Chapter 213
Chapter 213
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: Black Dragon Vault (4)
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Yuri, buzzing with excitement, trailed closely behind the bespectacled man.
What greeted him was, surprisingly, a single carriage.
“Get in.”
It was the first carriage he'd seen since arriving at Yoram, aside from that first day—and not like the cart-like one from then, either.
This was a proper carriage with a full roof.
The moment Yuri climbed aboard.
Clunk.
The door locked from the outside.
Yuri let out a disbelieving chuckle.
“Seriously? This isn't a carriage... it's just a coffin.”
No windows, of course, and no way to open the door from inside.
Only thin beams of light filtering through a few small air holes in the ceiling illuminated the interior.
As Yuri glanced around, the carriage began to move.
Clatter clatter.
Listening to the sound of hooves, Yuri shouted toward the outside.
“I am heading to pick up my reward, right? This isn't some prisoner transport.”
No response came to his complaint-filled yell.
Yuri pouted.
‘Tch, do they really have to go this far?’
Of course, he understood.
It was the Sword Master's treasure vault, after all.
They were hiding its location for security.
Even knowing that, it still soured his mood.
At least the interior was spacious enough to lie down comfortably.
So Yuri flopped back and closed his eyes.
How much time passed like that?
Clop clop.
Huff huff.
Amid the sounds of the carriage and breathing.
“......”
Yuri quietly opened his eyes.
‘...We're going up.’
He felt the carriage ascending a slight incline.
And then.
Splash.
The smell of water and the crash of waves.
Even after the carriage stopped, a rocking sensation lingered.
‘Are we boarding a boat?’
Just as Yuri's eyes gleamed in the darkness.
The bespectacled man's voice rang out—he who hadn't spoken a word until now.
“Before we arrive at the Black Dragon Vault, I'll explain the rules.”
Yuri perked up his ears at the stiff tone.
“You have exactly one hour inside the Black Dragon Vault. Choose an item to take within that time.”
“Only one hour? What happens if I go over?”
“Also, you may take only one item.”
“...Excuse me? Didn't you hear me?”
“Every item in the Black Dragon Vault is under strict management. If it's discovered that you've taken two or more... you'll face the corresponding punishment.”
“Specifically, what punishment?”
For the first time, the bespectacled man answered that question.
“A brutal penalty where death is your only hope.”
“......”
“Yuri Holland, I know roughly what kind of guy you are... but this time, you'd best not entertain any foolish ideas.”
Yuri shrugged at the chilling warning.
“Hey, I'm not always that reckless, you know?”
His protest sounded indignant.
But again, no reply came.
The bespectacled man had said his piece and clammed up.
Yuri pouted once more, sinking into the darkness.
Swoosh.
The boat cut through the water, pressing onward.
How much more time passed?
They'd set out around noon, but now it was nearing evening.
The light filtering through the air holes gradually took on a reddish hue.
Around then, Yuri sat up.
‘It's slowing down.’
He could clearly feel the boat's speed dropping.
Finally, it came to a complete stop.
Clunk.
The locked entrance swung open.
“Come out.”
At the bespectacled man's command.
Yuri leaped out eagerly, only to widen his eyes at the sight outside.
“...Huh?”
He'd assumed they'd reached a dock since the boat had stopped—but no.
The black ship that had carried him still floated on the water.
And what startled him even more.
It was a truly massive structure.
‘...Incredible.’
Four enormous pillars jutted up from the water.
Thick chains extended from them, connecting to an octagonal metal edifice.
Thanks to that, the metallic mass floated buoyantly on the surface.
As Yuri stared blankly, the bespectacled man's voice came.
“You asked earlier what happens if you exceed the hour?”
A faint note of amusement colored his tone.
“If you want to end up as fish food, bursting from the pressure, be my guest.”
“......”
“Moving. Follow.”
Yuri hurried after the bespectacled man, who jerked his chin lightly.
Their destination was the bow.
A simple bridge led across to the octagonal structure.
Thud thud.
The moment Yuri crossed the bridge and passed through the entrance of the octagonal structure.
Flinch!
He startled at the waves of pressure bearing down from all sides.
‘...Intimidating.’
It wasn't just one or two auras pouring in from everywhere.
Over a dozen presences, hidden, unleashing killing intent toward him.
Thick, dense killing intent, as if warning that any funny business would cost him dearly.
And even more terrifying: every one of those emitting it was no pushover for Yuri.
‘These powerhouses... just stationed here to guard a vault?’
Assembling this much force just to open a treasure vault was astonishing.
His steps slowed slightly, and the bespectacled man's warning flew at him.
“Eyes front and follow. Lose sight of me, and you'll never leave this place.”
With that, he pulled something from his pocket.
Yuri stuck close, peeking over his shoulder.
‘A compass?’
It was a bizarre-looking compass.
Unlike a normal one, its needle spun erratically.
The bespectacled man used it to guide Yuri.
Yuri tore his gaze from it to survey the surroundings.
‘...A tangled maze of passages.’
Wide enough for three or four people to pass comfortably, it was obviously a labyrinth.
And not a simple one, either.
The humidity in the air proved it.
‘...Everything's soaked in water.’
Floor, walls, ceiling.
All drenched.
Meaning this place had originally been submerged.
‘Preparing to open the Black Dragon Vault means... lifting this structure and draining the water inside.’
How intricate must it be to take days to drain?
