Red Sickle
"It's Red Sickle."
He extended a hand to me reluctantly, his face shrouded in a hood.
"A famous man like you—surely you know the name. An honor to meet you. The Colosseum's greatest champion."
"……."
Red Sickle's glare pierced me like a blade, knowing I was aware of his past, but I didn't mind the sting.
"No need to glare like that. I only spilled it because we're here. Haven't told a soul. Hell, I was a pretty big fan of yours."
Red Sickle suspects you.
Red Sickle's wariness toward you has increased. Exercise caution to avoid bloodshed.
With the alert, I spotted his grip on the sword hilt tucked behind his waist.
'Hoh, that's quite the grip on that sword. Just as you said—a guy who knows his stuff.'
Years later, when the powerhouses dubbed Glory's 9 assembled, Red Sickle might not have made the list, but the world judged him no less formidable.
The Colosseum was the decisive proof.
Alongside Eltia Iron Kingdom's Kartinin training grounds and Kal Duchy’s Muhard arena, the desert Colosseum formed the trio of legendary battlefields.
'Like arenas in games, these three host tournaments with winner rewards, but none crown true warriors like the desert Colosseum.'
No rules on combat. Poisons, magic, curses, alchemy, illusions—any weapon goes.
Unlike the one-on-one focus of the other two, the Colosseum allowed one-vs-one, many-vs-many, or one-vs-many free-for-alls.
'Even more brutal: the duel arenas ban killing, but not here.'
A slaughterhouse. Survivors of the bloodbath reaped lavish rewards.
The Iron Kingdom and Duchy decried its savagery, but the allure of strength drew roaring crowds, keeping its popularity scorching.
'The one with the most victories there.'
That was Red Sickle.
Everyone wondered why the desert's apex predator served a mere girl, but Phlia had claimed Obela's throne in under a few years.
"Those your champion chakrams? Mind if I take a look?"
"Rude."
"Sorry if that offended. No malice. Just looks like they can't keep up with their wielder's skill."
Red Sickle said nothing, but the cloth-wrapped grips on his long-used chakrams did seem underwhelming by comparison.
"You're a desert man—you know the legend. The Mummy King, Parahum's Tomb. They say his weapon, [Idol of Lost Souls], is buried with him."
"Don't covet what you can't handle. Humans reach for the unattainable and meet ruin. Like you."
I grinned at his retort.
"That's how humans evolve. Craving strength, wisdom, greatness."
"Enough philosophy. Let's hear the plan. Don't know how you swayed Lady Phlia, but raiding Spider Lord's Tomb ain't easy."
"Hamma."
I beckoned, and the broker hustled over.
"As ordered, the extras."
He carried sand snail essence and horseshoe moth sleep powder I'd seized from the basement.
"Tough to source now... barely scraped two more doses."
"Good work."
"Haha, my pleasure."
Hamma bowed deeply, thrilled, then retreated.
"Melt webs with essence, knock spiders out with powder... Collectors' trick for tomb runs. That's your big idea? If it worked that easy, the Spider Queen would've been hunted ages ago."
"True. If that's all we brought."
I chuckled.
"No worries. The rest is already there—nice and wrapped in spider silk."
"……?"
"Let's do this. Get lucky, and we snag the Idol too."
Red Sickle tilted his head, puzzled, but I just smiled.
'Rerto Karen. For sparing you, I'll claim the Spider Queen and Parahum's relics.'
I handed him the vials.
"Bring one decent tracker. The tomb's a maze. We'll race the clock to escape while the Queen's out."
"Trackers? Covered. Obela's best is right here."
"……You?"
Phlia snatched the vial from his hand.
"Not him—me. Obela born and bred. Didn't Hamma tell you? Street rats risking death in spider dens to loot and sell gear. I was one."
She laughed bitterly and stepped forward.
"Let's go."
"Ptoo! Damn hot……."
I spat out the sand filling my mouth.
"Even the dragon hunter struggles in the desert? Quite the sight."
Phlia, veiled only by a thin hood against the blistering sun, no sweat on her, offered a waterskin.
"Not the heat. Desert leopards are just wild."
"Prurrr……."
I stroked the snarling beast beside me.
With Riding, you tame wild mounts. Without, only city rentals work skill-free—but they barely obey.
'This sucks... harder than fighting.'
I rubbed my sore back, shaking my head.
Desert heat drained stamina; wrangling the beast did too. Disobedience burned it faster, often tanking HP from exhaustion.
'A northern conqueror fumbling a mere beast? No riding Windblade from Frostspring, that's for sure.'
'Windblade...? You mean the spirit horse?'
'Indeed.'
'That real? Frostspring dried up ages ago.'
'Who knows? Northern legend says rule the plateau, ride the spirit steed.'
'Spare me fairy tales. I need strong allies now.'
'Impossible? If the lost ice reins exist, you could command it.'
'Don't talk like it's easy when even you couldn't.'
'We're different. Who knows what my master might achieve?'
'Smooth talker.'
'Whose familiar am I?'
I shook my head with a laugh at Black Eye's quip.
'Been a while.'
Instead, I eyed the massive structure ahead.
Parahum's Tomb was grand; Spider Lord's Tomb was just a towering pillar.
Plain from outside, but Parahum lay at the peak while the Spider Queen lurked deep underground.
'Just the tip of the iceberg.'
Thud. Thud. Thud.
At the pillar's base, a rusted iron door greeted us.
Shhhhk—!! Clank!
Touching it, sand poured like rain as the door creaked open.
'As expected—no discoverer perks.'
The ominous air paled next to those two discoverers: Rerto and his minion Pimel. No perks meant they lived.
'Planned to use Rerto for Parahum anyway. Find him first, decide then.'
His Divine Knight class and raid experience made him a solid tank for my party.
But rivals don't get to grow.
'Maybe skip tomb perks, kill him here for respawn penalty.'
"Hold."
Phlia, leading, raised a hand.
"Monsters ahead. Skirt or smash?"
'Impressive. She's right.'
Black Eye uses Threat Detection Lv4.
Detects stealth and traps within 15m radius.
Familiar ability shared.
Whoosh……!!
Black Eye's skill unfolded the tomb's layout like a translucent map in my vision.
I peered at the wall.
Focus Lv3 proficiency increased.
Proficiency beyond familiar's trait level → Skill acquisition possible.
Insight Lv4 proficiency increased.
Proficiency beyond familiar's trait level → Skill acquisition possible.
Focus and Insight drained stamina, head spinning briefly.
But through the translucent wall, writhing spiders swarmed.
'Thirty at least...'
Fitting for a Lv40+ dungeon—packs exceeded ten easily.
"Skirt it?"
Phlia asked.
"Wait."
Amid the spiders, a massive silk clump twitched.
Insight faded, but I knew what hid behind.
'It's him.'
Two cocoons, silk-bound like mummies.
Rerto Karen.