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Chapter 116: The Second Deal with Phantom (2)
3.
“Phantom Thief.”
At El Pam’s words, Phantom Thief waved his hand.
“Over here, over here.”
El Pam pushed through the crowd towards Phantom Thief.
It was exactly as he said.
The capital of the Ariant Kingdom, and in a street crowded with people, that was the meeting place Phantom Thief had chosen.
“Wasn’t it hard to find?”
“No problem, except for the hustle and bustle.”
It was an unusual meeting place in many ways.
This was Phantom Thief, after all. For such a prominent figure to appear in a place so exposed to everyone?
Moreover, El Pam wasn’t an ordinary figure either. The name El Pam was spreading rapidly among adventurers.
It wasn’t strange.
“You’ve been getting quite famous lately, haven’t you?”
Most of those who had seen El Pam’s impressive titles so far either didn’t believe them or underestimated them.
They were too outrageous to believe.
But even those people couldn’t help but acknowledge one fact now.
“The Returners, El Pam Party.”
That the El Pam party were adventurers who had returned from every Mystic Gate.
That wasn’t all.
The El Pam party were currently the only witnesses who knew what had happened to Prince Kashan.
It was a point that would inevitably attract a lot of attention.
For El Pam and Phantom Thief to meet in such an exposed place?
It was hard to understand.
“It’s nothing compared to your fame, Phantom Thief.”
“That’s true.”
However, El Pam didn’t raise any particular questions about that fact.
“That’s interesting.”
Phantom Thief asked a question at that.
“You’re not questioning why we’re meeting here?”
El Pam answered the question.
“Phantom Thief and El Pam met on the streets of the royal capital, it’s a story no one would believe.”
It was beyond common sense, so it had meaning.
“That’s Phantom Thief’s way, too.”
That was also the secret to how Phantom Thief could become the greatest thief in Maple World history.
Of course, it wasn’t enough to just go beyond common sense.
“There’s no chance of being tracked or spied on here.”
In a crowded place like this, it was not easy to eavesdrop because of the noise, and even if they were tracked, they could easily shake them off by hiding in the crowd.
“An attack is even more impossible. In this situation.”
Crucially, the Ariant Kingdom was now under tighter security than ever due to the assassination of Queen Areda.
Drawing a weapon in a place like this?
It was practically suicidal.
In many ways, it was much better to talk in an open place like this than to meet in a secluded place where no one could see them.
“Interesting.”
At El Pam’s answer, Phantom Thief smiled faintly.
“Alright, let’s get straight to the point then.”
With that, Phantom Thief tapped his waist lightly with his left hand.
Following the gesture, El Pam looked at his own waist, and a cloth pouch that wasn’t there before appeared.
It was a pouch that Phantom Thief had placed there without El Pam noticing.
“First of all, the deal is done.”
And inside the pouch were the fragments of Astrape.
‘Zeus’s Lightning Spear.’
The moment the condition for using the Legendary-rank skill Zeus’s Lightning Spear was fulfilled.
‘I can’t gauge how powerful it will be.’
Moreover, even El Pam didn’t know anything about the power or characteristics of Zeus’s Lightning Spear.
Because no one had completed Zeus’s Lightning Spear before he returned to the past.
But that didn’t mean El Pam was overjoyed.
‘I hope it’s something I can handle.’
There was a possibility that it was a magic skill that El Pam, who had just become 5th circle, couldn’t handle.
No, to be honest, that possibility was very high.
Among the Legendary-rank skills, there were few that could be used by those below the 5th circle.
Most of them were only for adventurers of the sixth or seventh circle or higher.
Even they couldn’t easily handle most of them.
Great power came with a price.
Of course, that didn’t mean El Pam worried deeply.
It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by worrying.
“Now that the deal is done, shall we talk?”
More than anything, Phantom Thief hadn’t left yet.
“How did you do it?”
“We met a Junior Balrog.”
At the following answer, Phantom Thief’s eyes narrowed.
Even though he hadn’t mentioned the Junior Balrog, El Pam thought he knew.
‘This guy knows my abilities.’
It was an answer that couldn’t come out without knowing Phantom Thief’s abilities.
But Phantom Thief wasn’t too surprised by that fact.
He had thought El Pam was unusual from the beginning.
‘I like him.’
More than anything, Phantom Thief had no reason to refuse someone with more outstanding abilities.
Of course, that didn’t resolve his curiosity.
“So how did you catch it?”
No matter how much he thought about it, the chances of the El Pam party surviving an encounter with a Junior Balrog were close to zero.
To that question, El Pam answered briefly.
Swish!
He showed the five rings on his wrist.
“We were lucky.”
Phantom Thief nodded at the answer.
It was a sufficient answer.
“So you’ve become 5th circle. Then you’ll be tackling the Green rank now.”
And it was also a satisfactory answer.
“Good, want to make another deal?”
4.
After Queen Areda’s death, the atmosphere in the Ariant Kingdom was extremely unsettled.
“This doesn’t feel good.”
That’s why everyone was feeling uneasy.
“Something feels like it’s about to explode.”
The assassination of Queen Areda.
Moreover, the incident where the Sand Bandits were pointed out as the culprits.
Normally, with an incident of this magnitude, the atmosphere shouldn’t be unsettled. It should be extremely tense.
It was usually like this before a huge storm. Even before the storm arrived, an unsettled atmosphere would be created.
“When will the boss come?”
Divo and the others were waiting for El Pam with tense expressions for that reason.
“Boss!”
And then El Pam appeared in front of them.
“How did it go?”
“The deal went well.”
At El Pam’s answer, everyone had surprised expressions.
“As expected of the boss!”
“To make a deal with Phantom Thief, that’s amazing.”
Making a deal with Phantom Thief, of all people, was a more valuable title for an adventurer than any other.
