Chapter 90 - Holy Sword Bastian (8)

According to the message, the theme of this quest was the proof of qualification.

It was also the final stage leading to the final gate.

“It means everyone could be eliminated here.”

“Or, everyone could pass and go to the final gate together.”

The place we entered to prove our qualifications was a small dungeon with only a boss room.

The boss room was still blocked by a transparent barrier.

We would enter that room one by one and face a boss monster each.

Of course, we had no idea what kind of monster would appear.

“Who wants to go first? If no one volunteers, I'll go first.”

The one who started the conversation was Heo Jeong-ah.

To this, Kim Jin-seop immediately made another proposal.

“How about we decide after the monster appears?”

“We decide after seeing what comes out?”

“Exactly. Hunters also have compatibilities with monsters.”

“I don't have any compatibility issues. How about you, Seo Ji-han?”

Heo Jeong-ah asked, but in truth, it did not matter to me either way.

What was important was not the method or the order.

“You guys figure it out.”

“What, how bland. It's no fun that way.”

“If I had to choose, I'd go with Jo Sung-tae's proposal.”

“Why?”

“No reason.”

Although I said that, I had intentionally sided with Kim Jin-seop.

After completing this quest, it would be the final stage.

Since the entire journey was reaching its end, there was no reason to keep Kim Jin-seop alive any longer, and I thought I would do him a small favor before cutting his breath.

Because there was one piece of information I wanted to extract from this guy.

“Alright. I'll accept it too.”

Heo Jeong-ah readily agreed.

Of course, this method also depended largely on luck and chance.

Even if a monster appeared in the first round, there was no knowing what would come out in the second. In the end, one had to decide to take on the challenge under uncertainty.

[A monster will be generated.]

“Finally!”

“It's starting.”

Along with the message, sparks began to fly in the air in the boss room.

And then, a huge silhouette gradually took shape.

It appeared flamboyantly, letting out a scream that seemed to tear the eardrums.

“Kraaaaaang!!”

What appeared inside the barrier was a monster reminiscent of a dinosaur.

[A Tyrant Lizard has been generated. Only one selected challenger may enter the boss room.]

A monster I had never seen before.

It would be unfamiliar to the other two as well.

“It's overwhelming with its size!”

Kim Jin-seop clicked his tongue and took a step back.

On the other hand, Heo Jeong-ah wore a rather interested expression at the unknown monster.

“It's blocked by a barrier so I can't feel its mana, so we have to decide just by its appearance. You don't know this monster either, right, Seo Ji-han?”

“At least, it's not in the monster encyclopedia.”

“Jo Sung-tae looks like he's already chickened out, so if you have no complaints, Seo Ji-han, I'm thinking of taking that one. Is that okay?”

I nodded my head.

“Who said I chickened out!”

“Then you go into the boss room as number 1, Jo Sung-tae.”

“No, I'll pass on that. I always make all my decisions carefully.”

“You did chicken out.”

I also agreed that Kim Jin-seop had chickened out.

His ability to instinctively avoid danger was commendable.

From what I could see, there was no way Kim Jin-seop could win against that lizard, no matter what he did.

Since the boss room was blocked by a barrier, I could not feel the strength of the Tyrant Lizard's mana no matter how much I focused my senses, but I could see it with my Mana Eyes.

‘Mana almost equal to Heo Jeong-ah's.’

It meant it was a considerably high-level monster.

Of course, that did not mean I thought Heo Jeong-ah would struggle to the point of a life-or-death battle.

What was equal was only the mana; there was bound to be a difference in combat sense.

“Alright! Then, since you both have no complaints, I'll go in as number 1, okay?”

Heo Jeong-ah showed confidence even against an unknown monster.

This kind of disposition was bound to break and be crushed at some point.

Fortunately, there would be no problem today.

[The first challenger has entered the boss room.]

[The qualification verification will now begin.]

“Seo Ji-han, what do you think? About Heo Jeong-ah.”

“A free pass.”

I had no doubt about this.

“Well, among the three of us, she's definitely the most outstanding in terms of skill. Anyway, if it goes as you say, our alliance will become even more important.”

“I haven't said I'd form an alliance yet.”

“What's with you? To catch Heo Jeong-ah, it's our destiny to join hands, you know that too!”

No matter how much delusion is free, he had big dreams.

He planned to form an alliance with me to catch Heo Jeong-ah and then stab me in the back, and he seemed to believe this plan was feasible.

It was truly absurd.

“Jo Sung-tae, I have something to ask you. I'll think about forming an alliance after hearing your answer.”

“What on earth do you want?”

I began my build-up with a sly smile.

“Actually, there's something I haven't told you.”

As I said that, I took out an item from my Inventory.

The map I had obtained from Kim Joon-kyung.

In an instant, Kim Jin-seop's eyes widened.

“Seo Ji-han! How do you have that!”

He reacted too easily, as if he had forgotten he was hiding his identity.

The situation was so sudden that he must have been dumbfounded.

This would make things a bit easier.

“So you do know about this map.”

“Huh?”

Only then did he wear a look of regret.

This guy was also bad at controlling his expression.

“Where does this map lead?”

“Wh-why, are you asking me that!”

