Chapter 314 Twisting Fate
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: Twisting Fate
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Balthazar ground his teeth.
'How could I not know!?'
He knew about Skar, alright.
The man had helped the Labyrinth Council protect the city, became the next chief of the barbarians, and restored Ezdras's second seal with the hero.
He had achieved brilliant accomplishments since his rookie days.
In a way, his path was similar to Dietrich's.
Around 2 months after he had joined the White Night Mercenary Group…
The group had some 'friction' with the Imperial army at the border, and the White Night Mercenary Group fell into a great crisis.
But the rookie Dietrich rushed in alone and cut off the Imperial knight's neck, allowing them to break through the crisis.
Was that all?
He rendered distinguished service by getting involved in a territorial dispute of the nobles in the southern Lionel Kingdom.
He had stopped a monster uprising in the eastern Elf Kingdom.
And he had also protected a small village from the Imperial army by accepting a request from the western Beast-person Alliance.
'Was the Beast-person Alliance's request the last one?'
Recently, Balthazar had heard that the White Night Mercenary Group had received a request to patrol the border adjacent to the Empire.
Wait…
Balthazar's eyes flashed.
The place where Dietrich carried out the request wasn’t very far from the Dwarf Kingdom.
Then the conclusion was simple…
'Did he see the atrocity committed by the Outer God's kin?'
The kin of the Outer God Changeling ate the strong, changed their forms, erased the cities and villages of the Empire, and half-destroyed one of the underground cities of the Dwarf Kingdom.
Enormous damage.
It was the reason the summit happened in the first place, and also the reason the hero came to the Empire.
There was no way Dietrich wouldn't know.
But it seemed like he hadn't heard the detailed news.
"The name of the barbarian you mentioned is Skar. He's on bad terms with the Eastern District underworld. If I'm with you, recruitment is impossible."
"How bad is it?"
"Close to a sworn enemy to be torn to shreds."
Balthazar said as if spitting it out.
But Dietrich didn't seem to have any intention of giving up.
"There's no harm in trying. Besides, I'm not from the Eastern District. It would be different from you, Balthazar-nim."
"Didn't you say you'd go with me? That barbarian half-blood bastard will try to kill me if he sees me."
Dietrich stood up from his seat.
"Can't we work it out with words? Honestly, I've never seen you this wary of someone, Balthazar-nim. Isn't he a talent, then?"
"..."
Balthazar stared blankly at Dietrich as if he was dumbfounded.
"He's a man you can't recruit. That man is crazy."
Dietrich's smile deepened.
"Crazy? I’m becoming more and more interested. It’ll be rewarding to recruit him."
Balthazar gave up on persuading the man and waved his hand.
"Do as you please. And get lost."
"Keep up the good work. I’ll contact you separately later."
Dietrich politely said his farewell and left the office.
Balthazar, left alone, looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo. If recruiting him was possible, he wouldn't have come this far."
Money. Honor. Women. Strength.
Because that barbarian couldn’t be bought with anything in the world that he became the current Skar.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Jeong Yoo-shin and the 'Skars' gathered in one place again.
TS Skar’s jaw dropped while looking at the emergency food piled high on the table.
"What is all this?"
Biscuits, salted meat, vegetables, spices, and various camping supplies were piled up like a tower.
That wasn't all.
There was portable soup, where broth was boiled down and solidified into a jelly form.
And there was also pemmican, made by mixing fat and grain flour and then solidifying it.
TS Skar looked at the camping supplies and then tilted her head.
"Hmm? There's no fresh meat. There are almost no vegetables either."
"I plan to get meat from the labyrinth. If I get the chance, I'll also gather vegetables from the forest or swamp areas."
The wolf Skar replied while examining the backpack he had purchased at the general store.
The middle-aged Skar smiled faintly.
"It’ll be a good learning opportunity for our youngest."
The mystic guy chimed in.
"First Brother’s right. Is it the way to survive in the labyrinth?"
The wolf beast-person scratched his head, perhaps embarrassed by the praise.
"I plan to at least make sure that he doesn't starve in the labyrinth. I'll also teach him some strategies for each floor while I'm at it."
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked his chin.
"I have a subspace bag, though?"
The wolf Skar looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Youngest, I have one too. But there's no need to stimulate other people’s greed by showing off expensive items in the labyrinth. Especially when the deeper you go, the harder it is to get supplies, and people's hearts are bound to become desperate then."
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
He had wondered how he would store the fresh vegetables he bought at the market.
'There was a reason for everything.'
By the way…
A familiar feeling came from the wolf Skar's words and actions.
Those who are submerged in the labyrinth and don't come out.
Literally a group of eccentrics who have turned their backs on the world.
The Labyrinth Wanderers.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the wolf beast-person.
He was related to the White Night Mercenary Group, and he had plenty of similarities to Labyrinth Wanderers.
How to connect the two distant dots?
Jeong Yoo-shin thought that he had to ask directly.
He decided to break through head-on.
"Third Brother, I'm curious about your past."
