episode_0252

Winter drew nearer.

The night was deep, but the moon was bright.

Astaroth, clad in white fur, held a long spear in her arms and gazed at the labyrinth’s magic circle.

The magic circle entrance was swarming with seekers.

What would become of the seekers, full of ambition and desire, after entering the labyrinth?

They might gain a monster imprint and go mad from bad luck.

Or they might gain a negative imprint and ruin their lives.

Or they might get a good imprint and soar.

No one knows.

Astaroth, lost in thought, stared at the magic circle.

At that moment.

Flash!

A light flashed from the magic circle, and a cloaked figure appeared.

The priest and guards were about to rush forward, but Astaroth raised her hand to stop them.

“I will go.”

“Yes.”

Astaroth shouldered the black spear and approached the cloaked figure.

The cloaked figure lowered the hood.

A skull with glowing green eyes.

It was a familiar face. An executive of Pandemonium and a mage with a Lich imprint.

“Odd, did you have a good trip?”

“Yes.”

The skull nodded in response to Astaroth’s question and walked slowly.

Astaroth followed the skull.

“Odd, I heard there was a problem.”

“That’s right. The magical power rising from the abyss is getting stronger. You’ve heard this, right?”

“Yes.”

“I stopped by the 20th floor and investigated in detail. The second seal of Ezrath is cracked.”

Astaroth sighed deeply. She already had a headache.

“Haa. If the seal filtering out the magic power is broken, that means the monsters will get stronger.”

“The anomalies will also accelerate. We need to inform the Seekers Association headquarters. And the Labyrinth Committee as well.”

“Okay, I understand for now. Go and get some rest.”

Odd was silent for a moment.

Should I say this?

That the vanished Hell Blade has returned?

After thinking about it, he shook his head. Compared to what’s happening now, everything else is a secondary problem.

“Then.”

The skull greeted simply and left.

Astaroth leaned on the spear and turned her gaze to the magic circle.

‘The Hero.’

The Emperor of the Empire sent a Hero. Was his name Xian?

Does the Emperor know that anomalies are becoming increasingly frequent in the labyrinth?

He must be aware.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to send a Hero at just the right time in such turbulent times.

Even so, it was difficult to grasp the Emperor’s intentions.

Did he really send him to help?

Or is he planning to shake up the Labyrinth City?

If the Labyrinth City is shaken, the Eastern Union will be fractured.

She knew that Barbaroi Skaga was disguised and struggling to figure out the true nature of the Hero’s party.

Thinking about it, it was actually a bit cute.

‘Deliberately imitating a barbarian.’

It suited him well, too.

Astaroth chuckled and touched her lower abdomen.

Throb.

As she thought of Skaga, the Masochist Female Corruption Imprint activated, and her lower abdomen throbbed.

There were many women around Skaga.

Karin, Ingrid, Priestess Mion, and rumor had it that Vivian, the clan leader of the Night of Death, was also there?

‘They must have had sex, right?’

How many times?

How would they do it?

Because he’s a Barbaroi, he would mercilessly crush them while having sex.

And then spit thick saliva on the face of a woman who has been miserably broken by pleasure.

Just imagining it made her body tremble.

“Lady Astaroth, you’re drooling.”

The dark elf adjutant next to her said.

“I’m, I’m just tired.”

“Then you should close your eyes for a while.”

“No, it’s okay. Call the Hero’s party later. Tell them I have something to discuss regarding the 20th floor.”

“Understood.”

* * *

The next morning.

Jeong Yu-shin stopped by the market to buy Dwarf rice wine and a hot meat pie and visited Boron’s smithy.

Clang!!! Clang!!! Clang!!!

The sound of hammering iron rang out powerfully from the smithy.

Listening to it made him feel at peace.

“Boron, I’m here.”

The dwarf sitting at the counter jumped up.

“Skaga?!”

“Why are you looking at me with such surprised eyes?”

“Aren’t you cold walking around the streets in that outfit?”

“It is a bit cold.”

Wearing only a wolf pelt over his leather armor, it wasn’t an outfit suitable for winter.

Boron quietly looked at Jeong Yu-shin and nodded.

“The rumor that you’ve gone mad wasn’t true. It was all an act.”

Jeong Yu-shin chuckled.

“Are you sure?”

Boron’s face became pale.

“D, don’t make scary jokes.”

“Did you hear about the greatsword last time?”

“Ah…the black greatsword? I heard about it. I felt so relieved!”

