Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Nautilus (1)
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1. Ever since the era of Mystic Gates began, the greatest value in Maple World had become conquering them. How far one had cleared a Mystic Gate had become synonymous with their own worth.
"The places doing the best at conquering Mystic Gates right now? There are several. The Goldrich Merchant Group, the top of the ten major merchant groups in port city Lith; the warriors of Ariant Kingdom; the adventurers of the Elnas Mountains... No one could dare say which was superior."
That was why everyone competed fiercely to conquer Mystic Gates.
"But one thing's for sure. The group tackling them most aggressively is the Nautilus."
Among them, the pirates of the Nautilus pushed their challenges against Mystic Gates beyond aggressive into desperate.
In a way, it made perfect sense.
The Nautilus was, after all, a pirate ship, and pirates valued money and treasure over honor.
For them, a Mystic Gate overflowing with priceless treasures was like a dream stage.
And the Nautilus rewarded them handsomely for it.
"Want to get rich off Mystic Gates? Join the Nautilus! We'll promise rewards more valuable than anywhere else!"
The Nautilus guaranteed more profits than any other group.
Especially through the bounty system they pioneered.
"We'll put a bounty on the number of wounds!"
The more wounds you took, the bigger the reward—the Nautilus was the first to introduce that system.
Naturally, treasure-hungry adventurers flocked to sign up, and the Nautilus's prestige grew beyond measure.
That's why people said,
"The Nautilus's power rivals the combined might of Lith Harbor's ten major merchant groups!"
That the Nautilus would become Victoria Island's most dominant force.
In any case, the Nautilus's bounty system drew the interest of every money-hungry adventurer.
Especially the highest bounties.
This Mystic Gate was no exception.
"A 9.99 million meso bounty?"
9.99 million meso—the amount alone was on another level.
"And it's orange rank?"
Normally, you'd need yellow rank or higher—green at the very least—for that kind of bounty.
So an orange-rank gate with that payout? There had to be a story behind it.
"Isn't that the one where Captain Kairin's disciple went in and died?"
The story was that the disciple of Captain Kairin—the leader of the massive Nautilus organization—and her top prospect party had met their end there.
Meaning it was that tough.
"And everyone's failed since! No one's even challenged it in the past year!"
As you'd expect, no one had found the exit since.
El Pam knew it well.
'It's tough, alright.'
Better than anyone.
He knew what was there and why it was so hard.
'That's what makes it worthwhile.'
And that difficulty applied not just to El Pam, but also to the Kania Merchant Group hunting him.
From their perspective, they desperately wanted to recover the unique item Hydra's Fang that he'd taken after killing their viper, Nir.
'They won't risk their key cards lightly.'
But in this situation, playing a strong card recklessly would just be self-destruction.
In other words, they'd likely use a disposable suicide card.
'The Gapor Merchant Group has headaches too.'
For the Gapor Merchant Group, who needed evidence of Kania killing El Pam, this challenge was risky too.
Their 20 million meso could vanish into thin air.
"Why challenge that place?"
'No good. Absolutely not.'
So Evis tried to dissuade him.
But unfortunately, he had no choice.
"Does it matter which one I challenge?"
The contract only specified the number of challenges—no requirement for the Gapor Merchant Group to designate the gate.
And that made sense.
If the merchant group could pick the gate at will, it meant they could kill the adventurer anytime. No sane adventurer would accept that.
Plus, no sane adventurer would volunteer for hell either.
"No issue, but isn't it too dangerous?"
El Pam responded calmly to the absurdity.
"I'm being hunted by the Kania Merchant Group. I don't know why, but they're dead set on killing me. In that situation, going into a half-assed difficulty Mystic Gate is riskier."
At that point, Evis realized he couldn't convince El Pam anymore.
He changed tactics.
"It's still too dangerous."
He issued a threat.
"Eagle Eye Rea's party—Captain Kairin's disciple—got wiped there."
It was a pretty effective threat.
Eagle Eye Rea, one of Captain Kairin's many disciples, lived up to her nickname with eagle-like vision as a master marksman.
She could hit targets accurately from a kilometer away!
"The Eagle Eye Rea who reached 3rd Circle in just one month."
Moreover, she'd shaken Victoria Island with her astonishing growth rate.
She stood out even among Captain Kairin's disciples, earning talk of her as the next captain.
"She even cleared her first Mystic Gate adventure as a 100-man gate."
Even her titles were exceptional.
No way a gate that broke even her was easy.
That was why the bounty was a whopping 9.99 million meso.
Of course, El Pam knew.
'It's hell.'
How tough Eagle Eye's Tomb was.
Better than anyone.
'Because Golden Eye called it hell himself.'