At the straight ball Jeong Yoo-shin threw, the wolf Skar's body stiffened.
"..."
Silence followed.
The expressions of the 'Skars' also stiffened.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked around at the other ‘hims’.
"I want to know them. Your stories. I don't know how dark and shitty your pasts are, but…"
"..."
The third stared at the ceiling, then he lowered his head and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Dietrich was my master and close friend."
The third then continued his story.
When he first fell into the other world, while wandering in the forest…
He met the White Night Mercenary Group, who were camping.
"Hmm? A friend with unusual attire? A mage?"
"A m-mage? Um... Where in the world is this?"
"Fascinating. Did you lose your memory? A barbarian who suddenly popped out of thin air."
Unlike the mercenaries who were looking at him with hostile eyes, Dietrich extended his hand with eyes shining with 'interest'.
"Want to come with us? Ah! I’m not forcing you."
At that time, he had no other choice. And Dietrich didn't seem like a bad guy.
Because he thought he could just secretly run away if the man was really a strange guy.
After that, the wolf Skar wandered the Eastern Alliance with the mercenary group.
It wasn't bad.
No.
It was rather good, in fact.
The mercenary group's skills were outstanding, they were kind, and above all, they were very affectionate.
Skar grew his skills under the teachings of the mercenary group and Dietrich.
He also occasionally dropped by Labyrinth City to get imprints.
When he got the Behemoth imprint, the person who congratulated him the most was Dietrich.
However…
After an 'incident' occurred in Labyrinth City, where he had briefly stopped by…
Dietrich changed. No one in the mercenary group noticed his change.
Dietrich gradually began to pay attention to news about Labyrinth City and was often lost in thought while looking at the sky alone.
Even his adjutant Dina, who worshiped him, didn’t notice.
Did someone once say that admiration is the furthest from understanding?
It was true.
The wolf Skar closed his mouth.
"I want to end my story here. Honestly, it's meaningless. The close friends and colleagues in my world will be different from the ones here."
The second tilted his head sideways.
"Third Brother, just tell me this. Is he a dangerous guy?"
"..."
"Hurry up and tell me. Because I'm contemplating whether to kill that Dietrich or Detroit guy."
The mystic voice was chilling.
At that moment…
The middle-aged Skar intervened.
"Second Brother, calm down. This place is different from your world."
The mystic made an annoyed expression, but he obediently bowed his head.
"...I understand."
"Won't you try talking to him? If it's now, I think you can find out Dietrich's inner thoughts. Who knows? When you go back to your original world later, you might be able to correct the twisted parts."
At the words of TS Skar, the head of the other 'Skars' turned around.
The mystic crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling.
"Well... Who can scoop up spilled water… But it might be worth a try. Big-breasts is smart. As expected, she has a heavy bag of tricks."
"Take it easy."
The middle-aged Skar smiled.
"That thought might not be bad."
However, the wolf Skar's expression didn’t relax.
"That guy is strong. When he became the leader, he was level 35. Killing him might be possible, but I think subduing him will be hard."
The mystic's expression crumpled.
"Is he a guy who has crossed the threshold to become a superhuman?"
The threshold to become a superhuman?
"What’s that?"
At Jeong Yoo-shin's question, the mystic opened his mouth.
"When you reach level 30, there will be a significant difference from ordinary explorers. The mutated body is restructured and goes through an optimization process. This is called the superhuman threshold."
The wolf beast-person intervened and added an explanation.
"Most people can't cross the wall of level 30. It's safe to say that there’s an individual limit to mana adaptation. Of course, cases where someone has good imprints should be excluded."
Was this a world where not just anyone could become strong?
He gained another realization.
"What? Our youngest doesn't know this?"
TS Skar, seeing Jeong Yoo-shin's expression, teased him with a grin.
The mystic guy grinned and interjected.
"Instead, he only knows women well. I wonder if you know about the secret rumor that has spread in the labyrinth these days."
"What rumor?"
"That he made the elves into his sex slaves? I heard that the moaning in the inner castle never ceased."
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head.
"That's not true. It's fake news."
Second Brother made a blank face.
"No. Youngest, let's have some conscience. It's true, isn't it?"
TS Skar tilted her head.
"Is it to that extent?"
"Hilarious. Big-breasts, be careful. You probably don't know because that Death Blade girl was blocking the lustful energy, but his Half-Incubus imprint has grown. If that guy makes up his mind and swings his sword with a lot of lustful energy, you're finished."
TS Skar covered her chest and pulled her body away from Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Eek."
This was dizzying.
Because they were gathered together, the story kept going off on a tangent.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand.
"But isn't there a bigger problem? How can we 'talk' with Dietrich?"
The wolf beast-person growled.
"Grrrrr. That guy will approach us. Why? Because he likes talented people."
"Are you sure?"
"One hundred percent."
"Then do you think that Dietrich guy will enter the labyrinth?"
"He will."
The second nodded.
"Yeah? That means there's a high possibility that the bastard will approach not only us, but also our youngest. We'll have to catch him and have an in-depth 'conversation' with him then."
