ALL NOVEL Chapter 72
[‘Hierarchical Conflict’ activates the effect of Destorying Evil!]
Ding!!
[Achievement Completed!]
[Boss: Demon Lord of Pleasure has been defeated.]
[Number of possible bosses to be rewarded: 96 entities.]
[You can receive Demon Hunting Rewards!]
[Experience gained!]
[Status increases!]
[You have gained Skill Points!]
[Luck activated! Status increases further!]
“That was easy.”
Taking down the Demon Lord of Pleasure was a piece of cake.
The [Demon Lord of Pleasure] has a tricky ‘Indulgence’ pattern. Everything else is a breeze.
I devised a strategy by spreading out my Wind Arrows and targeting the tentacles first.
Once it lost all its tentacles, it was reduced to a single pattern target, merely using ‘Excrement’ and ‘Legion.’
Excrement just comes out with the wind, getting caught in the Wind Arrows I had deployed, and the Legion skill just turned Ronald’s lackeys, cursed by Indulgence, into zombies, so they were hardly a threat.
Ding.
[Erosion Level: 0/100]
The biggest gain, however, was that I had become accustomed to coordinating Malefication and Gray Ashen Bolt.
Currently, since my Malefication doesn’t manifest the appearance like during closed beta, no matter how long the duration, my body doesn’t change.
Only Dark Magic swirls puffing up, and if I control this well and inject it into Gray Ashen Bolt, I can enhance the Crossbow Bolt through that.
As long as I manage this simple flow well, the damage combined with Wind Archery will become unimaginable.
Plus, I probably won’t be caught using Malefication very often.
Thud. Thud.
As I headed to the center where the Demon Lord of Pleasure once stood, the remnants of the Sacred Place remained behind.
In the middle of the altar made of Moonstone, there were the rewards that Ronald had wanted so badly.
——————————————————
[??? : Ring of Induction]
[Rarity: Unidentified Item]
[A ring that seems like it could connect something.]
[Can be equipped.]
(*Cannot receive effects until identified.)
——————————————————
“I can’t believe this was here.”
This ring, which was originally destined to be in Rezilus’s hands for wicked deeds.
Since it’s in an unidentified state, if I have it appraised by a professional, it will likely turn into [Memorize: Ring of Induction].
If that’s the case, then being able to use Tarchangel and Malefication simultaneously is no longer a dream.
But the trophy isn’t just this ring.
In the [Reincarnated Hero] world view, easy-to-wear accessories have substantial value.
——————————————————
[Wave of Healing]
[Rarity: B]
[A ring with a pretty shape embedded with pure white gems. Looks like an engagement ring.]
[Cannot be equipped.]
(*Can be equipped at Level 4 or higher in Sacred Power.)
——————————————————
From the Wave of Healing to the Call of Vitality, and the Essence of Magic…
There were quite a few useful accessories.
Like in the original game, because of usage conditions, I couldn’t wear them immediately.
However, I stuffed only the easy-to-carry rings into my pocket.
‘And… there are more Magic Stones than I expected.’
Glittering stones imbued with magic.
It’s no wonder Ronald coveted them.
If the Demon Lord of Pleasure had remained in its larval form as Ronald thought, the rewards would have been absurdly mismatched to the difficulty of the challenge.
In the end, they bore all the sacrifices, and I got it all.
But it’s all their own doing.
‘Hmm…’
Honestly, I didn’t think I would defeat the [Demon Lord of Pleasure] all on my own.
Since I didn’t expect there to be this many rewards, I hadn’t brought my magic backpack.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, I remembered the young guide who had stamped my documents.
‘She should be reliable… right?’
Considering the commission, it might be better to call the Adventurer’s Guild for a field trip.
…
…
…
*
…
…
…
“This… How…?”
As she adjusted her glasses, Benia stared at the gray-haired man.
When she and the Adventurer’s Guild’s operatives arrived at the scene, the Demon Lord of Pleasure was already down.
Just a few hours prior, upon seeing the urgent magic alert, Benia had thought the hunt for the [Demon Lord of Pleasure] had failed again.
— I’m alive! I made it!
— Ronald’s gang… they’re all dead!
— We should have called a large guild before it became complete!
Moreover, while hearing the testimonies of the expedition members who had barely escaped, she was about to ask for a formal guild delegation…
— There are too many trophies; we can’t handle them.
— Yes…? You mean you’ve defeated the Demon Lord of Pleasure?
— Yep.
— Alone?
— Yep. So, please come here, as fast as you can.
Naturally, they couldn’t believe it.
Until she risked her life to come here…
The gray-haired man asked Benia with an expression of nonchalance.
“What’s the method of distribution?”
“Oh, well. As a principle… the mercenaries who left receive no payout. The Guild provides insurance for the deceased, and the distribution will be decided by the raid leader.”
“Um.”
“Since the raid leader, Ronald, died in the expedition, you would qualify as the raid leader…”
As Benia said, as a matter of principle, the departed attackers wouldn’t get paid.
Thus, the rewards for defeating the [Demon Lord of Pleasure] would belong solely to Ronald.
He pondered for a moment and then said, “For the Magic Stones only… distribute them properly.”
“Excuse me?”
“As for the deceased mercenaries, Ronald’s gang is excluded. They were bought out, so I have no obligation to pay them, right?”
