It's Out.

I read through the list of rewards from Parahum's treasure chest, a satisfied smile spreading across my face.

"Alright, let's distribute the loot. I had the highest contribution, so I'll pick first—but if there's anything you want, speak up. I'll accommodate as best I can."

"Before that, one question. How the hell are you, Kim Do-hyun, the top contributor for hunting Parahum? We were the ones fighting the wraiths the whole time. Sure, you destroyed the heart, but claiming all the contribution for that doesn't make sense."

Rerto looked displeased at the idea of me picking first.

"To take down Parahum, you need the Death Flame. Hidden Eater had it, but I cleared the monsters guarding that gem."

Kim Do-hyun took out all those monsters by himself...? A mage class struggles in tight dungeons like that.... He must've job-changed to battle mage.

His face hardened slightly as he stared at me.

"Plus, destroying the Death Flame requires ice-attribute attacks and gear that can withstand the flames inside. No need to explain that, right?"

I held up my bracelet and said to him.

"Bottom line: without me, raiding Parahum was impossible. Instead of being petty and ungrateful, you hang this nitpick on me? The future of the Eight Great Clans looks bleak."

Rerto clicked his tongue at my jab and stood up.

"Fine, let's get to the distribution."

"If no one else needs it, I'd like the Corroded Fang. No one here uses sickles anyway, right?"

Phlia spoke up as if she'd been waiting.

"Same goes for you, doesn't it?"

"I've got someone to give it to."

"Not planning to auction it off?"

"No, really. If you don't believe me, come to Obela and see for yourself. You can give it to me then."

"Forget it. Just take it."

It was a joke, but she blushed and responded with genuine surprise.

"What about you?"

"Not much.... If I had to pick, the Parahum Ritual Belt. It's cloth armor, no class restrictions—only thing I can actually use."

But even as she said it, she didn't seem to expect to get it. She'd seen my waist was bare, no protective gear equipped.

"Good. The belt's yours. Without you, we wouldn't have gotten the Death Flame anyway."

"...Really?"

She feigned shock. It made sense—the belt was the only Heroic-grade item.

"Building rapport with Hidden Eater for one item? No loss there."

"What a clown...."

Rerto muttered, lips twitching at my words. I ignored him and glanced at Red Sickle, but as expected, he said nothing noteworthy.

That should set the mood nicely....

I picked up the lowest item on the list: the Soul-Gathering Stone.

"...?!"

Me, with first pick, grabbing a mere Normal material item—Rerto Karen's face stiffened.

"You're passing on the real loot? What's your angle?"

"Quit yapping. Nothing else here suits me. Like I said, better to build favor with Red Cat Mercenaries, Night Auction House, and Hidden Eater than squeeze a few coins."

And with that, distribution wrapped up quickly. I just scooped up the leftover junk on the floor.

"In exchange, can I take the potions and miscellany? Oh, and you—take one. You held the front line against Parahum."

I tossed a health potion his way.

"...."

At that moment, Hidden Eater's gaze flicked toward me. Hidden by Red Sickle and Phlia, luckily Rerto didn't notice—he just downed the potion I'd given him.

"Shh."

I pressed a finger to my lips toward Hidden Eater, signaling silence.

"Time to head out."

As I spoke, Rerto—who was chugging his potion—flashed a sharp glint in his eye.

Shiiiing—!

Clang! Clang! Clang!!!

Reaching the exit of Parahum's Tomb, we were greeted not just by the scorching desert heat but by gleaming swords under the blazing sun.

"Wh-what the...?"

"No way...."

Phlia and Red Sickle gripped their weapons at the sight of the encircling players.

"Hold."

Unlike the tense pair, I shaded my eyes with my hand and scowled at the group of men ahead.

"Predictable as ever."

Thud. Thud. Thud.

I descended the tomb's entrance steps toward them. The lead soldier couldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hide his bewilderment.

"You all look rough. How long you been waiting? Impressive loyalty to your clan master... or should I say Rerto Karen works his clan like slaves?"

I lightly patted the shoulder of a soldier who looked younger than me. Rescue team or not, early game when levels matter most, they couldn't pull the whole elite roster. Half-baked newbies fired up by "rescue the clan master."

Initially overwhelmed by numbers, a quick scan let me gauge their strength.

"Kim Do-hyun. You're dying here."

"Hmph...."

A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠middle-aged man radiating heavy presence—the obvious leader—spoke to me.

Jaras, one of Los Clan's Eight Regents.

Ranked below vice-leader Pimel, but the battle-hardened Eight Regents matched him in skill.

Been with Rerto since Los Clan's founding. Figures an old fox like him would move.

The Eight Regents were Los Clan in name, but really self-serving—mostly corporate heads and high officials sponsoring the clan.

"That potion you gave? Drank it right up. Made killing you easier."

Rerto smirked triumphantly, stepping past me to his group.

"You sure killing me's okay?"

I turned to Rerto Karen.

"Any last words, I'll hear 'em."

I mirrored his sneer.

"Last words are for you. Kill you now, might drop the King's Scepter if I'm lucky?"

"...What?"

"Would be entertaining... but quest items have lower drop rates than regular loot, so probably not."

"What nonsense—!!"

Rerto glared and bellowed.

