Chapter 78
“Ahaha! Serves you right, filthy goblin! Hahaha!”
Seong-Hwi stared silently at the laughing boy held in a luxurious prison cell. The boy had beautiful sapphire hair and eyes, and blue horns protruded perpendicularly from his temples.
Seong-Hwi’s eyes sank coldly, filled with rage and desire for vengeance.
He muttered, “Dragon.”
“Indeed. Even among the great dragons, I am of royal blood. I am Illechebra, son of Biphatogenes.”
Biphatogenes? Seong-Hwi said inwardly.
He was seventy-third in the World Ranking and the leader of Nivalis.
And Nivalis is a faction of Echion, led by the Third Lord, Regnator!
Seong-Hwi gritted his teeth. The sight of the burning Capital had been seared into his brain.
“Argh! Please... Please save me!”
“Someone, help! My baby is stuck under the rubble!”
“Ah! Ahhh! Why?! Why would the Third Lord do something like this?! Weren’t we on the same side?”
Seong-Hwi also recalled the faces of his Calasanz comrades who had charged at Regnator like moths to a flame to buy enough time for Seong-Hwi to escape with the Destiny Stone.
“I’ll buy you some time, so take that and run! The destiny of humankind rests on your shoulders!”
“Seong-Hwi! Go!”
“We’ll keep him at bay!”
Seong-Hwi stared at Illechebra in silence.
“Let me out, human. The keys to my cell and restraints should be in that goblin’s pockets. I will put in a good word with my father and make sure you are rewarded!” Illechebra proposed, unaware of Seong-Hwi’s mental state.
Seong-Hwi closed his eyes and thought, Calm down. Don’t let your emotions control you. Why is he imprisoned in the second zone? He should be in the deeper zones.
He wondered why someone as important as the son of Biphatogenes was Tutobure’s prisoner.
Was he captured while he was sightseeing the upper zones by himself? I never thought Biphatogenes was so careless that he couldn’t even protect his son—huh?
Just then, a thought crossed Seong-Hwi’s head. In his past life, the World Rankers Biphatogenes of Nivalis and Gula of Cadaver clashed, leading to war between the dragons and demons. The reason was rather simple; Gula tried to draw in Humilitas to expand her faction, but Biphatogenes stepped in to keep her in check.
At the time, Abyete was on the verge of going to war against Lee Kang-San but stood down. I’m sure it was partially because he lacked the justification to wage war, but... what if he was the real reason?
Seong-Hwi stared at Illechebra. If Tutobure had handed Illechebra to Abyete in his past life, Biphatogenes would have been justified in waging war against the goblins to take his son back.
“What do you want? An item with S-rank potential? More Coins than you can count? Information about dungeons? You can have anything you want if you let me out,” Illechebra remarked.
“Anything?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“Haha! Of course. I promise it will be beyond your wildest imagination,” Illechebra answered proudly.
Seong-Hwi smiled. He reached out his hand and said, “Promise me with a quest. Then I’ll trust you.”
“A quest...” Illechebra trailed off as he stared at Seong-Hwi’s hand with a sour face like a germophobe reluctant to touch something filthy.
Proud dragons despised touching inferior races, which was why Seong-Hwi had swallowed the Destiny Stone as a final retaliation against Regnator.
“I never thought I’d get to shake hands with a dragon. What an honor,” Seong-Hwi said.
The hesitant Illechebra smiled with superiority after hearing Seong-Hwi’s comment and grabbed his hand.
“Very well. What do you—”
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Catastrophic Thunder, one of the symbols of No.16 The Tower]
A dark blue lightning mark formed on Seong-Hwi’s right temple. The Catastrophic Thunder traveled from Seong-Hwi’s arm to Illechebra, electrocuting him.
“Kurgh!”
[Applying Debuff: Electrocution.]
[Applying Debuff: Nightmare.]
[Applying Debuff: Despair.]
...
Three debuffs were instantly applied to Illechebra. Catastrophic Thunder did not simply symbolize lightning—it symbolized lightning of disaster. As one would expect from No.16 The Tower, one of the most negative of the Major Cards, its symbol, Catastrophic Thunder, was a powerful skill that triggered various debuffs.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Seong-Hwi stabbed Illechebra’s small chest with the Penetrating Spear.
“Gargh! Y-you bastard! H-how dare you?!”
“What? You promised me a reward beyond my wildest imagination, didn’t you? I’m not creative, so this is all I could think of.”
“M-my father will not forgive—GAAAH!” Illechebra screamed once Seong-Hwi twisted the Penetrating Spear.
“Look at you, a superior race, squealing like a pig. Won’t forgive me? That’s my line, you fucking dragon!”
