Episode 35

The second tier of the Labyrinth.

Gulra, the leader of the Gulrashi mercenary group who entered here with the soldiers including Elena, was staring at Elena with his mouth agape.

The reason was, of course, because of Elena’s combat skills.

Naturally, Gulra, who had been active in this area for a long time, knew her as the so-called failed hero and had also worked with her before.

Thus, Gulra knew Elena’s combat skills.

“Is that even possible?”

He watched with an incredulous expression as she took down the Boss of the second layer, an Undead Gnoll.

The appearance of the Undead Gnoll, like the Boss of the first tier, did not look anything like a normal gnoll.

The Undead Gnoll was more than twice as large as Elena, and whether it had been modified by a necromancer or not, it had as many as four arms.

Despite being undead, its powerful attack that shattered the ground with a single blow sent shivers down the spines of the soldiers and mercenaries.

In other words, the Undead Gnoll of the second tier looked so strong that it was clear it could not be faced alone.

No, it was strong.

Certainly beyond what Gulra could imagine Elena capable of.

…Or so it should have been.

Bang!

Elena, however, was facing such an Undead Gnoll as if it was nothing.

No, rather.

-[Scream of the Gnoll!!!]

Elena was hunting the Undead Gnoll.

Bang!

Elena’s body, which evaded the Undead Gnoll’s attack so naturally, quickly moved behind it and severed its spine.

Thud!

The Undead Gnoll fell to the ground with a single attack from Elena.

At the same time, Elena, who ran up its body to the head, plunged a hand axe into its head before it could do anything.

Crack!

The sound of the skull breaking as the hand axe penetrated the Gnoll’s head.

-[Screams of the Gnoll!!!]

Despite being a reanimated corpse, the Undead Gnoll started to rage as if feeling pain, but Elena did not stop there and used the hand axe she held in the other hand.

Crunch!

She completely smashed the Undead Gnoll’s skull, and soon the Boss collapsed, ceasing to function.

“…Huh.”

Gulra, of course, had heard the rumors.

Rumors that the failed hero Elena had suddenly become strong after joining the Lord of Lartania.

However, as the rumors circulating in the mercenary industry are almost always exaggerated, he was only aware of such a level of fact.

“This isn’t just a matter of having become strong, is it?”

Because Elena’s appearance was shocking.

“…Surely, does the Lord have something?”

Gulra was thinking, recalling one of the rumors that circulated along with Elena’s.

“If it’s as expected, could it be a chance to make some money…?”

At that moment he thought this.

Just like on the first tier, Elena, who was receiving praises from the soldiers and mercenaries, turned her gaze towards the Undead Gnoll that was gradually disappearing.

“Blue bone.”

Like before, she approached and picked up the blue bone that did not disappear at the feet of the Undead Gnoll.

“Again.”

Elena did not make a mistake in the battle with this Undead Gnoll.

But once again, the blue bone that appeared not only helped her in her crisis but also enabled Elena to easily deal with the Undead Gnoll.

The blue bone immediately pierced through one of the Gnoll’s feet, allowing Elena to break its spine in a single move.

Therefore,

“…I should report this to the Lord.”

After the corpse disappeared, she picked up the somewhat larger blue bone that remained and soon turned her gaze to the soldiers and mercenaries.

The awe and admiration in the eyes of the soldiers and mercenaries looking at her unknowingly uplifted her.

She had already received such looks on the first tier and continued to receive them up to this Boss zone, but she still enjoyed those looks.

When she received such looks, Elena felt the long-unfulfilled need for recognition being filled.

Therefore, Elena once again felt grateful to Kim Hyunwoo, who had made her this way.

After all, the reason she could be so recognized and fill that void was because of him.

“…”

Elena needed him dearly.

When the notification that the second tier of the Labyrinth had been conquered popped up for Kim Hyunwoo.

Kim Hyunwoo, looking at what Lani had brought, inadvertently asked,

“So, you mean this was in the room assigned to you?”

“Yes. It probably belonged to the previous owner of the room, might have been left under the bed and not lost…”

Upon hearing Lani’s words, Kim Hyunwoo, thinking about to whom he had assigned the room, soon let out a low exclamation,

“I gave her the room of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness.”

