This chapter is brought to you by anubisscans. More updates on our website.
Support us by reading at anubisscans.com.
chapter 63
Srrk—
By the time Hanbit plunged into the smoke, the battle had already begun.
Thanks to Asla’s wind, visibility inside was secured.
Huff—!
Clang—!
At some point, members of the Royal Guard had joined the fray.
Dozens of people clashed in a chaotic melee, both inside and outside the smoke.
Slash—!
Asla cut down the assailants charging at Ria.
A short distance away, Leon was facing off against a burly swordsman.
Thud—!
Leon knocked aside the greatsword that came crashing down—using her fist.
Kicking off the ground, she leapt high and met her opponent’s gaze.
Then she smashed his head with the scabbard in her hand.
Boom—!
“Kgh!”
The tremendous impact caved in his helmet, and his scream rang out.
The assailant lost consciousness and collapsed almost immediately.
-ㄷㄷ;
-Info) Leon is a STR build.
-Doesn’t she use physical enhancement magic?
-Yeah, but she’s good at other magic too.
-She’s basically a massive hexagon.
-As expected of big sis.
Leon immediately shifted her gaze toward where Ria was.
At that moment—
Whoosh—!
Two daggers flew out from beyond the smoke.
They were aimed precisely at Ria.
Clang—!
Hanbit and Asla knocked the daggers away and turned their eyes forward.
Four shadows were approaching through the smoke.
“We’ll be taking that ring.”
Black-and-white cloth garments and grotesquely distorted voices.
They were Holy Nation assassins who had been observing the situation.
“I’ll handle this side. Take the child and retreat.”
Asla stepped forward and spoke to his disciple.
Of course, this too was part of the plan.
“They’re members of the Holy Nation. I’ll assist as well.”
Leon immediately joined, standing shoulder to shoulder with Asla.
Hanbit met Ria’s gaze, nodded, and kicked off toward the edge of the smoke.
“So it really was you!”
At the same time, Vares appeared beside him.
He tried to activate the magic tool in his hand—
But Hanbit was faster.
Bam—!
“Ugh!”
A kick slammed into Vares’s chest, shattering the magic tool.
As Vares was sent flying backward, Hanbit grabbed Ria’s hand and started running.
“Damn it!”
Vares cursed as he struggled to his feet.
At the same time, an alert rang.
Ding—
[You have completed Main Quest #14.]
[Progress has increased.]
[Main Quest #15: Survival]
Leon’s appearance has turned the situation around, but Vares has launched a counterattack.
Protect Ria and move to a safe location.
Objective: Protect Ria until Leon and Asla arrive.
Reward: 200,000 gold, 80,000 experience, 10 stat points
*Current progress: 93 percent
Quickly distancing himself from the courthouse, Hanbit skimmed the quest details.
The quest, now in its final stretch, was simple.
The objective was Ria’s protection.
Normally, he would rely on Asla and Leon, but now he was more than capable alone.
Because he had no intention of stopping at merely protecting her.
Tap—!
Hanbit kicked off again and sprinted toward an alley.
He pushed his speed close to the limit to widen the distance.
“Hyung, this filming is brutal!”
Yeonwoo, desperately following behind, was clearly struggling to keep up.
“Endure it.”
“No, I mean, endure what—!”
Hanbit didn’t wait for an answer and kept moving.
Their destination was an abandoned lot at the eastern edge of the city.
Using every shortcut available, they arrived quickly.
“Milady!”
As they entered the open lot, Cowen rushed toward them in panic.
“Are you unharmed? If there’s even a scratch, please take a potion—”
“You can see I’m fine. Calm down.”
Ria reassured the frantic Cowen.
Only after confirming she was truly unharmed did he let out a sigh of relief and look at Hanbit.
“It seems everything proceeded according to plan.”
“It just matched our expectations. How about your side?”
“It’s been handled. Just as you said, quite a few adventurers were preparing to side with Vares.”
While the trial was underway, Cowen had been tasked with monitoring adventurers.
Since none of them were particularly formidable, subduing them by force was possible.
Much like those adventurers who had harassed Ria at the guild.
“But are you really alright on your own? Vares must have hidden weapons to protect himself.”
Cowen asked while scanning the quiet surroundings.
“Well, the best option would’ve been to bring them with him.”
Vares had gathered various equipment and magic tools through the black market and other shady channels.
Even if few in number, their power was significant.
Of course, given their origins, there was no telling what kind of problems might arise.
‘He really is obsessed with power.’
An ambition he’d harbored long before plotting against William.
He wanted absolute authority.
The reason he targeted the Holy Nation was simply because it was the strongest state.
If there were a demon, Vares would have gladly made a contract with it.
“Ria.”
Hanbit looked at the blonde girl.
She looked a little tense.
“You remember what I said, right?”
“Yes. If it gets dangerous, use the necklace. I remember.”
Ria nodded and gripped the necklace tightly.
Then she slipped the ring off her finger and handed it to Hanbit.
“You’re really going to be okay, right?”
“The Northton family’s power is here too. Don’t worry.”
