Chapter 450: Darion's Missing

Kang Oh and Scapi came to an agreement. The contract was as follows:

(1) If Kang Oh defeats Red, then Scapi will provide Kang Oh with a 100,000 gold scroll.

(2) If Kang Oh defeats Red, then Scapi will never use the Atago Ring's item effect, 'Stalking', on Kang Oh.

(3) Scapi is not allowed to betray, lie, or trick Kang Oh before his fight with Red is over.

(4) Likewise, Kang Oh cannot attack Scapi before his fight with Red is over.

Kang Oh and Scapi looked over the contract again, and then signed their names at the bottom. Once they did that, the contract glowed with dim light and split into two identical copies.

[You have signed a Sabra's Contract.]

[If you violate the contract, then you will be punished accordingly. If there is no stated punishment, then you will receive divine retribution instead!]

[If you feel the contract is unfair, then please rip the contract. The Goddess of Contracts, Sabra, will make a final judgment, and will rain divine punishment on the fool who knows not what a contract is!]

Eder had insulted the Goddess of Death, Deborah, resulting in her cursing him with an incurable disease. This was one type of divine punishment.

Divine punishment was no joke. There were several types of it too, so you never knew which one you'd get. Thus, players couldn't just violate their contracts, as they feared the consequences.

"Give it here." Kang Oh extended his hand.

Then, Scapi passed him the scroll containing info on Red.

"Is the information reliable?"

"I wrote everything I know. However, there are some things that even I don't know."

"I need some time to prepare."

"I can give you three days max."

"I don't need three days. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kang Oh planned on beating Red ASAP, and then getting back to Valan's quest.

"Friend me."

"Sure."

Kang Oh and Scapi parted ways.

* * *

'Red. He possesses the ability to control shadows. This power is amplified within the Shadow World. So much so that he feels invincible.'

Kang Oh meticulously read the scroll on Red.

Scapi had served under him for such a long time, and had written everything she knew about Red on this scroll.

None of it was false.

After all, Scapi wanted to use Kang Oh to kill Red. Of course, Kang Oh losing wasn't an issue either. If he lost, then she wouldn't be exiled from Red Moon or the Shadow World.

'The Shadow World, huh...'

Kang Oh's thoughts went to Ubist. It possessed the Abyss Blade ability. Would its ability to cut the immaterial work on shadows?

The correct answer was an emphatic 'Yes!'.

Kang Oh had killed a shadow monster before. At the time, Ubist's Abyss Blade had worked on it.

'I should use Ubist and Sarahoff against Red.'

Kang Oh envisioned his fight against Red, and kept reading Scapi's information.

'Red is also a skilled assassin. Even without his ability to control shadows, his combat abilities are extremely high. He uses a giant scythe called Infinite Shadow. It's an SS-rank weapon. The blade is made out of shadows, which he can length and shorten at will. Besides that...'

Kang Oh memorized everything it said about Red.

"I can't underestimate him."

He'd need Devil Trigger and Gluttony to beat him. He may even need to use an S-rank item for Gluttony. Unfortunately, he didn't have the right item for the job.

Kang Oh headed for the auction house.

There was a green crystal that hung from the ceiling, which allowed players to access the auction interface. It was the auction apparatus. The auction house also provided players with comfy sofas to sit on while they browsed.

Kang Oh sat on a sofa, opened the auction window, and began looking for the right item. Arth was a worldwide game, so there were plenty of items to choose from. In other words, if you needed something, you could find it here.

He browsed for quite some time, and eventually found an item that caught his eye.

[Gandara's Spear]

The spear that the Rakan Paladin, Gandara, used.

Gandara was called the Tempest Paladin! Although he wore heavy armor, he was surprisingly fast and sharp.

+ Warmonger: When you enter battle, your Stamina increases significantly, and any Stamina costs are reduced. Strength and speed are increased by 10%.

+ Tempest Thrust: A wind element thrust! This thrust's power is determined solely by one's speed stat. It can be used repeatedly, as it has no cooldown. Uses Stamina instead of MP.

Rank: S.

Abilities: Attack Power 500, Physical +20, Mental +80, Stamina +2,000, Physical Damage +20%.

Minimum Requirements: Paladin-only, Level 400, the Fighting Spirit side stat.

The more he swung his sword, the faster his strikes would become. That was the effect of Mad Wind's Sword!

What would happen if he added Tempest Thrust to this? It would be tremendous.

Of course, it would cost a ton of Stamina, but Gandara's Spear's other item effect, Warmonger, reduced Stamina costs too!

Thus, he'd have enough Stamina to use both Tempest Thrust and Mad Wind's Sword simultaneously.

'This'll be my trump card against Red.' He immediately clicked buy now.

[You have bought Gandara's Spear.]

[You have used 5,500 gold.]

The spear cost 5,500 gold. It was a painful expense, but he thought of it as an investment to make 200,000 gold.

Kang Oh made sure Gandara's Spear was in his inventory, and then left the auction house.

After that, he repaired his armor, sharpened his swords, and bought plenty of health potions, antidotes, and buff potions.

'If I still had Resurrection, then I'd have nothing to fear.' Kang Oh looked down at the Cassio Ring, which had lost its light.