“If you don't answer or lie, our alliance is off. Of course, the story about Lee Tae-sung that you're curious about will also be over.”

When I mentioned Lee Tae-sung, an earthquake erupted in his pupils.

When pressing, it was necessary to make him more flustered.

So that he could not make a proper judgment.

“I heard this map is an item from 40 years ago. Is that right?”

It was still just a guess, but I decided to make a bold move.

Since I was somewhat certain.

“D-did Lee Tae-sung really tell you that?”

And Kim Jin-seop's expression now was as good as telling me the answer.

If I had known he was this easy, I would have probed him sooner.

“And the destination of this map is where the person from 40 years ago is.”

“What! Did Lee Tae-sung really tell you all that?”

“No. Not Lee Tae-sung, you.”

“What?”

“You told me.”

The fact that Kim Jin-seop had brought up the story about the portal was decisive.

I had a feeling that things were fitting together exquisitely, and in the end, the puzzle was completed.

“As a token of my gratitude, I'll give you a gift. You said you were curious about Lee Tae-sung's whereabouts?”

“What the hell are you!”

“Lee Tae-sung died at my hands. No, to be precise, it should be Kim Joon-kyung of the Jungwon Sword Family.”

At my words, Kim Jin-seop stared at me blankly as if time had stopped.

“Are you in shock?”

Until now, he had not been able to accept his brother's death.

But now, he would have no choice but to believe it.

The puzzle must have been completed in his mind as well.

“...You've been deceiving me all this time?”

“Yes. Kim Jin-seop of the Jungwon Sword Family.”

“You son of a bitch!”

Kim Jin-seop lunged at me with his sword in a surprise attack.

A much weaker power than his brother's.

I lightly dodged and struck the back of his neck with the side of my hand.

Thwack!

Kim Jin-seop collapsed powerlessly.

“Still, his brother had some decent skills.”

“Shit!”

“A look of resentment.”

Of course, I felt no sympathy.

The two brothers of the Jungwon Sword Family had tried to kill me with dirty tricks.

“I'll kill you!”

He got up and charged at me once again.

There was no focus in his eyes.

Just the single-minded determination to kill me. And he was just charging with a sword full of mana.

Swoooosh!

I had no intention of dragging it out.

Now, he would go to his brother's side.

The Reapersword drew a semicircle.

***

As expected, Heo Jeong-ah easily dealt with the Tyrant Lizard and came out.

There was a brief, intense moment, but it was only for a moment.

The performance she showed in the boss room was by no means lacking for the next head of the Taeseong Sword Family.

‘A state similar to Seo Ji-won's.’

Considering her age, her potential for growth was even greater.

As soon as she came out of the boss room, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked me.

“What is this?”

“You can see what it is.”

“I know it's a corpse, but what on earth happened.”

As expected, she was no ordinary character.

Even after seeing Kim Jin-seop dead, she asked me about the circumstances without the slightest bit of agitation.

“It's a bit of a long story to explain.”

“Well, I can roughly picture it. This guy Jo Sung-tae always had an insidious side to him.”

“To be precise, Kim Jin-seop of the Jungwon Sword Family.”

“What does that mean?”

“He was wearing a Human Skin Mask.”

“How do you know that.”

“If you don't believe me, you can take it off yourself.”

Heo Jeong-ah crouched in front of Kim Jin-seop's corpse without hesitation and placed her hand on his face.

“What is this! I thought he was insidious, and it seems it really was a Human Skin Mask.

Anyway, there's no normal person among those who use these things.”

“That's not necessarily true, but anyway, take it off.”

“What do you mean it's not.”

Rip!

At her touch, Kim Jin-seop's real face was finally revealed.

As expected, physiognomy is a science.

The real face hidden behind the mask was even more gloomy and insidious.

“This is Kim Jin-seop of the Jungwon Sword Family? But why did this guy have to hide his identity?”

“We'll talk about the details later.”

Perhaps there would be more to talk about.

I was still thinking about what to do with the map from 40 years ago that I had unexpectedly obtained.

At that moment. The boss room was gestating another monster.

[A monster will be generated.]

“Seo Ji-han, I'm saying this for your own good. If something like the Tyrant Lizard appears again, it would be better for you not to challenge it.”

“Worried about me again?”

“Worried? What! I'm just telling you not to risk your life in a fight you can't win. In case you get the wrong idea after seeing me catch it so easily.”

“It sounds like you're worried in the end.”

“Funny.”

[A Tyrant Hydra has been generated. Due to the death of one challenger, if you do not wish to challenge this turn, you may pass to the next turn.]

Another unfamiliar monster.

But through my Mana Eyes, I could roughly guess the monster's level.

About 70 percent of the lizard from before.

But even at this level, it was a monster that could be classified as a high-level species.

“Seo Ji-han! What are you going to do?”

“No need to drag it out, I'll challenge it.”

“Really?”

I could have chosen to see the next turn, but I could not find a reason to do so.

The fact that the lizard did not appear again already made it feel much easier, and even if it had, I had no intention of avoiding it.

Above all, I, Johan Raven, have never once fought while picking my opponents.

Even if the opponent was a dragon.