“Can you repair that greatsword?”

“I heard it was broken in half, but can I see it?”

“Yes.”

Jeong Yu-shin summoned the golden coffin and took out the broken greatsword, placing it on the floor.

Boron observed the greatsword for a while and then called Einhofer.

“Skaga?”

“Einhofer, it’s been a while.”

Einhofer immediately noticed the greatsword on the floor.

“Skaga, did you come because of the greatsword repair?”

“Yes.”

Boron and Einhofer closely examined the broken parts of the greatsword.

Jeong Yu-shin placed the meat pie and dwarf rice wine he had brought on the counter and looked at the weapons and armor in the smithy.

Boron and Einhofer raised their heads at the same time.

““It’s impossible.””

I see.

“Someone attached the sword so perfectly that you wouldn’t even notice. It was easy to get scammed. Not only black iron but also other ores were used. We can’t even begin to understand it at our level. Besides, we have to melt the greatsword and make it again, but our furnace fire is not enough.”

“Then…”

“We have to entrust it to the underground workshop.”

“Let’s do that.”

Jeong Yu-shin followed the dwarf party to the underground workshop.

The entrance to the underground workshop was located quite far from the smithy street.

‘This is it?’

The entrance to the underground was visible.

Many people were coming and going around the steel entrance.

It was similar to the dungeons that appear in novels.

The further down the stairs they walked, following Boron and Einhofer, the more heat they felt.

Did they walk for about 20 minutes?

Jeong Yu-shin, who arrived at the bottom, opened his mouth wide as he looked at the scenery of the underground workshop.

What should I say?

A village in a cave.

It was similar to Ash Village he had seen on the 10th floor of the labyrinth.

There were a few differences.

The huge cave was neatly cut as if it were measured with a ruler.

A small river flowing from underground was passing through the village.

‘There was a place like this.’

It was truly a blacksmith village. There were various races, but most of them were dwarves.

Jeong Yu-shin walked along the underground blacksmith street, looking around.

He passed by the sight of a huge hammer spewing steam and striking iron.

He also passed by the scene of dozens of people carrying boxes filled with iron ore, running around.

Boron, who had been walking for a while, stopped and raised his hand to point to a smithy.

“This is it. The Damesek Workshop.”

Dozens of dwarves were moving in an orderly fashion inside the smithy, with the entrance wide open.

At that time.

An old dwarf slowly approached with his hands behind his back.

“Boron? What is it?”

Boron scratched his head.

“Master, it’s been a while.”

“What master? You quit halfway through. What’s your business?”

Boron smiled bitterly and showed the greatsword he was carrying on his back.

The old dwarf stroked his long beard and observed the greatsword.

“A greatsword mixed with black iron? It’s broken. But what about the handle?”

Einhofer handed over the handle.

“Here it is.”

The old dwarf looked at Einhofer’s hand and turned to look at Boron.

“Who is this? Why is he shaking his hand?”

“He’s my disciple. He has a hand tremor imprint.”

“Huh! Boron, you who are less than half-baked, accepted such a cripple as a disciple?! Are you trying to smear my face?!

The old dwarf shouted angrily, and Boron’s face turned slightly red.

“M, Master.”

“Leave that greatsword here. I don’t know how great a sword it is that you came all the way here for, but I’m sure you’re asking me to melt the sword and make a new one?”

‘Is this bastard?’

Veins popped out on Jeong Yu-shin’s forehead. He couldn’t stand seeing his friend insulted in front of him.

“Hey!!!”

A loud shout erupted from Jeong Yu-shin’s mouth.

The sound of the hammer stopped and the smithy became quiet.

The dwarves who were working hard also stopped walking and looked at Jeong Yu-shin and his party.

A question arose on the old dwarf’s face.

“Barbaroi? And what are you?”

“Hey, look at this bastard? Why are you insulting my friend?!”

A vulgar way of speaking, different from his usual, popped out of his mouth, and Boron and Einhofer’s mouths dropped open.

Seeing him enter the act without changing his expression, goosebumps ran down his spine.

Still.

Boron’s eyes became moist. He wasn’t so afraid of Barbaroi, who got angry as soon as he was scolded. Rather, he was moved.

“Skaga…”

“It’s okay to insult Boron, but I can’t stand you insulting my friend Einhofer! Apologize!”

Boron’s face went blank.

“Skaga…?”

“Huh. What if I don’t want to?”