“…….”
Though he answered confidently, Ria’s expression darkened further.
She was worried about the side effects—it wasn’t ordinary power.
Hanbit turned his gaze to Cowen.
“They’ll be here soon. Hurry.”
“Agreed. Milady, I’ll escort you to a safe place.”
“…Alright.”
Ria bit her lip lightly and nodded.
Staying here would only get in the Black Dragon’s way.
She couldn’t steal even a moment of his preparation time.
“Be careful. Don’t die.”
“I won’t. Go.”
After their exchange, Ria and Cowen disappeared into the alley behind them.
Watching them go, Hanbit called up his character info.
[Black Dragon – Lv.29]
[Title: None]
Strength: 25
Agility: 31
Intelligence: 25
Vitality: 10
Remaining stat points: 27
-?
-Why the hell are there so many points again?
-The rewards were insane.
-You get 10 more for clearing this main quest;
-Info) Ending quests give the most rewards.
-Is this the last quest?
-Nope, endings are marked differently.
A large number of points had accumulated since he hadn’t touched them in a while.
Usually, stats were raised to face strong enemies—but this time was different.
He needed a body that could endure the debuff from the newly acquired Attribute Manifestation skill.
Hanbit carefully considered the numbers and moved his hand.
[Black Dragon – Lv.29]
[Title: None]
Strength: 30
Agility: 35
Intelligence: 30
Vitality: 23
Remaining stat points: 0
-Wow.
-Stat total 118 at level 29?
-Isn’t the average around 60?
-The pioneers are gonna be pissed. LOL
-Even if they are, they can’t prove it again.
-True lol.
The chat grew noisy at the far-above-average stats.
There were many provocative comments aimed at the pioneers, but it was unlikely he’d run into them.
Unless it was someone unusual, like Ranger.
“Are you the only one?”
At that moment, Vares appeared after searching the area.
New magic tools were attached to his arms and neck.
Scanning his surroundings, he fixed his gaze on Hanbit.
“Where did you hide Riventia?”
“Who knows. Maybe she ran out of Edlen.”
“Ridiculous.”
Vares snorted at the flippant reply.
With the Royal Guard deployed, escape was impossible.
Meaning the adventurer before him was simply buying time until reinforcements arrived.
“Standing guard alone—confidence, or arrogance?”
“Which do you think?”
“It hardly matters. Either way, you’re about to die—”
Whoosh—!
A dagger suddenly flew in with the sound of wind.
Clang—!
Hanbit, already on guard, knocked it aside.
“Tch.”
With a click of the tongue, someone emerged from the darkness.
A Holy Nation assassin clad in black-and-white cloth.
“So that’s what was tailing us.”
Vares narrowed his eyes as he recognized him.
Locking gazes, the assassin spoke in a voice laced with fury.
“Vares Roberg, divine judgment will surely descend upon you.”
“If I obtain the trace of the Spirit King, I’ll kill you too. I wonder whose side god will favor.”
“The answer is already decided. I’ll be the last one standing.”
-LOL they have no idea what’s going on.
-But can he beat the assassin?
-Spirit. King.
-We believe in you.
The two, both aiming for the Spirit King’s trace, naturally fell into rivalry.
Their true target wasn’t the Black Dragon, but Riventia.
After all, victory meant killing her and obtaining the Northton ring.
However, their plan collapsed at Hanbit’s next words.
“Looking for this?”
Hanbit raised the ring on his finger.
Vares and the assassin reacted at the same time.
“A fake.”
“Cheap tricks won’t work.”
They were certain the ring was counterfeit.
The Northton ring was bound to its owner and couldn’t be held by others.
Ownership could be transferred within the bloodline, but the adventurer before them was an outsider.
He didn’t look like a hidden child of the family either.
“Really?”
Srrk—
Expecting their reaction, Hanbit took his stance with his sword.
Focusing his mind, he activated Attribute Manifestation.
Whoosh—!
Flames immediately bloomed, enveloping the blade.
At the same time, both men’s expressions twisted.
“What—!”
“That’s impossible!”
Both possessed magic tools capable of sensing spirit power.
The violent reaction of those tools made it impossible to deny what they were seeing.
Whoosh—!
Hanbit focused on the gradually intensifying flames.
When he’d used the skill at the rendezvous point, he’d sensed something intuitively.
To fully manifest the flame attribute, preheating was necessary.
‘Still okay for now.’
Perhaps thanks to raising his stats, the backlash wasn’t as immediate as before.
Only a faint heat surged within him.
The problem was that this was just the beginning of preheating.
He had no idea what state he’d be in at full manifestation.
“The Spirit King’s trace is mine now.”
Hanbit looked at the two shaken men.
Steadying his stance, he pointed the flame-wreathed sword at them.
“So try killing me and taking it.”
“…….”
At his declaration, Vares and the assassin stopped moving.
A brief silence settled over the open lot.
Exchanging wary glances, the two gripped their weapons.
Then—
Tap—!
They kicked off the ground simultaneously and charged at Hanbit.
