Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Treasure Hunter
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1.
The prophets' prophecies came true.
On the day of the Great Devouring, when the world was shrouded in black dust.
The erosion of black dust swept in from the distant horizon like a sandstorm in the desert.
The endless procession of refugees was already being swallowed from the rear by the encroaching erosion.
The area in front of the ark city was a scene of utter chaos, overrun by refugees from across the entire continent.
"Please! Please open the gates!"
"Even just the kids! Take the kids at least!"
"Save us! People are dying here!"
Yet the city gates stood firm.
There was no mercy for those not chosen.
"Gaaah! It's coming! It's coming!"
"Help! Help me! Get out of the way, you bitch!"
In the midst of that desperate chaos...
A single girl plummeted into the rift of the shattered world, the Void.
It was a space where the laws of the world did not apply.
Physics twisted, thoughts and principles clashed in dissonance.
The refugees swallowed alongside the girl lost their forms in an instant, crumbling to dust.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, the girl did not die.
Instead, in that chaotic hell devoid of up or down, where time stagnated like congealed blood, she slowly rotted away.
Hundreds of years seemed to pass just for the tip of a single finger to scatter into dust.
A excruciatingly slow annihilation. That horrific erosion began peeling away even her memories and emotions, layer by layer.
In a crumbling world where everything fell apart...
The girl harbored one mad wish.
'I want to live.'
She didn't want to die like this. Didn't want to vanish. Didn't want to return to nothingness, to emptiness, to insignificant dust.
'Forever. I want to live forever.'
A futile delusion uttered by the girl on the brink of death.
To that twisted prayer...
The world responded.
Eternal life took root in the girl's flesh, circulating forevermore.
In the eyes of the one who tore through the void and stepped forth...
A glowing red moon emerged.
"This marks the birth of the first vampire. The origin of the True Ancestor, Sion Tsukimiya."
I stared blankly at Sion, who explained with furrowed brows and solemn gravity.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Skip."
"Why?! This is just the beginning!"
"Who asked about you? How strong is Kisara Yagyu? What's her deal?"
"I must explain from here!"
She's dodging because she doesn't want to talk about her lame backstory, right?
Anyway.
This was the legend of the birth of the first vampire, the True Ancestor.
The True Ancestor shared her blood to create kin, founding the Tsukimiya family.
The superiority of vampires.
Absolute worship and loyalty toward the True Ancestor.
Bound by unbreakable ties, the Tsukimiya family burrowed into the heart of humanity's final ark over centuries.
They proudly claimed a seat among the Twenty-Eight Ruling Houses that controlled the ark.
However.
On a certain night when the red moon rose...
The True Ancestor destroyed with her own hands the family she had built.
Seated on a bloodstained jade throne, she swore a single precept.
And in exchange, she obtained perfect immortality.
"Why'd you kill your family?"
"I do not remember."
"You keep bullshitting? Are you really that senile? How do you forget slaughtering your whole family?"
"I-it's true! My memories are not intact! Everything before Necropolis is hazy...!"
Well, she doesn't seem to be lying.
And it's not that important right now anyway.
After that incident, Sion—who earned the badass title "The Sole Red Moon"—left Aden and headed alone to Necropolis...
And devoured the R.C.D. Foundation whole in just three days after arriving.
Nothing strange about it.
Hard to imagine now with her current dodgy fake-ancestor state, but...
She's a 7th Rank. 7th Rank.
Even watching Eiming, a 2nd Rank, throw a real punch from the sidelines gave me chills.
I can't even fathom what a prime 7th Rank Sion was like.
At the very least, in Necropolis, she was an alien species with no rivals.
Just a bullfrog, nutria, or giant bass.
Thus, reigning as the apex predator of the ecosystem for over a decade.
"You're Sion Tsukimiya, right?"
"Ho, quite the bold wench. What's your name?"
Then, an enforcer from the Paradise Management Bureau came to challenge her alone.
"Kisara Yagyu. I'm here to purge you."
Kisara Yagyu.
"Was she famous even back then?"
"No, that was the first time I saw her."
"Huh? If she beat a True Ancestor, doesn't that make her 7th Rank at least? Are 7th Ranks and above that common?"
"Kisara wasn't 7th Rank back then. She was 5th."
"What?"
Not all mages excel in combat.
But in mage duels, rank is absolute class.
Plus, by her own account, Sion was a battle-hardened monster who'd danced on the edge of death countless times.
And a prime 7th Rank Sion lost to a mere 5th Rank Kisara?
"Hmph."
My cold, skeptical gaze questioning her prowess.
I expected Sion's reaction to be...
'I-it was just a moment of carelessness...! If we fought again, I'd crush her—wait and see!'
Something like that.
Then I'd hit back with,
'Carelessness is part of skill, bitch~'
And we'd banter a bit.
"Kisara Yagyu is a monster."
But Sion's response was different from expected.
Prideful True Ancestor Sion offered no excuses whatsoever.
"Even if we went back and fought hundreds of times over, there was no scenario where I would win."
She admitted it plainly and cleanly.
Her eyes, slightly glazed as if recalling the past, held awe... or perhaps fear.
"No, that make any sense?"
