Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Ancient Ruins Partem (2)
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4.
Adventurers say it all the time.
“There are tons of undiscovered places left in Maple World!”
Places to explore are overflowing.
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
Even now, hundreds of years into the era of adventurers, new locations are still being found from time to time.
The ancient ruins of Partem were one such place.
The most recently discovered site, it had been hidden behind an impenetrable seal whose origins no one could fathom until then.
In other words, it had been unknown to the world for an unimaginably long time!
From an adventurer’s perspective, it was the kind of place that set their hearts racing.
“Look at Partem! It’s packed with things that have never existed before!”
“Yeah, so you go.”
But in reality, adventurers showed little real interest in venturing into this new world.
There were several reasons for that.
“What’s the point of going there? The archaeologists will just swarm in and cramp our style.”
The moment ancient ruins were discovered, archaeologists were the first to rush in.
To gather information on the site.
Of course, adventurers weren’t afraid of archaeologists.
“Backed by the Adventurers’ Association.”
The real issue was that the Adventurers’ Association—the very organization that provided information for adventurers—stood behind them.
It was only natural from the Association’s standpoint.
Naturally, this was a thorn in the side for adventurers, whose goal was item hunting rather than excavating ruins.
What they called “excavation” was little more than grave robbing.
And that wasn’t all.
“We don’t even know what’s in there.”
Sneaking into a place with zero intel was far too reckless.
“Besides, nothing impressive has turned up yet.”
The fact that no major treasures worth getting excited over had surfaced yet was another factor.
Of course, the biggest reason was this.
“We’re too busy tackling Mystic Gates—why bother with that?”
Adventurers already had an endlessly sweet stage they could adventure on forever.
There was no reason to go anywhere else.
“It’s Fried’s relic!”
But the moment a reason appeared, everything changed.
Everyone thought the same.
“Whoever gets there first wins!”
“We have to beat the rush!”
The competition was fiercer than ever, so they had to hurry more than ever.
On top of that, it was Blue-grade.
“The top experts from every organization will be mobilizing.”
Adventurers would receive unprecedented support.
In other words, everyone thought:
“This is an event for the ages!”
That conquering this Blue-grade Mystic Gate would go down as a history-shaking event in Maple World.
Interest skyrocketed as a result.
“I’m not interested in Fried’s brooch, but I can’t miss a big event like this.”
Even those who hadn’t cared before were now hooked.
Everyone was enjoying the hype.
Of course, there were exceptions.
“We can’t control the adventurers at all.”
The Adventurers’ Association was already overwhelmed just dealing with the magnifying glass items for scouting Mystic Gates. This influx of adventurers was enough to drive them mad.
And these weren’t your average adventurers gathering.
They included renowned powerhouses, even 6th Circle adventurers.
“Even the outlaws from the Elnas Mountains are showing up.”
Even wanted fugitives were drawn by the irresistible scent of blood and money.
If those gathered had just slaughtered each other in the Partem ruins, it would’ve been manageable.
The Association could evacuate the archaeologists and clean up the bodies afterward.
The real problem was this.
“They’re all heading to Henesys.”
5.
Henesys.
This city in the south of Victoria Island had two nicknames.
One was the city of archers!
Home to Helena, the great elf archer who trained archers like no other.
“Wow.”
The other nickname was Market City.
As the name implied, it housed the largest market not just in Victoria Island, but in all of Maple World.
“This is insane.”
Dibo and the others couldn’t help but gasp at its sheer scale.
It was astonishing.
Dibo alone hailed from Lith Harbor, which had a massive market of its own.
Even without one, the sight of endless cargo ships docking was enough to overwhelm many adventurers.
“This is no joke.”
Miner, for one, came from the Nautilus—a ship whose scale was second to none.
Even without that, El Pam’s party had traveled far and wide across Maple World.
Yet Henesys Market still left them stunned.
That wasn’t all.
“What? Goldie, you’ve never been here?”
None of them had ever been to Henesys Market.
“Hey, pirate girl—how could I? We’d get eyed the second we showed up. And we don’t get along with the archers. Fine for me, but Dibo, have you been?”
There were reasons.
“No reason to. Lith Harbor had everything I needed. What about the rest of you?”
“First time for me.”
“Yeah, Kiri, it would be. No need for you to hit the market.”
“First time for me as well.”
“Ralph? You?”
But even Ralph being a first-timer was outside everyone’s expectations.
The guy who loved money more than anyone had never visited Maple World’s greatest market?
“Why?”
“Too many items here.”
“And that’s a problem because...?”
“Too many to scam easily.”
“Ah!”
His explanation made it click for everyone.
They were shocked, too.
It meant Henesys Market was overflowing with items—enough to make even Ralph admit it.
That left just one person.
“Boss, you’ve been, right?”
El Pam answered the question.
