Wealth is the Root of All Evils

Marcus's astonishment instantly turned into overwhelming shock the moment he heard the words Noah had just spoken. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open as though the world itself had flipped upside down. A heavy silence settled between them before he finally snapped back to his senses. Disbelief etched itself into every line of his expression as he looked Noah in the eye.

"W–What?!" Marcus burst out, his voice strained with incredulity. Still staring at Noah's stunned expression, he continued in a faltering voice, "B–But… Sect Master Noah! It's been over three months since he was declared dead. We were all there that day when he failed to emerge from the Mystic Treasure Realm!"

Indeed, they had stood together on the Floating Island, where the passage into the Mystic Treasure Realm was located. When the appointed day came and went, not a single trace of Finn had ever appeared again from that world.

It wasn't that Marcus disliked the news—it was simply too impossible to believe.

Noah drew a long, pensive breath. For a moment, he stared off into the distance.

"I don't know how this happened either… Throughout the entire history of the Sacred Dragon Realm, not once has there ever been a record of a young Adventurer surviving beyond the allotted thirty days… No, that's not right… There was one…" Noah spoke slowly, trying to collect himself.

Marcus looked at him intently. When he heard those last words, something flickered in his memory, and he blurted out, "Are you talking about your daughter—Ashe?"

Noah gave a faint nod in reply. He stood up and walked to the nearby window, the letter still clutched in his trembling hand. With his back to Marcus, he gazed out into the night beyond the glass. After several breaths of silence, he exhaled and spoke in a low, steady voice,

"What happened with Ashe was already a miracle in itself, and I am truly grateful for it. As for this news that Finn is alive… I am happy, too—both for him and for his clan. This is a blessing not only for them but for the entire Sacred Dragon Kingdom."

Marcus nodded faintly in agreement. He knew well that the Sacred Dragon Kingdom desperately needed Finn—not only for his unparalleled talent as an Adventurer, but also for his gifts as an Alchemist.

Finn possessed the legendary Blue-Green Alchemy Flame, a power so rare that not even in all the long centuries of their first-rate kingdom had a single individual ever been born with it.

As Marcus fell into a troubled silence, another thought suddenly struck him. His eyes flickered with urgency as he turned to Noah again.

"But… Sect Master Noah… How are we going to explain our inaction during the war? Surely he must be consumed with hatred by now, and it will be difficult—perhaps impossible—to justify why we failed to honor our promise and our duty…"

His voice was heavy with worry. Now that Finn had returned, they would have to face the judgment of the youth they had disappointed.

Hearing this, Noah's shoulders sank, and he sighed.

"We will have to make him understand the true circumstances surrounding his clan…"

Marcus took a deep breath, about to speak again, but then his mind seized on another pressing memory.

"Oh—right, Sect Master Noah… Didn't the Nine Ice Family's First Elder, Gastavo Frois, already set out for the Aurora Town? From what I've heard, he's an 8th Level Profound Rank. And it's likely the Ice Feather Sect aided him over the past eleven years."

"Finn was only at the 5th Level Profound Rank before… Even if he'd reached the 6th Level by now, there's no way he could stand against that old monster…" Marcus continued, unease thick in his voice.

Noah's expression darkened at those words. Without replying, he lowered his gaze back to the letter from the adventurers' guild. He continued reading—and as his eyes moved over the lines, fresh shock washed over his face.

When he finally finished, Noah closed his eyes tightly, struggling to steady his breath. Then, turning back to Marcus, he spoke in a grave voice,

"Gastavo… and every single person the Nine Ice Family sent… have been completely annihilated in the Aurora Town. Out of hundreds of adventurers dispatched… only one survived. All of it was wrought by Finn's fury. He is no longer a mere 5th Level Profound Rank. He now stands as an equal to you, Elder Marcus—a 9th Level Profound Rank!"

Marcus' unease turned to stunned disbelief. He stared at Noah as though he'd lost the ability to think.

"Is that true, Sect Master Noah?! But… how did he raise his level so quickly? How could he achieve such growth in so little time?"

