Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Chapter 24. Time Attack (4)
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075
10.
"It's only natural for adventurers to seek treasure."
In the world of adventurers, no one called those who chased treasure materialistic.
That was a given.
"The history of adventurers is also a history of greed."
Behind every great adventure that had awed the world so far, there had always been an adventurer's greed—their lust for material gain.
"Greed removes the limits in an adventurer's mind."
That was why.
"So we can't expect normal circumstances inside this Mystic Gate."
That was the reason El Pam had chosen to stay on the first floor of the Mystic Gate.
"There must be fierce competition ahead—competition that's gone beyond intense and turned vicious."
At his words, El Pam's companions nodded.
But their expressions still held a trace of doubt.
It wasn't that they distrusted El Pam.
"No, but really, is it that bad? Aren't the conditions pretty restrictive in a lot of ways?"
And they had good reason. Clearing this Mystic Gate wasn't just about conquering it.
"We have to do it in a week. If adventurers are reasonable, they'll cooperate to a certain extent."
"Yeah, and we have to find that item, right? It's a treasure hunt. Fighting can wait."
"Blindly fighting doesn't seem profitable."
The conquest conditions were harsh in many ways.
"Logically, yes."
El Pam didn't deny it.
"Unless they don't know the value of a legendary item."
But this job defied logic.
"If they didn't know its value, they never would have accepted this commission. Everyone here knows it."
At the very least, the adventurers in this place valued legendary items more than anyone.
'That alone wouldn't be a problem.'
Of course, what El Pam saw as the greatest danger was something else.
'Queen Areida won't just sit idly by.'
11.
She was truly a beautiful woman.
Her skin was like white jade, her black eyes like jewels, and her lush golden hair shimmered like a halo.
Her beauty was blinding.
No exaggeration.
"Queen Areida."
Her name was Areida, and her beauty had literally blinded the king of Ariant, the vast kingdom in the Maple World.
In exchange for his blindness, he had given her everything—everything he held.
"Ebob."
Now, before her stood Ebob, former leader of the Kania Merchant Group, on his knees.
A shocking sight to the world.
But between those two, it was nothing unusual.
"I heard the story."
They shared the same master.
"From Will."
Will, the Black Mage's closest confidant and one of the commanders who effectively led the Black Mage's followers!
Areida and Ebob were united under that name.
Of course, not on equal footing.
"It failed?"
"I'm sorry."
Queen Areida's position was higher than Ebob's.
And that had simple implications.
"Will told me he's leaving the judgment of you to me."
It meant Ebob's fate rested in Queen Areida's hands.
That was why he had traveled the long road from the port city of Lith to the capital of Ariant Kingdom, to kneel here.
"I'll give you a chance."
To avoid death, he had no choice.
"Kashan—that child—is moving against me. He's not my blood, but it pains my heart that one of my children seeks to harm me. Isn't there some way?"
He had to prove his worth.
"I've heard the details. I'll give you my best card."
And for that, Ebob gave his all.
"I've prepared Killerbee."
Killerbee!
At the mention of that name, Queen Areida's jewel-like eyes narrowed.
She knew it well.
It was one of the seven cards in Ebob's hand.
No ordinary adventurer.
"The Giant Slayer Killerbee?"
Giant Slayer.
A title granted only to adventurers who hunted the Sunset Giant, a boss monster that appeared beyond orange-grade Mystic Gates or higher.
No light title.
But neither was it extraordinarily impressive.
It alone couldn't make him one of Ebob's cards.
Yet Queen Areida took interest in this Giant Slayer title for a reason.
"Yes, Killerbee—the one who earned the Giant Slayer title at the 1st Circle."
A boss monster that 3rd Circle adventurers could hunt, taken down at the 1st Circle.
Of course, not alone.
It was the result of joining a 3rd Circle adventurer party.
Still, no ordinary feat.
Just entering an orange-grade Mystic Gate as a 1st Circle—not even 2nd—was remarkable.
"And he played a decisive role in hunting the Sunset Giant."
Crucially, Killerbee wasn't just lucky to tag along; he was core firepower.
The reason it was possible at the 1st Circle was simple.
"I heard. A prodigy in poison magic."
His magic attribute was poison.
Either way, a sufficiently impressive talent.
Now a 4th Circle magic adventurer, Killerbee had always executed Ebob's missions flawlessly.
Queen Areida acknowledged that.
"Hmm."
But she wasn't satisfied.
The situation demanded more.
Her opponent was Prince Kashan the Third—no ordinary foe.
"But is that enough? I heard Viper Nir went down far too easily."
Crucially, doubts clung to Ebob's abilities.
If he had such great cards, he wouldn't be kneeling here now.
Ebob knew it.
"Will gave me three Hydra Fangs. I lost one with Viper Nir. Only two remain."
So he played his hand.
"I've given both to Killerbee."
"Oh ho."
Queen Areida reacted.
Handing over two legendary items was no small matter.
But that was it.
She only reacted.
To her, who dominated the vast stage of Ariant Kingdom, legendary items were just that.
"Finally, I gave him Luminous's Bracelet, the keepsake I had."
"Luminous's Bracelet?"
But at Luminous's name, Queen Areida's eyes widened.
Rightly so.
"One of the Six Heroes?"
Even in Maple World's long history, Luminous was legendary.
Intriguing to Queen Areida.
