could¡¯ve just flown to get out of this city!¡¯ Regardless, it was definitely a lifesaver. Hurriedly, Zhang Luxin cried out the word. ¡°Spread, Dark Wings!¡± Large crow-like wings spread behind his back and flapped powerfully. The young man began to rise to the sky. Han-bin muttered with a sour look. ¡°Is he planning on flying away?¡± There were a lot of guys like that among the Demon Dogs. It was similar when he faced Alejandro. ¡®He¡¯s quite a slow climber. The nobleman flew around like a missile.¡¯ Calmly, he picked up a stone near his feet. He then threw it effortlessly. Bang! He hit the target accurately. But he didn¡¯t fall. He didn¡¯t even stop rising. The moment Ryu Han-bin hit him, he blocked the attack with a dark shield. ¡°You still have that thing?¡± The darkness was a formidable defense. When he cut it himself with a sword, he had to use quite a bit of power to destroy it. It was impossible to penetrate it with the power of stone-throwing. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Even among the giant Demon Dogs, many were sturdy enough to resist ordinary stone-throwing. So, he had developed a method to deal with such situations. Han-bin picked up a broken building ruin nearby. It was a chunk that was as big as a child¡¯s body. Even if he threw that as it was, it would be quite powerful, but¡­ ¡°Secret Sword, Comet Bomb!¡± Exclaiming the name he gave to the technique, he threw it up into the air. He then faced his sword¡¯s filler towards it and batted it towards his opponent. Daang! It was a powerful swing that would make the fourth batter in the major league cry. What he did was no longer part of swordsmanship. It would be more proper to label it as the epitome of ignorance that didn¡¯t show the least bit of respect towards swords. It wasn¡¯t something that should be done with such a weapon. But the power of his delivery was outstanding! The blown rock smashed through the shield easily and hit Zhang Luxian¡¯s body. In the air, fragments of darkness and rocks scattered in all directions, creating a loud fireworks display. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± With a desperate scream, Zhang Luxin crashed onto the road. Han-bin quickly ran to check his condition. He had finally managed to make him unconscious. ¡°But is he breathing?¡± He was indeed breathing. A subtle smile crept upon Han-bin¡¯s lips. That time, he was successful in controlling his power! ¡®Okay, I captured the Earthlings safely.¡¯ He broke a leg, about four ribs, and caused bruises all over his body. He was also bleeding from his head the size of a cushion stuck on the ground. Yet, Han-bin still labeled it as ¡®safely.¡¯ He had become quite a Valtara warrior. Looking down at the fallen Zhang Luxin, Ryu Han-bin rolled his eyes. ¡®Okay, onto the next phase.¡¯ Originally, he had no concern about capturing Earthlings. He only thought he was a Level 21 warrior until he met him in person. What he was worried about was after he captured him. According to the rules, the Earthlings should be tied up and entrusted to the Mage Guild or Hunter Guild. Then, it must be handed over to the Alien Interrogator for confirmation and a bounty. He couldn¡¯t just take him home without following the procedure. If so, he would be questioned. ¡®Artis and I prepared a good scenario, but¡­¡¯ Ryu Han-bin stared at the fallen Zhang Luxin. The situation was a little different, but he could manage to move according to the plan. After relaxing for a while, Han-bin screamed. ¡°It¡¯s over, Artis!¡± * * * Artis¡¯ flame barrier slowly subsided. Everyone could finally see the result of the battle. The figure of a Valtara warrior stood proudly behind the fire barrier. ¡°Oooooh!¡± ¡°Did you finally catch the Alien?¡± The Hunters who tried to burst into cheers were soon puzzled. Why couldn¡¯t they see the Alien? ¡°What happened?¡± Artis approached the Valtara warrior with a question. ¡°Felard, what about the Alien?¡± The Valtara warrior showed the torn clothes and scimitar in his hand. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What? I told you we had to capture him alive!¡± ¡°He was too strong to do that.¡± The gathered hunters grasped the situation and nodded. When Aliens died, their bodies disappeared. ¡°Oh, is he dead?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t an ordinary monster. Even the Valtara warrior couldn¡¯t capture him easily¡­¡± Since the Alien died, there was nothing more to do. The Hunters began to scatter. As the eyes disappeared, Artis asked quietly. ¡°You didn¡¯t really kill him, right?¡± Han-bin replied with a smile. ¡°I dug the ground and buried him well.¡± After moving to the collapsed building, Ryu Han-bin dug up the dirt in the corner. A black-haired young man in underwear was underneath all the soil. Zhang Luxin remained unconscious. Han-bin used his clothes as proof that he had died. ¡°Let¡¯s take him out of here.¡± They crumpled Zhang Luxin into a large backpack they had prepared in advance and quickly returned home. They then carefully laid him down on the floor. Now it was time to wake up the Earthling and get information out of him. Han-bin looked down at the young man with black hair. ¡°How do I wake him up? Should I pour water on him?¡± Chapter 58 Devil¡¯s Blessing (4) Zhang Luxin was dreaming. ¡®Um¡­¡¯ It was set in Shanghai, just before he was sent to that world. He was on his way home after work as usual. He walked across the street without thinking. A bus ran him over, killing him. It was a ridiculous death. When he opened his eyes again, he stood in the glare of light, facing a beautiful girl. ¡°Earthling.¡± The girl called out to him. ¡°Your life has ended.¡± Zhang Luxin casually nodded his head, thinking it was true. ¡°But your soul is special. You have the right qualities to express the will of the Lord Omphalos.¡± She said he was the only God of Latna, and she was an angel of the Lord Omphalos. Her mission was to resurrect the Earthlings, who had blessed souls but died in vain, as warriors of the great God. It was hard for most 21st century Earthlings to accept such a notion at the get-go, but Zhang Luxin didn¡¯t dare doubt it. Just standing there made him certain that the girl was sacred and transcendent. The angel smiled softly. ¡°Dear chosen one, please decide your destiny.¡± Will you choose to die this way? Or will you accept a second chance in life as a warrior of the Lord Omphalos? ¡°¡­ I will become a warrior of God.¡± Zhang Luxin accepted. He would die if he refused regardless. With the ability of Guideline, he fell into a new world. [This is the parallel world, Jerren Latna. You have reached this world as a ¡®selected one.¡¯] [You have been selected as a ¡®qualified one.¡¯ Your goal is to survive and grow in this world. I wish you good luck.] The parallel world of Jerren Latna was harsh. He couldn¡¯t find time to relax, and different dangers always threatened his life. However, Zhang Luxin didn¡¯t have any complaints. God¡¯s training ground was set up for those who had qualified, and if they couldn¡¯t survive there, they would¡¯ve met the same result in the Latna continent anyway. And for him, escaping to the other world was a dream. He often had similar delusions, cursing the life of reality. So he could bear it. He even enjoyed it sometimes. He met another qualified person who became his colleague. He saved a beautiful girl by cutting down villains. He met a powerful monster and ran away with all his might. He cried before his colleague¡¯s death. Those were difficult but worthwhile days. Zhang Luxin smiled joyfully in his dream. ¡®Ha, haha¡­¡¯ At that moment, the darkness boiled, and the dream was broken. Another truth was unfolded beyond it. As usual, he could see himself going home after a part-time job. But there was no bus. There was no death. He simply stopped moving and started falling into a dark pit. He burst out into a wretched scream as he entered a state of limbo. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Zhang Luxin felt embarrassed. ¡®I wasn¡¯t dead, was I? Did I really get a second chance?¡¯ After a while, the original dream returned. His embarrassment vanished with the nightmare. Zhang Luxin¡¯s expression also returned to normal. Recalling his memory that he had never doubted, he laughed again. ¡®That¡¯s right. I¡¯m dead. And I got a new life¡­¡¯ * * * Effir wasn¡¯t present when he woke up. She had told the other two that she¡¯s going to be getting some water. ¡°Uh, Ugh¡­¡± The fainted Earthling trembled and groaned. Ryu Han-bin and Artis looked at him nervously. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Be careful, Han-bin. He might run away again.¡± ¡°What are you worried about, Artis? If he runs wild, we can subdue him again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you or him. Be careful not to break the house.¡± Contrary to their expectations, Zhang Luxin didn¡¯t wake up. Something else had woken up in his stead. Grrrr¡­ The darkness escaped from Zhang Luxin¡¯s body. A Unique item, the incomplete Blessing of Omphalos, converged in the air and slowly materialized. It took the form of a man and made a strange sound. ¡°Ahhhhh¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s expression became cautious. It was a sight they had seen before. ¡°Huh? Wasn¡¯t this the guy from back then?¡± Artis, too, muttered in bewilderment. ¡°Why is this coming out of here?¡± It was reminiscent of the black spirit they fought against in the province of Gyuzac. * * * His dream continued. In it, it had been five months since he fell in Jerren Latna. Zhang Luxin became an inspector of level 20 safely. He also qualified to leave a similar world. Swirled by light, he moved to the Latna continent, a real world. Looking around, Zhang Luxin looked excited. ¡°Now I can live a new life here?¡± The Guideline popped all sorts of messages in the air. [You have reached this world as a ¡®qualified person.¡¯ The goal is to adapt, survive, and continue to grow in this world, and achieve the final mission by raising the level.] [Final Mission: Remove one of the six Goddesses of Latna.] [Latna¡¯s Six Goddesses: Althia the Goddess of light, Kibriel the Goddess of darkness, Yessen the Goddess of fire, Rhamniana the Goddess of water, Sorondi the Goddess of land, and Preleu the Goddess of wind.] [The person who performs the final mission will be rewarded.] [Final Mission reward: Eternal youth and immortality. Returning to Earth while maintaining the ability when carrying out missions. Obtaining the right to fulfill three wishes.] ¡°Well, I can¡¯t just relax.¡± Looking at the Guideline, Zhang Luxin was nervous. This world, Latna, was dying. The six Goddesses had banished Omphalos, the one God, and replaced him. If he didn¡¯t get rid of those evil demons that drove Latna to destruction, the new life and the world itself would disappear. ¡°But the stupid people of this world worship those Goddesses as benevolent beings. Hmm.¡± Clicking his tongue, Zhang Luxin strapped a scimitar around his waist. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it!¡± In high spirits, he stepped forward. A beautiful voice came out of the Guideline. ¡°Please, warrior of God.¡± She sounded sweet yet also mournful. ¡°Please save Latna!¡± * * * The Black Devil suddenly pulled out an onyx mace and attacked Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Caaah!¡± Han-bin quickly raised his arms to defend himself. The weapon went through his forearms and struck his stomach. Thud! ¡®It¡¯s the same as before.¡¯ He immediately switched positions and delivered a middle kick. Whiip! The kick just passed through it. ¡®There¡¯s really no difference.¡¯ As a test, Artis also tried magic. ¡°Magic Arrow!¡± In order to avoid destroying the house, he used the most basic magic. However, as expected, the spell just passed through the evil spirit, causing it to hit the wall instead. Artis tilted his head. ¡°Is that him then?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Han-bin looked at it intently. The Guideline¡¯s response was different. [Blessings of the Incomplete Omphalos (Unique Item)] The evil spirit of Gyuzac wasn¡¯t a unique item, and their levels and identities were displayed, though the Guideline labeled both as unknown. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but¡­¡± With both arms hanging down, Ryu Han-bin approached the evil spirit. ¡°First, I have to take care of it.¡± He had already done it before. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t do twice. He intercepted the mace with his face. Bam! The iron mace was smashed, causing its fragments to fall. Artis stared at the scene in amazement. ¡°I know the theory, but I still don¡¯t understand how it could work.¡± Han-bin took another step forward to ensure that the monster would die when it attacked again. The evil spirit suddenly backed away. It quickly seeped into Zhang Luxin, who remained unconscious. A terrible scream reverberated from him. ¡°Argh!¡± The blade of darkness began to orbit the whole body of Zhang Luxin. His wound continued to open, and blood splashed everywhere. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Embarrassed, Artis glared at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°What have you done, Han-bin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± * * * Zhang Luxin opened his eyes. A terrible ache was spreading across his body. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The pain lifted him out of his dream and made him realize the truth. He was dying. ¡®Dying? Me?¡¯ In a place like that? In vain? He hadn¡¯t even done anything yet. He felt like that was impossible. When he fell into that world, he was the protagonist of a dramatic epic. It had to be. He who got a second chance that was not given to others could never be just an extra! And he was going to die just like that? ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous!¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to die that easily. He refused to let his story be so lame! * * * Ryu Han-bin and Artis didn¡¯t have time to react. Zhang Luxin writhed in the throes of death as he bled immensely. ¡°Argh!¡± His eyes began to lose their light. Han Bin gnashed his teeth. ¡°Damn it!¡± It was a sight he had seen several times already. It was human death. Soon the body of the Earthling disappeared. The darkness also disappeared. ¡°He¡¯s dead¡­¡± Desperate, Artis¡¯s shoulders drooped. Ryu Han-bin vented his anger. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I did my best to control my strength so that you wouldn¡¯t die!¡± Effir, coming back from her errand with a bucket of water, felt embarrassed. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What about the Alien? What¡¯s that black thing?¡± ¡°Black thing?¡± Doubtful, Artis looked towards the direction she pointed. On the floor, some of the pieces of darkness that had been smashed earlier were shaking. The darkness slowly agglomerated and turned into a small piece. It was a piece of black jewel shaped like a square. When Han-bin focused on it, the Guideline popped the identity of the black jewel. [Fragment of Complete Omphalos¡¯s Blessing(unique item)] That was all. There was no further explanation. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± * * * A cellar in an abandoned castle heavily darkened. A man and a woman stood there, where the faded magic crew gave a faint glow. The blond man, Richard, shuddered with joy. ¡°It¡¯s finally finished!¡± Darkness rose before his eyes. The darkness, which filled the last piece of the puzzle with the Alien¡¯s spirit as a sacrifice, returned to the place where it was created. Leslie was also excited. How much time did they invest in completing the darkness? They were finally reaping their reward. She smiled joyfully at Richard. ¡°Now we can go back to the center.¡± Although they had lost Shin Ha-Joon and Alejandro, the reward made up for it. They were the only ones who succeeded in the experiment. That contribution would also be highly appreciated at the top. Boom boom! With a strange noise, the darkness clung together and began to materialize. It gradually converged and gathered in one spot, becoming a black crystal the size of a fist, spinning around in the air. The two Earthlings watched the scene in ecstasy as a message from the Guideline appeared before them. [Blessing of Near-Completion Omphalos (Unique Item)] At that moment, Richard and Leslie felt lost. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± If it were complete, then it would¡¯ve stated it in the name of the item. What was ¡®almost complete¡¯? Frustrated, Leslie looked back at Richard. ¡°What should we do, Richard?¡± With a wry face, she frowned. They didn¡¯t really know the detailed theory behind the experiment. They just did what their superiors told them to do. Even if something seemed wrong, they had no way to correct it. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything else but to submit it as it is.¡± Collecting the black crystal, Richard gritted his teeth. ¡°Damn it! What the hell is going on?¡± Chapter 59 Goodbye, Highten (1) Han-bin and his party huddled together and looked down at the unidentified piece of black crystal. ¡°So¡­¡± Effir muttered. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Fragment of Complete Omphalos¡¯s Blessing¡¯?¡± Ryu Han-bin answered in a carefree way. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What a long name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s long, and the grammatical meaning is ambiguous.¡± What the hell was Omphalos¡¯s Blessing? Artis became even more curious. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what the Guideline says? Any further explanation?¡± ¡°No.¡± Picking up the black crystal, Han-bin frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s just put it aside for now. What do we do with this?¡± The black crystal was part of the darkness that the Earthling had. The darkness brutally mutilated its master and killed him. Effir furrowed her brows. ¡°It¡¯s an impregnable thing. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to throw it away?¡± If they dug deep in a deserted place and buried it, it would be enough to prevent it from getting into other people¡¯s hands. Artis was against the idea. ¡°The situation is too serious for that, considering it¡¯s related to the Devil.¡± Ryu Han-bin also agreed. It had the name Omphalos. ¡°I¡¯ve got a clue about the Devil as far as I¡¯m concerned. It would be a waste to bury it.¡± Nevertheless, it was dangerous to carry a Unique Item around without any countermeasures. It would be wasteful to throw it away, and they would be leery of carrying it around. Artis agonized about their predicament for quite a while before reaching a conclusion. ¡°Let¡¯s seal it and take it with us.¡± They purchased a Demon-wrap from the Mage Guild and stored the crystal in there. ¡°This should be enough.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin¡¯s daily life didn¡¯t change much after he went through the Alien incident. Hardly practicing the Maxbrid Martial Arts, he exerted all his efforts to raising the levels of Artis and Effir. The plan to level up the two members of the Dragon Race had changed slightly. Since they had been fed enough energy, they needed to build up the appropriate combat experience. ¡°Let¡¯s close up Rastol Dungeon, Han-bin.¡± ¡°I agree. It¡¯s time to hit a different Dungeon.¡± He didn¡¯t bother joining other Hunters¡¯ teams because they had already achieved the goal of spreading rumors about how powerful they were. They were more than enough to close down Dungeons. Cread, Safira, Kephal, and Hythedas. Four more Dungeons banished from Latna. A huge amount of Devil¡¯s Spirit Stones, Magic Tools, and Four artifacts had been looted. It had been a month since then. Han-bin and his party had started attacking the Telvas Dungeon, the most powerful Dungeon in Highten. * * * The huge Gyger lake was already in darkness. Under the magical light source that rose into the air, a large monster that looked like a combination of warts and spiders howled. Grrrrr! Grand Slasher, Guardian of the Telvas Dungeon. The demon was powerful enough to completely destroy a team of 10 top Hunters of Level 48. Yet the Grand Slasher was being pushed back by a single little silver-haired girl. -Magic Swordsmanship: Wind Rush! With her body speeding up, Effir took a low stance and attacked the left side of the beast. The Grand Slasher roared, causing the insect¡¯s overlapping eyes to glint. Arghhhhhhh! Dozens of flaming arrows were formed in the air and rained down like a firestorm. At the same time, spiky stalagmites shot up from the floor, aiming for Effir. ¡°Huh!¡± Through elegant maneuvers, she avoided all the attacks. Her speed didn¡¯t drop, either. She took the most efficient evasive actions that required minimal movements and no unnecessary delays. Wasting no time, she pierced her twin blades into the fragile crevice between the shelled jaws of the beast. -Magic Swordsmanship: Howling Thunderstorm! Powerful shells protected the Grand Slasher, but its interior was soft. A blitzkrieg flowed through the double swords, burning the body of the demon. Argh! The Grand Slasher struggled with its last scream. After a while, it stopped moving and started producing a well-done barbecue scent. After pulling out the weapons and shaking the body fluids off of them, Effir laughed delightedly. ¡°I got you!¡± Ryu Han-bin, who was only watching from afar, applauded. ¡°Congratulations, Effir. You¡¯ve reached level 50.¡± Collecting the Spirit Stone of the Grand Slasher, Artis also praised her. ¡°You managed to get rid of this beast by yourself, Effir.¡± He watched her battle intently like Ryu Han-bin. Though quite familiar with the battle itself as a Magic Swordswoman, Effir still lacked ample amounts of combat experience. They decided to make her battle the Guardian alone to make up for that weakness. ¡°Level 50. Did I catch up with Artis?¡± Artis shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m Level 52 now.¡± ¡°Eh? When did you level up?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± ¡°Huh, I was hoping I¡¯d catch up with you.¡± With a sigh, Effir sheathed the twin blades by her side again. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve still got a long way to go.¡± She wanted to be strong and helpful. She grumbled. Artis soothed her in a soft voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush. With your talent, it¡¯ll be possible, sooner or later.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to care at all about how strong Effir had become in just a few months. A Dragon¡¯s life span was long. It lasted anywhere between 500 years old and 1,000 years old. Their levels rose proportionately slow to how they aged. It took too long to become stronger compared to short-lived species. The acquaintances of Artis had had too many experiences to overtake them in a flash. As such, it didn¡¯t hurt his pride that Effir would be at a higher level than him. He would be stronger than her 100 years later. Why? By then, Effir would be old and dying already. Of course, Artis didn¡¯t really think about that. It meant that his pride was hurt when he thought of such a thing in the first place. It just meant that he was insensitive to others getting stronger quickly than him. After all, a Dungeon¡¯s Guardian had been cleared. He had nothing left to do in the Telvas Dungeon. Ryu Han-bin stepped forward. ¡°Then let¡¯s close this one as well. Take the Artifact.¡± The Dungeon Core could be seen behind the fallen Grand Slasher. Fluttering in the air was a white robe. Han-bin clicked his tongue after looking at the Guideline. ¡°There¡¯s something useless attached to it?¡± [Robe of Self-Repair (Artifact) Chanting the activation word ¡®Recovery¡¯ would restore the damaged area to its original shape. Level Requirement: Lv. 45. Number of uses: 30 times a day.] ¡°It¡¯s just automatic mending.¡± It wasn¡¯t a useful function for combat at all. He didn¡¯t have to mend his clothes anyway. ¡°By the way, this world¡¯s Magic Tool concept is weird.¡± Artifacts were stronger than available magic items, but Unique Items weren¡¯t stronger than Artifacts. Their value depended on its number of uses available as well as the level requirement. As a result, there were quite a few useless Artifacts. ¡°I can¡¯t even sell it.¡± It would be better to wear a robe with other useful special traits for combat than to wear the one they got. However, Artis coveted it. ¡°Can I have it, please?¡± ¡°What? What are you going to use it for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve torn my robes a lot lately. I want to stop doing a strip show.¡± ¡°I see. Artis, it would be quite useful for you.¡± It would be better to wear one of those than carrying around a bunch of robes. ¡°But don¡¯t you need it more, Effir?¡± Whenever Effir went back to being a Wyvern, her clothes would get torn as well. Artis shook his head. ¡°I thought of that, too, but it¡¯s a robe. Can you put on that fluttering robe and fight against gladiators, Effir?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an armor that can be recovered automatically.¡± Eventually, the robes of self-recovery fell to Artis¡¯s care. Pulling the robe out of the air, Ryu Han-bin grinned. ¡°Then Telvas Dungeon is out of business.¡± The space warped, and the Dungeon began to close. * * * A period of ¡®Energy Digestion¡¯ naturally followed after filling their cores with it. Artis was in the midst of his magic research that day as well. He opened several books and scrolls and continued to operate mana, experimenting with what he was learning. It was all to study Burning Flare, a Level 52 Magic spell. Ryu Han-bin, who was watching from the side, raised a question. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Frowning, Artis grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s difficult. There¡¯s too little data.¡± Thanks to Han-bin, Artis leveled up at a tremendous speed. Every time he did, he spent all his money on buying scrolls. The higher the level of magic, the higher the price of scrolls. He had already been economically broken a long time ago. Just recently, they had the following conversation. -I¡¯m penniless. Han-bin, lend me some money. -You said you¡¯d pay me back for your life. Is it okay for you to owe me more? -I have so much debt that I can¡¯t pay you back right away. I¡¯ll just increase my debt. Then I¡¯ll pay you back all at once! -¡­ Do you have much pride or not? You¡¯re confusing. Of course, Ryu Han-bin lent him money without hesitation. He didn¡¯t need the money anyway. Artis, who had learned magic so quickly, slowly reached a limit. If he had money, he could buy magic scrolls and learn spells easily up to level 50. However, orders beyond that level couldn¡¯t be obtained from such changes. Artis had no choice but to learn from his own research. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do but to study hard.¡± ¡°You suffer many hardships.¡± Artis grinned at Han-bin¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s no hardship. I have no conscience if I level up as easily as I do yet still complain.¡± He gradually reached level 52 Mage. He was level 60 in his Dragon form. His Dragon level was 52 when the Mage was level 36. He felt like the Dragon¡¯s level didn¡¯t increase as much as he thought. However, it was a natural result. When using Level 36 magic, the Dragon¡¯s physical strength was greatly reflected in its practical ability. It was the difference between a child holding a sword and an adult holding a sword. On the other hand, magic above level 50 was now available. His magic power had greatly increased, so instead of a sword, it was more like he had a gun. At the point of holding a gun, the gap between children and adults was greatly reduced. The stronger he became as a Mage, the less he needed to rely on his Dragon form¡¯s physical strength. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible for me to raise my level so fast. Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because I need it. You are welcome.¡± Feeling embarrassed, Ryu Han-bin changed the topic. ¡°By the way, Effir leveled up a lot too, didn¡¯t she?¡± In the backyard outside the window, they could see a beautiful silver-haired girl practicing magic. -Magic Swordsmanship: North Wind Winter Snow! White snow fluttered like petals as part of the colorful sword dance. In between, her twin blades passed by in detail, drawing an elaborate orbit. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing to see it again.¡± Even if she could just buy a scroll and learn Magic Swordsmanship from it, her skills could only be improved through sheer effort. Effir was a hardworking genius. She quickly mastered most of the Magic Swordsmanship after purchasing their respective scrolls. She also made enough progress with the Maxbrid Martial Arts to be able to use it intermediately. ¡®I¡¯m still in the beginning stage.¡¯ Of course, Ryu Han-bin also had his own sets of achievements. In his own way, he had achieved amazing results. He could lightly punch in the air. A lightning-fast punch was delivered and retrieved without a sound. Han-bin liked it and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Now I can control my strength, Yo.¡± He finally reached the point where he could choose not to kill a man with his bare fists! Artis, who was watching, replied with a sullen look. ¡°Let say it¡¯s okay with bare hands. How about holding a sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not yet¡­¡± Regardless, everyone had become quite stronger than before. Artis continued. ¡°You think we¡¯ve reached the limit of this city?¡± Artis and Effir no longer saw the enemies in the Dungeon City of Highten as powerful. Though pulling energy in lump sums, the rate of their level-ups had slowed down. They had closed even Telvas, the most powerful Dungeon. Leveling up there had become inefficient. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± Ryu Han-bin looked out the window with a serious look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s time to leave Highten.¡± Chapter 60 Goodbye, Highten (2) When Ryu Han-bin and Artis came to Highten from Onpros City, their preparation was simple. They only needed to travel a short distance, and neither of them was in such a good situation at the time. They prepared only the necessary amount for a walking trip. But things were different now. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long journey, so it¡¯ll be more convenient for us to buy a wagon. Besides, we have a lot of money now.¡± ¡°Oh, are you rich? I thought you had spent all your money on magic scrolls.¡± Looking back at Ryu Han-bin, Artis shrugged. ¡°I mean, you have a lot of money.¡± Then, Artis extended his palm towards Han-bin. ¡°Come on. Lend me some money.¡± With simple words, arrogant eyes, and no shame on his face, Artis was indeed as proud as vanity! ¡°¡­ You seem to be changing your attitude?¡± With a sigh, Han-bin shook his hand. ¡°Let me buy the wagon. I¡¯m using my money anyway. What¡¯s the point of this?¡± ¡°No! I haven¡¯t paid for my life yet!¡± In the end, Artis¡¯s strange obstinacy couldn¡¯t be reasoned out. Han-bin clicked his tongue, lending Artis money. ¡°At first, I thought it was some form of great belief, but now you look like a fool. Do you know that?¡± Artis, holding a bag of gold coins, rose from his seat. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the wagon workshop.¡± * * * With a lot of money, Artis suggested buying an automatic wagon. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier for us to manage.¡± Han-bin tilted his head in wonder. ¡°Automatic wagon?¡± The nuance told it was a wagon that ran automatically and didn¡¯t provide any other explanation. ¡®Then it¡¯s not a wagon anymore. Isn¡¯t it just an automobile?¡¯ He got the answer once he arrived at the workshop. Looking at the two horses standing in front of him, Han-bin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s an automobile.¡± They were moving horse statues, not living ones. It was a kind of Golem fueled by Spirit Stones. ¡®The horse is the one that¡¯s automatic, not the wagon itself?¡¯ Since they weren¡¯t living creatures, there was no need to feed them or clean up after them. When given an order, it didn¡¯t do anything else but what it¡¯s been tasked to do. It was indeed automatic. The workshop owner guided the two golem horses towards them. ¡°Two Golem steeds, as ordered.¡± Artis asked, looking at the condition of Golem steeds. ¡°You got a pretty good product. What is the efficiency of the Spirit Stone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in grade three. In the Highten Mage Guild, it¡¯s hard to produce more efficient Golem.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fully satisfied with it.¡± Artis handed over the sack of gold coins. ¡°Then here¡¯s the payment.¡± The workshop owner went away to prepare the bill. Han-bin looked at Artis. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just make a Golem wagon that runs on its own?¡± He wondered if it was necessary to make a horse out of a Golem and drag the wagon. Even though he was an engineering illiterate, the automatic wagon¡¯s energy conversion efficiency didn¡¯t look good. ¡°Oh, like a car on Earth?¡± Understanding what he meant, Artis began an explanation. ¡°It¡¯s too much. Magic doesn¡¯t make things like wheeled golems.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because wheels don¡¯t exist in nature.¡± Golem magic was a way to copy and implement life magically. Until wheeled creatures existed, wheeled golems couldn¡¯t be made. ¡°A Spirit Stone engine? I¡¯ve heard an Alien is trying to do that¡­¡± It apparently consumed so much Spirit Stones to start the engine that the concept was disregarded due to its inefficiency. Besides, Earth cars were not compatible with Latna¡¯s culture in many ways. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient if we turn it into a car.¡± That Golem steed alone had a level requirement of 45. Artis could finally buy it. Making a car with magic would surely have a similar restriction level, which meant it wouldn¡¯t be usable without a decently high level. On the other hand, it was different in the case of automatic wagons. It was just a normal wagon without the Golem steed. Ordinary low-level people could use it. ¡°You can leave the Golem steed or just use the wagon; hence it¡¯s much more efficient.¡± ¡°Is that comfortable?¡± Ryu Han-bin scratched his head. ¡®I think it would be much easier just to change the whole car for use.¡¯ Regardless, they¡¯ve made the payment. They entered the workshop. ¡°We¡¯ll have to pick a wagon.¡± Inside the workshop were dozens Ryu Han-bin checked the wagons out without much thought. Artis looked around and admired the scene. ¡°Thanks to Earthlings, this process became much more comfortable.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t make wagons like this before.¡± Decades ago, Latna¡¯s wagon workshops started production only when orders were placed. However, with the introduction of modern sales offices¡¯ concept, wagons began to be displayed and showcased in places where there were many travelers to help them choose the product they needed. ¡°Why haven¡¯t Latna people come up with such a simple idea?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more amazed at you admiring this. You ignored guns and cars.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s negligible. This is convenient.¡± Of course, the two were unaware. The people in the workshop were having the opposite conversation. ¡°We have to stop making and displaying wagons in advance like Earth.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to. We sell one per month at most, and it only costs more to make each type in advance. It¡¯s better to make it when there is an order.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a loss for us to follow the trend.¡± ¡°Why are Earthlings doing this nonsense?¡± Since the economy type and scale were different, clumsily copying the concept couldn¡¯t be profitable. Artis chose a wagon. It was a covered wagon suitable for long-distance travel. They didn¡¯t forget to visit the Mage Guild. It was to sell their house. Artis clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been less than half a year since I bought the house.¡± ¡°If I had known this, I would have just rented it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for you to level up that fast.¡± The house was entrusted to a sales representative by the Mage Guild. If the house was sold, the remaining amount of money could be transferred from other cities¡¯ Mage Guild. The guilds in Latna also served the same functions as the banks on Earth. Finally, by applying for the Hunter Guild¡¯s membership cancellation, their work at Highten Dungeon City was finished. * * * The next morning, after all the preparations, Han-bin and his party left their home. As she climbed on horseback, Effir looked faint. ¡°It¡¯s time to say goodbye to this house now. I¡¯ve been attached to it a lot.¡± Ryu Han-bin soothed her, then bluffed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you buy a better house? No, should I just buy a mansion? I have a lot of money.¡± And right away, Artis scolded Han-bin. ¡°Prices in the central area of the Continent are extremely high. You can¡¯t even buy a cabin in that area with your savings.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Artis then got into the wagon. Han-bin suddenly hesitated. ¡°Wait, can I get into the automatic wagon? Valtara warriors avoid Magic Tools.¡± Artis waved, telling him it would be okay. ¡°Valtara warriors avoid the use of Magic Tools, not everything related to it.¡± To be exact, they hated the activation of it. Unlike people with hydrophobia who were afraid of water, they were not afraid of the Magic Tool itself. ¡°You¡¯ve been eating meat stored in a cold storage room or bread heated in a Magic oven, but no one thought it strange.¡± It would be strange to drive the Golem steed himself, but there was no problem if he was just a passenger in the wagon. ¡°Well, if it were that way, I¡¯d have to be freaked out every time my opponent wields a magic sword. I got it.¡± Convinced, Ryu Han-bin also got on the wagon. ¡°Then we¡¯re leaving.¡± Sitting on the coaching box, Effir shouted the activation word. ¡°Activate, Golem steeds!¡± The two Golem steeds, which were hardened like stone statues, began to spring alive. Tap, tap. Soon the wagon moved forward with a cheerful hoof. She waved cheerfully at the remote canyon. ¡°Goodbye, Highten! Thanks to you, I¡¯ve leveled up.¡± * * * There was a splendid masonry hall with shining magic lights all over it. A man and a woman were bowing their heads apologetically inside it. Richard and Leslie had left the countryside and had returned to the center. With his head down, Richard stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I did as instructed, but I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong¡­¡± In front of him was a middle-aged man looking down on them. He looked about forty, but in fact, he was nearly ninety. His aging had stopped because of the Goddess¡¯s blessing. He was the greatest Magic swordsman in the present Latna continent and one of the four strongest beings. He was the absolute ruler in that era, who punished Great Earth and was blessed with immortality. Garhan, the Terrible, asked the two in a gentle tone. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­¡± Shivering, Leslie crawled forward. And she politely offered the black crystal. Garhan¡¯s eyes, which received the crystal, shone clearly. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± He placed the crystal on a large monument next to him. It was a measuring stone. Garhan couldn¡¯t figure out the magic item as soon as he saw it, unlike Aliens could. Soon the letters of light displayed the item¡¯s information. [Blessing of Near-Completion Omphalos (Unique Item)] Garhan smiled bitterly after reading the name. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with it.¡± Leslie bowed her head deeper and deeper. ¡°Please forgive me¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Garhan gestured in the air. ¡°Go away. I will decide on your fate later.¡± Richard and Leslie immediately withdrew. Garhan, who was left alone, frowned. ¡°Not a complete success, but not a failure either?¡± In agony, he grasped the crystal. Even if there was a problem, it was the first time that such a high-quality result was made. It was well worth a try. ¡°Mix.¡± The black crystal melted itself into the palm of his hand. ¡°Is there an amplification on body capacity? But this doesn¡¯t mean much¡­¡± It felt like a Giant equipping a Magic Tool that allowed it to utilize the physical ability of an Orc. Did an Orc¡¯s muscular strength matter to a giant? It was a powerful force that seemed to destroy the world for Zhang Luxin, but it was insignificant to Garhan, one of the strongest four. What he wanted was not that ability. ¡°Shall I test it?¡± Mumbling, Garhan rose. He left the hall and went underground. Standing in front of a huge prison blocked from all sides, he looked inside. There was a man in his 40s trapped inside the prison. He was covered with blood as if he had been through hardships. The man freaked out when he saw Garhan. ¡°Oh, Lord G-Garhan! Please mercy!¡± Garhan had a curious look on his face. ¡°Well, it looks like this.¡± His level was revealed before his eyes. [Race: Human. Wizard lv. 68.] ¡°I can¡¯t believe I can get other people¡¯s information so easily¡­¡± The man cried out. ¡°S-save me!¡± Garhan didn¡¯t even blink. He slowly lifted his finger and pointed it at the man. ¡°Arghhh!¡± The man¡¯s neck was cut off, causing blood to spill. The headless body fell on the cold floor. Judging from the fact that the body remained intact, he seemed to be a human being in Latna, not an Alien. Soon the message of light appeared before him. [Lv. 68 Wizard cleared. You¡¯ve got an experience of 4,359,130.] [Current Experience: 4,359,130/213, 871,945,300] A woman¡¯s voice was heard on the other side of the aisle. ¡°How is it going, Garhan?¡± She revealed herself out of the darkness. She was a young woman with dark skin and curly, glossy blond hair hanging down to her waist. ¡°It¡¯s a success, Genovia.¡± Looking back at her, Garhan smiled contentedly. ¡°Listen to Holien. It¡¯s time to start the second experiment.¡± Chapter 61 Fairy Kingdom Allendia (1) Ten days had passed since they left Highten city. Ryu Han-bin enjoyed the peaceful sceneries of the fields before them as he sat in the wagon. ¡°That¡¯s strange. There¡¯s a rumor that a lot of bandits have settled here, but I haven¡¯t even seen one.¡± He heard that traveling in Latna was highly dangerous. ¡°Mr. Buckman enthusiastically told me that I should always be careful when traveling long distances because there are a lot of monsters out there, and bandits are rampant across the continent.¡± Effir, sitting next to him, tilted her head. ¡°Who¡¯s Mr. Buckman?¡± ¡°A good man who injured his back.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± In the past ten days, Han-bin and his party had never been attacked. ¡°It¡¯s safer than I thought.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right.¡± Effir burst out in laughter. ¡°There¡¯s a Golem steed attached to the wagon. Of course, there would be no bandits.¡± Golem steeds could only be operated by a person level 45 or higher. It was essentially galloping proof that the wagon was carrying high-level people. What¡¯s more, the man sitting inside the wagon was an unbelievably large being. The 190-centimeter-tall giant covered with steel muscles was also carrying a two-meter-long sword. ¡°But if it were you, would you come at me, Han-bin?¡± ¡°Perhaps?¡± The rattling wagon continued to carry them forward as they talked about such a nasty story. Artis called the two. ¡°Han-bin, Effir!¡± The sun had reached the peak of the sky. It was almost lunchtime. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± They parked the wagon in the middle of the field and prepared for lunch. But they didn¡¯t follow the kind of camping atmosphere that was often imagined, with bonfires and cauldrons. ¡°Let¡¯s have a quick lunch with yesterday¡¯s leftovers.¡± Muttering, Artis opened the cold storage in the wagon and took out vegetables and meat. He then put the meat in the Magic oven and began to operate it. They were all Magic furniture used at home. Latna¡¯s Magic Tools were powered by Spirit Stones as if they were battery-powered. Cutting a loaf of bread, Artis rose a question. ¡°I heard on Earth, you all have to deliberately build an infrastructure that plays the role of Spirit Stones and connect it through wires that stretch for thousands of kilometers to use this furniture, right?¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s about power plants and wires, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Oh, how can they use it? That sounds incredibly inefficient.¡± ¡°¡­ I never expected to hear modern civilizations on Earth to be labeled as inefficient in this world.¡± Holding a bowl, Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°Our worlds have a lot of similarities! Don¡¯t ignore Earth.¡± Meanwhile, Effir set up a simple table and finished preparing their meal. A man, a Dragon, and a Wyvern sat at the table and ate lunch together. ¡°That¡¯s right, Artis.¡± As he cut through the meat, Han-bin raised a question. ¡°What exactly are the Four Prohibited Areas?¡± * * * Unlike on Earth, Latna was made up of one supercontinent. It was a horse-hoof-shaped continent as large as Eurasia, North America, and South America combined. There were Mediterranean Metis and three great powers at its center. Caldris, the thousand-year-old Kingdom of the North. Allendia, the fairy Kingdom of the West. Lune, the Mana Kingdom of the East. The three countries were called the three Continental Powers. They were at war against each other for the supremacy of Latna. The Latnains called them ¡®the Continent Centers.¡¯ For Hunters, however, the term ¡®Continent Centers¡¯ had another meaning. It was the hell of royalties, located throughout the Continental Powers¡¯ territories, where monstrosities beyond common sense appeared. Such places were extremely high-level Dungeon areas that not even the four strongest beings of Latna could have conquered. That was the Four Prohibited Areas. ¡°It¡¯s quite confusing at first. It¡¯s called the Continent Center, then the Three Powers. Now it¡¯s called the Four Prohibited Areas¡­¡± Artis laughed at the grumbling Ryu Han-bin. ¡°That¡¯s what people usually use. It has many names.¡± Han-bin already knew the names of the Four Prohibited Areas. ¡°They¡¯re the Great Maze Kaltan, Tower Mountain Rufus, Ice-Flame Forest Hithran, and Floating Island Avalta?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Highly dangerous Dungeons continued to appear in the Four Prohibited Areas. The Three Powers¡¯ role in the middle of the continent was to protect Latna from worldwide erosion by preventing those areas¡¯ expansions. The thousand-year-old kingdom of tradition, Caldris, suppressed the Tower Mountain Rufus. The Fairy kingdom Allendia suppressed the Ice-Flame Forest Hithran. The Mana Kingdom Lune suppressed the Floating Island Avalta. ¡°Lastly, the first dungeon and the worst dungeon, the Great Maze Kaltan, is being directly suppressed by the Sword King Baotolt.¡± It was a difficult duty for the Continental Three Powers, but at the same time, it gave them access to great wealth and honor. They constantly gained massive amounts of Spirit Stones, Magic Tools, and Artifacts from the Four Prohibited Areas. Countless talents from all over Latna tried to seek wealth and fame there. It allowed the three Continental Powers to reign as the most powerful countries without the other countries being able to contest them. ¡°And it¡¯s the four strongest men who have dominated the Four Prohibited Areas.¡± Ryu Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°Are the four strongest men the kings of the Continental Powers?¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± Artis began to explain the current situation of the Latna Continent. ¡°The Kingdom of Caldris is under the control of the Thunder King.¡± Latna¡¯s strongest Magic Swordsman was the Thunder King Garhan. However, he wasn¡¯t the king of the Kingdom of Caldris. But everyone considered Garhan as the real ruler of the kingdom. ¡°Tepes Hall Caldris, the current king, is his grandson. The queen of the last king was Garhan¡¯s daughter.¡± King Tepes was still a young teenager, and most officials were people of the Thunder King. The real power of Caldris was in the hands of Garhan. ¡°Allendia, the Fairy Kingdom, is under the influence of the Immortal.¡± The current king of Allendia was Nymph-Fairy King, Lophlan Strauss Allendia. He was a just monarch recognized by the four fairy races. ¡°Because the Fairy King¡¯s queen is Hollien, the greatest Spiritist in Latna.¡± ¡°He took one of the strongest four as his wife? Fairy King. He has talent.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got it backward.¡± When she married Lopplan, the fairy king, Hollien was just an ordinary Nymph. She had never learned Spiritism. ¡°After she became the Queen of the Fairy Kingdom, she began to learn Spiritism as a hobby. Allegedly, that¡¯s how she became the strongest.¡± ¡°¡­ What? Wow.¡± Han-bin¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise. ¡°Spiritism, learned by the well-grown queen of a country as a hobby. She beat all the other Spiritists who had dedicated their lives to it?¡± Artis nodded affirmatively. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to believe as well, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. That¡¯s the truth.¡± The Mana Kingdom, Lune, was ruled by its queen, Arc Mage Genovia. Lune was also concurrently the head of the Mage Guild Sinkers. They followed a hierarchy where the strongest Mage naturally became the ruler of the country. ¡°So three of the Strongest Four have direct and indirect influence over the Continental Three Powers.¡± Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°Then what about Sword King?¡± Artis replied with a smirk. ¡°The Sword King doesn¡¯t hold any country. He¡¯s that indifferent to secular power or wealth and honor.¡± He was the strongest swordsman on the continent and the strongest Valtara warrior of the time. He was the Sword King Baotol, an old-timer who dreamed of becoming a true warrior. His only joys in life were believing in his sword and wandering endlessly in search of a strong opponent. All he ever desired was to fight against powerful enemies. In the vast continent of Latna, there were only Four Prohibited Areas that could quench the Sword King¡¯s thirst, who had reached the ultimate level. Due to that, he had settled in the Grand Maze and was spending his old days slaughtering monsters. ¡°Thanks to him, the Grand Maze Kaltan is contained.¡± ¡°¡­ The other three strongest men have taken the nation¡¯s deterrent to rule the prohibited areas. But the Sword King rules one of such areas using only his sword.¡± Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°He must be a real monster.¡± It was difficult to separate the three Continental Powers, the Four Prohibited Areas, and the four strongest men because they were tightly intertwined. That was why the public called it the Continental Center. It was a place where all the wealth and fame of Latna, which all Hunters dreamed of, gathered. For Ryu Han-bin¡¯s final purpose, and to empower Artis and Effir, advancing to the Continental Center was essential. So Artis chose Allendia, the Fairy kingdom where Hithran, the Ice Flame Forest, was located, as their next destination. Not for any particular reason, other than¡­ ¡°It¡¯s just the closest to Highten.¡± With a smile, Artis concluded his explanation. ¡°By tomorrow, we¡¯ll be able to enter the western border of Allendia.¡± * * * The next afternoon. The wagon kept running on the road. Ahead of them was a large wall and a tall gate loomed over them in the distance. ¡°Is that Hithran?¡± Artis shook his head in disagreement. ¡°Not yet.¡± The Ice-Flame Forest Hithran, the Four Prohibited Areas of the Fairy Kingdom, was located in central Allendia. It was a long way from there. ¡°That¡¯s the western gateway city, Tyaron.¡± Artis and Effir were still slightly too low-leveled to head straight to the Ice-Flame Forest. And the Dungeons near Tyaron city had the difficulty suitable for level 50 or greater. ¡°We have to increase our levels if we want to go to Hithran and actually survive there.¡± Tyaron city, like any big city, was forbode wagons from being used in public areas. After leaving the wagon and the Golem steeds to the external castle, Han-bin and his party went into the city. As they passed through the gate, an unusual scene unfolded. Tyaron itself was not much different from Highten. There were exotic buildings across the city, and its people dressed in medieval clothing filled the streets. The unusual part was its composition. While the majority of the residents were human, there were often people with unusual traits. He saw a slim, beautiful lady with pointed ears buying items in a store. The seller eagerly accommodated her with his small body, broad shoulders, and a rich beard. In front of the store, men and women with gray skin and long legs passed by hurriedly. A little further away, women with half-translucent blue hair hanging down, like glass fiber, laughed and chatted. Latna¡¯s four Elves, so he had heard of. Elves and Dwarves, Sylphs, and Nymphs. Looking around in disbelief, Ryu Han-bin murmured. ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never seen non-human races.¡± Artis and Effir looked back at him in bewilderment. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°First time seeing what?¡± What was he talking about? He had been with a Dragon and a Wyvern throughout the majority of his journey. Feeling embarrassed, Han-bin scratched his head. ¡°You have the appearance of human beings anyway.¡± Fairies, on the other hand, were different from humans. Their features and bones were quite different in addition to their distinctive appearances. It was an amazing sight for Ryu Han-bin, who had only seen human civilizations since he had arrived in that world. ¡°Oh, my God, can¡¯t I consider this view as amazing?¡± Han-bin, who was looking around frantically, turned his eyes away in a moment of impatience. ¡®It would be a natural sight for the people of this world, but it would cause problems if I looked around looking so surprised.¡¯ Effir shook her head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be okay? There aren¡¯t many people from other countries that had seen elves in person anyway. Even I have never seen them before.¡± There were too few angels in Latna. Even though that country was called the Fairy Kingdom, there were still overall more human inhabitants in it than there were non-human ones. As such, the fairies didn¡¯t travel that much outside of Allendia. It was common for Hunters from other countries to arrive in that country and find Elves or Dwarves amazing. Artis also provided related information. ¡°On the contrary, the people of this country are already fed up with all sorts of different human beings, so they don¡¯t pay much attention to outsiders.¡± Many people from all over the continent visited Allendia to seek their fortunes as Hunters. With people of different origins and characteristics gathering together in their territory frequently, nothing surprised them any longer. Of course, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s appearance was never decent, so he was still put in the spotlight. ¡°Oh, look at him!¡± ¡°Why is he going around naked during the daytime?¡± ¡°He must be a Hunter from another country, right? Hunters are barbaric anyway.¡± ¡°Look how big and thick that is, though.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take the subject out. It sounds weird.¡± Looking at the reactions towards him, Ryu Han-bin giggled. ¡°No matter how famous Valtara warriors are, it¡¯s hard to tell at a glance unless they¡¯re Hunters.¡± Artis nudged him forward. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Hunter Guild. We need to renew our status.¡± Chapter 62 Fairy Kingdom Allendia (2) Tyaron Hunter Guild Hall. Entering the reception area on the first floor, Ryu Han-bin immediately drew the attention of the Hunters present. ¡°What¡¯s up with that man? Why isn¡¯t he wearing armor?¡± ¡°Is he one of the legendary Valtara warriors?¡± ¡°Huh, does he carry the blood of the Sword King?¡± Unlike ordinary people, Hunters quickly noticed the identity of Han-bin, or rather, his fake identity. But they didn¡¯t make a fuss like in Highten. ¡°He¡¯s not fake, is he? I heard some pretended to be Valtara warriors.¡± ¡°Aye, those people get caught just by looking at the level of their colleagues.¡± The Hunters there were also highly qualified because it was a high-level Dungeon area. Most of them had awe-inspiring eyes, but some of them wanted to fight. ¡°How strong will he be?¡± ¡°He¡¯s young. He¡¯s just arrived on the continent.¡± While ignoring them, Han-bin and his party headed to the reception desk. The receptionist greeted them with a smile. ¡°Welcome to the Tyaron Hunter Guild.¡± Typical procedures followed. The levels of Artis and Effir were measured, then their Hunter status was renewed. The woman then asked Ryu Han-bin a question politely. ¡°Are you a Valtara warrior?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll register you again as their guard.¡± There was no need to break the measurement stone and make a fuss since Ryu Han-bin¡¯s identity had already been proven in the Highten Hunter Guild. After completing the procedures, new identification cards were issued. [Tyaron Hunter Guild: Special Hunter, lv. 52 Mage, Artis Venetian] [Tyaron Hunter Guild: Top Hunter, lv. 50 Magic Swordsman, Effir Venetian] [Tyaron Hunter Guild: Felard Bean, Guardian Knight of Artis Venetian]] ¡°Congratulations. The three of you have successfully registered at the Tyaron Hunter Guild Hall.¡± With their registration completed, it was time to find work as a Hunter. Artis looked at the Guild¡¯s bulletin board to gather information about nearby Dungeons when someone approached them. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± A beautiful, blue-haired female Nymph smiled at them. ¡°Can you give me a moment of your time?¡± * * * The Nymph politely introduced herself. ¡°I am Seira Roel Syaran, a level 50 Spiritist. I serve Raondel Eli Atransas, the third son of Atransas.¡± Artis felt surprised. ¡°Atransas? Is it that Atransas family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ryu Han-bin blinked obliviously. ¡®Atransas family?¡¯ Effir also seemed quite surprised. ¡°Is that a famous family?¡± That time, Seira was surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the family of Atransas?¡± The name seemed to be something that Latna people should know. At that moment, Han-bin¡¯s face stiffened. ¡®Did I make a mistake?¡¯ Fortunately, Artis covered for him. ¡°He just crossed over to the continent. He still has much to learn about our world.¡± ¡°Well, I think he is pretty young as a Valtara warrior.¡± Artis looked back at Han-bin. ¡°Atransas is the family representing the Elves and is one of the four royal families of the Fairy Kingdom.¡± Allendia, where the four Elves lived together, was also inherited by the four Races. The Elves, Dwarves, Sylphs, and Nymphs represented the royal families, and the most outstanding of them would become the next Fairy King. ¡°So Raondel is the Prince of Elves?¡± ¡°Not a prince, to be exact. He¡¯s not the son of the Fairy King. But it¡¯s safe to call him a prince in terms of the high-ranking royal family.¡± With Artis¡¯s explanation done, Seira continued. ¡°A member of Atransas has to prove his or her capabilities. The Prince wants to prove his skill by confronting the evil heresy that afflicts the people.¡± Effir began to wonder. ¡°Are you saying that the royal family of a country tried to attack a Dungeon themselves?¡± Artis had suspicions about it. ¡°That¡¯s a very¡­ unusual story.¡± Attacking a Dungeon was something that could bring wealth and honor. But it was difficult and, above all else, extremely dangerous. Anyone from the royal family usually avoided such life-threatening places since they were born rich and honorable anyway. Seira sighed as she realized the meaning of the atmosphere. ¡®Should I tell them the truth, too?¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to talk about the family¡¯s story to strangers. But there was no time. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. Prince Raondel is not very well-received in the family right now. His power is weak compared to the First Prince and Second Prince.¡± It was necessary to raise his reputation at any cost. The fastest way to do that was to close a Dungeon. Anyone who got the reputation of Dungeon Closer would have their evaluation drastically change. ¡°Three Family Gods, including myself, have taken care of the Prince and found the right Dungeon.¡± There was a Dungeon called Loer, about a day west of the gateway city of Tyaron. It was an ancient and historical Dungeon, classified as having an average level of the high 40s. ¡°It was a Dungeon that we could target at our level.¡± Raondel¡¯s Family God Dwarf warrior, Trinlock, was a level 54 Aura user. Leabelle, the Sylph Mage, was level 51. In the case of emergency, they had hired a dozen more human Hunters. They should¡¯ve been able to close the Dungeon as planned. ¡°But the information we got was wrong.¡± They encountered dozens of Blood Circers at the center of the Dungeon. Many monsters were around level 55. They were no match to such powerful creatures. Most of the hired human Hunters were killed, and even the henchmen Trinlock and Leabelle had been caught. ¡°Only the Prince and I escaped with our lives intact.¡± Blood Circers slowly killed their captives, sucking on their blood for three or four days. Even if they couldn¡¯t help the dead people, they should still have time to save their colleagues that had been captured. ¡°I soon returned to Tyaron Hunter Guild to look for help.¡± But no one accepted the offer. A swarm of Blood Circers could only be defeated by a team composed of members at least level 60 or higher. The monsters weren¡¯t ordinary in that area. Thus, they had spent the days in vain. Only one day was left until their colleagues meet their end. Sitting in the Guild Hall, she prayed to the Goddesses as she wept silently. ¡°Then you showed up. Indeed, the only thing I could think of was Lamniana.¡± * * * Seira tried hard to persuade Han-bin and his party. ¡®They¡¯re our only hope!¡¯ Of course, she didn¡¯t think the Valtara warrior in front of her would be able to deal with dozens of Blood Circers. She thought Han-bin was too young for that. Now that he had just come to the continent, he couldn¡¯t have awakened Aura yet. The Valtara was accompanying the duo to learn how to break through his limits through experiences. ¡®The Mage and Magic Swordsman are level 52 and 50, so I think he¡¯s about level 60¡­¡¯ They could handle about five or six Blood Circers, but more than that would be hard for them. Dozens of those monsters surrounded them at the time, putting their lives in danger. But no matter what anyone said, they were the blood of the Sword King. They could never be weak. ¡°At that time, we were forced to enter despite the lack of information and were surrounded all at once. There was a good chance of winning if we cleared monsters from the outside beforehand.¡± Defending that it was never reckless, Seira held out a pouch filled with gold coins. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared 10,000 Allens for the reward. I¡¯ll pay 3,000 Allens in advance according to our custom.¡± The face of Han-bin¡¯s party had changed. The currency of Allendia was worth more than the Xrad Kingdom. 10,000 Allens were a huge sum of nearly 300,000X. Effir looked overwhelmed. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money. They are a high-ranking family¡­¡± That was a huge amount for a single request. ¡°10,000 Allens isn¡¯t a small amount of money for us either. It just goes to show that we¡¯re taking this very seriously.¡± Presenting her request, she shouted in an earnest tone. ¡°Please help us! There¡¯s no more time left for the captured people!¡± * * * After saying that they needed a brief discussion, Han-bin and his party gathered in the corner of the Guild Hall. Artis cast a simple sound-proof magic spell to keep the conversation safe from eavesdroppers. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± It was simple to deal with a bunch of Blood Circers. It was about the way other people looked. But Ryu Han-bin had also grown quite skilled at controlling his strength. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be okay? We can get through it for as long as we avoid unnecessary battles.¡± Artis nodded. ¡°I feel the same way. Han-bin, it¡¯s not a big deal if you clear the Blood Circers.¡± Effir looked troubled, however. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a burden for me.¡± There was no particular reason. ¡°Just, it¡¯s a little bit¡­ He¡¯s an elven prince¡­¡± She had few good memories when it came to princes. She was kicked out of the Flying Dragon Knights Order and was forced to flee into the forest because of the Xrad Kingdom prince. ¡°Prince Raondel. I heard he doesn¡¯t have a good reputation. What if we get tangled up in his mess?¡± Han-bin and his party didn¡¯t really have any reason to accept it. The commission was enormous, but there were plenty of things they could do to gain income. They still had enough money. But Artis shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not something so simple to pretend it¡¯s negligible. It¡¯s the business of the family of Atransas.¡± At present, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s ultimate goal was to be blessed by a Goddess of the Six Churches. For that reason, he had steadily raised his reputation and cooperated with the affairs of the Church. ¡°We¡¯ve made quite a name in Highten, but it¡¯s just a reputation in the countryside. We¡¯re still unknown here.¡± On the other hand, if the Atransas family¡¯s request was resolved, they could quickly make their name known in the Fairy Kingdom. The Church would also begin to ask for a higher level of cooperation, and it would be easier to raise their rank in the hierarchy of collaborators. ¡°And most of all¡­¡± A gentle smile appeared on Artis¡¯s face, who had observed the situation like a cool-headed staff officer. ¡°We¡¯re saving lives, aren¡¯t we?¡± It was an opportunity to do something good. Han-bin wanted to do the job. ¡°Even if our situation becomes troublesome, it¡¯s better than letting someone die on our watch.¡± Naturally, the eyes of the two Dragon Race members turned to Han-bin. ¡°Eh, to be honest, I didn¡¯t think that far¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t just a hard job, but they just were attracted by the huge reward. In any case, he also had no intention of denying the proposal. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do it. Well, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± They all agreed. Han-bin and his party went back to Seira. Artis nodded. ¡°We accept your request.¡± A bright smile was displayed on her nervous face. ¡°Then, shall we leave right away? Like I said earlier, we don¡¯t have time.¡± Chapter 63 Fairy Kingdom Allendia (3) Seira was staying at an inn near the Guild Hall. When she came back with Han-bin¡¯s party, the blond Elf male frowned. ¡°Who are these people, Seira?¡± ¡°These are the hunters we¡¯ve been looking for, Prince Raondel.¡± Seira quickly began to explain. In the meantime, Ryu Han-bin had subtly activated the Guideline¡¯s Search function. [Race: Elf. Magic Swordsman lv. 39] ¡®Only level 39? His level is too low.¡¯ He was no more than a senior Hunter. His level wasn¡¯t anywhere near enough to go into the local Dungeon. ¡®He must have trusted his staff.¡¯ Meanwhile, Raondel was also surprised when he noticed Han-bin. ¡°A Valtara warrior?¡± But somehow, the reaction was quite different from others. It was true that he was surprised, but he soon sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m not in a good position to get the help of such a lowly man.¡± No matter how famous Valtara warriors were, he was nothing but a humble southern savage for the noble Elf royal family. ¡°Phew, I didn¡¯t expect to be intertwined with the ignorant race who only depended on power¡­ The situation is so bad that I can¡¯t help it¡­¡± He was whispering to himself, but Han-bin could hear it all. When Han-bin frowned casually, Raondel gave an order with an imperative tone. ¡°Tell me about your level!¡± Artis and Effir introduced themselves without a hitch. ¡°I¡¯m Artis Venetian, Prince. Level 52 Mage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Effir Venetian, level 50 Magic Swordsman.¡± Ryu Han-bin did not answer. The Prince didn¡¯t have to know Han-bin¡¯s level with the disguise of a Valtara warrior. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what my level is.¡± Han-bin answered bluntly. Raondel¡¯s anger was awakened. ¡°You! You have no manners! How dare you try to insult the heir of Atransas?¡± In a hurry, Seira stopped him. ¡°Prince Raondel, he carries the blood of the Sword King!¡± When it came to the Sword King¡¯s blood relatives, it was not inferior to Atransas. Seira meant it, and Raondel seemed to understand the situation. Clicking his tongue, he nodded. ¡°I see. You¡¯re an uneducated beast, aren¡¯t you?¡± He then glared at Ryu Han-bin arrogantly. ¡°Take it as your honor, savage. If it weren¡¯t for this urgent situation, you wouldn¡¯t have had the honor of taking on the work of Atransas!¡± Looking at the Elf, Han-bin was amazed. ¡®Wow, this type of bullshit existence exists in this world.¡¯ Han-bin was so dumbfounded that he didn¡¯t even get angry. He was going to ignore him. ¡®But I¡¯m a Baltara warrior, am I not?¡¯ Unconsciously, Ryu Han-bin took a step forward. A big shadow instantly loomed over the young elf domineeringly. ¡°Who are you?¡± Raondel felt embarrassed and disrespected. Argh! A powerful punch landed cleanly onto the Prince¡¯s handsome face. Of course, Raondel fainted immediately. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Dear Prince!¡± Surprised, Seira looked back at Han-bin. ¡°What are you doing?¡± With his upper body muscles inflated to the fullest extent, Ryu Han-bin yelled. ¡°True warriors do not tolerate insults!¡± That was right. The Valtara race believed that being afraid of the aftermath was a shameful act committed only by the ¡®cowards of the continent.¡¯ To protect his identity as a Valtara warrior, he must not tolerate the situation! ¡®Well. I¡¯m not suffering from Intermittent Explosive Disorder.¡¯ Thanks to that, Raondel was completely knocked out, causing him to froth at the mouth. ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­¡± With a bitter smile, Han-bin inwardly apologized. ¡®I did it, but I¡¯m sorry I hit you anyway.¡¯ * * * They left the fainted Raondel and Seira at the inn and moved to the restaurant on the first floor. As soon as they sat at a table, he asked, in contemplation. ¡°Oh, why did you do that?¡± He knocked a member of the royal family down. They wouldn¡¯t let it go. Ryu Han-bin shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± It was just as bizarre for a Valtara warrior to endure insult as it was to find a royalty walking down the street naked. ¡°If I put up with it, he won¡¯t be able to let me go.¡± It was a must-have job to conceal his identity. Artis also agreed with Han-bin. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It won¡¯t cause a huge problem.¡± If Ryu Han-bin had murdered Raondel, he would be chased to death, but he would not be persecuted just because he used violence. He was a Valtara warrior, after all. ¡°Just because they want to save face, you think they can significantly reduce the family¡¯s power?¡± Besides, when it came to the Sword King¡¯s blood relatives, a single blow did not seriously damage their reputation. Raondel had grown so fine that he didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll bother you moderately after he¡¯s done with the request. Raondel could hire an assassin to take Han-bin¡¯s life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ An assassin?¡± In a daze, Effir exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s a big enough problem!¡± Artis slapped Ryu Han-bin¡¯s strong chest. ¡°You think this monster would die because of an assassin?¡± On the contrary, it was a good thing to raise Felard Bean¡¯s notoriety. ¡°It would be strange for a Valtara warrior to be so nameless. Think positively.¡± As she slumped down, Effir sighed. ¡°You seem to find the situation so optimistically.¡± ¡°What can I do? I¡¯m going to push hard. I have enough power. Of course, it¡¯s best not to take the request at all to be sure, but¡­¡± Artis shrugged. ¡°The captives would die.¡± Now, he tapped Han-bin on the back, telling him to see it through. ¡°Like a true Valtara warrior.¡± * * * Thanks to Seira¡¯s healing technique, Raondel quickly regained consciousness. His wound was also completely healed. Only the injury was removed, however. The memory of extreme violence didn¡¯t disappear. As soon as he woke up, Raondel went wild. ¡°How dare that lowly barbarian! I¡¯m going to call the knights of my family right now and take his life!¡± Sighing, Seira stopped him. ¡°And all those knights will die. He¡¯s a blood relative of the Sword King.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not the Sword King! No matter how strong a man who just came out of the world is, compared to the power of Atransas¡­¡± ¡°Your family won¡¯t side with you. The Prince did insult him.¡± ¡°What kind of insult did I make? I just called a low man, a low man! Isn¡¯t the man who couldn¡¯t accept facts at fault here?¡± Seira sighed deeply. ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ Well, she had been by his side for longer than a day. She chose the right words to soothe Raondel. ¡°Why are they called savages? If he could understand you, he wouldn¡¯t even be called a savage.¡± It might have only worked a little, but Raondel calmed down. ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s my fault for talking to a wild dog.¡± He still seemed upset, however. ¡°Damn it. I can¡¯t let this humiliation pass.¡± ¡°Then won¡¯t you save Trinlock and Leabelle?¡± ¡°S-save them.¡± ¡°Then we need their power for now.¡± ¡°But¡­ um¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll forget about it for now until we save them!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wise judgment.¡± After talking, the two came down to the first floor of the inn. Without looking at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s side at all, Raondel began talking with a sullen look. ¡°You must have heard the details from Seira, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Artis bowed politely. As much as Ryu Han-bin was going out of his way, he needed to please the immature Elf Prince. Raondel¡¯s expression was a little relieved to see that his attitude was satisfactory. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time, so we¡¯ll start right away.¡± Seira had already prepared for the dungeon exploration. ¡°Do not forget that the Artransas¡¯s name is at stake!¡± After that threat, Raondel and Seira left the inn first. Following them, Effir showed a fresh expression. ¡°Heh, but he still has manners, unlike other royal family members.¡± She thought the Prince would run wild like the Third Prince of the Xrad Kingdom. Han-bin was bewildered and puzzled. ¡°¡­ Where did he learn such manners?¡± * * * Tyaron western road. Ryu Han-bin was riding a big brown horse and galloping along the road with all his might. It was his first time riding a horse, but he was quite good at it. His skill with horses was beyond ordinary. Horseback riding was not easy. However, it wasn¡¯t surprising if a rider had an extraordinary body. ¡®If it denies me, I just hit it. If I fall, I just come back.¡¯ Han-bin quickly got used to horseback riding since he could easily tame the horse. Artis and Effir were driving the Golem steeds. As time was running out, they had left the carriage and took only the Golem steeds. Artis, who was also good at horseback riding, rode the steed in an elegant posture. Effir was also good at it. It was the same as Han-bin, who rode a horse for the first time, but Effir quickly mastered horse riding because of her outstanding physical talent. In the lead, Raondel and Seira rode ahead of them. Like most of the high-levels of Seira, Raondel was driving an expensive white horse for fear of being mistaken as a non-royal individual. ¡°This is the shortcut!¡± As time went by, the road became increasingly rugged, and at some point, it became more mountainous. Looking around, Han-bin was convinced. ¡®I see why horses are automatic, not cars.¡¯ The closer they got to the Dungeon, the rougher the path became. It couldn¡¯t even be called a road any longer. There was little grass because many horses had been there so far. ¡®The roads here won¡¯t be able to support cars.¡¯ Wheels produced the highest efficiency when they were running on well-polished roads. It wouldn¡¯t run properly on bumpy mountain roads. But the Latna continent was not as enthusiastic about paving roads as the Earth. Extremely efficient Magic Tools could only be utilized by high-leveled individuals. If they built a Mana car, the average main customer base would be senior Hunters who frequented Dungeons. The problem was that most Dungeons were located in geographically unusual places. After a Dungeon was found, someone would need to pave the way to it. If someone closed the Dungeon, the road would end up being useless. That was why everyone used the Golem steeds instead. ¡®It¡¯s more cost-effective to ride a four-legged animal than to move than using wheels.¡¯ They continued to gallop towards their destination for hours. It was almost time for everyone except Han-bin to feel tired. Beyond their location, they could see ruins covered by a thick fog. It was their destination: Loer Dungeon. Chapter 64 Loer Dungeon The Loer Dungeon was ancient and historic. A thick fog covered an area stretching for hundreds of meters, and old sites were sparsely visible on its outskirts. That fog was the erosion station and spatial distortion of the world. After entering the fog, the Dungeon unfolded. Unlike the underground maze Dungeon, where the entrance was clearly visible, the Loer Dungeon could be accessed by entering the fog¡¯s outer layer. Their fatigue had piled up quite a bit, but there was no time to rest. Seira pushed the party together. ¡°Let¡¯s go right in.¡± With the horses and Golem steeds tied nearby, Han-bin and his party threw themselves into the mist. Saaaaaa¡­¡­. A strange sensation passed by them as a mist-covered ruin was revealed. The interior was much wider than the fog area, which had a radius of several hundred meters. It was almost kilometers wide. Looking at the collapsed stone buildings, Han-bin had a thought. ¡®Those look like ancient Roman or Greek ruins.¡¯ But none of them seemed to have originated from Earth. The atmosphere they gave off was simply similar, but the building¡¯s shape and the engravings were completely different. ¡®Where the hell are these Dungeons coming from?¡¯ As Han-bin wallowed in his curiosity, the group quickly moved along the road. They were able to pass through Loer Dungeon¡¯s entry point without much trouble since most areas had been cleaned. After passing four crossroads, Raondel addressed the party. ¡°The places we passed through are all Clean areas. From here on out, monsters will start coming.¡± Han-bin and his party were already prepared to fight. Artis readied his staff, Seira untied her fingers, and Effir had already unsheathed her twin blades. Ryu Han-bin also pulled out a two-meter black sword. Raondel was overly chatty. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be nervous yet. Monsters in this area are level 40 at best.¡± He was right. Han-bin¡¯s group was capable of handling level 50 or higher. However, Raondel shouldn¡¯t be the one saying that. ¡®You¡¯re level 39 at best, aren¡¯t you? We¡¯re fine, but you need to be nervous, right?¡¯ Feeling a bit embarrassed for him, Ryu Han-bin stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± It was common for a powerful Warrior to take the lead in a Dungeon Raid. Naturally, Han-bin became the main tank. ¡®How much further?¡¯ Suddenly, they heard a shriek from above. Raising his head, Artis smiled coldly. ¡°Finally starting to show up, huh?¡± Unlike the underground maze-type Dungeon, the Loer Dungeon was completely open, leaving the sky visible. Of course, it was not Latna¡¯s sky. It was covered with endless distortive fogs. Dozens of monsters were flying within it. They were female monsters with feathered wings attached to their arms and eagle-like talons on both feet. Effir immediately recognized their identity. ¡°Harpy!¡± Harpies began to burst out a lush cry in unison. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± * * * [Race: Ice Harpy lv. 40 A flying monster that performs mana-infused attacks through sound waves and can cast ice magic when it¡¯s in late level 30s. It uses a neutralizing technique at long distances and then finishes the target with its talons.] As explained by the Guideline, the ice harpies did not approach Han-bin¡¯s party past a certain distance. They glided over the sky and spun around far away from them, bursting into a roar. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± The air was distorted, and sound waves in the shape of arrows flew in. Seira quickly conjured defensive Spirit. The ice harpies¡¯ attacks hit the barrier, causing a violent sound to echo. Boom! After blocking the first attack, she addressed the party. ¡°Harpies never approach until their prey has been incapacitated! We need to result to long-range attacks.¡± Of course, Han-bin and his party already knew that. Effir immediately launched a counterattack. -Magic Swordsmanship: Light Spear! Artis also cast a spell. ¡°Create thunderbolts in the sky! Chain Lightning!¡± The Light Spear cut through the air, and the Chain Lightning embroidered the sky. The harpies fell to the ground with the droplets of their blood. ¡°Arghhh!¡± As if responding to their colleagues¡¯ deaths, the remaining harpies began to run wild even harder. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± They continuously flung sound arrows, created blizzards, and fired ice bullets. The fog-filled sky of the ancient ruins was riddled with light and noise. Boom! Han-bin habitually picked up the stones around him. Then he changed my mind. ¡®No, should I do that?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t exactly an emergency. Han-bin didn¡¯t have to step in yet. He thought it would be okay to practice archery instead. ¡°Effir! Give me my bow!¡± Unable to use Magic Tools, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s bow and arrow were kept by Effir instead. She took the bow and arrows out of her waist pocket and threw them to Han-bin. ¡°Here you go, Mr. Felard!¡± Catching the bow and quiver, Han-bin felt awed. ¡®That¡¯s seriously amazing.¡¯ It was a normal pocket on the surface, but things that were many times bigger than it could be stored inside it without any problems. Han-bin quickly wielded the bow properly and nocked an arrow. When Raondel saw the bow, he clicked his tongue arrogantly. ¡°Your bow¡¯s too big, ignorant being.¡± When Han-bin bought it, he said it was like a toy, but it was just Han-bin¡¯s standard. It was quite a big bow in other people¡¯s eyes. After carefully aiming at the harpies in the air, Han-bin released arrow after arrow. Powerful projectiles were fired in quick succession, all followed by sonic booms. Pod! Pod! Paw! But none of them hit their target. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­caw?¡± The harpies looked puzzled for a moment. It was rare for an arrow fired at such speeds to deviate so thoroughly. ¡®What the hell is that big man doing?¡¯ Han-bin grumbled as he nocked another arrow into the bow. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that easy.¡± He had been practicing archery steadily. Thanks to that, the hit rate had increased quite a bit. He could hit a fixed target quite accurately. But it was still too much for him to hit flying objects. Still, Han-bin kept shooting. ¡®This is all part of my training.¡¯ Pods! Pods! Pods! Raondel frowned at Han-bin, who eagerly let arrows loose into the air. Just a moment ago, Raondel was quite impressed by the bow¡¯s size, but Han-bin¡¯s aim was below average. ¡°Well, your archery skill is fucked up. You¡¯re wasting arrows.¡± Raondel pulled out an elegant silver bow from a pouch across his waist. It was a beautiful longbow with a graceful curve. Gold was intricately carved into it. ¡°I will show you true archery!¡± [Seven-of-seven Kill Longbow (Artifact)] It overlaps the seven Level 35 magic spells, increasing their firepower to level 50 or higher, then loads them into the arrow to increase the arrow¡¯s strength. Level requirement: lv. 37. Number of Uses: 120 times a day.] Han-bin admired the weapon silently. ¡®That looks extraordinary.¡¯ It was an amazing Artifact that allowed the user to execute attacks far more powerful than their level. Raondel not being frightened by the Dungeon was odd for Han-bin, considering his level was far lower than the Dungeon¡¯s minimum level, but his weapon provided an explanation. ¡®It can be used a lot. 120 times a day. One could run out of arrows before even reaching its daily limit.¡¯ Moreover, the Magic Swordsman Raondel didn¡¯t have to carry arrows. -Magic Swordsmanship: Empty Arrow! He created arrows through a Magic Swordsmanship technique instead. Every time he fired an arrow, harpies shrieked and fell. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± He had perfect accuracy. Not a single shot was missed. What a blow! The forest race Elves, under the auspices of Sorondi, the Goddess of the land, traditionally had excellent archery. Even such an immature royal family member was equal to expert archers in terms of skill and talent. Boom! Boom! Boom! Through Raondel¡¯s attacks, the number of harpies began to decline exponentially. Eventually, the last of them burst out its death throes. ¡°Ahhhhh¡­¡­.¡± Harpy carcasses littered across the ground, and blood-stained feathers fluttered in the air. Raondel proudly exclaimed as he held the longbow. ¡°Hahaha! This is Elven archery! It¡¯s different from your primitive archery!¡± Han-bin watched the scene expressionlessly. ¡®Well, I can¡¯t disagree with you that you¡¯re good at archery¡­¡¯ But Raondel was still too condescending. ¡®How do I react to this?¡¯ Raondel stepped back due to the silent gaze of the ¡®Valtara warrior.¡¯ ¡°Huh? Why are you looking at me that way, little man?¡± Artis kindly ¡®interpreted.¡¯ ¡°He seems to be wondering if he¡¯s been insulted, Prince.¡± Raondel wondered as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What insult? I didn¡¯t even say he¡¯s not good at archery though he most definitely isn¡¯t.¡± After a moment¡¯s consideration, Han-bin made his decision. ¡®I can skip this.¡¯ Valtara warriors didn¡¯t get angry when they heard that they were not good at cooking or bad at dressing. Such a thing was not an insult to the ¡®warrior.¡¯ Artis grinned. ¡°It¡¯s not an insult. He seems to have reached that conclusion. He¡¯s indeed clumsy with a bow.¡± Raondel asked back. ¡°Then why did he do that at the inn? Didn¡¯t I tell him the truth back then? I just called a savage, a savage¡­¡± Thud! Flap! ¡°¡­¡± Looking down at the confused Raondel, Effir had a curious look on her face. It was because the third Prince of the Kingdom of Xrad came to her mind. ¡®Are all Princes so clueless?¡¯ * * * Monsters frequently appeared and attacked the party. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Humans!¡± ¡°Kill them!¡± A giant, human-like monster with a rugged appearance and bulging black skin rushed in with an iron mace. It was a Great Orc, the upper species of Orc. Swinging her twin blades, Effir flew forward. ¡°Taat!¡± She lowered her posture, narrowly avoiding a blow that could break boulders. She threw her body forward like she was leaning on the floor and stood up again with just the elasticity of her waist, piercing her opponent¡¯s neck in the process! ¡°Ar, argh¡­¡­.¡± With a single blow, the Great Orc died silently. Three more was charging from the back of the crumbling Great Orc. Angry at the death of their kindred, they wielded their swords and spears immediately. ¡°Grrrr!¡± ¡°You little human girl!¡± ¡®I¡¯m not a human being, actually.¡¯ Thinking leisurely, Effir fell slightly backward and swung her weapons in retaliation. ¡°Yap! Taat!¡± The left blade blocked the sword of one of the monsters, and the right blade defended against their spear. Metal sounds resounded violently. Bam! Blocking their attacks, she used her defense posture as a part of her Magic Swordsmanship. -Magic Swordsmanship: Crying Rupture! Shock waves fanned out and smashed the remaining gray monsters¡¯ heads. Bam! Swinging the swords to shake off the blood on their blades, Effir shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve cleared everything here, Mr. Artis!¡± Chapter 65 Loer Dungeon (2) Demonstrating her mastery over the Maxbrid Martial Arts, Effir swiftly killed a dozen orcs. As he complimented her, Artis also cast a spell. ¡°Good job, Effir! Mass Ignition Ray!¡± Eight rays burst forth towards the orcs. Of course, they didn¡¯t easily accept it either. They dodged by pushing themselves immediately. ¡°Crrr!¡± At that time, Seira performed another spirit art. ¡°Bring destruction to my enemies, Althea¡¯s Light!¡± A flash of light fell from the air and hit the Orcs straight and true. Due to their posture¡¯s collapse to avoid Artis¡¯s magic, they couldn¡¯t avoid the attack. Artis had intentionally used low-level magic to do exactly that. Soon a blizzard of blood spilled as flesh scattered throughout the ruins. ¡°Argh!¡± Artis finished the last of them. ¡°Burning Flare!¡± Bam! Everyone fought fearlessly, even though dozens of monsters besieged them. Ryu Han-bin murmured, lightly tapping the Great Orc in front of him. ¡®We¡¯re clearing all of the monsters with ease.¡¯ But not everyone was as strong as they were. ¡°Ouch! You ugly monsters!¡± It was Raondel, who had just regained consciousness. Wielding a long sword, he fought against one Great Orc. The average level of the Great Orc was 45. It was too much for Raondel, who was only level 39. ¡°Dead!¡± Raondel continued to be pushed back. He couldn¡¯t properly deal a blow even though he combined his attacks with magic. He had bought an expensive bow, but not a weapon. The blade of the Great Orc eventually began to hack down on the head of a fine Elf young man. ¡®I can¡¯t let you die.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin stepped in and blew the monster¡¯s head off. ¡°Argh!¡± With a single blow, the monster died on its own puddle of blood. Raondel exhaled sharply after having his life saved. ¡°Huck, huck!¡± He was just bossy, but in fact, the Prince wasn¡¯t that villainous. He came back to that Dungeon all for the sake of saving his staff. If he were a bad guy, he would have sent Han-bin and Seira and stayed in Tyaron, where it was safe. ¡®Yes. Being stupid is not a crime.¡¯ Han-bin at least thought so. Raondel was angry, saying Han-bin had come to rescue him late. ¡°Isn¡¯t your duty to protect me? If you¡¯ve received the money, work for it!¡± Ryu Han-bin was amazed again. ¡®How can you stick to that attitude after being knocked out twice?¡¯ ¡®I think it¡¯s a crime, but it¡¯s not enough to put you to death.¡¯ Han-bin shook his head and looked at the situation. The Great Orcs had already been killed. However, the party didn¡¯t look that good either. After riding on horseback for hours, they immediately entered the Dungeon and engaged in combat. Everyone had accumulated fatigue. As she gathered her breath, Seira looked at the group. ¡°We¡¯re in a rush, but we can¡¯t fight if we¡¯re too tired.¡± They came to save the captives. If they became prey together with them due to exhaustion, it would¡¯ve been a shameful death. Artis pointed to a nearby building. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break.¡± * * * Han-bin and his party settled in a collapsed building. Effir took something out of her space pouch. ¡°Take it, please.¡± She handed out brown food wrapped in oil paper. It was an emergency food called Chapel. It was a combination of nuts, and meat powder and had a higher calorie content and nutrients than its volume, making it a favorite preservative dish for Hunters. ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± Holding the Chapel, Han-bin¡¯s party grumbled. They were quite hungry because they hadn¡¯t eaten anything for hours. Meanwhile, Raondel sat separately with Seira on the other side of the building. He didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Ryu Han-bin. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a meal, Prince.¡± Unlike Han-bin¡¯s party, who was having a small meal, Seira looked like she was preparing a feast. First, she laid a white cloth on the collapsed floor to make space for dinner. Then she poured a bubbly white wine into a crystal glass. ¡°Have a drink for now, please.¡± She prepared a sprout salad with a pot of smoked dried fish patted together. ¡°Good work, Seira.¡± While Raondel was soothing his dry mouth with wine and salads, Seira did not rest. She continued to take all kinds of tasty dishes out of her pouch. A soft steamed egg dish was served with thin slices of beef grilled to medium-rare and meringue as an appetizer. The main dish was a savory flavored shell oil pasta, and duck saut¨¦ marinated with milk in the spices. Seira even had cheese and red wine with slightly fried flowers! ¡°The dishes were carefully prepared by the top chef in Tyaron.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad. To think a country cook can make something quite edible.¡± What an elegant and aristocratic dinner. Impressed, Effir murmured. ¡°Wow, crazy¡­¡± Seira had the guts. Had she brought a full course on the way to Dungeon? ¡®She said it was urgent. She said her colleagues¡¯ lives were at stake. What the hell is that?¡¯ Artis seemed to have similar thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve met quite a few aristocrats, but I¡¯ve never seen such a person. That¡¯s great.¡± Still, Seira was blocking the surroundings with Spiritism to prevent the smell of food from spreading. Perhaps she was forced to do so because she had to serve Raondel. Meanwhile, Ryu Han-bin was panicking in other parts. ¡°Huh? Elves can eat meat, too?¡± Now Raondel was chewing the greasy duck saut¨¦ in his mouth. It was not the same Elven image that Han-bin had in mind. ¡°Aren¡¯t Elves vegetarians?¡± Artis was dumbfounded. ¡°What the hell is that? Why would Elves be vegetarians?¡± Elves traditionally had an excellent archery culture. ¡°But why would vegetarian species develop archery? To pick fruit hanging on a tree?¡± Bows and arrows were tools for hunting moving animals. There was no reason for vegetarians to develop such good archery skills. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Han-bin scratched his head. ¡®It¡¯s confusing because there are so many similarities in this world.¡¯ The food over at the other side was steaming as if it had just been cooked. It even retained its playing, which was done by a top chef. Ryu Han-bin glanced at Seira¡¯s pouch. ¡°That¡¯s a little different from the space pouches we use, right?¡± The space pouches used by Han-bin¡¯s party were taken from Alejandro. It was useful because it greatly expanded the interior volume and reduced the weight, but it did not guarantee its shape or freshness. So, like other Hunters, they brought food that was preserved. On the other hand, Seira¡¯s pouch was different. [Food Conservation Space Pouch (Artifact) Function: The distorted space inside the pouch ensures ten times the storage volume and preserves the food stored inside in the same state as it was at the time of deposit. Level Requirement: Lv. 45. Number of Uses: 50 times a day.] Just put the freshly cooked food in and take it out any time! How else could she do such a crazy thing in the middle of a Dungeon? ¡®I could understand why people in the world ignored Earth. That¡¯s impossible with modern science!¡¯ Han-bin thought magic was amazing. He nagged Artis. ¡°Can¡¯t we carry something like that, too? I think it¡¯s going to be incredibly efficient.¡± Frowning, Artis shook his head. ¡°That Artifact is extremely precious. We can¡¯t just buy one of those with money. They carry it around because they are a family of Atransas.¡± ¡°Huh? There¡¯s such a high-level limit of 45, yet it¡¯s so precious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the opposite. There¡¯s only a level limit of 45, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s so valuable. It¡¯s something nobody can make artificially.¡± The Magic Swordsmanship of Latna had developed steadily, but it was still incomparable to the Dungeon¡¯s Magic Tools. The space pouches used by Artis and Effir were also impossible to reproduce with Latna¡¯s Magic Swordsmanship. It only came from Dungeons. Space pouches were not uncommon in the middle of the continent because they were often found in high-ranking Dungeons. But Seira¡¯s pouch was incredibly rare. ¡°That Artifact probably could only be seen in auctions at the Four Prohibited Areas.¡± The auction price was beyond imagination, as well. There were a lot of people who wanted it. ¡°Normal people like us should be content with such cold storage.¡± ¡°You calling yourself a commoner is quite funny, Dra¨C¡± Han-bin stopped himself from talking by shoving the remaining Chapel into his mouth. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough rest.¡± * * * Raondel grumbled nonstop. ¡°You¡¯ll see, you savage. After I save them, I¡¯ll twist your neck¡­¡± He mumbled and chewed the duck meat in his mouth as if it were Ryu Han-bin. Seira seemed to sigh, but¡­ ¡®At least you¡¯ll digest it well.¡¯ She was also filling her stomach as she somehow thought positively. Han-bin¡¯s group rose from their seats and approached them. Artis spoke politely. ¡°How far are the Blood Circers from here?¡± Seira recalled her memory of the prior incident. ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact distance in the Dungeon, but we¡¯ll be in their territory in about half an hour.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re still safe.¡± Like beasts of nature, there was a kind of ecosystem among the monsters of Dungeons. Because monsters were also wary of each other, they didn¡¯t deviate that far from their natural habitat unless it was a really special case. ¡°But since the situation is urgent, shouldn¡¯t you finish your meal quickly?¡± ¡®Are you guys enjoying the full course? Stop eating and clear the table.¡¯ It was a courteous suggestion. Raondel was puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m already in a hurry to finish eating. Can¡¯t you see that?¡± He talked as if he had already been eating fast enough, but Raondel didn¡¯t know how slow he actually was. At that moment, Artis realized. ¡®Oh, this guy has only eaten full course meals.¡¯ Though he had lived for 150 years, he had never seen anyone like him before. It was time for Artis to hurry again, realizing that his knowledge was narrow. Suddenly, Effir frowned and glared at the distance. ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡± They could hear countless flapping sounds outside the building. Monsters appeared one after another outside the windows of the collapsed building. There were dozens of human-like monsters with sharp fingernails, teeth, and devil¡¯s wings. ¡°Blood Circers!¡± Seira¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What? We haven¡¯t even entered their territory yet!¡± Chapter 66 Loer Dungeon (3) Blood Circers entered the building one by one. They screamed as they stared at Han-bin and his party. ¡°Crrr!¡± ¡°Crrr¡­¡± Despite the embarrassment, Han-bin and his party quickly responded. All of them took out their weapons and prepared themselves for the fight. Oh, except for one. ¡°I haven¡¯t had dessert yet.¡± With cheese in his left hand and a wine glass in his right hand, Raondel looked lost. Quitting a meal in the middle of a course was against royal etiquette. Eventually, Seira lost her temper. ¡°Dessert isn¡¯t a problem now, you idiot!¡± ¡°S-Seira? How dare you speak rudely to the royal family of Atransas¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apologize later, so just pull out your sword!¡± The Blood Circers soon began to rush in. Seira hit the floor with her left foot. ¡°Pillars of Ramniana, soar, and whirl!¡± A whirlpool of water rose and hit the rushing Blood Circers. She was quite powerful as a level 50 Spiritist. The aftermath alone shook the entire building and broke the floor, scattering debris. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t cause much damage. It was to block them from approaching them temporarily. The monsters who escaped from the whirlpool made a fierce shout and attacked again. ¡°Crrr!¡± Artis immediately cast a spell. Thanks to Seira¡¯s spirit art, he gained enough time to complete the chant. ¡°Burning Flare!¡± A red flash devoured three Blood Circers. Their blood and fat boiled and evaporated as they screamed. ¡°Argh!¡± Blood Circers couldn¡¯t ignore level 52 spells. The unexpectedly powerful magic slowed them down for a while. In the gap, Effir and Ryu Han-bin positioned themselves at the flanks. When the formation was set, Effir performed a technique. -Magic Swordsmanship: Thunder Roar! Blade-shaped lightning stabbed the Blood Circers. One of the monsters turned sharply, effectively dodging the attack. I poked its long fingernails out, clawing at her. ¡°Hap!¡± She bent her legs swiftly. She avoided the fingernails through a posture that almost stuck to the floor. She immediately changed her feet¡¯ positions, approached them, and sliced her blade upward like an uppercut! It was a piece of cake! It was an impeccable, clean series of movements. The edges of the Thunder Roar cut the Blood Circer by its side. ¡°Grrrr!¡± Bleeding profusely, it backed away. Watching the scene, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡®She used such a technique in that kind of situation?¡¯ It was the usage written in the Maxbrid Martial Arts, and Han-bin himself practiced hard, but he didn¡¯t think he would be able to use it that way. Before he noticed it, Effir¡¯s swordsmanship had advanced beyond his level. ¡®Now, I need to grab her and learn from her swordsmanship.¡¯ Meanwhile, she was charging again. Quite a few injuries had been inflicted on it already, but the Blood Circer hadn¡¯t died yet. -Magic Swordsmanship: Steel Roar! It was a technique that loaded energy into the blade. She inserted her sword with increased cutting power into the heart of the Blood Circer! ¡°Taat!¡± But the blade stopped after impaling a couple of inches into its chest. The excited Blood Circer swung its fingernails in quick successions. ¡°Argh!¡± Effir didn¡¯t panic. ¡®I can¡¯t get a blow on my own.¡¯ Blood Circers were monsters at level 55 or higher. They were strong opponents for her. As expected, she also thought of countermeasures in advance. Instead of using her left sword, she wielded the right sword in reverse, and Effir positioned herself under the armpit of Blood Circer. She then put her weight into her swings as she made a series of quick attacks. ¡®If a single shot doesn¡¯t work, I will do one after another until it works!¡¯ By stacking the damage, she penetrated the opponent¡¯s bones and sinews! She executed an elegant sword dance, causing bodily fluids to gush out of the Blood Circer. It struggled to kill Effir somehow, but it was futile. ¡°Argh!¡± She avoided them all even though she was within armlength. She didn¡¯t just avoid the opponent¡¯s offensive but also assumed the range of effective attacks in advance and got to proper positions. ¡°Crrr¡­¡± In the end, it couldn¡¯t do anything but die in vain. Han-bin glared at her. He had practiced that a lot, but he couldn¡¯t understand it. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask her to teach me later.¡¯ At that moment, his priority was to deal with the monsters in front of them. Taking a step forward, Ryu Han-bin wagged his wrist. The black greatsword left a huge afterimage in the air. Yay! Four Blood Circers aimed at the right side of the party cut off all at once. Crimson fluids splattered all over the building as they screamed in agony. Countless flesh and debris were blown away. ¡°Argh!¡± It was so overwhelming that even the other Blood Circers stiffened and hesitated for a moment. ¡°Grrrr?¡± ¡°Grrrr!¡± Raondel and Seira were both pleasantly surprised. ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°What was that?¡± That girl used all her sophisticated techniques and magic to get through one monster, but four of them died instantly with just a casual swing! * * * The giant savage lightly swung his gigantic sword to shake off the blood off of its blade. His terrifying focus was aimed at a flock of Blood Circers. ¡°Come on, then¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin sprang forward. ¡°Die, worthless beings.¡± Bam! He executed such a powerful leap that the stone floor cracked under its sheer force. In a flash, Han-bin sliced through the air, blocking their advance. ¡°Taat!¡± A Blood Circer quickly crossed his fingernails to stop the attack, but¡­ Crack! His fingernails were all smashed, and his forearms, shoulders, and torso were cut in half as well. Seira watched the scene with a blank look on her face. ¡°No way, how can he easily¡­¡± Blood Circers¡¯ fingernails were one of their most powerful weapons. It was a formidable object that even blocked Trinlock¡¯s Blade Aura. How did he cut through it even though he wasn¡¯t an Aura user? Han-bin¡¯s black sword slashed through the side of another monster. ¡°Yay!¡± With a single blow, the upper and lower bodies of the Blood Circer were severed, causing both to fly in different directions. ¡°Arghhh!¡± In the meantime, Han-bin watched Effir battle. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s something to study, too.¡¯ A Blood Circer, who was attacking Han-bin, broke down from the shoulder to the groin, its blood splashing across the floor. ¡°That too¡­¡± Three Blood Circer heads were cut into pieces and shot into the air in the wake of the ensuing clash. ¡®I¡¯ll have to try that now.¡¯ Immediately, Han-bin tried the bottom attack and cut off the legs of the others. ¡®Okay, I got it.¡¯ Han-bin hacked, slashed, and smashed those who came at him while watching the others fight. Wherever the greatsword passed through, blood rained down, and screams echoed. ¡°Argh!¡± Effir, who managed to end another enemy, looked around and shouted. ¡°Mr. Felard!¡± Three Blood Circers away from them were gazing at Ryu Han-bin with their mouths wide open. ¡°Goooo!¡± Their skin glowed red and was covered with strange patterns. At the same time, red blood clots were conjured and launched at them like shells. Effir¡¯s cry followed. ¡°Dodge!¡± She didn¡¯t mean that Han-bin needed to avoid getting hit by it. She told him to avoid getting hit by that because she didn¡¯t want him to be fine. ¡®Eck!¡¯ Han-bin almost missed the timing. In a hurry, Ryu Han-bin turned himself away from it. He narrowly avoided the blood clots, which hit the wall of the building. Bam! After cutting off the three Circers¡¯ throats, Han-bin expressed his gratitude bluntly. ¡°Thank you, Effir.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Mr. Felard.¡± He asked, recalling the blood clots he had just dodged. ¡°Is it magic?¡± However, it felt a little different. But it was ambiguous to explain. ¡°It¡¯s Aura.¡± Effir answered back. ¡°These guys are using Aura-based skills. They¡¯re definitely monsters over level 50.¡± ¡®Oh, that¡¯s Aura?¡¯ Han-bin had heard it a lot, but he had never seen it before. Amazingly, Han-bin looked at the besieging crowd of Blood Circers. The Circers were no longer as aggressive as before. They kept their distance from him. Since they were falling so fast, it looked like they had no choice but to tone down their offense. Instead, they opened their lips and gathered up red energy. Looking at the blood clots gathering in their mouths, Han-bin was convinced. ¡®It feels so different.¡¯ The energy was different from that of Effir or Artis. Han-bin didn¡¯t know what was different and how different it was, but he felt it was different anyway. He then had a realization. ¡®Oh? How do I know this?¡¯ It was not just about Aura. Each power had a different energy. Magic Swordsman Effir, Mage Artis, and Spiritist Seira. Han-bin was embarrassed. He didn¡¯t notice any difference a little while ago. ¡®Why can I feel it all of a sudden?¡¯ However, there was no room for questioning his own mind. Red blood clots were spreading everywhere. ¡°Crrrrr!¡± With a roar, the Blood Circers fired blood clots towards them in unison. Han-bin flung himself. ¡®Let¡¯s clear this for now and think about it after!¡¯ The greatsword¡¯s trajectory covered the blood clots and a flock of Blood Circers at the same time. Another bloodbath transpired. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Scattering corpses all over their vicinity, he continued to push forward. Crimson fluids dyed the place red whenever the giant warrior crossed the battlefield. Loud shouts echoed through the ruins. ¡°Taaaaaaaaaah!¡± * * * A group of over 30 Blood Circers was nearly exterminated. Since Ryu Han-bin had done most of the work, it was natural for Seira to be shocked. ¡°That¡¯s great, no matter who you are, Valtara warrior¡­¡± But she didn¡¯t doubt his identity. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it.¡± Ryu Han-bin and Artis, who had been worried, had cared all along. But in fact, there was no reason to doubt it from the perspective of others. A man known for being strong beyond common sense displayed how strong he was. There was nothing wrong with that. ¡®Have I been too sensitive?¡¯ Artis laughed inwardly. They were admiring Han-bin¡¯s power. Seira and Raondel, who was so arrogant, changed the way they looked at Han-bin. ¡°It was indeed a great battle.¡± Raondel shook his head and complimented him sincerely. ¡°I could see why the humble barbarians, with neither dignity nor nobility, were so much popular among people. You guys live less than 100 years, but your kind is born frequently. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever praised a human being so that you can admire it.¡± Raondel¡¯s face suddenly stiffened. ¡°¡­¡± The Valtara warrior was looking at Raondel with a familiar look. ¡°Why? I complimented you this time¨C¡± Bam! Flap! Grrrr¡­ Naturally, Seira crossed her hands. ¡°Please wait a little bit. I¡¯ll heal you.¡± Effir nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait.¡± Turning his back, Ryu Han-bin sighed. At that point, he was almost overwhelmed with pity. ¡®Just don¡¯t say anything, you idiot.¡¯ Chapter 67 Loer Dungeon (4) ¡°Kybriel¡¯s silence is cast all over¡­¡± Seira cast a hiding spell on her party. She had intended to use it after entering the Blood Circers¡¯ habitat, but she couldn¡¯t help using it then because they already got attacked. ¡°Did we misjudge their territory?¡± Artis shook his head. ¡°Maybe, or their habitat might have expanded.¡± ¡°Monsters widening their area in Dungeons? That doesn¡¯t usually happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not common for high-level monsters like Blood Circers to appear in a dungeon of this level either, is it?¡± Yet they were just attacked by Blood Circers. Han-bin and his party moved cautiously, covering their appearance with a shadow spell to block their presence and sounds. Ryu Han-bin and Artis stood at the forefront, and Raondel, who had to be protected, was located in the center. Seira and Effir were positioned at the rear, moving between the shadows of the ruins. Looking around, Han-bin whispered to Artis. ¡°Why did I feel that?¡± Suddenly, he could feel the four powers of Latna. It was a good thing, but it bothered him because it was too sudden. Artis questioned him in return. ¡°Did your level go up? I¡¯m sure you gained quite a bit of experience with Blood Circers.¡± ¡°I got about a million XP per monster.¡± His total experience points had increased by 30 million XP. However, with the remaining figure exceeding 54 billion XP, the impact was still minimal. ¡°It means there¡¯s another factor at play.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t make a guess.¡± Artis continued talking. ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? If you¡¯re using the four-power of Latna, you¡¯ve got basic sensory skills.¡± Latna¡¯s four major powers were Aura, Mana, Prana, and Force. Those who used Mana were called Mages. Those who used Prana were called Spiritists, and those who used Force became Magic Swordsmen. But he who used Aura was called not a warrior, but an Aura user. Warriors were not part of the four-power users of Latna. But Ryu Han-bin gained a four-power detection ability¡­¡­. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re starting to awaken, too?¡± Han-bin was shocked. ¡°Me? Already?¡± Although he had been training his Maxbrid Martial Arts, it had only been a few months. He naturally thought he still had a long way to go. But Artis seemed to have a different idea. ¡°It¡¯s even stranger for me that you still haven¡¯t awakened Aura with your overall capability.¡± If a person who could lift weights much heavier than their weight couldn¡¯t stand on their hands, it was not because they lacked strength but rather because they lacked the skill. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you.¡± It sounded plausible. Looking down at his palm, Han-bin glistened in his eyes. ¡®So I can use Aura.¡¯ * * * About half an hour later, a large tower appeared over the fog. It was had a bizarre architectural design. The main body at the center looked to be about ten stories high. Thorn-like spires rose diagonally on all sides, making it look like a dry, dead giant tree. Seira addressed the party. ¡°That must be the home of the Blood Circers. They probably took Trinlock and Leabelle there.¡± Hidden in the shadows, Han-bin and his party continued to approach the tower. The closer they got to the structure, the more Blood Circers there were. They were gliding around the tower in pairs, guarding the surrounding area. But they didn¡¯t find Han-bin and his party. Seira¡¯s hiding spell was based on shadows, so it worked well in the foggy environment. Seira murmured mournfully. ¡°If I had done this then, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten much damage¡­¡± Effir soothed her. ¡°You couldn¡¯t help it, could you? You didn¡¯t know there were monsters like Blood Circers at the time.¡± Seira replied solemnly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone know?¡± They had not tried it without consideration. After getting enough information from the Tyaron Hunter Guild, they had started to attack Loer Dungeon. ¡°Loer Dungeon isn¡¯t new. There was a Hunter team that almost reached its center.¡± At that time, Loer Dungeon¡¯s guardian was Vion Tulatu, a four-legged walking monster in the early level 50s. ¡°If the Blood Circers were in such a rush, they wouldn¡¯t have known¡­¡± Artis called their attention. ¡°Let¡¯s solve the question later and focus only on saving your colleagues for now.¡± After reaching the bottom of the tower, they looked for the entrance. It wasn¡¯t that hard to find it. The tower was in such a bad state that there were holes everywhere. As they walked inside, the darkness welcomed Han-bin¡¯s group. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the ecology of Blood Circers, but¡­¡± Artis pointed his finger at the top. ¡°Monsters with wings usually make their nest high up. Let¡¯s go.¡± * * * There was a large space at the top of a tower where red cocoons were placed. What were stuck in a monsters. Among them were Harpies and Great Orcs, which Han-bin¡¯s group had fought against. Five Blood Circers were sucking on the blood of those within hundreds of cocoons. ¡°Keelk¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Grrrr¡­¡­.¡± Feeling satisfied, they put their teeth in the flesh of monsters trapped in cocoons and enjoyed dinner. was no less than a rich buffet for Blood Circers. But they were interrupted. Something fell over the head of Blood Circers, which were sucking the blood of Great Orcs. With a short shout, the glow flashed. ¡°Huh!¡± The sudden surprise scared the Blood Circers out. The one who was attacked and the other four nervously glared at their opponents. And soon, they chuckled. The intruder was only one, a little human girl with silver hair. On the other hand, they were five and much bigger than the girl. They seemed to think they were lucky to have such a delicious-looking prey crawling into their hall with her own feet. With joy, they rushed at the girl, Effir. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Two-meter monsters jumped on the little girl, swinging their long fingernails. Effir dodged as she retreated, avoiding their attacks. She was soon driven to the corner of the storage. She smiled. ¡°Delivery~!¡± A gruesome human voice was heard in the shadow. ¡°Good job.¡± At the same time, two arms emerged from the darkness. They were thick and full of muscles that served as their armor. With one stroke, both hands grabbed the two Blood Circers¡¯ necks. ¡°Grrrrr?¡± ¡°Grrrrr?¡± There was no time for the captured monsters to understand the situation. The formidable grips crushed their necks. Crack! Though it was used to be as thick as a pillar, the monsters¡¯ necks became as thin as a clothesline. Blood and brain water burst out like a fountain in the seven holes of the Blood Circers. ¡°Argh!¡± It seemed that squeezing toothpaste would produce less content than that. Two dead monsters dropped onto the floor. Ryu Han-bin, the owner of both arms, appeared out of the shadows of Seira. ¡°Three left?¡± The rest of the monsters began to come at him instead of Effir. ¡°Grrrr?¡± ¡°Grrrr!¡± They positioned themselves at the front, left, and right of him, then charged with their claws out all at the same time. ¡°Argh!¡± They were all blocked by a black greatsword, however. Without realizing it, Han-bin¡¯s eyes shone as he stabbed the Blood Circers in front of him. Crack! Blood splashed as his blade pierced through their bodies. He picked up a monster and hit the other one with it. It was more like a big hammer than a sword. The hammer and target were smashed simultaneously. Bam! There was a roar, but it didn¡¯t leak out. It was thanks to Seira¡¯s hiding spell. ¡°Uh, uhh¡­¡± The lone Blood Circer flew up in terror. Han-bin stopped as he was chasing it, springing up using the floor right away. ¡®I can¡¯t just fly around, can I?¡¯ Ryu Han-bin¡¯s leaping power was so formidable that the stone floor broke under him. If he used it inside a building like that, the vibration would be no joke. Seira¡¯s hiding spell could block the sound, but it wouldn¡¯t stop the building¡¯s vibration. ¡®It¡¯s annoying to do it quietly. Damn.¡¯ That was why he sent Effir first to lure them away. He was more confident than anyone in destroying everything by shaking the heavens and the earth, but he had no talent in fighting secretly. Well, that didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Wind control!¡± Artis had been preparing in advance and cast wind magic at the fleeing Blood Circer. The monster, nearly two meters tall, flapped its large wings. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t easy to move properly inside the building. It immediately lost its balance, and the Blood Circer crashed. Ryu Han-bin relaxedly approached the monster. Of course, he took a gentle step in case the floor creaked. ¡®Well, in any world, noise caused by floors is a problem!¡¯ He gave the monster a light tap. ¡°We¡¯ve cleared them all.¡± Looking back at Seira in the dark, Han-bin said bluntly. ¡°Find your colleagues.¡± * * * While Ryu Han-bin, Artis, and Effir stood guard around them, Seira and Raondel looked nervously at the red cocoons. Most of them were captured monsters of Dungeon, but some of them were humans. They were Tyaron¡¯s Hunters caught during the Dungeon Raid. All were mummified bodies. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡­¡± Seira was about to cry due to the thoughts entering her mind. Raondel suddenly exclaimed in joy. ¡°I found them! Both are still alive!¡± The two hurriedly tore the cocoon and pulled out the Dwarf warrior Trinlock and the Sylph Mage Leabelle. Seira looked at the duo. ¡°What happened to them?¡± Both were in unexpectedly good shape. They were unconscious and pale, but they looked too healthy for people who had their blood constantly sucked for nearly four days. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ Raondel scolded her. ¡°Is that the problem now? Heal them!¡± After a while, the two groaned and opened their eyes. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­ Miss Seira?¡± ¡°Prince Raondel? How did you¡­¡± Seira quickly explained the situation. Trinlock and Leabelle sighed in relief. They thought they must have died. ¡°My God, you¡¯re a Valtara warrior?¡± ¡°We were very lucky to meet a blood relative of the Sword King.¡± Seira asked as she continued to cast the healing spell. ¡°How come you¡¯re both healthy?¡± Trinlock answered in a sad voice. ¡°They intentionally didn¡¯t kill us. They said that fairy blood is a delicacy. So they even fed us and took care of us so we wouldn¡¯t die.¡± Monsters stopped sucking blood before their captives were killed and carefully cared for them by feeding them the Hunters¡¯ preserved food. Artis tilted his head. ¡°They took care of their prey? Besides, what do you mean delicacy?¡± Blood Circers were not intelligent enough to have such a concept. Trinlock looked around frantically. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Leabelle shouted in horror, too. ¡°This is not the time to be doing this! We need to get out of here quickly!¡± ¡°The healing procedure is not over yet.¡± Seira pointed to Ryu Han-bin in an attempt to calm the rescued duo. ¡°So calm down. We have the Valtara warrior, so even if another Blood Circer appears, he can easily deal with it.¡± Two people screamed as if they were frustrated. ¡°It¡¯s not the Blood Circers!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Queen here! That monster kept us alive!¡± Chapter 68 Queen of Blood Circer (1) Blood Circer Queen. The Queen was a powerful monster in the Four Prohibited Areas that bred the Blood Circers. It was a monster capable of utilizing Aura skills above level 75. ¡°Are you sure that Queen is here?¡± ¡°Yes, Seira.¡± Trinlock answered Seira¡¯s question hurriedly. He had no choice. ¡°Because that damn monster put her teeth in my throat and sucked my blood!¡± Showing the scar on his neck, the Dwarf warrior gritted his teeth. Artis mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s why a bunch of Blood Circers appeared here¡­¡± The average level of the Loer Dungeon was in the late 40s. The dimensional force of that Dungeon didn¡¯t allow the Blood Circers of level 50s to respond. They couldn¡¯t understand the situation until then. If the Blood Circer Queen escaped from the Four Prohibited Areas and built a new nest there, all the abnormalities so far were understandable. Nevertheless, Seira shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. The Dungeon¡¯s monsters don¡¯t work that way.¡± In all Dungeons, the carnage had always been prioritized over survival. It was their fate set by Omphalos. ¡°If the Queen had moved here from the Four Prohibited Areas, there would have been a lot of blood trails. Monsters of the Dungeon never ignore or avoid humans.¡± If such a big incident occurred, it couldn¡¯t be unknown to the world. So did the Blood Circer Queen sneak past human territory, hiding behind her Circers? Without touching any of the humans on the way? ¡°The monsters of the Dungeon prioritized their bloodlust above anything else. You¡¯re telling me it moved with its survival in mind as if it were a human being? That denies the knowledge we have of Dungeons.¡± ¡°Oh, whatever, it doesn¡¯t matter if it denies what we know or not!¡± Trinlock was enraged. ¡°It is true that the Queen is here! I saw it with my own eyes. We¡¯re wasting time here, Seira!¡± Leabelle staggered up. The healing spell wasn¡¯t over yet, but they didn¡¯t have the luxury to rest. ¡°Let¡¯s talk later and get out of here first. If we get caught, it¡¯s over.¡± They stood no chance against the Queen of Blood Circers. No matter what the Valtara warrior was, he would not be able to deal with a high-ranking monster that¡¯s above level 75. But they¡¯ve already overstayed their welcome. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± An interesting voice came from the other side of the cocoon-filled room. ¡°You¡¯ve already been busted.¡± * * * A beautiful red-skinned woman with devilish horns and wings appeared from the darkness. She had red eyes, onyx hair, and sharp fangs. Her chest, armpits, and limbs were covered with scales made of dead skin cells like armor. Dark red patterns were engraved on the surface of her body like tattoos. It was obvious. It was the Blood Circer Queen. ¡°Oh, my God, it¡¯s real¡­¡± Raondel trembled and muttered. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s complexion had also stiffened. ¡®Didn¡¯t he say it has level 75 earlier?¡¯ The findings of the Guideline were completely different. [Race: The Queen of Blood Circers. Lv. 85] It was ten levels higher than Alejandro, whose level was the highest he had ever seen. Feeling a tad nervous, Han-bin unsheathed his sword. But the Queen didn¡¯t attack them right away. She just kept looking at the Han-bin¡¯s group with curious eyes. She then spoke slowly. ¡°Nymph, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± Seira shrieked. Perhaps the Blood Circer Queen had been listening to what she said. She grinned and continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure all the Dungeon monsters live by fate. I was in the same boat.¡± The Blood Circer Queen had originally lived in the Ice-Flame Forest, a Dungeon in Hithran. Like other monsters, she had awakened her ability at some point in the Dungeon. She lived by slaughtering all the creatures that invaded her territory. ¡°There was no question about it.¡± Why did she suddenly awaken her ability in that strange space? Why didn¡¯t she have any memories of the past? Where did she even come from? ¡°Even though I¡¯m smart enough to have a fluent conversation with intelligent species, I didn¡¯t feel as if I was living a strange life. It¡¯s a funny story, isn¡¯t it?¡± Queen was smiling as if it was an interesting joke. Of course, Han-bin and his party couldn¡¯t laugh. The Blood Circer Queen¡¯s seemed to be growing sturdier. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long ago that some changes in me occurred.¡± The Queen said that a woman appeared in front of her. She was wearing a large robe and covered her face with a headscarf. The Queen couldn¡¯t even recognize her race and her identity. ¡°I could only tell by her voice that she was a woman.¡± The woman overpowered the Queen. She didn¡¯t know what she had done. The woman just pointed at her with her fingers, but the Queen¡¯s entire physique was immediately paralyzed. She then spoke to the Blood Circer Queen just as she was about to die. -I will cast off the fate the demon gave to you, Dungeon Monster. She then put her finger on the Queen¡¯s paralyzed forehead. -Now you¡¯re free. Escape from your fate and live by your own will. Like a daydream, the woman disappeared. It seemed like she never existed in the first place. The Queen had changed since then. ¡°I began to question my existence.¡± Why did I live there? Why didn¡¯t I think about getting out of here? She put the question into action. She left the crowd and escaped the Dungeon alone. She encountered many Hunters on the way, but she hid intentionally. It wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°I had to control my boiling instinct to slaughter them.¡± Nevertheless, she endured it. It was easy to kill and eat the Hunters. But then stronger Hunters would come, and eventually, she would be killed. She had to be patient until she was safe. ¡°It was ridiculous to think about it. Why didn¡¯t I think of that by myself?¡± She got out of the Ice-Flame Forest. The Queen then found a safer way to thrive with the flock. ¡°Unfortunately, the safest place was also the Dungeon.¡± In a low-level Dungeon, the Hunters who raided it were relatively weak. Monsters kept being created, so there was always food. She could increase her strength by hiding away from sight. So the Queen chose Loer Dungeon. ¡°This is why I¡¯m here right now.¡± As she finished explaining, the Queen looked at Han-bin¡¯s group. ¡°Here¡¯s the problem. Why have I been telling you all about my story? Just to let someone know? Just because I have a hobby of chatting?¡± Han-bin and his party were embarrassed. They were wondering why the Blood Circer Queen was trying to talk. The Queen nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t know who she is. No, you don¡¯t even know how it could happen.¡± Han-bin wanted to know. Who was the woman wearing the hood? Did it also happen to other monsters? ¡®It¡¯s much simpler and more reliable to think about than to torture people to find out the truth.¡¯ From the look on their faces, it was clear that they knew nothing. ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing interesting about you.¡± Queen¡¯s eyes changed to that of a predator looking at its prey. * * * A haze of red energy was emitted by the Blood Circer Queen. A dark-blooded Aura swept through space. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was an overwhelming force. There was a tremendous gap between the Queen and them. ¡®We¡¯re going to die here.¡¯ Seira was about to give up her life. Ryu Han-bin stepped forward and barked an order. ¡°Run.¡± ¡°What?¡± Surprised, Seira looked up at Han-bin. The Valtara warrior had taken a stand as he glared at the Queen. ¡°I¡¯ll hold her here.¡± ¡°T-then¡­¡± No matter how strong a warrior he was, the result was obvious if he fought alone against the Queen. Still, staying alone meant protecting his colleagues at the expense of his own life! Raondel was also moved. ¡°You finally realized your value! Yes, it is only right for the humble to sacrifice their lives for the nobles. That¡¯s a good idea. What¡¯s there to regret about a life that doesn¡¯t last 100 years anyway¡ª¡± Bam! Thud! That time, it was Trinlock, not Ryu Han-bin. No matter how exhausted he was, he was more than enough to knock down Raondel. ¡°I apologize to you for his rudeness, my Savior.¡± Bowing politely, Trinlock carried the half-conscious Raondel. With eyes full of respect, Raondel drew a sign with his finger. ¡°May Preleu¡¯s protection be with you, great warrior.¡± Seira and her party moved cautiously toward the entrance, watching the Queen¡¯s face carefully. Artis and Effir followed them. If other Blood Circers attacked, Seira¡¯s party wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on. Artis gave Han-bin a message through communication magic. -We wouldn¡¯t be last that long either, so clear her as soon as possible and join us. Unlike Seira, Artis and Effir looked calm. Both knew the level of the Blood Circer Queen at around 75. Since Han-bin had defeated the level 75 Alejandro, they thought Han-bin couldn¡¯t lose. ¡®It will only worry them if I tell them the actual level of the Queen.¡¯ With a silent nod, Ryu Han-bin waved his hand. It was to signal them to get out of there. The Queen didn¡¯t move while everyone was leaving the food storage. Ignoring whether others ran away or not, she just looked at Ryu Han-bin as if she was interested. ¡°There are many of my children here. Do you think you can run away?¡± Han-bin replied in a cold voice. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you quickly and finish them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re brave or ignorant. Or are you both?¡± At that moment, the Queen got angry. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can talk nonsense!¡± The Queen stretched out her right hand as she flew into the air. Her nails lengthened and changed into blade-like claws. Han-bin also flung his body against her. ¡°Taaat!¡± The Queen¡¯s claws and Ryu Han-bin¡¯s black sword danced in the air. Within a few seconds, the two had already done several rounds of fighting. The air trembled and roared. Boom! Boom! The Queen looked a little surprised. It was her who was being pushed back in their clash. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s power was stronger than expected. ¡°You¡¯ve got the right to talk nonsense!¡± Her nails clipped, and she admired Han-bin. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have the edge over me in terms of physical ability.¡± Nevertheless, she was not nervous. ¡°But¡­¡± The Queen¡¯s fingernails were stained red. She activated her Blade Aura. Boom. She smiled gruesomely, erecting her fingernails that had become ray-like blades. ¡°True power doesn¡¯t come from muscles, you big human.¡± Chapter 69 Queen of Blood Circer (2) The Queen shot forward again. Her long fingernails were equipped with Blade Rays to increase her damage output. ¡°Huh!¡± With a focused shout, Ryu Han-bin raised his greatsword and slashed it against her. Her fingernails and his blade confronted in the air. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The greatsword slipped and broke its balance. Ryu Han-bin was surprised. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Han-bin had understood the flow of power properly. He properly delivered a powerful shock using a Maxbrid Martial Arts technique. The blade wasn¡¯t swung at a slipping angle. However, as soon as it touched the red light, the blade was thrown off its trajectory, causing it to slip. ¡°Huh!¡± Scoffing, the Queen continued her offensive. Without backing down, Han-bin retaliated nonstop as well. He attacked the Queen¡¯s vital points from every angle possible. And, as expected, he wasted his power. ¡®The direction of the sword was strangely twisted again.¡¯ The Queen¡¯s lips twisted upwards as she looked at Han-bin, who became stern. ¡°I doubted it at first, but it¡¯s true after all.¡± She gave a cold laugh. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Aura.¡± * * * ¡°Hohohoho!¡± Along with the laughter, a red Blade Aura embroidered the air. Ryu Han-bin was continuously pushed back. ¡°Argh!¡± He wasn¡¯t being forced away because he was weaker than her. He was faster than the Queen. Han-bin could swing and retrieve his sword swifter than the Queen. Nevertheless, every time his blade touched that red light, its direction was distorted. The sword kept following the wrong trajectory, causing his balance to be broken. Eventually, the Queen¡¯s fingernails scratched Ryu Han-bin¡¯s shoulder. Even though he defended with force, she still tore through his skin, and blood still splattered on the floor. Thud! The Queen tasted the drops of blood with her fingernails. ¡°Well, your blood isn¡¯t that delicious. It¡¯s just human blood.¡± But it wasn¡¯t bad. Being so big, he must¡¯ve had a lot more blood than other humans had. ¡°Quantity over quality.¡± Looking at the relaxed Queen, Han-bin clicked his tongue. His imagination of Aura strengthened his physical ability and made it possible to cut what he could not cut. That was how he understood it. However, it was not a simple ability to deal with it. ¡°That¡¯s truly unfortunate. I can¡¯t believe you can¡¯t acquire Aura even though you¡¯ve trained your body so hard.¡± The Queen walked confidently with her fingernails hanging down. ¡°The difference between a regular warrior and an Aura user is like night and day.¡± Spreading her wings, she disappeared from Ryu Han-bin¡¯s view in an instant. ¡°No matter how strong and fast you are!¡± She took control of his back and pushed out her palm. A red blood cell formed and shot Han-bin on the back. Bam! Han-bin, who was hit by a blood cell without countermeasures, stumbled and turned around. He clenched his teeth and fought back. ¡°Huh!¡± But the Queen wasn¡¯t there. Before he knew it, the Queen had moved to the blind spot of Han-bin and attacked him with her fingernails. ¡°How can you fight against a person who can see invisible things?¡± Her fingernails scratched Han-bin¡¯s whole body. His steel-like skin got torn, and blood splattered everywhere. A faint groan came out of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ugh!¡± The Queen continued to attack cheerfully. ¡°Hohohoho!¡± Han-bin kept being pushed back. Suddenly, Ryu Han-bin did something strange. He did not defend himself even when a Blade Aura hit over his head but instead assumed a basic swordsmanship stance. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The Queen hit her nails to break his head. -Horizontal cut! A flash of light separated the world. * * * Horizontal cut, a swordsman skill, could be acquired from the Guideline. It was a basic skill that could be acquired at level 3. However, Ryu Han-bin had practiced the horizontal cut for 22 years. With hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of swings, the ultimate blow had already surpassed the Guideline and itself! The devastation of cutting between moments was beyond human knowledge. The Queen¡¯s right arm was completely sliced off. ¡°Argh!¡± With a scream, she stepped away. She looked at her wounds and Ryu Han-bin alternately as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡®What have you done?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an Aura skill. It was just a simple slash. But she didn¡¯t detect the simple cut at all? ¡®That¡­ That¡¯s a coincidence, right?¡¯ The Queen broke out in cold sweat and reconnected her cut arm back with Blood Control skills. Blood clumped into the air and connected her arm and torso. Han-bin clicked his tongue as he watched the Queen recovering her wounds in an instant. ¡°Oh, my God, do you have the skill to regenerate your body?¡± The Guideline, which had been quiet for a while, sent a message. [Queen of Blood Circer: She can recover her body using Blood Control skills. Use the Aura skill to break the Blood Control.] ¡®Does it pop out only when it¡¯s not much help?¡¯ Han-bin attacked with his sword again. That time, however, the Queen avoided it skillfully. A general sword technique was sufficiently predictable by using Aura. ¡®It was a coincidence as expected!¡¯ The Blood Circer Queen tried to scratch him with her nails again. -Horizontal cut! A sword-shaped light shot like a cannonball, and the Queen¡¯s fingernails were shattered. It was such a short moment that the Queen couldn¡¯t even defend herself with Aura. The speed of the attack was much faster than her reaction. ¡°Argh!¡± The Queen gritted her teeth hard, revealing her fangs. ¡°How is it so strong?¡± Nevertheless, Han-bin¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good. Again, she recovered her broken nails by simply tapping her hands. The Guideline was right. If he didn¡¯t break the Blood Control, it was no use pushing it with force. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m so sad that I can¡¯t use Aura.¡± Meanwhile, the Blood Circer Queen was embarrassed. He must be a foolish man. He was using his physical strength without knowing anything about Aura. But the simple devastation that sometimes came out of him was the essence of real power! The Queen had a chill on her back. ¡®He had already found enlightenment!¡¯ In a hurry, the Blood Circer Queen flew into the air. ¡®I can¡¯t prolong this battle!¡¯ There was no time to play with him. He had a body beyond human limitations. If such a guy enlightened Aura, her life would be over. A monster that could never be confronted would be born. She had to make sure to kill him with the strongest blow she could muster! ¡°Ahhh!¡± The Queen raised both hands above her head, pulling up all the Aura in her body. Huge blood cells clumped into the air and formed a formidable ball of energy. Han-bin turned pale. ¡®Oh, my God!¡¯ The energy was so tremendous that he could feel it clearly with his poor senses. The concentration of power was completely different. ¡®What should I do? Should I avoid it? Or do I hit back?¡¯ There was no time to make a decision. The Queen threw the blood cells at him. ¨C Aura Skill: Blood Essence! A huge sphere of destruction flew towards him, destroying all the cocoons around. In a hurry, Han-bin stabbed the greatsword on the floor. At the most critical moment, he performed the defensive move he was most familiar with. He wrapped his head with both arms, applied as much force as he could to his whole body, inflated his muscles, and stood on the ground with both legs! ¡°Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± Blood cells ran over Ryu Han-bin¡¯s whole body. A huge explosion shook the entire tower. Boom! Cracks and dust sprang up all over the building. Even an earthquake would not shake that much. A huge mark of destruction was visible around Han-bin, making a hole in one side of the tower. Cuckoo Cuckoo¡­ In a subdued roar, the Queen looked nervously at her opponent. After using her strongest ability, she had also lost a lot of energy. ¡®Did that kill that monstrous human?¡¯ A moment later, a figure was seen standing in the middle of the huge destruction. ¡°Oh, damn, it hurts so bad¡­¡± His whole body was covered in blood, but he didn¡¯t fall. His limbs were fine, and his eyes were still vivid. ¡°You endured that?¡± Despite being dumbfounded, the Queen raised her hands again. She was tired, but she still managed to conjure another shot. ¡®You can¡¯t stand it twice!¡¯ Again, blood cells clumped into the air and formed a ball of destruction. Ryu Han-bin breathed in. ¡®Are you throwing that thing again?¡¯ Blocking once was already too much for him. If he got hit again, he would die no matter how strong he was. But he couldn¡¯t avoid it. It was too fast and had a wide area-of-effect. Han-bin quickly grabbed the black greatsword. ¡®Just breakthrough!¡¯ The Queen burst into a crock with her hands stretched out. ¡°Die!¡± -Aura Skill: Blood Essence! Whooong! The atmosphere fluctuated, and blood cells flew in. Taking a stance, Ryu Han-bin prepared his strongest skill. -Horizontal cut! The world¡¯s dividing flash collided with the blood cells. Huge forces confronted each other in the air, creating a tremendous shock wave. Boom! The goddess of victory raised her hand for the Blood Circer Queen. The greatsword began to be pushed back by the blood cells. ¡°Argh! Ugh!¡± When the Queen was about to smile as if she had just won, Han-bin¡¯s eyes began to glow. He abandoned all misconceptions and wielded his word with only one thought: ¡®cut¡¯! ¡°Taaaat!¡± At that moment, something awakened inside him. It rose, exploded, and became a huge stream of power. The air trembled and became light, concentrating on becoming destruction itself. The blade of the black greatsword roared. Boom! A brilliant red light swept up the blade. The light of destruction that cut everything smashed through the blood cells and headed straight for the Queen¡¯s heart. ¡°Huh? Uh?¡± In front of the crimson flash of light, the monster burst into a painful scream. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± * * * The dust settled. Amid the heavy smoke, Ryu Han-bin breathed raggedly. ¡°Huh, hah, hah, hah, hah¡­¡­.¡± Catching his breath, he looked at the weapon in his hand. The blade was still glowing red. ¡°This is¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t understand what just happened. ¡®I just swung my sword¡­¡¯ At the same time, ironically, everything became understandable. He could feel it desperately even though no one had taught him. That was it. It was the essence of true power. The light was the essence of his soul and his will to destroy! ¡®This is Aura!¡¯ Chapter 70 Queen of Blood Circer (3) The Blood Circer Queen was on the verge of death. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s attack was so powerful that the Queen¡¯s lower body completely disappeared, leaving only her upper body intact and falling to the floor as she groaned miserably. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­¡­.¡± She showed no signs of recovery. As the Guideline explained, Aura could break the recovery ability of the Queen. ¡°Ah, why¡­ such a human¡­ now awakened Aura¡­ That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡± The Queen¡¯s breathing gradually thinned out and eventually stopped. The Guideline popped up a message. [Lv. 85 Queen of Blood Circer cleared. You have earned 45,340,000 XPs.] [Current XP: 76,213,400/54,581,975,800.] ¡°I gained 45 million XP.¡± Since the Queen was level 85, the XP gained was significant. However, it still wasn¡¯t satisfactory For Han-bin. ¡°I need to kill more than 1,200 before I can level up?¡± Han-bin smacked his lips. Although he gained a lot of XP, he still had a long way to go to level-up. ¡®The answer is not to focus on the level, but to develop my true skills.¡¯ He got a sense of what Aura was. In the second half of the Maxbrid Martial Arts book, there was something written about using Aura. If he practiced it steadily, there would be results. Ryu Han-bin got up. Now that he cleared the Queen, he had to join the party quickly. But he turned around quickly upon realizing he almost forgot something. ¡®Oh, I have to take the Spirit Stone.¡¯ If the Queen was level 85, she was bound to have a high-tier Spirit Stone. He had no idea how much it would be. ¡®If I just leave her, Artis will nag a lot later, right?¡¯ Quickly, Han-bin tore her body apart. He looked around as hard as he could but ended up tilting his head instead. ¡°Huh? Why isn¡¯t there Spirit Stone? It must be in her heart. Was she a Latna-native monster?¡± That couldn¡¯t be true. Didn¡¯t the Blood Circer Queen herself tell him? She came from a Dungeon. Ryu Han-bin felt confused. Black smoke soon trickled out of the Queen¡¯s forehead. It wriggled for a while before becoming a black crystal. At that moment, Han-bin¡¯s expression changed. ¡®Oh, this is¡­¡¯ It somehow felt familiar. It looked just like the one they got from Luxin. He invoked the Guideline, wondering if it was the same thing. Technically speaking, it wasn¡¯t. [Near-Completion Fragment of Omphalos¡¯ blessing (unique item)] ¡°¡­ What else is on it?¡± * * * A corridor slowly crumbled under the faint moonlight. In the dusky ancient ruins, Seira¡¯s party was fighting a losing battle. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°You damn monsters!¡± They succeeded in getting out of the tower thanks to Ryu Han-bin¡¯s sacrifice. But there wasn¡¯t enough room to get out of the Blood Circers¡¯ habitat. In the end, they were surrounded by dozens of monsters. A Blood Circer roared. ¡°Grrrrr!¡± The Dwarf warrior, Trinlock, swung his halberd to stop the attack. But he fell down almost immediately. ¡°Grrrrr!¡± He was barely able to survive. Though he was a level 54 Aura user, he couldn¡¯t show his skill. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Blood Circers flew over Trinlock¡¯s head swiftly. A shadow blocked them from attacking Trinlock. It was Effir, a little girl with silver hair. -Magic Swordsmanship: Thunder Roar! With a confident stroke of magic, she conjured continuous devastation. One of the leading Blood Circers fell, dripping blood. But Effir didn¡¯t look happy. She only managed to clear one with all her might. There were still dozens of Blood Circers left. She shouted to the rear in a hurry. ¡°Mr. Artis!¡± ¡°I know, Effir! Burning Flare!¡± Artis waved his staff to create elegant gestures and conjured the spell. A huge explosion prevented the Blood Circers from attacking. Raondel was also doing his best to fight back. -Magic Swordsmanship: Empty Arrow! He burst into a roar as he cast the same spell over and over, firing a series of arrows. ¡°Leabelle! Can you use magic?¡± A skinny young man with gray skin was embarrassed. ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t recover Mana¡­¡± He, like Trinlock, had been bleeding for days. Trinlock, the warrior, could move, but the Mage could hardly stand. Surprisingly, Raondel didn¡¯t get angry. ¡°Okay! Hide behind me!¡± Raondel ignored humans endlessly, but he was quite generous to those who were like him. He shouted, loading arrows again. ¡°Seira! Do something!¡± The blue-haired woman began attacking as well. ¡°Preleu, pour out your cup of wrath!¡± The strong light of Spiritism pushed the Blood Circers away. Of course, it didn¡¯t hurt. It only damaged the Circers¡¯ temper. ¡°Grrrr!¡± Seira fell into despair as she stared at the roaring monsters. There was no way out. ¡®The Valtara warrior has given up his life¡­¡¯ Despite his noble sacrifice, it was all in vain. Looking at the tower, Effir gritted her teeth. ¡®No, when is Han-bin coming?¡¯ Just then, something fell from the air. Boom! Three or four Blood Circers were blown away, already in fragments. Amid the explosion, a giant rose. His black greatsword flashed a gruesome light through the fog. Seira¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Mr. Felard?¡± ¡°H-how?¡± ¡°Did you clear the Queen?¡± Even though they were supposed to be happy, Trinlock and Seira felt suspicious. It didn¡¯t make sense. No matter what a strong warrior he was, he couldn¡¯t beat the Blood Circer Queen unless he was an Aura user¡­ Bam! At that moment, the red light broke all their suspicions apart. A dazzling beam of destruction killed an entire flock of Blood Circers. Too easily, too simply, monsters were massacred over and over again. Screams echoed ceaselessly. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Trinlock stared in disbelief. ¡®What? What kind of Aura is¡­?¡¯ Trinlock was also an Aura user, but that red blade Aura was on a different level. If his Aura was a lantern under the eaves, The Valtara warrior¡¯s was a huge firestorm turning entire forests into cinders! Boom, Boom! Amid the endless destruction, Ryu Han-bin grinned. ¡®I can see it.¡¯ He could see. The monsters¡¯ movements, their attacks and defenses, their flow of power, and all their possible paths were all expected. ¡®They¡¯re all going to die.¡¯ There was not much to do. If Han-bin just poked the blade Aura in the right place, they would be cut off. ¡®That¡¯s why the Queen was so confident.¡¯ Han-bin felt like he was fighting with blind men. Was Aura such a cheap ability? Seira, who was losing her mind, asked. ¡°¡­ Are you an Aura user?¡± Cutting a Blood Circer in two, Han-bin replied nonchalantly. ¡°I awakened while I was fighting against the Queen.