Translator: Seven

  Editor: Ana_Banana

  A taxi quietly drove to Tokyo International Airport.

  There was nothing that stood out about this taxi, except for the fact that the passengers in it were Prince Khalid, who had enough wealth to shake the world, and Miyazaki Sakura, the Sword Saint’s first disciple.

  “I never expected you to take a normal taxi instead of a limousine.

  When Miyazaki Sakura asked this question, Prince Khalid looked at her and smiled.

  “A man who’s moving around secretively can’t drive around in a golden Rolls-Royce or charter a flight can he?”


  “Then the plane?”


  “Naturally, I’ll be flying economy class.”


  No one would ever believe that a man with the money to buy enough stocks to get management rights of an airline company would travel to the airport in a normal taxi and sit in an economy seat.

  Miyazaki Sakura admired that fact.

  “You are really prepared.”


  “Well, it’s not exactly pleasant, so let’s not do this again.”


  Of course, this didn’t mean that the prince enjoyed doing such things.

  Even if all he had done was handle a mess, Prince Khalid was still forced to do everything secretively.

  Moreover, it wasn’t even because of his own problems.

  Prince Khalid’s sudden visit to Tokyo this time was due to the request from the Sword Saint.

  “I’m sorry.”


  This was the reason Sakura Miyazaki had come to see him off, as well as the reason she apologized.

  When she said that, Prince Khalid shook his hand.

  “I don’t need an apology. I’m happy as long as the work is done well.”


  Prince Khalid then closed his eyes.

  “So I’ll pray and hope that I hear the news about two obituaries soon.”


  Miyazaki Sakura smiled at those words.

  Prince Khalid on the other hand, opened his eyes and looked at her with a serious expression.

  “It’s no laughing matter. If Isaac Ivanov succeeds in attacking the dungeon, you will have to give him the Aegis Shield.”


  After a moment of silence, Prince Khalid finally asked a question that had been bothering him for a while.

  “Why the hell did he offer such an item as the reward? Surely he had other legendary items that he could’ve used instead?”


  Instead of answering, Miyazaki Sakura’s lips curled up into a slightly mocking smile.

  Prince Khalid understood immediately.

  “Really?”


  “Yes, that’s right.”


  The reason the Sword Saint offered the Aegis Shield as a reward for Isaac Ivanov’s team clearing the dungeon.

  …


  [Anubis’ eyes have closed.]

  Kim Woo-jin’s eyes, which had been tinted black, slowly shifted back to their original color.

  Meanwhile, Kim Woo-jin placed the skull he was holding back on the ground.

  In Kim Woo-jin’s mind, the memories of the bones’ owner, which he had just witnessed through the eyes of Anubis, flashed by-

  Sorry. We couldn’t stay together till the end…
-

  An Ogre! Does it make sense that a monster like that would appear on this goddamn third floor!-

  Hellhound, no wonder that thing is in the captain’s hands.

  That memory ended there-

  Aegis Shield?! Oh my God Captain, where did you get this? Huh? The Sword Saint gave it to you?

  The Aegis Shield.

  Among the numerous weapons that existed in Greek Mythology, a shield was considered to be one of the strongest!

  Those who had gathered around the captain were all ogling the shield with excitement flashing in their eyes.

  It was the same for Kim Woo-jin.

  ‘So that’s the reason.’


  Kim Woo-jin, who had witnessed the scene in the memories of the corpse, was bound to be excited after finding the truth.

  ‘That’s why they set the Aegis Shield as the clear reward.’


  The Sword Saint had set the Aegis Shield as the clear reward, but the shield was already stuck in the dungeon.

  And this was the reason why the Sword Saint had hidden this place for such a long time, despite having to pay a heavy price.

  Of course, that wasn’t the reason why Kim Woo-jin was excited.

  On the contrary, it made him a bit angry.

  ‘If this is the case, then the reason why he offered the Aegis Shield as a reward…was to screw us over.’


  In a sense, it was like the Sword Saint was mocking Kim Woo-jin.

  Nevertheless, the reason Kim Woo-jin was excited was simple.

  ‘After I leave the dungeon with the Aegis Shield already in my possession, the reward will have to change.’


  The Sword Saint could not give Isaac Ivanov the Aegis Shield as a reward for clearing the dungeon.

  ‘I’m curious what he’ll give instead.’


  So he would have to prepare something else.

  This was why Kim Woo-jin was very excited.

  …


  On the 17th day after Isaac Ivanov’s party had been trapped in the dungeon.

  [Players are still unable to enter the Hellhound dungeon!]

  [Isaac Ivanov’s party is still alive!]

  Isaac Ivanov’s party was still surviving in the dungeon.

  That was it.

  The media called it survival and did not use the term ‘attack’.

  The public opinion was the same.

  No one thought that Isaac Ivanov was attacking the dungeon.

