Chapter 48: Absolute Darkness (1)
She had seen the Execution Sword before.
...To be more precise, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness had seen the real 'Execution Sword'.
Unlike the Execution Sword she originally received as a gift from him, the real one possessed a power so great that merely holding it could overcome vast differences in realms.
And compared to such a real Execution Sword, the one the Absolute Ruler of Darkness had received as a gift from him was realistically very different.
Of course, that didn't mean the Absolute Ruler of Darkness didn't treasure the Execution Sword she received from him.
No, in fact, even though the Absolute Ruler of Darkness clearly knew that the Execution Sword he had gifted her was far less valuable than those held by other heroes, she cherished it even more.
After all, the Execution Sword was something he had made directly for the Absolute Ruler of Darkness from the start.
Therefore, even though the Execution Sword she received as a gift was of lower value, it was more magnificent and precious to the Absolute Ruler of Darkness than any other Execution Sword.
Thus, she could tell.
'This is, certainly-'
The Execution Sword in her hand now was definitely her own.
As she clearly recalled that, numerous thoughts flashed through the mind of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness.
For her, the current situation was utterly incomprehensible.
After all, she had already destroyed the Execution Sword she had due to her own foolish mistake when he had left.
Therefore, after staring at the Execution Sword with trembling eyes for a while, the Absolute Ruler of Darkness soon turned her gaze towards the Lord's castle of the Rapengan territory.
"......"
In fact, she wanted to storm into the Lord's castle right then and there.
She wanted to find out who had put this Execution Sword up for auction and question the person who had submitted it.
But the thoughts of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness did not lead to action.
To her knowledge, the Lord of Rapengan was someone who absolutely protected the secrets of the exhibitors who submitted items to this grand auction.
Even if she rushed in and threatened the Lord of Rapengan, she wouldn't be able to obtain any information.
After all, the Rapengan territory had grown so vast precisely because of such integrity in their small commercial territory.
However, knowing this fact did not make the curiosity and questions of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness disappear.
"......"
For a while, she silently looked at the Lord's castle of the Rapengan territory.
Recently, a somewhat strange rumor had been spreading among mercenaries and adventurers.
"...So, according to what you're saying, in two days, the Lord of Lartania will open the gates to the Labyrinth?"
"That's right."
"Is that really true?"
"It seems to be true, doesn't it?"
"Ha-ha, that's quite fascinating."
"What will you do? Will you go to the territory of Lartania?"
"If they're opening the Labyrinth and I don't go, wouldn't I be a fool? I should run there right now...!"
This was the rumor about the territory of Lartania, that 'the Lord of Lartania is opening the Labyrinth'.
"Hmm, to be honest, it's hard to believe. Why would they open a Labyrinth in the territory of Lartania in the first place?"
"I think so too. There's no benefit to opening it anyway, is there?"
"I heard it's legal to go into the Labyrinth, kill monsters, and come out with Magic Stones, but then they tax the Magic Stones you bring out."
"Taxes?"
"Well, since it's a product from within the territory."
"I heard about that too, something like 40%."
"40%? ...Not that you can only bring out 40%, but that you only have to give 40%?"
"Right."
"Well, if you think about it, it's unbelievably profitable?? It seems we could earn several times more than what we make from escorting and subjugating... No matter how you look at it, isn't it too good to be true?"
"Honestly, I think so too."
Of course, most mercenaries viewed the rumor negatively, thinking it was too absurd to be true.
After all, even with a 40% tax, the rumor was too good a deal for mercenaries and adventurers.
Mercenaries, who well knew that the world doesn't just work in favorable ways, doubted the rumor.
"Still, it's too good a deal not to check if the rumor is true at least once."
"I had nothing else to do anyway, so it worked out."
"I'll go too."
Ultimately, mercenaries and adventurers are beings drawn by money.
Thus, having heard the spreading rumor, they began to gather in the territory of Lartania.
About two days later, on the day the Lord of Lartania said he would open the Labyrinth.
Territory: Lartania
Territory Development Level:
332
Territory Residents:
[Humans: 2631]
-Owned Buildings-
[Lord's Castle LV1 >>> Upgrading 99%]
[Wall LV2]
[Residential District LV2]
[Blacksmith LV3]
[Barracks LV2 >>> Upgrading 32%]
[Tavern LV2]
[Market LV1]
[Woodworking Shop LV1]
[Restaurant LV1]
[Leather Workshop LV1]
[Stone Workshop LV1]
[Trading Post LV1]
Owned Troops:
-200 ordinary soldiers [Upgradeable soldiers are available!]
Kim Hyunwoo, having just confirmed that the territory's development level had surpassed 300, turned his attention to the mercenaries gathered noisily.