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± She was immediately convinced. Originally, most of the warriors awakened their slumbering power after going through a life-and-death battle. Like Trinlock, most of the existing Aura users realized their true strength after being driven to the brink of death. Luckily, that time had come for the warrior Valtara when their lives were at stake! Trinlock shouted for joy. ¡°It¡¯s Yessen¡¯s protection!¡± Ryu Han-bin continued to weave through the Blood Circers. He was able to slaughter them even when he hadn¡¯t realized Aura. With Aura, it became too easy. He continued to massacre them. Screams echoed endlessly through the mist. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± * * * The Blood Circers of Loer Dungeon had been completely exterminated. They would not appear again because they didn¡¯t belong there in the first place, and their Queen was already dead. Han-bin and his party returned to Tyaron and informed the Hunter Guild of the truth. Originally, the peculiarity was that a small amount of information was available before the incident happened. However, they now had new information. ¡°That isn¡¯t the only time that has happened?¡± The guild receptionist nodded with a serious look at Artis¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, they said that it¡¯s happening simultaneously in the relatively low-level dungeons of the Continental Three Powers.¡± Like the Blood Circer Queen of the Loer Dungeon, out-of-level monsters had begun to appear in other local dungeons. They all had one thing in common. They all came from the Four Prohibited Areas. ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of the woman with the mysterious hood. I¡¯ll have to report this to my superiors.¡± The receptionist gnawed his teeth, saying that it should have been the work of an Alien. Ryu Han-bin, who felt guilty, asked bluntly. ¡°Why would Aliens do such a thing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s an Alien, isn¡¯t it?¡± The mysterious phenomenon seemed to be considered to be just part of heresy. ¡°People of this world hate Earthlings.¡¯ Han-bin also said goodbye to Seira and her party. Since there was no more business in Tyaron, he would return to his home in Atransas. Effir worriedly asked Trinlock, who was preparing for the trip. ¡°Are you all right? You hit him in the back of his head.¡± Based on Raondel¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t let go of such an incident easily. Indeed, Trinlock took a finger around his mouth, looking at his face. ¡°Shh, the Prince doesn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Huh? Doesn¡¯t he know?¡± ¡°I heard he lost his memory before and after. Oh, I don¡¯t think I hit him that hard, but why¡­ Did he experience a lot of fainting lately?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Effir pretended to be indifferent. Artis said goodbye to Seira. ¡°Please stop by Atransas later. I¡¯ll serve you like a VIP.¡± ¡°Are you sure I can be treated like a VIP?¡± Seira showed a bitter smile at the suspicious Artis. ¡°The Prince has changed his attitude a lot.¡± Raondel¡¯s attitude toward Ryu Han-bin was definitely different. For example, the way he talked changed. ¡°I appreciate your help. In the name of Atransas, I won¡¯t forget the favor you did for me.¡± He was still arrogant, but he didn¡¯t talk about Han-bin¡¯s lowly status anymore. There was a simple reason for it. He saw how Ryu Han-bin, who had awakened, massacred the Blood Circers. It produced respect inside of him. ¡®You were a monster! They would be all dead if I used my family¡¯s knights to clear him!¡¯ Raondel gave up on retaliation. He was surprisingly calculating. Well, it didn¡¯t mean that he was going to get close to Ryu Han-bin. He changed his expression as soon as he turned his back. ¡®It was dirty being together, and let¡¯s never meet again!¡¯ But he didn¡¯t say it out loud, so it was a great development. After breaking up with Seira, there were only three left in the party again. As soon as they arrived in the city, they were immediately involved in an unexpected case, causing them to become busy. But it was time to go back to their original purpose. ¡°I¡¯ll rent a house first and raise my level here for a while.¡± ¡°The goal is level 60! Come on! Cheer up!¡± Artis and Effir¡¯s eyes shone. It was too hard to reach that level in the past, but now it was a dream that could be easily turned into reality. Of course, Ryu Han-bin had many things to do. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to learn how to practice Aura.¡± Chapter 71 Darkness Fallen (1) The Mediterranean Metis was located in the center of the Latna Continent. In the middle of its vast waters was an island. It was one of the Four Prohibited Areas in which the cursed land, located more than 1,000 meters in the air, endlessly created high-level Dungeons even though the Mana Kingdom, Lune, was trying to control it. It was the floating island, Avalta. Three people stood at the top of Toras Tower, one of Avalta¡¯s numerous Dungeons. One was a black beauty, the Queen of the Mana Sword Kingdom, the Mage Guild Sinkers¡¯ head, and the continent¡¯s strongest Mage. Arc Mage, Genovia Lune the Spell Master. The other was a blue-haired nymph woman, the Queen of the fairy kingdom of Allendia, and the continent¡¯s most powerful Spiritist. Hollien Strauss Allendia. The last individual was a middle-aged, serious-looking man, a regent of Millennium Kaldris, the head of Magic Swordsman Guild Inside Force, and the most powerful Magic Swordsman on the continent. Garhan Cartel Prast, the Thunder King. If such a gathering were made known, the world would be turned upside down. The Continental Three Powers¡¯ rulers, and the very people who had achieved the peak of their own fields, had secretly met in the Dungeon without a single subordinate. ¡°This is fun.¡± Hollien, who was looking alternately at Genovia and Garhan, smiled. ¡°Baotolt is the best. Everybody admits it, but we¡¯ve had a lot of controversy over who¡¯s stronger¡­¡± She squinted her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± The level of two people standing opposite each other was visible. [Race: Human. Mage Lv. 150.] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 152.] Of course, they were looking at her level as well. [Race: Nymph. Spiritist Lv. 155.] ¡°I have the highest level. You two have been lazy all this time, haven¡¯t you?¡± Genovia had an opaque look at Hollien¡¯s triumphant remarks. ¡°Huh! It¡¯s just a meaningless difference.¡± Levels were only approximate figures that combined several factors. It was no exaggeration to say that such a level difference was meaningless, as it didn¡¯t take into account a lot of ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re here to talk about such useless things.¡± Garhan reminded them why they were there. ¡°All preparations are complete. I perfectly reproduced the power of the Alien¡¯s extortion skill.¡± Hollien also nodded seriously. ¡°So have I. The influence of the demon has been removed. I¡¯ve used the spells to check.¡± Genovia glistened her eyes. ¡°Okay, only practice is left.¡± Suddenly Hollien felt anxious. ¡°But are you sure we¡¯re okay? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve met all the requirements, but¡­¡± She raised her right hand. Black energy rose gently. ¡°We all know this isn¡¯t perfect, right?¡± Her ¡®Guideline¡¯ revealed the identity of black energy. [Near-Completion Omphalos¡¯s Blessing (unique item)¡±] According to Genovia¡¯s theory, it should have been a ¡®Complete Omphalos¡¯s Blessing.¡¯ Except for the strange modifier at the beginning, there had been no problem so far¡­ ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we be more careful?¡± Garhan frowned on the passive attitude of Hollien. ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds. It took me nearly ten years to get here.¡± The same was true of Genovia. ¡°Hollien, you can say that. We still have more than 100 years to spare.¡± ¡°But we are not fairies. We are humans. We don¡¯t have any more time.¡± ¡°Or are you confident that you can solve the curse of the Goddesses without us?¡± Hollien shrugged at the words of the two. ¡°No.¡± In the end, the three agreed with each other. Garhan spoke. ¡°Do it.¡± * * * After renting a suitable house and building a base, Han-bin and his party began to attack Dungeons near Tyaron in earnest. However, they didn¡¯t move with other Hunter teams as they had done in Highten. At that time, it was to spread the rumors of the Valtara warrior to the fullest extent. But that wasn¡¯t necessary any longer. Felard Bean¡¯s reputation had already spread throughout Tyaron. -I heard a Valtara warrior showed up. -I heard he¡¯s an incredibly powerful Aura user! -Really? He is a Valtara warrior, but he¡¯s too young. -He¡¯s the one who killed the Blood Circers of Loer Dungeon. -Ah! Did he handle the request of the Atransas? Indeed, Artis¡¯s prediction was right. Since the Atransas family had a great reputation, the reputation of the Han-bin¡¯s group, which had handled the family¡¯s request excellently, was bound to grow. All Hunters in Tyaron marveled and praised their feat. Even the Althea Church raised the hierarchy of their collaborators from Blue to White. They gave a higher reward to one request compared to all the work they did in Highten. In that situation, there was no need to bring in outsiders and risk being caught. Han-bin and his party eagerly attacked the Tyaron Dungeons. As usual, Han-bin gave Artis and Effir lots of energy. Whenever their levels went up, they bought a lot of magic scrolls and mastered different skills. Arriving at the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s gateway city, which belonged to the Continental Three Powers, meant they could buy high-level scrolls. Of course, the price was beyond imagination, but they were making lots of money anyway. They had been staying there for a month doing the same routine. Now, Han-bin and his party were targeting the core of Rengard, one of the strongest Dungeons in Tyaron. * * * It was a grotesque ruin covered with rusted steel everywhere. At the heart of the long-lost Rengard Dungeon, Artis and Effir were facing four monsters. They were called Tacula. Covered in blue scales instead of fur, they looked like gorillas and Lizardmen combined. Artis cast a spell on the charging monster. ¡°Explosion!¡± As a Fire Dragon, he was most suited to Fire magic. The level 48 heatwave magic was too intense for the beast, causing heavy damage. Boom boom! However, Tacula made another appearance through the heatwave. ¡°Grrrr!¡± Their level was around the late 50s, and they were comparable to the Blood Circers of Loer Dungeon. It was difficult to inflict a fatal blow using a level 48 magic alone. ¡°I will handle them!¡± A silver-haired girl swung her twin blades to protect Artis. ¡°Taaaat!¡± Avoiding the monsters¡¯ attacks, she stabbed at their sides, hit the ground, reversed her posture, and immediately cut her opponent waist-deep! -Magic Swordsmanship: Sorrowing Attack! With one blow, the Tacula¡¯s waist broke in two, spraying out blood. ¡°Arghhhhhh!¡± The level of Effir had risen a lot. As soon as she became a level 59 Magic Swordsman, she had enough destructive power to kill in one stroke of her blade. She gave a bright smile as she fixed her posture. ¡°I¡¯ve finished one!¡± There were only three left. Effir¡¯s fighting spirit burned. She could hear the voice of Ryu Han-bin in the distance. ¡°seven, eight, nine, ten¡­¡± On the other side of the ruins, a muscular man was surrounded by dozens of Taculas. Whenever his red-glazed blade Aura danced, the flesh of the monsters was torn apart brutally. Effir¡¯s expression became strange. They had been working together and just caught one¡­ ¡°His kill score has already entered two digits.¡± With a bitter smile, Artis pulled Mana up. ¡°Never mind him, Effir. We have to do our best.¡± Artis kept casting magic. Effir burst through the explosion. In the heat, the double swords continued to dance. Artis, who grabbed the opportunity, constantly looked for chances to deliver fatal blows. ¡°Flame Disc!¡± The Flame Disc spun furiously, hitting a monster. The Tacula was sliced in between and scattered in one shot. Bam! Effir was not the only one who had leveled up sharply. Artis was also strong enough to use even more powerful magic. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ve got another one.¡± The voice at the other side continued to count. ¡°Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four¡­¡± ¡°D-do our b-best¡­¡± The two Dragon Race members fought as hard as they tried to ignore him. They fought hard to get rid of another one. ¡°Third!¡± ¡°Thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four¡­¡­.¡± Artis pouted as he glared at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You¡¯re making a dragon sick of listening to you, dude.¡± Effir looked sullen. ¡°Huh, how much higher is the alternative level to help Han-bin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still helpful. That¡¯s for sure.¡± It was not just about full power. They were butler, maid, and knight. ¡°What¡¯s the original level of that guy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s over 90.¡± The Blood Circer Queen of Loer Dungeon was level 85. Ryu Han-bin cleared even the Queen. ¡°Isn¡¯t it really over level 100?¡± Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°I used to doubt it, but these days I think that might be true.¡± * * * Surrounded by a group of Tacula, Ryu Han-bin continued to kill them. It was a truly overwhelming battle for Artis and Effir. But he wasn¡¯t fighting nonchalantly. Rather, he was concentrating as much as he could to continue the battle. ¡®Oh, this is pretty tricky.¡¯ Han-bin began dealing with the monsters with his eyes closed. According to Maxbrid Martial Arts, there were three basic skills that a person who had just awakened their Aura should learn: Blade Aura conjured a blade of destruction. Aura Armor covered his physique with an amorphous armor. Aura boost amplified his physical ability. He had learned how to use Blade Aura. Even now, the black greatsword was covered in a red glow as he culled the monster population. He was learning how to use Armor Aura and Aura Boost. It turned out that that was a skill that Han-bin had already been using. ¡®I¡¯ve been wondering why contracting my muscles hardened my skin¡­¡¯ From the beginning, his body was already full of Aura. Ryu Han-bin thought it was just giving him strength, but it was the act of covering his skin with Aura. The same was true of body amplification. So far, the oracle had not been shown to the public, so it had only been inefficient and unreliable. Now that he had mastered Aura, he had improved his defense and physical ability even more! He quickly mastered the basic skills and went to a higher level. And from that point on, it became incredibly rough. Thud! ¡®Oh! I got hit again.¡¯ Han-bin closed his eyes and predicted their movements with just the senses of Aura, not his vision. Sight Aura. He was practicing the art of seeing the world by awakening his sixth sense. When he awakened Aura first, he thought he did pretty well. However, removing his vision made it a lot harder. Thud! Thud! Thud! ¡®I can feel it, but I can¡¯t respond to their attacks. Damn.¡¯ Fortunately, there was no problem with being hit. He continued to train his Sight Aura as much as he could while getting hit. A long time later, Ryu Han-bin opened his eyes again. ¡°Did I get them all?¡± There were countless groans at his feet. Many monsters died because he fought with his eyes closed, but about half of them were still breathing. ¡°Artis! Effir! Come and take their energy!¡± The two began to walk with their eyes shining. A group of fallen Taculas trembled with fear. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­¡± After a while, the fear deepened. The man and woman who were walking took off their clothes and soon turned into gigantic monsters! ¡°Grrr¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Grrr¡­¡­.¡± From a far higher place, a Dragon and Wyvern opened their mouths with their hideous eyes flashing. Red flames crashed down on them. The monsters burst into a choir of screams. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± Watching the scene, Ryu Han-bin mumbled leisurely. ¡°If I were in their place, I would¡¯ve been horrified.¡± Chapter 72 Darkness Fallen (2) He stood in a sparse forest to the south of Tyaron city. Standing in a large clearing Ryu Han-bin caught his breath. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± He focused intently. While feeling the flow of Aura all over his body, he released a powerful wave through his palm. Aura Strike. It was a method of forming an Aura Bullet and firing it at a target. ¡®Simply put, it¡¯s like a palm blast in a fighting game.¡¯ It was also a skill that Han-bin wanted to learn first. As he had said before, shooting energy blasts out of his hands was a man¡¯s eternal dream! Zoom! He formulated an energy sphere on his palm. ¡®I¡¯ve succeeded so far.¡¯ Steadily, he reached forward. The target was a beautiful giant tree in front of him. ¡°Taaaaat!¡± It didn¡¯t burst forward. The sphere of light was still attached to his palm. ¡°This is hard.¡± He managed to create Aura bullets. It was thanks to Effir¡¯s advice. -I¡¯m not an Aura user, but I understand the gist of the concept. It¡¯s similar to Magic Swordsmanship stances. With Ryu Han-bin¡¯s senses, it was absurd to think he could learn high-level skills such as Aura Usage just through reading books. He could only come so far because Effir, a natural genius, interpreted and demonstrated everything for him. ¡®Being a genius is such a luxury.¡¯ However, such Effir also had drawbacks. -I¡¯ve succeeded in creating an Aura Bullet, Effir. -Great! Shoot it now, Han-bin. -How do I shoot it? Shouldn¡¯t you teach me the next step? -You should be able to shoot it immediately, though? Why can¡¯t you release it if you¡¯ve succeeded in making the bullet? Maybe it¡¯s because it has a different stance from Aura. She couldn¡¯t seem to understand what Han-bin didn¡¯t know. Like most geniuses, Effir couldn¡¯t explain the part that was skipped by talent. ¡°I have no choice but to learn how to do the next steps on my own.¡± Ryu Han-bin kept trying Aura Strike. ¡°Yap! Argh! Yeah! Yep!¡± He tried his best to change his chanting sound, but the ball of energy didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°Oh, do I have honey on my palm? Why isn¡¯t it falling off?¡± Han-bin got so enraged that he grabbed the Aura Bullet and threw it as if he was throwing a stone. The sphere of light hit the center of the giant tree, causing it to explode and burn. Boom! It showcased a highly destructive force combined with his accuracy and precision. As expected, Han-bin was good at pitching. He heard a deep voice behind his back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I think it has enough power and precision.¡± The owner of the voice was a giant red Dragon. Han-bin grumbled as he looked back at Artis. ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem right now. but I have to learn how to use it properly to advance.¡± ¡°Well, then you just have to work hard.¡± Artis closed his eyes again. He calmly demonstrated his magic. Bam! A blazing butterfly fluttered around the giant red Dragon. He intentionally used magic in his Draconic body, which was his true form. It was a form of sensory adjustment. It was necessary to supplement it to balance the strengths of their main body and their human forms. So Effir was not in the form of silver-haired beauty but a large Wyvern with a silver mane. ¡°Grrrrrr!¡± That was why they came to that human-deprived forest. They could practice Aura Usage in the backyard, but if a Dragon and a Wyvern were seen in the middle of the city, it would cause quite a mess. Looking at the two Dragon Race members, Ryu Han-bin was inwardly pleased. ¡®It¡¯s time to go to the Ice-Flame Forest.¡¯ So far, his hard work had not been in vain, as Artis was finally a level 60 Mage. He became even stronger in his Dragon form. [Race: Dragon. Fire Dragon, lv. 63.] Of course, his Dragon form¡¯s level was not that high compared to the level of his Mage form, but he couldn¡¯t help it. Their body didn¡¯t get stronger just by getting energy, unlike Mana. Effir had even surpassed the level of Artis. She had become a powerful Magic swordsman at level 61. But she was weaker as a Wyvern. [Race: Wyvern. Lv. 38.] Effir was weaker as a member of the Dragon Race than when she was using a fragile girl¡¯s body! The large Wyvern grumbled at her winged front feet. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know how to use Magic Swordsmanship in this form.¡± Her Magic Swordsmanship was developed only for humans and could not be used in her main form. Everything became useless except for the basic stance management. Of course, her level was also low. It was clear that she was weaker as a Wyvern than as a human. She shook her front and back feet in the air to use a Magic Swordsmanship technique in the Wyvern state somehow. ¡°Hey! Hey! Ouch!¡± The large Wyvern flapped her wings and did a strange martial arts posture, which was both funny and cute. ¡°Well done, Effir.¡± Ryu Han-bin asked, clicking his tongue. ¡°So, do you have any idea on how to make it work?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± The Wyvern asked the Dragon, shaking her long neck from side to side. ¡°How do you use magic, Artis? You don¡¯t need a magic wand like a human being, do you?¡± ¡°The wisdom of ancestors imprinted on the bloodline teaches us how to use dragon cores to replace staffs.¡± A long time ago, the Dragon Race conquered Latna¡¯s Four Great Powers. And their wisdom had been passed on to all Dragons in the family. On the other hand, there was no such benefit in the case of Effir. ¡°Because Wyverns have never existed in history. Maybe you¡¯re the first one.¡± ¡°Then, I have no choice but to figure it out myself.¡± She bowed her head in disappointment. Artis soothed her. ¡°Instead, if you develop a way to use magic in your Wyvern state, your descendants will be taught wisdom through your lineage. That¡¯s the trait of Latna¡¯s Dragon Race.¡± Of course, it was questionable whether Effir could produce a descendant as smart as her if she laid eggs. Suddenly, she looked at Artis¡¯ red giant body and gave off a playful look. ¡°If you¡¯re my partner, would we make smart descendants? I can take the seeds of Artis and lay eggs¡­¡± Artis immediately shook his head. ¡°That would be difficult.¡± ¡°Oh, of course. I¡¯m joking¡­¡± Effir giggled. He continued with an extremely serious face. ¡°I¡¯m still a minor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin and Effir were speechless. A minor? Come to think of it, that was true. Since Dragons usually became adult Dragons at around 180 years old, Artis, who was still 150 years old, was still young. ¡°Are you too mature to be a minor¡­¡± ¡°No, wait. So if you become an adult Dragon, will a Wyvern be okay for you?¡± Han-bin was puzzled, but Artis still answered seriously. ¡°There have been some cases. Their offsprings are called Dryvern when the Dragon is male and Wyragon when it¡¯s female.¡± In the case of evil Dragons, there were times when they took Wyverns to supplement their forces to protect them. ¡°I have no intention of doing that.¡± ¡°Good. Effir¡¯s virginity will be safe.¡± Looking at Effir¡¯s eyes that¡¯s been giving the red Dragon a once-over, Artis might be the one that had to worry about his innocence. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re pretty strong, and Han-bin has learned to use Aura¡­¡± Artis changed the topic, trying to ignore Effir¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s going pretty well.¡± Artis and Effir had also reached the right level to enter the Four Prohibited Areas. After that, it would be energy-boosting to level 70. Considering how he dealt with the likes of the Blood Circer Queen, Han-bin could afford to handle monsters above level 80. ¡°When we get above level 70, we¡¯ll be even more powerful. Han-bin will also be stronger.¡± Now that he had mastered Aura, he didn¡¯t need to control his strength anymore. Ryu Han-bin could finally exert his maximum power as a warrior. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem to be chosen as the Goddess¡¯s Blessed.¡± According to Artis¡¯s investigation, the last Goddess¡¯s Blessed was a level 100 Spiritist belonging to the Dark Church. ¡°Han-bin, I don¡¯t think you can do worse than him.¡± Their contribution to the Church had also increased thanks to the help of the Atransas family. They had a lot of money thanks to their constant visits to all kinds of dungeons. They still had plenty of time left. Nearly three years were left before the next Goddess¡¯s Blessing would be given. ¡°Of course, Alien-hunting has the highest contribution, but I can¡¯t do it. So we¡¯re at a little disadvantage there¡­¡± If he felt that he couldn¡¯t make it, he could donate all of his wealth and make up for his poor grades. If he were a Latnain who had to continue to live in that world, he would not be able to waste his fortune, but Ryu Han-bin¡¯s goal was to return to Earth. What would he do to the money he had saved up if he couldn¡¯t even carry them anyway? ¡°You mean I just need to do as I have done.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®I will work hard to clear Dungeons and continue to improve my skill. If I do that, I will be chosen for the blessing of the Goddesses without any difficulty¡­¡¯ ¡°and I¡¯ll be able to meet the Goddesses!¡± Ryu Han-bin clenched his fist. Bang! Suddenly, a thunderstorm began as dark clouds enveloped the skies. ¡°Oh, it looks like it¡¯s going to rain.¡± Effir looked up. Boom! Something appeared through the dark clouds. It was a black, burning meteor, and it was falling at a ferocious speed. Artis wondered. ¡°Why is the meteor so dark?¡± Ryu Han-bin turned pale. ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t think the color is the problem.¡± The trajectory of the meteor was unusual. ¡°That¡¯s falling towards us!¡± Surprisingly, that meteor was heading exactly to the clearing where the party was staying. ¡°Huh!¡± Frustrated, Han-bin and his party fled into the forest. Soon a black meteor hit the ground. Boom! As a huge explosion ensued, storms began to cover their surrounding. It created a huge crater in the middle of the clearing. Peeking through the trees, the red Dragon looked ridiculous. ¡°Has there ever been a phenomenon like this in the world?¡± It was common for a meteor to fall from the sky, but it was an astronomical coincidence that it fell towards them. It even fell exactly where Han-bin and his party were standing. Still feeling surprised, the group approached the crater. Effir poked her long neck inside. ¡°It¡¯s not a meteor¡­¡± There was a beautiful woman with black hair lying in the middle of the crater. * * * Due to the appearance of an unidentified outsider, they could no longer stay in their main bodies. Artis and Effir quickly changed into their human forms. After their transformations, Han-bin and his party carefully examined the woman. She was a tall Asian beauty with rich black hair and white skin. She was also quite tall, at about 172 centimeters. She was dressed in a torn black dress, and her breath was thin as if she had fainted completely. Ryu Han-bin asked blankly. ¡°¡­ Is this world supposed to have people falling from the sky?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible because of magic, but¡­¡± Artis blurted out the end of his speech. That was bizarre even by Latna¡¯s standards. They kept watching her. Suddenly, Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡°Huh? Another error in the Guideline?¡± Effir became curious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a strange message.¡± Han-bin habitually used the Search function on the black-haired beauty through the Guideline. But the result was extremely strange. [Race: Goddess. Lv. Unknown.] ¡°¡­ Goddess?¡± Chapter 73 Darkness Fallen (3) ¡°Goddess?¡± Ryu Han-bin nodded when he saw the bewildered Artis. ¡°That¡¯s what the Guideline¡¯s saying.¡± When he saw the fallen woman, Effir began to slur. ¡°Her sudden appearance is unusual¡­¡± However, it wasn¡¯t a miracle that should be shown by a divine being. There were so many fascinating magic spells in the world that they thought the Guideline mistook someone falling from the sky as a Goddess. Artis was skeptical. ¡°Do you think Han-bin will get a similar result if I fly him up high into the sky then drop him?¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m a human being. I¡¯ll die if I¡­¡± Han-bin stopped in the middle of his protest. ¡°Maybe not¡­ Huh?¡± If he used his defense, Armor Aura, and his magical shield, he might not die even if he fell from the sky. ¡°Is there another error? That¡¯s a broken item.¡± ¡°There¡¯s never been an error like this.¡± The errors the Guideline had shown so far had all been information-crushing. It never delivered the wrong information. But it was hard to believe she was a real Goddess. ¡°I wanted to meet the Goddesses, and she fell from the sky? This is weird, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very strange.¡± Indeed, there had never been a time when the Guideline delivered the wrong information. ¡°When I first turned on the Guideline, it said it could drink water though it couldn¡¯t.¡± It was so old that he forgot about it. ¡°Is it just an error?¡± Then. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± The woman opened her eyes with a faint groan. Her dark eyes were like the night sky. They elegantly reflected the appearance of Han-bin and his party. Effir spoke carefully. ¡°¡­ Excuse me, are you all right?¡± The black-haired beauty stood up. She calmly dusted off her dress and alternated between Artis and Effir with calm eyes. She then spoke out of the blue. ¡°¡­ Dragon, Wyvern.¡± Both were stunned. They were in their human forms. Yet, she immediately discovered their true identities. The woman¡¯s eyes turned to Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Then you must be an Earthling.¡± Surprised, Han-bin stepped back. He asked with blatant vigilance. ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡± The woman gave a strange smile. It was as if she already expected that question. ¡°Well, it would only be proper to introduce myself first.¡± Looking up at the giant Ryu Han-bin, she put her delicate hand on her chest. ¡°I am Kybriel, this world¡¯s Goddess of Darkness.¡± * * * Six Goddesses protected Latna: Althea of Light, Kybriel of Darkness, Yessen of Fire, Rhamniana of Water, Sorondi of Land, Preleu of Wind. She had just claimed to be one of those six Goddesses who controlled everything in the world. Of course, Han-bin and his party were suspicious of her. She had no sense of divinity at all. No sacredness, no transcendental energy could be felt. ¡°I understand that you can¡¯t believe it.¡± The beauty gave them a wry, bitter smile. ¡°A woman suddenly shows up out of nowhere them claims to be a Goddess. Everyone has every right to think that I¡¯m crazy.¡± She then stared at Ryu Han-bin, Artis, and Effir in turn. ¡°But there must be another part that you can¡¯t ignore.¡± She was right. Han-bin¡¯s Guideline was still showing her status. [Race: Goddess. Lv. Unknown.] She claimed that she was a Goddess, but it was hard to believe it. Well, there was a question of whether a Goddess could be considered a race, but it was just a matter of choice. Artis and Effir felt a little convinced. ¡®If you knew who we were at first sight¡­¡¯ ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Not even measurement stones could discover the real identities of Latna¡¯s Dragon race in human form. Even the Guideline couldn¡¯t do that. The Four Great Powers of Latna and the power of the Devil could not grasp their true nature. There was only one possibility. According to legends, the six Goddesses had created Latna and six intelligent bodies. Althea of Light created humans. Kybriel of Darkness created the Dragon race. Yessen of Fire created the Dwarves, and Rhamniana of Water created Nymph. Sorondi of Land made Elves, and Preleu of Wind created Sylphs. If the woman in front of them was indeed Kybriel, it was no wonder she had recognized the nature of Artis and Effir. She was the creator of their race! ¡®Are you Kybriel?¡¯ ¡®But she¡¯s just a human being, no matter how I look at her.¡¯ Frustrated, Artis and Effir looked at Ryu Han-bin and the beauty with black hair. They couldn¡¯t decide what to do. Han-bin decided to reserve his judgment for now. The priority was to grasp the situation first. He looked down at the beauty with a serious expression. ¡°You¡¯re a Goddess? Kybriel of Darkness?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°First, suppose you¡¯re a real Goddess¡­¡± If she were a Goddess, it would be quite a blunt way of speaking, but the woman didn¡¯t get angry. She seemed to understand fully. ¡°May I ask you why a Goddess has made such a bizarre appearance?¡± The beautiful woman grinned. ¡°I was waiting for that question.¡± * * * The sacred sanctuary of Darkness. The voice of a mortal touched the place that existed between dimensions. ¡°Goddess, your children ask for an audience!¡± Many Humans, Dragons, and Elves prayed to the Goddesses. But their prayers never came true. Responding to every prayer was an act that would break the balance of the world. A true guardian of Latna could not do such a foolish thing. But that prayer was different. It was the request of the secular world¡¯s guardians, who were blessed by the Goddesses, and those who protected the world from the Devil Omphalos. It was Hollien Arc Mage Genovia. Thunder King Garhan. They were eligible. Kybriel accepted their request. ¡°My children, why have you visited the Darkness?¡± * * * ¡°And I was stabbed.¡± The woman spoke bluntly. Effir was confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I got stabbed. They just stabbed me for a second.¡± Han-bin and his party were dumbfounded. ¡®How should I say it? For a Goddess, she feels too human.¡¯ Kybriel shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I had no idea.¡± Artis asked suspiciously. ¡°How could that happen? If you were a Goddess, you would know everything.¡± She nodded, saying it was an understandable question. ¡°Yeah, the Goddesses can see everything in Latna.¡± In other words, the Goddesses couldn¡¯t even look at anything unless she was from Latna. ¡°They were using the force of the Omphalos. They used Alien power that does not belong to Latna.¡± She didn¡¯t detect any conspiracy or hostility. The demon¡¯s power was to conceal all their true intentions and leave behind only their faith in the Goddess. The three of Latna¡¯s strongest beings had prepared the most powerful surprise attack. It certainly penetrated Kybriel¡¯s heart. At that moment, as a Goddess, she had died and was robbed of her divinity. ¡°But my existence has not completely disappeared because their abilities were not perfect.¡± She still had a glimmer of hope. Using the loophole, she had managed to avoid the worst. ¡°They took away my divinity, but¡­¡± They couldn¡¯t seal her knowledge and wisdom as a Goddess. It was like conquering a nuclear missile base but losing the launch codes. ¡°In return, I lost my omniscience and became a mortal. But it¡¯s a good thing she stopped them from abusing the power of Goddess.¡± With a sigh, Kybriel continued. ¡°Since then, I have taken my place by making incarnations with my personality. And I found a way to solve the problem.¡± At first, she had tried to call out to the other Goddesses. But she soon realized that it was impossible. The balance of the six Goddesses was broken when Kybriel of Darkness lost her divinity. To focus on regaining the balance, the Goddesses no longer influenced the material world. Her next option was to borrow the power of the Goddesses¡¯ creatures. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem that I can easily solve.¡± Those three beings were the rulers of the world. Many humans, Dragons, and Elves were under their control. That was why no one, not even the priests of the Kybriel Church, could be trusted. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m just an ordinary human being now after losing my divinity. Who would believe I¡¯m the Goddess of Darkness?¡± She needed someone who could trust her. Fortunately, there was one such person. He was Latna¡¯s strongest Swordsman in name and reality, equipped with outstanding power. He¡¯s among the four blessed by the Goddesses. The Sword King, Baotolt. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t find his location.¡± Baotolt was still staying deep in Kaltan, the Great Maze, enjoying his old age and hunting down the highest-ranking monsters. The problem was that the Maze, Kaltan, was also part of Omphalos. That Dungeon did not belong to Latna. The power of the Goddesses couldn¡¯t detect it. Frustrated, Kybriel scraped all the omniscience power she had left and found the answer. -Which of the intelligent bodies in Latna currently has the best reason to believe, trust and help me while also having the highest probability of solving my problem? ¡°I followed the answer and came here.¡± After the explanation, Kybriel gazed at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes. She was no longer a Goddess. The remaining knowledge and wisdom of the Goddess were wasted to find the man in front of her. She became a weak and ignorant mortal. She had to ask what she didn¡¯t know as a human being. ¡°Can I ask your name, Earthling, who is beyond the control of Omphalos?¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin was in agony. First of all, the story made sense. ¡®Maybe she¡¯s a real Goddess¡­¡¯ She had found the identity of Han-bin, Artis, and Effir immediately. Of course, she might¡¯ve found their identities out by chance, but¡­ ¡®There¡¯s the message from the Guideline.¡¯ No matter how good she was at deception, she could never hope to manipulate the Guideline. ¡®There¡¯s no doubt about it at this point.¡¯ However, Han-bin did not rush. ¡°If you are a Goddess, I want to ask you something.¡± He secretly gave her a final exam. ¡°My wish, is it possible to achieve?¡± He didn¡¯t say what the wish was on purpose. If that woman was the Goddess of Darkness, she should¡¯ve already known it. Otherwise, he could not have been judged to be a reliable Earthling. She answered calmly. ¡°Boring holes through space and time would break the balance of the world. It¡¯s not something that we should do. If it were easy, Aliens and Dungeons would already have been sent back.¡± She looked at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°But I can grant you your wish if I regain my divinity.¡± Han-bin had given up his doubts. There was no reason to distrust her anymore. He answered her query politely. ¡°My name is Ryu Han-bin, and in this world, I use the pseudonym Felard Bean, Goddess.¡± Kybriel grinned. ¡°Help me, Ryu Han-bin. Then I will send you back to Earth.¡± Chapter 74 Darkness Fallen (4) The Goddess of Darkness had given them her first request. ¡°Give me some rice.¡± Now that she had become a human, she had to nourish herself properly. ¡°I starved the whole time I¡¯m in this form. I¡¯m famished.¡± Although feeling uncomfortable by her ungodly manner, Effir ran to bring a lunch box. It contained rye bread and grilled lambs that she was planning to eat upon getting hungry during training. ¡°E-eat, please.¡± ¡°Thank you, Effir¡­ Did you say your name was Effir? Did I get it right? It is hard for me to memorize.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kybriel chewed and swallowed bread and meat. The group of Han-bin watched her silently. ¡®She¡¯s eating well.¡¯ ¡®She acts more like a beggar than a Goddess.¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t that blasphemy?¡¯ They understood the situation due to her explanation. But it was still hard to make peace with it. Was the humanly beautiful woman in front of them really the Goddess who had created all the Dragon race in Latna? Artis spoke, reading the others¡¯ faces. ¡°Dear Kybriel, may I ask you a question?¡± She said something out of the blue. ¡°Talk to me without honorifics.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Speak without formalities. I¡¯m not a royal or aristocrat of any kind, and wouldn¡¯t it look strange if young men of similar age were treated with respect?¡± She was right. But Artis didn¡¯t dare change his way of speaking. ¡°How could dare I to be so arrogant to the great Goddess¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m no longer a Goddess. I¡¯m a human. I¡¯m neither great nor holy.¡± The incarnation was not the same as the Goddess. Most of the knowledge and wisdom, as well as the power of the Goddess, were sealed. ¡°A kind of personality terminal? Well, something like that. Treating me as the Goddess of Darkness is, in a sense, an insult to Kybriel.¡± Also, Ryu Han-bin would have serious problems if he treated Kybriel with respect. ¡°Do Valtara warriors use honorifics to others? They ignore the royal families of the country. It¡¯s going to raise suspicions.¡± Kybriel said that they needed to decide on an appellation to avoid overly respecting her. ¡°You can just call me Kibie.¡± ¡°Kibie?¡± Han-bin tilted his head. She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s my alias. I can¡¯t use my real name.¡± They concluded that Ryu Han-bin and Artis should call her Kibie. Effir, in her little girl form, called her elder sister. The beauty chewed on and swallowed the food. She seemed extremely hungry, considering half of the food in the lunch box had already disappeared. It was amazing how so much food could fit into her small stomach. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m full. I can live now.¡± She looked back at Artis, sucking on the grease on her fingers. ¡°Oh, you said you had something to ask me earlier.¡± Artis answered informally. ¡°Yes, Kibie.¡± As expected, the title was important. Not Kybriel, the Goddess of Darkness, but the incarnation Kibie was easily called. ¡°Why did three of the strongest people in the whole world conspired against you?¡± * * * ¡°Why did the three strongest beings go after my divinity?¡± Kibie had an incomprehensible look on her face. ¡°People¡¯s greed is endless. Is it so strange that rulers, who have nothing more to achieve in the world, are greedy for higher places?¡± Artis shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask that question in that sense.¡± If they were just ordinary aging beings with powerful power, it was understandable that they wanted to be immortal. Eternal life was everyone¡¯s wish. ¡°But they¡¯ve already been blessed with eternal youth.¡± No matter how invincible they were, there was virtually no way to kill them if the top 3 powers were immortal. ¡°They¡¯ve already become immortal.¡± And robbing the divinity of Goddess must have been very risky. If they had failed, they would¡¯ve paid a huge price. Why did they, already being so powerful and immortal, still needed to rob the Goddess¡¯s divinity? ¡°Of course, as you said, human greed is endless.¡± At least one could be greedy. ¡°But all three of them had the same greed?¡± It was not understandable. ¡°If I were you, I would want to live in the world with such a huge power for about 1,000 years. No, is this too petty a way of thinking?¡± Then Kibie shook her head. ¡°Oh, I see your misunderstanding.¡± Kibie talked calmly. ¡°We didn¡¯t bless them with complete immortality.¡± Living in a young body did not break the balance of the world. However, it became a problem if mortals continued to exist in the world beyond their life span. ¡°Especially those who are influential like them.¡± So the six Goddesses blessed the four strongest men to live youthfully until the end of their life. Effir, who was listening, tilted her head. ¡°Wait, what does that mean? So, they will die in time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a short stutter of memory, Kibie continued. ¡°Baotolt is 99 years old, Garhan is 97 years old, Genovia is 98 years old¡­ Maybe. Hollien was 315 years old because of his relatively long life span.¡± Kibie smiled, saying, ¡°The moment they reach the limit of their life span, they will die.¡± ¡°We allowed them to live with a young, healthy body until the end of their lives. It was the best blessing we could give. They were very moved, too.¡± At that moment, Han-bin and his party were speechless. ¡°¡­¡± So, that meant¡­ ¡°You¡¯re saying they¡¯ve come to know when they¡¯re going to die.¡± They immediately understood why they committed such a reckless crime. Even though they were already prepared to die, they were made to live young and healthy for the rest of their lives until the fixed date of their deaths came. Ryu Han-bin shouted. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re crazy! It¡¯s like a death sentence!¡± Artis and Effir looked similar. ¡°How is that a blessing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a complete curse, isn¡¯t it?¡± In response, Kibie¡¯s calm expression changed. ¡°That¡¯s true, come to think of it.¡± She was no longer a Goddess but a human being. After she became a mortal, she finally understood and sympathized with their worries. Kibie muttered, biting her nails. ¡°We¡¯ve made a mistake. Yes, now I understand their behavior.¡± Han-bin looked at her with suspicious eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why the Sword King didn¡¯t try to help you?¡± Kibie didn¡¯t answer. After long consideration, she shook her head. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right.¡± The Sword King Baotolt did not join the other three. ¡°If he were on the same page, they wouldn¡¯t have left out Baotolt.¡± It was not just a simple coup d¡¯etat. They robbed the Goddess¡¯s divinity. So it was natural to want to increase their odds of succeeding even a little. Ryu Han-bin asked again. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Sword King the only one who might have been neutral?¡± That time, Kibie answered right away. ¡°Baotolt can never be neutral. He¡¯s either an enemy or an ally.¡± If the Sword King were truly against the Goddess, he would have taken the lead in asceticism. He was a person who didn¡¯t have the concept of saving his body. ¡°I¡¯m sure Baotolt will help me.¡± * * * Han-bin¡¯s group returned to Tyaron with Kibie. And Kibie thought about the future. Her goal was to go to Kaltan, the Great Maze, and find Baotolt, the Sword King. The problem was that it was one of the Four Prohibited Areas. It meant that it was forbidden for most people to enter. Unlike the common Dungeon area, the Four Prohibited Areas were strictly ruled by the Continental Three Powers. Artis thought about it hard. ¡°We can move to Serkaltan together.¡± Serkaltan, a forbidden city. It was a base for those who wanted to attack Kaltan, the Great Maze, and it was an area where merchants and ordinary citizens lived together, in addition to the top Hunters. So far, there were no problems, except for their levels. ¡°But you need to be over level 70 to enter the Great Maze.¡± Artis and Effir fell below that. Kibie, who had become an ordinary human being, wouldn¡¯t be allowed to enter. Effir also reminded them of the fact. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a problem to cross the border? Kibie¡¯s status isn¡¯t clear.¡± When Han-bin and his party entered Tyaron, the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s gateway city, they went through quite a thorough and strict inspection. ¡°We had no problem with the Hunter ID.¡± Ryu Han-bin, who had broken up with Buckman, intentionally renewed his Hunter ID card even though he knew he would be ignored. If his identity weren¡¯t clear, the situation would be troublesome in many ways. Ryu Han-bin asked Artis. ¡°Then what are you going to do with her status?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but¡­¡± Artis answered, glancing at Kibie. ¡°I think we can take her around in the form of a maid of honor. When we get to Serkaltan, we put her in a safe place. Then we find the Sword King by ourselves.¡± After delivering the Goddess¡¯s message to the Sword King Baotolt, they could return to Serkaltan with him and let them meet. At that time, Kibie, who was listening silently, disagreed. ¡°No, I¡¯m coming with you.¡± It because she didn¡¯t want to be treated like a maid. ¡°If I don¡¯t face Baotolt, it won¡¯t be easy to persuade him. Think about it. People who¡¯ve never met before appear out of nowhere and say, ¡®The Goddess of Darkness is looking for you. Come with us.¡¯ Would you believe it if you were him?¡± Looking back at her, Artis made a slight impression. ¡°I know that, but there¡¯s no other way, right?¡± She wasn¡¯t allowed to enter the Great Maze without reaching a certain level. She would be blocked at the entrance. Kibie grinned. ¡°I think everyone¡¯s confused¡­¡± She raised her right hand. ¡°I became a human being, not an incompetent!¡± Zoom! A pitch-black light ran through her fingers. Han-bin and his party opened their eyes wide in surprise. ¡°Aura?¡± A light of destruction, as smooth as a gemstone, illuminated their surroundings. ¡°I put in as much energy as I could in making this incarnation. Now I am a warrior and an Aura user. I think I¡¯m around the level of¡­ about 80 or so.¡± Ryu Han-bin nodded absentmindedly. Now she was also an Aura user. He could feel it. Kibie¡¯s Aura was not bad compared to the level 85 monster, the Blood Circer Queen, whom Han-bin had fought before. With the light of destruction in her hands, the woman with black hair spoke proudly. ¡°All I want is your help, not one-sided protection.¡± Chapter 75 Darkness Fallen (5) Han-bin and his party were relieved. If Kibie were such a powerful Aura user, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for her to get into the Great Maze. Ryu Han-bin had a strange look on his face. ¡°By the way, are you really an Aura user?¡± Kibie was puzzled. ¡°Why do you sound disappointed? Do I look weak?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Han-bin smiled bitterly. He was thinking about something else entirely. ¡°I wish you were a Spiritist.¡± Their party already had an Aura user, a Mage, and a Magic Swordsman. He thought it would be perfect if a Spiritist joined. However, another warrior came instead. ¡°Oh, no, there¡¯s no healer, but there are more dealers.¡± Kibie easily understood his earthly expression. ¡°Is that so? I couldn¡¯t help it. I had only one choice, and that was Aura.¡± The men who had raided Kybriel of Darkness were the most powerful Mage, Spiritist, and Magic Swordsman on Latna. Mana, Prana, and Force were all out of her control. ¡°The only thing I could control was Aura. But I¡¯ve saved some of my abilities as an incarnation. I wouldn¡¯t be so incompetent, would I?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you are incompetent.¡± Regardless, with her being an Aura user, keeping her identity a secret had become easier. All she had to do was go to the Tyaron Hunter Guild and register as a Hunter. Unlike Ryu Han-bin¡¯s case, it didn¡¯t matter that Kibie¡¯s past did not exist. In the first place, the Hunter system was designed for the open identity laundry. Because of the Dungeons, there were so many wandering people, and it was common for underdogs of yesterday to become the champion of tomorrow. Under the existing system, the world had become unmanageable. Therefore, it was better to register her identity voluntarily. She would have some inhibition, and she would be able to get at least a clue if she made an accident later. ¡°Then should we go to the Hunter Guild?¡± They were just about to leave. Ryu Han-bin looked back at Kibie. ¡°Wait, what about her level? Kibie, your level is unknown in my eyes right now.¡± She replied that there was nothing strange about it. ¡°I am the darkness of the world. That is my essence. Is there a level in the night sky? Do shadows have a level? Of course, it appears as unknown.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the problem¡­¡± Han-bin asked again, waving his hands. ¡°Isn¡¯t it going to be identified by the measurement stone?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± In response to Kibie¡¯s calm answer, Ryu Han-bin imagined the possible situation for a moment. She would go into the Hunter Guild. She would say she wanted to be a Hunter. But what if her level appeared to be unknown? -Ahhhhhhh! Alien! -I¡¯m not an Alien. Since I am an incarnation, my level is unknown. -Ahhhhhhh! She¡¯s a crazy Alien! ¡°Have you ever thought that¡­?¡± Kibie showed no signs of worry. ¡°Do you think I am a fool? I¡¯ve thought about that.¡± * * * The next day. A group of people entered the reception of the Tyaron Hunter Guild. It was the so-called ¡®Artis Team.¡¯ which was getting more and more popular lately. Although the Valtara warrior Felard Bean was the team¡¯s strongest player, technically, he was not a Hunter but Artis¡¯s assistant. They had to register the team under Artis¡¯s name. The Hunters in the hall on the first floor who saw the Han-bin group began to murmur among themselves. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the Valtara warrior.¡± ¡°I heard that he closed Rengard Dungeon.¡± ¡°I heard they¡¯re planning to go into the Ice-Flame Forest.¡± ¡°Already into the Four Prohibited Areas? That¡¯s amazing.¡± The expressions of everyone immediately changed. There was a strange woman among the team. ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡®Who is that woman?¡¯ She was an amazing beauty, causing their eyes to magnetize towards her. She was 175-centimeter tall, had slim legs, a narrow waist, and full breasts. Her thick black hair, tied into three braids, perfectly contrasted against her white skin. She had an elegant body reminiscent of a truly beautiful yet weak-motivated beast, such as a leopard or cheetah. The Hunters felt a little shy. It wasn¡¯t just because she was a beauty. ¡®Who is she?¡¯ ¡®What kind of girl is that?¡¯ She was only wearing short leather shorts, a chest cover, boots, and belts. She had a large spear on her back, which was fully exposed, much like her slim waist, abdomen, and thighs. Simply put, she wore the same dress as Felard Bean! ¡®No way?¡¯ In everyone¡¯s confusion, Han-bin and his party walked to the reception desk. The receptionist greeted them. ¡°Welcome, Mr. Artis. By the way, is this?¡± Pointing at the woman, Artis replied. ¡°She¡¯s a new team member. She¡¯s here to register.¡± Indeed, the receptionist for Tyaron Hunter Guild was different from Highten. As soon as the receptionist heard his answer, he quickly wrapped around the measurement stone and asked carefully. ¡°¡­ Can she break it with her bare hands?¡± ¡°She can do that easily.¡± Artis smiled confidently. It seemed that Kibie had already guessed what it was. The woman pulled out her long spear. Zoom! A pitch-black light traveled through the spear, illuminating the hall on the first floor. A few Hunter immediately noticed and shouted. ¡°Aura!¡± ¡°That young woman?¡± Looking at the beautiful woman with black hair, the receptionist stared blankly at her. ¡°Oh, as expected¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Artis confirmed his conjecture. ¡°She is a female warrior of the Valtara clan.¡± * * * Kibie¡¯s solution was very simple. ¡°Why the hell are you still thinking? There¡¯s an answer right here.¡± She was going to go in as a Valtara. Unlike Ryu Han-bin, however, it wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°When I chose an incarnation, I chose the best lineage among Althea¡¯s creations.¡± Althea of light had created humanity, and the most talented of all humans were the Valtara warriors. In terms of her body, Kibie could pass as a female warrior from Valtara. Han-bin muttered, looking at her features. ¡°I thought you looked like an Asian¡­¡± ¡°I wanted to choose one of my creations, but I didn¡¯t have enough energy left to do that.¡± The Han-bin group dressed Kibie as a member of the Valtara clan. Ryu Han-bin had experience in producing barbarian costumes, so it wasn¡¯t that difficult. ¡°Oh, but the problem is that her skin is too white. I think she should get a suntan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Artis. Valtara women usually have white skin. Only men are dark-toned.¡± Wearing proper attire and carrying a long spear on her back, she looked like a great barbarian. Looking back, Kibie grinned. ¡°What do you think? I look like them, right?¡± Artis and Effir nodded. ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, sister. Maybe because you have a nice body, you look good in a barbarian outfit.¡± Of course, Han-bin couldn¡¯t find a place to put his eyes on. ¡°No, that¡¯s too revealing¡­¡± She looked like a warrior, but she was covered only in places that needed to be covered. It was embarrassing for a man to walk around like that, but what about a woman? ¡°You¡¯re a Goddess. Is that okay?¡± But neither Kibie nor Artis nor Effir found it strange in any way. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Valtara warrior.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re ashamed of.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They visited the Hunter Guild the next day. The situation was the same as that of Ryu Han-bin. Without any doubt, the receptionist gave them her ID card. ¡°Kibie has been registered as Mr. Artis¡¯s escort.¡± [Tyaron Hunter Guild: Kibie Bierne, Guard Knight of Artis Venetian] ¡°Good!¡± The Valtara female warrior, who received her ID card, hit the window on the floor and shouted cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m protecting Artis!¡± Hunters, who were watching, nodded their heads as they were deeply impressed. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°She is a Valtara warrior!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a romp?¡± Only Ryu Han-bin had a blunt face and was expressing his lamentation. ¡®¡­ I think this world¡¯s too crazy¡­¡¯ * * * The dark sanctuary lost its owner. With the black temple in front of him, the Thunder King Garhan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s all messed up.¡± The conspiracy had been successful. They got the power of Kybriel. The divinity of the Goddess, her great power, was in their hands. Other Goddesses¡¯ interference had also been ruled out. Land, water, fire, wind, light, and darkness. The balance of the six powers in charge of Latna was broken, and the Goddesses could no longer involve themselves in the material world. Only the power of the Goddesses as a ¡®phenomenon¡¯ controlled the world. Their seals would only be released after a new dark spirit emerged, replacing Kybriel. By then, however, the trio would already be the gods and goddesses of darkness. They had become one of the pillars of providence so that no one could confront them. Everything went according to plan. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t missed her at the end.¡± Thanks to it, the knowledge and wisdom of darkness had been sealed. The trio had robbed the divinity of the Goddess, but that was all. They could not deal with what they had stolen. ¡°We can¡¯t overcome our life limit!¡± Genovia gnashed her teeth, calculating the remaining time of her life. ¡°Oh, my God, I only have about five years left¡­¡± On the other side of the dark, Hollien made a mockery. ¡°See, I told you it wasn¡¯t going to work out, didn¡¯t I? Anyway, you ignored me.¡± It was not the time to fight against each other. They needed to find a solution. In a calm tone, Genovia murmured. ¡°First of all, we need to find Kybriel. The problem is how we¡¯d be able to do that¡­¡± Latna continent was wide. Even the three strongest kings who ruled the world wouldn¡¯t be able to find a single human easily. ¡°And if we don¡¯t know her name, her trace, and her appearance, it would be even harder.¡± Hollien took her word. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t know anything. At least we know she¡¯s a woman. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± The trio did not confirm Kybriel¡¯s incarnation. She was a Goddess, so they guessed her incarnation could be a woman. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything on the condition that she¡¯s a young woman. Even if we try to hire someone to find her, we have to tell them who we¡¯re looking for.¡± Garhan made a serious face. ¡°There is a way to specify the incarnation.¡± The body of the Goddess had one characteristic. Through the Guideline, a unique message popped up. [Race: Goddess. Lv. Unknown.] ¡°With the ability of Aliens, we can identify the incarnation of the Goddess.¡± Hollien asked back in doubt. ¡°Are you going to release Great Earth and make them find her? Will it work? We can¡¯t go through all of the vast Latna lands with just 30 people.¡± Garhan shook his head with a stiff face. ¡°I didn¡¯t say ¡®the¡¯ Great Earth.¡± She was mistaken. Tho ones Garhan mentioned were not his loyal staff serving as his subordinates, only disguised as Great Earth¡¯s remnants. ¡°I¡¯m talking about something else.¡± Hundreds of crazed monsters in the world, handled by the strongest four men 33 years ago. ¡°That number would be enough to explore the entire continent.¡± Hollien asked back in dismay. ¡°Are you serious? Are you going to release those bloodthirsty lunatics again?¡± ¡°Then, is there any other way?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± She looked at Garhan and Genovia alternately with a weary face. Was it because there was a difference in the time left for them? Unlike her, a Nymph, the two ¡®human¡¯ seemed to have already made their decisions. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not the time to decide what we use.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Garhan gave a gruesome smile. ¡°I will unseal the Akhtarun.¡± Chapter 76 Ice-Flame Forest (1) That day, he hunted monsters down. Argh! A colossal monster howled and set off a fire in front of them. Standing at three meters tall, he had the head of an eagle and fiery wings. Boom, boom, boom! Fires and explosions filled the battlefield, destroying everything they touched. Ruslan stared at him with cold eyes as he flew away from the attack. [Race: Carura. Lv. 80] There was no need to check with the Guideline. He had been dealing with them several times already. Turning on the Guideline was just an old habit. ¡°Kkkkkkk¡­¡± With a strange smile, Ruslan held his sword. It was an old, rusty sword. It wasn¡¯t the only thing that looked cheap about him. His costume was also very shabby. He wore a rag of cloth, not even a proper suit of armor. If a stranger saw him, he would look nothing more than a bum. ¡°Hmm!¡± With the old sword in hand, Ruslan flew away. -Magic Swordsmanship: Fang of the Thunder Dragon! A giant lightning dragon embroidered the air. The old sword continuously threw up lightning and flames. They continued to fight, letting their anger run in their veins as they ceaselessly battled in their deathmatches. They only had one goal, and that¡¯s to end the life of the other. Relentless tremendous sounds filled the tower. The victor had finally been decided. ¡®Arghhhhhh¡­¡¯ The demon, Carura, was chewed on by the Thunder Dragon, causing it to spill blood. Its severed limbs swung in all directions. It was a victory for Ruslan, a human. Carura was a powerful monster, but not enough to beat him, a level 85 Magic Swordsman. Looking at the monster, which had been turned into an ordinary piece of meat, he gulped. He felt hungry. He was getting hungrier. How nice would it be if he could grill that meat well and eat it? But Ruslan knew very well that he couldn¡¯t. The blood and flesh of monsters were severely poisonous. He had seen many people who couldn¡¯t stand hunger ate the monsters¡¯ meat and suffered from severe pain for days. What was even more terrible was that they didn¡¯t die. The pain lingered for what felt like forever. ¡°Oh, God, I could¡¯ve eaten a novice devil dog¡­¡± Defying temptation, Ruslan headed for the Carura¡¯s body. It was time to dig up the Spirit Stone of a level 80 monster. It would be worth a few dozen gold coins to any guild in Latna. However, the value of the Spirit Stone was just half a loaf of bread. It was not even an entire loaf, but only half of it. He pondered for a moment. If he replaced that Spirit Stone with water instead of bread, he would get a full cup. ¡®Bread or water?¡¯ He didn¡¯t think long. He drank water yesterday, so that day was the time to satisfy his hunger. ¡®It¡¯s bread.¡¯ After digging up the Spirit Stone, he slowly moved on. He walked nonstop in the endless giant tower. How long did he walk? Others were there. Just like Ruslan, they wore ragged clothes. Everyone moved toward one part of the tower. The number of people was increasing. There was a young man, a young woman, an old man, a middle-aged man, and an old woman. People of all genders and ages were gathering in a large square, their eyes cold and dry. As usual, Ruslan joined the group and headed for the square. He was going to exchange that precious Spirit Stone for food. Then he noticed something unusual. The vast crystal stone located in the center of the square, and the Magic Swordsman, who exchanged the Spirit Stone for bread and water, were now emitting light images. It was the image of a middle-aged man with blond hair. ¡°You Aliens.¡± As the voice rang, the crowd in the square shrugged in terror. Everyone there knew that middle-aged man. It was one of the four strongest beings and the one keeping them at Akhtarun. The image of Thunder King Garhan continued to talk. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± ¡®Opportunity?¡¯ Ruslan wondered. He didn¡¯t know what opportunity he was talking about. ¡°It is an opportunity to purge away your sins and gain freedom.¡± People began to roar. They couldn¡¯t figure out why Garhan suddenly thought of such an idea. The question was solved when they heard the voice that followed. ¡°¡­ Goddess of Darkness?¡± ¡°Find the incarnation of the Goddess?¡± Vitality began to come into the eyes of those who were as good as dead. Their fighting spirits rose throughout the square. ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°Is he saying he¡¯s going to let us out of here?¡± Hundreds of people on Earth looked at the massive door across the square. The gateway to Akhtarun, the tunnel to the outer world blocked by the Thunder King Garhan, was right in front of them. The indomitable seal, which countless people tried to break but failed to scratch, began to crack. ¡°It¡¯s real¡­¡± ¡°It is¡­¡± The people¡¯s voices grew louder and louder. The whole square shook. Aura, mana, Prana, and Force. The results of ¡®XP¡¯ accumulated over the decades flowed through life and madness. Garhan¡¯s voice followed. ¡°Find the incarnation of the Goddess.¡± Amid all that chaos¡­ ¡°Then bring her to me.¡± The voice was strictly stuck in the minds of the people of Earth. ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you back to Earth. It¡¯s a promise I make in the name of Thunder King.¡± Boom, boom¡­ The seal was finally broken. The door opened. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± As they cheered, the Earthlings began to dash outside. They could go out into the world. They could meet people. They could meet people, cut their throats, and once again enjoy the pleasures of stabbing blades into their hearts! * * * Tyaron city, the western gateway to Allendia, the Fairy Kingdom. Thanks to her disguise as a Valtara warrior, Kibie was accepted as a human without any problems. However, she had to find Baotolt, the Sword King, by heading to the Great Maze, Kaltan. ¡°The levels of you two are not high enough.¡± Kibie clicked her tongue at the sight of Artis and Effir. Currently, Artis was a level 60 Mage, and Effir was a level 61 Magic Swordsman. They were eligible to enter the Four Prohibited Areas. However, the Great Maze, Kaltan, was the most dangerous of all Four Prohibited Areas. Unlike the other three, Kaltan¡¯s admission requirement was at least 70 level. ¡°There¡¯s no problem right now. Because Kibie and I are together.¡± As Ryu Han-bin said, the two were strong enough, so even if they entered Kaltan, their power wouldn¡¯t be insufficient. ¡°But we¡¯re in a position where we can¡¯t prove our level.¡± The two, disguised as the Valtara warriors, were technically not Hunters. They were ¡®escort knights.¡¯ It meant that they were there to help Hunter Artis and Effir attack the Dungeons. Only when they could enter Kaltan could Ryu Han-bin and Kibie naturally enter as well. Ryu Han-bin thought hard about it. ¡°Can¡¯t you just let Kibie and I enter Kaltan after you¡¯ve been tested separately?¡± If they quickly overwhelmed an influential person above level 70, they could prove their skills even if they didn¡¯t use measurement stones. Artis shook his head. ¡°That would make the process too complicated. It¡¯ll take a long time.¡± The bigger the group, the slower their movement became. They must first elect a powerful Hunter above level 70 from the guild and select a credible witness. They must then inform the upper ranks of the facts and wait for the results. The entire process would take more than a few days. Just go to the Kaltan Hunter Guild and beat up anyone strong¡­ -I¡¯m strong, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯m going into the Great Maze. -Oh, you¡¯re strong. Yes, go ahead. It sucked that they couldn¡¯t do things his way. ¡°If it¡¯s a waste of time anyway¡­¡± Kibie grinned at Artis and Effir. ¡°It¡¯s better just to raise the level of two people during the period.¡± Ryu Han-bin was totally in agreement. ¡°With a steady and regular energy intake provided, you can get up to level 70 quickly.¡± Of course, it would take many times longer to master. ¡°Let¡¯s just scoop it up and master it while moving to Kaltan.¡± A conclusion had been reached. ¡°Let¡¯s level up first! The goal is level 70!¡± Effir looked bored. ¡°Can I level up faster here?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been doing it all this time. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because my level goes up so fast that I¡¯m scared.¡± Artis sighed. A few months ago, he was only a level 36 Mage. ¡°Haste makes waste. I¡¯m so nervous that I¡¯m already over 60¡­¡± The same went for Effir. She had been just a much lower-level Wyvern. ¡°Is this okay? I think it¡¯s going to be a problem sooner or later.¡± The beautiful black-haired woman shrugged then tapped the shoulders of the two anxious Dragons. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I assure you.¡± Usually, people would say why they could guarantee it, but that time, it was the Goddess of darkness who spoke, the creator of all of Latna¡¯s Dragons. ¡°Oh, then¡­¡± Artis and Effir were relieved. ¡°You¡¯ll have a hard time getting old, but it won¡¯t be a problem right now.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°You mean there¡¯s a problem?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Kybriel will do everything for you.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t address yourself in third-person, Kibie.¡± Although still uneasy, both accepted their situation. They then talked about the future. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to level up any more around here, are you, Artis?¡± ¡°Yes, Kibie. We¡¯ve already closed the Rengard Dungeon, the hardest Dungeon here.¡± They had to be in the Four Prohibited Areas to make their energy boosts as efficient as possible. Looking back at everyone, Ryu Han-bin grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the house and go straight to the Ice-Flame Forest.¡± * * * Five days later, they were heading for the center of the Fairy Kingdom. The wagon rattled along the road. It was driven by two Golem steeds. The black-haired beauty was sitting in the back seat. She had a large cape over her Valtara attire. ¡°No matter how hard a warrior is, she doesn¡¯t have to show her naked body when she¡¯s not in battle.¡± Ryu Han-bin was bitterly upset when he found out about it. ¡°Hold on, that means I didn¡¯t have to keep my shirt off either!¡± So why did Artis strip Han-bin all this time? Kibie knew the answer. ¡°That¡¯s what Baotolt told me because he always had his coat up. He was a man who couldn¡¯t show off his muscles.¡± ¡°The legendary Sword King was a pervert¡­¡± Still, it was good that Han-bin was able to wear a cape. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. However, it¡¯s stressful to walk around naked in front of others.¡± After a while, they reached a large wall across the sparsely forested hillside. Han-bin admired the scenery. ¡°Oh, have we arrived?¡± Many wagons came and went under the walls. Beyond that, a vast city that put Highten and Tyaron to shame boasted grandeur. It was Serhithran, one of the prohibited cities in the Four Prohibited Areas, and governing the Ice-Flame Forest, Hithran. Chapter 77 Ice-Flame Forest (2) There was a row of stables next to the gate. As with most of Latna¡¯s cities, riding wagons within the walls was prohibited unless otherwise permitted. With the wagon and Golem steeds parked, Han-bin and his party entered Serhithran. Artis and Effir were thrilled. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s wide¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a real big city.¡± Ryu Han-bin also looked surprised. The height of the buildings was different from the ones in other cities. Many stone buildings rose to four and five stories. There were many houses with windows. The roads were well-paved with blocks and divided sections. It wasn¡¯t comparable to the big cities of the 21st century on Earth, but it was massive on the Latna continent. Han-bin suddenly opened his eyes while walking between the Elves and humans on the street. ¡°Oh, is that a train?¡± There was a railroad at the center of the intersection, and a streetcar was running on it. No, to be exact, it was operating through magic. It could be called a street wagon truck. ¡°What is that, Artis? I heard that people don¡¯t use the Magic Stone engine because of its poor efficiency.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a country Mage. Maybe there¡¯s some new and more-developed technology that I don¡¯t know of.¡± Interestingly, Artis also clicked his tongue as he looked at the street wagon truck on the road. He was a stranger there, just like Han-bin. ¡°The Earth¡¯s civilization is taboo, but that¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°I told you they accept good and efficient concepts.¡± The level of civilization as a whole was very different from other cities. The cities they had seen so far were at the European level during the Renaissance. Serhithran seemed to have jumped to the modern era. It had what looked like a mixture of cultures between the two worlds, with the influx of pagans for decades. Han-bin¡¯s party kept walking down the street. Many of the passers-by were armed. Most of them seemed to be Hunters, and their levels were relatively high. It was common to find people of level 60 or higher, and some were at over level 70. Large warriors over 190 cm tall were also often seen. Thanks to that, the heavily armed Han-bin¡¯s group didn¡¯t receive much attention. Of course, it would have caught others¡¯ eyes if they were wearing the Valtara warrior¡¯s uniforms, but at that moment, Ryu Han-bin and Kibie were wearing capes. Han-bin asked, mixing in the crowd and moving. ¡°Should we go to the Hunter Guild now?¡± Artis shook his head. ¡°Before that, we need to solve the language problem first.¡± The western part of Latna, including the Xrad Kingdom, spoke Coulin. On the other hand, the Fairy Kingdom, located in the middle of the continent, spoke Romus. In Tyaron, the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s gateway city was adjacent to the Xrad Kingdom, which was why the Coulin language was spoken, but in Serhithran, they used a different language. ¡°I know Romus, so it doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡± Artis, who had lived for more than 150 years, had mastered most of the major languages of Latna. He had also been in charge of procedures when he passed through the gate. ¡°What about the others?¡± Ryu Han-bin shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I have no problem. I can change language settings.¡± The same was true of Kibie. ¡°I can speak all the languages of existing humans. It¡¯s one of the abilities of my incarnation.¡± The reason why Goddesses made incarnations was to understand the mortal world deeper and better. In order to do that, language communication was essential. On the other hand, Effir was embarrassed. ¡°I only know the Coulin language.¡± As an ordinary Wyvern born and raised in the Flying Dragon Knights, how could she have learned other languages? Artis nodded, saying, ¡°I knew it.¡± ¡°We need to head to a Magic Tool store first.¡± * * * Many Hunters from all over the continent believed in their strength and gather in the Four Prohibited Areas. It also meant that languages throughout the continent. While Mages and Spiritists, both belonging to the intellectual class, could easily learn other languages, it was too much for a warrior or a Magic Swordsman. Communication problems would naturally be severe. However, Hunters in the Four Prohibited Areas weren¡¯t concerned. It was thanks to the existence of language conversion Magic Tools. [Romus Language Conversion Bracelet It converts a user¡¯s language to the Romus language. Level Requirement: Lv. 60] After purchasing a language conversion bracelet from a store in Serhithran, Han-bin and his party checked in at an inn and unpacked. Effir experimented with the bracelet. ¡°Let me see, alas, hello? My name is Effir.¡± Despite only knowing the Coulin language, she could speak in the Romus language naturally. ¡°It works fine.¡± Han-bin also muttered, activating his Guideline. ¡°Then I¡¯ll change my language settings, too.¡± [Uninstall Coulin language, default language] [Allendia¡¯s primary language: the official language Romus, the language of Elf-Elfindel, the language of Dwarf-Phirak, the language of Sylph-Tyral, the language of Nymph-Shapim.] [Romus has been registered as a default language.] After setting it, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°We solved the language problem easily. Magic is a fraud.¡± It was unfair that he had had difficulty learning English in his school days, which was very simple now. ¡°This is also based on Latna¡¯s magic, right?¡± Han-bin asked, thinking of the Guideline¡¯s level measurement capability or tracking skills, but Artis shook his head unexpectedly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that language conversion magic originated from the Aliens¡¯ abilities.¡± Traditional interpretation magic existed on the Latna Continent. However, it could only connect each other¡¯s psychological channels and deliver surface consciousness through dialogue from either end. It was kind of like a telepathic conversation. ¡°It can only be used in one-on-one situations, and when you relax, others can even read your in-depth mind even though you don¡¯t want them to, so it¡¯s not a widely used magic.¡± On the other hand, their communication skills allowed people to speak any language like they were native speakers. There was no problem with the conversation for the majority, and there was no danger of being caught. It was much more useful than interpretation magic. Therefore, there had been a lot of effort to recreate it into magic in Sinkers. The result was the bracelet of language conversion. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s far short compared to the Aliens¡¯ abilities.¡± The language communication function of the Guideline could access the collective unconsciousness of humankind and download language information. It was the same as the ability of the Goddess¡¯s incarnation. Any language in which more than a certain number of actual users existed was applicable. They could use any word except for a very few dead or old words. Convinced, Han-bin nodded. ¡°Well, there¡¯s also the language of the Valtara clan, the minority.¡± On the other hand, the bracelet could only convert words into a specific language. Sinkers managed to copy the language conversion method. However, access to the collective unconscious mind of humankind was too advanced to be reproduced. ¡°Instead, they made it by entering the language information into the Magic Tool. Thanks to it, language conversion magic exists only in the form of an item now. Mages can¡¯t use it.¡± To be exact, they could use it, but it was useless to cast it because they had no access to language information. ¡°They say they¡¯re also working on direct language conversion magic that uses the predecessor of magic as language information, but I haven¡¯t heard of its success yet.¡± Instead of explaining, Artis suddenly looked at Kibie. ¡°So it¡¯s very fortunate that Kibie doesn¡¯t have any language problems. She can¡¯t use language translation bracelets.¡± It happened on the way to that city. Without much thought, Kibie opened the refrigerator in the wagon, saying she was thirsty. But the door didn¡¯t budge. -Oh, that¡¯s right. I can¡¯t use the Magic Tools as an incarnation. Her level was shown as unknown. Although the situation was slightly different from Han-bin, it was the same as being restricted from using Magic Tools. The difference was that there was no Guideline, so there was no message. Thinking of what happened at that time, Artis asked her a question. ¡°Why does the level of the Goddess¡¯s incarnation appear as unknown? You become incarnated to disguise yourself as a mortal. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to have a level like normal humans?¡± Kibie pouted. ¡°We, I didn¡¯t have to have a level in this state before.¡± It was hundreds of years ago when the Goddesses had made their last incarnations on Latna. At that time, Omphalos hadn¡¯t invaded yet. Of course, Dungeons didn¡¯t show up either. There was no such thing as a byproduct of a Dungeon. ¡°There were no measurement stones. Only level detection magic existed.¡± Level detection magic could never be activated without the permission of the target. ¡°So in those days, it was taboo to know someone else¡¯s level. We didn¡¯t want to know unless it was important.¡± Instead, the unknown level was better in the incarnation state. Having an unknown level was proof that he or she was an unusual human being, and at the same time, it was proof that he or she was the incarnation of a Goddess. ¡°It was the easiest way to let people know we were Goddesses. Now it¡¯s meaningless thanks to the arrival of Aliens. Anyway, the world has changed so much.¡± Effir tilted her head as she watched Kibie grumbling. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you make a new incarnation for the ever-changing world?¡± Kibie shook her head frustratingly. ¡°I would¡¯ve. I told you I couldn¡¯t afford it.¡± She lacked the resources needed to make one. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s time to go.¡± Grabbing her spear, Kibie pulled herself up. She then addressed the party. ¡°Let¡¯s drop by the guild and go to a Dungeon. We need to get you two up to level 70 as soon as possible.¡± * * * Three travelers ran toward the south gate of Serhithran. They were young men and women in their 20s and 30s. ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve come a long way. Can we do whatever we want from here?¡± ¡°Yeah, the restraints that the Thunder King has placed on it are in this city.¡± With an excited expression, the group got off their Golem steeds. But they didn¡¯t head to the stable to keep their horses as ordinary travelers. Grace, a white-haired female Spiritist, memorized the activator. ¡°Return!¡± The large Golem steeds shrank momentarily and were sucked into a small box that hung on their individual harnesses. It was a combination of a space distortion box and Golem steeds to make them portable. It was also one of the most outstanding achievements of the guild and the Sinkers. Ruslan, a black-haired horse prosecutor, grinned. ¡°If we take this to Earth, we¡¯ll make a fortune. Wasnt¡¯ there a popular cartoon about this kind of capsule?¡± Maxwell, a Mage with brown hair, pretended to know it. ¡°Like the capsule of a Pocket Monster?¡± ¡°Oh, what I was talking about was the Ho-X Pocket Capsule.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know Dragon Ball? What year did you come here, man?¡± There seemed to be a generation gap among the Aliens. Maxwell frowned. ¡°I¡¯m older than you in this world.¡± Grace, who was listening to the conversation between the two men, looked pathetic. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I didn¡¯t watch cartoons.¡± After picking up the Golem steed box, the trio entered Serhithran. Maxwell murmured with emotion, looking at the shining city. ¡°How many years has it been?¡± Grace was busy looking around, apparently in sympathy. Ruslan made a serious face at the excited two. ¡°It¡¯s not the right time to be too excited. You haven¡¯t forgotten the voice of the Thunder King, have you?¡± Grace and Maxwell¡¯s faces hardened. 3333 Like other Akhtarun Earthlings, they were also governed by ¡®voice.¡¯ Even after their liberation from Akhtarun, the bondage still grasped onto their souls firmly. There was only one way to get real freedom. Ruslan¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°It may be the only chance to return to Earth. I don¡¯t want to miss it.¡± ¡°Me, too, but¡­¡± Maxwell let go of his expression. He then laughed despondently. ¡°Will such luck ever come to us? It¡¯s like winning a lottery. In this vast Latna continent, we have hundreds of competitors. They¡¯re probably already giving up halfway.¡± Looking at the passers-by, especially at the high-level Hunters, he gave a hungry look. ¡°Goddess or whatever, let¡¯s kill someone. I can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± Chapter 78 Ice-Flame Forest (3) The forest burned ceaselessly. High heat and smoke covered the entire place. Black ashes flew along with the hot winds as flames continued to rage among the barren ground. That was the reality of the Ice-Flame Forest in Hithran¡¯s Magras Dungeon. Among the Four Prohibited Areas, Hithran was notorious for its uniquely extreme environment. It was the hardest Dungeon of Hithran. From the ¡®Boiling Water World,¡¯ the other world¡¯s energy flowed in endlessly, causing the surroundings¡¯ balance to explode. Therefore, most of the Hithran Dungeons were either scorching beyond recovery or extremely frozen. It was also the reason why that area was called the Ice-Flame Forest. Magras Dungeon, made up of burning forests, had dozens of monsters standing in the heat. [Race: Flame Giant Lv. 65] Despite their strength, those red-hot bronze giants were just low-level monsters in the Ice-Flame Forest. Hithran was designated as one of the Four Prohibited Areas. Looking at the Flame Giants standing in front of his eyes, Ryu Han-bin put his hand in his pocket. He took out a sandwich and chewed on it. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± He couldn¡¯t be any more relaxed. But it wasn¡¯t because there wasn¡¯t a reason. The Flame Giants just stood there. They were already groaning with pieces of black rocks or logs stuck in their abdomen. They had been beaten so hard they couldn¡¯t even lift a finger. It had gone to the point where the monsters remained stuck in their positions as they died. Of course, it was all Ryu Han-bin¡¯s fault. The battle was over, and they had already finished clearing the surrounding lands to make it easier to eat. All they needed to do was settle down for a late lunch. With his sword in one hand, Han-bin continued to eat his sandwich. It was made with high-quality bread, ground jam of half-cut boiled potato and pickled cabbage, and thick pork slice. It had an excellent taste. It was delicious even for Koreans in the 21st century who were addicted to all kinds of spices and condiments. Nevertheless, Ryu Han-bin looked displeased. ¡°Oh, I want to eat ramen¡­¡± No, it was not just ramen. He wanted to eat rice. To be more precise, he wanted to chew kimchi on freshly cooked white rice. ¡°Oh, shit, I¡¯m drooling just thinking about it.¡± It was only natural. Koreans who had gone abroad craved rice and kimchi all the time. He used to laugh at people for talking about it when he was watching them on TV. Han-bin had been told that it was the same song all the time. But now, he could understand their sentiments. There was no room for creativity to intervene in real longing. It had been months since he came to that world. It had already been several decades since he left Korea if he included the time he spent at the Rocky Mountain. He missed home. He missed Korea. He missed the world he was familiar with and regular people. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t miss it as much as the characters in movies do.¡± He had already adapted a lot to that world. He met good colleagues like Artis and Effir. There was a time when he thought that if someone told him to continue living there, he would be able to manage. However, it was also too much. Every time he used the pseudonym Felard Bean and disguised himself as a Valtara warrior, he kept being reminded that he was fake. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t use his fake identity forever. Aliens did not get old. They couldn¡¯t dwell in one place. They had to wander around the world like duckweed every few years. Of course, there must be some people in the world whose appearances remained unchanged for about a decade. The problem was that it was widely known that Aliens never aged. Even Latna people, who were in truth just young, were dragged and caused to suffer. ¡®Though the parties could be unjust, Latna¡¯s human rights aren¡¯t developed enough to compensate for the injustice.¡¯ If human rights had developed to that extent, there would have been no crazy system like Hunter¡¯s Registration that could bury past crimes. Han-bin muttered, chewing and swallowing his sandwich. ¡°I want to go back.¡± Of course, if he went back to Ryu Han-bin at 24, he would¡¯ve had a lot more trouble choosing his path. ¡®I¡¯ve got this incredible body and power, and I¡¯m going to lose it all?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s better to just stay in this world.¡¯ Fortunately, according to Kibie, Han-bin¡¯s physical strength and ability could be transferred to Earth. It was just moving from one world to another. ¡®If I ask her to send me back to the time when I was 24, she would say it¡¯s impossible, right?¡¯ In other words, the compensation of the Guideline, which stated that they would be returned to Earth with their abilities in Latna only if one of the six Goddesses were eliminated, was nothing more than a sham. ¡°But what do I do with this ability when I go back to Korea? Should I be a mixed martial artist?¡± He didn¡¯t want to walk around in costumes like a part of a superhero movie. Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t know even know if I¡¯ll be able to go back, yet I¡¯m already thinking about what I¡¯d do once I¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡®Is it because I met the Goddess in person and heard the answer from her?¡¯ Once he fell in thought, he couldn¡¯t stop it. He glanced across the burning forest. Between the shaking haze, a colossal red Dragon and a silver-maned Wyvern stood in front of a pile of monsters, listening to the nagging of a black-haired beauty. ¡°Come on! Can you hurry up and eat them all? You need to level up!¡± ¡°Oh, Kibie, my stomach¡¯s about to burst¡­¡± ¡°Why would your stomach explode when you absorb energy? If it explodes, the core will explode!¡± ¡°No, isn¡¯t that even more of a problem, Kibie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Artis. I made the Dragon race strong. It will not happen. It will not happen.¡± Han-bin laughed as he watched the scene. He thought it would be quite regrettable to part with them later. ¡°Yeah, right now, I have to be true to my reality.¡± He shouted at the Party with all the remaining sandwiches in his mouth. ¡°Clear it quickly and come here! I¡¯m going to finish this, too!¡± The pale Dragon and Wyvern shook their heads. Ryu Han-bin pretended to ignore them, swinging his sword down. But he held himself back just before it hit. There were still many nutritious monsters left in the Magras dungeon. ¡°Then I¡¯ll drive the others here!¡± Artis¡¯s scream reverberated over the burning forest. ¡°Oh, please slow down!¡± * * * Pavelan was a mighty warrior who turned 30 that year. He was still young yet had already reached level 61 and mastered Aura. He also gained superhuman strength. Born in the Deltas Kingdom, the northern frontier, he had an outstanding sword-fighting talent, which he discovered at an early age. Like most geniuses, he joined the Hunter Guild and soon stood out. Before becoming a twenty-year-old, he had already gone past level 40, then went past level 50 when he was twenty-five years old to become a special hunter. He was one of the most remarkable Hunters in the Deltas Kingdom. The royal family would often invite him and hire him. But Pavelan rejected their offers. He dreamed of a brighter future. To be more robust, he advanced into the middle of the continent to reach higher levels. Upon reaching the destination, he continued to attack Dungeons and ceaselessly improved his skills. Soon enough, he finally reached level 60, earning the right to enter the Four Prohibited Areas, his lifelong dream. He set a grand goal and arrived in Serhithran. Indeed, the world was wide. Pavelan, which had been called a genius, was just one of the ordinary Hunters around the Ice-Flame Forest. More powerful Hunters than him walked around the streets. Still, Pavelan was not disappointed. He was still young. There was enough time left for him to surpass everyone. But¡­ ¡°Uhhhhhh¡­¡± He was dying in the back alley of his dream city. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve cut off your leg, your arm should be next, right?¡± The white-haired woman smiled brightly. A spiritual skill cut off Pavelan¡¯s left arm. ¡°Argh!¡± With a scream, his left arm flew into the air. He settled down gently next to his severed legs. Pavelan cried out in pain. ¡°Why! Why us!¡± As usual, he finished his Dungeon Raid with his teammates and had a nice drink at the pub. On the way back to the inn, he was suddenly attacked by three individuals whom he had never seen before. They were overwhelmingly strong. Their party was composed of him, a level 61 Warrior, Kate, a level 62 Mage, Ballas, a level 61 Spiritist, and their team leader, Moria, a level 65 Magic Swordsman. Yet none of them managed to hold out against the trio. He couldn¡¯t understand at all. Why would such a high-level Hunter attack them? But their reason was simple. ¡°Because I want to kill you.¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Soon, Pavelan¡¯s death dominated the darkness of the night. Grace, who was playing with him, eventually blew his head off. Her face was beet-red as she shivered. ¡°Oh, good¡­ How long has it been since I last killed people?¡± They didn¡¯t dare appear before others though they had been freed from Akhtarun and came to Serhithran. It was because of the ¡®voice¡¯ that Garhan engraved on their brains. They could be freed from the yoke when they arrived in this city. Another scream echoed right next to him. ¡°Ah! Save me¡­!¡± It was the last cry of Pavelan¡¯s teammate and team leader, Moria. Maxwell, a brown-haired Mage who destroyed her with magic, grinned, causing his bloodshot eyes to squint. ¡°As expected, high-level Latnains¡¯ experience rewards are great.¡± Ruslan clicked his tongue, wiping the blood from his blade. ¡°Aren¡¯t you all too drunk?¡± Grace gave a sidelong scowl. ¡°Ruslan, you¡¯re just as drunk as we are, aren¡¯t you?¡± He smiled bitterly. He certainly wasn¡¯t in a position to talk to others. He was also very excited when he beat up the Spiritist named Ballas. ¡°Well, there¡¯s one left¡­¡± Ruslan turned his head. He looked at Kate, the fallen Mage. ¡°We¡¯re gonna have to kill her altogether, right?¡± Maxwell and Grace shook their heads. ¡°Is that necessary?¡± ¡°Change it to party play mode, and then kill her. The experience should be split equally, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I forgot about the party play. I didn¡¯t have to do it in Akhtarun.¡± Pulling out his sword, Ruslan approached Kate. Desire flashed through his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a bit sad to kill her. She has a pretty face.¡± Kate was hopeful that they would let her live for a moment. Even so, she used to hear a lot that she was beautiful among Hunters. But she lost her hope almost immediately. ¡°But it¡¯s better to kill a high-level like her than to commit something else.¡± Without hesitation, Ruslan stabbed the blade into Kate¡¯s heart. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± The light gradually faded from her trembling eyes. At the same time, the same message appeared in front of Ruslan, Maxwell, and Grace. [Eliminated Lv. 62 Wizard. You have earned 3,857,250 XP.] [Party play mode is active. Experience is distributed to party members equally.] [You have earned 1,285,750 XP.] [Additional compensation for killing the natives will be given.] The ¡®compensation¡¯ of the Guideline flew through the vessels. It stimulated the nerve center and reached the brain, giving it the pleasure of death. ¡°Hah! Mm-hmm!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Wallowing in ecstasy, the Earthlings were boundlessly delighted. Chapter 79 Ice-Flame Forest (4) The three Earthlings began to clean up the murder scene the moment their excitement subsided. The bodies of Latnains didn¡¯t disappear as Aliens¡¯ corpses did. However, it wasn¡¯t as difficult to dispose of bodies as it was on Earth. The world they were living in had magic. ¡°Let¡¯s just hide it secretly and then throw it out of the city.¡± Maxwell grinned as he stuffed Hunters¡¯ bodies into his pouch. The bodies of four people all fit well in it. It wasn¡¯t idiotic to hide the bodies in it since it was made for storing items, and people rarely checked such private instruments. Of course, only inanimate objects could be put in it. Living things were impossible to store inside it. In other words, they could put in human heads, human arms, human bodies, and human legs, but they couldn¡¯t put in breathing human beings. Grace looked back at her colleagues after erasing the bloodstains through Spiritualism. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat now.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time since I had a proper meal.¡± Consented, Ruslan tapped his pocket. The flickering sound of gold coins rang beautifully into their ears. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of money thanks to the damn Thunder King, don¡¯t we?¡± To find the incarnation of Kybriel, Garhan provided the Aliens with sufficient support. For fast mobility, expensive portable Golem steeds were given to them one by one. He also gave them sufficient armor, high-quality items such as space storage pouches, and a generous budget. Their quality of life had improved tremendously compared to their miserable days of wandering around Akhtarun with a rusty sword and rags. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to appreciate it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all money he earned from the Spirit Stones we dug out of the monster corpses.¡± With their long-starved desire for murder quenched, it was time to meet their other cravings. All kinds of dark desires were present in places where money and people gathered. The three Earthlings went to the amusement street of Serhithran. They ordered expensive drinks, dishes, prostitutes, all for the sake of satiating their pleasures. It would¡¯ve been a rather unbecoming place for Grace, but she looked unbothered. ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon in Akhtarun, anyway.¡± They released their pent-up anger for being trapped in that prison. They fell asleep after that. The next day, the Earthlings once again killed a group of Hunters. Then, they went back and forth to the amusement street and lived their lives to the fullest. The next few days were the same. They continuously gratified their appetites and sexual desires, as well as their thirst for murder. Few people could receive such luxuries in Akhtarun. They couldn¡¯t get out. There was no means of escape. They¡¯ve spent their days like that until the third day came. Ruslan, after killing Hunters, suddenly sighed as he returned to his lodgings. ¡°Is it okay to play around like this? We must look for the Goddess¡­¡± They were getting worried. For the Earthlings of Akhtarun, the Thunder King was the epitome of their hatred, but at the same time, he was also their overwhelming fear. The other members of their party were stunned for a moment. But soon, Maxwell snorted. ¡°She can¡¯t be found. No, in this vast continent, of all things, there¡¯s no way the Goddess will ever appear in front of us.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d have a better chance of getting a jackpot at a casino¡­¡± Grace lost her train of thought. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°¡­ What?¡± A group of Hunters passed by before their eyes. The party was composed of a handsome red-haired man, a silver-haired cute girl, a huge muscular warrior, and a tall black-haired beauty. The trio didn¡¯t look different from the numerous Hunters in Serhithran. Hence they just casually passed by them. But the Earthlings couldn¡¯t just let them pass by. Ruslan rubbed his eyes. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Maxwell answered blankly. ¡°¡­ I think it looks the same to me.¡± Among the team of four mixed Hunters who just passed them, the status of the black-haired beauty popped up in the eyes of the three Earthlings. [Race: Goddess Lv. Unknown] Grace let out a bewildered voice. ¡°¡­ Did we just hit the jackpot?¡± * * * After returning to the inn, Ryu Han-bin checked the statuses of Artis and Effir with the Guideline. [Race: Human. Wizard Lv. 67.] [Race: Human. Mana Swordsman Lv. 68.] ¡°You¡¯ll reach your target level in about three days.¡± They sighed deeply at Han-bin¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s not all about leveling up¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t digest the energy at all.¡± It had been five days since they arrived in the Ice-Flame Forest. Thanks to Kibie¡¯s addition to the team, Artis and Effir managed to raise their levels at an alarming rate. But that was all. It was all just energy stuck in a core. While their levels had risen in figures, their skills had barely changed. Before digesting the energy and turning it into their own, the two were still just a Mage and a Magic Swordsman in the level of early 60s. Still, Kibie insisted on following her original plan. ¡°That¡¯s not enough to burst their cores yet. Just fill it up regularly and digest it on the way to Serkaltan.¡± She seemed eager to find Baotolt, the Sword King. Well, it was Baotolt, not the party of Han-bin she had been initially looking for. ¡°But.¡± Han-bin became curious. ¡°If your goal is to find the Sword King, why didn¡¯t you just go straight to Serkaltan instead of coming to us?¡± Kibie was not an ordinary human being. Not only was her level immeasurable, but she was an Aura user of over level 80. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been hard to find the Sword King by yourself, right?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that back then. I couldn¡¯t find Baotolt, so I thought I¡¯d find my next assistant.¡± So she had chosen Han-bin and his group. The measurement stone didn¡¯t show their race even though it showed the user¡¯s level and occupation. The only ones who could see that she was Goddess were Aliens through the Guideline. However, ordinary Aliens were hostile to the Goddess. She needed to find someone free from Omphalos¡¯s bondage. She then needed to ensure that they would help her. ¡°Artis and Effir were just around, but all I chose was Ryu Han-bin.¡± Their current situation was the result of that. ¡°No matter how powerful I am in my incarnation, I can¡¯t enter the Grand Maze alone. I need a reliable colleague.¡± Kibie grabbed Effir, asking her to become her reliable colleague. It was to go back to her room. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed early, Effir. We need to go to the Dungeon again tomorrow morning!¡± A silver-haired girl had a sad face as if she had given up on protesting. ¡°Yes, Kibie. I¡¯m going to devour energy regularly tomorrow as well. Yes, yes¡­¡± * * * They found their target, the incarnation of Darkness. Initially, they would have had to attack the Goddess immediately after discovering her. It was an order from the Thunder King. However, the three Earthlings left her alone instead. There were too many eyes around. And¡­ ¡°The guy next to her, he was level five, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Maxwell and Grace nodded at Ruslan¡¯s question. ¡°I had the same result in my Guideline.¡± ¡°So did I.¡± They didn¡¯t discover the Goddess of Darkness first. Their eyes were initially caught by the prominent swordsman standing next to her before finding her. They inadvertently turned on the Guideline because he seemed to be a good fighter. [Race: Human. Swordsman lv. 5.] Although Serhithran was one of the Four Prohibited Areas, most local citizens were ordinary people who were only level one or two. So there was nothing strange about a person of level 5 passing through the streets. But the prominent swordsman was dressed as a Hunter. They looked around to see who was carrying that bluffer, and they happened to find the Goddess of Darkness. Aliens did not have any abilities to manipulate their levels. They initially thought that they were just crooks. But there was a level unknown standing right next to him. That changed the entire story. ¡°He can¡¯t be level five, can he?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. I¡¯m sure he can kill ordinary warriors easily.¡± ¡°I could have believed it if he¡¯s around level 30, but level 5¡­ Damn, he overdid his disguise.¡± The Earthlings were sure. That prominent swordsman was disguising his level with the power of the Goddess. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯d gain by doing that, though.¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t the Goddess¡¯s incarnation human?¡± ¡°She¡¯s supposed to have a unique ability. To what extent is it all about collecting information and non-combat capabilities?¡± The three kept talking as they walked along the streets at night. They were on their way to the accommodation where the Goddess¡¯s group was staying. Grace secretly cast a follow-up spell when she passed by earlier. The Guideline¡¯s tracking function was inefficient. A proper senior Spiritist could track their opponent much quicker. It didn¡¯t take long for the three Earthlings to reach the entrance of an inn covered with Darkness. The night was deep. It still ruled over the skies. The City Guards and Hunters of Serhithran had all gone to sleep. ¡°Now we can move with confidence.¡± Maxwell conjured Mana, glaring at the second floor of the inn. ¡°Let¡¯s start, shall we?¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin opened his eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± He fell asleep. Suddenly, a strange sensation passed through his whole body. It was as sharp as a needle. His body moved faster than his mind could think. Han-bin immediately grabbed his greatsword and flew away. ¡°Artis!¡± He rushed out of the door, dragging out the man who was sleeping next to him. At the same time, an explosion occurred. Boom! As the flames soared, the entire second floor was smashed, causing debris to fly all over the place. Artis, who had just woken up, asked in fright. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ambush!¡± Han-bin headed straight into the hallway. The explosion wasn¡¯t aimed only at them. The room where Kibie and Effir were sleeping was also within the scope of destruction. When they came out in a hurry, they saw the beautiful woman with black hair and the girl with silver hair. Fortunately, they also seemed to have detected the surprise on time. Kibie addressed the party, urgency filling her voice. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± With a nod, Artis answered. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t know whom the attack was for.¡± Alien, Dragon, Goddess, and Wyvern who had killed a royal family. Somehow, only those who couldn¡¯t reveal their true identities had gathered together. There were too many clues. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve been attacked¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin smiled coldly. As a Valtara warrior, it was a virtue to strike back without excuses if he was attacked! ¡°Ask questions later. Retaliation comes first!¡± With a powerful charge, Han-bin burst out of the inn¡¯s broken room. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Chapter 80 Serhithran (1) Through the raging flames, Ryu Han-bin jumped down the road in front of the inn. Even though he got ambushed while sleeping, his outfit was not that different from usual. He had only been wearing fur shorts anyway. If he lied in bed like that, that was his pajamas. Ryu Han-bin stood up with his greatsword in his hand. The rattling copper muscles glistened as they reflected the flames. Maxwell and Grace had predicted the situation. ¡°He¡¯s not level five! He can¡¯t be level five with that body!¡± ¡°No, before that, he can¡¯t jump from that height at level five. He would¡¯ve broken his leg!¡± Han-bin squinted his eyes. They pointed to him and said his level was five. ¡®They¡¯re Earthlings.¡¯ He looked at the trio in front of him with the Guideline. [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman lv. 85] [Race: Human. Mage lv. 84] [Race: Human. Spiritist lv. 85] They were all strong people above level 80. Furthermore, their weapons were considerably powerful. The long sword of the Magic Swordsman, the Mage¡¯s wand, and the Spiritist¡¯s robe were all Magic Tools above level 70. ¡®This isn¡¯t going to be easy.¡¯ Han-bin was nervous but prepared to fight. A black shadow flew up from the second floor of the inn with a sharp cry. ¡°Who¡¯s the one who¡¯s been trying to challenge the Valtara warriors?¡± It was the beautiful black-haired woman, Kibie, who dressed similar to Ryu Han-bin. She acted her part since she was disguised as a Valtara warrior. Kibie, who held a spear, landed gracefully in front of the inn. It was a resilient movement reminiscent of a leopard. Anyone could see that she was a perfect Valtara warrior, but the Earthlings laughed at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Kybriel.¡± ¡°I thought you were going to run, but you came straight out.¡± Kibie¡¯s countenance hardened when she heard their conversation. They were aware of her identity. ¡®It¡¯s clear who they¡¯re after.¡¯ So did the Aliens who happened to pass by find her and attack her? It could be possible. The Aliens were still after Latna¡¯s Goddess, after all. However, Kibie could not help but think about other possibilities. She sounded them out. ¡°¡­ You must have taken the demands of the Top 3.¡± Ruslan and Maxwell answered back as if they didn¡¯t have to hide it. ¡°It can¡¯t be called a demand. We are just being used as slaves.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to refuse the order which promised to release us from hell.¡± Kibie felt distressed. Those guys weren¡¯t just Aliens walking by. * * * Armed, Artis, and Effir came out of the inn. Effir asked hesitantly, holding her twin blades. ¡°Are they strong?¡± Ryu Han-bin answered back quietly so their opponents wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°85, 84, 85.¡± It was a simple answer, but Effir could understand it right away. Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯d rather avoid this battle occurring here.¡± No matter how terrible Latna¡¯s security was, city guards were stationed in large cities even at night. It wasn¡¯t necessary to fight against such high-level warriors there. It was time for Artis to turn his head and look around. Grace laughed at him as if she had noticed his inner thoughts. ¡°You can¡¯t run away.¡± She had already set up a strong barrier of blind Spell and cover-up around the inn. It was a spell that prevented insiders from going outside and outsiders from detecting disturbances. ¡°It¡¯s annoying if City Guards or any other Hunters come in.¡± Indeed, when he concentrated on it, he could feel the energy of Prana faintly surrounding them. ¡°Do you mean you¡¯ve prepared enough by yourself?¡± Laughing, Ryu Han-bin slowly held out his greatsword. He didn¡¯t mean to run away anyway. Grace squinted her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll catch the incarnation of the Goddess.¡± Garhan¡¯s order was to ¡®capture¡¯ the Goddess of Darkness. Therefore, the best Spiritist should be in charge of subduing and capturing her. ¡°I¡¯ll take that big guy.¡± Ruslan laughed as he pulled out a long sword. Other than the Goddess, there was no need to keep them alive. Maxwell was after Artis and Effir. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with those two. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill you.¡± He didn¡¯t want to keep them alive, but he didn¡¯t want to kill them right away. ¡°It¡¯s better to torture you first.¡± If the opponent died during the fight, the victory would be less pleasant for him. They only gained pleasure when completely overpowering the opponent and killing it slowly. The trio slowly gathered their strength, looking down on the Han-bin¡¯s group. Intense mana, Prana, and Force rose from their bodies. ¡°Here, take it!¡± Maxwell, the Mage, made the first move. ¡°Rain of Inferno!¡± Level 75 ultra-high heat flames poured over the heads of Artis and Effir. Frustrated, Artis performed his defensive magic. ¡°Prismatic Shield!¡± The barrier of light spread out like an umbrella, blocking the heavy rain of armageddon. The fire spell beat the bright wall, causing it to burst into an explosion. Boom! Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± Artis threw up blood. Maxwell¡¯s magic was so strong that the Mana of Artis back-flowed, affecting his internal organs. Maxwell hadn¡¯t even shown his full power yet! ¡°You¡¯re level 67. It would be better for you to stop resisting.¡± In the first place, Maxwell¡¯s purpose was to give indirect shocks through the magic defense. He immediately continued his bombardment. ¡°Lightning Shock, Flame Buster, Dark Sweep, Rail of Iron Crows¡­¡± Waves of lightning burst through the floor, and shells made out of flames penetrated the atmosphere. Blades of steel constantly flew through the raging darkness. It was a high-level magic bombardment that Artis alone couldn¡¯t have withstood. Effir jumped in as she performed a sword dance. -Magic Swordsmanship: Pendulum of Steel! A large iron awl was created in the air and placed on the floor as the cardinal ceremony unfolded. At the same time, the electric shock that was flowing towards them was pulled towards the awl. Magic Swordsmanship was originally used to defend against attacks according to its properties. Effir didn¡¯t stop. She continued her elegant sword dance by changing the cardinal points one after another. ¨C Magic Swordsmanship: Fire Dragon Horn! ¨C Magic Swordsmanship: Sorrow Blow! A fiery python collided with the Flame Buster, strengthening the fires even further. As a result, the excessively amplified fire shot up rather than towards Artis. At the same time, the sword made out of Force hit the magical blades. All of the blades that were flowing based on a set direction were blown off-track. They had been pushed away not from the front but through the sides. Bam! Maxwell¡¯s eyes widened when he saw his magic being destroyed one after another. ¡°What?¡± Effir¡¯s magic was not strong enough to stop Maxwell¡¯s magic head-on. However, interrupting the timing and trajectory of the spells was enough. ¡°She¡¯s moving better than her level, isn¡¯t she?¡± Not missing the opening, Effir rushed towards Maxwell. Her double swords were swung against both sides of the opponent nearly instantaneously. ¡°Bam!¡± No matter how high-level a Mage was, their body was still that of a human¡¯s. If he got stabbed, he would die! ¡°Well, that¡¯s nothing for me.¡± Maxwell drew a circle with his fingers. ¡°Arcane Shield.¡± Like most experienced Mages, he also prepared defensive magic in advance in case his opponent closed the distance between them. ¡°Do you have any idea how many battles I¡¯ve fought in?¡± The shield of light bounced off Effir¡¯s double swords. The intense anti-elastic Force shook both of her arms as well as her internal organs. With a shriek, she flew back. ¡°Arghhhhh!¡± * * * The beautiful woman with black hair wielded her long spear elegantly. Every time she swung it, a black Aura rose like a storm and poured down on her opponent. ¡°Bam!¡± Kibie pressured Grace, the Spiritist in front of her, by launching continuous Blade Auras. The opponent shouted, crossing her hands. ¡°The Darkness of Kybriel will be my protector!¡± Boom, boom! The Black Blade Aura was blocked by a black shield, causing it to explode. Kibie clicked her tongue. ¡®What the hell is going on here?¡¯ It was an ironic sight. By the power of the Goddess of Darkness, they were preventing the Goddess of Darkness¡¯s attack. Of course, she understood it. It was a contradiction because Darkness as a person and Darkness as a phenomenon were separate. ¡®Yeah, I understand, but¡­¡¯ But it was hard not to take it emotionally. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Nervously, Kibie kept poking at her foe with her spear. Her sharp attacks continued like meteors. Boom, boom! Grace clicked her tongue as she continued to block the attacks with her black shield. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re stronger than I thought!¡± Unlike the Mage with red hair and the girl with silver hair, the dark incarnation had considerable skills. She was a level 85 Spiritist. Her level was unknown, but it must be at least level 80. ¡°If I were alone, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to capture her alive.¡± But that didn¡¯t matter. In terms of defense, the Spiritists were the best. ¡®And I just have to drag this fight on.¡¯ Grace drew a circle with her right hand and performed another Spiritual skill. Ectoplasm flowed out of her whole body, transforming into dozens of spears. ¡°It¡¯s spears and shields, ho ho ho.¡± Grace also launched a counterattack by manipulating the black shield and the Ectoplasm spears. Dozens of assaults ensued. Kibie¡¯s expression got worse and worse. At that rate, neither she nor her opponent would be able to do anything to each other. They were both very determined and persistent. From their point of view, that was the way to win. ¡°Now, you caught the great Goddess¡¯s ankle with this, haven¡¯t you?¡± With a sneer, Grace shouted behind her back. ¡°Not done yet, Maxwell? Have some fun and help me out here!¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He was still trying to drive Artis and Effir away. ¡°I have to keep them alive so we can have fun later, right? Or should I kill them right here? It¡¯s going to taste bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Convinced, Grace asked the same question to another colleague. ¡°How about you, Ruslan? You still haven¡¯t overpowered him?¡± There was no answer. All she could hear were screams and groans. ¡°Argh! Argh! Argh!¡± ¡°Gosh, he must be busy beating that guy up.¡± She turned to look at him while clicking her tongue but was met with a surprising scene. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± It was Ruslan who was getting beaten to a pulp! ¡°Huh-up!¡± With a loud shout, the Valtara warrior swung his sword. In contemplation, Ruslan raised his sword and invoked a magic spell. ¨C Magic Swordsmanship: Soaring Firebird! The Firebird of flames spread its wings splendidly, but Han-bin killed it in a single blow before it could fly up. Boom! As he was pushed back with the explosion, Ruslan burst into a desperate scream. ¡°Arghhh! What the hell is that monster?¡± Chapter 81 Serhithran (2) ¡°Huh, hah¡­¡± With a short breath, Ruslan imitated a stance. -Magic Swordsmanship: Island Race! It was a technique that instantly boosted his body speed. He took a back step with terrific swiftness. The greatsword passed by him. Boom! A gigantic explosion occurred right in front of him. Ruslan couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. ¡°What kind of nonsense is this¡­?¡± The greatsword didn¡¯t even hit the floor or anything for that matter. If it were just nonsensical swings, Ruslan would have fought back at the gap. His opponent missed, but the offensive¡¯s aftermath was so intense that it created a shock wave. The Blade Aura of the greatsword¡¯s wielder was beyond what could be called powerful. Zoom! With the air still rumbling, Ryu Han-bin lifted the red-coated blade again. He stared at Ruslan, his eyes calm yet filled with fury. ¡°That¡¯s an amazing spell. Do you think Aura has a skill like that?¡± Taking another stance, Ruslan broke out in a cold sweat. His heartbeat felt like it was going to rip his chest open, and his whole body was as cold as if he fell into the depths of the seas in the middle of winter. ¡®I never would¡¯ve thought he¡¯s that powerful¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t think Han-bin would be weak. The Goddess chose Han-bin, and his appearance was far from feeble. But Ruslan was a level 85 Magic Swordsman. Powerful people above level 80 were still relatively rare in the cities of the Four Prohibited Areas. Before being trapped in Akhtarun, Great Earth¡¯s level 85 members were enough to be in the top ranks. ¡®I wondered how he would fare against a guy like me¡­¡¯ As soon as Han-bin swung his sword, his illusion was shattered like glass. Every time their blades clashed, shockwaves would rip through him as if boulders had hit him. His simple punches could match the might of weapons, and even his kicks had enough to decapitate. The power of his basic skills was already far beyond his league. ¡®He isn¡¯t even using his full power.¡¯ He didn¡¯t do any particularly grand swordsmanship techniques. Instead of rushing in, he calmly swung his sword and shorted the distance between them. He nonchalantly controlled Ruslan¡¯s movements by taking the initiative. It was proof that he had a lot of experience in combat. Ruslan gritted his teeth. ¡®You¡¯re so big, but you¡¯re fighting like this!¡¯ If only Han-bin ignorantly wielded his sword due to his great power, Ruslan could find a gap to utilize in his movements, but the seemingly colossal man fought like a clever fox. ¡°Argh! Argh!¡± The red blade Aura continued to tear through the atmosphere. With each simple swing, wild winds blew, and debris flew. ¡°Argh! Argh!¡± The bloodstained Ruslan screamed. ¡®Damn it! You¡¯re going to kill me!¡¯ * * * Ryu Han-bin smiled as he continued to pressure the Earthling in front of him. ¡®Effir is amazing at teaching people.¡¯ Originally, his style wasn¡¯t like that. When confronting a giant dog during his days at the Rocky Mountain, he fought with all his might to dish out his maximum destructive power. However, his combat style was different in interpersonal competitions. His interpersonal style in those fights was based on Maxbrid. And it was the genius Wyvern girl, Effir, who interpreted the Maxbrid teachings and passed it on to Ryu Han-bin. Usually, gigantic people like Ryu Han-bin would often utilize their size to stand tall on the battlefield like a steel tower while maintaining his center of gravity. On the other hand, small and sleek warriors like Effir were bound to fight like butterflies using acrobatic movements and high agility. But Han-bin fought using Effir¡¯s style. How confusing would it be to see a huge iron tower fluttering around like a butterfly? Furthermore, the ensuing aftermath of his assaults was no joke. It was normal for a steel tower to be accompanied by a combination of cyclones and thunderstorms. Zoom! Boom! ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Ruslan managed to weave away from the attack¡¯s range. -Magic Swordsmanship: Net of Heat Waves! He swiftly activated another technique. Dozens of flames crisscrossed to form a net fell over the head of Ryu Han-bin. Han-bin lifted his sword indifferently. Bam! The fiery net was torn apart and scattered. However, it was enough to remove the pressure on Ruslan. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Managing to get away from Han-bin¡¯s oppression, Ruslan immediately put as much distance as possible in between them. He then cast a series of techniques. -Magic Swordsmanship: Horn of the Storm Dragon! -Magic Swordsmanship: Wailing of Steel Souls! The air condensed and flew in the form of a spear, followed by dozens of flying daggers. All the gliding weapons were all made out of Force. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡®You¡¯re going to give up fighting close-range to fight in the distance instead?¡¯ Han-bin knew Ruslan would result to that tactic. All the people who fought with him had been like that. He had no choice but to rush in and close the distance in the past, but the present Ryu Han-bin had awakened Aura. He didn¡¯t have to go after Ruslan hard. Gripping his sword, Han-bin focused on his left hand. A brilliant red sphere rose above the center of his palm. He had created an Aura Bullet with formidable destructive power. -Aura Strike! ¡®¡­ It¡¯s called an Aura Bullet, and it can only be a real Aura Strike when it leaves the palm of my hand and flies towards my target.¡¯ Han-bin had not yet mastered it. But it didn¡¯t matter. Like the stones that he had thrown countless times, he grabbed and threw the sphere at Ruslan. The red sphere broke through all the magic spells like a comet, leaving a trail of light, yet it still retained its power as it burst forth towards Ruslan. ¡°Huh!¡± Frustrated, Ruslan propelled himself away. Boom boom! Han-bin shrugged. ¡®Can you avoid it at your level?¡¯ The movement of a person¡¯s arm swing was too wide. It was clear where he was aiming for. Its orbit was easily predictable. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can throw a knuckleball like a baseball player.¡¯ Aura was not affected by fluid mechanics like a baseball, so it wouldn¡¯t mean much if he knew how to throw. ¡®I¡¯m going to fight the way Effir taught me.¡¯ After forming another Aura Bullet, Ryu Han-bin flung himself forward. With his black greatsword tightly held in his right hand, he aimed at the opponent with his left hand¡¯s Aura Bullet. ¡°Gasp!¡± Ruslan fled again in fear. But Han-bin did not throw the Aura Bullet. ¡°Hoot!¡± He kept it in his left hand as he swung barrages of blade Aura using his right hand. Ruslan gritted his teeth and blocked the attacks. As soon as Ruslan was about to fall back, Han-bin pretended to throw it again! ¡°Huh?¡± Scared, Ruslan retreated in the direction of the blade. He came within the range of Ryu Han-bin himself. ¡®It¡¯s working.¡¯ With a smile, Han-bin continued to tease his opponent. He used Blade Aura as he pressed on calmly. If the opponent tried to move away, he only needed to point the Aura Bullet in his left hand. That alone prevented the opponent¡¯s escape. ¡°You, you!¡± After noticing Han-bin¡¯s intentions, Ruslan changed his response. Ruslan intentionally ignored the Aura bullets, avoided the Blade Auras, and kept his distance. Unless he were a fool, it wouldn¡¯t work. ¡®I don¡¯t care.¡¯ Breaking it into pieces, Ryu Han-bin threw away the Aura Bullet in his left hand. Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± That time, Ruslan was hit accurately. Spitting out blood, Ruslan entered the road range. As if he had predicted it, Ryu Han-bin already had another attack prepared. Boom! Ruslan¡¯s expression was twisted like a demon. He could see what Han-bin was thinking. ¡°You son of a¡­¡± It was possible because Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills were far higher than Ruslan¡¯s. On the other hand, there was no way for Ruslan to respond. Ryu Han-bin kept moving. He just threw the sphere! Boom! And he kept swinging his sword! ¡°Ugh!¡± Han-bin then pretended to throw the Aura bullet again! ¡°Huh?¡± He quickly followed it with a Blade Aura! ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Ruslan became very angry. Han-bin was toying with him. At that rate, the result was obvious. ¡°Do you think I am a fool?¡± Since falling into that world, Ruslan had gained numerous combat experiences. He immediately came up with a plan. He didn¡¯t need to avoid the Aura Strike! -Magic Swordsmanship: Steel Citadel! He formed a grey barrier made out of Force to block Ryu Han-bin¡¯s Aura Bullet. Boom! ¡°I can stop your Aura Bullet!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Han-bin waved his left hand twice. ¡°Then what about this?¡± Two Aura Bullets were formed and floated up. Ruslan¡¯s complexion turned pale. ¡®How is that possible?¡¯ Han-bin threw two Aura Bullets in a row. Ruslan¡¯s magic once again formed a barrier to prevent it. Boom! ¡°You¡¯re blocking two.¡± Then he conjured three. ¡°W-well¡­¡± Without space to even speak, Ruslan activated his technique with all his might. -Magic Swordsmanship: Steel Citadel! If he moved to avoid them at that point, but he would only fall into Han-bin¡¯s prior trap. Ruslan should show that he could prevent them even if he overdid it. Only then could he take the lead. ¡°Taaaah!¡± Ruslan pulled up the Force with all his might. Three Aura Bullets beat the magic barrier. Boom! Explosions went off one after another. Smoke rose across the battlefield. After a while, there was a gasping image of Ruslan. He looked to be struggling to stay conscious. ¡°Hahaha, what do you think? I stopped¡­¡± ¡°Then, four.¡± Four Aura Bullets split the air. A magnificent explosion covered Ruslan¡¯s vision. ¡°¡­oh, shit¡­¡± Boom! * * * With the explosion, Ruslan fluttered into the air. It wasn¡¯t a normal sight to see Ruslan¡¯s limbs floundering around like a paper doll. Maxwell and Grace stuttered in fright. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ruslan?¡± After a while, Ruslan fell to the ground. No, that wasn¡¯t the right expression. Ruslan didn¡¯t fall. When he flew, he was wearing bloodied rags, but only his clothes fell onto the ground. Ruslan himself had disappeared. What that meant was clear. ¡®Is he dead?¡¯ Not only the Earthlings, but Kibie blinked as well. ¡®Oh, my God, was Han-bin that strong?¡¯ So far, she only believed in the Sword King Baotolt. Han-bin¡¯s group was just a facilitator of the journey to meet Baotolt. But that made her change her mind. ¡®Well, maybe he¡¯ll catch up with the Top Three.¡¯ On the other hand, Artis and Effir were not surprised. Han-bin had already killed the level 85 Blood Circer Queen. He wouldn¡¯t lose against someone on the same level. So she shouted as if she had been waiting. ¡°Mr. Felard! Now help this side, too!¡± At Effir¡¯s cry, Han-bin immediately kicked the ground. ¡°I know!¡± The large warrior was charging forth like a red storm. In contemplation, Maxwell and Grace looked at each other. Their opinions were in agreement. ¡®Let¡¯s run!¡¯ Ruslan, who was on par with them, died in vain after being beaten like a dog the entire fight. Even if the remaining duo worked together, there was little chance of winning. Maxwell quickly fell back under a spell. ¡°Wind Step!¡± Grace also hurriedly spread her translucent wings by casting a Spirit art. ¡°Preleu¡¯s hem, let me soar!¡± The two Earthlings began to run in opposite directions. At that moment, Ryu Han-bin was torn. ¡®Who should I go for?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t miss them like that. There was too much information to dig up. At that time, Artis¡¯ communication magic entered his mind. -Catch the Mage first! We¡¯ll catch the Spiritist! Chapter 82 Serhithran (3) Thanks to Artis¡¯ quick judgment, Ryu Han-bin managed to set his goal immediately. Staring at the Mage with brown hair flying away, he launched himself by pushing himself off the ground. ¡°Taah!¡± The road below him was crushed, followed by sonic booms. Han-bin¡¯s giant body shot up like an artillery shell and caught up with Maxwell in an instant. ¡°For God¡¯s sake!¡± Frustrated, Maxwell concentrated on his staff. He cast a barrage of spells at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Explosion! Electronic shock! Fireball! Thunder Blast!¡± The problem was that, considering the urgency of the situation, all spells he cast were just at the intermediate level. ¡°Huh!¡± With a great cheer, Han-bin just blocked all the magic with his body. Even before the awakening of his Aura, he could already endure that much with his muscles. That level of magic wouldn¡¯t slow him down! Boom! Ryu Han-bin swung his arms nonstop as he continued to burst through the heavy explosions. -Aura Strike! Red Aura Bullets rained down like a meteor. There was a magnificent explosion in front of Maxwell. Crushed debris was rampant, and the city was shaking. ¡°Argh!¡± Maxwell rolled back in the storm. And he turned deadly pale. ¡°Awaken, power of the deepest lake! Thurman Orgarus!¡± He could barely complete the chant. Water currents rose through the cracks and formed the shape of a huge monster. It was the Spirit of Water, Orgarus. Argh! Maxwell¡¯s eyes flashed when he saw the crying spirit. ¡®It¡¯s a success!¡¯ That was an extremely high-tiered summoning skill available only to level 83 Mages. Using it once depleted all of his Mana and caused him to feel sick for at least three days. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be able to kill that monster, but at least it could give him plenty of time to run away! ¡°Go, Orgarus!¡± In issuing an order, Maxwell was ready to run away again. But something caught his eye. Staring at Orgarus, Ryu Han-bin grabbed the black greatsword. He laid the sword horizontally and then coated it with red Aura! -Crosscut! With the illusion of the world tearing apart, he cut the massive spirit was in two with a single slash. He stared at Maxwell with fierce eyes. Bam! Boiling water scattered in all directions as red air flowed. Along with the thick steam, the large body of Orgarus faded and fogged away. Maxwell was shocked. ¡°In one shot?¡± Orgarus¡¯s existence ended without doing anything. The Valtara warrior was a monster beyond his imagination. Holding the sword in his hand, Han-bin laughed. ¡®That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t have to worry about the life and death of summoned monsters.¡¯ To the eyes of other Earthlings, it would seem that he had brutally smashed Ruslan while playing with him all the time. But in fact, it was the result of his hard work to capture Ruslan. ¡®I didn¡¯t think he would die against 4 Aura Bullets.¡¯ Anyway, it simply blocked the opponent¡¯s last move. Han-bin aimed his Blade Aura at Maxwell¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple. ¡°Is there any way left out of this?¡± Maxwell had cold sweat running down his cheeks. He couldn¡¯t think of any. ¡°¡­ I surrender.¡± If he surrendered, he would end up being dragged to an interrogator who would torture him to death. ¡®But it¡¯s better than dying right now.¡¯ He sighed and raised both hands. ¡°Argh!¡± He then began to vomit blood. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Surprised, Han-bin became nervous. Maxwell shook his limbs and began bleeding from his mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. ¡°Hey, you damn Thunder King¡­¡± He ground his teeth with bloodshot eyes and shouted curses. At the same time, he got scared. ¡°I knew he wouldn¡¯t let me go that easily¡­¡± After a while, Maxwell tilted his head. At the same time, his body began to melt into the air and disappear. That was right. He, too, had died. Han-bin¡¯s expression was distorted. Han-bin had seen a similar sight before. When he first met Artis, the Cobolt, who was about to disclose information about the Great Earth, died that way. Of course, the body didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°¡­ What kind of forbidden spell was that?¡± * * * Artis struck his stick on the ground with a flourish of magic. ¡°Roar up and hold my opponent! Chains of Crallo!¡± As Effir raced, she skillfully overlapped her double swords. -Magic Swordsmanship: Storm Dragon¡¯s Roar! Blue vines wriggled and flew towards Grace¡¯s limbs. A gale shook the atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t possible to fly away. ¡°Oh. Shit!¡± With foul language, Grace aimed her right hand behind her. ¡°Althea¡¯s radiance, protect me¡­¡± Even Aliens, whose skills were acquired through the Guideline, had to chant before casting a spell. It was a skill used by Latna¡¯s law to the fullest extent. The Guideline gave her the information of the chant, not a skill activation. ¡°¡­ and create an invincible wall!¡± The chanted spell stopped the attack of Artis and Effir. Both were only in Level 60s, and there was a gap in the attack. In the meantime, Grace tried to fly up again. ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± Kibie thrust her long spear continuously. Her brown Aura turned into dozens of spears and poured down like heavy rain. They had such impeccable timing. Inevitably, Grace defended herself against the attack with her spell shield. Boom boom! She did a good job at blocking it, but she was left stranded. Artis and Effir stood at her sides, and Kibie blocked her from behind, surrounding her. Pointing at her with her spear, Kibie exclaimed with great force. ¡°There¡¯s no way out! Surrender gently!¡± Nervous, Grace sweated. ¡®What can I do?¡¯ Spiritists were good at defense, assistance, and healing. Their damage output was relatively low compared to Warriors and Mages of the same level. Each of them had a lower level than her, but each of them was hard to break down, so she couldn¡¯t think of any countermeasures. ¡®And even if I surrender, I will be tortured to death¡­¡¯ Grace was agonizing. She could see a scene that neatly blew her troubles away. From far away, the Valtara warrior was charging towards her with his greatsword. ¡®Has Maxwell been defeated?¡¯ At that moment, she lost her will to fight. ¡®This is my end.¡¯ With a sigh, Grace stretched her hands up. She was about to tell her intention to surrender when she was stopped. Nearing her, Ryu Han-bin glared at Grace with a fierce expression. ¡°Do you think we will accept your surrender, Alien?¡± Grace could feel the fierce spirit of Han-bin. Surprised, Grace looked up again. ¡®You¡¯re not going to accept my surrender?¡¯ It seemed so. ¡°Your evil deeds can¡¯t be forgiven!¡± With the form of a demon fresh from hell, he continued his violent cry by twirling his copper muscles. ¡°Try as hard as you can, evil Alien! Hahahaha! ¡®Oh, my God! Is he a Valtara warrior? The Valtara warrior¡¯s savagery was well-known throughout Latna. They could do that easily. Grace abandoned her last hope. Whether she would be dead or alive, she had no choice but to fight! ¡°Huh! You thought I would die that easily.¡± On the other hand, Artis, Effir, and Kibie were confused. ¡®Huh? ¡®What¡¯s wrong with Han-bin?¡¯ ¡®Why did he do such a stupid thing?¡¯ Grace formed an ectoplasm spear and threw it at Ryu Han-bin. Of course, it didn¡¯t work at all. ¡°Damn!¡± Blade Aura danced and destroyed all the spears. Han-bin then reached Grace¡¯s position like a wild boar and stretched out his wicked grasp. His thick fingers clasped strongly at her delicate neck. ¡°Argh! Argh¡­¡± Grace, who was caught by the neck and hung in the air, struggled. Her complexion grew blue. Her consciousness blurred out. ¡®I am going to die like this¡­¡¯ Eventually, her head fell flat. But her body did not disappear. She just fainted. Only then did Ryu Han-bin put her down with a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, I was scared that she would surrender.¡± Artis approached and asked. ¡°What the hell are you doing, man?¡± ¡°These guys, there¡¯s some weird spell on them. When they tried to surrender, it seemed to activate the spell.¡± Han-bin briefly explained the situation. Kibie nodded convincingly. ¡°Is that why you knocked her out on purpose? Well done.¡± After laying down the fainted Grace, Han-bin smiled brightly. ¡°We¡¯ve captured an Earthling alive. I¡¯ve kept failing on that part.¡± Their peaceful talks were stopped momentarily. They could hear city guards crowding in the distance. Grace fainted, causing her spell to dissolve. Well, in such chaos, everyone who was going to run had already run away. And those who ran away would have called the City Guards in a hurry. Effir clicked his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s a mess. Of course.¡± Han-bin looked back at Artis. ¡°What are we going to do about this?¡± ¡°Leave it to me. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Artis shrugged his shoulders. He was the wisest among Han-bin¡¯s group. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I, a Dragon, know more about human situations than any of you. It¡¯s funny.¡± * * * The City Guards¡¯ interrogation was over as Artis had boasted. -We are Hunters. As usual, we were staying at an inn after hitting a Dungeon, but Aliens attacked us. That is the result of the battle. ¨C Do you have any evidence that those guys are Aliens? -Their bodies have disappeared. These are the costumes they left behind. ¨C Are there any other witnesses who saw the bodies disappear? Could it be that you killed ordinary Hunters and hid the bodies? ¨C We are partners of the Althean Church. He also helped the Atransas family. Why would we do such a thing? Currently, Ryu Han-bin and Artis were white-ranked partners of the Althean Church. Due to the activities they had accumulated, their credits rose as well. ¡°Oh, were you those people that handled the Atransas case? I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t know.¡± His attitude changed when they revealed their identity. He didn¡¯t ask any more questions. The captain of the City Guard politely continued his conversation with Artis. ¡°I was suspicious of Serhithran¡¯s Hunters because of their frequent disappearance these days. Aliens did it, huh.¡± Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t get compensation for clearing Aliens. ¡°We have to capture Aliens alive so we can get compensation.¡± Artis replied, ¡°We know.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not easy enough to capture. We¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°The problem is the damage compensation for the broken inn¡­¡± Originally, both sides would be held responsible if they fought in the city and damaged property. It was the custom of Latna. It didn¡¯t matter whether the party was wrong or right. He couldn¡¯t ask Han-bin¡¯s party to compensate for the damage¡­ ¡®That Valtara warrior is so scary!¡¯ Artis readily nodded to the panicked captain. ¡°We¡¯ll pay for the damage. We¡¯ll take their belongings instead. That¡¯s alright, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be confiscated as evidence, but¡­ Let¡¯s do that!¡± Regrettably, the city guards left the inn. Ryu Han-bin, who was watching the situation, laughed. ¡°Government officials are the same here and on Earth.¡± The after-treatment was done neatly. Looking back at the party, Artis eyed the alley. ¡°Let¡¯s find a new accommodation.¡± Grace, the party¡¯s captive, was hidden in that alleyway. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of questions to ask.¡± Chapter 83 Serhithran (4) They¡¯ve found another inn on the south side of Serhithran. After getting a new room, Han-bin and his party moved the woman they had caught in it. Looking down at her unconscious body, Han-bin felt puzzled. ¡°How do we interrogate her?¡± If it were a normal situation, he would wake her up and let her slowly throw up the information. ¡°But what if the Banned spell activated again? It would be all over.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± In reply, Artis dropped a small Mana on Grace¡¯s head. He didn¡¯t know what it exactly was, but at least it was clear that something was cast into her. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a mental spell¡­ It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°What¡¯s weird?¡± ¡°I can feel Prana, Mana, Force all at once.¡± If he waked her up recklessly, there was a high possibility that she would vomit blood and die like Maxwell. Kibie stepped up to see Han-bin in trouble. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try to cast a shadow-reading. I can¡¯t just interrogate her myself, but I can get some information.¡± ¡°Shadow-reading?¡± Ryu Han-bin, Artis, and Effir were curious about the term they heard for the first time. Kibie explained calmly. ¡°It¡¯s the art of detecting the remnants of memories and collecting information from the past. It¡¯s one of the powers of incarnation.¡± The Goddesses didn¡¯t overburden themselves with combat skills when making incarnations. The goal was to live the same as mortals and understand them. Language-communication and information-acquisition skills were far more essential. ¡°You have such a convenient ability? Goddesses are amazing.¡± Ryu Han-bin, who nodded in surprise, suddenly asked. ¡°Oh, can you read what I¡¯m thinking?¡± He asked, thinking it was in the same form as the telepathy he saw in movies, but Kibie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too much. Shadow-reading is about reading fixed past, not about changing the consciousness of the living in real-time.¡± To be exact, she could read it, but it was impossible to decipher it. Human consciousness was not just at the level of voice information. It was the result of a complex mixture of visual, olfactory, tactile, emotional, and superficial consciousness, deep unconscious, and reflective notions of behavior. ¡°We can¡¯t process that much information with the limits of a mortal¡¯s brain. It was possible only when I was a Goddess.¡± Gaining only certain information from the opponent and selecting and interpreting the opponent¡¯s comprehensive information at random were different levels of difficulty. Therefore, although there was brainwashing and mental control among spiritual arts or magic spells, no mind-reading skills came to mind. ¡°If there¡¯s such a Spiritual skill in the first place, Alien interrogators wouldn¡¯t have been having such a hard time figuring out the identities of Aliens. They could¡¯ve just read the minds of the Aliens.¡± Moreover, even reading a fixed past wasn¡¯t easy. At least for a few minutes, the caster must remain immobile with unwavering focus, and it¡¯s limited to being able to read the large stems of the past roughly. It was impossible to dig up the opponent¡¯s information during a battle. ¡°That¡¯s why you asked my name when you first met me, Kibie. I got it.¡± Han-bin was inwardly relieved. ¡®At least no one¡¯s going to be able to read my mind.¡¯ After the explanation, Kibie put her hand on the unconscious Grace. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll start.¡± A faint black air flowed from Kibie¡¯s fingertips and seeped through Grace¡¯s platinum hair. * * * Grace O¡¯Connell. Born in Minnesota in the United States. She was 22 years old when she left Earth. She was on her way home from work when she met a robber and got shot. Then she woke up again after she had died. She met the angel of the demon Omphalos, got a second chance, and was given a task. It was a noble mission to save the world, the Latna Continent, from the six fake goddesses. * * * Ryu Han-bin tilted his head while listening to Kibie¡¯s explanation. ¡°Six fake goddesses?¡± Kibie snorted. ¡°Omphalos is brainwashing these people. These people believe that the world is ending and that we Goddesses are the cause of it. Omphalos is the true god of Latna, and we took his place?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that¡¯s what the Earthlings knew all along.¡± It was understandable why other people, unlike Han-bin, didn¡¯t resist the Devil¡¯s temptations. From Han-bin¡¯s point of view, the Devil was just a kidnapper who threw him into hell, but to other Earthlings, he was a benefactor who gave them a second chance at life. ¡°Hold on, so we¡¯re supposed to have died before being summoned to this world? Then why did they kidnap me?¡± Kibie grinned as Ryu Han-bin grumbled. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. I don¡¯t think the Earthlings actually died.¡± No Earthling could get a Guideline planted in that case. They must have passed the qualifications. ¡°After finding qualified people, they waited for a long time until the person died before summoning them? Why would they go through so much?¡± It was much simpler to kidnap them and then plant fake memories. ¡°¡­ Have you all been fooled?¡± Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. Kibie shrugged her shoulders. ¡°The problem is that the brainwashing of a demon is so well-done that people would continue to believe that even after hearing the truth.¡± * * * It was a truly religious and ecstatic experience. In the Holy Land, Grace became a great warrior of God. After receiving the Guideline, Loha Latna developed its strength at a similar level. She reached level 20 and moved to Latna. That happened 15 years ago. At that time, the Latnains were still eagerly hunting down Aliens. However, there was no systematic establishment to detect Aliens yet. She got Latna¡¯s identification after registering as a Hunter without any problem. Working as a Hunter, she steadily raised her level. She could stay quiet for a few years. She met precious colleagues, formed relationships, and even fell in love with a good man. But eventually, she got busted. When they realized that she was an Alien, goodwill, affection, and consideration turned into malice, hatred, and greed. Everything she had accumulated disappeared like a bubble. She ran away as she got chased. Countless blood spilled. Even the man Grace loved bled. Those who saved her from desperation were the same Earthlings, who called themselves Followers intoxicated by the world. She couldn¡¯t find stability even after she became a Follower. She lived on the run and in hiding. She gradually changed. She no longer felt repulsed by killing people. She had already massacred far too many individuals to feel remorse. As she murdered those who tried to catch her, her level kept going up. Level 30, level 40¡­ After level 50, the Guideline promised a new reward. [Reducing the number of intelligent bodies on the Latna continent is a noble act to save the world. It will exhaust the influence of the six goddesses. If you are strong enough, you are obliged to kill Latnians.] The reward was truly remarkable. It was pleasure sent directly into her brain. She couldn¡¯t dare compare it to marijuana or amphetamine that she had tried briefly in high school. It was pure joy without any side effects! The pleasure was so intense for Grace, who was struggling. The same went for the other Earthlings. The higher the level, the more often Latnains were killed. * * * Ryu Han-bin¡¯s jaw opened. ¡°What the hell is that about?