The Last Adventurer Chapter 54

054

Chapter 18. Martyrs (1)

One.

The unknown, the unknowable, is the most dangerous thing for an adventurer.

In that sense, Mystic Gate was the most dangerous place for adventurers.

Yet the reason adventurers set out on their adventures beyond the Mystic Gate was because of one belief.

“There is nothing more difficult than the level of the gate.”

The fact that there are levels in the Mystic Gate.

“No matter how difficult the Orange rank is, there is no way that a Yellow rank monster will appear.”

And Mystic Gate has never betrayed that trust.

That was why.

Captain Kairin, as well as famous adventurers and heroes of Maple World, and leaders of great forces like the Nautilus, were able to embark on an adventure to Mystic Gate because they had a more important duty than anyone else.

Because I was confident that I wouldn’t die as long as that rule existed.

But there were beings who could break that rule.

‘martyr.’

Those beings could change the difficulty level within the Mystic Gate through the act of martyrdom.

Strengthening monsters, evolving them, cursing zombies, and things like that.

Something happened that shouldn’t have happened at that level.

The purpose of doing so was simple.

‘A conspiracy created by the followers of the Black Wizard to kill adventurers.’

Killing adventurers.

There was nothing strange.

From the beginning, the Mystic Gate was a trap created by the followers of the Black Mage in order to revive the Black Mage.

A trap created to wipe out all the adventurers, resistance fighters, knights, and hunters of the world, in order to prevent something like what happened to the six heroes in the past when they sealed the Black Wizard!

So I designed it.

I gave them bait and made rules so that the adventurers would have the chance to go on adventures.

In the process, he created a martyr who would break the rules.

thud!

The giant 10-meter-tall mud monster now approaching El Palm Party was the result of that martyr’s martyrdom.

Created a monster that could never come out of the Orange Grade Mystic Gate.

Of course El Palm knew.

‘The Martyrs are only the core members of the Black Wizard’s followers who can move.’

That a martyr is not someone who can be easily written off as one would like.

It was that precious.

‘To become a martyr, you must be able to withstand the black magician’s magic.’

Because one of the most important conditions for becoming a martyr was that one had to be able to use black magic.

Actually, it was a word used, to be exact, a vessel.

In the first place, only a very small number of people were able to use black magic properly.

So, the martyrs we are talking about here are those who have the magic of the black magician in their bodies and can be liberated.

Those with such talent were also extremely rare.

If you gather 10,000 people with wizard talent, there will be about five or six of them.

It didn’t end there.

Among those with that talent, those with the talent to do circle up were separate.

The only time you write about such martyrs is when you have someone you really want to kill.

‘If you could use it as you wish, you would have used it against me a long time ago.’

Even Ivok, the master of the upper part of Kania who wanted to kill El Palm right away, could not use the martyr card.

‘You’re determined to kill Jack Leach.’

In other words, Jack Leach is worth killing for.

In fact, El Palm hesitated for a moment here.

‘Jack Leach is not much of an adventurer.’

The Jack Leech that El Palm knew wasn’t that special of an adventurer, except that his father was Gold Leech.

From the perspective of the followers of the Black Magician, it means that it is not worth killing them even if it means using martyrs.

Of course, here was the answer.

My father is a gold rich man.

‘If Jack Leach dies, who will benefit the most? Gold Leach Jr.?’

So, when Jack Leach dies, Gold Leach Jr. inherits all of Gold Leach’s assets.

‘Doing something. Centered around the top of Goldrich.’

The picture was drawn.

thud!

“boss!”

Of course, it wasn’t an important picture at the time.

“How do I do this?”

What matters now is El Palm’s decision in the face of that monster.

“You can consider that monster as a yellow-level boss monster right now.”

Everyone’s expressions hardened at El Palm’s subsequent words.

Even just looking at the size, it should be considered a yellow grade, but I had a hopeful mind.

But if El Palm said this, then it’s only natural that it should be considered yellow-level.

And if it was yellow grade, there was only one option to choose from.

‘I can’t catch that. How can I catch a yellow-class?’

Running away.

That’s understandable, because it wasn’t just any yellow level.

El Palm said clearly. It’s a yellow-class boss monster.

It is a monster that can be hunted by a party of adventurers of 4 circles or more, and even by a party of over a dozen adventurers.

But how do you deal with that?

It is not easy to even run away, let alone face your opponent.

‘If you’re the boss.’

Still, I had some expectations that if it was El Palm, I wouldn’t know.

El Palm said with such anticipation.

“Step back.”

2.

thud!

Escaping from the swamp against a giant swamp monster was never easy.

But the El Palm Party was an exception.

Whee!

El Palm, using his telekinesis, could easily spoof the direction of attack.

thud!

In response to El Palm’s trick, a giant swamp monster moved in the opposite direction from where the El Palm party was.