Jeong Yu-shin reached out and grabbed the old dwarf’s beard.

Grab!!!

“Ugh!!!”

The dwarves who were watching the commotion were surprised and took a step back.

Jeong Yu-shin leaned his face close to the stiff dwarf and whispered in his ear.

“Don’t want to? Then you’re going to have a meeting with me.”

The dwarf’s eyes twitched. He seemed to know who he was now.

The butcher who swept through the eastern district and cut up slave hunters.

And also the interviewer of the dwarves.

“S…Skaga?”

“That’s right. You perverted beard.”

The blood drained from the old dwarf’s face at Jeong Yu-shin’s whisper.

At that moment.

Einhofer, who couldn’t stand it anymore, stopped Jeong Yu-shin.

“Skaga, I’m okay, so please stop.”

Jeong Yu-shin let go of the old dwarf’s beard and stepped back.

“Tsk. Okay!”

The old dwarf staggered back with a pale face.

“W, what is this…?!”

He wasn’t even angry that his beard was grabbed. His head was filled with the thought that he was lucky. It wasn’t a threat to his life, but a crisis of his chastity.

Even so, there was something he couldn’t give up as a blacksmith.

“A, Einhofer, was it? Even so, I acknowledge your skills…”

Thud!!!

Jeong Yu-shin slammed a huge single-edged ax into the floor of the smithy.

“Take a look! It’s an ax made by Einhofer!”

The old dwarf finally opened his eyes wide and carefully examined the single-edged ax.

“Hmm…!”

“What do you think?!”

“Well, it’s great. But the balance of the ax seems to be tilted upwards.”

“I ordered it that way on purpose!”

The old dwarf finally raised his head and looked straight at Einhofer.

“I see. Einhofer, I don’t know how a mediocre disciple like Boron raised a great blacksmith like you. I apologize.”

Boron’s shoulders rose a little.

“Right?”

The old dwarf turned his head and glared at Boron.

“Boron, you bastard! You who left your position early to earn some money… It’s frustrating, so shut your mouth!”

“…”

Boron scratched his head.

The old dwarf sighed and lifted the sword blade.

“Hoo. Skaga, leave the greatsword here and come back later. I’ll melt the sword and make it into an ingot for now. We’ll talk about the reward then.”

“Just take the sword blade! I’ll take the handle!”

“Why?”

“I’m going to use it!”

“No, where are you going to use a broken sword… Ah, I see! Get your hands off!”

The old dwarf shouted, startled and stepping back as he saw Jeong Yu-shin’s hand slowly approaching.

“Contact me when you melt the sword! I’m going!”

Jeong Yu-shin spat out a word and rushed out like the wind.

“T, then I’ll see you later, Master.”

“Don’t come. I’m going to die of frustration. And Einhofer.”

“Yes.”

“It’s Gromdin. Let’s see each other often in the future.”

“Understood.”

The two dwarves finished their greetings and followed Jeong Yu-shin outside.

The party left the underground workshop and returned to the west street.

Jeong Yu-shin waved his hand.

“Then see you later! Contact me if you melt the greatsword!”

Boron watched Jeong Yu-shin disappear and nudged Einhofer’s shoulder.

“Disciple.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not going to that workshop, are you?”

Einhofer smiled and shook his head.

“What does it matter what others think? One person acknowledged it, so that’s enough.”

“Is that so? Skaga bought meat pie and rice wine earlier, so let’s go and eat and rest for a while.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Jeong Yu-shin ran through the streets and arrived at the inn.

A person was standing in front of the inn.

“Xian?”

“Skaga.”

“Did you come for a massage?!”

Xian’s face turned red and he put his finger to his lips.

“T, talk quietly.”

“Come in first!”

Jeong Yu-shin and Xian entered the inn and stood.

“What’s wrong?!”

“I, I have to postpone the massage.”

“Hmm?”

Xian’s expression became serious.

“The Seekers Association headquarters and the Labyrinth Committee have summoned our party. It seems like something unusual is happening in the labyrinth.”

“Hmm.”

Jeong Yu-shin, who had been lost in thought for a while, raised his head.

“But are you going to get a massage before you go?!”

‘T, this guy!’

Xian, who was embarrassed, hesitated for a while and shook his head.

“Work comes first. We have to go right now. The, the massage is next…”

“Okay!”

Jeong Yu-shin and Xian immediately ran to the Seekers Association headquarters.