Chapter 120
Chapter 120 – . Magatia (2)
Magatia’s underground laboratory.
Adventurers visiting this place for the first time are surprised by two things.
One was the indescribable enormity of the underground laboratory. It was not a mere metaphor.
“Magatia’s underground laboratory is larger and more complex than Victoria Island’s Sleepywood.”
It was larger than any forest or mountain in Maple World.
“And it’s weird.”
The second surprising thing was the unknown equipment that filled the lab.
Despite being old and worn out over a long period of time, and its shape unrecognizable, it was full of uniqueness that could not be found anywhere else in Maple World.
That’s why adventurers avoided Magatia’s underground laboratory.
“It’s not a good place for adventure though.”
It was full of unknown things, which meant it was full of danger for adventurers.
Nevertheless, the reason why there are adventurers venturing into Magatia’s underground laboratory is simple.
“There is no better place to earn mesos.”
That there is a lot of money to be made there.
The ones who provided that large sum of money were none other than alchemists.
“Alchemists often offer huge bounties on items found in their underground laboratories.”
Because alchemists lacked fighting skills, they had to hire adventurers to get what they wanted.
Anyway, for that reason, the Magatia Underground Laboratory was full of adventurers looking to make money.
“In some ways it’s better than the Mystic Gate raid.”
In other words, the Mystic Gate was not very attractive to adventurers who visited the Magatia Underground Laboratory.
“The portal has been activated.”
That’s why.
“It can’t be a mistake, right?”
The moment El Palm Party and their guide Haze saw the green Mystic Gate portal, they were certain that this could not possibly be a mistake or an accident.
“Especially when it comes to green grades.”
Crucially, the currently activated portal was a stage for green-rank, 5th circle adventurers.
Of course, there were often such cases.
When entering the Mystic Gate to avoid the overflowing monsters.
It was surprisingly a wise thing to do.
Although this is an extreme case, if you had encountered Junior Balrog in Sleepywood, it would have been much safer to flee to the Mystic Gate.
“No one gets into the green level by mistake.”
However, no one in Maple World saw anyone running away from the monsters in the Magatia Underground Laboratory by entering the Green Grade Mystic Gate.
It was a position with clear intentions.
That was it.
El Palm, he inspected the Mystic Gate.
“Additional admission is possible.”
What I have confirmed right away is that the portal is valid.
That meant that those who entered here right now were unable to get to the second floor.
“Boss, how many people can we have?”
The problem is that we don’t know how many people entered.
In fact, it was the most troublesome problem.
What if only one person can enter? Then that one person has to fight alone against the 32 people over there.
“How would you know that? There’s no way to know the number of people who entered.”
But at this point, there was no way to find out who was inside.
“I know, I was just saying.”
It definitely was.
“I estimate there are 27.”
“yes?”
“27 or 28 people.”
But El Palm was pretty accurate with the numbers.
“How do you know that?”
Of course, it wasn’t just a vague guess.
“Those who just broke into Mystic Gate approached from the opposite direction from where we came. And we can estimate the number of skills and weapons through the traces of battle here and there, including the monster corpses there. And there are even footprints.”
It was a pretty accurate guess based on the traces around.
“Fortunately, the portal was activated less than half a day ago. I estimate it was around 7 hours.”
Even El Palm was roughly estimating the entry time of those who entered.
“I could be wrong.”
Of course, it wasn’t accurate.
“Number-wise, it is more likely to be 30 people.”
Even if they didn’t fill the admission limit, it was the adventurers’ instinct to gather the exact number of 30 people.
And if there were 30 people, the number of people who could enter would only be 3.
It was never easy.
“One thing is certain.”
Moreover, there was one most important fact.
“Information has been leaked.”
This place that the Knights of Signus had tried so hard to keep hidden, was conquered by someone right at the very moment that the El Palm Party was about to attack it?
There’s no way that’s a coincidence.
“It means that there is a spy near Oz, the commander of the Knights of Fire.”
It was a very big problem.
“It is quite possible that information about us was also leaked.”
What if those over there know about El Palm?
That means it’s even more dangerous.
“boss.”
By this point, El Palm Party should have known.
“I think we need to know who died here.”
At the very least, we need to figure out whose grave this is.
If you know that much, you can reduce the risk to some extent.
“That would be nice, though.”
El Palm also agreed.
“It’s late.”
“yes?”
But here El Palm thought.
“Boss, are you thinking of going in?”
You’re going to barge in here.
“It’s too dangerous!”
I knew the risks.
“It has that much merit.”
“Is it meritorious?”
“As I said before, there is a spy next to the Commander of the Knights of Fire. I wanted to attack this place even if it meant exposing that fact.”
But at the same time, El Palm knew how big a deal this was.
“If it’s something that goes as far as abandoning a spy hidden near the Commander of the Knights of Fire, then it’s not ordinary.”
“Boss! No matter what, it’s too dangerous!”
“That’s right! We shouldn’t rush into this. I don’t know about anything else, but we won’t be of any help.”
“Both of you are right. It’s a green grade, right? You can think of us as just a sack of barley that’s been borrowed.”
“10 minutes.”
However, the risk is still high.
“I will make a decision within 10 minutes.”
So El Palm began to worry, and so did his other colleagues.
I started to worry.
And that was the first question that came up through their minds.
“Whose grave is this?”
4.
“Whose grave is this?”