Not a gap in realm, but pure skill gap overwhelming her?
Not a razor-thin decision victory, but a total domination?
Want me to tell you something even scarier?
This was 200 years ago.
No clue what rank Kisara is now or how strong she's become.
So, did I sink into utter despair?
"Anyway... that's the end of my tale."
"Helpful, fake ancestor."
"Calling me fake ancestor after hearing my story! Insolent cur!"
Yeah, honestly pretty terrified.
But I snapped out of it quick.
Why should I despair now?
If Kisara barely scraped a win over the True Ancestor, maybe I could scheme something.
Sedric's 0th Rank cannon fodder anyway.
It's not a game where you gotta kill the boss to clear— just dodge forever, right?
Only issue is...
"Fuck!!!! Why the hell is she chasing me then!!!!"
"That woman is chasing you, Master?"
"Yeah, she wrecked my house. Chases me if I touch Universal Currency. You know anything?"
I asked since she seemed to vaguely remember Aden stuff.
"I've never heard of Universal Currency having such a function."
No dice, unfortunately.
Universal Currency tracking tech.
What the hell is it?
Why chase top-tier talent like a True Ancestor-sniping pro after worthless Sedric?
"Mind's all messed up."
Suddenly, a bad premonition hits.
Even if I clear the Premium Route and somehow make it...
One step into Aden and BAM—Kisara beam to the face?
Am I supposed to rot in this shithole forever?!
Last time I met Kisara, new options popped up, but...
"Eh, fuck it, who knows."
Making long-term life plans is for guys who can afford to eat.
Right now, clearing Premium Route is pushing it.
Back to square one: how to scrape 125 million Bios...
As I racked my brain again, Sion poked my side.
"Master."
"What."
"I... have an idea."
"You?!"
Fake ancestor's cheeks puffed out pahng~.
Reactions too good—keeps making me tease her.
Tiny hitbox but scratches so well.
"I won't tolerate you ignoring me any longer!"
"Hey, joking. Joking. We're close, right? Destiny-bound. Gonna sleep together every night. Yeah?"
"How far do you intend to mock me!"
Sion grumbled, then held out her palm.
"Offer tribute, and I'll tell you the method."
Headlock time.
"W-wait, Master, I get it... I get it...! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"
Fake ancestor tapping out fast.
I gripped her head tighter as she spoke.
"Anyway, your goal isn't making that woman your kin?"
"Right."
"And you're saving money to buy the Red Jade from that doctor?"
She gets that much.
Our fake ancestor ain't all muscle, after all.
"Plus, in 19 days."
"...Why must it be within 19 days?"
"I'm impatient."
Sion twitched her brow like she'd seen every weirdo under the sun, then said,
"Promise me one thing, and I'll tell you how to make money fast."
"Oh ho."
"W-wait! There really is a way! Impossible without my help!"
She flinched as I moved for another headlock.
"What promise?"
"If my method works, take me and escape to Aden."
She's proposing a deal.
A serious one.
Means it's a legit plan.
"Spill."
2.
How did I not think of this?
Kisara Yagyu shock must've dulled my brain.
I rushed to the black market and grabbed a few things.
"Got 'em!"
Sion lifted her chin proudly.
"Mochi too?"
"Here, eat up. Gotta eat big to work big."
"Hmph, massage my shoulders too."
Headlock.
"J-joking... Joking..."
Her tap-out speed improved.
Anyway, it hit me.
Her memories aren't perfect, like some dementia grandma.
But Sion inherited the True Ancestor's memories too.
At least pre-sealing.
Her Necropolis memories are pretty clear.
Hearing that, how to make big money quick?
Here's 10 seconds.
Guess right, you're a fine Necropolis citizen!
Answer is...
Treasure hunting the True Ancestor's hidden stashes!
Didn't guess? No worries.
Necropolis citizenship open to all.
Retake later.
Now, let's break it down.
No banks in Necropolis.
No trust as capital.
Default asset management: physical hiding. Primitive as hell.
Why Ceres the old hag and Eiming each tote a safe.
But even that's not safe enough.
This is Necropolis.
Even Eiming-level guys lose heads from one slip.
Vital to stash emergency funds in secret third spots for base raids.
Like Eiming's slush funds scattered in H Sector landfill.
True Ancestor squirreled golden acorns all over Necropolis for winter too.
"Stashed plenty, right?"
"Of course."
"Rough estimate on emergency funds?"
"I don't know."
"? Then who does."
"Don't measure by puny human scales. My treasures transcend perception."
Sion, munching sticky rice cakes earnestly, answered.
"......"
"Ah... Ack... Ah... Give it back!"
Snatched her precious mochi, and she continued obediently.
"At least... 200 million Bios per spot."
Makes sense.
R.C.D. Foundation split into Twilight Resource Development and Overnus Pharma.
Sion's acorn vaults at the top? Gate of Necropolis no exaggeration.
Hit one jackpot.
Life reversal.
Sedric-Arbel-Sion harem isekai life begins!
-Shhhrk!
I unrolled the long map I'd just bought.
Detailed map of all Necropolis.
"Alright, mark what you remember."
Treasure hunt begins.