◈ Episode 131. It’s a big deal.

[Luxury – White Outer Wings]]

[Rank: Unique]

[Limit: Lv.350]

[Effect: When worn, stores the user’s attribute magic. The number of stored magic is proportional to the color of the outer wing and reduces M. Atk. consumption by 30% when manifesting stored magic. – Current number of stored attribute magic: 100]

The magic tools I borrowed before entering the Demon Castle Rift.

I can’t live without it.

Why have I still kept the item without returning it?

If anyone asked, I had a good reason.

‘Technically, I borrowed it back.’

[Mark of the Gale].

[Luxury item – Thunderstruck Branch Wand].

[Luxury item – White Outer Wing].

I thought to myself as I returned the items I’d borrowed from Magic Tower and Garnet Hall.

I’d better keep at least one as insurance.

I was using my talent for subject matter identification.

‘I don’t have a [natural enemy], so I should at least get an item.’

The item I chose was, of course, the White Outer Wing.

I chose it because its performance was deceptive.

The effectiveness of the other items was also considerable.

‘If it weren’t for the Outer Wing…….’

I would never have been able to defeat the Demon King, Flouros.

‘With its effectiveness, it’s a wonder it’s a unique.’

There were no procedural issues with extending the rental of the magic items.

Who am I?

A chief co-principal investigator who has gone from parachuting to being recognized as such.

Of course, even without invoking my authority, it seems that no mages need the [Luxury Outer Wing] in the first place.

-“There are also many returned magic items. Why don’t you take your time looking around……?”

An Adept Mage from Garnet Hall had suggested that.

Other items?

Good.

I’d love to try some of them, even if they’re good.

But they all have some seriously high level restrictions.

Flutter─

In the end, I had only one choice.

I put the wings on my shoulders like a cloak.

The wings clung to my shoulder blades as if they were alive.

I feel like I’ve sprouted wings.

Even the aesthetic of the Grandfell was pleased.

‘……, don’t you like luxury things too much?’

Suddenly, I had that thought.

Well, it’s still a good business.

I checked my stats.

[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

[Title: The Last Adventurer]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 425]

[Stats]

Strength: 71 / Agility: 76 / Magic: 387 / Luck: 6 / Aesthetics: Mid

[Points held: 0]

Thanks to the wings, my [Aesthetics] has risen from low to mid again.

When you don’t have [Natural Enemy], even the smallest stat is disappointing.

It’s a shame, but I can’t help it.

I’ll take what I can get.

“That’s the magic equipment from the Magic Tower……!”

Of course, I didn’t want anyone else to know my intricacies.

Fabian and his crew were impressed.

Of course, given the circumstances, they quickly came to their senses.

” ……, my lord. You’re going to walk right into a trap!”

.

.

.

“Teffern was an ancient city.”

“……!!!”

The dark spirit’s words were startling to begin with.

The Federation explorers, Aaron and Lombus, spat out a laugh.

Including themselves.

This was Teffern, the place that so many explorers were hanging on to.

Who hadn’t gotten a single clue.

“I never thought I’d learn the secrets of Teffern this way…….”

“Don’t talk too much, Aaron. You’re wearing me out.”

“Try being quiet, both of you.”

In truth, Fabian’s feelings were not so different from theirs.

‘Even if every expedition is different.’

Now, an expedition with the help of spirits.

Even he had never done anything like this before.

But Fabian’s brain was cool.

He assessed the situation realistically.

‘Normally, a labyrinth expedition takes at least a week.’

However, this is no ordinary labyrinth, but the Teffern Labyrinth, one of the ten wonders of the Arcana Continent.

It would take several times as long, if not longer.

‘……No, do you think we can even break through?’

Just now, it took dozens of minutes to disarm a single trap.

He had three explorers stuck, including himself.

But there wasn’t even enough time.

Why, time is like afternoon tea.

As Lord Ho-Yeol had said.

‘This is a rift, not the continent of Arcana.’

And if you factor in the rising rate of rift collapse…….

Fabian was quick to admit.

“The way we planned to do it would be impossible.”

In that way, the dark spirit’s words were worth listening to carefully.

Any information about Teffern would be helpful one way or another.

“They have awakened something that should not be awakened.”

……But what shouldn’t be awakened?

“Down here, deep underground.”

“……!”

Flash!

Fabian’s gut clenched at the words.

The Teffern Labyrinth, a sense of foreboding he’d felt from the moment he’d set foot in it.

No treasure, no honor.

What on earth was the reason for its construction?

The questions in my head finally began to mesh.

Fabian muttered softly.

” ……To seal something that should not be awakened.”

If you think about it, it all made sense.

