Chapter 71: The Duke’s Legacy and the Looming Shadow

The jailer was certainly stronger than a normal monster.

However, he was only at the level of an elite and did not show anything beyond that.

“Graaaaah.”

Therefore, ten minutes were more than enough to deal with the jailer.

*Thud!*

The jailer, Zephyrios, collapsed just like that.

Perhaps because he was considered an elite monster, a bundle of keys and loot were dropped beside Zephyrios’s corpse.

“Here is a bundle of keys! And an A-rank sword dropped as loot!”

Jameson, who had acted as the main tanker at the very front, secured the key bundle and loot before bringing them to Karl.

“This key looks like the one to open the stone gate we entered through, and the rest seem to be keys to the iron bars.”

One key had a different shape from the others.

Since it was shaped similarly to the key they used when they first entered, it was likely the one for the stone gate.

The rest of the keys appeared to be for the iron bars of the underground prison.

“Let’s head inside for now. We don’t have much time, so if there’s anything to be gained, we need to get it as quickly as possible and leave,” Seong-jun said.

At Seong-jun’s words, Karl nodded and took the key bundle to the iron-barred door.

“I suppose so.”

After trying several keys in a row…

*Click!*

The iron door opened.

*Creeeeeak!*

As they opened the door and stepped inside, cells occupied small spaces lined up to the left and right.

They were blocked by iron bars, and inside were corpses that had become nothing but skeletons, their feet and legs bound by iron restraints.

However, the equipment they wore remained intact and seemed likely to function as artifacts.

“Let’s open all the cell doors first. I’ll do it.”

If the artifacts the corpses wore functioned properly, just taking those out would make this raid incomparable to most ruins.

However, they first had to determine if the equipment worked, so Seong-jun suggested opening the cell doors first.

Karl handed the key bundle to Seong-jun, and Seong-jun began opening the cell doors one by one.

*Click! Click! Click!*

The Hunters entered the opened cells and immediately began inspecting the equipment one by one.

“Heh! This—this is A-rank armor!”

“This is a B-rank sword!”

“There is an A-rank necklace and dagger here!”

As expected, the equipment worn by the skeletons were fully functional artifacts.

Most of them were B-rank or A-rank, and because the quantity was overwhelming, the haul was a jackpot that couldn’t be compared to a typical A-rank ruin.

“For now, categorize the artifacts and gather them in one place!”

Karl shouted, ordering them to collect the items from the corpses.

“Yes, sir!”

At that, Gwang-taek, Yuseon, and Chang-su, as well as the Hunters from the first team, quickly sorted the artifacts and brought them out.

Meanwhile, Seong-jun was opening the cell doors as fast as possible using the key bundle.

‘There are twenty cells in total, counting both sides. Even if only one artifact comes out of each, that’s twenty. This really is a jackpot.’

There were ten cells on the left and ten on the right, totaling twenty.

Since every cell was occupied by a skeletal corpse, they could secure twenty artifacts even if each provided only one. It was an incredible haul.

As Seong-jun moved forward slowly while opening the doors, an iron door caught his eye.

Unlike the other cells made of iron bars, this one was made of a thick iron plate, making it impossible to see inside.

“What is this? Is this a cell, too?”

With a puzzled expression, Seong-jun inserted the last remaining key.

*Click!*

Once the door was unlocked, he immediately pulled it open.

*Creeeeeeak!*

The door opened with a bone-chilling metallic screech, and just like the other cells, there was a corpse that had become a skeleton while still restrained.

However, unlike the other corpses which were only shackled at the arms and legs, the skeleton in this cell also had restraints on its neck and waist.

“Unlike the other cells with iron bars, this one has a solid iron door. And the intensity of the restraints is higher than the others. It seems this wasn’t an ordinary prisoner.”

As Seong-jun spoke, he approached the skeletal remains.

In that instant, something flashed in the skeleton’s eyes.

“Huh?”

Then, out of nowhere, a notification sound rang out.

**[The Holy Heart of Hermia Jaylin resonates with the target.]**

**[The target invites the successor of Hermia Jaylin to their Mental World.]**

An invitation to a Mental World?