Of course, that wasn’t the end of it.

“Move as slowly as possible during this time.”

El Palm moved slowly, at a turtle-like pace.

That was common sense.

The swamp stage was not a place where you could run fast even if you wanted to, and excessive movement was likely to provoke the surrounding monsters.

So the El Palm Party moved quietly.

But my mind was more complicated and busy than ever.

‘What should I do now?’

Until now, there was faith in the El Palm party. The belief that El Palm would do anything.

But now things were different.

‘In this ridiculous situation?’

A yellow-class monster appears in an orange-class mystic gate.

The rules have been broken.

Even the belief in El Palm is bound to be shaken.

There was only one hope here.

‘I wish the exit could just be found.’

But expectations for that hope were not very high.

I get it.

‘If that were the case, Jack Leach would not have died.’

The Jack Leach party that died here must have come up with the same idea and method as the El Palm party.

But they died.

The El Palm Party could well have guessed what that meant.

And that expectation soon became reality.

Qyuu!

“There is an empty lot over there.”

El Palm Party, who was moving along the snail mano, discovered an empty lot of about 1,000 pyeong.

Not a swamp you can sink into, but an open space with solid ground.

It was a blessing.

Because in this hellish place, a stage has appeared where you can have a proper fight and rest.

But no one was relieved by the good news.

“A pile of corpses.”

Because the rotting corpses told us that this was none other than the grave of Jack Leach Party.

Moreover, the condition of the rotting corpses was miserable.

Just like an ant that had been stepped on by a person, not only the limbs but also the items were all crushed to the point that nothing intact could be found.

It was a truly gruesome sight.

‘I got hit by that monster.’

So El Palm Party was able to draw pictures so easily.

The sight of Jack Leach’s party being crushed by a swamp monster over 10 meters tall without being able to put up much of a fight.

“They must have made this place their last stand.”

What was worse was that there was nowhere to run.

This space of about 1,000 square meters, floating like an island on a swamp, was the only stage where the Jack Leach party could properly fight.

Going out here would be suicide, nothing more, nothing less.

And that fact also applied to the El Palm Party.

If they were going to fight, this was the only place.

So if I die fighting, this will be my grave.

That was when.

Qyuu!

The snail mano quickly began to crawl towards one place.

At the end of it all was a horribly mangled corpse.

“Is this item in good condition?”

The difference was that the items worn by the other corpses were intact, unlike the others who had their items crushed.

The meaning was simple.

“It’s a unique grade? Then?”

The owner of this corpse is Jack Leach.

El Palm stood before the corpse of Jack Leach.

First of all, I picked up the helmet.

The moment he saw it, El Palm’s eyes narrowed.

‘The helmet of Achilles.’

It was a unique item that even El Palm knew about.

‘A warrior item that increases the wearer’s combat ability by 30%.’

It was a pretty great item.

The next thing I noticed was the armor.

‘This is Theseus’ armor.’

That too was a great item.

‘Accelerates the wearer’s movements.’

It was an item that even 5th circle and 6th circle adventurers could not use because it increased movement speed and attack speed by 30% when worn.

It didn’t end there.

Inside Theseus’ armor, El Pam was able to find two feathers.

‘Pegasus wing feathers.’

Two items that increase movement speed by 10 percent when possessed.

Honestly, El Palm was impressed here.

‘It sounds like an expensive adventure.’

Because the item settings were beyond great and merciless, to the point where you couldn’t even call them 3rd circle adventurers.

Of course, these were not things El Palm could write about.

“They are all for warriors.”

Jack Leech was originally an adventurer warrior. The items he had were also for warrior use.

“Is there anything the boss can get involved in?”

At that fact, El Palm Party’s expression hardened.

The only one we can trust here is El Palm, and that’s it. But he can’t be strengthened?

That was when.

As El Palm examined Jack Leach’s mangled body, he saw the corpse’s clenched fist.

When he opened his fist, a note came out.

Jack Leach’s eyes narrowed as he read the contents of the note he had been holding with all his might.

“Boss, what’s the story?”

El Palm answered Devo’s question.

“I searched for the exit for ten days, but I couldn’t find it. It seems that the only condition for activating the exit is hunting the boss monster.”

At that answer, everyone’s expressions, including Devo’s, hardened again.

I just had a chance.

The possibility that the Jack Leach party was so unlucky that they didn’t find the exit, that the exit just exists.

“I couldn’t see any exit from here either.”

But now that possibility is gone.

As Jack Leach had written in the letter, I had to defeat the boss monster, that ridiculous giant swamp monster, to get out.

It was impossible to get out.

In the face of that fact, El Palm Party was surprisingly indifferent.

Adventurers are people who will face death someday, so they always prepare for death.