“I have.”
“As expected!”
He didn’t tell his nodding companions the truth.
‘But it was after everything burned.’
The Henesys Market El Pam remembered wasn’t teeming with people, but with corpses.
Either way, everyone marveled at the market’s size.
At the same time, they sensed it.
“But the vibe here is tense.”
There was something off about the atmosphere filling the place.
They knew why.
“Tons of adventurers gearing up for Partem Ancient Ruins.”
As the city closest to the ruins, Henesys was swarming with adventurers and outlaws of every stripe.
“Those idiots.”
Dibo sneered at them.
“Get ready to suffer. The boss is here now.”
With El Pam himself present, there was zero chance Fried’s legacy would fall to them.
So everyone thought:
“Alright, time to resupply and head out right? I’ve already got most of what we need!”
More than ever, time was critical, so El Pam would leave immediately.
“I’m all set.”
“Me too. Knew this was coming, so I prepped everything.”
“Same here.”
To his ready companions, El Pam said:
“We’re staying put.”
“Pardon?”
He had no intention of leaving.
“But Boss, isn’t this a race against time? Everyone’s swarming like hyenas to clear it first.”
To his puzzled party, El Pam explained.
“There’s no such thing as a quick clear.”
“What do you mean...?”
“Even if they flock like hyenas, they’re 6th Circle adventurers. They won’t rush in blindly.”
“Ah.”
“And it’s Blue-grade, a 500-man gate. Highest difficulty, never officially cleared before. No one’s confident enough to charge in solo.”
Everyone might rush over, but the real heavyweights wouldn’t challenge it lightly.
Of course, time wasn’t infinite.
“But once they’ve got a full party, they’ll go for it, right?”
Famous adventurers were already pouring in. Once they hit 500, they’d dive right in.
“True, time’s limited.”
El Pam knew that.
“So we make contact with the Adventurers’ Association in the meantime.”
“The Association?”
“We’ll negotiate with them.”
“Negotiate?”
“Demand compensation. For the clear.”
“Compensation?”
His party stared at him in disbelief.
“Boss, what does the Association lack that they’d pay us? They’re desperate for someone to clear it even without pay.”
Adventurers were lining up to pay for a shot at Fried’s brooch—now they’d pay to join?
But the doubt didn’t last.
“El Pam.”
Because she arrived.
“First time meeting. I’m Vis.”
Because she arrived.
“Elena wishes to see you.”
Henesys’s guardian.
6.
In Maple World, adventurers were selfish to the core.
They’d use any means necessary for their adventures!
And that was the essence of being an adventurer.
If they only adventured when told to or avoided it when warned against, they wouldn’t be adventurers.
Yet there were a few figures even adventurers followed.
For mages, it was Heinz, known as the teacher of mages.
For archers, it was Helena.
Her influence over archer adventurers was absolute.
She was practically the teacher of every archer!
And that wasn’t all.
At present, Helena was one of the leaders steering the Adventurers’ Association.
She was the oldest adventurer alive—an elf born before the Black Mage was sealed. Need we say more?
Unlike Heinz, who stayed cooped up in Ellinia despite his power, Helena actively carried out Association missions.
She poured her heart into training adventurers.
She’d founded an archer academy in Henesys and invested heavily in raising archer adventurers, but she never withheld guidance or aid from non-archers either.
‘8th Circle.’
Of course, the biggest reason adventurers respected and followed her was that she’d reached the 8th Circle.
‘Same as Heinz.’
One of the world’s absolute elites.
And now, she stood before El Pam’s party.
“Thank you for answering my sudden summons.”
Everyone bowed before her.
She was that transcendent a presence.
Everyone but one.
“No need. When Helena calls, any adventurer would answer.”
Far from avoiding her gaze, El Pam met it head-on.
It wasn’t just posturing.
‘Helena.’
In this moment, El Pam felt only gratitude.
‘I owe you too much.’
The world after Mystic Gates opened and monsters rampaged. The world where the Black Mage’s followers ran rampant.
In that hellish era for adventurers, Helena had saved countless lives.
The title “leader of adventurers” fit her perfectly.
Without her, El Pam wouldn’t have survived to become the Last Adventurer—he’d have died long ago.
“Do you know why I called you here?”
“Fried’s brooch, right? You want it recovered.”
“Exactly.”
Of course, that debt was from back then.
Not anymore.
“Name your price, and it’s done.”
This time, El Pam intended to demand payment gladly.
No guilt about it.
‘Time’s short anyway.’
After Mystic Gates opened, mesos were practically worthless.
That was why.
“How much?”
El Pam held up a single finger. Dibo gasped beside him.
“B-Boss! One hundred million mesos?”
Helena’s eyes widened at the sum.
“Not one hundred million.”
El Pam clarified to them.
“Ten billion mesos.”