A trap so complicated that even its designers couldn’t break it.

A grossly inefficient structure.

Even the sinister voice that echoed through the labyrinth.

-Leave this place now. Unless you want to die.

Fabian laughed bitterly.

“You mean it wasn’t a warning, but an affectionate concern?”

Indeed, the legendary explorer.

Fabian’s instincts were spot-on. Aaron and Rombus swallowed hard as the dark spirit continued, then turned to face the wall where the trap lurked.

“They didn’t enchant it just to fuck with us.”

“It’s not even normal magic. It’s black magic.”

“Because black magic is the only thing that stands the test of time.”

No matter what tools you use.

Magic that is manifested from mana cannot be maintained permanently.

However, black magic that comes from the proper source is different.

The proper magic comes from the past and background.

Fabian spat out his feelings.

“A tragedy.”

Though I don’t know the details.

Teffern awakened something that shouldn’t have been awakened.

To fulfill their responsibility.

To keep the peace on the continent of Arcana.

They created the Labyrinth, sealed away the unawakened, and sacrificed themselves to bring it to this point. They had been sacrificed to black magic so that the Labyrinth could do its job?

Aaron learned all the same.

He placed his hand on the wall of the Labyrinth.

“So that’s what you felt inside the walls?”

The inhabitants of Teffern who never sleep.

Such a secret in a wonder.

Silence.

Fabian and his companions fell silent, lost in thought.

Of course, the silence didn’t last long, thanks to Ho-Yeol’s bombshell.

” ……, my lord. You’re going to walk right into a trap!”

It was a conversation between Ho Yeol and the Dark Spirit.

It was the truth of Teffern, a truth they understood from their own eavesdropping. His lordship could not have misunderstood……. But the words were not empty words, as they were followed by actions.

Another moment.

Ho-Yeol flapped his wings and strode away.

“It means I will carry on the pride of Teffern, Fabian.”

” …… You mean the pride?”

Sealed in the Labyrinth, a being that must not be awakened?

‘Does that mean you intend to make this seal even stronger?’

But Ho Yeol’s answer was even more shocking than he expected.

“An existence that shouldn’t be awakened. All we need to do is eliminate its source.”

“……!!!”

.

.

.

The One Who Must Not Be Awakened.

That’s a pretty powerful name.

I recall the information from the rift once more.

[Recommended Level: Lv.500~?]

Now I understand why the required level wasn’t clearly stated.

This is a world-class quest, the Ten Wonders.

I’m guessing a minimum of Named and a maximum of Boss Mob.

‘Oh shit, he’s my nemesis.’

I mean, really, I resent this guy’s pride…….

Noblesse Oblige.

A badass who can’t look at everything without compassion.

The aristocratic pride of Grandfell was speaking.

“Teffern has done their duty.”

Ever since the ancient city of Teffern was whole.

The survivors of Teffern, who guarded the Labyrinth without sleep, themselves hosts and sacrifices to black magic. You have earned the right to rest in peace.

Does that mean the system is impressed by my damned tired pride?

The quest window flashed.

A new quest objective had been updated.

Witness the Labyrinth of Teffern. (Success)

Reach the depths of the Labyrinth. (Pending)

Defeat the “One Who Must Not Be Awakened” sleeping in the depths. (Ongoing)

A pride that touches even the system.

… … Fuck you.

I judged coldly.

‘Since the rift was created. It was inevitable that we would meet.’

‘He must not be awakened.’

He’s sealed away in the depths.

If we don’t defeat him, the rift will never be cleared. But that doesn’t mean the conversation with the dark spirit was pointless.

“It gave me a head start on the fact that I was going to get my ass handed to me.’

I should have been happy that I had time to prepare.

‘It’s a situation where I can’t just like it, but this.’

There’s a difference between regular mobs and named mobs.

Named mobs and boss mobs are on another level.

You’ve got to kill what’s almost certainly the minimum named mob and the maximum boss mob.

Without [Natural Enemy] turned on, I was under a lot of pressure.

But there was no hesitation in my steps.

I made my way to the other side of the labyrinth.

I heard Fabian’s urgent voice.

“My lord, the wall is about to collapse, and the inhabitants of Teffern, sacrificed to black magic……!!!”

Was it the heavy pride that refused to go down?

Or is it the white, fluttering outer wings?

Or for the presence of Hiel, and the dark spirits?

No, that’s not the point.

Because I knew.

“Darkness is subordinate to deeper darkness.”

The nature of black magic.

Black magic.

Matisse Dean Karl, a senior mage, is a modern-day practitioner of an exotic magic whose history is short, but his knowledge of the black magic is extensive.

Who is Matisse?