Of course, the most surprising part was this.
“So, did you get the item?”
“Yes.”
That El Pam had once again obtained something incredible.
From the perspective of El Pam’s companions, this was much more important than the fact that he had made a deal with Phantom Thief.
“Wow! Now the boss will become even more of a monster!”
Not only did he unlock the 5th circle, but he also got his hands on even stronger magic?
Unbelievable!
“There’s a bit of a problem with that.”
“Huh?”
El Pam poured cold water on their expectations.
“I can’t use the magic I got this time properly right now. It’s better to consider it out of the equation.”
It was a statement that shattered their expectations, but on the other hand, El Pam’s companions weren’t too flustered.
“There are times like that.”
This kind of thing happened often.
“The better the item, the harder it is to use.”
Cases where you got a great item but couldn’t actually use it.
“I can’t use most of the items my teacher has either.”
The more powerful the item, the higher the required ability.
“It’s okay!”
And even if that wasn’t the case, the El Pam party was already strong enough.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
After the raid was over, Prince Kashan had given his two Legendary-rank items to Divo and Ralph.
The resulting increase in power was actually enormous.
Divo and Ralph had now become adventurers who could buy time even against a Junior Balrog.
In fact, if it weren’t for their contributions, it would have been impossible for El Pam to catch the Junior Balrog in just an hour.
It was something to be confident about.
“So, boss, where to next?”
Naturally, they were full of confidence for a new adventure, and El Pam gladly made a suggestion to them.
“El Nath Mountains.”
A stage befitting their overflowing confidence.
“Huh?”
But contrary to El Pam’s thoughts, everyone’s expressions hardened at the mention of El Nath Mountains.
It was understandable.
“E-El Nath Mountains?”
El Nath Mountains.
Covered in snow from start to finish, it was a nightmare and a hellish place for adventurers.
Of course, in terms of environmental factors alone, the Nihal Desert was also hellish compared to the El Nath Mountains.
However, a hundred out of a hundred adventurers in Maple World would say the same thing.
“Isn’t it too dangerous there?”
That the El Nath Mountains were far more dangerous than the Nihal Desert.
First of all, the level of monsters that appeared was different. The monsters in El Nath Mountains were a bit stronger.
Of course, if they said it was dangerous just because of that fact, they wouldn’t qualify as adventurers.
The biggest reason adventurers were reluctant to go to the El Nath Mountains was this.
“It’s a lawless zone.”
The El Nath Mountains were currently not being properly managed.
That was a big problem.
Although the Nihal Desert was like hell, adventurers were willing to venture there because of the existence of the Ariant Kingdom.
Thanks to the Ariant Kingdom building cities throughout the Nihal Desert and managing them, adventurers could explore quite comfortably.
This was also the reason why adventurers couldn’t protest when the Ariant Kingdom exploited them.
Without the Ariant Kingdom, the adventure itself couldn’t take place.
However, the El Nath Mountains were different.
“Because the Lion King’s Castle has closed its gates.”
Long ago, the El Nath Mountains were managed by the Lion King’s Castle, led by the Lion King Van Leon, and at that time, the El Nath Mountains were dangerous, but at least there was a place to rely on.
“For hundreds of years.”
But hundreds of years ago, that is, before the Black Mage was sealed by the six heroes, something happened at the Lion King’s Castle.
The details were unknown.
What was clear was that after that day, the Lion King Van Leon closed the gates of the Lion King’s Castle and no longer showed interest in anything in the El Nath Mountains.
Of course, that didn’t mean there were no cities or villages.
Many adventurers were still active in the El Nath Mountains.
“Thanks to that, it’s become a paradise for criminals.”
The only problem was that many of those adventurers were problematic in various ways.
In many ways, it was a difficult place.
“I know.”
El Pam was well aware of that fact.
“But we have to go to the El Nath Mountains.”
“Boss, what’s the reason?”
“Because I made a new deal with Phantom Thief.”
The moment El Pam mentioned the reason for going to the El Nath Mountains, his companions stopped asking questions.
Phantom Thief!
If they questioned it after that name was mentioned, they wouldn’t dare call themselves adventurers.
“Then we have no choice but to go!”
So Divo clenched his fist and said.
“Let’s go to El Nath Mountains right away!”
To Divo’s eagerness, El Pam immediately replied.
“That’s dangerous.”
“Huh?”
“As I said, the El Nath Mountains are dangerous.”
At those words, Divo and the others looked dumbfounded.
El Pam explained to his bewildered companions.
“To the outlaws there, we would be very tempting prey.”
For the El Pam party to go to the El Nath Mountains in their current state would be no different from a group of plump pigs walking into a pack of hungry wolves.
“Boss, we know that.”
Of course, no one was unaware of that fact, even without El Pam’s explanation.
“But what can we do?”
But it wasn’t something they could do anything about.
“You made a deal with Phantom Thief, right? Then we have no choice but to take the risk and go, don’t we?”
“That’s right, there’s no other way. We can’t send someone else either.”
“That’s it.”
“What?”
“Minerv, the method you mentioned.”
El Pam gladly told them the answer to their question.
“We discard our names and get new identities.”
That there was a way to escape the crisis.
“Hey, do you think that’s easy?”
Minerv said with a dumbfounded expression at El Pam’s words.
She knew very well.
“Do you think changing identities is like changing the name of a neighborhood dog?”
As a pirate, she knew better than anyone how difficult and challenging it was to change identities and operate.
“That’s right.”
Of course, El Pam knew it even better.
“That’s why we need the help of an expert.”
“Expert? What kind of expert?”
“There’s an expert in hiding identities and operating.”
So he had prepared.
“We get the help of the Cross Hunters.”
[Translator – Pr?ks]
[Proofreader – Pr?ks]