¡± Kibie also had a similar reaction. ¡°That¡¯s something I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± In other words, the demon omphalos forced high-level Earthlings to become junkies and to confront the Latnians. Artis looked convinced. ¡°That¡¯s how you get Latnains killed.¡± If she killed a dungeon monster, she would only gain experience, but if Grace killed Latnains, she would get additional rewards. Han-bin finally understood why most Aliens had become such terrible murderers. ¡°Omphalos, you bastard¡­¡± Han-bin gritted his teeth. If the Guideline hadn¡¯t been broken, he would have been the same as they were. Kibie continued her shadow-reading with a firm complexion. * * * She killed people nonstop. She brought death upon men, women, the elderly, and children. She didn¡¯t care who they were. She took every chance to kill she could get. Grace herself knew in the back of her mind. She felt that something was wrong with it. It was inhumane. But it didn¡¯t matter. She could only gain that pleasure when she killed Latnains. She had to choose between Latnains¡¯ lives or her pleasure. One would make her a kind-hearted but depressed lady, while the other option would turn her evil but contented. Like most people on Earth, she chose the latter. She frequently moved to hide her identity, raised her level, and committed murder repeatedly. The pitcher went so often to the well that it was broken at last. That adage of the Earth was not much different in Latna. Finally, she got busted. Six denominations had solved the questionnaire. High-level Hunters in the middle of the continent also joined forces to wipe out the heretics as partners of the church. She was chased ceaselessly. In the midst of all that, whenever she had the chance, she killed people. She had already fallen to the ground. Eventually, a catastrophe came. She and the Devil Followers became rats in a large siege by the Thunder King Garhan. More than half of them were killed, and those that remained were taken as prisoners. Grace cried for help. Even though she had taken countless lives, her life was still precious. Fortunately, she survived. She was soon transferred to a hellish place: Thunder King Garhan¡¯s prison, Akhtarun. It was built by remodeling a dungeon at Tower Mountain Rufus, one of the Four Prohibited Areas. The largest prison on Latna, sealed by the Thunder King¡¯s mighty power, had already held numerous Earthlings captive. Even the Great Earth, the worst Alien group to go against the Goddesses, was held there. * * * ¡°Garhan, that guy¡­¡± In anger, Kibie gritted her teeth. ¡°He said he killed them all, but he took them away?¡± Due to the Omphalos area called Dungeon, it became possible to hide from the Goddesses¡¯ omniscient eyes. Although it was described as omnipotent, the six Goddesses had limitations. Effir tilted her head. ¡°But why do they have to keep the Earthlings alive? That¡¯s just dangerous.¡± They were difficult to manage and conciliate. It was also against the orders of the Goddesses. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Thunder King is kind enough to keep the Earthlings alive even with that many risks¡­¡± The answer soon revealed itself. * * * Later, Grace and the survivors became slaves to the mine. She was just one of the hundreds of Earthlings trapped in Akhtarun. The only difference from other mines was not the mineral, but the miner who dug up the ¡®Spirit Stones.¡¯ Only then did Grace realize why she wasn¡¯t killed. If they hunted the monsters that appeared in Akhtarun continuously and gave their captors the monsters¡¯ Spirit Stones, they would be given daily necessities in return. But the cost of those necessities was far beyond imagination. High-ranking Spirit Stones were only worth half a loaf of bread in Akhtarun, while they were comparable to gold in the outer world. Dozens of Spirit Stones had to be collected before they could afford rags. Indeed, they were raising geese that laid golden eggs. In terms of scale, it would not be too much to say that they were building a goose farm. The amount of Spirit Stones that hundreds of powerful Earthlings offered to live was enormous. It brought endless wealth and power to three of the strongest beings. Their kingdoms also became known as the strongest nations, beating all of the other countries. For more than a decade, Grace continued to wander through hell, unable to escape. However, she was soon given an opportunity. The door of Akhtarun opened, and the voice of the Thunder King rang. -Find the incarnation of the Goddess. -Then bring her to me. -Then I¡¯ll send you back to Earth. It¡¯s a promise I make in the name of Thunder King.¡± Chapter 84 Serhithran (5) Kibie sighed. ¡°You didn¡¯t prepare it for a day or two¡­¡± Grace was storing what she saw and heard as information from the past. However, Kibie, who read it with the eyes of a third party, was able to find out that Grace had not noticed it. First and foremost, the trio didn¡¯t build Akhtarun simply to enslave Earthlings as miners to dig up Spirit Stones. ¡°It¡¯s also a laboratory to study the power of the Omphalos.¡± He understood how he could use the power of the Demon to that level. They didn¡¯t prepare their plan in a hurry as their deaths came ever closer. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s something they¡¯ve been working on for decades.¡± The evidence was that Akhtarun¡¯s seal system hadn¡¯t been broken for so long. When Grace was captured, her level was 61. She had been trapped in Akhtarun for nearly a decade. She hunted monsters down until she reached her current level of 85. ¡®In other words, there could be Earthlings who have been trapped for a longer period and are likely to have higher levels.¡¯ Thirty-three years ago, Great Earth, aiming for Preleu, had an average level of 70, and there were also some who were around level 100. When the strongest four came forward, they easily defeated Great Earth. But the times had changed. Grace wasn¡¯t that strong compared to the other Earthlings of Akhtarun. She was average in level at best. Even though she was a level 85 Spiritist, she was nowhere near the top. So, how much did Great Earth grow while they were locked up? Level 100? 110? 120? ¡®No, isn¡¯t it that bad? The highest level of monsters in Akhtarun is about 90, so their level must have slowed down after level 100.¡¯ Even so, the average level itself was sure to be tremendously high. They had been locked up for decades. They should have leveled up a lot. No matter how strong the Top Three were, there was no way that they could create a fault line that wouldn¡¯t break even with hundreds of Earthlings of the highest level rampaging around. ¡®There¡¯s something else.¡¯ He must¡¯ve used the power of the Demon. If it were a talent belonging to Latna, Kibie would¡¯ve known. ¡®And that¡¯s how he controls the spirit of these people.¡¯ The Top Three didn¡¯t just release hundreds of Earthlings. A strong restriction was placed on them to prevent information from leaking out under any circumstances. ¡®She just recognizes it to be a skill of the Thunder King, but¡­¡¯ It was the result of a combination of three of the most powerful beings in Latna. There was no other way to explain how Kibie could feel Force, Mana, Prana all at the same time. With a sigh, Kibie took her hand off Grace¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ve found out everything I can.¡± She had dug up all the information she needed. There was nothing left to see in her mind. Kibie looked back at Han-bin with a stern look. ¡°This Earthling, can I kill her?¡± Since Ryu Han-bin caught her, she couldn¡¯t ignore his intention. ¡°That¡¯s the right way to do things, but¡­¡± Han-bin had a sour look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s immoral to kill someone who can¡¯t fight back. Am I too soft?¡± Kibie¡¯s expression relaxed. She would have been disappointed if Han-bin had told her to kill Grace without hesitation. ¡°It means you¡¯re still sane. You¡¯re not soft.¡± However, there was no real way to keep her alive. If they kept her under control and woke her up, she would be considered in a ¡®state of surrender.¡¯ The spell in her would be activated. Nevertheless, they couldn¡¯t let go of the serial killer who had committed all kinds of evil things. ¡°There¡¯s no way to release mental control.¡± Grace¡¯s mental control wasn¡¯t just made with Latna¡¯s magic spell or spiritual art. There was a third power associated with the Demon Omphalos. Kibie, who was in a state of incarnation, had no means to remove it. Kibie¡¯s eyes became serious. ¡°This woman has already killed a lot of Latnains. Countless people have been killed for her pleasure.¡± But at the same time, she was just a victim who had been caught and brainwashed by the Demon. ¡°So I¡¯m going to kill this woman without pain. I think that¡¯s the punishment and mercy she deserves.¡± Kibie asked Han-bin calmly. ¡°What do you think, Han-bin?¡± Ryu Han-bin closed his eyes for a moment and organized his thoughts. After a while, he reached a conclusion. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill people recklessly. I¡¯m also afraid of becoming like other Earthlings.¡± Artis and Effir frowned. ¡®Are you telling me not to kill her?¡¯ The current situation was not easy to deal with. It could cost them their party¡¯s lives. However, Han-bin continued with a firm voice. ¡°But it¡¯s sinful to save a man recklessly sometimes.¡± * * * Grace died painlessly. She lost her breath in her sleep, and her body soon disappeared, leaving behind her clothes. Effir put away Grace¡¯s belongings as she raised a question. ¡°What do we do now? We were originally planning to stay in Serhithran for another three days.¡± Artis spoke firmly. ¡°We need to get out of this city right now.¡± It was dangerous to stay in Serhithran since Kibie¡¯s position had been discovered. They didn¡¯t know when the other Earthlings would attack them. And the worst-case scenario was¡­ ¡°There¡¯s a high possibility that those three will move towards us directly. This is that important to them.¡± They normally didn¡¯t come forward themselves. They had a lot of power, and there were many things for them to care about. But catching Kibie should be their top priority. He wasn¡¯t kidding. It wasn¡¯t weird for all three to cooperate all at once. ¡°Then we¡¯re going straight for the Sword King? But Artis and I are still lacking in levels.¡± Ryu Han-bin gave his opinion. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the city first and level up on the way. There must be dungeons in other parts of the country. We can hunt native monsters as a last result.¡± In any case, they had to disappear immediately. Han-bin and his party left the inn swiftly. The inn owner was surprised to hear that they would leave the room again late at night, but they made a good fuss as if something urgent had come up. At the same time, Han-bin also gave the owner a fake location to fool possible pursuers. ¡°What? You¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Yes, something happened in Basterds.¡± ¡°It¡¯s three days from here to Basterds. You¡¯ve got a long journey ahead of you. Would you like some food to carry?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already prepared it. Thank you for your consideration.¡± Afterward, they hurried to the gate. After paying, they got out of the castle and found their wagon. They kept the wagon moving nonstop under the moonlight. Only then did Kibie sigh with relief. ¡°That should be far enough to avoid trackers.¡± Artis and Effir begged to differ. ¡°We need to be prepared for attacks at all times.¡± ¡°There are other Aliens who are after Kibie.¡± Kibie had to meet Baotolt as soon as possible without being seen. Once she met the Sword King, she would be safe. ¡®Is he the only one I can trust until then?¡¯ Kibie sat next to Han-bin and looked at him, who was grooming his greatsword. ¡°I don¡¯t like being in the protected princess position, but I can¡¯t help it.¡± She smiled as she gave the reliable Han-bin a once-over. ¡°Precious one-way ticket to Earth, keep your eye on it.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make sure you get back to your Goddess form so you can send me home.¡± If she didn¡¯t regain her divinity, she wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill Han-bin¡¯s wish. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect you with everything but my life.¡± Kibie smiled. ¡°That¡¯s more trustworthy than a life-sacrificing statement.¡± * * * At Tasmaral, the capital of Lune. A group of deputies lined up at Queen Genovia¡¯s palace, ¡®Leppelta de Krad.¡¯ When their turn came, they stepped forward and handed over the plan. The blonde black beauty sitting on the throne nodded her head to confirm the plan. ¡°This year¡¯s Sinkers budget, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not bad. I approve it.¡± At first glance, it was just a regular meeting, but there was something different from the usual. The Genovia on the throne wasn¡¯t real. It was a three-dimensional magic image made of light. She was working from a distance, projecting only her image. But her vassals didn¡¯t find it very strange. ¡®She must be busy with something else.¡¯ Genovia, who was also the most powerful Wizard of Latna, met her vassals only through holograms amid her magic research. The Queen was working. Her illusion suddenly looked into the air and made a strange expression. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Majesty?¡± One of her vassals asked her out of curiosity. But Genovia did not answer. With a faint smile, she immediately disregarded the formalities. ¡°I¡¯ll stop here for today. I will leave the rest to you. You can report it to me later.¡± At the same time, her image disappeared from the throne. That was also a common occurrence. The vassals naturally bowed down toward the already empty throne. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± * * * It was a pitch-black space covered with darkness everywhere. A huge island could be seen floating in it. On top of it stood a temple made of obsidian, with all kinds of flowers in full bloom. It was a strange space where objects revealed their outlines and colors even though there was no light. It had been the sanctuary of Kybriel, the Goddess of Darkness. Genovia opened her eyes at the Holy Land temple. She looked around. A man was meditating with his eyes closed a few distances away from her. He was a middle-aged blond man with strong features. ¡®Is Garhan still at work?¡¯ As if on cue, Garhan opened his eyes. He looked at Genovia. ¡°Did you sense it?¡± ¡°Yes, I found Kybriel. She¡¯s at Serhithran.¡± Garhan let out a pleasant smile. ¡°That was faster than I thought. It was great we spread Aliens all over the continent.¡± ¡°But I still haven¡¯t found out the shape or identity of the incarnation. Can we track her with them?¡± ¡°The Aliens fought against Kybriel died. There should be clues left in Serhithran.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll inform Hollien.¡± Genovia drew a circle in the air. A video of light came to existence, showing a beautiful Nymph in colorful silk pajamas. The beautiful nymph fixed her smooth hair away from her face. ¡°Hey, if it¡¯s not urgent, why don¡¯t you stop contacting me in the middle of the night? We¡¯re right next to him.¡± Garhan laughed. The video showed an elegant royal bedroom. A handsome Nymph was asleep on the bed. It was Hollien¡¯s husband, Fairy King Loflan Strauss Allendia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your bedtime. But this is urgent.¡± Hollien¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°¡­ Did you find her?¡± Genovia and Garhan spoke one after another. ¡°I detected Kibriel¡¯s incarnation in Serhithran.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t get out of this sanctuary¡­¡± ¡°I need you to handle it.¡± Hollien, in the video, clicked her tongue, looking at the two as if she felt sorry for them. ¡°It¡¯s hard for short-lived humans to suffer. Okay, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± * * * ¡°¡­?¡± Loflan opened his eyes blankly. It was because he heard his wife muttering in her sleep. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, my Queen?¡± Hollien smiled and approached him. ¡°I just woke up for a moment, my beloved Majesty.¡± With a lovely smile, she left a gentle kiss on Loflan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Get some more sleep.¡± The Fairy King fell asleep again. After fixing the covers, Hollien left the bedroom. She sat in the drawing-room, clicked her fingers slightly, and mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call you when you¡¯re asleep.¡± After a while, a woman with brown hair entered the drawing-room fully armed. ¡°Did you call me, my Queen?¡± ¡°Yes, Leslie.¡± Hollien flicked a small emblem towards her. ¡°I know it¡¯s late, but I need you to run some errands.¡± It was the emblem of the Great Earth. Leslie asked, quickly catching it. ¡°Where shall I go?¡± Hollien replied, pointing beyond the night sky outside the window where the crescent moon appeared. ¡°Upper Draconium.¡± Chapter 85 Chaser (1) Pral was the port city of Nainel, a small country in the southern part of the Latna continent. Blood spurted under the sunny southern sky. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± After a desperate and painful scream, the last Hunter collapsed. There were already four bodies lying around. As he wiped the blood off his blade, Zhang Atanasio grinned. ¡°My level is low, but I killed about five people. I feel high.¡± The higher the level of the opponent, the greater the pleasure compensation for the murder of Latnains. The Hunters¡¯ levels Zhang killed were in their early or mid-30s. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t receive that much compensation. He had to kill at least five or six people to feel good. ¡®I¡¯d love to go to the middle of the continent and hunt higher-level humans¡­¡¯ Zhang clicked his tongue while collecting the bodies. ¡®Because of the voice of the Thunder King, we can¡¯t get out of this city. Hmm.¡¯ He was a Level 62 Magic Swordsman. Although he was one of the people who had low levels in Akhtarun, he was recognized as a talented person who could dare enter the Four Prohibited Areas in the outer world. Still, Zhang was unable to escape the port city, Pral. It was due to the Banned spell by the Thunder King. -Head to the designated city without being seen by Latnians. -When you arrive at your destination, stay in the city, and look for the incarnation of the Goddess. -Don¡¯t leave the city until you find the incarnation of the Goddess. No matter how strong the trio was, the rule was created because their abilities were limited. Hundreds of Earthlings were already high-leveled. Some of them were even over level 80 or 90. It couldn¡¯t have been easy to control such a large number of powerful people. It was also the reason why Hollien had been surprised by Garhan¡¯s decision to release them. Instead, the order was as simple as it was compulsory. Once they were under the Banned spell, they could never escape. Like the other Earthlings from Akhtarun, Zhang stayed in the designated port city of Pral and continued to slaughter Latnains. ¡®Well, it¡¯s best to do it quietly to avoid getting caught.¡¯ After disposing of all the bodies, he smacked his lips. Zhang knew that he would be tracked down sooner or later if he continued to kill like that. But he had no choice. He was already too addicted to the pleasures of murder. If he wanted to, he could have gotten out of the addiction. While he was locked up in Akhtarun for decades, he had never killed people. But Zhang didn¡¯t forget the addiction. Perhaps others would do the same. ¡®Will I be happier if I give up on murdering people and insist on the no-killing lifestyle that I don¡¯t want to do?¡¯ Even though he knew that it would become more dangerous, he couldn¡¯t stop. The pleasure of killing was too sweet to resist. ¡®Then I¡¯ll slowly get out.¡¯ Zhang quickly disappeared after removing bloodstains. * * * No matter how well he erased the bloodstains, if too many people disappeared in a short period, he would eventually be caught. Eventually, the bodies of Hunters were found throughout the city. It didn¡¯t only happen to that city. Even the capitals of each country or the Four Prohibited Areas and the minor frontier cities were affected. People noticed. Massive serial killings were taking place throughout the Latna continent. ¡®It¡¯s the work of Aliens!¡¯ ¡®What are these evil demons doing?¡¯ The conclusion was not based solely on prejudice against Aliens. Most of the casualties were Hunters, and they were quite high-level. If such people were involved in indiscriminate murder, it was unlikely that Latnians had committed it. Of course, there were plenty of bad people among the Latnians. Many people committed robberies, rape, and other crimes with a clear purpose. However, the indiscriminate killing changed the story. Usually, serial killers targeted those who were socially disadvantaged. They purposely didn¡¯t aim for high-level people. But what if the serial killer was a powerful Hunter? It could only be the work of Aliens. ¡®What happened? They¡¯ve been quiet for years.¡¯ ¡®And it¡¯s not just one or two people!¡¯ Suddenly, at the same time, high-level Aliens appeared as if someone had released them, causing them to cause mass genocides in various parts of the continent. A dark atmosphere spread throughout the continent. People were afraid and suspicious of each other. Aliens¡¯ genealogy was indistinguishable from Latnians until they were killed. Serhithran, a forbidden city in the Ice-Flame Forest, was no exception. * * * Inspections were being conducted throughout the city. It was all due to the killings done against Hunters recently. Fortunately, the Aliens had been cleared by the Valtara Warrior Felard Bean, but there was impossible that no other Aliens remained. ¡°You mean there¡¯s a Goddess incarnate among the Valtara warrior¡¯s group, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Almara. It¡¯s not that difficult to get the information out because there are so many rumors going around.¡± A young beauty in her 20s spoke informally to a man of her age. And the man talked to her in quite a polite manner. The woman was white-haired and grey-eyed, while the young man had dark brown hair and dark skin. Neither of them had anything unusual on the surface. However, they weren¡¯t ordinary humans. Almar Vallaur Glakiers was a Silver Dragon who turned 650 years old that year. Saltus Lintbroom Lapeltrausd was a Green Dragon who turned 530 years old that year. Both were powerful Dragons belonging to Upper Draconium. In human form, Almara and Saltus continued to walk through the streets of Serhithran. If they made eye contact with powerful-looking Hunters, the Hunters avoided meeting their gaze as much as possible. Dragons were said to be slow to level up, but they gained extraordinary abilities when they had lived for hundreds of years. Nevertheless, they were hiding and pretending to be humans. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a fuss.¡± ¡°Hollien¡¯s orders come first.¡± The strongest three had sent Aliens all over the continent in search of the Goddess of Darkness. In other words, traps had been set up. If the target was caught in the trap immediately, there was nothing more for them to do. But the trap was broken. Even if the opponent ran out, there should¡¯ve been traces left behind which could infer the target¡¯s identity. That was their mission. They had to obtain information on Darkness¡¯s incarnation through the traces left by the target, keep track of it, and capture it alive if possible. Almara suddenly tilted her head, recalling the new liaison of Great Earth, who delivered Hollien¡¯s order. ¡°And what happened to Alejandro? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be the liaison?¡± ¡°I guess something happened to him. Did we, uh, bow because we were scared of him? I was just afraid of unique items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± While talking, the Dragons explored Serhithran. Like ordinary humans, they asked questions and gathered information. Three days allowed them to get a rough outline. A total of four people fought against the Aliens of Serhithran. It was a Hunter team consisting of male and female Valtara warriors, a young Mage with red hair, and a Magic swordswoman with silver hair. They also discovered their names through Hunter Guild. ¡°It was Artis Venetian, Effir Venetian, Felard Bean, and Kibie Bierne, right?¡± Saltus muttered. ¡°Which of them is the Goddess of Darkness?¡± The Goddess of Darkness, Kybriel, was the one who created all the Dragon races. She was their creator. But neither showed any sign of awe. ¡°Since when did Dragons care about their parents?¡± ¡°Yes, if Kybriel wanted to be treated as a parent, she wouldn¡¯t have made us like this in the first place.¡± The two Dragons were in agony over their profane conversation. ¡°The most suspicious of them all is the female Valtara warrior¡­¡± First of all, the name Kibie sounded a lot like Kybriel. Besides, she had dark hair and was even a woman. It was best suited to the image of the incarnation. But Almara shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s too obvious. Do you think she is so simple as to disguise herself like that?¡± She had to hide her identity, but she didn¡¯t seem to have chosen to be a warrior because she was conspicuous. ¡°She can¡¯t be so stupid if she is the Goddess of Darkness.¡± Likewise, she couldn¡¯t be a warrior with a huge body. In that case¡­ ¡°It¡¯s either the red-haired Mage or the silver-haired Magic Swordswoman.¡± It was unlikely that she was the red-haired Mage. Even the Goddess would have maintained her identity. Dragons could change their gender when they turned into a human or fairy. However, if she did so, the gap between the soul and the body would¡¯ve become so severe that she wouldn¡¯t be able to properly use her abilities. Of course, in rare cases where biological and psychological genders differed, the ability to change genders could be stronger¡­ ¡°Kybriel¡¯s incarnation has always been a woman. That can¡¯t be true.¡± After the deduction by the elimination method, the Dragons were sure. The silver-haired Magic Swordswoman was the incarnation of Darkness! ¡°The problem is there¡¯s no way to track them.¡± Saltus was perplexed. ¡°There is no trace of hair or blood.¡± ¡°She knew she was being chased when she was attacked. But she should have taken the time to clear their traces.¡± ¡°So how do we track her down here? It seems that she went to the Basterds, but feels like a ruse.¡± ¡°Tracing spiritual arts has made everyone so comfortable these days¡­¡± Almara shrugged her shoulders. ¡°When in pursuit, it was common sense to run on my feet for information, even when I was young.¡± ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a child, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m an ancient Dragon, too.¡± Even though he grumbled, Saltus understood what she meant. There were many ways to track the opponent even if they hadn¡¯t left a part of their body. They could track what she had done, what she had bought, what she had said in Serhithran. That alone was a good enough clue. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Almara¡¯s steps became quicker as she encouraged Saltus. ¡°Come on. We should catch the silver-haired Magic Swordswoman.¡± * * * ¡°¡­ What?¡± Effir, who was dozing off in the coaching box, suddenly opened her eyes. She tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand. Kibie asked Effir, who was sitting next to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Effir?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m being misunderstood for some reason..,¡± As she scratched her cheek, Effir pouted. Ryu Han-bin, who was following the wagon, laughed. ¡°What, out of the blue? Are you still sleeping?¡± With a strange expression, Kibie looked at Effir. ¡°The truth is, I feel like I¡¯ve been treated like a fool for some reason. It¡¯s just my imagination, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± They reassured each other. They then looked at the view in front of them. The wagon was passing through a huge wilderness. It was a land dyed in red on all sides. There was no animals or plants insight. It was made up of nothing but soil, rocks, and bizarre stones. Dried black grasses were often seen, but it only highlighted the desolation of the place. Ryu Han-bin muttered. ¡°We¡¯ve come all the way here without a hitch.¡± Three of the strongest beings had sent Aliens to all the major cities on the continent. They took up all the roads with a lot of trade and checked all the people coming and going. They got such information from Grace¡¯s memories. Through that, they managed to avoid the tasks of Aliens by choosing the deserted routes. Since they left Serhithran, Han-bin and his party had never entered any city. They were determined to take advantage of the rare route. ¡°Serkaltan, we had to stop by, but we couldn¡¯t see anyone else in other places¡­¡± Han-bin looked back at the wagon and asked. ¡°How much longer, Artis?¡± Artis, who was sitting behind the wagon, opened a map. ¡°It¡¯s only half a day away. We¡¯ll be at the Lion Rock soon, the east entrance of the Grand Maze.¡± Chapter 86 Chaser (2) Although it was one of the Four Prohibited Areas, the Grand Maze Kaltan was somewhat different. The Ice-Flame Forest Hithran, Tower Mountain Rufus, and Floating Island Avalta were not technically ¡®Dungeons.¡¯ Those were the names of the ¡®regions¡¯ where all kinds of powerful Dungeons frequently appeared. Kaltan, on the other hand, was a huge Dungeon in itself. It was a vast mystery the size of a small country. A continuous battle occurred there. It was a structure in which another Dungeon existed inside the Dungeon. It was almost impossible to enter the far-reaching space and find an individual inside randomly. Upon arriving at the forbidden city of Serkaltan, Han-bin¡¯s group immediately collected information on the Sword King Baotolt. He didn¡¯t receive much attention from the public for visiting the Sword King. There were already many such people in Serkaltan. Many Hunters visited Sword King to learn from him, borrow his power, or gain fame under his command. As such, there was a lot of information related to him in the Hunter Guild. The number of Hunters the Sword King had taught or had attacked the Dungeon with him was small. Surprisingly, Baotolt wasn¡¯t someone who evaded people. ¡°But why do the legends say that the Sword King is a maverick?¡± Kibie giggled at the question of Artis. ¡°It¡¯s true he¡¯s a maverick.¡± Baotolt wasn¡¯t tough. If anyone wanted to be his colleague, Baotolt easily accepted it, saying, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± ¡°And then he does whatever he wants.¡± Regardless of whether his colleagues followed him or not, he jumped against the monsters as he pleased. The problem was that only three people could hold their ground against the great Sword King¡¯s power! Even though they moved together as a team, they suddenly disappeared and did not return. As a result, many people fought together with him, but no one could claim to be his equal. ¡°¡­ Baotolt must be a man who only focuses on his own path.¡± Han-bin murmured. Kibie gave him a bitter smile. ¡°He is such a person.¡± According to intelligence, the latest Sword King¡¯s trail discovered was a year ago in the Kartrack Dungeon in the Grand Maze. ¡°Let¡¯s aim for that.¡± It¡¯s been a year, so it¡¯s unlikely that he was still staying in Kartrack until that time, but¡­ ¡°If we find traces of the Sword King, we can get a clue with Shadow-Reading.¡± Believing Kibie¡¯s promise, Han-bin and his party prepared to enter the Grand Maze. They were targetting the world¡¯s strongest and worst Dungeons. They could never do their preparation carelessly. Fortunately, there was no need to buy extra weapons. Ryu Han-bin smiled, pointing to his black greatsword. ¡°I can¡¯t even use Magic Tools anyway, so all I need is this sword.¡± The same was true of Kibie. ¡°This spear is enough for me.¡± Artis and Effir had some of the finest equipment that had been in place for a long time. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to use these Magic Tools! Oh, it¡¯s been too long.¡± Effir heartily laughed as she took out bracelets, belts, and gantlets from her Space Pocket. [Absolute Cure Bracelet (Artifact)] [Absolute Healing Bracelet (Artifact)] [Absolute Healing Belt (Artifact)] [Absolute Cure Gauntlet (Artifact)] [Absolute Healing Boots (Artifact)] Those were the Magic Tools they looted from Alejandro, a Great Earth member who had attacked them before. ¡°Back then, it was like a pie in the sky because of the level limit¡­¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯re both above level 70, we can finally use them.¡± They worked hard to digest as much absorbed energy as possible while they moved towards Serkaltan. In their spare time, they stopped by a nearby Dungeon to hunt additional monsters. Thanks to that, Artis and Effir had gone up to Level 71 Mage and Level 72 Magic Swordsman. Artis looked relieved as they shared the healing items. ¡°This will fill some of the absence of a Spiritist.¡± She also changed her weapon. Effir sold her previous twin blades and wielded the left sword, Style, and right sword, Zerohalt, which Alejandro used. Artis got a new staff to replace his long-loved red crystal rod. [Spell-Saving Staff (Artifact) Special Ability: Up to 5 types of magic can be stored in advance and activated simultaneously. Usage Conditions: Lv. 70. Ten times a day.] It was an Artifact used by the Mage Maxwell, who attacked the group in Serhithran. Ryu Han-bin smashed Ruslan¡¯s sword and sold Grace¡¯s robe since it was only for Spiritists, but he kept the staff in good condition. After they were armed, they visited Serkaltan¡¯s general store. They didn¡¯t know how long it would take to search for the Sword King, so they had to bring as many supplies as much as possible. They bought at least three months¡¯ worth of food and daily necessities. It¡¯s been three days since they left Serkaltan after finishing all preparations. Han-bin and his party were able to reach Lion Rock, where the eastern entrance of Kaltan, the Grand Maze, was located. * * * As its name implied, Lion Rock was a large rocky mountain that looked like a lion lying face down. A large fortress was built in the middle of the rocky mountain. It was Fort East Kaltan, where the entrance to the Grand Maze was located. Looking around the fortress, Ryu Han-bin put his tongue out. ¡°This is a lot bigger than the entrance to Hithran.¡± Unlike ordinary Dungeons, the Four Prohibited Areas were strictly managed at the national level. The monsters there were at least level 50. If such monsters were released to Latna, they would cause serious problems. Therefore, the Continental Top Three installed a huge monitoring network in the Four Prohibited Areas to prevent the monsters from escaping to the outside world. It was practically impossible to monitor all Dungeons, so they concentrated their power on the most dangerous places. The Continental Top Three¡¯s duty was to manage the Hunters who wanted to attack the Four Prohibited Areas. If they opened Prohibited Areas to anyone, the number of casualties would¡¯ve been too high. There were too many people in the world who would recklessly jump in for the sake of fame and glory. Some could be wondering why they should stop people who wanted to lose their lives. But at the national level, those were unnecessary losses of valuable talents. Naturally, it was beneficial in terms of macro-interest to verify the level and let only qualified people in. Barriers and light barriers also surrounded the Ice-Flame Forest, so Han-bin and his companions had to prove their level at the entrance whenever they came in and out. ¡°But in the case of Ice-Flame Forest, it was more of an outpost where only a few Mages stayed in a few tents. It wasn¡¯t a full-fledged fortress.¡± Artis shrugged at Han-bin¡¯s words. ¡°The levels of monsters are different between the other Prohibited Areas and the Grand Maze. That¡¯s how high the level of management will be.¡± As they entered the fortress, it became even more evident. Most of the troops were above level 70. There were almost fifty such people. Earthlings would wonder they couldn¡¯t be an army with only fifty people, but they were only insufficient by Earth¡¯s standards. If more than fifty strong people above level 70 came together, it was enough to be called an army in Latna. Han-bin and his party continued to climb along the side streets of the fortress buildings. They soon reached a big cave in the middle of the mountain. It was the Lion Gate, the eastern entrance of the Grand Maze. Effir¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, there are passengers!¡± A group of young Hunter teams was scuffling with gatekeepers at the entrance to the cave. ¡°Wow! How can you seek the Grand Maze with an average level of 65!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve even killed a monster around level 70! Levels don¡¯t mean everything.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t allow it! Rules are rules!¡± They failed to reach level 70 and were rejected at the entrance, preventing them from raiding Kaltan. ¡°There are people like you sometimes. They are not good enough, but they want to enter the Grand Maze recklessly.¡± In a familial tone, the gatekeeper began to persuade them. ¡°Wake up, young man. How sad would your parents be if they knew their child had died?¡± One frustrated Hunter got angry. ¡°No, I¡¯d be dead by then. Why would it even matter?¡± The gatekeeper became angry in return. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it matter? Is human life so trivial to you? A young man with a bright future says he¡¯s going into the jaws of death. Any sane being would stop him!¡± Watching the scene, Han-bin was impressed. ¡®Wow, they¡¯re really good people¡­¡¯ They were not just gatekeepers. They were all in their Level 70s. He was also an advanced force to prevent the expansion of the Grand Maze Kaltan and prevent the monsters from coming out. In fact, with that level of skills, it would¡¯ve been better for them to attack the Dungeon themselves. They could¡¯ve earned more money and live much more freely. Nevertheless, they abandoned their greed and did their duties for the sake of the world. It was someone¡¯s job. ¡®The gatekeepers in the Four Prohibited Areas are respected among Hunters, huh?¡¯ Eventually, the Hunter team, which was denied entry, sighed and went down. It was Han-bin¡¯s turn. Artis and Effir handed over their Hunter IDs. ¡°Level 71 Mages and level 72 Magic Swordsman?¡± The gatekeeper, who checked their ID card, looked at Effir. ¡°You look young, but you¡¯re very talented.¡± He also checked the ID cards of Ryu Han-bin and Kibie. ¡°You two are Valtara warriors, aren¡¯t you? Then I can¡¯t confirm your levels¡­¡± They already experienced similar situations in the Ice-Flame Forest. Ryu Han-bin and Kibie took out their weapons as if they expected the guard¡¯s reaction. Zoom! They wrapped red and black Blade Auras around their greatsword and spear. The gatekeeper¡¯s complexion had slightly hardened. ¡°Y-you¡¯re strong¡­¡± There was no need to check anymore. With that intense Aura alone, it was certain that the two were at least level 80. ¡°Go in, please. I wish you good luck. May the protection of Kybriel be with you.¡± According to the greeting, he was probably a member of the Darkness Church. Entering the cave, Kibie smiled bitterly. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t heard that in a while.¡± * * * Serhithran was a forbidden city in the Ice-Flame Forest. Almara and Saltus, the two Dragons, skillfully collected information about Darkness incarnation¡¯s group throughout the city. They were adept at collecting information from humans despite being Dragons since, during their youth, they lived among humans while hiding their true identity. Only high-leveled information-gathering skills increased their chances of survival. The number of groceries and daily necessities purchased by the Darkness incarnation¡¯s group gave an approximate estimate of their distance to the destination. They also inadvertently put the word ¡®level restriction 70¡¯ in their mouths while talking, which was also an important clue. Saltus reached a conclusion after gathering information. ¡°They¡¯re heading for Serkaltan.¡± In time for the regular report, Almara informed Hollien of what they learned. ¡°It seems like the Darkness incarnate is headed for the Grand Maze of Kaltan.¡± The blue-haired Nymph in the Crystal Sphere had a strange look on her face. ¡°¡­ Kaltan?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you have any idea why she¡¯d go there?¡± Hollien remained silent for a while as if she was thinking. She soon came back to her usual self after ¡°Okay, then head to Serkaltan. I¡¯ll power it up there.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Chapter 87 Grand Maze (1) It was called the Grand Maze, but Kaltan wasn¡¯t just an ordinary underground and mysterious Dungeon. It was too large a place to be so simply classified as a Dungeon. An extinct ancient kingdom¡¯s ruins were located under a colossal cavity of hundreds of meters in height alone. In other communities, abandoned cities in the world were half-buried and were still crumbling. There was a deformed temple with numerous towers covered in luminous moss, creating dense forests under the ceiling of a cave that was as bright as the ground. There were hot lava lakes, fields of ice and snow, and a rugged canyon. It was a vast world made out of messes that deviated far from human perception, where all forms of Dungeons existed. In an Alien city of Kaltan, the Grand Maze, a resonant girl¡¯s shout rang. * * * ¡°Hey!¡± A silver-haired girl jumped over a building in a ruined city. At the same time, an explosion took place within her vicinity. Boom! After jumping up the five-story building, Effir looked around and muttered to herself. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. No matter how wide it is, it should still be underground. Where is the air coming from?¡± Monsters appeared on the roof of the opposite building beyond the fire. They were Bell Bricks, human-like monsters with insect-like exoskeletons. Grrr! Screaming out loud, they rushed at Effir. With their powerful mana over level 75, they were overwhelming opponents for Effir, who was at the time level 72. Not to mention there were four of them. ¡®If I were in the same situation before, I would¡¯ve stepped back and tried to break them down one by one¡­¡¯ With her eyes shining, Effir faced them head-on. ¡®¡­ I have healing items now!¡¯ Even if she did something reckless, the risk of dying was much lower. She narrowed the distance away from his attack. A Belle Brick was as astute as the opponent¡¯s response was unexpected. Grrr! Effir swung the double swords, triggering a technique! -Magic Swordsmanship: Thunder Dragon Roar! Boom! Due to the thunderstorm, the whole body of the monster was burned to ashes. Argh! Being able to do something rash without needing fear for one¡¯s life was effective. She killed it within a single blow. The problem was that Effir showed an opening. A Bell Brick was rushing to break her head¡­ ¡°Barrier!¡± Effir quickly crossed her twin blades over her head. A translucent magic barrier was created to bounce off the attack. It was the level 63 defensive magic Protective Barrier of her weapons. Although the skill usage was limited to 12 times a day, she didn¡¯t keep it reserved. ¡®I have to use it often to get used to it.¡¯ She had to have a habit of using it in an emergency. It was the idea of those who didn¡¯t know the actual situation to care for it. There were 12 times, so she only had to keep 2 to 3 usages in reserve. Artis also maximized the usage of his staff. ¡°Firewall! Burn Flame! Explosion! Lightning Storm! Ragnar Blast!¡± He invoked five magic spells simultaneously through the Spell-Saving Staff. The infernal wave of destruction swept away the monsters in unison. Argh! Urgh! A muscular man with a copper upper body murmured as he watched the scene. ¡°They¡¯ve both advanced beyond regular levels.¡± Since their level had risen, the top weapons and items were finally available to them. Effir and Artis became a lot more efficient in combat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll slowly get my experience.¡± With his eyes shining, Ryu Han-bin glared at the monster in front of him. A huge horse stood tall between the half-wrecked city buildings. He was five-meter-high with a human-shaped upper body and alligator-like lower body. [Race: Huel Dracodile. lv. 83 Special ability: Through its Mana-based capability, it can cast a series of magic spells and spray corrosion fog within a 30-meter effective radius.] Sure enough, the monster opened its big mouth and let out a terrifying roar. Whoo-ah! The atmosphere vibrated as the green mist enveloped the streets. It was a mist of corrosion that swallowed everything. Bam! The buildings swallowed by the fog collapsed. Since its level was high, they had expected its power to be just as tremendous. Jumping from building to building, Ryu Han-bin concentrated Aura on his right hand. He then threw it straight at the opponent. -Aura Strike! It wasn¡¯t the same as ignorantly throwing Aura Bullets that he did before. It caused a great storm! Boom! The red sphere caused the surging fog to scatter in all directions. Han-bin burst in happiness. ¡®I can now use this without problems¡¯ He kept jumping between the buildings. There was a fog of corrosion under the building, preventing him from going down recklessly. If there were a high-level Spiritist, they¡¯d be able to neutralize the fog, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have anyone like that in their team. ¡°My team is really out of balance.¡± Landing on the rooftop across the street, Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly. He then swung his Blade Aura at the reptilian monster. -Aura Smash! Nothing happened. The only thing the Blade Aura cut through was the air. The monster hesitated for a moment. ¡°¡­?¡± Han-bin understood how the monster might feel, causing him to burst into laughter. ¡®Yeah, you were wondering what I was doing.¡¯ Originally, Blade Aura was supposed to surge forward like a wave, but he just failed to use the skill. ¡°It¡¯s difficult. Damn.¡± He was by no means weak. Han-bin had a better body than anyone else, and he had a lot of combat experiences. But the more he practiced, the more he felt¡­ ¡®I¡¯m pretty dull.¡¯ Effir managed to learn a few dozen Maxbrid techniques quickly. Even ordinary warriors didn¡¯t take as long as he did. Well, according to her, he didn¡¯t have to be disappointed at all. -If you practice your skills consistently, you will eventually learn even if you are dull. But there¡¯s a limit to others¡¯ physical abilities. Han-bin, you are a hundred times better than me! Properly wielding his sword, Ryu Han-bin flung himself forward. The battle against the giant monster would¡¯ve been disappointing if he was still the same as he was in the Rocky Mountain. However, he had grown more confident since then. He bounced down, burrowed into the monster, and cut up its chest! Pooooah! Blood poured out of it as the monster reeled. Han-bin didn¡¯t miss the timing. He delivered the finishing blow. -Crosscut! The head of the monster rose into the air. A Guideline message popped up. [Lv. 83 Huel Dracodile cleared. You have earned 42,810,000 XP.] [Current XP: 132,814,900/54,581,975,800.] ¡°The XP gain isn¡¯t bad considering the monster was level 80.¡± Looking around, he noticed everyone was almost finished with their battles. Effir and Artis had already done their part, and Kibie was also entering the final stage. ¡°Tap!¡± She thrust the spear forward with a sharp shout. Every time she attacked, a black Aura flashed, penetrating the monster and causing it to shed blood. Her spearsmanship was amazing. In a way, it was so plain that it seemed too ordinary. Of course, Kibie is an incarnation far from ordinary. As a woman who reached level 80 in her 20s, she was already stronger than most people in the same age group. However, she was surprisingly ordinary in that she was just like any other Aura user. Her spearsmanship, Aura capacity, physical skills, and combat experience, was no more or less than any Aura user of level 80. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s because I input those evenly when I made the incarnation.¡± Kibie shrugged her shoulders as she withdrew her spear. ¡°I¡¯m going to build up my experience from now on. I should be of help when I meet Baotolt.¡± The party gathered together. Han-bin asked Artis. ¡°How long before we reach Katrock?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll open the map.¡± Artis took a platinum disc out of his pouch and put it on the floor. Light billowed from the disc, sending complex three-dimensional images into the air. Kaltan was a complex maze created underground. Depending on the height, it was also common for several communities to overlap in one area. A two-dimensional map couldn¡¯t depict all the three-dimensional terrains. Only specially designed magic maps were able to identify the geography accurately. ¡°That thing¡¯s fucking expensive. That one is worth more than ten Artifacts?¡± With Han-bin¡¯s grumbling behind him, Artis measured the distance. ¡°About¡­¡± He pointed beyond the city. ¡°About 15 kilometers in this direction?¡± ¡°15 kilometers¡­¡± Effir quipped as if she seemed to be sick and tired of it. Ryu Han-bin also voiced out his thoughts. ¡°Kaltan is big.¡± Kibie addressed the company. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. We¡¯ll get to the entrance of Katrack by the end of the day.¡± * * * The Thunder King, Garhan, scattered Aliens throughout Latna¡¯s major cities to fin Kybriel¡¯s incarnation. Of course, they included the banned city of Serkaltan. They were in a rare back alley in the city full of colorful buildings. Almara and Saltus met up with three humans. One of them was in his early 30s with dark brown hair and a hooked nose, while the other two were a young man and woman in their 20s. The man in his thirties asked Almara a question. ¡°Are you the Dragons of Upper Draconium?¡± ¡°Yes, Alien.¡± There was a chill in the air between the two. They seemed wary of each other. The two Dragons began to speak. ¡°Almara. I¡¯m the Silver Dragon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Green Dragon, Saltus. I don¡¯t have to tell you my level because you will see it anyway, right?¡± When the Dragons introduced themselves, their opponents relaxed a little. ¡°I¡¯m Arthur Winster, Level 99 Magic Swordsman.¡± ¡°Jason Bonwill, Level 98 Spiritist.¡± ¡°Lesil Baker, Level 99 Mage.¡± Saltus clicked his tongue inwardly. ¡®You¡¯re humans, but you¡¯re all high level.¡¯ They were one of the strongest among Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens. As the city was home to the strongest Dungeon on Earth, they chose only the strongest Aliens. They didn¡¯t want to accompany them. But they couldn¡¯t disobey Hollien¡¯s orders. Arthur nodded. ¡°I understand the situation.¡± Jason and Lesil also looked convinced. ¡°Hunting the Goddess is something we don¡¯t want to do, and there¡¯s no reason not to help.¡± ¡°But you know we can¡¯t leave the city because of the voice of the Thunder King. How are we supposed to head to the Grand Maze?¡± With a snort, Almara put her hand in her arms. ¡°You don¡¯t think he ever thought of that?¡± There were exceptions to the command of the Thunder King. When Earthlings found the Goddess, they could trace her out of their assigned city. ¡°Take it.¡± They handed three small emblems to the Aliens. The facial expressions of the Aliens became more relaxed. Lesil muttered. ¡°That¡¯s what the fake Great Earth guys used to carry.¡± The emblem itself had no function. It wasn¡¯t some form of Magic Tool. It was just an elaborate craft. However, the world recognized that whoever held it had found the Goddess. The Thunder King wouldn¡¯t go against mind control. Jason touched the emblem and wondered. ¡°But why do those fakers have to sell the Great Earth? It would be dangerous to be caught carrying these symbols.¡± Saltus answered with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s why they let us carry it around. Even if someone else found out, they won¡¯t be suspicious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± Regardless, it allowed the Earthlings to escape from Serkaltan. Arthur asked. ¡°Do you know where they¡¯re headed?¡± Almara and Saltus had so far grasped it. ¡°The Darkness incarnate¡¯s party asked about the Sword King in this city.¡± ¡°Through that, we found out that Katrack Dungeon is their destination.¡± ¡°They would¡¯ve headed to the entrance of the nearest palace in Katrack.¡± Arthur nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s the Lion Gate.¡± Chapter 88 Grand Maze (2) In a large dark corridor, a group of large wolves gathered under a faint magical light. Called Abyssal Wolves, they were powerful monsters in the late level 70s. ¡°Oh, my God! You damn monsters!¡± With a shout, Clend swung a Blade Aura against the wolves. Blade Aura flew towards them one after another toward the pack of wolves. But it didn¡¯t work. Ouch! The Abyssal Wolves gathered into one spot and covered themselves with a dark red light. It was an Aura defender. Those monsters could utilize Aura. The wolves pounced away as they held on to the Blade Aura. Grrr! They flew to the floor, walls, and ceilings, seeking food with three-dimensional movements. In an instant, one of the wolves bared its sharp fangs at Clend. Boom! It successfully lodged its fangs deep into Clend¡¯s right arm. It wasn¡¯t just a normal bite. Its pointed teeth pierced deeply, causing extreme pain! ¡°Argh!¡± Struggling with pain, he slit its neck as best as he could. He then gasped for breath as he looked at his colleagues behind him. ¡°Huh, Argh¡­¡± It had been a long time since all the other team members had fallen. The Mage, Lianna, was confused by Mana¡¯s exhaustion. The Magic Swordsman Julius was so heavily injured that he barely breathed, and the Spiritist Anton was on the verge of spilling his guts due to the deep wound on his stomach. The situation couldn¡¯t get any worse for them. There was no way out of it. But they couldn¡¯t expect help from anyone. The whole place was far too huge for anyone else to find them in time. It was a miracle they could only dream of. Clend smiled in the face of despair. ¡®¡­ Here is the end.¡¯ But their dream happened anyway. ¡°Well, it¡¯s my first time meeting other Hunters in the Dungeon¡­¡± On the other side of the hall, they heard a loud man¡¯s voice. Abyssal Wolves turned their heads towards the sound, nervous about the advent of a new enemy. Grrr? Grrr¡­ The voice¡¯s owner appeared. He was a muscular man with a sword on his back. Unsheathing the sword, the man warned his party members. ¡°Everyone, be careful. Those guys are pretty strong. They¡¯re almost level 80.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The retort came from a beautiful black-haired woman with a slim figure. A handsome young man and a frightened silver-haired girl walked down the hall with them. Looking at the group, Clend lost his mind for a while. ¡®What are they?¡¯ The two in the lead wore odd clothes. They had no armor apart from fur shorts and belts. Black-haired beauty was still wearing a brazier, but it wasn¡¯t a dress that any sane woman would wear. Considering that they were in the worst Dungeon in the area and the Grand Maze, it was a poor choice of equipment. No, it was weird, even if they were in the middle of the city. He suddenly remembered a story he had heard before. ¡®The Legend?¡¯ The group of Abyssal Wolves roared after getting over their hesitation. Argh! Simultaneously, they exploded their anger and rushed toward their new ¡®foods.¡¯ Muscular and strong, Ryu Han-bin smiled, swinging his greatsword. ¡°Come on, puppies.¡± * * * Clend stared blankly at the battle. ¡°¡­¡± As a level 75 Swordsman and an Aura user, all of the warriors were under his eyes. He gained fame by clearing countless Dungeons and eventually earned the right to challenge the Grand Maze, the strongest among the Four Prohibited Areas. He also boasted that he wouldn¡¯t be pushed back even if he joined the Continental Top Three¡¯s renowned knights. But the giant in front of him was different. The Abyssal Wolves, who didn¡¯t budge even after pouring all sorts of attacks against them, screamed in pain as they rolled around the floor. Argh! A disaster took place due to a single middle kick by the Valtara warrior. The red Blade Aura then roamed through the hall like a storm. ¡°Huh-up! Yup! Huh!¡± The canine monsters were slashed away with every swing of his sword. No one could withstand his aggression. The beastly screams echoed through the hall nonstop. Some of the wolves even tried to find a way out of his offensive. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Before being bitten, the Valtara warrior grabbed the wolf. A gigantic hand gripped at the monster¡¯s head and smashed it. Its skull was destroyed, causing its eyes to burst out. Bam! Clend got scared. It looked way scarier than watching two monsters devour each other. ¡®Oh, my God¡­¡¯ He found it hard to understand. ¡°It reminds me of the old days. It¡¯s easy to catch because it looks like a dog. I¡¯ve caught dogs so many times. Oh, I used to like puppies¡­¡± ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ Regardless, it was clear that he was incredibly strong. Clend didn¡¯t even dare look at his eyes. Though Ryu Han-bin¡¯s performance was far too great to ignore, the other party¡¯s skills weren¡¯t ordinary either. A black-haired beauty, a powerful Mage, and a silver-haired Magic Swordswoman also skillfully dealt with Abyssal Wolves, reducing their numbers. Finally, the last Abyssal Wolf was killed by Han-bin¡¯s sword. Arghhhh! After shaking off the bloody sword, he examined the message in front of him. ¡®Oh, I¡¯ve got a lot of experience.¡¯ [Lv. 78 Abyss Wolf cleared. You have earned 39,160,000 XP.] [Current Experience: 2,711,903,100/54,581,975,800.] He gained a lot of XP from the Huel Dracodile as well, who was level 83. He could finally realistically see himself leveling up. Ryu Han-bin looked around after sheathing the greatsword. ¡°Are you all okay?¡± Kibie and Artis were also safe. However, blood was dripping from Effir¡¯s right arm. ¡°Effir, your arm¡­¡± The girl laughed, feeling embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a scratch.¡± Since their level difference was quite high, it was difficult to clear them without injury. Effir quickly took out a healing potion and stopped the bleeding. When the situation cleared up, Artis looked back at Clend. ¡°Are you feeling all right?¡± * * * Clend didn¡¯t even have time to thank them. Saving his dying colleagues was the top priority. Clend was in a hurry. ¡°Is there a Spiritist in your team? We need a cure.¡± Kibie replied in embarrassment. ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t have a Spiritist in our team¡­¡± Instead, she brought a box of healing potions out. First, she poured the potions around their wounds and gave first aid. The female Mage was just exhausted, so there was no problem. The young Magic Swordsman soon began to breathe normally as well due to his good physical strength. However, the middle-aged Spiritist was a different story. Effir was worried. ¡°Oh, of all these people, he¡¯s the most injured. What am I supposed to do?¡± Rather, she would have cured the Spiritist first if only his wounds weren¡¯t that dire. ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea. Wake up the Spiritist first.¡± Artis pulled out his bracelet and put it on the arm of the Spiritist. The Spiritist asked Artis a question. ¡°Uh, w-what is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Absolute Cure Bracelet, an Artifact.¡± Healing items were powerful enough to replace the Spiritists¡¯ healing spirit arts, but they could only heal the wearer. That was why Spiritists were still an integral part of the team. ¡°Oh, this precious thing¡­¡± Despite his hazy mind, Anton tried to concentrate. Due to the ability of the bracelet, the abdominal lacerations began to heal little by little. Watching the scene, Ryu Han-bin suddenly wondered. ¡®You¡¯re healing slower than you should be.¡¯ When Alejandro used that bracelet, it showed tremendous regeneration speed. In comparison, its healing ability was too slow in the hands of the Spiritist. Artis explained the reason. ¡°That¡¯s because I was only physically injured. Abyssal Wolf¡¯s Aura injured them.¡± Aura, mana, Prana, and Force. The injury caused by Latna¡¯s four top powers left residual power in their wounds. That caused the healing effect to decrease as well. ¡°In high-level combat, one of the important factors for victory is how much residual energy remains in the wound. We have to interrupt the Spiritist¡¯s healing as much as possible.¡± Healing was not all-around. They couldn¡¯t raise their fallen colleague and keep them in combat. Anton¡¯s complexion improved over time. ¡°Whew¡­ I think I¡¯m going to live now.¡± He thanked him, taking the bracelet off and handing it back to Artis. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got first aid. The rest of us will need time to heal. Thank you very much. You saved my life.¡± * * * The temperature was also an important factor for the injured. The entire vicinity was as cold as their blood. Artis made a magical fire and laid the wounded next to it. Only then did Clend express his gratitude properly. ¡°Thank you very much for saving me. Please forgive me for being so out of my mind and only being polite now.¡± ¡°Getting help from another Hunter team in this vast Maze is a miracle,¡± he said. Ryu Han-bin grinned. ¡®It¡¯s not a miracle.¡¯ Ordinary dungeon attack teams rarely met each other. However, Han-bin and his party had been wandering around the Dungeon for ten days. They also only went to places that others might have targeted. That way, they could find the trail left by the Sword King. ¡°It¡¯s a coincidence, but it¡¯s not a miraculous possibility.¡± Julius, a Magic Swordsman, suddenly tilted his head as he listened. ¡°Did you say you were looking for the Sword King Baotolt?¡± Kibie¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°Yes. Do you know where he is?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met him in person, but¡­¡± It was three days ago. While attacking Katrack Dungeon, the team saw a strange sight in the corner of underground ruins. ¡°It was a hut. It¡¯s pretty well-built.¡± It was made out of monsters¡¯ bones and leather, so he thought it was likely a nest of a monster. But when he looked inside, it looked like a place where people could live. He could tell by the furniture and the utensils. ¡°Monsters pick up human utensils, but they don¡¯t wash the dishes, do they?¡± At that time, he couldn¡¯t understand why the hut was there. Hunters usually moved in and out of the Dungeon every few days, but they didn¡¯t live in it. ¡°That sounds interesting. It must have been where the Sword King stayed.¡± Kibie¡¯s complexion brightened up. They finally found a clue about the Sword King¡¯s whereabouts! Clend said with embarrassment. ¡°There¡¯s no sign of the hut being used recently. I think he left a long time ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Once a clue was found, Shadow-Reading would help them find the next clue. All they had to do was put the first button in. Kibie urgently asked, unfolding a three-dimensional magic map. ¡°Where is it?¡± Pointing to one side of the map, Julius replied. ¡°It was probably around here.¡± Chapter 89 Grand Maze (3) After regaining some strength, the Clend¡¯s team packed their bags. They said they would leave the Katrack Dungeon and head back to Serkaltan. Ryu Han-bin asked, worried. ¡°Can you get out of here safely?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to say this, but¡­¡± Clend straightened his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re not weak either. We can handle high-level monsters.¡± Indeed, Han-bin¡¯s group couldn¡¯t take them outside. All they could do was trust Clend¡¯s team to do well on their own. Lianna, Julius, and Anton greeted them in turns. ¡°Once again, thank you for your help.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯d be able to find the Sword King.¡± ¡°Then, good luck.¡± Finally, Clend expressed courtesy. ¡°May the protection of the six Goddesses be with you¡­¡± Kibie grumbled little as he looked at the back of the distant Clend¡¯s team. ¡°I feel embarrassed every time I hear that. I need to get my strength back soon, hmm.¡± * * * The edge of a blazing lava lake. A large group of Golems made up of heated rocks and lava rushed in, causing the temperature to rise. Boom, boom, boom! Arthur snorted as he watched them move. ¡°Huh.¡± In his eyes, the fire giant¡¯s status was clearly displayed. [Race: Magma Golem lv. 70] They were nothing against him, a level 99 Aura user. Boom! A purple light flashed. It was Arthur¡¯s Blade Aura. Although the huge Golem was five meters tall, it was divided into three equal parts and collapsed, spilling iron mold everywhere. On the other side of the cavern, Lesil and Jason were dealing with dozens of salamanders. ¡°Die and be my experience!¡± Whenever Lesil waved her staff as if she was playing, level 90 high-tier spells would be evoked. Consequently, salamanders were crushed. Jason, a Spiritist, was also culled the salamanders by producing dozens of Ectoplasm tentacles. Everyone looked relaxed. There was no sense of ¡°Though this is the Grand Maze, the high-level monsters aren¡¯t that strong.¡± It took less than a few minutes to kill the monsters of Kaltan. After clearing up the vicinity, two individuals walked out of the passageway near the lava lake. It was Almara and Saltus. Almara addressed Arthur. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s hard to do my job in this form.¡± Since entering Kaltan, many battles had been undertaken by the Aliens while the Dragons remained on the sidelines. They couldn¡¯t reveal their true selves. ¡°I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s good for us to get experience.¡± Clapping his hands, Arthur glanced at the two Dragons. [Race: Human. Mage Lv. 82.] [Race: Human. Spiritist Lv. 79] Though their levels seemed much lower than them, they still couldn¡¯t be ignored. Dragons¡¯ powers were heavily reduced in their human forms. It was normal for their levels to drop about 20 levels. It meant that if they went back to the original body, they might be above level 100. ¡®Well, they¡¯ve been around for hundreds of years, so that¡¯s only logical.¡¯ He realized how powerful they were. They were like the Thunder King, The Archmage, and The Transcendental. Although the Upper Draconium was powerful, they were eventually placed under the trio¡¯s control and manipulation. Their five-person team continued to march toward Kaltan Dungeon. Lesil suddenly raised a question. ¡°You mean all of Latna¡¯s Dragons belong to the Upper Draconium?¡± It was a name they hadn¡¯t heard before they were trapped in Akhtarun. Saltus replied. ¡°Why are you curious?¡± ¡°How did that happen? We didn¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to the world since we were trapped in the Akhtarun¡­¡± Dragons were strictly Latna¡¯s creatures. Did they need to be locked up like Aliens? At the question of Lesil, Saltus smiled bitterly. ¡°For one, it¡¯s to make Latna peaceful by forcefully subordinating the old Dragons.¡± Of course, the real reason was to study the Dragon¡¯s regular absorption ability to understand Aliens¡¯ level-up characteristics. ¡°Even the kind Dragons that didn¡¯t want to fight.¡± Lesil was confused. Something didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Wait, the Upper Draconium has all the old Dragons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, what happened to the kind old Dragons who never did anything against Latna¡¯s peace?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t anyone like that.¡± In other words, though they only aimed for Dragons, the entire species was their target. Lesil timidly replied. ¡°Then there are no good Dragons?¡± ¡°Sadly, that¡¯s the reality.¡± Saltus said that there were Dragons who weren¡¯t able to cause accidents due to their weaknesses. There were also no powerful Dragons that had never been involved in any incidents. ¡°I¡¯m a Dragon, but I can¡¯t say that my race is good even if it¡¯s just as a lie.¡± ¡°¡­ Your race is scary.¡± ¡°Is that so? In our eyes, your race is much more terrifying.¡± They got out of the lava lake and arrived at the next area. It was a ruined city, full of half-broken buildings. Suddenly Arthur gestured. ¡°Hold on. I can feel someone¡¯s presence.¡± A group of humans was coming their way from a distance. It was a four-person Hunter team. Almara asked delightedly. ¡°Are they members of Kybriel¡¯s team?¡± Jason shook his head in disappointment as he looked at them using distant-viewing magic. ¡°No, the description is completely different.¡± It was the Clend¡¯s team that barely escaped from the Katrack Dungeon. When Clend saw the group of murderous people in front of him, he became stunned. ¡°What¡­?¡± * * * Katrack¡¯s underground square was covered in glowing moss. The bodies of countless monsters were scattered all over the place under the bright daylight-like ceiling. Amid the sea of blood, where all kinds of flesh and debris floated, Kibie wiped the red fluid on her forehead slowly. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve barely got it¡­¡± Artis groaned as his body leaned against a wall, and Effir laid down and breathed shallowly. ¡°Huh, hah, hah¡­¡± Everyone was covered in wounds even though they had been treated as much as possible with healing items. They fought a difficult battle. Ryu Han-bin was also sweating a lot. Although he wasn¡¯t injured like others, he was quite exhausted. All the fallen monsters around him were above level 90. The weakest was also higher in level than Kibie. They had to fight desperately. At least, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s power was so superior that he could have done it alone, but¡­ ¡®If they didn¡¯t learn to fight for themselves, they would have buried their bones here¡­¡¯ But they managed to get it all done. Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Monsters here are tough.¡± ¡°This is the Dungeon chosen by the Sword King Baotolt. It can¡¯t be easy.¡± In reply, Kibie looked across from the square. ¡°That¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it?¡± They could see a large hut made out of monster bones and leather. It didn¡¯t look like a simple tent. Using the Dungeon¡¯s construction materials, its walls were properly built, and even a girdle and rafter were made. It wasn¡¯t built to last for a day or two, but rather it was built with the determination to make it last as long as possible. It was obvious who owned it. It was the residence of the Sword King Baotolt. ¡°I¡¯ll check inside.¡± Kibie, who jumped into the hut, immediately cast Shadow-Reading. She kept finding clues about the Sword King. Kibie¡¯s complexion grew darker and darker. Effir became anxious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sister? Did you find any clues?¡± Kibie replied in a subdued voice. ¡°No, I found it. I know where the Baotolt was headed.¡± In the first place, the destination of the Sword King Baotolt was not Katrack Dungeon. The reason why he had come to Katrack was simple. It was to warm up properly before aiming for his real goal. ¡°¡­ This is just his warm-up?¡± ¡°We almost died.¡± Effir and Artis looked terrible. Han-bin hastened to Kibie. ¡°What¡¯s his real goal, then?¡± She answered, cold sweat running down her cheeks. ¡°The Divine Kruse Murg.¡± * * * Even in the Grand Maze Kaltan, which was infested with all sorts of transcendental creatures, three formidable monsters were considered to be exceptionally powerful. A golden lion, Kruse Murg. A white silver bull, Uto Ksarik. A bronze snake, Isch Klapim. The estimated levels of those formidable monsters, called the Three Gods of Kaltan, were more than Level 170! Artis and Effiir¡¯s expressions changed. ¡°200 Hunters attacked Kruse Murg before. They were completely wiped out!¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to fight it alone? He¡¯s so reckless¡­¡± Kibie sighed. ¡°Baotolt had always been reckless. That¡¯s why he was so strong.¡± Regardless, they knew that the Sword King was after Kruse Murg. The next destination for Han-bin and his party had been decided. ¡°Kruce Murg travels around the bottom layer of the Kaltan¡¯s southern part. Baotolt must be staying near its location.¡± Ryu Han-bin asked. ¡°Can we get there on our own?¡± ¡°Finding the location wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± It was impossible to attack it. At the bottom layer of the Kaltan, even the common monsters were above level 100. Still, since they had Ryu Han-bin, it would be possible to find one person if he avoided the battle as much as possible and moved secretly. ¡°But if you meet Kruce Murg¡­ That¡¯s where your journey would end.¡± Han-bin looked at Kibie with a serious expression. Baotolt was so strong that the Goddess of Darkness trusted him so much. ¡®The estimated level is 170? It¡¯s so far away that the Goddess of Darkness can¡¯t feel it.¡¯ Han-bin might¡¯ve had to be prepared to die. Ryu Han-bin looked back and forth at Artis and Effir. Kibie had a clear goal of regaining his divinity and returning Han-bin to Earth. On the other hand, Artis and Effir didn¡¯t have such an earnest goal. They just came all the way there to help him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go back to Serkaltan now?¡± Artis snorted. ¡°You want me to turn my back on you now? I¡¯m not disloyal.¡± The same was true of Effir. ¡°How much energy have I been getting from you? I have to pay that back. If Kibie couldn¡¯t go back to being a Goddess, the world would end. My life would be over anyway.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Looking back at Kibie, Ryu Han-bin smiled. ¡°With that out of the way, let¡¯s finish what we started.¡± * * * Clend was shedding tears of blood. ¡®Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡¯ Julius, Lianna, and Anton were all dead. It was neither out of dispute or disrespect. They killed his colleagues relentlessly just because they wanted to. There was only one reason why he was still alive. ¡°Is it here?¡± Saltus asked, standing in the hallway filled with the bodies of the Abyssal Wolves. ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Saltus began to search all over the hall. According to Clend, the silver-haired Magic Swordsman was slightly injured during the battle. ¡®She must have shed blood somewhere.¡¯ After a while, he smiled brightly. ¡°Found it, the incarnation¡¯s blood. It¡¯s still fresh. This is enough for me to use tracking.¡± The men looked at Clend. They had kept him alive for guidance, but they didn¡¯t need him anymore. Lesil smiled and asked. ¡°Should we kill him?¡± Jason answered casually. ¡°Turn on party mode and kill him.¡± ¡°Of course, I will.¡± With an explosion, Clend¡¯s head was smashed, causing his brain to splatter. The three Aliens trembled with flushed faces. ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Oh, good. He was at level 80. The reward for him is amazing.¡± Clicking his tongue, Almara turned away from the sight. ¡°¡­ Crazy people.¡± Chapter 90 Sword King Baotolt (1) In an underground ruin covered with gray darkness, a huge monster moved silently between the collapsed buildings. It was a large lion that¡¯s 6 meters in length and more than 2 meters in height. It had long, sharp claws, blood-red skin, and a scorpion tail. Its wrinkled face was embossed with teeth that stretched out like a shark¡¯s. [Race: Manticore. Lv. 100. It combines long front claw-cutting attacks with double-toothed bites. Special ability: Uses multiple Aura skills. A poisonous sting that paralyzes the muscles and nervous system can be fired like an arrow.] As it was secretly walking in search of prey, the Manticore suddenly looked up and stared over a building. ¡®¡­¡­!¡¯ It could see four humans coming over to the other side of the darkness. They were female and male barbarians, a Mage with red hair, and a silver-haired girl. The Manticore was delighted. It was the first human flesh it had seen in a long time. It aimed its scorpion¡¯s tail carefully over the building and right above their heads. He then waited for them calmly. The distance from the prey began to narrow. They walked into its extremity calmly, seemingly unaware that a Manticore was hiding here. It propelled itself forward. Whooooooh! With incredible speed and with perfect timing, it shot the sting of its tail forward and swung its dagger-like foreclaws swiftly! At that moment, the human figures disappeared. They weren¡¯t real. It was just an illusion. ¡°You got caught.¡± A red flash of light approached from behind the Manticore as a cold voice rang across the place. -Pinch! A hole was drilled into the red monster¡¯s body, causing blood to burst like an explosion. He killed a level 100 monster instantly with a single blow. Ryu Han-bin retrieved his sword. ¡°This neighborhood has a lot of things that look like lions. Is it because it¡¯s a place where lion-shaped monsters roam?¡± Artis surveyed the surroundings. Fortunately, there was no sign of more monsters. Only then did he open his mouth with confidence. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, Han-bin. If it weren¡¯t for the element of surprise, it wouldn¡¯t have ended this easily.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I did my best.¡± In response, Ryu Han-bin glanced at Artis¡¯s fingers. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re over level 70. You can use those items, too.¡± [Vision ring (Magic Tool) Within a radius of 50 meters of the user, it can randomly position and project an illusion. Level Requirement: Lv. 70. Number of uses: 21/30] Although it was extremely expensive, it was so useful in many ways that most Hunter teams that targeted the Grand Maze were equipped with it. Using that magic ring, Han-bin and his party used their illusions as bait to lure nearby creatures, dealing with them one by one. Thanks to it, though their travel speed was slower, they still managed to enter the area without any risk. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use this in Katrack?¡± Artis shook his head at Han-bin¡¯s dissatisfaction. ¡°That was too much. It was too bright because of the glowing moss. The Vision Ring is based on magic, not spiritualism.¡± Even if it was the same illusion skill, magic and spiritualism had different ways of usage. Magic manipulated light. Spiritualism controlled the mind. Therefore, spirit illusion art was powerful, but if the opponent¡¯s level were too high, it wouldn¡¯t be accepted at all. In comparison, illusion magic took place regardless of the level. It was based on what the eyes saw, not what the mind perceived. However, there was an awkwardness in the movements and color of hallucinations. So if they looked closely, they could easily find a loophole. ¡°So when you use magic, the surroundings are essential. It¡¯s pretty good because it¡¯s dark around here.¡± Kibie also added information to Artis¡¯s explanation. ¡°So it¡¯s like putting computer graphics in a budget-limited movie with a night background on purpose.¡± ¡°Oh, that makes sense.¡± Han-bin nodded. As expected, she seemed to have a deep understanding of Earth¡¯s civilization. Of course, Artis and Effir were confused. ¡°What do you mean the computer?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, sister?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know about it.¡± Kibie walked away with a slight hand gesture. Someone had left a trace of mellowing out of the shattered Manticore¡¯s body. ¡°It¡¯s been so long that I don¡¯t know if shadow redirection will work.¡± Mumbling, Kibie concentrated her mind. After a while, she smiled. ¡°Found it. It¡¯s the remnants of Baotolt and Gabe.¡± * * * The sword king Baotolt singlehandedly destroyed the monsters of Kaltan. But that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have a colleague. He was a Valtara warrior who refused to use Magic Tools. However, no matter how strong a Valtara warrior was, he could still get hurt. If he were injured, he should be treated. There was a limit to the use of healing potions alone. Since he didn¡¯t use a Magic Tool, he couldn¡¯t use a Space Pouch. So he couldn¡¯t carry a lot of healing potions. He also needed to take a rest and sleep. But sleeping alone in such a dangerous place was too reckless even for the Sword King. So Baotolt had a servant who was willing to take orders. Level 99 Spiritist, Gabe Martin. People might wonder what nonsense it was to say that a high-ranking level 99 Spiritist was just a servant. But the Sword King was so powerful that even that level wasn¡¯t enough to fight on equal grounds with him. So Gabe just followed him around like a real servant, hiding in battle and helping with treatment after combat. By using Shadow reading, Kibie confirmed that Baotolt and Gabe had passed by about six months ago. She also discovered the fact that the two kept heading south. Kibie got up. ¡°This way.¡± * * * As they went down to the lowest floor of Kaltan, the movement of Han-bin and his party became more cautious. There were many monsters across the Dungeon that was over level 100. There were usually more than three. Furthermore, they were top monsters. They were hard for even Ryu Han-bin to deal with. Moreover, they should consider the worst-case in mind. Kibie repeatedly reminded the party. ¡°When you meet Kruse Murg, you hide no matter what. Don¡¯t even think about running away. It would be impossible to escape.¡± The Golden Lion, Kruse Murg. It was one of the three great masters of Kaltan and one of the most powerful monsters that killed more than 200 top hunters over a decade ago. Most Dungeons were targeted by a small force consisting of four or five members. Ordinary people, not Hunters, often asked a simple question. ¡®Why not mobilize the army to destroy the Dungeon systematically? Isn¡¯t that the best way to protect Latna from the threat of demons?¡¯ That was due to the characteristics of the Dungeon. Most Dungeons had many monsters, and they never left their territory. So Hunters destroyed each local monsters and expanded the Clean Area to close the Dungeon sequentially. However, there were times when that rule was broken. Whenever large numbers of humans clustered together in a Dungeon, all the monsters within a radius of several kilometers attacked in unison. The excessively large human presence stimulated their primitive instincts to leave their habitats. More than a decade ago, hundreds of top hunters joined forces at the same time. For some reason, Kruse Murg, one of the three Gods of the Grand Maze, escaped Kaltan and appeared in the wilderness on the ground. It was a terrible catastrophe. They had no idea how much blood would flow if that formidable monster reached human territory beyond the wilderness. But at the same time, it was also an opportunity for military combat, which was impossible in Kaltan. Unlike in Dungeons, there was no problem to bring as many forces as possible in the outside world. All the strong Hunters of Serkaltan united for the opportunity to slay Kruse Murg. More than 200 Hunters joined the hunt for Kruse Murg. ¡°They were annihilated. Only three survived, I think.¡± It wasn¡¯t a battle. It was just a one-sided slaughter. Countless Hunters had been swept away and killed without being able to launch a single physical or magical attack. Satisfied with their blood, Kruse Murg returned to the Maze. Thanks to that, they were able to avoid the worst disaster possible. ¡°He¡¯s the Sword King. His power is beyond common sense, so he can go hunting monsters in the open. But we will die at our level.¡± Artis quivered as he concluded his speech. Just imagining it made him shiver. ¡®It¡¯s best to find the Sword King as soon as possible and get out of here.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin asked Kibie. ¡°Did you find any other leads?¡± ¡°Not yet¡­¡± She replied calmly. Suddenly, Effir leaned down and gestured to the party. ¡®Hide!¡¯ They moved before even asking why. Han-bin¡¯s group quickly ran to the dark side of a nearby building. He then looked at Effir with questioning eyes. ¡®Why?¡¯ Effir pointed a finger over the windowpane. ¡®That one!¡¯ Everyone¡¯s eyes were on it. Something huge could be seen in the middle of the ruined city. It had a yellowish fuselage, a sunken golden mane, thick forefeet, and ghastly fangs. It looked like a perfect lion, but it was extremely different in size from a real lion. Though it stood at nearly 30 meters tall, the monster laid quietly on its stomach as if it had fallen asleep. Artis turned pale. ¡®Kruse Murg!¡¯ * * * ¡°¡­¡± Han-bin and his party remained immobile. They dared not move even a finger. They couldn¡¯t even breathe. Kibie swallowed her saliva. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was this close.¡¯ She could only say that she was lucky not to be caught on that street. ¡®Do you think it¡¯s sleeping¡­?¡¯ Quietly retreating was their best option. She pointed behind them, asking them to move backward. At that time, Ryu Han-bin tilted his head. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong¡­¡± Effir urgently pressed her finger against her lips to tell Han-bin to be quiet. However, Han-bin stuck out his head. He frowned at the window frame carefully. Frustrated, Artis whispered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Han-bin? It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Ryu Han-bin answered back. ¡°Nothing¡¯s coming up. No level, no race.¡± Like most Aliens, he also became accustomed to using the Guideline whenever he met a new enemy. He had been looking at it for a while. But there was no response. There was no notification of ¡®unknown¡¯ or ¡®error.¡¯ It didn¡¯t react at all. Based on his experience, he could only think of one possible answer. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chapter 91 Sword King Baotolt (2) Hidden inside the building, Ryu Han-bin took a closer look at Kruse Murg. It certainly looked dead on the surface. Nevertheless, they couldn¡¯t move around recklessly. ¡®My Guideline isn¡¯t normal. I can¡¯t believe it blindly.¡¯ But the more they looked at it, the stranger it looked. At that moment, there was no movement. No matter how deep the monster was asleep, there should¡¯ve been slight fluctuations as long as it breathed. The results were similar even after trying everything they could. They couldn¡¯t feel anything, let alone the four powers. ¡®¡­ I can¡¯t just stay here.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter if they go closer or step away from it. They had to make a choice. After careful consideration, Kibie made a decision. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± Han-bin¡¯s group approached Kruse Murg cautiously. They slowly covered the distance, hiding as much as possible and keeping their movements quiet. Its appearance was getting clearer. The entirety of Kruse Murg was covered in blood and wounds. What looked like spots in the distance were all dried up bloodstains. They had to be more courageous. Han-bin¡¯s party moved to the front of the monster. Facing the giant lion, he noticed its eyes were closed. Ryu Han-bin, who was nervous beyond humanly possible, stretched out his sword. ¡°It¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t it?¡± He breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡± Kruse Murg¡¯s skull was split in half. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he was dead. Many of the monsters had strong regenerative abilities. Nevertheless, there was a reason to be sure of its death. Kruse Murg¡¯s chest was tremendously split, and an empty hole was at its center. Its Spirit Stone had been removed. Spirits Stone were the heart of the soul. Monsters couldn¡¯t live without it. Kibie spoke in front of the dead body. ¡°¡­ Baotolt did it.¡± Artis had a frightened expression on his face. ¡°Oh, my God, even though he is the Sword King¡­¡± Only then did he have time to look around. There were certainly signs of destruction everywhere. It was clear that the Sword King and the Divine monster had fought. Artis mumbled. ¡°So, where¡¯s the Sword King?¡± ¡°Time to find out.¡± Enthusiastically, Kibie walked toward the Kruse Murg¡¯s corpse. As they came closer to the Sword King, she couldn¡¯t help but feel even more motivated. Before she could use her Shadow-Reading skills, Ryu Han-bin suddenly grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Wait, Kibie.¡± ¡°Is there another monster?¡± Kibie nervously got up. Han-bin shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Then, don¡¯t bother me. You¡¯re disrupting my concentration.¡± She wondered instead of frowning. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s expression was strange. He might¡¯ve seen something very absurd and ridiculous. He pointed toward the ruins¡¯ collapsed wall, a little away from the party. ¡°I think there¡¯s something we need to look at first.¡± There was a round mound made by stacking stones under the wall. It was too round to be just a trace of the debris collapsing, and it seemed too artificial. There was a large sword in front of the tomb. A tombstone was even erected crudely. Here lies the soul bearer of the great Valtara. A true warrior, Baotolt Tel Leord. He has achieved his lifelong aspiration and sleeps here without regrets. Kibie¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°¡­ What?¡± * * * The Sword King of Valtara, Baotolt Tel Leord. Even though he was old enough to be a part of the elderly, he had always been young and strong. It was thanks to the ¡®blessing¡¯ from the six Goddesses 33 years ago. Technically speaking, the blessing of the Goddesses wasn¡¯t just non-aging. The six Goddesses said: ¡°Give our blessings to great heroes. You will return to your most desired youthful and powerful days, and your death will come without your body aging!¡± Blessed, Archmage Genovia became a young and beautiful woman in her 20s from her normal 60s body. However, the situation was a bit different for the other three strongest ones. Hollien, who was in the early stages of life and death, didn¡¯t make much difference before or after the blessing. She was a Nymph whose life expectancy was several times longer than humans. She was still young, 33 years ago. The Sword King Baotolt and the Thunder King Garhan went back to their 40s. For most people, youth meant their 20s. However, for masters like the Sword King and the Thunder King, their 20s were just a time of immaturity. Back in the period when his body and mind were most active, Baotolt continued to pursue his lifelong aspiration, rejoicing in his amazing luck. It was the dream of every Valtara warrior and the long-cherished desire of the Sword King. It was to become a true warrior. Baotolt followed his dream and did his best. He continued to train, become strong, fight with the strong, and seek the struggle. It was a pleasant life. One day, as he enjoyed his life without caring about the time that had gone by, his old friends, Thunder King Garhan and Archmage Genovia visited him. Garhan handed over what he had found with a frightened face. ¡°Do you know how many years you have left in your life, Baotolt?¡± Baotolt knew. Although he was a Valtara warrior, who was considered simply ignorant, and even when the Sword King himself admitted that he wasn¡¯t very smart, he was intelligent enough to know the answer to that. ¡°I think we have about ten years left. Why?¡± ¡°Why? It means you¡¯re going to die in 10 years, Baotolt.¡± ¡°I suppose so. What I mean by my question is, why are you afraid of it?¡± He was prepared to live as long as he did and die when he was fated to die. ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Tired of Baotolt, who didn¡¯t understand their concerns at all, his old friends left. But from then on, Baotolt began to worry about things that he had not usually done. ¡®I see. Is the end coming?¡¯ He was not afraid of death. For him, fighting to the death was the most enjoyable pleasure and entertainment. If he were afraid of death and didn¡¯t confront it, no pleasure would be gained. But that led him to ponder. ¡®Have I become a real warrior?¡¯ It was his lifelong aspiration to be a true warrior. He wanted to become the strongest warrior in the world and never succumb to anything in the world. ¡®Is that what I am?¡¯ Baotolt wasn¡¯t confident. He was the strongest man on earth. In their respective areas, the other three reached the peak of supremacy, but they were one step below Baotolt. But it had never been proven. The strongest four had never fought against each other. The three strongest, except for Baotolt, were not just strong. Each of them was a high-ranking official who was responsible for numerous people and dominated the country. Such people¡¯s lives couldn¡¯t be jeopardized simply because of their desires. He needed a clear goal to prove himself. It had to be strong and high enough to achieve his lifelong aspiration. He found such a goal. ¡®The Divine Kruse Murg.¡¯ If he could defeat that monster, one of the three Gods of the Grand Maze, he would be able to boast that he was a true warrior. He would be able to look up at the sky without shame. He stayed in Kaltan and prepared for the final battle in earnest. He continued to build up his strength and gathered information about the Divine Kruse Murg. It had been years. A Spiritist named Gabe found him. He claimed to be a servant, saying, ¡°I was moved by the long-cherished desire of the Sword King.¡± Although he was a weak Spiritist in his late level 70s, he was surprisingly helpful. Thanks to that, quick treatment and recovery were possible. At the age of 96, the Sword King finally sensed that all preparations were complete. That was when he proclaimed it to Gabe. ¡°I will hunt the Divine!¡± There were still about three years left in his life, but he didn¡¯t care at all. ¡®Don¡¯t put off good things!¡¯ He headed to the lowest floor of Kaltan and eventually met with Divine Kruse Murg. A fierce battle ensued. Indeed, the Divine was strong. The indomitable body was devastated, and the sea-like Aura also bottomed out. Nevertheless, he never gave up. Finally, Baotolt¡¯s sword tore deep into Kruse Murg¡¯s skull. With a scream of death, Latna¡¯s strongest presence stopped breathing. Of course, the reward was never small. The cost of the Divine¡¯s death was also his death. ¡°Dear Sword King!¡± Gabe, who was hiding in the distance, hurriedly tried to heal him, but it was useless. The energy of the Divine penetrated deep into the wound of the Sword King. At his level, the energy was so formidable that he couldn¡¯t even dare purify it. Gabe cried out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! if only I were a little bit stronger¡­¡± The Sword King laughed as he was dying. ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± It was a warrior¡¯s shame to die peacefully on the bed. To die fighting against a powerful enemy was a death worthy of a true warrior. The long-cherished desire of his life had been achieved. ¡°It was a life without regrets¡­ I can¡¯t help but wish for more¡­¡± * * * Since then, Gabe had built a tomb and laid the Sword King to rest. It was Gabe who put Baotolt¡¯s sword and a tombstone on his grave. He wanted to move the Sword King¡¯s body to Serkaltan, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t afford it. Kaltan, the Grand Maze, was a place where it was difficult for Gabe alone to escape. So, he went outside with only the Divine¡¯s Spirit Stone to prove the Sword King¡¯s achievement. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s all I can get from here.¡± Kibie finished the Shadow-Reading. She then laughed. ¡°Baotolt is dead? I¡¯d never think that he could die regardless of the circumstances.¡± So did the other party. ¡°That¡¯s the tomb of the Sword King.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± ¡°What do I do now?¡± They also expected that everything would be solved if they met the Sword King. That was how much Baotolt¡¯s achievement vibrated across Latna. ¡°What do I do now¡­?¡± Kibie covered her forehead. All her plans were centered on the Sword King. Now she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Phew¡­¡­.¡± The Goddess sighed helplessly through the melancholic atmosphere. As everyone was so enraptured, Effir suddenly turned her head. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Effir?¡± At Artis¡¯s question, she pulled out her twin blades. ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching!¡± Han-bin and his party were nervous, but they were ready to fight. Though Ryu Han-bin and Kibie were strong, Effir¡¯s senses were much more sensitive. If she felt something, it was very likely that it was true. It didn¡¯t take long before five people appeared on the other side of the ruins¡¯ darkness. A white-haired woman smiled brightly at Han-bin¡¯s party. ¡°I found them.¡± Chapter 92 Bloody Battle (1) It wasn¡¯t just Han-bin and his party that were visible. Two things stood out more than they did. One was the body of the Divine Kruse Murg. The other was the tomb of the Sword King next to it. Both were huge events that would cause a stir in the entire continent of Latna. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t seem to be interested in those at all. When Almara saw the silver-haired girl standing next to a beautiful woman with black hair, she looked at Arthur. ¡°Is that the Goddess incarnation?¡± Arthur nodded, looking at the beautiful black-haired girl standing next to the silver-haired girl. ¡°No doubt about it. Race Goddess. Level unknown.¡± Saltus murmured with joy. ¡°Our reasoning was right. As expected, she¡¯s the incarnation of Darkness.¡± There was quite a serious misunderstanding, but no one realized it. The same was true of Han-bin¡¯s party. Artis mumbled. ¡°Tracers of the Thunder King.¡± It was not difficult to guess who they were. They must be Aliens, considering how they had recognized her race and level. He said the word ¡®Goddess incarnation.¡¯ Out of habit, Ryu Han-bin checked the levels of his opponents. His face stiffened. Kibie couldn¡¯t help but feel curious due to his reaction. ¡°What¡¯s their level?¡± ¡°99, 98, 99.¡± ¡°For God¡¯s sake¡­.¡± Artis and Effir¡¯s facial expressions also hardened. Their levels were higher than what Han-bin¡¯s group imagined. Fortunately, the duo who followed them were relatively low-level. However, that was only ¡®comparative¡¯ to an extent. The white-haired woman was a level 82 Mage, and the man next to her was a level 79 Spiritist. Even they were difficult for Artis and Effir to deal with, considering their own levels. Artis smiled wryly, clutching his staff. ¡°I don¡¯t have any choice but to fight. I don¡¯t want to rely entirely on Han-bin.¡± Effir pulled out her double swords and murmured. ¡°Why do we always meet stronger enemies when we¡¯re raising our levels?¡± Almara, a white-haired woman, beckoned at Arthur. ¡°Take the incarnation and kill the rest.¡± Arthur pulled a long sword from his side. ¡°Of course.¡± Jason and Lesil also stepped forward, their steps heavily hitting the ground. Both of them looked excited about the upcoming slaughter. He glared at Artis and Effir and smacked his lips. ¡°Both of them are over level 70. The pleasure reward must be pretty good.¡± ¡°And he¡­¡± The two turned to Ryu Han-bin, causing them to become puzzled. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with his level?¡± ¡°¡­ Level 5?¡± * * * The opponent¡¯s concentration was disrupted. Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. ¡°Huh!¡± He charged forward with a loud warcry. At the same time, he swung the red Blade Aura furiously. -Crosscut! His target was the female Mage called Lesil. He continued his attack. ¡°Gasp!¡± Surprised, Lesil unleashed her magic. ¡°Blink!¡± Blink, a short-distance spatial movement spell, was activated, moving her to a place about 10 meters away. Han-bin¡¯s horizontal cut hit the bottom of the dungeon. Boom! With a roar, the streets shook as if there was an earthquake. At that moment, the faces of their enemies hardened. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a regular guy!¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t even think Han-bin would be level 5. He was using Blade Aura. But he was much stronger than expected! Lesil, who barely escaped, stared at Ryu Han-bin in a cold sweat. ¡°No wonder people call you a Valtara warrior. You are in such a hurry¡­¡± His power was enormous, but the pre-action was too big. Thanks to that, she was able to avoid his attack in advance. Arthur and Jason began to surround Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You¡¯re strong as the blood of the Sword King, but you¡¯re inexperienced.¡± ¡°Looking at you, and there¡¯s no point in surprising us, is there?¡± Watching the three Aliens who surrounded him, Ryu Han-bin was inwardly satisfied. ¡®You got baited.¡¯ The Crosscut wasn¡¯t a surprise attack. It was a performance. They had more people. Except for Ryu Han-bin, their teammates¡¯ level was much higher. In that battle, it was hard to guarantee that Artis and Effir would survive. So Han-bin went out first. Despite not being in a position to surprise them, he delivered Blade Aura with all his might even though he knew it would miss the opponents. He didn¡¯t even hope to kill a single foe with it. All that mattered was that even if he failed, he¡¯d still imprint himself as a formidable opponent. Indeed, as intended, he focused the attention of the enemies on him. Arthur and Lesil asked him as if they couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°How did you change your level? I didn¡¯t hear of Valtara warriors having that ability.¡± ¡°Is it the power of the Goddess incarnation?¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t answer back. Instead, he glanced at the young man with dark brown hair and the white-haired woman a little further away. They kept a close watch on Kibie, Artis, and Effir without intervening in the battle. ¡®Aren¡¯t those two moving? Judging from the atmosphere, I don¡¯t think they are Earthlings¡­¡¯ A moment ago, the white-haired woman asked Arthur for confirmation if she was the Goddess incarnation. In other words, she couldn¡¯t identify her opponents¡¯ levels with the Guideline. The brown-haired youth was also more likely not to be an Alien. Looking at the atmosphere and their conversation, they seemed divided into two groups. The trio participating in the battle didn¡¯t hide the fact that they were Aliens, while the duo stood back and watched everything unfold before them. ¡®If that young man were an Alien, he wouldn¡¯t have had to ask someone who doesn¡¯t look very close to him.¡¯ In any case, the two were unlikely to intervene immediately. Well, their levels were not high enough to join the battle in the first place. ¡®Then I need to handle these three in front of me first!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin conjured Aura. -Aura Boost! His Aura became a red flame and rose violently all over the muscular giant. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± * * * His copper muscles grew bigger and turned his formidable force into destructive power. His whole body became covered in a red Aura as he struck the enemy in front of him. ¡°Yap!¡± Arthur quickly pulled up his own Aura to block it. The purple sword collided with Ryu Han-bin¡¯s greatsword, causing a shockwave to reverberate. Boom! Arthur¡¯s knee bent down hard. The opponent¡¯s sword pushed him. ¡°Argh!¡± He felt embarrassed. ¡®Are you better than me? I¡¯m a Level 99 Magic Swordsman. Damn.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s your real level, dude?¡± In a hurry, he fired an Aura Strike. More than a dozen Aura spheres turned into shells, aiming for Han-bin. Han-bin did not avoid it. Instead, he put his right hand forward. He used the same skill! -Aura Strike! Boom! Dozens of Aura spheres collided with each other, causing a series of explosions. Jason¡¯s Spiritual art continued through the thick smoke. ¡°The protection of Althea will be upon him!¡± A subtle light shone on Arthur and Lesil. It was a defensive art, creating an armor of white light. Lesil¡¯s magic followed it. ¡°Take this! Prominence Blast!¡± Arthur also fired a Blade Aura. -Aura Smash! A gigantic fireball soared towards Han-bin¡¯s left side, while the violet ray of destruction aimed for his right side. It was a powerful pincer attack. Ryu Han-bin walked as he strengthened his body. -Armor Aura! The Prominence Blast hit him from behind. Using its explosive power, Han-bin accelerated himself and attacked Arthur with a frontal charge! ¡°¡­!¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes opened widely. He missed the timing that time. A red Blade Aura cut through his shoulder. ¡°Urgh!¡± Blood rose and evaporated in the air. Without Jason¡¯s defensive Spiritual art, it would¡¯ve been powerful enough to sever his arm completely. Covering his shoulder, Arthur faltered back. ¡®St-strong.¡¯ However, Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t safe either. He took Lesil¡¯s magic with his body. ¡®Oh, I shouldn¡¯t have been so brave¡­¡¯ As expected, the level 99 Mage was no joke. His entire back was tanned, and the shock dissipated in his intestines. Nevertheless, he could not show weakness in front of his enemies. Trying to look cool, Han-bin straightened his back. Lesil and Jason were amazed at his unwavering appearance that was like a steel tower. ¡°He¡¯s fine? He was hit by my magic directly.¡± ¡°What kind of monster¡­¡± Arthur¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°I have no choice but to admit it. He¡¯s on a higher level than I am.¡± A purple flame began to rise from his whole body. ¡°¡­ But he¡¯s not strong enough to beat the three of us.¡± * * * Arthur, Lesil, and Jason surrounded Ryu Han-bin with a triangular formation. Arthur dashed across the ground. ¡°Die!¡± He swung the Blade Aura continuously, carrying out a disciplined and fierce sword technique. -Chain Attack! It was a level 95 sword skill listed in the Guideline. ¡°How dare?¡± Han-bin also made a counterattack. The black greatsword danced with Arthur¡¯s sword. A series of melee fights ensued. At that moment, Arthur¡¯s long sword, which hit down, was forced to bounce up. His purple light burst towards Ryu Han-bin¡¯s chin. -Counter beheading! ¡®Argh!¡¯ At the moment, Han-bin, who was caught off-guard, turned around and stabbed him deeply with his greatsword. Bam! Both attacked each other¡¯s vital points. Their attacks narrowly missed. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s chest and Arthur¡¯s cheeks were cut, causing them to bleed. Arthur frowned as he touched his cheek. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you avoided that¡­¡± Han-bin¡¯s face was also firm. ¡®It¡¯s different from when I was in Highten.¡¯ Like the novice Aliens, whom he met in the dungeon city of Highten, Arthur was also using the Guideline of swordsmanship. It meant that he didn¡¯t learn swordsmanship with his body but learned it by pressing a button in a game. ¡®But it¡¯s very natural.¡¯ Just like Ryu Han-bin, he didn¡¯t seem used to utilizing a few swordsmanships. There were awkward parts compared to his stabs, horizontal cuts, and vertical cuts. Rather than that, Arthur got used to the use of skills itself. In terms of playing games, Han-bin felt like Arthur was good at pressing a button in time. ¡®Does that mean you¡¯re a master in everything you do in less than a decade?¡¯ They entered a lull. Lesil, who had been waiting for an opportunity, raised her staff and unleashed her magic. ¡°Reverse Gravity! Hammer of Storm! Chain Lightning! Prominence Flame!¡± out all at the same time. At that moment, the soles of his feet become empty, and his body slightly floated. An air hammer flew toward Han-bin, whose movement was controlled, and a chain of lightning was tied around him. A pillar of fire also blazed its way towards him. ¡°Damn!¡± Shouting out curses, Ryu Han-bin swung his weapon wildly. He would¡¯ve had no choice but to use his body in the past, but now he could also use the Aura. He could break the magic spells with Blade Aura. Boom! The crimson radiance fluttered in all directions, bursting into an explosive roar. At the same time, Han-bin escaped from the influence of Reverse Gravity. ¡°A loophole!¡± With a remorseful smile, Arthur struck Ryu Han-bin¡¯s heart. He then evoked a thunder-like attack. -Enraged Dragon Charge! His posture, weight shift, Aura operation, flow, and transfer of forces, were all in perfect synchrony with each other, producing the fastest and most powerful devastation he could create. It was only natural. The Guideline replicated the ideal offensive on its own. All Arthur had to do was measure the timing and distance. ¡°Die, you monster!¡± Arthur¡¯s formidable blow surged towards Ryu Han-bin¡¯s chest. Swiftly, Han-bin quickly threw himself back, but it was a little late. The purple light cut deep into his thick chest muscles. Boom! A groan finally flowed out of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s tightly closed mouth as he bled. ¡°Argh!¡± Chapter 93 Bloody Battle (2) He couldn¡¯t afford to make a big fuss about being hit. Ignoring the pain, Ryu Han-bin stepped forward. He then raised his sword and invoked Blade Aura continuously! ¡°Huh!¡± Few-meters-long red waves dashed towards the Earthlings, all of which were specifically aimed at Arthur. Arthur, who was about to continue his attack, retreated away out of pure fear, but he was too late. Jason stepped immediately stepped in. ¡°Arthur!¡± A barrier of light blocked the two from the incoming barrages. It was Jason¡¯s spiritual art. The light barrier was smashed instantly, but Han-bin¡¯s offensive had its power reduced in return. Arthur, narrowly avoiding certain death, continued his assault. ¡°You¡¯re extraordinary!¡± That time, he awakened the power of the sword and combined it with his Blade Aura. His sword wasn¡¯t any ordinary weapon. [Freeze-striking Blade (Artifact) Special ability: Use the blade to activate a level 90 Ice magic that can freeze the opponent. Level Requirement: Lv. 95 Number of uses: 19/20 per day.] Every time their blades and Auras collided, ice permeated across his forearm. Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡®Uh¡­.¡¯ The cold temperature itself wasn¡¯t fatal to him. Although it could cause trouble for ordinary people, Han-bin was far different from them. By putting some pressure on his forearm, he could melt on it easily. The problem was it forced him to think about one more factor during the fight. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Paying attention to his forearms could prove to be a terrible risk in such a high-speed battle. Due to a momentary pause, Arthur¡¯s sword-light passed through him, causing blood to be shed. Lesil was also casting spells continuously, all aimed at the wounded Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Wind Cutter! Sword of Thunder! Lightning Arrow! Death strike!¡± All kinds of magic surged towards him simultaneously. It didn¡¯t matter if she was only a level 99 Mage. Her spells moved too fast. Avoiding magic and occasionally retaliating, Han-bin glanced at the staff held by Lesil. ¡®That¡¯s a headache, too¡­¡¯ She was also using the Spell-Saving Staff. Given that Artis¡¯s staff was obtained from an Alien, their weapons were given out by the Thunder King in batches. However, her level was almost 30 levels higher than Artis. All the spells stored were high-tiered. ¡°Arcane Splash!¡± Lesil cast a level 90 spell. Ryu Han-bin charged forward as he blocked it using Aura. Boom! The deflected Arcane Splash caused a huge explosion. In the midst of it, Han-bin shortened the distance between them. The massive giant instantly put the small-sized Lesil within arm¡¯s length. But another obstacle sprouted. ¡°Come forth, Sorondi¡¯s blessing!¡± As the ground between them cracked, causing the distance between Lesil and Han-bin to widen again. It was the work of Jason, the Spiritist. While the Magic Swordsman and the Mage fought him directly, Jason continuously assisted them while hiding behind a spiritual barrier. Whenever Arthur and Lesil were put in danger, he conjured barriers or shook the ground to give them space. He also constantly cast spiritual arts that improved their energy and focus. Not to mention, he attacked also attacked whenever possible. ¡°Let the light of Althea strike my enemy, and the darkness of Kybriel to cover their eyes!¡± It didn¡¯t work because Ryu Han-bin¡¯s resistance was too strong, but it was still possible to damage him or cause a weak mental shock. The momentary headache and brief darkening of their visions were quite annoying. ¡®No, why would the guy who came to catch Kybriel borrow her name? This town is really weird!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin continued to fight against Arthur, grumbling in his mind. He wanted to get rid of the Spiritist first. Or maybe the Mage. But Arthur was the problem. Ignoring the Magic Swordsman in front of him and targeting the Mage or the Spiritist first was tantamount to ignoring the heavy infantry in front of him because the archers who fired volleys of arrows from afar during the war were annoying. Arthur didn¡¯t allow him to let the situation flow smoothly. Whenever he tried to target Lesil or Jason, Arthur blocked him sharply. -Enraged Dragon Ambush! Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue, deflecting Arthur¡¯s assault. ¡®They¡¯re really in sync.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like they had only fought together for a day or two. They had been working together for more than 30 years. Their teamwork was the natural result of that. But Han-bin didn¡¯t know that. He didn¡¯t have the chance to find out anyway. Furthermore, even if an opportunity to come out victorious out of pure luck, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him to catch it. After several fights, Lesil entered Han-bin¡¯s range. There was also a delay in the Mage¡¯s movements as she cast her spell. Ryu Han-bin immediately called forth his Blade Aura because he thought it was an opportunity. ¡°Tah!¡± At that moment, she picked up her staff and blocked his attack. She was attempting a move that should only be carried out by melee combatants. The result should¡¯ve been devastating for her, but¡­ ¡°Giant¡¯s Shield!¡± It wasn¡¯t Mana. It was the power of the Force. At the moment, Lesil¡¯s physical ability was amplified as a shield of light unfolded, allowing her to endure Han-bin¡¯s attack. Due to the explosion, her delicate body was blown away. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± With a groan, Lesil struggled to lift herself back up. She looked pretty sick. However, she didn¡¯t get split in half or burst into pieces of meat. Staring at her necklace, Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡®Another item?¡¯ [Necklace of Force Shield It gives the wearer the ability to invoke level 90 magic and the giant¡¯s shield at the same time. Level Requirements: Lv. 93. Number of uses: 5/12.] Its ability was so exceptional that its usage number was extremely limited, but it was still worth carrying. Due to that magic item, it became even harder for Han-bin to hit a fatal blow even if he had a chance. Arthur and Jason weren¡¯t that different. Both covered their lack of three of the four powers through Magic Tools or Artifacts. Arthur, the Aura user, used a spiritual ring to set a trap at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s feet every now and then. ¡°Earth, open your mouth!¡± Every time Jason was at risk of being killed, he avoided using short-distance teleportation magic that wasn¡¯t naturally available for Spiritists. ¡°Blink!¡± No Magic Tool or Artifact gave him power beyond his level. To use level 90 skills, he had to be above level 90. That was his level restriction. However, level 90 magic spells were being used by a level 90 Aura user and Magic Swordsman. Their odds of winning increased greatly by simply adding new means of combat in their arsenals. They were much stronger than the level 100 Manticore. Ryu Han-bin changed his tactics. ¡®I can¡¯t keep going at it like this.¡¯ Against those three, narrowing the distance only when the opportunity came would never work. ¡®Even if I have to get wounded, I have to kill the Aura user!¡¯ * * * ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Like a beast of prey, the Valtara warrior rushed in recklessly. Arthur¡¯s eyes changed. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ It was difficult to stop him until a while ago. Han-bin often tried to kill whoever¡¯s closer before, but now he no longer cared about anyone but Lesil. Nervous, Arthur raised his sword. Jason supplemented Arthur¡¯s energy with spiritual arts, and Lesil prepared magic to target Ryu Han-bin¡¯s back. At that moment, Han-bin¡¯s movements changed. Han-bin pushed his opponent using his greatsword, immediately positioning himself at Arthur¡¯s left side. Due to it, Lesil¡¯s magic flew towards Arthur instead of Han-bin. ¡°Ugh!¡± Though astonished, Arthur didn¡¯t fail to open the distance. If Arthur tried to attack Ryu Han-bin, Arthur would be hit by Lesil¡¯s magic. Han-bin¡¯s offensive continued again. There was another scuffle. That time, Jason¡¯s ectoplasmic tentacles slithered towards Han-bin¡¯s feet. Just as the tentacles were about to tie around his lower body, Ryu Han-bin skillfully maneuvered around, forcing Arthur to move into his old position. ¡°Huh!¡± Again, Arthur was unable to find a gap and avoided Jason¡¯s tentacles first. Ryu Han-bin smiled. ¡®It¡¯s working!¡¯ It was just a momentary idea. He didn¡¯t have to worry about allies when facing a single enemy in the games he enjoyed on Earth. There was no friendly-fire in the game. ¡®But we¡¯re not in a game.¡¯ In reality, magic, spears, and swords didn¡¯t discriminate between friend and foe. His enemy could be used as a meatshield against another enemy¡¯s attack! Admiring his own idea, Ryu Han-bin became even more energetic. ¡®How¡¯s that? reality is different from games, isn¡¯t it?¡± Arthur looked calm. ¡°Now you¡¯re thinking of fighting using common sense fight?¡± That was right. Ryu Han-bin thought he came up with something amazing, but it was just common sense among hunters. In any battlefield, the archers normally wouldn¡¯t be able to fire their arrows anymore the moment his allies were forced to fight in close-quarters combat. Rather, Arthur¡¯s party had been wondering since the beginning why the Valtara warrior didn¡¯t fight like that in the first place. Regardless, for as long as the opponents were doing it, they had to respond effectively. Arthur, Lesil, and Jason exchanged glances. ¡°Gather round!¡± ¡°Okay, Arthur!¡± The three Earthlings positioned themselves closely with each other. It was their countermeasure against Han-bin¡¯s offensive. If he tried to target the long-ranged members again, they would simply increase the distance between them again to create a gap in his movements. On the other hand, if Han-bin continued to focus on the Aura user, they would remain in that formation to overwhelm him with their sheer power. Their tactics fully maximized their abilities in relation to the opponent¡¯s actions. ¡°You seem to be coming to your senses¡­¡± ¡°At this rate, a realistic power gap will always show, you barbarian!¡± The good old days were short. When the three responded to his tactic, Ryu Han-bin began to flee. ¡°Ahhhhhh! Argh!¡± Like a flock of migratory birds, the three Aliens repeatedly gathered and dispersed. While they continued to switch tactics, Han-bin¡¯s brown skin turned red. The embattled Han-bin revealed his trump card. -Crosscut! It didn¡¯t work. Arthur¡¯s Aura, Lesil¡¯s Arcane Shield, and Jason¡¯s Protection Barrier blocked his strongest attack. Boom! The collision between their powers emitted shockwaves everywhere. At the same time, Arthur¡¯s blade was thrust deeply into Han-bin¡¯s body. ¡°Argh!¡± Han-bin vomited blood, the wound on his stomach visibly leaking out crimson fluids. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t fall down. Rather, he released another skill. -Vertical cut! It was blocked again. His basic skills, sharpened tirelessly at the Rocky Mountain, were indeed honed properly, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to cut through the trio¡¯s defense. Still, he didn¡¯t give in. He thrust his sword forward. -Pinch! It was deflected, followed quickly by a scream. ¡°Argh!¡± Arthur grinned. He was quite a tricky opponent, but it was finally almost over. Lesil and Jason looked excited, recalling the upcoming reward. ¡°But in this case, what happens to the pleasure reward?¡± ¡°Yeah. Will we be given reward according to his level, or will it reward us according to his skills?¡± Han-bin looked up with difficulty. He stretched his legs up and grabbed his sword again. ¡®All right.¡¯ Although he paid the price, it became what he had wanted. ¡®Please make it through!¡¯ Han-bin conjured the last of his strength and charged onwards. He wielded his black greatsword with all his might and Aura. ¡°Taaaaaah!¡± As they laughed, the heretics once again went on the defensive. ¡°It won¡¯t work!¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid that others will never recognize you, barbarian. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t ever learn.¡± At best, the devastation was blocked again by the three layers of barriers made out of Aura, magic, and spiritual art. The result was different from what it had been so far. ¡®Now!¡¯ At that moment, under Ryu Han-bin¡¯s drooping black hair, his eyes glistened. ¡°Taaah!¡± His horizontal and vertical cuts, which had been trained hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of times, were released continuously for a short duration. A giant crimson cross embroidered the air. A devastating thrust pierced through the center of the cross. All of those were done at the same time, causing their destructive powers to overlap multiple times. Triple Cross Attack, Cross Impact! ¡°H-huh?¡± There was blood in Arthur¡¯s bewildered eyes. It could neither be blocked nor avoided. An unstoppable tidal wave of chaos and destruction struck the world. Three screams thundered across the darkness of Kaltan. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Chapter 94 Bloody Battle (3) The entire Dungeon trembled. The buildings in the city collapsed like dominoes. Dust rose into the air, and debris crumbled all over their vicinity. Bam! After a while, huge signs of destruction finally became visible on the other side of the city. It was a vast area of almost tens of meters. There was no trace of the three Aliens. All that remained were torn pieces of clothes fluttering down, a smashed sword rolling on the ground, a staff¡¯s fragment, and blood splattered across the land. Ryu Han-bin used his strongest skill combined with the power of Aura. At the might of his overwhelmingly destructive ability, they were immediately removed from existence. ¡®Woah. That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ He had never used Cross Impact after he left the Rocky Mountain. Of course, he practiced it steadily, but it was the first time he actually exerted it in earnest since he had fallen into that world. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± At that moment, Han-bin¡¯s dizziness caused him to stagger. He lost too much blood. ¡°A-are you okay?¡± Kibie rushed in to help him. She took out a healing potion. ¡°Take this¡­¡± There was no Spiritist in their team, and Ryu Han-bin¡¯s level prevented him from using regenerative items. All he could do was drink potions and apply them to his wounds. Of course, it didn¡¯t immediately cure his deep wounds. First aid was possible, but he was no longer capable of combat. ¡°Thankfully, those two aren¡¯t that high-leveled¡­¡± Catching his breath, Ryu Han-bin looked at the duo standing a few feet away from them. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± ¡°Did the Aliens just lose?¡± Both looked perplexed. ¡®I suppose that¡¯s because the high-level Aliens they trusted died in a single blow.¡¯ If they were only a Level 82 Mage and a 79 Spiritist, Kibie, Artis, and Effir could handle them. Ryu Han-bin rested his head. ¡°Take care of them. I need to get some rest.¡± Artis and Effir were ready to fight. They were brimming with confidence. ¡°Leave them to us.¡± ¡°We can handle them with our strength.¡± But Kibie remained cautious. ¡°It¡¯s not the right time to feel like we¡¯ve already won.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Han-bin looked back in wonder. Kibie, holding her long spear, had cold sweat dripping from her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s going to get tougher from here on out.¡± * * * Saltus looked at Almara in embarrassment. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Almara frowned. ¡°I was hoping to avoid revealing my real identity¡­¡± The Goddess of Darkness, Kybriel, was the creator of the entire Dragon Race. No matter how little respect she had for their creator, it was still burdensome. That¡¯s why she wanted the Aliens to deal with the situation. ¡°But now that we¡¯re here, it¡¯s not like we have a choice, right?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± The bodies of Almara and Saltus were covered in light. The bright spheres became endlessly thicker, swallowing buildings into it. Roars rumbled through the air. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Kaaaaaaa!¡± In their place stood a giant fuselage of tens of meters, equipped with colossal wings that looked like it could cover the world and thick skin covered with steel scales. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Artis was shocked. They were Dragons. They were monsters who had lived for more than 500 years and had been given the title of Ancient Dragon. He was no match for them, who was still a cub! Zoom! The silver-scaled Dragon stomped her feet down to blocked the party. The green Dragon also moved slowly to block their retreat. Both were gigantic enough to cover any escape route they could¡¯ve gone for. [Race: Dragon. Ice Dragon Lv. 119.] [Race: Dragon. Earth Dragon Lv. 114] The Dragons began to speak. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the collaborator of the incarnation would be that strong.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s already been weakened enough to be unfit for combat.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no chance for you.¡± It was irrefutable. The two Dragons were over level 110. They were too much to handle for Ryu Han-bin, who was already exhausted. ¡®Kibie, Artis, and Effir are no match against them.¡¯ But they had no choice. With a human-like expression on the face of the reptile, Almara spoke modestly. ¡°Surrender the incarnation of Darkness to us if you want your ends to be swift and painless.¡± Sighing, Han-bin grabbed the black greatsword. ¡°Oh, my God, you¡¯re not making it easy for me.¡± Artis mumbled to Kibie, pointing at his staff. ¡°Is that why you said that?¡± She replied with a solid voice, covering her long spear with her black Aura. ¡°I can see their true nature.¡± And Effir¡­ ¡°Whew, I¡¯m surprised, but I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Everyone else was nervous, but Effir was sighing in relief. Kibie was confused. ¡°What are you talking about, Effir?¡± ¡°They are Dragons, aren¡¯t they?¡± Effir blinked nonchalantly. She looked like there was nothing wrong with what she said. Standing slightly forward, the silver-haired girl reached out her hand to the two Dragons in front of her. ¡°Isn¡¯t this all we have to do?¡± * * * Crack! A dazzling light poured out of Effir. Light covered the two Dragons, causing the place to brighten once more. And after a while. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± The gigantic Dragons disappeared. Instead, two humans stood in front of them. They were a white-haired woman and a dark-brown-haired young man. It was the human forms of the ancient Dragons, Almara and Saltus. After being absent-minded for a while, they began to back away out of sheer fear. ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°What the heck!¡± That wasn¡¯t their will. The moment they were exposed to that light, they were forced to return to their human forms! Their levels also dropped sharply. He returned to being a level 82 Mage and a level 79 Spiritist. Effir smiled and pointed at her neck. ¡°Ehehehe.¡± Han-bin and Artis mumbled blankly. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°I forgot you had that with you.¡± The duo couldn¡¯t see Effir¡¯s necklace since it was hidden neatly inside her light armor. But Han-bin and Artis knew what was hidden behind it. [Polymorph Necklace (Unique Item) It gives the wearer the ability to mimic humans. The form is maintained for as long as the necklace is worn. When used on Dragons, the opponents will be imprisoned in their human form for a day. No conditions of use. Infinite number of uses.] ¡°That¡¯s effective even against Ancient Dragons over level 110?¡± ¡°You, a level 75, carried such a powerful necklace?¡± While delighted, Artis wondered. A weak Magic Swordsman like Alejandro was carrying such a high-tier item. ¡®No, come to think of it, he wasn¡¯t really weak.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin was simply extraordinary, but before Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens were released, One of the Aliens with the highest levels was Alejandro. In any case, that completely reversed the war. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go back to my original form¡­¡± Almara and Saltus were sweating and clenching their fists. No matter how hard they tried, it was useless. Even if they died, they couldn¡¯t go back to becoming Dragons. Almara glared at Effir and lamented. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such a power was at the hands of the incarnation¡­¡± As for her, who thought Effir was the incarnation of Kybriel, she could only think of it that way. With his eyes shining, Ryu Han-bin moved. ¡°Good. We can capture them alive.¡± He wanted to capture them and find out what the Top Three had been doing. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Frustrated, Saltus quickly thought of some ideas. There was no chance of winning that way. ¡®We have to run away somehow.¡¯ However, even running away wasn¡¯t easy under their current circumstances. ¡®Then!¡¯ Saltus was in a state of chaos. ¡°I-I will be a delude them by tweaking human knowledge!¡± Suddenly, dozens of Almara and Saltus appeared in front of Han-bin¡¯s party. It was a spiritual art. Saltus disturbed their minds and made them hallucinate. Kibie snorted. ¡°Why did you think that would work?¡± Zoom! Black Aura rose and enveloped her. At the same time, all illusions disappeared. The illusions of Spirit arts were only effective against people weaker than they were. It wasn¡¯t easy for Artis and Effir to understand, but it was easy for Kibie. Of course, it was the same for Ryu Han-bin. ¡°What the fuck!¡± He flung himself forward while clearing the illusion in front of him. Kibie quickly followed him. Ryu Han-bin swung his sword at Almara, and Kibie swung her spear at Saltus. ¡°Taah!¡± Since their purpose was to capture them, so they didn¡¯t attack aggressively. But only the strong Aura on their weapons could easily break a leg. Almara and Saltus turned pale. ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± The black greatsword and the long black spear hit the naked duo. Their images evaporated into the air. ¡°Huh?¡± That time, it was an illusion. Unlike spiritual arts, they used the refractions of light in a way that made the illusions believable even in the eyes of high-leveled opponents. Kibie cried out. ¡°Illusion magic!¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin looked around in a hurry. He couldn¡¯t see them. Even when he activated his all senses, he couldn¡¯t feel anyone. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± He missed them. If it were just illusion magic, Han-bin would¡¯ve noticed that it was fake. However, they cast the illusion spiritual art first, let them relax, and then put up another spell using Almara¡¯s magic. Their psychological trap deceived Han-bin¡¯s party. Kibie murmured admiringly. ¡°They are experienced. They know how to run away.¡± Having made such a judgment in such a short time was a sign of being highly adept in the arts of war. Though they were enemies, Kibie admitted it. Ryu Han-bin grumbled at Kibie. ¡°Why are you applauding them? We missed them!¡± Artis came up and asked. ¡°Shall we find out what they had left?¡± Since they didn¡¯t fight, they didn¡¯t leave much blood. However, they transformed into Dragons and had to endure the humiliation of being naked. In other words, the robe and the lamp remained intact. ¡°There could be hair or something on the robe.¡± Then Ryu Han-bin could use it with his guidelines for tracking. Although there was a disadvantage that its accuracy exponentially decreased as distance increased, it would still be better than nothing in the current situation. Then Kibie dissuaded Artis. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Information on the Top Three was still available. They could use shadow-reading on the clothes that Almara and Saltus left behind. There was no reason to make Han-bin move his body to track them down. ¡°There are so many Dragons under Garhan anyway. It won¡¯t be a big deal if we miss one or two of those guys.¡± Rather, they had an entirely different problem. Looking at the tomb of the Sword King, the incarnation of Darkness felt a little lost. ¡°Now what¡­¡± Chapter 95 Bloody Battle (4) He put his worries away as their party packed their bags. There was nothing left to do in Kaltan. There was no reason to stay in such a dangerous place. Before they went back, they also looted their opponents¡¯ items. The three dead Aliens had quite powerful Magic Tools. The two Dragons also took off their clothes before transforming and then ran away, leaving their items intact. They were quite expensive, so they had to take them as well. However, upon attempting to collect them, they finally discovered the state the items were in. Effir sighed. ¡°Oh, Han-bin broke everything¡­¡± The weapons and armor used by the Aliens were no longer intact. The items were also hit by Ryu Han-bin¡¯s cross-impact, causing them to break. Still, the small auxiliary ornaments were delicate. The problem was that all of those magic items were above the level limit of 90. Artis and Effir shook their heads, packing jewelry into their space compression pouch. ¡°I was delighted when I reached level 70 since I could finally use the regenerative items¡­¡± ¡°How much more do I need to level up to use this¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin looked at Artis. ¡°Hey, Artis. That Saltus is a Green Dragon, isn¡¯t he? ¡°Yes, why?¡± ¡°When he was a human, his hair was dark brown. If he was a green dragon, shouldn¡¯t his hair be green, too?¡± Artis, the red Dragon, had red hair, and the silver Dragon Alma was white-haired. Why was the green Dragon the only one whose hair color differed from the color of his scales? Han-bin¡¯s question was nonsensical to Artis. ¡°You sometimes believe in strange, groundless beliefs, don¡¯t you?¡± Of course, Dragons decided their hair color according to their scale. It was the color that they unconsciously liked. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to choose a distinctive hair color. We¡¯re trying to hide our real identities, after all.¡± Latna was not a world where dyeing was standard. Anyone with green hair would stand out far too much. ¡°So blue Dragons and green Dragons just chooses the most common hair color.¡± It was said that sometimes they turned into a Nymph or an Elf. The Nymphs¡¯ hair color was blue, and Elves had green hair. ¡°But I didn¡¯t really care about the Elves.¡± Fairies were as visible as Dragons. Moreover, most of their families were interconnected and were small in number. If a Nymph or an Elf suddenly appeared, justifying their identities was hard. ¡°There are way more humans in Latna, making it easier to hide among them. Besides, the Elves are not much better than humans except that they live longer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a practical reason.¡± They quickly finished collecting the items. There were not as many magic items left by enemies as they expected. It was certainly few when they considered the levels of their opponents. In terms of number alone, the number of items carried by the five was less than how many Alejandro brought. Effir tilted her head. ¡°These people are unexpectedly poor, yet their levels were quite high.¡± Kibie gave a straightforward answer. ¡°They¡¯re Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens.¡± She understood the situation through shadow-reading. Alejandro and Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens were different even if they were both underlings of the Thunder King. The fake Great Earth, including Alejandro, was the Top Three¡¯s people they commanded directly, but their number was small. So they were able to prepare full sets of equipment for them. But there were hundreds of Aliens in Akhtarun. ¡°Garhan doesn¡¯t have the resources to take care of all of them.¡± Even the normal provisions that were given to them only consisted of weapons, transportation, and space backpacks. However, Arthur¡¯s group were given an extra item each since they were being sent to Serkaltan, the most dangerous city on Latna. After finishing the preparations, Ryu Han-bin looked at the tomb of the Sword King. It had a round mound, a rugged tombstone, and a massive sword in front of it. It was Gigant, the love of the Sword King. ¡°That is a very good-looking sword.¡± The sword, Gigant, looked normal. It had a simple gray blade with a standard shape. There was no jewelry or decorations attached. It was a weapon made with practicality in mind. However, in a sense, it was a terrifyingly well-made sword. Its blade was made of the bones of a Dragon that had lived for more than 500 years. It was mixed with all kinds of rare metals to enhance its ductility and durability. The ratio of the combined materials was exquisite, so its grip and center of gravity were flawless. Nevertheless, Gabe, the servant of the Sword King, left the ancient sword in his grave. There was no one else in the world but Baotolt who could use such a sword. It was too big and bulky. The only advantage was that it was robust and easy to swing. With that performance level, it was possible to recreate it with magic without pouring out all kinds of expensive materials. It was made because of the Valtara warrior¡¯s insistence that he would not use magic items even if he were nearing his death, but it was useless to other swordsmen. But it was desirable to Ryu Han-bin. He was also in a situation where he couldn¡¯t use Magic Tools. ¡°Wow, my weapon is crude.¡± As he swung Gigant in the air, Han-bin was amazed. He had been using his greatsword without complaint so far, but the Sword King¡¯s sword was better. ¡®Well, I just sharpened the bones of a dog into a blade, but I don¡¯t think I set the center of gravity properly.¡¯ But if he carried such a sword without actually being related to the Sword King, he could find himself in trouble. Ryu Han-bin returned the sword in front of the grave. Kibie, though seemingly worried about something, talked to Han-bin. ¡°No, you should keep the sword.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Curiously, Ryu Han-bin looked back. She continued in a calm tone. ¡°Baotolt is dead. And that ruined my plan.¡± Since her best plan had gone down the drain, she had to go with the second-best solution. Kibie stared at the ¡®second-best solution¡¯ in front of her. Han-bin was surprisingly strong. Compared to the Top Three, he was still far from perfect, but he was good enough. ¡°Ryu Han-bin!¡± The Goddess called the name of the Earthling, whose destiny was free from the demon. She declared her thoughts to him. ¡°Become the Sword King!¡± Han-bin frowned, his face dumbfounded by the absurdity of her words. ¡°¡­ What?¡± * * * The conditions for the ¡®assistant¡¯ that Kibie wanted were quite tricky. He had to have a force that surpassed the Top Three and had enough influence not to be swayed by those in power. No matter how strong he was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with a country alone. ¡°Baotolt was perfect in every way in terms of force, fame, and influence.¡± Kibie muttered as she took a piece of steak into her mouth using a fork. ¡°But now that he¡¯s gone, we need to find a new helper.¡± Han-bin and his party had escaped from the Grand Maze and were currently staying at an inn in Serkaltan. They were taking a rest and eating the first decent meal they¡¯ve had in such a long time. They didn¡¯t fear that the conversation would leak out because the table had been secretly set up with a soundproof spell. Kibie continued. ¡°The strongest¡¯ human¡¯ among all the people know is you, Han-bin.¡± Compared to the Sword King Baotolt, Ryu Han-bin lacked in many respects. He could never face the Top Three. ¡°Fortunately, I have a plan to make you stronger.¡± Kibie pointed to Han-bin¡¯s back. His black weapon and the Sword King¡¯s greatsword were behind him. ¡°Because you have Gigant.¡± Gigant was the weapon that the Sword King Baotolt had been using all his life. And the incarnation of Darkness had the Shadow-Reading skill, which was the ability to read others¡¯ thoughts. In other words, she could transfer the swordsmanship of the Sword King, Aura skills, and other skills to someone else! ¡°Of course, the rate at which you learn it depends on your talent and effort.¡± Effir nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m sure no one but Han-bin can dare learn about it. It¡¯s the Sword King¡¯s complete swordsmanship, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship was the origin of the Valtara race¡¯s swordsmanship, and the physical ability required was incredibly high. Commoners wouldn¡¯t be able to master it with effort alone. But it was possible for Ryu Han-bin. That was why she asked Han-bin to be her assistant. He had the potential to master Baotolt¡¯s sword and swordsmanship. It was the real meaning of her earlier declaration for Han-bin to become the Sword King. ¡°Then talk to me properly.¡± After sipping on his soup, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°I thought you were asking me to pretend to be a fake Sword King.¡± ¡°After I said it, I thought there was something wrong with your reaction.¡± With a bitter smile, Kibie drooped her shoulders. ¡°Well, if Baotolt were safe, I wouldn¡¯t have had to go this far.¡± She resented Gabe. If Gabe had been a little stronger, wouldn¡¯t Baotolt still be alive? Artis¡¯s face hardened. ¡°There¡¯s something on my mind.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kibie and Ryu Han-bin looked back at Artis with curious eyes. ¡°Something¡¯s weird with Spiritist Gabe.¡± It was when he heard about the death of the Sword King. Artis felt awkward sharing it out loud. At that time, he didn¡¯t know what was weird, so he just forgot it. But as time went by, it became clearer. ¡°He said he couldn¡¯t heal using spiritual arts because of the amount of residual energy left in the Sword King¡¯s wound, right?¡± It could happen. According to Latna¡¯s common knowledge, the residual energy in the wound weakened healing. ¡°But he was the Sword King. He can kill the demon alone.¡± Even if Kruse Murg¡¯s energy remained in the Sword King¡¯s wound, most of the power would have been offset by his Aura. ¡°And a level 99 Spiritist couldn¡¯t do anything?¡± No matter how he calculated it, there couldn¡¯t have been such powerful energy left in Baotolt¡¯s wound. Even if it was too much to heal Baotolt fully¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t it suspicious that Baotolt didn¡¯t get first aid at the very least?¡± * * * The scene was located at the royal palace of Allendia, the fairy kingdom. Looking at the duo in front of him, Hollien smiled bitterly. ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened?¡± Saltus answered in a firm voice. ¡°Yes, they didn¡¯t seem to know the demon¡¯s death or the death of the Sword King.¡± Almara bowed her head and begged for forgiveness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Hollien. I never dreamed that the Goddess of Darkness would have such an ability¡­¡± ¡°Okay. You may leave.¡± After letting the two Dragons out, Hollien smiled dejectedly. ¡®Oh, my God, I was wondering why they were heading to the Grand Maze¡­¡¯ She thought they had a plan. But she didn¡¯t expect that they didn¡¯t know about the death of the Sword King. If Baotolt was alive, the Top Three could¡¯ve easily predicted the Goddess¡¯s plan. In that situation, it was apparent what the Goddess would do. ¡®We didn¡¯t have to release Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens. I just had to wait for her in Serkaltan and catch her. Damn.¡¯ However, the Top Three had already known that Baotolt was dead and inadvertently thought that even the Goddess would¡¯ve known. So she never thought Kibie would head to the Grand Maze. ¡®I¡¯ve just blown up a golden chance.¡¯ Hollien abandoned her lingering affection. Most things in the world didn¡¯t just work out as planned anyway. And they still had a chance. She looked at the small glass bottle in her hand. It was the ¡®blood of the Darkness incarnation¡¯ extracted by Saltus. If a powerful Spiritist used it as a catalyst, they¡¯d be able to trace Kibie wherever they went. And she was the best Spiritist in Latna. She had many useful beings under her command. After a while, a Spiritist visited Hollien. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Yes, Gabe.¡± She handed a glass bottle to the middle-aged man named Gabe. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± The man¡¯s eyes shone as he politely accepted it. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Ms. Hollien.¡± Chapter 96 Heart of Darkness (1) Althea¡¯s sun had disappeared over the horizon, causing the darkness to take over. Kybriel¡¯s moon and stars rose in the night sky. The night was coming. In a rural village in southern Latna, the residents were stuck in their rooms, trembling in fear. When did it start? Whenever the night came, the monsters of the world began to appear. The terrible monsters that had appeared only in Dungeons came out of the darkness, murdering everyone they came across, then disappearing as the sun began to rise. Sounds were reverberating in the deepening darkness. A large group was marching together. Grrrr¡­ Grrrr¡­ Orc, Troll, Ogre, Goblin, and Cobolt. Alien monsters, which had only appeared in the dungeons, attacked the human village with rage in their eyes. The roars of the monsters echoed throughout the fields. Grrrr¡­ Argh! Noises and screams echoed across the night sky as the village was brutally torn apart. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± In the growls of death, the powerless residents covered their ears. They could only hope to escape such a terrible night. ¡°My dear Kybriel¡­¡± ¡°Please protect us.¡± Their prayers were useless. The monsters soon broke down their doors, barged into their rooms, smashed the heads of the people praying, and feasted on their bodies. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± * * * Unexpected events were taking place throughout the Latna Continent. New dungeons had stopped appearing. Monsters no longer escaped out of the dungeons. Nevertheless, when the night came, beasts appeared seemingly out of nowhere, their only goal to feast on people. They would then disappear like a fleeting dream in the morning. It couldn¡¯t have happened. The night was Kybriel¡¯s territory, and the darkness was her grace to protect Latna. Why did the night begin to produce the Alien monsters? The world had been turned upside down. The Six Churches continued to pray for the Goddess¡¯s response. The Mages searched for a logical explanation behind the phenomenon. Continental countries tried to reduce the casualties by sending troops. The Continental Top Three weren¡¯t exempted from the chaotic political situation. In Medis Lata, the capital of Kaldris, the Ancient Kingdom, a group of deputies gathered at the Regent Palace. The present King of the Kingdom of Kaldris was still a young boy, and all practice was practically done there. The deputies shouted in chorus. ¡°The damage is getting worse, sir!¡± ¡°What the hell is going on here¡­¡± Garhan sat on the table and nodded. After reviewing the situation, he immediately gave quick instructions. ¡°All countermeasures are allowed. Do your best to prevent the damage.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Instead of bowing his head, one of the deputies looked at the throne with suspicious eyes. The Garhan in that seat wasn¡¯t real. It was just an illusion. It had already been several months since he started taking care of state affairs in that way. ¡®What the hell is Dear Regent doing?¡¯ Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t dare question the Thunder King. Garhan¡¯s power was too strong. Garhan gave the deputies a light gesture. ¡°Today¡¯s political meeting will end here.¡± * * * At the sanctuary of Kybriel, the Goddess of Darkness, Garhan bitterly smiled as he opened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of it.¡± Genovia, who was standing nearby, replied with a shrug. ¡°The same goes for me.¡± She was doing the Queen¡¯s work a little while ago. The Monster Incident was no exception to the Mado Kingdom, Lune. Unlike the confused deputies, the two didn¡¯t look that surprised. They already knew why it was happening. Garhan¡¯s voice was indifferent to the situation. ¡°It¡¯s probably because we stole Kybriel¡¯s divinity.¡± With the Goddess of Darkness gone, the remaining five Goddesses filled the hole she left with all their might. But there was still a shortage of manpower. Light, fire, water, land, and wind tried to replace darkness, but the world didn¡¯t go back to what it once was. It was out of place from the beginning, and it was getting worse over time. It was a big enough gap for the Demon Omphalos to dig in. If that were the case, the Monster Incident would only grow bigger and bigger. ¡°I need to get Kybriel¡¯s incarnation quickly¡­¡± Genovia became nervous. ¡°What the hell is Hollien doing? She¡¯s the only one who can move now.