Chapter 186

After the war with Basilica.

A rather desolate air hung over the palace of Ninyaru, the city of the Labyrinth's Merchant Guild.

The Golden Knights who guarded the palace, the Black Knights who guarded the city, and the White Knights who guarded its surroundings were all gone.

There were servants who resided in the court, but.

They did not usually come to the hall where Nyao was.

It was only natural that the entire palace felt desolate.

Nyao, too, liked such things.

Because falling asleep on the treasures in this desolate and languid hall was the best kind of nap.

However, today it was being disturbed.

“……”

As he looked at the uninvited guest with slightly resentful eyes.

“……?”

“What is it, Nyao?”

The woman asked him back.

Nyao knew he was quite strong now, but.

For some reason, he lowered his gaze.

The habit engraved on his body long ago was quite deep.

In any case.

He nodded his head when he saw that the woman, Helena, and Seonghyun had returned.

“Hooo, O future Overlord. The service you have……”

“Let's be comfortable, Nyao-ya.”

“Ah, shall we?”

“Yep, yep, it's just us, so what's the big deal?”

“Th-That is true.”

The king's dignity was truly in shambles.

He held back tears.

But it could not be helped.

Seonghyun felt a little sorry for Nyao's state, but.

It's not like he specifically stopped her.

He had no intention of getting involved in their relationship.

Besides, he was also benefiting from it.

Was there really a need to stop her?

As Seonghyun remained quiet like that.

Nyao spoke to Seonghyun comfortably.

“Ahem, so, it would be good if you chose any items you want. Roughly four…… no, five of them?”

Nyao, who was about to say four, glanced at Helena and increased it to five.

Seonghyun looked at Nyao and expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you.”

[The Hidden Chain Quest reward will be given!]

[It will be given along with the Hidden Raid reward and will be enhanced.]

[You may choose five items from the collection of 『The Absolute Ruler of Ninyaru, Karnyao Hel Bellios』!]

As that message appeared.

Seonghyun was able to enter among the collection of items.

‘What should I choose from here?’

He did have a rough idea of what to pick.

What items did Seonghyun need right now?

Most of his equipment was already close to end-game level.

So he did not need to choose any.

Then what was he trying to get?

It was.

『Soul of a Noble Knight』

→《Unique》

→Material Item.

『Essence of the Primeval Forest』

→《Legendary》

→Material Item.

『Amber of the World Tree』

→《Legendary》

→Material Item.

『Wooden Sword of the World Tree』

→《Legendary》

→Elf Exclusive Item.

He chose material items to create a body for Silvanor, whom he had brought from the Hall of Knights, and an item that seemed like it would be good for Silvanor to use.

His other familiars already had their own items, so they did not need any.

In the cases of Helena or Serphina, their bodies were of a mage-type that could sufficiently cast spells, so they did not have a particular need.

But Silvanor was a swordsman, and he could not be without a sword.

So he chose one for him.

He filtered out the other materials as they did not seem like they would have a very good effect on Silvanor's body.

One last item remained.

‘What should I choose.’

As Seonghyun pondered, now truly having nothing to choose.

Helena glanced at Nyao.

“Hmm, I think that ring should be in here?”

At Helena's words, Nyao was so startled he leaped up from his throne.

What on earth was it that he was so surprised?

Then Nyao looked at Helena pathetically and said.

“H-Helena-nim, that one…… didn't you give that to me……”

Nyao spoke genuinely, as if truly aggrieved, with no trace of a king's dignity.

At his state, even Helena looked a bit sorry and wore a regretful expression.

“Hmm, you want to keep that one?”

“O-Of course! Where else would there be such a treasure……”

Nyao pleaded, as if he really did not want to give it away.

At this point, even Seonghyun felt too sorry to receive it and was about to stop her.

“Then how about this?”

“Pardon?”

“I can't right now, but later I'll make a similar one and give you back two.”

“T-Two of them!?”

Helena made a deal.

Seonghyun also stayed quiet, wondering what was going on.

