episode_0280

20th Floor.

Inside the central building of Dwarven Hold.

A middle-aged man with red hair stared at Jeong Yu-shin.

‘Not an easy guy.’

He was beginning to think this man might be even more formidable than the rumors suggested.

Bares, a cadre member of the Hellfire Clan, trusted his instincts. It was the intuition of someone who had survived in the Labyrinth City for quite some time.

“···Ahem, ahem! I am Bares, a cadre member of the Hellfire Clan. I apologize for the late introduction.”

Jeong Yu-shin wore a blank expression.

Why the sudden self-introduction?

“Your name is Bares, and what are you going to give me?”

“What do you desire?”

Bares retorted.

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head.

“I’ll listen to what you can offer first, and then choose.”

Bares’s face contorted.

‘This bastard.’

Starting with an ill-mannered probing right from the start.

“Goodness me. At your age, you’re already picking up the kind of sly words a merchant would spew? And is it even reasonable to pursue personal gain while facing a potential threat?!”

Jeong Yu-shin stared blankly at Bares’s face before uttering a single sentence.

“With the seal so blatantly cracked, is it reasonable to grab the Knight Commander by the collar and shake him, trying to get to the next floor?”

“…”

Bares shut his mouth. He had nothing to say. Because it was true.

Still, he hadn’t actually grabbed the Knight Commander by the collar.

Jeong Yu-shin fluttered his palm.

“Bares, leave if you don’t like it. The information I brought will only be shared among the people here.”

Bares took a deep breath for a long time before turning his head to look at Cain.

“Knight Commander, you’ve brought a friend with a sharp tongue.”

Cain shrugged his shoulders.

“He’s the type to swear at me too if things don’t go his way. Don’t get all worked up just from hearing a few words.”

Bares sighed deeply inside.

The Knight Commander and that half-breed Barbarian were both exceptionally skilled at getting under people’s skin.

‘Though that guy seems to be even better at it.’

And that Barbarian.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t quite right in the head.

At that moment.

“10,000 gold coins.”

Someone sitting at the round table said.

Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes widened as he looked at the person who had just spoken.

An elf woman with long, crystal-like shimmering hair.

“I am Ellaris, a cadre member of the Crystal Rose Clan. We believe this is a reasonable amount we can currently offer.”

“…”

Jeong Yu-shin closed his mouth.

10,000 gold coins.

And that was the amount offered by a mere cadre member, not the Clan Leader.

Indeed, a clan that was racing up the tower of the Labyrinth City.

‘What a terrifying power.’

However.

There was something more important than money right now.

“It’s not enough.”

The elf woman’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at Jeong Yu-shin’s reply.

“Not enough? Then would magic tools or high-grade equipment suffice?”

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head once more.

“That’s not enough either.”

Ellaris, a cadre member of the Crystal Rose Clan, quietly stared at Jeong Yu-shin with her arms crossed.

“···It seems you have something else you desire, Barbarian.”

Jeong Yu-shin nodded with a smile.

“Correct.”

“…”

In the silence.

People were racking their brains.

Just what did this half-breed Barbarian want?

Gold coins or expensive equipment. Proposals that a typical explorer would pounce on with burning eyes, but the Barbarian remained indifferent.

Someone clapped their hands.

“Ah!”

The elf woman who had introduced herself as a cadre member of the Crystal Rose Clan a moment ago.

A small blush bloomed on the elf woman’s face.

“I, I’ve heard that Barbarians like, like to sleep around. Could it be that you want a woman?”

Some of the women sitting at the round table swallowed hard.

Jeong Yu-shin’s mouth slightly opened.

The elf woman’s gaze wandered here and there before she continued speaking.

“I…I heard rumors. That, that you have quite…vile tastes. I never imagined you would do this here.”

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head, cutting off the elf’s words.

“No. I’m not that kind of person.”

“Ah…yes.”

The elf woman nodded at Jeong Yu-shin’s polite denial, but her expression was still subtle.

“Haa.”

Jeong Yu-shin sighed deeply and scanned the people.

Good equipment and gold coins could be obtained with time. He had no intention of stopping his labyrinth exploration here.

If he diligently took on requests and picked up spoils to sell, he would naturally accumulate wealth.

In other words, it wasn’t a difficult task.