The Absolute Ruler of Darkness.

Thinking about it now, Kim Hyunwoo, recalling the girl to whom he had given such a regrettable title, soon looked at the sword that ridiculously exceeded the width of the desk.

More precisely, he looked at the notification that appeared before him.

Simple, yet detailed, Kim Hyunwoo, looking at the notification detailing the sword, soon looked at the description window.

‘Did Arteil even have such description windows to begin with?’

At least, as far as Kim Hyunwoo remembered, there were no such description windows, so he shrugged his shoulders and lifted the Execution Sword.

The Execution Sword, which clearly exceeded Kim Hyunwoo’s height, felt surprisingly light to lift.

Seeing that, Kim Hyunwoo involuntarily reminisced about the past.

‘I really struggled for five months to make this.’

Kim Hyunwoo, remembering the time he invested in minigames to make this Execution Sword and the endless grind,

‘But why is the Execution Sword I gifted to the Absolute Ruler of Darkness here?’

He pondered this question while looking at the Execution Sword but then,

‘Seeing it was under the bed, it seems like it was left behind when leaving the territory due to a drop in affection.’

Kim Hyunwoo quickly came to that conclusion.

After all, it being left under the bed covered in dust meant it was okay to assume the Absolute Ruler of Darkness had lost it and left.

Therefore, Kim Hyunwoo, looking at the sword, began to ponder what to do with this Execution Sword.

‘First of all, it seems… I don’t need to return it.’

In fact, Kim Hyunwoo didn’t even know where the Absolute Ruler of Darkness was, and even if he did, he had no intention of returning it.

‘She must have left it because she didn’t need it. Maybe she didn’t think it was important.’

“Hmm…”

‘Still, seeing it neglected like this makes me feel a bit sad, considering I worked so hard on it.’

Kim Hyunwoo stared intently at the Execution Sword with these thoughts but smiled instead.

Considering the Absolute Ruler of Darkness had left the Execution Sword neglected like this, it allowed him to think about how he could use it.

‘Should I give it to a hero as equipment? Or just sell it?’

Kim Hyunwoo began to ponder happily.

Though covered in dust, the Execution Sword was, after all, a weapon that could create variables second only to a hero’s star in a world where a hero’s star signifies all of one’s strength.

Of course, since Kim Hyunwoo made it himself, its abilities were inferior to its original mythic grade, but even so, it could be considered quite a formidable weapon.

Thus, this weapon was like an unexpected gift to Kim Hyunwoo.

If he wanted to use it right away, he could recruit a hero who uses swords and give it to them to use, and if he decided to sell it, it was very clear that Kim Hyunwoo’s pockets would become significantly heavier.

Therefore,

“Thank you for letting me know, Lani.”

“Hehe… It’s nothing.”

He praised Lani and began to seriously consider how to use this Executioner’s Sword.

“Master.”

Loriel, standing at the entrance to the underground chamber of the Calan Kingdom and looking at the door with no response as usual, sighed.

“…Wouldn’t it be better to just go in?”

Ruin, with a similarly worried expression next to Loriel, suggested this, but she shook her head.

“No, we must always have Master’s permission to enter the Grand Chamber. Are you planning to disobey Master’s words?”

“That’s not it. But I’m worried, that’s why I’m saying this.”

Ruin, clicking her tongue and looking at the door,

“Master, it’s been days since you’ve eaten, so I’ve brought some food. Please have a little!”

Spoke towards the door, but as with Loriel, there was still no response from inside.

After a while, two of the Five Swords of Calan, who had been guarding the door, left when no answer came for a long time.

And Loriel, who had been pondering for a long time,

“Ruin.”

“Why?”

“From tomorrow, you stay by Master’s side. Just in case there’s something to be done, stay near the door unless there’s something special.”

Ruin said,

“…That’s fine, but what about you?”

To Ruin’s curious question,

“I’m thinking of going to Lartania.”

Loriel said,

“Since Master is having a hard time, I need to speak with the Lord.”

She muttered solemnly, looking in the direction of Lartania.