Nyao pondered for a long time.

As Helena remained quiet as if to say, ‘take it or leave it’.

“Uh, do you know how long it will take?”

Nyao caved.

Helena smiled brightly and nodded her head.

“How about a time frame of 100 years from now?”

“Oh! That's shorter than I thought. Excellent!”

‘What did I just hear?’

I'll make you two similar ones in 100 years, so hand that one over now?

It was a deal that anyone could see was a loss for Nyao.

But Nyao readily accepted, as if 100 years was a really short time for him.

‘Is this actually happening?’

As Seonghyun was a bit dumbfounded by the thought.

Nyao approached Seonghyun and handed him a ring.

“This is it. Take it.”

“……Thank you.”

Something felt a bit off, but.

In the end, he said he would give it.

As Seonghyun reached out to take the ring Nyao was handing him.

Nyao, who was holding it, did not loosen his grip.

“……?”

‘Weren't you giving it to me?’

As Seonghyun looked at Nyao like that.

“Ah, sorry, I did that unconsciously.”

Nyao said apologetically and truly loosened his grip to give it to him.

As Seonghyun took it, he watched the ring with a pitiful gaze until the very end.

Seonghyun tried his best to ignore it.

A gaze like some tragic, star-crossed male protagonist.

Just how good of an item was it for him to act like that?

As Seonghyun checked the item.

『Infinite Heart』

→《Almighty》

→A ring whose creation process is a mystery. It is a ring that even a gathering of archmages today cannot replicate.

→It is unknown who made it or for what purpose, but the mage who gets their hands on this ring will surely wield immense power.

→Exclusive item for Mage and Black Mage type mana-based classes.

→When equipped, 'Infinite Mana' can be used once per day.

→When 'Infinite Mana' is used, for 1 minute, any action that consumes mana can be activated without consuming mana.

→Maximum Mana +100%

→Mana Regeneration +50%

“Ah.”

It was understandable why he did not want to give it away.

How can an item like this exist?

Infinite Mana?

A ring that contained a skill allowing him to use any skill or whatever for 1 minute without consuming mana.

On top of that, it was an item that doubled his max mana.

And it was an item that increased mana regeneration by 50%.

Even for an Almighty-rank item, the impression that it was formidable was strong.

‘It's incredible.’

So that was why Nyao had resisted even Helena and said no.

This was certainly something worth refusing to give away.

A ring that even Seonghyun would stare at blankly, as if mesmerized.

As Seonghyun looked at it and swallowed hard.

He could see Nyao still looking at the ring with a pitiful expression.

Seeing that, Seonghyun quickly put it on his hand, and Nyao closed his eyes tightly.

Then.

[You have selected all the items.]

[You have acquired the rewards!]

A message appeared, saying he had selected all the items.

Now that he had really received everything, as Seonghyun came out from where Nyao's collection was.

Nyao spoke to Seonghyun and Helena as if he were tired.

“Hooo, you have truly accomplished a great deal. Thank you.”

Nyao sat as if buried in his throne, looking as though he had lost much more than that.

He did feel a little bad for him, but.

Still, he had no intention of giving the ring back.

“Ahem.”

“Yes…… come again whenever you wish. Helena-nim, I hope you remain well until then.”

“Yep~ You take care too, Nyao~”

“Stay well.”

Seeing Nyao, who had indirectly told them to leave, Helena and Seonghyun said their goodbyes and left the hall.

As soon as they were out, Helena looked at Seonghyun excitedly and asked.

“Ahem, that ring is pretty good, isn't it?”

“It's beyond just 'pretty good'.”

“Ahaha! You've got a good eye.”

“Did you make this too, Helena?”

“Yep, I made a few masterpieces while doing it as a hobby, and that's one of them.”

She has a few more things like this?

However, seeing as it did not apply to the Remnants of the Great Black Mage set.

It seemed there were probably not that many items of this caliber.

It would have been nice if it applied.

That was a bit of a shame.

