Chapter 290
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 290
Chapter Title: Master of the Grand Duchy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Delphos Grand Duke was waiting impatiently for the Saveiro Knights to return.
Please, they have to be safe.
The barrier detector in the castle.
A siren blared from the detector, which should have been perfectly fine.
That was proof something had gone wrong with the barrier.
Delphos Grand Duke hurriedly dropped his work and checked the detector.
But the detector blared a few more times before going dead.
That was why he had urgently dispatched the Saveiro Knights to the barrier.
Yet even after a long time passed, the Saveiro Knights showed no sign of returning.
Had something happened?
Just as ominous thoughts filled his mind, the news he had been waiting for finally arrived.
Your Excellency! The Saveiro Knights have returned!
Really?!
Delphos Grand Duke rushed out to the castle gates.
As reported, the Saveiro Knights were returning, and their condition looked excellent.
Looks like the barrier is safe, thank goodness.
If there had been a problem with the barrier, the knights faces would have been grim, but fortunately, they looked bright.
Your Excellency, we have completed the search as you commanded and returned.
Knight Captain Jiron reported crisply.
The Grand Duke nodded with a satisfied expression.
Good. The barrier was intact, then?
Its broken.
......What?
Delphos Grand Duke froze at how confidently Jiron said it.
What nonsense was he spouting?
Jiron confirmed it again, as if to drive the point home.
The barrier collapsed. Monsters from outside poured in as a result.
Haha......
It was a worst-case scenario beyond his imagination.
Delphos Grand Duke barely kept his trembling legs from giving out.
But we put out the immediate fire.
Put it out?
Yes. A foreigner came and protected us.
A foreigner?
A foreigner visiting the Grand Duchy, where people avoided coming due to the harsh cold.
Even with the barrier broken, the cold remained.
Remnants of the barrier were still lingering.
In any case, it was surprising that a foreigner had come to such a Grand Duchy.
Yes. He was a powerhouse we couldnt even stand against.
Even you, the captain, couldnt stand against him......?
Delphos Grand Duke was shocked.
Jiron was one of the few Sword Masters in the Empire.
He was the captain of the Saveiro Knights under Delphos.
Jiron was Delphoss pride.
Delphos Grand Duke was immensely proud of him.
For even a Sword Master like Jiron to be no match...
Just who was this foreigner?
Delphos looked around for the foreigner.
Ah, the foreigner hasnt returned yet.
Hm? Then where is he now?
Hes probably still closing the dungeon.
The dungeon?
Yes.
Oh no...... Then we should go help. This isnt the time to stand around.
Delphos was ready to head to the dungeon immediately.
Jiron stopped the Grand Duke.
Its fine. It would only be a nuisance if we offered to help.
A nuisance?
Yes. Just trust him and wait.
Hm......
The foreigner seemed to want that too.
Well, if thats the case......
Serion, bearing intense grudge.
It was said to be level 520 with many threatening special abilities, making it extremely difficult to conquer.
Hoon, what opportunity lies here?
They were now deep in a pitch-black cave.
Not a speck of light entered, so they used artifacts to illuminate the surroundings.
Youll find out when we see it later.
With that, Jeong Hoon started walking.
First, they had to escape this cave.
The cave was the starting point.
They needed to exit it to reach Serions hidden lair.
Chiiik!
Then, the cry of bats echoed in their ears.
Lv.510 Snow Bat
A level 510 Snow Bat that lived in the harsh cold.
Unlike regular bats, it was twice the size with thick blue fur.
Snow Bat uses Ice Ultrasonic Wave.
It opened its mouth and fired ultrasonic waves.
Jeong Hoon hurriedly erected a barrier of light, enveloping everyone.
Pajijijik
The sound of the light barrier getting damaged rang out.
What ability is that......?
Jang Ha-jin asked.
Ultrasonic waves. If they hit you, your insides freeze first, then your whole body.
It was a high-level monster, so if Jeong Hoon hadnt put up the light barrier, everyone would have been done for.
Thats horrific......
Stay close to me. Youll be safe then.
With that, Jeong Hoon pulled out Anima and drew the bowstring.
About six of them.
His radar showed six incoming.
He aimed at the one in front and released the string.
Pyushuuuk
The arrow arced through the air.
It pierced the Snow Bats torso dead center.
Kkieeek!
The Snow Bats screech echoed through the cave.
The remaining five startled and flapped their wings to flee.
No way Im letting you go.
Jeong Hoon had no intention of sparing them.
He quickly drew the string again, aimed at the next one, and released.
Pyushuuuuk
The arrow struck the fleeing Snow Bats torso precisely.
Jeong Hoon didnt stop there, continuously drawing and releasing.
The Snow Bats were exterminated at rapid speed.
Alright, lets keep going.
After wiping out the surrounding Snow Bats, Jeong Hoon pulled out the scan map.
Scan Map
-Type: Map
-Grade: Epic
-Scans the current map to create a map.