Before he even had a chance to feel confused…

*Whoosh!*

Seong-jun felt his vision turn pitch black.

“Whoa!”

*Swooooosh!*

Then, he was soon pulled into a space where there was nothing but light.

“Gah! This place is…”

No matter where he looked, the space was filled with light. But right then…

— Who are you?

From amidst the light, someone wearing ornate armor revealed themselves.

Watching him, Seong-jun asked warily, “And who might you be?”

At Seong-jun’s question, the figure replied.

— I am Pellis Truian, a Duke of the Holy Kingdom and the Commander-in-Chief of the Forest of Darkness subjugation force.

I sense the power of the Saintess, Hermia Jaylin, from you.

What is your relationship with the Saintess?

Indeed.

He was a Paladin who had participated in the subjugation of the Forest of Darkness alongside the Saintess, Hermia Jaylin.

He was also the commander who had overseen the entire operation.

“I see. My name is Kim Seong-jun. I happened to find the remains of Hermia Jaylin and unintentionally inherited her legacy.”

When Seong-jun explained his connection to Hermia Jaylin, only then did Duke Pellis Truian nod.

— I see.

You are the successor of the Saintess.

I used the power of God to leave behind these residual thoughts for the sake of any descendant who might find this place someday, but to think the Saintess’s successor would be the one.

Is this also God’s providence?

Pellis Truian looked at Seong-jun with a deep sense of emotion.

It seemed his relationship with the Saintess, Hermia Jaylin, had been very profound.

“But how did you end up meeting your end here?”

If he had commanded the subjugation force, his level of power must have been extraordinary.

How on earth was he captured by Centaurs and met such a hollow death?

— Throughout the Forest of Darkness, an unknown, mysterious power was at work.

That incomprehensible, unprecedented power made us infinitely weak, while conversely making the magical beasts several times stronger than their original power.

Faced with that irresistible power that even the strength of God could do nothing about, the subjugation force collapsed in vain and eventually scattered.

Pellis Truian continued his story with a devastated expression.

— I led a few of my followers and tried to escape the Forest of Darkness, but the unknown power would not allow us to leave.

Just when everyone was exhausted to their limits from fighting the endless swarms of magical beasts, the Centaurs appeared.

In the end, we were captured by them and ended up imprisoned here.

Only then did Seong-jun realize that the skeletons found in the underground cells were the Paladins who had followed Pellis Truian.

“They captured you instead of killing you? Does a mere monster have that much intelligence? The Centaurs I’ve seen didn’t seem to have that level of intellect.”

The Centaurs he had seen here were literally just monsters that acted solely on instinct.

— That is strange.

High-intelligence magical beasts exist among the monsters.

Centaurs also belong to the category of high-intelligence magical beasts.

Yet those Centaurs have low intelligence?

I cannot understand that.

Pellis Truian wore an expression that suggested he was the one who couldn’t comprehend the situation.

To his knowledge, Centaurs were magical beasts with quite high intelligence.

“Is that so? Hmm, what is it then? Did a change occur in the monsters as the Dungeonization progressed?”

There was a serious discrepancy between the magical beasts Pellis Truian knew and the monsters Seong-jun knew.

Therefore, Seong-jun wondered if some change had occurred in the monsters as part of the Forest of Darkness was converted into a Dungeon.

— I have no idea what you are talking about.

Anyway, there isn’t much time left.

It means the time allowed for my residual thoughts is coming to an end.

Since he had artificially left his residual thoughts behind, there seemed to be a limit to how long they could be maintained.

“Ah! Is that so? It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. I pray that you will be with God.”

At Seong-jun’s words, Pellis Truian chuckled.

— Heh, I’d be lucky if I didn’t go to hell.

Anyway, even if I’m leaving, I should do what needs to be done.

Do what?

Seong-jun looked puzzled.

“What needs to be done?”

— Why do you think I went as far as using the power of God to leave these residual thoughts?

It was to let a descendant who finds this place one day inherit my legacy.

However, you have already inherited the Saintess’s legacy, so I wonder if you can properly inherit everything of mine.

I do not know how much you will be able to acquire, but for now, I shall pass everything I have to you.

