Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: Temple of Envy
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'I've got the Magnite ore.'
A purple magic ore close to mithril in quality.
With its excellent mana conductivity, it could serve as a mithril substitute when crafting A-rank or higher weapons.
'And I've got Verka metal too.'
Combining these two should yield a pretty decent weapon.
It would also catch the eye of that eccentric Twilight Blacksmith, the old man.
With that, Shin Yu-hyun finished his final checks before heading out to claim the third member of the Seven Arcs.
"All set."
Just then, Shuv called out to him, having completed his own preparations.
Shin Yu-hyun turned to look at Shuv.
On the floor of the underground training hall where Shuv stood, a massive magic circle five meters in diameter sparked with black light.
"I'm ready too."
Shin Yu-hyun nodded and replied.
Crrrackle!
Suddenly, a rift tore open in space above the pitch-black magic circle.
A crimson glow poured from the dimensional rift that opened with the system message.
"It's open."
"I'll be back."
Shin Yu-hyun bid farewell to Shuv and Dia before stepping toward the rift without hesitation.
As he entered, his body floated up, pulled into the void, and the dimensional transfer completed.
Right after arriving, Shin Yu-hyun felt his stomach churn with nausea.
Seemed like aftereffects of the dimensional jump.
After steadying himself, he looked up.
'Is this the dimension where the third Seven Arcs resides?'
A world not unlike the Starry Realm.
A massive red moon hung in the dark night sky, stretching an endless white horizon beneath it.
And right before Shin Yu-hyun's eyes stood a temple stained with blood-red hues.
'Same here, huh?'
Just like when he'd gone to the dimension with the temple sealing Shuv, the connection to the Space-Time Management Bureau was cut. It was another dimension, not Earth, after all.
'Well, let's go.'
Shin Yu-hyun approached the entrance of the red temple.
Then, a system message appeared before his eyes.
'So that's why.'
Shin Yu-hyun gave a wry smile.
He now understood why Shuv had said it might be unbearable.
The trial of the temple sealing Luber, the third Seven Arcs and princess of the progenitors, was envy.
Shin Yu-hyun stepped inside the red temple.
Creeeak.
Beyond the door lay a luxurious, spacious hall carpeted in red.
A long corridor stretched out further in.
'Similar to Shuv's temple.'
Shin Yu-hyun scanned his surroundings as he reached the door at the end of the corridor.
He pushed open the massive double doors bathed in elegant red light.
In that instant, white light burst through the crack.
Shin Yu-hyun frowned and shielded his eyes with his hand against the sudden glare.
'This is...'
Shin Yu-hyun's face filled with shock.
The scenery around him had changed in the blink of an eye.
This was the clan leader's chamber meeting room.
The clan's retainers were gathered there, and ahead of them, his father and family stared at Shin Yu-hyun.
"Useless fool."
"Can't you even open your energy core at your age?"
"Worse than your little brother. Pathetic."
His father scolded him.
Meanwhile, his older brothers and sisters, and his youngest brother Shin Cheol-ho, gazed at him with warm eyes.
"It would've been better if a kid like you had never been born. Your siblings are so enviable."
Not just that—his mother lamented toward Shin Yu-hyun while looking fondly at his other siblings.
At the sight, a pang twisted in Shin Yu-hyun's chest, laced with envy.
He wasn't loved, but his half-siblings basked in their parents' affection.
Shimmer, flash!
The space rippled, white light erupted, and the scene shifted.
"I'm done with this. I've found someone else, so let's break up."
It was Maria Testarossa, his lover from his previous life, declaring their breakup.
Shin Yu-hyun's brow twitched at the blond young man beside her.
He had his hand on Maria's waist, smirking mockingly at Shin Yu-hyun.
He was decent-looking but a total scumbag with womanizing issues—one of Shin Yu-hyun's old grudges, Chris.
"Hoo."
Shin Yu-hyun exhaled deeply, taking a steadying breath.
He gripped the Flame Demon Sword Levatein at his waist tightly.
Shing!
Levatein unsheathed and swung in a wide arc.
A trail of black flames etched through the air.
Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship.
Zero Form: Modified.
Sword Draw: Ignorance Slash.
Kaboom!
The space around Shin Yu-hyun shattered.
The sharply compressed blade of black flame had destroyed the illusions enveloping him.
"You thought a cheap trick like that would work?"
Shin Yu-hyun furrowed his brow.
But contrary to his words, he'd nearly fallen for it, swept up in emotion.
He'd envied his siblings bathed in familial love, and rage boiled at the thought of Maria, the woman he'd loved, falling for another man.
