Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Phantom's Letter (3)
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098
Chapter 31. Phantom's Letter (3)
6.
In the vast expanse of the Nihal Desert lay impressive ancient ruins—a pyramid.
It had been there for a very long time.
From an era so distant that gauging its history was impossible.
And not just one, but several.
“The pyramids of the Nihal Desert have always stirred the dreams of adventurers.”
Countless adventurers had once set out to conquer them.
But not anymore.
“And now, they’re just tourist spots.”
The pyramids of the Nihal Desert had appeared thousands of years ago.
Naturally, they had already been thoroughly explored by many adventurers.
Meaning the secrets of how they were built and whose tombs they held had all been uncovered.
“There is one weird pyramid among them, though.”
There was exactly one exception.
“Normally, pyramids contain tombs, but there’s one with absolutely nothing inside.”
Just a pile of stones.
“It’s a mystery. That’s why they call it the Mysterious Pyramid.”
Of course, public interest in that Mysterious Pyramid wasn’t all that high.
As mentioned, there was nothing inside.
No reason or need to adventure there.
“Is that the Mysterious Pyramid?”
El Pam’s party was now heading toward it.
It was no easy task.
For starters, El Pam’s party had been marching relentlessly in recent days.
They had conquered the prince’s tomb, and right after that, even the Cygnus Knights’ tomb.
That had been just a week ago.
Meaning they hadn’t even had proper rest.
“It’s still far away.”
On top of that, the Mysterious Pyramid they were now aiming for was more than ten days’ walk from the Cactus Desert where the Cygnus Knights’ tomb was located.
A distance that would make anyone stick out their tongue just thinking about the travel alone.
And they had to cover it in under a week?
“We should just barely make it in time.”
There was no time to rest.
“That’s a relief, Boss.”
Yet Dibo’s lips curved into a bright smile as they stood before the Mysterious Pyramid after that forced march.
And it wasn’t just Dibo.
Miner and Ralph’s faces were more excited than ever.
They showed not the slightest hint of complaint about those grueling days of marching.
It was inevitable.
“A request from the Phantom Thief! I wonder what kind of Mystic Gate it’ll be?”
Phantom Thief!
No adventurer could stay unmoved before the name of one of the six heroes who had sealed the Black Mage.
The only exception was Kiri.
Her expression was more somber than ever.
It couldn’t be helped.
She had witnessed the deaths of the Cygnus Knights and the schemes of the Black Mage’s followers right before her eyes. It would be strange if her face were bright.
Even she, however, had a spark of interest flickering in her eyes.
That was the weight of Phantom’s name.
A name that filled everyone with anticipation.
And so, as El Pam’s party brimmed with expectation, a familiar face appeared before them.
“We meet again.”
It was Pyr, the one El Pam’s party had saved.
“I’m glad to see you like this.”
Pyr’s face, upon this reunion, showed more joy than ever.
It wasn’t strange.
He knew El Pam’s party’s capabilities.
Of course, there was even more reason for trust.
“You’re the last to arrive. Everyone else, including Rick’s party, is already here.”
Rick.
“Huh?”
The moment that name was mentioned, everyone in El Pam’s party wore shocked expressions.
“Wait, who? Rick?”
“Hold on, Rick as in...?”
“The top 4th Circle lightning-attribute mage?”
Rick—that name carried that much fame.
“The Lightning Master Rick?”
His nickname was even Lightning Master.
Honestly, it was an absurd moniker.
No matter how impressive Rick was, he was just a 4th Circle adventurer.
In the Maple World, where there were no shortage of 5th, 6th, and even 7th Circle mage adventurers, to give a mere 4th Circle mage the title of Lightning Master?
Yet the reason for that nickname was simple.
“That’s right. The genius Rick, acknowledged by the mages’ teacher.”
Hines, the teacher of the mages who ruled Ellinia, the city of mages on Victoria Island.
That great being had bestowed the nickname on Rick.
And Rick had lived up to it throughout his growth as an adventurer.
It wasn’t just about rapid progress.
“He wields lightning magic freely.”
He demonstrated absurd skill in controlling lightning magic, which was considered practically impossible to handle.
That’s why he was the Lightning Master.
Anyway, he was that famous.
And now, he was joining them?
There could be nothing more reassuring.
In fact, El Pam’s party’s expressions brightened.
‘The Boss and the Lightning Master?’
‘We can’t lose with this lineup.’
With such a perfect force, failure was impossible even if they tried.
That was when it happened.
“Sir Pyr.”
A man in a gray robe slowly approached where El Pam’s party and Pyr were talking.
The moment he removed his robe, lightning-yellow hair came into view.
It was a striking hair color.
But no one paid it any attention.
‘Whoa, he’s no joke.’
‘What’s with that face?’
The man’s revealed face was so handsome it made the word itself seem inadequate—dazzlingly so.
Looking at El Pam, the man said,
“Is this him?”
“That’s right.”
“Ah! I’m Rick.”
He was Rick.
The Lightning Master, the top 4th Circle lightning-attribute mage adventurer, the genius acknowledged by the mages’ teacher, Hines.
Rick looked at El Pam and said,
“I’ve heard of your fame, El Pam.”
He knew of El Pam.
El Pam’s companions were stunned at that fact, their expressions soon turning to awe.
It was well deserved.
‘Even Rick knows the Boss? The Boss is incredible!’
For a genius like him, of all people, to know El Pam.
It was clear proof that El Pam had risen to an extraordinary position.