He'd been revived against his fight with the Ice Queen, so he wouldn't have any insurance against Red.

In exchange...!

Kang Oh still had the Phoenix's Feather, which he could use to restore all of his HP and MP if need be.

He pulled out the Phoenix's Feather, tucked it into his chest, and clenched his fist.

Kang Oh was ready for battle!

* * *

Burkan was in the Daltrak Region, disguised as a lumber transporter, in search of the Evil God Worshippers' main base.

However...

"Darion is missing?" Burkan said, wearing humble clothes and a bucket hat.

"That's right. He and two of the 100 Fighters are missing as well," Dion said. There was a giant axe at his side.

"Where and when?" Burkan asked, as if urging him to continue.

His concern was understandable. Darion was his final student. There was no teacher who wouldn't be worried about their missing student.

"He didn't send his regular report an hour ago. We can't get in touch with him via his communication earring either. Neither he nor the two men he was with are responding."

"Do you think the Evil God Worshippers got to them?"

"They might have." Dion stiffly nodded his head.

"Where was Darion searching?"

"Mt. Tetra."

"Mt. Tetra..." Burkan quickly spread out the map. Then, he searched for the mountain and looked for the information they had on it. "It's an abandoned mine. It was once the largest iron mine in the Daltrak Region."

Burkan's eyes gleamed. His instincts were whispering, 'This is the place!'.

"Gather the men."

The 100 Fighters were spread out all across the Daltrak Region in search of the Evil God Worshippers' main base.

"Understood."

"I'll go first. Come after you've gathered your men."

If Darion and the two gladiators were still alive, then they had to hurry and rescue them. The more time passed, the less likely they would still be alive. Thus, Burkan couldn't wait for the 100 Fighters to gather.

"Understood." Dion fiddled with his communication earrings, ordering the 100 Fighters to gather.

Whistle!

Burkan blew a whistle, which was adorned with a horse head shaped ornament.

Neigh!

A tough, brown horse came running over.

"Let's go!" Burkan got on, and the horse galloped away, leaving a thick dust cloud in its wake.

* * *

A gloomy, evil atmosphere permeated a room decorated with human skulls and bones. Darion and the two gladiators were tied up within the room.

A woman wearing a black dress and Evil God Worshippers came inside.

"Who are you?" the woman said tiredly.

"..." Darion and the gladiators kept their mouths shut.

"If you don't want to say anything, then don't. I can just read your memories." The woman opened her black book. Evil energy like a black cloud rose from it, and devoured one of the gladiators.

"Ugh..." the gladiator cried out, but the Evil God Worshippers didn't even bat an eye.

"Stop!"

"You demons!"

Darion and the gladiator yelled, glaring at the Evil God Worshippers.

Then, the Evil God Worshippers came over and gagged the two with rags.

"Eueup!"

"Eup!"

Meanwhile, the woman withdrew the dark energy. Then, the gladiator fell backwards.

"Euup!"

"Eup!"

Darion and the gladiator writhed at their comrade's unsightly state. However, their struggles were pointless.

"Hueup!" The woman opened her purple lips, and sucked in the black energy. Her pupils disappeared, showing only the whites of her eyes.

A short while later...

The woman's eyes returned to normal.

"Lady Sora, who are they?" an Evil God Worshipper cautiously asked.

"Gladiators," the Evil God's Second Disciple, Bewitching Sora, languidly said. She'd used an evil spell, 'Soul Absorption', to see a portion of the gladiator's memories.

"Rakan's followers!"

The Evil God Worshippers widened their eyes. The gladiators were connected to the God of War and Victory, Rakan. And the Rakan Church was safeguarding Jaila's sacred treasure, the one that they had yet to reclaim.

"I have to see Lord Amak." Sora turned around.

"How shall we deal with the other two?"

"Let them live for now."

"Understood."

Sora left the room and met with Jaila's High Priest, Amak.

"Lord Amak."

"What about the trespassers?" Amak asked.

Amak was so thin that he was basically a walking skeleton. He was carrying Jaila's Bronze Knife in one hand, and Ilunati's Snake in the other.

"They're gladiators that were instructed to find our base."

"They found out where we are?"

"Not yet. However..."

"It's only a matter of time before they find us."

"Since they won't give up until they do."

"Get ready to move to our 2nd church."

"Understood."

Once Sora left, Amak stood before the giant bronze mirror in his room.

'We have to hurry and reclaim the Supreme One's final sacred treasure!'

"Nazaran, Nazaran," he whispered, and the mirror showed the Steel Monk, Nazaran. "Saru will steal everything from you."

Then, Amak's voice whispered in Nazaran's ears.

"Uhaaahk! Stop, stop!" Nazaran screamed, his form reflected in the mirror.

* * *

One day later...

Kang Oh entered an abandoned house.

"You're here?" Scapi said. She had been waiting for him. "You're ready, I assume?" she asked.

Kang Oh nodded his head.

"Then let's go."

Scapi pulled out an open palm-shaped black leaf. It was a key that'd open the door to the Shadow World. She stabbed the tip of it into a shadow, causing it to resemble a swamp.

"Follow me."

Scapi walked into the shadow, and Kang Oh followed right behind her.

[You have entered the Shadow World.]