Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Party Reformation (1)
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Hydra's Heart.
El Pam had first heard about it before returning to the past—that is, three months before he became the Last Adventurer.
He'd gotten word of it.
“Hydra's Heart? Something like that exists? Who found it?”
“No one found it. It's just a rumor that the item has appeared.”
“A rumor?”
At first, he hadn't cared.
Around that time—when the Maple World had essentially collapsed—rumors were nothing more than fodder for idle chatter before death.
“Of course, if it were just any rumor, I wouldn't bother mentioning it. But the source is none other than the Dark Lord himself. Word is he's on the move to find the Hydra's Heart.”
But the moment he heard the source of the rumor, even El Pam had to take notice.
If the Dark Lord Jin—the pinnacle of all thief adventurers—was after it, then it couldn't be just any item.
“For him to move so openly, it must be something incredible.”
Moreover, for him to seek it out in these perilous times meant it was an item capable of changing them.
Of course, that was all he knew.
After that, there were no more rumors or tales about the Hydra's Heart.
To be precise, El Pam was the only one left alive to hear them.
And now, that item was right in front of him.
‘So it was in the Blue grade.’
That sparked one question in El Pam's mind.
How in the world had an item from the Mystic Gate ended up outside in the Maple World?
It wasn't that unusual in itself.
It happened often enough.
Monsters sometimes carried items, and when those monsters ventured out, the items came with them.
But if not, then it meant someone had deliberately taken the item out.
Nothing strange about that.
The Mystic Gate—from top to bottom—had been designed by the Black Mage's followers.
The items inside were ones they'd brought in.
So scattering them outside was entirely plausible.
The real question was the intent.
‘The Black Mage's followers want adventurers to use this incredible item.’
With that, El Pam took it a step further.
‘Properly. That's why they threw in the monsters. To cultivate the ability to wield it.’
Perhaps the Black Mage's goal wasn't to dry up the adventurers by unleashing monsters, but the opposite—to make them grow stronger.
Of course, it was just a hypothesis.
He hadn't even fully grasped what the Hydra's Heart was yet.
But if it was true?
‘Using the item might play right into what the Black Mage wants.’
At that point, El Pam stopped pondering.
Even if it were true, he couldn't afford not to use the item right now.
Besides, he had to secure it first.
‘One chance.’
The Black Mage's followers would now be questioning the Resistance's return.
But they'd only wonder—they likely wouldn't know how they'd come back.
So they'd watch once more.
Or attempt to wipe out the Resistance again.
If they survived even that?
‘The difficulty would skyrocket beyond words.’
From then on, the pressure would be incomparable to anything before.
That was why.
“Have you decided on the next target?”
“I'm thinking it over. Honestly, I don't know what to pick.”
“If it were me, I'd go for the one with the Hydra's Heart.”
El Pam made his suggestion.
“You know about the Hydra's Heart?”
And to the question that followed, El Pam replied.
“No idea.”
“Then why pick it?”
“Because of the Green Cornians.”
Commander-in-Chief Sigmund narrowed his eyes at the answer.
Green Cornians were monsters that appeared in Minar Forest, far stronger than Centaurus.
They also hunted in packs.
Meaning they were no easy foes!
And that was the reason?
To El Pam's explanation, he answered.
“I have a way to take down the Green Cornians.”
Of course, it wasn't true.
To be exact, El Pam had ways to defeat every monster listed here.
But now was the time to keep that hidden.
“A very reliable method.”
“Alright, I'll consider your suggestion.”
Commander-in-Chief Sigmund put off his answer to El Pam's words.
But El Pam knew.
‘He'll pick this one.’
The next raid party's lineup wouldn't differ much from this one.
‘Albi will be the leader.’
And as leader, Albi would back El Pam's proposal more fiercely than anyone.
‘So this spot will be chosen.’
That settled it.
One thing left.
‘The Black Mage's followers will learn of this.’
2.
“Something interesting happened.”
In a conference room filled with Generoids, Gelimer—the one seated at the highest position—spoke as he lightly adjusted his glasses.
“The rats came back alive.”
The words from his mouth were shocking.
The measures Gelimer had taken to eliminate the Resistance were excessive, even by his standards.
They also carried significant risk.
To the Black Mage's followers, the Mystic Gate was essential for the great destiny, so artificially tampering with it without cause was utterly unforgivable.
Yet Gelimer had done so without permission—and failed.
The Black Mage's elite guard could show up and kill him on the spot, and no one would bat an eye!
“But really, isn't it fascinating?”
Faced with the situation, however, Gelimer showed no surprise, panic, or anger.