"Barely a month has passed since I myself broke through… And I am an old man, while he…"

But Noah did not answer that question. Instead, he looked once more at the letter in his hand, then lifted his gaze again—his voice growing even more solemn,

"And there is yet another piece of news, perhaps even more unbelievable: The Azure Wood Family, once an Ordinary Clan, now possesses a Low-tier Epic Armament!"

--

The news spread like wildfire across the most powerful individuals of the Sacred Dragon Kingdom. Every leader of the Seven Great Factions was notified—and every one of them was stunned to learn that Finn was not only alive, but had become a true 9th Level Profound Rank.

Yet what caused even more of an uproar was the revelation that the Azure Wood Family had acquired a Low-tier Epic Armament. None of the faction leaders could comprehend how this had happened. Even they themselves did not possess such a treasure, yet this once-Ordinary Clan now held it in their hands…

Every influential Adventurer in the Sacred Dragon Kingdom knew exactly what it meant to possess an Epic Armament. It was the ultimate treasure—so much so that until now, only the current King had wielded one.

Many of them longed to journey to the Azure Wood Family's territory to see this weapon with their own eyes. But all of them knew this was not the right moment. The true war between the Nine Ice Family and the Azure Wood Family had already begun—ever since Finn slew hundreds of the Nine Ice Family's forces.

They understood that this was no ordinary conflict. This was a calamity that would sweep across the entire kingdom: a war between a newly risen noble clan and an ancient, entrenched house.

For now, the only thing they could do was wait—and watch. The Royal Clan stood behind all of it, and none dared to interfere rashly.

BANG!!!

A deafening explosion erupted inside a frozen chamber within the Ice Feather Sect's territory as Sheeha unleashed her fury. Half of the chamber was reduced to rubble by her attack.

"Finn… Doria! You… you are the single greatest thorn in my throat! Why won't you simply die and rot in hell?!" Sheeha roared, her terrifying aura flooding the room like a blizzard.

Not far from her, a young woman with striking hair and porcelain-like skin stood frozen, unable to believe the words she had just read. She held in her trembling hands the letter Sheeha had discarded.

Her beauty was so extraordinary that it could hardly be matched by more than a handful in all the realm. She was none other than Tiffanya.

After several moments, sorrow and hesitation clouded her eyes. She forced herself to speak in a voice thick with emotion,

"Sect Mistress Sheeha! Is this truly what you want?! Countless people in my Nine Ice Family have already suffered and died in this senseless war! And now that Finn Doria has returned, he will surely take vengeance! Please… let us end this madness… I will return to my family and beg his forgiveness for everything we have done. I will not stand by and watch my clan be destroyed because of your interference. This is my fault… all of it—the fault of this wretched Ice Sky Pathway I carry…"

Her words were raw and heavy with grief. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. This life—this was never the future she had dreamed of.

She believed that she, and the cursed power she bore, were to blame for all the chaos. She was too weak to claim even her own freedom. Twice, she had been promised to men she did not love. She felt as if she had no right to a life of her own, surrounded as she was by the greedy ambitions of others.

Sheeha's eyes glinted with cold fury as she stared Tiffanya down. Then, in a single motion, she released a surge of power that hurled the young woman across the shattered chamber.

"You! No one will beg forgiveness from that despicable wretch! He killed my people, and for that crime alone, no pardon will ever be given!" Sheeha roared.

Tiffanya struggled to rise. Blood trickled from a gash on her forehead, and a crimson drop slipped from her beautiful lips.

She wiped it away with the back of her hand, her voice hoarse,

"But you… you ordered the destruction of his entire clan! Y–You let your greed consume you and dragged my family into your schemes! Because of you, hundreds of Adventurers are dead!"

"What right do you have to lecture me about right and wrong?!" Sheeha hissed, her voice quiet but seething. "No matter what you say, anyone who stands in my way will die. Remember this—you are no longer free. Your life and death are mine to command. You are destined to marry my student, and nothing you do can change that fate."

Silence fell.