Of course, it was possible because it was El Palm Party.

Because most adventurers would panic in situations like this and fight each other to the death.

Being a first-timer means you have strong mental strength.

‘Yes, thanks to the boss, I was able to fix my little brother and save up enough money to live off of even after I die.’

‘I was destined to die, but I still came this far.’

‘Because I chose it, damn it. But is there no other way?’

Divo, Kiri, and Miner were exceptionally strong.

“Leader.”

The most unique of them all was Ralph.

“How will the items be distributed?”

“Distribution?”

“If it’s a unique item, the price is probably not a joke. But you can’t split the item, right?”

The other three looked dumbfounded at the sight of them discussing money here too.

“No, it’s all over, what the… … .”

What good is money if you’re going to die?

“This item is used by Divo.”

“boss?”

But El Palm was willing to explain to Ralph.

“All three. It’s better for one person to use it all than to share it.”

“Then what happens to my share?”

“Instead, from now on, Devo will no longer receive any share of the proceeds from the Mystic Gate adventure.”

I’ll give it to Devo, but I’ll make sure Devo pays for it.

“Boss, is it true?”

“You are the only one who can use this item properly. If you don’t like it, I will make a suggestion to Kiri.”

At that question, Debo laughed and said,

“I’ll just use it. I’ll try out the unique item before I die and then I’ll have no regrets. So how much should I pay?”

“Let’s make a total of 300 million mesos.”

“yes?”

Debo’s eyes widened at the amount that came out then.

“Uh, how much is it?”

“300 million mesos. The value could be higher. The other members’ objections are also fine. Ralph, what is your opinion?”

“So from now on, I will receive 75 million mesos from Divo?”

“Yes.”

“I am satisfied.”

“What about the others? If there are no objections for 5 seconds, I will consider it accepted.”

During those five seconds, Kiri and Miner just blinked, and then, as the five seconds ended, El Palm looked at Divo.

“All that’s left is your opinion, Divo. The value of the item is 300 million mesos. Do you want to take it?”

At that question, Debo let out a hollow laugh.

In fact, it was an offer that the usual Devoe would not have accepted. A debt of 300 million mesos? Isn’t that asking him to do free service for the rest of his life?

But now it was different.

“Yes, fine. It’s nothing. Can’t I write a blank check when I’m dying?”

Because I thought the debt was meaningless.

In fact, all of this was meaningless.

So everyone thought.

‘The boss is doing this on purpose to change the mood.’

El Palm, he does this knowingly and knowing it’s pointless, just to change the mood.

That was quite an important thing.

The smaller, thinner the hope, the more desperately you have to try to grab it.

And the mood improved with El Palm’s conversation.

Everyone’s frozen expressions relaxed.

“Then, from now on, we will hunt the giant swamp mud monster.”

That’s why when El Palm said that, everyone smiled instead of sternly looking.

“Yes, you should catch it. While you have strength.”

“Let’s give it a try.”

“You have to go out and get paid, so you have to do it.”

“Let’s see how far we can go.”

El Palm said to that smile.

“Divo draws the aggro of the giant swamp monster. Kiri, Ralph, and Miner support Divo. The four of them are responsible for drawing the attention of the giant swamp monster while I attack.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with the plan.

It was a plan that would not be difficult.

There is only one problem.

“So how long do I have to hold out?”

El Palm began to ponder over that question, and everyone else began to ponder over that question.

‘It will take at least 10 minutes to catch that monster.’

I wonder how long it will take El Palm to kill that monster.

‘Maybe 30 minutes, no, maybe more than an hour.’

And everyone had a long time in mind for that concern.

It was natural.

It would take thousands of attacks to destroy the magic stone inside the body of a ten-meter-tall giant monster.

Even if it attacked only once per second, 1,000 attacks would be 1,000 seconds, or well over 15 minutes.

But El Palm does it alone?

Even El Palm had a limit to his magical power. Casting a thousand spells was honestly impossible.

So everyone came to a conclusion.

No matter what time it is, it will be impossible.

‘I’ll do anything. Anything.’

But I won’t say that it’s impossible.

El Palm pointed his finger at them.

Wide open, all five of them.

“Is 50 minutes okay?”

“50 minutes, it won’t be easy.”

“75 million mesora for 50 minutes, not bad.”

“I can fight all day, but 50 minutes is just a joke. Just trust me!”

Everyone smiled and relaxed at the calculation, and El Palm tilted his head and said.

“That’s a strange thing to say.”

“yes?”

“It’s not 50 minutes.”

“boss?”

Debo was surprised by the answer and asked back.

“Then, is it really five hours?”

“Five hours? It’s impossible to fight for that amount of time.”

El Palm frowned slightly at the question.

“It’s five minutes. If you hold out for five minutes, you can catch it.”

fantasy,