It wasn't an act.
Those gathered here were Generoids—utterly loyal, ready to self-destruct at his command.
No need to pretend in front of them.
“To fail like that.”
He placed no great weight on his failure.
“Unavoidable. Progress in science always comes with failures, doesn't it?”
That was Gelimer.
He saw failure as trivial.
That was why he shrugged off the countless lives lost in his research failures.
He ignored the fallout.
Fearing it would have prevented any research at all.
Gelimer had even eliminated Wing Master Orkarma for his studies.
Madness.
To kill a Black Mage commander?
Even if the commanders despised and checked each other, that was internal.
The odds of them ignoring a threat were slim.
Yet Gelimer did it.
For one reason: Orkarma interfered with his research.
“Hm.”
That was when.
“Oh dear.”
Gelimer's calm expression began to twist.
He'd just learned.
“This is why the Maple World is so entertaining. The Resistance—those rats—tasted hell and still dare challenge again.”
That the Resistance hadn't given up.
His displeasure was more evident than ever.
“Failure is routine for a scientist.”
It had to be.
“But repeating the same failure is incompetence.”
To Gelimer, this Resistance challenge was an assault on his pride, his convictions.
So he declared.
“Which means this time, I need to show them true hell.”
3.
‘He'll prepare hell.’
The moment El Pam heard from the Resistance that they'd approved targeting the Blue-grade Mystic Gate as he'd requested, he was certain.
‘It'll reach their ears too.’
They'd gear up for another major raid, and that news would reach the Black Mage's followers.
And they'd prepare something even more absurd this time.
Terrifying.
Yet El Pam, facing that preparation, showed no real worry in his eyes.
It wasn't overflowing confidence.
El Pam hadn't achieved a single thing he truly wanted yet.
He hadn't even gotten close.
Confidence in such a situation?
Impossible.
He was simply preparing.
‘The items I've secured are enough.’
Cards to pierce the hell awaiting him.
‘But I need more.’
Always more than he thought.
That was when.
“Been well?”
Cheryl came to see El Pam.
The look in her eyes as she appeared suggested she was unaware of what had happened to him—the events in the Blue-grade Mystic Gate.
Not unusual.
The Blue-grade Mystic Gate raid had been conducted in strict secrecy, not even shared with the Cross Hunters.
“I've been fine.”
“Looks like it.”
So El Pam saw no need to tell her.
“What brings you here?”
In other words, Cheryl's visit had another purpose.
“A letter.”
She handed El Pam the letter and left.
Afterward, El Pam began reading it, and around then, a new visitor arrived.
Albi.
“Sorry for coming so late. I should've greeted you sooner, but things have been hectic.”
“No problem.”
“Better late than never—thanks. Without you, even more would have died. I'll repay those lives somehow, so don't worry. Anyway, is there anything you need?”
El Pam nodded to her question.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure, shoot.”
“I need spots.”
“Spots?”
“For this Blue-grade Mystic Gate raid—the Hydra's Heart expedition.”
Albi's eyes narrowed at the explanation.
Normally, an impossible request.
Regardless of skill, this mission was pivotal to the Resistance's fate, so security was paramount.
Spots for outsiders? Unthinkable!
But the requester being El Pam changed that.
If El Pam had truly wanted to harm the Resistance, he could have done far worse already.
“Who?”
To her question, El Pam replied.
“My comrades. The most trustworthy there are.”
Albi recalled.
That El Pam had once led a party.
“Why didn't they come with you?”
Yet he'd arrived alone.
To that doubt, El Pam said.
“They lacked the circles. Couldn't drag reliable comrades into danger like that.”
A very common reason.
Especially for parties of skilled adventurers.
They might grow together at first, but eventually, the circle-up wall created gaps.
Early on, the differences were ignorable.
1st Circle with 2nd, or 2nd with 3rd.
Talented ones usually caught up quickly.
But 6th and 5th? Different story.
Moving together?
It'd be doing the lower-circle comrade a disservice—practically forcing sacrifice.
Waiting for circle-ups was pointless too. Even among geniuses, plenty never broke past 6th Circle.
“What's that supposed to mean? Bringing comrades? Reuniting?”
That was why Albi was puzzled.
El Pam had parted with his circle-deficient comrades, yet now wanted to bring them into this deadly venture?
“They leveled up their circles.”
“Ah!”
Albi nodded in admiration.
Comrades of the reliable El Pam, now at 6th Circle?
Unbeatable reinforcements.
“I'll make one spot.”
“No.”
“Huh?”
To her, El Pam said.
“Make it four.”