A mage who was closer to the top than anyone else, before Marcelo rose to prominence.

What that means.

His abilities.

His writings on black magic are not lacking.

I’ve read every single one of them in the tower.

Kwazik-!

It must be because I took a bold step.

Trap triggered.

Looking at the crumbling wall, I said nonchalantly.

“You manifested the 『Black Crown』 over the entire labyrinth? I see. A simple labyrinth was not enough to seal him away. I can see what you feared.”

Intermediate Black Magic, Black Crown.

The effect is to take away some of the target’s five senses. The black circle that manifested in the Teffern Labyrinth was directed at only one target, a being that should not be awakened.

Soon, the black form was fully revealed.

“It must have required a vast amount of proper magic to maintain its blackness, and your flesh was sacrificed in the 『Black Contract』 to provide it.”

Advanced Black Magic, the Black Contract.

A form of necromancy, in short.

If there’s anything else, it’s the difference between magic and proper magic. And unlike the necromancer’s necromancy, the Black Contract can be manifested on living subjects.

Fabian hesitated at my words.

“My lord, those words are……. The inhabitants of Teffern have sealed the creature in this labyrinth forever. Are you saying that they offered their own flesh as a sacrifice to black magic?”

Nod─

Hiel nodded on my behalf.

Yes, Teffern.

That’s a mysterious story.

But whatever the consequences. It didn’t change the fact that they had sacrificed their lives to ensure that chaos would not be brought to the continent of Arcana.

No wonder his pride is so overwhelming.

So now that I’ve convinced him.

There was no more whining.

” …… Leave. If you don’t want to die. Leave.”

All that remained was the will to live.

The『Black Contractors』 were approaching.

Their numbers were unfathomable.

“……Leave. If you don’t want to die. Leave.”

“……Leave. If you don’t want to die. Leave.”

“……Leave. If you don’t want to die. Leave.”

But I didn’t back down.

I know their pride.

I know their desire.

“I know your hearts.”

You would have said I should not have awakened them.

Whatever it is, it’s got a big name, so it must be something.

By the way.

This one has a name to match.

The Infinite darkness.

……It’s the fact that it’s so big that I want to look it up that’s the problem, rather.

Go-oh-oh.

I drew up the proper amount of magic to match the name.

It’s not like I’m used to sensing dark spirits.

The entire Teffern Labyrinth began to respond to my proper magic power.

Goo-goo-goo-goo-!

The labyrinth vibrated.

I hear the panicked voices of the Fabians.

“Hey, Federation President Fabian, what’s going on?”

But I don’t have time to listen.

I can’t tell where it’s coming from, but it’s the black history, or the gloomy setting of the Grandfell, but it’s the proper kind of magic that’s surging without end.

Just trying to control it is a daunting task……!

But, as always, I was unmoved.

Suddenly, the black contractors advancing on me stopped.

At the same time, a message appeared in my vision.

[You have gained command of the Black Contractors of Telfern].

They spat out words unlike anything I had heard before.

“……After a long wait, the opportunity to correct our mistakes has come.”

*

Kugugugung─!

The Teffern Labyrinth vibrated as if it would collapse at any moment.

The screams of players rang out from everywhere.

But the real fun was just beginning.

“It’s not over when it shakes!”

“Mobs are going to burst out of the maze walls!”

“Crazy! What kind of asshole are you? Get out of here you troll!”

Everyone was in a combat stance, even though they had landed in different places in the labyrinth.

Even Park Hwigang, who was a Class Explorer and boasted a decent combat ability, raised his dagger for self-defense.

“I apologize in advance, the transmission may be uneven.”

This was no ordinary labyrinth.

I had a hunch, but I didn’t expect such a drastic change.

So it’s one of the top ten wonders of the Arcana Continent after all? The makeshift party members spit out their impressions.

“I was sweating even when one or two jumped out.”

“……There must be over a hundred of them, right?”

“Only a hundred? It seems like the whole labyrinth is just falling apart.”

“Brothers and sisters. It seems like today is my sacrificial day. How about we donate some money to help me get to the other side…….”

“No, are you going to say something really bad there?!”

“What? Did they at least give me the money for the beef stew?”

Kugugung!

Just as the argument was about to get heated.

The labyrinth collapsed at just the right time.

But the dry saliva that had been swallowed was not worth it.

“……?”

[Teffern Black Contractor].

The grim monsters didn’t charge at me.

No, they were more than hostile, they turned completely around and began to walk in the opposite direction.

“That direction is……?”

The depths of the labyrinth.

Where beings that should not be awakened are sealed away.

Toward the place where the ‘Infinitely Deep Darkness’ had set foot.