Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Black Dragon Vault (5)
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Spacious interior.
A large round table stood in the center, with numerous people seated around it.
Members who called themselves the Origin Lords.
With the fifth-years about to graduate soon, their numbers had dwindled to fewer than ten.
Some among them furrowed their brows over the agenda that had summoned them.
"So... she said if we want to recruit her, we have to offer something in return?"
The news delivered by Andres, the next chairman who had personally moved to recruit Yuri Holland.
It was more than enough to ruffle the feathers of these proud scions of prestigious families.
A few with particularly high pride even showed their hostility openly.
"Arrogant."
"I've heard she's from the streets... No wonder she's acting like she has nothing to lose."
"Do we really need to go that far just to bring that one into the Origin Circle?"
Despite the grumbled complaints, Andres remained silent.
But someone else spoke up in his place.
"As we discussed before, there's no better card to play against Kunter Rider than Yuri Holland."
Kunter Rider.
Though nominally part of the Origin Circle, he was treated as a separate entity.
Just the fact that he bore the Rider surname gave him immense influence in Yoram.
Even the Origin Circle members had to watch his mood.
In truth, the reason Kunter had joined the Origin Circle was to use his influence to dominate it.
Ever since Kunter joined, the Circle and its members had been unable to stand tall, shrinking back.
All they could do was wait for Kunter to graduate as soon as possible.
But then, out of nowhere.
The invincible Kunter had been defeated.
By a mere first-year fledgling, no less.
This meant Kunter's influence was starting to waver.
For the Origin Circle members who wanted to escape his shadow, there was no better opportunity.
Thus, opinions converged on bringing in Yuri Holland, who had toppled Kunter.
Not everyone agreed wholeheartedly, of course.
In the gathered meeting, dissenting views began to rear their heads again.
"Honestly, I'm skeptical. Yuri Holland is strong enough to beat Kunter Rider. What if she doesn't just check him but becomes a second Kunter herself?"
At that member's concern, Andres, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"Judging by Yuri Holland's personality, that won't happen."
"Pardon?"
"The Yuri Holland I met... is a hardcore materialist. That's why she'd demand compensation for recruitment."
"I-is that so?"
"People like Yuri Holland don't bother building up their own influence. No, they'd find it a hassle. It doesn't pay and just drags them into needless trouble."
"......"
"That's why she's perfect for us. Offer the right price, and we can use her as much as we want."
Another member added to Andres's words.
"And the biggest reason we need to recruit Yuri Holland is... she's skilled but has no faction. Without the kind of powerful backing and influence Kunter has... she won't become a second Kunter."
At that explanation, the displeased expressions on some members' faces softened a bit.
Someone shifted the topic.
"So, what's the exact reason you summoned us?"
"To discuss what compensation to offer Yuri Holland for recruitment... and how much."
"Can't we just throw some points at her?"
Andres shook his head at the members' looks, as if questioning why they'd been called for something so trivial.
"That would have worked under normal circumstances, but things have gotten complicated."
"......?"
"There's competition now."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not just us who wants to recruit Yuri Holland."
"Pardon? Oh, you don't mean...?!"
Yoram had several organizations formed by cadets banding together.
But most were small groups focused on camaraderie.
There weren't many organizations with real influence over the cadets in Yoram.
Among them, only one could rival the Origin Circle or worry its chairman this much.
Chairman Andres nodded gravely.
"The Bluebirds are trying to take Yuri Holland."
"What?! Why would they? Bluebird is just a front for the current families anyway. Why would they need her?"
"I don't know the reason. But Yulia Sing, who inherited Bluebird from Senior Fritz, seems to want Yuri Holland badly."
"Yulia Sing...?"
"And Yuri Holland said she'll side with whoever offers the bigger reward."
"That bastard... She's thrilled to have the upper hand.
"It's true we're the ones in need. We must recruit Yuri Holland before Kunter Rider recovers and returns. So let's gather opinions. Any good ideas?"
Small voices murmured from around the table at Andres's question.
"...Points alone definitely lack appeal."
"Offering hidden Yoram info... Bluebird's better at that anyway."
"Hmm, this is tricky."
Worried groans echoed here and there.
Right then.
Knock knock-.
Someone rapped on the round table.
All eyes turned to the source, where Goetz stood, his body wrapped head to toe in bandages.
Goetz, who could have rested but chose to attend the round table meeting anyway.
"Yuri Holland... I might know what that friend likes......"
He flashed a sly smile at the gazes upon him.
"Care to hear my opinion?"
A demonic purple glint shimmered in Goetz's narrowed eyes.
* * *
Yuri silently gazed at the leg floating inside the crystal.
'This... is definitely a human leg.'
The Black Dragon Vault was filled with various beast parts.
But this one looking down at now was different.
The cleanly severed cross-section, the bones and muscles.
Even the shape.
No one could mistake it for anything but human.
'...Why is a human leg in the Black Dragon Vault?'
Yuri already knew the answer but posed the question to himself anyway.
A lone severed leg.
The right one, no less.
'And the position... roughly matches.'
It looked similar in size to 'his' prosthetic at a glance.
And above all, it was rough and rugged, yet properly tempered.
The grueling training its owner had endured was evident......
