Chapter 92
Chapter 92
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Victory Ceremony in the Imperba Dukedom
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Imperba Dukedom, Upper Pioneer Tournament Victory Ceremony.
The finals ended with even the upper-level pioneers dropping in one hit.
"Hic, sob."
A full-grown adult man was bawling his eyes out.
But this man wasn't crying out of emotion.
He was weeping from injustice and sorrow.
It was Clabram, guildmaster of the Moon Goat Guild.
"...Guildmaster, please don't cry."
"It was a freak accident."
His guildmates comforted him with dazed expressions.
Even to them, this made no sense.
They had questioned Hanok's ascension count multiple times.
But the Pioneer Association had confirmed directly that it was indeed ten ascensions.
So there was nothing more they could do.
Tsk tsk, that's what you get for being greedy.
Leyzon clicked his tongue at the sniffling Clabram.
If they hadn't pulled out the upper pioneers from the Sun Guild...
Leyzon wouldn't have had to step in.
They brought it on themselves.
More importantly, Leyzon was itching to comb through every inch right now.
Someone who knew about the Abyss had appeared.
He had mountains of questions he needed to wrench out of that guy immediately.
Soaz, was it?
He had a ton of questions for that woman too.
"Now, let's hear some words from the winner, Hanok Wilbria."
In the meantime, the host approached Hanok.
Hanok looked utterly exhausted.
Others might think it was from intense battles.
But it was purely mental fatigue.
"Y-yes, thank you."
Hanok replied weakly.
He didn't seem to have any victory speech in mind.
"Who would you like to thank?"
The host pressed for more since the speech was too short.
As Hanok floundered, Leyzon had no choice but to speak up.
"Hanok, just give a moderate shoutout to the duke and the Sun Guild."
"Th-thank you to Duke Imperba for hosting the tournament."
Hanok dutifully followed Leyzon's script.
Far off, the elderly Duke Imperba chuckled heartily.
True to a life of luxury...
He seemed unflappable no matter what happened.
Classic medieval cushy lord.
But there was nothing to envy.
The empire's downfall was inevitable.
Once it fell, nobility meant nothing.
Sandcastles before the wave.
There was no reason to envy something that crumbled so easily.
Survival belonged to the prepared.
"And, uh, thank you to the Sun Guild too."
Hanok bowed his head.
"Woooah!"
"Hanok! Hanok! Hanok!"
The Sun Guild members beside Leyzon erupted in cheers.
"...I'm really glad it all worked out."
Oberizel breathed a sigh of relief that the tournament had ended peacefully.
"Hahaha, everything turned out fine!"
The Water Buffalo let out a booming laugh.
Only Hanok from the Sun Guild had shone brightly among their entrants.
In contrast, the Moon Goat Guild had sent ten and suffered utter humiliation.
For the foreseeable future, the Sun Guild would dominate the power struggle in the dukedom.
It would be weirder not to laugh in a situation like this.
"Water Buffalo, you know what to do, right?"
"Of course."
The Water Buffalo nodded vigorously at Leyzon's call.
The profits the Sun Guild raked in from this would all pour into Saha Village.
They'd claimed the prize and completed the commission.
Leyzon grinned, baring his teeth.
"And now, the award presentation for the winner."
Leyzon's eyes sharpened.
Finally, the prize he'd been waiting for.
He smirked as he watched the one carrying the prize approach.
An SS-grade skill generator.
He'd already planned exactly what to make with it.
"Here is your prize."
The man handed Hanok a luxurious box.
"Hanok, open it."
Hanok opened the box at Leyzon's words.
Leyzon's eyes brimmed with anticipation.
"Uh, huh?"
But a puzzled sound came from Hanok soon after.
Hanok peered into the box from every angle.
Then, he abruptly flipped it over.
But only a bit of dust fell out.
Nothing else.
"Uh, there's nothing inside?"
"What?"
Even the host sounded flustered.
Leyzon's face froze solid as he watched.
The SS-grade skill generator had been stolen.
The tournament ended without a hitch, and the crowds dispersed.
The venue emptied completely.
Leyzon walked out of the arena with surprising composure.
The stolen SS-grade skill generator.
He'd already figured out who was behind it.
That guy.
Soaz's companion.
It had to be him.
Even showing himself right in front of me—to make it easy for me to guess.
A cunning one.
He knew exactly how people's thoughts would turn.
Planning to offer the stolen item as a trade?
Leyzon hadn't planned anything special for Soaz.
He'd only punished her for coming at him.
Originally, he'd intended to ask about their tournament motives and let her go.
But they had to make things complicated.
Leyzon slowly stroked his chin.
He knew about the Abyss.
To pull this off despite knowing its reputation...
Meant he was that confident in his skills.
Sooner or later, they'll come offering the trade first.
More than that, this theft wasn't all bad news.
"L-Leyzon s-sir!"
