Chapter 176: Share of All Fortunes (2)
One of the absolute authorities among the top ten ranked in the Tower. The former head of the Ataraxia family, broadly regarded as the strongest in the illustrious history of the six great families, Eris von Ataraxia. Her aloof and unique ability unfolded.
“Gag!”
“Ugh!”
Gasps of breath being caught escaped from all around.
It was as heavy as the deep sea.
There was an evident difference in class.
Kukukukuku!
With the weight of mana pressing down on their whole body, everyone present at the masquerade summoned their mana with all their might.
Breathing itself was no easy feat.
“…!”
“This is…”
Only administrators like Hasting, Rick, and representatives from various factions managed to withstand it to some degree.
Naturally, it was impossible for players to do anything but lose consciousness or faint right then and there.
“How can this be…”
Shock trembled in Yuasis’s eyes.
She had considered his claims to lead a faction alone as nothing but a bluff, unworthy of response.
At best, she thought it was a desperate tirade to secure better conditions.
What on Earth could this mean?
This level of mana was absurd!
She had lived in the Tower, encountering countless strong individuals, but…
She could affirmatively say this was the first time her entire being felt frozen solid.
‘Me… afraid?’
Penhaime, too, managed to still his trembling hands.
Albeit only 30 seconds, the emotions he experienced during that time were undeniably fear.
He noticed his sword, fastened to his waist, had been half drawn without his knowledge…
Yet, it was not embarrassment that took precedence, but a sense of inevitability.
With such daunting energy being emitted, one could only instinctively reach for their weapon.
‘…He wasn’t just some promising rookie.’
He thought there was potential to use him as a useful hunting dog.
He had judged him as such, planning to tame him with a carrot and stick approach.
But.
‘It was a mistake.’
The one before him wasn’t a wild beast with sharp teeth.
He was a monster that preyed on such beasts.
An intimidating presence only those at the top of the food chain could emit.
Even as one of the 100 Swordmasters the Empire boasts, Penhaime realized…
Even among the top 10, those standing right before reaching the rank of Grand Swordmaster…
None had an aura as formidable as this.
However…
Among all present, the one most shocked was Eris.
Just as she was about to conclude her deal with Yang Ho-myeong, Jinhyuk had used an all too familiar aura.
Crack!
The champagne glass shattered, soaking the tablecloth, but no one had the luxury to care about that.
‘This ability, could it be…’
Eris’s fangs bit deep into her tongue.
Blood Lord.
How could it be unknown to her?
The power to govern the blood of all living creatures.
Her unique ability.
Countless questions surged up into her throat at once. However, she couldn’t afford to voice them.
Her role was to wear the mask of the Unknown and fulfill her duty.
It was a promise she made with the covenanter.
Instead, Yang Ho-myeong next to her spewed out curses.
He, too, was visibly shaken, his complexion wholly altered by the release of mana Jinhyuk had shown.
“You’re ignorant…! Do you really think you can win against someone like that?”
“Yes, don’t worry. With the secret techniques contained in the final act of Soul Reaver Sword, it will be enough to subdue him.”
“Just hand over the Elixir, and it’s settled, right?”
“Correct. I can’t go in person, so I’ll send an appropriate errand boy.”
“…Understood. Let’s do that then.”
Yang Ho-myeong nodded his head.
With that, their secretive trade came to a conclusion.
***
After the storm had passed, a cheerful voice, completely out of place with the situation, broke the suffocating silence.
“I believe I’ve demonstrated my abilities sufficiently.”
Jinhyuk shrugged his shoulders.
He’d solidly imprinted his image within those crucial 30 seconds.
While he did feel like he had cheated slightly, ‘Share of All Fortunes’ was after all one of the abilities he possessed, wasn’t it?
It was nothing more than appropriate use, so it hardly warranted being called a deception.
“Kuk.”
Yuasis clenched her fist.
Having put on such a display of power, she couldn’t just pretend to be ignorant.
No matter how thick her face was, that would be too much.
“Indeed… With that display, no one can doubt Player Gang Jinhyuk’s qualifications,”
Seeing that the administrators refrained from intervening, it essentially meant that the establishment of the new faction was approved.
As Yuasis acknowledged it, representatives of the other factions also nodded one after another.
[A minor faction, ‘The Third Faction’, acknowledges the existence of the new faction.]
[A major faction, ‘Spirit Realm’, acknowledges the existence of the new faction.]
[A major faction, ‘Empire’, acknowledges the existence of…]
[…the new faction.]
[High-ranking administrator Hasting approves the establishment of the ‘new faction’.]
[Please name the new faction.]
Status windows appeared one after another in front of Jinhyuk.
The name of the faction…
As it would become the banner for future activities, it was best chosen with care.
In the past, out of annoyance, he had named himself ‘Lone Archmage,’ only to regret it until reaching the summit.
Considering that, ‘Veteran Corporation’, the current name he was using, was a considerable improvement.
Indeed.
“Veteran Corporation.”
Jinhyuk immediately responded.
[Once a name is set, it cannot be changed. Will you go with ‘Veteran Corporation’?]