Perhaps his own leg would end up looking like that in the future...
A murmur escaped Yuri's lips.
"The old man's... leg?"
He had heard the story countless times.
Johan had lost his right leg to the Sword Lord in his second challenge over a decade ago.
This was likely Johan's leg right before his eyes.
No, it had to be.
The odd part was the leg's condition.
'It looks freshly severed... so fresh?'
The phrasing was a bit off, but no better word fit.
Nearly 16 years had passed.
It should have rotted to bare bone long ago, yet Johan's severed leg was pristine.
More than pristine—vivid enough to show traces of blood.
The reason was easy to deduce.
'This crystal's doing.'
Some special sealed container had preserved Johan's leg from decay, principle unknown.
Yuri murmured while staring at Johan's leg.
"If I bring this to the old man... could he reattach it?"
Only one item could be taken from here.
If he took the leg with that......
And restored Johan's leg to its original state?
'...Would the old man be happy?'
Yuri thought from Johan's perspective.
The thought didn't take long.
Creak-.
Yuri turned around.
Conviction settled on his face.
'The old man... wouldn't want me bringing that to him.'
If the Sword Lord had severed his leg and someone retrieved it.
He probably would have been thrilled.
No pointless effort wasted.
But Johan was different.
'That grumpy, stubborn old man with a foul temper.'
Still, he was a man of principle.
Not the type to discard pride for goals like Yuri.
To him, that leg was his life's final goal and endpoint, his identity to reclaim himself.
If Yuri brought it... Johan would surely get angry.
'You little shit, who are you to trample my pride!... or something.'
That's why he mustn't touch that leg.
It was about respecting Johan's pride.
Having concluded that, Yuri walked away without hesitation.
He reached the second floor and stood before the spirit that had called to him earlier.
"You? Shy guy?"
Of the three spirits, the one that had faintly probed him like scouting.
The one Yuri called shy was a bright golden fruit with two leaves.
"Hmm......"
Yuri, hands in pockets, peered intently at the plum-sized thing.
Nope-.
He turned and headed to the next.
The second spirit he encountered.
"You? The one who likes me that much?"
Of the three, the one most aggressively and enthusiastically signaling its presence to Yuri.
It was a white root resembling a human figure.
"......"
Yuri stared at it for quite a while.
Then he moved on.
This time to the third floor.
Finally, Yuri stopped before the last spirit.
"It's you."
The third spirit.
The one aggressively emanating energy, practically commanding him to come closer—a dark crimson orb.
Not grass, flower, or fruit, but metallic in feel.
'...A pearl?'
Glossy, yet with a bloody tint that felt ominous.
Yuri stared piercingly at it.
'All three want me. But I can only take one.'
Having circled the three spirits, Yuri had already decided which to take.
He memorized the display number of the chosen spirit, shoved his hands back in his pockets, and walked on.
'Still time left... Might as well look around?'
He'd chosen faster than expected, with about 30 minutes remaining.
Who knew when such a chance would come again in his lifetime.
Better to tour the Black Dragon Vault as much as possible.
Afterward, Yuri moved briskly, scanning and memorizing as many items as he could.
Starting from the third floor, back down to the first, having seen nearly everything.
The hourglass showed about five minutes left.
'Too bad, but one or two more and out.'
Yuri hurried to the next display.
That instant.
Thump-.
He realized his heart was fluttering strangely the more he walked.
'Huh... what? A spirit?'
At first, he thought it was a spirit's call.
But no.
This felt nothing like a spirit summoning him.
It was just... his heart racing bizarrely.
If anything, his heart reacting?
Nope-.
'What the hell's over there?'
Pondering that, he reached the display.
Yuri checked the crystal's contents and grimaced.
"Whoa......"
Inside the fairly large crystal.
A man's arm, severed from the shoulder, fist clenched tight.
"The Sword Lord... what a twisted hobby."
A leg, now an arm.
What was the point of sticking severed human body parts in a treasure vault like exhibits?
Grimacing and clicking his tongue.
'...Huh?'
Yuri wondered if he'd seen wrong.
Blink.
'Huh......?'
But it wasn't a mistake.
'Something's......'
Yuri's expression stiffened.
'...Did the position change?'
No joke—between blinks, the arm's position had shifted slightly.
The severed arm.
Blink-.
"...Huh?"
Blink again, and the position changed once more.
Blink-.
The next blink, even the pose was different.
Then finally.
Blink-.
When Yuri closed and opened his eyes.
"Hic!"
The severed arm burst out of the crystal and thrust a fist at Yuri.
Hic-.
Yuri paled, hiccupping nonstop.
Cold sweat poured as he stared at the fist inches from his nose.
Hic-!
Then the arm protruding from the crystal moved.
Wiggle wiggle-.
As if saying it had something for him.
Like urging him to extend his hand.
As if entranced, Yuri tremblingly held out his palm.
Swoosh-.
As if waiting, the severed arm unclenched its tightly gripped fist.
Yuri's breath stopped at the unbelievable sight unfolding before him.
"......?!"
The severed arm's palm facing downward.
Yuri's trembling palm below.
The two palms facing each other, 30 cm apart.
Plop-.
The severed arm dropped something into Yuri's palm.