◈ Episode 428. I’m glad to see you.

The Canyon of the Forgotten.

Considering the number of bodies thrown from the precarious cliffs to the bottom of the canyon……. The mouth of the canyon may have been known to the Arcana Continent.

“They think it’s just a dumping ground.”

If the truth of the canyon were known in the future, it would be said that it was strange that its interior was unknown to the Arcana continent. Of course, Kichi knew that it was the Shadow God who had hidden it.

“……What is it?”

Thanks to this, she realized immediately.

The canyon’s interior, revealed.

The Shadow God had vanished from his holy land.

‘Can’t be, Claudi, Commander in Chief……?’

It wasn’t enough that he killed the Shadow God’s apostle.

Have you even defeated the Shadow God?

Luckily, Kichi was not mistaken.

Kichi shook her head firmly.

‘No. The Shadow God is a God, even if he is an exiled one.’

Besides.

Kichi looked down at her feet.

The shadow was still gone.

The shadow that had been robbed by the Shadow God in the Apostle Contract.

It was proof that the Shadow God was still alive and well.

Then.

Did he simply leave the Holy Land, and why?

Claudi and the Shadow God.

There was a conflict between them.

Did the conflict cause the Shadow God to leave the Canyon of the Forgotten?

Kichi came up with a few theories.

hududeug.

There was the sound of falling rubble.

“Found it!”

A voice called out, gravelly as if it had been boiled in a cauldron.

The last seat of the Shadow Mercenaries.

The corners of Rockid’s mouth turned up at the sight of Kichi.

“Former captain, current fugitive Kichi!”

udeudeug!

Question and answer dance.

Rockid had been loyal to the Shadow Mercenaries’ discipline.

There are no exceptions to the rules of the shadow, whether it is the leader or the member. There was a reason why the Shadow Mercenaries, the giants of Arcana’s underworld, had survived as long as they had.

“To maintain confidentiality, fugitives will be dealt with swiftly.”

The distance closed in an instant.

“Don’t even think about running away, Kichi!”

Bung!

With a resounding crack, Rockid threw a fist the size of his head. The blow, with more power than most catapults, narrowly missed Kichi’s face.

Rockid snickered.

“Damn it, when did you cut your hair off?”

“Why, because I looked better with long hair?”

“What the fuck, are you crazy?”

udeug!

Rockid snapped, turning his stiff neck.

“I’d have to grab that head of yours to have any chance of winning, and you can’t do that, can you? It slips out of my grasp like a snake. Don’t look down on me, Kichi.”

What did he join the Shadow Mercenaries for?

Money was one thing, but for Rockid, Kichi was the biggest reason. No one can defeat him. It was Kichi who humiliated Rockid when he was the proud conqueror of the Colosseum.

“Did you think this Rockid would be satisfied with a position at the bottom? My goal was you, Kichi, from the beginning! I’ve never given a damn about Wolfe and your other cronies!”

Swoosh!

He’s fast for a big guy.

……No, was he always this fast?

One step out, one step in.

Kichi kept a close distance between herself and Rockid.

This allowed her to see the change in Rockid’s expression.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t fantasize about smashing your head in with my hands, Kichi! You’re the reason I threw down the axe that became my alter ego. Yeah, because I’d never be able to keep up with your speed except with my bare hands.”

So, it wasn’t an illusion to feel fast.

Shhhh.

Rockid’s fist slammed into Kichi’s cheek again.

kwakwakag.

The canyon walls shattered under the force of the blow.

But Kichi was still staring at Rockid’s face.

“But.”

The reason was simple.

Why?

Because the smile was fading from Rockid’s face.

“Why did you leave the Shadow Mercenaries?”

“……?”

“Damn it. You just ruined all my plans, didn’t you?”

I will take down the leader Kichi and rise from the bottom to the leader in one fell swoop.

The first thing I do after that?