The reason Pellis Truian had used God’s power to leave his residual thoughts was to hand over everything he had to someone with Divine Power who might find this place.

The only unexpected factor was that the person who found him happened to be someone who had already inherited the Saintess’s legacy.

As soon as Pellis Truian finished speaking…

*Flash!*

Something began to surge into Seong-jun’s entire body.

“Ugh! What the…!!”

An intense pain momentarily struck Seong-jun’s whole body.

At the same time, a notification sound was heard.

**[You have acquired the Essence of Pellis Truian.]**

**[You have already acquired the Essence of Hermia Jaylin. The two essences are clashing.]**

**[Holy Heart is activating. The Essence of Hermia Jaylin is predating upon the Essence of Pellis Truian.]**

The word “predation” appeared again.

Previously, a skill had predated another skill, but this time, an essence was predating another essence.

“Argh! Dammit!”

A brilliant light enveloped his entire body along with the extreme pain.

Then, shortly after…

*Woooosh!*

The intense light that had wrapped around his body began to disappear as if being absorbed into Seong-jun, and at the same time, the pain gradually subsided.

**[The Essence of Hermia Jaylin has perfectly predated the Essence of Pellis Truian.]**

**[You have acquired a new title: [Successor of Pellis Truian’s Essence].]**

**[The Holy Heart has been strengthened. Divine Power increases significantly.]**

**[Changes have occurred in some of your existing skills. Detailed information can be checked through the skill window.]**

**[New skills have been added. Detailed information can be checked through the skill window.]**

A feast of notifications pelted his ears.

At the same time, he felt a sensation as if he were being pulled by something, just like when he had first entered.

*Swooooosh!*

Seong-jun emerged from Pellis Truian’s Mental World.

“Hah!”

His closed eyes flew open, and Seong-jun sucked in a breath.

Gathered around him were not only Gwang-taek, Yuseon, and Chang-su, but also Karl and Jameson.

“Oh! Seong-jun! Are you awake?”

“Oppa! What was that? Are you okay?”

Gwang-taek and Yuseon were looking at Seong-jun with worried expressions.

Looking at them, Seong-jun asked, “Yeah, I’m fine. But how long was I like this?”

Based on the scene, it seemed he had been standing there blankly while he was pulled into Pellis Truian’s Mental World.

When he asked how long it had been, Yuseon answered immediately.

“About three or four minutes?”

It felt like he had been there for at least twenty minutes, so Seong-jun felt somewhat relieved when she said it had only taken three or four minutes.

‘I thought it took at least twenty minutes, but it was only three or four. Time in the Mental World and reality must be a bit different. Still, I’m glad it’s before the buffs ended.’

There were less than ten minutes left before the buffs expired, but since they hadn’t ended yet, it seemed they could make it out if they hurried a little.

“I’m sorry. My head suddenly went blank, and I did that without realizing it. Anyway, there isn’t much time left, so let’s hurry. We have to get out before the buffs end.”

Seong-jun didn’t bother mentioning what happened with Pellis Truian.

Not only was it a hassle to explain everything in detail, but he also judged that it wouldn’t be good for many people to know about such things.

At Seong-jun’s words to hurry, Karl spoke up.

“We do need to hurry, but before that, we should distribute the artifacts found here.”

Seong-jun nodded at Karl’s words.

Certainly, handling such matters clearly would prevent any complaints later on.

“Let’s do that. Did you collect all the artifacts?”

“Yeah. For now, ten B-rank and fourteen A-rank items were found. No other ruin would yield this much of a result. But the real jackpot is right here. While you were waking up, I checked and found S-rank armor and a shield.”

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Forest of Darkness subjugation force and a Duke of the Holy Kingdom, his equipment was indeed extraordinary.

“Hmm, the numbers are even, so it’s easy to divide. Let’s split it exactly in half between our party and your team.”

Since Seong-jun’s party and Karl’s party—the two teams—had found them, they agreed to split the artifacts in half.

“That sounds fair.”

Karl also agreed to do so.

In truth, though they called them two teams, Seong-jun’s party had four people, while Karl’s party had eight.