¡± She and Garhan were unable to leave the sanctuary of the Darkness. It was because of their remaining life expectancy. With only a few years left in their lives, the Top Three tried to avoid death even if it meant letting the situation worsen. And but their initial plan was only half successful. He succeeded in robbing the divinity of Darkness, but they didn¡¯t gain the wisdom to utilize it properly. Due to that, the Top Three¡¯s mortal bodies remained as they held on to the divinity. Even so, they were undoubtedly divine beings. In the sanctuary of darkness, he who had the divinity of Darkness could remain immortal, though it came with limitations. Staying there would prevent their life from shortening. So Garhan and Genovia decided to remain in the Darkness Sanctuary. Only Hollien returned to the secular world to take charge of the search for the Goddess. Unlike Hollien, who still had more than 100 years to live, only a few years were left for the two humans. ¡°We can¡¯t waste a day in vain.¡± ¡°Hang in there a bit more. Hollien¡¯s got her trace.¡± They continued to talk to each other as they grew impatient. Suddenly, a gentle voice was heard by the duo. A transcendent voice was echoed through their souls rather than through sound. ¨C Garhan, Genovia¡­ ¨C If your hearts are still human¡­ ¨C It¡¯s not too late. Before it becomes irreversible¡­ ¨C Return the darkness. ¨C For the future of Latna¡­ It was a message from the five Divine Goddesses. Garhan dug his ears. ¡°They¡¯re like a mosquito. They keep whining in my ear.¡± He had nothing but extreme disrespect for them. Neither he nor Genovia cared. They had already come so far. There was no point in being polite anymore. ¡°That¡¯s funny, Goddesses.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you said that knowing what it means to return the Darkness.¡± There was only one way to return the divinity of darkness they already seized to Kybriel. It was the death of the Top Three. The Goddesses were essentially forcing them to commit suicide. Garhan and Genovia laughed openly. ¡°I¡¯m spending my days in the sanctuary¡­¡± ¡°You think that¡¯s going to work? You¡¯re so naive.¡± Garhan gave them a counteroffer. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a proposal! Tell Kybriel¡¯s incarnation to give up her wisdom! When we become the new Deity of Darkness, we will return Latna to normal! The voices of the five Goddesses began to die down. ¨C It¡¯s impossible. We can¡¯t contact her right now. ¨C Only through the Sanctuaries can we communicate with her¡­ ¨C Think again, Garhan and Genovia. ¨C Darkness is her, and she is Darkness. ¨C Even if you get the wisdom, you won¡¯t be able to use her divinity. Garhan didn¡¯t give up. Even if the Goddesses¡¯ words were right, he had nothing to lose anyway. Only when ¡®he¡¯ existed was there ever a ¡®world¡¯ that he recognized. If ¡®he¡¯ didn¡¯t exist, how could he say that the ¡®world¡¯ lived in a way that he approved of? ¡°We¡¯re not going to be able to utilize the divinity?¡± He gave the world beyond the darkness a declaration. ¡°Then we shall all disappear together.¡± * * * They were at an inn in the forbidden city of Serkaltan. Kibie was in the backyard with Ryu Han-bin. She was transferring the Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship she learned through shadow-reading to Han-bin. ¡°This swordsmanship is of little use to Effir or me. But it should prove useful to you, Han-bin.¡± The Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship consisted of simple-looking movements. His swordsmanship was focused on simplicity rather than glamour and power rather than elegance. But if he looked deeper into it, it became mysterious. Only when sophistication was inherent in simplicity and could one exert his power. The expression of Ryu Han-bin gradually became distorted as he listened. ¡°It¡¯s too hard, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kibie scolded him. ¡°Did you think the world¡¯s strongest swordsmanship could be mastered overnight?¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± Martial arts were not taught by mouth. It was taught through actions. As Kibie explained, Ryu Han-bin swung Gigant. He had a surprised look on his face. ¡°It would take a year for me to learn how to execute it the right way, but I still think I can do the basics right now.¡± Coincidentally, Baotolt¡¯s combat style didn¡¯t differ much from his style. The Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship was a way to exert real power ¡®only when humans themselves were strong.¡¯ It consisted of a method that made the best use of what people with superior physique and formidable physical abilities had. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s swordsmanship was similar. It had been 22 years since he started believing in his physical ability that went up endlessly. Throughout his days at the Rocky Mountain, he trained his foundations and the basics nonstop. He didn¡¯t want to die from the strange changes in his surroundings. After falling into Latna, he learned Maxbrid with Effir and changed his interpersonal skills, but it wasn¡¯t enough to forget his existing style. Kibie giggled. ¡°Like I told you, Han-bin. You can do it.¡± It wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Their gigantic, powerful, and excellent physical abilities fought against monsters more than the human race ever could, gaining combat experience as they pursued the peak of strength. ¡°Of course, the results are similar.¡± In other words, it could be called convergent evolution. Fish and whales were entirely different creatures, but they had evolved similarly due to the underwater life¡¯s commonalities. ¡°Of course, unless taught directly, the details would be quite different from the real Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship, but¡­¡± That wasn¡¯t a big problem, either. Even if the details were different, they didn¡¯t deviate from the big trend. He would gain good results if he steadily carried them. Kibie felt relieved. More than she had expected, Ryu Han-bin was in great harmony with the Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡°The problem is that¡­¡± By learning Baotolt¡¯s swordsmanship, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills would noticeably improve. He had enough physical strength and capability to accomplish that. ¡°But to kill the Top Three and restore my divinity, it¡¯s not enough to be better than who you are currently.¡± Han-bin had to gain the real power of the Sword King. Baotolt¡¯s unique Aura skill was praised as the strongest in all of Latna. ¡°Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit, and the Heavenly Sword Diastima.¡± Kibie spoke quietly but sternly. ¡°You can never defeat them without learning those.¡± Chapter 97 Heart of Darkness (2) The foundations of Aura operation were to concentrate and coalesce the user¡¯s Aura and turn it into a higher destructive force. That was used by the most basic techniques like Armor Aura, Aura Boost, and Aura Strike. However, there was a limit to the destructive power of Aura, which increased through concentration. Most of the Aura users even tried to make various changes using a focused Aura. On the other hand, the Sword King was immersed in the basics. Baotolt hated fancy skills or methods to dazzle the enemy. He believed that he could only call himself a real warrior whenever he ran head-on and defeated his opponents through sheer force. He continued to increase the amount of Aura he had and continued to improve his concentration, hanging on to that principle for the rest of his life. If too much Aura were concentrated endlessly, at some point, a phenomenon that transcended common sense would occur. The concentrated Aura would be crushed by its own energy, causing it to condense indefinitely into one point. Terrifying, formidable energy of destruction was produced by condensing Aura over a critical point. After such an extreme performance, Baotolt eventually succeeded in controlling that energy with a sense of purpose. If he put it around his body, it became an invincible armor. If he coated his blade with it, he became capable of cutting everything, and if he dispersed it, it would become a meteor shower that would rain down armageddon upon the ground. That was the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. It was an Aura skill that projected his idea of a ¡®true warrior¡¯ into reality. Besides, Baotolt, after reaching such a transcendental stage, finally got a ¡®true sword.¡¯ It was a godly sword whose power reached the heavens. It embodied his fighting spirit in the form of a blade. The Heavenly Sword Diastima was the strongest weapon of the Sword King who cut off the Divine Kruse Murg¡¯s neck. * * * After roughly defining the Sword King¡¯s two main weapons, Kibie spoke to him with a serious tone. ¡°The Top Three were weaker than Baotolt. But the gap wasn¡¯t that wide.¡± Thunder King, Archmage, and The Transcendental competed with the Sword King. ¡°It¡¯s hard to master Diastima, but you have to learn the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit at least. If you can¡¯t do that much, you won¡¯t even be able to give them an entertaining battle.¡± The Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit¡¯s operation began with the compression and collapse of Aura beyond its limits. It was said that the Sword King described it in this way: -Harness the power to destroy mountains, then seal them into mustard seeds. Kibie¡¯s explanation puzzled Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Isn¡¯t it only proper to ask if I can destroy the mountain first?¡± Destroy the mountain. Of course, it was a kind of metaphor, but what was clear to him was that Aura was needed in quantity so large it would begin to crush itself. In other words, he couldn¡¯t even start without enough time in his hands. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try.¡± The tenacity of Artis protected the backyard of the inn. Even if he pulled out his power, it wouldn¡¯t be able to leak out. Ryu Han-bin, holding the sword Gigant, conjured his Aura. ¡°Taaah!¡± With all his might, he released everything he had. A brilliant red Blade Aura coated Gigant¡¯s blade. Zoom! ¡°Focus on this!¡± The Blade Aura, which was blazing like a fire, gradually condensed into a sphere of light. He had an impeccable concentration. Han-bin was well-versed in basic management methods. But that was all. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s condensing on its own.¡± Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t make a mistake. The misconception about the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit was that it controlled the crushed state¡¯s formidable destructive power. In the first place, the phenomenon of crushing itself wasn¡¯t difficult. When the amount of Aura went past a certain threshold, it would automatically collapse onto itself. ¡°The amount of Aura isn¡¯t enough, either.¡± Kibie said, looking as if she already expected that to happen. Han-bin was dumbfounded. ¡°Then what do we do? Where should we settle down and concentrate on my performance?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time for that.¡± The amount of Aura that the Sword King had saved through decades of difficulties was immense. She didn¡¯t know how long it would take for Ryu Han-bin to catch up to Baotolt¡¯s level. ¡°They won¡¯t give you that much time.¡± Garhan and Genovia only had a few years of life left. Wherever they hid, they would follow Han-bin¡¯s group at any cost. ¡°Even if you¡¯re lucky enough to find a way to hide, the result will be the same.¡± Omphalos erosion continued through the cracks in the night. If it were left alone for a few years, Latna would eternally suffer from an irreparable wound. Kibie murmured melancholically. ¡°Why on Latna did they think they could handle the divinity of darkness?¡± In the worst scenario, Kibie also thought about giving herself up and giving up the Goddess¡¯s wisdom to the Top Three. She would do it if it saved the balance of Latna. But she couldn¡¯t. True divinity could never be dealt with by the spirits of mortals. ¡°What do you want me to do? If you¡¯re telling me to be as strong as the Sword King, shouldn¡¯t you at least give me time to catch up?¡± Han-bin grumbled as he collected the Blade Aura. Kibie shook her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not making unreasonable demands without countermeasures.¡± Raising his level of swordsmanship by gaining enlightenment was only possible by exerting effort. ¡°But¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°If all we have to do is increase the amount of your Aura, then there¡¯s a way.¡± * * * The six Goddesses who protected Latna were not directly involved with the world. If the Goddesses¡¯ power, which was too powerful, directly penetrated the material world, it would destroy the world¡¯s delicate balance. However, there were times when unprecedented disasters could not be handled by human power alone. In preparation for that time, the Goddesses arranged sacred objects containing part of their divinity on the ground. For generations, the world¡¯s heroes, chosen as the Goddesses¡¯ apostles against disaster, were empowered by Goddesses to save Latna and bring peace. Kybriel also had his character on the ground. It was the essence of the holy night, the heart of darkness. ¡°It could cover up your shortcomings, Han-bin.¡± Kibie looked out of the carriage as she spoke. The vast wilderness filled her view. Now that Baotolt was dead, there was nothing more to see in the Grand Maze. They were being chased, so it was dangerous to stay in one place for a long time. Due to that, Han-bin and his party were heading north of Serkaltan. ¡°Holy object of a Goddess¡­¡± Leaning against the shaky wagon, Ryu Han-bin suddenly laughed. He had seen many legends and myths on Earth looking for the Holy Sword or the Holy Grail or something along those lines. ¡°It¡¯s funny that you¡¯re looking for what you made.¡± Kibie grumbled with a pouty face. ¡°It was in the original plan!¡± From the beginning, she was going to find Baotolt and get the Heart of Darkness. She tried to increase her chances by giving her assistant holy items because even the Sword King wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat the Top Three all at the same time. Valtara warriors avoided Magic Tools because they believed they were evil objects created by the Demon Omphalos. There was no reason for them to refuse the holy items of the Goddesses. ¡°But considering that Baotolt killed even Kruse Murg, it might have been possible without holy items¡­¡± Regardless, it was clear that there was no chance for Ryu Han-bin to win against them. They had to do all that they could in preparation to fight against the Top Three. ¡°So we¡¯re going to find the Heart of Darkness?¡± Effir, who had just replaced Artis in the cab seat, asked a question. Ryu Han-bin and Kibie couldn¡¯t ride Golem steeds because of their levels, leaving the two in charge of the horse-riding work. Kibie shook her head. ¡°Not yet.¡± The Heart of Darkness was located at the sacred mountain Generosus, which had the highest peak among the Kellev Mountains in the northernmost part of the Latna Continent. However, Han-bin¡¯s party wasn¡¯t heading to the Kellev Mountains. ¡°I need to meet someone first.¡± * * * In a small country in the northern Latna, a territory in the Meran Kingdom, monsters fought against the human army in the dark fields under the night. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°Blood! Human blood!¡± Wolflian, A Wolfman-type monster, roared and bared its fangs. Drotas, a vampire monster that was as thin as a mummy, had its eyes glittering with desire. Wielding their swords, the soldiers yelled out. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°You monsters!¡± The soldiers continued to fall before the rising tide of the monsters. The Frelsis knights roared. ¡°Hang in there!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up!¡± ¡°If we fall here, those waiting for us at home will be their food!¡± Those who had people to protect were strong. As they thought of their families, the soldiers¡¯ spirits rose again. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± But the war situation didn¡¯t improve. Most of the incoming monsters were above level 40. In comparison, the average level of the soldiers was around 20. The knights leading the army were barely above level 30. No matter how determined and courageously prepared for death they were, they couldn¡¯t just ignore the immense power gap. As time went by, their casualties increased. Their blood dyed the entire field with red. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Nevertheless, the humans didn¡¯t back down. There was still hope for them. ¡°Hang in there, Frelsis warriors!¡± With a roar, a knight in his early 20s penetrated among the monsters. ¡°Just a little longer, and¡­!¡± He was the commander and eldest son of Baron Frelsis, Marcus Katel Frelsis. ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡± Continuing to encourage the soldiers, Marcus cut as many monsters as he could. A huge shadow loomed over him. ¡°You¡¯re such a small human being!¡± A Giant Lizardman, a colossal monster covered in blue scales, swung a large halberd against him. ¡°I¡¯ll crush you in one blow!¡± In a hurry, Marcus lifted his kite shield to block it. But it didn¡¯t work. The shield was smashed by the monster¡¯s strength, causing him to be thrown back. Marcus¡¯ level was too low compared to the Giant Lizardman. ¡°Argh!¡± Lizardman swung Halberd again at the fallen man. He had no means of escape. Marcus cursed as death swiftly came for him. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Just as his life was about to end, a white silhouette dashed through the air and decapitated the Lizardman¡¯s head. Poof! But that wasn¡¯t where it ended. Subsequently, dozens of Ectoplasm spears covered the sky and bombarded the area. Boom, boom, boom! As the sounds of explosions and the monsters¡¯ screams reverberated, one section of their enemy¡¯s army broke down. A man had appeared. He was in his mid-20s, wearing Kybriel¡¯s black coat of arms. He had blonde hair, green eyes, seemingly thin but actually wide shoulders, and his entire solid body proved him to be quite disciplined. The knights and soldiers burst into cheers. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Sir Leon Hart!¡± ¡°Leon Hart is here!¡± Marcus, who hardly survived, also exclaimed delightedly. ¡°My uncle!¡± Looking back at him, Leon Hart smiled softly. ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job, Marcus.¡± Marcus called the young man his uncle despite seemingly belonging to the same age group as him. But no one thought it was weird. Though seemingly young, Leon Hart was actually over his mid-40s. The owner of the current Baron Frelsis family was his younger brother. Leon Hart was the third man blessed by the Goddesses. He regained his youth in exchange for saving Latna from the demon¡¯s erosion. Leon Hart Katel Frelsis emitted his blood lust as he glared at the monsters. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± Chapter 98 Heart of Darkness (3) Leon Hart raised his right hand and pointed to the skies. ¡°Light of Althea, heal your children!¡± A rejuvenating brilliance loomed over the entire battlefield. In the pouring radiance, the fallen soldiers began to rise one by one. The wounds on their bodies slowly disappeared, and their energy began to return. Their fear disappeared as courage took place in their hearts. ¡°Hey, this is¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Leon Hart!¡± The dying soldiers had risen once more. The monsters hummed in dismay. Leon Hart wasn¡¯t done yet. He continued by tracing a series of successive signatures in the air. ¡°Kybriel¡¯s protection, embrace their bodies!¡± Subtle darkness coated the armor of knights and soldiers, boosting everyone¡¯s defenses. ¡°Let Yessen¡¯s flame ignite your weapons!¡± Fires began to cover the blades of everyone¡¯s spears and swords. Due to that, they were given the ability to deal more damage against enemies higher-leveled than they were. The knights and soldiers charged forward, their morale and spirits reaching the extremes. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°Die, you filthy monsters!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± The war situation had changed. The majority of the monsters¡¯ ranks began to collapse due to the assault of a minor human army. Through the skills of a powerful Spiritist, their capabilities were pushed past their limits. ¡°With that, the dire situation has been cleared.¡± Leon Hart clenched his fist after taking care of his troops. Most Spiritists often stayed behind the frontlines, coordinating the situation to their advantage. But Leon Hart was different. He was both a powerful supporter and a frontline commander. ¡°Activate, Uroboros¡¯s snake!¡± His artifact, Uroboros¡¯s coat, unsewn itself and slithered across his skin like a snake, covering his whole body. The coat¡¯s threads, which became firmer than steel, defended his arms, legs, body, and neck. He then used another skill in that condition. -Ectoplasmic Body! Sheer energy covered his limbs. With the power of regeneration and rejuvenation, Prana, empowered his muscles and increased his defense. That was Leon Hart¡¯s fighting style. ¡°Huh-up!¡± Leon Hart charged against their opponents. The black shadow ran towards the monsters¡¯ line, dashing a distance of several tens of meters at once. Boom! Four monsters were swiftly dealt with as he rushed in, delivering blows to their bodies. The bewildered monsters roared as they began to fight back. ¡°Argh!¡± A giant Ogre swung its heavy club against him. He took a step forward and crouched down. Leon Hart threw a punch against it as its attack passed by overhead. His body rose up as his uppercut connected. ¡°The night is Kybriel¡¯s holy territory!¡± The Ogre¡¯s head exploded. It was an instantaneous death. More creatures flocked to Leon Hart. Claws, swords, and clubs were aimed at him. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± But he didn¡¯t back down. Instead, he maintained a firm posture by solidifying his stance. He closed in on the Orc¡¯s chest, held it down, and beat it up! ¡°How dare you Alien beasts destroy the serenity of the night!¡± The blown Orc collided with other Orcs, causing it to burst into a scream. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Leon Hart charged forward again. He continued to punch and kick in various angles as he let his anger out. ¡°I will punish you in the name of the six Goddesses!¡± With a gust of wind, he rolled through the monsters. Every time his attacks connected, a monster¡¯s blood and flesh were spilled. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s my uncle, but¡­¡± Marcus clicked his tongue at the sight. ¡°He¡¯s a unique person.¡± It wasn¡¯t uncommon for a weak Mage or a Spiritist to learn martial arts as a means to defend themselves in close-quarters combat. In such situations, they must escape from the crisis to use magical or spiritual skills again. Thus, Mages, who used staffs, learned how to use cudgels for physical training and combat assistance purposes. In the case of Spiritists, who needed his hands to weave signs, their combat training focused on bare-handed fighting styles. Spiritists and Mages that were better than decent warriors or boxers in close-quarters even sometimes appeared. Just because they had a talent for Mana or Prana didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t have a knack for martial arts. That was simply a misconception. However, the limitation of martial arts without the support of Aura or Force was evident. It was absurd for a Mage or Spiritist to compete against a high-ranking Magic Swordsman in martial arts. But there were cases when a master who transcended common sense was born. Leon Hart was one of those masters. -Why should a Spiritist be under the protection of others? He wanted to take the lead in battles. Eventually, he succeeded in converging Prana with bare-handed tactics to reach an entirely new level. He was the first spiritual boxer in the long history of Latna. His achievements, including brilliant displays against the Aliens, gave Leon Hart the honor of being chosen as worthy of the Goddesses¡¯ blessing in his late 30s, a relatively young age. * * * ¡°Taaaaah!¡± With his hands hardened, Leon Hart continued to rush through the monsters¡¯ ranks. ¡°Yessen¡¯s anger, envelop my hands!¡± Flames covered his two steel fists. Maintaining the blazing state of his arms, he punched every monster around him. The fire spread with every punch. It was a spiritual flame that didn¡¯t seem to weaken, much less be extinguished. ¡°Rhamniana¡¯s torrent, become my storms!¡± Blue liquid coiled around his legs. Every time he launched a kick, the targetted monster¡¯s body fluids boiled, causing them to vomit blood. The monsters he fought screeched against his might. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± A huge Drakan blocked his way. It opened its mouth, letting out flames of its own. Boom! Bending down and changing to a low tackle position, Leon Hart attacked the Drakan¡¯s lower body. He hooked his arm around the back of its knees and pulled it towards him. The huge Drakan knelt in front of Leon Hart, who was only half its height. ¡°Gasp!¡± Its eyes had lowered. He didn¡¯t miss that chance. He penetrated through the Drakan¡¯s shoulder, damaging it. Of course, the Drakan¡¯s defense was far too high for it to be killed immediately. But it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Sorondi¡¯s rocks, rise!¡± He used a throwing skill and a spiritual art simultaneously. Dozens of earthen spikes protruded out of the ground. ¡®I¡¯m going to throw you on it!¡¯ ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± The earthen spikes penetrated the Drakan¡¯s body, causing it to spill blood. Leon Hart didn¡¯t stop. He continued to reduce the number of the monsters. Thanks to his support, the knights and soldiers could fight bravely. The number of monsters began to decrease exponentially. Leon Hart grinned at the situation. ¡°It¡¯s time to finish the battle!¡± He shouted with a cheerful cry. He weaved an extremely complicated and time-consuming sign. Spiritists above level 100 could individualize their Prana to create their own arts. Leon Hart had his own unique spiritual art. ¡°Wall of Althea!¡± It was a spiritual art that Spiritists frequently used to prevent enemy access and control the war situation. A low-level Spiritist could only create three-meter-long optical walls. However, at the hands of a high-level Spiritist, it became even stronger. A brilliant light covered the field. Countless barriers of light blocked the monsters¡¯ paths. Instead of a simple barrier, a vast radiant maze had trapped all of the monsters. ¡°Argh?¡± ¡°Argh?¡± The trapped monsters knocked on the walls in an attempt to get out. The most common step to take was to send troops into the labyrinth to destroy the scattered monsters. But the knights and soldiers didn¡¯t move. They were already aware of what¡¯s going to happen next. ¡°Oh! What is that light?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Leon Hart delivered the final blow. -Unique Spiritual Art: Bloody Rose! The massive maze began to be demolished. Like dominoes, the barriers broke down radially, falling on the monsters. The maze mercilessly crushed them to death. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Frelsis¡¯ knights murmured as they felt chills running down their spines. ¡°He¡¯s the only one who uses defensive barriers like that.¡± ¡°How did he become a Spiritist with such a belligerent personality?¡± It didn¡¯t take long before the sound of the spell disappeared. Red roses bloomed on the vast fields. It was in the shape of a Bloody Rose made out of the bodies of countless monsters. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Breathing properly, Leon Hart loosened his fingers. He smiled proudly. ¡°Perfect, you filthy monsters.¡± Cheers echoed across the battlefield. ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°Long live Leon Hart!¡± * * * Kibie gave an explanation. ¡°You won¡¯t get the Heart of Darkness right away even if you go to Generosus.¡± The Sacred Peak Generosus, where the Heart of Darkness was located, was sealed using the powerful divine seal of Kybriel. ¡°That much should be obvious. We can¡¯t just let anyone get their hands on the holy item.¡± Only those chosen as the apostles of the Goddesses were qualified to take it. Ryu Han-bin asked. ¡°You¡¯re the Goddess of Darkness. Can¡¯t you just unseal it yourself?¡± She was irritated. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? I¡¯m not a Goddess right now. I¡¯m an incarnation!¡± Kibie didn¡¯t have the power to solve her problems. But not too long ago, she wouldn¡¯t have found any of what¡¯s happening problematic. The Goddess had already blessed the Sword King Baotolt. ¡°Of course, technically, the blessing he received is a reward for his feats, not to be chosen as an apostle¡­¡± However, it still meant he met the conditions needed to release the seal of the Sacred Peak Generosus. Until recently, they thought they could simply find Baotolt and grant him the Heart of Darkness. ¡°But now that the Sword King is dead¡­¡± Convinced, Han-bin nodded. ¡°You need another apostle, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The blessings of the Goddesses had been granted three times so far. Thirty-three years ago, the Top Four were the first to be blessed by the six Goddesses. They weren¡¯t even candidates. The other three, except for Baotolt, were Kibriel¡¯s enemies. The second blessing was given 21 years ago. It was gifted to the level 108 Magic Swordsman, Kakelard, who had cleared 38 dungeons in the Four Prohibited Areas and captured three-digit Aliens. As soon as they heard the name, Artis and Effir spoke as if they knew him. ¡°Oh, you mean the turbulent Magic Swordsman, Kakelard?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to be able to help us either.¡± Ryu Han-bin curiously asked. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± The reason was simple. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Kakelard was the commander that led the 200 top Hunter Corps against Kruse Murg. Because it was such a famous incident, even Artis and Effir knew about it. Thanks to that, there was only one option left. Nine years ago, Latna¡¯s first spiritual boxer was chosen as the third carrier of the Goddesses¡¯ blessing. ¡°Leon Hart Katel Frelsis.¡± Kibie concluded. ¡°I need him. He is the only ¡®key¡¯ that can open the seal of Generosus.¡± Chapter 99 Heart of Darkness (4) The Frelsis¡¯s mansion was located at the edge of the forest. In the office, two men in their early 40s and late 50s were reading documents. They were Tezarn, the head of Baron Frelsis family, and majordomo Paul, the family¡¯s butler. Paul began his report after his calculations. ¡°The Spirit Stones collected from the monsters is worth 48,000 Talens. It will be used to repair the damage on the land and buy additional defensive Magic Tools.¡± It was a huge amount. It was almost half a year¡¯s budget for a countryside aristocrat such as Baron Frelsis. Even though he earned it overnight, Tezarn wasn¡¯t happy at all. ¡°The damage is too great¡­¡± Although the monsters had been defeated, the peasants¡¯ and soldiers¡¯ losses were too great. No matter how much money he had, he couldn¡¯t revive the dead. Paul soothed him. ¡°But we¡¯re doing much better than any other family, Dear Baron.¡± There were many nearby territories where entire families were exterminated due to the night¡¯s monsters. There was only one difference between them and the Frelsis family. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Leon Hart¡¯s return.¡± The majordomo looked at one side of the office with respect. A young man was looking out the window of the mansion with indifferent eyes. Tezarn also bowed politely. ¡°Thank you, Leon Hart. If it weren¡¯t for you, my family would have faced the same fate as others.¡± Leon Hart took his eyes off the window. ¡°That¡¯s not something to be thankful for. Though I have deserted my family and wandered into the wild, I have never forgotten my roots.¡± Tezarn sighed. ¡°As expected, you, brother, should have been the head of our family¡­¡± Originally, Baron Frelsis¡¯ successor wasn¡¯t Tezarn, but Leon Hart, the eldest son. However, Leon Hart had longed to follow Hunters¡¯ path since he was a child and hated being tied to the land. After awakening Prana and becoming a Spiritist, he went on adventures. In the end, Baron Frelsis was succeeded by his second son, Tezarn. Leon Hart ran out of the family and became a Hunter with joy in his eyes. And he never regretted the choice he made. ¡°I¡¯ve never learned land management, I haven¡¯t been married, and I don¡¯t have a successor at this age.¡± Leon Hart said to his brother in a soft voice. ¡°The title of Baron Frelsis is deservingly yours, Tezarn.¡± When he saw his brother, Tezarn burst into laughter. ¡°Well, honestly, you don¡¯t have a family, do you? You¡¯re making it obvious that you don¡¯t need it.¡± Leon Hart scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± In the past, Tezarn had felt guilty at the thought of robbing his family of a legitimate heir. Leon Hart had been outstanding since he was young. Whether it be martial arts, studies, or anything else, Tezarn couldn¡¯t catch up with Leon Hart. He even awakened Prana and became a Spiritist with amazing qualities. No one doubted that Leon Hart¡¯s family would make great progress. When he became the heir instead of Leon Hart, Tezarn felt sorry rather than happy. He felt as if he had driven out the true owner of the family. Therefore, he took the successor class with more enthusiasm. As soon as he became an adult, he got a wife and had three children, as his father told him. Twenty years later, Tezarn no longer felt guilty. ¡°To be frank, your brother isn¡¯t in a position to be disappointed by the power of his family.¡± He had a reputation as one of the top three Spiritists and Hunters in the vast Latna continent. Was that all? He was the head of the templars who defended the Church of Darkness and even received the Goddess¡¯s glory. He was selected to be the third carrier of the six Goddesses¡¯ blessings. ¡°Isn¡¯t your brother much more powerful than our entire family?¡± ¡°Honestly, he is, but it would make us look bad if I said that out loud.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that, should you? If you didn¡¯t want to hear that you were unlucky.¡± The brothers grinned at each other. Tezarn gave him a serious look. ¡°But can you stay on the land? We¡¯d express our gratitude, of course.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stay long.¡± Leon Hart looked out the window again. ¡°I came back to my hometown for a while, but¡­¡± The Six Churches in Latna were struggling to find the cause of the nightly incidents. The Church that served Kybriel, who oversaw the night, was especially working hard. Leon Hart was the leader of the Templars of the Church of Darkness. His power shouldn¡¯t be focused on a single piece of land but rather on Latna as a whole. Leon Hart muttered, looking at his hometown with a worried face. ¡°When the call of the Church comes, I¡¯ll have no choice but to leave.¡± * * * It had been ten days since he left Serkaltan. The wagon of Han-bin and his party was entering the territories of Frelsis, south of the Meran Kingdom. The current location of Leon Hart, the third blessing of the Goddesses, was surprisingly easy to find. His performance in defending the Frelsis estate had already spread across the lands. The information could be easily gained by paying the Hunter Guild a small fee. After entering Sungha village, they visited the inn first. Due to the size of the village, there was only one inn in the entire location. Han-bin looked around the place. ¡°There aren¡¯t many inns and restaurants here.¡± Artis shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m glad there¡¯s even one.¡± In the meantime, Han-bin and his group had only been to the Dungeon City and Trade City, where Hunters were very active, making them oblivious to the fact that most rural areas didn¡¯t have inns. The Latna Continent wasn¡¯t as well-organized as modern Earth. When they entered the inn, the owner welcomed the party. ¡°Welcome!¡± Han-bin¡¯s body and weapon made him especially delighted. ¡°Are you a Hunter by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do our best! Philip, show them to their room!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Both the owner and the servants were responding well to their presence. It wasn¡¯t just because they were guests. The boy who guided them to their room bowed his head with a desperate face. ¡°Please, Mr. Hunter! Please protect our town!¡± When the night came, monsters appeared. Sungha village was no exception to the incidents. Everyone was shaking in fear. When strong-looking Hunters visited the village, they welcomed them wholeheartedly. ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± Thinking about the boy¡¯s request, Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re not here to work as Hunters.¡± Effir shrugged. ¡°Either way, when the Goddess of Darkness regains her strength, the entire situation will be over.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Regardless, they arrived safely. If they wanted to meet the one who got the third blessing of the Goddesses, all they had to do was visit the Frelsis Household uptown. But they couldn¡¯t find Leon Hart right away. There had to fix a problem first. Kibie¡¯s mind was agonizing over it. ¡°How can we persuade him?¡± * * * of abilities that weren¡¯t allowed to be used by humanity. In addition to her level appearing unknown, Kibie¡¯s shadow-reading skill couldn¡¯t be replicated or utilized by Latna¡¯s Spiritists. In the past, that was sufficient evidence to prove their state of incarnation. However, the situation had changed since the Aliens appeared. Among the guidelines and unique items of high-level Aliens, unique abilities that had never been seen before were sometimes used by the Aliens. The Polymorph Necklace that Effir was wearing around her neck had a fraudulent power that magical or spiritual skills couldn¡¯t reproduce. That much evidence alone wouldn¡¯t be able to convince anyone that she¡¯s the incarnation of Goddess. That seemed to have happened in the past as well. ¡°15 years ago, a man disguised as the incarnation of Yessen approached the Order of Fire and tried to locate the sanctuary.¡± Artis was surprised by Kibie¡¯s words. ¡°Did that happen? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t made known to the world.¡± Fortunately, the attempt failed, but thanks to that incident, if she appeared out of nowhere and claimed to be a Goddess, she could be suspected as an Alien. Hence, she looked for Baotalt first, not the Church of Darkness. One mistake could¡¯ve gotten her killed at the hands of her own followers. Ryu Han-bin raised a question. ¡°Wait, he¡¯s blessed by the Goddesses. Wouldn¡¯t he be capable of recognizing your incarnation?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t have that in mind when I first gave my blessing.¡± ¡°Then how come you were so sure Baotolt would believe you¡¯re the incarnation of Darkness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­¡± Kibie stared at Han-bin and spoke calmly. ¡°It¡¯s for the same reason you trusted me.¡± Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t immediately believe Kibie just because the Guideline indicated that her race was Goddess. It was for another reason that he was convinced of her identity. She knew of his wish, which he couldn¡¯t tell anyone except for Artis and Effir. -Help me, Ryu Han-bin. Then I¡¯ll send you back to Earth. When she said that, Han-bin became convinced that Kibie was a Goddess. ¡°Baotolt had that secret, too. A secret wish that no one in the world knew but himself.¡± He wished. ¡°He wanted to kill the top three. That was Baotolt¡¯s real desire.¡± Artis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Weren¡¯t they old friends of the Sword King?¡± ¡°Oh, I worded it wrong.¡± Kibie changed her words while waving her hands. ¡°To be exact, Baotolt wanted to fight against the Top three, ignoring all friendships and ties.¡± But that was impossible. The strongest four were the secular world¡¯s guardians who protected Latna from the demon¡¯s erosion. For the sake of the world, for the sake of humankind, they had too much responsibility. They couldn¡¯t allow their greed to control them. ¡°Baotolt was ignorant, but he wasn¡¯t evil or selfish.¡± So he kept it secret without telling anyone. Only Baotolt himself, and the six Goddesses, who looked over everything in Latna, knew his secret. ¡°I could¡¯ve used that to convince him that I¡¯m the incarnation of darkness.¡± At the same time, helping Kibie also solved the long-cherished desire of the Sword King. ¡°The Top Three are my enemies.¡± Effir nodded as she listened to the story. ¡°I understand why Kibie has been so confident.¡± The Sword King Baotolt could have been her greatest helper. If only he were alive. ¡°So we can¡¯t use Leon Hart¡¯s secret? As long as he¡¯s a person, he must have a secret.¡± ¡°Everyone has a secret they can¡¯t tell anyone. But not everyone keeps the secret completely.¡± Kibie smiled bitterly at Effir¡¯s question. ¡°Right now, Effir, you¡¯re a Wyvern, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then if someone talks about your secret, then tells you they know about it because they¡¯re a goddess, would you believe them right away?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a secret. It should be a secret that no one but himself knew to make him believe that the human in front of him was a Goddess. Ryu Han-bin and Baotolt were very unusual cases, but the rest were normal. ¡°Of course, Leon Hart might have such a secret, but¡­¡± Unfortunately, Kibie didn¡¯t have that knowledge. She barely managed to get away with the knowledge she needed. ¡°At that time, I didn¡¯t have the third blessing in mind.¡± Effir asked another question. ¡°So there¡¯s no way to make him believe what you are a Goddess?¡± ¡°Not necessarily. Once we get the Heart of Darkness, it¡¯s possible.¡± The problem was that Leon Hart was needed to get the holy item. At that time, Ryu Han-bin spoke. He had some ideas. ¡°You said he was the key to unsealing the sacred peak Generosus, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The door should open if we insert the key into its keyhole, right? Do we need him to open it voluntarily?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve never thought about it that way.¡± Kibie thought of the structure of the seal chain with a blank expression. Did the Blessed have to do it of his own volution to unseal the seal? ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s needed¡­¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Han-bin smiled. ¡°Can¡¯t we just kidnap him?¡± Chapter 100 Blessed By The Goddess (1) Han-bin and his party first visited the Frelsis mansion. Was it because it was the residence of the countryside lord? The building looked pretty rugged and smaller than most mansions. Looking at the mansion at the front gate, Ryu Han-bin muttered. ¡°Are you sure they¡¯d invite us in? They¡¯ve never seen us before.¡± Artis answered back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is pretty common.¡± The number of Hunters wandering in search of dungeons had increased significantly, and the trade volume of the Latna continent had risen considerably as a result. Due to that, even villages needed at least one or two inns. Nevertheless, not all villages or territories had adequate accommodation. Without a dungeon, there would be no Hunters. Without Hunters, the inns would be forced to close down. In such events, the travelers had to come up with ways to find shelter. Ordinary people used to look for temples of the six Goddesses. There had to be at least one temple in decent villages. It might be a little inconvenient, but they could avoid sleeping outside. Hunters who were confident in their skills often visited the castle of the local lord instead. Lords normally didn¡¯t reject Hunters. He would be able to gather information through them and use them to solve the land¡¯s problems. Artis spoke with confidence. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll welcome us, especially this time.¡± They were not ordinary Hunters. Their party was composed of two legendary Valtara warriors, a level 72 Magic Swordsman and a level 71 Mage. The two were not real Valtara warriors, but their skills were remarkable enough to pass as the Sword King¡¯s relatives. There was no reason to reject such powerful individuals in that time of turmoil where monsters appeared during the night. Indeed, Artis¡¯s predictions weren¡¯t wrong. ¡°Huh! I can¡¯t believe you high-ranking Hunters visited our land!¡± No, it was beyond their expectations. Baron Frelsis, the lord of the castle, came to the main gate to personally greet Han-bin¡¯s group. That wasn¡¯t all. He even guided them into the mansion himself. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Valtara warriors¡­ I¡¯ve only heard about you in stories.¡± Baron Frelsis, Tezarn, who led the way, was impressed by Ryu Han-bin and Kibie. Artis bowed his head with regret. ¡°We were a little surprised. We didn¡¯t expect you to come out in person¡­¡± Of course, they expected to be welcomed, but it seemed a little too much. Latna¡¯s custom dictated that the head of the family should greet guests in the reception room. What he was doing was the job of a deacon. Tezarn grinned. ¡°Paul, our Deacon, is still sleeping.¡± Ryu Han-bin was bewildered. ¡®What are you talking about? The sun is up, and the butler is still sleeping?¡¯ But when he heard the Baron¡¯s next words, he understood. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t sleep enough during the day, he can¡¯t prepare for the night.¡± Frelsis knights and soldiers patrolled the territory every night to combat the monsters¡¯ appearances. They needed to sleep during the day. The butler and servants were in the same boat. Latna¡¯s noble servants also acted as guards. The servants of Baron Frelsis were well-trained in combat. In particular, Paul was a Hunter who had a great reputation before retiring. His level was higher than ordinary knights. ¡®That¡¯s right, the butlers here are retired Hunters, right?¡¯ All of them were sent out as combatants because of the chaos on the land. As a result, only a few maids stayed behind in the Frelsis mansion. Tezarn continued to guide the party to the drawing-room. ¡°Can you wait here for a moment? I¡¯ll tell my maids to serve tea for you.¡± They didn¡¯t come there for a cup of tea. Artis brought up business. ¡°Putting that aside, can we see Leon Hart first?¡± Fortunately, Tezarn was a quick-witted person. ¡°I thought that was the case.¡± Their team, composed of Hunters over level 70, was an incredible party that hung around in the Four Prohibited Areas. Why would such a strong group visit rural territories? Frelsis assumed they came for Leon Hart. ¡°Please wait for a minute. He¡¯s sleeping, too.¡± * * * A few minutes later, a blond man in a black coat entered the drawing-room. As soon as he saw the group, he questioned them with a delighted look. ¡°Are you the Hunters who called me?¡± Ryu Han-bin surveyed him with the Guideline. [Race: Human. Spiritualist. Lv. 112.] ¡®Level 112. It¡¯s much higher than expected.¡¯ He heard that Leon Hart was level 104 when he was chosen to be blessed. ¡®You weren¡¯t just playing around since then, huh?¡¯ Now that he had regained his youth, his level must¡¯ve advanced pretty fast. Ryu Han-bin gave Leon Hart a closer look. He looked slightly tired due to sleep deprivation. He, too, had to switch to a nocturnal lifestyle to prepare against the monsters. But he didn¡¯t show any discomfort towards their disturbance. They were in a situation in which the troops were regrettable. He couldn¡¯t be offended because so many talented people over level 70 visited him. Artis and Effir greeted him first. ¡°My name is Artis Venetian., a level 71 Mage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Effir Venetian, a Level 72 Magic Swordsman.¡± Ryu Han-bin and Kibie also introduced themselves bluntly. ¡°Felard Bean.¡± ¡°Kibie Bierne.¡± Leon Hart was inwardly surprised. He had heard of their levels in advance, but he didn¡¯t expect them to be that young. ¡®Isn¡¯t Effir just a teenage girl?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re already level 72? I was nowhere near that level when I was your age.¡¯ He responded politely. ¡°Leon Hart Katel Frelsis. I¡¯m a level 112 Spiritist.¡± He then looked back at Ryu Han-bin and Kibie.d. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the members of a legendary clan. It¡¯s my second time meeting one of you in person.¡± Artis asked. ¡°Have you met a Valtara warrior before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I met the Sword King.¡± It seemed he had come across Baotolt due to his blessing. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m fascinated. Isn¡¯t that the Sword King¡¯s favorite sword, Gigant?¡± Leon Hart¡¯s eyes shone as he looked at the greatsword on Han-bin¡¯s back. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Sword King had a successor.¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t intend to pretend to be the Sword King¡¯s heir, but he didn¡¯t have to resolve the misunderstanding either. It wasn¡¯t a lie that he had mastered the swordsmanship of the Sword King. The world knew that Valtara warriors were blunt anyway, so Leon Hart didn¡¯t find it strange. He calmly changed the topic. ¡°So, why are you looking for me?¡± Kibie talked. ¡°To be exact, I found you, Leon Hart.¡± Leon Hart smiled bitterly at the black-haired woman in front of him. ¡°I look young, but I¡¯m quite old. My position isn¡¯t that long. I know you¡¯re part of the Valtara clan, but I¡¯d like you to address me with honorifics.¡± Of course, Leon Hart didn¡¯t expect it. He knew reason wouldn¡¯t work against the ignorant barbarian. But Kibie gave him an unexpected answer. ¡°I¡¯m not a member of the Valtara race.¡± For a moment, Leon Hart blinked. ¡®No?¡¯ ¡°The truth must be told, O blessed man.¡± Pointing at herself, the black-haired woman continued calmly. ¡°I am the Goddess of Darkness, Kybriel. I have descended onto Latna using my incarnation.¡± * * * For a moment, Leon Hart remained silent. He seemed embarrassed by the unexpected story. Soon, his soft expression suddenly changed. ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± His eyes grew colder, and his smile became gruesome. His body became paler as well. ¡°Are you talking about me without knowing who I am?¡± Kibie grinned. ¡°Of course, I know.¡± He was the third blessed of the Goddess and the Church of Darkness¡¯s templar leader. He was one of the highest priests to serve Kybriel. ¡°How dare you call yourself the incarnation of Kybriel in front of me?¡± Leon Hart¡¯s eyes became even more serious. Ryu Han-bin, Artis, and Effir looked at the situation with tension. ¡®Oh, the atmosphere is getting worse.¡¯ ¡®I had no option. That¡¯s what I expected.¡¯ ¡®But as you said, I don¡¯t think he will do something right away.¡¯ * * * Due to the Alien¡¯s Incarnation Disguise case, Leon Hart was unlikely to believe in Kibie. Therefore, Ryu Han-bin suggested simply kidnapping him. ¡°We sneak into the mansion at night, and knock the sleeping man out in one shot and drag him with us.¡± But Leon Hart was strong enough to be chosen to be blessed by the Goddesses. If it was a one-on-one match, even Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t have a high chance of winning. ¡°If we¡¯re going to kidnap him anyway, why don¡¯t we confiscate his face and surprise him?¡± Kibie disagreed for two reasons. ¡°Leon Hart is the faithful servant of Kybriel and the Church of Darkness¡¯s Templar Lord. He deserves to hear the truth.¡± He was the head of the holy warriors. He was one of the highest priests to support the Church along with the Pope and the Saintess. He was one of the closest to the Goddesses. It was not the duty of the faithful not to treat them with sincerity. Second. ¡°It¡¯s not very likely to succeed anyway, is it?¡± The world could fall, and Kibie still wouldn¡¯t be friendly enough to reason with. If the possibility was high, she might close her eyes and do it. The problem was that Ryu Han-bin was not good at stealthy missions. Although Effir was good with infiltrations, she was no match for Leon Hart. Han-bin had to do it himself, but then there was a high possibility of being caught. ¡°It¡¯s going to end up being a one-on-one match regardless.¡± From the beginning, approaching using hostility led to irreversible relations. If they did that, Leon Hart might not believe her even if Kibie showed him evidence of being a Goddess later. She had to show her sincerity first. That way, she could still get his trust in the future. ¡°Though he is not part of the strongest four, he¡¯s still one of Latna¡¯s most powerful beings. He¡¯s confident in his power. He will listen to my story first.¡± * * * Kibie¡¯s judgment was right. Leon Hart didn¡¯t act rashly. He showed hostility, but he didn¡¯t act upon it. ¡°Are you the Goddess¡¯s incarnation?¡± He spoke in a distrustful tone as he surveyed Kibie. ¡°Then can you tell me the reason the Goddess of Darkness found her servant?¡± Chapter 101 Blessed By The Goddess (2) She told him everything. The Top Three had betrayed Kibie. She managed to escape by using her incarnation, met Han-bin, and found Baotolt, the Sword King. She had to find another blessed person due to the death of the Sword King. Kibie confessed everything there was to confess. ¡°The incidents during the night were all due to their sins.¡± Kibie continued, her voice carrying her godly dignity. ¡°My faithful servant, I need your help.¡± Leon Hart squinted his eyes. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Just by looking at his face, he didn¡¯t seem to believe Kibie¡¯s words at all. Anyone could deliver such a dignified speech. Leon Hart himself could be a lot more majestic than the black-haired woman in front of him. Moreover, the story itself was unbelievable. ¡°You say the strongest three rebelled against the Goddess to extend their lifespan¡­¡± The Thunder King, Archmage, and the Transcendental had long been praised as the heroes who saved Latna. ¡°You think those noble people would commit such an evil sin because they were afraid of death? You think they¡¯d forsake all the honor they¡¯ve accumulated?¡± Leon Hart snorted. It would¡¯ve been more plausible if he heard the Aliens were busy trying to save Latna. ¡®But I still have to check.¡¯ He didn¡¯t think it was possible, but since she claimed to be a Goddess, he should at least do the minimum of his duty as a servant of Darkness. ¡°So, any evidence?¡± Since she dared accuse the Top Three as traitors who rebelled against the Goddesses, there had to be reasonable evidence. Kibie inquired. ¡°Is there a measurement stone in this mansion?¡± If so, she could be measured as level unknown. It was the traditional method to prove the Goddesses¡¯ identity. Leon Hart shook his head. ¡°It has already been proven that Aliens can disguise themselves. Do you have any other evidence?¡± ¡°There is, but I can¡¯t show it right now.¡± It was only possible to showcase after opening the seal of the sacred peak Generosus and regaining the Heart of Darkness. ¡°When I get the Heart of Darkness, you will see the evidence you want.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the story, huh?¡± If there was a safe, then Leon Hart had the key to opening it. ¡°I asked you to prove that you¡¯re the owner of the safe, but now you¡¯re asking me to open the safe because it has your name inside.¡± Fierce Prana began to emit out of Leon Hart¡¯s entire body. ¡°If you want to deceive me, lie more plausibly, you Alien!¡± * * * A massive explosion destroyed one side of the Frelsis mansion. Boom! Fragments of sculptures were scattered in all directions as thick smoke rose to the sky. Four shadows sprang out of the smoke. It was Han-bin¡¯s party. Simultaneously, as they landed, Ryu Han-bin made a sour face. He unsheathed his sword. ¡°Oh, I knew you wouldn¡¯t believe us.¡± Artis and Effir spoke. ¡°But we should still try talking to him.¡± ¡°We can do that later.¡± Leon Hart appeared out of the smoke as well. He walked down the air as if there was an invisible staircase, his eyes eerily directed at Kibie. ¡°Your conspiracy won¡¯t work on me. You want nothing but to get the holy item and to spread chaos with it.¡± He had already assumed that she was an Alien. Kibie couldn¡¯t blame him. Anyone would¡¯ve thought of her as such. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my servant. Now that we¡¯ve done this, we have no choice but to seek your cooperation through force.¡± Kibie shouted, stepping back. ¡°Felard!¡± Ryu Han-bin stepped forward, Gigant in his hand. He then conjured Aura out of his entire physique. ¡°Huh-up!¡± The red Blade Aura coated the blade of Gigant. Leon Hart cried out in amazement. ¡°The heir of the Sword King took the side of the Alien. Are you mad, or have you been deceived?¡± Even in the midst of all that, he didn¡¯t doubt Ryu Han-bin¡¯s identity. Han-bin looked like a Valtara warrior in appearance. In any case, the successor to the Sword King would never be a pushover. Tensioned, Leon Hart stretched his arms out to both sides. ¡°Activate, Uroboros¡¯s snake!¡± His black coat was torn into dozens of strips and wrapped him around. Ryu Han-bin squinted his eyes. ¡®What is that?¡¯ [Uroboros¡¯ coat (Artifact) Unique ability: The garment¡¯s threads will slither around the wearer, providing them with steel-like defense without ruining its rubber-like elasticity. Level Requirement: Lv. 99. Number of uses: 9/10 times a day.] At the same time, he completed a spiritual art¡¯s seal. -Ectoplasmic Body! The powerful Prana amplified his physical ability to the fullest. Even in the vast Latna continent, only Leon Hart had such a highly efficient physical skill. ¡°Wicked being who claimed to be Kybriel¡­¡± After preparing himself for combat, Leon Hart clenched his fists. ¡°I will make you pay for your blasphemy!¡± * * * Aiming Gigant at his opponent, Ryu Han-bin glared at Leon Hart. ¡®It¡¯s my first time fighting against a lone Spiritist.¡¯ He had a lot of combat experience against Spiritists. But they all acted as support for the other team members. He had never fought them in a one-on-one battle. ¡®How do I fight?¡¯ Leon Hart was surprised by Han-bin¡¯s seemingly puzzled expression. ¡°Waiting for me to attack? Contrary to your appearance, you are timid.¡± He charged forward. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first!¡± He propelled himself off the ground and closed the distance between them in an instant. At the same time, he rotated in the air and hit Han-bin¡¯s head with his heel. ¡®Fast!¡¯ In a hurry, Ryu Han-bin raised his Blade Aura. Leon Hart¡¯s legs were exposed to the blade. At that moment, Leon Hart reversed his position and retracted his stretched leg. He then kicked the Blade Aura with his opposite foot. Bam! Due to the shockwave, the combatants took a step back at the same time. Leon Hart coldly smiled as he landed. ¡°Your reaction isn¡¯t bad.¡± Holding the sword in reverse, Ryu Han-bin moved forward. ¡®When did I ever fight against my opponent based on his situation?¡¯ If he didn¡¯t face the question head front, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find any answers! ¡®Let¡¯s see what happens!¡¯ With a warcry, Han-bin stretched out his sword. He hacked his weapon down against the top of Leon¡¯s head. Turning around quickly and avoiding it, Leon Hart tried to connect another short-range attack. Leon penetrated the gap and threw three consecutive strikes: front kick, sidekick, and a roundhouse kick! ¡°Huh! Tah! Tah!¡± Instead of backing down, Han-bin moved forward. The red Aura coating the sword¡¯s blade enveloped the sword¡¯s hilt as well. Bam! Its hilt was used to prevent all three consecutive kicks. Knowing how to use the sword handle was one of the critical elements of swordsmanship. He then delivered a counterattack! ¡°Huh!¡± Ryu Han-bin pushed Leon Hart back using a series of hacks and slashes. But he didn¡¯t manage to land any decisive blow. Through his swift movements, Leon Hart dodged all the attacks. Han-bin was impressed. ¡®He¡¯s as fast as expected.¡¯ However, Han-bin didn¡¯t allow follow-up attacks. Leon Hart had a severe problem. ¡®His range is too short.¡¯ The opponent was bare-handed. Han-bin was much bigger and had a giant sword. He could even use the Blade Aura to adjust his range accordingly. Han-bin had an overwhelming advantage when it came to reach. ¡®Maybe I can defeat him without difficulty.¡¯ It only took a few seconds to prove him wrong. Leon Hart immediately invoked a spiritual art as he moved away. -Ectoplasmic Javelin! Three white javelins burst through the air. Each of them had terrific speed. Ryu Han-bin swung his Gigant and smashed the javelins. Boom boom! Without missing the gap, Leon Hart dug down into a low position and threw a punch. His punches, equipped with Prana, were powerful. ¡®Huh?¡¯ He had no room for a counterattack. Frustrated, Han-bin blocked the attack with his sword. ¡°Argh!¡± He was pushed back by the shock. As he skidded to a stop, Leon Hart threw another javelin at him. -Ectoplasmic Javelin! That time, Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t block it with his weapon. ¡®I can¡¯t repeat the same mistake twice!¡¯ Instead, he spread his left hand and threw an Aura Bullet at it. -Aura Strike! A javelin and a bullet collided in the air, causing a tremendous explosion. Since his sword was free, Leon Hart didn¡¯t attack Han-bin. Instead, he increased the distance between them. Catching his breath, Ryu Han-bin corrected his thoughts. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t think of you as a simple boxer.¡¯ Leon Hart wasn¡¯t at a disadvantage in long-ranged battles. Spiritists were normally long-ranged fighters, after all. ¡®¡­ You¡¯re more like a Magic Swordsman.¡¯ * * * Leon Hart was amazed by Ryu Han-bin. ¡°I think you¡¯re only in your 20s. How can you be that strong? You really are the heir of the Sword King. That¡¯s amazing.¡± He turned his admiration into a more significant rage. ¡°You¡¯re doing something idiotic.¡± Pointing at Kibie, he declared sternly. ¡°Wake up, young Valtara warrior! That wicked woman is fooling you!¡± Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t have to make excuses. Whatever he said, it was apparent that it wouldn¡¯t work. ¡°¡­¡± Getting angrier at the silence, Leon Hart drew out his strength. ¡°You¡¯re still out of your mind!¡± A white haze rose over Leon Hart¡¯s shoulder. His Prana was so powerful that it had even become a type of energy. He truly deserved to be blessed. Of all the enemies he had met so far, he had a different level of strength. ¡®He¡¯s not going to be easy¡­¡¯ Han-bin clicked his tongue. When they were planning the kidnapping, he thought the success rate would be relatively high. Ryu Han-bin had won against the three Aliens leveled 98-99: an Aura user, a Mage, and a Spiritist. They were a well-coordinated party with good teamwork. ¡®Well, it was a pretty close fight.¡¯ On the other hand, Leon Hart was beyond level 110. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to compete against him head-on for no reason. Even in the worst-case scenario, he thought he could run away. But when he began fighting against him, it wasn¡¯t as he expected. ¡®He is level 112 right now!¡¯ So far, Ryu Han-bin had been dealing against him without any problems, but it was just because Leon Hart didn¡¯t fight seriously. Looking at Han-bin, who kept his mouth shut, Leon Hart clicked his tongue. ¡°Oh, Valtara warriors don¡¯t talk a lot, but you¡¯re way too much, aren¡¯t you?¡± He then clenched his fists and talked aggressively. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll knock you down.¡± They had done enough to get a feel for each other¡¯s strengths. It was time to give it his all. Leon Hart raised his hands, took a posture, and recited a chant. ¡°Yessen¡¯s anger, envelop my right¡­¡± Flames were rising out of his right hand. ¡°Preleu¡¯s breath, soothe my left¡­¡± His left hand flashed with lightning. ¡°Rhamniana¡¯s torrents and Sorondi¡¯s erosion, support my feet.¡± Fluids and rocks coiled around his legs. ¡°Althea and Kybriel, protect your servant!¡± The power of the six Goddesses covered his entire physique with brilliant light. Leon Hart burst into a roar, looking like a heavenly god. ¡°I¡¯m coming at you with everything I¡¯ve got!¡± Chapter 102 Blessed By The Goddess (3) ¡°Huh!¡± Leon Hart propelled himself forward. He used the ground to kickstart his speed, causing him to charge at Ryu Han-bin like a bullet. His movements were the same as before, but there was a difference. Boom! Shockwaves that dug through the ground were fired along with his actions. With each step, he showed off blasted off Sorondi¡¯s energy. ¡®Is it both an aerial and ground attack?¡¯ Han-bin squinted. Leon Hart was flying above, and the waves of dirt were passing below. Ryu Han-bin moved. ¡°Taah!¡± He took a step forward and hit the shock wave in front of him using his Blade Aura. With that attack, the earthen wave was crushed, causing stones and dirt to scatter all over. ¡®I¡¯ve never met a spiritual boxer before, but¡­¡¯ He used the recoil to lift himself. ¡®I¡¯ve fought against Magic Swordsmen many times!¡¯ His opponent was just like Effir. He often fought against other Mana Swordsmen. The feeling was familiar enough. ¡®Normally, Magic Swordsmen stick to their jobs no matter what!¡¯ Han-bin aimed his Blade Aura at the opponent¡¯s shoulder. Leon Hart turned his body around and threw a punch. A whirlwind of flames deflected the Blade Aura. He dug in and launched his left foot diagonally like a whip! Bam! His kick was delivered towards Han-bin¡¯s head with the energy of lightning. ¡®You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s got legs!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin responded with a high kick. ¡°Huh!¡± There was no law in the world that prevented him from kicking because he was a swordsman. Rather, the Sword King¡¯s swordsmanship even recommended it. Boom! Aura and Prana collided with each other, causing another explosion. Their legs shook terrifyingly. In the end, Leon Hart was the one who fell back. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ryu Han-bin, who was grounded, could quickly return to his original state even if his balance was shaken. On the other hand, it wasn¡¯t easy to control Leon Hart¡¯s posture in the air. The weight difference between the two was also significant. ¡®Opportunity!¡¯ Han-bin didn¡¯t miss the opening. He hacked, slashed, and smashed, creating a devastating storm of blade attacks. It was an all-out attack that was brimming with aggression. He wasn¡¯t particularly worried about killing him and even allowed himself to come at him that strong even though he had to be captured alive. His opponent was a Spiritist that specialized both in defense and regeneration. It was said that Hollien the Transcendental, the top Spiritist in Latna, had nine lives. Leon Hart was also one of the top three Spiritists on the continent. Han-bin didn¡¯t have to worry about his opponent dying immediately. Giving it his all wouldn¡¯t cause him any problems! ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Leon Hart was coiled around on by a crimson gale. It was a sword storm that tore everything in its path. But Leon Hart didn¡¯t allow it to hit him. ¡°You already have such a strong ability at your age?¡± Leon Hart backed away from the continuous attacks by riding the current. At the same time, there was even room for admiration. ¡°You deserve to be the successor of the Sword King!¡± ¡®Oh, you keep treating me like a kid, yet you look like a child.¡¯ Leon Hart looked like he was in his 20s, but Han-bin knew that his actual age was in the mid-40s. Han-bin wasn¡¯t much different. At the age of 24, he had fallen into the Rocky Mountain and lived there for 22 years. In reality, he was older. However, since Leon Hart didn¡¯t have any experience in society, he was immature. ¡®I can¡¯t argue with that. Damn.¡¯ He was disguised as a blunt Valtara warrior, so all he could do was burst into a roar to vent his frustrations. ¡°Taaaaah!¡± Han-bin¡¯s offensive became more intense. Nevertheless, he still couldn¡¯t win. With a gentle dig into Han-bin¡¯s assault, Leon Hart launched a counterattack. ¡°Yessen¡¯s anger, envelop my hands!¡± His blazing punches grazed Han-bin¡¯s shoulders. The fire rose, causing the heat of his body to rise. ¡°Rhamniana¡¯s torrent, become my storms!¡± Three consecutive kicks from Leon Hard connected with Han-bin¡¯s centerline. Han-bin¡¯s blood boiled due to the blow. ¡°Ugh!¡± Han-bin immediately fought against the penetrating Prana. He managed to prevent any internal damage, but his movements inevitably slowed down. Leon Hart didn¡¯t miss the gap. -Tangled Ectoplasm! A milky tentacle soared from the ground and wrapped around Han-bin¡¯s legs. He then delivered a backhanded strike and another frontal kick! Boom, boom! Prana hit Ryu Han-bin from every angle. Han-bin gritted his teeth as he was beaten helplessly. ¡°Damn it!¡± It was impossible to run away in his position even if he wanted to. With his feet tied up, he didn¡¯t even have the option to step back a little. ¡°That¡¯s nothing!¡± With clenched teeth, Han-bin engaged the muscles of his lower body. Crunch! The ectoplasmic tentacles, which were more challenging than steel, were uprooted and extinguished. He showed tremendous strength. Leon Hart voiced out his thoughts. ¡°Valtara warrior, no one can fight against you in terms of power.¡± But he wasn¡¯t surprised. Leon Hart had known that Valtara warriors were strong for a long time by then. ¡°But you are just powerful.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t his only trait. Overall, his physical abilities, such as speed, defense, reflexes, and endurance, were enormous. It wasn¡¯t proper to disrespect him simply because he was strong. His speed and defense weren¡¯t that far from Han-bin¡¯s. He was only a few steps behind him. On the other hand, Leon Hart was far superior in terms of skills. ¡°Althea¡¯s Wall!¡± He used the light barrier to defend his front. Han-bin¡¯s Blade Aura naturally managed to break it down, but it stood long enough to create a gap. Leon Hart, who caught the opportunity, dug further into the area of the sword wind. He delivered a continuous sequence of kicks and punches. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t back down. -Crosscut! -Vertical cut! -Stab! He fought against his foe using the skills he honed to the peak during his days in the Rocky Mountain. But it didn¡¯t work at all. ¡°Yessen¡¯s anger, envelop my hands!¡± Han-bin¡¯s movements were predicted by Leon Hard, allowing him to continue his assault. He connected heavy blows all over Han-bin¡¯s body. ¡°Burn my enemy with Preleu¡¯s wrath!¡± Spiritual flame and lighting drilled into his body. Every time he was hit by it, he consumed Aura to defend, exhausting him. Ryu Han-bin was slowly being pushed back as the battle continued. ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡± Han-bin grumbled and clenched his fists. ¡®I can¡¯t do this¡­¡¯ The swordsmanship of the Sword King was powerful, but the movements were too simple. There were no complex actions, so it was easy to predict his movements. Of course, if he had actually mastered it, he would be able to make subtle changes that were inherently simple, but Ryu Han-bin was yet to achieve that level. ¡®I need to change my swordsmanship!¡¯ * * * With his legs wide apart and the center of his body lowered, he threw away his former stance, which limited him, and took a new posture that was narrower. He positioned his sword close to his body. He kept delivering attacks. He decided to go for fast and sharp movements rather than slow but hard swings! He focused on moving his body as swiftly as he could! ¡°Tah! Tah! Tah¡± It was the Maxbrid Martial Arts taught by Effir. Leon Hart¡¯s complexion stiffened for a moment. ¡®Huh?¡¯ It was not the swordsmanship of the Sword King. Originally, Baotolt, the Sword King, was the person who valued manhood the most and avoided movements that fluttered around like butterflies. Leon Hart couldn¡¯t help but doubt what he was witnessing. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the heir of the Sword King?¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t care. In the first place, he never said he was the successor of the Sword King. It didn¡¯t matter if Leon Hart had the wrong idea. ¡°Taah!¡± Ryu Han-bin used a snapping action to swing his sword like a whip. -Aura Splash! A red beam bent and lashed at Leon Hart. He defended with both arms, deflecting the attack. Ta-ang! The moment he defended, he gathered all of his Prana on his forearms. Since Uroboros¡¯s defense and his Prana were concentrated on the point of impact, he created an invincible shield that could even withstand Blade Aura. In his mind, Leon Hart clicked his tongue. ¡®Is it the swordsmanship of the Sword King?¡¯ It never crossed his mind that Ryu Han-bin might be an Alien. Since he was selected to be blessed by the Goddesses, he had more experience dealing with Aliens than anyone else. Leon Hart was well aware of how they fought. The swordsmanship used by warriors and Magic Swordsmen from the other world was all the same. Of course, they had different fighting styles, but they were not as diverse in their ¡®Sword Skills.¡¯ It was inevitable since they used the sword skills through the Guideline functions. Of course, no one could master Latna¡¯s swordsmanship. However, they didn¡¯t even want to learn the sword skills themselves. While they could barely master the skills even if they gave their lives for it, they could simply use the Guideline to complete the skills instead. There was no point in wasting time. Alejandro¡¯s mastery of Maxbrid was only to reinforce tactical aspects of his fighting style. On the other hand, Ryu Han-bin was no different from Latnains. He didn¡¯t know anything about the swordsmanship in the Guideline. He mastered his swordsmanship himself. Ryu Han-bin was unmistakably a Valtara warrior in Leon Hart¡¯s mind. It was just unclear whether or not he was the successor of the Sword King. ¡®No, is there any ambiguity?¡¯ Avoiding the opponent¡¯s offensive, Leon Hart analyzed the situation. The opponent¡¯s rhythm had changed. He wasn¡¯t as fierce as before. In that case, it was customary to change from avoidance to deflection and assault. ¡®But his destructive power is still the same!¡¯ He was running around like a girl, but that didn¡¯t mean that his power had decreased. His posture was prudent and sleek, but his swings were still as ignorantly powerful as a Valtara. In a sense, he also looked like the Sword King. ¡®You¡¯re thinking how to strike someone best.¡¯ He smiled bitterly as he recalled the Sword King he had met in the past. Regardless, he confirmed that his foe had become more challenging to deal with than before. It was not because of the Valtara warrior¡¯s talent. ¡°Your teacher taught you so well.¡± Leon Hart said, ¡®As expected, he is the Sword King¡¯s heir.¡¯ A silver-haired girl was twisting her body in the distance, but that wasn¡¯t his business. ¡°She¡¯s not my opponent yet!¡± Leon Hart pulled out Prana from his entire body. It was undeniable that ¡®the heir of the Sword King¡¯ was strong. However, there was still some unfamiliarity left in his movements. He had a tremendous amount of Aura and physical ability, but he didn¡¯t make full use of it! ¡°I¡¯ll show you why the blessings of the Goddesses aren¡¯t for everyone!¡± With his spirit greatly rising, Leon Hart charged Ryu Han-bin again. ¡°Taah!¡± Chapter 103 Blessed By The Goddess (4) Explosions took place throughout the mansion. Every time, the ground shook, and the building cracked like an earthquake. The owner of Baron Frelsis, Tezarn, was shivering in the hallway. ¡°Ahhhhhhh¡­¡± He was had been trained well to become a good lord. However, he was only around level 30. The humans in front of him were on an entirely different level. Monsters above level 100 were fighting, leaving him no choice but to hide and tremble. ¡®I never thought they were my brother¡¯s enemies!¡¯ He felt guilty for stupidly inviting such villains inside. Tezarn was self-loathing in the corner when he heard a voice call out to him. ¡°How are you, Baron?¡± A middle-aged man was running over the rubble-covered corridor. Paul woke up due to the chaos and immediately looked for his master. ¡°Oh! Mr. Paul!¡± Tezarn was delighted to see him. ¡°What should I do?¡± Paul answered sternly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do! You must flee!¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t my brother fighting? We need to help him¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you can help him?¡± The young Valtara warrior was comparable to the third person blessed by the Goddess. Both were super-soldiers ordinary people shouldn¡¯t dare fight against. Rather than being of help, they would just hold Leon Hart down if they were caught. ¡°We need to gather the knights and soldiers!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Tezarn nodded. The knights and soldiers of Frelsis were staying in Sungha village. If he gathered them all, there would be more than two hundred soldiers. If they fought against han-bin¡¯s group¡­ ¡®¡­ What if I fight against them?¡¯ Tezarn¡¯s expression instantly blanked out. ¡®We can¡¯t do anything.¡¯ Even the cute silver-haired girl was a level 72 Magic Swordsman. Even if all the personnel they had were to fight her, there was no guarantee that they could defeat the girl, let alone the Valtara warrior. The level difference was pitifully extreme. Paul was speechless for a while. Perhaps he realized the same thing he did. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you take refuge here, Baron? How could Leon Hart ever lose?¡± * * * The high-level spiritual bombing continued to rain on Han-bin from a distance. -Ectoplasmic Javelin! At the same time, Leon Hart could control his opponent¡¯s movement by opening up light barriers. ¡°Wall of Althea!¡± He utilized the gap to launch a melee attack! ¡°Taaaaah!¡± Like a ferocious beast, Leon Hart assaulted Ryu Han-bin from all sides. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhah!¡± Han-Bin sweated coldly as he continued to be pushed back. ¡®Damn it, Is there no other option¡­¡¯ He tried to find a way to counterattack, but he didn¡¯t succeed. First of all, he was way behind in skills. Leon Hart¡¯s determination and overall skills were genuinely overwhelming. Every time Han-bin swung Gigant, a kick or punch would disrupt his attacks along the way, causing his swing to be exquisitely broken. He would strike but fail, causing him to recuperate. The battle continued as if they were stuck in a cycle where he was losing. Boom! Due to countless explosions, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s injuries continued to increase. Before he could notice it, his whole body was already covered in blood. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t collapse. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Along with a warcry, Han-Bin threw a series of Blade Aura at the enemy. Leon Hart frowned while swinging his arms to remove the shock. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± His arms went numb despite his defenses. The Blade Aura was so intense that it caused his arms to lose feelings when he deflected it. ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to be just strong?¡±¡® There was more to the heir of the Sword King than his immense power. ¡®You have more Aura than me.¡¯ In that one-on-one fight between Aura and Prana, which had different characteristics, Han-bin seemed to have more Aura than Leon had Prana. If it continued at that pace, Leon Hart¡¯s Prana, which had been beaten, would run out first. ¡®I¡¯ll have to finish this before that happens.¡¯ With his determination, Leon Hart chanted. ¡°As a servant of Kybriel!¡± Dozens of light barriers were created in the air. ¡°After you fall, I will kill the Alien who dared assume the title of Goddess!¡± Numerous light barriers merged together, becoming large light hammers. At the moment, Han-Bin was puzzled. ¡®Huh? Isn¡¯t that supposed to be used for defense?¡¯ Leon Hart swung his hand downwards. ¡°Althea¡¯s Overlapping Barrier!¡± The hammers of light hit Ryu Han-bin on the head at a tremendous speed. Boom! His whole body was paralyzed in an instant. It was as if he were buried under a collapsed building. ¡°Ugh!¡± Groaning, Ryu Han-bin protected his body by pulling up Aura with all his might. -Aura Armor! He was hammered down into the ground, creating a huge crater that was more than a few meters in radius. A terrible shockwave shook the world. Boom, boom, boom! Han-bin staggered to his feet after the explosion. He barely managed to survive. ¡®What power is that¡­?¡¯ He clicked his tongue as he looked at the destruction they had caused. It was the first time he had fallen into that world and admired others¡¯ destructive power. The same was true of Leon Hart, who also clicked his tongue. ¡°You can stand with that? You¡¯re amazing.¡± It would have been dangerous for him if he delayed the battle any longer. But he had pushed the situation to where he wanted it. ¡°It¡¯s over now!¡± Leon Hart chanted a spiritual skill by floating in the air. With the opponent reeling, he had the perfect opportunity to deliver the final blow. ¡°The Darkness of Kybriel, which puts all things to rest!¡± He brought all the Prana in his body together and turned it into a blow of destruction. Darkness coalesced into a giant pillar. ¡°Punish my enemy!¡± If the Bloody Rose was his most powerful area-of-effect skill, what he was about to cast was his most potent single-target skill! -Unique Spiritual Art: Arrow of Darkness! Darkness covered his eyes. Frustrated, Han-Bin grabbed Gigant. ¡°For God¡¯s sake!¡± He could feel it by instinct. He couldn¡¯t avoid that. He had to take it with all his might. If he didn¡¯t, it would kill him! ¡°Taaaaaaah!¡± The flames of a rough Aura enveloped the entirety of Gigant. Han-bin pulled all his strength out and charged forward. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s most vital skill, which used cross-cutting, vertical cutting, and stabbing, was activated. Triple Cross Attack, Cross Impact! Immense power clashed with immense power. Red Aura and the black Prana entered a berserk state, creating a relentless shock wave. Boom! Kibie, Artis, and Effir closed their eyes and ears due to the deafening sound. Its destructive force was hard to resist even though they were watching from the side. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Those monsters!¡± And after a while¡­ Two men appeared amid the explosion. ¡°Huh¡­ huh¡­¡± Leon Hart was breathing harshly. His face was pale, and his legs were trembling, and his entire Prana and his physicality were completely exhausted. But he was still standing. He didn¡¯t get hurt much. On the other hand, Ryu Han-bin looked miserable. His skin was torn, his muscles were bleeding, and his whole body was covered in blood. He barely stood, even with Gigant serving as his cane, but he didn¡¯t last long. He succeeded in beating the black-and-white spear. Thanks to that, he managed to save his life. But that was all. Damn¡­¡¯ Eventually, Han-Bin¡¯s knee bent weakly. Thud! It was his first defeat in Latna. * * * Leon Hart laughed. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± It was a tough battle. Indeed, Han-bin was strong enough to be the successor of the Sword King. But in the end, he won. ¡°Fortunately, I can finish this battle without killing you.¡± The young Valtara warrior was just a fool who the Alien deceived. He didn¡¯t commit any crime worthy of death. Looking down at the fallen Ryu Han-bin, Leon Hart said solemnly. ¡°Do you accept defeat, Descendant of the Sword King?¡± Han-bin nodded gently. ¡°I lost.¡± He then breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Leon Hart was embarrassed. That wasn¡¯t the attitude of a loser. It seemed strange for Valtara warriors who had a spirit as competitive as their pride. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s the relief?¡± Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°You didn¡¯t die.¡± Han-bin couldn¡¯t control the power of Triple Cross Attack and Cross Impact. It was a dangerous gamble since they wanted to capture him alive, but it was a deadly situation for him. Exhausted, Han-Bin laid back. ¡°I¡¯ve done as much as I can. Take care of the rest!¡± Kibie, Artis, and Effir, who were as far away from him as possible, responded with a big smile. ¡°Yeah, good job.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the best result, but¡­¡± ¡°This is a satisfactory result.¡± At that moment, Leon Hart turned pale. ¡®Oh, my God!¡¯ Leon Hart came to his senses. It wasn¡¯t the time to celebrate his win against the Sword King¡¯s descendant. He still had three enemies left. They were also high-ranking Hunters with levels around 70 or higher. Normally, even if a few people in the same level as them attacked him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to match him, but he was utterly exhausted at that moment. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Leon Hart rushed his preparation. Kibie and Effir flew away. -Aura Splash! -Magic Swordsmanship: Fang of the Thunder Dragon! A pitch-black Aura rained down on him like a meteor shower, and a lightning blade flashed through the air. ¡°You horrible people!¡± Leon Heart responded to the offensive by maneuvering his way out of their reach. ¡°Althea¡¯s Wall!¡± Boom! The light barrier, which prevented even Ryu Han-bin¡¯s Blade Aura, was smashed by the attack of Effir. He was already so tired that he couldn¡¯t pull out his power. Swiftly, the two females attacked Leon Hart. In a hectic push, Leon Hart clenched his teeth. ¡®I should have saved my energy!¡¯ Of course, he couldn¡¯t have done that even if he knew what they were planning. Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t weak enough to be knocked down while saving his strength. Leon hart allowed more and more attacks to hit him. His whole body was getting scarred. ¡°Argh! Argh! Argh!¡± Leon Hart groaned, but he did not collapse. ¡°You think I¡¯ll fall?!¡± With his entire power reserve fully exhausted, he could only hold on out of sheer mental strength. ¡°Kybriel is watching me!¡± Artis, who was looking for an opportunity, inadvertently laughed. ¡®Well, it¡¯s true that she¡¯s watching.¡¯ The incarnation of Kybriel was beating Leon Hart with her eyes wide open. Pointing with his staff, Artis cast his magic. ¡°Crushing blow of light, Arcane Strike!¡± The pillar of light hit Leon Hart directly. ¡°Argh!¡± He showed off his true strength by holding out against the attack of Kibie and Effir, but he couldn¡¯t handle Artis¡¯s magic damage. Eventually, Leon Hart knelt down. ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Above his despairing green eyes, the black-haired woman with a pitch-black spear apologized. ¡°Sorry, Leon Hart.¡± Bam! The spear hit him on the back of his head. It was an ending that didn¡¯t seem to be apologetic at all. Kibie muttered as if he were making excuses. ¡°You¡¯re a Spiritist, yet you don¡¯t fall.¡± Indeed, even after being beaten that much, Leon Hart was still breathing. He had just completely fainted. Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°He was about to fall, yet he still held on that long? What a strong human being.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t just choose him as the third blessing randomly.¡± Responding to Artis¡¯ words, Kibie glanced toward Sungha village. There was a large-scale army on the way up to the mansion. Baron Frelsis, who had fled, was returning with reinforcements. Most of them were around level 20 and 30. The soldiers weren¡¯t that strong compared to Han-bin¡¯s party. ¡°They won¡¯t be hard to deal with, but¡­¡± Kibie shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no need for unnecessary deaths, is there?¡± They were also precious citizens of Latna. If possible, it was better to run away without hurting them. Han-bin and his party had the means to do so. Effir bashfully smiled as she touched her necklace, the Polymorph Necklace. ¡°Time to soar.¡± Chapter 104 Sacred Peak, Generosus (1) The Landea Mountains separated the border between the millennium kingdom of Kaldris and the fairy kingdom of Allendia. An elegant temple, surrounded by dozens of buildings, stood in a magnificent mountain range basin. It was the headquarters of the Church of Darkness, the Scotaskia, serving Kybriel. * * * The center hall of Scotaskia had a subtle dark color due to the walls being finished with graphite. It was named the Hall of Stars. A group of priests gathered there to hold an emergency meeting. A chubby middle-aged woman in her 50s sitting at the table asked as if she couldn¡¯t believe the news. ¡°Leon Hart is missing?¡± It was Sermen, the Saintess of Darkness. For some reason, people thought of a beautiful girl or an elegant beauty whenever they heard the word ¡®Saintess.¡¯ However, even a saintess wasn¡¯t exempted from old age. An older man with a stern expression, Pope Castalo II, nodded solemnly. ¡°Yes, Saintess.¡± Sermen sighed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe. How could that happen¡­?¡± Leon Hart wasn¡¯t just the eldest son of a local lord. He was the third person to be blessed by the Goddesses and was the Templar Head of the Church of Darkness. He was a powerful man among those who had enough power and influence on the world in Latna. He apparently went down to his hometown for a short vacation and was killed there. ¡°Did he happen to be killed by the incidents during the night?¡± One of the high-priests answered the saintess¡¯s question. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± As soon as she heard the news, she immediately sent people for an investigation. Thanks to that, she was able to grasp the whole story roughly. ¡°According to Baron Frelsis¡¯s testimony, a group of Hunters came to the mansion and attacked Leon Hart.¡± The reckless men fought a fierce battle that destroyed the mansion, but Leon Hart was defeated and got kidnapped in the end. ¡°Their identity is not yet known, but¡­¡± The High Priest continued. ¡°It¡¯s the work of Aliens.¡± There was a reason to judge so. Most of Baron Frelsis¡¯s knights and soldiers watched Leon Hart¡¯s final appearance. They said he was bitten by a big Wyvern¡¯s mouth and disappeared to the other side of the sky. ¡°They said it was a black wyvern with a silver mane.¡± Although most of a Wyvern¡¯s scales were black, it was uncommon for them to have a silver mane. The other believers gathered in the place and murmured. ¡°If it¡¯s a silver-maned wyvern¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same monster who murdered the third prince of the Xrad kingdom?¡± It wasn¡¯t as notorious as they made it out to be, considering it only killed the third prince of a small country. However, the dark believers there all knew about the evil silver-maned Wyvern. That demonic Wyvern¡¯s notoriety didn¡¯t just stem from the murder of the prince. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same monster who massacred the Inquisitor in Onfros City! Of course, when Effir was briefly subordinated to Alejandro, the Templars they killed were members of the Darkness Church. It was a complete coincidence, but from the Church¡¯s perspective, it looked as if the Wyvern did it all. Convinced, Sermen nodded. ¡°I see.¡± They reached a conclusion. The powerful Alien dealing with the silver-maned Wyvern knocked down Leon Hart and kidnapped him! It was a surprisingly penetrating conclusion, even though their reasoning was nowhere near correct. They thought they weren¡¯t wrong, however. The believers exchanged opinions and agonized. ¡°As expected, the night¡¯s tragedy was done by the Aliens.¡± ¡°What the hell are they after?¡± ¡°What are they gonna do with Leon Hart?¡± Castalo II mumbled as he smoothed his beard. ¡°It¡¯s a serious situation indeed.¡± The Pope, the saintess, and the Templar Head were the three pillars that supported the Church. It wasn¡¯t usually a big deal that one of them was missing. However, multiple unfortunate instances related to the Church of Darkness had overlapped. It threw them into disarray. ¡°Find him with all your might!¡± The Pope¡¯s shoulders trembled in anger as he gave out an order. ¡°In the name of Kybriel, punish those wicked heretics!¡± * * * ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sure they are running wild.¡± Kibie sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Castalo and Sermen.¡± She looked inside the wagon and continued. ¡°But we¡¯ve achieved our goal¡­¡± At the corner of the wagon, a young man was sleeping while tied by all kinds of control harnesses and thick chains. It was Leon Hart, the third blessed individual. Han-bin¡¯s group, who had kidnapped Leon Hart as planned, immediately escaped from the Frelsis estate. Along the way, they stopped by a nearby city and prepared all kinds of restraints to tie up Leon Hart. The problem was that Leon Hart was a very high-ranking Spiritualist of level 112. No one would dare arrest him with simple Magic Tools. And there was no way to get better Magic Tools in the countryside, however. Artis gave them a solution. ¡®If quality doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll just have to go with quantity!¡¯ Dozens of restraints were purchased and coiled around his entire body. Thanks to that, they wasted a lot of money, but they overcame such a powerful opponent, so they at least got their money¡¯s worth. That was the third day. At first, Leon Hart made all kinds of fuss, shouting lines like ¡®Untie this chain right now, you dirty heretics!¡¯, ¡®Ah, Kybriel!¡¯ and ¡®Forgive your servant.¡¯ It was as if he had given up half-heartedly. ¡°Of course, he couldn¡¯t have given up¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin murmured as he watched him still sleeping quietly. ¡°He¡¯ll be looking for a chance to escape.¡± Effir, who had just replaced Artis at the horseman¡¯s seat, asked Han-bin. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Han-bin shrugged his bandaged shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve healed enough to move.¡± His injuries were so severe they prevented him from standing, but he had become relatively stable after three days. It was thanks to his generous consumption of healing potions. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s extreme resilience was also helpful. ¡°But if a Spiritist had healed me, I would have gotten better a lot faster.¡± Confirming the healing wound, Effir felt sorry. Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°We have no choice. Low-level healing doesn¡¯t work.¡± His injury had residual Pranas of a level 112 Spiritist. A low-level Spiritist wouldn¡¯t have been able to heal him. ¡°I wish he was on our side¡­¡± When he saw Leon Hart asleep, he felt sorry for him. Kibie replied. ¡°Once we get the holy item, Leon Hart will be able to admit to himself that I am the incarnation of Kybriel.¡± The problem was the process of getting it. The Church of Darkness would indeed form a tracking group and follow them ferociously. They had shown their faces to Baron Frelsis, so the group¡¯s description was revealed. Above all, tracking was a headache. He fought Leon Hart and splattered blood all over the mansion. He essentially left tracking catalysts behind. The Church¡¯s holy warriors would be mobilized for a large scale mission to chase them. ¡°Is there any way to stop or block that tracking skill?¡± Effir shook her head. ¡°There is, but we can¡¯t use it at the moment.¡± That was more difficult to cast than the tracking skill, so they had to be at a minimum level of 80 to use it. ¡°That¡¯s a headache. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re tracking us down.¡± The three strongest men cooperated with the Church of Darkness. The only answer was to go to the Sacred Peak Generosus as soon as possible. Ryu Han-bin continued while grooming the Gigant. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a fight against time.¡± * * * Han-bin¡¯s group left the Meran kingdom and continued heading north. Han-bin had a bitter smile on his lips as he watched the scene while leaning against the wall of the wagon. ¡°Oh, my God, someone would think you¡¯re on a leisurely cruise.¡± Since a large number of chasers were following them, it was necessary to move as soon and as fast as possible. According to common sense, they should abandon their wagon, get on the horses, and rush towards the mountain nonstop. There was a limit to the wagon because of its structure. Nevertheless, Han-bin¡¯s group didn¡¯t leave it behind. ¡®It won¡¯t matter. They would still be faster.¡¯ If it was a short distance, of course, it was better to abandon the wagon and just run. Golem steeds, in particular, weren¡¯t living creatures. If someone held the reins, steeds could run all day without stopping. However, the rider would need to rest. If it was long-distance, it was better to move nonstop while taking turns sleeping. Besides, the problem was that they had a lot of luggage. First of all, they had a big load called Leon Heart. It was never easy to ride a horse with more than just one person on it. With all kinds of Magic Tools wrapped around the human¡¯s body, it became even harder. ¡®Yes, I understand, but¡­¡¯ It was still disturbing to move so slowly while they were being tracked down. He even talked about his opinion with Effir. -Why don¡¯t you turn into a Wyvern and fly us there? I think that would shorten the time. It didn¡¯t work. -I don¡¯t have the stamina to fly that long. If only Effir were alone, it would be possible to rest halfway through and fly to the Kellev Mountains. But with Ryu Han-bin, Kibie, Artis, and Leon Hart? It was far too unreasonable to ask her to fly that far. -I can last 10 minutes at most? I¡¯ll burn out after that. Fortunately, there was no delay in their travels. Their supply was sufficient and long-term preservation of food was possible thanks to the cold storage. If they kept going at that pace, they would enter the Kellev Mountains in about three days. ¡°Will we be able to run all the way there without trouble?¡± ¡°You¡¯d better not expect too much.¡± Kibie shook her head at Han-bin¡¯s words. The Spiritists¡¯ tracking skill was too efficient. It was hard to escape them. ¡°We¡¯re going as fast as we can, but they would probably catch up at least once.¡± * * * At the frontier of the northernmost part of Latna, there was a group of soldiers on the low hill. A middle-aged knight at the head of the army looked down the hill. He could see a wagon moving on a rugged road as it crossed the field. A middle-aged knight, Lord Fraser, smiled coldly. ¡°Finally found them.¡± A templar standing next to him murmured fearfully. ¡°Are we going to save the leader by ourselves?¡± The Church of Darkness went through extreme efforts to save the captive Leon Hart. Thirty members of the prominent group were level 60 or higher, and 20 partners of the Goddess were mobilized. The Church appointed Lord Fraser as the commander of the chase. Considering the time they had, they had done their best. The problem was that they couldn¡¯t handle even Leon Hart with that power. Lord Fraser, the second most powerful member of the Church, was a level 90 Magic Swordsman. There was a huge gap between him and Leon Hart, who was level 112. It didn¡¯t mean that the Church of Darkness was inferior to others. Leon Hart was simply extraordinary. The opponent was a powerful Alien who defeated even Leon Hart. It was natural for the Templar to be worried. But Lord Fraser shook his head. ¡°How could he have lost in that one-on-one battle?¡± Everyone knew how powerful the determined Leon heart was. ¡°I¡¯m sure he used a cowardly trick. The unique items of the Aliens have strange abilities.¡± Cowardly methods were not accepted as there were more There were only four of them. They severely outnumbered the kidnappers. Confidently, Fraser pulled out his sword. ¡°Warriors of Kybriel!¡± He then pulled on the reins of the Golem steed with a shout. ¡°To the wicked Aliens, send the Goddess¡¯s wrath!¡± He led the charge, his steed sprinting down the hill. Others screamed and began to follow him. ¡°To the Aliens, we shall send the Goddess¡¯s wrath!¡± ¡°For Kybriel!¡± Chapter 105 Sacred Peak, Generosus (2) Dust was rising from the distance. Watching the scene, Ryu Han-bin grabbed Gigant. ¡°They¡¯ve caught up.¡± After stopping the wagon, Artis examined their banners. He sighed in relief. ¡°It¡¯s the Church of Darkness. Fortunately, they¡¯re not the Top Three.¡± The Aliens from Akhtarun were too powerful. Even if Ryu Han-bin did his best against them, it was hard to guarantee victory. However, the Darkness Church was in level 60s at best. Even if they outnumbered them, Han-bin¡¯s group could easily defeat them. Effir tilted her head as she pulled out her double swords. ¡°That¡¯s weird. Do they think they can kill Han-bin?¡± Ryu Han-bin went toe-to-toe against Leon Hart. Even though he lost, it was only by a narrow margin. Shouldn¡¯t they have sent a stronger force to deal with such a strong opponent? Kibie shook her head. ¡°They think we didn¡¯t actually catch Leon Hart with our actual skills. That spells good news for us. The Church¡¯s powerful members are scattered all over the continent. There¡¯s a limit to the amount of power they can use right now.¡± The Church was serving her so Kibie could see their situation. In any case, the battle was inevitable. Kibie checked once more, taking care of her weapons. ¡°You know what? Avoid murder at all costs. Just knock them out.¡± If the misunderstanding were resolved, they could become precious allies, but that would be difficult to achieve if they killed them. Han-bin laughed. ¡°But I¡¯m allowed to hurt them as much as I want, right?¡± With a bitter smile, Kibie nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll regenerate from it anyway.¡± On Earth, healing wounds completely still meant that they would still have permanent scar or effect on the person. In terms of surgeries, Latna was far superior. Of course, Earth¡¯s medicine was much better when it came to diseases and illnesses. ¡°Here we go!¡± Ryu Han-bin charged out of the wagon. ¡°Taah!¡± The muscular giant swung his sword, releasing a crescent-shaped shockwave. Despite the pressure, the Templars responded quickly. ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Get into formation!¡± No matter how big the opponent was, he wasn¡¯t taller than someone on a horse. Their overpowering height gave them a lot of advantage in battle! ¡°Huh!¡± As they charged, the Templars stabbed their spears at him. The opponent fought back with his greatsword, never backing down. ¡°Do you think you can trick us?¡± On the surface, he looked like a Valtara warrior, but he couldn¡¯t be. They were not afraid of the Alien at all! Their conviction shattered the moment they exchanged blows. ¡°Huh!¡± Han-bin¡¯s Gigant swung at their spears. Boom! Five spears were smashed at the same time. The horses and their riders were knocked away as well. It was as if a bomb had exploded. ¡°Argh?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Deep nervousness ran through the whole camp. ¡®What the hell was that?¡¯ ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is he a real Valtara warrior?¡± ¡°No, but as the elders say¡­¡± There was no time to panic. Ryu Han-bin was moving again. ¡°Taaah!¡± He stepped forward and swung his sword again. Two Golem steeds broke in half simultaneously, the sword¡¯s wind twisting the Templars¡¯ limbs. ¡°Huh!¡± Every step led to a long crosscut. Three knights and three horses were swept into the air at the same time. He then conjured his red Aura! -Aura Strike! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The loud metallic sound went off one after another. It looked like falling leaves in fall winds. Desperate screams echoed. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± The situation was not much different on the other side. -Magic Swordsmanship: Roar of Thunder! A silver-haired Magic Swordsman, who didn¡¯t look strong at all, and a Church¡¯s partner, who had gone through all sorts of hardships, charged forth. ¡°Splendid flash, Arcane Blast!¡± Every time the red-haired wizard aimed at them with his staff, a formidable amount of magic poured down on them like heavy rain. -Aura Splash! In between, the black-haired warrior ran through them like a wild beast. The black Blade Aura danced and spilled the blood of multiple Templars. The commander, Lord Fraser, was stunned. ¡®Oh, my God¡­.¡¯ The entire pursuit team was collapsing. There was such an overwhelming gap. Above all else, that muscular man¡¯s ability was terrifying. They hadn¡¯t touched a single hair of him, yet their casualties were increasing exponentially. Han-bin was more like a natural disaster than a human being. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Lord Fraser had only seen one person as powerful as Han-bin was in his life. ¡®Then¡­ His skills really defeated Leon Hart?¡¯ * * * Leon Hart was watching the situation in the wagon. ¡®Um¡­¡¯ Precious men were flying away, but his expression was surprisingly calm. It was because Leon Hart knew that there was no danger to their lives. He knew the reason, too. That woman named Kibie had spoken out. -If the misunderstanding were resolved, they could become precious allies, but that would be difficult to achieve if we killed them. Leon Hart thought it was just acting. Considering the characteristics of Aliens, it was impossible. It was a well-known fact that the stronger the Alien, the more interested they were in murder. He didn¡¯t know why they liked murder so much. But they¡¯re avoiding murder. ¡®Or is that even acting?¡¯ They kept having similar conversations so far. -Is it okay to be aggressive against the Church of Darkness? I think we are going to become their sworn enemies. -It¡¯s all right! Once we get the holy item, Leon Hart will acknowledge me. Then everything will be all right! She looked sincere. Sometimes even Leon Hart thought that Kibie might actually be the incarnation of Darkness. ¡®No, I can¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡¯ He struggled to compose himself. If the Templar Head made a wrong judgment, it wouldn¡¯t just end up as damage to himself. ¡®They¡¯re not suspicious of anything.¡¯ He could be sure that the Valtara warrior was not an Alien. But he wasn¡¯t sure about the remaining three. However, it was becoming more and more likely that Kibie isn¡¯t an ordinary Latnain. Maybe it was because she was really the incarnation of the Goddess, but¡­ ¡®Aliens also have similar incompatibilities.¡¯ The Mage named Artis and the Magic Swordswoman, Effir were also suspicious. They didn¡¯t show any particular patterns of behavior that were unique to Aliens. They moved as if they were born and raised in Latna or on the continent. But he wasn¡¯t sure that they were the average Latnians. ¡®Strangely different.¡¯ When asked the difference, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint it, but he could feel it from time to time. He still didn¡¯t know that Effir was Wyvern. When he woke up after he fainted, Effir was already back to her human form. ¡®Only the heir of the Sword King is certainly Latnian.¡¯ Leon Hart was making a lot of mistakes. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m going to stay calm for now.¡¯ If Kibie was indeed the incarnation of Darkness, it was also an irreversible disrespect. He had to move after being sure. ¡®Well, there¡¯s no way to release the restraints.¡¯ Meanwhile, the situation slowly came to a close. Kibie shouted at the fallen Templars, the Goddess¡¯s collaborators. ¡°No more chasing! This misunderstanding will be resolved soon by Leon Hart himself!¡± She then quickly boarded the wagon and left. The hooves of the horses made loud noises as they stomped on the ground. Thud, thud! Looking at the moving wagon, their pursuers gritted their teeth. ¡°For God¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°Oh, my God, Kybriel!¡± ¡°Forgive your servant¡­¡± Pointing at the scene, Ryu Han-bin looked back at Kibie. ¡°In fact, shouldn¡¯t you beg for forgiveness?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry, too!¡± Maybe she was upset, but Kibie pouted her mouth. Han-bin giggled. Leon Hart¡¯s brow furrowed as he watched them. The longer he stayed with them, the more confused he was. ¡®¡­ Is that acting?¡¯ * * * In a village on the Meran Kingdom¡¯s northern border, a middle-aged man was sitting in a bar. ¡°A group of unidentified Aliens kidnapped Master Leon Hart¡­¡± He was Gabe, a level 99 Spiritist, who had chased the Goddess of Darkness¡¯s incarnation at the command of Hollien the Transcendental. Recalling the rumor, he began to wonder. ¡°What are they thinking?¡± Gabe knew that the Aliens were the group of Kybriel¡¯s incarnation. But he didn¡¯t understand why they had suddenly sought Leon Hart. A young man in his 30s shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s not our business. We¡¯re just happy we can kill as much as we want. Hahaha!¡± He was a Level 101 Swordsman, Pit Stewart, an Alien from Canada. He was also the Head of the six Aliens who belonged to the pursuit team. The Valtara warrior, the helper of Kybriel, was extremely powerful. He killed three Aliens who were close to level 100, all at the same time. So Hollien gave Gabe even stronger support. As many as six Aliens, who were in level 100s, were added to his team. Gabe responded coldly, staring at Pit. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your opinion. All you have to do is follow my orders.¡± Unlike Gabe, Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens didn¡¯t actively chase the incarnation. It was because they were bound not by loyalty but by the forbidden spell. The Aliens were forced to follow what they were told to do, only ever feeling pleasure when they killed Latnains whenever they got the chance. Due to them, Gabe was also struggling. The Alien demons kept trying to kill whenever he took his eyes off of them. Even at that time, people in the village were rekindling their appetite. ¡°Oh, I want to kill them.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re only level 1 or 2. No matter how much I kill, I won¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s still fun.¡± Gabe glared at them. ¡°I will never allow the killing of civilians. It would be a headache if people found out.¡± After setting the terms, Gabe also asked the people sitting next to him for their opinions. ¡°What do you two think?¡± The Silver Dragon Almara and the Green Dragon Saltus answered, respectively. ¡°It¡¯s not something we should judge recklessly. I think it¡¯s a priority to report it to Hollien.¡± ¡°I feel the same. I know we can¡¯t use it recklessly because there¡¯s a limit to the number of uses, but we need to be guided before we move.¡± The Message Crystal Orb was a high-level Magic Tool with ultra-long-distance magic communication that allowed the users to converse even when they¡¯re in different kingdoms. As it had excellent performance, it could only be used a total of nine times. Gabe avoided using it unless it was absolutely essential. Gabe nodded. ¡°Okay, get in touch with Hollien.¡± Chapter 106 Sacred Peak, Generosus (3) ¡°They kidnapped Leon Hart, and they are still moving north?¡± Hollien tilted her head when Gabe contacted her. If they continued to move north from that location, they would find the Kellev Mountains at the northernmost point of Latna. There was the Sacred Peak Generosus in the Kellev Mountains. ¡®But what¡¯s in Generosus?¡¯ Scouring her memory for a moment, she grinned. ¡°I see. Is it the holy item of the Darkness?¡± Leon Hart Kartel Frelsis was the third person to be blessed by the Goddesses. Hollien understood the intention of the incarnation. ¡°Kybriel must be broke. She¡¯s trying to find a very old-fashioned object.¡± The Sacred Heart of Darkness wasn¡¯t so useless as to be described as outdated. If the Sword King had acquired Kybriel¡¯s sacred item, no matter how powerful the Top Three were, they would have been crushed before they could react. ¡®But Baotolt is dead.¡¯ In present Latna, there was no one strong enough to threaten the Top Three even if he/she took the Heart of Darkness. Even if Leon Hart were given the item right away, it would still be hard for him to handle the Transcendental, let alone the Top Three, all at once. The Top Three were absolute. Well, Hollien understood why Kybriel did that. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t have had any other choice.¡¯ That made it clear where the incarnation of Darkness was going. With their destination known, she could just go there and wait for them in advance. The problem was that Hollien didn¡¯t have the time to go there personally. It would take three to four days to get from the Fairy Kingdom, the center of the continent, to the northernmost point of Latna, even if she used the fastest flying dragon or Gryphon. That was only possible if she flew around the clock, but it usually would take seven days. ¡°They¡¯ve reached so far.¡± Fortunately, she had already given enough power to Gabe. There were six people around level 90 and 100 under his command. Two ancient Dragons joined the team, and Gabe himself was a Level 99 Spiritist. ¡®That¡¯s enough to capture the incarnation without a problem.¡¯ She gave an order gracefully through the magic video call. ¡°Catch them there.¡± Gabe, beyond the video, bowed politely. ¡°Yes, Dear Hollien.¡± * * * After a single skirmish, the Church of Darkness¡¯s templars no longer followed Han-bin¡¯s group. ¡°They must have felt the need to reinforce their power.¡± It was just as how Kibie predicted. Against the pursuit team, Ryu Han-bin had shown overwhelming force. They managed to confirm that Leon Heart was knocked down by a head-on confrontation, not by tricks. Having experienced it themselves, the Church must¡¯ve realized they needed to mobilize decent forces. It inevitably took time to do that. They had to mobilize their best forces from all over the continent. ¡°That should be enough to delay the Church of Darkness¡¯s movements.¡± By the time the Church had used all their power to track Han-bin¡¯s group down again, they would have already gotten the sacred item and cleared up the misunderstanding. ¡°Of course, if we don¡¯t get the sacred items, things will get direr.¡± The next day, Han-bin and his companions arrived safely in the village of Loin, a mountain village at the foot of the Kellev Mountains. Eventually, the wagon broke down as well. Effir shook her head as she looked under the wagon. ¡°Oh, the axle is broken.¡± Artis gave a bitter smile. ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯ve been using it nonstop. It¡¯s a miracle that it held on for so long.¡± Regardless, they couldn¡¯t go up using a wagon from there. After leaving the repairs to a skilled carpenter in the village, the group prepared to go hiking. Since it was so far north, the wind was cold even though it was autumn. The weather was chilly, especially at the top of the mountain range, which was covered in snow. Han-bin trembled as he watched the ice caps. ¡°Oh, it must be cold.¡± Artis clicked his tongue. ¡°Imagine how we¡¯re feeling.¡± They had bought some winter products such as fur leather capes, but their feet didn¡¯t seem to want to move when they looked up at the rugged snow mountain. Expecting a little bit, Han-bin asked Effir. ¡°Can¡¯t we just fly to the top this time?¡± He knew her physical strength was not enough to carry all four people. But he thought she could just rest in between flights. That alone would significantly shorten the time. ¡°Oh, I might be able to do that.¡± Effir responded positively. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine if we fly until we¡¯re close, but it¡¯ll be too much to aim for Generosus.¡± Kibie dissuaded him. ¡°There¡¯s always a gale around the Generosus. Even if she is a dragon, not a Wyvern, she won¡¯t be able to fly properly.¡± ¡°No matter how hard it is, it¡¯s not going to be windy 24 hours a day. If we wait for the wind to calm down¡­¡± ¡°It is windy around the clock.¡± Kibie replied sternly to Han-bin¡¯s objection. Effir asked, wondering. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because I made it happen.¡± In the first place, it was not a natural phenomenon, but a kind of seal arranged by Kybriel of Darkness. ¡°I had to make it hard for people to get near the sacred item.¡± Still, it was fortunate that they didn¡¯t have to walk through the wide Kelev mountain range from the village. Looking back at Leon Hart, Han-bin shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need you to follow me a little longer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice anyway, do I?¡± With a bitter smile, Leon Hart raised himself. His whole torso was tied up, but his limbs were free to move. The chain was designed to seal Prana, not his movements. It was just that he had so much Prana that they had to use a lot of chains. Leon Hart sighed as he moved. ¡°Honestly, isn¡¯t that too much? I would have walked around like this, but I wouldn¡¯t have been able to get up if I were a normal Spiritist.¡± ¡°If you were a regular Spiritualist, you wouldn¡¯t have had to do this in the first place.¡± Ryu Han-bin smiled and looked back at the Effir. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± * * * A three-meter-long ice giant rushed through the earth. It was an Ice Golem, the Guardian of the Sacred peak Generosus. Thud, thud, thud! A beam-sized arm was swung at them. But Han-bin didn¡¯t avoid it. ¡°Huh!¡± With a short shout, he blew the uppercut away! Boom! Along with the heavy explosion, the Ice Golem¡¯s forearms were broken. Silver particles scattered everywhere. Despite the gigantic mass difference, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s blow penetrated his opponent. ¡°It¡¯s a piece of cake!¡± Shouting curiously, Han-bin threw himself at the monster and swung Gigant. Its ice magic was broken apart, followed by the Ice Golem splitting in two. On the other side, Effir was performing colorful magic tricks. -Magic Swordsmanship: Fire Rain! She swung her double swords and delivered a sharp stab into the body of the Ice Golem. The intense heat of the twin blades penetrated the thick ice. Boom! Nevertheless, the Ice Golem kept moving without any problems. Since it was so huge, a hole in its body didn¡¯t incapacitate it. Effir wasn¡¯t disappointed, however. It was enough. ¡°Ice normally easily breaks once it¡¯s been cracked!¡± She fixed her posture and prepared for her next attack. -Magic Swordsmanship: Thunder Roar! A thunderstorm hit the head of the Ice Golem. Indeed, the vast Golem¡¯s fuselage was smashed as a loud cracking sound reverberated. Somewhere on the battlefield, Artis was dealing with two Golem at the same time. He pointed his staff at the feet of those who rushed at him. ¡°stand and freeze, Frozen Rod!¡± A small column of ice rose and stuck to the ankle of the Ice Golem. Even though it was simple ice magic, it was advantageous because they were ice-based beings. The two legs of the Golems became pillars rooted on the ground. After halting their movements, he used fire magic. ¡°Burning flames, Ignition Blast!¡± The blaze hit the Ice Golems directly. They didn¡¯t break down immediately, but they started to melt slowly because of the heat. The Golems would¡¯ve been able to avoid it, but their feet were bound. Eventually, the Golems melted enough to collapse lifelessly. Boom! It seemed foolish to use ice magic against an icy opponent at first glance, but it could still be useful if the situation fitted well. Kibie was also dealing with a Golem using her spear. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± She stabbed, escaped, swung, and burst out her black Aura, cutting off the Golems little by little. She chipped the Golem¡¯s body little by little, eventually ending it. -Aura Splash! In one stroke, the ice giant split into two pieces. Although Kibie was relatively undervalued, she was also an Aura user around level 80. Han-bin¡¯s group continued to fight against the Ice Golems. Watching the scene, Leon Hart sighed. ¡®Oh, I am not running away.¡¯ He was tied like a dog to a big tree trunk. It might be a natural move in case he ran away, but, if he thought about it a little bit, Leon Hart was not in a position to escape Han-bin¡¯s group. He was already too deep into Sacred Peak Generosus. It was a place where powerful monsters such as the Ice Golems frequently appeared. Magic Tools had sealed all of the Prana of Leon Hart. ¡®What am I supposed to do if I run away from here?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t ordinary at all. Without Prana, Leon Hart was a level 20 or higher warrior with decent physical power and skills. ¡®But if I meet an Ice Golem, I¡¯ll be smashed to death.¡¯ In the current situation, he wasn¡¯t confident that he could survive if he were left alone. It was safer to stay close to them. ¡®Also¡­¡¯ Leon Hart suddenly clicked his tongue as he continued to watch the battle of Han-bin and his group. ¡®I never expected her to be a Wyvern.¡¯ After returning to her original form, Effir carried the entire party, with Leon Hart in her mouth, and flew to Generosus. Only when the winds became too strong to make flight possible did they began to climb the mountain on foot. In the process, Leon Hart inevitably noticed that Effir was not human. She was a Wyvern. She notorious silver-maned Wyvern! The murderer of the prince of the Xrad Kingdom and the demon who slaughtered the Templars of Darkness was right before him. It was a real shock. ¡®How can a Wyvern have that much intelligence?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t surprising to see the Wyvern turn into a human being, but she showed intelligence that made her seem like an actual female human. She was skillful in using such complicated magic tricks. It was almost impossible for a monkey to speak the human language and perform martial arts. Leon Hart, a devout believer in Darkness, had only one assumption. ¡®Is she Kybriel¡¯s creation, too?¡¯ There was no way such a Wyvern could exist naturally. But Kybriel was the creator of the entire Dragon race. If the incarnation used its hands to recreate that Wyvern as such, it was entirely understandable. ¡®Maybe she is the incarnation of Darkness¡­¡­.¡¯ Looking at Kibie, Leon Hart tried to calm his trembling heart. If he had put up that silver-haired Wyvern girl, he would have believed she was the incarnation. But why didn¡¯t she show any good evidence like that? Wasn¡¯t that much clearer than level obscurity? ¡®I¡¯m still not sure because of that.¡¯ Meanwhile, the Ice Golems became well-ground snowflakes. Artis looked around as he controlled his breathing. ¡°Phew, was that all?¡± Ryu Han-bin shouted cheerfully as he sheathed Gigant. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going up!¡± Chapter 107 Sacred Peak, Generosus (4) Along the ridge, Han-bin and his party pushed forward. The color of white dominated the scene no matter where they looked. The snow had covered the entire landscape. Strong winds blew frequently, and blizzards fell to block their sights. Looking around, Ryu Han-bin mumbled leisurely. ¡°I thought it would be freezing, but it¡¯s bearable.¡± Artis, Effir, and Kibie glared at him angrily. ¡°Only for you!¡± ¡°We¡¯re freezing to death!¡± ¡°So am I.¡± Although he remained silent, Leon Hart also had a similar expression. ¡°¡­¡± It was hard to stand the cold even though he was wearing clothes and even was surrounded by Artis¡¯s cold weather spell. Indeed, there it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say they were biting the cold. Ryu Han-bin had such a high defense capability that even the current situation was a breeze. He could ignore it out, but the others weren¡¯t the same as Han-bin. ¡®But this defense is due to passive Aura, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ After mastering Aura, he quickly realized the identity of ¡®defense,¡¯ which he had been so curious about. It was a skill called passive Aura in Latna, a type of Aura defense that an Aura user unconsciously operated in the body. Aura was a lifespan. Every living thing had a weak Aura. It was just that it didn¡¯t come to the surface unless it reached a certain point. Aura didn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere when people reached level 50. As a person¡¯s skills increased, Aura built up. If it exceeded a certain level, it could be operated externally like the other four powers. ¡®Then isn¡¯t it normal that Kibie, an Aura user, to be strong in the cold?¡¯ It turned out that Han-bin¡¯s guess wasn¡¯t wrong. Kibie shook her head. ¡°I am already using the passive Aura. You¡¯re just a monster.¡± In addition to the cold weather spell, Artis and Effir resisted the cold with Mana and Force. The temperature was low enough for them to still tremble even with all the resistances applied. Leon Hart was the same. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s cold¡­¡± With the collar of his coat popped up, he continued to cast the basic cold weather spell. Since the precious ¡®key¡¯ shouldn¡¯t freeze to death, they released two Prana seals that had shackled Leon Hart. Thanks to that, he was able to use Prana at around level 20. Of course, such little Prana wouldn¡¯t allow him to escape. It was so cold that he couldn¡¯t stand not using it to cast the cold weather spell. ¡°Hey, can you release a few more seals? I¡¯m going to freeze to death.¡± Artis shook his head firmly. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. What do you think you¡¯ll do if I let you go further?¡± Leon Hart didn¡¯t ask anymore. Well, if he were in their position, he would have said the same thing. Except for one person, everyone jumped up the mountain. Instead of going through the snowstorm, Kibie suddenly expressed regret. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s freezing. Damn it, why would I store the holy item in a place like this?¡± Effir and Artis scolded her. ¡°That¡¯s true, sister! Why the hell did you hide your sacred stuff in such a remote place?¡± ¡°I mean, why didn¡¯t you hide it in a nice place where people could live?¡± She deserved to be a Goddess. ¡°I can¡¯t do that! People shouldn¡¯t be able to access the item easily.¡± People naturally lived in places where the climate was mild and where the plants and animals thrived. If Kibie wanted to keep her item secure, she had to avoid such crowded locations. Of course, with the power of the Goddess, even such a place could block human access¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t want to drive people away from their homes.¡± Ryu Han-bin looked at Kibie with admiration. ¡®After hearing that, I¡¯m convinced that the Goddesses of this world are benevolent beings.¡¯ It seemed certain that Omphalos or something was evil. Well, if they listened to what she had been saying, they didn¡¯t think the Goddess cared for her people. ¡°This is part of the process of testing the intruder¡¯s qualifications.¡± If someone chosen by the Goddess were to take the sacred object, they needed to prove themselves by going through hardships and adversity! ¡°So, how does it feel to be tested by yourself?¡± Ryu Han-bin asked while laughing. Kibie sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, humans. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Considering that the Goddesses descended as incarnations to understand humans, it was still upholding its original purpose. ¡°Next time, I¡¯m going to lower the eligibility test for acquiring sacred items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a hero¡¯s journey anymore, then. That would be more like taking a driver¡¯s licensure test.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that? The Goddesses don¡¯t know everything about Earth, huh.¡± * * * In the meantime, monsters frequently appeared and attacked the group. What was unusual was that they normal creatures but rather were magical monsters. Ice Golems, Glacial Spirits, and Beast forms seemed to have been summoned through magic. Artis wondered, smashing the Glacial Spirit in front of him. ¡°Isn¡¯t there any living creatures?¡± Since Kybriel was the creator of the Dragon race, he thought that if she were to place a Guardian to protect the sacred item, she would have stationed one or two ice-based Dragon races such as Ice Drakes and Prison Hydras. But all of them were more of a magic trap. Kibie waved her hand. ¡°Even if I¡¯m their creator, I can¡¯t do such a nasty deed. What if we put the living kids in a place like this? What about their lives?¡± The creatures before them weren¡¯t natives of Latna. Until recently, Kybriel had artificially arranged them for a special purpose. But what if she put a living object there? Shouldn¡¯t they wait for the apostle of Goddess who might come at any time in their life and die by their hands? ¡°It¡¯s not what a Goddess should do!¡± ¡°Well, if you put it like that, it¡¯s not a humane thing to do, much less godlike.¡± Having an unsightly conversation, Han-bin and his companions continued to climb the mountain. Ice monsters continued to appear. All of them were powerful, ranging from level 70 to 80, but they couldn¡¯t prevent the group from advancing. No, they couldn¡¯t even hold their ankle. The Ice Golems were dealt with a single blow. ¡°It¡¯s too easy.¡± The Glacial Spirits were dealt with a single blow as well. ¡°It¡¯s too easy.¡± When Beast Spirits appeared in a group, Han-bin stepped back. ¡°That¡¯s a bunch of junk. Effir, kill them and eat their energy.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With Ryu Han-bin at the forefront, everything proceeded smoothly. He passed all the tests that Kybriel had set up. As Han-bin didn¡¯t understand, he asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too easy as to be a Goddess¡¯s test? I think it¡¯s even easier than the Four Prohibited Areas.¡± In fact, except for the intense cold, it was indeed easier than the Four Prohibited Areas. No, such a cold place was common in high-ranking dungeons of the Ice-Flame Forest. Kibie protested as if she were falsely accused. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s stronger there! That¡¯s the most powerful invasion base of Omphalos!¡± The difficulty wasn¡¯t the same since one was created with the intention to kill, and the other was made to test the intruder¡¯s qualifications. ¡°And when I made this, the average Latnain level wasn¡¯t as high as it is now.¡± The average level of heroes who saved Latna¡¯s crisis by acquiring the Goddess¡¯s sacred items in the past was around 80 to 90. It was also the reason why Kybriel¡¯s incarnation, Kibie, was only at that level. On the other hand, in the current era, there were people with much higher levels. It was because of the existence of Dungeons and Aliens. People didn¡¯t become stronger purposelessly. There had to be a reason to become stronger, a chance to be stronger, and a way to be stronger. The invasion of the Demon Omphalos gave the Latnains a reason to become stronger. They also got a chance to be stronger through the continuous appearance of Dungeons. They also learned how to be stronger by dealing with the existence of the world. They continued to create new martial arts, study the Magic Tools of Dungeons, and developed magic day by day. And that was gradually accelerating over time. More than 30 years ago, the head of Great Earth, the strongest Alien, was level 100. No one dared confront their leader until the four strongest individuals came forward. It was enough to spill blood all over Latna. However, at that moment, the situation was different. People over level 100 often appeared among the prisoners of Akhtarun. In the Continental Top Three or the Four Prohibited Areas, there were sometimes superhumans over level 100 among the Latnains. Even Leon Hart was a level 112 Spiritist. ¡®And yet, the strongest three are recognized as unparalleled absolutes. How strong are they?¡¯ Even while Ryu Han-bin was immersed in his own thoughts, the group moved nonstop. They went around the corner of the summit. Surveying their surroundings, Kibie muttered. ¡°It¡¯s about time the last Guardian came out.¡± Indeed, a part of the ice wall cracked, and a presence appeared. Grrr! It was a huge Dragon made of ice. Han-bin blinked. ¡°That¡¯s a little strong, isn¡¯t it?¡± [Race: Frost Dragon Golem. Lv. 85 A kind of weapon created using magic. Like the Silver Dragon, it uses ice magic below level 80.] ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ryu Han-bin pushed forward, unsheathing Gigant. ¡°I¡¯ll smash you!¡± * * * Beautiful ice particles were scattered in all directions as they glinted. Pssst! It was the sad end of the strongest Guardian of Sacred Peak Generosus. Although it was monstrous, he failed to withstand Ryu Han-bin¡¯s blow. Han-bin and his party moved to the ice wall where the Dragon Golem appeared. The middle of the ice wall collapsed, opening a path upwards. The remaining ice of the golem naturally took the form of stairs. Kibie shrugged as she climbed on it. ¡°I handled both the Guardian and path creation at the same time. What do you think about the functional design?¡± The top of the ice wall was a hollow basin. The peak of Generosus was visible above them, and the ice caps were piled up along the ridge. Suddenly, Artis muttered, raising his head. ¡°The wind has stopped.¡± The snowstorm had ended. The intense cold that was bothering the party so much had disappeared. Kibie explained the reason. ¡°We¡¯ve reached our destination.¡± A large cave could be seen in the middle of the white snow mountain. It was the entrance of the Seal, where the Heart of Darkness was located. With a big smile, Kibie walked quickly. ¡°Relax. There¡¯s no Guardian from here.¡± If they went underground through that cave, they would see the temple of Kybriel. There were other forms of tests waiting from there, so there was no need to add monsters. At that time, Effir frowned. ¡°¡­ No Guardian?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Effir?¡± Frustrated, Kibie looked at her. ¡°Then who¡¯s that?¡± Effir pulled out her double swords and triggered a technique. -Magic Swordsmanship: Breaking Gusts! Two gusts of stone wind hit the snowy ridge in front of the cave. At that moment, space was distorted, and the sound of collapse rang with the haze. Boom! A group of humans appeared as the landscape broke. They were hiding using magic. The middle-aged Spiritist at the back of the group laughed in vain. ¡°You managed to catch us. I thought we hid pretty well.¡± There were nine men and women in their 20s and 30s. All of them were fully armed and had high levels. It wasn¡¯t hard at all to find out who they were. Some of them had already met. Among them was Almara, the human form of the Silver Dragon. Saltus, the human form of the Green Dragon, was with them as well. Kibie grabbed her long spear. ¡°Hollien¡¯s pursuit team!¡± Chapter 108 Battle of Snow Mountain (1) Looking at Han-bin¡¯s group, Aliens muttered. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°I got bored waiting for you.¡± ¡°We just arrived early.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It was surprisingly fun to see you flying on the Dragon.¡± The reason why the pursuit team had arrived at the Sacred Peak first was simple. Since they had a clear destination, Almara and Saltus returned to their actual forms and flew towards it with everyone on board. Thanks to them, they arrived at Generosus a day earlier than expected and had been waiting for Han-bin¡¯s group since then. Of course, Dragons couldn¡¯t fly through Kybriel¡¯s seal either, so they walked up from the middle of the Sacred peak. Leon Hart became suspicious when he saw the middle-aged Spiritist standing behind the Aliens. He looked familiar. ¡°¡­ Gabe Martin?¡± One of Hollien¡¯s henchmen appeared in the remote area. Han-bin and his party didn¡¯t know him. He was not famous among ordinary people since he wasn¡¯t active outside. But Leon Hart, a high-ranking member of the Church, recognized him. Gabe glanced at Leon Hart. ¡°Wait a minute, Lord Leon Hart. We¡¯ll get you soon.¡± Of course, Gabe didn¡¯t want to save him. It shouldn¡¯t be known to the world that the Transcendental ruled Aliens and dragons. ¡®But what was I supposed to say?¡¯ Gabe asked Pit briefly, making an internal complaint. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The question was whether the opponent was the incarnation of Darkness. Pit nodded. There was a clear message in front of him at that moment. [Race: Goddess. Lv. Unknown] ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve checked.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gabe pointed at Ryu Han-bin and showed murderous intent. ¡°Then we¡¯ll move as planned.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Pit took the lead by pulling out a long sword. The other Aliens, holding weapons, talked among themselves as they stared at Han-bin. ¡°We¡¯ll only need to take care of him, right? ¡°His level is really weird, as I¡¯ve heard.¡± The Aliens, Arthur, Leslie, and Jason, who were deployed to Serkaltan, were also among the highest-level individuals in Akhtarun. They already knew about the Valtara warrior who faced the three alone. The Guideline showing him as only level 5 was quite peculiar. ¡°He killed those three¡­¡± They knew that Han-bin was a strong enemy who shouldn¡¯t be ignored or underestimated, but even his level was unknown. It would be a first for those who always fought after checking their opponent¡¯s skills. Nevertheless, the Aliens weren¡¯t particularly nervous. They were as good as Arthur¡¯s party, and they had twice as many people. In an arrogant way of speaking, the Aliens began to release the freakiness of their minds. ¡°Will we get a good reward if we kill him at that level?¡± ¡°I would give it my all to kill him, but if there¡¯s no reward, it would be ridiculous.¡± Pit smiled bitterly. ¡®As expected, they¡¯re only concerned about the rewards.¡¯ The reward they were referring to was not ¡®experience.¡¯ They had been tied up in that world for decades. They were past the point of focusing on leveling up. ¡®If we kill the beasts in Akhtarun, we can still get experience.¡¯ Only when they killed humans from Latna and savored their deaths could they enjoy true pleasure. They had high expectations. How great would the pleasure reward be if they killed the talented person who had simultaneously cleared the top three monsters of Akhtarun? ¡°I don¡¯t know how much the reward will be¡­.¡± Pit¡¯s long sword shot out a blue Blade Aura. ¡°¡­ We¡¯ll just have to find out after killing him!¡± * * * Six Aliens approached Ryu Han-bin in a formation. Having Pit in the center, who held the blue-light sword, two Aliens positioned themselves on the left and right sides, presenting a white and red Aura. Thick murderous energy rose above their heads. Ryu Han-bin checked their levels. [Race: Human Swordsman lv. 101] [Race: Human Warrior Lv. 100] [Race: Human Fighter lv. 99] ¡®Everyone¡¯s got good levels.¡¯ The Alien on the left was a large, brown-skinned man with an ax in both hands. At first glance, he looked like an Indochina person, but he was almost 180 centimeters tall. Of course, Han-bin, whose height exceeded 190 centimeters and reached 2 meters, was taller. ¡®If we met in Korea, you would have been very scared.¡¯ The Alien on the right was a solid-built black man. As expected, he was a typical heavy infantryman armed with a mace, a shield, and thick armor. Behind them were robed Asians and a blond swordswoman in police armor, who appeared to be their escort. [Race: Human. Mage lv. 95.] [Race: Human. Spiritist Lv. 92] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 94] Their rear was still relatively low in level, but they were still at least in level 90s. The gap of 5 levels was meaningless in practice. That meant Han-bin couldn¡¯t ignore them. ¡®But there¡¯s a lot of different races. Are they Americans?¡¯ For a moment, he thought of miscellaneous thoughts, but Han-bin soon shook his head. There was no point in trying to identify their origins. Feeling nervous, Ryu Han-bin gulped. ¡®It¡¯s going to be challenging.¡¯ The situation would be troublesome if they ignored him and aimed for his party. ¡®I need to draw their attention to me.¡¯ Raising his Aura, Han-bin swung his right hand wide in the air. -Aura Strike! Dozens of red Aura Bullets poured down like heavy rain and hit them. Boom! Of course, it didn¡¯t hurt them much. As the number of Aura Bullets increased, the power of individual bullets decreased. The black man clicked his tongue, blocking the attack with a shield. ¡°What, you¡¯re hot-tempered?¡± The Southeast Asian who cut off the Aura Bullets with his double ax shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s what Valtara warriors do.¡± The three Aura users in the lead avoided and blocked Han-bin¡¯s bombing. The rear part was the same. ¡°Light of defense, Arcane Shield!¡± The wizard shouted a defensive spell and deflected the Aura Bullets. The stray Aura Bullets knocked on the snow mountain, causing a second barrage. Boom! A snowstorm rose with shock waves, covering the entire battlefield. Pit roared through the fluttering snowflakes. ¡°Akwashi!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The black man answered back and charged forward. With a white Aura shield and a mace, he attacked Ryu Han-bin like a bull. Han-bin also fought back with his Gigant. A battle between sword against mace and shield occurred. Bam! It resulted in Ryu Han-bin dominating the situation. The rushing Akwashi was pushed back. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s really strong.¡± Pit, who saw the frightened man, shouted again. ¡°Mahathir!¡± Mahathir, the Southeast Asian man, swung his axes, targetting Han-bin¡¯s right side. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Two heavy-looking axes flew in with elegant trajectories. As the offensive was penetrating from both sides, Han-bin¡¯s dominance, which was pushing forward, was dampened. In the meantime, Pit fired a blow by invoking a skill through the Guideline. -Explosive Island! A blue Aura drew forward like lightning and dug into the gap. It was such a high-level skill that it had a similar effect to electricity. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ryu Han-bin gained more strength by barely twisting the Gigant to defend himself. The red Blade Aura took on the form of a flame as it stretched out. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Four lines of Aura crossed frantically and embroidered the air. Explosions occurred nonstop. When Pit joined, the balance was leveled. No matter how strong Ryu Han-bin was, it wasn¡¯t easy to deal with three level-100 Aliens. The problem was that they weren¡¯t doing their best yet. There were still three more Aliens in level 90s! The Asian woman with a wand pointed at the Magic Swordswoman using her chin. ¡°Join us as well, Suyen.¡± ¡°Yes, Alice.¡± The blonde woman called Suyen pulled out a sword and burst forward. She penetrated through the chaotic battle and performed a Magic Swordsmanship technique. -Magic Swordsmanship: Fang of the Snake Dragon! Alice, a Mage, and Jeffrey, a young Spiritist, didn¡¯t just stand idly by. Both of them faithfully assisted their allies in the battle with powerful magical and spiritual skills. When they joined, the flow tilted to their side. A cold sweat began to seep out of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s forehead. ¡°Argh! Ugh!¡± * * * Destructive Auras were pouring from all sides. Exquisite Magic Swordsmanship was aimed at his gaps. No matter how Han-bin tried to attack, all kinds of magical and spiritual skills flew from a distance and broke his momentum. Ryu Han-bin gnashed his teeth. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ At that point, it was almost overwhelming to defend, let alone counterattack. ¡®Fighting against six Aliens isn¡¯t easy.¡¯ The original Guideline alone couldn¡¯t distinguish whether the opponent was an Alien or a Latnain. And they were no different from the natives of the world. Not only did their attire fit in well with the locals, but the language they were speaking was at the native level due to the Guideline¡¯s function. Nevertheless, Ryu Han-bin was convinced that the six were Aliens, and they were released from Akhtarun. ¡®Their armaments are all the same! They¡¯re definitely Aliens from Akhtarun!¡¯ The staff that the female Mage held was a Spell-Saving Staff. The Magic Tool worn by the young Spiritist was a Robe of Prana Amplification. The long sword wielded by the Magic Swordswoman was a Force-Driving Sword. The warrior family¡¯s Aliens also had different weapons, but the abilities given were all the same. There was only level 90 ice magic, Freeze Striking. It was easy to recognize because all of the Aliens of Akhtarun, whom Han-bin had met so far, carried them like ritual weapons. ¡®They must have been mass-produced and distributed in batches.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin continued to be pushed back. As expected, the difference in numbers was too big. However, he managed to endure it. He kicked deep into Akwashi¡¯s shield and blocked the mace with his Gigant! ¡°Huh!¡± While he was pushing the opponents away, they hit him with a Blade Aura on Mahathir¡¯s double ax! ¡°Taah!¡± He used repulsive force to cut through Pit¡¯s front! ¡°Taaaah!¡± He prevented simultaneous attacks with his swift reflexes. Of course, that wasn¡¯t enough to stop them. There were magical and spiritual skills that slithered through like a serpent whenever there was a little gap. He had to crush them with great force! -Crosscut! Boom! During his days in the Rocky Mountain, the basic skills he had trained didn¡¯t betray him. Everything it hit exploded, saving him from a crisis. The expressions of the Aliens who were dealing with Ryu Han-bin began to stiffen. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s too strong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a different story, isn¡¯t it?¡± The opponent fought against Arthur, Leslie, and Jason before. Although Arthur and his party had lost, it wasn¡¯t an overwhelming defeat. Thus, they had estimated the level of ¡®Valtara Warrior, Felard Bean¡¯ at around 110. If they had twice the power, they could easily get rid of him. But what was going on? When they began to fight him, they realized how far from the truth they were! -Stab! Another red explosion surged from Ryu Han-bin, penetrating the air. ¡°Huh!¡± Pit, who narrowly avoided it, sweated coldly. ¡®Is this guy actually over level 120?¡¯ Chapter 109 Battle of Snow Mountain (2) Ryu Han-bin¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t as comfortable as the Aliens thought. He was still going back and forth between life and death. ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡± Lethal attacks continued to flow towards him. Han-bin knew he could die if he made a little mistake. magic spells continued to bombard him from a distance. They were all strong Aliens who were approaching level 100. Their power was likewise enormous. Moreover, their strength didn¡¯t just lie from high levels. ¡°Blink!¡± Akwashi, the black Alien, avoided his attack with short-distance teleportation magic. It was the power of an artifact ring, the Blink ring on his finger. Alice, the Mage, recovered from the minor wounds alone. ¡°Heal!¡± Jeffrey, the Spiritist, was able to defend from Ryu Han-bin¡¯s Aura Strike. ¡°Spirit of Dragons!¡± The Mage was using spiritual skills while the Spiritist was using Magic Swordsmanship. Of course, Ryu Han-bin knew the reason behind that. He even checked it using the Guideline. [Absolute Cure Bracelet (Artifact) Casts the highest level of healing on the wearer. Level Requirement: Lv. 70 Number of uses: 2/3 times a day] [Dragon¡¯s Power Necklace (Artifact) Allows the user to use level 83 Magic Swordsmanship technique, Spirit of Dragons. Level Requirement: Lv. 80 Number of uses: 1/2 times a day.] Arthur and his group were armed with additional equipment such as the Blink-series Artifacts. They took those tools from the Hunters of Latna after murdering them. Thanks to those artifacts, it became even more difficult for Han-bin to deal with them. The same went for his current opponents. They weren¡¯t simply armed with weapons supplied in batches. They had of additional tools other than the ones they received due to their high level. They were powerful tools. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s annoying to deal with high-level people in this neighborhood.¡¯ There were too many tactical and strategic points to pay attention to, like the warrior using magic, the Mage using spiritual arts, and the Spiritist using Magic Swordsmanship. ¡®Damn¡­¡¯ Even if he focused on defense, Han-bin kept shedding blood. It had been a long time since he tried not to show his pain, but his breathing was becoming ragged. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t collapse. He held on. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills had also risen considerably. It was thanks to his struggle with Leon Hart. Experience was said to be the best teacher, and though they only fought once, he still gained a lot of knowledge from it. Experiencing the tactics of three Aliens at the Grand Maze Kaltan was also helpful. However, there was another reason why Han-bin could endure this much. Pit performed a spectacular sword technique, scattering blue Blade Aura. -Spring Seven Attacks! Han-bin didn¡¯t know the skill name, but sharp Blade Aura flew towards the whole body¡¯s seven vital points. Ryu Han-bin calmly linked his shoulders and wrists to dig into the loopholes in the battle. -Aura Splash! The timing was appropriate, so Han-bin¡¯s red Aura connected before Pit¡¯s offensive. Pit gave up, pulling back with his sword. He wanted to go after him, but he couldn¡¯t. Before he knew it, Alice was preparing for an extra magic attack. ¡°You who tear the flames, come into my hands¡­¡± Han-bin couldn¡¯t let her complete the spell. Ryu Han-bin gave up on Pit and focused on Alice. -Aura Strike! The red Aura Bullets shot towards her. In fright, she stopped casting the magic spell and avoided it instead. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± It was best to finish her since he had made a gap in the opponent¡¯s stance. However, Han-bin had to give up again that time. Suyen was casting a spell! -Magic Swordsmanship: Sky-Cutting Thunderstorm! Dozens of electric shocks poured down on him like rain. Han-bin blocked the technique by changing the position of Gigant with both hands. ¡°Taaah!¡± Thunder and Blade Aura collided against each other, creating explosions. Boom! Staring at the retreating Suyen, Ryu Han-bin gasped. ¡®You¡¯re taking turns at hitting me.¡¯ They had been doing that since a while ago. He glanced at Kibie for a moment. ¡®Fortunately, they¡¯re only after me.