Chapter 48
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Edenhark Lord's Castle (22)
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You have completed the quest.
You can now proceed with the hidden quest: Edenhark Lord's Castle (22).
Jeong Hoon checked the new quest floating above his head.
Hidden Quest: Edenhark Lord's Castle (22)
-Restriction: Edenhark Lord's Castle (12) completed
-Reward: ? (Reward determined by completion rate.)
-Description: Perfectly seal the portal in the underground of the Lord's Castle.
"Come in. Would you like to sit here, if that's alright?"
Juan greeted Jeong Hoon with a kind, amiable smile.
"Yes."
As Jeong Hoon nodded, the butler guided him to an empty seat.
"It's mealtime. How about joining me?"
"Sounds good."
Food eaten inside the game all converted to buffs.
Soon, soup, rye bread, a bit of meat, and some vegetables appeared.
Unlike the expectation of a noble's lavish feast, it was a rather modest meal.
"Shall we eat?"
"Yes."
The meal proceeded in a very quiet atmosphere from start to finish.
Only after all the plates were cleared did Juan get to the point.
"First, let me ask one thing. Are you a mage?"
His eyes scanned Jeong Hoon up and down.
"No."
He could use Magic Missile, but that was his only magic spell.
From the start, Jeong Hoon had used magic only as support, mainly fighting with sword, bow, and fists.
"I see. Then how did you get a recommendation letter from the Magic Tower Master?"
"I helped him with something."
"I understand... So, I can take that to mean you'll resolve the castle's problem?"
The reason Sander wrote the recommendation.
It was because Jeong Hoon could wield both mana and holy power.
"I'll hear you out first."
"...There's a portal underground in the Lord's Castle. It's been there since ancient times."
A portal located far deeper underground than the Lord's Castle prison.
That portal had been created centuries ago.
It was currently sealed, with no one entering or exiting, but it went berserk every three yearsand this was the third year.
Soon, the underground portal would begin its rampage.
And Juan wanted to get rid of this accursed portal once and for all.
But to close it, one condition was required.
'You must have wielded mana before and be able to wield holy power now to enter.'
That was the condition.
'Sander wrote the recommendation for exactly this reason.'
Jeong Hoon was the only one who could wield both mana and holy power simultaneously.
"Is closing it all I need to do?"
Currently, they blocked the mana leaking from the rampaging portal to endure three years.
But the blocking process wasn't easy.
Anyone exposed to the rampaging mana had their internal mana go berserk, unable to last long before dying.
Their own mana turned to poison, devouring their body.
Over five hundred had died in Edenhark just from the task.
Juan wanted escape from this endless torment.
He had requested help from the Magic Tower Masters of each class for this very reason, but where was someone who could wield both mana and holy power?
Then, Jeong Hoon had appeared.
"...That's right. If you succeed in closing it, I'll give you my greatest reward."
Juan had contacted Sander separately and immediately sent people to investigate Jeong Hoon.
He learned how good-hearted Jeong Hoon was.
Despite being an outsider, he stepped up to solve the village's troubles, so Juan decided to trust him.
That was why he shared a meal the moment he arrived.
'Greatest reward.'
Jeong Hoon smiled inwardly.
'That lord was suspiciously distrustful for a newbie zone. He only opened up after the portal was fully closed.'
Even that alone gave immense rewards, like the Edenhark Elixir that explosively raised levels.
Thanks to it, Louis Verdant had combined Richel's Elixir with the Edenhark Elixir for explosive growth.
In his beginner days, he had wielded mana, then walked the priest path to gain holy power, fulfilling the portal entry conditions.
'But that wasn't even the greatest reward... Juan valued "goodness" highly. If I'd exploited that, I could've gotten even more...'
Who knew Louis Verdant's past regrets would be this helpful.
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility and close that portal."
"...Thank you."
Juan nodded with a gentle smile.
Edenhark Lord's Castle basement.
The door to the basement room Juan guided him to was blocked by a double barrier.
Proving the rampage was imminent, mana leaked faintly through the door cracks.
"Getting too close could poison you."
The guarding soldiers wore special gas masks and protective suits.
Made by alchemists, they resembled medieval European helmets and plate armor more than modern gear.
"It's fine."
Jeong Hoon approached the door.
The mana leaking through the cracks rushed at him.
Of course, it posed no threat to Jeong Hoon.
You are not poisoned by mana.
That was it.
Mana traces were required precisely for this reason.
Without them, even holy power couldn't resist.
"Ooh!"
"He's unharmed...?"
Juan and the guards watched with wide eyes.
"Yes. What about the barrier?"
Jeong Hoon pointed at it with a finger.
He could dispel it himself, but that risked mana leaking out.
"...Please wait a moment."