Golden Eye, who rose to fame conquering it and later became the Nautilus's final captain, had told El Pam directly.
He knew exactly what it was.
'It was impossible back then.'
That's why he chose it.
'Not anymore.'
El Pam had received it from the Cross Hunters.
'Who'd have thought I'd get a Phoenix Feather.'
The Phoenix Feather, that unique item.
Even El Pam hadn't expected that.
'I knew it'd be unique-grade.'
The rank was as anticipated.
El Pam knew the Cross Hunters—and Cheryl—better than anyone.
They were the type who'd pay any price to destroy a Mystic Gate.
So when El Pam told them he'd conquer 9.99 million meso Eagle Eye's Tomb—the one with no challengers in a year—they'd back him, naturally.
But he hadn't expected the Phoenix Feather.
'Now I have three.'
They probably wouldn't have given it if they'd known he already had two.
In any case, El Pam now held three Phoenix Feathers.
'Few dangerous spots left in orange-rank Mystic Gates.'
For someone already at the top like El Pam, they were like giving wings.
"Let's go."
El Pam had no more hesitation.
"If you're worried,"
Of course, he had no intention of refusing here.
In fact, El Pam had planned this round with one more angle from the start.
"Support me with items."
2. "9.99 million meso, Eagle Eye's Tomb."
Rakan fell silent for a moment upon hearing the news Evis brought.
It was that unexpected a choice from El Pam's perspective too.
But Rakan didn't just stay silent.
Instead, he thought,
'The die is cast.'
If he couldn't stop El Pam, what was the Gapor Merchant Group's best move now?
He didn't deliberate long.
'We need him alive.'
Worst case for Gapor was El Pam dying in the Mystic Gate.
They'd paid 20 million meso.
To use as bait.
If that bait just died randomly?
Gut-wrenching.
"20 million meso's a waste, but losing the bait is worse."
But even worse was losing the chance to shake Kania.
Rakan already had a feel for it.
'Not just simple trolling. There's more.'
Kania trolling a 100-man Mystic Gate was hard to understand but possible.
A great chance to eliminate rivals, right?
Gapor could do the same anytime, as long as they didn't get caught.
But to kill the survivor, El Pam?
'Three survived a 100-man gate. Solid gains.'
It defied merchant logic.
Meaning there was some non-merchant reason they had to kill El Pam another way.
'One thing's sure: Kania will do anything to kill him. No matter the cost.'
That's why Rakan gladly gave El Pam 20 million meso.
'Play it right, and we can take down Kania.'
20 million meso was cheap—barely a blip—for crumbling Kania.
In summary, El Pam was too valuable a piece to kill.
"Evis."
"Yes."
"What do you think of El Pam's abilities?"
"Abilities?"
"Think he can come back alive?"
Now the remaining concern was El Pam's survival odds.
"Over 70 percent. That's my assessment."
Evis gave a pretty high estimate.
Not blind optimism.
"I can say for sure: among the adventurers I've seen, no one surpasses his survival skills."
El Pam's life was proof.
"He survived three years as bait slave alone."
Even before becoming an adventurer, El Pam was exceptional.
And after? His survival feats were indescribable.
"His growth speed after is honestly insane."
Especially reaching 3rd Circle in such a short time.
"Comparable to Eagle Eye."
The very Eagle Eye whose tomb he now challenged—showing talent on her level.
Of course, Eagle Eye wasn't just talented.
As Captain Kairin's disciple, she'd received massive support.
Her items were leagues beyond a normal adventurer's.
Crucially, El Pam excelled in survival—finding exits—but his combat prowess was unknown.
Plain comparison, El Pam fell short—it was obvious.
Still, his abilities were impressive.
"Worth giving our full merchant group support."
At this point, using him as disposable bait felt wasteful.
Rakan had that in mind too.
A skilled adventurer's value was priceless.
That's when Rakan shifted his calculations.
"If El Pam succeeds in conquering Eagle Eye's Tomb?"
The profits if he survived.
"Per the contract, our Gapor Merchant Group gets 30 percent of the profits. 30 percent of items from inside too. But El Pam's party gets first pick."
Pure profit: at least 3 million meso.
"But the real win is the prestige. We'll do what even the Nautilus couldn't."
The fame afterward? Beyond measuring in meso.
It meant elevating Gapor—from barely scraping the bottom of the ten major groups—to new heights.
At that moment, Rakan stopped weighing.
"El Pam's main magic?"
"Fire attribute."
"We'll make a deal with El Pam."
"A deal?"
"We'll lend him a unique item."
Decision made.
"Which one?"
"Phoenix Feather. Prepare it. Nothing's more valuable to a fire-attribute mage."