Just then, Hanok's voice rang out.
Leyzon turned to see the burly Hanok running up.
Hanok carried a massive backpack.
With the main prize stolen, they'd stuffed it with alternatives to save the duke's face.
Leyzon could acquire another SS-grade skill generator easily anyway.
No loss for him.
But separately from that...
"They really pissed me off."
A chilling glint entered Leyzon's eyes.
They'd dared to pull this stunt.
Time to punish them accordingly.
Repay favors in kind.
Repay grudges tenfold.
That was Leyzon's creed.
"Syria."
[Coming right in.]
"Bring Five too."
The man knew Leyzon's true nature.
He might have sniffed out Five's existence as well.
Leyzon wouldn't let them target him like last time.
Whoosh—
His shadow rippled open beneath his feet.
Leyzon stepped casually into the rift.
Moments later, a woman appeared before him.
A brown-haired woman trembling on the floor, pinned down.
It was Soaz.
Syria had roughed her up a bit; she looked in rough shape.
But that was beside the point.
"Hey."
"Y-yes!"
Soaz jolted at Leyzon's call and responded.
A shadow chair formed behind Leyzon.
He leaned back casually.
Syria hopped onto his lap like a daughter.
She swung her legs playfully.
The sight was utterly adorable.
But to Soaz, it was pure terror.
A monster like that acting cute?
She couldn't fathom what he was.
"One of your companions handles soul skills, right?"
Her body twitched at Leyzon's question.
The foe had possessed a 14-ascension pioneer.
Only a necromancer explained that.
Leyzon's sharp eyes hadn't missed it.
"Want me to rip it out myself, or will you spill first?"
Soaz's lips quivered.
She'd been exposed to Syria's killing intent for far too long.
She was barely sane.
Her hair had fallen out in clumps—proof of extreme stress.
"I-I..."
Leyzon caught a sour stench.
Terror had made Soaz soil herself.
Syria scowled in disgust, but Leyzon stopped her.
"I... can't say."
Soaz mumbled, flattened to the floor.
She still trembled.
But she wouldn't sell out her comrade. She held firm.
Leyzon gazed at her impassively.
The silence terrified Soaz more than anything.
"Fine. That's enough."
Soaz flinched.
Her face said she sensed her death.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
As she awaited the end...
She realized Leyzon hadn't done anything.
Soaz slowly lifted her head.
Leyzon was gone.
Only silence remained.
Left alone, Soaz blinked in confusion.
She didn't know the details.
But she knew she'd survived, and collapsed in relief.
In front of a restaurant terrace in Imperba.
Leyzon sat sipping the coffee before him.
Passersby chattered warmly about the tournament.
They were still riding the high.
The streets buzzed with festival vibes.
Leyzon's gaze fell to the table.
There sat the box with the tournament prize.
Openly placed there for someone to claim.
[Aren't you going to interrogate her?]
"Nah, leave her be for now."
Leyzon had considered it at first.
If Soaz had shown even a hint of betraying her comrade...
He'd have interrogated her without hesitation.
But he hadn't.
Simple reason.
It wasn't some sentimental appreciation for loyalty.
If she treasures her comrades that much, so does the enemy.
Leyzon still couldn't gauge their full strength.
No need to stir up unnecessary trouble yet.
Of course.
Leyzon's eyes gleamed.
He'd punish their brazen act properly.
Step—
Leyzon's ears perked.
He slowly looked up.
A lanky man approached.
Height wasn't the issue.
The man had no face.
Instead, he wore a hat and suit.
That eerie look, and no one around reacts?
Some trick at work.
The man pulled out a chair and sat before Leyzon.
He produced a letter from his pocket.
[No dangerous vibe.]
Iden was sharp about curses.
His word was trustworthy.
Leyzon opened the letter.
It specified a place and time.
Leyzon stared, then sighed.
"Hey."
Leyzon's lips curled slowly.
But this time, it was laced with clear irritation.
"You think I'm some idiot?"
Leyzon rose slowly.
"The one desperate right now is you, not me."
He crumpled the letter aggressively.
"If you want your comrade alive, show yourself now."
Leyzon's final warning.
Then.
Crack—
The lanky man's body twisted unnaturally.
Leyzon watched silently.
Soon, the man's form shifted.
Moments later, a blue-haired man appeared.
High nose, intense eyes—handsome.
Damn, he's annoyingly good-looking.
Leyzon admitted it frankly; the man screamed "young noble."
He'd only altered his appearance from the start.
And come in person.
"Such foul language. The killing intent stings—mind toning it down?"
The man sensed the subtle menace from Iden and Syria.
Leyzon raised a hand, and it withdrew.
"More importantly, the Abyss."
His mouth opened again.
"I distinctly warned you a millennium-old mage was hunting you."
Leyzon's eyes widened at the next words.
Then he realized what the noble was about to say.
This bastard.
Flame Hair of the Resonance World.