-Scan records based on your position as center.
An essential item for vast dungeons.
Scanning the entirety of Serion Bearing Intense Grudge.
Once the scan finished, the path out of the cave appeared clearly on the map.
We need to head east. Its a total maze......
Yeo Min-ji frowned as she checked the map.
As she said, escaping the cave was extremely tricky.
Some paths looped back, others led deep into the cave despite long treks.
Only one path among them all was correct.
Even escaping the cave was tough.
Even with the scan map, they got lost, so it would likely take a long time just to get out.
Lets go. The sooner we move, even a little, the faster we escape.
Got it.
As expected, escaping the cave wasnt easy.
Even following the map, they hit dead ends or monster dens.
By the time they finally exited, about five hours had passed.
You all did great.
Jeong Hoon said to everyone with an apologetic face.
He had been the one guiding them via the map.
So the blame for getting lost fell entirely on him.
It was only natural to feel sorry.
This is just the start, right?
Jeong Hoon nodded at Jang Ha-jins question.
But weve passed the worst hurdle once were out of the cave.
Really?
Yeah. Therell be way more monsters, but they wont be as threatening as the ones inside.
As Jeong Hoon said, tricky monsters like Snow Bats or Blood Bats didnt appear.
Instead, it was filled with Teros, the kind they had hunted outside.
Teros are manageable.
Teros was one of the monsters they had hunted to death already.
As always, Jeong Hoon grabbed the Shadow Kings Spear and charged at the Teros.
After that, it was a landslide victory.
They swept through the monsters and reached Serions lair.
But instead of entering, Jeong Hoon turned and headed forward.
Hm? Hoon, thats not the boss zone.
Jang Ha-jin, following behind, tilted his head.
Ah, the opportunity isnt with the boss.
Not the boss?
Nope.
Jeong Hoon nodded while wiping out 14 charging monsters with Shadow Myeongwol at once.
He hunted monsters one by one as they advanced, soon reaching their destination.
It was a vast, snow-covered plain.
Ahead was a black wall, marking the dungeons boundary.
Master, whats here?
Mukho seemed very curious too.
The Statue of All Things.
Statue of All Things?
Jeong Hoon nodded.
This was the hidden opportunity.
The Statue of All Things.
In simple terms, it scanned the user and gave them one essential item.
There was no limit on users, but they all had to be present together.
If someone wasnt there when it activated, tough luck.
In fact, part of James Marcuss party hadnt been present, causing them to fail getting the opportunity.
Now, what will it give?
It had given James Marcus a shield.
A Celestial-grade shield on another level from his previous one. It had made him far stronger.
Insane defense.
It was the shield that casually blocked Jeong Hoons Leviathan in the parallel world.
Will it give an item?
He didnt need any items right now.
He had two Ultimate-grade pieces of gear, with three more coming soon.
He planned to upgrade Leviathan to Legendary Celestial too.
Hed rather it boosted his stats.
Jeong Hoon walked toward the plain, the others following silently.
They reached the dungeons edge.
Here it is.
Jeong Hoon stopped and punched the ground.
Creeeak.
Kwaaang!
The ground shattered like glass and collapsed.
The debris shimmered with light, turned to dust, and vanished, revealing stairs leading down.
Not natural stairs, but man-made ones carved by hand.
Wow, there was something like this here......
Yeo Min-ji peered down the stairs in surprise.
Come on, lets go down quick.
Jeong Hoon descended the stairs briskly.
He soon stopped.
A barrier blocked the path.
Hoon, can we break this barrier by force?
Jang Ha-jin drew his sword, ready to smash it.
Jeong Hoon raised a hand to stop him.
That wont break it.
Hm? Then theres another way?
Yeah.
The method to dispel it was simple.
Jeong Hoon pulled out the Deciphering Lens he had bought earlier.
An item available at Achievement Shop level 6.
The others were seeing it for the first time.
Whats that lens?
His mother showed interest in it.
Its called the Deciphering Lens. Bought it from the Achievement Shop.
Really? I didnt know they had something like that. Amazing.
Yeah. You need shop level 6 to buy it.
Level 6?! Hoon, your shop is already at level 6?!
Yeo Min-jis eyes went wide.
Yeah. Lets dispel this barrier first and talk later.
Ah, got it.
Yeo Min-ji nodded and shut her mouth.
With the surroundings quiet, Jeong Hoon equipped the Deciphering Lens, placed his hand on the barrier, and channeled mana.
Runes floated up before him.
I can decipher it.
The barriers runes were quite complex and intricate.
But with his pre-regression knowledge and the Deciphering Lens, he could unravel them.
Wooong
The barrier vibrated each time he touched a rune.
Jeong Hoon kept at it, and soon the barrier shattered.
Crash!
It vanished with the sound of breaking glass.
Now they could go down again.
Alright, lets go.
Jeong Hoon hurried down.