Ch-90
—
They had tracked down the warp connected to the Labyrinth City, intending to seize it quickly.
But the White King had intervened.
He had officially declared it to every city.
If anyone touched it, he would turn the place into a sea of fire.
He was a madman through and through—but his opponent was the White King.
If it was the White King, he could say such things.
“Damn it. To think it would be under the White King’s influence.”
The Master clicked his tongue.
Not Phantom Randolph, but one of the White King’s Five Pillars.
There could always be someone with the same name, yet for some reason, he felt suffocated.
“Could Phantom have changed his appearance or something?”
“That would be impossible, would it not? Unless one changes their species entirely.”
The White King was not someone who would fail to notice just because one altered their appearance to look like a monster.
The White King was known to possess foresight.
A man who could see events far into the future would not fail to recognize a human.
Let alone Medusa.
Therefore, simply altering one’s appearance was not enough to earn a place among the Five Pillars.
“So it’s really just someone with the same name? Only the name overlaps?”
“That is what I believe.”
“Are there any skills or items that can change one’s species?”
“Even the highest-grade transformation potions cannot change one’s race. So I do not believe such a thing exists.”
“What about a hidden trait?”
Hidden Traits.
Among those revealed so far, there was indeed one related to species.
The man who remembered it opened his mouth.
“Are you referring to Glutton?”
“Yes. If it’s Glutton, it might be possible.”
“Glutton has been conclusively determined to be the most useless hidden trait. It grants monstrous attributes, yes, but the host can never survive the poison and mental contamination…”
“The opponent is Phantom. If it’s Phantom, he might be able to endure it.”
“Even a transcendent’s body was deemed incapable of surviving it. No matter if he is Phantom, how could he possibly have a way?”
Glutton was a hidden trait that granted bodily mutations and certain monster characteristics.
But its drawbacks were so severe that utilizing it properly was impossible.
In short—*a trash hidden trait.*
Among all hidden traits, it was the most worthless.
The man added,
“And even Glutton cannot change one’s species. It merely grants a few monster-like features.”
“…Right. That’s how it was.”
The Master nodded.
So was it truly nothing more than the same name?
This was something tested tens, hundreds of times.
There was no way the conclusion was wrong.
Glutton was definitely a trash-tier hidden trait.
The Master rubbed his temples.
“As if my head wasn’t already full because of that Kim Hana woman.”
“Should we send her a warning?”
“No. Leave her be. We need to reorganize the assassination squad anyway, so we’ll have to bury the article quietly.”
The entire assassination unit had headed for Randolph—and been swallowed by the Abyss.
A painful loss.
And one they had yet to recover from.
Then suddenly, a thought occurred to the Master, and he spoke.
“The ‘Special-Grade Auction’ being held in the Empire is being prepared without issue, right?”
“Yes. You need not worry.”
“We must prepare thoroughly. Only then can we recoup our losses.”
To recover the losses they had sustained, they needed to do well at the Special-Grade Auction.
Held once a year in the Empire, only those with invitations were permitted to attend—an invitation that even the rulers of most cities could not obtain.
The chosen few would gather and compete with astronomical sums of money.
It was incomparable to the auction houses used by players.
If they were lucky, they might even forge connections with nobles of the Empire.
It was an auction worth staking one’s life on.
“How much gold do you think we can gather before the auction?”
“We should be able to collect around one hundred million gold.”
“Make it two hundred million. Sell off every last relic from the ruins if you must.”
“Will that truly be all right?”
“This is the first time we’ve been invited by the Empire. I must show them what I’m capable of.”
Among all players, it was said to be the first time anyone had received an invitation to the Empire’s Special-Grade Auction.
Therefore, he had to make a lasting impression.
*This is the perfect opportunity. If I can forge ties with an Imperial noble, climbing higher will be trivial.*
If that became possible, he could recover all losses and achieve results that defied imagination.
He could not afford to miss this chance.
Clench!
The Master tightened his fist.
*
*
“……”
Hudson’s vision went black.
No—his field of view was filled with gold.
—How is it? These are the treasures I’ve gathered over my lifetime!