What was truly difficult was.

‘Moving people’s hearts.’

He had already grasped their tendencies. It was revealed in their words and actions.

Personal inclinations were prominent.

He didn’t want to criticize them. He was the same way.

Jeong Yu-shin’s gaze stopped abruptly at Bares.

A question flickered in Bares’s eyes, and soon his complexion turned pale.

“You…! Don’t tell me?”

Jeong Yu-shin tilted his head.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“Not women, but men?!”

Jeong Yu-shin frowned.

“No.”

“Ah, is that not it?”

“I said no.”

Jeong Yu-shin raised his hand and stroked his face several times to manage his expression.

“Let’s stop with the jokes here. I only have one condition. Everyone here, grant me just one request.”

“That’s excessive.”

Everyone nodded in agreement at the elf woman’s words.

Jeong Yu-shin pointed to the door with his finger.

“Then leave.”

“…”

“I said leave. Or should I leave?”

Jeong Yu-shin abruptly stood up from his seat, causing people to wear urgent expressions.

“L, let’s hear what that request is first.”

“No. Promise me first. Promise me you’ll grant my request first.”

At that moment.

A blonde man who had been silently keeping quiet opened his mouth.

“We cannot grant any inhumane or illegal requests. Especially, any condition that involves offering women or men.”

Jeong Yu-shin looked at the blonde man.

‘Was it the Order Guardians Clan?’

He seemed to know what they were worried about.

“Rest assured, it’s nothing like that. And I’m not asking for excessive money or equipment either.”

Curiosity floated on the faces of the people.

Money, lust, equipment.

Could there be someone in the Labyrinth City who didn’t desire any of those things?

Just what was this half-breed Barbarian thinking?

Bares scratched his chin and opened his mouth.

“Barbarian, could it be that you want a way to get stronger?”

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head.

“That’s a problem I’ll take care of myself. I don’t particularly need your help.”

The people sitting around the round table were seized by even greater questions.

“…”

Bares pondered deeply before shrugging his shoulders.

“Alright. I don’t know what kind of request you’re going to make, but I’ll agree to grant it for now.”

“We also agree.”

The people accepted Jeong Yu-shin’s condition.

“Ahem! Then let’s start by explaining my encounter with the Outer God, Eros…”

Jeong Yu-shin continued his story for about 30 minutes.

“…”

When Jeong Yu-shin’s story ended, the people fell silent.

“That’s a hard story to believe.”

The elf woman blurted out.

Jeong Yu-shin shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth.”

Bares stroked his forehead and let out a sigh.

“Hoo. To summarize, you’re saying that an Outer God is trying to infiltrate the labyrinth through the weakened seal of Azdras?”

“Yes.”

“And that Outer God is the Outer God of Change, Changeling. And the source of the information is another Outer God, Eros?”

“That’s right.”

“You expect us to believe that?”

“Don’t believe it if you don’t want to.”

“Goodness me.”

Bares looked up at the ceiling as if he had nothing to say.

Jeong Yu-shin looked around at the people.

‘Now.’

It was an opportunity to reveal his condition.

“I’ll state my request here. Everyone, stay on the 20th floor until the seal is restored.”

“…!”

The people finally realized.

That the Barbarian.

Wanted them to remain here.

A request that was difficult if it was difficult.

And easy if it was easy.

“Barbarian, do you know a way to restore the seal?”

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head at Bares’s question.

“I don’t. Not yet.”

“You’re confident. But why are you going this far?”

“Because I can.”

After finishing his answer, Jeong Yu-shin stood up from his seat and looked down at Cain.

“I’ll go rest for a bit. Make sure to keep a tight lip about what I said. Let’s have a conversation later.”

Cain nodded with a tired expression.

“Alright. Get some rest. See you later.”

Jeong Yu-shin nodded to Matías, the elder of the Magic Tower, and Torgel, the Barbarian, before leaving his seat.

* * *

Jeong Yu-shin left the building, put his hands behind his back, and walked down the central street.

He had made a request to the clan members sitting at the round table, but he wouldn’t stop them if they left the 20th floor.

People’s hearts weren’t so easily moved.

Jeong Yu-shin stood in the central plaza and looked at the street on the opposite side.

Under the magical shimmering lights.

