Chapter 223: Seed of Trouble (3)

After hearing a couple more precautions from Seraphim, Ian immediately headed towards the slave marketplace.

And not long after he arrived, he was able to meet Dice, the owner of the slave marketplace, without much difficulty.

This was because Seraphim, who was acquaintances with Dice, had informed Dice beforehand.

Dice, who met Ian for the first time, greeted him welcomingly.

"Ho, as he said a High-ranking Devil would be coming, I just thought that would be the case... But you were a Half-Devil."

Different from Seraphim, who was a little large in body size, Dice had the image of a small elder.

However, the aura that he gave off was nothing of the sort.

As expected of a Noblesse-rank Devil, the aura that spread out from him was incredibly overpowering.

"Yes, nice to meet you, I'm Ian."

"Huhu, on top of that, a Summoner... A truly special guest, keul-keul."

While looking at Dice, who figured out what class he was at once, Ian was a little surprised, but he nodded his head shortly after.

'Did he figure it out because Karceus is standing next to me?'

Either way, as the part that was important right now was not that, Ian quickly pulled out the slave contract from his inventory and held it out to Dice.

"I've brought the item."

Dice immediately spread his hand out towards Ian, and as he did so, the contract that was in Ian's hand flapped as it flew towards Dice.

And Dice, who received and checked the contract, wore a pleased smile.

"Alright, the item is legitimate. I am a little curious as to how you obtained such a rare item, but... Well, since that's not what's important."

Dice, who obtained the item that he wanted, wore a satisfied smile, and his yellow teeth slightly appeared between his lips.

Ian equally smiled as he spoke.

"Well, I was able to obtain it somehow."

Dice smirked.

"You got lucky today."

After finishing his words, Dice's small body floated up in the air.

"Follow me. I will guide you to the lowest floor."

As Dice began to move while floating in the air, Ian quickly followed behind him.

The head of Ian, who was walking diligently, was full of the information that he heard from Seraphim before he came here.

* * *

Ziiing-.

The southernmost area of the spacious Zone 100 of the Devildom.

And a giant portal that was in that place.

The red portal that floated all by itself in a terrain that was like a desolate wilderness gave off an image that was overflowing with incredible coercion.

It seemed like it was a space where not one person existed, but shortly after, one man flew out of the red portal.

Baang-!

Along with a loud booming sound, the man flew backwards quite far, and he rolled around the ground a couple times before he went limp.

"Damn it, it's seriously terrifyingly strong."

The man that dusted his armour, which had almost become rags, and stood up was Shyakran, the Guild Master of the Titan Guild.

"I didn't have any intentions of entering Zone 90 for a while anyways, but... This seems like it would be more troublesome than expected."

As Shyakran slowly began to turn his footsteps around, the guild members of the Titan Guild, who were hiding nearby, jumped out and helped him.

The one that jumped out closest from the front and supported Shyakran's shoulder first was Blazing Knight Ceilron.

"Shyakran, what happened? You've come out alive, though."

At his words, which had a strange nuance that had a suspicious(?) intention depending on how it was heard, Shyakran frowned as he answered.

"You punk, are you discontent with the fact that your Guild Master came back alive?"

At that, Ceilron faltered slightly as he replied.

"Ah, no, why are you like this again? You know well that was not what I meant."

At Ceilron's whining, Shyakran's frown deepened.

"You little- You're being gross, punk."

And Shyakran, who pulled out a water bottle from his inventory and quenched his thirst, slowly opened his mouth again.

"You see, this portal that enters into the two-digit range zones."

At Shyakran's words, the gazes of the Titan guild members all gathered onto his mouth, and his words continued.

"Its character is a little different from the gateways up until now."

"What is it like?"

"Firstly, it's not a structure where many can try to pass through at the same time."

Shyakran slightly recalled the monster-like creature that was hunching its body within the portal as he continued his words.

"Even if ten, no, even if a hundred people go in, all of the people that entered will each enter a different examination room... And inside of the room, a Heroic-rank Magical Beast is coiled up."

All of the guild members that were listening to Shyakran's story were concentrating with expressions saying as if they wouldn't miss even one word of his.

This was because the words of Shyakran, who was the first to challenge the gateway of Zone 100, was incredible information.

Ceilron asked Shyakran.

"So, then, Master, have you caught the creature?"

Shyakran asked back with a dumbfounded expression.

"Do you think then that I would have been thrown back out here? I would probably be heading towards Zone 99."

Ceilron pouted as he responded.

"No, since you returned alive... Then, are you saying that the magical beast let you turn back out alive even after defeating you?"

Shyakran shook his head.

"No, I suffered horribly from it. There was no such thing as it going easy on me. However, as my Vitality dropped below 10%, I was automatically thrown back out."

As if they had finally understood then, the users of the Titan Guild, including Ceilron, nodded their heads.

"I see. How was the creature? Still, if it was you, Master, you probably fought on par, right?"

At one user's words, Shyakran wore a bitter smile as he shook his head.

"No. I was brutally broken down with a crazy difference. Even up to the last moment, I wasn't able to bring down the Vitality of the monster close to its halfway point."

At those words, the users gulped audibly.

Who was Shyakran?

Was he not the strongest user that grabbed 1st place alongside Ilahan in the Kaimon Empire arena?

The fact that someone like him had suffered like this with such a big difference wasn't much different from it meaning that it was to the point that others wouldn't even be able to try and attack.