Before Hudson, Greed stood with hands on hips, boasting.
Mountains of gold, silver, and jewels stretched endlessly.
“S-So Randolph-nim took all of this?”
—…Yes. It all belongs to him now.
But Greed’s shoulders drooped almost immediately.
Though he had gathered these treasures over an entire lifetime, he had lost every gamble and ultimately had everything taken by Randolph.
Hudson’s eyes spun.
Old Imperial coins and treasures linked to the Old Empire.
“At least a billion gold…”
His head started to spin as well.
If everything here were sold, it would fetch a *minimum* of one billion gold.
If things went well, he could probably get over 1.3 billion.
The problem was figuring out *how* to sell such a massive amount.
—Still, it is fine! I can gather more. I have a contract with him, after all—twenty percent is mine. The Abyss Labyrinth is filled with treasures…
Greed spoke in a sad voice, as though comforting himself.
Born in the Abyss Labyrinth, Greed could not leave it.
Instead, in exchange for guarding the labyrinth, he and Randolph had agreed that he could keep twenty percent of the treasures he personally found.
*Only twenty percent?*
Hudson folded his arms and let out a low hum.
He guarded the labyrinth, personally unearthed the treasures, and yet received only twenty percent.
But Hudson held back his words.
More urgent was deciding how to handle the treasure.
*I’ll need to visit the Golden City of Arcana.*
Other than the Empire, Arcana was the only place capable of processing such wealth.
If he spurred competition among the city council and major figures, they would be able to absorb it all.
Hudson ignited his resolve.
*My connections in Arcana are still alive. I’ll reclaim the casino, get some money laundering done, hire the best warp engineer to build additional warps in the labyrinth…*
There was much to do.
All of it entrusted to him by Randolph.
Yet he felt no burden.
He was grateful, if anything.
*Let’s turn this labyrinth into the greatest city. One so vast no one would dare touch it. And then I’ll confess to Serengeti.*
His heart pounded.
There was no reason to hesitate any longer.
When Serengeti awoke, he would confess immediately.
Which meant—he had to settle everything before she woke.
The first goal was to sell the treasure and begin circulating money.
*It’s the perfect chance to show Randolph-nim my true abilities.*
He could not disappoint the man who trusted him and left everything in his hands.
This time—he would truly be of help!
Light flickered in Hudson’s eyes.
*
*
After Randolph departed for the Mountain of the Trainees—
Isabella, too, finished preparing to leave.
—Randolph-nim. Please permit me to head alone for the desert city, Faisalmer.
—Now that the Queen is dead, I am the only rightful successor.
The Snake Princess. She had hated that title, but no longer.
The Desert Queen was dead.
The rightful ruler of the desert city Faisalmer—
was now Isabella.
If she became its ruler, she could likely designate it as the third warp-link location for the Labyrinth.
*This, too, must be my destiny.*
Kidnapped as a child and forced to become the Snake Princess.
Then she met Randolph… and witnessed the Desert Queen’s death with her own eyes.
If she remained still now, she would be trapped in place forever.
It was time to move forward.
She would make absolutely sure she became the master of the desert city.
Though it would not be easy.
*I’ll return.*
Isabella set out for the desert city.
*
*
“Hah! Huff!”
Isaac awoke with a scream, jolting upright.
He rubbed his neck and exhaled.
His whole body was drenched in sweat.
“Damn nightmare…”
Isaac had been suffering from recurring nightmares recently.
Dreams where he was being chased.
Dreams where he was eventually beheaded.
Ever since leaving Cramdel, he had dreamed the same dream over and over.
“Who’s chasing me…?”
Randolph had told him it wasn’t him, but Isaac felt uneasy.
Even though his sins had been erased and he was free to roam the city, he couldn’t bring himself to go out.
He had decided to stay at House Weiser until the Labyrinth City was stabilized, but even here, he felt anxious.
“I can’t take this anymore.”
In the end, Isaac went outside.
He thought a walk somewhere quiet might calm his nerves.
Following a small forest path, Isaac continued walking.