Tiffanya clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms. She bit her lower lip so hard it bled. But the pain in her heart was far worse than any wound on her body.

It felt as though her soul itself was mortgaged beyond redemption.

After a long, suffocating stillness, Sheeha turned away. Her voice fell to a chilling calm,

"Prepare yourself. In a few days, we will visit your clan… and witness what is to come."

With those parting words, Sheeha strode away, leaving Tiffanya alone amid the ruins.

--

Throughout the Sacred Dragon Kingdom, Sheeha was only one among a handful of powerful figures who did not welcome Finn's return.

In the territory of the Royal Clan, inside the grand palace, a man wearing a golden crown sat upon the throne, his expression dark and brooding. The announcement from the Adventurers' Guild lay heavy upon the hall like a curse, and he made no effort to conceal his displeasure.

Beside him stood a tall figure draped in a black cloak, silent and unmoving as a shadow.

Before the throne, an old man in resplendent golden robes remained respectfully bowed. This elder was none other than the Finance Minister of the Sacred Dragon Kingdom.

"So… that worthless Azure Wood Family has been hiding a Low-tier Epic Armament all this time," the Crown Prince murmured, his voice as cold as winter steel. "How interesting… that such a clan, once little more than peasants, has risen to such strength in so short a span. No one noticed—not even their enemies, the Nine Ice Family."

His gaze shifted, fixing on the elder still bowed before him. His words dripped with a chilling arrogance.

"Because they dared to conceal such a priceless treasure from my kingdom, I will see to it that they receive the punishment they deserve."

His tone left no room for doubt—he spoke not merely as a noble but as a sovereign who believed that all things in the realm belonged to him by right.

He knew the value of an Epic Armament better than anyone. In his eyes, it was an offense bordering on treason that any family outside the royal line would dare to lay claim to such a weapon.

And if he could seize it for himself, he knew it would all but guarantee his ascension to the throne.

The Finance Minister straightened, drawing a measured breath. "But, Your Highness… Finn Doria…"

He had not even finished speaking when the Crown Prince's icy gaze snapped to meet his.

"You mean the most talented young Adventurer in the entire history of the Sacred Dragon Kingdom?" The Crown Prince's lips curved into a disdainful sneer. Slowly, he folded his hands together and said,

"Heh… And what of it? No matter how talented he is, he is still nothing but a subject of my kingdom. He has no right to oppose me."

"I am the future king, and a mere pawn like him—no matter how brilliant—can never hope to match the power and influence I wield. Even if I cannot kill him outright, I will find a way to bend him to my will… through his Azure Wood Family."

"If it is true that he intends to take revenge upon the Nine Ice Family, then I think you should be the one to visit them first. Prevent any further chaos. You are a 2nd Level Sky Rank—restraining a boy at the 9th Level Profound Rank should not prove difficult."

"Remember—do not kill him," the Crown Prince added coolly. "I have no intention of explaining such a misstep to Lord Uncle Helbram. No doubt he is still away, escorting Association Master Morris…"

The Finance Minister lowered his head, the corner of his lips curling into a knowing smile. Straightening to his full height, he replied in a respectful tone,

"As you command, Your Highness…"

--

Night had fallen, yet the surroundings remained brightly illuminated, the air hushed and still. Not even the faintest rustle of movement disturbed the quiet.

Before the entrance of a modest but well-kept home, Finn stood unmoving, his gaze fixed on the door as though trying to see through it. For a moment, he simply stared, listening to the stillness in his heart.

Then, drawing a deep breath, he set his hand on the latch—and pushed the door open.

A warm, welcoming interior greeted him.

He took a few measured steps inside, his boots falling softly on the wooden floor. At last, he reached a small sitting room—and there, he saw her.

A little girl sat cross-legged on a woven mat, two wooden toys clutched in her hands as she played.

The moment she sensed his presence, she turned her head—and when her wide, innocent eyes met his, her lips broke into a bright, joyous smile.

Excitement lit her entire face.

"Big Brother Finn!" she called out, her voice ringing clear in the quiet night.