He saw some explorers who had entered the 20th floor.

They were exhausted and looked tired.

There were also parties who noticed something suspicious and quickly headed to the 20th floor transfer stone.

Jeong Yu-shin obtained permission from the guards and sat on a stone chair in the corner of the central plaza, staring at the cracked dimensional rift.

How much time had passed?

“Sca.”

Jeong Yu-shin turned his head at the sound coming from above.

A blonde woman wearing plate armor.

The Hero, Cyan, was standing next to him.

“Cyan, why are you out here instead of sleeping?”

“I couldn’t fall asleep, so I was taking a walk around the streets.”

Cyan awkwardly sat next to Jeong Yu-shin.

“Muscle pain?”

“No. It’s just that…the tail won’t come off.”

Cyan blushed and mumbled.

“Have you been wearing those clothes since then?”

“…”

Cyan silently nodded.

Jeong Yu-shin scratched his head.

So.

Cyan’s plate armor was covering a cow-print bikini?

“…”

Jeong Yu-shin and Cyan sat on the chair and admired the dimensional rift.

Cyan tilted her head.

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“My heart fluttered when I saw the seal of Azdras. Actually, it still does.”

Jeong Yu-shin scratched his cheek.

Come to think of it.

He hadn’t told Cyan the story yet.

“Cyan, I had a few words with Eros while you were asleep.”

Jeong Yu-shin explained everything that had happened with Eros.

Cyan’s eyes widened when the story ended.

“Really?!”

“Yes.”

“I see. Now that I’ve heard your story, I understand to some extent.”

“…”

“I was wondering why I felt sorry when I saw the weakening embers, but I understand now. The reason I came here was to restore the seal of Azdras. It was indeed the guidance of Lux Aeterna.”

Jeong Yu-shin wore a bitter smile at Cyan’s muttering.

The reason Cyan came to the Labyrinth City.

He didn’t want to voice the fact that it was merely the Crown Prince getting rid of his unwanted duties.

Or perhaps.

It was a plan set by the Emperor of the Empire, who was above the Crown Prince.

At that moment.

Rumble.

The ceiling of the cave began to shake.

A sudden earthquake.

The explorers on the street began to panic and wander around in confusion.

Jeong Yu-shin and Cyan’s gazes were fixed on one spot.

The dimensional rift in the center of the central plaza began to make a strange noise.

Squeak.

A cracking sound, as if glass was slowly breaking.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A heavy wave spread out from the dimensional rift and shook the city.

Jeong Yu-shin and Cyan immediately stood up from their seats.

Important figures rushed towards the central plaza.

Cain, who had already appeared in the central plaza, gritted his teeth and drew his sword.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!!!”

“Yes!!!”

At Cain’s command, numerous knights raised their longswords and halberds and surrounded the central plaza.

Clang!!!

A sound of glass shattering was heard.

Space was breaking apart.

And one huge finger suddenly popped out.

The people of the city stared blankly at the sight.

At the same time, a sticky, blue liquid poured out like a waterfall from the dimensional rift.

The people were speechless.

What on earth was that blue liquid?

“Hehehehehe.”

A sinister laughter flowed out from the dimensional rift, shaking the entire city.

Those with strong nerves sat down on the spot, and those who were terrified fainted.

The finger disappeared, and then something’s ‘eye’ appeared from the dimensional rift.

It was as if someone was peering through a crack in the window.

The Hellfire Clan, the Crystal Rose Clan, the Order Guardians, all the clans finally realized.

That Sca’s story was true.

A voice flowed out from the dimensional rift.

“Finally, the seal of Azdras has weakened.”

“Who are you?!”

Bares, a cadre member of the Hellfire Clan, shouted while holding a greatsword.

“Would a mere mortal dare to know my name?”

The booming voice shook the buildings of the city.

“…”

The people trembled in fear in the silence.

At that moment.

Jeong Yu-shin stepped forward.

“You’re the Changeling, aren’t you? The Outer God of Change, you bastard.”

“…”

The sudden outburst of profanity.

A silence unlike anything before swept through the streets.

People stared at the half-breed Barbarian with bulging eyes.

Regardless of that.

Jeong Yu-shin grabbed his axe and took a step forward.

“No need for long talk. I’ll send you back to the other world.”