Yuri swallowed dryly.
‘So that's what “bursting fish food” means.’
Exceed the time limit, and water would flood the entire building.
Trapping him in this complex underwater maze.
‘Wait... will the items' area flood too?’
That doubt resolved soon enough.
Thud.
The bespectacled man halted before a massive door and spoke.
“Beyond this door is the true Black Dragon Vault. Inside, there's an hourglass linked to this one.”
He pointed to the large hourglass beside the door.
“I'll start it when you enter. Once you've chosen your item, flip it and call for me.”
“Can't I just grab it and come out?”
“The items inside are in special sealed containers that require disassembly.”
“...So the system doesn't even allow taking two or more to begin with?”
“Human greed can drive people to unimaginable deeds.”
“......”
“If you don't emerge after an hour, I'll leave without hesitation. Remember that.”
“...Got it.”
Now it was clear.
The inner Black Dragon Vault would flood too.
Yuri's anticipation swelled.
‘Items hidden this thoroughly...’
Just how amazing could they be?
As Yuri pondered.
“Go in.”
Click.
The bespectacled man pulled the long handle, opening the door.
It parted left and right with a heavy rumble.
Rumble rumble.
Yuri stepped inside calmly, and the doors soon closed.
Click.
Whoosh.
The hourglass sand began to flow.
Yuri glanced at it once, then surveyed the Black Dragon Vault interior.
‘Spacious... and damp.’
The inside was a three-story cylindrical structure.
As expected, water had flooded here too, and it hadn't fully dried—humidity hung thick.
Round walls lined with display stands at intervals held rectangular crystals.
‘Let's circle right.’
Yuri turned lightly.
Soon, he faced the first stand.
And let out a hollow laugh.
“Money's just rotting away here.”
The stone-carved stand embedded with expensive glowstones illuminated the item atop it.
Probably every stand had them.
‘No wonder this vast space is so bright.’
Clicking his tongue, Yuri examined the item.
‘That the special sealed container?’
A transparent tetrahedral crystal.
But its edges were framed in dark red metal.
Inside, a small dagger floated, bathed in glowstone light.
‘Looks extraordinary just from the sheen.’
A ornate dagger with a blue tint.
Worthy of the Black Dragon Vault, its origins must be extraordinary too.
‘No description?’
No matter how he looked around the stand, no item info.
Just the number 1-1.
Yuri moved on.
Quickly scanning stands along the wall.
The sealed containers varied in size but were stored similarly—floating in glowstone light.
From the first dagger: helmets, gloves, a spear.
Leather-bound books without titles.
Even beast horns and eyeballs.
After checking over a dozen items, Yuri frowned at the hourglass—nearly ten minutes gone.
‘As expected... won't finish like this.’
He'd barely covered a fraction of the first floor, yet ten minutes spent.
At this rate, no finding what he wanted in time.
Yuri recalled Johan's words from yesterday.
[What you're grabbing from the Black Dragon Vault is obvious, right? An elixir, no question! Ignore everything else!]
Elixirs and potions.
Those two were what Yuri needed to focus on.
Johan had stressed elixirs repeatedly.
[Usually, potions outperform raw elixirs. They're artificially refined and compounded from natural elixirs to maximize effects. But some elixirs possess potency no human can replicate.]
Unrefined... no, needing no refinement.
Potions perfected by nature itself, beyond human capability.
Johan urged him to target those.
[The Black Dragon Vault must have them—and the best are those with faint egos. We call them spirit elixirs.]
With that explanation, Johan warned.
[But spirit elixirs choose their masters. Grab incompatible ones recklessly, and that's your funeral.]
Johan didn't stop at warnings—he offered a solution.
[Finding a compatible one is simple. Just sense them. One will recognize and call to you.]
Recalling Johan's advice, Yuri headed to the center.
Tap.
Eyes closed at the circular room's heart.
‘He said wander and feel them one by one... but that'll take too long.’
How long to cover this expanse?
Johan probably hadn't anticipated the size or quantity.
So Yuri devised another way.
“Whew......”
Deep breath, mind cleared.
Demonic threads poured from him in streams.
Swish.
Grown stronger, his threads were finer, longer than at first.
Enough to blanket the entire Black Dragon Vault.
Sss.
He infused them with his energy.
Strong intent.
‘Spirit elixirs that wanna come with me, raise your hand!’
Hum.
His presence and will surged through the threads, thickly permeating everywhere.
At first, no reaction.
One minute, two, three... five.
Time passed unchanged, but Yuri endured.
They're shy at first—wait.
A reaction would come.
He believed.
And...
‘Got it!’
Soon, three distinct energies emerged.
One probing faintly, like scouting.
One fervently asserting itself.
One imperious, commanding.
Two on the second floor, one on the third.
Three spirit elixirs calling in their ways.
‘Oh? Three of them?’
Forty-five minutes left.
Plenty to check all three.
Smiling in satisfaction, Yuri headed for the stairs to the second floor.
Creak.
But he halted soon.
“...Huh?”
A startled murmur.
Yuri walked as if entranced by something.
Not toward the stairs.
Squeak squeak squeak.
His shoes frictioned eerily against the slick, wet floor, echoing through the vault.
Creak.
Finally, he stopped before a display stand.
Face stiff, he stared into the sealed container.
An object floating inside, glowstone-lit.
It was none other than...
“No way... is this...”
A human leg.