Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Night King's Bracelet
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The tragedy that unfolded afterward was too gruesome to watch with eyes open.
"Whoa, rolling nicely. It's a total soccer ball, soccer ball."
Kicked around like a ball.
"Stand up straight, straight."
Beaten relentlessly like a punching bag was par for the course.
"Hey, man. Where are you looking? Attack properly. Come on, this way, this way."
"Urk... just kill me already."
"Heh, giving up already? This is what you guys always did. Time to be on the receiving end for once."
"W-We never went this far... Gah!"
"Who said you could talk back?"
Blind assaults one after another.
And all sorts of humiliations piled on top.
By that point, the trio was beyond humiliated—they wanted to die.
To think someone could inflict this much suffering in a game.
Demon.
This guy was a demon.
The trio realized it, but it was too late.
Once caught by him, an easy death was no longer an option.
They'd just endure torment until their minds shattered.
"Ah, out of scrolls."
"Aaaah."
"Wait, one more each?"
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Blind and Fire Wall scrolls refilled once more.
In the end, the trio endured another round of hell before barely escaping Luke's clutches.
Scattering into particles.
Clatter clatter!
Items began dropping to the floor all at once.
User drop items.
Specifically, drops from the Lycan trio upon death.
From equipped gear to inventory items.
Thanks to their accumulated Infamy, quite a few items dropped.
Among them were the two pieces of gear from the Seizure Scrolls.
[Oakwood Wristguards]
[Bihar Empire's Colossal Sword]
One was the wristguards worn by Lycan.
The other was the massive greatsword wielded by Howler.
'As expected, the Bihar greatsword.'
A top-tier 1st grade weapon, the Bihar Empire's Colossal Sword.
High durability and cutting power.
Plus a power amplification effect, making it a hot item always lining up at auctions.
Even at the lowest price, it could fetch over 200 grand easily.
Luke scooped up the colossal sword and other drops with a satisfied grin.
All that remained was the Oakwood Wristguards engraved with the Night King's emblem.
'Yeah, this is why I came all the way down here.'
The Night King's possession.
A top-tier 1st grade greatsword worth a fortune.
And these guys were Lookgod's criminals who'd been bothering him since before his job change.
'Gave that psycho a proper lesson too.'
Worried he might die from extra human damage, he'd stripped their gear and targeted minimal-damage spots.
Lycan.
That guy must've learned his lesson about reality this time.
About how stupid it is to commit crimes using his name.
'The scrolls they barely got from the lawless zone? I'll put 'em to good use.'
Luke grinned and opened his inventory.
Scrolls stolen just before reaching the boss room entrance.
Plus the new drops.
Thanks to that, he'd snagged a few scrolls only available in the lawless zone.
'Alright, before the Fire Wall dies out completely, let's check the Night King's item.'
The flames were weakening.
Dia and Rabbit beyond must be worrying about him by now.
'I told them to wait a bit beforehand, but...'
No point dragging it out.
With that thought, Luke picked up the wristguards.
Black haze leaking out.
This time, the item vanished along with it, just like the cloak.
'Job-exclusive skill!'
The aura absorbed into his body.
Soon, the wristguards completely disintegrated.
And then.
A barren battlefield landscape unfolded before his eyes.
Caw!
Kraa!
To survive, sometimes you have no choice.
For a vagrant like me, there was no way to eat without slipping into hellish battlefields like this.
So hesitation was forbidden.
To avoid starving to death.
I had to loot even these corpses left on the field.
The souls of the dead?
I'm too busy surviving myself.
I don't even ask for forgiveness.
The dead don't talk anyway.
As long as there are no witnesses.
No matter what I do...
Clop clop!
Oh no.
Soldiers.
Checking for stragglers maybe.
Riding in circles around the area.
If I hadn't hidden in time, I'd have been caught.
Wait, hold on.
"The war drags on."
Now I see—he's no ordinary soldier.
Ornate helmet.
Shiny full plate armor.
Fancy scabbard at the waist.
Knight.
A commander-level knight leading troops.
After years haunting battlefields, I'd recognize one.
Just puzzled why a knight like that would bring men to this wasteland.
Tch.
No choice.
Hide among the corpses until they leave.
Getting caught here gains nothing good.
But what's with all the talking since earlier?
Better eavesdrop.
"Saharen Kingdom's resistance is fiercer than expected."