"I'll have to challenge it again after I'm over lv 200."

At Shyakran's words, the other users nodded their heads as they turned their footsteps around, but Ceilron's eyes shone as he stared at the portal.

"Ceilron, what are you doing? Or you not coming?"

At Shyakran's question, Ceilron grinned as he replied.

"You said that you are thrown back out with 10% of your Vitality left."

"So?"

"While we're here anyways. If I won't die, I want to face it once before coming back out."

At Ceilron's words, Shyakran smirked.

"Whatever you wish."

If there was no penalty, it wouldn't be a bad idea to feel the powerfulness of the outrageous 'creature' at least once as well.

Shyakran pulled out a potion from his inventory as he handed it to Ceilron.

"Suck on this at least before you go in."

At that Ceilron's two eyes shone.

"Ooh, such a rare item!"

Shyakran let his snickers flow out as he replied.

"Don't you think you'll have to at least use a drug in order to do something before you come out? Once you're done fighting, return to the City of Rage. We'll be repairing our equipment inside."

Ceilron's eyes sparkled as he nodded his head.

"Understood, Master. Thank you for your consideration."

Ceilron, who finished speaking, threw his body inside of the portal without delay, and the rest of the party members of the Titan Guild turned their footsteps around and began to move towards the City of Rage.

Shyakran turned his head for a moment and stared at the inside of the portal, where Ceilron disappeared to.

'Even hitting lv 200 is not enough. Will it be worth trying after I've at least obtained a dual class...'

It seemed that a lot of his strength that he exhausted from facing the 'creature' had returned, as Shyakran's heavy footsteps grew lighter little by little.

And shortly after, as the party of the Titan Guild disappeared, the front of the portal of Zone 100 had transformed into a bleak, empty lot where there was not one person.

To be honest, even up to Zone 110 of the Devildom, the front of the portal where the gateway was had a similar feeling to a basecamp where tons of users were gathered.

The reason why users began to gather there at first was because the number of people that were waiting for their turn to try to get through the gateway was increasing, but as time passed, it had just turned into a meeting point where users traded or formed parties with each other.

This was a case that had occurred because it was a outskirt zone of the Devildom that didn't have even one base or village-like place.

However, the number of users that had passed through Zone 110 was a small number to the point that it was not quite a three-digit figure yet, and on top of that, the number of people that had reached Zone 100 wasn't even half of that quite yet.

As that was the case, the front of the gateway of Zone 100 was so quiet.

Whiiing-.

The gloomy Devildom's wind brushed passed the portal's surroundings.

However, just then...

Rustle-.

A bush that was near the portal rustled, and a small shadow jumped out all of a sudden.

Bbook-.

And then a turtle with a dashing figure that had a large head and short legs appeared.

The identity of the shadow was none other than Bbookbbook.

Bbook- Bbook- Bbook-.

Bbookbbook, who let out a bbookbbook sound whenever he took a step as he slowly approached the portal, diligently turned his head to the left and right as he checked to make sure that there was no one nearby.

• Bbook, the humans have all probably went back, right, bbook...?

Bbookbbook didn't want to run into even one human being.

This was because it would be troublesome if he had run into a human and they had recognized him as he was a famous turtle.

• It was a little dangerous in Zone 117 last time bbook!

Bbookbbook appeared in Ian's battle videos often, and also, as his appearance was so unequaled(?), he was Ian's mascot-like Familiar that had become known to many users.

Thanks to that, while wandering the Devildom without much thought, there was a time when he had been caught in the hands of fans and was almost dragged back to Ian, so ever since then, Bbookbbook avoided humans.

• A place where there are no humans... I'll have to go to an even deeper part of the Devildom bbook!

With manly footsteps, Bbookbbook headed towards the portal step by step.

Bbook- Bbook- Bbook-.

And at the moment that he thrust his head into the door of the red portal!

Thud-.

While letting out a dull sound, Bbookbbook's head was blocked by the portal as it bounced back.

At the strange phenomenon, which he had never experienced up until now, Bbookbbook wore an incredibly flustered expression.

• Bbook! This portal is broken bbook! Why is it like this bbook?

However, as he couldn't give up just like this, Bbookbbook thrust his body into the portal with all his strength once again.

Boing-!

However, the thing that returned along with the pain that rang through his whole head was just one system message.

• You cannot enter a map that the steps of Owner 'Ian' haven't reached yet.

Bbookbbook, who checked the message, wore an incredibly cranky expression.

• Bbook! Lazy owner dude! What are you doing, not having gone in here yet bbook?

However, Bbookbbook was not a stupid turtle that spent time on cases that would not work.

Bbookbbook turned his footsteps around without any lingering attachment and began to walk towards some place again.

Bbook- Bbook- Bbook-.

• Our Ly is probably alive and well, right, bbook?

Bbookbbook brought up a longing face.

As he recalled Ly, he also recalled the face of Pin, who gave away his meatballs to him, at the same time.

• Bbook... I miss my teammates that are probably suffering underneath our evil owner bbook...

Bbookbbook wore an expression more serious than ever before while mumbling as if he had become determined about something.

• Just wait a little more bbook. Once I become a turtle that's cooler than Bbakbbak, I will return then bbook.

Bbookbbook began to take lonesome footsteps today as well.

Today of all days, the shell on his back felt particularly heavy.