¡¯ When fighting against a large force alone, defeating them one by one was important. It would be advantageous to have a tactic that could take them out individually while staying out of the opponent¡¯s range through good positioning. However, Han-bin couldn¡¯t do it. Getting out of the opponent¡¯s range meant that the opponent was also out of his range. If Han-bin missed any Alien, he or she would aim at Kibie or Artis, and Han-bin wouldn¡¯t be able to protect them right away. Therefore, when he faced Arthur at Kaltan, he struggled to deal with the three simultaneously. And Han-bin was fighting against six Aliens. No matter how skilled Ryu Han-bin was, it was impossible to simultaneously put everyone in his attack range. Furthermore, he wasn¡¯t very skilled in combat against large forces. During his days in the Rocky Mountain, he fought against individual big demon dogs, and he had never fought large and powerful forces in Latna. Han-bin had just unilaterally beaten the weak. He had no choice but to fight and retreat. Han-bin could endure their assaults because he didn¡¯t overdo it, but of course, he missed his opponents several times. Nevertheless, no Aliens were attacking Kibie. They were only going after Ryu Han-bin. It was fortunate for Han-bin, but it also made him curious. ¡®Why?¡¯ Their target was the incarnation of Darkness, not him. ¡®Is there any other reason?¡¯ * * * Kibie, Artis, and Effir were engaged in a fierce battle against the middle-aged Spiritist Gabe and the Dragons Almara and Saltus. With the left and right swords crossed, Effir performed colorful sword dances. -Magic Swordsmanship: Storm thunder! A sudden storm swirled through the graceful dance moves. The Artis¡¯s fire magic followed it. ¡°Flame Strike!¡± It didn¡¯t work. ¡°Althea¡¯s light, descend upon the earth!¡± Saltus¡¯s defensive spiritual art blocked Effir¡¯s sudden storm through the barrier. Almara defended them from the fire spell using water magic. ¡°Echo of the waves, Aqua Wave!¡± Boom! In the magnificent explosion, Effir and Artis bounced back. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± While catching her breath, Effir fixed her posture. She then clicked her tongue. ¡®Hmm, you don¡¯t want to turn into a Dragon.¡¯ She was working hard so that Almara and Saltus wouldn¡¯t return to their original forms. As soon as they turned into Dragons, she would revert them back into their human forms. It was useless. Looking at Ryu Han-bin fighting against the Aliens far away, the two Dragons smiled. ¡°Without that Valtara monster¡­¡± ¡°The rest of them are easy to handle.¡± They didn¡¯t have to become Dragons. They were also a level 82 Mage and a level 79 Spiritist as humans. The only thing they feared was the giant Valtara warrior. The rest were not difficult to handle at all. Besides, behind them was Gabe, a level 99 powerful Spiritist! ¡°Preleu, put your power into my hands!¡± Gabe pulled Prana up through hand signatures. The atmosphere agglomerated and turned into a gigantic wind spirit. The wind giant burst into a roar and began to rush forward. Bam! The black-haired woman stood in front of him with her hair fluttering. ¡°Whirl!¡± She turned the spear like a windmill and sprinkled black Aura. At the same time, she hit the edge of the spear and fired a dozen Aura Bullets! -Aura Strike! The Aura Bullets raged towards the wind giant. Boom! The wind giant shook for a while and soon ran back. Grrr! Since he was such a powerful wind spirit, it was hard to damage him with level 80 Aura Bullets. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Kibie cursed him as she propelled herself forward. She penetrated the opponent¡¯s arms, stabbed him in a row, and cut him, over and over again, using Black Aura. The giant also waved both of its stormy arms against her. The storm¡¯s body became steel to attack, and it became air to dodge. As time went by, Kibie began to lose ground. ¡°Argh!¡± Gabe smiled as he watched Kibie. ¡®This shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡¯ * * * If only one of the six Aliens facing Ryu Han-bin had turned that way, the situation would¡¯ve already ended. But Gabe didn¡¯t do that. As Han-bin¡¯s questioned, he had a clear reason for deliberately excluding the Aliens. ¡®I can¡¯t hurt the incarnation of the goddess.¡¯ Hollien¡¯s orders were strict. -Capture the incarnation of Darkness and bring it to me. He needed to capture her. It wasn¡¯t a matter of life or death. But what if he let the Aliens fight the Goddess? The ultimate goal of the Aliens was to kill the Goddess of Latna. When they achieved that goal, they would get the right to return to Earth with all kinds of favors. So everyone was eager to get the Goddess. ¡®They can kill the incarnation at will, right?¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t recognized as the murder of a Goddess unless the Goddess¡¯s existence disappeared, no matter how many times the incarnation was killed. That was for sure. Archmage Genovia, who had studied the Aliens for a long time, had already confirmed it. And Garhan¡¯s forbidden spell requirement clearly stated that they had to ¡®capture the Goddess alive.¡¯ If someone killed the Goddess, they would be killed mercilessly. So it could be said that there was no possibility that they would kill the incarnation of Darkness¡­ ¡®I have no idea about what they¡¯re thinking.¡¯ Gabe couldn¡¯t trust the Aliens. They weren¡¯t understandable using Latna¡¯s common sense. They were also crazy people who were hell-bent on killing people. What if they ignored their life and killed the incarnation to screw with the four strongest individuals who locked them up? Besides, life and death were both bound to happen sooner or later. Gabe and the Ancient Dragons had served them for a long time, even at the expense of their lives. Hence they could put the life of the incarnation before their own. But would Aliens do the same thing? ¡®We can¡¯t take that risk.¡¯ Gabe purposely turned all the Aliens¡¯ attention to the Valtara warrior. Except for the Valtara warrior, they could defeat the members of the party by themselves. ¡®Safely and surely follow their orders!¡¯ Kibie bounced off of the wind giant¡¯s strike. Thud! The woman rolled more than 10 meters, digging into the snow. Snow scattered all over the already-blizzard-covered land. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Gabe once again drew a sign aimed at the groaning Kibie. ¡°Rhamniana¡¯s torrent, let it soar and fall!¡± Chapter 110 Battle of Snow Mountain (3) It happened when he was pressuring the Valtara warrior. A red flash split his view in half. -Vertical cut! Frightened, Pit stepped back and assumed a defensive posture. A red Blade Aura passed by his shoulder. Blood splattered. ¡°Ugh!¡± Feeling a throbbing pain in his shoulder, he broke out in cold sweat. Although he avoided it, if he had dodged an inch less, it would have been his neck, not his shoulders. ¡®Wow, that was dangerous¡­¡¯ No matter how superior their side was, the Valtara warrior was much superior when it came to individuality. A moment of neglect could lead to death. Pit twisted his lips as he looked at Gabe, who dealt with the rest of the enemy party. ¡®Damn Latna bastards.¡¯ Gabe focused all the Aliens against the Valtara warrior, citing one cause or another. The reasons were certainly plausible. But Pit knew the truth. ¡®It¡¯s obvious. You want to play it safe.¡¯ There was no way that Gabe¡¯s party would lose with that much numerical advantage. However, no law prevented deaths. And there was no way to guarantee that nobody would die on their side. What was the point of winning the battle if he died? It was only natural for them to order the Aliens to focus fire on the monstrous Valtara warrior. They safely fought against the low-level enemies to protect their precious lives. ¡®I know, but I have no choice because I¡¯m not in a position to fight back.¡¯ Either way, it was better for the Aliens to fight together. Their chemistry could be disrupted if others interrupted their teamwork. So he didn¡¯t protest. Even so, Gabe¡¯s cause was ridiculous. ¡®You think we might kill the incarnation?¡¯ They still didn¡¯t understand the Aliens at all. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve lost the incentives to kill the Goddess.¡¯ Pit smiled bitterly, recalling the first time he fell into the world decades ago. * * * Ryu Han-bin had a passing thought while looking at the six Aliens. -But there¡¯s a lot of different races. Are they Americans? It was a reasonable idea for Koreans familiar with Hollywood movies and dramas that featured many races as leading and supporting actors. None of them were real Americans. Pit Steward was an Italian-Canadian, Mahathir was a Malaysian Muslim, and Akwashi, a black man in his 30s, was an African-Congolese. Alice was a Western name, but she was from Hong Kong, and Jeffrey was Asian, but her nationality was British. Rather, Lin Suyen, who appeared to be a blonde Western woman, was Chinese. There were quite a few ethnic minorities in China with Russian blood. The Devil Omphalos randomly selected and summoned anyone from Earth for as long as they passed the qualifications. races and countries were forced to gather. However, those who had survived for decades no longer had the concept of their country of origin. In their 20s or early 30s, they had fallen into Latna and lived there for decades. The time spent in that world was much longer than the time they lived in their hometown. As such, their goal of returning to Earth was clouded. ¡®I used to think I just wanted to go back.¡¯ Pit was also quite excited when he had first fallen into Latna. He was thrilled by his expectations for the new world and the powerful ability in his hands. It was fun to see himself getting stronger by raising his level. It was difficult to see the weak bow their heads before him when he was on Earth. But that was it. What better was that world than Earth? First of all, the people¡¯s mindsets were so different that it was difficult to adapt. Even if he adapted properly, his life remained uncomfortable. When it was hot and cold, it was really hot and cold. Food was boring, and the aristocrats¡¯ high-quality clothing wasn¡¯t better than the cheap clothes on Earth. Even the shoes were uncomfortable. On Earth, even simple sneakers were made based on a lot of functional research. Moreover, food wasn¡¯t the only thing that bored him. Life was even more boring. How many people in the modern world had devoted themselves to one ¡®joy¡¯ and developed a culture? Music? Songs? Movies? In that brutal world, the play was all about holding festivals and dancing among themselves or enjoying theatrical plays or tricks that occasionally came. Of course, some pleasures in that world couldn¡¯t be obtained on Earth. ¡®I can punch a bad boy to death, and I can harass any girl I want.¡¯ It was quite a pleasant experience in the beginning. Breaking taboos was a lovely thing. However, it didn¡¯t last long either. Reverse wisdom didn¡¯t necessarily have to be activated when there was tremendous empathy. He could feel it simply by changing the situation. That meant he could become an unlucky boy and be beaten to death, or the Latnains could brutally harass him! The majority of Aliens tried to adapt to the new world after falling into Latna. And most of them died miserably. Those who survived only dreamed of returning to Earth. They became enthusiastic about killing the Goddesses. What if they couldn¡¯t achieve it after decades of trying? Their desire to return to Earth was fading away. They felt that Latna was uncomfortable in many ways compared to Earth. However, that was the story when their level was low. Magic existed in that world. Although aristocrats¡¯ clothing was not as good as the Earth¡¯s cheap clothes, they had only ever seen lower-class aristocrats. A real high-ranking aristocrat or royal family wore fancy clothes with all kinds of magic. It turned out that Latna¡¯s shoes were comfortable enough. Properly-made middle-aged leather boots were more comfortable than simple sneakers. It was just too expensive. The same went for food. High-level people could eat all kinds of delicious food. It just cost a fortune. Latna wasn¡¯t uncomfortable compared to Earth. It was just that majority of the public, like on Earth, couldn¡¯t enjoy the convenience. The higher the level, the more money earned, the easier life became. Then, the only problem left was the boredom unique to modern people, which had been solved by the pleasure reward given at level 50. Aliens, who were above level 50, could kill the natives of Latna for intense pleasure. The pleasure wasn¡¯t comparable to the drugs on Earth. Unlike drugs, there were no physical side effects. For Aliens, who had survived for decades and fully adapted to their new world, Latna was a world where they never got old, where they could continue to feel pleasure, and where they didn¡¯t feel much inconvenience. But sending them to Earth? ¡®Well, if we go back to Earth with our ability intact, that wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea¡­¡¯ Pit laughed. There was no Latnain on Earth. It meant that no matter how many Earthlings they killed, they wouldn¡¯t get pleasure reward. ¡®How many people would give up this reward?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because there was a way to return to Earth that Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens cheered for Garhan¡¯s offer. It was because they could get out of Akhtarun and kill Latnains again. The same was true for Pit¡¯s party. They didn¡¯t want to go back to Earth. The Top Three were not interested in whether they became Gods. The only thing that mattered was the immediate pleasure reward! Towards the powerful ¡®Latnain¡¯ with an estimated 110 or higher level, the Valtara warrior in front of them, the six Aliens attacked Han-bin more aggressively. ¡°Oh, please just die already! You¡¯re so damn good at holding on!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, right? The stronger he is, the greater the reward will be!¡± ¡°Of course, it bothers me that he is measured at level five¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not wasting my breath at all.¡± Even if there was no pleasure reward, they still had a ¡®dessert.¡¯ That blonde young man was hiding between the large trees in the basin. He was the third person to be blessed by the Goddesses, Leon Hart. Unlike the Valtara warrior, his level was measured correctly. [Race: Human Spiritist Lv. 112] He had a high level, which meant the reward would be amazing. He was even packed properly for the feast! ¡°I wish I could kill him and get the reward¡­¡± ¡°If not, we have another prey right there. It won¡¯t be a problem!¡± They chatted among themselves and continued to attack Ryu Han-bin. Alice stretched out her staff with a thrilling look. ¡°Flash of Penetration, Arcane Strike!¡± The pillar of the brilliant light blazed forth. A magnificent explosion shook the snowfield. Boom! * * * Hidden behind a giant tree, Leon Hart watched the situation. ¡®This is dangerous¡­¡¯ The distance was too far to listen to what they were talking about. With his Prana sealed, he was no different from ordinary people. But he knew from his long experience. Those six were Aliens. Their methods of combat and their skills showed their true nature. Gabe, on the other hand, was Latnain. Those two strangers with Gabe were also showing a Latnain fighting style. ¡®¡­ It¡¯s really dangerous.¡¯ Nervous, Leon Hart¡¯s expression hardened. ¡®The Transcendental¡¯s henchmen are controlling the Aliens as servants? They look like they¡¯re around level 90 or higher.¡¯ Han-bin and his party didn¡¯t have to be careful about the conversation in front of Leon Hart. They only hid the fact that Han-bin was from Earth, but they talked about other things openly. The truth was that they did it intentionally to let Leon Hart eavesdrop. Thanks to that, Leon Hart was able to grasp the situation just by listening to them. ¡®Doesn¡¯t what they¡¯re saying make more sense?¡¯ A large number of high-level Aliens had appeared throughout Latna. And the night was suffering from an unexpected event. Even the strange sight of Gabe using those men as his servants was right in front of him. As Han-bin and his party claimed, if the Top Three were behind everything, it made sense. ¡®Then, if they lose, I won¡¯t be safe.¡¯ They would never let him live because Leon Hart knew they were working with Aliens. The problem was that no matter how he thought positively, he didn¡¯t believe that the Valtara warrior could win. If Leon Hart himself were to deal with those six Aliens at once, he would lose the battle as well. Even the success rate of escaping wasn¡¯t high. Even if he did run away, he would die somewhere in the Snow Mountain since his Prana was sealed. Leon Hart bit his lower lip nervously. His mind was torn. ¡®Damn. What should I do?¡¯ Chapter 111 Battle of Snow Mountain (4) Kibie, Artis, and Effir were in a tough situation. ¡°Taaaah!¡± With a sharp shout, Kibie did her best to deal with Gabe¡¯s wind giant. Effir performed Magic Swordsmanship to cut down Saltus¡¯s Ectoplasmic tentacles. Meanwhile, Artis was engaged in a magical battle against Almara. ¡°Flame of the abyss, Ignition Death Ray!¡± Five crescent-shaped heat rays surged towards the silver-haired woman. Artis conjured five consecutive attacks by using the Spell-Saving Staff. However, Almara responded with a magic of her own. ¡°Hardened Snowstorm, Diamond Dust!¡± A hailstorm poured down and blocked the heat rays. However, the heatwave still penetrated through Almara¡¯s magic and continued to advance. Still, it was enough to decrease its destructive power. She continued her magic. ¡°Mirror of Reflections!¡± The reflection magic had reflected all the heat rays away. Artis looked surprised. ¡®How could you have easily blocked the Ignition Death Ray?¡¯ Ignition Death Ray was a high-ranking level 72 spell. Artis had mastered it recently after studying it extensively and training hard with it. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be blocked by Diamond Dust, a level 50 spell, or by a Mirror of Reflection that easily. Almara laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not just about becoming a master by casting high-level spells, you stupid wizard.¡± It was common knowledge to use layers upon layers of magic spells before making a powerful blow. Almara had laid out Diamond Dust before she cast Mirror of Reflection. Artis ignored it and threw away the high-level magic, so it was bound to be blocked easily. ¡°If you¡¯re a Mage, you should think of a continuous attack. Hahaha!¡± Artis gritted his teeth at the opponent¡¯s taunt. ¡®Damn it, who doesn¡¯t know that?¡¯ He was also faithful to the foundations of a Mage. He used to do that until he met Ryu Han-bin. ¡®I was a level 36 wizard until just a few months ago!¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s ¡®give-all-energy¡¯ tactic had raised his level too much in a short period. He had only a short time to learn magic spells, let alone understand them and incorporate them into his strategies. He wasn¡¯t a proper level 70 wizard due to the imbalanced path he took. If he had to compare it, he was in a similar state as the Lich he had met before. Its level was high, and it had a lot of magic mastered, but it hardly knew how to use any of them properly. Things weren¡¯t much different for Effir, either. ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡± No matter how much of a genius she was, time was the factor she lacked most. Due to the overwhelming lack of combat experience, she continuously got pressured away by the human form of Saltus, which wasn¡¯t that much higher in terms of level. Eventually, she allowed a gap. ¡°Sorondi¡¯s power, hold my enemy!¡± Saltus¡¯s spiritual art tied Effir¡¯s two feet to the earth. It was only a brief pause, but that was enough. Almara and Gabe aimed at her at the same time as if they were waiting for that opportunity. ¡°Impulse shock!¡± The shock paralyzed her¡­ ¡°Light of Althea!¡± At the same time, a spiritual art struck her abdomen! ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The shock confused Effir. Both carefully controlled their power to damage her without killing her. The Ectoplasmic tentacle tied up the fainted Effir. Gabe burst into a cheerful laugh. ¡°I got you!¡± Artis was embarrassed. He didn¡¯t expect them to attack that way. ¡®Why Effir? Wasn¡¯t their goal Kibie?¡¯ Gabe, who caught Effir, immediately widened the distance and left the battlefield. Saltus¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡®You finally got her?¡¯ Then there was no more reason to hesitate. He gave a signal to the silver-haired woman. ¡°Almara!¡± ¡°I know, Saltus!¡± Almara grinned as she looked into his eyes. At that moment, a dazzling light began to envelop the bodies of the duo. A magnificent roar shook the snow mountain. Grrrr! * * * Snowflakes kept fluttering in the air as the heat of the battle melted them. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin breathed heavily. The white land had become muddy and dirty, but his situation remained dangerous. He tried to counterattack several times, but he couldn¡¯t connect any of his advances. His opponents never overstepped out of their plan. They dealt with Han-bin calmly by utilizing the safest tactics. ¡®You¡¯re going to dry me. Damn.¡¯ They fought like meshed cogs. He had never fought against such a strategy before. Until that moment, he had never had a lower endurance than his opponent. His opponents always rushed to win the battle. That was the tactic of the Aliens in the Grand Maze Kaltan, as well as Leon Hart. But he was currently dealing with six enemies. They took turns attacking him and replenishing their strength and energy. Even if they were injured, a powerful Spiritist supported them from behind. Even if they wanted to reduce the number sequentially, they didn¡¯t even give him a chance to do so. ¡®There¡¯s a limit to fighting alone!¡¯ He was getting tired. The arm holding the sword was getting heavier. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s better to fight together¡­¡¯ Back then, Artis and Effiyr¡¯s levels were low, so much so that they were forced to fight separately on purpose. But they had grown quite strong since then. They were reliable colleagues. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s better than just being driven like this and losing!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin made up his mind and just turned his head. Grrrr! A dazzling light covered the snowfield. Giant wings spread wide, and magnificent shadows loomed over the earth. A silver Dragon and a green Dragon, which were more than 30 meters tall, revealed their terrifying bodies over the snowfield. Han-bin¡¯s face crumpled to the fullest. ¡®Damn it! How can things keep getting worse?¡¯ * * * Shaking her eight horns, the Silver Dragon spoke pleasantly. ¡°It feels good to be back to my original form after so long.¡± The Green Dragon tilted his head and responded. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long, has it, Almara? We recently transformed and flew all the way here.¡± ¡°Hey, stop nitpicking.¡± Both of them spoke in a relaxed tone, but they were alert. Just their existence alone brought forth tremendous pressure akin to storms. They felt like rats in front of snakes. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Kibie flew forward as she pulled her Aura out. Artis also shivered as he held out his staff. ¡°Ignition Death Ray!¡± With a snort, Saltus moved one step forward. ¡°Hum!¡± He slapped Kibie with his front foot. Despite his heavy body, he was fast. Unable to avoid it, Kibie was shot down in the air. ¡°Gasp!¡± Artis¡¯s magic didn¡¯t work at all. He allowed it to hit his body. Boom! An explosion occurred. The green scales of Saltus, which weren¡¯t scratched, sparkled. Even level 70 magic couldn¡¯t penetrate his scales. The roar of the dragon shook the atmosphere. ¡°Stop being stupid. Do you think you¡¯ll be a match to me?¡± They fought on equal grounds when Almara and Saltus were in human form. However, the two had become a 650-year-old Silver Dragon and a 530-year-old Green Dragon. Even Ryu Han-bin and Leon Hart wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with them easily! Looking back, Almara asked. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve achieved our goal, we don¡¯t need the rest, do we?¡± Gabe nodded after summoning the wind giant and getting on it. ¡°Do with them as you please. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± The wind giant began to go down the Sacred Peak with a silver-haired girl in one hand and Gabe in the other. Almara displayed a creepy smile. She didn¡¯t have to worry about their safety, so she could do as much as she wanted. Cold white air began to flow out of her mouth. ¡°I like our situation. It¡¯s easier because there¡¯s snow everywhere.¡± The Silver Dragon could use her power many times more efficiently in snowy mountains. ¡°Witness the power of a true Ancient Dragon, little creatures!¡± Ohhhhhhhhhhh¡­ With a strange sound, a huge wave swept through the snowfield. Invisible air currents spread like waves from one end of the basin to the other. And¡­ Boom! Everything soon fell apart. With a roar, the earth shook, and an avalanche occurred. Countless ice spears poured down like rain, and snowstorms made out of blades blew towards them. In an instant, the world became a white hell where frozen demons ran wild. Caught amid the hailstorm, the Aliens freaked out and threw themselves away. The white hell didn¡¯t distinguish between friend and foe. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°That crazy Dragon!¡± ¡°Are you trying to kill us?¡± Almara murmured sourly. ¡°Hmm, you guys can¡¯t die like this.¡± Of course, Ryu Han-bin wouldn¡¯t die just because of that. But the others were different. ¡°Kibie!¡± Breaking the falling gelid spears, he ran to Kibie¡¯s side. She was still unable to recover from the shock earlier. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± He quickly carried Kibie on his shoulder. He then threw himself towards Artis. Artis was struggling to withstand the avalanche with magic barriers. Artis shouted as Han-bin approached. ¡°Felard! They took Effir!¡± ¡®Effir? Why?¡¯ For a moment, Han-bin wondered, but he swiftly refocused his mind. His priority was t save the colleagues in front of him. -Crosscut! The red Blade Aura greatly divided the snow waves. After barely securing a retreat, Artis also dragged him to the side. ¡°Hang on to me! Survive first!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± He then headed to Leon Hart. He couldn¡¯t abandon Leon Hart either. Leon Hart was hanging from a tree to escape the avalanche. He shouted urgently at Ryu Han-bin, who was running to him. ¡°Untie this chain! Then I¡¯ll support you!¡± ¡°Great!¡± In a hurry, Ryu Han-bin began to tear apart the chains holding Leon Hart. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough time. Almara was watching everything. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve all finally gathered.¡± It was what she had been aiming for. Beating the buzzing flies one by one was a lot more difficult. Hence, she purposely watched the Valtara warrior scramble to save his colleagues. ¡®It¡¯s better to wait for them to gather on their own and blow them off all at the same time.¡¯ The Silver Dragon began to take a deep breath. Crrrrrrrr! The air was sucked in, causing a magnificent noise to reverberate. At the same time, Mana continued to agglomerate. She then released all of it in a single blow. Boom! A huge white flash crashed over them as the space became distorted. The power of ruthless destruction continued to devour them, covering their eyes. At that moment, Ryu Han-bin realized. He couldn¡¯t avoid it. If he avoided it, he would die, but all of his colleagues would die. There was only one way left. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± He thrust the Gigant into the ground. He then defended his head with his arms and exerted strength all over his entire physique. The red Aura burned like fire as he enveloped himself with it. ¡®Hang in there, my body!¡¯ The Breath of the Ancient Dragon exploded. Boom! The real snowstorm collapsed and roared. The floor cracked, and light soared. Tens of thousands of tons of snow and rocks covered the entire basin. The Silver Dragon soon shut up. The earthquake also subsided. Grrrrrrr¡­¡­. The world was back to becoming dazzlingly white. Han-bin and his companions disappeared. Chapter 112 Master of The Sacred Item(1) ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Saltus was convinced Han-bin¡¯s group had died. They got hit by the Breath of the Ancient Dragon directly. The human body could never endure that much power. There was no point in enduring it in the first place. After the explosion, huge amounts of snow and rocks covered them and completely buried them. Even the Dragons themselves couldn¡¯t have survived under tens of thousands of tons of rocks. ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to check their vitals anymore.¡± Besides, it didn¡¯t matter if they were dead or alive. They had already achieved their goal anyway. After delivering the ¡®incarnation of Darkness¡¯ to Hollien, the Top Three would become gods and goddesses, and they would get remarkable rewards. ¡®Maybe this time we¡¯ll gain our freedom.¡¯ Expecting inwardly, Saltus bowed to Almara. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Almara.¡± The big silver Dragon moved her long neck and grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who worked on this. Are you playing around, Saltus?¡± The Green Dragon smiled. ¡°You finished it before I could do anything, didn¡¯t you?¡± At that moment, the Aliens, who had escaped, approached the two Dragons. Frowning as much as they could, they looked quite angry. Looking up at the Silver Dragon, Akwashi and Mahathir burst into anger. ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that different from your promise?¡± Almara wondered. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡®Are you angry because I killed them all at once?¡¯ Indeed, they might be angry because she made a fuss without consulting them beforehand. However, they were all in level 100, which meant they were quite strong. It wouldn¡¯t have been very intimidating to them. ¡°Isn¡¯t everyone okay? What¡¯s the problem?¡± The Aliens pointed their fingers at the other side of Snow Mountain and shouted. ¡°They were our prey!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve killed our share!¡± ¡°And our dessert was gone because of you!¡± At first, she wondered what they meant by dessert. But she soon understood. They were furious because they couldn¡¯t kill the Valtara warrior and Leon Hart. They had fought for the sake of getting the pleasure reward, but Almara ended the entire battle. She even buried Leon Hard. ¡°This is unfortunate, Dragon.¡± Pit murmured with raging eyes. ¡°We¡¯re about to finish cooking our food and was about to put it in our mouth. Do you think it¡¯s proper to turn the table upside-down? I¡¯m sure we deserve a decent reward.¡± The other Aliens slowly began to surround her. ¡°And we¡¯ll still get pleasure rewards even if our prey isn¡¯t a Latnain, will we?¡± ¡°The exact terms used by the Guideline are natives of Latna.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it considers the Fairy race and the Dragons as natives.¡± ¡°Come to think of it. We won¡¯t infringe the taboo.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t touch Gabe, but she¡¯s not part of the restriction.¡± Instead of crying about the pleasure reward they lost, they¡¯d rather just hunt Almara. Surprised, the Silver Dragon laughed in vain. ¡°You crazy things¡­¡± Of course, they were never weak. If Almara was alone, she couldn¡¯t guarantee her victory. However, there was another Ancient Dragon with her, the Green Dragon Saltus. ¡°You¡¯re blinded by desire!¡± Almara also became furious. At that very moment, Saltus quickly stepped in. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to kill today.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Pit tilted his head. Saltus continued. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a day to do what you want, so run around and enjoy yourselves.¡± No matter how many Dragons there were, those Aliens were never easy opponents. If they could avoid a fight, it was best to avoid it. ¡°Although they won¡¯t be in the same level as your lost prey, you¡¯ll be able to kill a lot of Latnains. What do you think?¡± ¡°Whew, do you allow the murder of Latnains?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m not Gabe, I can fully allow this with my authority.¡± Showing the mark of the Great Earth, Saltus nodded calmly. The murderous spirit of the angry Aliens subsided. They reached an agreement. ¡°Not bad.¡± The Aliens headed excitedly to the other side of the basin. Almara clicked her tongue at the people who were going down the peak as fast as they could. ¡°You bloodthirsty bastards.¡± Saltus smiled bitterly. They weren¡¯t able to criticize the Aliens, as they were the ones that allowed the innocent Latnains to be killed. But if they cared about that, they wouldn¡¯t even be called Dragon, an evil race. Relaxing his nerves, Saltus turned around. ¡°We¡¯re also going down the mountain, Almara.¡± Not even Dragons could fly in the sky due to the influence of Kybriel¡¯s seal. Folding their wings, the two Dragons began to shuffle down the Generosus. * * * Ryu Han-bin groaned as he opened his eyes. ¡°Uh¡­¡± His view was blurry. He could feel pain all over his body. ¡®What happened?¡¯ He tried to recall the events that transpired. However, he couldn¡¯t remember anything. They were all buried in huge snow and rocks as they felt a sharp sense of falling while enduring the Breath of the Ancient Dragon. That was all. Waking up, he observed the situation around him. The place where he fell was a large stone chamber. Some of the stone walls, which seemed to be quite old, had collapsed and buried in rocks. Since a pillar of light about one meter stood in the middle of the stone chamber, he could check around him. He felt Prana. The light seemed to be made of spiritual art. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ At that time, a young voice called to Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Are you coming to your senses?¡± A blond young man leaned against a stone wall a little farther away, looking at Han-bin with an indifferent face. Han-bin, who was about to nod his head casually, was surprised. ¡®Leon Hart?¡¯ He had no restraints. He was no longer bound by chains that sealed his Prana. It meant Leon Hart had completely regained his ability. Surprised, Ryu Han-bin raised himself. However, he stumbled down to one knee. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to get up right now. I only did some rough first aid on you.¡± Shaking his hand, Leon Hart said calmly. Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve unlocked the chains, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I can now use Prana to some extent thanks to that.¡± Only then did Han-bin remember that he had broken some of the chains restricting Leon Hart. Due to Almara¡¯s Breath, he couldn¡¯t remove all the chains. But he was sure Leon Hart was able to remove the rest of the chains by himself since he regained enough strength to be in the same league as a level 40 Spiritist. Pointing at one corner of the stone chamber, Leon Hart continued. ¡°Thanks to that, I was able to save you in time.¡± Kibie and Artis were lying down calmly, though they were unconscious. Both of them didn¡¯t look too injured. Since Leon Hart had healed them, they seemed to be out of danger. He was grateful, but Han-bin doubted it. ¡®I¡¯m sure we¡¯re his enemies.¡¯ Leon Hart laughed at Ryu Han-bin, who was on guard. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so vigilant. There¡¯s an ongoing truce for the time being.¡± Han-bin could felt no hatred in his tone. He guessed the reason. Han-bin asked, glancing at Kibie, who wasn¡¯t awake. ¡°Do you believe her now?¡± Leon Hart nodded gently. ¡°First of all, I acknowledge that it is quite credible. The Transcendental¡¯s henchmen were controlling high-level Aliens.¡± ¡°Credible¡­ It sounds like you still haven¡¯t fully acknowledged her?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s that important of an issue.¡± Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡®Are you saying that even in such a situation, you still doubt her?¡¯ ¡°Well, you¡¯re very careful.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in my position, you¡¯ll have to learn discretion, whether you like it or not.¡± ¡°I mean, you are pig-headed.¡± ¡°Everyone who¡¯s in my position is bound to be pig-headed.¡± Han-bin said a nasty thing, but Leon Hart joked around in reply. At least there was no hostility. Leon Hart stood up. ¡°The truce isn¡¯t a lie. Wouldn¡¯t it be suicide for us to fight amongst ourselves in this situation?¡± He then looked around and continued. ¡°For now, getting out of here should be our priority.¡± Unlike Ryu Han-bin, Leon Hart remembered the moment when he had been buried. He remembered the moment when he had been buried under tens of meters of massive snow and land. Leon Hart murmured, shaking his body. ¡°You managed to survive. You are so lucky.¡± Saltus guaranteed the death of Han-bin¡¯s group not because he was stupid. If there were no such space under the basin, they would never have survived if they hadn¡¯t rolled down through it. ¡°So where are we?¡± ¡°Where are we?¡± Leon Hart replied as if he was asking back why Han-bin asked about something so obvious. ¡°It¡¯s the seal of the sacred Heart of Darkness. You came up here to target this place in the first place, and you¡¯re asking it?¡± * * * After a while, Kibie and Artis woke up. Like Han-bin, both were surprised to see Leon Hart, who was already free when they woke up. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°The chains!¡± ¡°Both of you, calm down. There¡¯s a truce for now.¡± To calm the two, Ryu Han-bin explained the whole story. Only then did Kibie and Artis feel relieved. Looking around, Artis shook his head. ¡°You managed to survive this.¡± ¡°The problem is that they took Effir.¡± Kibie frowned at Han-bin¡¯s words. It was fortunate that she wasn¡¯t caught, but she didn¡¯t know why at all. ¡°Why Effir?¡± Leon Hart stepped into the conversation carelessly. ¡°At least it¡¯s clear that their goal was the girl. I can tell by their movement.¡± He was the man who had remained neutral as he watched from afar. Thanks to that, he could maintain a relatively objective view. ¡°According to your explanation, they know her as the incarnation of darkness, right?¡± Kibie became even more puzzled. ¡°¡­ So why?¡± There were six Aliens, and their Guideline would have revealed Kibie¡¯s identity, so how could they get the wrong idea? Leon Hart asked back in bewilderment. ¡°Are you asking me that?¡± Leon Hart wouldn¡¯t know the reason. Anyway, they had to save her. If it were revealed that she was not the incarnation of Darkness, there would be no reason to keep her alive. ¡°The problem is getting out of here¡­¡± Looking around the stone chamber, Artis was at a loss. All the escape routes had been blocked. There was no separate exit. ¡°But if we mess up the ground while trying to make an exit, we will be buried here alive¡­¡± At that moment, Kibie picked up her long spear. And she blew a Blade Aura against a pile of broken dirt! ¡°Taah!¡± Boom! The stone chamber vibrated with the explosion. Out of shock, the others made a fuss. ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°Hey, be careful!¡± ¡°If you do something wrong, you¡¯ll destroy the chamber!¡± It didn¡¯t collapse, however. Instead, a hole in the piles of dirt appeared across the hall. That collapsed pile of soil was the earliest exit. Han-bin looked back at Kibie and asked. ¡°Did you know that was an exit?¡± ¡°Of course, I made this place. Why won¡¯t I know that?¡± With a tantrum, Kibie moved out of the hallway. ¡°Follow me, everybody.¡± Chapter 113 Master of The Sacred Item(2) Kybriel¡¯s seal protecting the Sacred Heart of Darkness had a double structure. The traps in the snow mountains outside of the Sacred Peak Generosus tested the physical strength and ability of those who sought the sacred item. By breaking through powerful monsters and magic traps, they would be able to prove that they were a chosen hero and a strong individual worthy of the Goddess¡¯s will. In the sealed area, which was located inside Generosus, all kinds of visions, temptations, and test the spirit and will of the Sacred Heart¡¯s seeker. Only those who had unshakable beliefs deserved to wield the magnificent power of the holy item. The place where Han-bin and his party were located was a sealed area inside Generosus. Originally, all kinds of visions should be testing them. However, the group was walking in the hallway peacefully. No mental attack bombarded them. They had already reached the bottom. It was because Almara¡¯s Breath penetrated the peak. Directly falling to the bottom, they passed every process of the test. Looking at the huge black metal door in front of her, Kibie murmured as if she was despondent. ¡°Oh, well, should I say lucky or unlucky?¡± A beautiful pattern was carved on the metal door, glowing beautifully and elegantly. It was the symbol of the moon, stars, and darkness. There was subtle energy all over the door, and even Ryu Han-bin, who had a dull feeling when it came to such things, could feel that it wasn¡¯t an ordinary place. It was the deepest part of the sealed area and also the goal of Han-bin¡¯s group. Only those blessed by the Goddesses could open the door of the seal, for beyond it was the Sacred Heart of Darkness. ¡°Thanks to them, we got a shortcut.¡± Kibie shook her head absurdly. Artis complained. ¡°Is that why you think we¡¯re lucky? If it weren¡¯t for them, we wouldn¡¯t have done this in the first place.¡± ¡°Well, bad luck is also luck.¡± Leon Hart, who was following behind without a word, looked at the door and asked. ¡°You found me because you wanted to unlock this seal?¡± At that moment, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s expression hardened. The same was true of Kibie and Artis. ¡®Uh?¡¯ ¡®Well, come to think of it¡­¡¯ They were met with yet another dire problem. The only one who could unlock the seal was Leon Hart, the third person to be blessed by the Goddess. However, he was completely free. A being so powerful, he was comparable to Ryu Han-bin had regained his power due to the lack of restrictions. It was impossible to force him to unlock the seal as they had originally planned. However, they had no means of fighting or overpowering him. Everyone was in terrible condition. Thanks to Leon Hart¡¯s healing arts, the emergency was over, but they hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet. At that moment, Leon Hart was stronger than Ryu Han-bin, Kibie, and Artis combined! ¡®This¡­¡¯ ¡®What should we do?¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s group looked at each other, seemingly unable to find any answers. Leon Hart, who was looking at the door, calmly raised a question. ¡°So, how do I open this?¡± Kibie was surprised and replied with a question of her own. ¡°Are you going to unlock the seal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you finally grown to trust me?¡± Did he become convinced that Kibie was the incarnation of Kybriel? Leon Hart smirked at her, full of expectation. ¡°If I did, I would have changed my tone.¡± Not yet. She couldn¡¯t conclude he¡¯s on their side just yet. However, he must have changed his mind a bit. He was willing to give them a chance. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d show evidence if I unlocked it? I want to see the evidence.¡± What if all of it was a lie? What if they were only deceiving him to take the Sacred Heart? ¡°Then you can take the Sacred Heart yourself and bring it to the church and return it to the Goddess.¡± Leon Hart was currently stronger than them. He could solve anything. ¡°So think carefully.¡± He made a fierce face, revealing Prana in secret. Murderous intent flowed out and covered the space. ¡°If it were a trick, your fate would be over!¡± Kibie smiled broadly. ¡°Hurry up and open it. Do you see the moon in the middle? All you have to do is put your hand on it.¡± * * * The blessed man¡¯s hand covered the moon¡¯s pattern. The door of the seal opened. Pitch-black darkness gushed out. Paaash! At the same time, everything around them changed. The darkness beyond the great darkness, full of countless suns, moons, and stars, unfolded in the sky. Above them, the light and the darkness merged together perfectly. Artis trembled as he looked around. ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s this weird space?¡± They were standing in a huge universe. Everything was so huge and vast that humans couldn¡¯t even begin to guess where they were. Although Ryu Han-bin was pretending to be calm, he also looked very serious. ¡°Wow, this is so grand¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, everyone.¡± Kibie took a step, soothing the party. A huge ring of light could be seen in the middle of the space. The stronger the light, the darker the darkness became. The ring of light had the perfect abyss. It was the Sacred Heart of Kybriel, the Goddess of Darkness. It was the essence of the holy night. Kibie kept walking as if she were being sucked in. She approached the abyss, and the abyss approached her. As they got closer, the Darkness resonated with her. Space vibrated. The Darkness that encountered its true master sang joyful melodies. Ahhhhhhhhh¡­ The incarnation reached out her hand. The Darkness landed on her palm in return. After easily taking the Sacred Heart, Kibie turned to him. She then called Han-bin with a solemn voice. ¡°Come here, the apostle of darkness chosen by the Goddess.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Awkwardly, Ryu Han-bin approached her. Kibie raised the Darkness with her hands and spoke. ¡°Take it, for it is the essence of the holy night and the duty to spread the will of the Goddess to the world.¡± ¡°¡­ Do you want to say something?¡± ¡°If you were Latnain, you wouldn¡¯t have thought that way.¡± The atmosphere had been spoiled. Kibie shed her eyes. Indeed, it was also funny to ask Earthlings to worship the Goddesses of Latna. ¡°Originally, you¡¯d take my last test here, but¡­¡± Quitting the solemn atmosphere, she poked her fingers around the abyss. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, so let¡¯s just go.¡± Han-bin laughed for a moment because he looked like he was ruining something important. It didn¡¯t feel mythical at all since she looked like she was just pressing the keypads of a cellphone. It was the process of canceling the last test, so it wasn¡¯t wrong. After a while, she held out the Sacred Heart. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Ryu Han-bin accepted it without saying a word. The Darkness rose for a while and before seeping into his palm. It then completely disappeared. Han-bin blinked. ¡°That¡¯s all? I don¡¯t think anything has changed.¡± Kibie smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± That was when it happened. ¡°Huh?¡± Han-bin¡¯s widened. Something powerful was rising in his body. ¡°Huh?¡± A huge fire erupted through him. The pillar of fire extended from one end of the abyss to the other, giving off a dazzling glow. ¡°Ahhhh! What¡¯s this?¡± A great power! An unimaginable amount of energy coiled around his whole body and flooded him with torrents! The giant warrior roared as the immense energy devoured him. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± * * * Leon Hart watched everything unfold before him without saying a word. ¡°¡­¡± He had not responded when Kibie approached the Sacred Heart or when she gave it to Ryu Han-bin. Leon Hart didn¡¯t dare interrupt. Everything was clear to him. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh¡­¡± He realized why Kibie was so confident and that she could prove everything by unlocking the seal. In contact with Kybriel¡¯s character, the incarnation perfectly revealed its true nature. And the Knight of Darkness sensed the truth. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right¡­¡± After seeing all of it, there was no denying her. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s Kybriel¡­¡± Filled with emotions, he trembled as he approached Kibie. He talked to her with respect and politeness. ¡°You deserve to be served, for your saints know your incarnation.¡± Kibie smirked. ¡°Now? Isn¡¯t it a little late?¡± Leon Hart replied with a big smile. ¡°You have taught me not to be in awe.¡± Despite his politeness, he looked quite relaxed. He wasn¡¯t surprised in the first place. He was already expecting it. He just needed the last conviction. However, it was clear that he was touched. ¡°I never imagined that I would have the honor of welcoming the Goddess in this lifetime or the next.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a big deal. Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re living in an age of ecstasy?¡± Looking at Leon Hart with his head lowered, Kibie smiled. In a peaceful world, there was no reason for the Goddess to be reborn as an incarnation. She didn¡¯t have to give the world a gift. Leon Hart lowered his head even more. ¡°It is an honor to be given the fate to overcome the disturbance.¡± At that moment, the brightly shining red pillar slowly began to fade. At the same time, the universe that covered the entire place disappeared. The transcendental space was erased, and common stone walls were revealed. The power of the Sacred Heart had been removed. Hence the entire scenery vanished as well. Standing in the middle of the stone chamber, Ryu Han-bin looked fatigued. ¡°Wow, There¡¯s way too much Aura to handle¡­ yuck!¡± He then stumbled and knelt. That was because his injuries hadn¡¯t yet been completely cured. His body suddenly absorbed a huge amount of energy, causing it to become unstable. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Leon Hart quickly approached and healed him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Forgive my prudence.¡± The power of strong spiritual arts began to erase Han-bin¡¯s wounds at a rapid pace. He was a level 112 Spiritist. He could have cured all their injuries if he wanted to. The only reason he had done only first aid was so he could subdue them in case the worst happened. Within a few minutes, Ryu Han-bin stabilized. Looking at his wounds that disappeared without a trace, Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Hey, having a high-ranking Spiritist is awesome.¡± The same went for Kibie and Artis. ¡°I admire your power.¡± He also performed healing on them quickly. ¡°Darkness of Kybriel, please pour tranquility in my hands.¡± That put everyone in perfect condition. Leon Hart knelt once again in front of Kibie. ¡°My lord, please order me. A faithful servant only follows.¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯m not the Goddess Kybriel, but the incarnation Kibie. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± There was no way he couldn¡¯t have known the difference between Goddess and incarnation since he was a Templar Head. ¡°I will show courtesy to you as an incarnation, not as a Goddess.¡± Leon Hart immediately changed his tone. ¡°What do we do now, Kibie?¡± ¡°First of all, we should go save our precious ally.¡± As if he had been waiting, Leon Hart clenched his fists. ¡°I¡¯ll help you with all my might.¡± The third person to be blessed by the Goddesses, and one of the top three Spiritists in the entire continent, finally joined their party. Kibie smiled satisfactorily. Chapter 114 Master of The Sacred Item(3) They were in a cabin at the foot of the Kellev Mountains. There was a blizzard as usual, but it was cozy inside the cabin. The thick wooden walls blocked the cold air from the outside, and the flames of the burning fireplace kept the entire room warm. A silver-haired girl sat quietly in front of the fireplace. It was Effir. She was wearing a Magic Tool that suppressed her Force in both hands. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Effir glared at the middle-aged man across from her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you were mistaking me for, but I¡¯m not the incarnation.¡± Gabe smiled. ¡°It¡¯s no use denying it, Kybriel¡¯s incarnation. We have Aliens. They¡¯re the ones who have the art of grasping everything just by looking at them.¡± A day had passed since she first told them that. At that point, she felt like giving up, but she insisted quite constantly. ¡°Can you say the same thing in front of them?¡± Of course, Effir could. As if feeling even more treated unjustly, she yelled. ¡°Where the hell are those Aliens then?!¡± Gabe frowned, looking at Almara and Saltus sitting next to him. ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about, too.¡± Despite having no further business there, they were still staying near the Kellev Mountains. Due to Saltus giving them ¡®permission¡¯ to kill, they had to wait for the Aliens. ¡°They¡¯re late.¡± Watching the snowstorm outside the window, Saltus clicked his tongue. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have given them one day. Are they trying to use up every second?¡± Gabe shook his head. ¡°Well, the Aliens think a little differently about the standard of the day.¡± Latna¡¯s day began with the rising sun in the morning and referred to the rising sun in the next morning. So the ¡®day¡¯ that Saltus had mentioned was until the sun rose the next day. But the Aliens seemed to be trying to spend the 24 hours at the time they got permission. Almara grumbled. ¡°Do we have to take them with us? We can just go on our own.¡± Gabe shook his head firmly. ¡°We can¡¯t let those crazy people go without control.¡± * * * An hour later, the Aliens returned. ¡°Oh, it was a good day.¡± ¡°We killed a lot, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Did we kill about 500 people?¡± ¡°Not that much, maybe 300?¡± They came into the cabin and sat down freely, having a gory conversation. Pit smiled at Gabe. ¡°So, where is the incarnation of the Goddess?¡± Saltus replied, dumbfounded. ¡°Are you blind?¡± He didn¡¯t understand what nonsense they were talking about when they were sitting in front of her. Then Pit blinked. ¡°Yeah, so we have a prisoner. Where¡¯s the Goddess?¡± ¡°Wait! What the hell are you talking about?¡± Gabe¡¯s face changed dramatically. ¡°This girl isn¡¯t the incarnation of Goddess?¡± ¡°Of course not! When did I say this kid was the incarnation?¡± ¡°You confirmed it! You were sure she¡¯s the incarnation!¡± ¡°Not her! That black-haired woman!¡± ¡°What¡­¡± Gabe¡¯s group looked at each other with blank faces. They finally realized what they had done wrong. That was why communication was important. Since they didn¡¯t even say what they wanted to say to each other due to their extremely bad relationship, they instead said nonsense with their eyes wide open. ¡°What happened, Almara? Didn¡¯t you say that the silver-haired Magic Swordswoman was the incarnation?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Almara stuttered in great agitation. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought. She had something similar to the ability of an incarnation¡­¡± Because of Effir¡¯s ability, she and Saltus suffered humiliation as soon as they returned to their Dragon form. ¡°Are you telling me she¡¯s not Kybriel¡¯s ability?¡± If she wasn¡¯t the creator of the Dragon race, how could she show such ability? Akwashi looked at the Effir with a sour look and spoke. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just because of this necklace?¡± [Polymorph Necklace (Unique Item)] After hearing the explanation, Saltus¡¯s expression became dark. ¡°The Polymorph Necklace is Alejandro¡¯s unique item. Why does she have this?¡± Effir murmured as she looked at them. ¡°I keep telling you I¡¯m not the incarnation¡­¡± Gabe nervously ripped off her necklace. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! No way!¡± Feeling embarrassed, Effir glared at them. She could become a human due to the power of Polymorph Necklace. ¡°Well, if you rip it off now¡­¡± Boom! The cute silver-haired girl disappeared, and a Wyvern, who had a Force-restricting Magic Tool on her front toe like a ring, appeared. The result was obvious when a 10-meter giant monster appeared in a small cabin in the valley. Boom! Gabe, the Dragons, and the Aliens rushed out of the smashed cabin. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Oh! What just happened?¡± But everyone was high-leveled, so they got out of the cabin safely. Alice, who landed on the snow, laughed in vain. ¡°Oh, my God, she wasn¡¯t even human?¡± Standing in the blizzard, Gabe looked at the Wyvern in front of him with a bewildered face. ¡°¡­¡± It had been confirmed. They got the wrong person. ¡®Oh, my God! How could I make such a mistake?!¡¯ He was confused. ¡®What do we do now?¡¯ Almara talked to him. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s uncomfortable, so we¡¯d better turn her into a human form.¡± ¡°¡­. okay.¡± Gabe used Polymorph Necklace with a blank face. With the light, the Wyvern returned to her human form. However, she was naked. ¡°Hey, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could give me some clothes.¡± After throwing a cape at her harshly, Gabe agonized. ¡°Going back to find them¡­ No, but didn¡¯t you say they were already dead?¡± Saltus replied unconfidently. ¡°She¡¯s not an ordinary human being, but an incarnation of darkness, so we can never know. Maybe she¡¯s still alive¡­¡± ¡°Could be!¡± Gabe shouted in a hurry. ¡°Everyone, get ready! We¡¯re going back to the Sacred Peak!¡± At that moment, an eerie voice rang out from the other side of the snowstorm. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Two pairs of eyes glowed beyond the blizzard. ¡°Because we¡¯re here.¡± * * * A man walked over the snow. He was a giant warrior covered with copper-color muscles. He held a sword with one hand. Blazing red flames enveloped his body. Pssst! Whenever the fire came into contact with the snow, the snow was pushed out and disappeared into a haze. Murderous spirit flew through the air. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± ¡°The Valtara Warrior!¡± The Aliens hurriedly pulled out their weapons. Gabe and the two Dragons stared at each other embarrassingly. Saltus murmured as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How is he alive?¡± However, their embarrassment soon turned into a smile. It wasn¡¯t a bad situation. The eyes of the Aliens were glistening with desire. ¡°Well, if he¡¯s alive¡­¡± ¡°We still have a chance to get our reward!¡± ¡°Good for us!¡± Gabe was also relieved. ¡°This is a relief. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here on your own.¡± Ryu Han-bin smirked. ¡°You¡¯re making it sound like you¡¯ve won¡­¡± That was understandable. They had beaten Han-bin once. ¡°The situation¡¯s a bit different from yesterday.¡± A man walked out from behind Han-bin and clicked his tongue. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, Gabe. You betrayed the Goddess.¡± He was a handsome young man with blond hair. Gabe frowned. ¡®Leon Hart? He¡¯s alive?¡¯ Moreover, unlike yesterday, he was no longer shackled. It meant that he had completely regained his strength. ¡°Wait, Lord Leon Hart. Let¡¯s talk for a moment¡­¡± In a panic, Gabe tried to persuade him. But he couldn¡¯t even say anything. ¡°Shut your filthy mouth up, heretic!¡± Fierce anger came out of his lips. Almara laughed out loud. He could tell just by looking at Leon Hart¡¯s eyes. ¡°Oh, my God, I got caught.¡± Gabe¡¯s attitude also changed. He showed blatant hostility without pretense. ¡°Where is the incarnation of Darkness, Leon Hart?¡± Leon Hart snorted. ¡°I know you, a bunch of scoundrels, are targetting her, so why would I bring her here?¡± That was true. He knew exactly what the other party wanted. There was no reason for him to help them. ¡°So it¡¯s just you two?¡± ¡°You two are enough for us!¡± With a roar, Leon Hart opened his arms from side to side. ¡°Activate, Uroboros¡¯s snake!¡± His main weapon, Uroboros¡¯ coat, was instantly transformed into armor. They planned to turn Leon Hart into their ally after getting the sacred item in the first place. Of course, they didn¡¯t throw away his equipment. He followed that with physical-ability-amplification skills. -Ectoplasmic body! Ryu Han-bin also pulled up Aura. -Aura boost! -Aura Defender! There was a formidable momentum around the two men as they prepared for combat. Gabe internally smiled while he watched. ¡®Good for us.¡¯ Listening to them, the incarnation of Goddess seemed to be safe. ¡®We¡¯ll handle them first and catch the incarnation!¡¯ Gabe took a step back and shouted. ¡°Get rid of them!¡± * * * Aura users Pit, Mahathir, and Akwashi took the lead, followed by the Spiritist Jeffrey and the Mage Alice. The Magic Swordswoman Seyen guarded the back row. It was the battle formation of the Hunters that had been honed for many years. As he stepped on the snow, Pit shouted. ¡°Take care of the Spiritist first! I¡¯ll take this Valtara boy on!¡± The opponent was a level 112 Spiritist. Nobody knew what he would do if he were free. Before that, they had to take him down for sure. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Pit¡¯s Blade Aura hit Ryu Han-bin on the top of the head. Han-bin also swung Gigant against him. The collision between the two Auras caused a strong shockwave. Boom! In the meantime, Mahathir and Akwashi passed by Ryu Han-bin and rushed to Leon Hart. Han-bin didn¡¯t bother to restrain them. ¡°Oh, my.¡± He just smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work out as you thought.¡± With a double ax, a mace, and a shield, the two Alien warriors attacked Leon Hart. ¡°Don¡¯t try to gain distance!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t let you!¡± But they were met with a surprise. The Spiritist, who was supposed to step back, was rushing at them with his fists clenched. ¡®Wait, why would he narrow the distance?¡¯ ¡®Is he crazy?¡¯ Those who had just been freed from Akhtarun had no idea yet. Leon Hart had the prestige of a fighting Spiritist. ¡°In the name of Kybriel!¡± Leon Hart¡¯s kick hit Akwashi¡¯s shield. With that single attack, the huge black man was pushed back. ¡°Argh!¡± At the same time, he penetrated through Mahathir¡¯s guard on the left. Hart cleverly put his arm between the two axes¡¯ radius and delivered a powerful uppercut under his chin! ¡°May the Goddesses punish you!¡± Mahathir¡¯s head was smashed. Bam! Blood and brain water scattered through the air and soon slowly dissipated. The body disappeared, leaving the clothes and two axes on the floor. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°Mahathir!¡± The other Aliens¡¯ eyes widened at the disturbing scene. In a single blow, the level 100 Aura user died instantly! Chapter 115 Blizzard and Bloodbath (1) Leon Hart and Ryu Han-bin, who left the sealed area, immediately tracked down the Gabe group. Since Han-bin¡¯s Gigant was covered with the Aliens¡¯ blood, Leon Hart could use spiritual tracking arts. As a level 112 Spiritist, the efficiency was completely different from the tracking skills of the Guideline. It frequently adjusted its tracking direction and quickly identified its location. In the meantime, he also devised a strategy to deal with them. ¡°Let¡¯s kill a couple of guys for a start.¡± Leon Hart¡¯s suggestion dumbfounded Han-bin. To put it bluntly, the Aliens were in level 100s. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think they will be that easy to deal with.¡± Leon Hart grinned. ¡°No matter what their levels are, as long as they¡¯re human, they will die if they are decapitated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to slice throats.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be able to prepare for an ambush.¡± ¡°Do you want to ambush them? I¡¯m not very good at approaching secretly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a surprise to sneak in and poke.¡± Leon Hard had a lot of combat experiences. His experiences were different from Ryu Han-bin, who only faced giant monster dogs in the Rocky Mountain. ¡°At an unexpected time, do an unexpected attack.¡± Throughout the Battle of Snow mountain, he hid behind a tree to watch the situation. He fully understood how the Aliens fought. On the other hand, they didn¡¯t know anything about Leon Hart. ¡°Those in this world will see my level at a glance, but I¡¯ll only be seen as a level 112 Spiritist.¡± Having the superiority in terms of combat information was extremely advantageous. Leon Hart was so famous that every Latnains knew him. ¡°How would they know who I am when they were just released to the world?¡± * * * Han-bin put out his tongue. ¡®Wow, he one-shotted that guy!¡¯ Leon Hart¡¯s level was higher than Mahathir¡¯s, but not overwhelmingly so. At least the gap wasn¡¯t so big that Mahathir couldn¡¯t do anything against him. However, he allowed a full-fledged strike when he was pushed out of formation. Due to the psychological effect of their appearance, he failed to show his skills at all. It turned out as how they predicted it. ¡®Okay, then me too!¡¯ Unlike Leon Hart, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills and tactics had all been revealed. He fought with all his might yesterday. But that was him of ¡®yesterday.¡¯ -Normally, humans couldn¡¯t change completely in just one day. But you¡¯re different, aren¡¯t you? Recalling Leon Hart¡¯s advice, Han-bin fired up Aura. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± At that moment, Pit was shocked. The Valtara warrior in front of him suddenly disappeared? ¡®Oh, my God!¡¯ Before he noticed, the Valtara warrior had passed through him and was hitting the rear. He instantly exploded a huge Aura, amplifying his moving speed. Alice and Suyen in the back reacted with surprise. ¡°Where is this ignorantly dominant Aura coming from?!¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t this strong yesterday!¡± Han-bin¡¯s Red Blade Aura swept the two long. The two women were about to defend themselves with magic spells and Magic Swordsmanship. He then turned and changed the orbit of the Aura. ¡®They¡¯re experienced and strong, so they¡¯ll see the change. I know this trick won¡¯t work, but¡­¡¯ He then aimed for his real target. He looked at the weakest of the Aliens, a level 92 Spiritist. ¡®First shot! I hope this works!¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s Blade Aura stretched longer than 10 meters. The crushing tide hit Jeffrey¡¯s head. Jeffrey¡¯s eyes widened in fear. ¡®¡­ Huh?¡¯ Jeffrey never imagined that Han-bin would attack him from afar. His Blade Aura¡¯s range wasn¡¯t normal. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh! Jeffrey¡¯s body split in two, causing a blood fountain to soar. He disappeared. The Aliens burst into a roar. ¡°Je-Jeffrey!¡± * * * Following Mahathir, Jeffrey died in vain. The Aliens were embarrassed by the unexpected situation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this Spiritist? Why is a damn Spiritist punching?¡± ¡°Why does that guy have a lot of Aura in a day?¡± Meanwhile, leader Pit was quickly figuring things out. He had experienced countless battles since he was summoned to Latna. Habits moved before reason. ¡°Alice, towards me! Suyen, help Akwashi!¡± Leon Hart¡¯s tactics were more like a Magic Swordsman than a Spiritist. In that case, Akwashi, an Aura user, should defend himself, and Suyen, a Magic Swordswoman, should deal with the problem by controlling the distance. On the other hand, the power of the Valtara warrior¡¯s Aura had increased significantly since yesterday. Therefore, it was almost certain that Pit, the highest level, would have to stand at the front, block their movement, and handle them with magic. Pit¡¯s judgment certainly wasn¡¯t wrong. Having made the right choice so quickly in that tense situation, he deserved a lot of praise. But it was all for nothing. ¡®We¡¯re starting with killing two guys, and it¡¯s over.¡¯ Han-bin smiled as he blocked Pit¡¯s Blue Aura. Yesterday, six people were dealing with Ryu Han-bin. However, two people from their side had died, and at Han-bin¡¯s party, another being comparable to Ryu Han-bin was added. Whether or not the right choice was made, the difference in power was overwhelming. Even if he fought leisurely, their victory was decided anyway. But Leon Hart didn¡¯t intend to relax. ¡®If you¡¯ve created chaos, you¡¯ve got to build it up.¡¯ Leon Hart jumped in front of Suyen. She fought back fiercely with her Magic Swordsmanship. -Magic Swordsmanship: Hell of Fire! Leon Hart¡¯s spiritual art was activated. -Ectoplasmic Javelin! Dozens of spears penetrated through the walls of the flames and directly hit Suyen. Suyen swung her sword and bounced them off. Leon Hart, who was close, crossed his fists and threw a deathly punch. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± He hit Suyen continuously. Without defending, she stepped back. ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡± Her movements weren¡¯t normal. Although she followed Pit¡¯s instructions, Suyen¡¯s mind still failed to escape from the confusion. Leon Hart didn¡¯t miss the chance. ¡°Huh!¡± With a quick shout, he attacked from the bottom with a low kick to let her pay attention to her lower body. At the same time, he followed it with a high-angled kick! Thud! Suyen¡¯s neck was bent 90 degrees to the side. Her body sank helplessly. ¡°Suyen!¡± Akwashi rushed towards her in fright, but it was already too late. Leon Hart reversed his body and delivered a high-stretched kick. He greatly amplified his physical abilities with his spiritual art¡­. ¡°Kybriel, help your servant!¡± His attacks gained the sharpness of blades! Whoo! His kick penetrated the chest of the black man. Akwashi trembled with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± The black man knelt down on his own blood. He disappeared. It was the end for the Aliens. ¡°It seems fair at first glance to bring out each other¡¯s true abilities and fight¡­¡± With his hands down, Leon Hart grinned. ¡°It¡¯s stupid to do that in real life.¡± The Aliens were never weak. If they fought fairly, it would have taken longer. However, while they lost their colleague and panicked, none of them could show half of their actual skills. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to finish you before you can show your full potential?¡± * * * Unlike Leon Hart, Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t take advantage of Pit or Alice¡¯s agitation. To aim for the opponent¡¯s gap and rush them, he needed instant judgment and excellent fighting sense to see through the opponent¡¯s movements, which unfortunately was not his specialty. But that didn¡¯t make much difference. When did Ryu Han-bin hurt his opponent with a clever trick? ¡°Ugh!¡± With a roar, he pulled out Aura. He used a lot of Aura, amplified by the Sacred Heart, to cover Gigant¡¯s blade. He then swung it. ¡°Taah!¡± A huge red column of more than 10 meters split the blizzard. Everything in a 20-meter radius was devastated. Boom! The mountain collapsed, rocks cracked, and snow and ice rose, scattering in the air. His attacks were akin to natural disasters. In the tragedy, Alice was caught as she was working hard to prepare magic spells. ¡®Oh, no!¡¯ She tried to block it with an Arcane shield, but it didn¡¯t work. It was like trying to stop a huge tidal wave with just one shield. The Asian woman was swept away by the red pillar and disappeared in the light. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± If their bodies didn¡¯t disappear, it would have looked terrible, so it was a bit of a relief that she was an Alien. Pit managed to avoid it. But the cost was huge. Both of his legs had been cut off from the thighs. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± As he fell on the floor, Pit groaned. The bleeding was so severe that his mind blurred. The Aura on the wound was so strong that even healing artifacts did not work. It was time for Pit to reach out his hand in pain. ¡®I, I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡¯ Gigant¡¯s blade decisively sliced through his neck. ¡°Hum!¡± Han-bin snorted at Pit¡¯s disappearing body. Although they were both Earthlings, he didn¡¯t hesitate to kill him. ¡®It¡¯s too easy to kill.¡¯ He stopped by several villages in the process of tracking down the Aliens. They were all villages exterminated by the Aliens. In the face of the miserable sight of blood flowing in front of him, the distinction between Earthlings and Latnains was meaningless. ¡®No, am I the only one on Earth who is fine? How can they be the only ones who deserve to die?¡¯ Han-bin retrieved his Gigant. The blood also disappeared, so there was no need to shake it off. * * * Gabe, Almara, and Saltus were watching the situation, petrified. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡± Less than a few minutes after the battle began, all the Aliens died. There was no time for Gabe¡¯s group to do anything. Gabe nervously bit his lower lip. ¡®This wasn¡¯t the original plan¡­¡¯ He knew that the Valtara warrior and Leon Hart were strong enemies that could not be ignored. But why was he so relaxed? Their total fighting power was still superior. When they fought against the Aliens, it would be easy to end everything if Almara and Saltus returned to their Dragon form and defeated them. However, the situation quickly ended before they could return to their main bodies. It could be published in a book as an example of an intensive surprise attack. With his arms crossed, Leon Hart made a sarcastic comment. ¡°I know there are two Dragons with you, so I didn¡¯t want to drag the fight for too long.¡± Gabe struggled to regain his cool. ¡°Well, there was a lack of information, but it¡¯s hard to think it¡¯s over.¡± He was not behind in power yet. The Ancient Dragons¡¯ powers were tremendous enough. And there was still a hostage on their side. ¡®Yes, hostage¡­¡¯ He checked Effir. Gabe¡¯s coldness was broken at that moment. ¡®Where did she go?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t see the silver-haired girl who had been tied up well with a Magic Tool. She couldn¡¯t have run away on her own since he sealed her Force. He then heard a cry from a far-away ridge. ¡°Hey! I got you, Effir!¡± It came from a black-haired woman accompanied b a red-haired Mage. The silver-haired girl could also be seen smiling between the two. Leon Hart waved lightly. ¡°Good job, Kibie!¡± Gabe¡¯s voice shook as he alternately looked at the black-haired woman and Leon Hart. ¡°¡­ I heard you¡¯re in a safe place.¡± Leon Hart ridiculed him. ¡°We¡¯re not close enough for me to tell you the truth.¡± Chapter 116 Blizzard and Bloodbath (2) Gabe gritted his teeth. They had been played all too well. ¡°Almara! Saltus!¡± At his command, Almara and Saltus stepped forward. Almara clicked her tongue, staring at Leon Hart. ¡°You¡¯re a clever man.¡± Saltus also smiled bitterly. ¡°You¡¯ve seen through our relationship.¡± When their colleagues died in front of their eyes, their bodies usually moved before thinking. Almara or Saltus would have stepped up if Gabe was in danger. But what about those Aliens? He was only forced to bring those Aliens who were like enemies to them in the first place. Logically speaking, he should¡¯ve thought, ¡®The Aliens are at a disadvantage in terms of power, so I have to save them before it becomes dangerous,¡¯ but emotionally, that wasn¡¯t the case. And the situation had ended before he even thought about it. ¡°Thanks to you, we¡¯ve been beaten with our eyes wide open¡­¡± ¡°This result isn¡¯t bad either. At least they¡¯ve been cleaned up.¡± The two Dragons immediately showed their true selves. Gigantic shadows loomed over the snowfield once more. Large fuselages comparable to high-rise buildings deflected the snowstorm and pulled Prana and Mana to the fullest. A magnificent roar burst out magnificently through the snowstorm. ¡°Argh!¡± The two humans disappeared, and the huge Silver Dragon and Green Dragon appeared in their place. Leon Hart gulped nervously. ¡®This will be the direst problem.¡¯ So far, things had worked out well. They quickly killed the Aliens, attracted the enemies¡¯ eyes, and saved Effir without repercussions. No, to be exact, things were going to work out well at the beginning. They had more information, and they had the initiative. However, that was the end of their dominance. Their skills and tactics had all been revealed. The Polymorph Necklace wasn¡¯t in their possession, so they could not be forcibly returned to humans. The only viable option left was to fight. ¡°Are they in their early 500s and mid 600s?¡± Measuring the giants Almara and Saltus, Leon Hart roughly identified the ages of the two. Even if he didn¡¯t have a Guideline as Aliens did, he could recognize his opponent¡¯s strength due to his immense experience and insight. Dragons were especially easier to recognize. As they got older, they got bigger and stronger, so he could get a rough estimate by looking at their size. ¡°Levels 115 to 120.¡± Han-bin was casually impressed. ¡®Wow, that¡¯s accurate.¡¯ Since the Silver Dragon was level 119 and the Green Dragon was level 114, it was quite close. Ryu Han-bin, holding the Gigant, stared at Almara. ¡°I¡¯ll take that lizard.¡± Leon Hart looked up at Saltus, too. ¡°Then that one¡¯s mine.¡± Their skills were originally amazing. However, Ryu Han-bin gained the Sacred Heart of Darkness, which caused his Aura capacity to increase significantly. Han-bin, at that time, was stronger than Leon Hart. Han-bin was likely to win against the Silver Dragon. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not going to be easy. But I hope you can hold on as much as you can. I¡¯m going to take care of the Green Dragon quickly and join you.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± The duo looked up at the two Dragons as they assumed combat stances. He, too, looked completely unwavering against the Ancient Dragon. ¡°Well, they¡¯re at that level.¡± Almara pulled up her Mana as she focused on him. Saltus also awakened his Prana. Grrrr! ¡°Humans¡­¡± Tremendeous energy began to rise like flames around the two Dragons. ¡°You will die in the name of Lady Holien!¡± * * * The Green Dragon opened his mouth. From it came out a magnificent roar, one that served as a language of power. ¡°Althea, with your spears and swords, pierce my enemy!¡± Milky white pointed weapons were created around Saltus and bombarded his opponent. Leon Hart flew into the air. ¡°Preleu¡¯s storm, lift me up!¡± He avoided the offensive by twisting his body in the air. And using his spiritual arts, he rushed to the opponent. ¡°Through breeze, I shall break the world!¡± Leon Hart stretched his hands as he cleverly deflected the storm of weapons. -Ectoplasmic blades! A dozen blades flew, all aiming for Saltus¡¯s life. However, none of it connected. Tatatang! All the blades bounced off, causing metallic sounds to reverberate. Saltus exclaimed triumphantly. ¡°Did you think you can break through a Dragon¡¯s scales with that?¡± Subsequently, his huge front feet stomped down in quick succession. Leon Hart quickly dodged and rolled to the left. He was met by a huge tail that was flying towards him. ¡®So that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to attack me?¡¯ He already knew that Dragons often fought using their front feet and their tails. He had fully predicted Saltus¡¯s movements. The problem was that it was hard to fight back against such a style even though he already saw through it. That was because he had to watch out for a wide range of attacks! ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Avoiding the tail sweeping towards him through the floor, he flew over Saltus. He then delivered multiple kicks in quick succession. Thud! Due to the explosive power of his legs, the head of the colossal Green Dragon shook. But he didn¡¯t collapse. He soon restored his balance and opened his mouth. -Ectoplasmic Javelin! Saltus¡¯s pitch split the air. Leon Hart clicked his tongue in a hurry to avoid it. ¡®I don¡¯t know how I can properly fight against Dragons.¡¯ When he had faced the Aliens, he fought skillfully. He had gained tremendous experience by killing numerous Aliens and closing a lot of Dungeons in the past. However, he didn¡¯t have any desperate struggles against Dragons in his lifetime. It had already been more than 20 years since the four strongest individuals subordinated all the Dragons of Latna. There were no Dragons around to fight against. The monsters of Dungeons weren¡¯t as huge as they were either. Even the largest Dungeon monsters rarely exceeded 10 meters. ¡®How do I fight against such a big guy?¡¯ Despite his lack of experience, Leon Hart did not lose his fighting spirit. There was a first time for everything. Since he already had lots of experiences, he could calmly overcome the situation based on it. ¡®The problem is that guy¡­¡¯ The Valtara warrior, Pellad Bin, was strong but had weaknesses. ¡®He has too little combat experience.¡¯ It was clear that Leon Hart had fought before. If Han-bin had even just half of the experience Leon Hart had, Leon Hart would have fallen. ¡®He has to hold on until I can assist him.¡¯ Leon Hart looked at Ryu Han-bin worryingly. ¡°¡­ Argh!¡± Leon Hart¡¯s eyes widened. * * * The entire physique of the Silver Dragon was stained with blood. Broken scales could be seen all over her, making them look worthless. Almara shuddered as she stared at the giant Valtara warrior. ¡°Hey, how can a human do that¡­¡± He was strangely good at avoiding attacks. He was also good at penetrating through the cracks. His movements weren¡¯t unusual. Han-bin wasn¡¯t fighting unorthodoxly, yet the Dragon kept missing her attacks and kept getting hit by Han-bin¡¯s in return. ¡°Damn it!¡± As she cursed, Almara began to cast her spells. ¡°Breath of Winter! Freezing Blizzard! Ice Javelin!¡± The Silver Dragon¡¯s powerful Mana was converted into magic spells that changed their reality. The terribly cold air changed into a gelid tsunami, and dozens of ice spears were fired afterward. ¡°Hum!¡± Running back lightly, Ryu Han-bin stabbed his Gigant on the ground. And he shoveled a pile of snow into the air. ¡°Huh!¡± It soared and became a red wall. He had loaded a Sun Aura to the snow. Boom! The Aura barrier blocked the cold air and ice spears. At the same time, Han-bin kicked the ground. Snowflakes flew due to his explosive power. Ryu Han-bin charged through the raging storm. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Panicking, Almara swung her frontal claws repeatedly. Avoiding the offensive, Han-bin dug into the Dragon¡¯s right side. The Silver Dragon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®I got caught!¡¯ Almara¡¯s big tail swept through the floor. It followed the claws that distracted Han-bin, allowing it to come in from a blindspot. It had good timing. There was no way to avoid it due to the momentum of Ryu Han-bin. The situation was similar to Leon Hart. However, Ryu Han-bin handled the situation very skillfully. ¡®Do you think I¡¯ve only been hit by this once or twice?¡¯ The giant demon dogs at the Rocky Mountain also had tails. Their tails also had the same blunt strength as clubs and maces. The range of their tails was so wide that he couldn¡¯t easily avoid them. At that time, he knew for sure that he had been hit by it day in and night out. ¡®This won¡¯t hurt if even if I get hit by it properly.¡¯ Instead of avoiding it, Han-bin pierced through her tail instead. It only ever extremely hurt when he was hit by the end of the club. As the point of impact got closer to the opponent¡¯s body, its power decreased. ¡®The most effective range is, in fact, mid-range to the tip of the tail end.¡¯ If he positioned himself away from that, he wouldn¡¯t feel the pain. At best, he would be hit by a boulder. Of course, even if they were only hit by a boulder, ordinary people would be crushed to death, but Ryu Han-bin was no longer an ordinary human being. Boom! Han-bin, who deflected the tail, used his strength to fly into the air. He soared up to Almara¡¯s head swiftly, their eyes reaching the same levels despite the huge height difference. ¡®Oh, my God!¡¯ Han-bin made eye contact with the surprised Silver Dragon. -Vertical cut! A red flash hit Almara directly. Like a falling stack of dominoes, her silver scales broke in rows, allowing huge amounts of Dragon blood to leak out. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Flapping her wings, Almara stepped back. She was groaning in fear. ¡°You¡¯re definitely a monster¡­¡± Leon Hart was watching the scene unfold with a blank expression. ¡®What the hell had that guy been doing?¡¯ He certainly didn¡¯t have that much combat experience when he fought against Leon Hart or the Aliens. But what was that? ¡®Is he overwhelming that Ancient Dragon?¡¯ The reason was simple. His movements and tactics felt like he was brimming with experience. His expression was full of confidence as well. ¡®Are there many Dragons like that in the Valtara¡¯s hometown?¡¯ How could he be so skillful against her without fighting and defeating Dragons every day? ¡°Ugh!¡± Almara¡¯s jaw dropped as she squirmed. As she sucked air in, formidable energy began to gather in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± It was the Breath, the strongest weapon of Dragons. A ruthless and gelid ball of air was shot at Ryu Han-bin. Crrrrrrrr! Han-bin grinned. ¡®Yesterday, if I avoided it, my colleagues would¡¯ve died, so I endured it with my body¡­¡¯ He had avoided the Breath of the giant demon dogs in the Rocky Mountain so many times already. -Crosscut! A red flash penetrated through the Breath of the Ancient Dragon. ¡°Taaaaah!¡± In that state, he rotated his body like a top. He threw himself into the cracks of the shattering Breath. He let all the turbulence pass by him. The Breath blew all the way to the far side of the snowfield, creating a series of strong explosions. Boom boom boom! After a while, the Valtara warrior reappeared completely fine. Almara muttered with a bewildered voice. ¡°How did you avoid my Breath that easily?¡± Han-bin smiled coldly, picking up his Gigant. ¡°It¡¯s easier to hunt giant monsters than to kill people.¡± Chapter 117 Blizzard and Bloodbath (3) Meanwhile, Gabe was quickly prepared a spiritual art. He had to heal Almara immediately. ¡°The tears of Rhamniana will ease the pain¡­¡± As a result of his earlier inability to respond to the emergency, he lost all six Aliens under his command. He couldn¡¯t do such a stupid thing again. At that moment, beyond the snowstorm, a pitch-black Blade Aura was fired at him. ¡°Gasp!¡± Gabe crossed his hands in a hurry. -Ectoplasmic Wall! The milky white barrier blocked the Blade Aura. The spiritual art he was preparing was broken. ¡®What the hell was that?¡¯ Three shadows appeared beyond the snow. One was a black-haired beauty with black Aura covering her body. The other was a red-haired Mage, and the last was a silver-haired Magic Swordswoman. They were all aiming for him. Kibie, the black-haired beauty, stared at Gabe and laughed. ¡°Did you think we¡¯re playing? How dare you try to use a spiritual art?¡± Looking at her, Gabe felt puzzled. ¡®Didn¡¯t she run away?¡¯ If the Goddess¡¯s incarnation were delivered to Hollien, everything would be over for Han-bin¡¯s group. Gabe naturally thought she would have fled as far as she could after saving their colleague. ¡°What a fool! You just put your life in danger and missed your best opportunity to escape!¡± Kibie laughed at Gabe¡¯s remarks. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything dangerous about it, though.¡± What did she mean? ¡®Aren¡¯t we dangerous enough?¡¯ He was a level 99 Spiritist accompanied by two ancient Dragons. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Their situation finally sunk into Gabe. All six of the Aliens were dead! Among the remaining two ancient Dragons, one fought against a spiritual boxer, and the other was being beaten to death! ¡°You¡¯re no longer dangerous to us.¡± With a fishy smile, Kibie held her long spear. The opponent¡¯s level was much higher, but they outnumbered him. There was a good chance of winning. Effir looked at him with disdain in her eyes. ¡°You treated me quite poorly earlier.¡± She already had her twin blades in her grasps. Her weapons and armor had been taken away by Gabe, but like most Hunters, Han-bin and his party carried spare weapons with them. ¡°I think I should at least return the favor!¡± The silver-haired girl propelled herself into the sky as she charged forward, conjuring her Force. -Magic Swordsmanship: Howling Thunder Attack! Thunder filled the snow. Rumbling! * * * Although she was being pushed back, Almara didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Grrrrr!¡± The huge Dragon cried out in anger and pain. Extreme emotions became her source of strength and magic. The Ancient Dragons¡¯ might, which could sunder mountains and slice open seas, raged against a mere human being! Boom! But it all missed its target¡­ ¡°The patterns and the angles of attack are similar¡­¡± Avoiding all magic flying towards him, Ryu Han-bin fired back. -Aura Strike! Dozens of Aura Bullets hit Almara¡¯s body. A scream echoed out of her. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°She¡¯s such a big target too. She¡¯s making it easy for me to hit her.¡± Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°She¡¯s no different from the Demon Dogs of the Rocky Mountain, isn¡¯t she?¡± He felt as if it was much harder to fight against Aliens. ¡®Well, her power is much higher than theirs. If my Aura hadn¡¯t increased, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to deal with her like this.¡¯ ¡°You¡­¡± Almara trembled with humiliation. ¡°Are you treating me, an Ancient Dragon, like a rabid dog?¡± ¡°Uh, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Normal people didn¡¯t know the difference between the Demon Dogs of the Rock Mountain and wild dogs. Regardless, it was still quite useful since it made Almara tremble profusely. Her shame made the gap between them bigger. With her mouth open, the Silver Dragon fired her Breath again. Grrrr! Han-bin scratched his cheek as he watched the cold tidal wave flying in. ¡°You must be excited. You didn¡¯t even notice what is going on.¡± The Breath had a long operating time despite the power it contained. It was easy to avoid it when it was used as recklessly as she just did. ¡°Huh!¡± Ryu Han-bin dodged it by going to the left. A tidal wave of cold air mercilessly swept through his earlier position. Boom! Han-bin clicked his tongue while straightening his posture. ¡°That¡¯s easier to avoid than the Demon Dog.¡± ¡°Oh, my God, I am not even a dog!¡± ¡°My bad.¡± In reply, Han-bin held Gigant upside down. He immediately shot forward and narrowed the distance. He went right up to her face and used it as a stepping stone to propel himself up. He flew into the air and reached the head of the Silver Dragon. ¡°Taah!¡± A red Blade Aura was fired diagonally. Almara quickly turned her head and avoided the offensive. She then tried to bite him. ¡°I¡¯ll chew you up!¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Han-bin, as if he knew that would happen, kicked Almara¡¯s nose. Thud! With her focus on Gigant, Almara couldn¡¯t avoid it in time. Han-bin delivered a proper attack. He connected a series of oblique slashes with Almara¡¯s head and neck. Boom! The attack caused Almara to panic, allowing him to use that as an opportunity to land an even stronger offensive. ¡®I will finish you off!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin¡¯s whole body became a red meteor that fell on Almara. -Crosscut! His impact destroyed the silver scales on her head. -Vertical cut! Almara¡¯s head split open, causing blood to flow. Red fluids glistened brilliantly in the air. Towards the center, Ryu Han-bin thrust the final blow. -Stab! -Triple Cross Attack, Cross impact! Almara¡¯s heart exploded. The Silver Dragon¡¯s death throes echoed through the snowstorm. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± Han-bin¡¯s giant body landed lightly on the snowfield. ¡°It still works well no matter how many times I use it.¡± Saltus, who was dealing with Leon Hart, shouted in shock. ¡°Oh, Almara?¡± It was an unbelievable result. He didn¡¯t expect that the might Ancient Dragon Almara would be defeated like that! Ryu Han-bin grinned as he looked at the Green Dragon. ¡°Now, it¡¯s two against one, right?¡± * * * In the end, Saltus collapsed as well. His gigantic wings were cut, the bones and scales of his entire body were smashed, and his Prana was depleted as blood escaped from his colossal form. It was a bloodbath. All he could do at that moment was to groan with difficulty. ¡°Ugh, uh¡­¡± Gabe, on the other hand, remained strong. He was a level 99 Spiritist who specialized in defense and healing. He was good enough to protect himself against three low-level enemies. But it wasn¡¯t enough to get out of the situation. ¡°Oh, even Saltus¡­¡± Watching the fallen Green Dragon, Gabe fell into despair. The two monsters who had destroyed the Ancient Dragons were approaching him. Leon Hart cracked his knuckles and glared at Gabe. ¡°Gabe, there are many things I want to hear from you.¡± It took less than a few seconds to subdue Gabe. He knocked Gabe down right away and twisted his fingers together! Wooddeuk! ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± It was a typical tactic to disable Spiritists from combat. Spiritists cast their arts using fingers. Losing them would mean losing a lot of their capabilities. ¡°Oh, oh, oh¡­¡± Gabe shed tears as the pain of having his fingers broken surged all over his body. Leon Hart talked with a stern look. ¡°Death isn¡¯t enough to pay for your sins.¡± The Top Three had committed the unforgivable crime of trying to rob the Goddess of her power. Gabe knew that, but he helped them anyway. That alone was an inexcusable felony! ¡°If you want to save even a fraction of your defiled soul, let everything be delivered right now.¡± Kibie asked, wondering. ¡°Are you not going to kill him, Leon Hart?¡± ¡°This guy is still useful, Kibie.¡± The world didn¡¯t know yet what crimes the Top Three had committed. Gabe was a henchman of the Transcendental, so his testimony would have a considerable effect. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t kill him now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Convinced, Kibie looked down at Gabe again. Gabe looked determined as he groaned. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Suddenly, Gabe shouted. ¡°There is only one person I serve, Lady Hollien!¡± His chest heaved up and down. ¡°Do you think she can hear you?¡± Boom! A muffled explosion came from Gabe¡¯s body. Blood began to flow out of his mouth. He used his remaining Prana to burst his heart. ¡°Forgive me, Hollien¡­¡± Gabe¡¯s eyes were rapidly losing their light. Leon Hart¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Did he kill himself¡­?¡± Looking at Gabe¡¯s body, which had stopped breathing, Effir was speechless. ¡°Oh, my God, there actually are people who kill themselves because of their loyalty.¡± Artis had a similar reaction. ¡°I¡¯ve read a lot of stories about this kind of situation, but I didn¡¯t think it would actually happen in real life¡­¡± Thanks to him, most of their witnesses had disappeared. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the opposite side of the snowfield. All that was left was the dying Green Dragon, Saltus. Saltus raised his head and looked at Han-bin¡¯s group. He then laughed weakly. ¡°¡­ Is it my turn¡­ now?¡± The question was, ¡®Will you kill me?¡¯ Leon Hart shook his head. ¡°It would be a waste to kill you. You would be useful as a witness though you are not better than Gabe.¡± The problem was that, unlike Gabe, Saltus was forced to obey Hollien. Like other Aliens, he was under the banned spell. Han-bin asked, looking around the giant body of the Green Dragon. ¡°If you surrender, will you be killed by a spell as well?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to have to kill myself.¡± With a smile on his face, Saltus shook his head. ¡°The prohibition of Aliens and the subordination of Ancient Dragon are different.¡± Unlike Aliens, Dragons were from Latna. Perfect prohibition was impossible, even with the power of the Omphalos. They couldn¡¯t risk their lives by putting conditions on the line like Aliens. Therefore, the subordination of the Upper Draconium¡¯s Ancient Dragon was made in such a way that if the Top Three waved their hands in front of them, they could simply kill themselves with their will. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t betray if you¡¯re determined. The moment we run into each other, your life will be gone like a candle.¡± Kibie shrugged. ¡°Just by listening to what you¡¯re saying, I can already understand.¡± Saltus had already explained the difference between the Aliens¡¯ prohibition spell and the Ancient Dragon¡¯s subordination. In other words, he had blown up confidential information. He would have died automatically at that point. First of all, he was useful. Kibie thought about it hard. ¡°Come on, what should we do with him?¡± Han-bin looked at hard. ¡°Is there any way to put a Dragon under your command, Kibie? You¡¯re the creator of the Dragon race.¡± ¡°Of course not. Do you think you deserve to be a creator by suppressing the free will of creatures?¡± ¡°When you put it like that¡­¡± Regardless, they had to keep him alive. Leon Hart asked Effir. ¡°Miss Effir, can you convert him to human form?¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± She returned Saltus to his human body using the necklace. After healing his wounds with Leon Hart¡¯s magic, he tied him tightly with a chain. It was a Prana seal, the Magic Tool that once tied him up. ¡°This can¡¯t stop you from transforming into a dragon, but we can do that with Polymorph Necklace every day.¡± Leon Hart pulled on the chain of Saltus. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take him to the church this way.¡± Raising his body, the human-shaped Ancient Dragon sighed deeply. ¡°Whoa, what a shame my fate has become.¡± Of course, no one sympathized with him. Ryu Han-bin gave a cold stare. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. How can you say that after killing so many people?¡± Chapter 118 The Order of Kybriel (1) An elegant reception room decorated with splendor Two men and women were sitting in front of a steaming teacup. They were the Transcendental Hollien, Queen of Allendia, the Fairy Kingdom, and Roacell Eli Atransas, the first prince of the Atransas family. Hollien murmured as if to complain, tilting the teacup. ¡°All six of them are dead, Roacell.¡± The restrictions on the Aliens of Akhtarun had all been lifted almost all at the same time. It was clear evidence that they were all dead. ¡°Almara¡¯s dead, too.¡± For the same reason, the ancient Dragon¡¯s death was also easily confirmed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Gabe is alive or not, but¡­¡± Unlike Aliens and Ancient Dragons, they couldn¡¯t confirm Gabe¡¯s status. There was no ban on him. Since his loyalty was more certain than any other spell that could¡¯ve put Gabe under their command, such measures were unnecessary. ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t expect him to be alive, can you?¡± When asked by Hollien, Roacell, the young Elf sitting opposite her, shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, if he¡¯s okay, he would¡¯ve already told us.¡± It had been two days since Hollien had sensed their death. ¡°He¡¯s the kind of person who¡¯d take his own life rather than bring harm to the Queen.¡± It was easy for anyone to swear loyalty with their life, but it was rare for them to be so blind that they actually acted upon it. Gabe was an uncommon being for Roacell. Roacell suddenly realized that there was one name not mentioned in the pursuit team. ¡°Well, is Saltus safe?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead for now. I don¡¯t know if I should say he is safe.¡± ¡°Captured or betrayed, either.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be both? There¡¯s only one reason why and how Saltus can betray us.¡± Salto¡¯s obedience to Hollien was due to fear. ¡°If he¡¯s about to lose his life, there¡¯s no reason to remain loyal.¡± However, he wouldn¡¯t actively antagonize Hollien. In his heart would still be the fear of the Top Three. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s being taken prisoner and dragged around in moderately passive ways.¡± Roacell was lost in thought for a moment. Hollien then continued to explain. ¡°It sounds like the incarnation of Darkness won a complete victory against six level 100 Aliens and two powerful Dragons close to level 120, and even captured one of them.¡± That result would be ridiculous, even if the power of the group were as high as possible. That could only mean a powerful being was helping them. ¡°Lord Leon Hart is on the side of the incarnation of the Darkness.¡± Leon Hart was Kybriel¡¯s Templar Head, so it wasn¡¯t farfetched to think that he¡¯s an ally of the incarnation of Darkness. If she could make him believe she was truly the incarnation of Darkness, it would be possible. ¡°I don¡¯t know what tricks they had used on him, but it must be hard for Leon Hart to believe them.¡± ¡°They must have taken the Sacred Heard of Darkness and used it to do something. I don¡¯t know.¡± However, it was quite certain that Leon Hart had joined the Goddess of Darkness¡¯s party. ¡°Tracking skills don¡¯t work anymore, after all.¡± Hollien lifted a small glass bottle with a sour face. Roacell asked. ¡°Is that the blood of the incarnation of Darkness?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Since two days ago, the catalyst-based spiritual tracking art no longer worked. ¡°I even tried to trace them myself, but it didn¡¯t work. It¡¯s being blocked by someone at a minimum level of 110 or higher.¡± There were fewer than five Spiritists, including Hollien, whose level was at, or higher than, 110 in Latna. Given the circumstances, they became certain. Still, Roacell looked unconvinced. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be that bad if the Spiritist had acquired the Darkness.¡± Hollien¡¯s trackers sent to capture the incarnation of Darkness weren¡¯t enough. That team had so much fighting power that it could¡¯ve been used against them. ¡°I didn¡¯t think they would fail either.¡± Regardless of whether it was convincing or not, it was certain that they had failed. Hollien sighed, leaning her back on the sofa. ¡°It¡¯s not going well.¡± She also regretted not coming forward when she secured the position of the incarnation. But she knew it was just criticism based on the result. Position and power could do many things, but that didn¡¯t mean they could do all of it. The queen of a country could not vacate the palace impulsively. She needed to be fully prepared in advance to move. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have time for that at the time. ¡°I can¡¯t repeat the same mistake.¡± Hollien called the Elven Youth. ¡°Roacell.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Tell Strail, Gerbel, and Siana. Cancel all the official schedules and prepare to move at any time. Of course, you, too.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Roacell, Strail, Gerbel, and Siana were the four Allendia royal families¡¯ top successors, consisting of an Elf, a Dwarf, a Sylf, and a Nymph. They were also candidates to be the next Fairy king. In other words, if they moved, she, the Queen of Allendia, would have a justification to move. ¡°The position of Queen can be somewhat restrictive.¡± Tilting the teacup, Hollien smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t deserve to complain because you¡¯ve come all the way here thanks to being a queen.¡± * * * Capturing Saltus alive, Han-bin¡¯s group left Sacred Peak Generosus. Meanwhile, Leon Hart was provided with information regarding the party. ¡°Oh, my God, you were a Dragon?¡± Leon Hart became a reliable ally after he acknowledged Kibie as the true Goddess of Darkness. There was no need to hide the identity of the group anymore. Therefore, Artis frankly stated that he wasn¡¯t human. ¡°I thought it would be better to let you know in advance than to make you distrust me because I was exposed by chance. Of course, you can¡¯t help but keep doubting me because my race doesn¡¯t have a good reputation¡­¡± Leon Hart shook his head firmly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t doubt that.¡± The incarnation of Kybriel, the creator of all Dragons, guaranteed the character of Artis. How could he doubt that as a faithful believer in Kybriel? He was embarrassed for a while but quickly regained his composure. ¡°I see. Somehow I did feel a strange sense of alienation to call you human.¡± Likewise, Ryu Han-bin revealed his identity. Leon Heart was also very surprised this time. ¡°You¡¯re an Alien?¡± It was not due to the notoriety of the Aliens that pervaded Latna. ¡°No way! I was sure you were a Valtara warrior¡­¡± He was perfectly natural from head to toe. His appearance and fighting methods were akin to actual Valtara warriors. There were no Alien characteristics. It was quite a shock to Leon Hart, who was confident about his own judgments. Ryu Han-bin explained while smiling. ¡°Because I¡¯m a bit of an odd case¡­¡± He calmly talked about the broken Guideline, the days of the Rocky Mountain, and the fact that he had fallen into that world and met Artis, Effir, and Kibie. Only then did Leon Hart nod his head as if he was convinced. ¡°You¡¯re surely not a Valtara warrior.¡± ¡°Now you believe me.¡± ¡°Valtara warriors are not as good at explaining as you are.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that the reason why you can believe me?¡± Regardless, since the Goddess had chosen them, it was clear that he was a trustworthy person even if he¡¯s an Alien. Despite revealing such a grave secret, they weren¡¯t worried that Saltus might overhear. They converted him into a furniture-like item and brought him with them. Even if he was in human form and had all of his Prana sealed, it was impossible to carry around a Dragon¡¯s existence with confidence. Saltus was then confined to a large coffin with a double seal connection installed by Leon Hart¡¯s spiritual art, while his entire body was still tied by a Prana-Restricting Magic Tool. Simply put, Saltus was like a dead body that only breathed. It was a very drastic move, causing Effir to frown. ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that too much?¡± Of course, Leon Hart didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we can only do that. It¡¯s a blessing to fall asleep painlessly when taking his sins into consideration.¡± * * * It had been three days since they left the Kellev Mountains. The wagon of Han-bin¡¯s group was riding peacefully on the highway without any obstacles. Thanks to Leon Hart blocking tracking skills, pursuit teams could no longer follow them accurately. Thanks to that, Ryu Han-bin was able to relax and review his newly acquired power. ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± Walking along with the wagon, Han-bin continued to operate the Aura in his body. He made an impression by stroking his stomach. ¡°Oh, what should I say about this feeling?¡± He was full of energy, but it seemed like it was out of his control. It was a strange feeling having an unknown power inside him. ¡°I think I have an upset stomach, but I don¡¯t have an upset stomach¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin, who was muttering, suddenly raised his head. ¡°Oh, this is what makes me feel like I that.¡± Since he could also use Magic Tools normally, Leon Hart was currently holding the Golem steeds¡¯ reins. Thanks to that, Artis and Effir, who were resting behind the wagon, could finally scold Han-bin. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s what I wanted to say the whole time!¡± ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s not as good as you thought it would be when you¡¯re the one suffering from it, is it?¡± ¡°Yes. I understand what you mean by leveling up as fast as possible isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.¡± Since his Aura capacity had increased due to the Sacred Heart of Darkness, he finally understood the struggles of Artis and effir when they were forced to raise their levels by constantly filling them with energy. Of course, it was better to be strong a hundred times. It was just talking high and mighty. ¡°So, what am I supposed to do now?¡± It was difficult to grapple with the sudden external energy. For other Aliens, they could just use the Guideline, but he didn¡¯t enjoy such benefits. Han-bin had to do it himself, but it wasn¡¯t something common. Hence, it wasn¡¯t written in the Maxbrid Martial Arts book. Fortunately, next to him were two masters of ¡®filling themselves with energy and digesting it recklessly.¡¯ ¡°First, you have to convert it into controlled energy. In your case, that¡¯s Aura.¡± ¡°Then, little by little, you have to pull the flow of the uncontrollable Aura. That¡¯s how you assimilate them.¡± Ryu Han-bin continued to concentrate and digest Aura, according to Artis and Effir¡¯s explanation. ¡°Both of you are worth the hard work. You¡¯ve learned how to do this.¡± Even Leon Hart, who had been through a lot, didn¡¯t know how to do that. If it weren¡¯t for the two of them, he would have had quite a hard time digesting Aura. He was concentrating his mind like that. ¡°But Kibie.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A question came into his mind, and Han-bin immediately voiced it out. ¡°Did I really need to take the Sacred Heart of Darkness?¡± Chapter 119 The Order of Kybriel (2) Ryu Han-bin was an Earthling. He was not a native of Latna. Nevertheless, Kibie asked him for help. Han-bin, unlike the other Aliens, was hostile to the Devil. Returning to Earth was also a clear reason to help the Goddess. He was perfect in terms of combat skills and potentials. As far as Kibie knew, Ryu Han-bin was the best helper that could replace Baotolt. At least until then. ¡°But now you have a much better substitute than me.¡± Leon Hart Kartel Frelsis, the Spiritual Boxer. He was a blessed person like Baotolt, and he had absolute power in the realm of masters. His skills might be comparable to that of Ryu Han-bin, but his combat experience was much higher. He was also the Templar Lord of Kybriel, so he had much more power and influence to exercise in the world. ¡°I think Leon Hart should take the Sacred Heart. But did you need me?¡± Leon Hart, who was driving the Golem steeds, looked back at Han-bin, shocked. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how you can think of that after getting such a huge power. Is it the pride of warriors, or are you simply not greedy?¡± Ryu Han-bin shook his Head. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly like that. Of course, I like getting stronger. However, considering the ultimate goal, giving it to you will be the best option.¡± Han-bin¡¯s final goal was to restore the Goddess¡¯s divinity and go back to Earth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who wields it. We just need to get rid of the Top Three.¡± Leon Hart¡¯s eyes softened. He looked back at Kibie. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. It¡¯s surprisingly rare for anyone in a position of power to say that.¡± ¡°What do you think? I picked a pretty good master of the Sacred Heart, didn¡¯t I?¡± After shrugging her shoulders, she looked serious. ¡°That¡¯s true, but it can¡¯t be Leon Hart.¡± ¡°As she said, I don¡¯t deserve the Sacred Heart.¡± ¡°How come? The Goddesses have blessed you. Hasn¡¯t your qualification been proven enough? You even unlocked the seal this time.¡± Kibie and Leon Hart explained. ¡°The problem is that I am ¡®blessed by the Goddesses.''¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it meant it wouldn¡¯t have much effect when I take the Sacred Heart of the Darkness.¡± Leon Hart became immortal even though the Goddess¡¯s blessing limited it. He already had the blessing of six Goddesses. That clashed with the sacred Heart of Darkness. ¡°Even if Leon Hart takes it, Han-bin, it won¡¯t have the same dramatic effect as it did with you.¡± Kibie explained his Prana would be about 50% stronger than before. Of course, that wasn¡¯t an ordinary thing, but it was less effective than Ryu Han-bin, whose Aura amount had increased several times. ¡°Is that why?¡± Han-bin, who they were trying to convince, suddenly frowned. ¡°What about the Sword King? I heard you were going to give him this. But the Sword King was blessed by the six goddesses, right?¡± She gave a bitter smile. ¡°Of course, Baotolt wouldn¡¯t be that much affected by it either. Maybe it was only about a 20% increase in the Aura amount.¡± However, that was enough for the Sword King. He was that much stronger than the Top Three. If his Aura amount increased by 20% more, it would be enough to create an absolute gap between him and the Top Three. On the other hand, Leon Hart was different. If his Prana increased by more than 50 percent with the Sacred Heart, it wouldn¡¯t still be enough to fight against Hollien easily. Ryu Han-bin, who could exert the Sacred Heart¡¯s power¡¯s fullest potential, was better suited to have it. ¡°Of course, that would only be true if you can master Baotolt¡¯s absolute skill.¡± Kibie tapped Han-bin on the shoulder, asking him to do his best. Feeling pressured, Ryu Han-bin frowned. ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s too hard¡­¡± Although his Aura amount had increased, he still had no idea what ¡®the mustard seed rhyme¡¯ meant. So far, it had been overwhelming to deal with the amplified Aura. ¡°Where am I supposed to be doing this?¡± Leon Hart encouraged him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best to help you. Aren¡¯t you heading to the Church for that?¡± The wagon had reached the entrance of the Landea Mountains, which separated the border between Kaldris and Allendia. They were heading to Scotaskia, the headquarters of the Church of Darkness. That was due to Leon Hart¡¯s insistence that the Church should be informed of the incarnation. ¡°The Top Three are the rulers of the world. No matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t deal with them with your strength.¡± Therefore, they must obtain the cooperation of the Church of Darkness. Then they would be able to attract the five other Orders as allies and fight back to some extent against the might of the Continental Top Three. ¡°As important as that matter is, we must first deliver the truth to Pope Castalo, the Saintess Sermen, and some of the leaders.¡± Kibie was half-confident. ¡°Will they believe me?¡± It was so hard for her to persuade even Leon Hart. The sacred item gave them solid evidence, but what about the others? Effir wondered. ¡°Leon Hart is the Head of the Church Knights. Would you doubt Leon Hart¡¯s testimony?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough. Castalo or Sermen wouldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that Leon Hart might have been deceived.¡± If someone were the Head of a church, he or she couldn¡¯t act rashly. On the contrary, that was the right posture. He couldn¡¯t blame them. They needed something else to convince them. ¡°The problem is that there¡¯s no more of that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way to persuade them.¡± Leon Hart talked to Kibie, who was worried. ¡°Maybe you haven¡¯t thought of it.¡± * * * The next afternoon, Han-bin and his group arrived in Scotaskia. It had been a mess from the gate those days. Leon Hart¡¯s disappearance was widespread within the Church. Countless people moved to save him, so even a subordinate retainer couldn¡¯t be unaware. The believers gathered together and began to hum. ¡°Oh, my God, Leon Hart!¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe, Templar Lord!¡± Leon Hart asked, calming his minions. ¡°I want to see the Pope. Where is he?¡± One of the warriors answered calmly. ¡°A messenger was sent to him. You will meet him in a minute.¡± Several believers had already rushed to announce the news. ¡°The Pope is not the only one who is concerned about the safety of Lord Leon Hart.¡± Seeing how he was safe, the holy warriors drew a sign, saying, ¡°It is indeed the guidance of Kybriel.¡± They then suddenly asked. ¡°But what about them?¡± Leon Hart didn¡¯t return alone. He had a group of hunters with them. But somehow, weren¡¯t they very similar to the unidentified Aliens who had kidnapped Leon Hart? ¡°They are reliable. Let¡¯s make room for them.¡± Leon Hart took a step forward, addressing the wary warriors. The officials didn¡¯t understand the situation but still followed orders. ¡°Oh, as you command, Templar Lord.¡± * * * The group was immediately escorted to the main hall of the Church, the Hall of Stars. Looking around the hall, Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s pure black.¡± Since it was a place built mainly of graphite, the colors were all the same. The walls were black, the ceilings were black, the floors were black, and the curtains were black¡­ Artis gave a bitter smile. ¡°Looking at the atmosphere, it¡¯s like some evil clandestine organization.¡± ¡°The atmosphere of our Church is a bit like that.¡± Considering Leon Hart¡¯s pure acceptance, the Church seemed to be aware of it. Han-bin and his party sat quietly and waited. After a while, a group of believers entered the hall. They were the Pope of Darkness, Castalo II, the saintess Sermen, and the High Priests. A middle-aged woman in her 50s who saw Leon Hart gave him a bright smile. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re alright, Templar Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you, Dear Saintess.¡± After a polite compliment, Leon Hart looked back at everyone. ¡°You¡¯ve already heard of it. She is the incarnation of Kybriel.¡± Kibie got up from her seat. But the believers did not kneel. ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt the Templar Lord¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just believe it because it¡¯s an extremely major situation¡­¡± ¡°Forgive the foolish man who doubts the will of the Goddess.¡± Kibie grinned. It was an expected response. ¡°I suppose so.¡± She gestured behind her back. ¡°Open their eyes, Effir.¡± The silver-haired girl walked softly to the center of the hall. Curious, the Pope and the Saintess squinted. Effir smoothed her necklace. Paasss! The girl disappeared with a dazzling light. In her stead appeared a giant silver-maned Wyvern about 10 meters tall. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the monster from the countryside!¡± The believers were startled and pulled Prana up. Leon Hart stopped everyone. ¡°Calm down. She¡¯s already under the grace of incarnation.¡± Indeed, Wyvern stood there, not running wild. Castalo II, who regained his calmness, stroked his beard. ¡°Okay, Wyvern, who can take human form¡­¡± They had never heard or seen it before. They had already been informed that Kybriel¡¯s incarnation would show. But they couldn¡¯t believe them on that premise alone. ¡°That much is also possible for Aliens to do. That alone is not proof.¡± Leon Hart nodded gently at the words of the wary Pope. ¡°You are right, Holy Father. It¡¯s the power of that necklace that can turn her into a human being.¡± Leon Hart briefly described the Polymorph Necklace. The expression of the Pope and the Saintess changed strangely. They said to show evidence of her being the incarnation. But what if they showed abilities related to Aliens? Did they want to be more suspicious? At that moment, she spoke. ¡°Eh, what do we do now?¡± The vicious-looking Wyvern opened her mouth. ¡°You told me just to say something, but I need you to tell me what to say¡­.¡± Everyone was shocked at the moment and opened their mouths wide. ¡°The Wyvern can talk?¡± ¡°That¡¯s so fluent, too.¡± A truly fluent Coulin language flowed from the mouth of the vicious monster. The word order and grammar were perfect and intelligently formed. The Wyvern rolled her eyes as she looked around her. Leon Hart smiled and gestured. ¡°Will you introduce yourself to these people, Miss Effir?¡± Effir bowed her head as she was told. ¡°Hello, my name is Effir. I¡¯m a Wyvern, and I¡¯m 18 years old this year.¡± It was clear. The Wyvern had intelligence. It was not different from humans. It was impossible by any magic, by any spiritual skill, or even by Alien abilities. ¡°You must be right!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle of the Goddess!¡± Kibie smiled softly at the officials. It was an elegant, goddess-like smile. However, she was embarrassed inside. ¡®Wow, it worked?!¡¯ Chapter 120 The Order of Kybriel (3) Leon Hart spoke confidently to the troubled Kibie. ¡°If we show them miss Effir¡¯s intelligence, they¡¯ll be disillusioned. Everyone will believe it.¡± He continued to say that they wouldn¡¯t have any problems. ¡°How can there be such a miracle without the power of a Goddes? If you had told me who she was from the beginning, I would have believed you right away.¡± Kibie corrected his mistake. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She was already originally smart. I didn¡¯t do anything to her.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± All creatures bore the seeds of change and evolution. That was what the six Goddesses were mindful of when they created life in Latna. Effir was just a mutant born from one of those seeds. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that due to the power of incarnation?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no such thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But Leon Hart told her to insist it regardless. ¡°Even I didn¡¯t doubt it. The same should go for the others.¡± ¡°What if they bring other Wyverns and ask me to give them intelligence?¡± ¡°You can say you can only do it once. Showing evidence with the Sacred Heart of Darkness could only be done a single time.¡± If there were other Wyverns like Effir, only then could they doubt her. However, Leon Hart¡¯s testimony was different from the story. Besides, Saltus was captured alive so he could prove Kibie¡¯s identity as well. ¡°If three pieces of evidence appear at the same time, their suspicions would be cleared.¡± * * * It was just as Leon Hart had said. All of the believers under the Pope knelt in unison. ¡°She deserves to be served.¡± ¡°Your saints ask a favor to your incarnation.¡± Looking down at everyone, Kibie walked softly. ¡°My faithful saints.¡± A graceful voice entered the ears of the saints. ¡°In the name of Kybriel, I will tell you the truth of the present Latna.¡± Kibie revealed the sins committed by the Top Three in detail. She also added the information they gained from Gabe. Gabe¡¯s suicide was in vain. Kibie had a shadow-reading ability to read residual thoughts. His body didn¡¯t disappear like the Aliens, so his corpse was enough to serve as a source of information. They found out that Gabe deliberately let the Sword King die, and he also found out that it was the plan all of the Top Three all along. Kibie felt ridiculous after learning of it. ¡®Baotolt died because of him?¡¯ It was the first time a dog¡¯s death didn¡¯t feel pitiful. She then addressed the identities of Ryu Han-bin and Artis. Leon Hart said she should hide their identity, but only from an unspecified majority. If she hid it from the Pope, the Saintess, and other leaders, it would only become a problem later. Of course, they were surprised at first. ¡°He¡¯s an Alien?¡± ¡°D-Dragon?¡± However, their fear subsided quickly. Like Leon Hart, all gathered there was the backbone of the Darkness Church and the hands of Kybriel. As long as Kibie was the incarnation, there was no reason to doubt those she trusted as well. No, could Kibie be even more convincing that she was the incarnation of Darkness? ¡°It¡¯s Kybriel!¡± ¡°Without the power of Goddess, how could she have made a wicked Alien and a Dragon see the goodness of the world?¡± Ryu Han-bin and Artis felt a bit discriminated against as they listened to them. ¡®I wasn¡¯t such a bad guy in the first place.¡¯ ¡®Me too.¡¯ He was dissatisfied, but the situation was going well, so both of them just let it pass. It didn¡¯t take long for Kibie to finish her explanation. ¡°That¡¯s why I came to earth as an incarnation¡­¡± Looking back at everyone, she spoke solemnly. ¡°My saints, let the world know of their sins and set the will of the Goddess on this earth right!¡± It was an order from the very Goddess they served and followed. It was a religious order that no follower of Kybriel could break. Nevertheless, Castalo II and Sermen didn¡¯t immediately respond. The same was true of the other high-priests. Kibie¡¯s complexion hardened slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± Sermen fixed her posture. ¡°I must follow the rule of dealing with incarnations, not Goddesses.¡± She continued in a serious tone. ¡°Incarnation of Darkness, Kibie. It¡¯s not as simple as you say.¡± * * * ¡°We should judge carefully to let the world know their sins.¡± ¡°The Top Three are the rulers of the world.¡± ¡°If it becomes known that they have the power of the Goddess, there is a high possibility for them to increase their strength and influence.¡± The High Priests said Kibie didn¡¯t convince them. ¡°Why? It¡¯s about setting the will of the Goddess right. Is there room for worldly power to be involved in this?¡± Sermen answered calmly. ¡°You can¡¯t expect everyone to judge the Goddess right. Isn¡¯t that part of the free will that the six Goddesses gave us?¡± Kibie was frustrated. ¡°Free will? At this rate, Latna will be destroyed!¡± Kibie couldn¡¯t understand. It didn¡¯t matter how sweet the world¡¯s wealth and honor were if it fell. Wasn¡¯t it only possible to enjoy any of that wealth and honor if they were alive? ¡°And yet there are those who side with the best three?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Sermen shook her head. ¡°With all due respect, I must dare ask.¡± She looked calm. ¡°When those heretics become new Gods and Goddesses, what happens to Latna?¡± Kibie answered firmly. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s not something that mortals are allowed to be.¡± ¡°But they insist it¡¯s possible. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking.¡± The Pope, Castalo II, followed by a question. ¡°What happens if you ¡®assume¡¯ that it¡¯s possible?¡± Kibie blinked her eyes. If that¡¯s possible, what happens to Latna? What¡¯s the matter? ¡°¡­ Everything would be fine, right?¡± Nothing changed as the spirituality of Darkness had found its place. It was just the way the world was now. ¡°I suppose so.¡± Saintess Sermen nodded, saying she knew it. ¡°Those who follow the Top Three believe that.¡± Only then did Kibie realize what the problem was. Human beings only saw what they wanted to see and heard what they wanted to hear. If they fully trusted the Top Three, they didn¡¯t have to believe that the world would collapse. In other words, there was no reason not to betray the Goddess. Furthermore, according to Gabe¡¯s memory, the Top Three promised special rewards to those who followed them. If they became deified, the faithful servants would also be blessed with new Gods and Goddesses. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good temptation for stupid people.¡± Kibie¡¯s complexion grew darker and darker. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Meanwhile, Ryu Han-bin watched from the sides while pondering around his thoughts. ¡®I see. I wondered why the concept of God in this place is so similar to the Earth yet so different¡­¡¯ Han-bin might¡¯ve found out the reason behind it. The Earth¡¯s concept of God was considered as an absolute and omnipotent being. That was because they were ideological beings, and humans didn¡¯t know whether they existed or not. On the other hand, no one on the Latna continent doubted the existence of the six Goddesses. They existed. Maybe that was why? Goddesses were arguably high-dimensional and transcendent, but they weren¡¯t considered absolute and omnipotent like God was on Earth. ¡®It¡¯s like medieval times in sync with the God-king.¡¯ Of course, it had a more solid position than that. The Goddess must have had divine power. Goddesses in Latna were somewhere between the God-king and real Gods. That was how he perceived it. ¡®That¡¯s funny. If God exists, he won¡¯t be treated like a god?¡¯ Technically speaking, that was the truth behind how Latnains treated their deities. Kibie was infuriated and asked Castalo II. ¡°Then what should I do? Does that mean you can¡¯t punish them?¡± ¡°No way.¡± The Pope shook his head firmly. Punishing the Top Three was something they needed to be achieved. There was no choice in that. However, they had to choose the means and methods of doing that. ¡°To punish them, we have to follow the humane way.¡± * * * Upon welcoming the Darkness¡¯s incarnation, the Church of Darkness immediately began to prepare to deal with the Top Three. It might sound natural, but that preparation couldn¡¯t be made overnight. It was necessary to make thorough plans and gather enough forces. Thanks to that, Han-bin¡¯s party also had a few months of free time. And Leon Hart had no intention of wasting that time. ¡°Ryu Han-bin, it¡¯s best to improve your skills for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do that anyway.¡± There was a pressing need for time to properly grapple with the increased Aura due to the Sacred Heart of Darkness. The swordsmanship of the Sword King had to be thoroughly mastered. Now that he had the support of the Church, he could finally get enough support. ¡°I wish I had a good teacher to teach me how to use Aura. I¡¯ve studied by myself so far.¡± Although Effir was a good teacher, she was a Magic Swordsman. Force and Aura might be similar in overall operation, but they differed significantly in detail. There was no problem in martial arts, but there was a clear limit to her teaching him how to operate Aura. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I have something in mind, and¡­¡± Boastfully, Leon Hart looked at Kibie. ¡°Kibie, you need to become stronger, too.¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± Kibie blinked. She thought she had enough power. Leon Hart clicked his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s hard to be an incarnation at that level these days.¡± Aura users in level 80s would have been treated as powerful beings hundreds of years ago, but at the current time, they couldn¡¯t even give out their business cards to anyone in the world. Leon Hart¡¯s eyes began to glow fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a lot of experience teaching my students, Hoohoo.¡± ¡°Whoa, your eyes are a little scary¡­¡± Kibie took a backward step. No, how hard do you want to train me? ¡°I¡¯m Kybriel. She¡¯s the Goddess you serve.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you an incarnation?¡± Well, Leon Hart didn¡¯t seem to take it easy. ¡°You, too.¡± Leon Hart¡¯s blazing eyes turned to Artis and Effir as well. ¡°You should take care of the incarnation of the Goddess. However, what can you do with your soft power?¡± The duo sweated without realizing it. ¡°Of course, if I could be stronger, there would be no reason to refuse¡­¡± ¡°I feel a little ominous¡­¡± Chapter 121 I Also Leveled Up Now! (1) At the foot of a mountain just a short distance from Scotaskia, there was a nice smoke-free, two-story building in an open space blocked by forests. It was the new accommodation of Han-bin¡¯s group. Originally, High Templars set it up so they could perform quietly, but the church gave them the whole place. Standing at the training ground, Ryu Han-bin picked up the sword Gigant. He then tilted his head for a few moments. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d introduce me to someone who would teach me Aura?¡± Leon Hart shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Isn¡¯t he in front of you?¡± Han-bin felt a little embarrassed. Currently, there were three Templars with Han-bin and Leon Hart in the training yard. [Race: Human Swordsman lv. 77] [Race: Human Fighter Lv. 73] [Race: Human Magic Swordsman Lv. 79] It was true that all three of them were quite talented, but they weren¡¯t that illustrious from Ryu Han-bin¡¯s perspective. ¡®You¡¯re telling me to learn from them? One of them isn¡¯t an Aura user, but a Magic Swordsman.¡¯ Leon Hart shook his head. ¡°Not them.¡± He pointed to his chest. It was as if he was telling Han-bin that he was the one who¡¯d teach Han-bin how to use Aura. Ryu han-bin felt confused. ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re a Spiritist.¡± ¡°To be precise, I¡¯m a Spiritual boxer.¡± Leon Hart was the first Spiritual Boxer in Latna. He had long mastered how to change the spiritual arts specializing in healing, assistance, and long-ranged attacks into close-combat skills. He fought more like an Aura user and a Magic Swordsman combined. ¡°Magic is not much different from spiritual arts in form.¡± To change Prana into Aura or Force, he first needed a truly deep understanding of them. As a result, he understood them better than any ordinary Aura users or Magic Swordsmen did. ¡°I¡¯m the one who taught High Templars about it. All three of them are like my students.¡± A woman in her early 30s among the High Templars clicked her tongue. ¡°To be precise, you wanted to study Aura and Force, and you used us to experiment on those energies. We were only taught as part of the process, right?¡± Two other men of similar age shook their heads. ¡°Even so, Leon Hart is still our teacher.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t disparage that grace.¡± Ryu Han-bin frowned as if he didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You¡¯re not an Aura user, but you taught them Aura?¡± Leon Hart responded right away. ¡°Didn¡¯t miss Effir, the Magic Swordsman, gave you advice on how to operate Aura?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°And on equal grounds, a blockhead can be a better teacher than a genius.¡± The more trial-and-error activities he performed, the more familiar he would be in correcting his student¡¯s behavior. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a problem because the blockhead can¡¯t go up to a level similar to a genius.¡± Leon Hart was a genius, but he was not an Aura user or a Magic Swordsman. He had to study and apply Aura and Force through numerous experiments. He had penetrated deeper and closer than just a simple blockhead and eventually achieved a level enough to receive the Goddesses¡¯ blessing. ¡°I¡¯m pretty confident in teaching others what I know.¡± Leon Hart boasted with a playful look. Leon Hart had been teaching the High Templars for more than a decade by that time. No matter how much he looked like a young man in his 20s, he was actually in his mid-40s. The Templars agreed with him. ¡°I¡¯m sure Leon Hart is the best teacher.¡± ¡°We know our teacher the best.¡± However, the female Templar ruined the mood. ¡°He¡¯s the worst teacher for a Spiritist, though.¡± Leon Hart, as a Spiritist, was a genius. And geniuses usually couldn¡¯t teach someone else. They usually explained it like: -You understand this way and do it that way! It¡¯s easy. ¡°He has always answered, ¡®Why don¡¯t you know that?''¡± Ryu Han-bin nodded casually. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard that a lot.¡± That was what Effir used to say. ¡°Reina, are you sure you can¡¯t stand it without saying a word?¡± ¡°Who would want to empty the main mountain that long? Everyone was so worried about Leon Hart!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Regardless, there seemed to be no doubt that Leon Hart was an excellent teacher. Ryu Han-bin narrowed his eyes at them. ¡°¡­ But, with that effort, if you had just mastered spiritual skills like everyone else, you could have become a higher-level Spiritist.¡± ¡®That¡¯s great, but does it feel like you¡¯ve done something you¡¯d regret?¡¯ Surprisingly, Leon Hart did not deny it. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that a lot, but isn¡¯t that what life is supposed to be like? Once you choose a path, it¡¯s hard to go back. I believe this is the right way to go, and I have to see it to the end.¡± He clapped his hands to change the atmosphere. ¡°Come on, come on! Let¡¯s stop chatting. First, limit the Aura and compete with them in order. The first is Grand, you first.¡± The Templar, called Grand, pulled out a sword and stepped forward. Ryu Han-bin also moved to the opposite side. Instead of looking at the opponent and taking a combat posture, he asked. ¡°What should I focus on in this sparring?¡± The opponent¡¯s level was too low in developing his skills through sparring. He thought there had to be another purpose for it. ¡°You have to fight moderately. With your level difference, you won¡¯t be able to learn anything.¡± ¡°Then why am I doing it?¡± Leon Hart grinned at Han-bin, who didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Because I have to evaluate you. If you learn everything about someone you¡¯ve only fought once, wouldn¡¯t you be a fraud, not a master?¡± * * * Their Blade Aura and Magic Swordsmanship techniques collided in the air. The third opponent, Reina, groaned as she bounced back. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ryu Han-bin pulled his sword up. She was already sweaty, and her breathing was rough. She was so exhausted she could no longer fight. Barely lifting herself up, Reina gave a bow. ¡°Thank you for your lesson.¡± Han-bin also nodded politely. ¡°Thank you. It was good training.¡± Unlike her, Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t even drop a sweat. He never felt tired, even though he fought three people in a row. In the first place, their physical strengths and endurances were different. Looking around, Han-bin asked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Leon Hart nodded after letting Reina back down. ¡°I see what the problem is.¡± Leon Hart watched Ryu Han-bin, who wielded his Gigant, and the Mana flow carefully. He also checked the fighting method and physical strength usage of Han-bin. Thanks to that, he also got some pretty accurate information about Han-bin¡¯s status. ¡°For now, the balance between your body and the Aura itself is pretty good.¡± A formidable amount of Aura was contained by a formidable vessel. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s body was strong enough to handle even the Aura explosion caused by absorbing the Sacred Heart. ¡°If I look at the balance, you are good.¡± However, there was still something wrong with him. ¡°The problem is that you only recognize Aura as a martial art.¡± Aura skills and Magic Swordsmanship were a combination of physical and mental activities. ¡°But you can¡¯t harmonize with it because you are only approaching the Aura with a martial sense. That¡¯s why there¡¯s a gap in the middle.¡± So far, he always pushed forward with such overwhelming force that the gap he had was temporarily removed. However, if he met someone actually powerful, his life would be in a huge predicament. Ryu Han-bin nodded at Leon Hart¡¯s words. He then found himself wondering. ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t that the same thing with swordsmanship?¡± Maxbrid Martial Arts taught how to swing swords through the harmony of the body and the mind. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m utilizing Aura like I¡¯m swinging a sword. Is that what you meant? Leon Hart clicked his tongue. ¡°Not at all. You have Aura now. Do you think that you can only swing it around and cut the enemy?¡± ¡°Since there¡¯s a sword, shouldn¡¯t I just swing that sword to cut the enemy?¡± ¡°When you swing a sword, do you think before you move your arms, tighten your hold, and then use that sword to cut your enemies?¡± Han-bin blinked his eyes. When he thought of it, it no longer felt right. ¡°It¡¯s hard to understand¡­¡± Leon Hart burst out laughing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s normal to feel that way right now.¡± The young Valtara warrior was stronger than him in terms of pure potential and strength. Nevertheless, he had the same problems as those he had taught. ¡®No, you¡¯re not a Valtara warrior, are you? It¡¯s confusing, Hmm.¡¯ Still, it wasn¡¯t difficult to fix it because it was a problem that he had already experienced before. ¡°Make it your priority to make the amplified Aura completely your own.¡± Leon Hart made a speech while making plans for the future. ¡°After that, I¡¯ll help you harmonize your body and your spirit.¡± * * * It had been five days since Han-bin and his party stayed in Scotaskia. On the fifth day, Ryu Han-bin came into the training camp early in the morning and yelled out. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± He wasn¡¯t venting out his frustration. Through shouting, he was raising his Aura as much as possible. Boom! His red flames raged ferociously. The floor was split apart, causing debris to splash in all directions. It was as if dozens of chimeras were spreading their wings of destruction. Han-bin clenched his teeth. ¡°Ugh!¡± His skin cracked, and blood began to flow. The body collapsed after pulling up Aura above his level of control. That was Leon Hart¡¯s proposed method to ¡®master Aura Amplification.¡¯ Originally, Han-bin used a method of drawing only a portion of the amplified Aura into his flow as he learned from Artis and Effir. But Leon Hart denied the trick. ¡°That¡¯s what weak kids do.¡± If Effir and Artis tried to digest excessively absorbed energy all at once, their body would explode. But what if it was Ryu Han-bin? ¡°What makes a good-natured man so timidly squeal?¡± A man with a strong stomach could eat a whole cup and digest it! ¡°More! Conjure more!¡± Leon Hart yelled from the sidelines. Ryu Han-bin groaned with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Hey, I think this is my limit¡­¡± He got scared. He thought his body would collapse right away. He was already exhausted and drained. But Leon Hart didn¡¯t allow him to stop. ¡°Don¡¯t limit yourself!¡± It was not a grit theory, such as ¡®trust yourself¡¯ or ¡®go beyond the limits.¡¯ ¡°Native humans are generous to themselves and cruel to others! You think it¡¯s a limit, but there¡¯s plenty of room!¡± The limits he set were meaningless! The only thing that could set the limits was someone who didn¡¯t feel good about their bodies or minds. ¡°I am the one who sets my limits!¡± ¡°Wait, wait a minute¡­¡± It sounded plausible yet also ridiculous. Han-bin frowned in the flames of Aura. ¡°Isn¡¯t this going to kill me?¡± ¡°That amount of Aura would usually kill anyone.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not going to die. Your physical abilities are incredibly good. I envy you.¡± While practicing, they could acquire skills. No matter how dull he was, he would improve in time. However, their physiques were different. It didn¡¯t increase no matter how hard he worked on it. ¡°Don¡¯t believe in your judgment! What are you going to do with judgment when you¡¯re physically fit and don¡¯t have much talent?¡± Leon Hart made a boastful remark, repeating a cheeky sound. ¡°I am a gifted genius! Trust my judgment! You still have time! Get your Aura out!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡®Well, he¡¯s a real jerk!¡¯ He gritted his teeth and pushed onwards. It was worth it since it seemed like there was a lot of room. What if he didn¡¯t say anything stupid? Of course, being able to endure it didn¡¯t mean that it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s desperate cry echoed over the blue sky. Chapter 122 I Also Leveled Up Now! (2) Leon Hart¡¯s teaching method wasn¡¯t limited to Ryu Han-bin. Kibie couldn¡¯t escape his influence. The great Goddess of Darkness stood in front of her faithful saint, looking terrified. ¡°Is that what I¡¯m supposed to do?¡± She was watching Ryu Han-bin, who was completely exhausted and sprawled in the corner of the training camp. That formidable monster with the body of steel entered an almost-vegetated state and said, ¡®Oh, my! I miss my mom!¡¯ Kibie naturally couldn¡¯t help but be scared. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works.¡± To relieve anxiety, he spoke in an unusual way. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re going to be strangled differently.¡± Without even a smile, Leon Hart slowly spoke. ¡°Kibie, there¡¯s something you need to know.¡± Leon Hart had carefully examined not only Ryu Han-bin but also the other party members. He found their problems out and looked for ways on how they could improve. ¡°You¡¯re not a level 80 Aura user.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kibie wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Did I have a lower level? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Kibie had made the incarnation with the Valtara race¡¯s lineage to create a fit body and ¡®input¡¯ the proper swordsmanship. At that time, she had checked the level for sure. ¡°It was measured at level 80.¡± After being incarnated, the level became unknown because of the Goddess¡¯s characteristics, but measurements were possible before that. ¡°Oh, of course, you measured it without the kernel, so it¡¯ll be at that level.¡± Leon Hart shook his head and clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you¡¯re at a lower level. It¡¯s the opposite.¡± Originally, a warrior with Kibie¡¯s physical ability, Aura, and skill proficiency should be at least level 100. Nevertheless, if she fought, her power was only around level 80. ¡°Because you skipped the process of gaining that strength manually.¡± Kibie made the incarnation¡¯s body, put Aura and skills in it, and then transferred her consciousness in it. In gaming terms, the characters weren¡¯t steadily raised from level one but were made and manipulated to become a high-level character from the beginning. It was natural that her basic skills were inferior to those who had properly grown their characters. Kibie nodded. ¡°I see. In a game, the character¡¯s level won¡¯t change no matter who plays, but Latna¡¯s level is a rough estimate of their ability. Hence, the level of their power output is lower without the necessary experience, right?¡± Leon Hart had a blank look on his face. Game? Character? ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you just said, Kibie.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I talked to you like I do to Han-bin. Anyway, I understand what you mean.¡± Explaining it in Latna¡¯s knowledge, Kibie was like a hobo martial artist who had little practical experience and had only trained alone in the room. Fortunately, Leon Hart was also good at teaching such hobo martial artists. ¡°It¡¯s a common type of aristocrat who grew up in a nice environment.¡± As such, the solution was much simpler than Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You just have to fight me freely.¡± Leon Hart grinned with his fists raised. ¡°You can distinguish between real and fake, experience a combat skills, and learn how to use the skills you have acquired in the meantime. It won¡¯t take long because you aren¡¯t getting stronger, but rather just getting your skills back.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Relieved, Kibie pulled out her spear and took a stance. Fortunately, there was no need to cry out like Ryu Han-bin. At that moment, Leon Hart¡¯s smile changed strangely. ¡°The problem is, it won¡¯t work if we do it lightly.¡± Formidable energy shot up from his whole body immediately and stabbed Kibie. At that moment, Kibie became lost in thought. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± At the same time, Leon Hart charged forth. A storm of ruthless punches and kicks rained down on her. ¡°Wait, wait!¡± In an instant, Kibie was beaten up. She couldn¡¯t dare avoid or stop it. ¡°Please be gentle!¡± ¡°Not being gentle is the key to this training!¡± They had to spar like they were going to kill each other. At least that was what Kibie should feel. ¡°Please forgive me for my aggressiveness!¡± Responding relentlessly, Leon Hart continued to attack. He seemed to be rushing in to kill her, saying forgive him with his mouth. Puck, puck, puck, puck, puck! Kibie was soon covered in bruises. ¡°I¡¯m a Goddess! a Goddess! I¡¯m Kybriel! The one you are serving!¡± It hurt so much that she said as she thought, but¡­ ¡°Kybriel will be pleased!¡± It didn¡¯t work. ¡°Stay strong! Incarnation, Kibie!¡± At the training camp deep into the mountain, the scream of the desperate Goddess rang endlessly. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± * * * On one side of the training camp, the large muscular warrior groaned as he bled. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh¡­¡± On the other side, the black-haired beauty fell like a rag with blood and bruises all over her body. ¡°Ehhhhhh¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin and Kibie looked terrible at the end of that day¡¯s training. It was natural for Ryu Han-bin. However, even the beauty, Kibie, was beaten up terribly. How cold did Leon Hart have to be for her to become that way? She was even the incarnation of the Goddess, who he was serving! Effir naturally panicked as she watched the scene. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Crying, she stood in front of Leon Hart. She wanted to remain strong for the sake of being taught, but she couldn¡¯t guess how severe the pain would be. Surprisingly, however, Leon Hart wasn¡¯t harsh on Effir at all. It was all about force management and giving martial advice. Other than that, he let her take care of herself. ¡°You¡¯re doing great. Keep doing that.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that all?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to teach you anything, Miss Effir.¡± She was a natural genius who didn¡¯t slack off once and always faithfully performed her duties. All that was necessary was a few words of advice to fix her shortcomings and guide her down the right path. There was nothing to nag about. Maybe even without Leon Heart, Effir would have grown up well on her own. Touching his chin, Leon Hart smiled happily. ¡°It¡¯s very convenient for me to deal with miss Effir while teaching two crybabies.¡± Of course, the two ¡®crybabies¡¯ were unhappy. ¡°Isn¡¯t something wrong with you, Kibie? Why is Effir the only one who¡¯s comfortable with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s a genius. A person who isn¡¯t a genius wouldn¡¯t be able to stand such an injustice.¡± ¡°Wait, you made that body anyway. Why didn¡¯t you just turn it into a genius?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have to do that back then!¡± Kibie grumbled. If she regained her divinity, she would make a new incarnation first. Feeling the eyes of the two, Effir trembled casually. ¡®Oh, my back stings.¡¯ * * * Artis was alone, unlike the rest of the group. ¡°What can I, a Spiritist, teach a wizard?