"Low numbers."

"...What?"

"If you really wanted me, you'd bring the whole clan."

"Madman."

That's when I pulled something from my inventory and shoved it in his face.

"Too fixated on the scepter, forgot this?"

"This is...."

Rerto's eyes trembled. I lightly shook the Death Flame, its ice melting as it began emitting a crystalline glow.

With my other hand, I drew a gray stone from inventory.

The plain material Soul-Gathering Stone touched the Death Flame—and whoooong...! it vibrated.

"Remember what you said to me?"

"...What?"

"That continental history bullshit doesn't interest you."

Rerto Karen's face hardened.

"I said Parahum wasn't king, but prime minister. Useless info?"

"What're you getting at?"

"Desert King Meyas cursed before dying: The King's Scepter is for the king alone. Anyone else who wields it triggers the curse."

"...What?"

"Parahum's immortality might've been desperation to survive... but I found the way. Without this, what about you...?"

I sneered coldly at Rerto.

Crack...!

Craaaack...!!

"...What?"

Rerto stared at the scepter in his trembling hand.

"Gah...! Gaaahk...!!! "

His hand gripping the scepter blackened and burned.

"Master!!"

"Shit...!!!"

"Kill him!! Snatch that magic stone!!"

Los Clan members shouted in panic.

"Now for the fun part."

"Souls in the Soul-Gathering Stone make great feed for the Death Flame."

I crushed the stone into the Death Flame—it melted instantly, absorbed in a flash.

Clank—!!

Scraaaape...!

My left hand, gauntlet-wrapped around the raging flames, gripped tight.

"Summon Flame Soldiers."

At my incantation, flames spiraled up my arm, engulfing it completely.

Fwooooosh—!!

Splashing flames hit the ground, slowly taking form.

[Grrrrrr....]

Gigantic flame spirits formed like real soldiers—swords, spears, axes—lining up before me. Unlike Parahum's monstrosities.

"...?!"

"Wh-what is this...."

Los Clan soldiers recoiled instinctively at the flame soldiers blocking me.

Fwoosh—!

But the five flame spirits charged them with their weapons.

Clang!

Clang!!

Kagang!!

Chaos erupted in seconds.

"Gah...!! Gaahk!"

"Kaaaagh...!!!"

The flame soldiers' fire wasn't ordinary—imbued with magic, unquenchable. Weapons clashed everywhere; aflame foes rolled in the sand, screaming in agony.

"Better watch out. Fresh off devouring those souls, the soldiers are at peak power."

"You bastard!!"

Jaras lunged at me, spear in hand.

Frost barrier enveloped me; his spear tip bounced off, staggering him. Seizing the opening, I swung.

Slash—!!

No time to recover his spear—Jaras froze wide-eyed, body rigid.

Thud— He toppled forward, crumbling to ash.

"...."

Los Clan soldiers, moments ago charging, stared dumbfounded at Jaras's one-shot death.

Fwhooooosh....

Heat from the encircling flame soldiers shimmered like mirage off the sand.

"Nice. Even facing death, still clutching the scepter. Clan leader material."

I eyed Rerto.

"But you okay with that? Curse worsens over time. Dimension World's curses are brutal—especially pre-max level."

"You son of a...!"

"Want to live? Hand over the riddle scroll."

"Knew you had something."

"Who knows?"

I smirked, tossing him Jaras's dropped spear.

"Service. Say hi to old man Jaras. We shared memories in the arena."

"...I'll pass it on. Next time, this spear through your back."

Even slinking away, he ground his teeth and tossed the scroll.

"Hope you survive."

"Letting Rerto Karen go like that? Better to kill him...."

"Hidden Eater, if you were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cursed, could you suicide to lift it?"

"...What?"

Her eyes wavered.

"Only way to break the scepter curse is death."

She gawked at me.

"Kill him, revival penalty or not—the curse lifts. He knows that, but prime leveling time? He'll squirm without dying."

"Ha, haha...."

"No plans to lift it anyway. Kill him, and it's not just Los Clan—all Eight Great Clans as enemies."

"Doesn't feel much different now...."

She sighed.

"He won't blab easily. Los Clan losing to one guy? Pride killer. Plus, Rerto cursed? No way."

"...You'll spread the rumor?"

"Bingo."

She shook her head, exasperated.

"They'll scramble to top Rerto on hearing it. But if he dies and curse lifts, they'll hunt me."

"Worse than death.... Brutal, but I like it."

Then Red Sickle returned, leading his oasis panther.

"You two go ahead. Phlia, prep a spot for Norpa with him. He's VIP—treat accordingly."

"Got it."

After two dungeon clears, her attitude was more compliant.

"Not heading back?"

Red Sickle too—likely awe from clearing Parahum's trial and boss, which Red Cats couldn't.

Red Cat Mercenaries will fall smoothly into my hands.

I figured I'd wrapped Obela's top priorities watching them.

"Norpa, long tomb imprisonment—rest up before leaving. Tell her if you need anything. You know we've much to discuss."

"Of course."

"Sticking around for what?"

I pointed upper-left. Isabel Silver, same party, would see the buff icon too.

"Discoverer bonus still active. Why leave prime hunting grounds? Grind more first."

Hunting's best solo, after all.