Cheryl, instead of answering her words, Oz, the Commander of the Fire Knights, just looked at Cheryl.
“If it’s difficult, you don’t have to tell me.”
Cheryl spoke at that sight, and after that Oz looked thoughtful for a few more minutes before soon opening his mouth.
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I think it’s okay to tell you, Cheryl. And I think it’s good for you to know. In many ways.”
Cheryl looked nervous at those words.
El Palm, if it’s a secret you haven’t even told him, it’s probably not a secret at all.
“Michael, this is the tomb of his disciple.”
“yes?”
And the name that came out was so shocking that it surprised Cheryl, who was already nervous.
“What if it’s Mikhail?”
“Yes, you are the Commander of the Knights of Light.”
Mikhail, the Commander of the Knights of Light, that name was the most brilliant among the Knights of Signus.
“Leading us.”
And in fact, he could be said to be the true commander of the Knights who represented the entire Order of Signus.
He was also the one who most closely supported Empress Signus.
“He doesn’t have any disciples?”
Until now, Mikhail, the Commander of the Knights of Light, had never had a disciple.
“Yes, you said that you have to do your best to assist the Empress, but that you don’t have the luxury of raising disciples.”
The reason, as mentioned before, was to assist Empress Signus with all her might.
It was a truly sublime reason, and that was why the world praised Mikhail, the Commander of the Knights of Light, even more.
But he had a disciple?
“That’s why I couldn’t make it public. Michael, if it was known that he had disciples, that nobility might be shaken. Even if it was known that he had three.”
“Three people?”
Cheryl’s surprise was even greater when she heard that there were not one but three.
It’s surprising that there are so many, but how come there are three of them and no one, not even the Cross Hunters’ information network, is able to detect them?
“That’s why he kept it a secret. Of course, Mikhail, he didn’t hide his disciple for his own honor. He didn’t want him to receive special privileges just because he was his disciple.”
The reason for wanting to hide it was obvious, but Cheryl could not have imagined that it would be hidden so perfectly.
On the one hand, I could understand.
Why did El Palm hide this information from him?
And why are you trying to retrieve the relics from the tomb while hiding the information and paying a huge price?
“Then maybe?”
“Yes, that’s right. Mikhail, his item is buried there. Along with his disciple’s body.”
If it was an item belonging to the Commander of the Knights of Light, Mikhail, then it was certain that it would be of legendary grade.
Moreover, its symbolism was clearly of a level, or even greater, than that of other legendary items.
In other words, it meant that the Mystic Gate was something that no one, not even the disciples of the Knight Commander of Light, Mikhail, could do anything about.
“That might be dangerous.”
“I trust El Palm, his abilities. He has done unbelievable things.”
Of course, the reason Oz, the commander of the Knights of Fire, willingly made such an offer to El Palm was because he trusted his abilities.
That’s why.
“I think he has a better than 30 percent chance of success.”
“30 percent?”
“Yes, very likely.”
The possibility of El Palm Party winning is assessed at a whopping 30 percent.
Although this was not a welcome assessment for El Palm Party, Cheryl could not deny it.
If you are the disciple of none other than Mikhail, the Commander of the Knights of Light, then your abilities are bound to be extraordinary.
Crucially, the Knights of Signus were a group that deserved such an assessment.
If they were a group that wasn’t even that big, if they were a group that was lacking compared to adventurers, it would have been impossible for Empress Signus to lead the huge force called Maple Alliance.
‘not good.’
Either way, it was bad news for Cheryl.
First of all, from the Cross Hunter’s perspective, El Palm was a benefactor. Although it was a transaction, the favor he received was not small.
And he was also a strong partner who would work together on many tasks in the future.
So I introduced him.
Oz, the commander of the Knights of Fire, willingly served as a bridge when she said she needed El Palm.
Because I thought we could help each other.
‘I’m going to die.’
But the bridge that Cheryl gave might become the bridge to the afterlife for El Palm Party.
Of course, Cheryl wasn’t completely disheartened.
‘If it were normal.’
Given the ability El Palm Party has shown, they will most likely be fully prepared in some way.
A man appeared in front of Cheryl, who had such beliefs.
The man who appeared wearing a red robe that resembled a blazing flame handed an envelope to Oz, the commander of the Knights of Fire, without saying anything as soon as he appeared.
Oz immediately took the letter out of the envelope.
There was nothing written on the letter he took out like that. It was just a blank piece of paper.
Hurrr!
Then the flames from Oz’s hand engulfed the letter, and it turned into ash.
And those ashes fluttered in the air, forming letters.
It was magic.
A spell that allows you to have long-distance conversations.
Of course, it wasn’t an easy magic to use. The items needed to use this magic were very rare and expensive.
Just to have a single conversation, even a short conversation, you have to pay at least 10 million mesos.
In other words, it was something like that.
It means that it is important enough to pay such a high price.
Cheryl soon realized what it was.
“The portal was activated before the El Palm Party entered the Mystic Gate?”
Someone has raided the tomb of Mikhail’s disciple first!
Oz and Cheryl’s expressions turned as cold as ice as they realized what that meant.
‘There’s a spy!’
What that meant was that there was a spy among Oz’s closest associates.
Something that can’t help but be surprising.
But the surprise didn’t last long.
Because the ash moved and created letters.
[Entering El Palm Party]
“I beg your pardon?”
Letters that are beyond surprising and cause astonishment.
And then a new sentence appeared.
[Additional charges will apply]