Chapter 34: The Avengers (1)

Shortly after, messages popped up.

The fight inside the Box of Trials had ended.

Crash!

The ground shook and soon the air started to split.

Muyoung knew right away that the area where a light was leaking out was the exit.

However, Muyoung looked down at the collapsed ground for a moment before he heading towards that direction.

‘It seems like it would be hard to salvage them.’

Myoung summoned the Blazing Spear Soldier back into a talisman right after reading the message that Woo had killed the rest of the Judges.

Possibly due to the characteristics of the undead or because he recalled the soldier before he was completely buried, it didn’t seem like he was completely destroyed to the point beyond recovery.

However, the other three Judges were different.

Their bodies would have been completely destroyed.

Even if the rescue team searched for them, they would probably only find some remains of the corpses.

Clang.

He scratched his cheek after tossing a rock down the large hole.

It didn’t seem possible for him to go down alone since it was at least a few hundred meters deep.

‘Three rewards…’

He took his mind off the matter and thought of the rewards he received.

One of the rewards was the ‘Secret Medicine of the Sage’.

It was a rare medicine that would randomly enhance a single stat.

There wasn’t a downside in enhancing a lot of stats.

The other two were ‘Night Crystal’ and ‘Fairy’s Wing Powder’. Although they weren’t as great as the Secret Medicine of the Sage or the Piece of the Earth Dragon’s Skin, they were still quite useful.

“What is that?”

“A light? If we follow the light, does it lead us to a safe area?”

People could only be confused when a light appeared once the fight ended.

As Muyoung started to slowly walk, Taehwan quickly took the lead and settled the people down.

“First, let’s all gather. Let’s find and gather up the people who aren’t here right now and leave this place altogether.”

A total of 650 people.

More than double the number had survived, a lot more than the conditions to survive.

The gazes directed at the people who hid weren’t great, but the pleasant feeling that they had finished the trial and survived was much greater.

Naturally, they relaxed their hearts and their guard against each other went down.

“Kid. You fought well in a place like this, huh?”

“I’m not a kid, but my name is Bae Suzy.”

“Haha! Sure, Kid!”

“Ah, damn. I told you I’m not a kid.”

“Hahahaa!”

People started to gather around Suzy.

They were amazed that a young girl had survived until now, but it was also because of the characteristics of the Valkyrie of Dawn.

Her real father… he just lowered his head from afar.

In all honesty, he would have died more than 10 times already if Taehwan and the rest didn’t accommodate him.

People didn’t say much because Suzy did about 1.5 times the work of others, but it seems like he had a lot more on his mind.

The thought that his existence was rather holding Suzy back.

He started to understand more and more about how power was more important than affection in this world.

“Umm…”

Suzy’s father approached Muyoung.

Muyoung was looking past the light with a stiff face before he turned his head.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

He unenthusiastically nodded.

“Speak.”

“Is there any way for me to get stronger? At least… to the point where I won’t hold my daughter back.”

“Do you want to get stronger?”

He stole a glance at Suzy laughing and talking with the others.

“Yes. If it goes on like this, I would only be a large baggage to her. That kid is strong and bright. She never complained while she was growing up. Even when I was fired from my job and when my wife and I divorced, she was the only one who patted my back.”

Muyoung just coldly gazed at him.

Suzy’s father sorrowfully continued his words.

“I can’t die now. Until she can be completely independent… even right now, I’m aware that I’m holding her back. But, if I die now, I know that she won’t be able to bear it. Since her sense of responsibility is strong, I know she is forcing herself but in reality, she is more soft-hearted than anyone else. So please… tell me a way I can get stronger.”

He seemed desperate.

He looked as though he thought about it tens and hundreds of times and became even more discouraged before approaching Muyoung.

Muyoung thought about the time when his two arms were cut off.

Only 3 received medicine as a reward for hunting.

Out of the 3, Taehwan gave his medicine to him and was able to avoid death.

However, it would have been impossible if he didn’t have a strong will to live.

“There is no way for a crippled person to get stronger.”

Muyoung bluntly spoke.

Could you imagine an armless soldier?

Most skills couldn’t be even used without arms.

Even if there was a possibility, they could only dream of moving skillfully.

Others would think it was basically a miracle for him to survive until now… but that luck wouldn’t work in the Underworld.

Thump!

Suzy’s father kneeled.

Muyoung frowned.

“I will do anything. When I die, I will let you have my body. I don’t want much. I just want to know a way, if you could just let me know of a way, that is enough.”

He was willing to give up his dead body. He seemed determined.

For a moment, Muyoung wiped his chin.

‘Story.’

If nothing else, his ‘story’ seemed magnificent.

The material wasn’t that great but didn’t the Art of Death skill placed more importance on the story?

However, no matter how much he thought about it, an armless undead made from a normal human body didn’t seem very useful.

It was at that moment.

‘Hmm?’

Authority.

This never happened before, probably because no one had ever clung on to him this desperately, but Muyoung was very interested.

‘Making a contract with me by using his life as collateral.’

In return, he needed to help him achieve his goal.

‘This is no different than a Devil’s contract.’

Muyoung secretly laughed.

If you looked at the content, there was nothing weird about calling it a Devil’s contract.

Death, using their soul as collateral to fulfill their wish.

‘There is nothing better than making materials better.’

His story was amazing. Therefore, if they were to make a Contract of Death, there was no need to think about it.

After thinking that far, he thought of an idea which he didn’t think of in the beginning.