Seong-Hwi smiled mockingly at Illechebra. It looked like he had mercilessly stabbed a little boy in the heart, but Seong-Hwi felt no remorse whatsoever. Forget remorse, he couldn’t be more ecstatic. A faint madness lingered in his eyes.
“Kill the elite minority destroying the world!”
Seong-Hwi could hear the Unabomber’s voice in his head.
“Kurgh! Argh!”
Illechebra was electrocuted like a rotisserie chicken and died soon after.
[215,585 Karma obtained.]
Seong-Hwi corroded the cell bars using Rust of Ruin, entered the cell as he embodied the Ace of Swords, and beheaded Illechebra. He then left the cell, taking only the head to keep his promise that he would let Illechebra out. He returned to Tutobure’s corpse and rummaged through his pockets.
[Janateel (Material Item)
Rank: —
Description: A dwarven masterpiece. It possesses unparalleled magical resistance and durability. The potential of the finished product varies depending on the artisan’s skill.]
“I had a feeling it was janateel,” Seong-Hwi mumbled as he stuffed the metal the size of his finger into his pocket.
Only a few artisans could handle it, but it was still an unparalleled material. Seong-Hwi skewered Tutobure and Illechebra’s heads with the chain attached to the restraints. He stuffed the chain into their mouths and out through their esophagus. He then tied the chain around his waist and climbed out of the sub-third floor.
“I’d bet Lina would love these.”
***
A beautiful giant diamond-like ice palace stood at the southern end of the fourth zone, a blizzard raging, and the ground covered in ice.
“Illechebra is dead,” muttered a handsome middle-aged man with long sapphire hair and eyes, and blue horns nearly fifty centimeters long.
“Pathetic boy,” he insulted the dead Illechebra expressionlessly. “Despite carrying the blood of the ice dragons... despite being my son, he dares to die at the hands of a mere goblin? Shameful.”
The man was the World Ranker Biphatogenes, leader of Nivalis. He felt the death of his son through their mind connection.
“Whatever the case, this has given me a reason to attack Humilitas. I refuse to let things go your way, Gula.”
Biphatogenes’s sapphire eyes shone coldly. Tutobure believed he had captured Illechebra by coincidence, but it was nothing of the sort. Biphatogenes had orchestrated Illechebra’s capture by Tutobure; neither Tutobure nor Illechebra had been aware of it.
I expected Tutobure to offer Illechebra to Abyete, but he just killed him? Well, this also works, Biphatogenes thought.
One would never expect a father to think such a way about his son. The space before Biphatogenes contorted.
[Activating Skill: Warp Gate.]
“I should offer them my greetings.”
***
“Kererek! Gahaha! Tutobure is dead! I’m free!” a slender green goblin shouted as he raced through the hall.
He was Mitasra, the head of the collection unit, in charge of the Coins earned by Clan Trophy. Although he lacked combat ability, he had risen this far through sheer wisdom. He had the most important role in the clan as the keeper of the majority of the clan’s Coins. Although Tutobure favored him, he would never have appointed Mitasra to the position without contingencies.
Mitasra had to swear absolute allegiance to Tutobure through a quest with a death penalty upon betrayal. He couldn’t use the Coins without Tutobure’s permission, and failure to abide led to death. However, the quest had disappeared just now, which could only mean Tutobure had died.
“Kerek! This is it! My chance has come!”
[Coins: 333,585,701]
Mitasra stared ecstatically at his Coin balance. He couldn’t believe it was all his now.
I’ll make use of this confusion to say goodbye to Trophy forever! I can go to Yappa and live however I want!
He could already see the rosy life ahead of him.
“Kehehe—Kurgh!” The laughing Mitasra was suddenly kicked, and he tumbled across the hall. “Kerek! Who’s there?!”
He stood up, clenching his throbbing chest. He saw a human with black hair and eyes before him.
“Krrrk! How dare a mere human strike the great Mitasra?!”
“Stop yapping, goblin. I will grant you a painless death if you answer my questions,” Seong-Hwi replied.
[Activating Trait: Hundred-Man Killer.]
AHHH—!
Screams echoed throughout the hall. The thick bloodlust overpowered Mitasra, causing him to tremble uncontrollably.
“K-kerek! W-what the—?! Who do you think I—Gasp!” Mitasra noticed a familiar head skewered on a chain around the human’s waist. “T-T-Tutobure’s head? Krrrk! So, you were the one who killed the boss!”
Mitasra unsheathed a dagger and stood wary of Seong-Hwi. Although Tutobure had lost his right arm and left eye, one would still have to be considerably strong to kill him.
Seong-Hwi tilted his head as he stared at Mitasra, asking, “What do you mean by that? It’s as if... You knew Tutobure was dead.”
His eyes shone. It had not even been ten minutes since he killed Tutobure.