¡± Leon Hart had studied Aura and Force a lot, but he didn¡¯t have much knowledge about Mana. There was nothing he could teach him. It was the Church of Darkness that gave Artis full support instead. It might not be the same as Sinkers, the original Wizard Guild, but there were many in the Church of Darkness¡¯s library. He read books as much as he could and steadily trained the magic he had learned. high-ranking magic scrolls in large quantities and mastered them. Those high-level scrolls were limited in quantity, making it difficult to get a hunter no matter how much money he had. However, with the help of the Church, it could be easily obtained. It was an unimaginable luxury for him, who had to wander around hiding his identity for the rest of his life. Just as dry cloth absorbed water, Artis sucked up magical knowledge and wisdom. ¡°It¡¯s great to have a big sponsor.¡± The same was true of others. The Church fed them, gave them a place to sleep, and everything else they needed. They just had to focus on their training without looking away. All the members of the party grew at an alarming rate. A month had passed like that. * * * Han-bin stretched his arms lightly with the Gigant on his back. In that state, he emitted Aura while breathing. ¡°Hoooooo¡­¡± The red flames enveloped his entire body. It no longer burned as enraged as it used to be. The Aura was stable and calm. ¡®All right, I think we can do it now.¡¯ There was no more pain. All of his Aura was conjured smoothly like the calm waves of an ocean. He felt that all the energy in his body was perfectly under his control. He was certain of it. Ryu Han-bin had subdued all of the Aura he obtained from the Sacred Heart of Darkness and made it his own. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ Han-bin grabbed Gigant and took a stance. He had enough power to break the mountain. It was time to move on. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± All the Aura were gathered at a single point harmoniously. It soon reached its limit. Zoom! Due to the excessive power gathered, the Aura self-compressed beyond its limits. It was no longer just Han-bin¡¯s will to condense. The power to sunder mountains was contained in mustard seeds! ¡®I can do it!¡¯ The energy was condensed to one point until it finally reached the verge of collapsing. It imploded and turned into a great power. It was the skill of the Sword King Baotolt! -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! At that moment, an unexpected outcome occurred. Boom! A tremendous explosion occurred at Ryu Han-bin¡¯s body. A desperate scream roared up the mountain. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin opened his eyes half a day later. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m alive.¡± Leon Hart put off his hand from his chest, saying it was a relief. ¡°I did my best to heal you, but I couldn¡¯t heal you completely. The residual Aura in your body was too powerful.¡± Han-bin groaned. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± He could feel pain all over his body. It was hard to even raise himself up. ¡°¡­ Skill¡­ Did I fail?¡± Kibie replied with an ambiguous expression. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a failure¡­¡± According to the surviving conception of the Gigant, that was originally the official training method to master Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. Han-bin felt frightened. ¡°Wait! so I have to hurt myself before I can learn how to use it properly?¡± ¡°As I told you beforehand, no one has ever mastered that skill.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was like this!¡± He finally learned why not everyone could master it. Unless they had a physical body as powerful as Baotolt or Ryu Han-bin, they would¡¯ve died just trying to attempt to master it. ¡°Damn, he is so ignorant! Why did the Sword King make this skill?¡± If it were normal swordsmanship, the beginning would be universally easy, and the final skills would be highly advanced. The Sword King¡¯s secret intention was to reverse all common sense. He had the mindset that only competent ones deserved to master it. ¡°That¡¯s the way the Valtara people think¡­¡± Kibie smiled bitterly. Han-bin gritted his teeth. ¡°Damn Valtara¡­¡± Leon Hart urged him. ¡°Please erase the rest of your Aura. That¡¯s the only way I can heal you.¡± Ryu Han-bin essentially self-harmed with his Aura, then had to erase the residual Aura himself as well. Han-bin removed the Aura in his wounds. Leon Hart finally completed the healing process, and after a while, all of his injuries and pain disappeared. ¡°Oh, I feel better now.¡± With a sigh of relief, Han-bin raised himself. However, it was still too early to be relieved. Leon Hart pushed him on the back. ¡°Then go and train.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Now you know that you won¡¯t die immediately. That much should be a relief.¡± It had been confirmed that Leon Hart could heal him right away since he didn¡¯t die in a single blow. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Gritting his teeth, Han-bin grabbed the Gigant and headed back to the training camp. It didn¡¯t take long for another terrible sound to reverberate. Boom! With a heavy explosion, the same scream as before echoed under the blue sky. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± Chapter 123 I Also Leveled Up Now! (3) It had been five days since he started training his Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. Ryu Han-bin was also working hard to kill himself that day. Boom! ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± And as always, Leon Hart¡¯s healing followed. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­¡± Watching Han-bin die and get revived over and over again, Leon Hart burst into admiration. ¡°Amazing. You have an amazing spirit.¡± Pain alone could drive a person crazy. But he was holding up amazingly well. Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to train my mind this way.¡± He had already experienced a crazy life when he was in the Rocky Mountains. He had been in a frenzy for a while. Thanks to that, he got a sense of how to control his fighting spirit little by little. Compared to the beginning, he could use Aura according to his will. The problem was that it was just a ¡®little bit.¡¯ It had been ten days since then. Ryu Han-bin finally managed to control up to 10% of his fighting spirit¡¯s explosive power! -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! In other words, he still needed to improve to conquer the remaining 90%. Boom! Just because ten knives stabbed into a person had been reduced to nine, it didn¡¯t mean that it didn¡¯t hurt. His scream was still as painful and desperate as before. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± But there was a little improvement. He no longer fainted after one attempt, but he was still near unconscious. It wasn¡¯t that sweet. ¡®¡­ I¡¯d rather faint right away! I can feel the pain even more!¡¯ Fifteen days had passed. He could finally control up to 20% of its explosive power. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s condition got better, too. Boom! ¡°Uh, please heal me¡­¡± Han-Bin could finally call for Leon Hart anxiously. At least the pain was slowly decreasing. Twenty days had passed. Boom! He gradually gained control of up to 30% of its explosive power. While training it, he spoke spouted abusive phrases. ¡°Oh, you stupid little Sword King! What the hell did he come up with?¡± Complaints only came when he was in his right mind. It was evident that his control over the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit had increased even further. It had been 25 days. Boom! Ryu Han-bin could finally control up to 40 percent of its explosive power. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m getting some hang of it after I deadly tried it.¡± As the control level over his fighting spirit increased, the burden on the body decreased. After the explosion, his condition improved to the point where he could walk on his own for healing. Whenever someone saw hope, he became motivated. Ryu Han-bin worked even harder to carry out his mission as a result. It had been more than ten days. -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit Boom! Han-bin stumbled out of the explosion. And he tilted his head as Leon Hart healed him. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m making any progress¡­¡± With approximately 50% of the explosive power under his control, his performance no longer increased. His strength hadn¡¯t increased since then. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m slow? Well, it can¡¯t be easy since the Sword King developed it.¡± Kibie shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± With the Gigant, she was figuring out how Baotolt had performed his Fighting Spirit skill. It took a long time to find a method to control it initially, but once he realized the method, it took less than a month for the Sword King to reach Han-bin¡¯s level. ¡°So Baotolt changed the way he did it.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Leon Hart, who was listening next to them, nodded. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to get out of here.¡± * * * It was common sense in the world that picky eating was not good for the body. ¡°To get to the top, you can¡¯t just be stuck in a small room, and you can¡¯t just engage in actual fighting.¡± After concentrating and repeatedly using the skill and understanding and digesting it steadily, it was only after being able to fully maximize its utilization in actual combat could the skill be considered technically mastered. That was what it took to get to the top. Leon Hart, who had already risen to the stage, was well aware of that fact. ¡°In the meantime, you¡¯ve grown too much based on actual combat.¡± Therefore, Leon Hart locked Han-bin and his party up in that isolated place and trained them intensively. It was to make sure that they understood everything they had learned and to strengthen their foundation. ¡°I think we¡¯ve got some results now¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin was not the only one who slowed down. The same was true of Kibie, Artis, and Effir. ¡°It¡¯s time to get into action.¡± If it was a real game in Latna, it usually meant exploring dungeons. War and small battles didn¡¯t always happen, but dungeons were always there. Of course, only the Four Prohibited Areas suited Han-bin¡¯s current group. So Leon Hart chose Hithran, the Ice-Flame forest. ¡°I¡¯m most used to it because it¡¯s my regular dungeon.¡± Kibie asked anxiously. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Ice-Flame Forest under enemy territory? Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous?¡± Hithran was located in the center of Allendia. If Han-bin and his party appeared in the Fairy Kingdom, which was dominated by Hollien, they would find out Kibie¡¯s location. Leon Hart shook his head. ¡°In that sense, Any of the Four Prohibited Areas is no less than the enemy camp.¡± The Thunder King Garhan managed Tower Mountain Rufus, and the Floating Island Avalta in the Mediterranean Metis was the territory of Archmage Genovia. ¡°Now that the Sword King is dead, it¡¯s safe to say that the Grand Maze has been put under their protection.¡± Defending the entrance to Kaltan was a group of Mages, all of whom were members of the Sinkers. They were like the hands of Genovia. ¡°No matter where you go, you will end up in the realm of the Top Three.¡± Therefore, he was planning to move with their identities completely disguised. If they went as members of the Church of Darkness, it was not a matter of disguising their status as Hunters. Leon Hart often hid his identity while on the move. ¡°I told the Church in advance to prepare everything. We can go now.¡± * * * The Grand maze, Kaltan, was the strongest dungeon area in existence. However, that didn¡¯t mean the other Prohibited Areas were easy. If they were easy in the first place, they wouldn¡¯t even be called the Prohibited Areas. Before that, the Top Four would have closed the dungeon and erased it from the map. The Ice-Flame Forest, Tower Mountain, and Floating Island were also filled with powerful monsters above level 100 around their respective centers. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for scary monsters to not grasp their level at all when they were in the deepest part. Dungeon Jarakald was in the heart of Hithran. In that gray forest filled with dried, old trees, a black-haired beauty was hunting. Her opponent was Tiglos, a two-legged walking animal that looked like a mixture of tigers, crocodiles, and monkeys. ¡°Huh!¡± Swinging her pitch-black spear, she hit it with the extended Blade Aura. Tiglos swung its hands and burst into a roar. Grrr! Its nails were as sharp as blades and were imbued with the magic power of flame and ice. However, it was soon crushed by the pitch-black Aura. Boom! Kibie smiled inwardly as she pressured her opponent. ¡®My training is worth it.¡¯ The level of the Tiglos was around 91. It was a powerful magical creature called the Nightmare of Ice-Flame Forest. Nevertheless, Kibie defeated it easily. No, she was wondering if she could do that. Compared to Leon Hart¡¯s one-on-one training, her body and mind were so comfortable! ¡®Isn¡¯t this less difficult to carry out?¡¯ Leon Hart, who was watching from afar, looked satisfied. He was watching the battle of Kibie while hiding using a spiritual art. ¡®It¡¯s going well.¡¯ Dealing with someone stronger than they were didn¡¯t improve their skills. In some cases, the habit of avoiding hits might become weaker. ¡®Sometimes you need experience fighting against those weaker than yourself and making the attack successful.¡¯ Tiglos couldn¡¯t be said to be weaker than Kibie. They were not very different in their levels. If she were relaxed or distracted, she would be attacked back. However, there was no such weakness in Kibie today. It was because Leon Hart had trained her rigorously. Whenever Kibie was a little careless, Leon Hart punched and kicked her more painfully, so she got into the habit of keeping her concentration up unknowingly. ¡®Well, I trained her hard in order to instill that habit in the first place.¡¯ Kibie was pushing the monster as if she were reliving her stress. It was quite a satisfactory result. ¡°Now she¡¯s got her skills back.¡± Mumbling, Leon Hart looked at the other side of the gray forest. The silver-haired girl was performing a splendid sword dance against another Tiglos. -Magic swordsmanship: Howling Thunder Attack! Electricity danced through the forest. Hematopoietic flowers bloomed throughout the body of the Tiglos. Argh! Leon Hart clicked his tongue. ¡°The more I watch her, the greater she becomes.¡± Effir¡¯s growth was truly admirable. She had become even stronger than Kibie. ¡°Wyvern with intelligence. She¡¯s a lot more amazing than I thought.¡¯ No matter how much of a genius she was, her growth had limits. The physical ability or four powers didn¡¯t increase overnight. But Effir was different. She was part of Latna¡¯s Dragon race. She could kill other monsters and absorb their energy to become stronger quickly. ¡®Well, I knew the Dragon race had that kind of ability, but I didn¡¯t have to pay much attention to it until now¡­¡¯ Why wasn¡¯t Latna dominated by Dragons even with such power? Lower species such as Drakes and Hydras without intelligence couldn¡¯t be purified by making cores even if they absorbed energy. Therefore, there was a clear limit to being strong. Dragons, the ones with intelligence, lived too long. As a result, even if the same amount of energy was absorbed, the efficiency was extremely poor, and their leveling rate was several times slower than that of humans. ¡®That¡¯s why Aliens are scary. They have the same ability as a Dragon, but they are human beings with the same growth rate.¡¯ But Effir was Wyvern. Her Life expectancy wasn¡¯t much different from humans. And she could purify her core by absorbing energy like a Dragon. She had the same abilities as the Aliens! If there was a difference, it was that she had no Guideline, so she had to digest the energy and learn the skills on her own. But she was such a genius who was great at acquiring skills. She had reached the top level of the art of digesting absorbed energy. It used to take a few days because she was clumsy, but at that moment, it only took about a half-day. ¡°Of course, if she¡¯s over level 100, she won¡¯t be able to grow this fast¡­¡± As the level went up, the amount of energy required increased with it. Effir wasn¡¯t an exception, considering the Aliens¡¯ growth slowed significantly at that point as well. ¡°Anyway, her power has increased significantly.¡± Effir was already above level 90. Leon Hart couldn¡¯t measure the level of Kibie, but he became a close competitive figure to Effir. She was no longer inferior to the famous strong subordinates of the Continental Top Three. Leon Hart continued to look around before finally giving a serious expression. ¡°The problem is you, Artis.¡± The red-haired young man smiled bitterly. ¡°I know, Lord Leon Hart.¡± Artis was hiding with Leon Hart, unlike the other two. It was because he wasn¡¯t strong enough to fight against the monsters that appeared there. After all his effort, he was still only level 75. Chapter 124 I Also Leveled Up Now! (4) Serhithran, a dungeon city that managed the Ice-Flame Forest. Han-bin and his group were resting in the city after three days of travel. Sitting alone in his room, Artis sighed. ¡°Will my origin as a Dragon always hold me back?¡± He did his best, but the gap between him and Effir was widening. They didn¡¯t differ significantly when their levels were still low. Since the regular amount needed was small, their levels rose at a similar pace even if the absorption efficiency was poor. Besides, at the time, Effir¡¯s energy digestion period wasn¡¯t as short. However, the difference slowly became noticeable the higher their levels became. His energy absorption efficiency was too low, and his digestive time remained constant. Compared to Effir¡¯s, which ended in half a day, he still took days to digest after he absorbed the energy. It wasn¡¯t exactly because he was lacking in skill. The Dragons¡¯ lifespan was the problem. ¡°I can¡¯t complain about longevity, but¡­¡± Artis smiled bitterly. As a Dragon, he never cared about other short-lived species becoming stronger than he was. Time had always been an ample resource for him. Even though he was weak at that moment, he would be stronger someday, so he worked hard every single day without any burden. The problem was the current situation. He tried so hard, but his level was only 75. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be of any help.¡± Although it was regrettable to break up with Han-bin and Effir, it was better than not looking at the reality and putting them in danger. With a firm resolution, he got up from his seat. He looked for Kibie in the next room. * * * ¡°You don¡¯t think you will be helpful?¡± She spoke sternly. ¡°Never, Artis. Even now, you are a valuable power that cannot be replaced.¡± She wasn¡¯t just telling him that to make him happy. Artis was a necessary colleague for Han-bin and his party. ¡°There might be many level-75 wizards in the Four Prohibited Areas, but how many of them are not related to the Sinkers?¡± Archmage Genovia was the Queen of the Magical Kingdom Rune and the Mages Guild, Sinkers. The higher the level of Mages, the deeper they became involved in the Sinkers. Without that, they wouldn¡¯t be able to raise their level. Magic knowledge and wisdom weren¡¯t easy to get. ¡°The only high-ranking wizards in Latna who doesn¡¯t belong to Sinkers are the Aliens. They can get free magic knowledge and wisdom from the Guideline.¡± Leveling up wasn¡¯t a problem for them. Thus, Han-bin couldn¡¯t get a reliable high-ranking Mage at all. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Artis¡¯s expression lightened up a little. It made sense to him. There seemed to be no need to leave them. ¡°But it¡¯s still a problem that there¡¯s too much difference in skills with others.¡± Artis¡¯s heart felt heavy. Kibie thought about it for a while before voicing out her thoughts softly. ¡°If you want to raise your level quickly, there¡¯s a way¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the creator of the Dragon race. I am technically an incarnation of the creator, though.¡± Like the person who had created the Dragon race, she also had relevant knowledge about the Dragon race. Surprised, Artis leaned forward. ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s a way?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s limited to Mana Dragons, but you¡¯re also one of them. You can use it.¡± Kibie scratched her cheek with an ambiguous expression. ¡°¡­But the side effects are so bad I can¡¯t recommend it.¡± It was the distant antiquity before Latna developed to what it was currently. It was said that there was a forbidden secret that Mana Dragons, who wanted to grow stronger quickly, had used sometimes. ¡°You¡¯ll have to seal all of your attributes but one.¡± Mana¡¯s attributes were land, water, fire, wind, light, and darkness under the six Goddesses¡¯ control. If only one of those were selected, the absorbed energy would be focused on empowering that property. Since the energy, which used to be divided into six properties, was concentrated into one, their growth rate also increased six times. ¡°The energy digestion rate also goes up six times. You don¡¯t have to increase all six attributes. Besides, you¡¯re a Fire Dragon.¡± Artis was born as a red Dragon with the attribute of Fire. ¡°If you seal the rest, leaving only the flame attribute, you¡¯ll see a growth rate of nearly ten times, not six times. You are just developing the right skills for yourself.¡± ¡°Was there such a way?¡± Artis blinked his eyes. It was a great story. Doesn¡¯t that mean I can level up at speed similar to Effir¡¯s? ¡°That¡¯s not what Kybriel intended. When she created the Dragon race, she didn¡¯t have that practice in mind.¡± In other words, it was a kind of error code made during the creation of the Dragon race. ¡°So there are serious side effects.¡± In a serious tone, Kybriel explained. ¡°Once you choose one attribute, you can¡¯t grow the remaining attributes anymore. Forever.¡± Artis could do the same magic below level 75. However, higher-level magic was impossible to use. He could level up only the flame magic. ¡°The side effects are so great that it¡¯s been forgotten among Dragons. That¡¯s why your ancestors didn¡¯t tell you that kind of knowledge.¡± Artis groaned. ¡°Umm¡­¡± He fully understood why that method was lost. At first glance, it looked plausible, but there was a fatal flaw in that method. Can I only use fire spells? Doesn¡¯t that mean someone can make a complete fool out of me with just an anti-flame tool? In other words, he would be a half-magician. ¡°Surely, a normal Dragon wouldn¡¯t want to do that.¡± It was useful only when pressed for time, but a Dragon had abundant of that. ¡°And once you choose, even Kybriel¡¯s power can¡¯t return you back to normal, so I don¡¯t recommend it.¡± Artis, who had been agonizing for a while, spoke with determination. ¡°No, teach me.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kibie was surprised and asked back. With a serious look on his face, Artis nodded. ¡°I have an idea.¡± * * * Since then, Leon Hart had frequently thrown Han-bin and his companions into the dungeon. Everyone became stronger every time. Artis was away for a while, saying there was something he needed to do. The remaining people steadily raised their levels and improved their skills under his guidance. It had been a month since they left Scotaskia and started training. In a dungeon south of the Ice-Flame Forest, a large warrior was surrounded by a group of monsters. Grrr¡­ Grrr¡­ The monsters starred at Ryu Han-bin and cried softly. They are six-legged monsters that looked like a mixture of wolves and crocodiles. [Race: Kerrick Wolfran. lv. 92 Features: It can use mana-based flame, darkness, and ice magic. Its main ability is applying reinforcement magic to its scales with steel strength to protect itself. It would then use quick movements and various magic to drive the enemy away before finally shooting beams of destruction from both eyes to end its opponent.] ¡®There are five monsters in level 90s¡­¡¯ Looking at their information with the Guideline, Ryu Han-bin aimed at them with his Gigant. He then swallowed. ¡®It might not be easy.¡¯ Han-bin could handle them with his current skills easily. If he wanted, he could hunt them all swiftly. But at that moment, he wasn¡¯t there to hunt the monsters. He was just here to train. With a firm determination, Ryu Han-bin burst into a roar. ¡°Huh!¡± His whole body was wrapped in red flames. His powerful Aura condensed into a single point according to his will and turned into a formidable power. -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! Boom! Kerrick Wolfrans, who were on guard, became surprised. The human suddenly became enraged. ¡°¡­?¡± Why was he suddenly hurting himself? Was that big guy crazy? The panic was brief. Soon the monsters were frightened and lowered their bodies to the fullest. A formidable spirit flowed through the explosion. Urgh! Argh! Han-bin, who was covered in blood, appeared and cursed. ¡°Oh, shit! I¡¯m supposed to be half-baked before I even fight! What¡¯s the drill for?¡± That was why he was so nervous. Since he had to start fighting in a moribund state, no matter how low the opponents¡¯ levels were, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. But the reward was never small. Zoom! His whole body was enveloped with formidable power. The Blade Aura, which used to be like a fire, had turned into clear, crystal-like radiance. It was the energy of the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. He could control 60% of it. ¡°Die! I don¡¯t even know if you¡¯re mammals or reptiles!¡± Ryu Han-bin charged forward with a warcry. * * * As Leon Hart said, there was something that could only be gained in practice. The throwing spirit control, which was never done when performing alone, was also starting to get the hang of it again as monsters. ¡°Taah!¡± In a single blow, one Kerrick Wolfran was cut in two. Frightened by the scene, the others began to conjure all forms of spells. Grrr! Han-bin didn¡¯t avoid it. Boom! The large warrior appeared calmly in the explosion. With his Fighting Spirit protecting his body, their attacks didn¡¯t even make him feel itchy. The problem was that the injury caused by the Fighting Spirit itself was enormous. ¡°Oh, it hurts every time I move.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t be cured by Leon Hart. Only when the residual Aura in his body was removed could the Spiritist heal him, which meant that his Fighting Spirit must also be extinguished. ¡®I¡¯m fighting like a madman to train my control in combat, and what do you want me to do with it?¡¯ Whether he liked it or not, he had to fight while shedding blood. That way, he could learn how to control it. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s powerful, so I¡¯ll bear it.¡± Grumbling, he kept killing the monsters. Indeed, the power of the Fighting Spirit itself was beyond reproach. Even though it was a battle where he had to begin injured, the spells were deflected like firecrackers every time. Argh! Argh! At the same time, messages continued to pop up. [Lv. 91 Kerrick Wolfran was killed. You¡¯ve earned 55,280,000 XP.] [Current Experience: 53,482,250,400/54,581,975,800] [Lv. 92 Kerrick Wolfran was killed. You¡¯ve earned 56,790,000 XP.] [Current Experience: 53,539,040,400/54,581,975,800] There was only one monster left. ¡®Oh? Come to think of it¡­¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s expression suddenly became strange. ¡®I¡¯ve already filled up my experience, haven¡¯t I?¡¯ He constantly killed high-level monsters. He kept gathering experience points. XP points were no longer interesting to him. When he killed monsters, he automatically gained them. As a result, he had almost accomplished the ridiculous amount of experience requirement. ¡®So am I going to level up now?¡¯ At that moment, his years-long question was about to be solved. Will I be level 6? Or will my level return to its original state, which should be over level 100? Or will I go back to level one? ¡®No matter what happens, there¡¯s nothing to lose.¡¯ Anyway, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s physical ability, swordsmanship, and Aura skills wouldn¡¯t disappear. That was the difference between becoming stronger manually and having the Guideline strengthen the user. He cut the remaining monster¡¯s neck out of curiosity. Argh! As expected, the Guideline message popped up. [Lv. 91 Kerrick Wolfran was killed. You¡¯ve earned 55,280,000 XP.] [Current Experience: 54,594,320,400/54,581,975,800] [The required experience has been met.] Nervous, Han-bin glared at the last word of the message. [Your level is increasing.] Chapter 125 Skill of The Absolute (1) Back at the Rocky Mountains, he became tired of seeing the same message whenever he filled his experience requirements. [The required experience has been met. The level is increeeeaaaasssssiiiiinnnnggg¡­¡­.] [sdbukkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk¡­¡­.] ¡®And I always went back to level one.¡¯ It was different now. [Your level is increasing.] The sentence was finished properly! There was even a period! The messages of the Guideline didn¡¯t end with that. The screen began to be filled with words. [The required experience has been met. Your level is increasing.] [The required experience has been met. Your level is increasing.] [The required experience has been met. Your level is increasing.] The same message was repeated countless times. His level rose swiftly. 10, 20, 30, 40¡­¡­. At the same time, another phrase was shown on the left side of his view. [The ¡®Diagonal Cut¡¯ skill has been unlocked.] [The ¡®Reciprocal Stab¡¯ skill has been unlocked.] [The ¡®All-Direction Cut¡¯ skill has been unlocked.] He also gained skills as fast as he was leveling up. In addition to low-level skills such as ¡®Diagonal Cut¡¯ and ¡®All-Direction Cut,¡¯ high-level swordsman skills such as ¡®Rupture Annihilation,¡¯ ¡®Nine Dragon Attack,¡¯ and ¡®Great Pluto Destruction Wave¡¯ were also unlocked! ¡®This¡­¡¯ Han-bin grinned from ear to ear. ¡®I am getting paid for all the backlogs!¡¯ His joy lasted for only a moment. The next message that followed rained on his parade. [Rapid level increase detected.] [A non-sequential level increase is against the Guideline code. The increase in level will be canceled.] Surprised, Ryu Han-bin shouted. ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve earned tens of billions of experiences! That¡¯s just evil!¡± Of course, it wouldn¡¯t change since he had a broken Guideline. The level that had increased like crazy began to go down like crazy. [Level increase has been reverted.] [Level increase has been reverted.] [Level increase has been reverted.] Of course, but it wasn¡¯t just his level that was being taken away. [Your level isn¡¯t enough. The acquisition of the ¡®Great Pluto Destruction Wave¡¯ will be canceled.] [Your level isn¡¯t enough. The acquisition of ¡®Nine Dragon Attack¡¯ will be canceled.] [Your level isn¡¯t enough. The acquisition of ¡®Rupture Annihilation¡¯ will be canceled¡­¡­.] His level swiftly went back down. All the skills he acquired had been canceled as well. [Level¡­¡­ Shortage¡­¡­ Acquisition¡­¡­ Canceled¡­¡­.] [Levvvveeeeeelll, Shortaaagggeee, Acccqqquuuiiisssiiitttiiiooonnn¡­¡­.] [Legec Berebubu Oksuttalala¡­¡­.] The screen was distorted like it was malfunctioning. The text was crushed, and the Guideline flashed. It was crazy. Sensitive people would¡¯ve had a hypersensitivity reaction. ¡®Is this the way it is?¡¯ Han-bin sighed. He knew that would happen. ¡®Then yes, this is my fate.¡¯ After a while, the Guideline turned off. Then it turned on again and threw up a normal phrase. [The required experience has been met. Your level is increasing.] [Muscle strength, stamina, resilience, and defense have increased by 2.] [¡®Diagonal Cut¡¯ skill has been unlocked.] [Ryu Han-bin: Swordsman Lv.6 Acquired skills: Stab, Crosscut, Vertical cut, Diagonal cut, Language Communication Muscle strength 27 (+1,364), stamina 23 (+1,364), resilience 17 (+682), defense 18 (+1,364), fuselage vision 7 (+341), reflex nerves 9 (+341), and explosive power 10 (+341).¡¹ Han-bin laughed in vain. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m level six?¡± The way he leveled up was far too cruel for him to feel happy about it. There wasn¡¯t much difference between level 5 and level 6. ¡°Well, the Diagonal Cut was added, but¡­¡± To be honest, he could still use it almost perfectly without it. No, rather, he would be stronger if he didn¡¯t use the Guideline skills. ¡°In the end, I leveled up by a notch, and that¡¯s all.¡± He was about to turn off the Guideline with a tired look. Han-bin suddenly frowned. ¡°Huh?¡± It was because one more phrase suddenly popped up at the bottom of the screen. [Qualification of the right person has been satisfied.] [Skill of The Absolute, ¡®Lord throughout Heaven and Earth,¡¯ has been activated.] He blinked. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin joined the group for the moment. After Han-bin recovered from the injury through Leon Hart¡¯s healing arts, he checked his status once again. [Ryu Han-bin: Swordsman Lv.6 Acquired Skills: Stab, Crosscut, Vertical Cut, Diagonal Cut, Language Communication Skill of the Absolute: Lord throughout Heaven and Earth Muscle strength 27 (+1,364), stamina 23 (+1,364), resilience 17 (+682), defense 18 (+1,364), fuselage vision 7 (+341), reflex nerves 9 (+341), and explosive power 10 (+341).] That was for certain. There was one more skill. ¡°Skill of the Absolute?¡± The name itself was sounded cool. It was unusual that it was classified separately. The problem was¡­ ¡°Why does this swordsman skill have the saying of Buddha out of the blue?¡± Lord throughout Heaven and Earth. That was a saying that Gautama Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, had shouted at birth. At first glance, it might sound like an arrogant cry, ¡®I¡¯m the best alone under the sky!¡¯ However, ¡®I¡¯ in the phrase referred to all beings in the world, not individuals, symbolizing all life¡¯s dignity. ¡°¡­ But I don¡¯t think that the punk, Devil, knew that far and named it.¡± Han-bin thought that Devil might have named it because it sounded cool. In fact, the other skills of Guideline were also great such as ¡®Nine Dragon Attack,¡¯ ¡®Rupture Annihilation¡¯ and ¡®Great Pluto Destruction Wave.¡¯ ¡°If I think about it like that, it¡¯s not just out of the blue.¡± It was a clich¨¦, which he had often seen in cartoons and animations on Earth, that they gave such a name to great skills. Effir asked with a slightly excited look. ¡°So, what kind of skill is that?¡± The name aside, it was a new skill. Depending on the application, it could be a great asset. Ryu Han-bin shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Huh? No explanation?¡± ¡°There is¡­¡± Han-bin scratched his head. ¡°I was curious, so I looked up the explanation right away, and it came up like this.¡± [Right-yoo-boo-jak-deo-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh¡­] That was right. The letters were broken again. ¡°It has always been this way.¡± Kibie asked while looking at Ryu Han-bin, who was grumbling. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it? If you use it yourself, you¡¯ll know what skill it is.¡± * * * Han-bin¡¯s group returned to the Clean Area. Since he didn¡¯t know the skill¡¯s identity, it wasn¡¯t possible to experiment in a dangerous place where monsters might appear. The dungeon¡¯s Clean Area was a forest of heat that scattered flame particles like spores. After reaching a safe place, the party rested. After recovering his physical strength, energy, and Aura, Ryu Han-bin headed to a clearing in the forest. ¡°Here I go.¡± He took a solid stance while pulling out the Gigant. The goal was a giant tree beyond the clearing. He focused his mind and activated the skill. -Lord throughout Heaven and Earth¡­ For a moment, Han-bin stopped the activation out of fear. ¡°Gasp!¡± Kibie and Effir, who were watching from the sidelines, began to wonder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Han-bin?¡± He replied in a cold sweat. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I can use this carelessly.¡± As soon as he tried to activate the skill, he felt a huge amount of Aura being consumed rapidly. ¡°You¡¯d better all stay away.¡± He didn¡¯t even know what skill it was. If it was a technology that consumed that much Aura, the destructive power would be unusual. If he did something wrong, his colleagues might get caught up. Leon Hart also nodded. ¡°Certainly, the skill¡¯s name alone is quite alarming.¡± Skill of the Absolute, Lord throughout Heaven and Earth. It was a skill name meaning that the bearer was the best under the Heavens. It sounded like it would create great mysteries of wind and cloud. Of course, that was not what it really meant, but he was sure that it was what the Devil Omphalos meant¡­ ¡°It¡¯s likely to be a wide range destruction skill. There¡¯s nothing bad about being careful.¡± The party widened the distance from Ryu Han-bin as much as possible. Just in case, Leon Hart had also set up a spiritual seal around them. ¡°This should be enough. Feel free to experiment, Han-bin.¡± After nodding his head, Han-bin focused again. ¡°Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± As he stared at the old tree in front of him with destructive intentions, the skill was activated! -Lord throughout Heaven and Earth! ¡­ Nothing happened. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What, Han-bin?¡± Kibie and Effir blinked. Leon Hart asked, wondering. ¡°Why did you stop the activation again? Is there another problem?¡± Han-bin shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This time, it¡¯s working.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Looking back at Leon Hart, who didn¡¯t understand, Ryu Han-bin pointed around. ¡°I used the skill.¡± It was clear that the skill ¡®Lord throughout Heaven and Earth¡¯ was activated. He had consumed a huge amount of Aura. He even sensed that the exhausted Aura had turned into something else and was thrown in all directions. That was right. He definitely did something. However, no matter how much he looked around, nothing had changed. There was no breeze, let alone the mysteries of the wind and clouds. Leon Hart voiced out his opinion. ¡°Maybe it only works under certain conditions.¡± It made sense. situations. After pulling up the Blade Aura, the target of the skill was determined by the greatsword Gigant. -Lord throughout Heaven and Earth! Nothing happened. Leon Hart clicked his tongue. ¡°Isn¡¯t it like strengthening the Blade Aura or its damage?¡± That time, Ryu Han-bin targeted himself and invoked his skills. -Lord throughout Heaven and Earth! But nothing happened. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s strengthening defense or physical strength¡­¡± He also experimented with Leon Hart punching and Han-bin hitting back. -Lord throughout Heaven and Earth! ¡°Argh!¡± Leon Hart was heavily hit on his face and rolled three times to be stuck on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s not even a counterattack.¡± He tried even something random. He pointed one hand to the sky, the other to the ground, and then walked seven steps and shouted proudly! ¡°Lord throughout Heaven and Earth!¡± Effir looked at him as if he was a crazy man who would never be in the world again. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­ Please forget what you saw.¡± Ryu Han-bin turned his head away with a red face. He thought he wasn¡¯t using it properly. Han-bin muttered in vain as he looked down at Gigant. ¡°What kind of skill is this?¡± Chapter 126 Skill of the Absolute (2) Han-bin felt so tired he didn¡¯t even have enough Aura to continue experimenting. After giving up on further trials, Han-bin and his group set up lodging on one side of the Clean Area. They set up a tent, started a bonfire, and had preserved food for dinner. Han-bin grumbled, chewing the soaked jerky. ¡°Is it just an error?¡± When considering the Guideline¡¯s reliability, there was a strong possibility that the skill name had just been shown. ¡°But that consumed Aura. I feel like I¡¯m doing something.¡± Leon Hart gave an explanation. ¡°I don¡¯t think you don¡¯t need to rely on that skill anyway.¡± ¡°How come? Maybe it¡¯s a great skill to use against the Top Three.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the skill is like. Maybe it could be a powerful one, as you said, Han-bin.¡± But that was the skill of the Guideline. It must be a force derived from the Devil Omphalos. ¡°Can we believe in that kind of ability?¡± Being able to give strength to someone meant being able to take it back. ¡°What if Omphalos takes away your Guideline? What if the power you¡¯ve got disappears in a day?¡± Leon Hart was straightforward. ¡°Only the power you can acquire by yourself is truly reliable.¡± Ryu Han-bin made an ambiguous expression. ¡°It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t thought about it. But this physical ability is also gained by the power of the Devil.¡± Then Kibie intervened in the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s a little different, Han-bin.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s formidable body was made thanks to the Guideline. Without the Guideline, how could an ordinary Earthling absorb a monsters¡¯ spirit and boost his physical abilities? But even if the Guideline disappeared, he would not return to his former incompetence. ¡°The Guideline is a guide. It just leads you in a new direction.¡± If the guide disappeared, he wouldn¡¯t find a new way. However, the fact that they had already walked wouldn¡¯t disappear with it. It was like getting a personal trainer at an Omphalos gym when put in an Earthling reference. Just quitting the gym, where he had used to go, didn¡¯t mean that his muscles that he had gained would disappear in an instant. Skills, on the other hand, were used through the Guideline instead. ¡°It¡¯s a kind of weapon from the Devil.¡± Weapons could not be used if they were taken away. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Han-bin nodded. Thanks to that, he managed to organize his thoughts. ¡°I must ignore the skill ¡®Lord throughout Heaven and Earth.¡± Leon Hart was right. Rather than paying attention to the unidentified skill leaning on the Omphalos¡¯s power, he had to focus on increasing the proficiency of the Valtara Fighting Spirit. It was the right path for Han-bin to become stronger. Leaning back, Han-bin grumbled. ¡°Oh, I have a long way to go. I haven¡¯t even touched the Heaven Sword yet.¡± The completion of the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit was the prerequisite for the Heavenly Sword Diastima. Han-bin still controlled only about 70% of the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. That made him wonder when he¡¯d acquire the Heavenly Sword and fight against the Top Three. Leon Hart soothed him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in a hurry. You¡¯re progressing fast enough right now.¡± It was not just Ryu Han-bin. Effir and Kibie were also growing faster than Leon Hart had expected. It was quite a satisfactory result for him to teach them. ¡°Well¡­¡± Leon Hart was surprised when he thought of an absent red-haired young man. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is and what he¡¯s doing.¡± It had already been 20 days since Artis disappeared, saying there was something he had to do. * * * Artis returned the next day. As soon as he joined the group, he grabbed Ryu Han-bin and demanded him. ¡°I want you to give me energy!¡± Han-bin wondered. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not that hard, but¡­ Why all of a sudden?¡± He hadn¡¯t given energy to Artis lately. As his level had increased, the amount of absorbed energy had also increased, so it took longer to digest them. Rather, Artis was efficient in hunting down monsters himself and absorbing the energy step by step. Why was Artis asking Han-bin to give a lot of energy to him suddenly? ¡°There¡¯s something I want to test.¡± Leon Hart, who was watching from the side, smiled. ¡°You look different.¡± He didn¡¯t look as blue as before. He looked as if he found his¡¯ way.¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± * * * Dungeon Heppel was to the west of the Ice-Flame Forest. A giant warrior was running wild among dozens of monsters. ¡°Wow!¡± He swung his Gigant with a loud shout. With each swing, the limbs of the monsters soared away as they spilled blood. However, there were only a few dead monsters. He intentionally injured them while avoiding their vital points. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I fought in good condition.¡± Ryu Han-bin grinned as he put the fallen monsters away in one corner. Ever since he came to the Ice-Flame Forest, he hunted monsters with the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit skill. His goal was to learn how to control it properly in actual combat. However, his current goal had changed to turning the monsters into immobile beings and deliver them to Artis. ¡®Instead of focusing on practicing the Fighting Spirit skill, quickly filling Artis¡¯s core would save time since we¡¯d be able to return to training fast.¡¯ Leon Hart also gave permission, so there was nothing to be worried about. He relieved all his stress. ¡°I shall bring death upon all!! No, you can¡¯t die. Don¡¯t die!¡± The screams of the monsters echoed across the place. Argh! Argh! The situation was similar on the other side. Effir and Kibie were also using their weapons to turn the monsters into half-paralytic ones. The dungeon¡¯s average level was around 70. If the two people joined forces, they could hunt them down efficiently. -Magic Swordsmanship: Blast of Destruction! -Aura Splash! Of course, Leon Hart didn¡¯t remain on standby either. -Ectoplasm Sphere! They decided to drive energy to Artis as a team. With everyone joining forces, the hunting speed became insanely quick. Less than an hour later, a huge mountain of monsters had risen in the corner of the dungeon. ¡°Artis! I¡¯ve set the table!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I last heard that.¡± With a bitter smile, the large Fire Dragon settled in front of the mountain of the monsters. He then breathed fire out. Boom! Mana influenced the Breath of the Fire Dragon, so the higher the Mage¡¯s level, the higher the power. A ruthless Breath, which surpassed even a simple adult Dragon¡¯s one, burned the mountain of monsters. The monsters could only scream. Argh! Argh! Kibie was impressed by the waning monsters of the other world. ¡°No matter how many times you say it¡¯s a monster from the other world, I am not sure if I can do this? I feel like I¡¯m doing something wrong.¡± It didn¡¯t really feel right or merciful. They didn¡¯t kill them nicely, but they made them half-paralytic, and the Dragon burnt them to death all at once! Ryu Han-bin asked back in absurdity. ¡°Are you saying killing the existence of the other world is beyond you? Is that what you¡¯re saying, Goddess?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I have to say. Even so, they¡¯re still meeting Death in the worst way possible.¡± Of course, she had no intention of letting the monsters go because she felt sorry for them. Han-bin¡¯s group once again swept through the dungeon. Once again, a huge mountain of monsters was placed in front of Artis. The second Breath was intense as well. Boom! The grand orchestra of screams rang out. Arghhhhhh! Artis looked uncomfortable in front of the mountain of a pile of charcoal. ¡°Well, is this it?¡± ¡°Why? Have you reached your limit?¡± ¡°Yes, Han-bin. I think we¡¯ll have to go back today.¡± The next day, Artis called Ryu Han-bin again. ¡°I ask you to give me energy today as well.¡± ¡°Already?¡± The amount of energy Han-bin had given yesterday was huge. It usually would¡¯ve taken 5 to 6 days to digest. Han-bin suddenly looked surprised. ¡°Huh? Artis, you¡­¡± Apparently, until yesterday, Artis was a level 75 wizard. But the number in the guidelines was¡­ [Race: Human Mage lv. 77] The level went up even by two levels! ¡°How did you digest all the energy in a day?¡± Artis nodded as if it were nothing. ¡°Please do it again.¡± * * * Ten days later. Artis and Effir were looking at each other in a clearing outside the Ice-Flame Forest. It was to fight at the request of Artis. Holding her twin blades, Effir asked cautiously. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this, Artis?¡± In a confident tone, Artis replied. ¡°Yeah, come at me with everything you¡¯ve got.¡± Effir looked worried. ¡®Oh, my God, I think you¡¯re making a mistake¡­¡¯ Her current level was 92. But Artis wasn¡¯t what he used to be. He had raised his level to 85 in just ten days. They were just sparring, so if considering the level, he was enough to face Effir. She already knew how Artis had raised this level so much in such a short time. ¡®Tha¡¯s too reckless! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve sealed every attribute except for fire.¡¯ That was why it didn¡¯t mean anything, even if his level was high. ¡®You won¡¯t be able to do anything if I just use Magic Swordsmanship that has water and fire attributes¡­¡¯ Other attribute magic spells below level 75 were still available, but he could be crushed by force if he was above level 90. Regardless, Artis wanted it, so she had to do her best. Gripping on her swords tightly, Effir charged forth. ¡°Hap!¡± As if he had been waiting, Artis picked up his staff. ¡°Heatwave Spear! Ragnar Blast!¡± The level 83 ultra-high heat split the air. As expected, the level of his power was extraordinary. Feeling nervous, Effir used a technique. -Magic Swordsmanship: Frozen Winter Sky! A shroud of cold air reflected the heat rays and scattered them all over the place. She immediately delivered an extra attack. -Magic Swordsmanship: Flood of Thunder Dragons! ¡°Ballers to Polarization, Prominence Shield!¡± Artis also used defensive magic to stop the offensive. Seven thunder attacks collided with the flame shield, and all of them were extinguished. Boom! Effir¡¯s expression became even more strange. ¡®Well, that could be prevented by flame magic, but¡­¡¯ -Magic Swordsmanship: Frostbite! That time, she performed Magic Swordsmanship against fire magic. Indeed, dozens of blades tore the prominence shield relentlessly. ¡°Taah!¡± The silver-haired girl came rushing through the scattered flames. Artis quickly continued his magic. ¡°Slippery walk in the air, Wind Walking!¡± Artis¡¯s foot slightly rose and stepped back for several meters. Wind walking was still available because it was a level 50 wind magic. However, Effir caught up and narrowed the distance again. Wind walking wasn¡¯t enough on its own to lose the pursuit of the Magic Swordsman, who was above level 90. What if he used Blink, a Level 80 spatial magic? Her expression grew darker and darker. ¡®It¡¯s not right¡­¡¯ She was even more convinced when she was directly sparring with Artis. ¡®It¡¯s the same when you stopped growing at level 75.¡¯ At that moment, Artis disappeared before her eyes! ¡®Oh!¡¯ Before she even felt embarrassed, she was pushed back with a strong shock. ¡°Ugh!¡± Facing up in a hurry, Effir felt shameful. Before she knew it, her whole body had been frozen solid. ¡®¡­ What just happened?¡¯ Artis took his left hand and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew, fortunately, it worked as I thought it would.¡± Chapter 127 Skill of the Absolute (3) Unlike Effir, who faced Artis before her eyes, Ryu Han-bin watched the battle from a third party¡¯s perspective. That was why he could see what Artis did. After dodging Effir¡¯s Magic Swordsmanship and the frostbite attack using the Blink magic spell to teleport away, he counterattacked with frost magic Frozen Blast. He didn¡¯t get it at first glance. Blink and Frozen Blast were top-level magic above level 80. ¡®How? Wasn¡¯t it said that magic spells above level 75 could only be used if it has the fire attribute?¡¯ After a while, Han-bin understood the situation. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s how they fought?¡± The Guideline answered his query. [Ring of Blink A magic item that allows the wearer to use level 80 magic, Blink. Terms of use: Lv. 82. Range: 15 meters Number of uses: 10/25 times.] [Cold Winter Ring A magic item that allows wearers to use level 83 magic, Frozen Blast. Terms of use: Lv. 85. Range: 35 meters Number of uses: 15/30 times.] It was not the magic of Artis himself, but the power of two magic rings on his left hand. Given that the number of uses was considerably exhausted, he seemed to have practiced using it repeatedly. Kibie nodded her head blankly. ¡°I see, the world has changed¡­¡± In the past, when there was no invasion of the Devil, there were no such things as Magic Tools. Therefore, if Artis sealed all of the attributes with only one left, he would have become a half-Mage. But now? It was an era in which all kinds of Magic Tools and Artifacts were gained from the dungeons. ¡°Even if a Mage can only use fire magic, isn¡¯t that a level up?¡± Artis grinned as he raised his left hand. ¡°Then I can use Magic Tools according to my level.¡± The sparring between the two continued. out of Effir¡¯s small body. Artis continued to fight back by combining his magic and Magic Tools. A series of explosive sounds rang out. Boom! Leon Hart, who was watching the battle, was impressed. ¡°He¡¯s clever. That¡¯s enough to cover his weaknesses.¡± Of course, there were disadvantages to that method. Only prepared Magic Tools could be used, so other than the fire attributes, the attributes could only be used limitedly. However, he didn¡¯t think of the fact that Artis could use magic unavailable to him using Magic Tools. If he wanted to replace all those magics with Magic tools, he would lack Magic Tools though the wagon was full of them. His main source of firepower was fire-based magic, and whenever the situation became unfavorable, Artis could escape the crisis with the power of Magic Tools. ¡°I¡¯ve always fought using fire magic. Other attributes have played a minor role.¡± It was not difficult to adapt because it was a familiar tactic for Artis. After fighting for such a long time, Artis waved his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. There¡¯s a level difference, so I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± Sheathing her twin blades, Effir¡¯s eyes shone brightly. ¡°Amazing, Artis! I¡¯ve never thought of doing that!¡± She thought Artis had missed something really important. But he overcame his weaknesses well. ¡°Since I¡¯m weak, I¡¯ve been struggling. I shouldn¡¯t be a nuisance to the team.¡± Ryu Han-bin also raised a question as he approached. ¡°But why have you been away for so long? According to Kibie, the attribute-sealing procedure only takes about a day. Artis shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It took me a long time to shop. It¡¯s not easy to get the right tools for different situations.¡± Still, he could have purchased most of the artifacts at the center of the continent. ¡°I put all my payments in front of the Church of Darkness. It¡¯s great to have a big sponsor.¡± Suddenly, Leon Hart frowned. ¡°Wait, how much did you buy?¡± Artis showed the inside of his clothes by lifting his robe. ¡°¡­ This much?¡± The party coughed momentarily. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that look like?¡± There were three magic necklaces and three or four magic rings on each finger. His bracelets, anklets, and belts were all Magic Tools. There were dozens of emblems that were usually worn alone or with one other. Effir talked as if she was sick of it. ¡°Do I look like a parvenu¡­?¡± Well, since Artis was so handsome, he was not parvenu¡­ ¡°You look like a gangster rapper full of swag.¡± ¡°Swag? What¡¯s that, Han-bin? Like Earth¡¯s Aura or mana?¡± ¡°Yeah, not like that, but if you have a lot of it, you can make a lot of money.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Leon Hart felt confused. He touched his forehead. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sure the finance department will hear that. How much is that?¡± Regardless Artis found a way for him to remain strong. It was a bit expensive, however. Kibie smiled vaguely at Leon Heart, which was filled with sorrow. ¡°Should we¡­ congratulate him?¡± * * * Even while Han-bin and his party were growing their strength, the Church of Darkness was moving steadily. First of all, the strongest religious leaders scattered throughout Latna were brought to the main mountain to face the Top Three. It was quite dangerous. If a large-scale military moved out of the blue, the Continental Top Three could notice it. However, the power of the Church was influential enough to gather them secretly. It was dangerous to move hastily without a definite cause. Fortunately, that point was solved easily. The Church of Darkness was already rallying strong individuals from all parts of the continent to Scotaskia to save Leon Hart, the Order¡¯s kidnapped Head. At first, they thought they had wasted money for nothing, but it was a blessing in disguise. Latna was not a world where communication had developed. Therefore, it had not yet been reported to them that Leon Hart had already been found. Without knowing anything, they rushed to rescue the Templar Lord to gain honor and glory. Thanks to that, they were able to concentrate all their forces on the main mountain naturally. They secretly sent messengers to the five other Churches serving the Goddesses of Latna. Kybriel of Darkness descended on Latna in the body of an incarnation. -Faithful followers, her will had come to the world, so learn the truth about Latna¡¯s affairs and fulfill the saints¡¯ duty! Althea of light, Sorondi of the earth, Rhamniana of water, Preleu of wind, and Yessen of fire. The five Goddesses selected senior priests and sent envoys to Scotaskia. It was to verify the authenticity of the message. For the other Churches, it was not an easy story to believe. Especially in the Yessen Church case, it was even more so because they had a case of almost being tricked by the ¡®Aliens¡¯ fake incarnation.¡¯ Fortunately, the Church of Darkness had three pieces of evidence to show them. The first one was the Sacred Heart of the Darkness. The object itself could not be presented as evidence because Ryu Han-bin had taken it, but they could show Leon Hart¡¯s testimony that he had watched the scene himself. His remarks as a person blessed by the Goddesses had considerable credibility. The second was the presence of the Wyvern, who gained intelligence through the grace of the incarnation. The Wyvern, a member of a primitive Dragon race, was almost as wise and knowledgeable as Dragons. That could never happen unless it were a miracle done by a Goddess. Kybriel was the creator of all Dragons, which meant it was a sure sign that Kibie was the incarnation of Darkness. The third evidence was that Earth Dragon, Saltus, was placed under the auspices of Hollien the Transcendental. As followers of the Dragons¡¯ creator, various methods of dealing with Dragons were handed down to the Church of Darkness. Among them, there was a technique that even a Dragon over 500 years old could be tied up with. Dozens of powerful high-level individuals used their strength to seal the power of Saltus. Even if he returned to his main body, the seal was still strong enough to overpower it. Saltus had no choice but to give up his resistance and cooperated with the Church instead. He also promised to testify that the Top Three had performed the ascension. That should be enough to prove the descent of the incarnation. Feeling that it was time, Castalo II contacted Han-bin¡¯s group. * * * They were in an inn in Serhithran, a forbidden city in the Ice-Flame Forest, that day. Leon Hart waved the letter from the Church. ¡°They¡¯re telling us to come back to Scotaskia.¡± To win the cooperation of the five Churches, the Church of Darkness must persuade the envoys. But if Kibie, the incarnation, Leon Hart, and Effir were away, the Church wouldn¡¯t be able to do that successfully. ¡°So is this the end of the actual mission? Or are we coming back from the main mountain?¡± Leon Hart politely replied to Kibie¡¯s question. ¡°We don¡¯t have to. We¡¯ve done everything we can do here.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills had also risen significantly due to his combat with various high-level monsters. His control over Aura had become much more proficient, especially when operating his Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. At the moment, he could control nearly 80% of the skill. Kibie also clearly made her combat capabilities imprinted on the body of the incarnation. Originally, it was the body of a Valtara female warrior, so her potential was extraordinary. She had currently become a level late-90s Aura user. At that point, however, their growth had once again stopped. ¡°From now on, we probably won¡¯t be able to level up artificially.¡± Will I become stronger if I continue to train steadily? That was not usually the case. It was common to become stronger in a short period, remain in that state for a while, and become stronger in a short period again when an opportunity came. If they gathered experience points steadily, the level of Aliens became rather abnormal. ¡°That was the limit to being strong, as others say. It¡¯s time to find your way out of it.¡± Leon Hart looked around and continued. ¡°Has the speed of your level increase slowed down?¡± Artis and Effir nodded. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Yes, I think¡­¡± The growth of the two Dragons with energy absorption had also decreased significantly. Effir became a level 94 Magic Swordsman, and Artis had become a level 91 Mage. However, Artis used an expedient. At that point, the necessary amount of energy they needed had increased too much. Even if dozens of equivalent-level monsters were killed, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to gain a single level. Their efficiency was no longer viable. Besides, there were other problems. ¡°After level 100, it will become harder to drive energy towards Artis and Effir.¡± The difficulty of killing an opponent in a single blow and overpowering them without killing them was completely different. No matter how strong Ryu Han-bin and Leon Heart were, it was not enough to voluntarily stack dozens of powerful monsters above level 100. The limit in hunting was reached around level mid-80s. It would be a waste of time to stay in the Ice-Flame Forest any longer. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what Hollien or Garhan are doing¡­¡± Kibie stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Scotaskia.¡± Chapter 128 Oracle of The Goddess (1) After going through the documents one by one, Hollien stamped her approval. ¡°Then, next.¡± Merida, the head of the maids, handed over another document. ¡°Here you go, your Majesty, my Queen.¡± ¡°Is it still this much? I think we¡¯ve got more work to do these days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in-between seasons. There¡¯s a lot of work to be done in the palace.¡± Hollien the Transcendental reigned as Latna¡¯s strongest Spiritist, but her official status was the Queen of the Fairy Kingdom. The Queen was responsible for the kingdom. The commoners thought that the country¡¯s Queen was spending her day eating without shame and holding a tea party or dancing gracefully in balls. But in reality, she was never free. The Queen was the royal court¡¯s hostess, who was in charge of all the royal court¡¯s household affairs. She didn¡¯t use her own hands, but she was in charge of all kinds of administrative affairs, such as governing numerous royal servants and maids and managing the receipt and disbursement of supplies. Tea parties and ballrooms were also important events to govern aristocrats by opening up political and social gatherings, so she was not playing. It was an extension of work. The Queen¡¯s image in the eyes of the common people was no different from the life of a king¡¯s concubine. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m way more free compared to Garhan and Genovia.¡¯ She was working as usual when a servant posted a report from outside. ¡°Your Grace, the Grand Duke of Atransas is here.¡± ¡°Send him in.¡± A handsome blond Elf came into the office. Hollien ordered Merida out. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest later.¡± ¡°Yes, my Queen.¡± Hollien asked him a question when they were left alone in the room. ¡°What happened, Roacell?¡± Roacell Eli Atransas, the first prince of the Atransas Family and heir to the Elven Tribe, answered politely. ¡°Five denominations of believers have arrived in Scotaskia.¡± ¡°Really? What about Leon Hart?¡± Roacell shook his head. ¡°Nothing has been identified about his whereabouts. At least he hasn¡¯t officially returned to Scotaskia.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t even know about the incarnation?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know about her for now.¡± ¡°Is that what it looks like¡­¡± Hollien frowned and clicked her tongue. The three most powerful people had eyes all over the continent. Of course, they planted information sources in the Church of Darkness. Thanks to that, they found out that Leon Hart had returned to Scotaskia with a group of hunters. It had also been confirmed that they were the group of the incarnation. Now that she knew their location, Hollien could come forward and clear the situation. But she didn¡¯t do that. The very day after her arrival, the group of Leon Hart and Incarnation left the main mountain. They left the mountain openly, showing publicly that they were going down the mountain. Many people saw the scene, and among them were Hollien¡¯s informants. To put it simply, such a message was sent to the Top Three. -We¡¯re not here! Please don¡¯t mess with us! Roacell smiled wryly. ¡°If we¡¯re in their position, that¡¯s a natural move. There¡¯s no way they don¡¯t know how dangerous it would be if we find a trace. The problem is that we don¡¯t know if they really left or if they just pretended to be gone and stayed¡­¡± ¡°They must¡¯ve left, I think. There¡¯s no reason to pretend to leave and stay at the main mountain.¡± Why would the incarnation¡¯s party take such a risk and stick to their position? All for the sake of a warm meal and a comfortable bed? Such a thing was possible anywhere on the continent with money. Strong guards of the Church? Anyone was weak when faced against the Transcendental anyway. ¡°We can¡¯t persecute the Church of Darkness for no reason when we¡¯ve got no dirt on them.¡± Externally, she was still one of Latna¡¯s heroes. She had accumulated a lot of honor and reputation, but she couldn¡¯t just go to the Church of Darkness and kill them all and run around saying, ¡®tell us the location of the incarnation!¡¯ Of course, if that were the only way to ensure that she could kill the incarnation of Darkness, she would¡¯ve done it. Once she had earned the Goddess title, nobody would be able to touch her no matter what the world said in the first place. However, as long as she didn¡¯t know the incarnation¡¯s whereabouts, it would only be a rash and hasty action. ¡°So instead of coming forward, I thought I¡¯d sneak a few high-level Aliens into their alliance¡­¡± If the incarnation of Darkness stayed in the headquarters and they capture her alive, everything would be fine. If not, the evil Aliens would just run wild, so there won¡¯t be much damage to Hollien. But even that wasn¡¯t a good solution. The Church of Darkness had already solidified its defense. Strong individuals from all parts of the Church gathered in Scotaskia in the name of saving Leon Hart. Their levels were around 60 to 70 at most, but there were too many of them. With that much power, there was little possibility of digging into the Church¡¯s inner circle if she sent Aliens. They would be blocked before that. ¡°We don¡¯t have to waste Aliens on useless things.¡± As Akhtarun had more than hundreds of Aliens, they weren¡¯t valuable, but it wasn¡¯t so worthless as a resource that she could consume them meaninglessly. Hollien grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a coincidence or not, but they¡¯ve prepared quite well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence. The Church of Darkness isn¡¯t incompetent.¡± Anyway, for this reason, they had not been able to control the Church of Darkness. But things had changed now. ¡°Now that the five missionaries are gathered in Scotaskia won¡¯t the incarnation of Darkness return to the main mountain? She has to prove herself, after all. The envoys and the incarnation of Darkness didn¡¯t necessarily meet in the main mountain. When considering their safety, it was best to meet separately in a secret place. ¡°But that won¡¯t be possible.¡± The believers of other denominations who doubted the authenticity of the incarnation wouldn¡¯t listen so easily. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be able to move now, dear Hollien?¡± She still had an envious look on her face. ¡°How do you know when the incarnation¡¯s party will be back?¡± ¡°What? If we keep waiting around, one day¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been hiding as a homeless person all this time in the valley. There¡¯s no decent village near Scotaskia.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Being wild in the rough mountains would not be a pleasant experience for her, who had lived as the Queen of a country all her life. Hollien shook her head. ¡°Of course, I can bear it if that¡¯s the only way I can catch the incarnation. But that¡¯s not true.¡± The incarnation of Darkness should return to Scotaskia at least once. But she didn¡¯t know when it would be. ¡°If she sneaks back among the envoys, then finishes the business and disappears again, how am I supposed to know that if I¡¯m not inside it?¡± The Church¡¯s intelligence community couldn¡¯t even grasp the secret activities of such top leaders. Roacell was speechless. She was certainly right. ¡°¡­ What would you do then?¡± Hollien, who had been agonizing for a while, grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± The incarnation of Darkness, which had been hiding with only a few colleagues, gained the Church¡¯s trust. In other words, there was a secular force that could compete against the Top Three. ¡°Then she¡¯ll be moving, right?¡± In that situation, the incarnation could choose one of two options. She would define the Top Three as enemies of the Goddesses and start a holy war to fight against them head-on¡­ ¡°Or she will try to assassinate us secretly to avoid confusion.¡± Either way, Hollien wouldn¡¯t lose anything. If they were going to wage an all-out war, Hollien would crush them with her military force. There was an absolute gap between Allendia, a Continental Top Three member, and the six Churches. Even if the incarnation wanted to assassinate Hollien, there would be no problem. ¡°It¡¯s like giving us a lead of her own will, isn¡¯t it?¡± She could grab the incarnation and make her spill useful information. It was much simpler than looking for the incarnation themselves. She was the Transcendental and one of the absolute rulers of Latna. No matter what the weak did, she had the power to destroy them. Hollien shrugged. ¡°What do you think? Let¡¯s wait and see, and things will work out.¡± Roacell nodded. ¡°I feel the same way, but¡­¡± But unlike her, Roacell didn¡¯t look at the situation too brightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Staring at the curious Hollien, Roacell calmly opened his mouth. ¡°I can fully anticipate that kind of outcome, but do you think the Churches don¡¯t know that?¡± * * * Kibie had already proven herself to be Kybriel¡¯s incarnation to the Church of Darkness. The situation didn¡¯t change to different churches. At the center hall of Scotaskia, the Hall of the Stars, the five Churches¡¯ envoys knelt before the black-haired beauty. Having already seen the evidence, their attitude was extremely courteous since they had confirmed that she was truly the Goddess of Darkness. ¡°Althea¡¯s first sword, Sabine Asil, acknowledges the incarnation of Kybriel.¡± ¡°I am Frederick Kartel Mercatz, the commander of the Sorondi Knights.¡± ¡°I, Yessen¡¯s first hammer, Palmer Lomberst, proclaim that you deserve to be served.¡± ¡°Rhamniana¡¯s Templar Lord, Angelica Hayd Han, greets the incarnation.¡± ¡°I am Merdil Kenneth Brought, the breeze of Preleu.¡± Their titles were slightly different, but their positions were all the same. Everyone was the Knights¡¯ commander of each Church. The strongest members of the five Churches had gathered there as they had promised. It was not a coincidence. It was more of a necessity. Checking the authenticity of the incarnation was usually not a big deal. It was an important matter that controlled the Church¡¯s future, so they couldn¡¯t send just any cleric to confirm it. They should be at least the highest priest of the papal level. However, it was difficult for the Pope, the head of the Church, to move directly. Because they were so busy with their work and their actions were heavy. The saints were not really in a busy position, but they couldn¡¯t move swiftly. Many Aliens were still targeting the saints of the six Goddesses. In particular, in recent years, high-level Aliens had suddenly appeared on a large scale. It was too dangerous to leave the headquarters because the government tightened the saints¡¯ security more than usual. In the end, only the Templar commanders of each denomination were able to verify the authenticity of the incarnation. In the first place, it was their duty to walk all over the continent since they had enough power to protect themselves, and they were priests whose ranks were high enough to decide the Church¡¯s course. Looking down at the five Templar commanders kneeling down before her, Kibie smiled calmly. ¡°Rise, faithful believers.¡± She pointed to the group behind her back. ¡°Let me introduce them. They are my helpers.¡± The silver-haired girl smiled and bowed her head. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Effir Venetian. I¡¯ve been introduced earlier.¡± She had already shown them her Wyvern to demonstrate her intelligence to confirm the authenticity of the incarnation. A handsome Mage with red hair followed. ¡°This is Artis Amphitier Ragnar Walker, a Fire Dragon. Among humans, I use the name Artis Venetian.¡± The Templar commanders were also slightly surprised. ¡°¡­ Wasn¡¯t he human?¡± ¡°Dragon?¡± The notoriety of Dragons on the continent of Latna was not just prejudice but rather filled with truth accumulated for many years. Nevertheless, everyone remained calm. Kybriel was the creator of the Dragon race, so they could trust the Dragon she chose. However, they could not help but be surprised by the next introduction. A black-haired giant man carrying a greatsword pointed to himself and spoke proudly. ¡°I¡¯m Ryu Han-bin from Earth. In this world, I am a Valtara warrior named Felard Bean.¡± Chapter 129 Oracle of Goddess (2) Staring at Ryu Han-bin, the Templar Lords stepped back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re from Earth¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Your name is Ryu Han-bin?¡± ¡°Are you an Alien?¡± However, there were no people who rushed to pull out the sword. Such a rash person could not even rise to the status of Templar Lord. Han-bin was surprised at the moment, but he still looked at the situation calmly. Staring at Ryu Han-bin, the Templar Lords stepped back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re from Earth..?¡± ¡°Your name is Ryu Han-bin?¡± ¡°Are you an Alien?¡± However, there were no people who rushed to pull out their weapons. Such a rash person wouldn¡¯t even be able to rise to the status of Templar Lord. Han-bin was surprised, but he still looked at the situation calmly. After a while, Sabine Asil, the Althea Templar Lord, relaxed. Castalo II, the saintess Sermen, and Leon Hart, Kybriel¡¯s Templar Lord, all kept their calm. ¡°I think you all know that.¡± Others, however, seemed to have suspicions still. ¡°Are you sure we can trust him?¡± ¡°The incarnation of Darkness said that but¡­¡± ¡°The incarnation is the will of the Goddess, not the wisdom of the Goddess¡­¡± They didn¡¯t doubt the authenticity of Kibie. But she was at the moment wearing a human body. She could misjudge someone since she¡¯s no longer a Goddess. Kibie reassured everyone. ¡°There is no reason for you to be worried. He is the helper of Kybriel, chosen by the wisdom of the Goddess.¡± When choosing Ryu Han-bin, she devoted all her remaining power as a Goddess. In other words, it was not the incarnation of Kibie but the Kybriel of Darkness who had chosen him. Indeed, the faces of the Templar Lords had become noticeably brighter. It wasn¡¯t until the truth had been revealed that they could trust the gigantic Alien. ¡°Forgive us for our disrespect.¡± ¡°Forgiveness is the will of Kybriel.¡± Kibie, who was continuing her serious tone of speech, suddenly smiled. It was a playful expression of beauty. ¡°Then that¡¯s it to deliver the message of Kybriel.¡± Like high-ranking priests, the other Templar Lords understood the meaning. They stopped respecting the Goddess and stood before the incarnation. ¡°Okay, Kibie.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it necrosis that the Goddess has chosen an Alien as your apostle?¡± Palmer, the Yessen Templar Lord, looked back at Leon Hart. ¡°Leon Hart, do you trust them?¡± Though they had seen proof of the incarnation, the Alien and the Dragons all part of the team. There might be doubts in the corner of their heart. ¡°Of course, I couldn¡¯t believe it easily at first either.¡± Nodding his head, Leon Hart smiled bitterly. ¡°But once you hear the details, it won¡¯t matter if the apostle of the Goddess is an Alien.¡± The Pope of the Darkness Church, the Saintess, the six Templar Lords, and Han-bin¡¯s party sat around a large round table. Kibie began calmly explaining the current situation to the Templar Lords of five churches who hadn¡¯t yet heard the circumstances. Whenever the story progressed, their faces hardened. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± ¡°What did they do?¡± ¡°How can Latna¡¯s heroes¡ª!¡± ¡°What the hell did those blessed beings did¡­¡± It was shocking to them. Of the Top Four, the Sword King, Baotolt, had passed away, and the other three conspired to rob Kibriel of her divinity. They never would¡¯ve believed it unless it was a story told by the incarnation herself. Angelica, the Rhamiana Templar Lord, lamented. ¡°Are you saying that even those great heroes fear death like commoners of lowly birth?¡± Leon Hart sighed. ¡°The Goddess also blessed me, and I know her content.¡± Nevertheless, he had never thought like that before. He still had decades of life left. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t I be afraid of death when I¡¯m over ninety?¡± Thinking back on their position, he understood their behavior again. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean to do anything crazy like that.¡± * * * During the meeting, Ryu Han-bin, Artis, and Effir quietly watched the situation in the corner of the round table. They didn¡¯t have much to say about such an important story. There was nothing much to do, so Han-bin secretly looked at the five Churches¡¯ Templar Lords. ¡®She¡¯s the Althea Templar Lord, right?¡¯ Sabine Asil was a brown-haired woman who appeared to be in her mid-40s. [Race: Human. Swordsman Lv. 96] Even though she was a woman, she was nearly 180 centimeters tall and had broad shoulders, indicating that she was a well-trained warrior. But she didn¡¯t look like a man. Rather, she looked like a well-muscled athlete on Earth? Angelica Hade Han, the Rhamniana Templar Lord, was also a woman. However, her atmosphere was quite different from Sabine Asil¡¯s. Unlike Sabine Asil, who looked like a Westerner, she was of Asian descent. She was in her 30s with black hair and black eyes. She didn¡¯t look very strong on the outside. Contrary to Sabine Asil, she had a slender figure and was about 160 centimeters tall. She wasn¡¯t that tall. However, no Templar Lord was weak. In fact, the Guideline showed her significant level. [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 92] Frederick Cartel Mercatz, the Sorondi Templar Lord, was a reliable middle-aged man in his 50s with a well-built beard and had his half-white hair swept backward. He looked like a knight for sure. He was an Aura user who used a shield and an iron mace. His status appeared in the Guideline. [Race: Human. Fighter lv. 93] Not all of the Templar Lords were human. There were also two fairies. Palmer Lomberst served Yessen, the Goddess of fire. He was a short man carrying a big battle-ax. He had gray hair, reliable shoulder width, and abundant beard. Han-bin wasn¡¯t sure about his age, but he looked roughly middle-aged. [Race: Dwarf. Martial Artist Lv. 91] Merdil Kenneth, the Preleu Templar Lord, was also a fairy. [Race: Elf. Magic Swordsman Lv. 93] He was a man with green hair and lake-blue eyes, but he looked quite old, even though he was an Elf. He was in his late 40s in human age. He still looked so handsome as an Elf. Han-bin thought it would be just like that if he brought the word romance gray to Latna. Suddenly, Ryu Han-bin felt suspicious. ¡®Wait, why is he the Preleu Templar Lord?¡¯ He heard that the creator of the Elves was Sorondi, the Goddess of the Earth. The Goddess of the wind, Preleu, was the creator of Sylph. ¡®Then shouldn¡¯t Merdill, the Elf, be the Sorondi Templar Lord, not Preleu¡¯s?¡¯ He whispered to Artis out of curiosity, and Artis was surprised. ¡°Han-bin, sometimes you ask really random questions. What is the relationship between the creator of his race and his religion?¡± ¡°Huh? Is it natural that it doesn¡¯t matter? I think it should be related.¡± ¡°And in that sense, Leon Hart, the Kybriel Templar Lord, should be a dragon?¡± Even the Dragon, Artis, was not a follower of the Kyibriel church. ¡°I have no religious sect, but if I need to choose one, I¡¯m on Althea¡¯s side. I owe them a lot.¡± Effir joined the conversation. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m on Sorondi¡¯s side. The Spiritist of the Biryong Knights was the hierarch of Sorondi, and when I woke up, I was baptized by the Earth.¡± Furthermore, although it had become meaningless, Ryu Han-bin and Artis were collaborators of the Church of Light. ¡°Come on, so I¡¯m a follower of Althea?¡± ¡°Legally, yes.¡± After hearing the following explanation, Ryu Han-bin realized that he had misunderstood Latna¡¯s religion. There were six denominations in Latna that served ¡®six Goddesses.¡¯ However, that did not mean that there were six religions. There was a single religion called ¡®Goddessism,¡¯ and there were six denominations underneath it. ¡°Is it like a diocese or a branch on Earth?¡± That didn¡¯t seem right. There was no separate entity that oversaw all Goddess believers, such as the ¡®Pope of Goddessism.¡¯ The six denominations were mutually independent and had separate systems, and competed against each other. ¡°Then they believe in the same Goddesses, but the doctrines are different? Like Christianity, Catholicism, Anglicanism?¡± It wasn¡¯t like that either. The six denominations did not deny the existence and doctrine of the other. As long as the Goddesses existed, their teachings were part of the world. They were independent of each other but cooperated simultaneously, serving the six Goddesses of Latna. No matter which Goddess they served, it was their freedom and choice. Serving one Goddess didn¡¯t mean betraying the others. ¡°That¡¯s why they are in an Order that¡¯s meant to be, usually.¡± Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s hard to understand. It¡¯s complicated because God really exists.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly complicated, merely that it had a different concept. ¡°I¡¯d be so comfortable right now if it just went ¡®I¡¯m the light. Just trust me!''¡± Artis laughed in vain when he heard Han-bin. ¡°There¡¯s no god in the world like that. Wouldn¡¯t he be a swindler, not a god?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you say that on Earth, you¡¯re going to blow it!¡± Regardless, in Latna, it wasn¡¯t unusual for the Elve, Sorondi¡¯s creature, to be the Lord of the Preleu¡¯s Templars. There were Elves and Dwarves who served Althea, the creator of humanity, and there were many humans who served Kybriel, the creator of the Dragon race, and there were more humans in the Goddesses¡¯ church that had created the fairy family. ¡°Well, most of the fairies serve their creators. The population is so small there. A large number of humans are evenly distributed among the six churches.¡± ¡°What about the Dragon race?¡± ¡°The Dragon race is an entirely different case.¡± Artis laughed. ¡°Dragons don¡¯t serve Goddesses in character, and there¡¯s not much of a notion that lower-class dragons serve things because of their lack of intelligence.¡± ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t the Goddess create the dragon family too unfairly?¡± Glancing at Kibie, who was talking a lot, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. Looking at the Guideline, he could feel that only Leon Hart stood out more than others. First of all, his level was much higher. Other Templar Lords were level 114 alone, compared to the early to mid-90 level. ¡®Everyone¡¯s either an Aura user or a Magic Swordsman. He¡¯s the only Spiritist.¡¯ He had another question. ¡°Hey, Artis. The jobs of the Templar Lords are quite biased, what¡¯s the reason for that?¡± It wasn¡¯t that only hierarch of the Goddess could be the Spiritist. However, due to its specialized healing and supporting nature, there were many Spiritists among the clergy. Most of the popes and saints of each church were Spiritists. However, there were three Aura users, two Magic Swordsmen, and only one Spiritist among the Templar Lords there. There was no Mage at all. Artis shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Of course. The position of the Templar Lord itself is to lead the army.¡± While the Aura user or the Magic Swordsman fought in the frontlines, the Spiritist or the Mage supported everyone behind the battlefield. They weren¡¯t fit to be generals. ¡°Leon Hart is weird since he fights in the forefront though he is a Spiritist.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± It seemed right to consider Leon Heart as a unique case in many ways. He wasn¡¯t chosen to be blessed by the Goddesses for no reason. Meanwhile, Kibie¡¯s story was finally over. All five Templar Lords were shockingly lamented. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± ¡°Is the change in the night their sins¡­?¡± Sabine Asil talked in a serious tone. ¡°Fortunately, we learned the truth from the incarnation.¡± Flames sprang from her eyes. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to discuss ways to punish those sinners.¡± Chapter 130 Oracle of Goddess (3) The great heroes who the Goddesses had blessed were corrupted, committed treason, and robbed the Goddess of her divinity. That was the most terrible sin in the long history of Latna. If they were faithful servants of the Goddesses, they must punish those rebels and restore the Goddess¡¯s divinity! It was the glorious work given to believers! However, the meeting of the six Churches, which was supposed to carry out the mission, was proceeding in a rather dull atmosphere. ¡°But how do we punish the Top Three?¡± Angelica, the Lord of Rhamniana Templars, asked carefully. The Dwarf warrior, Palmer, replied in a sincere voice. ¡°If we follow the doctrine, we should define the Top Three as enemies of the Goddess and declare a holy war against them¡­¡± And he looked back at everyone with a bitter smile. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no chance of winning, right?¡± Merdill, the Lord of the Wind Templars, and Frederick, the Lord of the Earth Templars, nodded firmly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Latna¡¯s six denominations were by no means weak. Their authority controlled Latna. Their influence was truly powerful, and the power was considerable. One or two ordinary frontier kingdoms could be destroyed by the Darkness Church alone. If the six denominations joined forces, even the Continental Three Kingdoms wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore them. However, it could be said that the extent to which it could not be ignored was everything. Will the six denominations fight against the Continent¡¯s Top Three? The result would be a defeat. It wouldn¡¯t take two weeks for Allendia of the Fairy Kingdom, the weakest among the Top Three, to smash the power of the six denominations alone. Everyone there knew that very well. The declaration of the Holy War was not worth considering. ¡°If we can¡¯t go all out¡­¡± Althea¡¯s Sabin Asil touched her chin with a shady look. ¡°¡­ Shall we assassinate them secretly?¡± Leon Hart looked back at her and snorted. ¡°How can we assassinate them? Sabin, would you like to go and decapitate the Thunder King?¡± Sabin looked askance at Leon Hart. ¡°I knew it was impossible for me too.¡± Even the king or queen of the ordinary frontier kingdom was never easy to assassinate. The Top Three were the king, queen, and regent of the Continent Top Three powers. High-level individuals guarded their palaces, and the rulers themselves were the best on the continent! Even if all the strongest members of the church were deployed, it was extremely unlikely that the assassins would reach the front of the Top Three. Even if they reached the Top Three, what were they going to do? The assassination targets were already the strongest in Latna. ¡°Frankly, the power of each of the three strongest individuals will be higher than the palaces¡¯ defenses combined.¡± Palmer stroked his beard and clicked his tongue. Merdill also sighed. ¡°They¡¯re monsters that don¡¯t look like humans.¡± Even the Dwarves and the Elves, who had lived for hundreds of years, had never seen such powerful beings before. The three strongest individuals were indeed far beyond human recognition. ¡°Well, that¡¯s why they could try something crazy like robbing the divinity of a Goddess.¡± For that reason, it was meaningless to attempt an assassination. Everything was the same as Roacell had expected. Unless the church were a fool, it wouldn¡¯t be able to choose between a holy war or an assassination. ¡°In the end, we have to find a third way¡­¡± The Pope of the Darkness Church, Castalo II, sighed and opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. The Church of Darkness couldn¡¯t find a way.¡± Saintess Sermen looked back at everyone and said. ¡°This is another reason why I called you. We need to hear more diverse opinions.¡± * * * All the Goddesses¡¯ priests gathered at the round table were lost in thought, squeezing their heads. However, there was no clear opinion. No matter how hard they thought about it, there was no plausible way to punish the three strongest beings with the power of the six denominations. Leon Hart called their attention. ¡°Let¡¯s reflect on the current situation step by step.¡± He looked at everyone one by one and spoke in a calm voice. ¡°Why can¡¯t we punish the three strongest men?¡± The Templar Lords blinked. What are you talking about right now? ¡°Everyone knows the answer, but let¡¯s review it one by one.¡± Everyone questioned his actions, but they still answered. ¡°They are the best in Latna.¡± ¡°They are also powerful and have the strongest armies.¡± ¡°They are the heroes of Latna, so they are also worshipped by many. If we turn them into our enemy recklessly, the Churches could be destroyed instead.¡± ¡°And the three of them are in the same group.¡± They were the absolute beings holding absolute power and strong military might. They also had the trust of the world. That was why there was no room for a needle. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leon Hart nodded. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just look at their individual strength.¡± He then raised another question. ¡°Now, what preparations do we need to kill the Top Three individuals?¡± Everyone started to think about it seriously. ¡®Each one of the Top Three?¡¯ They measured their skills, abilities, and levels. They thought of all the tricks that the six denominations could prepare. ¡°Well, at least six Templar Lords must gather¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need a lot of powerful Templars that we can trust.¡± ¡°If we push it to numerical advantage, it¡¯ll work out somehow.¡± ¡°But if they bring their troops in there, there¡¯s no chance of winning¡­¡± ¡°We have to make it as small-scale as possible.¡± ¡°And if we lure them to a place that¡¯s well-prepared, there¡¯s some possibility¡­¡± Leon Hart said. ¡°That means if the three strongest men come forward and are lured into a trap we¡¯ve made, with only a handful of henchmen in their own hands, we can punish them?¡± Everyone nodded. It was clear that they could organize their minds to a certain extent just by talking out of their thoughts. However, even so, measures had not yet been taken. ¡°How can you trap the three strongest men, Leon Hart?¡± ¡°You need an attractive bait to lure your prey into your trap, don¡¯t you?¡± Leon Hart smiled bitterly at Sabin and Angelica¡¯s questions. ¡°There¡¯s a bait here.¡± It was the incarnation of Darkness, Kibie. If they leaked her location, the Top Three would be caught. Since they had failed several times while trying to use their staff members to catch her, it was time for them to go to her personally. Moreover, even if she wasn¡¯t the bait, Kibie had to be in a place where the Top Three would be punished anyway. She explained the reason. ¡°That way, we can restore Kybriel¡¯s divinity.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t cut the neck of the three strongest people herself, she should at least be in the place where they would die. That way, she could properly recover her divinity. ¡°If the three strongest people die in my absence¡­¡± Kibie, who had been agonizing for a while, shook her head helplessly. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what the result would be. I don¡¯t know now that I¡¯ve lost the wisdom of the Goddess. But I¡¯m sure it should never happen.¡± The remarks seemed to go back and forth at first glance, but everyone didn¡¯t think they were strange. That was natural for a Goddess whose memory was limited. ¡°And it¡¯s the same for them.¡± The Top Three also had to cut Kibie¡¯s neck. At least they should be in the place where she would die. That was why they had been trying to ¡®capture¡¯ her all along. ¡°Was there a rule like that?¡± Leon Hart raised one eye. He had never heard of that before. ¡°Sorry, I forgot to tell you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s not a bad condition for us.¡± At least he was less worried that Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens or the Ancient Dragons of Upper Dragonium would harm the incarnation. ¡°Anyway, if we use her as bait, it¡¯s not impossible to lure the three strongest into a trap.¡± However, they couldn¡¯t just walk away with the bait. If things went wrong, there was no turning back¡­ ¡°Even if things go well, if a trap catches a prey beyond its control, everything will be over.¡± Even if the six denominations made all-out efforts to make the trap, they could handle only one of the three strongest. ¡°Looking at the current situation, I think the Transcendental is chasing the incarnation alone, but¡­¡± It was not a big secret that the Archmage and the Thunder King had been running state affairs only through visions. They hadn¡¯t revealed their true nature in months. ¡°Will she be the only one who knows where the incarnation is?¡± If the Top Three appeared all at once, any trap would become meaningless. They would break them all with their power and rob the incarnations. Of course, the strongest was arrogant, so there was a high possibility for them to move independently. However, they couldn¡¯t risk the fate of the world on that possibility. ¡°To sum up, this is the story, Leon Hart.¡± Angelica nodded after hearing all the explanations. ¡°We should let a big event take place within the Continental Top Three, where the three strongest men will come forward, and then draw them one by one into a trap to defeat them.¡± Everyone¡¯s complexion darkened. Palmer, the Lord of Yessen Templars, spoke in a deep tone. ¡°We must declare a holy war.¡± Frederick sighed, too. ¡°The Church¡¯s headquarters will be burned to ashes. There will be a lot of blood.¡± The declaration of the Holy War meant that the six denominations were officially hostile to the Top Three. If so, the Continental Top Three powers would officially consider the six denominations as their enemy. The results were obvious if the whole army of the Continental Top Three powers advanced to the headquarters of each denomination. They would not deny the Goddesses¡¯ faith itself. Instead, they would punish those who belonged to the present six denominations as people who had voluntarily distorted the will of God. How many deaths would continue in the process? Castalo II murmured somberly. ¡°That¡¯s why I tried to avoid declaring a holy war as much as I could¡­¡± He knew it would end up like that. The old Pope lamented over the gloomy round table. ¡°Huh, I can¡¯t help it¡­¡± * * * Meanwhile, Ryu Han-bin wondered silently. ¡®Why is everyone so worried?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know military strategy or politics well. Hence, he kept my mouth shut throughout the entire meeting. But the more he listened, the less he understood. Their worries were, so to speak, like this: ¡®Six denominations must be hostile to the Top Three, but the Top Three must not be hostile to the six denominations?¡¯ That was a contradiction. However, it wasn¡¯t a contradiction that couldn¡¯t be solved. ¡®When I saw the news in Korea, there was a similar story, and it seems to be a common situation in world history.¡¯ So far, he had been as quiet as he could as if to avoid being caught. However, everyone there knew that he was the Alien. ¡®Isn¡¯t it a big problem to say something that doesn¡¯t fit the common sense of the world here? Even if it ends in vain, there¡¯s nothing to lose.¡¯ Han-bin, who was contemplating for a while, raised his hand. ¡°Hey, this is just my idea, but¡­¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were on him. Ryu Han-bin carefully continued. ¡°Can¡¯t we just do this?¡± Chapter 131 Oracle of Goddess (4) Serkaltan, a forbidden city located near the Grand Maze, Kaltan. Numerous crowds gathered in the central square of Serkaltan. There were high-level hunters trying to target the palace, gatekeepers guarding the entrance, and ordinary residents flocking to watch the other side of the square. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Yes, the Church of Darkness is finally announcing the truth about the unexpected change of the night¡­¡± ¡°Then what about the mass exodus of Aliens?¡± ¡°Did Alien monsters escape from the Dungeon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but wouldn¡¯t it be related?¡± Three days ago, a major announcement had been made at the Serkaltan branch of the Church of Darkness. The church had announced that it would directly explain various unexpected events in Latna. It was enough to bring together a large crowd. Soon a man appeared in the square. He was a handsome young man with colorful blond hair and a white coat. Hunters soon recognized him. ¡°Who¡¯s that guy?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Leon Hart, the Spiritual Boxer?¡± ¡°He is the third Blessed by the Goddesses!¡± ¡°Oh, my God, did the Church of Darkness¡¯s Templar Lord come forward himself?¡± Leon Hart wasn¡¯t the only one to show up either. A robust-looking female warrior wearing white armor appeared as well, giving off a cool look. ¡°Althea¡¯s Sabine Asil!¡± A dark-haired beauty and a middle-aged man were standing next to her. ¡°Lady Angelica! Lord of Rhamniana Templar!¡± ¡°There¡¯s Lord Frederick of Sorondi!¡± Members of the Fairy race also showed up. A Dwarf warrior in red armor and a middle-aged Elf in elegant light armor followed. ¡°Is that Lord Palmer, the flame of Yessen?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he Lord Merdill of Preleu¡¯s winds?¡± Every single one of them was famous. All six Lords of the Churches were present. It wasn¡¯t a common sight to see. People were both surprised and nervous. ¡®What the hell¡¯s going on?¡¯ The Templar Lords went up onto the platform. Leon Hart, who took the lead, raised his voice toward the audience. ¡°Loyal Latna believers! My fellow servants of the Goddesses!¡± He continued. ¡°I, Leon Hart, the first shadow of Kybriel, shall tell you the truth!¡± The use of spirituality spread his voice to the end of the square. Everyone could hear his words. ¡°Everyone shall be aware of the unexpected change that happened on a holy night, the reason behind the Alien monsters that were out of common sense, and the Aliens that began to suddenly appear all over the continent!¡± The crowd began to roar. There was no one there who did not know about those events. ¡°The goddess has given us an oracle!¡± The noise subsided swiftly. The square became surprisingly calm. ¡°Oracle? Oracle?¡± ¡°The goddess answered their prayer herself?¡± At that time, the other Templar Lords stepped forward. As they did so, they also spoke to the audience. ¡°The will of the fire has been given!¡± ¡°The will of the water has been given!¡± ¡°The will of the wind has been given!¡± ¡°The will of the earth has been given!¡± Althea¡¯s Templar Lord opened her arms wide and shouted. ¡°The will of the light has fallen upon me, and it is the unshakable truth and the unquestionable will of the Goddesses!¡± There was a stir all over the square. It was truly astonishing. That meant that the six Goddesses of Latna had issued a ¡®simultaneous¡¯ oracle. It was unprecedented even when considering the entire history of Latna. Leon Hart¡¯s voice rang across the entire place. ¡°I will now reveal the Goddesses¡¯ oracle to the faithful!¡± The Transcendental submitted to the Devil. ¡°As a result, Latna fell into a frenzy, and she was no longer blessed by the Goddesses. She wasn¡¯t even considered as the Goddesses¡¯ child anymore.¡± ¡°Punish her and establish justice.¡± ¡°It is the will of the Goddesses and the will of the world!¡± * * * The central square of Serkaltan became chaotic. ¡°The Transcendental¡­¡± ¡°One of the Four Strongest Beings?¡± ¡°Do you mean Hollien, the Incredible?¡± Holien was one of the four heroes who had saved Latna and was the Queen loved by the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s people. He claimed that she had fallen into the power of the Devil. It was a very difficult story to accept. Someone raised their voice in the crowd. ¡°I am Bertil¡¯s Ballance! May I dare ask the Templar Lord of Darkness?¡± ¡°Go on, Ballance of Bertil.¡± Leon Hart shook his hand to calm the disturbance. The middle-aged Hunter, called Ballance, followed up with a question. ¡°Are you the ones who received the oracle? You guys are claiming that the Templar Lords have received the Goddesses¡¯ oracle?¡± ¡°Yes, the Goddesses¡¯ will has come to us.¡± Ballance shook his head in disbelief at Leon Hart¡¯s answer. ¡°How could they do that? Wasn¡¯t it the saintess¡¯s duty to deliver the Goddesses¡¯ oracle?¡± For generations, the Goddesses¡¯ oracle had been handed down through the saintess. There was no case that their will came to the Templar Lord, not the saintess. Sabine Asil nodded gently. ¡°Your suspicions are reasonable. We also looked back on ourselves carefully.¡± And she continued firmly. ¡°It must have been the will of the Goddesses. She who deserves to be served has spoken to us directly.¡± Afterward, another hunter asked a question. ¡°Then does the Goddesses¡¯ Churches declare the holy war to the Fairy Kingdom?¡± At that moment, the faces of the gathered people hardened. It was hell. There would be a huge war throughout Latna. Leon Hart shook his head with an exaggerated sigh. ¡°It¡¯s profanity, but it¡¯s not.¡± As Ballance said, it was unprecedented for the Templar Lords to receive an oracle. Therefore, each church failed to conclude because it was trying to determine its authenticity. ¡°But we can¡¯t just keep waiting, can we?¡± At that moment, Sabine Asil shouted and held her sword high. ¡°Every day, people continue to bleeding! We need to move now! That way, we can stop the blood from flowing!¡± The cries of the other Templar Lords followed. ¡°Now that everything is clear, Latna¡¯s faithful!¡± ¡°An unexpected change in the night!¡± ¡°A great number of Aliens!¡± ¡°Dungeon monsters¡¯ strange behavior, too!¡± ¡°The Goddesses have informed us that it is all due to the corruption of the Transcendental!¡± That was right. Many people were still dying by the invasion of the Devil. How could anyone delay it when it¡¯s urgent? The six Templar Lords spoke with one heart and one will. ¡°Finally, if the church makes the wrong choice, then we will move according to the Goddesses¡¯ will!¡± ¡°The Transcendental has become a corrupted heroine!¡± On behalf of everyone¡¯s will, the Darkness Church¡¯s Templar Lord and the third Blessed by the Goddess made a declaration. ¡°I will uphold Their will and destroy her with the justice of Latna!¡± * * * Another extraordinary event happened in Latna, where all kinds of strange happenings appeared. Three Heads represented each of the Churches. Pope, Saintess, and Templar Lord. The Templar Lords claimed to have received the Goddesses¡¯ trust and left their churches in large numbers. The same was true of the Templars and priests who followed them. The breakaway members of the six denominations banded together to form new forces and referred to themselves as¡­ The Holy Punishers. The only purpose of the group was to punish the Transcendental following the will of the Goddess. As a result, the public sentiment of the continent was greatly shaken. ¡®What¡¯s going on here?¡¯ ¡®How dare you fight against the Transcendental?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re turning the strongest Spiritist and the strongest woman among the Continental Top Three into an enemy?¡¯ It was a fight that had no chance of winning even with the eyes of a nobody who knew nothing. They couldn¡¯t have done such a reckless thing without being crazy. ¡®But if what they say is true¡­¡¯ ¡®If the corruption of the Transcendental caused all this¡­¡¯ ¡®Then isn¡¯t justice on their side?¡¯ Just like the four strongest beings, the six Templar Lords had enjoyed fame for a long time, achieved justice, and built many connections. It also did not make sense to think they were all crazy. Large-scale chaos began to spread throughout the Fairy Kingdom. * * * The following words were Hollien¡¯s first reaction to the whole story. ¡°Wow, they¡¯ve gone far. If they came from Serkaltan in Scotaskia, won¡¯t it take them more than 15 days?¡± Roacell asked back in bewilderment. ¡°Their time of travel isn¡¯t the main issue here, is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just surprised.¡± It was unexpected. The six denominations neither declared a holy war nor attempted to assassinate the three strongest men. Instead, only the Templar Lords came out of their denominations, citing the Goddesses¡¯ oracle? ¡°What the hell is this about?¡± Roacell didn¡¯t understand the situation at all, causing him to tilt his head. Hollien tapped on the table with her fingertips and complained. ¡°And I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m their only target. What about Garhan and Genovia?¡± They designated only one, the Transcendental, as a sinner of asceticism. There was no word about the Thunder King and Archmage. Wouldn¡¯t it be unfair to be treated as a criminal alone when they had an accident together? ¡°They were the ones who did most of the work!¡± Garhan made the comprehensive plan, and Genovia focused on the power of the Devil. Hollien just stood by and supported them. ¡°But why are they targetting only me? Do I look like I¡¯m the weakest?¡± Roacell smiled wryly inwardly. ¡®I¡¯d rather understand that.¡¯ It would never be because Hollien was easy. The strongest three were absolute beings with incomparable skills, and Hollien¡¯s level was the highest among them. It was just¡­ ¡®The Fairy Kingdom is the most unformidable.¡¯ Although it was tied to the Continental Three Powers, it still lagged behind the Mado Kingdom, Rune, or the Kingdom of the Thousand Years, Kaldris. Therefore, their goal was to deal with Hollien first and then destroy the Thunder King and the Archmage sequentially. That was fully understandable to Roacell. But it would be hard to voice out that hypothesis to the Queen of the Fairy Kingdom. ¡®It¡¯s because your husband¡¯s country is the least developed country. I can¡¯t say that can I?¡¯ Roacell changed the topic. ¡°I don¡¯t understand anyway. What would their advantage be behind their action?¡± That was the only way they could split up their internal strife. They couldn¡¯t stand a chance even if they stuck together, but they were cutting back on their own? ¡°We¡¯re not really in a civil war, are we?¡± ¡°It happens only when the truth is vague. There¡¯s the incarnation of the Darkness.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± In Roacell¡¯s reply, Hollien looked up at the ceiling of her office, seemingly troubled. She tried her best to think, but the conclusion was the same. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. What the hell are they doing?¡± * * * Kibie grinned. ¡°Hollien hasn¡¯t figured it out yet, has she?¡± Ryu Han-bin also smiled from ear to ear. ¡°I think she doesn¡¯t know about it yet, but¡­¡± As expected, it was better to act first. Things went much better than he expected. ¡°With time, she will have no choice but to do her best to figure it out even if she doesn¡¯t want to.¡± Chapter 132 Holy Punishers (1) Prouasar, located in southern Allendia, the Fairy Kingdom. It was a rich land where animals played in the dense forest and crops ripened in the fields. In the center of the territory, the Japran River, which supported everyone¡¯s life, flowed. However, normal people¡¯s lives weren¡¯t good at all. Because the lord of that place, the 380-year-old Sylph, the Count of Prouasar, was quite eccentric. -If you¡¯re a human being, you should be valued for your skills, not for your blood! In the Latna Continent, it might¡¯ve seemed like a very progressive mind at first glance. However, the Count of Prouasar¡¯s interpretation was somewhat different. In his thought, ¡®human¡¯ didn¡¯t mean Latna¡¯s intelligence, but humanity itself, which was the creation of Althea. The Fairy tribes were completely excluded. ¡°What does blood mean to a human being?¡¯ Compared to the noble Fairy tribes, any human being was humble anyway. It wasn¡¯t funny when low-minded people talked about each other¡¯s blood. ¡®Of course, human values should be determined by individual skills.¡¯ Certainly, the Count favored talented humans and high-level hunters, even humans. What about normal people who had low levels and no skills? ¡®They¡¯re not worth anything, so we should just use them, right?¡¯ All he had to do was feed them enough to prevent them from starving to death, dress them enough so they wouldn¡¯t freeze to death, and put them to sleep. ¡®What¡¯s the point of spending money on people who don¡¯t live close to a hundred years even if I take good care of them?¡¯ The estate tax was the lord¡¯s authority, and he took 60% of the expenditure as tax. Using such huge tax money, he hired ¡®worthy human beings¡¯ to create his iron fortress and enjoy a luxurious life. Under the harsh exploitation, the common people could do nothing but curse the Count. ¡®Shitty Lord!¡¯ ¡®Damn Prouasar!¡¯ Of course, they did so internally. No one could dare criticize him openly. The full name of the Count was Prouasar Eli Meliador. He was a member of the Meliador family of the Sylph tribe, the fourth royal family of Allendia. He was a high-ranking aristocrat who was allowed to use the royal family name, even though he was the farthest from the royal family. Besides, he belonged to the jurisdiction of Hollien, the Queen of the Fairy Kingdom. Even the aristocrats didn¡¯t dare touch him, so he was at least a king within his own territory. The high castle of the Count, located in the center of the estate. In the office, a middle-aged man with gray hair calculated the month¡¯s tax. ¡°A total of 340,000 Allen? The unexpected changes in the night have increased my profits.¡± A special tax was collected to prepare for the deadly yet strange events when the moon was out. He said it was to prepare for the appearance of the Alien monsters. It couldn¡¯t be said that his profits had increased since he had to spend it anyway, but the story was a little different in his case. Just as dungeons did not appear in all parts of Latna, some places didn¡¯t suffer from the vents depending on the night¡¯s unexpected changes. The territory of Count Prouasar was one of the lucky cases. The monsters never appeared, yet the special tax was still collected. Since he had public money, how couldn¡¯t he be happy? ¡°If this is the case, I can buy the precious rice wine of Shartan.¡± He was a gourmet, which meant he spent a considerable amount of money on getting his hands on precious food from all over the continent. Counting the money, Count Prouasar enjoyed himself. Derek, the head of butlers who was standing next to him, carefully gave his opinion. ¡°The world is not stable. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to refrain from spending money?¡± The territory of Count Prouasar was lucky enough to avoid the night¡¯s unexpected changes, but other areas were suffering great damage. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be difficult to show off too much luxurious life¡­?¡± As if convinced, the Count also nodded. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s cut food costs by 10 percent this month.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± Derek was embarrassed. He meant to be frugal, but Prouasar said he would just cut down on his food expenses? A person who used to eat on a gold bowl wouldn¡¯t have their luxurious lifestyle stopped even if he ate on a silver bowl. However, that was for the Count to realize himself. Frugality had a different standard for him in the first place. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we cut taxes a little bit? Wouldn¡¯t it be difficult for the Count to lose your people?¡± The Count asked seriously. ¡°Didn¡¯t the soybean farming go pretty well this year?¡± ¡°Oh, well, yes¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s okay. Humans don¡¯t die even if they just eat beans.¡± ¡°Old people will be in danger.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the providence of the world that the Goddesses set those old people to die when they are old enough?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Derek shut up. His long experience told him that the Count didn¡¯t want to listen to him anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Normal people can¡¯t complain. How good is our land to live in? I feed them and let them sleep. They don¡¯t need to worry about dying since there are no monsters¡­¡± As Count Prouasar kept talking such nonsense¡­ A huge explosion rang out outside the mansion. Boom! The floor shook as if there was an earthquake. At the same time, loud cries were heard in the wind. ¡°Attack! Attack!¡± ¡°Everyone ready for battle!¡± Derek looked out the window in astonishment. ¡°Is this the assault of monsters?¡± The Count, who was slow to grasp the situation, was not even surprised. Grabbing his pocket of money, he murmured blankly. ¡°No way! Our territory doesn¡¯t even have monsters, does it?¡± * * * Four shadows were reflected over the smashed gate. There were a big man, a slim, tall beauty, a wizard wearing a robe, and a silver-haired girl dressed in light armor. The four of them slowly passed the gate through the fluttering debris. Looking at the broken gate, Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡°Is it okay to break this? It looks like a precious cultural asset.¡± It was a wonderful old castle that looked more than 100 years old. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t we preserve these cultural heritages well?¡¯ Of course, that was just Han-bin¡¯s idea. Artis replied as if he were saying nonsensical things again. ¡°What¡¯s so precious about a castle that¡¯s only 100 years old? It¡¯s younger than me.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± Cultural heritage standards in that world were quite different from those in modern times. ¡®In modern terms, is it just like breaking an apartment door that¡¯s been there for a while already? He thought he didn¡¯t need to care anyway. Relieved, Ryu Han-bin turned to the castle. Nearly a hundred heavily armed soldiers were staring at them. They intentionally gave the troops time to gather. ¡°They are not monsters.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Are they bandits looking for the Count¡¯s treasure?¡± A considerable number of bandits had attacked the castle so far. It was because if they succeeded well, they could change their lives in an instant. Of course, they had never succeeded. The power of the Count was amazing. For that reason, the soldiers were quite used to that kind of assault. In a short period, they already geared up for battle against the intruders. However, unlike usual, their faces were dark. ¡®Only four?¡¯ ¡®Only four attacked us, and they went for a frontal attack?¡¯ No one was relieved that the opponent¡¯s number was small. In Latna, where individual differences were so severe, it was much more likely that the few were at a higher level since they were confident in their skills than foolish ones who fought using numbers. ¡®No matter what, four of you are after the Count family?¡¯ ¡®How high is their level?¡¯ Nevertheless, they did not run away in fear. The soldiers calmly pointed at them with their spears and slowly went to capture the uninvited guests. Ryu Han-bin, who sneakily turned on the guideline, was slightly impressed. ¡®the soldiers are pretty good, aren¡¯t they?¡¯ [Race: Human. Swordsman lv. 42] [Race: Human. Fighter Lv. 44] [Race: Human. Spearman Lv. 41] Most of them were level 40 or higher. Most soldiers in the middle of the continent weren¡¯t weak. ¡®Their levels are higher than Artis was when I first met him.¡¯ In the Xrad Kingdom, a remote region, people above level 40 were treated as top-class hunters worthy of showing off their power. But they were just guards for the territory there. ¡®It¡¯s different when you¡¯re in the Continental Top Three.¡¯ Well, there was no reason to care about it. Han-bin walked calmly. The guards shouted at the approaching muscular giant. ¡°Stop moving, or we¡¯ll attack you!¡± ¡°Unarm yourself and kneel!¡± Han-bin and the security guards knew that they could not surrender after all those fusses. But it was a formal procedure, so that they couldn¡¯t help it either. Ignoring them, Ryu Han-bin reached out for his weapon behind his back. ¡®In fact, I don¡¯t think I need to use a sword if they are at that level¡­¡¯ Still, he unsheathed his sword out. There was another reason. Like when Leon Hart first met him, the other Templar Lords had the same misunderstanding about Ryu Han-bin. -Isn¡¯t that Gigant? -What a surprise! -So he became the heir of the Sword King? He had to solve the misunderstanding. -Actually, I¡¯ve never met the Sword King. However, he couldn¡¯t solve it easily. -Did you master the swordsmanship of the Sword King? -Are you using the sword of the Sword King? -I heard you¡¯ve mastered the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. -You are the heir of the Sword King, after all. After having explained it in detail, everyone understood the situation. He also pointed out that the ¡®misunderstanding¡¯ was quite useful. -It¡¯s reassuring that the heir of the Sword King supports the Holy Punishers! There was no need for Han-bin to claim to be the heir on purpose. However, there was nothing to lose if people recognized Han-bin as a student of Baotolt. He could borrow the name of the Sword King. So he purposely took out the Gigant to show off. He did it to leave a message. ¡®Now, look! This is Gigant, the sword of the Sword King Baotolt!¡¯ * * * The enormous gray blade glistened in the moonlight. All the soldiers looked demoralized by it. ¡°That¡¯s a fucking big sword.¡± ¡°Jesus, he was no ordinary man!¡± Everyone was surprised, but it wasn¡¯t the expected response. It ended with ¡®Wow, the sword is really big!¡¯ ¡®How come no one recognizes it?¡¯ Well, it was hard to expect soldiers in that kind of territory to know. Giving up, Han-bin decided to accomplish his original purpose for visiting the place. He gestured to Effir. ¡°Stick it to them.¡± ¡°Roger that!¡± Effir quickly inserted her hand in her pocket. A long rod of nearly two meters was taken out of the space pocket. As they put the stick on the ground and spread the rolled cloth, a large flag proudly appeared in front of the soldiers. The symbol of the six Goddesses was drawn in the center. The flag had a cross made out of a sword and a spear. At that moment, the soldiers recognized it. That symbol was the flag of a ¡®power¡¯ that recently hit the continent. ¡°Holy Punishers?¡± ¡°Oh, my God! Why are you lunatics attacking our castle?¡± Artis shouted. ¡°We are those who follow the will of the true goddess!¡± A loud cry spread softly throughout the ancient castle. ¡°Holy punishment for the sinners of evil who serve the Incredible, the sinner of asceticism!¡± Chapter 133 Holy Punishers (2) Soldiers charged from all sides, shouting. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°How dare these cults?!¡± Han-bin hesitated for a moment instead of trying to fight back by swinging his Gigant. ¡®Is it too much to use a sword?¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to kill people unnecessarily. That was especially the case since he recently learned how crazy other Earthlings were about murder. However, even at that moment, it wasn¡¯t easy to wield a sword to subdue the opponent without killing them. ¡®It¡¯s a contradiction to shout don¡¯t kill people while holding tools made to kill people in the first place. If that is the case, we should just use another weapon!¡¯ So he just held Gigant in his left hand and took out a non-lethal weapon. It was his well-trained right fist. Thud! With a single blow, the leading soldier delivered a triple ax kick in the air with his head spinning¡­ Bang! A simple slap broke his collarbone, causing him to fall flat on the ground. Thud! He slipped in a knee kick, and the soldier, equipped with metal armor over 100 kilograms, flew up like a balloon. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Y-you monster!¡± Ryu Han-bin calmly continued the battle amid the screams. No, it was too simple to be called a battle. It was just a one-sided beating. It was true that Ryu Han-bin had poor fighting skills compared to his swordsmanship. However, if the level was that different, there was no point in skills or anything else. Thud! Thud! Thud! Han-bin thought for a moment as he simply beat the soldiers who attacked him. ¡®It would be simple to take all the soldiers down like this, but¡­¡¯ His mission was not simply to overpower Count Prouasar. ¡®They asked me to make the biggest mess possible.¡¯ For the Holy Punishers¡¯ presence to spread throughout Latna, it was necessary to engage in severe battles. ¡®But what can I do to make it colorful?¡¯ The opponents were too weak. He didn¡¯t even have to use Aura. No, if he used it, not even corpses would be left behind. ¡®But I need to show that I fought enough¡­¡¯ Han-bin glanced at the walls and towers around him. ¡®Well, let¡¯s break that thing.¡¯ It was too dangerous to use it against people. Instead, he¡¯d tear down a building! His large body quickly penetrated among the soldiers. A couple of punches was all it took! Thud! ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Passing through the fallen soldiers, he pulled out Gigant. The red Blade Aura burned amid the darkness of the night to the fullest. ¡°Huh? Aura?¡± ¡°He is an Aura user! He¡¯s at least level 50!¡± Zoom! Han-bin struck his sword downward. -Aura Splash! A powerful blow hit the tower directly. With a roar, the huge tower collapsed completely. Boom! The soldiers turned pale. ¡°¡­ Minimum level 50?¡± ¡°No! How can a man do such a thing?¡± ¡°Shit! He must be over level 100!¡± Nevertheless, they did not run away not because they were especially brave but rather because they had been trained properly. Despite the panic, they were attacking Han-bin¡¯s group as they used to. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Han-bin¡¯s offensive continued. ¡®I¡¯ll hit this guy first.¡¯ A light jab hit the soldier¡¯s face. The blow confused the opponent and caused him to fall. His eyes headed to the buildings opposite the collapsed tower. ¡®I¡¯ll destroy that one, too.¡¯ The blood-like Aura raged through the night sky. Two barracks in the castle were ruined in one shot. Boom! Ryu Han-bin kept going wild. Every time Gigant fired the flames of his Aura, the surrounding area became even more devastated. Han-bin wasn¡¯t the only one rampaging. ¡°In the name of the Goddesses!¡± A cute silver-haired girl swung her twin blades across the battlefield. ¡°Punish those corrupted!¡± She grasped her double sword and left a subtle trace of light. Soldiers wrapped caught in her trajectory fell. ¡®What is it?¡¯ ¡®Why did I fall?¡¯ ¡®Why isn¡¯t my body moving?¡¯ ¡®It doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t bleed.¡¯ They were neither injured nor shocked. Even their minds were fine. But for some reason, they still fell. Curious, Ryu Han-bin asked Effir stealthily. ¡°What did you do?¡± She replied with a big smile. ¡°It¡¯s a force-overdue skill that Angelica taught me. She seemed strangely fond of me.¡± ¡°Really? Uh, the levels aren¡¯t that different. But what¡¯s there to learn?¡± Angelica was level 92, and Effir was level 94. By considering their levels alone, Effir was a little higher. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s still a lot to learn in terms of skills.¡± Angelica, the Templar Lord of Rhamniana, was one of the masters who had practiced mana swordsmanship for many years. She naturally had mastered a lot of skills. ¡°If we fight, I¡¯ll lose.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Han-bin laughed out loud. ¡°Effir, do you realize that you¡¯re about to overtake her?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean to show off¡­¡± On the other hand, Artis across from him used his staff to bombard the place with magic spells. ¡°Fireball! Wall of Fire! Flame Strike! Ignition Blast!¡± All kinds of flame-based magic loaded on the staff were fired in unison and destroyed every part of the castle. Unlike the walls and towers, most of the buildings in the castle were made of wood. Thanks to that, the fire burned them well. Boom! In a flash, flames enveloped the castle as smoke rose to the skies. Artis¡¯s shout rang over the heads of the soldiers who were panicking in fear. ¡°Foolish sinners! Take the wrath of the Goddesses!¡± On the other hand, the black-haired beauty was quietly fighting without saying anything. No matter how important it was, it was embarrassing for her to talk in her name. ¡°¡­¡± Silently, she stabbed her spear in all directions, scattering black Aura. Every time she did so, soldiers fell with their limbs injured. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± At that point, no matter how hard the soldiers had trained, it was useless. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°We just do this to make a living!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t die here!¡± They looked at each other and started running away one by one. Han-bin and his party didn¡¯t chase them. Their real goal was to visit the castle anyway. The roar of the Valtara warrior thundered over the shadow of the night. ¡°Come out! Count Prouasar!¡± * * * When Han-bin and his party faced the wall, they broke through the wall, and when they faced the ceiling, they broke through the ceiling! They ignored everything and instead made their own path by breaking through everything like a cannonball advancing at full speed! In an instant, Han-bin and his party reached the main castle of the Count. Only then did a group of knights stand in their way. [Race: Human. Warrior Lv. 53] [Race: Elf. Swordsman lv. 52] [Race: Nymph. Fighter Lv. 50] There were about 20 people, and all had higher average levels than soldiers. Perhaps because they were knights of the races. Not only humans but also fairies were seen. Looking at the knights, Han-bin wondered. It had been quite a while since they initiated the attack, but only then did the knights finally show up. ¡®Oh, is that so?¡¯ Only soldiers with light clothing could respond immediately if something happened, but there were many things to prepare for the battle. They couldn¡¯t be dispatched quickly because they had to wear armor and bring their weapons. They must¡¯ve had to make a quick response. Since it was a battle in the castle, they didn¡¯t have to prepare for everything. The knights of the Count, who appeared late, threatened Han-bin¡¯s group. ¡°You cults!¡± ¡°What do you think this place is?¡± ¡°We will punish you in the name of Prouasar!¡± Compared to their words, their tone wasn¡¯t that fierce. They were nervous. Indeed, the traces of destruction so far made it clear that they were not easy to handle. On the other hand, behind the knights, the skinny middle-aged man, Count Prouasar, was in high spirits. ¡°How dare you go after the Meliador family in the Fairy Kingdom!¡± The Count gestured, raising his voice in anger. ¡°Lord Plattek! Let those cults regret their folly!¡± The tall knight wearing a silver plate veil stepped forward. ¡°I accept your order, Your Highness.¡± He was a muscular, middle-aged man with gray hair and blue eyes. Lord Plattek pulled out the sword from his side. ¡°You little bastards don¡¯t know how high the sky is¡­¡± His blade began to turn blue. ¡°I will show you the meaning of true power!¡± * * * Plattek Mellat. He was originally a Hunter who was targeting Kaltan the Grand Maze. However, he was invited by Count Prouasar and was hired with a large sum of money as a family knight. There was a reason why the petty Count had spent a lot of money even though Plattek was human. According to the Count¡¯s idea, Lord Plattek was ¡®a man of great value, worthy of recognition of his ability.¡¯ ¡°Whoa, you guys seem pretty strong, too¡­¡± Shaking his shoulders, Count Prouasar boasted. ¡°Lord Plattek is a level 76 Aura user! Do you think you¡¯re going to be a match to him?¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Han-bin stepped forward with a sour expression. Then, he aimed at him with Gigant. Plattek, who faced him, frowned at the Gigant. ¡°Dumb! Do you think you are stronger because of your big sword?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll realize it eventually.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Ignoring Plattek, Han-bin clicked his tongue. ¡®Is he from Kaltan? Why can¡¯t he recognize Gigant?¡¯ Not all the Serkaltan hunters had met the Sword King Baotolt. Regardless, even the knights didn¡¯t recognize the Gigant at all. It seemed that Han-bin couldn¡¯t use the name of the Sword King. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®If he recognized it, it would be good. If not, it¡¯s fine, too.¡¯ Han-bin pulled out Blade Aura. The blade of Gigant began to turn red. Zoom! Plattek was not surprised. He fully expected that the opponent would be an Aura user. ¡®There¡¯s no way a warrior below level 50 could do so much damage.¡¯ Even so, Han-bin could not be stronger than him. Han-bin looked evil on the outside, but he was a young kid in his mid-20s at best. How much would anyone have done at that age, and how strong would they have become? Plattek had been training and fighting more than twice as much time as that kid! ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± Plattek kicked the ground. The blue Aura embellished the air. Ryu Han-bin also swung his Gigant. ¡°Huh!¡± Red and blue Blade Aura collided brutally. The blades of light fought against each other while crossed. Bam! Plattek shouted, pressuring Han-bin. ¡°I¡¯ll crush you like this!¡± At that moment¡­ His irresistible force began to push Plattek away. ¡®What? What¡¯s up with this power?¡¯ At the same time, a powerful shock hit his entire body and flung him into the air! Thud! ¡°Argh!¡± Plattek groaned and stepped back frantically. He was just pushed back, but his arms were shaking. ¡°What are you doing? You said you¡¯d crush me?¡± Holding the red-lit sword lightly, the Valtara warrior teased Plattek. ¡°I¡¯ll just lift you then.¡± Chapter 134 Holy Punishers (3) Sir Plattek swung his Blade Aura like a berserker. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± He burst out a shout, cut, stabbed, and aimed for Han-bin with his sword. With each movement, the Aura on his blade became a blue gale, playing a symphony of destruction. Boom! However, the opponent proved himself to be an iron fortress. ¡°You said you would show me true power.¡± Reacting to all the attacks with Gigant, Ryu Han-bin spoke teasingly. ¡°When the hell will you show it to me? This is getting boring.¡± Plattek couldn¡¯t care about the blatant ridicule. He wasn¡¯t in a position to do that. ¡®I can¡¯t stand him¡­¡¯ Han-bin was not using any advanced swordsmanship. There was no subtle counterattack. Han-bin took all the attacks with overwhelming speed, bouncing back with overwhelming Aura amount and holding on with overwhelming physical power! What that meant was simple. The muscular swordsman was overwhelmingly stronger than Plattek. It wasn¡¯t just a slight gap either! Han-bin was way above level 100 according to the information Plattek gained by observing him! ¡®How can he already be so strong at such a young age¡­¡¯ The opponent¡¯s entirety was reflected in Plattek¡¯s despairing eyes. He had a savage figure and showed off his bare body since he wasn¡¯t wearing proper clothes, let alone armor. ¡®No¡­ no way¡­¡¯ Plattek had also heard of those who fought while wearing such strange outfits. He forgot about it because it had been such a long time. ¡°Legendary Valtara Warrior?¡± Han-bin¡¯s expression became strange. ¡®Did you just realize that right now?¡¯ Han-bin thought he was quite openly identified. ¡®No, a man who wants to fight just showed up in his furry shorts, and you never thought it was weird?¡¯ It was because there were so many naked humans under Count Prouasar. Since the exploitation was so severe, it left most citizens with no money. That made Plattek not even think about it. Plattek hit him with his long sword, a look of distrust evident on his face. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Even a Valtara warrior can¡¯t be as strong as you at that age!¡± Of course, Han-bin deflected it lightly again. ¡®Actually, I¡¯m not much younger than I look.¡¯ And Han-bin thought about it for a while. ¡®How should I finish him?¡¯ It was easy to get rid of him. Han-bin just had to press him hard with power and cut his neck. The problem was that his partners wanted him to destroy the enemy ¡®colorfully.¡¯ The Holy Punishers¡¯ strength needed to be spread throughout the Fairy Kingdom as much as possible. ¡®¡­ Colorful, jeez.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin was the least confident about it. ¡®My swordsmanship isn¡¯t made up of cool movements.¡¯ His style and the Sword King¡¯s style were simple, strong, clear, but unstoppable. Therefore, it was far from the colorful swordsmanship that made people dizzy. Han-bin glanced at the silver-haired girl behind his back. ¡®Should I have told Effir to fight? She¡¯s good at fighting fancily.¡¯ Her fighting style was as elegant and sleek as a gymnast, and the way she fought with Magic Swordsmanship was quite splendid, shooting fireworks and lightning. ¡®No one recognizes Gigant anyway.¡¯ If Effir had dealt with Plattek from the beginning, the promotional effect would have been much better. But Han-bin was already in the battle, and if he suddenly said, ¡®Wait! I can¡¯t fight in a cool way. I¡¯ll switch with someone who can fight more flashily!¡¯, it would be funny. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡¯ Han-bin lifted Gigant over his head. If he couldn¡¯t colorfully handle his enemy, then he just had to go wild! ¡®I don¡¯t have to use this against this kind of opponent, but¡­¡¯ It was the best skill he had ever done. -Crosscut! The red Aura split the world. Boom! * * * Lord Plattek, a level 76 Aura user and the most powerful man in the territory of Count Prouasar disappeared. Only red fragments, which had once been Lord Plattek, were scattered everywhere. Blood rained down from the night sky. Saaaaaaa¡­ It was a bit too much to say that it was just blood from a single person¡¯s body. All kinds of debris were falling with crushed rocks. Along the long stretch of earth¡¯s destruction trail, dark and red unidentified objects could be seen. The remaining aftermath alone still caused the earth to shake faintly, causing it to create noise. Kugugugu¡­ His ¡®crosscut¡¯ didn¡¯t just smash Lord Plattek but also swept through most of the knights of the Count who had been in range. It also blew up nearly half of the main house of the Count. Ryu Han-bin gave a bitter smile as he held his Gigant back. ¡°It¡¯s kind of funny to insist that this is a cut.¡± He did it with his own hands, but it was ridiculous to him. ¡®At this point, shouldn¡¯t I call it gunshots or bombardment rather than swordsmanship?¡¯ But the effect was clear. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh¡­¡± ¡°D-devil!¡± ¡°Save¡­ save me!¡± Most of the survivors were not safe either. Most of them lost one arm and one leg. Only a few men who were fine were left behind. It was indeed a terrible sight. However, unlike when dealing with soldiers, Ryu Han-bin did not pay any attention to the knights¡¯ deaths. A servant was only as honest as their master. The knights of Count Prouasar were as notorious as the lord they served. They actively participated in the exploitation of the commoners and enriched themselves by taking advantage of their power. They had to die. That way, the Holy Punishers could tell the world that they were doing justice in the name of the Goddesses. With a blunt face, Ryu Han-bin approached Count Prouasar. Buck, buck, buck. The Count, who was out of his mind, slumped down. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± Although Prouasar had learned swordsmanship as an aristocrat, he was an ordinary man. It was shown on the Guideline. [Race: Sylph. Swordsman Lv. 8] His level was what the result would be when a negligent person who had no talent tried to learn martial arts. He couldn¡¯t even escape, let alone fight back. ¡°Save¡­ save my life!¡± Prouasar bowed his head and begged for his life. ¡°I repent! I will dedicate all my possessions to the Goddesses! If you forgive me, I will do my best to punish that evil Transcendental¡­¡± Artis shouted and stopped him. ¡°He who defies the Goddesses¡¯ will won¡¯t be able to wipe away his sins even with death!¡± The wizard¡¯s wand was aimed at the Count. The whole body of the middle-aged Sylph quickly burst into flames. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± The stern voice continued as they left behind the burning body. ¡°Keep in mind! All who follow the Transcendental shall become a handful of ashes!¡± * * * Smoke rose and roared all over castle Prouasar. There were also red flashes and magical lights that cut through the sky. Rumbling! In a field far from the castle, numerous shadows were hiding and looking at the castle. It was the citizens of the Count¡¯s territory. It was not long before the noise stopped. After a while, the flag came upon the watchtower of the citadel. ¡°It¡¯s a flag¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s their flag¡­¡± It was the Holy Punishers¡¯ flag, composed of a sword with the symbol of the six Goddesses and a coat of arms with a spear. In addition to the watchtower, flags were erected throughout the castle. Thanks to that, everyone could see their insignia from every angle outside the castle. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Carefully, a group of citizens approached the castle. Beyond the broken gate, they could see what happened. The soldiers were all knocked down, servants and maids had run away, and the knights were rolling in blood. The Count couldn¡¯t even be seen. They had a rough idea of what had happened. The man-shaped piles of ashes had the Count¡¯s robe and parts of his ornaments. Citizens cheered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s real!¡± ¡°They did it!¡± They had said that soon the Count would be punished by the Goddesses. Count Prouasar would be destroyed, and all the sins they had committed would be punished accordingly, allowing the citizens to take back all the things that had been taken away from them. ¡°Wow!¡± First, they headed to the grain storage. They had been starving for a long time. Above all, wheat and bread were the most urgent. Then they headed to the treasure warehouse. The Count¡¯s scavenged wealth returned to the hands of the citizens. Everyone was delighted, praising the Goddess and praising the Holy Punishers. Some of the excited people even set fire to the castle. ¡°Hey, dirty the Count¡¯s castle!¡± ¡°Burn everything to the ground!¡± Citizens laughed to their heart¡¯s content amid the blazing flames. It¡¯s been such a long time since they could laugh genuinely. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ ah?¡± At that moment¡­ One of the citizens muttered casually. ¡°Oh, wait! At this rate, we¡¯re going to burn down the Holy Punishers¡¯ flags as well, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± It was good to have set fire with excitement, but they realized that they must¡¯ve put up the flags for a reason. The flags were an object to let the others see. ¡°We can¡¯t just burn it, can we?¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡± ¡°Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!¡± Although a skit took place at the last minute, it was at that point that Count Prouasar became extinct. The fact was also made known to the world by the crowds. Everything was executed as planned. * * * At the same time, in a forest outside the Prouasar territory, Artis was scolding Ryu Han-bin. ¡°You idiot! How dare the Valtara warrior taunt his opponent?¡± ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you tell me to show the power of the strong?¡± Scratching his head, Han-bin asked back. ¡°That¡¯s why I talked to him in a way that a strong being would¡­¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can be sarcastic! That¡¯s not like Valtara warrior, is it?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Ryu Han-bin reflected on himself. That was right. If he was a true warrior, shouldn¡¯t he respect his opponent, whether strong or weak, and do everything he could? That wasn¡¯t it. ¡°If you¡¯re a real Valtara warrior, you should have cut him down casually in the attitude of ¡®it¡¯s a pity that you can¡¯t stand such a light blow. What is the point of living a pitiful life?''¡± ¡°¡­ Hey, isn¡¯t that worse?¡± Artis didn¡¯t get it wrong. He told Han-bin to act like a Valtara warrior, not like a good man. Leon Hart crept out behind the grumbling Artis¡¯s back. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be a problem. You can be careful from now on.¡± The safety of the incarnation of Kybriel had to be prioritized above all else. If she was seriously injured and her life was put on the line, Latna¡¯s fate would be in danger. Therefore, Leon Hart, the strongest Spiritist of the six denominations, was also moving with Han-bin¡¯s group. However, he didn¡¯t participate in that operation on purpose. ¡°Since it¡¯s our first battle, we need two Valtara warriors to be seen by the public eye.¡± Ryu Han-bin should be seen as the heir of the Sword King as much as possible. That way, the Sword King¡¯s name would be added to the Holy Punishers¡¯ backers. Kibie also needed to be seen as much as possible. It was to leak information to Hollien. It was important to let her know that the incarnation of darkness would appear all over the Fairy kingdom so that things could proceed easily. Unfortunately, the spread of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s rumors due to the low standards of Count Prouasar seemed to have to be delayed, but at least the existence of Kibie would be fully conveyed. Satisfied, Leon Hart praised everyone. ¡°We succeeded. Thank you all for your hard work.¡± Kibie asked with a suspicious face. Once they had set up the plan, they had to do what they were told¡­ ¡°Will this work?¡± ¡°It will work.¡± Leon Hart nodded confidently. ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones in the Holy Punishers.¡± Chapter 135 Holy Punishers (4) Partne territory in the northern Allendia. The Lord of that place was a middle-aged Nymph, Viscount Partne, who turned 310 years old that year. The Partne family was one of the Strauss Family¡¯s forces, the Royal Nymphs of the Fairy Kingdom. Hollien especially favored Viscount Partne, giving him high status. And he was as notorious as his power. Viscount Partne, which was especially interested in jewelry and gems, was extravagant. Every time his jewelry box became heavy, ten citizens starved to death, and wailing cries could be heard every day in his territory after the big change of the night. However, that day¡¯s wailing cry was ringing inside the house of the Viscount, not in the city. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± There was a big fight undergoing throughout the garden. Viscount Partne, who was watching the scene on the terrace, shouted. ¡°S-stop them! What are you all doing?¡± It didn¡¯t work. Strong soldiers who had trained so much flew like autumn leaves. The knights fell on the ground with blood. The Viscount muttered in horror. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! How can my knights be defeated so easily¡­¡± People in power usually didn¡¯t notice that they were doing bad things. They just thought that they were enjoying the natural rights given to them. However, even those in power were fully aware that the ¡®minor people¡¯ were ¡®blaming¡¯ them. Viscount Partne also prepared a considerable number of troops to protect himself. Even if all the citizens rebelled in unison, they could overcome them without difficulties. However, those who came in at that moment were not powerless commoners. The Templar Knights, a member of the Church of Water, were all strong and were above level 50. Like a tidal wave, Rhamniana¡¯s Templars swept through their foes. ¡°In the name of Rhamniana!¡± ¡°Punish the heretics in the name of the Goddesses!¡± To the slender beauty in a light armor leading them, Lady Angelica, the Viscount knight, Pallen, shouted as if he was falsely accused. ¡°What are you doing? The Fairy Kingdom has always had a friendly relationship with the Water Church!¡± ¡°An oracle has been granted to me.¡± Responding indifferently, Angelica took an aggressive stance. A blue air spell was brilliantly cast. -Turbulence, Wind Waves! Pallen¡¯s head soon flew into the air. He was a powerful warrior at level 72, but he was also much weaker compared to Rhamniana¡¯s Templar Lord. ¡°U-uh¡­¡± Looking around, Partne groaned strangely. The Holy Punishers¡¯ flags were already flying throughout the mansion. They couldn¡¯t even see a corner to run away to. On the terrace, a beautiful Magician flew up like an elegant bird. ¡°A puppet of the corrupted Transcendental¡­¡± Soon, her blade flashed and cut the throat of the Viscount. ¡°Die in the name of Rhamniana!¡± * * * The territories of Count Prouasar and the Viscount of Partne were not the only places that tragedy struck. The territory of Magister in western Allendia. Corpses littered everywhere in the castle. In the middle of the castle, the head of Count Magister, the Lord of the castle, was ung with his eyes wide open. It was caused by Frederick¡¯s army, the Templar Lord of Sorondi. The territory of Baroness Lesporos in eastern Allendia. Yessen¡¯s Templar Lord, Palmer, swung a huge Battleax and raised his voice. Blood and screams were rampant wherever the red Blade Aura on the ax passed through. ¡°To those who follow the Transcendental, taste the wrath of the Goddesses!¡± A military fort outside of Allendia. It had already been taken down by Merdill, the Templar Lord of Preleu, and the Wind Templars. ¡°Place the flag! So that every Latnain can tell that the Goddesses¡¯ will is upon us!¡± There had also been attacks throughout the kingdom. All were sieges and attacks executed by the Templars and priests of the Six Churches and their collaborators. The public cheered rather than feared their deeds. It was because most of the dead royals were notorious. Some people liked it, saying that the justice of the Goddesses had been turned into reality. Of course, most of the Fairy Kingdom nobles were not as corrupted as the dead lords. Rather, a lot of nobles kept their principles and looked after the safety of their citizens. If most of the nobles were a mess in the first place, the country wouldn¡¯t be able to function properly, and they wouldn¡¯t have been able to join the Continental Three Powers. The territory of Laiyar in central Allendia Baron Laiyar, a young Elf who turned 180 that year, was one of those good nobles. * * * A forest on the outskirts of Baron Laiyar¡¯s territory. The Baron was fighting bravely, leading his army in the frontlines. ¡°Fight! Don¡¯t back off!¡± Red eyes glistened in the dark surrounding them. At the same time, all kinds of bizarre monsters attacked his knights and soldiers. They were the Alien monsters that appeared every night since Kybriel¡¯s disappearance. The soldiers bled and screamed. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± ¡°You monsters!¡± ¡°Die!¡± The battle was brutal since the monsters that were attacking them seemed to have come out of high-ranking dungeons. The number of people falling increased. Nevertheless, the Baron did not treat. Even though his life was in danger, he encouraged his soldiers and took the lead in rushing to the strongest monster. ¡°If we lose, those monsters will go after our families!¡± The example of taking the initiative truly befitted a noble. Baron Laiyar was a great lord and had great character. He was also considerate to the people, and he had no prejudice against the human race, unlike the Elves who had lived long. His knights and soldiers believed and followed him with all their hearts. However, having a strong personality didn¡¯t mean that he had a high level. ¡°Argh!