I’ll teach that rascal, DeSheve, a lesson for his underestimation of me, and I’ll force the old man Alkali to retire from active duty. I will pamper that unlucky Wolfe to his heart’s content.

Rockid’s ambitious plan for revenge, all of it.

“You left the Mercenary Corps, and it’s all for nothing!”

Was it because I’d never felt that before?

It was an indescribable feeling.

Still, I thought I’d feel better if I caught Kichi and kicked her ass.

But the more I looked at her, the more I felt like shit.

Rockid’s gaze fell to Kichi’s feet.

“Besides that, where did you sell your shadow, Kichi?”

Kichi shrugged.

“It was stolen from me in the first place, no big deal.”

“Ha?”

“Well, you did better than that. Well, I guess I expected to see you.”

From the moment she’d followed Claudi into the Canyon of the Forgotten, she’d expected to encounter members of the Shadow Mercenaries who had returned to the Arcana continent. But.

“I never expected to meet you among them.”

The first thing Kichi didn’t expect to encounter was Rockid.

That’s because Rockid had a bad flaw.

A short-sightedness that only allowed him to see what was right in front of him.

His temper was recognizable because Kichi was his leader.

“How did you get rid of that temper?”

Kichi asked.

“…… Wait.”

As if realizing something he’d forgotten.

Rockid’s face changes dramatically.

It’s different from the ambiguous look he’d been giving Kichi.

Rockid’s face contorted into pure fury.

“I see. You’re right, I did forget again, Kichi.”

“……What?”

“I didn’t come back to the lair to find you.”

Indeed.

Rockid was a coincidence.

He’d run into Kichi at the entrance to the Canyon of the Forgotten.

He said she was spoiled.

Kichi asked, dumbfounded.

“So, what’s so serious?”

Rockid replied, his voice booming.

“They back to the Continent.”

“Back who?”

“Our nemesis, the Berserkers.”

Berserk Society.

“Is that true?”

At those words, Kichi’s eyes sank heavily. It was different from the way she’d looked at Rockid. A killing glare, devoid of any emotion.

Sreung.

Kichi then raised her secret weapon.

Rockid had returned to the Canyon of the Forgotten after the Berserk Society. In other words, the Berserk Society had entered the Canyon of the Forgotten.

‘Claudi, the Berserk Society has found the canyon…….’

The Canyon of the Forgotten without the Shadow Mercenaries.

Perhaps His purpose is not her disposition.

Perhaps it is something else in the Canyon of the Forgotten?

Entering the canyon with Kichi, Rockid was puzzled.

“There are no Apostles, is there?”

“The Shadow God has left the canyon.”

“What? Well, does that mean your shadow is gone too…….”

“We’ll talk about that later, Rockid.”

In the present, with neither the Apostle dealing with the intruder or the Shadow God gone.

Where in the canyon is a berserk.

There was no telling what traps they might be digging and lurking.

“Well, fine.”

The two of them moved forward with bated breath.

“!!”

Something new caught their eye.

A rustle.

Mysterious men digging up a pile of corpses. Their identity was obvious. It was Berserk Society. Rockid kicked off the ground and ran out, but did he prepare for even that?

A magic circle activated.

jjeojeojeog─!

Rockid’s ankle was frozen in an instant.

“I’m sorry, but you’re not our target.”

“What are you talking about, you bastards……!!!”

“Isn’t our bad blood enough from our past lives?”

Gradually.

The executive of the Berserk Society who said that waved ‘something’ in his hand. Faded silver equipment. It was as if they were saying that was their purpose.

Kichi gave an estimate.

‘I can do it.’

A long way off.

Any traps could be lurking.

Still, it was enough to take the three of them by the throat.

However, now that the shadow holding the body has disappeared and the power of the apostle has also disappeared. It was obvious that a body that was too light would suffer extreme damage even if it was just grazed by a small attack.

Moreover.

‘……I must deliver it.’

Kichi remembered the jewelry box in her arms.

The hair of the daughter of the Claudi family in a jewelry box.