After some time—
“…Stop following me and show yourself.”
Someone had tailed him the moment he stepped outside.
They were so stealthy he had initially assumed they were an assassin.
But they never attacked, even after several openings.
“You finally found me.”
A man emerged from behind a tree.
He wore a white cloak, and from his forehead protruded horns as white as ivory.
Patches of visible skin were covered in tattoos.
Isaac drew a dagger from his coat.
“Who are you?”
“A Star-bearer.”
“…A Star-bearer?”
“You have proven your qualification and found me. Now, challenge the star.”
“How do I know you’re really a Star-bearer?”
Randolph was one as well.
But the man before him felt… different.
“Young one. Have you not been dreaming every night—fleeing, only to be beheaded?”
“……”
“That is the signal sent by the star that granted you its qualification. The Star of the Beheaded.”
“There’s actually a star called that?”
“Oh yes. Very much so.”
There was something suspicious about this Star-bearer.
But if he truly were one, this was an opportunity.
Transcendents all possessed abilities that defied reason.
Even Serengeti had seemed utterly unbeatable.
If Isaac could devour a star and grow stronger, he would no longer need to fear being hunted.
Especially now—
Randolph was gone.
Isabella was gone.
Saintess Seia was gone.
Hudson was preoccupied with the labyrinth’s affairs.
Everyone had something to do.
Except Isaac.
“How long does it take to challenge a star?”
“Well… quickly, a month. Slowly, who knows?”
“Fine. I’ll finish in two weeks.”
“…Such confidence is admirable.”
“Let’s go. Lead the way.”
At this point, he was ready to risk everything.
The Star-bearer spoke, impressed by Isaac’s bravado.
“Follow me, bearer of the Star of the Beheaded.”
The God of Mastery.
The warp to the Mountain of the Trainees connected to five cities in total.
All were neutral cities belonging to no faction, places where trainees made their final preparations before departing.
One such place—
The mercenary city, Cartel.
“Drink! Drink!!”
“Aisha, business going well?”
“Uweeeeeck!”
Upon arriving in Cartel, they saw mercenaries drenched in sweat stumbling drunkenly along the streets.
“There are so many drunk people~?”
Said Saintess Seia, her face hidden by a veiled mask.
Indeed.
*Strange.*
There were far too many mercenaries drunk from broad daylight.
Sure, mercenaries always had the image of living with alcohol and women—but at the very least, the mercenaries of Cartel were people who were always sincere when it came to requests.
As long as they had work, they would never be drinking in the middle of the day.
*To head for the Mountain of the Trainees, I’ll need to find a guide.*
It was puzzling, but if we wanted to hire a guide, we had no choice but to come here.
Guiding travelers to the Mountain of the Trainees was one of Cartel mercenaries’ main sources of income.
The entrance to the Mountain of the Trainees changed location every time, and the path leading to it was rough—making it nearly impossible to find without a guide.
I entered the largest mercenary guild located at the center of the city.
“Welcome! What kind of mercenary are you looking for?”
A female receptionist—known as the flower of the mercenary guild—came out to greet us at the entrance.
The guild’s interior operated like a pub. Some mercenaries were drinking, and others were gambling.
But still, it felt strange.
A mercenary guild of this scale should have a receptionist with an air of utmost dignity—yet she had come all the way to meet us at the entrance.
…Could it be that they have no work?
“I’m looking for a guide.”
“Oh! You’ve come to the perfect place! Treacherous seas? Cliffs where your vision goes dark? Unknown forests where monsters might leap out at any moment? It doesn’t matter where! Our guild has skilled mercenaries who can guide you anywhere in the world!”
“I’m looking for a guide to the Mountain of the Trainees.”
“…The Mountain of the Trainees?”
For a moment, the receptionist’s expression stiffened.
The mercenaries nearby reacted the same.
“There’s a lunatic going to the Mountain of the Trainees at a time like this?”
“Tsk, and here I got my hopes up since it’s been a while since we had a client.”
“Guess you haven’t heard the rumors.”
“Damn it. Another wasted day.”
Their reactions were unusual.
And all gone.