“Well… right?”
Benia was astonished again.
Not because she didn’t understand his words.
This was a mercenary league.
Moreover, a gathering of unknown mercenaries from all over the Empire fleeing one another—should they really be paid for deserting him?
But he seemed far less concerned about wealth than his delicately formed face suggested.
“How much would it cost for a lump sale until the auction?”
“60:40. We take 40…”
“Do that.”
“!!”
Even regarding trophy handling, it was the same.
If someone had defeated a monster to this extent, it would be a good investment to handle things personally.
He dealt with that coolly too.
And after a moment of thought, he added one more word.
“I will come to collect the payment next time.”
“Oh, of course! I’ll see to it that you can receive it from the Imperial Bank!”
In truth, it didn’t matter to Benia who he was.
‘With this kind of amount, it seems there will be a bonus…?’
He was just a man who had given a special day to a public servant who earned a measly salary.
‘He’s kinda handsome though… whatever.’
Of course, it would be nice if he used our services again…
Just like a shadow mercenary, he was likely trying to keep his anonymity.
…
…
…
Not a post-processing specialized guild, and because there are public officials, the commission would be hefty, but there was nothing else to be done since I didn’t know anyone here.
Still, we know that young public servants are usually the most passionate in their youth, don’t we?
Considering how they had worried and advised me, he wouldn’t embezzle or skim off the top.
Furthermore, being a student of the academy, working as a mercenary is against school regulations, and since I have to return to Claris immediately… there’s no time for me to run around in person.
“Then please take care of it.”
“Ah, yes! Please be careful on your way back!”
As I heard Benia’s somewhat excited voice, I started to move towards the Magic Tower heading to the academy…
Then stopped.
“By the way, is there an appraiser in Evenbaugh?”
“There is, but if you’re looking for someone truly exceptional, they’d likely be in the Hwangdo where the large guilds gather!”
Hwangdo…
The [Divine Valhalla] guild headquarters should probably be there too, right?
Anyway, I have to go to Hwangdo soon.
They said the awards for the last dungeon investigation practice would also be held in Hwangdo.
‘First, let’s get back and rest quickly.’
I have plans for tomorrow as well.
I need to check the changed system and rewards since my support trait has been removed…
I led my creaking body towards Evenbaugh.
*
Claris Academy, Royal Class Circle Room.
This circle, still boasting luxurious facilities… has ostensibly collapsed.
“Has anyone heard news about Caeran…?”
Despite Aveline’s question, everyone remained silent.
After the duel with Edwin, Caeran had suddenly fallen ill.
Originally, they were supposed to be receiving offers from various places; they had planned to engage in circle activities until the break in order to share information about the guilds.
In the end, with the break approaching, they had to meet for the last time here, minus Caeran; Melissa, Aveline, Lily, and Selena were the gathered four.
“Well, I suppose Caeran will return someday.”
“Someday…? What does that mean…?”
“Then, until then, the circle is temporarily suspended.”
Melissa simply concluded that based on Lily’s opinion.
And thought inwardly.
‘Why did it turn out like this…’
—I was thinking about aspiring to be a hero, Melissa, would you join my party?
—I said I wanted to revitalize the principality, right? Then help me. Why? A hero produced by Prominence, can’t you see the vision forming already?
It was certainly Caeran who invited me, and I joined the circle trusting his words.
I thought we had a promised future.
Yet, situations deteriorated around the time of the ranking matches.
—I don’t particularly like jealous women.
—Hah, I misjudged you.
Since the argument over recruiting Aria, I hadn’t resolved anything with him yet.
After his defeat in the promotion match, he went missing.
And I found myself becoming distant from the people I had been close to.
Of course, I might be forgiven by kind Edwin and Aria.
—…
Then, silence returned.
With no progress in the conversation, Lily rubbed her eyes and stood up.
“I think I’ll go because I’m tired…”
“Oh, is it already time…?”
After saying goodbye to everyone, Lily left the circle room with sleepy steps.
Thud.
—…
In truth, Melissa and Aveline had something else on their minds.
It was the newly awakened Edwin.
Melissa said without realizing.
“I was surprised.”
“…”
“I didn’t think Edwin would become so strong…”
“I thought so too.”
Feeling oddly uneasy, Melissa asked Aveline.
“But, is it even possible for Edwin to defeat Caeran? Aveline, you faced them directly, right? Did he not truly engage him in earnest?”
With a suspicious tone, Aveline responded with a raised voice.
“I swear that’s impossible! Certainly… he wasn’t strong enough to beat Caeran!”
“So you’re saying he’s suffered a sudden growth…?”
“…That’s…”
Aveline hesitated for a moment but then replied.
“The one who helped him train in the end was that gray-haired man… so you can ask him directly!”
“Gray-haired…? Lev… Denek?”
Wait a minute, something feels off.
Why does it always seem like he has a faint connection whenever something happens?
Regarding his recent activities, he must have had a ranking match with Caeran before Edwin.
‘What is the connection…?’
While Melissa heightened her suspicion,
“You guys are somewhat amusing.”
“??”
A cold, rational voice cooled the heated atmosphere between the two.
“There’s no law stating Edwin can’t win!”
“…What?”
“Or are you perhaps… planning to switch sides now?”
It was the Half-Elf, Selena.