“I’ve always wanted to meet you.”
He even said he’d wanted to meet him.
At those words, El Pam’s companions’ hearts swelled.
Of course, El Pam was different.
‘He must have wanted to meet me.’
The moment he heard it, El Pam knew.
‘He has to kill me.’
7.
“How is he, Sir Rick?”
After greeting El Pam, Rick answered his approaching subordinate’s question.
“Ordinary.”
“Ordinary?”
“I didn’t sense anything particularly special.”
“Just some nobody, then.”
“No way.”
“Pardon? Didn’t you say he was ordinary?”
“He’s extraordinary. His achievements so far are proof. The fact that he seems ordinary means he’s disguising it.”
“Ah!”
“He’s dangerous.”
Rick’s expression as he spoke was warmer than ever.
“So the moment we enter the Mystic Gate, we eliminate him first.”
But the words and voice from that warm expression were chillingly cold.
Not a trace of emotion.
That was Rick’s true nature.
A machine-like being devoid of emotion.
One who carried out any given mission perfectly, without flaw, like a machine.
“Following the great one’s command.”
And the owner of that machine said,
“We eliminate everything. Everything.”
Phantom Thief—remove him and everything related to him perfectly, without leaving a single trace.
Rick smiled as he said it.
Still with that warm smile.
The subordinates’ faces paled at the sight.
‘He’s terrifying.’
And they were convinced.
‘We just have to follow him.’
No matter what happened, as long as they were on Rick’s side, on his side as his limbs, failure was impossible.
This mission was no different.
It wouldn’t be easy.
Phantom’s request couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
Moreover, the adventurer parties gathered by Cross Hunters for this request from Phantom’s letter weren’t just Rick’s and El Pam’s.
Those two parties together numbered only 23.
Cross Hunters had assembled a whopping 93 adventurers for Phantom’s request!
In other words, Rick’s party of 18 had to deal with all of them, plus whatever monsters lay beyond the Mystic Gate.
A daunting task.
Yet not a single one doubted the possibility of success.
The only question they had was this:
“More importantly, where’s the Mystic Gate from Phantom?”
Where was the target?
In other words, everyone thought,
“Looks like we’re gathering here and then heading out.”
The Mysterious Pyramid was just the meeting spot.
A reasonable assumption.
Everyone acknowledged there was nothing in the Mysterious Pyramid.
So Pyr would guide them from here to the real location of the Mystic Gate.
Everyone shared that thought.
Pyr gathered them all and said,
“We will now head to the secret room inside the Mysterious Pyramid.”
But his next words left them all stunned.
A secret room? In the Mysterious Pyramid?
If it had been anyone else saying it, it would’ve been unbelievable.
“Phantom’s letter came with a map to that secret room.”
But Phantom’s name made it credible.
And so, excitement began to build.
‘A secret room in the Mysterious Pyramid?’
‘Starting strong from the get-go.’
It was an adventure on a whole different level from the Mystic Gates they’d done before.
“Then we move in one hour.”
Pyr gave the excited adventurers time to prepare.
Time to wrap up any last details.
And after that hour, Pyr led the adventurers onward.
Everyone walked toward the Mysterious Pyramid.
‘Huh?’
‘What?’
‘Why are we passing it?’
But Pyr passed right by the Mysterious Pyramid and kept walking a bit further.
‘What is it?’
As everyone tilted their heads in confusion, Pyr’s steps halted.
At the end of his steps lay the massive shadow of the Mysterious Pyramid—and the edge of that shadow.
Pyr nodded toward it, and his companions immediately began digging around the shadow with shovels.
Deeper and deeper.
Clunk!
After an hour of digging, they hit something solid—not the fine sand.
At that moment, everyone heard it.
Rumble rumble rumble!
“I-It’s a door!”
In the Mysterious Pyramid, known to have nothing, a stone in the middle section moved on its own, forming a door.
Everyone was shocked at the sight, but that shock quickly turned to excitement.
It felt real now.
“It’s real! Phantom’s request is real!”
They were truly embarking on the adventure every Maple World adventurer dreamed of.
In their excitement, the adventurers rushed toward the open door.
Eagerly.
They all moved with expressions like they were entranced.
Rick’s party was the exception.
They moved, but not hastily.
They didn’t rush.
That’s why.
Rick’s party arrived at the secret door last.
And that’s when they saw.
“Sir Rick.”
An adventurer waiting for them.
“El Pam?”
El Pam.
He had appeared out of nowhere and said to Rick,
“I have something to discuss privately. Could you spare a moment?”
“Of course.”
It was sudden, but Rick accepted El Pam’s proposal without hesitation, with a warm smile.
“Could we step outside for a bit?”
“It must be important.”
“Yes.”
Even at those words, Rick nodded without a moment’s hesitation.
Then he walked back out the door.
Of course, at that moment, Rick was prepared.
‘Has he noticed something?’
El Pam—if he tried to kill him.
‘No, this isn’t the time for calculations. The moment we step out, the instant El Pam speaks first, I use Thunder Spear.’
With that in mind, Rick stepped outside and quietly cast the 4th Circle lightning-attribute spell, Thunder Spear.
El Pam appeared before him.
The instant El Pam appeared, Rick was ready.
‘The moment his first words end.’
The second he finished speaking, he would thrust the instantly cast Thunder Spear into El Pam’s body.
“Sir Rick...”
Before such a Rick, El Pam said,
“I am here on the orders of the great Black Mage’s Legion Commander Hilla.”