"How?"
"If we catch him and rummage through his brain, the answer will come out naturally."
"That's a bit… Can't we just beat him up until he's exhausted?"
The 'Skars' put their heads together and began to whisper to each other.
Time passed.
The Skars made a plan.
Jeong Yoo-shin's mouth dropped open.
"Will that work?"
The mystic grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
"We can just try it once. Don't worry too much."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next evening.
Jeong Yoo-shin sat alone on a bench in the southern park and muttered to himself.
"Is this plan even feasible?"
No matter how much that guy named Dietrich was greedy for talent, he was doubtful if the man would just come looking for him out of the blue like this.
However…
After an hour passed, the moment Jeong Yoo-shin was about to stand up from his seat…
Someone approached him with fast steps.
"Hello?"
A handsome man with brown hair greeted him with a smile.
Dietrich.
"..."
It was real.
Jeong Yoo-shin put on an act.
"Who are you?"
"I’m Dietrich, the leader of the White Night Mercenary Group. It is a pleasure to meet you, Skar-nim."
Dietrich greeted politely while maintaining his smile.
"Do you know me?"
"Hahaha!!! Aren't you the most famous barbarian in Labyrinth City? I can't not know you."
"Ah. Yes."
'He's fast.'
Did he already finish his background check?
Jeong Yoo-shin continued his questions.
"What business do you have with me?"
"It's nothing else, but do you have any intention of joining our White Night Mercenary Group? I promise the best treatment."
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head.
"I refuse."
"Hmm."
A refusal without a moment's hesitation. Dietrich stroked his chin.
"...May I ask the reason? We may not look like much, but our mercenary group is famous in the Eastern Alliance."
"It's not for a great reason. It's just that I have no intention of leaving Labyrinth City."
"Is there 'something' in the labyrinth that attracts your interest, Skar-ssi?"
"Well…"
"I see. Well now… I also became interested in the labyrinth this time. How about we form a party together once? I would also like to hear the heroic tale of you driving out the Outer God Changeling on the 20th floor and the story of you entering another world through the 'red orb'."
This man knew more details than Jeong Yoo-shin thought.
Moreover, seeing Dietrich sparkling pupils when he mentioned the red orb…
Jeong Yoo-shin could guess where his interest was.
"That is..."
"That is?"
"That would be difficult for us."
The wolf beast-person Skar revealed his form from the bushes and answered instead of Jeong Yoo-shin.
Dietrich's eyes narrowed.
'What’s this?'
He definitely didn't sense this wolf beast-person's presence until a moment ago.
Was it the power of an imprint?
"Hmm? You were the person next to Skar-ssi back then, right?"
"That's right, Dietrich."
Dietrich was about to open his mouth, but the rest of the barbarians walked out of the bushes.
"Well now… What’s going on this evening?"
"Wow. He really came."
A total of 4 people surrounded Dietrich.
His expression hardened.
He roughly knew from what he had heard…
That they were Skar's brothers and sister.
However…
He also definitely heard that they were wandering around separately.
"...What is this?"
A black-haired man wearing a robe made a gloomy smile.
"Just. I'm curious about something. I have a few things to ask, so you can just answer comfortably and get lost."
"...I don't know what you’ll ask, but you’re quite impolite. You must be looking down on me."
Dietrich replied while grabbing his sword. However, he couldn't draw it carelessly…
Because a middle-aged man was looking at him with a calm expression.
A drop of cold sweat rolled down Dietrich's forehead.
'What is this...?'
The middle-aged man’s body was emitting an unfathomable amount of energy.
"Th-The Labyrinth Council...!"
Despite Dietrich's urgent cry, the robe man burst into an evil laugh.
"Hehehe! Don't. The Elf Queen-nim’s already..."
"Hey!"
Slaaap!!!
A black-haired woman smacked the robe man's back, her breasts jiggling.
"Ah, I understand. It’s the youngest's private life, right? I'm sorry."
Dietrich's head turned quickly.
Crazy!
'Don't tell me they bought off the Labyrinth Council?!'
When in the world…?!
His heart turned cold.
"Skar... Don't tell me you knew I would come looking for you?"
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled and nodded.
"Of course."
Dietrich's eyes widened as if they would pop off.
"...!"
The mystic guy put his hands behind his back and opened his mouth.
"Handsome friend, we’re all very curious. Let's have a nice chat in a quiet place."
"Wh-Where are you planning to take me?"
"Where else?"
The mystic guy snapped his fingers and continued.
Snaaap!!!
"To the room of truth. Let's go. Let's twist fate."
"T-The room of truth... What is thaaat?!"
Unfortunately, Dietrich couldn’t continue his protest.
Flash!!!
As a dark blue light flashed, the barbarians and Dietrich disappeared from the park.
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T/N - Lol, they really kidnapped him. Interrogation time! Though I feel like this is pretty cut and dry. Dietrich most likely became obsessed with the Outer Gods’ power, hence why he suddenly changed. Though I’m curious what forced wolf Skar to become a labyrinth wanderer…