So in some ways, splitting it half-and-half might have felt a bit unreasonable.

However, no one there expressed any dissatisfaction with those words.

Seong-jun’s role had been that significant, and Yuseon and Gwang-taek had also easily done the work of two or three people each.

“We’ll let each team handle the specific distribution, but for now, let’s decide how to split the halves and start the distribution immediately.”

After saying that, they hurriedly began the distribution.

They had to finish as quickly as possible and get out of there.

A short while later…

*Rumble!*

***

As the large stone gate opened, Seong-jun’s party and Karl’s team members emerged one by one.

Naturally, they held one or two artifacts in their hands.

Though they wanted to put them in a Subspace and bring them out, they had to hide the existence of the Subspace as much as possible, so they carried them out individually.

It was a bit cumbersome, but smiles were blooming on each of their faces.

“Well, it feels like we got more than finding a normal ruin and receiving the Dungeon clear rewards combined.”

The items obtained from the underground prison were far more than what one could get from clear rewards in a typical A-rank Dungeon.

“If the other teams see this, their stomachs are going to hurt quite a bit.”

Since it had been agreed upon during the strategy meeting that if a ruin was found, it wouldn’t be shared equally but kept by the team that found it, there was no room for others to complain.

However, it was obvious even without seeing it that they would be extremely envious.

“Let’s contact the other teams first.”

Since hunting must have stopped because of the buff issue, Seong-jun suggested they contact the other teams first.

Just as Seong-jun was about to pull out the communication device that worked inside the Dungeon…

*Static!*

— Kim Seong-jun!

Kim Seong-jun!

Do you hear me?

Kim Seong-jun!

Choi Gang-hyeok’s voice came through the communication device.

“Huh? Guild Master Choi Gang-hyeok?”

Because urgency was clear in his voice, Seong-jun answered immediately.

“It’s me. Where are you now? Did the buffs run out? If everyone is gathered, I’ll head there right away.”

Seong-jun thought the urgency was because the buffs had expired.

However, Choi Gang-hyeok was urgent for a different reason.

— Kim Seong-jun!

What on earth were you doing that I couldn’t reach you!

Buffs aren’t the problem right now!

It’s a Dungeon Break!

A B-rank Dungeon Break has occurred in the middle of Seoul!

The first defense line has already collapsed, and although they barely managed to establish a second defense line, it seems a significant number of civilians haven’t been able to evacuate yet!

So hurry to the Dungeon entrance!

What was this sudden nonsense?

A Dungeon Break out of nowhere?

And a B-rank one at that?

“What are you talking about? A Dungeon Break? How long has it been since the one in Taean that another one happened?”

Since it was by no means a normal situation, Seong-jun couldn’t help but be puzzled.

— I don’t know either!

It seems they occurred simultaneously in Seoul, Incheon, Busan, and Jeju!

I don’t know why such a situation happened, but for now, handling the Dungeon Break in Seoul is the priority!

What else could they do?

Even if he didn’t know the reason behind it, as Choi Gang-hyeok said, dealing with what had already happened was the priority.

“Understood. We’ll head to the Dungeon entrance right now. But where exactly did the Dungeon Break happen?”

When Seong-jun asked for the location of the Dungeon Break, Choi Gang-hyeok answered immediately.

— It’s Ahyeon-dong!

The moment he heard the name Ahyeon-dong, Seong-jun’s eyes widened.

“Ahyeon-dong? Did you just say Ahyeon-dong?”

Gwang-taek and Yuseon also wore panicked expressions.

“Whoa! Seong-jun, isn’t Ahyeon-dong where your uncle’s chicken shop is?”

Indeed.

Ahyeon-dong was the neighborhood where Seong-jun’s uncle and aunt, Lee Seon-jae and Yu Mi-ran, ran their chicken shop.

To Seong-jun, his uncle and aunt were no different from parents, and since Gwang-taek and Yuseon knew this well, they were also flustered.

“Dammit!”

Realizing his uncle and aunt might be in danger, Seong-jun sprinted forward with a panicked face.

Gwang-taek, Yuseon, and Chang-su followed closely behind him.