“That's probably because it was made at a different time than those other items.”

Helena explained, as Seonghyun was curious.

So that's how it was.

It was a shame, but it was still an incredible item.

He was not greatly disappointed.

Well then, now there was something to do.

[To complete the 3rd Class Advancement, find the related NPC in the city you first entered.]

“In the end.”

‘I have to go find Branch Manager Belmore.’

Since it was an unavoidable system.

‘I have no choice but to go back.’

Even if he had gone to another city, if it had been an Over Palace branch, it might not have been much different from Branch Manager Belmore.

The people of Over Palace that Seonghyun had seen so far were all like Branch Manager Belmore.

‘Anyway, let's return to Pentagrid.’

He could get a hint about the 3rd Class Advancement there and then move on to another place.

As Seonghyun thought that and was about to leave Ninyaru, the city of the Labyrinth's Merchant Guild.

He came face to face with Beki, as if she had come out to see him off.

“Nyaang!? Customer Seonghyun, are you leaving-ong!?”

“It's you, Beki-nim. Hello.”

“Hehe, I'm doing well thanks to you-nyan. It's a shame you're leaving-ong.”

“I will come again when I have the chance.”

“Nyaang!? Then please take this with you-ong!”

Wondering what she was giving him, he accepted it.

It was an admission ticket to enter Ninyaru.

To think she would even take care of something like this.

Gratefully, Seonghyun accepted the admission ticket and waved his hand to Beki.

“I'll see you next time.”

“P-Please call me anytime if you need anything-nyan!”

And so, he parted with Beki and left the labyrinth.

He felt the rough energy of black magic from somewhere.

Right after coming out?

He wondered what was going on, but seeing Helena remain calm.

He thought it probably was not dangerous.

So, as Seonghyun waited.

He heard the sound of something rushing quickly from the far end of the labyrinth.

“Loyaltyyyy, I greet the true successor!!!”

Branch Manager Belmore came running like a madman and bowed his head.

‘I just came out of the labyrinth, and he felt it and came to find me right away?’

What on earth is this…….

As Seonghyun looked at Branch Manager Belmore with a dumbfounded expression.

Branch Manager Belmore fumbled through his pocket.

And took out several items.

All of them were Unique-rank equipment.

What is this?

He's giving me all of this?

As Seonghyun looked at Branch Manager Belmore with a bewildered expression.

“These are the items of the fools who dared to aim for the successor, not knowing their place. It is our class to offer them to their rightful owner. Please, accept them.”

At those words, Seonghyun first had to understand what he was even saying.

It was not easy to understand that there were people targeting him in the first place.

But what did he mean by taking their items and offering them to him?

Well, since he was giving them, he was naturally accepting them, but.

He was a little bewildered.

‘Who was targeting me?’

Was it Echo Willow again?

He roughly thought so and let it pass.

Belmore fumbled in his pocket again, took something out, and held it up towards Seonghyun.

An item he was giving as if it were very precious, unlike the other items he had offered so far.

An ink-black compass.

Seeing it, Seonghyun's eyes went wide.

Could this be?

“This is an item needed to proceed to the next step.”

At those words, Seonghyun accepted the black compass.

[You are over Level 150, so the 3rd Class Advancement is possible.]

[You have acquired the Overlord-exclusive 3rd Class Advancement item, 『Overlord's Compass』.]

‘Oh.’

A real 3rd Class Advancement item.

As Seonghyun was about to thank Branch Manager Belmore.

Another message appeared.

[For the Overlord's 3rd Class Advancement, 『The Lord of Blood, Lajeare』, who was in a deep slumber, awakens.]

And.

[This is a world-wide announcement.]

[A large-scale event will occur!]

[Two days from the current time, an event will occur in 『All Labyrinth Regions』.]

[All users between Level 120 and Level 160 can participate.]

[Details are not yet disclosed.]

[We ask for your enthusiastic participation.]

Along with that, a large-scale event notice appeared.

A lot of things had appeared at once.