  They believed that they were simply burning day by day till they melted completely, like a candle.

  In other words, the time of opportunity was slowly approaching for those who sought to gain Isaac Ivanov’s legacy.

  [Everyone, including the Five Great Guilds, are interested in the Hellhound Dungeon!]

  [Will there be an All-star lineup for Isaac Ivanov’s revenge?]

  The media was more focused on what would happen after Isaac Ivanov’s death rather than Isaac Ivanov himself. (TL: Deja vu)

  [No guild has officially declared an attack on the Hellhound dungeon yet!]

  [The Japanese Government, “So far, no guilds have proposed any plans to attack the dungeon.”]

  However, despite expressing their will, there was not a single group that announced a dungeon attack.

  As the competition rate wasn’t very high, it was advantageous to take the lead in situations like this.

  Nevertheless, the reason the guilds didn’t hurry to announce their attack was simple-

  Is the Hellhound really such a horrific monster?

  ?Not just horrific. It’s much more terrifying than the Hatchling. Isn’t it ranked 7th amongst all the boss monsters in 4 Floors?

  ? Because the floors are on different levels!

  The Hellhound was extremely strong.

  No, the sheer horror of the Hellhound could not be expressed with the word ‘strong’.

  First of all, it’s skin was so thick that it could not be cut by an item lower than the unique rank, and even then, it’s resilience was very high.

  It was almost impossible to leave a scar after cutting it.

  Its physical capabilities were also terrifying.

  With a body length of around 8 meters, including its tail, it was much faster than a cheetah, and the amount of strength it had is frighteningly high-

  But the truly terrifying part is its special abilities.

  But the thing that truly made the Hellhound stand out was the special abilities it possessed-

  First of all, its blood is highly corrosive, so it would melt anything you injure it with unless they are unique grade or higher.

  ?Even if you stab it with your weapon, its blood would melt the weapon and the wound would heal.

  ?Physical attacks basically don’t work.

  The fact that the Hellhound’s blood was corrosive enough to dissolve even weapons, combined with the Hellhound’s high resilience created a synergy that almost completely negated physical attacks.

  In fact, none of the players who successfully hunted a Hellhound had done so with physical attacks.

  What was worse was the fact that they also had abilities that could amplify those advantages-

  The worst is when he spits Hellfire.

  Hellfire.

  It was a powerful flame that could melt even unique grade items, and once it became attached to something, it couldn’t be put out by ordinary means.

  The Hellhound spat such terrifying flames from its mouth. (TL: talk about bad breath)

  This was why the guilds hesitated before declaring an attack on the Hellhound dungeon.

  Legendary armor was a necessity to attack the Hellhound-

  It’s not possible without legendary armor.

  ?It’s meaningless if it’s not really strong. Hellfire can’t be put out so easily after it attaches.

  Moreover, just a legendary item would not be able to cut it. They would need legendary armor that was powerful even among legendary items.

  “As expected, the top five guilds are talking a lot, but they aren’t doing much acting. Well, there aren’t many guilds that have items on par with Aegis Shield after all.”


  Without an item of that caliber, it was almost impossible to plan an attack.

  “Although, we are the same.”


  This was also the reason why the Aegis shield was in the Hellhound dungeon in the first place.

  After all, the Sword Saint wasn’t stupid, would he really send players into the dungeon without some kind of assurance?

  The moment he created an elite team he considered capable enough, he gave them the Aegis Shield and instructed them to clear the dungeon.

  However, the attack failed and the Aegis Shield was left in the dungeon.

  “Anyway, Prince Khalid was surprised to learn that.”


  “Surprised?”


  “He said he didn’t know Master could make such jokes.”


  Promising Isaac Ivanov to give him the Aegis Shield was indeed a joke.

  “A joke…”


  However, there was no sign of humor on the Sword Saint’s face when he heard those words.

  “Do I look like someone who’d make jokes?”


  Miyazaki Sakura was surprised by the question he asked.

  “It wasn’t a joke?”


  The Sword Saint explained.

  “If I offered the Aegis Shield to Isaac Ivanov as a clearance reward, then he would naturally tell those around him about it.”


  The reason he had mentioned the Aegis Shield to Isaac Ivanov.

  “And no one would guess. That the Hellhound dungeon that has appeared is something that was failed even with the Aegis Shield.”


  “Ah…!”


  Only then did Miyazaki Sakura understand the Sword Saint’s intentions.

  The Sword Saint hadn’t informed Isaac Ivanov about the Aegis Shield in order to trick him, he had done it to keep the other players off guard.

  “It will be a tomb that stays for eternity.”


  By doing so, he would turn the Hellhound dungeon into a graveyard for their competitors.

  The Sword Saint firmly believed this, which is why he spoke in a confident tone.

  “No one would be able to find what they’re looking for there.”