"My Lord."
As he heard a voice, Kim Hyunwoo turned to see Elena there.
"Ah, Elena."
"First, as you intended, soldiers have been stationed on the first tier, and it seems all the mercenaries have gathered, but is this okay?"
Elena, who had entered the Lord's office, spoke with a slightly anxious expression.
Her anxiousness was natural.
To her, who knew nothing, what Kim Hyunwoo was doing must have seemed nothing short of bizarre.
What she saw was Kim Hyunwoo essentially giving away the most valuable resources that could be obtained by the Lord to mercenaries.
'Of course, the mercenaries have filled the territory, and the inns attached to the commercial district and tavern are packed.'
Initially, it seemed too wasteful to sell such expensive resources from the territory for just that much, and indeed, Elena's thoughts were not wrong.
However, the reason Kim Hyunwoo could smile with confidence was that he had a method.
A way to continually summon monsters, which in other territories would only appear periodically.
Kim Hyunwoo opened a window in front of Elena, who looked at him worriedly.
It was the cash window of Arteil, turned on by Loria.
In other words, the devilish cash window filled with the BM (Business Model) Kim Hyunwoo had terribly dreaded appeared in front of him.
[Soul of Chakram:
87,220 Won (Stones)]
[Knuckles of North Mountain Work:
142,200 Won (Stones)]
[Yallan's Neckpiece:
98,000 Won (Stones)]
[Shallai's Armor:
55,500 Won (Stones)]
"Ugh."
"Yes?"
"No, it's nothing."
Upon opening the cash window, Kim Hyunwoo, startled by the sudden appearance of the gift list and its prices, involuntarily felt a PTSD flashback from 10 years ago and, fumbling through Elena's concerns, smoothly navigated the window.
Soon.
'Found it.'
Kim Hyunwoo found it.
"Grow a Hero in the Labyrinth Package!"
"Raise a hero in your Labyrinth! Your Labyrinth will be continuously filled with monsters, and your hero will grow as quickly as the monsters are replenished!"
[From the moment you purchase the package, the number of monsters in the Labyrinth will always be maintained consistently!]
[Additional Experience from Labyrinth Hunting - 20% / Magic Stone Drop Rate - 20%]
[20-Day Pass] / [5000 Red Stones]
{Purchase}
[30-Day Pass] / [7000 Red Stones]
{Purchase}
The key package that would create the Labyrinth city he envisioned.
And then.
['You have purchased the Grow a Hero in the Labyrinth Package!']
Kim Hyunwoo, who had purchased the Grow a Hero in the Labyrinth Package without hesitation,
"Now, let's go out to the square,"
stepped out to the square with Elena, smiling.
By the time Kim Hyunwoo had officially gone out to the square.
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness, who had returned to the Calan Kingdom along with the Five Swords of Calan waiting outside the territory, stared intently at the Execution Sword before tucking it into her own darkness.
In fact, she still didn't know why the Execution Sword, which seemed to be hers, was exhibited there.
Moreover, she hadn't figured out who had exhibited the Execution Sword, which made the mind of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness still very complicated.
However.
She decided not to worry about it anymore.
After all, what mattered to the Absolute Ruler of Darkness now was not how this Execution Sword appeared, but the fact that by obtaining it, she could return to him.
From the beginning, that was the only thing important to her.
...In fact, the original Absolute Ruler of Darkness would have investigated even the smallest doubts to the end, but she no longer wanted to look elsewhere since she had already fulfilled all the conditions to meet Kim Hyunwoo.
Precisely, she did not want to delay meeting him any longer.
Therefore, she deliberately turned her attention away from how the Execution Sword was exhibited.
She also decided to abandon the thought that the Execution Sword before her eyes was hers.
After all, she had seen several weapons that were made to look endlessly similar to her Execution Sword, but their performances were inferior.
Likewise, knowing that her Execution Sword had clearly broken and disappeared, she came to a conclusion.
The Execution Sword in her hand was not hers but another one strikingly similar to hers.
The Absolute Ruler of Darkness, who wanted to meet Kim Hyunwoo in haste, instead of calmly uncovering the truth.
'Surely, since he said he missed me...!'
She gave in to the impatience filling her heart.
"Master, are you... leaving right away?"
"Yes."
Loriel looked a bit bewildered at the Absolute Ruler of Darkness's immediate response.
After all, Loriel, having seen the Absolute Ruler of Darkness as a disciple for years, had never seen her this impatient.
At least, the Master she knew always made very cool-headed judgments in any situation, so she was bewildered.
It was as if she had already made all her decisions.
"I will go to the Lartania territory."
Having gathered all the gifts she had collected so far, she began heading towards Lartania.