Especially that sleaze Chris, who'd always leered at her.
That's when he realized.
The scene before him wasn't real—it was an illusion.
Not only that, but his unique skill awakened in the Trial Tower, Presence Detection (S), sensed nothing around him.
And thanks to his high mental fortitude resisting the abnormal status, he recognized the situation as an illusion.
Shatter.
The surrounding space fractured, revealing the real room.
A large chamber carpeted in red.
Shin Yu-hyun passed through the room toward the opposite door.
Thud.
As he opened it and stepped out, another wide, long corridor appeared.
But the corridor wasn't all that awaited.
"I've been waiting for you, successor."
A man stood outside the door.
A middle-aged man with black hair cascading to his shoulders and red eyes.
He wore something like a black tailcoat.
"Who are you?"
"I am Afrare Vlad, the first retainer of Lady Luber."
The middle-aged man, Afrare Vlad, bowed politely and introduced himself.
"Retainer?"
"Yes. I've been waiting solely for you, the successor, to come rescue our princess."
Vlad smiled at the surprised Shin Yu-hyun.
"You knew I'd come?"
"I only knew that the successor of the Immortal King would eventually arrive."
"Must've been a long wait."
"Yes. Truly long ages."
His voice carried bitterness and longing.
He had managed the red temple alone for endless years.
Waiting for the Immortal King's successor, uncertain when they might appear.
"...You did well."
Shin Yu-hyun offered a word to Vlad, who had waited in solitude.
Vlad's eyes flickered briefly with light, then dimmed.
"No, it was only my duty."
Vlad bowed his head.
"This way, then."
He lifted his head again and began guiding Shin Yu-hyun.
Shin Yu-hyun followed Vlad to the massive double doors at the corridor's end.
"Lady Luber is sealed beyond that door."
"How do I break the seal?"
"You'll learn once you meet her beyond the door."
"Got it."
Shin Yu-hyun nodded and arrived at the doors.
The moment he reached to push them open—
Clang!
Suddenly, sharp metallic sounds rang out around Shin Yu-hyun.
"Gasp!"
Vlad's startled breath followed.
"H-How...?"
Vlad stared at Shin Yu-hyun in disbelief.
From behind, where Vlad had stood, three blood-formed tentacles lashed out from his palm.
But in an instant, the skeletons assigned to Eni Cherry—Battle Puppet, Phalanx, and Frost Ranger—burst from Shin Yu-hyun's shadow and blocked the tentacles.
"How'd I know?"
Shin Yu-hyun let out a hollow chuckle.
He turned to Vlad, whose face twisted in shock at his failed ambush.
"If you meant to deceive me, you should've acted better."
When they'd first met, Vlad had been far too calm.
After ages, he'd finally met the Immortal King's successor.
He could've shown more joy, but he was unnaturally composed.
Above all, his mouth smiled at Shin Yu-hyun, but his eyes did not.
In his previous life, Shin Yu-hyun had seen countless backstabbers.
To survive the Getia.
Informers, scammers stealing food—he'd navigated them all.
That honed his eye for people.
'Though blocking the attack was thanks to Presence Detection.'
As a precaution, he'd activated the A-rank skill Split Thought to keep Presence Detection running constantly, monitoring Vlad's every move behind him.
And Vlad had shown suspicious behavior.
So without hesitation, he'd summoned the skeletons via his hidden shadow slime Ka-mang-i.
"As expected of the Immortal King's successor."
With his attack thwarted, Vlad retreated, frowning.
Shin Yu-hyun asked him.
"Why attack me? Don't you want Luber freed?"
"Shut your mouth! Do you know how much our princess sacrificed because of the first Immortal King? Do you grasp the immense loss to our vampire clan?!"
Vlad shouted, as if vomiting blood.
But Shin Yu-hyun had no way of knowing.
He didn't know what had transpired between the original Immortal King and the Seven Arcs.
So he casually asked.
"What happened?"
"What? You call that...?"
"I'm asking because I don't know. What went down between you all and the first Immortal King?"
"..."
Vlad fell silent at Shin Yu-hyun's words, merely glaring murderously.
After a moment, he spoke slowly.
"You don't need to know. I just want our princess spared further pain. Leave."
Vlad issued a cold dismissal.
Shin Yu-hyun replied indifferently.
"And if I don't?"
"Then no choice. Time you learned your place."
"Try it if you can."
Shin Yu-hyun bared a feral grin, locking eyes with Vlad.
Looked like he'd need to school this guy before meeting Luber.