"But what does Luminous's Bracelet have to do with Killerbee? Luminous was a mage of light and darkness."
On the other hand, a question.
"Killerbee's a poison-attribute mage, isn't he?"
At that, Ebob smiled.
"Luminous's Bracelet greatly enhances the user's telekinesis. Very powerfully. That's why it's a keepsake. Luminous didn't use it, but it was too dangerous to release into Maple World."
A confident smile.
"And Killerbee—he wields two magic attributes. Poison and telekinesis. That's why he's Killerbee."
He had reason to smile.
"He casts poison magic stronger than anyone. Then he uses telekinesis to land those poison arrows with perfect precision. Killerbee's poison arrows never miss."
Ebob could say it with confidence.
"I guarantee it. No one handles telekinesis and another attribute magic more perfectly than him now."
12.
Kee!
Lupin.
A ferocious giant monkey monster, a real headache for adventurers.
Two reasons why.
First, they roamed in packs—dozens at least, up to a thousand!
Kee kee!
Second headache: these monkey monsters knew how to use Throw.
Quite terrifying.
Even a simple stone becomes a deadly weapon when thrown.
And Lupins were far stronger than most adventurers. Their stones didn't just hurt—they rattled your eyes if they hit your head square.
Plus, like monkeys, Lupins could climb tall trees with ease.
Kee ee ee!
And as mentioned, they moved in dozens, hundreds.
When that massive number rained stones from the trees, adventurers usually thought the same thing.
What do we do?
Even veterans.
Usually, only one choice in such situations.
Run!
No other options. Run first, assess later—that was the only way.
But "usually" meant exceptions existed.
El Pam's party was one now.
They didn't run.
No need.
Fwoosh!
El Pam's Fire Arrows were wiping out the Lupin pack filling the trees.
Not just wiping them out.
Fwoosh!
Quickly.
Kee!
Without even giving them time for a proper death cry.
Swoosh!
Precisely targeting Lupins hiding between trees, in that chaotic scene, sending them plummeting.
A sight to behold.
Of course, Lupins weren't fools.
Kee eh!
With allies dying helplessly up top, the Lupins came down to the ground.
Then charged at El Pam with all they had.
Thud thud thud!
Around three hundred Lupins charging in a pack—overwhelming.
Overwhelming in the literal sense.
"Come on!"
But that momentum crumbled pitifully before El Pam's companions, led by Dibo with his massive polearm.
Crack!
Before Dibo's polearm, Lupins were crushed like mud; before Kiri's sword, sliced like paper.
Splat!
Before Ralph's fists, shattered like sand.
Bang!
And the few survivors amid that onslaught became targets of Miner's golden eyes.
It was instant.
The five hundred Lupin pack wiped out in moments.
At the sight, Dibo grinned.
Easy hunt, sure—but what made Dibo smile was the reward.
"Magic stone field, a field of magic stones."
To adventurers, magic stones from that horde were treasure beyond words.
"Boss was right to stay. Lupin field—pure field!"
Indeed, excluding El Pam, the others' third circles were far denser than at the start.
"We'll hit 4th Circle at this rate."
Not literally, of course.
For most 3rd Circle adventurers, thickening the circle was easy.
A year of steady Mystic Gate clears and stone consumption did it.
But only about 10% ever reached 4th Circle.
That was what reaching 4th Circle meant.
"As if. 4th Circle my ass."
"Goldie, why you gotta be like that?"
Catching millions of these rabble meant nothing.
"Not picking a fight—just stating facts."
Only two things mattered.
"To open the 4th Circle, you need a special boss monster stone or awakening."
Neither came from mere hard work.
Miner was proof.
"I've been stuck at 3rd Circle for months now."
Captain Kairin's disciple, with massive support—yet even she lingered before the 4th Circle wall.
That's why.
When El Pam promised to help open their 4th Circles, they'd scoffed.
"You can't just make it happen because someone says so."
Impossible from the start.
"Who said what? Just words."
But El Pam was clear.
"It's not impossible."
"Huh?"
He hadn't lied.
"No, boss? You didn't just say it to boost morale?"
"No need for that."
Everyone tilted their heads at El Pam's demeanor.
He meant it?
"Hey, come on, that make sense?"
Miner reacted most sharply.
"How?"
As said, she was blocked at 4th Circle—even Captain Kairin couldn't help.
El Pam could?
Only if special stones.
"You don't mean...? Dragon Heart?"
"No way."
But El Pam wouldn't have something like a Dragon Heart.
"Even if I did, it wouldn't be wasted on 4th Circle."
Too precious for that.
One option left.
"Just need awakening."
The proper path.
They chuckled dryly again.
They knew.
What awakening meant.
"To awaken, you must reach your limit."
They understood El Pam perfectly.
Hence the dry chuckles.
"Yeah, survive a near-death experience, right?"
"So we'll experience that high here."
"Huh?"
His words left them tilting heads.
"Here?"
"Not a bad spot. No other adventurers around but us. No variables."
"But still..."
Hard to grasp.
"You think we can hit our limit against mere Lupins?"
Dying on the brink here?
"We'll party up as four."
Same with his follow-up.
"Uh, boss. Sorry, but."
El Pam sitting out was a huge loss.
"That enough?"
Yet the four without him could handle these Lupins.
El Pam knew.
"It will be."
Still, no worries.
"From now on, I'll be targeting you four."