Seong-Hwi continued, “Interesting. I’ve changed my mind. I won’t kill you right away. In exchange... let’s talk, shall we?”
“Kerek?”
***
The negotiation team, including Thumper and Gilder, discovered the fairy they had been looking for. She was only about as big as a human head and possessed four pairs of wings.
“So... You want me to create a warp gate at the northern plain to help the prisoners escape?” the fairy Merope asked lifelessly.
“Exactly! Please help us! With your help, we can all get out of here and humiliate the goblins!” Thumper shouted, inciting the hostility the fairy likely had for the goblins.
“Why should I?” Merope replied.
Thumper was lost for words. He had not expected such a response.
Merope looked down at Thumper with her cold purple eyes and continued, “I indeed dislike the goblins. They pay the dragons to treat me like a slave. However, my dislike for them isn’t strong enough for me to help strangers like you escape without compensation.”
Thumper groaned, “Hmmm... Compensation, huh? I was going to offer you information about the Forgotten Fairy’s Hideout, but—”
Merope flinched and interjected, “Forgotten Fairy’s Hideout? Is that a dungeon from Pavelaya?”
“Yeah. I’ve heard fairies prioritize exploring the dungeons of their home dimension above all else.”
“Huuu, that’s all in the past now. Most of us have given up. Even if we explore dungeons away from the dragons’ eyes, we won’t find what we need,” Merope remarked. She asked Thumper, “Do you know why fairies go crazy over exploring Pavelaya dungeons?”
“No idea,” Thumper replied.
“It’s to find a Fairy Queen of a different timeline, whether it be in the past or future. However, we couldn’t find her in any of the dungeons we’ve explored.” Merope bit her lip and continued, “If only... If only the Queen were with us! We would never have had our Race Stone stolen so easily!”
Merope clenched her fists, her wings shaking. She shrugged lifelessly and said, “But it’s pointless now. I have already given up hope. There is no future for us fairies. I have no desire to explore the dungeon, so please leave.”
Merope flapped her wings, scattering tiny, sparkling scales that pushed Thumper and the others away.
“H-huh?” Thumper blinked repeatedly in confusion.
He did not expect the fairy to refuse information about a dungeon from her dimension. At this rate, the plan they had set up so meticulously would go up in flames.
He called, “Hairless human friend!”
“Calling me that is a little rude, Thumper,” Gilder replied as he stepped forward.
The mana of his A-rank Magic pushed the scales back as he approached Merope.
“What? Are you looking to fight?” Merope, detecting Gilder’s intense aura, drew out mana and Harmony Force to prepare a skill.
Gilder raised his hands to show his lack of hostility and said, “Calm down. I have no desire to fight. Umm... Well... Don’t you see anything?”
“See what?” Merope asked.
“Uhhh... Look right here,” Gilder replied as he pointed at his forehead where Dryas kissed him.
“At your bald head?”
“Not that! Take a closer look!”
“What are you talking about?” Merope said as she frowned and activated a skill.
[Activating Race Skill: Fairy Eyes.]
“I don’t see any—Gasp!”
Merope’s eyes became multicolored, and she saw the mark on Gilder’s forehead, a rainbow shield.
“The mark of... the Fairy Queen’s First Knight!”
How does a human have that mark? No, forget that! The fact that he has the mark means only one thing! Merope shouted inwardly.
“H-have you met the queen? Where did you meet her? Where is she? D-did you meet her in the dungeon?” she asked impatiently as she flew toward Gilder.
“Let’s talk later. Can you help us?” Gilder asked.
Merope stayed silent, staring fixedly at Gilder’s forehead as she bit her lip.
Should I show her the Queen’s Crown? Gilder wondered as he reached for his pocket.
Just then, the door opened, and Seong-Hwi entered the room.
“How did it go, Thumper?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“Friend Seong-Hwi! Huh? Who’s that goblin?” Thumper asked as he stared at the slender goblin whose neck Seong-Hwi was grabbing.
The goblin’s eyes were swollen, and he was covered in blood as if he had been tortured. He was doing his best to stop groaning, not to annoy Seong-Hwi.
“Oh, this? You could call it a treasure goblin. It’s like my leather wallet. Don’t worry about that and tell me how the negotiation’s going,” Seong-Hwi replied.
“Well...” Thumper trailed off as he turned to Merope.
Seong-Hwi also turned to Merope, who was staring wide-eyed at Seong-Hwi’s forehead.
“Even the Second Knight is here!” Merope shouted.
She was sure the queen existed somewhere, and the humans knew where. Now that the truth was laid out before her, there was no reason to hesitate.
“Very well. I will cooperate with the queen’s knights,” she said as she activated a skill.
[Activating Skill: Warp Gate.]
A gate that looked like a rainbow bridge appeared.