Even if the possibilities were low, it wasn’t like there was no way for Suzy’s father to become stronger.

Rather, wasn’t it better to break through that low possibility and fulfill his goal of getting stronger?

“If you really desire a way, I will let you know. It might be helpful depending on how hard you try.”

“Th, thank you. Thank you.”

Even though it wasn’t something he should really be happy about, maybe it was because he didn’t understand the meaning properly that he cried in rejoice.

Right after, a dot had appeared on top of his forehead.

Muyoung could only be a bit doubtful.

As it never told him how he was going to be notified when the subject died or how he was going to retrieve the body.

‘Since they said by authority, it couldn’t be a sham.’

Authority. The top 10 humans would have at least one power that could be called an authority.

Muyoung trusted the value of that name.

Afterwards, he spoke into Suzy’s father’s ears as if he was whispering.

“If you pass through that light, soon you will arrive at a location. From there, find a book called the ‘Study of the Darkness Spirit.”

The Sky Library could only be used once by every person.

The people who enter could choose and learn a ‘skill’.

The problem was there was a massive number of skills and for high ranked skills, it was setup that they had to pass a few trials to earn them.

And among them, the Study of the Darkness Spirit was a considerably high ranked skill.

Even in the Underworld, there weren’t a lot of people who could control the spirits. And in reality, even if they had learned the skill, if they didn’t have the expertise, they weren’t able to make a contract with a spirit.

It was like a gamble.

Normally, liches would learn the Study of the Darkness Spirit, but this was the only way for a cripple like him could get stronger.

If he succeeded, his story would become more impressive.

He had something to protect and to do that he would need to desperately devote himself towards his goal.

Even if he died without getting stronger, it wasn’t a loss.

Instead, if he was to overcome all trials, there was no reason not to acknowledge him.

‘Not bad.’

That was right. It wasn’t bad at all.

*

He passed through the light.

And… saw.

An enormous arena!

650 people, including Muyoung, were standing in front of a black door in a place that was like an arena with no ceiling.

Besides that, there were about 20 black doors and a minimum of 300 to a maximum of 400 people were lined up in front of each door.

Most faces looked very pale and were grinding their teeth.

Especially, there were girls and boys who looked to be Judges that were part of the groups.

However, the people who greeted them were at least 10 times their number.

An enormous number of people were on top of the arena stairs and were all looking down at them.

As if they were looking at monkeys at a zoo.

‘Nine Guilds, Five Great Clans. And the rest.”

Muyoung instantly recognized them.

Even if he returned to the past, there was no way he would not be able to recognize them.

‘The Underworld.’

Muyoung’s face stiffened.

He had finally arrived.

“This, this can’t be possible!!”

Out of the people who were watching the 650 people, including Muyoung, someone yelled out loud.

‘Fire Dragon In.’

The leader of the Fire Dragon Clan.

It was Woo’s father.

On top of the highest and widest area of the arena, his whole body was shivering.

“Where did the rest of the kids go?”

“Did those kids really lose?”

That wasn’t all.

The leaders of the Five Great Clans who were sitting near Fire Dragon In were all standing up looking puzzled.

Even though there were other groups that met the conditions and eliminated the Judges, it was very rare and even they did, they were unable to kill all five Judges.

At most, two.

However… not even one of the five Judges was visible.

This could only mean one thing.

The Judge’s complete defeat!

Since the impossible happened, it was obvious that there would be a commotion.

“Hyungnim. Where do you think we are at?”

“The location for the selection.”

“Yes?”

“If you just quietly watch, you will know.”

Muyoung motionlessly watched them.

There was a total of 20 Boxes of Trials.

And about 7 thousand beginners had passed the trial.

Every groups’ goal was to recruit the exceptional people after continuously screening them.

Even now, few ‘Recruiters’ who had the information gathering skills were publicly skimming through them.

Of course, the limitation of their skill was that they would only be able to look at the numerical value of the stats, but Muyoung didn’t mind as he has already used the Information Distortion Talisman to trick their eyes.

‘As expected, I can’t find him.’

When Muyoung looked around, there were no signs of Wung Chunglin.

However, Muyoung was sure that he was somewhere around here.

Muyoung didn’t relax.

Screech!

The doors of the arena opened and about 10 people with helmets and equipment adorned with a ‘Sun’ approached them.

‘It seems like Alexandro Quintart prepared this event.’

The guild master of the Sun Guild, Alexandro Quintart.

One of the top 10 humans.

In fact, this arena was one of the places the Sun Guild maintained.

A few men who were wearing the Sun helmet entered the black door and one man stayed behind and asked.

“Can you tell me what happened inside in detail?”

“Sheet! Is this some joke?! What are you planning to do?! Aren’t we returning back to where we originally came from?”

Unlike the rest who were carefully looking around, a man in the back ranted and raved.

The person couldn’t understand the current situation where he was being observed like a monkey in a zoo when he barely survived after thinking that he could return to where he came from if he just passed the grand trial with the Judges.

“Please choose your words carefully. Great figures are present.”

“What? Great figures? This sheet…!

Bang!

The man wearing the Sun helmet placed his thumb and his middle finger together.

Clank!

Then a transparent wall fell from the sky and imprisoned the swearing man.

Blaaaze!

Soon, an intense flare erupted inside the wall.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!

The man screamed as he slammed against the transparent wall, but in an instant, the fire completely burned the man.

It was a horrifying tragedy.

Afterwards, the man wearing the Sun helmet asked again.

“Can you tell me what happened inside in detail?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep