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Chapter 185 The Black Palace

There stood a dark castle at the very precipice of a massive mountain.

The mountain was shrouded in darkness, and obsidian clouds floated above everything.

Black grains of sand danced in the air as this single ominously gigantic castle elegantly sat at the heights of majesty.

There was a valley beneath the mountain that served as an Estate.

Several massive houses and colossal structures declared the landmark at the center. However, no matter how big or glamorous everything was, they were all submerged in inky black.

And the darkest of all… remained the castle.

Within the great structure, past its imposing gates, and inside the throne-room of absolute splendor, a being currently lay on his pile of treasures that formed a throne.

Multiple precious tones were mixed together with only the purest kinds of Magical Objects and Rare Ores.

Mana Crystals grew all around the absurd, yet immensely beautiful throne that the great being was casually laying on.

The throne was vertically huge, but more so horizontally long, so it could contain the huge form of the one atop it.

It had a soft cushion, so there was no way they would get uncomfortable.

No one was in the throne-room except them, and due to their eyes being closed, it was clear that they were currently asleep.

However, the two eyes of the slumbering beast slowly fluttered open.

"Strange…" As they opened their jaws, a deep voice echoed throughout the throne-room.

The glowing purple eyes of this entity shone through the area, piercing the darkness.

"One of my children is dead…?"

This being was what could be described as a Dragon; and not just any kind of Dragon. freēwebnovel.com

He was a Dragon Lord.

—The Dark Dragon of the Black Mountain.

His current situation was a perplexing one, as one of his offsprings had met an untimely death.

The reason he could detect it wasn't due to a strong paternal bond between himself and his children, but the 'Bloodline Connection' that all Monarchs had with their progeny.

He couldn't help but be connected to them, and once one life was snuffed out, he would instantly know.

"Which one was it? All my kids are Generals, unless… ahh…"

It didn't take long for the Dragon Lord to know the one that was dead.

"Jar'rarid… right? That was the name… I think."

He squinted his eyes and frowned his face, almost as if saying the name of the deceased Dragon brought nothing but a bitter taste to his mouth.

That was how much he detested him.

'The weakest of my offspring. Shame upon my lineage…'

He had been so ashamed of his idiotic and talentless son that he couldn't have him in the Dragon Empire, so he gave him a job as a miner in the human place.

'He was a miner, if I'm not wrong. Ahh, yes… that's about right.'

The minerals he got from the Human Cities were quite subpar, all things considered.

Since Mana didn't flow as densely over there as it did in the Dragon Empire, it was a given that their materials would have less quality.

However, since they were at least useful for something, the job that his useless son had made him contribute at least a little bit towards the Empire.

'His death isn't really consequential. It's not like we won't live or function well without those minerals. But…'

The Dark Dragon narrowed his eyes, staring emptily into space as he growled silently.

Everything around him began to tremble in the presence of his almighty power.

'… How exactly did he die in a Human City?'

Rage, mixed with disgust and disappointment began to swirl within him,

He was embarrassed that he had a son like that. Even in death, the useless bastard kept bringing shame to the legacy of Darkness.

'He got himself killed among the humans? Is this some sort of joke?'

Sure, Jer'ard wasn't the strongest Dragon around, but he was still a Dragon Commander—far above the Dragon Newts and Dragon Soldiers.

'Are there any other races in the Western Continent? I don't think so.'

Humans were the only ones who populated that entire parcel of land, which made it their usual playground.

The truth was… humans were hilariously weak.

They were perhaps the weakest of all the races in H'Trae.

They barely had any natural abilities or talents, and none of their features gave them any major advantage in battle.

They were nothing more than cannon fodder to be used when training Dragon Newts and Dragon Soldiers.

A single competent Dragon Commander could probably alter the entire scope of battle if they were sent.

He could have even sent his useless child, and the fool would have been able to annihilate most of the humans there.

The only reason he didn't was because there was no need to.

The struggle of humans didn't have to end so quickly, so the tides of their battle was something they actively ensured wouldn't fall too far out of balance.

If the Dragons were winning too much, they would lessen their forces, and if the humans were winning too much, they'd send some reinforcements.

It was nothing more than that.

'And yet… that idiot lost to them?'

The Dragon Lord shifted on his throne, feeling the cushion rub on his scaly body.

'What a curious development. Which group defeated him? Did they gang up on him? Was it an ambush? We're there special circumstances behind it?'

The Dark Dragon had to admit that he was curious.

As his eyes shone brighter, the six horns on his head became more pronounced.

'Is it possible that humans have gotten stronger? Maybe smarter?'

Somehow, he doubted it.

'Either way, I think this is worth investigating.' He slowly closed his eyes and returned his posture to the way it was before.

As he got comfortable, he had one trailing thought.

'… I'll get to it as soon as I wake up.'

Thus, the Dragon Lord returned to his slumber.

This single act saved humanity from extinction at the hands of overwhelming power.

They just didn't know it yet.

[End Of Arc 2: The Royal Dungeon Incident Arc]

~We will now be beginning Arc 3!~

[Prepare for the Dark Undertaking Arc!]

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[A/N]

Chapter 186 The Creeping Darkness

"You may come in."

The moment this deep voice echoed within the very dark room, and beyond, a door slowly creaked open.

The intruder was a man with slick brown hair, with bright green eyes, and a very classy outfit—a black waistcoat on top of a formal shirt, black trousers, and a neat tie.

All in all, this man in his early thirties was very handsome in every sense of the word.

He was Aldred Winsley—Broker for the KariBlanc Group.

At least, that was what his identity demanded.

"Greetings, father." He bowed his head the moment he came in and closed the door within the dark office.

"Sit."

Aldred obeyed instantly, moving past the comfortable couches that stood at the center of the room, but moved towards the chair in front of the man's desk.

The man he called father—Lord Blanc of the Obsidian Council—sat calmly behind his desk

His bright green gaze could pierce the eyes of anyone, and even though the office was dark, they glowed intensely.

Aldred was used to this gaze, but even he still felt like prey being constantly watched by a predator.

He sat in front of his father, separated only by the desk that stood between them.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Then—

"They're acting much faster than I expected. Things are getting really unstable right now…"

—Lord Blanc spoke.

He didn't have his usual confident and imposing tone.

Instead, a sort of worrying vibe took over his voice, as well as his countenance.

It was easy to see that he was shaken by the current situation.

"How bad is it, Father?"

"Very bad. We can't contact our prime buyer due to some kind of interference through our main channel. We've also lost contact with the merchandise we kept in the warehouse in the East."

Their prime buyer resided far from the Capital, so the KariBlanc had gotten a vast patch of land where they constructed a massive warehouse to store the goods they would sell prior to the final sales.

It was also a major part of their 'Expansion' plan.

And now… it was in shambles.

"We are in a precarious state right now. If we do not complete that sale, then we'll encounter a devastating loss. Plus, the fact that we've lost contact with the warehouse and the merchandise… it worries me."

Lord Blanc didn't want to admit it directly, but Aldred understood what all of this meant.

The KariBlanc Group was desperate.

They needed help.

"Have you tried seeking assistance from the rest of your colleagues? You know… the ones that aren't on 'their' side?"

As Aldred asked this question, Lord Blanc grunted and shrugged slightly.

"They're also like me—too busy protecting their interests to spare time for another."

As Aldred heard this, he understood.

No wise drowning man would try to save another drowning man if he didn't have some kind of life raft first.

Lord Blanc had powerful connections, but since they were experiencing the same challenges as he was, they could not render their aid.

"Is this what 'they' wanted all along, or…?" As Aldred whispered this, sensing his Father's increasing frustration, he racked his brain to think of a solution.

In the end, he could only imagine one.

"Sir Ralyks… we could enlist the help of Sir Ralyks."

The Dark Adventurer who was shrouded in mystery and power; the same one who had reached the realm of 'Absolute', and possessed a wealth of resources that would make the KariBlanc Group richer than ever before.

He was immensely resourceful, intelligent, and most of all… overwhelmingly strong.

There was none within the four walls of KariBlanc that didn't know who this esteemed man was.

"Sir Ralyks? Hmm…"

Despite all of these qualities, Lord Blanc didn't seem to jump at the idea.

He maintained a critical air around him as he narrowed his eyes in hesitation.

"He had all the qualities we need, right? Besides, to turn the tables, we need as many powerful allies as we can."

Aldred continued speaking, a slight passion in his voice.

"I have seen Sir Ralyks' capabilities. He is a far better fighter than Yuri and a much better Mage than I am. The fact that he was able to deliver so many Monster Cores also means he is still hiding much of his strength."

It was difficult—if not downright impossible—to find even a single flaw in the man.

"I already know these things. I never doubted his capabilities in the slightest." Lord Blanc sighed.

Once Aldred heard this, his face became twisted in confusion. If his father didn't doubt Sir Ralyks' capabilities, why did he show such hesitation?

"Then—!"

"I'm just unsure of whether he'd choose to ally with us. Someone as powerful and intelligent as him will not be fooled by tricks. I find it doubtful that we have enough to thoroughly convince him to take our side, given the current precarious situation we are in."

Once Lord Blanc said this, Aldred finally understood his father's concerns.

Sir Ralyks was too powerful to concern himself with a losing party's issues.

The only reason they had maintained a somewhat mutual understanding was because the KariBlanc Group could pull their own weight.

Even then, they knew he couldn't be stopped even if he chose to break their promise.

However, now that they were sinking… why would he choose to help?

"I… I believe he may come to our assistance." Aldred swallowed his saliva as he spoke.

"We just have to be convincing enough."

As Lord Blanc heard this, he narrowed his gaze on his son and told him to proceed.

"He left his lover in our care, and we've taken proper care of her in his absence. I believe it takes some measure of trust in us for him to have done such a thing."

"H-he did that…?" Lord Blanc's eyes were wide open in surprise.

Aldred was meant to inform him of every update about the man named Ralyks, but he could understand why this was never mentioned.

It must have occurred during the period when the Dragon Incident occurred, and the capital began to tremble.

In that case, there wouldn't be enough time or a stable opportunity to tell him.

After all, after that entire incident, their enemies sporadically began to make their move.

"Lord Ralyks trusts us to an extent, Father. Besides, he is not an unreasonable man. He has listened to my selfish requests a lot of times, and if we can make it worth his while, I'm sure he would hear us out at the very least."

Upon hearing this, Lord Blanc sighed a little and maintained a few seconds of silence.

Aldred held his breath as he watched his father for the decision he would make concerning the issue.

"I understand. Please arrange a meeting between me and Ralyks as soon as you can." He said, his bright eyes glinting with resolve.

It is rumored that once Lord Blanc makes a decision, he sticks to it until the very end. The very expression that his father was making gave credence to those rumors.

"I shall inform you when next he comes to our establishment."

"Yes, Father." Aldred bowed his head and smiled.

The truth is, he wasn't very certain if Ralyks' would actually help them—though he desperately hoped that was the case..

There were some within the KariBlanc Group who suspected that he was the one who defeated the Dragon that appeared in the Capital.

Aldred was one of them.

He truly believed that if anyone in the capital could achieve such a feat, it would be him.

He just didn't know how and why—pretty much the circumstances surrounding the strange and mysterious event.

"You may leave now."

Aldred obeyed his Father's words and rose to his feet the instant he was told to depart.

He took his bow once he reached the door, and finally… he Lord Blanc all alone in the room.

"Haaa…" The Obsidian Councilor heaved a heavy sigh and closed his eyes in the dark.

"I hope this all ends well."

It would seem that the fate of the entire KariBlanc Group, as well as that of the entire Criminal Underworld, rested on the choice of a single man.

'Sir Ralyks… please favor us.'

Chapter 187 Silent Observations

"Pfft—!"

A boy and a girl walked side by side as they entered a very luxurious sitting room, with doors plastered on multiple areas of the walls.

The chandeliers that hung from the ceiling gave the room an air of prestige, and the freshly painted walls made it reminiscent of paradise.

The ground was squally clean, covered in both squeaky clean tiles and carpets that were fluffy to the feet.

Everything was pristine—an epitome of perfection.

However, neither the boy nor the girl paid any of these fine details any attention.

They were used to it, after all.

"Haha! For real?"

"Yes! You really need to check it out!"

"Well, since you asked so nicely."

"Haha! Of course!"

They both chuckled as they ventured further into the room, until they couldn't advance any further.

After all, they had separate rooms to enter.

"I guess this is where we part ways, huh?" The boy with black hair and an average height looked at the slightly taller girl beside him.

He had a plain, ordinary face that you could find just about anywhere.

His brown eyes appareard ordinary as well, and he looked unassuming enough to be seen as a harmless person.

Just an ordinary guy, really.

"Yup! It's getting pretty late, so I'm gonna turn in now."

The girl who responded was someone who could be said to be the exact opposite of the boy.

She was absolutely stunning from head to toe.

Her long brown hair was enchanting, and her amber eyes were captivating. Her slender physique, with perfect proportions, made her the kind of girl who would qualify as any guy's dream girl.

It was surprising enough that she was talking to the boy in front of her so casually, but she actually seemed so immersed in the conversation that you'd think they were best friends.

These two were Alicia and Rey, and after spending all day in the library, they were finally in their residence.

Not only did they go there almost immediately after Grandmaster Conrad's announcements, but they didn't leave until now.

It was already past 11 PM, and the two teenagers seemed to have enough energy to keep going.

If not for the tiny strand of self control left in them… they could have continued into the next day.

"Alright, Alicia. Guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yup! Goodnight, Rey."

Alicia went into her room, and Rey did the same—almost doing so at exactly the same time.

They both noticed this and giggled as they shut the door to their rooms.

The moment Rey entered his room, a clicking sound echoed, which signified it being locked.

The room brightened up thanks to the Luminous Stones that were automatically turned on using Magic anytime they detected his presence.

He could always turn them off manually, though.

"Haaaa…"

Rey looked at his room, realizing this was the first time in a few days since he actually spent time in it.

'I was gone for two days and none of them were even worried…'

Apparently, the reason they weren't too concerned was because Ralyks assured them that he would be safe, and that he could always detect his location.

Ignoring how creepy that sounded, Rey didn't even remember he said something like that.

'Must be a bullshit excuse I came up with to explain away my absence back then…'

He shrugged off the thought and collapsed on his bed, feeling its soft embrace while closing his eyes.

Taking deep breaths, he made a comfortable smile.

"Alicia…"

Unfortunately, the smile did not last for too long. The moment he uttered that name, a slight darkness clouded his face.

'We talked about a lot today: mostly books and all the drama I missed while I was away.'

Since Rey had to play the fool, she had to tell him all about the Royal Dungeon Incident—at least, what she heard from what everyone was saying.

It was thanks to her account that he was able to gain a lot more perspective on the situation of Adonis' team before he rescued them.

According to the gist, they were only there for a couple of hours, yet it seemed they had spent all day in the Dungeon.

'I knew it! Time moves faster in the 99th Floor!' He had beamed at himself at the time.

The most important thing to note was their struggle against the Dragon; especially Adonis' fight.

He had to admit… the Hero was strong.

However, now that Rey understood the entire gist, he now knew for sure—

—Adonis wasn't stronger than him.

'It seems I've finally surpassed Adonis. But, it's not like I feel satisfied or anything…'

All things considered, Rey was able to get the complete gist of the situation.

He was glad he came at the time that he did.

If that wasn't the case, everyone else could have died.

'I have a Skill that can heal practically anything and cure all ailments. But I can't cure death.'

Once a person died, that was the end of it.

Still, despite all of these heavy thoughts, none of them were the cause of Rey's disturbed expression.

No… this stemmed from something else.

"She didn't mention anything about the kidnapping."

Not even a single detail.

He and Alicia had talked about a multitude of topics, but anytime he tried to bring her to the issue of her kidnapping, she constantly deflected.

After trying it two to three times, she straight up told him she didn't want to talk about it.

Once Rey heard that, he completely backed off.

'I mean, I was there. I know everything that happened, and I know the story that led to it. But…'

Rey sighed as he blinked rapidly.

He couldn't keep his sight steady with so many worrying thoughts swirling in his mind.

'I'm no good in situations like this. I just hope she's fine.'

Rey couldn't force her to talk about it.

He only hoped that once she was ready, she would tell him and they could sort things out together.

He didn't know when and how it all happened, but at this point, Rey already considered Alicia an important part of his life.

He also hoped that was how she saw him too.

'I don't want to make her uneasy, so I'll back off. We can still have fun like usual.'

Once he resolved that in his thoughts, his mind moved on to other things.

'Now that we're only nine, I thought we would have some sort of meeting together. Adonis would have organized everything too…'

From what Rey could see, though, Adonis appeared very distracted.

It seemed like he was constantly thinking about a lot. ƒreewebɳovel.com

'I would like to ask him, but… nah!'

He and Adonis weren't particularly close, and he didn't want to cross the boundaries they had already established around each other.

'The whole situation must just have him rattled, that's all.'

Despite how powerful and idealistic Adonis was, he was still only a teenager.

It was natural to feel these things.

'Right now, I should perhaps be more concerned about keeping an eye on Billy to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid again.'

From the little Rey observed, Billy didn't seem like he would do anything, but he couldn't be too sure.

'I can't get complacent about him. Not again.'

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