At Juan's gesture, the accompanying mages stood before the door and reconfigured the barrier.
It formed behind Jeong Hoon.
Simultaneously, the door's barrier dissolved, and the sealed door creaked open.
"Can you enter?"
The mage asked cautiously.
"Haha, you're asking the guy without any gear?"
Unlike them, Jeong Hoon wore nothing.
No need for poison protection.
"Then we'll withdraw."
As if just being polite, the mage retreated through the barrier.
"...We're counting on you!"
Juan's voice came from behind.
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon nodded and entered.
Inside loomed a massive portal glowing eerily.
Lv.100 Ambiguous Boundary of Good and Evil (Hidden)
Without holy power, you will die from penalties.
No matter the level, without mana and holy power, clearing was impossible.
A hidden dungeon at that.
Like the previous hidden theme, it offered rare rewards.
"Let's begin."
Will you enter Lv.100 Ambiguous Boundary of Good and Evil (Hidden)?
As Jeong Hoon accepted, the portal swallowed him.
Juan, the mages, and guards watched Jeong Hoon enter from beyond the barrier.
Even after he vanished, they couldn't move.
Juan especially stared at the rippling portal with tense eyes.
'Magic Tower Master, do you think that outsider can eliminate the portal?'
'Of course?'
The confident reply.
'...He seemed just qualified to enter.'
Entry required wielding both mana and holy power.
Not closing it.
Closing demanded pure personal skill.
"Whew, hope he doesn't come back as a corpse."
He couldn't help worrying.
How long since he'd seen such a kind outsider?
"He'll be fine. He looked completely confident."
Frizen, the barrier mage, said.
He saw no tension in Jeong Hoon's face.
It boosted his trust.
Having blocked four rampages in 13 years at the castle, Frizen's words made Juan nod.
"I hope so."
Juan didn't leave.
The first since Richel 600 years ago to wield both mana and holy power.
He wanted to witness everything after he entered.
Hidden: Ambiguous Boundary of Good and Evil
Achievement Unlocked! You have completed 'Pioneer of New Paths (1)'. 2,000 achievement points awarded.
"Thick."
Entering the dungeon, Jeong Hoon was startled.
It had been ages since he'd seen such dense mana.
So thick, the settled atmospheric mana was visible to the naked eye.
Polluted, not bright blue but murky navy haze.
Reminiscent of the 'Abyss' he barely cleared pre-regression.
Unlike Abyss avoiding death, here mana and holy power must coexist.
Still, familiar to Jeong Hoon.
He pulled the Dragon Anima Bone Bow from inventory.
"Long time no see."
Anima appeared, greeting briefly.
"Yeah. Long time."
Jeong Hoon replied in kind.
"Where is this? What a foul stench."
Anima wrinkled his nose, looking around.
Polluted mana.
Each breath, polluted mana-filled air entered lungs, stirring the body instantly.
Purifying polluted mana.
Purifying polluted mana.
Without holy power, polluted mana would take hold irrepressibly, but holy power purified it, letting mana push it out.
Purified but too polluted to absorb.
"Let's start."
He wanted out of this filthy place.
Jeong Hoon stepped forward.
Lv.100 Priest (Good)
A monster soon appeared.
A humanoid in a deep white robe.
The emanating good aura gave a warm feeling.
But Jeong Hoon knew.
Beneath the mask of good lurked ugliness.
"Disgusting. Shoot it dead."
Anima hid behind Jeong Hoon, repulsed even by its eyes.
"You're hiding and saying that?"
"...I'm a weapon. Not hiding."
"Oh, right."
Jeong Hoon nodded casually, drawing the bowstring.
"Human, you dare harm good?"
The robed priest scolded sternly.
Priest (Good) uses 'Brainwash.'
As it activated, Jeong Hoon's mind wavered.
Harming good makes one evil.
Releasing would brand him evil?
Amid confusion, Jeong Hoon smirked.
Too far gone to falter at this.
"Laughing? Mocking good now!"
"Bullshit. If you're good, I'm a god."
Releasing the string, the arrow pierced the priest's head.
"Kek..."
Foaming, it collapsed dead.
Level up.
All stats 1.
Bonus stat 1.
Level rose to 92 from that kill.
A skillbook dropped beside it.
Black skillbook.
"What's that?"
Anima peeked at it.
"Brainwash skillbook."
It taught Brainwash.
Unique color because only one in New World.
Skillbook: Brainwash (Unique)
-Type: Skillbook
-Rarity: Rare
-Use to learn 'Brainwash (Rare)'.
Rare Brainwash.
But Louis Verdant raised it to Legendary, using it masterfully.
He shook the game with it countless times.
Now, it was Jeong Hoon's.
"Hoo, nice drop."
Anima, recognizing its value, looked pleased.