¡± A monster struck the Baron and knocked him down from his horse. Rolling on the floor, the Baron felt a deathly fear. ¡°Dirty monsters!¡± With a roar, a silver Blade Aura crossed the battlefield. In a flash, dozens of monsters were slaughtered in unison. Boom! The power was tremendous! Baron Laiyar looked back in surprise. ¡°R-reinforcements?¡± What he saw shocked him. Donning the symbol of the six Goddesses, a group of soldiers with flags with a spear and a sword crossed on it was approaching. They were the Holy Punishers, who had been assaulting the Fairy Kingdom lately! Besides, the leader of the army was a tall female warrior of 180 centimeters. ¡®Althea¡¯s¡­ Sabine Asil!¡¯ Baron Laiyar turned deadly pale. He had heard the tragedy that took place throughout Allendia. The Laiyar family was also a long-time member of the Strauss family. ¡®How come they¡¯re attacking at this situation?¡¯ Baron Laiyar didn¡¯t have the power to defend against them since he had to focus on the fight against the Alien monsters. It would be hard to deal with them both at the same time. As he was about to fall into despair¡­ Sabin didn¡¯t attack him. Rather, she passed by encouraging him. ¡°What are you doing? Take care of your soldiers and clear out the monsters!¡± Once again, a silver Aura sliced through a group of monsters. Boom! Soon after, the Holy Punishers¡¯ army began to slaughter the monsters. The Baron¡¯s knights and soldiers were embarrassed, but they still followed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are they here to help us?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t our Baron also at Queen Hollien¡¯s side?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Kill the monsters in front of you first!¡± The war situation quickly changed when Sabine Asil and Althea¡¯s Templars joined in. Most of the wild animals that were pushing against them collapsed and bled. Eventually, Baron Laiyar won. But the Baron didn¡¯t feel the joy of victory. It was because he still couldn¡¯t understand their behavior. ¡°Thank you for your help. But I don¡¯t understand. Didn¡¯t the Holy Punishers antagonize the Queen?¡± Baron Laiyar should¡¯ve been the target of their punishment. ¡°The Transcendental has surely committed a crime against the will of the Goddesses.¡± Sabin shook her head. ¡°But how can we just stand around while the Alien monsters are killing people? That is not justice.¡± And with a gentle smile, she looked down at the young elven aristocrat. ¡°I heard you¡¯re pretty smart, Baron Laiyar. A wise man can make the right choice.¡± A gentle voice followed. ¡°Think carefully about what you should do to follow the Goddesses¡¯ will truly.¡± ¡°Well, but¡­¡± Baron Laiyar hesitated. Still, he couldn¡¯t doubt Hollien. Even at that moment, he only thought that Aliens had committed a trick. But if he answered recklessly in that situation, the precious soldiers who barely survived would die by their hands! Sabin turned around. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want you to decide right away. My Goddess said that prudence is the virtue of the intelligent¡­¡± They began to leave his territory. ¡°The choice is yours, Baron.¡± The Holy Punishers didn¡¯t attack all the nobles of Allendia. Among them, they fought together against the night¡¯s oppressors and tried to tell the truth through persuasion. They offered a hand of opportunity to the good. They fought with an iron first against the wicked. The Holy Punishers¡¯ name spread throughout the Fairy Kingdom. * * * Royals died miserably throughout the kingdom. The ruling system of the kingdom was also greatly shaken. Naturally, Loflan, the Fairy King of Allendia, was furious. ¡°What nonsense is this?!¡± He couldn¡¯t stand still because the six denominations dared to bare their fangs against the Fairy Kingdom. He immediately gathered the army. ¡°I will punish those who dare distort the will of the Goddesses!¡± The Royal Knights headed directly to Althea¡¯s religious headquarters with 10,000 regular troops. Starting with the Althea denomination, all six denominations were to be punished in order. However, no war between the six denominations and the Fairy Kingdom occurred. As soon as the kingdom army arrived at the headquarters, the Pope of Light Church came out to greet them. -Welcome, knights of the Fairy Kingdom. There was no resistance, let alone a counterattack. They opened the gate wide and sent the troops into the main mountain, where they said: -It¡¯s troublesome. We¡¯re very troubled, too. They told the Holy Punishers to be careful until they found out the oracle¡¯s authenticity, but the Templar Lords of the Churches couldn¡¯t stand it, so they jumped out and made a fuss. That was the official position of the Althea Church. Of course, the Fairy Kingdom didn¡¯t accept it. It¡¯s like burying one¡¯s head in the sand like an ostrich! -If they are truly irrelevant, why don¡¯t they excommunicate them and take them as their enemies? In order to do that, the authenticity of the oracle must be determined first. Until then, they were just disobedient to orders, but they couldn¡¯t do anything like ex-communication. It was against the teachings of the Goddesses. -If you wait a little longer, we will be able to find out the truth. -Are you kidding us? How long do you want us to wait? -How can we decide the authenticity of the Goddesses¡¯ oracle recklessly? Didn¡¯t the Goddess teach us to be careful? They had nothing to say. Apparently, according to the Goddesses¡¯ teachings, the Althea church was behaving properly. Thanks to that, the Royal Knights and the 10,000 Fairy Kingdom troops also had to return home without being able to do anything. Only then did Hollien feel that the situation was going strangely. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Six Churches had been hostile to the Fairy Kingdom¡­ ¡°¡­ But the Fairy Kingdom cannot antagonize the six Churches?¡± * * * ¡°Okay, it¡¯s going well.¡± Ryu Han-bin, who heard about it, grinned. ¡°The first step is a success.¡± Chapter 136 A Tasty Past Bait is Fundamental to Catch a Big Fish! (1) Allendia, the Fairy Kingdom, one of the Continental Three Powers of Latna. The army was indeed strong. It had more than 2,000 knights, Spiritists, and wizard troops. It also had as many as 10,000 elite soldiers. In terms of Earthlings¡¯ standards, they wouldn¡¯t be able to understand what was powerful about that. The history of the East was full of hundreds of thousands of troops and a million troops. However, the story was slightly different in Latna, where there was a wide gap in individual armed forces. It was more efficient to secure a small number of high-level Hunters than a large number of soldiers. It didn¡¯t mean much to conscript and train farmers in the military like the Middle Ages of Earth. Thus, the Continental Three Powers¡¯ regular army didn¡¯t abide by the concept of ¡®general army.¡¯ Most of them were at a high level, and they were stronger and better treated than ordinary Hunters who cleared dungeons in the countryside. Even on Earth, weren¡¯t ordinary soldiers in powerful countries better paid and equipped than officers in developing countries? That was why even though Hollien knew that the six denominations had joined the darkness incarnate, she didn¡¯t care at all. No matter what the opponents were made out of, she could easily suppress them with her power. But somehow, things were going beyond her expectations. ¡°They pretend they don¡¯t have anything to do with those bastards?¡± ¡°Yes, my Queen.¡± Due to Roacell¡¯s report, Hollien had a strange feeling. ¡°That means the Churches don¡¯t even protect the Holy Punishers, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Since they had yet to decide, the six denominations told the Fairy Kingdom that it was not time for them to punish the Holy Punishers yet. However, it meant that the six denominations couldn¡¯t interfere even if the Fairy Kingdom punished the Holy Punishers. It was a double-edged sword. ¡°Then it¡¯s not a big deal. If we could punish them with our power, then we¡¯ll do just that.¡± Roacell nodded. ¡°Of course, the kingdom¡¯s power is several times greater than theirs. If we go head-on, we¡¯ll win.¡± The problem was that they didn¡¯t have any intention of direct confrontation. ¡°When the kingdom moves, they hide away. Then they go to another territory where they¡¯ll make a fuss again¡­¡± The kingdom¡¯s army was strong. But that meant its huge size forced it to be seen before it could move. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for thousands of large armies to sneak around.¡± Therefore, the Fairy Kingdom also tried to select high-level elite soldiers and knights separately and compete with mobility. ¡°There¡¯s a problem here.¡± The power gap between the Fairy Kingdom and the six denominations was extreme. However, there wasn¡¯t much difference between the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s Army and the Holy Punishers. Holy Punisher¡¯s reality was that only the elite soldiers of the six denominations were united. ¡°Right now, the six Templar Lords are all over level 90, and the Templars are also around level 50 to 60.¡± The Templars Lords of the Churches themselves had an honorable position equivalent to that of the Continental Three Powers. Of course, warriors were always Aura users, and only a few were Magic Swordsmen, Mages, and Spiritists. ¡°They can¡¯t even be Templar Lords without that level in the first place.¡± Even so, the power of the Fairy Kingdom was still dominant. If they selected only the high-level knights and soldiers of the Fairy Kingdom and searched for the Holy Punisher, the damage would be great, but they would be able to deal with them somehow. ¡°But even searching for them isn¡¯t easy.¡± The Holy Punishers were fighting a guerrilla war. Several prerequisites were essential for the success of guerrilla tactics. First, individual combatants had to have excellent weapons and skills. ¡®They¡¯ve already met that.¡± Second, close cooperation with local residents had to be secured. It was the basics of the basics. Guerrilla warfare itself could not be established unless the community supported it. Holy Punishers were fighting within the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s territory, so common sense was that there should be no support for them. But the reality was not like that. The Holy Punishers were supported by the majority of the people of Allendia. ¡°They are citizens of the Fairy Kingdom and followers of the Goddesses at the same time.¡± The six Churches had not yet identified them as heretics. They were just disobedient to orders. It was tantamount to suggesting that the Holy Punishers might be truly following the will of the Goddesses. Not only commoners but even aristocrats secretly cooperated with them. No, they couldn¡¯t help the Holy Punisher openly, but they didn¡¯t oppress them either. Maybe the Transcendental¡¯s supervisor was the one who deserved the punishment of the Goddesses. Finally, the third factor of guerrilla war: ¡°The dissemination of information. They don¡¯t seem to be lacking in that aspect at all.¡± Roacell gritted his teeth. The reason why most guerrilla wars failed was that supplies and information acquisition were not easy. Holy Punishers had no problems with the supplies. They were also acquiring thorough information. They had accurately attacked Allendia¡¯s vulnerability, and whenever the kingdom moved, they could avoid it in advance. Holy Punishers, an unmanned group that knew nothing but combat, could not have had such excellent intelligence and administrative power. That was the work of the headquarters of the Church. ¡°In other words, the cults are working hard secretly!¡± They were like, ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know, they¡¯re not listening. But the Goddesses told us to be careful, so we should continue to be careful.¡¯ when in fact they were backing up the Holy Punishers both materially and morally. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to prove that.¡± Even if they caught a person involved, they cut off the tail immediately. -We have confirmed that the heretic A has cooperated with the Holy Punishers! -Oh, my God! How dare he disobey the orders of the Church! I¡¯ll be sure to tell Heretic A to put on his best behavior next time! -Are you kidding me? The punishment in this situation is just putting on his best behavior? -Don¡¯t worry. If it is certain that it is not the Goddesses¡¯ will, he will be punished according to the rules, and the punishment will be too severe to bear as a Goddess! -No, I mean, when will it be clear? -The Goddesses told us to be careful. -Damn it, what the fuck is up with being careful! It would result in that kind of situation. Even the Fairy Kingdom couldn¡¯t openly vent its last complaint. Criticism of the six denominations¡¯ prudence was a direct denial of the teachings of the six Goddesses, and at the same time, led to the follower perception of the public: -The Fairy Kingdom¡¯s Army has denied the Goddesses¡¯ teachings. -What? What happens then? -Are you sure the Fairy Queen was a heretic against the will of the goddess? Hollien sighed at Roacell¡¯s explanation. ¡°My head is burning.¡± She didn¡¯t expect that the six denominations would come out like that. At least the priests would never have such an idea. She couldn¡¯t guess who had thought of such a plan. ¡°Who the hell is the person that came up with such cowardly tactics?¡± * * * A mountain foot, miles away from anywhere, in the central part of the Fairy Kingdom, Quendal. A group of people gathered in a shabby hut. They were the Templar Lords and Han-bin¡¯s group disguised in plain clothes. After causing a disturbance in all parts of Allendia, they secretly met up. The Elven Magic Swordsman, Merdill, spoke with a big smile. ¡°It worked better than I expected.¡± Lord Palmer, a Dwarf warrior, replied with joy. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. The Fairy Kingdom can¡¯t do anything!¡± All of it was due to Ryu Han-bin¡¯s plan, the giant Alien. The Templar Lords looked at Han-bin and poured out generous compliments. ¡°It was a great trick indeed!¡± ¡°Of course, we knew it was a gimmick, but¡­¡± ¡°Still, this cowardly trick is used by backstreet thugs who don¡¯t know honor.¡± ¡°Can you dare to name the Goddesses?¡± ¡°It was a bold ploy that only an Alien from a world without a god would do!¡± Ryu Han-bin smiled with a nervous expression. ¡®¡­ Are those compliments?¡¯ The guerrilla tactics themselves were not surprising. It was a simple tactic used by the weak against the strong. According to the news from Earth, there were often stories of terrorists in the Middle East, and there had been countless cases historically. There were the Partisans, the French Resistance during World War I, the Spanish irregulars during the Napoleonic Wars, the origin of guerrillas, etc. Nevertheless, the reason why no one came up with that method was not that they were stupid. When they had first heard Han-bin¡¯s idea, everyone fiercely opposed it. ¡°What nonsense!¡± ¡°The Goddesses won¡¯t allow such a mean way!¡± Even blatant contempt was shown. ¡°You are an Alien who doesn¡¯t fear the Goddesses!¡± ¡°Why did Kybriel choose such a person?¡± That world was different from Earth. There was no need to doubt the existence of a Goddess. Of course, not all Latnains met and saw the Goddesses in person. But in Korea, not all people could meet the president in person either. Yet no one said, ¡®I¡¯ve never actually seen the president with my own eyes, so his existence is fiction, and the media¡¯s footage is computer graphics!¡¯ Unlike on Earth, there was clear evidence that God existed in that world. It was not that they called the Earth a ¡®world without God¡¯ for no reason. Earth¡¯s religion only looked like believing in an illusion that didn¡¯t even exist in the eyes of the Latnains. And in a world where God existed, those who served God became ironclad officials, not fanatics. They couldn¡¯t think out of the box. ¡°Never!¡± ¡°If you serve the Goddesses, you must spread her will to the earth with the right heart.¡± Not only the Templar Lords, but even Artis and Effir opposed it. ¡°It¡¯s tough, Han-bin. Of course, you said that without noticing it.¡± ¡°Why would those who serve the Goddesses judge their will casually?¡± Ryu Han-bin responded. ¡°So, the Goddess can¡¯t allow us to do this, can she?¡± Han-bin just asked the person next to him. ¡°Is it impossible?¡± That was right. There was a Goddess with them. Of course, Kibie agreed. ¡°The world is about to collapse. It¡¯s not the time to be picky.¡± Only then did the Templar Lords panic. At that very moment, they realized that the current situation was very different from usual. ¡°I see!¡± ¡°The incarnation of the Darkness has descended, right?¡± ¡°No matter what, it is a great sin to distort the Goddesses¡¯ oracle¡­¡± Again, Ryu Han-bin suggested an idea from a place where they were not afraid of God. ¡°Why is this so bad about the oracle?¡± What was the oracle of Latna? It referred to the act of introducing the Goddesses¡¯ Will to the world by ¡®selected Latnains.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin pointed at Kibie. ¡°Goddess¡¯s will.¡± Han-bin then pointed at the six Templar Lords. ¡°That¡¯s what the chosen Latnains could take. Isn¡¯t that a great oracle?¡± There was no problem in doctrine. All six Templar Lords were dumbfounded. ¡°Oh, it makes sense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what an oracle is¡­¡± Since then, everything had been solved in a flash. Not being able to think of an idea didn¡¯t mean being incompetent. Once the prerequisites were met, everyone could come up with effective and detailed strategies. The Holy Punishers had been established and brilliantly rocked the Fairy Kingdom. ¡°But it won¡¯t continue to be this comfortable in the future.¡± Angelica spoke with a serious look. ¡°The Fairy Queen has a separate power.¡± Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens and Upper Draconium. Until that moment, the Top Three hadn¡¯t revealed their existence. If it were known that they were using Dragons and Aliens, they would suffer and lose their reputation. ¡°But now that things have changed, there¡¯s no way they¡¯re just going to waste such powerful forces.¡± The Ancient Dragons of Upper Draconium would probably not be put in. Through Almara, they must have known that the incarnation¡¯s group could force Dragons to turn back to their human form. ¡°On the other hand, Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens have no such weakness.¡± Chapter 137 A Tasty Past Bait is Fundamental to Catch a Big Fish! (2) Thanks to the creation of the Holy Punishers, the six denominations faced the Fairy Kingdom with all their might, and each vulnerable headquarters emerged safely. It was a pretty troublesome situation for the Fairy Kingdom. The opponent was wielding a knife, but their side could only block the attack without being allowed to retaliate. That left them helpless. ¡°What nonsense!¡± The Fairy Kingdom, Allendia, was powerful. Only the strong could care about public sentiment in the first place. If they didn¡¯t have the power, they would have ignored public sentiment. ¡°We can¡¯t attack their headquarters?¡± The Commander-in-Chief of the Allendia Kingdom¡¯s Army, Roacell Eli Artransas, changed his strategy. ¡°Then, break the knife itself.¡± * * * A darkened field. Han-bin and his companions were hiding in the bush and staring at the big castle. It was the castle of the Nymph nobleman, Count Bresheur. Like the other nobles of Allendia who had been punished, Count Bresheur was so notorious that the citizens resented him. He was the perfect target of the Holy Punishers. Torches were lit all over the walls, and magic lanterns emitted light. The Count insisted that he would not tolerate an inch of darkness. ¡®¡­ Well, it¡¯s still dark compared to modern Earth.¡¯ While Ryu Han-bin was thinking about something else, Artis and Leon Hart talked. ¡°They have lights everywhere.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯ve heard the rumor.¡± It was clear that the Holy Punishers put them on high alert, not knowing when they would attack. There was no particular problem. Holy Punishers attacked each noble during the night because they were concerned about civilian casualties. Once they entered the mansion or the castle, they would purposely fight head-on. Regardless, they were much stronger, and it fitted their image as a ¡®punisher.¡¯ Kibie slightly raised herself. ¡°Then shall we go?¡± The other party also began to move cautiously. Unlike the Holy Punishers, who were accompanied by several high-Templars and dozens of troops, led by the Templar Lords, the number of Han-bin¡¯s party were indeed small. Ryu Han-bin, Kibie, Artis, Effir, and Leon Hart. All five of them. Considering the importance of Kibie, more troops should¡¯ve been added, but there was a reason behind that. Not all members of the Holy Punishers could be trusted. Before the Goddesses¡¯ oracle, the Top Three were the largest allies of the six Churches. They were the most respected celebrities. As such, there was a high possibility that there would be enemy spies in the Holy Punishers. They had to be careful about the possibility that the incarnation could be busted. Therefore, Han-bin and his party always moved on their own, and they never revealed their moves to the others. Even the six Templar Lords knew of their movements only through post-reports but never learned where they were currently moving. Buck, buck. Footsteps through the darkness were heard. At the same time, a faint group of people appeared. The two gatekeepers who were guarding the entrance were surprised, causing them to aim at strangers with their spears. ¡°W-who is it?¡± ¡°Reveal yourself!¡± A giant warrior grinned and pointed behind his back. A silver-haired girl proudly lifted the flag in her hand. The gatekeepers turned pale. It was the most famous flag that had been showing up around Allendia recently. ¡°Holy Punishers!¡± ¡°Oh! You¡¯re here!¡± They didn¡¯t dare fight back. The Gatekeepers scrambled into the door located to the side of the castle gate and locked it. Loud noises then came from behind the door as if they were packing things up. Of course, Han-bin ignored it. He was not interested in the gate at all. Looking up at the huge entrance in front of him, he pulled out his Gigant. ¡°Huge and hot.¡± Zoom! The red Blade Aura painted the night sky red. Soon enough, the gate¡¯s hinges were destroyed. Boom! * * * The thick gate was smashed like popcorn. Tables and small-sized pieces of wood were scattered everywhere. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± The castle quickly became noisy. Soldiers ran all over the place, shouting in disarray. ¡°Attack! Attack!¡± ¡°Please report to the knights quickly!¡± A soldier standing guard on the wall blew his horn immediately to spread the news about the ongoing raid. Booooooooooo! As usual, Han-bin and his party waited leisurely. They knew that the main troops of the Count would appear. ¡°And I¡¯m curious¡­¡± Suddenly Han-bin asked, glancing at the broken gate. ¡°Is it meaningful to build castles like this? The gates are broken in one blow, and the walls can easily be crossed.¡± Latna was a world where powerful beings that had far broken through human limitations existed. ¡°No matter how strong a castle is, it¡¯s pierced by just a few high-level people, but there seems to be no reason to spend money building it.¡± Wasn¡¯t the medieval citadel lost on Earth due to the development of artillery? However, it was all nothing but Ryu Han-bin¡¯s illusion. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a plan that only you can execute.¡± Artis and Effir replied, clicking their tongues. ¡°We can break this castle with this much effort now, but¡­¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t even dare do that just a few months ago!¡± Those who had levels high enough to ignore the defense of the castle were extremely small in Latna. Han-bin¡¯s party was only very high in level, but if the castle of Count Bresheur were met with ordinary beings, it could be fully utilized. ¡®But Earth can be devastated by a single nuclear missile, so I can¡¯t say conventional weapons are useless. Is that how I understand it?¡¯ They were waiting for a while like that. With loud footsteps, a group of troops appeared in the courtyard of the gate. A middle-aged man with blue hair looked at Han-bin¡¯s group and shouted. ¡°You showed up, you cults!¡± It was the owner of the castle, Count Bresheur. ¡°This is the end of your recklessness which sells the Goddesses¡¯ name to turn the world asunder!¡± The Count was very aggressive. His attitude could never be seen without a solid corner of faith. Indeed, the people who appeared there were a little different from other territories. First of all, the level of knights was high. They were in the mid to late 60s on average, and the Elf knight in command of them was a level 80 Magic Swordsman. ¡®You¡¯re not Count Bresheur.¡¯ It was the regular army of the Fairy Kingdom. Among them was an elite. ¡°You are all bewildered men who dare take the punishment of the Goddess!¡± Eflen Plaud, the commander, a senior knight of the Atransas family, and a royal knight of Allendia, pulled out his sword and looked at Han-bin¡¯s group with anger in his eyes. ¡°I will punish you in Allendia¡¯s name!¡± * * * As many as a hundred knights and soldiers quickly surrounded Han-bin¡¯s group. Judging from their reaction, they seemed to have been prepared for the Holy Punishers¡¯ attack from the beginning. Artis murmured, glancing around. ¡°Did the information leak?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand it. It was only three days ago that Han-bin and his party had targeted Count Bresheur. They passed by the area and decided spontaneously. ¡°We don¡¯t have any information to leak. How did they get our track record?¡± Eflen asked with a cold smile. ¡°Are you curious about what happened?¡± Artis replied with bitterness. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t tell you since you¡¯re about to die anyway.¡± Triumphantly, Eflen spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys were moving secretly. It¡¯s impossible to track you guys down.¡± He then laughed. ¡°But isn¡¯t your target obvious?¡± The Holy Punishers advocated the justice of the Goddesses. Therefore, they had purposely only targeted evil lords. The nobles who were deeply related to the Transcendental were excluded from the goal if they were good to people. ¡°I mean, if we¡¯re stuck next to a corrupted and greedy aristocrat, you¡¯re bound to show up! Hahahaha!¡± Han-bin and his group had a blank look for a moment as they watched Eflen smiling as if he had already won. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but¡­¡± The corrupted aristocrat standing right next to him had a dark expression on his face. ¡°The Count is going to cry. Are you sure that you are on his side?¡± However, he couldn¡¯t openly protest since Eflen seemed to have a higher position than the Count. ¡®I understand the situation anyway.¡¯ They sent troops to multiple locations where the reputation of the lords wasn¡¯t good. Only regular troops were dispatched to the entire aristocratic territory, which was not usually well-received. One of them was Count Bresheur. ¡®Well, if they hadn¡¯t been able to pinpoint our location, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up with this much power.¡¯ Looking at the siege, Ryu Han-bin roughly measured the level of knights and soldiers. ¡®There¡¯s a lot of numbers, but honestly, They¡¯re not at a level for us to be afraid of.¡¯ Han-bin was able to clear them all on his own right away. Leon Hart and all the other party members were already above level 90. ¡°I think you¡¯ve used your brain, but¡­¡± Effir continued to give a cold smile as she pulled out her twin blades. ¡°I think you made a mistake in your calculations. Do you think you can stop the Holy Punishers with only that much power?¡± Unexpectedly, Eflen accepted her opinion. ¡°You¡¯re right, girl.¡± No matter how strong the regular army of the Fairy Kingdom was, there was a limit. To send all troops to many ¡®corrupted aristocratic territories,¡¯ the power of each of the other territories would naturally weaken. Eflen grinned at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Our Elves have good ears. I¡¯ve learned how terrifying a monster the heir to the Sword King is.¡± In the first battle, no one recognized Gigant, but since then, Ryu Han-bin had constantly been poking around Allendia. It was also well known that the big-named Valtara warrior wielded the weapon of the Sword King Baotolt. ¡°We¡¯re not the ones that will deal with you, Successor of the Sword King!¡± Eflen raised his right hand. ¡°Come out, sinners! Fight with your life on the line and cleanse your sins!¡± Another group appeared from the far side of the siege network. There were about a dozen men and women, all of whom had aggression on their faces. ¡°Damn¡­¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t the banned spell¡­¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve torn that rambler¡¯s head first¡­¡± ¡°Fucking Transcendental.¡± Han-bin and his party became stiff. ¡®They¡¯re¡­¡¯ Their armor was familiar to them. Spell-Saving Staffs, Robes of Prana Amplification, and Force-Driving Swords. They were wearing the same equipment as the party that Han-bin¡¯s group had fought in the past. ¡®The Aliens of Akhtarun!¡¯ Chapter 138 A Tasty Past Bait is Fundamental to Catch a Big Fish! (3) The knights and soldiers surrounding Han-bin¡¯s group stepped back in unison. As the siege¡¯s range became wider, enough space was made. Armed Aliens walked through. Looking at them, Ryu Han-bin murmured. ¡°They have high levels.¡± Artis whispered. ¡°How high?¡± ¡°Late 90s to mid 100s, the lowest is 93. The highest level is 104.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be easy.¡± Earlier, he thought there were about a dozen people, but when he counted properly, there were a total of 14. If 14 Aliens had levels between 90 and 100, Han-bin and his party couldn¡¯t ignore them. ¡°I expected that they¡¯d show up, but¡­¡± Kibie also looked tired. ¡°It¡¯s too much to see in person.¡± So far, Hollien hadn¡¯t sent all the Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens. That was because there was too much risk for her to bear. However, the situation had changed. The incarnation of the Darkness appeared in Her exact location was still unknown, but it was at least revealed that the incarnation was directly involved in the Holy Punishers¡¯ event. That was why even with the risk of revealing the Aliens¡¯ existence to the world, it became more advantageous to mobilize them to raise the probability of capturing the incarnation. It was the so-called ¡®Kibie Bait¡¯ operation that induced the enemy¡¯s movement by only giving off moderate clues since it was too dangerous to use incarnations directly as bait. It was Kibie herself who had named the operation. Therefore, even the Templar Lords had to accept it as the official name without objections. Regardless, their prediction was right. In front of Han-bin¡¯s party, Aliens appeared. ¡®I¡¯m so curious. What¡¯s the point of adding them on the regular army?¡¯ Leon Hart spoke to dig up some information. ¡°Ha! Has the transcendental joined hands with the demonic Aliens? It¡¯s exactly as the oracle says!¡± Eflen replied confidently. ¡°These are all men the Queen has tamed!¡± As if he knew Eflen would come out like that, he continued to talk. ¡°How can the harm that was done to Latna equate to a comfortable death for the infamous sinners? Wouldn¡¯t it be a reasonable punishment for them to compensate the world for any damage caused by their abilities? I just didn¡¯t let the world know because I was afraid of the foolish people talking nonsense!¡± Based on his tone, he seemed to have known the existence of Akhtarun for a long time already. Leon Hart was convinced. ¡®Well, is that inevitable?¡¯ Akhtarun¡¯s management facilities weren¡¯t maintained only by the Top Three or a few henchmen. It was necessary to steadily manage the vast amount of supplies to be sent to the Aliens and ensure the distribution and management of the Spirit Stones that they were producing in there. ¡®It¡¯s a military secret that even within the Continental Three Powers, only a few people might know.¡¯ Those few people must have known that the Top Three had robbed the Divinity of the Goddess of Darkness. No matter how many people they could trust, it was not something to reveal nonchalantly. But why didn¡¯t they kill the Aliens they had captured but enslaved them instead? Akhtarun was not something that could be openly revealed, but it was at least enough to assign a mission to a trusted subordinate secretly. Eflen shouted. ¡°Fight, you Aliens! That¡¯s the only path to salvation you¡¯ll ever get!¡± The Earthlings assumed a combat formation. ¡°Oh, I want to kill him first.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just kill those guys instead¡­¡± ¡°Is that the Valtara warrior who killed Pete and Arthur?¡± Apart from the grumbling, there was no arrogance or neglect in their expressions. Pete and Arthur, above level 100, were well known among the Aliens of Akhtarun. The Baltara warrior who had killed them, Felard Bean, had an estimated level of 120! They couldn¡¯t let their guard down against him. Aliens stared at Ryu Han-bin as they whispered among themselves. ¡°¡­ But what¡¯s wrong with the level? Level 6?¡± ¡°Amazing. Do VBaltara warriors have that ability?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that. He is the chosen one, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He is the apostle of the Goddess, after all.¡± ¡°Did the incarnation do something to him to hide his real ability?¡± ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re a filthy strong individual, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s enough!¡± Flames of greed slowly rose in the eyes of the nervous Aliens. They showed their clear desire for murder. They didn¡¯t know much about Ryu Han-bin and Kibie, but the other party members had high levels. Everyone was above level 90, and there was even a level 112 Spiritist. ¡°It¡¯s true that it¡¯s dangerous, but¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s how much the reward for pleasure will be!¡± ¡°Hhhhhhhhhh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡± With a glistening look, the Aliens went to capture Han-bin¡¯s party from all directions. Looking at the scene, Ryu Han-bin made a complaint. ¡®That¡¯s funny.¡¯ In other words, they had no grudge. They were simply in an unfortunate situation where they were being controlled regardless of their will. They were even from the same planet. At that point, Han-bin felt a sense of sympathy, but¡­ ¡®They¡¯re the only ones I can¡¯t keep alive.¡¯ The lives of those surrounding them were as sticky as rotten blood. ¡®How many murders have you committed?¡¯ The Aliens charged forth in unison. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± * * * A brunette man in his early 20s sent forth a Blade Aura. The dark purple beam was aiming for Ryu Han-bin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Taaaaaaaah! Han-bin quickly raised Gigant and blocked it. ¡°Huh!¡± Swords collided with each other, causing the Alien to bounce back. However, he straightened up right away. He had already prepared to be thrown out. In the meantime, five Aliens surrounded Ryu Han-bin¡¯s vicinity. ¡°I¡¯m in position, Raxia!¡± ¡°Okay! Punishment of the Sky, Lightning Strike!¡± The Mage, who looked like an Indian woman, immediately reached into the air. Rumbling! The thunderous attack fell toward Han-bin. But she didn¡¯t hit him. ¡°Hum!¡± Along with a snort, Ryu Han-bin deflected the spell using Blade Aura. Boom! The red Aura flames swirled and covered the lightning-based attack, causing it to explode. Raxia¡¯s jaw dropped open when the magic she had blown was invalidated with a single stroke of the sword. ¡°Hmm, it didn¡¯t work?¡± The brown-haired Alien, Pyotr, who took the first attack, shrugged. ¡°You should already know by now that you can¡¯t get full through the first bite alone.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s amazing performance didn¡¯t surprise them. They had already learned enough about their opponent¡¯s real skills. It was a close-to-perfect battle formation, supported by two warriors, two Magic Swordsmen, a Mage, and a Spiritist, all of which were over level 100. It was clear that Ryu Han-bin was valued highly. ¡®No, it¡¯s not just my skills, is it?¡¯ Glancing at the other members, Han-bin frowned. ¡°Let your light envelop my hands, Althea!¡± Leon Hart was fighting with four Aliens, scattering the brilliant Spiritual light. [Race: Human. Fighter Lv. 101] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv.98] [Race: Human. Mage Lv. 99] [Race: Human. Spiritist Lv. 93] Their number was smaller, and their level was a little lower than Ryu Han-bin¡¯s party. Still, the combat union itself was perfect, and Leon Hart was unable to fight back immediately. The remaining four fought against Kibie, Artis, and Effir. [Race: Human. Swordsman Lv. 96] [Race: Human. Warrior Lv. 95] [Race: Human. Magic Swordsman Lv. 97] [Race: Human. Mage lv. 95] There were lower levels among those Aliens, and there was no Spiritist. Han-bin clicked his tongue casually. ¡°You¡¯ve arranged the formation well according to your level.¡± The Aliens grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can tell the level of the opponents just by looking at them.¡± ¡°That means we don¡¯t have to be as nervous as your Latains, who can only make a hard guess at their opponent.¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know the Darkness incarnation¡¯s level, though¡­¡± ¡°But the others¡¯ levels are clearly shown.¡± Like the Aliens with guidelines, they checked the levels of Han-bin¡¯s group and divided the teams based on that. ¡°Huh!¡± One of the Aliens, who looked of Asian descent, shouted as he stretched out his spear. Uniquely enough, he was using a trident as his main weapon. Han-bin faced him, delivering another blow. The trident and Gigant intertwined in the air, and their black and red Auras collided, causing a stir. Boom! The physical difference was so severe that Ryu Han-bin would win singlehandedly in a one-to-one battle. Han-bin was about to push his opponent easily and strike back. Pyotr dug to the left and activated his sword skill. -Explosive Triad! The three-stem attacks targeted exactly three vital points of Ryu Han-bin. Han-bin frowned. The timing was exquisite, so he had no choice but to move back. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Falling sideways, he twisted his sword and fired off another shot. In the meantime, two other Alien Magic Swordsmen floated into the air. Each of them prepared against the colorful attack by invoking their skills. -Magic Swordsmanship: Blade storm! -Magic Swordsmanship: Fangs of the Crazy Dragon! Dozens of blades swirled. Inside the maelstrom, the shape of a dragon made of light was flying. Two Magic Swordsmanship techniques intertwined, creating a storm of destruction. Boom! The courtyard of the castle was split apart. The thick walls were cracked, and the wooden buildings began to be swept away. ¡®Oh, my¡­¡¯ In that tremendous power, Han-bin was completely stranded. Those Magic Swordsmen were also over level 100, so the power of their techniques was enormous. There was no choice but to secure his position and hold out as much as possible. On top of Ryu Han-bin¡¯s head, the level 102 Mage, Raxia¡¯s heatwave spread. ¡°Hell¡¯s Flare, burn everything to ashes!¡± A red pillar of fire was shot at Han-bin from above. Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue as he hurriedly shielded against the direct attack. ¡®You¡¯re driving me crazy. That¡¯s not normal, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ As expected, his opponents were skilled. Well, they had been fighting in Akhtarun for decades, so it was only natural for them to be extremely experienced. ¡®But I¡¯ve been through a lot of trouble, too!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t Han-bin¡¯s first time when it came to dealing against Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens. He had also learned the tricks of warfare through battles under Leon Hart. Han-bin continued to solidify his defense. He concentrated his mind to find a gap between them. ¡®There!¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s gigantic body moved like lightning. He penetrated through the two Magic Swordsmen in one breath and aimed Gigant at Pyotr, who was behind them! ¡°Gasp!¡± At that moment, Pyotr, who was caught by surprise, took a defensive posture. Han-bin¡¯s right hand disappeared in a flash. ¨C Stab! The red brilliance cut through the air and tore all the atmosphere around it. Series of pain was released in the form of a desperate scream. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± Han-bin smiled. That was a good shot! ¡®Alright, that¡¯s one guy down¡­¡± Unfortunately, the situation did not go as expected. Pyotr, who became a wreck, reappeared. Blue currents enveloped his entire body. It wasn¡¯t Aura, but rather some form of air spirit. ¡°Are you alright, Pyotr?¡± ¡°Gasp, uh, you saved my life, Richardson.¡± Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°Damn, that Spiritist is going to be a problem.¡¯ Chapter 139 [Hey guys, keeping it real, this series is at a deficit. It¡¯s very hard for us to keep the current upload schedule, we won¡¯t drop it, but things will change, where it be the upload speed or the cost. For now, I¡¯ll do my best to maintain it out of pocket, but I¡¯m not sure how long I can with personal funds, especially with the pandemic. (3/10).] Level 102 Alien, Richardson. Indeed, the skills of the Spiritist above level 100 were unusual. While Ryu Han-bin¡¯s ¡®stab¡¯ was intense, he activated a protective spiritual skill on Pyotr with his quick judgment. The power was also impeccable, making him endure even Han-bin¡¯s ¡®stab¡¯ that he used to deal with every enemy in a single blow. ¡®That¡¯s why people go after the Spiritist first in many battles.¡¯ Han-bin ignored Richardson¡¯s existence, not because he didn¡¯t know. Rather, he didn¡¯t get a chance. As much as people were always after them, experienced Spiritists were used to securing safe positions. It was a shame. ¡®I was wondering if I had the best chance¡­¡¯ Pyotr was gasping and retreating to the other Aliens. It was such a powerful blow. He managed to avoid immediate death, but his whole body was a mess. Richardson put other spiritual arts on him. ¡°Light of Althea, envelop my hands with healing power.¡± And he clicked his tongue while checking the body condition of Pyotr. ¡°Oh, shit, you¡¯re healing slowly. How strong is the residual Aura?¡± Despite performing the highest-level spiritual art, Pyotr recovered only to the extent that he escaped fatal injuries at best. It was proof that the Valtara warrior¡¯s Aura was indeed powerful. Pyotr replied, staring at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°His Aura is strong, but his basic physical abilities are too high. What level is he actually at?¡± Although differences depended on one¡¯s talent, the Guideline usually increased the Aliens¡¯ bonus traits the higher their level. In the case of Pyotr, two additional physical strength points per 10 levels were added. At level 1, the figure rose by 2, and it was four at level 11 and 6 at level 21. If the level was over 50, it increased by 3, and when the level was over 100, it increased by 4. Muscle strength levels rose every two levels, increasing by 28 from level 100. Although it seemed like a huge increase, it was not necessarily the case as it often took several years to level up once after level 100. Level 104 Swordsman Pyotr had a physical strength of 696. His pure strength alone was enough to counter a level 60 warrior, even if they amplified their power with Aura. Nevertheless, Pyotr was pushed back with ease. How strong was his opponent¡¯s physical ability to do such a feat? ¡°Estimated level is 120? Or higher?¡± But when he saw Han-bin fighting again, he thought it was just that much. Did it seem that his Aura skill was not as good as his physical abilities? It was based on the Guideline. Other Aliens shook their heads and stared at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s not ordinary.¡± ¡°He is the successor to a monster. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to be a monster as well.¡± ¡°Gasp, bad memories¡­¡± Some of them seemed to have fought directly against the Sword King Baotolt. Nevertheless, since they survived, they earned the right to be called one of the strongest individuals that couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡®I can¡¯t go for a battle of attrition¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin took a look at the situation of the other members. * * * Leon Hart was in a fierce battle against the four Aliens. His entire body was wrapped in a coat of Uroboros and flew up into the air. In that condition, his brilliant spiritual arts shone. -Ectoplasmic Javelins! Dozens of spears rained down on the Aliens¡¯ heads. The Aliens rushed to escape the offensive in a hurry to defend themselves. Utilizing the gap caused by it, he sent a gust of wind that penetrated through the enemies. ¡°Yessen¡¯s anger, envelop my hands!¡± Flames enveloped both of his hands. ¡°Burn my enemy with Preleu¡¯s wrath!¡± As the wind circled around his legs, he delivered continuous kicks! ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± The formidable blows were all aimed at the Aliens. But they didn¡¯t get pushed back easily either. ¡°You think that would work? Huh?¡± With a roar, a middle-aged Alien equipped with a large mace and shield attacked. Both the mace and the shield were filled with formidable Aura energy. After swinging the large mace to block Leon Hart¡¯s rush, he counterattacked using the shield¡¯s corner where Aura was concentrated. Zoom! Every time the shield was swung, shockwaves were constantly heard. It was a typical one-sided barrage using the Sword-and-Shield style. Behind Leon Hart, a woman with a sleek body rushed in as well. -Magic Swordsmanship: Sword Dance of Brilliance! Every time the Magic Swordswoman wielded her twin blades, a rainbow-colored sword light flashed everywhere. Using her swords of hallucination, she sent both true swings and illusory attacks. No matter how strong Leon Hart was, he couldn¡¯t differentiate which was false and which was true. He had no choice but to avoid all the attacks. However, a Mage stopped him from moving. ¡°Rise, Earth! Aggressive Terra Stone!¡± An awl of rock sprang up and disturbed Leon Hart¡¯s balance. The twisted ground greatly restricted his movements. The two Aliens excitedly dug deep into Leon Hart¡¯s left and right sides, whose speed had decreased. ¡°You got caught, Latnain!¡± It was at that moment- ¡°You¡¯re the ones who got caught!¡± With a smile of remorse, Leon Hart shook his hands from side to side. ¡°Black Spear!¡± He pretended to be pushed back to intentionally narrow the distance, allowing him to fire a lethal blow. Two lines of darkness passed through their shoulders and thighs. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± With a painful groan, the Aliens who were attacking him fell back. They turned their bodies narrowly to prevent the break of their limbs, but blood still spilled from their wounds like fountains. That would certainly have destroyed their combat capabilities, but Leon Hart was not pleased. One of the Aliens was a Spiritist. ¡°Rejuvenate them, Flames of Yessen!¡± The Level 93 Spiritist, who was acting as support for the war situation, immediately cast a healing spell. Leon Hart¡¯s remaining energy made it impossible to cure them completely, but the hemostasis was instantaneously done. ¡®I threw a spear made of Darkness, and all it caused was little injuries?¡¯ Once again, the Aliens went in to fight Leon Hart and laughed sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s a new profession called the Spiritual Boxer¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that amazing to fight against you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Magic Swordsman who can take blows well and don¡¯t use the sword, right?¡± Leon Hart murmured with admiration. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to deal with being from Akhtarun.¡± * * * Kibie was in a better situation than Ryu Han-bin or Leon Hart. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± The black-haired beauty took a low stance and stabbed at them with her long spear. Dark Aura embroidered the air one after another. An Alien Swordsman wielded a red blade Aura to prevent the attack. The shock of two Auras colliding spread the ripple of light one after another. Boom! Taking advantage of the confusion, Kibie reached out her hands while holding her spear back. -Aura Strike! The black Aura bullets secretly dug into her opponents¡¯ blindspots. The opponent wasn¡¯t able to respond because she was aiming for an exquisite psychological bluff. The Alien received a shock on his side, causing him to stagger. ¡°Argh!¡± He stumbled and revealed a big opening around his chest. However, Kibie wasn¡¯t greedy. Instead, she swung her long spear to the other side. ¡°How dare you?!¡± The pitch-black spear clashed with the blue blade Aura, causing an explosion. Boom! The level 96 Alien Swordsman was aiming for her back. If she stopped moving, she would have allowed a surprise attack. ¡°This feels great!¡± Clicking her tongue, her opponent continued the assault. In retaliation, the silver-haired girl swung her twin blades and cut in between the two. ¨C Magic Swordsmanship: Howling Thunder Attack! Lightning was fired with every swing she delivered. Rumbling! In a panic, the Alien Swordsman stepped back. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± The Howling Thunder Attack was originally just a technique that dispersed a large number of bolts. However, the silver-haired girl was constantly changing her sword¡¯s direction to match the random electrifying waves. She was a really bad opponent for the Alien, who only used the Guideline¡¯s sword skills. ¡°You use Magic Swordsmanship techniques in a really weird way, don¡¯t you?¡± The Alien Swordsman clicked his tongue as he tried to defend himself. -Magic Swordsmanship: Firebird¡¯s Flames! A firebird zoomed in with its wings spread out. He knew all too well that it would be better to push ahead with the power of Magic Swordsmanship itself if he was inferior in terms of swordsmanship itself. Indeed, Effir couldn¡¯t keep closing in. She stepped back, parrying his attacks with her weapons. Kibie filled the gap. -Aura Smash! The pitch-black Aura split the firebird. And again, Effir went on the offensive. -Magic Swordsmanship: Race of the Thunder God! After destroying the opponent¡¯s attack with a powerful Aura skill, the silver-haired girl launched a sophisticated Magic Swordsmanship technique. The Aliens gritted their teeth as they struggled to block the twin blades containing the thunderous attack. ¡°Oh, my God! How is she that good of a sword user?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like they don¡¯t grow old like us¡­¡± ¡°You must be young.¡± Born with talent, Effir was extremely adept at adapting to the situation. Thanks to Leon Hart¡¯s special training, Kibie was able to show off her skills as well. Their teamwork continued to connect seamlessly. They were fighting in perfect harmony. ¡°Here we go again, Effir!¡± ¡°Yes, sister!¡± Their abilities were amazing, and the Aliens couldn¡¯t launch a deadly counterattack on Kibie because of the prohibition. Thanks to that, they kept being pushed back despite their party having one more member than their opponents did. Watching the scene, Sam Freil, a level 95 Mage, gritted his teeth. ¡®Oh, shit, they¡¯re not supposed to lose that way!¡¯ However, he wasn¡¯t doing anything even though he was supposed to assist them. He was still stuck in a fierce magic battle with the red-haired young man. * * * ¡°Melt luminosity itself, Blazing Incineration!¡± Dozens of fireballs merged in the air and turned into a huge sphere. It was a level 90 flame magic invoked by Artis. Sam Freil immediately cast a defensive spell in return. ¡°Blooming North Sea Power, Frozen Orb!¡± A huge silver bead deflected the hot air and cut off its connection with the flames. He then immediately counterattacked. ¡°I¡¯ll return it as it is! Blazing Incineration!¡± The same spell was flying towards Artis. Unfortunately, Artis had no talent to defend with ice magic like Sam. Instead, he used the mana tools he was equipped with. ¡°Terra surfing! BLINK!¡± The earth wavered and pushed Artis back. At the same time, he disappeared from the air and appeared in another place. Flames raged on the empty land. Boom! The earth melted as the temperature of the vicinity rose. However, Artis had already escaped the offensive safely. He combined the level 80 earth magic and Terra Surfing with the space magic Blink. ¡°Good job, but I¡¯ve been in this damn hell for decades!¡± In admiration, Sam prepared the next magic spell. Artis also aimed his staff at him with a calm expression. ¡®Oh, he shouldn¡¯t know my abilities are limited to flame magic.¡¯ The Aliens¡¯ Guideline wouldn¡¯t be triggered unless he directly recognized his opponent¡¯s mana tools. Thanks to that, Artis could invoke mana tools while pretending he was using those magic spells himself. Artis continued to cast magic spells as he looked at the overall war situation. ¡®What¡¯s going on right now?¡¯ Kibie and Effir were fighting three Aliens without difficulty through a hit-and-run tactic. He still had enough mana. He felt like he could maintain the situation like that for a while. Leon Hart was fighting well against the four Aliens. Overall, the victory was with Han-bin¡¯s group. If they continued at that rate, they would win. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean we have particular advantages.¡¯ Under the current situation, having a battle of attrition would spell defeat for Han-bin¡¯s group. In addition to Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens, Eflen and the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s army was still around. Even if they could get rid of the Aliens after a long fight, they wouldn¡¯t have the power to fight the army. They¡¯d be overwhelmed by them. ¡®Fortunately, it¡¯s still hasn¡¯t been proven, but¡­¡± The Aliens¡¯ participation was as intended. Of course, they had prepared a countermeasure. The problem was the prerequisite for the countermeasure. With anxious eyes, Artis glared at Ryu Han-bin. ¡®¡­ Still not ready, Han-bin?¡¯ Chapter 140 Tasty Past Bait is Fundamental to Catch a Big Fish! (5) A giant Valtara warrior fired blade Aura. Every time their attacks crossed, a ripple of light would burst out, crushing objects around them mercilessly. Boom! Boom! Boom! On the other side, the third individual to be blessed by the Goddesses destroyed the battlefield. ¡°Kybriel¡¯s darkness shall strike my enemy down!¡± He continued casting his spiritual arts and punching them. The tremendous powers of destruction burst and collided. Due to that, the citadel of Count Breshir was being demolished in real-time. Their levels were so high that the aftermath of the battle was terrifying. Every time a sword was swung, the earth cracked, and every time a punch was delivered, a hole was made in the sky. Flames, thunderstorms, and rainstorms were raging. The heaven and the earth fluctuated, and thunders relentlessly rang. Rumbling! In that hellish landscape, Eflen came to a desperate realization. He noticed that when fighting against three-digit-leveled monsters, they should never set up a siege. ¡°Ahhhhhh¡­¡± At that rate, the soldiers would be caught up and killed. He raised his voice. ¡°E-everybody back! Retreat!¡± Well, there was no need to give orders. The other knights and the soldiers had already taken refuge far away. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that power?¡± ¡°How high is their level to be able to do that?¡± Everyone was trying to hide, forgetting about the siege. It was a violation of orders, but Eflen didn¡¯t blame them. Rather than joining in the fight, he was trying to save himself as well. Hiding behind the crumbling stone wall, Eflen trembled as he watched the war. ¡®They¡¯re strong.¡¯ He was a level 80 Magic Swordsman, but he didn¡¯t dare join that battle. Even the weakest-looking red-haired Mage seemed to be at least ten levels higher than Eflen. If he fought against the Valtara warrior or the Spiritual Boxer, he would die before even landing an attack! They were extremely fearsome. The regular army of Eflen and the Fairy Kingdom alone would never have been a match. ¡®Without Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens, this would¡¯ve been my grave.¡¯ At the same time, he thought it was a relief. Those fanatics were really strong. Even Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens might not be able to defeat them. But it was okay. It was not a waste to lose the Aliens, anyway. ¡®By then, they¡¯d have exhausted all their power!¡¯ There were only five. Like the other Templar Lords of the Holy Punishers, they were not accompanied by their troops. It was a very arrogant move. Of course, they had the right to be arrogant, but they were still foolish. ¡®There¡¯s no ally to help them once they¡¯re exhausted, right?¡¯ If so, he could clear all the dying people and take all the credit! ¡®Foolish bastards!¡¯ Eflen was certain. ¡®We¡¯ll win if we drag on like this!¡¯ * * * A blue blade Aura flew in a diagonal line. ¡°Die, Valtara!¡± Even behind his back, an eerie sword tried to penetrate through his vital points. ¡°Revenge from the monster old man!¡± Numerous spells continued between the front and back attacks. The two Magic Swordsmen repeatedly attacked and dashed away, shaking Ryu Han-bin, and powerful magic prevented him from advancing or retreating. When they were tired, the light of spiritual arts restored their energy and stamina. ¡°Raise your spirits in the light of Althea!¡± The teamwork of the six Aliens was truly outstanding. Like sophisticated cogwheels, they continued to attack Ryu Han-bin in conjunction with each other without any gaps. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Breathing deeply, Han-bin focused his mind. ¡®Calmly¡­¡± Without losing ground against many opponents, he looked broadly at the entire war situation. ¡®Grasp the flow first.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin had trained with Leon Hart¡¯s help to counterattack Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens. It utilized a surprise attack aimed at the gap in consciousness, which had been great fun at the Sacred peak Generosus. Of course, it was unlikely that those who had been fighting for decades would lay themselves open to attack. If they were that sloppy, they would¡¯ve already been dead before they reached that level. So, he had to make a gap by force. To do so, understanding the situation of the battle first was an absolute prerequisite! ¡°Argh! Argh!¡± As he continued to endure, Han-bin kept watching the battlefield. He got more and more small wounds. Suddenly, an eerie glare flashed in his eyes. ¡®All right, I get it!¡¯ He didn¡¯t have a full grasp on it yet, but it was enough. He could fill up the gaps with overwhelming power! ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± The flames of Aura exploded. The Aliens were startled and stopped moving. ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying something!¡± Han-bin was pointing at the Aliens with his Gigant. ¡®The power to break the mountain put it in the mustard seed!¡¯ The immense amount of Aura was out of control and overflowing. The runaway power condensed endlessly into a single point. A huge explosion occurred soon after. Boom! A formidable torrent of destruction began to flow like a great river under Ryu Han-bin¡¯s will. -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! * * * The Aliens were embarrassed. It was tremendous energy indeed. Even those who relied on the Guideline couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was a massive explosion of Aura. So they were on high alert¡­ Boom! Then it just blew up. ¡°Self-destruction?¡± ¡°Is he a fool?¡± At that moment¡­ A muscular warrior with a red-hot body appeared again through the explosion. It wasn¡¯t his blood that was flowing. A frighteningly compressed dense Aura glowed crimson red! ¡°Oh, it hurts like hell, this¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin grumbled and glared. At the same time, all the Aliens felt the same emotions. A truly overwhelming sense of death permeated as if it were falling on them with its wings spread out. ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°W-what did he do?¡± Han-bin kicked the ground. Nearly two meters tall, the giant body flew forward lightly like a feather and glided smoothly like the wind. He then went to his opponent¡¯s back in an instant. His speed was different from before. Black-red-blade Aura was rushing into Pyotr. ¡°Gasp!¡± Frightened, Pyotr quickly fell back. If he tried to stop that formidable energy, he would get cut off unconditionally. The problem was that the flow that had been linked to it was broken at once. ¡®If I dig in here, I will find a way out.¡¯ He never intended to blow the best gap in vain. With a smile of remorse, Ryu Han-bin began to rush in recklessly. ¡°Taaaaaaaah!¡± While holding the compressed Aura blade, he scattered blood and Aura all over the place, leaving a long-lasting afterimage in the air. -Crosscut! A red flash was aimed at the waist of the Alien Magic Swordsman. The moment it hit, the Alien couldn¡¯t withstand it. The opponent broke in two with an explosion. Then he disappeared from the air. ¡°M-Mesrat!¡± ¡°Oh, my God, one blow?¡± Ryu Han-bin continued to dig in among the terrified Aliens with his new Aura. Gigant was swung against the Spiritist behind the scenes. At that moment, the Aliens moved to protect Richardson as usual. ¡®Oops!¡¯ ¡®Go, go away!¡¯ The lines collided in the air. The number of people, which used to be six, became five, and the linkage movement was twisted. Of course, it was just a small gap, so a few seconds would be enough to make up for¡­ -Aura Smash! Ryu Han-bin didn¡¯t allow even a second. ¡®This is the trick I¡¯ve learned from Leon Hart¡¯s abuse! Can I be satisfied by clearing only one?¡¯ Richardson hurriedly performed defensive spiritual arts, but it was useless. The sword¡¯s power was so strong that it tore up the defense itself like a piece of paper. The whole body of the Spiritist was divided into two pieces. Boom! Ryu Han-bin continued the offensive. ¡®Shake them first!¡¯ ¡°Gasp! Stop him!¡± ¡®Then amid all their confusion¡­¡¯ ¡°What? When did he come this way?¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t give them any time to wake up! ¡°Argh!¡± The tense war quickly reversed. From six, their number went down to one. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± While he was trembling in fear, he was enveloped with a red flash. -Vertical cut! Ryu Han-bin, who instantly killed all of his opponents, frowned and turned to the others. He was watching the other Aliens facing Kibie¡¯s party. ¡®Well, time to aim for those bastards!¡¯ * * * The red giant utilized his bloodied sword. With each swing, an Alien died. ¡°Argh, Argh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Ryu Han-bin attacked not only Kibie¡¯s side but also Leon Hart¡¯s Aliens. The Aliens¡¯ bodies continued to disappear from Latna. Gigant swiftly destroyed them. They couldn¡¯t be captured because of the ban anyway. They would die on their own even if he caught them. He didn¡¯t need to do it since Kibie¡¯s shadow reading could obtain information with the equipment they left behind. Even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t capture them alive anyway. He couldn¡¯t control his power at all. ¡®This is too strong!¡¯ It was because the fighting spirit was immensely powerful. It was too much to control the flow. He couldn¡¯t control his power because the fighting spirit was constantly swaying him. To paraphrase, it was like beating an egg by swinging a few dozen kilograms of barbells against it in quick succession? It was like telling them not to break an egg in that situation, but only to crack the egg on the surface. It was impossible. Bam! The egg broke. Bam! Another egg broke. It was different from real eggs, but his opponents exploded anyway. ¡°Argh!¡± Finally, ten Aliens disappeared. Only then did Ryu Han-bin breathe out after fighting. ¡°Gasp! Gasp!¡± There were still a few more, but he couldn¡¯t continue fighting any longer. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s my limit.¡¯ To control the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit required a formidable mind. It was like fighting on a single thread of extremities. It required a lot of concentration because he fell even if he made a small mistake. ¡®Wow, Sword King, how does he fight for hours in this condition?¡¯ Admiring Baotolt, he glared at the remaining Aliens. There was already no more fighting intention left. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Is that the Sword King¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Has he been hiding his Aura skill¡­?¡± The remaining four threw down their weapons, saying they were surrendering. And at the same time, they vomited blood. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What the hell is this¡­?¡± ¡°Why are we¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin thought their reactions were strange. ¡®They still don¡¯t know that surrender will kill them, do they?¡¯ It didn¡¯t make any sense. He fully understood that they were in the ban to prevent betrayal, but¡­ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be better to let them know that surrender will kill them? Well, at least they can make them fight to the death.¡¯ Han-bin¡¯s wondering ears heard a loud voice. ¡°Everyone, attack! Attack!¡± It was Eflen¡¯s cry, who had been hiding. ¡°Look! He¡¯s exhausted! He can¡¯t be as strong as before anymore! We can kill him now!¡± Leon Hart gave a bitter smile. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± Ryu Han-bin was no longer able to fight. He was exhausted, and his physical condition was terrible due to the aftereffects of Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. However, Han-bin was not alone. ¡°What are we, scarecrows?¡± Chapter 141 Tasty Past Bait is Fundamental to Catch a Big Fish! (6) Breshir had been completely ruined. Flames were scattered across the place. The walls had collapsed, and corpses littered throughout the building. Most of the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s regular troops and the Count¡¯s troops were either killed or had fled. Count Breshir wasn¡¯t safe either. Everything below his neck had been crumpled, and his head had been put on a stake. On the other hand, Eflen, the commander of the Fairy Kingdom Army, was still alive. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± A black-haired beauty walked toward him slowly, moaning. Eflen looked up at her and screamed. ¡°Kill me, you maniacs!¡± She talked to him, looking down indifferently. ¡°Tell Hollien that it won¡¯t go the way she wants.¡± At that moment, Eflen¡¯s eyes flushed. ¡°¡­ You?¡± Little was known about that black-haired female Valtara warrior. Due to the outstanding presence of the Sword King¡¯s successor, she became relatively less eye-catching. Thus, the public only recognized her as a partner of the ¡®Valtara warrior, Felard Bean.¡¯ But if he looked at her attitude at that moment¡­ ¡®What is it? Does she know the Queen?¡¯ Kibie gave him a big smile and turned away. ¡°Tell her. Then she¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Eflen screamed, staring at her back. ¡°This is not the end!¡± Eflen acknowledged that the successor of the Sword King was a monster beyond imagination. He had never expected that he would lose with 14 Aliens that were around level 100! However, there was no future for the Holy Punishers! ¡°Do you think this is the only area we¡¯ve sent the Aliens to?¡± The Fairy Kingdom¡¯s regular army was also dispatched to the lands of other ¡®corrupted noble families.¡¯ Among them, ¡®Hollien¡¯s Secret Power¡¯ was secretly deployed. Since the Sword King¡¯s successor or the third blessed by the Goddess was so powerful, they could defeat the secret power. But what about the other Templar Lords? ¡°You are fine, but everyone else will die!¡± However, Kibie was calm. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Without looking back, she smiled insidiously. ¡°We¡¯ve already prepared for that.¡± * * * Southern Allendia, Viscount Shastlain. Sabine Asil, Althea Church¡¯s Templar Lord, and the fifty Templars were similar to Han-bin¡¯s group. When they broke through the castle gate of Viscount Shastlain, the regular army of the Fairy Kingdom was already on standby. ¡°Foolish, Lady Asil. You thought we couldn¡¯t figure out what you were doing?¡± The commander, Sir Lalius, gestured triumphantly. ¡°Come out, sinners!¡± Behind the positioned regular troops, a group of armed men appeared, their eyes flashing. ¡°I don¡¯t see a level unknown.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to be moving with them.¡± ¡°But the rest are high enough.¡± ¡°Not bad. Hahaha.¡± They all smiled with a look of anticipation. Sabine squinted at them. ¡°As expected¡­¡± As soon as she saw a person, she could pinpoint her opponent¡¯s level as Aliens did. However, she could understand the roughness through the feeling. The opponents were at or above her level. There were more than ten such people. There was only one case in which such a strong group had been so anonymous. ¡°They are Aliens of Akhtarun.¡± Unlike Han-bin¡¯s group, there was no chance of winning if they fought against them with Sabine Asil¡¯s power alone. They would unconditionally lose. Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t particularly embarrassed. ¡°That¡¯s what I heard.¡± Sabin raised her right hand. ¡°Templars!¡± She gave an order in a cold voice. ¡°Retreat!¡± As soon as she gave the order, the Templars moved in unison. Each horse turned its head and began to move toward the gate they passed through. The Aliens laughed. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°Who said you¡¯re allowed to go?¡± It was stupid. They would only get attacked if they showed their back to their opponents. Of course, the Templars didn¡¯t just retreat. Soon, the repercussions of the Spirit hit the Aliens. ¡°I will be the one who misleads the cause!¡± It was an illusion skill cast by the Spiritists in Sabine Asil¡¯s army. At that moment, Sabine and the Templars¡¯ images increased dozens of times, filling the view. They used the illusion to buy time while they retreated. Still, it wasn¡¯t very intelligent. ¡°Do you think low-level guys can delude us?¡± Just focusing on their minds for a while, the Aliens broke their illusory spell. They then launched a formidable offensive against the fleeing Templars. Boom! Aura, magic spells, and Magic Swordsmanship techniques were all fired away. Sabine Asil and the Templars caught up in the explosion were erased from view as if they were melting down. Only then did the Aliens panic. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s also an illusion?¡± One of the Aliens noticed the trick and shouted. ¡°A double illusion using magic and spiritual arts!¡± When fighting with Ryu Han-bin, Almara and Saltus managed to escape with a mixture of both illusions. The Han-bin¡¯s group, who had been quite impressed by the method, also taught the other Templar Lords about it. Before they knew it, the Holy Punishers were already running hard through the fields, leaving the castle¡¯s premises. ¡°Run! Do not stop!¡± ¡°If we get caught, it¡¯ll be the end!¡± Sir Lalius, who had a blank look for a while, soon came to his senses and ordered. ¡°Ch-chase them! Don¡¯t let them get away!¡± It was only a temporary measure. If it were inside a dungeon of distorted space, it would be impossible, but they could chase the Templars in an open field. A fierce chase proceeded in the darkness of the night. Accompanied by high-level Aliens, the Fairy Kingdom army chased the Holy Punishers with all its might. Eventually, the Holy Punishers became rats in a jar. Unable to get away, the Holy Punishers hid inside the nearby temple of Rhamniana. After blocking them from fleeing by surrounding the temple, Sir Lalius snorted. ¡°Huh, it turns out they¡¯ve colluded with the church!¡± That allowed the blindfolded Water Church to commit crimes together. The Fairy Kingdom army proudly headed to the main gate of the temple. And they faced an unexpected situation. Tibrel, the head of the temple¡¯s parish, and some of the believers politely greeted them and said the following: ¡°I thank Allendia for your cooperation in the name of Rhamniana. We were able to arrest all those that were disobedient.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you talking about?¡± Sir Lalius, who didn¡¯t understand the situation for a moment, gave a blank look. The Diocese of Tibrel kindly explained. In other words, Sabine Asil and Althea¡¯s Templars, who had refused orders from the church, realized their foolishness and entrusted themselves to the temple. According to regulations, the temple had arrested all of them and was preparing to transport them to Althea¡¯s general headquarters. ¡°Now that the Rhamniana Church has overpowered them all, you can go back safely!¡± Sir Lalius frowned, looking at the smile of Tibrel as if he had chewed bullshit. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ * * * The temple of Yessen near the Kiyumet estate in northern Allendia. Lord Aligon, commander of the Fairy Kingdom Army, surrounded the temple and was in a state of bewilderment. ¡°Huh, what the hell¡­¡± Like the Shastlain estate, Lord Aligon was dispatched to the Guillomet estate to prepare for the Holy Punishers¡¯ attack. After waiting for about ten days, the expected customers came. It was Palmer, Yessen¡¯s Templar Lords, and he brought the Templars under his command. They had enough power to deal with the intruders. There were as many as a dozen powerful Aliens in the regular army led by Aligon. There, the same situation happened with the Shastlain estate. The Holy Punishers gave up the battle and jumped off after casting illusory spells! After chasing them hard, the Templars hid in the Yessen Temple near the Kiyumet estate. So the commander yelled at the temple to give them up, and such a replay came back. ¨C Now that the Yessen Church has overpowered them all, you can go back safely! A black-haired young man grumbled as he looked at the red roof of the Yessen temple far away. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to treating us like a fool! Let¡¯s go in and grab them!¡± Looking back at the Akhtarun¡¯s Alien, Oogi Jun, he let out a sigh. ¡°¡­ We can¡¯t.¡± Officially, the Fairy Kingdom and the six Churches were not enemies. It was against sound reasoning for the Fairy Kingdom forces to attack the Yessen Church¡¯s temple, not the Holy Punishers. Oogi Jun frowned. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to play with these punks? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be treated well, and then they¡¯ll take a rest and run away!¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that?¡± Lord Aligon shook his head after showing off his anger. Of course, he knew it was a lie, but he had no choice but to move on. That was the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s position and the position of Lord Aligon, the commander of the Allendia regular army. Oogi Jun, who became frustrated, gave a different opinion. ¡°Then let¡¯s keep the siege going. One day, they¡¯ll crawl back out.¡± Even that was rejected. ¡°It will become a head-on attack on the Yessen Church. It¡¯s like we are doing what they want.¡± The Holy Punishers¡¯ simultaneous raids also aimed to undermine Hollien¡¯s reputation. If they attacked the church there, they would lose more than they would gain. Oogi Jun clicked his tongue as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Does this nonsense work?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense to you Aliens who see the world only through the strength of their level.¡± Lord Aligon turned his horse away. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. There¡¯s nothing more we can do.¡± * * * The battle between the Holy Punishers and the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s army continued throughout Allendia. The Fairy Kingdom, joined by Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens, was far higher than the Holy Punishers¡¯ level and number. All of the sieges they started, except for the Breshir estate that the Sword King¡¯s successor had attacked, ended in the Holy Punishers¡¯ defeat. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t suffer much damage. They all fled before the battle broke out and hid in a nearby temple. Of course, there could be no sacrifice in the meantime. It was true that they lost a significant number of Templars and collaborators. Still, it was not at a level that affected their overall power tremendously. On the other hand, Hollien¡¯s reputation declined more and more vertically. -I heard the Fairy Kingdom army is using Aliens. -What? That¡¯s the same as what the Goddess¡¯s oracle told us. -Well, that doesn¡¯t mean the Queen has been corrupted! I¡¯m sure she told us that she forced them to give in. To make them cleanse their sins¡­ -That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s a bit suspicious¡­ Ryu Han-bin smiled at the news. As a result, a bait named ¡®Shaking People¡¯s Heart¡¯ was thrown throughout the Fairy Kingdom. ¡°Now, shall we begin phase two?¡± Chapter 142 Know thy enemy and know thy self. (1) Hollien was puzzled. ¡°Wow, this is getting weird.¡± When Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens were deployed along with the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s regular army, she didn¡¯t worry about the risks that came with it. They would win anyway. Because of the Aliens¡¯ level, victory was natural, and there was little chance of missing the remnants. If the Holy Punishers¡¯ hands and feet were cut off, only the incarnation would remain. A plan had been set up to lure the incarnation of darkness using the captured Templar Lords. What would happen then? She would become Goddess. After that, it wouldn¡¯t matter what the people would say. But the enemy began to run away using strange tricks. It was extremely reckless. ¡°Oh, my God, are those who serve the Goddess using their temples and saints as shields? What kind of crazy guy came up with this idea?¡± She had never seen such a mean trick in her life. Wasn¡¯t that how much they relied on their reputation? No, what if the commanders of the Kingdom¡¯s army went blind and just attacked the temple? Nevertheless, it was effective enough. The Fairy Kingdom forces failed to attack the temples of each church because Allendia was a powerful country. A country couldn¡¯t be powerful without any reason. It had reached such a state because its institutional and social foundations supported it that much. If it was a small country, they could¡¯ve attacked, but the incompetent talent who made impromptu decisions couldn¡¯t be selected as a commander among the Continental Three Powers. Furthermore, those who participated in the operation were the best among such elite commanders. They were competent enough to understand the current situation of Allendia and faithfully obey the military law. As promised, all the troops were handed down in front of the temple. It was a good and knightly act, after all. Hollien didn¡¯t even intend to blame the commanders for their judgment. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m glad we avoided the worst¡­¡± They couldn¡¯t catch the Holy Punishers, and bad rumors kept spreading. All they had was circumstantial evidence that Kybriel¡¯s incarnation wasn¡¯t a silver-haired Magic Swordswoman but a black-haired spearwoman. There was not much gained compared to the risk they took. ¡°It¡¯s not an idea that the stupid followers of the goddess could come up with.¡± With her chin on her hands, she was lost in thought. ¡°There¡¯s a schemer behind them.¡± * * * The Templar Lords, who had returned safely, gave Ryu Han-bin a generous compliment. ¡°As expected, your plan is excellent!¡± ¡°I have no choice but to admit it. You¡¯re from a world without God!¡± ¡°We can never think of this cheap way!¡± The compliments were extremely unpleasant to hear. Ryu Han-bin bit his lips. ¡®No, you guys were cheap enough.¡¯ The operation itself to shield the temple and the saints began with his idea. However, Han-bin did not plan the operation himself. It happened when the Templar Lords were discussing how to respond to the Aliens from Akhtarun. Seeing them agonizing over how to reduce the damage as much as possible and retreat, Ryu Han-bin casually asked Artis. ¡°Is there any sacrosanctity about the church in this world?¡± Most of the religious buildings on Earth were considered sacred. There had been times when secular power didn¡¯t dare approach the churches. That was the case with the Sodo of the Samhan period or the temple of ancient Greece. Considered a sanctuary, they didn¡¯t dare arrest a sinner even if he hid inside the place. That was also common in modern times. South American dictators often missed political prisoners hidden in Catholic churches. In Korea, during the dictatorship, Jogyesa Temple and Myeongdong Cathedral served as a haven for activists. It was just a question that popped into his mind when Han-bin suddenly thought of such an anecdote. However, the eyes of the Templar Lords opened wide. ¡°Wait?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve never thought of it that way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not intended for the followers of the Goddesses to think of.¡± ¡°But now we should do it by hook or by crook¡­¡± In Latna, the building of the temple was not considered sacrosanct. It¡¯s just a ¡®place¡¯ to serve the Goddesses. It was not because the prestige of the church was weak. The real ¡®sanctuary of the Goddesses¡¯ existed in this world. As long as there was a truly sacred area, one temple, which was only a man-made building, couldn¡¯t steal its prestige. Nevertheless, the idea itself was of acceptable use. ¡°Yes, the authority of the Church could be used as a shield!¡± ¡°But maybe the followers and the saints will suffer¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely. The Aliens of Akhtarun will not move alone.¡± ¡°It is said they are under a ban.¡± ¡°Then they must be under the control of Allendia¡¯s royal knights, so there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll make such a reckless decision.¡± Once they accepted the idea, they planned their strategies one way or the other and made detailed plans. Until that moment, Ryu Han-bin looked blank. As soon as he was discharged from the army, he fell straight to the rocky mountain and fought for 22 years. So what did he know about strategy and control operations? The important part was that they had done everything, yet they acted as if Ryu Han-bin was in charge. ¡®These people, aren¡¯t they trying to pass everything on to me?¡¯ If it were known that the Templar Lords organized such a method themselves, it could cause problems to their reputation. Well, there was no particular reason to care. ¡®We¡¯ll never see each other again when I get back on Earth anyway.¡¯ Things had been going pretty well anyway. reports. Six churches secretly compiled the information. ¡°At this rate, I can guess what Hollien¡¯s next move would be.¡± He continued calmly. ¡°To be exact, that¡¯s the only way for her to move.¡± * * * A great temple of pitch-black stood in the contradiction of dazzling darkness. There, two men and women were watching a magical video. It was a video of a beautiful, blue-haired female nymph with a glass of alcohol in one hand. Sipping delicate wine of Durand, Hollien asked a question. ¡°You all know what¡¯s going on, don¡¯t you?¡± Garhan and Genovia nodded silently. It had been quite a while since they were confined to that incarnation of the darkness. However, the information of the world itself was still continuously being received. They were aware of the Holy Punishers¡¯ wriggling and the current situation of Allendia. Touching his chin, Garhan frowned. ¡°Things are proceeding strangely. Their plans aren¡¯t something the stupid followers could come up with.¡± Genovia tilted her head. ¡°Then the incarnation of darkness?¡± Hollien shrugged her shoulders in the video. ¡°I don¡¯t think Kybriel was such a flexible thinker.¡± If the Goddesses were able to have such ¡®human¡¯ ideas, she wouldn¡¯t have given such sloppy blessings to the four strongest people in the first place. Anyway, what mattered now was not the identity of the schemer but the countermeasures. ¡°What should we do?¡± When asked by Hollien, Garhan and Genovia looked strange. The solution to the current situation was very simple. ¡°Ignore it and order to attack all the temples. Then, everything will be solved¡­¡± ¡°Hollien, you¡¯re not in a position to give such orders.¡± ¡°I can see why they left the kingdom of Kaldris or Mado and started with Allendia.¡± At first glance, the Top Three seemed to be the rulers of the Continental Three Powers. But that was not the case. Genovia was the Queen of Mado, the Rune Kingdom, and Garhan was the regent of Kaldris, the Kingdom of a Thousand Years. Hollien, on the other hand, was Queen of the Fairy Kingdom of Allendia. Unlike the two, she was not the ruler of a country. She was the wife of the ruler. Hollien murmured as if she were in trouble. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was a problem because I have done everything I wanted to do so far¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t greedy for power. She didn¡¯t pay much attention to complicated politics. No one had ever dared go against the will of the Transcendental, even if she didn¡¯t do such a nuisance. ¡°The situation¡¯s really troublesome.¡± As a queen, she couldn¡¯t directly intervene in the state affairs of the Fairy Kingdom. What she could do was give indirect opinions. However, under the current circumstances, there was no justification to suggest attacking churches directly. The fact that the three strongest beings had robbed the Goddess of Darkness¡¯s divinity was a secret even to the Fairy King, and it was hard to persuade people without hiding it. If the Holy Punishers had targeted Garhan or Genovia, things would¡¯ve been better. Those were dictators with real power, and they could force it to some extent. ¡°I think they have already known it, so they targeted me alone except for you two.¡± Garhan nodded at the grumbling Hollien. ¡°The incarnation¡¯s side is moving pretty well.¡± By making only the Transcendental an enemy, the Holy Punishers ruled out the Kingdom of Kaldris and the Kingdom of Mado in that fight. If the two kingdoms intervened recklessly under the current circumstances, it would appear to be an intervention in domestic affairs. ¡°Yes, if they had defined us as the enemy of the Goddess together, we would be able to easily interfere.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no justification to do that in the present situation.¡± Since they were powerful, they were well aware of the power of justification. Humans didn¡¯t just go out and fight until they died if they typed ¡®all attack!¡¯ like members of a strategic simulation game unit. The more loyal they were, the more certain they needed to have a justification for moving. ¡°Considering the importance of the work, there¡¯s no reason why we can¡¯t¡­¡± The Holy Punishers used public sentiment and reputation as a weapon, but that was a vain trick that would melt like morning dew if the strong beings determined and ignored reason. It wouldn¡¯t work at all against crazy people. ¡®Then should we be crazy?¡¯ Once they captured the incarnation of darkness, they would become gods. Genovia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just a vague situation.¡± To be exact, they didn¡¯t have to be crazy. Allendia alone had enough military power. The reason why the current situation was troublesome was not because of a lack of troops. If Kaldris and Mado Kingdoms¡¯ forces were deployed to the Fairy Kingdom, they would only create confusion in the command system, which would ultimately lead to the Holy Punishers¡¯ advantage. With her arms crossed, Hollien inflated both cheeks. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s true that my reputation has gone down a lot because of the Aliens.¡± Therefore, those opinions were said to be coming from the Royal Family of Allendia. Bad rumors about the Queen were spreading more and more. At first, she tried to ignore it, but it came to a level that she couldn¡¯t overlook anymore. ¡°So, he asked me why I didn¡¯t come forward and appease popular feelings.¡± Garhan and Genovia had a complaint. ¡°Huh, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what they induced.¡± Holy Punisher¡¯s intentions were obvious. The plan was to bring Hollien out of the royal palace, put her in a trap, and kill her. Nevertheless, there was a reason why the two made bitter smiles. Garhan talked about the reason. ¡°Isn¡¯t doing what they want us to do the best way?¡± They knew the target, and they knew they were going to follow the enemy¡¯s intentions¡­ ¡°It¡¯ll be a good situation for us, too.¡± Chapter 143 Know thy enemy and know thy self (2) A beautiful black-haired woman disguised as Kybriel¡¯s incarnation and a female Valtara warrior repeatedly appeared and disappeared from time to time, taking advantage of the Holy Punishers¡¯ wriggling. Hollien wanted to leave the palace immediately to track Kibie down. Nevertheless, She remained immobile. It was because the Fairy King Loflan did not allow it. -It¡¯s none of your business, my Queen. If the Queen of a country came forward to such a subtle issue, the royal family¡¯s authority would fall. There was a saying, ¡®Just because a powerful person took the initiative doesn¡¯t mean that his authority fell.¡¯ Sadly, the reality wasn¡¯t like that. If the powerful took the lead in handling everything, the wise would surely praise him or her for being a great leader. However, the majority of the followers would complain about why the leader pushed himself or herself forward. She couldn¡¯t even hope for rational thought from ordinary people. Of course, if that were just a king¡¯s order, she would¡¯ve ignored it. Hollien, the strongest Spiritist on earth and the first blessed by the Goddess, had the power and reputation to look down on the King¡¯s authority. However, Loflan didn¡¯t order her as a King. -How can your precious self be swayed by such rumors, my Queen? Please bear it. She couldn¡¯t ignore her beloved husband¡¯s dissuasion. Hence, she calmly waited at the palace, and only her subordinates moved to chase the incarnation. However, since the situation had gone that far, ignoring the situation would mean losing authority for her. At the moment, the Fairy King and Allendia¡¯s royal family hoped that Hollien would come forward. Hollien shrugged. ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason to miss her, right? She¡¯s hard to find, not hard to catch.¡± Garhan agreed. ¡°Good. Take care of it quickly. This troublesome situation needs to be over soon.¡± Genovia, on the other hand, seemed to remain nervous. ¡°Are you going to be okay, Hollien? I¡¯m sure they have something to rely on since they created this situation on purpose.¡± They knew for sure that the opponent had prepared a trap. It wouldn¡¯t be proper for her to get caught. ¡°I have a rough idea¡­¡± The Valtara warrior, Felard Bean, was chosen as the Apostle of Kybriel. He was strong. Although his exact level was unknown because no Alien came back alive, it was enough to match the Baotolt of his youth just by looking at the previous record he had shown. Leon Hart, the third blessed by the Goddess, was also one of the strongest on the continent. It was estimated that the Incarnation of Darkness and her colleagues also exceeded level 90 at the minimum. What if the Templar Lords of the six churches and the High Templars were involved, and the churches gave all-out efforts to make the trap and fight against a lone Hollien? ¡°¡­ But I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to lose.¡± It was indeed an arrogant remark, but it was also true. The gap between the Top Three and others was that wide. Still, Genovia had some doubts in her mind. ¡°I heard that the Valtara warrior took on Kybriel¡¯s sacred item.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the difference?¡± Hollien was certain that the Valtara warrior would¡¯ve become way stronger than before. Nevertheless, he had a long way ahead of him before he could catch up with the Top Three. Unless he was the Sword King, she didn¡¯t have to care about other Latnains even if they merged with the sacred item. ¡°And Baotolt is dead.¡± Even the sacred item of darkness was just an old-fashioned relic that the Top Three didn¡¯t need to be wary of. Of course, if the Top Three took the sacred item, they might have benefited a little, but¡­ ¡°We can¡¯t help it. We didn¡¯t know the exact location of the sacred item until the incarnation moved. All we could do was guess.¡± Hollien, who was constantly replying, suddenly squinted her eyes. ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t you two move together with me if you¡¯re so worried?¡± If the Top Three flocked together, their opponents wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. It was the safest method. Genovia and Garhan looked nervous. There was no problem leaving the sanctuary if the incarnation had already been caught. It was over anyway. However, in reality, they needed to look for the incarnation of darkness all over the world. They didn¡¯t know how many days it would take. And their lifespan would also be reduced that much! ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Hollien smirked at the two, who were envious. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Now that Baotolt¡¯s gone, why in the world would the three of us go together to fight someone?¡± Perhaps their opponents believed in the heir of the Sword King. That was the only variable at the moment. How powerful did the Valtara warrior need to be to put Hollien in danger? ¡°Even if Baotolt himself is there instead of him, I won¡¯t be beaten. You both know that, right?¡± If the Sword King was alive and dealt with Hollien, the result was obvious. ¡°I¡¯ll never win.¡± But she wouldn¡¯t lose either. If the Thunder king or Archmage went up against him, they would be beaten. But the Transcendental was different. At the very least, there would be no death or captivation. ¡°Because I have this.¡± In the video, Hollien slightly raised her finger to give a faint glow. Only then did Genovia¡¯s expression ease. ¡°Yeah, you have your spiritual skill, don¡¯t you?¡± With her fingers crossed playfully, Hollien continued. ¡°As you both know, there¡¯s no problem getting me out of this, no matter how bad it is.¡± Even if the Holy Punishers¡¯ trap was beyond imagination and Hollien was in danger, she could retreat and then try again in cooperation with Genovia. There was no need to spend the time of the two whose life had almost depleted. ¡°The only thing that¡¯s a little strange is that Kybriel would know about this, yet she¡¯s still trying to dig a trap.¡± Garhan shook his head at Hollien¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure she would know.¡± Curiously, she asked back. ¡°How could she not know? She¡¯s a Goddess.¡± Trapped in the human body at the moment, the former Kybriel was the only ruler who had looked over Latna¡¯s entirety. Genovia and Garhan took turns replying. ¡°It¡¯s never been revealed to the world. We¡¯ve been practicing against Baotolt.¡± ¡°All four of us gathered together only when we were targeting the Four Prohibited Areas.¡± ¡°It was always in the dungeon when we practiced, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange if the Goddess doesn¡¯t know.¡± Hollien¡¯s expression became strange. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve never used anything outside the dungeons.¡± They didn¡¯t mean it, but they ended up deceiving the Goddess. She nodded after emptying her glass. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come forward myself.¡± * * * Allendia¡¯s royal family had consistently ignored the Holy Punisher¡¯s claims. They thought that responding one by one would decrease the royal authority and the value of the Queen¡¯s name. However, it had reached a level that could not be ignored. As the rumor that Aliens were hiding in the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s regular army spread, more and more people thought their claims might be true. The people murmured. ¡°It¡¯s Hollien, the Transcendental, that caused the night¡¯s big change.¡± ¡°We¡¯re suffering like this because of her.¡± Allendia¡¯s royal family changed their minds. ¡®If the Fairy Queen directly deals with the monsters created by the night¡¯s big change, this false rumor will subside instantaneously.¡¯ In response, the Fairy Kingdom made an official declaration. ¡°Tell the people of Allendia.¡± ¡°The one blessed by the great Goddesses and the mother of the noble Fairy Kingdom will calm the night¡¯s big change, and everyone shall witness a true hero with their own eyes!¡± * * * Laihenau, coniferous forest on the northern outskirts of Allendia. Han-bin and his companions were hiding in a small mountain cabin in the forest. It was originally a hunting home for the Dwarf nobleman, Baron Lethuwal, the lord of the area. It was perfect for hiding for a while because it was used only in summer and usually left empty. They didn¡¯t have to worry about being caught by the lord. It was Baron Lethuwal himself who allowed them to use the place, anyway. -Feel free to use it! What is more important in the world than setting the Goddess¡¯s will correctly? Baron Letuwal was a traditional aristocrat of the Fairy Kingdom, but at the same time, he was a faithful member of the Yessen Church. He was also a long acquaintance of Lord Palmer. When the Holy Punishers began fighting, he was the first to come and decide to be with them. There was also a reason why he didn¡¯t get along well with the Fairy Queen¡¯s forces. It was one of the reasons why the Holy Punishers could poke around the Fairy Kingdom without being caught. Many of the aristocrats, as well as the common people, were cooperating with the Holy Punishers. In a small room at the corner of Laihenau, Han-bin¡¯s group was taking a rest and reorganizing as usual. Then the Templar Lords visited them. Without hiding her joy, Angelica delivered the news. ¡°Finally, the Transcendental has moved!¡± Lord Merdil, Preleu¡¯s Templar Lord and an Elven Magic Swordsman, was also pleased to hear that. ¡°We¡¯ve entered the second phase with this.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t possible to proceed with the third phase immediately. Before that, there was something they had to do first. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to figure out the exact skills of the Transcendental.¡± Everything had been done as Leon Hart said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should know exactly how strong the current Hollien is so that we can make the right traps to catch her?¡± Of course, it was not as simple as it sounded. It was unlikely that one of the Top Three would ever do her best. ¡°But you can check it out, right?¡± Looking back at Ryu Han-bin, Leon Hart grinned. Han-bin shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If I just have to measure her level, well, I can.¡± It was really simple. He just had to take a look at her. ¡°Then can¡¯t I just sneak in and watch her level?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m coming with you.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s Guideline could identify Hollien¡¯s level accurately. However, it was impossible to find out her unique way of fighting or how she utilized spiritual skills. Therefore, an experienced person with great insight would be needed for a more thorough observation¡­ ¡°We can¡¯t expect that from Han-bin.¡± Sadly, it was irrefutable. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s experience and insight were limited to when the enemy was more than 20 meters tall. ¡°Then you two should go.¡± They just had to check the opponent¡¯s level and skills. There was no rush. With the skills of the two of them, even if a problem occurred, they could deal with it easily. With Leon Heart, even if Ryu Han-bin, who didn¡¯t know much about the world, made a mistake, it could be resolved. Then Kibie raised her hand. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m coming, too.¡± Surprised, Leon Hart dissuaded her. ¡°No, Kibie!¡± The incarnation of the darkness would scout one of the Top Three? It was too dangerous. There seemed no reason to do so. Han-bin also stopped her. ¡°Are you trying to dig up some information? Then we¡¯ll steal Hollien¡¯s stuff. You don¡¯t have to use the skill of shadow reading on her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not why.¡± Kibie replied with a serious look. ¡°I know it¡¯s dangerous. But I¡¯ll have to check with my own eyes.¡± Currently, the Top Three shared the divinity of darkness stolen from Kybriel. ¡°I need to know what the stolen divinity is like right now.¡± When the divinity of the darkness was stolen, she sealed the wisdom of the Goddess. But she couldn¡¯t rely on it entirely. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought I could be deprived of my divinity in the first place. But how can I guarantee that they¡¯ll never touch me if I put a seal on it?¡± Perhaps some of the divinity could be operated in other ways. ¡°They may not be immortal yet, but¡­¡± If that were possible, they wouldn¡¯t have to go looking for Kibie, and the situation would¡¯ve already ended. ¡°They might have reached out to areas that aren¡¯t meant to be available to mortals.¡± If the enemy had an unexpected ability, she had to check it. ¡°We only have one chance, after all.¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t disagree anymore. She was certainly right. Effir and Artis rose up to the occasion as well. ¡°If you go, I¡¯ll follow you.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± There was no reason to separate the two if Kibie moved. It was safer to have colleagues who worked well together. Well, it would be best for the other Templar Lords to flock to be safe, but if they were away, the Holy Punishers¡¯ leadership would be empty, preventing them from responding to urgent cases. When a conclusion was reached, Han-bin¡¯s party began to prepare for the trip. Effir and Artis muttered. ¡°We¡¯d better disguise ourselves as unnoticeable as possible, but avoid people¡¯s eyes just in case.¡± ¡°Yes, and if the atmosphere is even just a little off, we need to run away immediately.¡± After sighing as if he was burdened, Leon Hart looked back at the group. ¡°Well, let¡¯s move.¡± Chapter 144 Know thy enemy and know thy self. (3) The unidentified Aliens suddenly appeared and confronted the Holy Punishers. That was how the Kingdom of Allendia explained their emergence. They¡¯re connected to the recent ¡®High-Level Aliens Outbreak¡¯ on the continent! Hollien, the Fairy Queen and Transcendental, directly overpowered them and enslaved them so that they could stabilize the continent and punish sinners accordingly! It sounded quite reasonable. It was similar to the Aliens¡¯ appearance under the Fairy Kingdom Army and the decrease in the frequency of the Aliens¡¯ appearance in various parts of the continent. Of course, some of them suspected, ¡®If it were a Goddess¡¯s oracle, wouldn¡¯t those Aliens be the subordinates of the Transcendental right from the beginning?¡¯ However, they didn¡¯t dare say those words out loud. Regardless, it was clear that the appearance of high-level Aliens had subsided considerably. On the other hand, the night¡¯s big changes continued throughout the continent. * * * In the early days of the big changes, the Latnains were desolated. But at that moment, it was different. The Sinkers, the Mage Guild headquarters, had studied the night¡¯s big change with all their might and made quite a few achievements. The hypothesis of the Sinkers was as followed: The night¡¯s big change was caused by cracks in the night, which was controlled by Kybriel of the darkness, one of the six Goddesses who defended the world. Through the crack, the Alien world¡¯s dimension, which Omphalos controlled, overlapped, and monsters intervened. The dimension of the Alien world wasn¡¯t fixed to Latna as surely as the dungeons. Therefore, there was no such thing as the dungeon magic core or Artifacts at the deepest parts. When the morning sun rose and Althea¡¯s protection fell on the world, no more monsters would appear, and those who had already appeared would naturally disappear. In other words, a temporary dungeon with a time limit had been created and disappeared. Since they were able to understand that much, some measures were executed. It was impossible to predict where the existing dungeons would appear. The dungeons were the Omphalos¡¯ outposts, and they appeared by forcibly destroying the Goddesses¡¯ protection over Latna. It was unpredictable because they didn¡¯t know the criteria needed to be met to create a dungeon. On the other hand, the night¡¯s big change could be seen in advance. They could check the areas where the darkness¡¯s protection had become especially weak. They didn¡¯t know when the monsters would appear, but they could figure out where at the very least. Everyone gathered their troops in advance and prepared for the night¡¯s change. Turricon Plains, south of Allendia, the Fairy Kingdom. The meadow near the trading city Luge was the least protected by the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s darkness, with vast numbers of monsters frequently appearing. Luge, which was famous among merchants, had been driven to the verge of collapse. The citizens, who were devastated and frightened, heard surprising news. Hollien, the Fairy Queen, was coming forward to clear the Turricon Plains¡¯ monsters! The citizens went wild. ¡°The Fairy Queen is coming here!¡± ¡°Oh, my God! The Transcendental herself?¡± ¡°As expected, it was all false rumors! Damn Holy Punishers!¡± ¡°Long live the Queen!¡± * * * At the southern street of the trading city of Luge, a group of merchants was on their way. Han-bin¡¯s party disguised themselves and visited the city. Two merchants with brown hair and a shaggy beard took the lead. They were Leon Hart and Artis, who completely changed their impressions by wearing wigs and fake beards. Kibie and Effir followed suit. Both looked like humble countrywomen. Kibie¡¯s black hair was purposely made crumbly and tied tightly, while Effir wore a wig to completely cover her unique silver hair. They wore a wide travel robe on top to hide their armor, and all their weapons were disguised as goods and carried on their backs. They looked no different from ordinary merchants. Ryu Han-bin, on the other hand, was still armed. Of course, he wasn¡¯t dressed as a Valtara warrior. He looked like a swordsman wearing cheap armor and a cape with a plain long sword on his waist. Unlike other parties, he was too big. In the Continental Three Powers, even Han-bin, who was more than 190 centimeters tall, wasn¡¯t big enough to stand out, but he was still too robust to be a merchant. Thus, he hid Gigant in the package of another group member and disguised himself as an escort for the group of ordinary merchants. For merchants who traveled the rugged Latna trade route, the existence of powerful escorts was essential. Hence, he didn¡¯t look out of place. Ryu Han-bin murmured, glancing at the reactions around him. ¡°We must be in a pretty good disguise. Nobody¡¯s suspicious of us.¡± Artis replied in a low voice. ¡°We¡¯ve gone through all that trouble to disguise ourselves. Oh, it¡¯s simple to use magic.¡± Some magic spells could change appearances. Even Artis could use it because it didn¡¯t require a high level. Nevertheless, he intentionally disguised himself manually. Any Mage of a higher level than the caster of the disguise spell might notice it, after all. At that time, complete morphology, which ignored levels, wasn¡¯t known yet except for the Dragons¡¯ ¡®human form.¡¯ ¡°But we can¡¯t solve the human form now. I¡¯ve leveled up to here to fit this body.¡± The number of high-level Mages would be extremely small in Latna, but they had to be careful anyway because their opponent was the Transcendental. They didn¡¯t know how powerful the Mages she had were. Ryu Han-bin seemed to like that method more. ¡®It¡¯s obvious. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve dressed like a decent human being.¡¯ He combed his hair neatly, and his skin was back to its original color. He had to burn his skin frequently to maintain his status as a Valtara warrior in the past. It would be a disaster if he just applied powder, and it got erased accidentally. However, that changed when the Darkness Church supplied him with a special dye. It was a comfortable item that could be used in combat because it couldn¡¯t be erased by sweat or rainwater. ¡°Thanks to it, I no longer have to get a tan. Oh, honestly, I was scared of getting skin cancer.¡± Artis tilted his head at Han-bin¡¯s raggedness. ¡°I heard that Earth¡¯s healing techniques are quite advanced, and you haven¡¯t even gotten over cancer yet?¡± In Latna, cancer wasn¡¯t a very feared disease. If they just checked cancer with fluoroscopy, cut out the part of cancer, and applied a healing skill on it, it would get better without difficulties. It wasn¡¯t hard to check and extract it. Since there was a fraudulent capacity of spirituality, the surgical technique they used was something Earth couldn¡¯t dare follow. Of course, it was only doable by a high-level Spiritist, so those with low status and no money died without mercy. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t the first time that Artis had ignored Earth¡¯s culture in that way. Han-bin pouted. ¡°Oh, yeah, Latna¡¯s great.¡± Surprisingly, Leon Hart, the Spiritist, praised Earth¡¯s medicine. ¡°Not necessarily. I heard that Earth had developed a lot of healing techniques for various diseases. Earthlings can also cure troublesome diseases like dysentery and pneumonia, right?¡± Han-bin replied, recalling medicines such as penicillin. ¡°Well, there are antibiotics.¡± Leon Hart asked, his eyes shining. ¡°Yeah, that one. How do you make a drug like that?¡± Everything in the world had its pros and cons. With the development of spiritual skills, Latna¡¯s pharmacology lagged relatively far behind. It was difficult to cure such bacterial or viral diseases with Spiritual skills. Therefore, they used the method of directly overcoming his resistance by pouring healing techniques on patients. ¡°If you know, please teach me. I wasn¡¯t close enough to the Aliens I¡¯ve met so far to ask.¡± Latna, where Earth¡¯s people¡¯s culture was generally ostracized, still secretly accepted useful knowledge. Ryu Han-bin had a blank look as he gazed at Leon Hart. ¡®How would I know how to make Penicillin?¡¯ All Han-bin knew was how to make blue mold into penicillin. ¡°I¡¯m not a medical professional, so I don¡¯t have that knowledge!¡± ¡°Really? Too bad.¡± ¡°But Leon Hart, was there anyone else from Earth who made antibiotics besides me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you because there¡¯s nobody? If there were, the news would¡¯ve spread across Latna.¡± Han-bin felt awkward. ¡®A lot of earthlings had been transported here already, yet not a single one¡¯s a medical expert? That¡¯s strange.¡¯ What were the criteria the Devil Omphalos used to choose the right person? ¡®Or maybe there were, but they all god killed?¡¯ Meanwhile, the streets were becoming more and more crowded. The number of people was unusually quite large. Everyone gathered for the same purpose as Han-bin¡¯s party. To that street, the Fairy Queen of Allendia, Hollien, was on her way! ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her in my life!¡± ¡°Of course! How can people like us ever see such a noblewoman in person?¡± ¡°Huh, this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I wonder if it¡¯s really an honor. According to the recent news¡­¡± ¡°Shh! Watch your mouth. Do you want to die?¡± Was it because the Goddess¡¯s oracle had reduced the reputation of Hollien? There were people that looked profane. Still, most of them were in awe of Hollien and looked excited. Han-bin and his party also waited calmly among the crowd. Soon enough, a group of troops began to walk from the far side of the street. * * * Running down the street first, two servants shouted. ¡°Everyone, bow and scrape!¡± ¡°Queen Holien¡¯s march approaches!¡± After that, heavily armed soldiers marched in an orderly fashion. A Spiritist and a Mage riding a wagon also passed by. Han-bin and his group quickly got out of the crowd and hid in the back alley. And they carefully observed the army across the street. ¡°Hasn¡¯t the Fairy Queen arrived yet?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be in the back of the line because it¡¯s the traditional protocol.¡± After responding to Ryu Han-bin¡¯s whispering, Leon Hart checked the skills of royal knights. ¡°Not bad. They¡¯re all well-trained. According to their movements, they¡¯re over level 60 on average.¡± The soldiers were all regular soldiers, so they looked well into their mid to late level 40s. The Spiritist and the Mage also seemed to be at the edge of level 60. It was a fact that he guessed with only his senses. Leon Hart wondered. ¡®It¡¯s not as high as I thought.¡¯ Although they could be considered as regular troops, considering Hollien¡¯s prestige, it wasn¡¯t enough. ¡®Did she deliberately exclude the elites to show off her power?¡¯ That was a good sign. He could get a glimpse of the real power of the Transcendental. At the same time, Kibie was looking at Leon Hart from a different perspective. ¡°There¡¯s no Dragon.¡± Kibie, the creator of the Dragon race, could immediately recognize Dragons even if they were in human form. Hence, she looked at the troops just in case, but there weren¡¯t any Dragons in their ranks. ¡®Well, doesn¡¯t she have to bring them in?¡¯ Hollien came out herself, but there was no reason to bring Ancient Dragons down, which would only further discredit herself. Even if there were some, it wasn¡¯t a big problem. Kibie had a fraudulent item called the Polymorph Necklace. Effir looked at Han-bin and asked a question. ¡°Are there any Aliens of Akhtarun?¡± No one was seen wearing their unique armor. However, it was impossible to confirm that they were just in disguise with normal eyes or skills. Ryu Han-bin needed to use his Guideline to investigate them. ¡°Wait a little longer.¡± Han-bin kept his attention focused on the troops. The army of the Fairy Kingdom continued marching down the street. A moment later, a four-horse coach carriage revealed itself. The body had gold foil patterns, colorful wheels with elaborate decorations, yet its excessive decorations didn¡¯t make it look vulgar. Inside the carriage window, a beautiful nymph with blue hair waved to the people on the street. Ryu Han-bin gulped down. ¡®She¡¯s showing up.¡¯ It was Hollien, the most powerful Spiritist across all of Latna. Chapter 145 Know thy enemy and know thy self. (4) Unlike the six Templar Lords, Kibie, and Leon Hart, Ryu Han-bin had never seen the Transcendental in person. Nevertheless, he already knew how she looked and how she presented herself. It was thanks to Artis¡¯s magic presenting Leon Hart¡¯s memory to show her appearance in a picture-like form. Han-bin crept up, staring at the Nymph beauty in the carriage. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back. I can¡¯t check the level of the opponent at this distance.¡± At that moment, Han-bin¡¯s group was more than 30 meters away from Hollien¡¯s procession. The navigation function of the Guideline depended on the size of the target. It could check the level of a super-sized animal like a dragon from 100 meters away, but he had to be at least within 20 meters to check humans¡¯ level. That was why Han-bin and his party had to escape from the crowd and hide in the back alley. If there were other Aliens under Hollien, they would be able to check Han-bin¡¯s group levels. If the identity of Kibie, whose level was unknown, were revealed, everything would be over. The situation was similar for the other party. There was only one Level-112 Spiritist in Latna. No matter how much he disguised himself, they would immediately find out that it was Leon Hart by checking his level. Level 92 Mages and level 94 Magic Swordsmen were also rare. They would raise suspicions swiftly as well. On the other hand, Ryu Han-bin had no problems. His level was six at most. If he were buried in the crowd, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find him out at all. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think she would be here with Aliens, but¡­¡± Mumbling, Han-bin put a big robe on his armor. He prepared it just in case anything happened. He was just a level 6 swordsman, so it would be awkward if he presented himself as an escort. ¡°It¡¯s best to be careful.¡± Although he had changed quite a bit due to the multitude of things he had experienced, he was always extremely cautious. Didn¡¯t he move carefully when he first fell into Latna? After all that preparation, Han-bin stepped out of the back alley and penetrated the crowd. * * * Ryu Han-bin was right. Han-bin and his party were not aware of it, but at that moment, Hollien could see through the opponent¡¯s level just like Earthlings. It was thanks to the power called [Near-Completion Omphalos¡¯s Blessing], which they called the ¡®Guideline made in Latna¡¯ as a joke among the Top Three. As she waved at the crowd, she relaxed to check on them. [Race: Human. Lv. 1] [Race: Human. Lv. 2] Most of them were just ordinary people. Sometimes trained people could be seen, but they didn¡¯t have the level she was looking for. [Race: Human. Fighter lv.42] [Race: Human. Mage lv. 49] They were Hunters staying in the trading city of Luge. Hollien looked back at the brown-haired maid sitting next to her. She was looking over the window opposite the carriage on the other side of the street. ¡°What about there?¡± She was a member of Great Earth disguised as a maid. The Level 73 Spiritist Leslie shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see any suspicious being, your Majesty.¡± ¡°Really?¡± With a slightly disappointed look, Hollien frowned. ¡®They pulled me out of here, and I thought there would be some movement. Well, maybe they¡¯ve already come at me?¡¯ But she kept looking as a precaution. She had nothing else to do anyway. However, Hollien got tired of it quickly. Everywhere she looked, their levels were the same. Level 1, Level 1, Level 1¡­ Level 2, Level 2, Level 2¡­ Looking at it, she felt like there were only levels 1 and 2 in the world. Hollien clicked her tongue. ¡°Damn, this is why all the Aliens can go wild without needing to know their target.¡± As soon as she looked at people, she could know their levels. But most people were at that level when she went around the world. It was always a reminder of how ¡®small¡¯ the absolute majority of humans were. So how could she feel like they were the same with her? Well, some of them had mastered basic martial arts, but¡­ [Race: Human. Swordsman lv.4] [Race: Human. Fighter Lv. 5] But it was still insignificant. There was no such difference in the crowd. So, she looked at the level of one of them and just passed by. [Race: Human. Swordsman Lv. 6] * * * Hiding in the crowd, Ryu Han-bin kept waiting for Hollien¡¯s approach. He didn¡¯t worry that his opponent might recognize him. At that moment, he just looked like a level 6 swordsman covered with a shabby robe. It was obvious that he was an ordinary civilian. Nobody could even tell whether he was big or small because he was bent down. ¡®No one on Latna with any Guideline can ever identify me like this.¡¯ Hence, Han-bin once thought about trying to assassinate Hollien by himself. Hollien wouldn¡¯t care if a level 6 individual got close to her. He could assassinate her by himself! If he succeeded, wouldn¡¯t he be able to destroy the enemy without difficulties? Ryu Han-bin had been enjoying the fun of the recent ambush. So he discussed it with Leon Hart¡­ ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± He was laughed at. ¡°I guess you¡¯re mistaken, but you Aliens are the only ones who can see the other person¡¯s level at a glance. We can¡¯t know the level at all.¡± It could only be checked with a measuring stone, and it was possible only with their consent. In other words, by Latna¡¯s standards, an assassin in plain disguise was attempting a secret attack. Of course, everyone would be prepared for it accordingly. ¡°It would be advantageous to sneak into the royal family since I can deceive the measuring stone.¡± The royal servants were selected by checking their level with the measuring stone. If Ryu Han-bin, measured at level 6, disguised himself as a servant, he could easily infiltrate households. Still, the possibility of successfully executing the assassination was slim. ¡°If you are a servant or a maid who serves the Queen of a country, of course, they would thoroughly examine your status. It¡¯s possible to infiltrate the outskirts of the royal palace, but it¡¯s ridiculous to get close to the upper levels.¡± Han-bin couldn¡¯t get over it, and he asked again. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be lucky to have an opportunity to work in the royal family?¡± Leon Hart shook his head firmly. ¡°You can¡¯t expect that. Luck doesn¡¯t come in the way you expect it to.¡± That was what life was like. How many times had he been really lucky in anticipation of luck? ¡°If you fail, we¡¯ll lose our strongest source of strength due to something that¡¯s isn¡¯t likely to happen anyway.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± In the end, Ryu Han-bin was convinced and gave up. He had to be satisfied with only checking the exact level of the Transcendental. While bowing his head, he waited patiently. Soon, Hollien¡¯s carriage reached the front. It was less than 20 meters away. Hollien saw Han-bin¡¯s level, and Han-bin also checked Hollien¡¯s level. Of course, Hollien didn¡¯t feel anything wrong and moved on. And¡­ ¡®Uh, it¡¯s different from what I¡¯ve heard of.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin broke out into a cold sweat. Leon Hart estimated the level of the Transcendental to be in the early to mid 130s. The figures were inferred by other Spiritists within the top five in the continent, including himself. But the Guideline confirmed that it was far from the truth. [Race: Nymph. Spiritualist Lv. 155] ¡®Does this make sense? Why is her level so overwhelmingly high?¡¯ * * * It had been three days since the Fairy Queen arrived in the trading city of Luge. Hundreds of soldiers camped on the vast grassland, Turricon Plains, south of the city. The numbers included the regular army of the Fairy Kingdom led by Hollien, the troops of Luge, and Hunters. Originally, the Hunters didn¡¯t cut in on the wrong side of the night. The number of spells appearing on the side of the night amounted to hundreds. Unlike in dungeons, the military also engaged in combat, which wasn¡¯t something the Hunters were used to. But at that moment, quite a few Hunters voluntarily got involved. The Transcendental was behind them, after all! ¡°The night¡¯s monsters also have Spirit Stones, right?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a big deal out of this!¡± Since the strongest Spiritist in their realm was backing them up, they could expect better profits than usual. Hunters gathered at the barracks glistened with greed. The knights who saw the scene clicked their tongues. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Vulgar Hunters.¡± Despite their power, they didn¡¯t care about righteously saving the people but only focused on money. It was a mean sight. Nevertheless, they moved on without saying much. They must¡¯ve been a special power, anyway. Soon enough, the sun inevitably went down. Darkness fell over the meadow, deepening the night. The stars and the moon started to sparkle. However, the night¡¯s monsters did not appear. Only the calm darkness laid over the grassland. Amid the sound of grasshoppers, one of the Hunters murmured. ¡°When are the monsters going to show up?¡± They had already camped there for three days and had been waiting. Even if they found out where the night¡¯s big changes were going to occur, they didn¡¯t know when it would happen. They always had to wait for it to actually start. Stretching, the Hunters began to grumble. ¡°Oh, my back is burning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what tent life is like.¡± ¡°Of course, our tent¡­¡± A Hunter smirked while looking at the center of the camp. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can compare it to that one.¡± There was a large tent that wasn¡¯t comparable to the other barracks. It was the residence of the Fairy Queen, Hollien. As the Queen of the country, she was living in the field without any shortage. In addition to various household harnesses, silk beds and fluffy fur-skin carpets were provided. More than ten maids were serving her. ¡°They even set up a golden tub for her.¡± ¡°Wow, the ones with high positions are different.¡± The Hunters put their tongues out. However, there were no complaints about Hollien¡¯s luxury life. If the Queen of a country simply had that luxury on the battlefield, it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant. However, Hollien was the strongest Spiritist on Latna. ¡°She¡¯s one of the most powerful beings. She deserves that much.¡± ¡°I wonder how high is the level of the Transcendental is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It hasn¡¯t been known since she reached level 110.¡± For those who used battle as their business, it was Latna¡¯s long-standing etiquette to inform others of their level when they¡¯re introducing themselves. ¡®I have no hostility toward you. I will honestly reveal my true skills with the evidence.¡¯ The origin of the handshake was ¡®My hands are empty. I¡¯m currently unarmed.¡¯ Of course, those who wanted to cheat would cheat again. However, it was different in the case of the Top Three. -I¡¯m the king of a kingdom. I¡¯m a level-30 Swordsman! -I¡¯m the Queen of a kingdom. I¡¯m a level-40 Mage! Wasn¡¯t that weird? It was ridiculous for a king or a queen of a country to announce his or her level first. The Top Three also spoke of their levels when they were young and still Hunters, but they stopped mention it after reaching the top. In the Sword King¡¯s case, no one knew his real level because he refused to use the measuring stone at all. Therefore, it had been a long-standing topic for Hunters to discuss at what level the four strongest people would be and who was the strongest among the three except the Sword King. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Thunder King the strongest?¡± ¡°No, the Archmage is stronger¡­¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s a Spiritist, she hasn¡¯t shown off. But if we look at the level itself, the Transcendental would be the strongest.¡± They spent their time debating. At that moment, the night sky roared. Boom! Something seemed to break violently. Simultaneously, the sky became distorted, and countless hazes bloomed and spread across the darkness. The knights rushed out and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± Chapter 146 The Most Powerful Spiritist On Earth (1) The moon was splitting. The stars increased their distances from each other. Throughout Latna¡¯s starry and moonlit skies, the curtains of the world protected by Kybriel, the Goddess of Darkness, were observed to be unveiling in a strange phenomenon. Subsequently, powerful Alien energies eroded the grasslands. Boom! It didn¡¯t take long for countless glowing eyes to begin flashing across the vast fields. The monsters¡¯ gazes were filled with bloodlust. Grrrr¡­ Grrrr¡­ The soldiers¡¯ expressions stiffened. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± ¡°Crazy, what¡¯s all that?¡± There were countless of them, and none of them were weak. Great Ogres, Chimera Trolls, Lesser Manticores, Arc-Lizardmen, and even Rune Drakans, which had the shape of dragons over three meters tall, were among the monsters. Unlike Aliens, Latnains used their knowledge to infer the level of the monsters. The Hunters shivered. All of them were monsters ranging from level 60 to 70. Occasionally, they would even see a monster over level 80. ¡°Damn! Rune Drakans is a monster that appears only in the Four Prohibited Areas!¡± ¡°That¡¯s just jumping from the bottom?¡± Located in the middle of the continent, Turricon Plains had the weakest protection of the Night in the kingdom of Allendia. The number and level of the monsters that appeared were crazy. Thousands of beasts were already filling the meadow. They stared at the divided moon and cried in unison. Grrrr! Their shrieks and roars made the ground itself tremble. It was tremendous enough to be on par with the claps of lightning. Even the regular army of the Fairy Kingdom¡¯s highly disciplined military division lost their courage. Fear and anxiety lingered throughout the camp. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Monsters¡­¡± Watching it from the window of the tent, Hollien grinned. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± She was calm despite the nightmarish sight. ¡°Then shall we go out?¡± Leslie asked in surprise. ¡°Are you not armed?¡± At that moment, Hollien was dressed in a blue dress with colorful jewels. She looked elegant and beautiful as a queen of a country. However, her outfit didn¡¯t suit the battlefield at all. Hollien snorted at Leslie¡¯s question. ¡°Why arm me against those bastards?¡± In that outfit and wearing the queen¡¯s crown, she calmly left the barracks. The knights waiting outside quickly followed in Hollien¡¯s footsteps. Everyone seemed nervous due to the might of the incoming monsters. ¡°Everyone, relax. If you are so stiff, how can you swing your sword properly?¡± Joking at the knights, she walked to the front of the camp. Hundreds of troops were already in order. After making a large podium with ectoplasm and climbing on it, Hollien spoke to everyone. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid, Allendia¡¯s warriors!¡± A clear, resonant cry rang in the ears of all the soldiers. It was made to spread widely using spiritual art. ¡°The Goddesses of Latna will protect you!¡± The soldiers¡¯ expressions slowly changed. Their fear faded away little by little. Excitement and courage took over. ¡°Look, there are the enemies of our world!¡± She strengthened her voice, pointing to the thousands of approaching monsters. ¡°Go! Fight and bring home victory!¡± The leading knights pulled out long swords and shouted passionately. ¡°Everyone, forward!¡± The trumpets roared over the torn night sky. * * * Turricon Plain was covered in darkness. Thousands of monsters galloped over the lightless meadow. Roars erupted, causing the ground to shake and ears to ring. Allendia¡¯s army against the hordes of hell was only a few hundred. They were inferior in terms of both numbers and levels. Logically, they shouldn¡¯t expect victory. Nevertheless, the knights were not afraid. They bravely ran through the meadow and continued to encourage the soldiers. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid!¡± ¡°The Fairy Queen is behind your back!¡± ¡°Latna¡¯s strongest Spiritist is protecting us!¡± Hollien grinned as she saw Allendia¡¯s army on the march. ¡°They are full of fighting spirit.¡± She slowly pulled up Prana. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to live up to their expectations, right?¡± Her right hand pointed to the ground. Dark blue light gushed out everywhere. ¡°The power of Rhamniana flows into a river¡­¡± The blue light became a huge current, covering the entire Allendia army. And it permeated in everyone¡¯s body, turning into power. It was a spiritual art that amplified the physical abilities of the troops. ¡°What about this darkness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Queen¡¯s spiritual art!¡± ¡°Oh, my God! I¡¯m full of energy!¡± The soldiers who felt the change burst into cheers. They felt more than two or three times stronger than normal in an instant. That¡¯s not where Hollien¡¯s protection ended, either. ¡°Sorondi¡¯s thousand-year-old radiance, protect their body¡­¡± From her feet, countless lines of light stretched out like webs. Each web of light touched hundreds of soldiers and hung on their armor, causing their ordinary protection to turn into unbreakable layers. ¡°Yessen, let your fire serve as their sword that shall slay our foes.¡± She spread her hands to both sides. Hundreds of fireworks rose from both palms, soared into the sky, and then headed back to the ground. Inferno fell on the troops, causing the power of destruction to burn on everyone¡¯s sword. Flutters! Hundreds of flaming swords began to brighten the dark grassland. ¡°I¡¯ve improved your physical ability, increased your defense, and heightened your damage output¡­¡± Mumbling, Hollien raised her right hand high and pointed to the air. ¡°There¡¯s only one left.¡± A huge vortex penetrated the night sky. Then it spread out and fell. ¡°Preleu, let your wind wash away their fear!¡± A gentle breeze enveloped the entire Allendia army. At the same time, their fear disappeared from their hearts. Looking like legendary warriors of light, hundreds of soldiers charged towards thousands of monsters. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Fight!¡± ¡°Protect this world against the invasion of evil demons!¡± * * * At the south of the Turricon Plains, a shallow hill about a kilometer from the battlefield¡­ Hiding in the vegetation, Han-bin and his group were looking at the battlefield. He had already checked the Transcendental¡¯s level, but that didn¡¯t mean all the work was over. They had to check the opponent¡¯s tactics and her way of using spiritual arts. To do so, he needed to see Hollien battle in person. Three days ago, he stayed near the Allendia¡¯s army camp and waited for a change to occur in the night. If he got too close and got caught, he would get killed. Hence, he was more than a kilometer away. Fortunately, Artis had a far-field vision spell, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to scout around even if it was far away. Eventually, Hollien went to battle herself, as he had hoped. ¡°What¡¯s that? Is that possible?¡± Surprised, Han-bin made a blank expression. Artis and Effir also groaned. ¡°Oh, my God, I knew she was strong, but¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be like that¡­¡± Did she just use her spiritual arts on hundreds of allies at the same time? Besides, her power had gone beyond common sense. Hundreds of Allendians couldn¡¯t be pushed back by thousands of monsters. They maintained a strong line, continuously swinging their deadly blades in the process. A soldier fought one-on-one against the Great Orc, which was more than 2 meters tall. Hunters lightly cut off the Lesser Manticores¡¯ necks, a feat that usually required several people to be done. The knights traveled through the battlefield and blew away three or four Chimera Trolls¡¯ necks in one shot. Ryu Han-bin trembled as he saw Allendia¡¯s army, who rose again like zombies no matter how many times they collapsed. ¡°At this point, the Allendians aren¡¯t fighting with Hollien¡¯s assistance. Hollien¡¯s fighting by using Allendia¡¯s army as a tool.¡± Artis burst into a lament. ¡°Is that the true power of the Transcendental¡­?¡± She was tapping her fingers gracefully behind the army. Nevertheless, her influence covered the entire battlefield. Get up. Get up and fight. Leon Hart sighed deeply. ¡°¡­ that¡¯s a powerful spiritual art. Was her level 155?¡± Han-bin replied, grumbling. ¡°How many times have I told you? I didn¡¯t see it wrong.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe his Guideline fully, but at least its level-checking function had never failed him. ¡°It would be strange if an error occurred only this time.¡± At that point, it wouldn¡¯t be an error, but someone would be maliciously manipulating it. However, Leon Hart looked like he still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Even though the Fairy Queen is a genius from heaven¡­¡± On the present continent, after Hollien, the next most powerful spiritist was Plater Cabane, the head of the Sages, the Spiritists¡¯ Guild headquarters. At the age of 70 that year, his level was as high as 121. And Leon Hart, the Templar Lord of Kybriel, was level 112. It meant that the level of the top two was about that much. Therefore, the level of the Transcendental was estimated around mid-130 at most. But level 155? ¡°There¡¯s a 34-level gap between the first and second places?¡± What was even more frightening was that Genovia and Garhan would also be on a similar level. He couldn¡¯t understand it. No matter how much the Top Three talents penetrated the sky, those a rank below them were also born with natural talents. That was why they were able to get there. ¡°The level gap shouldn¡¯t be this much¡­¡± It couldn¡¯t be explained by saying they were simply geniuses among geniuses. Kibie tilted her head at the agonizing Leon Hart. ¡°Is that so weird?¡± The strongest three had trained for 40 to 50 years more than Leon Hart. Then wasn¡¯t it natural that the gap widened that much? ¡°Leon Hart will be just as strong when he¡¯s about the same age as them, right?¡± Leon Hart smiled bitterly. ¡°Human beings don¡¯t get as strong as they get overtime, Kibie.¡± No matter how much of a genius he was, his growth slowed down as he began to grow older after his prime. ¡°She could still be stronger. It¡¯s strange not to regress due to old age¡­¡± Remaining silent, Leon Hart¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Wait, come to think of it¡­!¡¯ He didn¡¯t grow old. Blessed by the Goddesses, he had returned to his youth. Was that all? He could maintain that youth until he died. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± He let out a scream. He told them the answer with his mouth. It had been more than 30 years since the Goddess blessed the Top Three. ¡°Then they¡¯ve been in their prime for decades!¡± Chapter 147 The Most Powerful Spiritist On Earth (2) The Goddesses had blessed the Top Three with youth that lasted until death. It wasn¡¯t just that their aging process didn¡¯t occur. It meant that they were always at their peak physically, mentally, and spiritually. Naturally, such a huge gap was bound to widen. As the years went by, while those ranked below them stayed in their place, they continued climbing up! Leon Hart trembled. ¡°Was it that beneficial to stay young?¡± However, he didn¡¯t feel it. It hadn¡¯t been that long since he was blessed, after all. But when he thought about it¡­ ¡®With normal aging, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten that strong. The same can be said for me.¡¯ He understood why Hollien¡¯s level was so high. The Fairy clan of Latna was slower in level growth than the human race. Like Dragons, they lived many times longer. On the other hand, the rising curve was a bit different from the Dragons. Their skills rarely rose until around 100 years old, which was equivalent to the boyhood of the Nymphs. However, at that point, they would improve their skills at a rate comparable to that of humans until they were 150 years old, which was their full maturity. After that, the level increase would slow down sharply again. And when they were over 250 years old, it would stop completely. The currently known age of the Fairy Queen was 203 years old, and she was in the maturity stage. Originally, the rate at which her level rose should¡¯ve slowed down tremendously. ¡®But since she¡¯s gone back to her prime, she could continue to improve her skills.¡¯ The Nymphs were young and beautiful, seemingly without any difference between maturity. ¡®Jesus, I could have guessed her level¡­¡¯ The Sword King, Baotolt, defeated the divine Kruse Murg, whose estimated level was 170. And the Top Three were considered to be the same as the Sword King. Although Baotolt was the strongest, the gap wasn¡¯t large. Such people¡¯s level couldn¡¯t be just around the 130s. ¡®The news of the Sword King¡¯s death was so shocking that I couldn¡¯t think of it.¡¯ Leon Hart looked back at Kibie with resentment. ¡°With all due respect, you¡¯ve given mortals a weapon too powerful for our own good.¡± Kibie had a bitter look on her face. The Goddesses did expect that. ¡°Back then, we thought we would be able to prevent continuous attacks by giving them that kind of benefit.¡± Thus, every 12 years, the Goddesses continued to bless the world with guardians of Latna at a level that didn¡¯t break the world¡¯s balance. They never dreamed that the Goddesses¡¯ creations would rebel against them with that power. ¡°Anyway, Han-bin didn¡¯t see it wrong.¡± After shaking his head, Leon Hart turned back to the battlefield. ¡°Now I can¡¯t run away¡­¡± They had no choice but to look more closely and find weaknesses somehow. * * * Thanks to the Transcendental¡¯s formidable spiritual arts, the Allendia Army managed to engage in a tight race against the night¡¯s monsters. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t win. As expected, there were too many monsters. The average level was too high. As time went by, they were pushed back little by little. Hollien wasn¡¯t embarrassed. ¡°I expected this to happen.¡± The essence of victory was to dominate the enemy with a stronger power than the opponent. It was the condition of a true master to preempt the terrain, secure information, and fight only in situations that they could win. However, the public was enthusiastic about the weak destroying the strong. When fighting thousands of enemies with 300 men, defeating 133 enemy ships with 12 ships, and showing victory against all odds, they burst into cheers and praise. Hence, she had purposely brought in only the right amount of troops. The real purpose of the battle wasn¡¯t to win but to appease the public. It could further enhance the prestige of the Transcendental. ¡®Of course, if we¡¯re defeated like this, we¡¯ll have nothing to say.¡¯ She had already pushed the soldiers back. At that point, it was time to show off her power. Hollien once again extended her arms from side to side. ¡°Light of Althea! Expand your radiance through the world through my hands!¡± The vast Prana became rays of light, bombarding the battlefield. * * * It was a very chaotic mess. The cries of monsters and knights were mixed everywhere. Argh! Grrrr! ¡°Hang in there!¡± ¡°Never back down!¡± A hunter clicked his tongue after cutting the Great Orc in front of him vertically. ¡°Jesus, it would¡¯ve been better to form a defensive position and wait¡­¡± There were only blood, corpses, and monsters everywhere. Nobody was certain if the troops were winning or losing. Another hunter gritted his teeth as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I mean, why did we have to go head-to-head? They¡¯ll charge at us on their own anyway!¡± The Allendia Army had set up positions on the Turricon Plains in advance. It meant that they could prepare the terrain against enemy attacks. However, as soon as the night¡¯s monsters appeared, all their eyes turned red and launched a reckless charge. There was no need to engage in a war of attrition in the middle of the field against monsters that rushed recklessly in madness. Rather, it was much more advantageous to form a defense line and respond tactically. ¡°No, the Transcendental didn¡¯t even know such basic tactical sense?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the wrong approach?¡± The Hunters felt nervous. Taaa! Light covered the Turricon Plains. Throughout the vast range of battlefields, a curtain of light swept through the waves. A huge light membrane of several kilometers separated the monsters from the Allendian Army and emanated as a dazzling wall. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve laid the foundation¡­¡± Mumbling, Hollien finished signing. Contrary to the Hunters¡¯ misunderstanding, she wasn¡¯t ignorant of strategies. Although she might not be a professional military commander, she had basic common sense. Why wouldn¡¯t she know that it¡¯s much more advantageous to choose the right terrain, build a formation, and deploy troops in the right place? Nevertheless, she intentionally pushed the entire army into the field. It was all for the trick that would follow. ¡°I establish the authority of the Queen on this land!¡± She completed the spiritual art by putting her hands together. ¨C Unique Spiritual Art: Citadel of Innumerable Changes! Rumble! The curtain of light fluctuated with a roar. And in an instant, it started to change its shape. A huge wall stood between the soldiers and the monsters. A tall tower rose under the archers¡¯ feet, who were shaking as they fired volleys of arrows. The earth cracked, and the moat dug, causing a torrent of light to swirl. The movement of the monsters slowed down as their screams erupted. Crrr? Argh! The two sides, which had been fighting in a chaotic mix, were separated. Archers stood at the windows of the pagoda and looked down at the monsters. The embarrassed Allendia Army looked around and hummed. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡°Is this a spiritual barrier?¡± ¡°What kind of barrier is this big? It¡¯s a citadel!¡± It truly was. It was no longer a wall or a maze. A huge citadel of light, hundreds of meters long, was shining elegantly! Hollien grinned as she lowered her hands. ¡®This citadel is a pretty good one.¡¯ Instead of deploying troops in the right place, she made deployed the right place below the troops. It was the power of her unique spiritual art, the Citadel of Innumerable Changes. That was why she intentionally made the Allendian Army charge head-on against the monsters. They could attack first and defend later. ¡°Look!¡± ¡°The Queen is watching us!¡± Everyone understood the situation even if there were no cries from the knights. The situation no longer made the troops struggle in the fields. Defended by a perfect fortress, they fought their enemy! ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Long live the Queen!¡± ¡°Long live the Transcendental!¡± The Allendian Army, which was given an advantageous position, began to hunt down the rushing monsters. * * * Looking at the imposing sight of the citadel of light rising in the middle of the Turricon Plains, Ryu Han-bin looked blank. ¡°Wow, can she do that with the spiritual arts alone?¡± In a traditional Korean fairytale, a goblin laid a stone bridge over a stream overnight. Wasn¡¯t it a simple miracle compared to that? At the same time, he questioned it. ¡°How could she do that? If she could do such a thing, she would¡¯ve wiped out all the monsters with that power.¡± Then Leon Hart asked as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°That¡¯s how you Aliens think. Is that how science works?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When you saw the water turn into wine, you thought you could turn wine into water as if it were natural for the two phenomena to be linked.¡± ¡°Huh, no?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think so, but they¡¯re not linked.¡± Physically speaking, if someone had the power to break a stone, he could break a tree. But that wasn¡¯t how Latna¡¯s magic or spiritual arts functioned. The magic of breaking rocks only broke rocks. The higher the level, the bigger and harder the rock could be broken, but it couldn¡¯t break trees or humans. That was why Leon Hart¡¯s prestige was so high. He had done a feat of using Latna¡¯s magic, which was specialized in defense, recovery, and assistance, unorthodoxly. ¡°Well, I was able to come up with this idea thanks to my frequent fights against the Aliens.¡± He turned back to the battlefield. Stuck in the citadel of light, the Allendian troops were smashing the incoming monsters one by one swiftly. If the monsters had a commander, they could try to reverse the situation by aiming for the vacant position of Hollien behind the citadel. But they weren¡¯t that intelligent. Instead, they focused on attacking the citadel in front of them. At that point, victory was definitely on Hollien¡¯s side. ¡°That¡¯s not the only ways the Transcendental can fight.¡± Feeling embarrassed, Leon Hart scratched his chin. ¡°This is troublesome. I need to learn more about her.¡± * * * Hollien was wondering silently. ¡°I can¡¯t get any experience, huh?¡± She used supportive spiritual arts on hundreds of allies and unique spiritual art on the battlefield. Anyone could tell that she was the main force of the battle. Nevertheless, there was no response to the Guideline. ¡°Is it because the monsters¡¯ level is too low?¡± She didn¡¯t think that was the case. Garhan, Genovia, and Hollien conducted experiments as soon as they gained the [Near-Completion Omphalos¡¯s Blessing]. At that time, when they killed level 68 monsters, they still got experiences. It wasn¡¯t that much, however. Some of the night¡¯s monsters that attacked them were above level 80. It might not be the level. ¡°Or is it because I¡¯m not killing them by myself?¡± That would¡¯ve been strange as well. According to Leslie¡¯s explanation, the Alien Spiritist gained experience even if she was just assisting in combat. ¡®You said that in party play mode, the experience would be distributed evenly by the number of people, or I can get a proportionate share of experience, right?¡¯ They weren¡¯t in party play mode, but she didn¡¯t think they would recognize her as not participating in the battle because she had been more than influential enough in that fight. Hollien, who was agonizing over it, stepped forward. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I¡¯ll kill them myself.¡± Dazzling wings made of light unfolded on her back. Chapter 148 The Most Powerful Spiritist On Earth (3) A ray of flash rose into the night sky. A beautiful blue-haired woman in a dress flew in over the battlefield, spreading her dazzling spiritual wings. Han-bin¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Wow, a high-ranking Spiritist can fly in the sky?¡± Well, her level was 155, so she could do anything. Han-bin asked if Leon Hart could fly, and the answer that came back was¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t even know there was such a spiritual art.