"Even with our support, they can't breach a single small city. Time to reevaluate them."
"Still, we estimate recapturing Baskerville within the planned timeframe."
"Mm, it better. If not..."
"Yes, we'll apply additional pressure this time..."
Saharen Kingdom.
Baskerville, a city of Saharen.
All talk of the war between Saharen and Anill Kingdoms.
Anill was indeed struggling to take the last city, Baskerville.
But support?
Additional pressure?
What are they on about?
Sounds like third parties.
Hold on.
Then they're from a completely different country, neither Saharen nor Anill?
No national emblems on armor or scabbards...
"Understood, Rayjin. As I said before, this is crucial. With the Ten Emperors' long reign ended, the Nine Alliances, Seven Deadly Clans, Six Star Formations, Twelve Branches, Round Table Council, Four Warlords, and Eight Spirit Lords are vying for the vacancy, rapidly expanding. To break their lines, we must retake Baskerville."
"Yes, I know."
"The relic from the Black-White Era sealed somewhere in Baskerville is the key to this plan."
"All as His Highness the Crown Prince wills."
"No, all by the will of the Great Ruin Empire."
Oh no.
My god.
What did I just hear?
Black-White Era relic.
Crown Prince.
And the Great Ruin Empire?
The scale was too massive; my mind couldn't process it.
Wait, isn't the Ruin Empire said to have six Crown Princes?
Is this blond knight one of them?
Damn.
Seems a vagrant like me heard what I shouldn't have.
"So..."
"Yes, keep it in mind. Remember..."
Can't get caught.
Caught here, my head rolls.
Yeah.
Stay calm and wait for them to leave.
If I get through this...
Stab!
Huh?
Why's my vision fading?
"Hm, something wrong?"
"No, just a rat eavesdropping..."
What's this conversation now?
Don't know.
Can't understand anything.
Just that my sight's blurring.
And my body's chilling.
Why so cold and sleepy?
Ah, can't sleep here.
Damn...
Consciousness returned.
The surroundings reverted to the demon cave interior.
Soon, a message popped up.
As expected.
A job-exclusive skill.
But Luke wasn't happy.
Couldn't be.
Because the recalled memory was too intense.
'Never thought the Ruin Empire would pop up here.'
Yes.
The Great Ruin Empire that imprisoned him in Sentinel.
Sentenced him to life without parole and seized all his warehouse items.
'And Baskerville...'
The central capital of the eastern Saharen Kingdom right now.
'Baskerville's a city that's never been recaptured, as far as I know.'
Strange.
In the memory, it was on the verge of falling to Anill Kingdom.
Yet now, Anill's wiped from the continent, and Saharen stands whole.
'Don't know how many years ago, but if true...'
Anill's conquest failed.
Ruin Empire's plan failed too, letting Saharen swallow Anill instead.
Then rapidly expanded to become today's Saharen.
That summed it up.
'So the Black-White Era relic the Crown Prince mentioned is still sealed somewhere in Baskerville?'
No guarantee it remains, but still valuable info.
'Plus those groups rapidly expanding after the Ten Emperors' long rule ended.'
Great Ruin Empire.
If the Crown Prince mentions them personally, they're no small fries.
Problem: never heard of them despite his Worst Criminal in History infamy.
'Erased from history, or still hidden.'
Probably one or the other.
'Save this info for now.'
Luke turned.
The fire wall behind had vanished, revealing the party.
Dia.
Rabbit.
And.
"Pokopoko!"
The spirit beast Poko.
"Oppa, you okay? Not hurt?!"
"Yeah, fine. Don't worry."
"How could I not? Those crazy lunatics threatening us. Sigh, really. Suddenly telling us to wait quietly. Then charging into flames in that weird outfit."
"Ahahaha..."
Fair enough.
Dia and Rabbit would be confused.
He'd seemed paralyzed, then tore a scroll and stood abruptly.
'I'll handle it quick, so wait here quietly.'
'What?'
'S-Seokwoo oppa?!'
Leaving those words.
"So what happened to those jerks? Heard some screams..."
"Delivered justice, that's what."
"Really! Hiding how strong you were all this time?"
"Wasn't hiding, just no chance... Hm?"
Suddenly, Luke's gaze shifted.
Rabbit walking up slowly, lifting her bowed head.
"Worried."
"Huh?"
"I... was worried."
Her eyes were red-rimmed.