The silver hair snapped Kichi to her senses.

The Berserk Society executive arched an eyebrow.

“Do you understand? Very well, the Berserk Society and the Shadow Mercenaries have decided to sever ties here. If you think about it, you have nothing to lose, right? You were the winner anyway.”

The portal then manifests.

As Berserk disappears through the portal, he says something.

Kichi and Rockid pause at his words.

“But this time will be different. We, the Berserk Society, will devour something bigger than you, the Shadow Mercenaries. Yes, our madness will consume Claudi, who has returned to the Arcana continent.”

“……!!”

The moment the words fell, Kichi and Rockid.

‘Must be killed.’

Dada-dada!

They rushed toward the portal, not knowing who would be first.

But they were too late.

The Berserk Society’s executive finished with a sneer.

“In that sense, I thank you. You’ve kept the dagger we were planning to use on Claudi, and if we ever do devour Claudi, we will recognize his achievement and show him mercy. You can thank me, Shadow Mercenaries.”

Soon, the portal closed.

The Berserk Society gone.

Two men left behind.

Not much conversation was needed.

Kichi and Rockid.

Former and current.

The Shadow Mercenaries were in agreement.

“Temporary alliance, Kichi.”

“What’s the deadline?”

“Until we kill every last one of those bastards!!”

*

Poker face.

I opened my mouth nonchalantly.

“I see your hard work, Mr. Wallswale.”

Is that really the best you can do?

You crafted a [Mythic] ranked item.

Is that all you have to say to the great Mr. Wallswale!

“I’m truly glad you’re pleased.”

But Mr. Wallswale seemed satisfied with my snotty thanks. No, he was more than satisfied, he was swallowing a sigh of relief…….

‘What the hell do you think I am?’

He wasn’t satisfied because a Mythic-tier item popped up.

Normal ▶ Magic ▶ Rare ▶ Unique ▶ Epic ▶ Legendary

I wasn’t in a position to complain if an item of any tier had been crafted that I knew of. This was Wallswale, the best blacksmith in all of Arcana.

‘No matter whom I entrust with the task, I can’t get anything better than that.’

Worse, Wallswale doesn’t even charge for smelting.

Considering how much dwarven equipment sells for in Arcana…….

‘Even if a real normal item popped up.’

I was in a situation where I had nothing to say……!

But this was an unheard of Mythic-tier item.

Sure, I’d done Myth Quests, the highest level of spacetime missions, but completing a Myth Quest didn’t reward you with a Mythic-tier item.

‘Anyway, let’s check it out.’

Enough of the hype.

It’s time to check its abilities.

I checked the information window that popped up.

[Commander Gloves – Old Dragon Wisdom]

[Rank: Mythic]

A narrative that transcends legend.

A story to be called a Myth has become part of Eunaxus’ legacy?

Indeed, the restrictions are severe.

[Restriction: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

……That’s pretty bad.

‘It’s a bit like that, but…….’

I’m not going to show this info window to anyone anyway. It’s a Mythic-ranked item, if nothing else. Unless I die and drop it, I’m never going to lend it to anyone.

It’s not like I’m going to wear it anyway.

But the ensuing effect was even more unusual.

[Effect: Eunaxus, the great Elder Dragon of Myth, declares. “My legacy shall be that Claudi will be able to understand and speak Dragon Tongue!”]

Dragon Tongue ……?

You mean those unique abilities that only dragons can use, including Dragon Cry and Dragon Breath, and I’m supposed to be able to understand and use them?!

seug.

I’m stumped.

I quickly put on my gloves.

And paused.

[Understands the language].

Because there was a voice in my ear.

-If you are listening.

-Awake my true power.

-Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo.

My snout reveals the identity of the voice.

“I have heard your voice.”

“????”

The dwarves’ gaze was focused all at once.

I think again.

……I don’t think I’ll be able to live up to my name.

“The Legendary Dark Dragon.”

“!!!”