¡± It seemed to be another one of Hollien¡¯s unique spiritual art. It was a great harvest to know that the enemy could fly. Looking back at the silver-haired girl, Ryu Han-bin spoke seriously. ¡°I have to practice riding Effir later.¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t mean the unpardonable atrocity of raping a young girl, but what he meant was that he wanted to practice flying in the sky by riding on her back, a Wyvern. Effir immediately understood and even clenched her fist. ¡°I haven¡¯t practiced flying much lately, but I¡¯ll have to train separately.¡± Regardless, the Transcendental went to the battlefield herself. Leon Hart sighed with relief. ¡°We get to see more of her skills.¡± * * * The flash quickly crossed the citadel of light. The Allendian Army, who saw Hollien, burst into cheers. ¡°Oh, my Queen!¡± ¡°The Fairy Queen has descended!¡± No one was worried about the country¡¯s precious Queen even though she jumped into the battlefield herself. Leon Hart, a fighting spiritist, had a high reputation, but Hollien could fight alone as much as she wanted. She didn¡¯t have to do that much. Everyone watched Hollien¡¯s back with anticipation as he flew over the field. Wasn¡¯t it an opportunity to get a glimpse of the true skills of the Transcendental? ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Kill them all!¡± With the soldiers cheering behind her, Hollien continued to soar. After reaching the space right above the monsters, she gradually lowered her altitude. As the distance closed, their level began to show on the Guideline. [Race: Great Orc Lv. 65] [Race: Chimera Trolls Lv. 68] [Race: Lesser Manticore Lv. 73] [Race: Arc Lizardman Lv. 71] Like the Aliens¡¯ Guidelines, additional explanations about the race weren¡¯t provided. The power of the demon she carried didn¡¯t come directly from Omphalos. She copied the power and erased the influence of the demon. It didn¡¯t include various skills or additional information like the original. So when Hollien checked her status window, the only information that popped up was the following: [Hollien Strauss Allendia: Spiritualist lv. 155 Retention Skill: Unverifiable] Her spiritual skills were all self-disciplined, not skills from the Guideline. Therefore, leveling up didn¡¯t allow her to gain additional skills like Aliens. ¡®I don¡¯t have to get those.¡¯ In the first place, there was only one reason why the Top Three aimed for the Aliens¡¯ ability. The power of ¡®absorption.¡¯ The rest wasn¡¯t important. Even though she already had that ability, she still had to experiment with it, but there was no reason to be disappointed. Turning in the air, Hollien looked calmly at the monsters. The monsters roared in return. Grrr! At the same time, light burst all over the meadow. Flames rose, and thunders and flashes covered the sky. Their attack against Hollien had begun. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to intercept an enemy over 20 meters in the air. ¡°Hum!¡± Hollien giggled and raised her right hand slightly. A curtain of light unfolded and attacked all the incoming projectiles. She glared at a nearby Lesser Manticore. ¡®Well, shall I try it, then?¡¯ She didn¡¯t need an advantageous position. Her will alone invoked a spiritual art, creating a huge, milky blade. -Ectoplasmic Blade! The blade penetrated the torso of the Lesser Manticore. It happened in the blink of an eye. The Manticore couldn¡¯t even recognize it, let alone avoid it. Along with the explosion, the blood and flesh of the monster exploded in all directions. Boom! The Guideline posted a message. [Lv. 73 Lesser Manticore has been eliminated. You have gained 8,834,200 Experience Points.] [Current Experience Points: 813,742,500/438,290,845,700] ¡°Now I¡¯m getting my experience.¡± It was a ridiculous figure even when she looked at it again. She gained 8.8 million experience points after killing the level 73 monster, but she needed 430 billion experience points to level up? Hollien clicked her tongue. ¡°It would be much faster to become stronger through training.¡± Some people might feel like 8.8 million was a pretty large number. But from a different perspective¡­ From that point on, if they saved 880 won each day, how long would it take for them to reach 438 million? No one would be motivated. Of course, it was due to the low level of the monsters in front of her. If she fought monsters at the same level as her, she would gain more experience points, allowing her to raise her level a little faster. But Hollien wasn¡¯t very interested in raising her level that way. It was because she couldn¡¯t put meaning to the level she had raised. She wouldn¡¯t get new skills like Aliens, and she would get more basic skills at best. ¡®How much would that help me become stronger?¡¯ The Guideline showed her level as followed. [Hollien Strauss Allendia: Spiritualist Lv. 155 Retention Skill: Unverifiable Prana: 1,780. Spiritual Power: 1,760. Concentration 1,280. Intelligence: 1,310. Mental Power: 1,480. Wisdom: 1,780.] Unlike warriors and Magic Swordsmen, Spiritists and Mages had little difference in physical strength or stamina from ordinary people. To make up for that, their mental capacity to deal with Mana and Prana increased. ¡°There¡¯s no way the metaphysical phenomenon of the human mind could be digitized this way in the first place. It¡¯s a rule of thumb.¡± Originally, Latna¡¯s level concept was just an indicator of roughly how much physical ability one had, how much technical training they had, and how much combat experience they had gained. The total of that would then be converted into numbers. Latnains¡¯ blind faith in the measuring stone also meant that they never thought it would break down and showed the approximate strength accurately, not the level itself. Comparing it to Earth¡¯s term, it was like a martial arts certificate. It was much more accurate than that, but it was never absolute. The basic form of strength varied greatly. Some people were weak but fast, others were slow but strong and resilient to physical attacks, and others were strong and fast but lacked proper combat skills. Even after quantifying their abilities, the weakest couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯ Genovia and Garhan were lower in level than Hollien, but there was no certainty that she would win in a one-on-one fight. ¡®No, wouldn¡¯t Genovia, which has the lowest level, have the highest winning rate?¡¯ Combat was never simple. There were countless variables like the fighter¡¯s condition and level of situational judgment. The number of experience points she needed was so large that the gap seemed huge, but it was only a thin line among the Top Three beings. However, the Aliens believed in levels and abilities as if they were absolute standards. From their point of view, it was inevitable. Aliens gained experience points to raise their level, and each time their level rose, their ability and skills rose with it. Besides, they grew stronger through combat. There were no variables in the figures. Everyone was under the same impression. Hence, for them, high levels were superior to low levels in all respects. However, it was just a worthless number for Latnains, who developed their skills with their talents and efforts. Hollien murmured as she looked through the monsters. ¡°Anyway, if I kill them by myself, it¡¯s confirmed that I will gain experience¡­¡± At least, she didn¡¯t gain experience because her opponents¡¯ levels were too low. ¡°Then what about earlier?¡± Curiously, she clasped her hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I¡¯ll have to kill more.¡± * * * The blue-haired woman crossed the night sky gracefully, the hem of her dress fluttering due to the wind. A swift hand gesture from her led to ruthless bombardment. -Ectoplasmic Blades! Dozens of milky-white blades rained down on the monsters. The moment they struck their targets, the monsters screamed. Argh! Argh! Every time a monster died, the Guideline displayed a message. [Lv. 68 Great Orc has been eliminated. You have gained 4,381,900 Experience Points.] [Current Experience Points: 818,124,400/438,290,845,700] [Lv. 74 Chimera Troll has been eliminated. You have gained 9,382,400 Experience Points.] [Current Experience Points: 827,506,800/438,290,845,700] [Lv. 78 Arc Lizardman has been eliminated. You have gained 17,162,500 experience points.] [Current Experience Points: 844,669,300/438,290,845,700.] ¡°It¡¯s annoying. I want it to stop.¡± As soon as Hollien turned it off, the message window moved away to one corner of the view. The message of the Guideline became invisible or visible depending on the user¡¯s will. Of course, that was a necessary function. While concentrating on the battle, if the light screen suddenly caught her eyes, it could distract her, causing her to make a mistake and putting her life in danger. ¡®I just need to know if I gain experience points or not, but I don¡¯t have to worry about the numbers.¡¯ spiritual arts to deal with the monsters. Hollien attacked them directly, summoned an ectoplasmic giant to kill the monsters instead of her, and controlled their minds to fight each other. She continued to gain experience points. Only when she put an auxiliary spiritual art on the Allendia army did she not gain points. ¡®Why? What¡¯re the requirements?¡¯ Thinking about it, Hollien reached a conclusion. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± She got tired of it. Hollien, who had lived as the Queen of a powerful nation all her life, was born a genius. She easily acquired spiritual arts. However, her patience wasn¡¯t that long. Even she was aware of the fact. ¡®My concentration is 1,280? What¡¯s the standard for that?¡¯ Hollien laughed at the Guideline, saying they were unbelievable. She understood. She was sure that was just a rough idea of combat-related figures. ¡®It¡¯s just limited to concentration when using spiritual arts.¡¯ Latna¡¯s measuring stone was similar in that sense. Hunters called it the ¡®strength of the soul¡¯ to be stylish, but it could only identify aspects that involved combat. If it were the strength of the soul, even if someone were a beginner in combat, they would be highly evaluated if they had a strong mentality. It was easy to be misled by words such as mental or concentration. ¡°Then let¡¯s just give up this troublesome experiment¡­¡± Swaying through the air, Hollien began to sign. She came forward not only to experiment with the power of the devil. That battle was to prove that the Transcendental wasn¡¯t related to the night¡¯s big changes. Hollien needed to personally come to the frontlines to show the people her strength and imprint it on everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­ Time to get started.¡± Chapter 149 The Most Powerful Spiritist On Earth (4) The beautiful Nymph flew through the air with her wings spread out. Five different-colored rays were emitted around her. Her vast Prana had become a type of air current, filling the field. Argh! The monsters began to run wild. The overwhelming power held so much pressure that it weighed them down. At that rate, they had no other option but to die helplessly. Argh! They jumped, burst out flames, swung their claws, and struggled as hard as they could. Explosions and roars rang ceaselessly across the Turricon Plains. Boom! It didn¡¯t work. As soon as all the attacks touched the light, they scattered like dust. Hollien continued to cast spiritual arts. ¡°With the authority of Kybriel over the stars in the night, let her will be cast upon the earth¡­¡± White fingers-like beams embraced the vicinity gracefully. It collected, sprinkled, and sent powerful petals to the wind with its soft fingertips. She opened her mouth and let out a sweet voice. ¡°Descend upon the earth, Constellation of Rhodia.¡± Her fingers pointed to the east of the meadow. A huge black pillar over 10 meters tall rose on the field. It was engraved with beautiful constellations as if part of the night sky had been dragged down. Boom! Her voice followed. ¡°Descend upon the earth, Constellation of Darun.¡± Another pitch-black column sprang up at the west of the meadow. ¡°Descend upon the earth, Constellation of Freepil.¡± Every time her thin fingers pointed to the ground¡­ ¡°Descend upon the earth, Constellation of Ephiran.¡± The pillars of stars rose one after another in all directions. The darkness located across the vast lands vibrated and emitted five-colored waves. Zoom! Even those whose instincts only told them to slaughter were frightened. The fearful monsters began to scatter in all directions. Argh! Argh! But it was already too late. ¡°Scatter your starlights and sing a melody of condemnation¡­¡± Stretching her hands, Hollien completed her spiritual art. The resonant columns of stars broke down instantly, becoming countless flashes that covered the entire meadow. ¨C Unique Spiritual Art: Echoes of Trembling Starlight! * * * The starlight sank to the ground. Countless meteor showers sang songs of slaughter, beautifully yet brutally assaulting the monsters. Their screams rang endlessly. Their groans echoed ceaselessly. Argh! Argh! Argh! Thousands of monsters died in unison. Levels were meaningless. Their size was also meaningless. All of them faced a common and equal fate. Watching the battlefield from the main camp, Leslie trembled without even realizing it. ¡°Argh¡­¡± It was indeed an incredible sight. Reaching both ends of the horizon, death extinguished all the flames of light. ¡®She¡¯s a¡­¡¯ That was it. That was why the Great Earth, including her, had no choice but to give unconditional allegiance to the Top Three. At one time, Leslie wasn¡¯t much different from other Aliens. She fell to Latna at level 20, tried to adapt somehow, and became a murderer after failing to overcome the pleasure of slaughter that came as the level rose. The blue-haired Nymph appeared in front of her. The woman trampled her colleagues like bugs with an only gesture. She knocked everyone down with just one word and smiled casually. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just take care of these guys and drag them away.¡± Despite being completely overpowered, most of her colleagues struggled. They had already become addicted to the pleasure of killing. While trembling with fear in front of her, she couldn¡¯t resist her desire to wield a sword. It was like a late-stage drug addict poking a needle into her arm even though she knew she would die if she took it one more time. But Leslie didn¡¯t. No, she couldn¡¯t. Too big a fear caused her murder addiction to disappear. At that moment, complete submission dominated her senses. Only unconditional submission, which transcended even the survival instinct, filled the mind. Watching Leslie like that, Hollien found it interesting. ¡°Yeah, sometimes there are people like you. Weird kids who turn their withdrawal symptoms around with fear.¡± Hollien suggested to her. ¡°Be my slave. Give up everything about you and give up your body, your spirit, and your soul. If you do that, I¡¯ll relieve your pain.¡± Leslie accepted. She didn¡¯t dare refuse. Indeed, Hollien didn¡¯t lie. After she was banned and gave up on herself, her desire for slaughter was no longer as great as it used to be. She remained in the corner of her chest, but she was able to endure it enough. She followed Hollien to the palace of Allendia. And she met her colleagues. Already under the Top Three, the other Aliens had given in like Leslie. In the past, they were called the Great Earth after the devil¡¯s followers who targeted Preleu. Of course, they became the opposite of that. They were turned into faithful servants of the Top Three. There they began their new life as Hollien¡¯s maids. They gave up their mission to save Latna by destroying the six fake Goddesses. After they gave up, their lives became worth living. There was even a little pride in being different from others. ¡°Not all Aliens can overcome withdrawal symptoms. Strong-minded like you¡­ No, in this case, your mental strength is so weak that you¡¯ve overcome it.¡± It had been more than a decade. Leslie still didn¡¯t regret the choice she had made at that time. She was destined to be dragged to Akhtarun if she resisted anyway. Wouldn¡¯t it be a hundred times better to live a human life next to the strongest, even if it meant being enslaved, than to live in hell? Of course, there was a disadvantage. Leslie couldn¡¯t raise her level as much as Akhtarun¡¯s prisoners. However, there was no reason to be disappointed. Due to the nature of the environment, the Aliens of Akhtarun¡¯s levels were much higher than Leslie¡¯s. However, not all Aliens were able to raise their levels. The number of Aliens trapped in Akhtarun after being caught by the Top Three was originally over 2,000. And only hundreds of people had survived so far. They survived because they gained high levels. But they were sorrowful that they missed the chance to utilize their strength. How much confidence did they have to become that powerful? ¡®They can¡¯t have such foolish regrets unless they¡¯re idiots who believe they¡¯re never going to die.¡¯ Shaking her head, Leslie looked over the Turricon Plains. The situation was already over. The night¡¯s big changes disappeared, and the torn shroud of darkness slowly recovered and returned to its original form. Only the bodies of countless monsters were stretched out endlessly, creating an eerie blood flow. Leslie laughed as she recalled the Holy Punishers. ¡°Those idiots.¡± Aliens knew how absolute they were. ¡°But how dare you rebel against me when we¡¯re both Latnains?¡± Clicking her tongue, Leslie went back inside the barracks. She could tell because she had served Hollien for a long time. ¡®You¡¯re going to be thirsty.¡¯ Having used her strength like that, she was most likely to crave for the delicate wine of Durand first. Leslie hurriedly began to prepare the table with wine and some side dishes with a faithful maid¡¯s attitude. * * * South of the Turricon Plains, the citadel of light surrounded by the Allendia Army. Everyone was in shock. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re all dead?¡± They had heard about the strength of the strongest Spiritist on Latna. They also knew that the Top Four was absolute among the absolutes. Nevertheless, the difference between listening to a story and seeing it in person was huge. ¡°No, she told us to kill them all, but¡­¡± ¡°Still, she dealt with all the monsters in one shot?¡± ¡°There were thousands of them!¡± Everyone looked at the shining figure of the Fairy Queen in astonishment and fear. At that moment, everyone had a similar thought in their heads. ¡®Is she a mortal?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until a while before some of the knights shouted. ¡°Victory is ours!¡± ¡°The Queen brought victory!¡± Only then did the Allendian Army come to its senses. ¡°Yes! We won!¡± The battle was over, and they survived. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Long live the Fairy Queen!¡± ¡°Long live the Transcendental!¡± * * * Still staring at the battlefield beyond, Ryu Han-bin spoke in a melancholic tone. ¡°Hey, Leon Hart.¡± Hollien¡¯s true colors were beyond imagination. Even the Han-bin¡¯s dull emotions were emitting danger signals like crazy. Effir, who was sensitive, couldn¡¯t even stand properly. ¡°Well, maybe if we create a formidable trap, we¡¯ll be able to defeat her?¡± Leon Hart didn¡¯t answer. ¡°¡­¡± He just kept his mouth shut with a nervous expression. * * * Hollien, the Transcendental, calmed the night¡¯s big change on the Turricon Plains! The news spread throughout the Fairy Kingdom. The direction of public sentiment had also changed as expected by the Royal Family of Allendia. ¡°I heard the Fairy Queen dealt with the night¡¯s monsters herself?¡± ¡°No, I heard she wiped them all out herself.¡± ¡°As expected, it was a false rumor. How could she have been corrupted?¡± ¡°Maybe the Templar Lords are mistaken.¡± ¡°Or is this the work of Aliens?¡± However, it didn¡¯t change as much as expected. Many of the public still spoke opposingly. ¡°We can¡¯t say that the Goddess¡¯s oracle is a lie.¡± ¡°Just because she killed the night¡¯s monsters, she can already be considered the enemy of the devil? What about the Aliens who hunt in the dungeons?¡± To raise their level, Aliens went in and out of dungeons and hunted for monsters. Therefore, in the early days of the Aliens¡¯ appearance, they considered themselves heroes. That much alone didn¡¯t ascertain that the six Templar Lords were making false claims. Thanks to that, the Holy Punishers¡¯ power didn¡¯t diminish. The fact that the Fairy Queen was stronger than expected also didn¡¯t shake the collaborators¡¯ faith. It was the same as before and at that moment when they couldn¡¯t play against her anyway. In the first place, they didn¡¯t cooperate because the Transcendental was easy. They cooperated because they wanted to serve the Goddess properly. On the other hand, the Holy Punishers¡¯ main headquarters was almost like a mourner¡¯s house. ¡°¡­ Level 155?¡± ¡°Is that even true? Did you check with your own eyes?¡± ¡°No, how the hell can we kill a monster like that?¡± All the Templar Lords were lost in thoughts. They were working hard on estimating her power and planning out an operation that was as likely as possible to succeed, but they were shaken from the roots. ¡°Phew¡­¡± With a deep sigh, Althea Church¡¯s Templar Lord, Sabine Asil, spoke in a gloomy tone. ¡°We¡¯ve got to make some big changes to the plan.¡± Chapter 150 We Need a Solution! (1) After dealing with the night¡¯s big change on the Turricon Plains, Hollien didn¡¯t return to the royal family immediately. One mustn¡¯t expect too much on their first attempt. Public perception didn¡¯t change 180 degrees just once. There were still many people who cast doubt on the Fairy Queen. Hence, the Allendia royal family wanted her to continue to calm the night¡¯s big changes in the kingdom. It wasn¡¯t just to recover her reputation. There was a more practical reason. Once the Fairy Queen came forward, it was far more effective than the troops! ¡°Hundreds of them destroyed thousands of monsters?¡± ¡°There weren¡¯t even deaths? Only a handful of injuries?¡± ¡°Oh, my God, if we had known this, we would have begged the Queen to come forward from the beginning!¡± Until that moment, the Allendia royal family had no idea of Hollien¡¯s real abilities. Even the Fairy King, who was trying to take care of his precious Queen, was surprised, saying, ¡®Has my wife always been that strong?¡¯ Of course, everyone knew that she was the heroine who had saved Latna and the most powerful Spiritist on Latna. However, only a few people knew exactly how powerful she was. In the Continental Three Powers, Hollien, who was in a high position as Queen, had no reason to show her ability in the royal palace¡¯s limited space. Most of the time, she used her strength in the center of the dungeons or the Four Prohibited Areas. Hence, there were few witnesses. Everyone just guessed that she was strong because it was said that she was the best in the world. The royal family of Allendia, who belatedly shuddered before the true power of the Transcendental, asked her to move in earnest. Hollien readily agreed. She was hoping, too. Banastrel territory in the middle of the Fairy Kingdom. The eyes of countless monsters flashed over the darkened ridge. Nightmares covered the lands. The monsters had invaded through the night¡¯s big changes. However, no one in the Fairy Kingdom Army was afraid. Behind them, absolute power was standing firmly. ¡°Dirty monsters!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± They believed in their strengthened sword, armor, and body, allowing them to run toward the horde of monsters bravely. Blood and flames were rising everywhere. Soon, the citadel of light revealed its splendid appearance, and numerous milky-white blades cut through the sky and bombarded. Boom! Under the protection of Hollien, the Allendian Army relentlessly violated the monsters, which outnumbered them multiple times. Everyone burst into cheers, praising and hailing the Fairy Queen. ¡°The Fairy Queen is watching us!¡± ¡°For Allendia!¡± But in fact, Hollien wasn¡¯t watching the Allendian Army. She was distracted by the other side, roughly coordinating the situation. ¡®They must be watching me somewhere¡­¡¯ At best, they had moved the people¡¯s hearts and brought her out of the royal palace. Then she was sure they would make the next move. ¡°I¡¯m walking around in the open.¡± Hollien smiled as she appeared deliberately. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel something? Come on.¡± * * * Hollien¡¯s prediction was completely wrong. The Holy Punishers weren¡¯t observing her. They were just agonizing together in a completely different place. Six Templar Lords, Han-bin, and his companions hid in a secret hideout. With a look of sorrow, Sabine Asil and Angelica sighed. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Level 155? It¡¯s so high that it¡¯s hard to determine what we can even do.¡± The Top Three were the three sinners who stole the divinity of the darkness. The Holy Punishers made a plan revolving around the Fairy Queen Hollien as the first target. It was the so-called ¡®The Transcendental¡¯s Punishment Operation.¡± The following were the main steps: Step 1: The Churches and the Holy Punishers had to be separated using the Goddess¡¯s oracle to secure safety and shake Allendia. Thanks to Ryu Han-bin¡¯s initiative, they succeeded neatly. Step 2, Hollien wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it and would be induced to come forward. That, too, went smoothly. Kibie, the incarnation of the darkness, was frequently revealed, which led her to unravel Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens. As the Aliens¡¯ appearance gradually deteriorated the Fairy Queen¡¯s reputation, the Allendia royal family would try to erase rumors by putting her in person. The biggest key was to reduce the damage caused by Akhtarun¡¯s Aliens, which was also solved by the Han-bin¡¯s initiative. Eventually, Hollien moved as they had planned. It was inevitable. It wasn¡¯t a loss from the other side at all. Only step 3 was left. It was to trap Hollien, wandering around the kingdom with few troops and defeating them with the Holy Punishers¡¯ most powerful forces. It was a scenario wherein the Allendian Army, which was in the middle of fighting the night¡¯s monsters, would be surrounded by surprise, and Hollien, whose focus was divided to take care of her troops, would be lured. At that point, Han-bin¡¯s group and the six Templar Lords would collaborate to finish Hollien. Ryu Han-bin, Effir, Artis, Leon Hart, and other Templar Lords had to manage to win somehow. It would be possible only if the Transcendental¡¯s level were in the early 130s, as everyone had guessed. But level 155? The gap was so wide that it was meaningless to discuss the day¡¯s condition as a variable of the battle. Leon Hart muttered helplessly as if representing everyone¡¯s feelings. ¡°We need to find another way. No matter what we do, there¡¯s no chance of winning.¡± * * * ¡°First, let¡¯s check where we can proceed with the existing plan.¡± Frederick, Sorondi¡¯s Templar Lord, spoke up. ¡°We can still raid the Allendian Army while they¡¯re fatigued due to the night¡¯s big changes. Fortunately, the Queen is deliberately accompanied by only ordinary troops.¡± Hollien¡¯s spiritual arts were amazing. Even third-rate Hunters of the countryside could compete against the church¡¯s regular Templar with her support. In other words, the power of the guards was stronger than expected. However, it was a problem that could still be solved. ¡°We also need to increase the number of our troops.¡± Originally, only high-ranking Templars were to be gathered. They would start the raid with about 300 soldiers. It would be easier for those who mobilized the best troops to move secretly and reduce unnecessary sacrifices. But due to what was happening, they prepared to sacrifice themselves, using all their might for the Holy Punishers! ¡°It¡¯s an ignorant way, but it¡¯s going to work. We¡¯ll manage to fill the power gap.¡± Palmer, Yessen¡¯s Templar Lord, spoke next. ¡°We can use that to lure the Fairy Queen into a trap. It¡¯ll give her a lead.¡± The key point of the inducement was to give Hollien a glimpse of Kibie, the incarnation of the darkness, taking advantage of the confusion caused by the raid. No one had dared to bait her in the past. They always had to keep in mind when the Top Three might move together. ¡°But I just got some new information¡­¡± It was after Hollien had dealt with the night¡¯s monsters at the Turricon Plains. The Allendian Army withdrew and left a considerable amount of trash behind. Of course, it happened when the army moved. Junkmen took the garbage, and Han-bin¡¯s group also moved to take it. It was just in case Kibie could use a shadow reading on the items used by the Fairy Queen. And they hit the jackpot. It was the empty bottle of liquor of the delicate wine of Durand, which Hollien had thrown away without thinking. Even while staying with the royal family, she communicated with the Thunder King and the Archmage while drinking that wine. Her residual ideology remained in the bottle. Unfortunately, the bottle left behind was empty, so there was only fragmentary information. She must¡¯ve been holding a glass the whole time, and she would only hold the bottle to pour more wine into the glass. Still, they managed to gain extremely important information. Kibie mumbled, clicking her tongue. ¡°I was wondering why the two of them never showed up. I didn¡¯t know that was the reason.¡± The Thunder King and the Archmage hadn¡¯t moved. As it turned out, it was because of their ¡®life span¡¯ that was more precious to them than anything else in the world. Since they finally knew for sure that Hollien was fighting alone, they could boldly bait Kibie to lure Hollien. Of course, Kibie would never directly participate in the battle and only appear from a distance far enough, but it would be enough to attract Hollien. ¡°What comes after that is the problem.¡± Palmer sighed and continued. ¡°What should we do?¡± The Templar Lords, groaning, looked back at Ryu Han-bin as if they were puppies holding in number two. ¡°¡­ Do you happen to have any other extraordinary ideas?¡± ¡°I mean, an Earthling-like ploy.¡± There was nothing like that. No, Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t a legendary strategist, but there was no way he would come up with such a plan even if he were. It had been going too well so far. ¡®I have no choice but to say something since they are watching me so anxiously.¡¯ Han-bin scratched his head and muttered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the only answer?¡± The opponent was stronger than expected. That only meant they, themselves, weren¡¯t strong enough. So what would be the solution? ¡°Then, we should become stronger.¡± The eyes of the Templar Lords became very warm. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that?¡± ¡°We have no way to do that quickly. That¡¯s why we¡¯re agonizing now, right?¡± ¡°Should we all be stuck in the high mountains and deep valleys and spend the days of hard training? So we can level up by 10, 20, or more?¡± Angelica sighed deeply. ¡°If there were a way to be strong in a short period, we would have already done it.¡± Preleu¡¯s Templar Lord, Merdill, shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t be gain that much power within mere months. Even the Aliens¡¯ growth slows significantly when their levels rise.¡± Aliens were much faster in growth than Latnains. However, that gap could be greatly reduced if they became a higher level. As their level rose, the number of necessary experience points to reach the next level increased exponentially. For example, say there was a level 100 Alien. And let¡¯s say the required experience point for his next level-up was about 10 billion. If the Level 100 Alien killed a Level 100 monster, would he gain 10 billion experience points? In reality, less than 100 million were gained. Required experience points and acquired experience points were strictly different. For Level 100 to reach Level 101, more than 100 monsters had to be slain. If they were lower-level monsters, the Alien should hunt hundreds of them. ¡°It would take at least a couple of months to raise one level just by hunting monsters day and night in the Four Prohibited Areas. The higher the level, the longer it will be.¡± Even in Dungeons, Such huge numbers of high-level monsters didn¡¯t show up. While tracking and exploring, sometimes monsters formed a large group, so they had to lure some of them to kill. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a dream dungeon, where only one monster appears when it is needed.¡± If unlucky, it took even a few days to kill a same-level monster. ¡°In the meantime, if you get injured, you¡¯ll waste time again, and you¡¯ll have to take a break¡­¡± They could fight for hours without a break if it were a game, but in reality, they had to rest for two or three days even if they fought with absolute power for one or two hours. ¡°Even with the power of spiritual healing, it would take at least one day.¡± Artis and Effir, who had similar abilities as Aliens, couldn¡¯t raise their level in a short period even if they tried to hunt monsters starting that day. Merdill made a soothing arrangement. ¡°It would be more realistic to expect to be luckily strong enough to win.¡± Ryu Han-bin scratched his head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say it because I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Everyone was saying that they couldn¡¯t become stronger overnight, but there was only one person that could become that much stronger in a short period. It was Ryu Han-bin himself. ¡°Right now, I¡¯ve increased the amount of Aura thanks to the Sacred Heart of Darkness. I¡¯m sure my skills have improved.¡± Looking back at Kibie, Han-bin asked a question. ¡°Do you happen to have any more sacred items of the Goddesses?¡± He heard that there were six Goddesses in Latna. ¡°Then there must be six sacred items as well, right?¡± Chapter 151 We Need a Solution! (2) Originally, Ryu Han-bin had the same skills as Leon Hart. No, actually, Han-bin was a little lacking. It was a close call, but he had definitely lost. However, a big difference was made when he took the Sacred Heart of Darkness as his own. ¡°I¡¯ve improved this much by getting only one sacred item. Won¡¯t I be much stronger if I get all six of the sacred items?¡± Instead of continuing, Han-bin tilted his head for a while. ¡°Oh, can one person get only one sacred item?¡± Leon Hart said that taking the Sacred heart of Darkness would no longer affect him because the Goddesses had blessed him. That was why he gave it to Han-bin. Nevertheless, there seemed to be no problem. ¡°Then other people can get it, right? The sacred item of fire is given to Artis, and the sacred item of wind is given to Effir¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin stopped talking abruptly. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s not possible because there are other Templar Lords.¡¯ There was no way the Fire Templar Lord or the Wind Templar Lord would give Artis or Effir the sacred items. ¡°Anyway, if each Templar Lord takes the sacred items of the Goddesses they serve, it will greatly increase their power.¡± Kibie and the six other Templar Lords only stared at Ryu Han-bin. They looked as if Han-bin was ridiculous. ¡°Yes, by the way¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a Latnain, are you?¡± ¡°I forgot for a moment because you¡¯re so Valtaric.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not an Alien, you wouldn¡¯t have known about this.¡± Frustrated, Han-bin asked Kibie. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Is there only one sacred item?¡± She sighed then gave a reply. ¡°Let me explain. I didn¡¯t think I should explain it to you because it was too obvious.¡± First of all, it was true that there were six sacred items. Like Kybriel, the other Goddesses had scattered their sacred items across Latna. But at that point, Han-bin and his party couldn¡¯t take them. ¡°Since the divinity of darkness has been silenced, other Goddesses have lost their influence over the world. I can¡¯t communicate with the other Goddesses. You already know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That means I don¡¯t know the exact location of the other sacred items except for the one I hid.¡± Of course, if they searched through each Church¡¯s old documents, they might be lucky to find the others¡¯ locations. However, there was no use in doing that. ¡°Because I can¡¯t get permission from the Goddesses. I, the incarnation of Darkness, can¡¯t permit anyone to use the sacred item of fire or water.¡± And most of all, there was a fundamental reason why they didn¡¯t pay any attention to the other Goddesses¡¯ sacred items. ¡°There is only one sacred item per age. There can¡¯t be two.¡± Since the sacred item of darkness had been activated, the others had no choice but to remain silent. ¡°It might break the balance of the world.¡± Ryu Han-bin argued as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°You said the world was going to end anyway, right? Isn¡¯t it better to break the balance than to break the world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your illusion, Han-bin.¡± The Goddesses did not break the balance of the world. ¡°They couldn¡¯t break it.¡± Protecting the balance of the world was the duty and purpose of the six Goddesses¡¯ existence. That was a fundamental law. That was why the remaining five Goddesses were doing their best to make up for the silent realm of darkness until they sealed themselves. Not because they wanted to, but because they had to. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me why. You know I don¡¯t know, do you?¡± ¡°Oh, I know that.¡± Meanwhile, Ryu Han-bin had been asking various questions to Kibie. Devil Omphalos¡¯s identity, the relationship with the six Goddesses, and the question of the world. He wanted to satisfy his curiosity because he finally met a Goddess. However, Kibie couldn¡¯t answer anything properly. She didn¡¯t have the knowledge. Knowledge not permitted for mortals to have was not permitted to be given to the incarnations either. Even if Kybriel¡¯s divinity was intact, the darkness¡¯s incarnation couldn¡¯t exist in Latna with such wisdom and knowledge. ¡°You can¡¯t do it anyway, can you? Well, if I can think of it, others can think of it as well.¡± Disappointed, Han-bin¡¯s shoulders slumped. Kibie patted him. ¡°No, but you did a good job suggesting your opinion.¡± The ¡®Fake Goddess¡¯s Oracle Operation¡¯ or the ¡®Protection of the Temple and the Followers Shield Operation¡¯ were derived from Ryu Han-bin¡¯s inadvertent words. ¡°So I hope you will continue to express your opinion without hesitation. You might come up with a plausible strategy.¡± Then Leon Hart intervened in the conversation with a serious tone. ¡°I think it can work. I just got a clue from the conversation.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Han-bin glistened with anticipation. He thought it was over, but again, a great scheme had been discovered! ¡°No, your idea is definitely useless nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Lord Merdill.¡± Merdill told Ryu Han-bin. ¨C It would be more realistic to expect to be luckily strong enough to win. Merdill meant that a person couldn¡¯t be strong overnight, but that could also be interpreted in reverse. With luck, a person could be stronger when morning came! Looking back at the other Templar Lords, Leon Hart continued. ¡°We can hardly expect such good luck.¡± The six Templar Lords were all well-balanced, strong people that raised their skills evenly in all respects. For those people to find new enlightenment, they had to train hard for long hours. ¡°But isn¡¯t it different for you, Han-bin?¡± Ryu Han-bin blinked. ¡°I¡¯m the only one whose situation is different?¡± Leon Hart suggested. ¡°Would you like to spar with me for a moment? There¡¯s something I want to check.¡± * * * The secret hideout where Holy Punisher was currently hiding was the Devorn family¡¯s villa, an aristocratic family of the Fairy Kingdom. As it was a family villa, the mansion was large, and there was enough open space for sparring in the backyard. In the center of the vacant lot, Leon Hart, armed with the coat of Uroboros and Ryu Han-bin with Gigant, stood facing each other. Han-bin, holding his sword, wondered. ¡®What are you going to check?¡¯ Even at that moment, he fought with Leon Hart day and night. No, he had sweated so much yesterday. Even during his absence as a Holy Punisher, he had to train consistently. Han-bin couldn¡¯t just set up a macro like other Aliens and live freely. Whenever he had time, he often sparred with Leon Hart and other Templar Lords to build up his skills. Of course, he would overwhelm them in a real fight, but he had a lot to learn from their martial arts and tactical strategies. helped him improve swordsmanship. As such, Leon Hart had already fought with Ryu Han-bin several times. ¡®And now?¡¯ Taking a posture, Leon Hart pulled Prana up. The invisible air swirled violently throughout his body. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a basic attack. I don¡¯t want to risk hurting each other.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Ryu Han-bin also pulled out Aura. The red glow began to coat his thick muscular body. The current between the two circled roughly. And the moment it peaked- ¡°Haaaaaaaa!¡± Both attacked each other simultaneously. The sword and the fist passed by each other. Prana and Aura tangled and exploded. Leon Hart, who had been fighting for a long time, stopped attacking and stepped back. ¡°I see. I was missing this. I¡¯ve been missing this.¡± Instead of chasing him, Han-bin asked. ¡°What are you missing?¡± Leon Hart did not answer. Instead, he made more demands. ¡°Hey, Han-bin. Do you have the basic attacks you¡¯re confident about? It doesn¡¯t even look like the basic attacks anymore.¡± ¡°Huh, Stab, Horizontal Cut, Vertical Cut, Cross Cut?¡± With a nod, Leon Hart gestured. ¡°Try it.¡± Ryu Han-bin frowned. His control over his ability had increased a lot since before, but those skills were still too destructive. ¡°Will it be okay? It¡¯ll be dangerous.¡± Leon Hart didn¡¯t mean to wage a bloody war against each other. ¡°So use basic swordsmanship. Don¡¯t use anything else.¡± If he knew what skills would be used in advance, he could fully respond. Leon Hart could heal himself just in case. Ryu Han-bin would immediately collect any residual Aura as well. ¡°Alright.¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t know why, but Leon Hart had never fed him a lie. So he trusted and followed Leon Hart! Ryu Han-bin stretched his sword out as much as possible, pulling out more Aura from his body. ¨C Crosscut! The red flash mercilessly separated the world. At the same time, a terrible storm broke out. ¨C Vertical cut! The earth was turned upside down, and the sky fluctuated. The Templar Lords who were watching were also frightened and avoided the powerful attack. -Stab! Boom! Leon Hart managed to escape the offensive between the explosion easily. As he said, knowing the attack in advance was enough for him to avoid it. He screamed as if he were excited. ¡°Now activate your fighting spirit!¡± Han-bin was also pumped with adrenaline. He immediately conjured Aura and concentrated it to one spot. ¡°Taaaaaaaaaa!¡± It became larger and larger. Boom! It collapsed onto itself and converged endlessly to one point, becoming a huge explosion of destruction! Boom! -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! ¡°Ugh! Damn it! It hurts a lot!¡± Ryu Han-bin clenched his teeth and charged forward. The fighting-spirit-imbued, dark-red body moved in a flash and attacked the opponent. Leon Hart turned pale. ¡°Argh! I can¡¯t deal with it even though I knew ahead of time.¡± Leon Hart didn¡¯t dare fight back. Instead, he kept backing away. When there was nowhere else to go, Leon Hart pointed to the air. ¡°And in the air, give your best shot!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Han-bin converted the power of the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit to the sword as much as possible. He displayed soulful swordsmanship. Crosscut, vertical cut, stab. He activated them all at once and converged to create ultimate destruction! Boom! The sky cracked and roared. A whirlpool swirled over the entire vacant lot. Stones, rocks, and trees rose into the air and shattered. It was a triple-cross attack dished out through the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. ¡°I see. It¡¯s clear now.¡± Leon Hart nodded slowly. And he looked back at Ryu Han-bin and smiled bitterly. ¡°Oh, my God, I should be grateful for the broken Guideline.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Of course, he was still grateful. If the Guideline were fine, Ryu Han-bin would¡¯ve become a mass murderer like the other Aliens. But Leon Hart wasn¡¯t speaking about that nuance. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be possible if you focused on level and experience points like other Aliens, but¡­¡± He spoke firmly as if he were truly pleased. ¡°You can be stronger right now, Han-bin.¡± Chapter 152 We Need a Solution! (3) After finishing the battle, Han-bin and his group returned to the mansion. They healed their wounds, restored their lost energy, and took a rest. Meanwhile, Leon Hart spoke to Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Let me tell you what I learned..¡± Those who had dealt with Han-bin had all responded similarly. ¨C Why are you so strong? ¨C Your physical abilities are too high! It was the same for Leon Hart. When he had first fought with Han-bin, he was impressed by Han-bin¡¯s terrible power. ¡°Your physical abilities are incredible. It¡¯s your greatest strength and merit.¡± Ryu Han-bin had a blank look. He knew it just as well. ¡°But¡­¡± Leon Hart smiled bitterly. ¡°That¡¯s not something I¡¯d be very proud of, you know.¡± Leon Hard had also met the Sword King Baotolt. ¡°The Sword King was superior to you today in terms of pure physical ability.¡± However, Leon Hart had never been shocked by the Sword King, saying, ¡®Why is your power so tremendous?¡¯ Baotolt was overwhelming in strength and all aspects of Aura amount, Aura skill, swordsmanship, and combat experience. ¡°That means that your other skills are significantly lower than your physical ability.¡± Han-bin frowned. ¡°No, that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been saying all this time! What¡¯s the difference?¡± Han-bin was fed up with nagging. Leon Hart had been saying that Han-bin was behind in skills and swordsmanship compared to his physical abilities. Wasn¡¯t that why he worked so hard to get to where he was? ¡°The difference is that there was something I overlooked.¡± Leon Hart sighed and continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t evaluate how low your other abilities are compared to your physical talent.¡± Leon Hart had been working for a long time to develop a new realm called the Spiritual Boxer. And with his knowledge and wisdom, he led Han-bin and his party to become stronger. ¡°However, my level is only 112.¡± No matter how experienced and enlightened he was, it was hard to judge someone on a higher level than himself properly. He could only guess somewhat higher than him since he had never reached such a league yet. ¡°But once I recognized the problem, I focused on it, and I found out.¡± Looking straight at Ryu Han-bin, Leon Hart talked seriously. ¡°Han-bin, what level do you think you were at when you first fell to Latna?¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin agonized. ¡®What level was I actually at that time?¡¯ Due to the Guideline error, he had no means of knowing his true level at the time. But since that he had been through a lot, he could guess a little bit. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it mostly level 80?¡± It was higher than Alejandro, a level 75 Magic Swordsman. However, he wasn¡¯t overwhelming enough to defeat anyone easily. At that time, he didn¡¯t know Aura, and he was only a third-rate swordsman because he was self-taught. Afterward, he got a Maxbrid Martial Arts book to fill in the gaps in his swordsmanship. ¡°I had a hard time against the Blood Sucker Queen. If I didn¡¯t learn Aura, I might have lost. So that¡¯s about level 85?¡± Leon Hart agreed. ¡°That¡¯s what I think. You were so out of balance at the time.¡± His physical ability was so overwhelming that when he pushed his opponent, he showed brute strength that was over almost level 100. However, because he didn¡¯t know Aura and his swordsmanship was poor, he quickly fell below level 70 when he got to a strategic disadvantage. ¡°You were a half-baked warrior who was only good at what he knew. That¡¯s why that was your level.¡± Afterward, he luckily unlocked Aura by fighting against the Blood Sucker Queen. ¡°It would have been a natural result rather than a lucky one.¡± Han-bin asked a question when he saw Leon Heart smiling. ¡°What do you mean by a natural result?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what Hunters usually use to awaken their Aura? Anyway, I¡¯ll explain this later¡­¡± With a wave of his hand, Leon Hart returned to the main subject. ¡°You¡¯ve learned how to pull up Aura and manage them. It must have been too much for you to read the Maxbrid Martial Arts book, so it was thanks to Ms. Effir¡¯s help that your swordsmanship became better.¡± The silver-haired girl listening next to her expressed humbleness, twisting her body. ¡°Hey, it was nothing. I¡¯ve gained way more help in return!¡± Since then, Han-bin gained the Sword King¡¯s sword skill, and his skills had greatly improved. And he fought Leon Hart for the first time. ¡°What was your actual level at that time?¡± That was too easy to guess. ¡°I was in my early 110s, I guess.¡± Since Leon Heart was level 112 at that time, Ryu Han-bin was around that level. ¡°Then I have another question here.¡± Leon Hart asked with a strange smirk. ¡°Then what level is your Aura¡¯s operational capability?¡± After learning the Aura skills, Ryu Han-bin still had higher physical abilities than other factors. If he roughly guessed its level¡­ ¡°Uh¡­ Level 100?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Leon Hart shook his head. ¡°Your Aura operational capability is at least level 80. I realized it.¡± Unconvinced, Ryu Han-bin frowned. He tried his best to train after he learned the Aura skill. Han-bin considered himself to have reached a significant level. Even during the battle, it was so real that he became much stronger. ¡°But that¡¯s all I gained?¡± Leon Hart snorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural? You can¡¯t acquire new skills whenever you level up as other Aliens do.¡± Ryu Han-bin had been training Aura for only a few months. Ordinary Latnains would¡¯ve stuck to the basic skills in doing so. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to achieve that considering the level of your martial art. Since your physical ability supported and raised it so much, it became possible with your ordinary talent.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s Aura amount had increased dramatically after taking the Sacred Heart of Darkness. He even digested the Aura completely and made it his own. ¡°After that, you had an equal battle with six Aliens of around level 100 before you activated your fighting spirit.¡± Then, it could be said that his estimated level was 120. ¡°With the Aura operational capability of level 80, you¡¯ve shown a level 120 performance. It means that your superior physical ability and your vast amount of Aura have filled the gaps.¡± Only then did Ryu Han-bin understand. ¡°So, now that I¡¯m up to this level, my Aura operational capability is worse than my physical abilities.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I overlooked.¡± Sighing, Leon Hart continued. ¡°I thought you¡¯ve been good at using Aura. Still, you didn¡¯t have a good balance in the first place.¡± Let¡¯s say there was a statue with a left-arm ten times bigger than the right arm. It would seem out of balance to anyone. The sculptor then worked hard and made the right arm five times bigger to match the left arm. Those who were watching the process from the side would say: -Oh! It¡¯s more balanced now! But still, the statue was just a deformity whose left arm was twice as large as its right arm. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been busy catching up, I¡¯ve overlooked your problem, too.¡± While blinking his eyes, Han-bin asked a question. ¡°Wait! So, what level am I in terms of ability?¡± ¡°I think¡­¡± After breathing for a while, Leon Hart spoke. ¡°Han-bin, I think your physical abilities are comparable to Aliens of level 140.¡± * * * Artis and Effir¡¯s jaws dropped. ¡°Oh, my God, level 140?¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible¡­¡± They could get the answers they had when they first met Han-bin. They wondered how a person who couldn¡¯t use Aura and whose swordsmanship was poor could be so strong. However, his basic skills were far higher than they had imagined. He nodded at Kibie. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why the Sacred Heart of Darkness worked so well.¡± Even if the chosen Latnain took the sacred item, the quadruple amplification was limited to double amplification. His abilities wouldn¡¯t have been amplified as many times as Ryu Han-bin. The result was, therefore, advantageous for them. Hence, she just thought Han-bin got along with the sacred item particularly well. However, it was also a strange story that Aliens were better than Latnains. ¡°Since you have a big capacity, you could take that much.¡± Leon Hart summarized the explanation. ¡°In other words, Han-bin now has a level 140 of physical ability and a level 140 of Aura.¡± Han-bin casually turned on the Guideline. He then checked his status window. [Ryu Han-bin: Swordsman Lv.6 Acquired skills: Stab, Crosscut, Vertical Cut, Diagonal cutting, Language communication Absolute Skill: Lord throughout Heaven and Earth Muscle strength 27 (+1,364), stamina 23 (+1,364), resilience 17 (+682), defense 18 (+1,364), fuselage vision 7 (+341), reflexes 9 (+341), and explosive power 10 (+341).] If instead of level 6, he was at level 140, then he fully understood the tremendous additional trait points. ¡°Oh, then I¡¯m level 140?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Leon Hart scolded him right away. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. That¡¯s how just much physical strength and amount of the Aura you have.¡± The power of his swordsmanship, Aura skills, and Aura operational skills was still far behind. Hence, his overall combat capability was just level 120. Ryu Han-bin sighed deeply. ¡°If my Guideline were fine, I could have used all my Aura skills up to level 140.¡± It seemed to be why human greed was endless. Until that point, he considered it fortunate that the devil couldn¡¯t sway him as he did with the other Aliens, but at that moment, he felt as if it was unfair. ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if only the level display function is broken, but the skill attainment remained the functional¡± However, Leon Hart shook his head in disagreement. ¡°That¡¯s why I said it¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you were an ordinary level 140 Alien and you acquired Aura skills through leveling up like the rest¡­¡± He continued with great relief. ¡°It would have been hard to expect any further development from you.¡± * * * There was only one way for other Aliens to be strong. It was to raise their level by hunting monsters and Latnains day and night. On the other hand, Ryu Han-bin had steadily grown stronger without the help of the Guideline. When he first fell into Latna, his level was only 5. According to the Guideline, the only thing that had risen to a fraction of the ability level was that. But didn¡¯t he get stronger constantly? ¡°You can learn and master skills. It¡¯s a tremendous advantage that no other Aliens have.¡± Han-bin asked a question, bewilderment on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between other Earthlings and me? It¡¯s not just about mastering a Guideline skill, but also the martial arts skills.¡± He didn¡¯t understand what the advantage was. ¡®The South American man I met before was also carrying around the Maxbrid Martial Arts book.¡¯ Leon Hart laughed. ¡°Aliens can only learn other things while their level is low. As their level goes up, at some point, it becomes impossible.¡± It didn¡¯t apply to Ryu Han-bin, but it was a mockery of other people who relied only on the Guidelines to become stronger. ¡°They get off to a bad start.¡± Chapter 153 We Need a Solution! (4) For level 1 Alien warriors who received guidelines for the first time, as with Ryu Han-bin, the first step was the most basic swordsmanship. Stab, Crosscut, and Vertical Cut. ¡°You had to stop there because your Guideline was broken.¡± However, other Aliens didn¡¯t. Their levels continued to rise, and they gained skills consistent with their levels. ¡°Low-level Aliens learn much faster than the rate of their skill acquisition. It¡¯s too much to use the skills given by the Guideline, let alone learn other skills, to get the next one.¡± Of course, that was true only for the low-level ones. The higher the level, the slower the level-up speed, and if it was above a certain level, it became slower than the speed of acquiring skills. That limit was reached at around level 60. ¡°At that point, some smart Aliens tried something new.¡± They tried to become stronger by learning Latna¡¯s martial arts. Such was the case of Alejandro, who was carrying a Maxbrid martial arts book. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Leon Hart asked a question. ¡°Did he actually read it?¡± Ryu Han-bin recalled their battle at the time. He hadn¡¯t learned Maxbrid¡¯s fighting skills yet back then. Hence, he couldn¡¯t recognize them. But in the present time, he had acquired such skills and could compare them to Alejandro¡¯s fighting method. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± It was a little strange. Ryu Han-bin and Effir, who had obtained the fighting book, made significant progress in just a few months. The owner of the book didn¡¯t learn how to execute Maxbrid fighting skills. ¡°Maybe he just got the book?¡± ¡°Of course he couldn¡¯t have, but¡­¡± Smirking, Leon Hart continued. ¡°Even if he had tried for a long time, he wouldn¡¯t have mastered the Maxbrid fighting method anyway.¡± He had been using Guideline skills all along. He rarely trained in proper martial arts ¡®by himself.¡¯ ¡°Even the ability to learn something can only be developed through constant learning.¡± He might¡¯ve had a high level, but he was a complete beginner as a martial artist. ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if he were a newbie. At least he won¡¯t develop bad habits.¡± A high level meant that he became accustomed to how he used his skills after such a long time practicing them. ¡°Correcting that means you have to seal the Guideline and start over from level 1.¡± There was no reason or benefit. Han-bin already had power in his hands. But he needed to throw it away on purpose and start all over again. ¡°Why waste time like that?¡± It was better to increase the level of skills he already had. What Aliens wanted from the beginning was to use Guideline skills and learn new martial arts as a supplement. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, then there¡¯s no reason to stick around to that method.¡± Ryu Han-bin tilted his head. There was a part of Leon Hart¡¯s explanation that he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case. The Guideline skill is done with the body, after all. Then won¡¯t you eventually learn it if you use it constantly?¡± Han-bin had done it. He trained three basic swordsmanship techniques, which were Guideline skills in the beginning. After 22 years of using them, they were imprinted on his soul, and it was hard for him to tell whether he was using his own body to execute the skill or if he was using the Guideline. ¡°Likewise, other Aliens would have used the low-level swordsmanship techniques for that long, so I think they¡¯ve mastered it enough.¡± And didn¡¯t they say that they automatically repeated the same skills dozens of times by running a macro function? ¡°So that¡¯s what increases the proficiency?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Leon Hart explained as if he knew that he would make such a misunderstanding. ¡°Stab is acquired at level 2, and that must be the finished skill. So, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re level 50 or level 100. You¡¯ll always use the level 2 Stab when you have to penetrate enemies. That¡¯s what you think, right?¡± ¡°Oh, no?¡± ¡°Think about it. The stab of Effir and you. Do the two swordsmanship techniques executed through the same movement and flow have a difference in speed and firepower?¡± Among boxers who had rapidly increased their weight and developed muscles, their batting form often collapsed. When physical conditions changed, the same skills changed in detail. In that same sense, if one¡¯s level went up, new Stab, Crosscut, and Vertical cut skills would be acquired. ¡°The name seems to differentiate itself in a way that it¡¯s called Ilseom or something, but it¡¯s the same skill after all.¡± It was just a Stab and a Horizontal Cut executed through a different posture, allowing it to flow to create a force that matched that level. ¡°Meaning to say, they don¡¯t have level 2 skills all the way through. Every time they raise their level, they get a new skill of the same kind, only stronger.¡± Hence, even with the macro, they wouldn¡¯t be practicing the same skill over and over. ¡°That¡¯s not how you¡¯re going to train repeatedly. Your body and mind wouldn¡¯t be in harmony at all if you did that.¡± Only Ryu Han-bin could choose a different option. His Guideline was broken, and only a few skills had been given to him. ¡°You were able to grow up properly as a swordsman, unlike the Aliens who have become incapable of learning or mastering.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin calmly recalled Leon Hart¡¯s words. ¡°I can learn and master to be strong¡­¡± His face was blank. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just saying that I¡¯m the only one who can learn the skills in a hard way that others get easily?¡± It seemed plausible, but it didn¡¯t seem to be a particular advantage over other Aliens. Leon Hart shook his fingers. ¡°Not at all.¡± When Aliens raised their level, they automatically acquired the appropriate skills and the ability to operate the Aura. At first glance, they seemed to take those very easily, but it also meant their limits were dependent on their level. ¡°They never use skills not fit for their levels.¡± Then, who learned and mastered skills? ¡°It depends on what they¡¯re trying to learn and master. Sometimes they have a martial art level less than their level, and sometimes they can go beyond the limits of their level.¡± Guidelines always provided stable, efficient, universal, and versatile skills in relation to level. Therefore, Aliens could become top martial artists, Mages, or Spiritists by themselves if they collected enough experience points. But there were even more advanced skills in the world than what the Guideline could provide. Such skills were evident within the strongest four beings. ¡°Right now, Han-bin, you¡¯re in a similar case, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­ Me?¡± ¡°Yeah, your basic swordsmanship skills.¡± It had been a long time since he surpassed the skill level of the Guideline. His posture and breathing were perfect. At least those three movements of Ryu Han-bin were first-rate. ¡°Those skills are almost at level 140 even though your Aura¡¯s operational capacity is at level 80. You realize that, right?¡± ¡°Those are definitely far stronger than other swordsmanship techniques, but¡­¡± Han-bin had a messy look. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s level 140.¡± The level 104 Alien swordsman Pyotr, whom Han-bin had recently met, survived after being beaten with all his might. However, he was on the verge of death. ¡°As you say, shouldn¡¯t he have died instantly? I hit level 104 with a level 140 skill. Leon Hart smirked. ¡°I suppose so.¡± That was also one of the things he was seriously mistaken about. No, not only Leon Hart but everyone, including Ryu Han-bin, was mistaken. ¡°Han-bin, you¡¯ve never really hit anyone with the Crosscut or Vertical Cut accurately.¡± Han-bin had been training using his third-rate swordsmanship for as long as he could remember. He even acquired Maxbrid martial arts and the swordsmanship of the Sword King. So powerful was Ryu Han-bin¡¯s pure swordsmanship then? First-class? Absolute state? ¡°It¡¯s like second-rate swordsmanship at best.¡± Just looking at the three movements, those were definitely first class, but his overall swordsmanship level was too low. In Earthling terms, he had a very powerful gun, but his marksmanship was poor. He had never hit a target properly. The opponent always skillfully lower his strength, deflected his offensive, and took maximum defense against him. ¡°But then they¡¯d still die instantly since you¡¯re that powerful.¡± Pyotr, the level 104 swordsman, assisted by a level 102 Spiritist, barely escaped immediate death. ¡°Oh, my God, has my swordsmanship always been that poor?¡± Ryu Han-bin shook his head. ¡°Then when I fought, even though everything I was doing was wrong, I still annihilated them simply because I¡¯m much more powerful?¡± Han-bin spoke out of shame, but Leon Hart was rather impressed. ¡°Yes, it isn¡¯t for no reason that the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit is one of the best skills of the Sword King. It deserves to be well noted across the continent.¡± The opponent survived because he couldn¡¯t execute the level 140 Stab properly. The fighting spirit¡¯s activation didn¡¯t suddenly make his swordsmanship style first class either, which meant there wasn¡¯t much of a change in it. But then, even if brushed by it, any level 100 Alien would still be killed unconditionally. Then, how powerful would it be if he could use Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit in the right way? ¡°That means your level must at least be over 150.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Han-bin¡¯s jaw dropped. He finally understood Leon Hart¡¯s words. A normal level 140 Alien could use power equal to that. However, that was their limit. But Ryu Han-bin was different. In certain situations and with limited skills, he could showcase more power than that! ¡°You¡¯d have enough strength to give the Transcendental a run for her money.¡± * * * The next day, Han-bin and his party prepared to leave the secret hideout. The same was true of the six Templar Lords. Due to Leon Hart¡¯s insight, they realized that Ryu Han-bin¡¯s sword could reach Hollien in certain situations. But that didn¡¯t mean he was a threat to the Transcendental. Han-bin¡¯s overall combat capability was still only about level 120. Therefore, it was necessary to increase the combat capability by filling in the deficiencies. Then, how could he fill in the gaps? Usually, he would calmly follow the right teachings, digest them through practice, and invest time in them. That was the royal road to becoming stronger. ¡°I can¡¯t achieve that in a short duration.¡± Even at that moment, Ryu Han-bin had been trying hard. He had never been particularly lazy. It was hard to expect him to be lucky enough to reach enlightenment swiftly. To be honest, if that were possible, he would have already gotten something. ¡°You can¡¯t walk the royal road and become stronger quickly.¡± Leon Hart came up with a solution for that predicament. ¡°If the royal road doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to walk on the anomalous road.¡± He wasn¡¯t waiting for the realization to come, but forcing him to realize! Of course, it was hard for Han-bin to understand. ¡°¡­ Has the realization of martial arts always been a forceful injection?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± After shrugging, Leon Hart smiled insidiously. ¡°But it is possible to gain similar results.¡± It would take far too long to improve all of his poor swordsmanship techniques equally. Hence, he needed to choose only a few to improve and complete. Likewise, his Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit had a long way to go before it could reach its peak. So he chose only a few skills and made sure he used them properly. ¡°To put it simply, this is what it is.¡± Ryu Han-bin used to stick to only Stab, Crosscut, and Vertical Cut. He would practice them again as part of mastering Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a name¡­¡± Looking back at everyone, Leon Hart smiled brightly. ¡°Making a Sword King in such a short duration, intensively and by rote¡­ We shall give it a name with that in mind.¡± Chapter 154 A mountainous region in the north of Allendia. Hundreds of monsters were racing under the distorted night sky. Ahhhhh! ¡°Kill and eat them!¡± ¡°Blood! Blood!¡± Between the roars of the monsters, a murky but obvious ¡®language¡¯ was heard. There were some intellectual monsters among the beasts. Hundreds of knights and soldiers fought against them. ¡°End them!¡± ¡°The Queen is protecting us!¡± In praise of Hollien, the Allendian Army slaughtered the monsters with their high morale. There was no need to make numerous changes to their tactics. Receiving Hollien¡¯s assistance was all they needed. In comparison, Turricon Plains, where the night¡¯s big changes occurred the most in the Fairy Kingdom, was relatively less protected by the darkness. The level and number of monsters weren¡¯t on par with those that appeared there. At that rate, the victory of the Allendian Army was clear. Hence, Hollien could relax and ¡®experiment.¡¯ She stared at a wolf-shaped monster, which was a bit far away from her. Information about the monster was immediately shown. [Race: Abyssal Wolf. Lv. 78] Hollien tilted her head. ¡°This is a little weird, I think.¡± The Hunter Guild of Latna was the one that gave the monster its name, ¡®Abyssal Wolf.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that the Devil Omphalos named it before sending it to Latna. ¡®In the first place, even nature¡¯s animals weren¡¯t born with race names. People named each of them individually.¡¯ Therefore, Latna¡¯s measuring stone only identified the user¡¯s occupation, level, and major combat-related characteristics, but it couldn¡¯t identify the race. It was artificial and fluid information. Then, how did the Guideline identify that the race of that monster was ¡®Abyssal Wolf¡¯? ¡°After the Devil Omphalos obtained the Hunter Guild¡¯s Monster Guide, did he enter the information into the Guideline one by one?¡± She shook her head. ¡°In that case, it wouldn¡¯t make sense that I have that information.¡± Her Guideline only implemented available functions to the fullest extent, but it wasn¡¯t the same as the Guideline the Aliens had. In other words, the ability to identify the species wasn¡¯t derived from additional information but rather a part of its function. ¡°Is it, by any chance, related to the language communication skill?¡± Aliens¡¯ Guidelines connected to Latna¡¯s collective unconsciousness, downloaded language information and made the users a native of other languages. ¡°If it¡¯s downloading ¡®the names of monsters that the majority of Latnains recognize,¡¯ then it would make sense. It¡¯s a little different from the way of naming mana tools.¡± Mumbling, Hollien pointed her finger at the Abyssal Wolf. ¨C Ectoplasmic Blade! As soon as the monster exploded, a message popped up. [Lv. 78 Abyssal Wolf has been slain. You have earned 39,160,000 EXP.] She didn¡¯t stop there. She obliterated a lizard-like humanoid using lightning-based magic. [Lv. 78 Arc Lizardman has been slain. You have earned 17,162,500 EXP.] Hollien smirked when she compared the amounts of experience she gained. ¡°It¡¯s as Leslie said.¡± The figures were different even though the monsters she killed had the same level. Among the Aliens, it seemed to be common knowledge. But why was there a difference in experience? Even Aliens didn¡¯t know the particular reason. They weren¡¯t curious in the first place. ¡°If this ability is copied from the power of Dragons, then it¡¯s not something I wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± The word ¡®experience¡¯ could be changed to ¡®energy.¡¯ Abyssal Wolves had much more energy than Arc Lizardmen. But the Arc Lizardmen was an intelligent monster. Unlike the Abyssal Wolves, which fought based on instinct, the Arc Lizardmen could make strategic decisions and mastered the primitive-level martial arts. Hence, even though their energy and physical abilities were subpar, they were extremely powerful when fighting as a group. Thus, their level was equivalent to Abyssal Wolves¡¯. However, the Guideline could only absorb energy. It couldn¡¯t absorb martial arts skills or strategic judgment and convert them into EXP. ¡°As expected, the Guideline is a complete sham.¡± It was an item that was tailored to make it easier to understand what couldn¡¯t be quantified in the first place. The reality was that it wasn¡¯t even a computer program. Hence, of course, all kinds of contradictions occurred. ¡°I should leave the experiment here¡­¡± Hollien flew to a higher altitude as she pulled Prana out. Soon four columns emerged all over the mountain. ¡°I¡¯m going to obliterate them all.¡± A beautiful hell unfolded. ¨C Unique Spiritual Art: Echoes of Trembling Starlight! A tidal wave of light ran through the mountain ridge. The green mountains swiftly became stained with blood. Argh! Amid the screams and shouts of monsters, shouts of victory burst out. ¡°We won!¡± ¡°Another victory!¡± ¡°Long live the Queen!¡± Lowering slowly from the air on purpose, Hollien looked around. It wasn¡¯t necessary to use unique spiritual skills for monsters of such levels. Even if she only used Ectoplasmic Blades, the results would have been the same anyway. Nevertheless, she deliberately used Echoes of Trembling Starlight, which consumed a lot of Prana. She sent a message to the Holy Punisher, who might¡¯ve been watching her. -Look at me! I¡¯m exhausted. I look easy, right? Do you think you can defeat me now? But their atmosphere remained quiet. ¡°When are you coming to attack, you guys?¡± Hollien frowned. ¡°Of course, I thought you were watching me¡­¡± She started thinking that maybe they weren¡¯t watching her after all. But why? ¡°Did they start all of this just to make fun of me?¡± It had been fifteen days since she left the royal palace. The Holy Punishers should¡¯ve reacted by that time. But they didn¡¯t move at all. Even their traditional ¡®fussing¡¯ of Allendia had been stopped. She couldn¡¯t understand what their plan was at all. ¡°What the hell are they doing?¡± * * * The lowest-class dungeon in the Grand Maze Kaltan, the Howling Steel City. A giant man was running in a huge mess of all kinds of steel frames and semi-destroyed buildings. ¡°Huh! Huh! Huh!¡± He breathed hard as he launched himself into the air. After jumping between buildings and rolling on the floor, he used his energy to hit the ground again. Behind his back, a silver Blade Aura of several tens of meters flew in. The man, Ryu Han-bin, slipped down to the floor in fright. ¡°Huh!¡± The silver flash that missed him by a hair bombed a wide radius of the area. All buildings and roads within its range were destroyed. Boom! Han-bin groaned, glaring at the person directly involved in the destruction over the thick dust. ¡®Uh¡­¡¯ A huge shadow of more than five meters appeared between the explosions. It was a monster shaped like a bull with silver hair all over its body. It was said to be a bull, but technically it was a little different. Its lower body was standing on the earth with four feet like a bull, but it also had a muscular upper body. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t have the same half-man-half-horse form as Centaurs had. It also had the face of a bull with thick horns. It looked like a mixture of Centaur and Minotaur. With three-meter-long great swords in both hands, it approached slowly. Han-bin hurriedly took a posture and launched an offensive. ¡°Taaaaaa!¡± Pulling up as much Aura as he could, he focused on a single point on its body and delivered the most powerful blow he could! ¨C Crosscut! A red flash caused a roar that tore through the atmosphere as it hit the opponent directly. However, it didn¡¯t take long for the opponent to appear, looking perfectly fine. Han-bin shuddered. ¡®That¡¯s a real monster¡­¡¯ He hit it accurately that time. He didn¡¯t make any mistakes in the skill utilization as he had done before. The monster didn¡¯t avoid his attack at all, nor did it take on a defensive stance. And yet there was no scratch on its whole body! ¡°Krrrrrrrrrr!¡± It raised its weapons once more, causing them to flash silver again. Two-pronged flashes crossed and charged at Ryu Han-bin. ¡°Wow!¡± Frightened, Ryu Han-bin jumped up. He couldn¡¯t even dare respond against it. It was far too strong. ¡®If I stop it, I¡¯ll die. I¡¯ll die!¡¯ He fled again. Ryu Han-bin did his best to escape certain death. However, the bull monster ceaselessly tracked him. It wasn¡¯t in a hurry. It didn¡¯t get excited either. While chasing Ryu Han-bin as if it were just interested, it would deliver a silver Blade Aura to block his retreat if he got too far away. Boom! ¡°Argh!¡± Han-bin quickly took a stance while being caught up in the explosion. And as soon as he landed, he pulled out his Gigant. -Stab! That time, the monster was hit properly, just like before. Boom! However, the monster still didn¡¯t sustain even the smallest injury. The monster burst into a cry and jumped after him. ¡°Moooooooooo!¡± In an instant, it blocked Han-bin¡¯s vision as it swung its greatswords. Attacks came from both of his sides. There was no time or space to avoid it at that point. Ryu Han-bin hurriedly confronted the bull with his Gigant. However, he was immediately cornered. The bull monster was lightly flicking, pushing, and sending Han-bin¡¯s attacks all into the air. His monstrous power, which had overwhelmed all enemies, was being treated like a child by the beast. Nevertheless, he was still holding out thanks to his vast twenty-two years of experience of fighting against giant monsters. But it was obvious that he wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡°Argh! Argh!¡± Groaning, Ryu Han-bin continued to retreat. He took advantage of every opportunity to run away again. Again that time, the bull didn¡¯t actively chase him. ¡°Crr¡­¡± It was just having fun, just looking at that ¡®rat¡¯ trying to run away and being chased back. ¡°Argh!¡± Running through the ruined city, Han-bin did his best to escape. He didn¡¯t dare think of a head-on confrontation. He knew very well that there was no chance to win at all. He had already looked at the monster with the Guideline. [Race: Divine Beast Lv. 168] The monster had a level of over 150. One of The Three Gods of Kaltan, the white-silver bull, was Uto Ksarik! Considering the legendary Sword King Baotolt could barely defeat the divine beast Kruse Murg, Ryu Han-bin was no match against another one of them at all. ¡®But should I be thankful that its actual level isn¡¯t over 170?¡¯ Even so, it didn¡¯t mean that he would have an easier time fighting against it. ¡®Though I did believe it and followed it¡­¡¯ Recalling his conversation with Leon Hart a week ago, Ryu Han-bin gritted his teeth. ¡®I might die before I become stronger!¡¯ Chapter 155 A week ago, at East Kaltan Fort in Lion Rock, the eastern entrance of the Grand Maze Kaltan. A total of ten Hunters were being inspected. The wizard gatekeepers sent from Sinkers nodded, checking each of the party¡¯s Hunter cards. ¡°You were originally from Tower Mountain.¡± ¡°You all have experience with the Grand Maze.¡± They were all special hunters above level 80s. The gatekeepers were showing respect because it was a common level limit for most Hunters. The team leader, a middle-aged man in his 40s with a beard, shook his head. ¡°Where we¡¯re going is the middle floor of the Grand Maze. We are going to attack the nearby dungeons.¡± ¡°Well, at your level, I wouldn¡¯t call it reckless.¡± The gatekeepers opened the magic barrier to the cave. ¡°May the Goddesses bless you.¡± The Hunters went into the cave one after another. After walking for a long time, the party removed their disguises since it was far enough. Behind their camouflage were Han-bin¡¯s group and the six Templar Lords. Looking back, Effir grinned. ¡°It¡¯s easy to pass. I used to crawl into my backpack to sneak into the dungeon.¡± Artis trembled, looking down at his Hunter¡¯s card. ¡°As expected, a good network is comfortable in many ways.¡± The Hunter¡¯s card had the following details. [Serkaltan Hunter¡¯s Guild: Top Hunter, lv. 81 Mage, Tario Blame] His name and level were different. It was a fake Hunter¡¯s card. If the six famous Templar Lords or the Sword King¡¯s successor entered the Grand Maze with their identity revealed, the Top Three would immediately hear of it. Hence, they joined hands with the Hunter Guild of Serkaltan and forged their Hunter¡¯s card to hide their identities. The forgery of Hunter¡¯s card was a felony, but there was no problem. The guild master of Serkaltan, who should¡¯ve punished them, was one of the Holy Punishers¡¯ collaborators. They disguised their identities and hid their appearance using spiritual arts. The gatekeepers¡¯ level was lower than Han-bin¡¯s group, so there was no risk of seeing through their spiritual disguises. After returning to their original form, they slowly continued down the cave. Suddenly, Ryu Han-bin sighed, raising a question. ¡°By the way, do I really have to deal with the monster myself?¡± Although they said they would only target the middle floor at the entrance, their actual destination was the lowest floor of the Grand Maze Kaltan. Leon Hart nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t improve Aura skills and swordsmanship just by repeatedly practicing it alone.¡± Ryu Han-bin had leveled up by repeating his basic skills alone in the Rocky Mountains. But practicing the same moves without a foe didn¡¯t make him strong. ¡°You need to have an opponent.¡± During his days in the Rocky Mountains, there had been such opponents. The demon dogs there became stronger at the right level every time. No matter how many times Ryu Han-bin repeated Stab, Horizontal and Vertical Cuts, he wouldn¡¯t have reached his skills¡¯ current state without them. ¡°Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit is a high-level skill that isn¡¯t comparable to such basic swordsmanship techniques. It¡¯s impossible to learn it by force.¡± Leon Hart explained that to make Ryu Han-bin a so-called ¡®Sword King by rote,¡¯ he had no choice but to use the unique attributes of Aura. ¡°It¡¯s essential to have an opponent with Aura massive enough to overwhelm a powerful Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit.¡± Hence, they came to the Grand Maze Kaltan. Their objective was to find The Three Gods of Kaltan. A golden lion, Kruse Murg. A white silver bull, Uto Ksarik. A bronze snake, Isch Klapim. ¡°Kruse Murg was slain by the Sword King. And Isch Klapim uses Mana and Prana.¡± On the other hand, Uto Ksarik specialized in Aura. ¡°You have to fight against it.¡± Effir, who was listening to them, raised her concern in bewilderment. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± At that moment, they were there to find a way to kill the Transcendental. ¡°To get rid of a Level 155 Spiritist, he needs to kill a divine beast that has an estimated level of 170?¡± If Han-bin could kill a level 170 monster, any level 155 individual would be easy to handle. But they were worried because he couldn¡¯t do that. Leon Hart laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Han-bin to kill the divine beast.¡± It was true. How could he get rid of the bull even though he couldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Transcendental alone? ¡°I told you to ¡®face¡¯ the divine beast.¡± * * * Ryu Han-bin kicked the ground, launching himself up. Jumping nearly five meters in a single breath, he delivered a red offensive. ¨C Vertical Cut! Uto Ksarik also directly aimed for the incoming flash. The silver Aura blade collided with the red crescent beam. Their Auras mixed and conflicted against each other, causing light to burst. Paaaaaaa! Han-bin threw up blood and flew back. ¡°Argh!¡± Despite the terrible pain, he quickly reset his posture and stretched out his right hand. ¨C Aura Strike! Red Aura bullets struck Uto Ksarik. He could only conjure baseball-sized ones in the past, but each bullet had grown as large as a bowling ball at that point. It was a testament to how much power he had gained. A huge explosion shook the ground. Boom! Well, that still didn¡¯t mean he could scratch his opponent. ¡®I don¡¯t care!¡¯ Ryu Han-bin moved away from the storm. He caused an explosion to escape, not to fight back. As soon as he landed, he ran again without looking back. Uto Ksarik aimed at Han-bin¡¯s back. Zoom! With a roar, a sphere made of Aura was formed on the tip of its sword. ¨C Aura Strike! A huge Aura bullet of more than two meters in diameter split the air. It seemed to be powerful enough to kill him immediately if he got hit. And there were more than one or two of those Aura bullets! Boom! Explosions filled their surroundings. The building collapsed, and whirlwinds soared. Still, Ryu Han-bin managed to run through the explosion. ¡®I¡¯m better at avoiding bombardment than normal attacks!¡¯ He continued to zigzag and mislead his opponent by changing his position. ¡°Oh, my gosh!¡± Han-bin crossed the ruined underground city. It wasn¡¯t long before he saw the big round dome. His eyes glistened brightly. ¡®I-I¡¯ve arrived!¡¯ * * * A group of people was waiting at the half-destroyed dome. Artis, Effir, and the six Templar Lords remained on standby in advance. ¡°There he is!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Han-bin!¡± ¡°He¡¯s with Uto Ksarik!¡± Ryu Han-bin exited the square through the eastern entrance of the dome. Uto Ksarik followed him in a leisurely manner. As the silver bull passed through the arch gate, a pattern of light rose from the foot of Uto Ksarik. It was a pre-installed multi-collective item. The crystal¡¯s force bound the divine beast¡¯s feet, inhibited its power, and subdued its movement! ¡°It got caught!¡± Leon Hart shouted. ¡°Everyone, attack!¡± Blade Aura, Magic Swordsmanship, and powerful flame-based magic bombarded Uto Ksarik. A series of colorful flashes burst throughout the underground sky. Boom! Uto Ksarik tilted its head amid the noisy offensive that filled its view. ¡°¡­ Umm?¡± It was a strange cry that sounded a little cute. The ¡®rat¡¯ it had chased so far was quite a fascinating one. On the other hand, what the hell was ¡®those mayflies worse than rats¡¯ doing there? Uto Ksarik thought. It didn¡¯t know what they were, so it let them pass by. Just moving to take another step broke the seal with ease. Squat! Squat! Squash! The Templar Lords who were on the offensive turned pale. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Has that seal always been that easy to break?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a natural result considering its level, but still¡­¡± Uto Ksarik looked up. Since it had crossed the stone bridge, it was time to clean up the ¡®mayflies¡¯ in front of it. The bull raised its front paw and stamped hard on the ground. The silver Aura rippled out in all directions. In a hurry, the six Templar Lords and Effir flew away. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°G-get away!¡± A huge silver wave destroyed everything it hit. It was too powerful of an attack to avoid. The Aura wave devoured Effir and the Templar Lords. At that moment¡­ ¡°Blink!¡± ¡°Blink!¡± ¡°Blink!¡± Everyone moved tens of meters away from their original positions and appeared again. It was thanks to the activation of artifacts that they prepared in advance. They never thought they could avoid its attacks normally from the beginning. There was a huge level gap, after all. Hence, they bought a lot of Magic Tools imbued with the Blink spell and practiced with its timing. Short-range instantaneous movement magic, Blink was oriented according to the observer¡¯s field of view, then randomly moved the user within a certain distance. It couldn¡¯t be used as an attack because it couldn¡¯t accurately move to the target point, but it was quite useful for creating distance. Those who barely got out of range shouted despite being out of breath. ¡°Is everyone safe?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go again!¡± The six Templar Lords, Artis, and Effir mobilized to attack from all sides. Watching the scene, Uto Ksarik had another thought. ¨C They are faster than I thought. It was necessary to increase its evaluation of them. ¨C Oh, they were flies, not mayflies. In accordance with that, Uto Ksarik swung its sword a little faster the second time around. The three-meter-long swords scattered silver Blade Aura in two circles. ¨C Aura Blast! The Templar Lords turned pale when they saw the falling radiant attack. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡± It was truly a devastating force of destruction. Even Ryu Han-bin would be met with immediate death if he got hit by its attack. Likewise, it wouldn¡¯t only mean death for them. They would be evaporated if they got hit! They tried to escape with all their might. They were all powerful people above level 90. They could cover more than 30 meters swiftly. However, 30 meters was only a few steps for Uto Ksarik, who was over 5 meters tall. The silver Blade Aura covered them in no time at all. Everyone gritted their teeth as they activated their artifacts again. ¡°Blink!¡± ¡°Blink!¡± Fortunately enough, they narrowly avoided the attack again. But it cost them a lot. Due to the powerful energy of the divine beast, their Blink-imbued Magic Tools broke down! Fliiing! Looking at the burning Blink ring, Effir freaked out. ¡°Already? It should¡¯ve had 30 more uses left!¡± She quickly threw the broken ring away and put another ring on her finger. It had the same ability as the last one. They expected that to happen in the first place. It was the reason why they had bought ¡®lots of¡¯ Blink-imbued Magic Tools. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it would be destroyed so quickly.¡¯ It was like they were throwing gold coins on the street every time they evaded the divine beast¡¯s attacks. ¡®But it¡¯s better than dying.¡¯ Focusing her mind, Effir attacked Uto Ksarik again. ¡°Haab!¡± * * * Meanwhile, Ryu Han-bin was holding his breath. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± He stabilized his breathing, relaxed his body, and returned to his best condition. It took only a few minutes, but his colleagues had to risk their lives and ruin expensive artifacts during that duration. He couldn¡¯t waste their efforts! ¡°Taaaaaaaa!¡± In a state of perfect condition, he pulled up all of the Aura he could muster. And with a huge explosion, that power covered his entire body. -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! Chapter 156 Making a Sword King By Rote (3) Uto Ksarik¡¯s head turned. ¡°¡­?¡± While it was briefly distracted by ¡®flies,¡¯ its original plan to hunt them down changed. There was a small human covered in dark red light. It was certain. Energy much stronger than before was overflowing throughout his body. It was a bit questionable since blood was mixed in with it, but it was a very interesting change regardless. Uto Ksarik thought fighting him would be more interesting. ¡°Moooooooooo!¡± Ignoring the Templar Lords, Uto Ksarik charged toward Ryu Han-bin. ¡°H-he¡¯s moving!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°To your next positions!¡± Artis, Effir, and the six Templar Lords began to scatter around the dome with a sigh of relief. Uto Ksarik ignored them. Those flies weren¡¯t worth chasing. At least that ¡®red man¡¯ was deserving enough for it to play with. ¡°Come on, you monster!¡± Ryu Han-bin burst into a roar and rushed at Uto Ksarik. At the same time, he swung his sword with his fighting spirit¡¯s power coating its blade. ¨C Crosscut! For the first time, Uto Ksarik was forced to defend. Paaaaaaaaaaaa! Their Auras collided. However, as expected, Han-bin was sent flying. But he no longer threw up blood. He assumed a stance and released another skill! ¨C Vertical Cut! The bull smiled. Unlike before, his attack was actually quite powerful. It was a waste not to take it head-on. ¡°Moooooooooops!¡± Its two swords were waved in an elegant curve and smoothly split apart Han-bin¡¯s Vertical Cut. ¡°Huh!¡± Ryu Han-bin, who was about to use Stab, stepped back in fright. It was completely wrong. If he tried cross-impact right then, he would have been sent to his death. Hence, he returned to his previous position and started over! ¨C Crosscut! Using basic skills, Ryu Han-bin continued to attack the divine beast. Uto Ksarik likewise stood its ground and fought against the attacks undauntingly. Shockwaves constantly spread as a terrible storm of destruction ceaselessly bombarded the place. ¡°Oh, my gosh¡­¡± Panting, Ryu Han-bin adjusted his timing. The gap was still noticeable even though his fighting spirit had been activated. If he didn¡¯t step back soon, he would die. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Han-bin shouted a signal. ¡°Save me!¡± It didn¡¯t make him look good at all, but it was an intuitive sign. His colleagues approached Uto Ksarik again. Uto Ksarik roared when it noticed them getting ever closer. ¡°Moooooooo!¡± Its Aura¡¯s ripples spread in circles and covered up the Templar Lords. Boom! Again, the flies worked hard to escape damnation, sacrificing their artifacts in the process. However, Uto Ksarik didn¡¯t launch any further offensive. Ryu Han-bin was running away again. Uto Ksarik didn¡¯t want to miss out on a better catch by worrying about flies like them. ¡°Grrr!¡± The bull rushed at him with a terrific speed. In an instant, the distance between Ryu Han-bin and Uto Ksarik narrowed. ¡°Ugh!¡± In a hurry, Ryu Han-bin threw himself inside the dome¡¯s building. The divine beast¡¯s swords shone. ¨C Aura Blast! A tremendous amount of light covered the whole building. The mountain roared as if it were collapsing, and an explosion soared high in the sky. Boom! At the same time, the hunt completely stopped. Looking at the utterly ruined building, Uto Ksarik was convinced. Its prey was dead. It had killed its opponent with certainty. Smiling satisfactorily, Utuksalik turned around. It was to find the traces of the flies. Using the unique ability of Dungeon monsters, it tracked the scent of humans. After a while, the divine beast clicked its tongue. They had already fled a long-distance away. Well, it wasn¡¯t interested in them anyway. They weren¡¯t worth tracking. Its killer instincts were satisfied enough by ending its main target¡¯s life. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± The huge silver bull left the dome and drifted off to the far side of the ruins. After a long while, a head rose through the collapsed pile of buildings. ¡°Oh, I barely survived¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s face was covered in blood. Han-bin sighed deeply with an exhausted face. ¡°Oh, my God, I might not die due to natural causes¡­¡± * * * A lake in the south at the lowest bottom of the Grand Maze Kaltan, infested with blood-red waters, served as a shelter for Han-bin and his party. They didn¡¯t secure a Clean Area and created their shelter in there as Hunters did in any other dungeon. It sometimes took months to make a Clean Area at the lowest bottom of the Grand Maze, and they didn¡¯t have that much time in their hands. Instead, they killed all the monsters around their vicinity and made it a temporary base. Looking around, Effir murmured. ¡°We should be safe here for a while, right?¡± The higher the level of monsters in the dungeon, the longer the respawn time. Trexal, a level 100 monster, was native to the place they were staying at. The average respawn time was about three to four days. At least for the time being, they could rest without any problems. Artis was exhausted due to injury and fatigue, and the same could be said for the other Templar Lords lying across the place and groaning in pain. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about the Three Gods of Kaltan, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be that strong.¡± White-silver bull, Uto Ksarik. The legendary prestige of the divine beasts wasn¡¯t exaggerated. Even the six Templar Lords, the strongest members of each church, ran away with all their might when met with its presence. The result they got was only possible because they had carefully planned the operation, aligned their movements, and focused only on escaping. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Sabine Asil sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just ashamed of my weakness. Is this the only way I can be of use as Althea¡¯s sword¡­?¡± Angelica smiled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be enough to survive?¡± Level 90s encountered a level 168 monster and lived to tell the tale. That alone was an achievement worthy of going down in history. Lord Palmer replied, throwing away his corroded ring and necklace. ¡°Thanks to that, we are spending way too much. The value of the artifacts I lost today is more than my entire wealth!¡± Merdill shrugged. ¡°Aren¡¯t the Churches paying for it anyway?¡± ¡°What do you take the Churches¡¯ money for? They¡¯re precious donations from the believers.¡± Ryu Han-bin, who Leon Hart was treating, intervened in the conversation. ¡°Then put it on the Goddesses¡¯ tabs. After saving the world, won¡¯t they pay that back?¡± Palmer replied solemnly, stroking his rich dwarven beard. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t desire payment in exchange for your services to a Goddess.¡± He then immediately changed his expression and laughed. ¡°But you¡¯re an Alien, so there¡¯s no problem asking for a reward. You can take it and give it to us.¡± ¡°¡­ You guys have become more flexible.¡± ¡®Is it because we¡¯ve been hanging out for quite a while?¡¯ By that point, everyone seemed to be close enough to joke around with Ryu Han-bin, an Alien. Kibie looked back at everyone and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing everyone got back safely.¡± She wasn¡¯t involved in the battle against the divine beast. If something went wrong, she would be in big trouble. Hence, she was forced to hide alone and wait for her party to come back. Of course, no matter how many nearby monsters they killed, the Grand Maze¡¯s lowest floor remained dangerous. If they were only concerned about safety, they shouldn¡¯t have come there in the first place. However, Kibie alone couldn¡¯t be separated on the ground. Leon Hart¡¯s plan required the participation of the six Templar Lords as well as Han-bin¡¯s party. With that amount of power, running away from the divine beast became possible. Thanks to that, the Holy Punishers¡¯ leaders were all gone, but it was unavoidable. If too many humans united and moved in the dungeon, the probability of mobilizing a large number of monsters increased. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t possible to reinforce their power with other low-level Templars. They had to move with only a handful of the strongest. Since all the completely trustworthy people were in the Grand Maze, it was safer to move with Kibie. As she stared beyond the red lake, the black-haired beauty murmured boldly. ¡°Shame on me. Everyone¡¯s risking their lives while I¡¯m hiding in a safe place like a princess in a tower¡­¡± Ryu Han-bin teased her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you more ashamed of being a Goddess who lost your divinity in the first place?¡± ¡°¡­ But that happened long ago, and it¡¯s too late now to do anything about it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kibie placed her hand at Han-bin¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ll help with your treatment, at least.¡± Then, she tightened the bandage hard. Ryu Han-bin burst into a scream. ¡°Hey! that hurts! You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hold on. It¡¯s supposed to be tight.¡± Han-bin¡¯s injury was still quite serious even after Leon Hart had treated him extensively. He could erase the residual Aura caused by the fighting spirit by himself, but the residual Aura of Uto Ksarik remained. Leon Hart, who made the diagnosis, spoke out. ¡°It¡¯ll take me two days to heal you completely.¡± Ryu Han-bin smirked even though he was sick. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier in the future. I can fool the sense of divine beast.¡± * * * Leon Hart asked Ryu Han-bin to fight with the divine beast a few times and run away with all his might. ¡°The problem is, considering the level difference between the bull and us, even escaping is impossible.¡± They wouldn¡¯t be able to increase the distance between them and run away. The divine beast was much faster than Ryu Han-bin. ¡®Then what should we do?¡¯ ¡°We have no choice but to deceive the sense of Uto Ksarik.¡± Han-bin gained some distance with the help of his colleagues. And Leon Hart¡¯s opinion was that he had no choice but to fake death after being taken out of the divine beast¡¯s sight. That made Ryu Han-bin wonder. ¡°Is there a way to fool a monster that I¡¯m dead?¡± He didn¡¯t understand. If there were such a way, why hadn¡¯t other Hunters ever used it? Was it because the skill was too difficult to use? However, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. The other Templar Lords also raised the same question. ¡°Huh? How would that work, Lord Leon Hart?¡± ¡°By any chance, did you develop it recently?¡± ¡°If you know how to do that, teach me!¡± Leon Hart shook his head firmly. ¡°No, there is no such a trick.¡± Everyone, including Ryu Han-bin, had a blank look on their faces. ¡®So what the hell are you talking about?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s impossible for us, at least.¡± Leon Hart looked back at Han-bin and continued. ¡°But that guy might be able to do it.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is there any other special function in the Guideline that I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Other Aliens have never deceived the senses of monsters, at least as far as I know.¡± Leon Hart observed Ryu Han-bin¡¯s entire physique. ¡°Have you ever thought about it, Han-bin? Why you¡¯re level six.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because my Guideline is defective. You already know that.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± Leon Hart¡¯s eyes shone sharply at the moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Guideline then that keeps you at level six?¡± Chapter 157 Making a Sword King By Rote (4) Ryu Han-bin had always regarded his level due to a notation or recognition error in the Guideline. But Leon Hart denied the speculation. ¡°An error is indeed the cause, but it most likely isn¡¯t the type you¡¯re thinking of.¡± How could Han-bin¡¯s Guideline misrepresent ¡®lv. 140¡¯ as ¡®lv. 6¡¯? ¡°Then why do you think other aliens see your level as six as well?¡± If it were a simple display flaw, only Han-bin would see it as six. There was no way that the measuring stone of Latna and other Aliens¡¯ Guidelines had the same error. Han-bin asked a question with a confused tone. ¡°Then what exactly is the problem?¡± Leon Hart answered with another question. ¡°Have you ever thought about it? Where do measuring stones base their measurement of your level on?¡± ¡°¡­ I heard it¡¯s the strength of the soul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what rookie Hunters say. What determines the strength and weakness of the soul in the first place?¡± ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t that be an individual¡¯s physical ability or the four major forces?¡± Though he answered, Ryu Han-bin knew he was wrong. Through that standard, he wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp the target¡¯s combat experience or skill level. Leon Hart gave him the right answer. ¡°The criterion for measuring Hunters¡¯ level with the measuring stone is the target¡¯s ¡®energy¡¯¡± Energy was the source of every living being. It naturally flowed through eating, drinking, breathing, and fighting and was fundamentally linked to life¡¯s body and soul. If someone had a strong body, then their energy would be stronger. If they had excellent combat skills, it would be sharper, and if they were belligerent, the nature of their energy would be intense. ¡°Those with a lot of battle experiences have a more flexible flow of energy, and the energy of those who have high operational capabilities over the four major forces are qualitatively purer. If the total amount of the four forces is tremendous, the total amount of their energy will equally be tremendous as well.¡± It was Latna¡¯s way of comprehensively analyzing, identifying, and quantifying the condition of all those energies. ¡°Oh, energy wasn¡¯t just a collective expression for the Four Powers¡­¡± Han-bin scratched his head. Even though he had been giving Artis and Effir ¡®energy,¡¯ he didn¡¯t think deeply about the concept. Regardless, if energy was the standard that determined a person¡¯s immediate level¡­ ¡°So I lack energy? Is that why my level is so low?¡± Leon Hart snorted at Han-bin¡¯s question. ¡°How can that be? You still don¡¯t get it.¡± Energy was the foundation of Han-bin¡¯s body and soul. His physical abilities were insanely high, and his Aura had risen like crazy. There was no way he¡¯d be lacking in energy. ¡°To be exact, your energy is ¡®perceived¡¯ as low. It¡¯s not actually low.¡± It wasn¡¯t simply an error in displaying numbers. The broken Guideline created side effects, one of which was his energy barely being exposed to the outside world. He was seen as level 5 or 6. ¡°That¡¯s how I made sense of it. I don¡¯t think Latna¡¯s measuring stones or any of the other Aliens¡¯ Guidelines are broken.¡± Since pure energy was the source of life, no matter how advanced the senses someone had, it was impossible to detect it from afar. They could only sense the four forces, which were modified versions of it. ¡°So when using the measuring stone, you have to be in direct contact with them, and you need their permission. Aliens can navigate around that restriction, but they have to get close to you.¡± And the Dungeon monsters might¡¯ve had an ability similar to that. ¡°You already know that if there are a lot of humans in a Dungeon, there will be more monsters coming from external realms, right?¡± They, too, could sense energy, but it seemed they were limited to grasping it in an unprecise way compared to Aliens. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ve created Guidelines based on that capability, then remodeled it in a way that reduced its range but increased its precision. Well, that¡¯s just my guess.¡± As such, Dungeon monsters became aware of the presence in their territory through the Hunters¡¯ energies. However, Ryu Han-bin had a particularly low energy external emission. ¡°So if you consciously hide all your energy, what would monsters think?¡± Convinced, Han-bin smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯d most likely look like a dead body.¡± * * * All subsequent battles were fought at Leon Hart¡¯s designated locations. Ryu Han-bin did his best against Uto Ksarik. He fought back, pulled out all of his Aura, and even used Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. During those moments, he was a high-level warrior who used immensely powerful Aura. Aura was no longer considered as ¡®pure energy¡¯ since it had been refined. Hence, it wasn¡¯t hidden by Guideline errors. After losing all his strength through fighting tirelessly, he hid like a rat. During those times, he was closer to a ¡®dead level 6 warrior.¡¯ Since the gap between his maximum and minimum output was so wide, the divine beast considered him deceased. Of course, there was also the risk that Uto Ksarik would search for Han-bin¡¯s body through the pile of debris. However, Leon Hart judged that the possibility was slim. ¡°The Three Gods of Kaltan don¡¯t crave human blood and flesh like normal monsters.¡± That was evident when the divine beast Kruse Murg escaped from the Grand Maze and massacred numerous Hunters. It focused only on killing the people in front of it. It didn¡¯t eat people. ¡°Uto Ksarik will also be satisfied and withdraw once his killer instinct is satiated, just like how Kruse Murg went back to the Grand Maze after spilling enough blood.¡± The result was as expected. Uto Ksarik ignored Ryu Han-bin¡¯s ¡®corpse¡¯ and just went its way, and everyone was able to return safely to the temporary shelter. ¡°Come to think of it, isn¡¯t this a very good hiding skill? Why don¡¯t other Earthlings use it?¡± Leon Hart shrugged at Han-bin¡¯s question. ¡°Maybe the demon didn¡¯t expect it? Errors can cause unintentional side effects.¡± He breathed a deep sigh of relief. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m so glad it went as planned. Honestly, I was worried a lot.¡± Regardless of the risk being theoretically low, they still weren¡¯t sure if it actually wouldn¡¯t happen. If the worst happened, Leon Hart was determined to save Ryu Han-bin, even if it meant giving up his life. That was what the person who came up with the plan could do at the bare minimum. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that the divine beast is moving as expected..¡± Leon Hart concluded while healing Han-bin¡¯s wound. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while and try again after.¡± * * * Three days later, Ryu Han-bin challenged the divine beast again. His plan against Uto Ksarik was the same as before. Once he figured out its route, he sneaked in. Originally, Ryu Han-bin wasn¡¯t good at secretly moving. However, even those who weren¡¯t talented could learn a lot if they had a good teacher. Frederick, the Templar Lord of the Sorondi Church, was a master of various swordsmanship styles and a good teacher to a multitude of disciples. With his teachings, Han-bin learned how to move in silence. Han-bin added his unique ¡®energy hiding¡¯ ability to it. The divine beast could only feel the sudden attack when it was already too late to block it. ¨C Crosscut! Boom! ¡°Grrr?¡± After being severely hit on the back of its head due to its absentmindedness, Uto Ksarik immediately went after Ryu Han-bin. Han-bin ran away and moved to the promised sealing area. Six Templar Lords, Artis, and Effir, who were waiting in advance, attacked the divine beast. Their average levels were in the mid to late 90s. If a level 168 monster so much as scratched them, they would die instantly. Keeping a safe distance at all times and always prepared to away immediately, all they could do was divide Uto Ksarik¡¯s attention. Taking advantage of the gap, Ryu Han-bin released all of the Aura he had stored within. -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! For a very short time, the divine beast was put in a state of shock. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean much. It was equal to Uto Ksarik¡¯s normal blows if he were to compare it. But at least it was enough for him to fight against the bull. Han-bin dealt with the divine beast for a while and maximized his fighting spirit¡¯s potential as much as he could. And when he reached his limit, he sent the usual signal to his colleagues. ¡°Save me!¡± It was hard to run away from it even in his best condition, and he couldn¡¯t even stand properly after fighting with it. The help of his colleagues was essential. Disturbing Uto Ksarik, the others immediately hid in the nearby ruins like rats chased by a cat. Han-bin entered a corpse-like state while it was distracted. For the monster, that was recognized as the death of its prey. No longer caring for Ryu Han-bin, the bull turned to hunt his remaining colleagues. However, they had already fled too far for it to give chase by then. They had gone so far they no longer had to be worried about being hunted down. ¡°¡­?¡± Ultimately, Uto Ksarik just went on its own way, wondering what the hell they came there for. About 30 minutes later. Ryu Han-bin clicked his tongue as he stuck out his head from the ruins. ¡°Oh, I barely made it this time.¡± He had done it once, so he had become a little used to it. However, it was still difficult to achieve. ¡°Stil¡­¡± Han-bin subtly smiled as he looked down at his hand. It was only the second challenge, but he already felt himself change. He could feel the flow of the Aura more clearly. Controlling his fighting spirit had also become much easier. ¡°This is worth risking my life for.¡± * * * Navigating throughout the kingdom, Hollien and the Alendia Army fought off the nightmares of the night. The night¡¯s major changes occurred in areas where Kybriel¡¯s protection was weak. The more monsters were massacred, the longer the time for them to reappear became. Lankdot grassland, Belfos territory, Devansel mountainous region, and Rajdraphim province. The areas where there were a lot of monsters had been stabilized one by one. Naturally, the reputation of the Transcendental also rose daily. Those who suspected her changed their views little by little. -Yes, of course! -The Fairy Queen couldn¡¯t have betrayed the Goddess. -The Holy Punishers must have misunderstood something! The public sentiment changing was great news, but Hollien was nervous. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to ask me to come back to the royal palace once I¡¯m finished.¡± No matter how good the results might be, it wasn¡¯t beneficial for royals to have a queen wandering like wildlings. In particular, the Fairy King had a good relationship with Hollien. Although they didn¡¯t have children yet, he would order her return if she was away for too long. However, the Holy Punishers hadn¡¯t shown up yet! ¡°What the hell are they doing?¡± She thought they were scared, so she even tried to bait them. She intentionally used up her spiritual arts and displayed herself for all to see when she was blatantly exhausted. ¡°Why won¡¯t they come?¡± At that moment, she even cut her troops in half. She reduced the number of soldiers that were with her from 800 to 400. ¡°Will they come now?¡± As expected, they didn¡¯t. It led to widespread rumors that the Fairy Queen cherished the life of soldiers. As the reputation of the beloved queen rose consecutively, the Fairy King became pleased. Allendia as a whole was also delighted since the damage caused by the changes in the night decreased gradually. The people were able to sleep comfortably without fear of monsters again. With everyone happy, only Hollien was getting more and more irritated as days passed by. ¡°No, why aren¡¯t they showing up?¡± Chapter 158 Practice, and Practice (1) They had been staying on the bottom floor of the Grand Maze Kaltan for nine days. Currently, Ryu Han-bin was hiding behind ruins and staring into space. A bull grazed. It would seem like a very pastoral scenery, but it couldn¡¯t be farther from that. In front of the white-silver bull, Uto Ksarik, the dead bodies of all kinds of plant-type monsters were piled up like a mountain. The walking cannibals Gralliras, the beautiful old-tree giants, Treants, and the corrupted forest¡¯s spirits, Black Dryads. All of them were monsters over level 100. Uto Ksarik enjoyed its meal leisurely with all those monsters piled up like a pile of grass. Well, since they were all plant-based, it was still technically correct to call it a pile of grass. ¡®But are Dryads also considered as grass?¡¯ Thinking of the wild idea, Han-bin unsheathed Gigant. And he drew in a sharp breath. ¡®Whew.¡¯ Considering that the monsters it was eating all had levels higher than the Templar Lords, he didn¡¯t want to go near it. ¡®I must go, anyway!¡¯ He kicked on the ground, multiplying his leg strength through Aura. He narrowed the distance and delivered a confident blow. ¨C Crosscut! Boom! There was a big explosion on the back of the bull¡¯s head, who was eating his food unhurriedly. Uto Ksarik stood up. The boy appeared again. He was the same red man whom it had just killed a few days ago. The divine beast became curious. ¡°Umm?¡± The bull wasn¡¯t particularly excited. For Uto Ksarik, his attack was nothing more than a slap. It swung a sword with interest. A silver blade Aura sliced through the air. ¡°Argh!¡± Han-bin was on edge. He couldn¡¯t counterattack or deflect it. He was no match for the divine beast without the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. ¡®As soon as it hits me, my blood and flesh will be torn apart!¡¯ Han-bin kept avoiding its assaults with all his might. He backed down without hesitation and used his sword to defend himself, not to counterattack. ¨C Vertical Cut! Boom! The red flash dissipated immediately upon colliding against the divine beast¡¯s Blade Aura. He dodged away from a direct hit, but the strong shockwave it caused still enveloped Han-bin. The ripples of the Aura dug into his whole body like a gimlet, causing him terrible pain. ¡°Ugh!¡± Gritting his teeth, Ryu Han-bin endured it. It was painful. It made him feel like he was going to die soon. ¡®I need to do this!¡¯ Recalling Leon Hart¡¯s teachings, he kept fighting using his Gigant. -Stab! * * * The short-term intensive development plan of Ryu Han-bin, also known as the ¡°Making a Sword King By Rote,¡± was set up by Leon Hart. There was a condition Leon Hart needed for it to be a success. ¡°Never stop fighting the divine beast until you feel like you¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°Uh, so you¡¯re telling me that I should keep getting until just before I die?¡± ¡°Who told you to get hit? If you do, you¡¯ll die immediately.¡± Leon Hart meant that Han-bin had to continue to deal with Uto Ksarik¡¯s Aura waves while avoiding any of its fatal blows. ¡°It¡¯s one of the ways Hunters can awaken their Aura.¡± As Artis had mentioned in the past, there were a total of three ways Latnain could awaken their Aura. Unlocking it through prestigious traditional swordsmanship training. Inherently activating it due to pure talent or genius. And finally, awakening it through the Hunters¡¯ secret trick. ¡°While listening to your situation, I deduced that you awakened your Aura by using the last option.¡± Ryu Han-bin felt as if Leon Hart¡¯s opinion was unfair. ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard on my Maxbrid martial arts. Isn¡¯t that high-level swordsmanship?¡± He had always believed that he had acquired Aura by mastering the traditional swordsmanship style. ¡°I¡¯m sure Maxbrid is a prestigious school of swordsmanship, but your level isn¡¯t enough to master it.¡± Leon Hart¡¯s view was that it couldn¡¯t have been the main cause since it wouldn¡¯t have that much of an effect in the first place. ¡°Acquiring Aura is, in short, achieved through training and practice, which then would allow the body¡¯s energy to become purely refined and converted into Aura.¡± Some mastered traditional swordsmanship and refined their energy through proper teaching. Geniuses refined their energy through pure talent. However, there were a lot of hunters that didn¡¯t have the opportunity to learn traditional swordsmanship or had no natural talent. ¡°They have no choice but to use large amounts of Aura to force themselves to refine their energy.¡± The Dungeon monsters were essentially Aliens, and their Auras were also extremely abundant. Such amounts could stimulate the Hunters¡¯ latent energy, leading it to the proper flow. ¡°Most of the hunters who have awakened their Aura become stronger this way. I heard that the higher the level difference with the monsters, the faster they would grow.¡± Such a method was rarely used except by Hunters. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work if it¡¯s between humans. It has to be the heterogeneous energy of the Alien world.¡± There would be no use in a Latnain teacher beating up Latnain disciples. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t even work when it¡¯s with Alien Aura users. The four powers of Aliens are not as abundant as the Dungeon monsters¡¯.¡± ¡°We are all Alien beings, though. How can that be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but maybe it¡¯s because of one of the Guidelines¡¯ functions.¡± If the Earthlings¡¯ energy had been heterogeneous, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to determine their real identity. ¡°The Devil might have done something to hide it.¡± In any case, the success rate of the Hunters¡¯ secret was completely left to chance. The opponent¡¯s level had to be much higher. Additionally, Dungeon monsters never hesitated when it came to killing humans. ¡°To endure the Aura waves of such a monster continuously is like telling me to die slowly, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ryu Han-bin could have acquired Aura without much trouble against the Blood Circer Queen since his skills¡¯ balance was messed up. At that time, Han-bin¡¯s Aura level was below level 50 since it was before he acquired it. In that condition, he faced the level 85 monster. Of course, the difference in their Aura levels was extreme. Hence, the effect was also tremendous. A typical level 50 Hunter would¡¯ve already been beaten to death before they could achieve any result. However, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s physical abilities were still around level 140. His endurance was also overwhelmingly high, allowing him to endure the pain and acquire Aura. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely for ordinary Hunters to accomplish.¡± Surprisingly, however, there were quite a few Hunters who had gained Aura through that way. ¡°With an outstanding Spiritist as a colleague and by acting as the tank of the team, protecting them from harm, meeting the conditions for it would be possible. That¡¯s why it is implicitly known as the Hunters¡¯ way to awaken Aura.¡± It was too difficult to achieve that it had to be called a secret technique. It was a way to unlock one of the four major forces of Latna. However, they had to fight against monsters that could use Aura and somehow survive to achieve results. ¡°If it weren¡¯t difficult in the first place, wouldn¡¯t the Hunters have mastered it already?¡± Nevertheless, there was another reason why Hunters kept it a secret. ¡°There are so many idiots in the world who interpret what others say in their own way.¡± Usually, they ignored all the intricate details and instead understood it as, ¡®if you get hit by a monster, you become an Aura user!¡¯ Han-bin saw it like that just then as well. ¡°There are so many Hunters who failed at it that they kept it a secret.¡± At the end of the explanation, Leon Hart slapped Han-bin on the back. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to be bothered.¡± He didn¡¯t need to understand all the complicated theories. He just had to fight. He would learn by himself if he fought. ¡°Just don¡¯t die.¡± * * * ¡°Taaaaaa!¡± Ryu Han-bin continued to fight back against Uto Ksarik¡¯s Blade Aura. He continued to tread on a fine line and used the opponent¡¯s Aura wave to provoke his own Aura. ¡°Ugh!¡± He groaned as terrible pain coursed through his physique. However, he had no choice but to endure it all. ¡®The flow of my Aura is certainly different!¡¯ His primal instincts ¡®recognized¡¯ and led Aura to the right path in order to fight back against the divine beast¡¯s formidable energy. That was how he could survive. He repeatedly evoked the same feeling. The more he did, the more he learned, and the better the enlightenment became that was forced into his senses! Fighting like crazy and running away, Ryu Han-bin gritted his teeth. ¡®Why do I have to do this?¡¯ Just like the Hunters that acquired Aura the same way, he trained himself by fighting against external energy. It was one of the ways Han-bin could become permanently stronger in a short time, which Leon Hart had chosen. However, the problem was that the amount of Aura Ryu Han-bin currently had was equal to level 140. Only the Three Gods of Kaltan were enough to strengthen him in a short period since their levels were over 160. ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡± He tried his best, but he felt his limit nearing. Uttering abusive language, Han-bin took advantage of the opportunity he found to run away. As expected, Uto Ksarik chased him hard. The bull¡¯s cry rang out through the sky of the Grand Maze. ¡°Moooooooooo!¡± * * * It had been 21 days since Han-bin and his party started staying on the bottom floor of the Grand Maze Kaltan. ¡°Come on, Uto Ksarik!¡± Again, the ¡®Red Man¡¯ picked a fight against the bull. Uto Ksarik smirked. The human was a unique prey in a way that he always resurrected even if it killed him. But Uto Ksarik didn¡¯t find it strange. Its intelligence wasn¡¯t high enough to question it. It released its Blade Aura, as usual, thinking nothing was out of the ordinary. Zoom! Red and silver Auras collided, creating an explosion. The red man took a backward step and breathed in deeply. Uto Ksarik wondered. ¡°¡­?¡± Something had changed about him. He usually died in one hit, but somehow he managed to survive and hold out. The red man released another attack. ¨C Vertical Cut! Blocking the incoming crimson wave, Uto Ksarik became certain. He wasn¡¯t the same as before. Did he get stronger? No, his power didn¡¯t increase that much. Was it his Blade Aura that became more powerful? That couldn¡¯t be the case. The power of his Aura hadn¡¯t risen a lot either. Then why didn¡¯t he get blown away? Boom! After exchanging a few more attacks, Uto Ksarik reached an answer. The flow of his Aura had been refined. His swordsmanship didn¡¯t become more elaborate. In contrast, it felt like his swordsmanship became a bit worse than before. He had only used Stab, Crosscut, and Vertical Cut so far, after all. But the operation of the Aura in those three movements changed. His Aura flow, breathing, posture, and connection had all become natural. His skill was on par with Uto Ksarik when it¡¯s swinging its sword. ¡°Arghhh!¡± The red man jumped up with a burst of energy. He then used three attacks at the same time. ¨C Triple Cross Attack, Cross Impact! A terrifying explosion shook the ruins. Uto Ksarik smiled as it crossed its swords to defend itself. His attack just then was quite powerful. It was strong enough for Uto Ksarik to take a step back. In excitement, the silver-white divine beast let out a deafening roar. ¡°Moooooooooooooo!¡± It was having fun! Uto Ksarik counterattacked. The situation reversed as soon as it attacked the red man aggressively. ¡®It¡¯s not fun for me! Damn it!¡¯ Grinding his teeth, Ryu Han-bin quickly pulled himself out. He had become a little better than before, but he still needed to be careful. Chapter 159 Practice, and Practice (2) Ryu Han-bin¡¯s three skills, which were regarded as Swordsmen¡¯s first basic skills, couldn¡¯t hit properly due to his weak overall swordsmanship capabilities and poor Aura operational ability. Stab, Crosscut, and Vertical Cut. Those had been corrected while fighting against the divine beast Uto Ksarik. At least he was better than when he used to miss even the level 100 Aliens when using those skills. Nevertheless, Han-bin still had a long way to go. The battle was to strengthen his fundamental abilities. He had to equalize all of his lagging traits and master the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. That way, he could stand against the Top Three. * * * It had been 28 days since Han-bin and his party started staying in the Grand Maze. Artis and Effir bombarded Uto Ksarik with magic and mana swordsmanship. ¡°Melt my enemies, Incinerating Flames!¡± ¨C Magic Swordsmanship: Roaring of Thunder! The six Templar Lords were also hovering around the divine beast, generously using their strongest skills. The struggle of his colleagues barely bought him a few minutes. Ryu Han-bin concentrated his mind and let his Aura erupt. -Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit! Bleeding, he attacked Uto Ksarik. ¡°Grrrr!¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a shout or a scream. At that time, the completion of his Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit had only risen to 80 percent even though he¡¯d been practicing a lot. Even though he was benefitting from the divine beast¡¯s Aura, it was taking too long to reach 100% completion. No matter how durable Ryu Han-bin was, he couldn¡¯t stand it. No, even if he held out, his colleagues wouldn¡¯t be able to. The more he gambled, the more likely he would fail, and he couldn¡¯t expect to succeed continuously by repeating the same actions dozens of times. Hence, he purposely specified his goals. In the given situation, he needed to increase the completeness of only the targeted skills! Approaching from Uto Ksarik¡¯s left, Ryu Han-bin released a dark red flash, delivering a Stab using the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit as the foundation. ¨C Valtara¡¯s Pierce! Han-bin gave Utuksalik a shot, retreated right away, and took advantage of the opportunity to blow cross-cut¡­¡­. ¨C Valtara¡¯s Cross! Han-bin avoided Utuksalik¡¯s attack again and then blew the vertical cut! ¨C Valtara¡¯s Hack! Collectively known as ¡®Valtara¡¯s Three Swords,¡¯ those were the three basic skills revolving around Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. By deliberately naming the skill, differentiation was made to solidify their individual reputation and increase accuracy. Explosions and roars ceaselessly reverberated. Boom! Ryu Han-bin went around Uto Ksarik and continued to attack. He dealt with the divine beast strategically using only the ¡®Valtara¡¯s Three Swords.¡¯ The Aura flow was also specialized that way. His fighting spirit¡¯s power got closer to 100% faster when using those three techniques in repetition. ¡®Fight against the divine animal, and get out alive.¡¯ ¡®Find a way to survive against absolute power.¡¯ ¡®This is the only way you can complete the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit now.¡¯ Recalling everyone¡¯s advice, Ryu Han-bin raised his fighting spirit even more. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± * * * It had already been 45 days since Han-bin started fighting against the divine beast. Currently, Han-bin and his group managed to escape from Uto Ksarik and return to their shelter safely. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°How long has it been since we had such a prolonged fight?¡± ¡°That was the longest fight for my life I¡¯ve ever gone through.¡± Ryu Han-bin smiled bitterly at the chants of the Templar Lords. ¡°Everyone¡¯s having a hard time.¡± Still, the reward was substantial. Forty-five days could be considered as a long time, but it was also an absurdly short time when desiring to be stronger. Nevertheless, the completeness of Valtara¡¯s Three Swords had increased considerably. Ryu Han-bin himself could feel it. Suddenly curious, Han-bin asked. ¡°But why is this considered an anomaly? It seems like a plausible enough training.¡± Sabine Asil answered instead of Leon Hart. ¡°It¡¯s because this will create even bigger weaknesses.¡± He practiced nothing but basic skills continuously, leading them to completion. At first glance, it looked extremely worth it. But why did fighters regard such a method as an anomaly? Why did they have to master various skills evenly? ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll always be able to knock your opponent down using a Stab you¡¯ve practiced for a hundred days in pursuit of an invincible blow?¡± If the opponent got hit, Han-bin would¡¯ve killed them already. But what if the opponent avoided it? Then, Han-bin would allow for a counterattack and could die in one hit. ¡°If you practice your skills evenly, you¡¯ll have more chances to fight back no matter the situation.¡± Shaking her head, Sabine continued. ¡°There are some masters in the world who reached the top with basic skills, but it¡¯s not just the basic skills that they learn in reality.¡± That was the case for Stab. There were countless derivative movements based on it, such as Stab to advance, retreating Stab, diagonal Stab, upward Stab, downward Stab, and rotational Stab. He could say that he mastered Stab, but it wouldn¡¯t mean just a single skill. Rather, it meant he had mastered ¡®all kinds¡¯ of stabbing skills for ¡®all situations.¡¯ If that wasn¡¯t the case, then numerous boxing techniques could be labeled as just ¡®a punch.¡¯ ¡°Han-bin, on the other hand, your Valtara¡¯s Three Swords include just three skills, right?¡± Those were Stab, Crosscut, and Vertical Cut. He didn¡¯t have time to learn the whole thing without narrowing the conditions like that. ¡°In a one-on-one situation, you¡¯ll be dead if your opponent just dodges your attack and throws a counterattack.¡± Confused, Ryu Han-bin looked back at Leon Hart. ¡°Wait, then why are you making me do this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a one-on-one situation.¡± Leon Hart replied. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re fighting against the divine beast one-on-one, Han-bin?¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s skills alone couldn¡¯t deal with the Uto Ksarik. No matter what he did, it was too much for him at the moment. Six Templar Lords, Artis, and Effir stood by him to fill the gap. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Han-bin understood. If the counterattack was the problem, they could interrupt the bull to prevent it from launching one. In team combat, they could cover his weaknesses. The goal of Ryu Han-bin was to become a blade that could pierce everything. It wasn¡¯t to be an absolute master who could cope with every situation. ¡°And you have high basic physical abilities. It won¡¯t be easy to kill you in one hit.¡± He could make up for his weak points after defeating Hollion the Transcendental. Although the six Templar Lords¡¯ levels were lower than Ryu Han-bin¡¯s, they were the best in their areas. If everyone were determined to stick together and teach him, he would gain good results no matter how slow he was. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s expedient, but¡­¡± ¡°Practice what I¡¯m good at first and fill in the gaps later, I guess.¡± It looked like a shortcut, but it was more of a detour. It¡¯s better to do it evenly from the beginning looking at it from the long-term perspective. ¡°But you won¡¯t lose anything.¡± Compared to Latna¡¯s warriors, he was derailing from the right path. But what if he was compared with normal Aliens? How many high-level monsters would a normal level 140 Alien have to hunt if they wanted to raise their level by 1? At Ryu Han-bin¡¯s current level, no matter how much he took the long path, he would get to his destination much faster than ordinary Aliens. So Leon Hart affirmed. ¡°Trust me and follow me. You will become stronger for sure!¡± * * * It had been 51 days since he followed Leon Hart to the Grand Maze Kaltan. Though he had gotten used to it, the battle against the divine beast was still harsh. Every day was a series of hardships and adversity. Whenever human beings were having too much difficulty, they would often want to do something else like cleaning up ahead of the exam or cooking unexpectedly before the deadline. Ryu Han-bin was also a human being. ¡°Hey, Leon Hart. By any chance, isn¡¯t there a way for me to not deal with the divine beast for now?¡± Of course, Leon Hart was dumbfounded. ¡°You said you believe in me and would follow me. It hadn¡¯t been that long, yet you¡¯re already talking about something else now?¡± ¡°No, I believe you, but I keep wondering if there¡¯s a different way¡­¡± There was also a lot of monster above level 100 at the bottom floor of the Grand Maze. What if he hunted those monsters and collected experience points instead? ¡°That way, if I get to level 7, there might be some other way.¡± Leon Hart snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t focus on gaining experience points.¡± Ryu Han-bin¡¯s stats were as followed when he just fell into Latna. [Strength 25 (+1,364), Stamina 21 (+1,364), Endurance 15 (+682), Defense 16 (+1,364), Intelligence 7 (+341), Reflexes 9 (+341), Agility 10 (+341).] As a level 6, it was as followed. [Strength 27 (+1,364), Stamina 23 (+1,364), Endurance 17 (+682), Defense 18 (+1,364), Intelligence 7 (+341), Reflexes 9 (+341), Agility 10 (+341).] Including additional points, Ryu Han-bin¡¯s original strength level was 1,389. It had risen to 1,391 after he leveled up. ¡°Did you feel anything stronger?¡± ¡°No, well, it¡¯s not like that, but¡­¡± Even if his ability level rose by two more, the ratio was only 0.14%. If he added another 14 grams to a 10-kilogram dumbbell, he would feel nothing. To further calculate, when an Alien warrior of level 140 reached level 141, their strength stat would usually rise by 44. In other words, even if Ryu Han-bin calculated an additional increase, at least 20 to 30 levels had to be gained to earn a significant figure. ¡°How long would that take? If we could afford it, we could have just become stronger in a regular way.¡± However, he didn¡¯t even have time to increase his level by one. Because of the damn error, the necessary experience points to reach level 7 were enormous. The demand was extremely high, but little could be gained. ¡°It won¡¯t help if your level is higher. Didn¡¯t you embarrass level 100 Aliens?¡± Leon Hart calmly continued. ¡°Han-bin, what you have to focus on is the real ¡®experience.¡¯ It¡¯s not just a number.¡± Ryu Han-bin scratched his head. There was another reason why he concentrated on leveling up. ¡°I was just wondering if there would be another absolute skill.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask for such luck.¡± He didn¡¯t intend to deny the existence of good luck in life. But it was silly to cling to it. ¡°As I often say, luck doesn¡¯t come according to one¡¯s expectation.¡± Han-bin asked again, nodding his head. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be okay to experiment?¡± ¡°What kind of experiment?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I gain a new skill? The Skill of the Absolute: Lord throughout Heaven and Earth.¡± ¡°That again? I¡¯ve already told you to ignore it¡­¡± ¡°No, let me just give it a try at least.¡± He had used it in many situations against his colleagues, but he couldn¡¯t figure the usage out yet. However, there was one situation that he hadn¡¯t tested it in. ¡°I¡¯ve never used it on someone far stronger than me. I¡¯ve been wondering if we¡¯ll get a different result.¡± Chapter 160 Practice, and Practice (3) The white-silver bull, Uto Ksarik, straddled the lowest floor of the Kaltan. Ryu Han-bin sneaked close to the divine beast as usual. However, he moved differently. He focused his mind, zoning in on his target, and invoked his absolute skill! -Skill of the Absolute: Lord throughout Heaven and Earth! Uto Ksarik looked back at Han-bin with its eyes wide open. The bull¡¯s eyes seemed to ask him what the hell he was doing. Quickly, Ryu Han-bin opened its information box. [Race: Divine Beast Lv. 168] Nothing had changed. Instead, he spent a lot of Aura for nothing. ¡°Run, run!¡± After fleeing in dismay, Artis shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s no use?¡± ¡°Wait. Let¡¯s do one more experiment.¡± Han-bin didn¡¯t get that much injured since he fled before he could use his fighting spirit. After recovering enough Aura, he immediately went back in for another attempt. That time, he provoked it, escaped, lured it in, and invoked the skill combined with Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit. -Skill of the Absolute: Lord throughout Heaven and Earth! Indeed, something was different at that time. Uto Ksarik was much more excited than usual. ¡°Grrrr!¡± It used to attack his other colleagues alternately in the past, but it became very determined to follow no one else but Ryu Han-bin. He could hardly escape after repeatedly pretending to be dead and fleeing. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± The Templar Lords scolded the half-dead Han-bin. ¡°You almost actually died this time!¡± ¡°If we lose you, everything¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Never use it from now on!¡± In the end, there was only one effect. His absolute skill could provoke the divine beast¡¯s nerves tremendously! ¡°Oh, what the hell is this skill for?¡± Ryu Han-bin, gritting his teeth, gave up hope on the Skill of the Absolute: Lord Throughout Heaven and Earth. Effir suddenly tilted her head. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t we in better shape than Han-bin?¡± Normally, they would¡¯ve been turned into something close to rags. But that time, they didn¡¯t become rags. Rather, they were more like dishcloths? It was because Ryu Han-bin provoked Uto Ksarik in time using his absolute skill. ¡°In a sense, isn¡¯t that a great skill? It means you can alter the movement of the divine beast, right?¡± The Templar Lords¡¯ facial expressions changed. When Han-bin used the absolute skill combined with Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit, Uto Ksarik was forced to return its attention to Ryu Han-bin. It didn¡¯t matter what the others did next to the bull. In gaming terms, the aggro it generated was crazy! Ryu Han-bin murmured with embarrassment. ¡°What? Is it like a trigger for the divine beasts, then?¡± Leon Hart shook his head. It was the Skill of the Absolute. How could something named so heavily be such a stupid skill? ¡°That¡¯s not really what it¡¯s for.¡± There was a high possibility that it would be an incidental effect. ¡°Anyway, I can make use enough of what¡¯s been revealed.¡± It would allow Ryu Han-bin and other colleagues to rotate their formation safer. ¡°We got a new balance stick for walking on a tight rope.¡± * * * It was the 72nd day of the mission called ¡®Making a Sword King by Rote.¡¯ Ryu Han-bin kept on coming at Uto Ksarik. He only practiced the Valtara¡¯s Three Swords, improving his Aura operational ability and its precision. He deliberately tried to avoid certain death without using other swordsmanship techniques and constantly relied on only those skills. His movements and attacks became more elaborate intensive. Thanks to that, he could finally dig into the formidable divine beast¡¯s gaps as long as he took a fixed position and executed one of the Valtara¡¯s Three Swords. His colleagues covered his weaknesses as well. Han-bin utilized his absolute skill to induce the movement of Uto Ksarik, then repeated hitting and running away through elaborate connections. In the process, he finally learned how to use the Valtara¡¯s Three Swords naturally. He was becoming even stronger. It wasn¡¯t just Ryu Han-bin who was growing either. One day, Han-bin, while casually looking at his colleagues, clicked his tongue. ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve all leveled up?¡± Artis, who was level 92, had become a level 94 Mage. Effir, previously a level 94 Magic Swordsman, was at level 96. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve killed many high-level monsters around here, haven¡¯t you?¡± The three of them had to clear the surrounding monsters to create a temporary shelter, allowing them to earn a considerable amount of experience. It didn¡¯t mean much, though. Even the levels of the Templar Lords, who didn¡¯t absorb any energy, increased as well. Everyone¡¯s level went up by 1 or 2. Even Leon Hart reached level 115. ¡°What¡¯s up with that? I heard you guys can¡¯t raise your level in a short period.¡± The Templar Lords also seemed quite embarrassed. ¡°We gained a new level?¡± ¡°I had a feeling that my body was moving more flexibly than before, but¡­¡± Leon Hart smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve put our lives on the line.¡± They weren¡¯t in the same situation as Ryu Han-bin, who had to constantly battle against the Aura waves of the divine beast, but they still had gone through severe battles. Due to the special training, his skills had improved considerably. It didn¡¯t mean that their odds had risen significantly. One or two levels wouldn¡¯t have that much of an effect on the outcome. ¡°But it has a big enough effect with regards to life and death.¡± Delighted, Han-bin and his party became even more determined in the battles against the divine beast. With hope, they gain more motivation. They repeatedly fought, escaped, and rested every day. And each day passed with good results. In that way, more than 100 days had passed. * * * A large square surrounded by collapsed buildings on all sides. In the middle of it, a silver divine beast burst into a roar. ¡°Grrrr!¡± Looking at the bull, Ryu Han-bin grabbed his Gigant. Uto Ksarik was focused on attacking his colleagues. Everyone was avoiding it, but it was obvious that they wouldn¡¯t last long. After activating his Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit, Han-bin immediately provoked the divine beast. -Skill of the Absolute: Lord Throughout Heaven and Earth! He still didn¡¯t know what its original purpose was, but the provocative effect it had was great. ¡°Mooo!¡± Even though it would allow its prey to escape, Uto Ksarik turned around and immediately charged towards Ryu Han-bin. With his whole body dyed with black and red due to his blood and Aura, Han-bin also launched himself forward. ¡°Yes! Come at me!¡± He perfectly controlled the flow of his fighting spirit and executed multiple offensive tactics. Ryu Han-bin¡¯s eyes become more and more transparent while repeating attacks and evasions. ¡®This is¡­?¡¯ He felt something different from usual. Swinging his sword and moving his physique had never felt so natural. The boundary between him and the sword disappeared, and the same could be said for his body and Aura. The distinction between him and his opponent became blurred as well. The only thing that existed at that moment was flow and energy. He moved with the flow and stretched out his sword in accordance with his energy. ¡®I see, this is¡­¡¯ Han-bin was certain. He didn¡¯t know anything about the high-dimensional story of a spiritual state of perfect selflessness, but at least one thing was sure. That was the level of enlightenment Leon Hart had demanded. It was the completion of the Valtara¡¯s Three Swords. ¡®Then today is the day¡­¡¯ Pulling out his fighting spirit, he clenched his teeth. ¡®that I¡¯ll take an arm from you!¡¯ Of course, he would have to run away after that. If the divine beast became serious, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to escape. ¡°Taaaaaa!¡± Han-bin avoided its Blade Aura and dug near the divine beast¡¯s feet, then used Gigant to deliver a red flash. -Valtara¡¯s Cross! The Crosscut using the Valtara¡¯s Fighting Spirit as a foundation was executed, targetting Uto Ksarik¡¯s waist. As soon as Uto Ksarik quickly raised its weapons to block it, Vertical Cuts continued to engrave the bloody cross. -Valtara¡¯s Hack! He then delivered a sharp blow to its center. ¨C Valtara¡¯s Pierce! The red storm converged into a single point and turned into the incarnation of destruction. The cross-section that separated the world overlapped with Uto Ksarik¡¯s right arm. -Triple Cross Attack, Cross Impact! Han-bin was delighted to complete his skills. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Even though he felt it himself, he still couldn¡¯t believe that his swordsmanship techniques had reached perfection. At that moment¡­ [The conditions have been met. The effect of ¡®The Skill of the Absolute: Lord Throughout Heaven and Earth¡¯ has been activated.] At the same time, the Guideline displayed messages arbitrarily. [Race: Divine Beast Lv. 148] The bull¡¯s eyes grew bigger for a moment. Unhidden astonishment flowed over it. ¡°Urgh?¡± Its three-meter-long swords broke in half with a heavy explosion. His huge forearm, which its Aura was protecting, flew into the air, spraying silver blood. Its thick chest covered with silver fur was split immediately afterward. Bam! Waterfalls of blood and terrible screams soared into the sky of the ruins. ¡°Arghhh!¡± * * * The blood that burst like a fountain from the giant divine beast¡¯s chest was akin to a silver rain. Ryu Han-bin stood dazed while exposed to its silver blood. ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t grasp the situation well. ¡®So¡­ I¡¯ve broken the heart of Uto Ksarik¡­ with my sword?¡¯ As soon as Uto Ksarik stopped breathing, a message popped up. [Lv. 168 Divine Beast has been slain. You have gained 63,235,464,000 experience points.¡¹ [Current Experience points: 67,921,680,200/98,171,466,200.] The bull was so powerful it was called one of the Three Gods of Kaltan. That one beast filled 70 percent of his experience requirements. But Han-bin didn¡¯t care. He had no time to care. ¡°What the hell did I¡­ What did I just do?¡± The Guideline, which used to show nothing but error messages, finally popped up a normal sentence for once. [Lord Throughout Heaven and Earth: If all life is dignified, and all human beings¡¯ existence is valuable, then there would be no distinction between supernatural creatures and mortal ones. If so, a divine being won¡¯t be recognized for its divine power.] [Acquisition Condition: Total amount of Aura: 1,400] [Activation Condition: Aura Concentration: 2,900] At that moment, he laughed in vain. ¡°What? You somehow got the description right.¡± The interpretation was still arbitrary. Regardless, he already understood just by the description alone. ¡°¡­ So, my level has lowered Uto Ksarik¡¯s divine power, is that it?¡± Meanwhile, his colleagues finally arrived at the scene. Artis and Effir looked at the divine beast¡¯s dead body and Han-bin with frightened faces. ¡°Hey, hey, Han-bin?¡± ¡°What did you do now?¡± The Templar Lords were in a similar state. ¡°Did you just kill Uto Ksarik?¡± ¡°How the hell could you do such a feat with your level?¡± Everyone looked like they had just seen a ghost. No, Latnains didn¡¯t consider ghosts as scary, so it would be more proper to describe their expression as if they had seen the ¡®souls of the dead.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m still a little dazed, but¡­¡± Shaking his head, Han-bin recalled what happened calmly. Leon Hart nodded when he heard the explanation. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll have to check the details later, but¡­¡± At least one thing was certain. From that moment on, Ryu Han-bin had become strong enough to fight the Transcendental! ¡°Oh, by the way, you¡¯ve grown more than we expected.¡± Looking back at everyone, Leon Hart went off in excitement. ¡°It¡¯s time to get back to the overworld, folks.¡± Palmer shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the fallen Uto Ksarik. ¡°We have to retrieve its Spirit Stone before we go back. I can¡¯t even estimate how valuable the Spirit Stone of a divine beast would be.¡±