Off in the distance, he could almost hear the voices of shareholders like Cheon Yuseong and Teresa asking him to reconsider.
But that must be a mistake.
Probably.
“Yes.”
Jinhyuk nodded again.
[The new faction ‘Veteran Corporation’ is born.]
[Tomorrow, this unprecedented achievement of creating a faction will be enshrined in the ‘Hall of Honor’ for one day.]
[Members of the faction will be able to use a badge signifying their affiliation and obtain the right to rule over levels.]
The faction’s goal was to dominate a level, reaping all the benefits that came from it.
At least on the surface, that’s what everyone fiercely competed for.
However.
The true objective hidden beneath the surface wasn’t so trivial.
It was to swell in size and reignite the challenge for the Tower’s peak, a venture that had once failed.
This was the longing of all residents who had once ascended the Tower but failed.
‘It won’t be easy.’
After all, it was the very same entities guarding the summit.
The thought of having to fight those absolute beings once more made Jinhyuk’s lips twitch continuously.
‘Please. Now that I’m in reality, I hope I’m stronger than before.’
That would give him the satisfaction of climbing the Tower once again.
That’s when it happened.
“It seems this time we’ve been bested. I will take my leave first. If there is a player who wishes to join the Empire, please speak with Prime Minister Alfredo here.”
Penhaime, with a complicated expression, stood up from his seat.
Failing to persuade Jinhyuk, there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
It was imperative to report what he had witnessed to the empire’s high command immediately.
This incident could completely shift the balance of power among the factions.
“I’m leaving, too. The rest can be handled by the Nangong clan.”
Yang Ho-myeong also exchanged a meaningful look with Eris before turning away without hesitation.
He had already accomplished a greater purpose.
Well, that must be the implication.
Eris had baited an exceedingly tempting lure. Now, all she had to do was quietly wait for the fish to leap out of the water.
Watching Yang Ho-myeong leave, Jinhyuk licked his lips.
As suspected, this was the time to extract the best conditions from these big fish gathered in one place.
‘Maybe I should go too.’
There was nothing left for him to do here.
It would be fun to see which factions Cheon Yuseong and Teresa would join, but that could wait.
Besides, he was already planning a modest after-party, now that a big event had concluded.
It would be a good opportunity to discuss future matters.
As Jinhyuk was about to prepare to leave…
“May I clarify one more thing before you leave?”
The representative of the Spirit Realm, the water spirit Meirena, stopped Jinhyuk.
“Clarify what?”
“What is it that you want to clarify? I don’t recall doing anything wrong to you.”
“During our time in the labyrinth, you forced our spirit trees into subordination. I would appreciate it if you returned them.”
Huh?
What kind of nonsense is this?
Jinhyuk’s eyebrows formed an inverted shape.
“Excuse me, are you implying that I coerced them?”
“If not coercion, then it’s hardly conceivable that any of the spirit trees would choose you.”
The criteria that spirit trees use to choose their contractors are notoriously stringent.
Especially, elemental spirit trees with opposing properties would absolutely detest contracting with someone who has contracts with other spirits.
By Meirena’s logic, it was unbelievable that all five spirit trees chose Jinhyuk.
“Sorry, but I dislike coercion. They all joined our company quite actively and voluntarily.”
“That’s just the thing I find hard to believe. That your words, not those of the spirit trees, are behind this.”
“If you’re so concerned, why don’t you just ask them yourself?”
“What?”
Meirena’s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting such a forthright challenge.
However, Jinhyuk had already pulled out all the spirit trees from his spatial inventory.
“Huh?”
“What’s this about? Why did you call us out?”
“Are we going to fight again?”
Salamander, the fire spirit, Golem, the earth spirit, and Sylphid with her haughty demeanor as a girl.
The five primary spirit trees wondered around, puzzled by the sudden call.
Naturally, Jinhyuk stood before them.
“Sorry for interrupting your rest. It’s just that this Water Spirit here claims I’ve coerced you into a contract with me. Could you tell me personally that’s not true?”
“Please, go ahead and tell us. If any coercion was involved in the contract, it will be nullified immediately, and I will take responsibility for returning you to the Spirit Realm.” Meirena replied with a benevolent smile.
Then,
A heavy murderous intent flickered in the eyes of Jinhyuk standing behind her.
Surely no one would foolishly step forward pretending to be a paragon of justice.
Not unless they had a death wish.
Twitching.
The primary element of the spirits shivered.
It was a fleeting moment, but they realized what they had to choose.
Not something else,
But survival.
“We contracted because we wanted to, right?”
“Yes. Yes. Hanging around humans is just. so. fun. Hahaha.”
“For real, we weren’t coerced… I mean, we weren’t coerced at all.”
“Be careful what you say, you fool. He’s still not articulate enough. Sorry about that. Hehe.”
“Enough, quiet down. It’s headache-inducing being so noisy.”
The spirit trees promptly stepped forward.
But why, one might wonder,
The palpable terror tinged in their flood of words…
“Is that the truth?”
“Yes, it really is fine.”
“We did it because we wanted to.”
With them so fervently denying any coercion, what argument could be presented?
Meirena had no choice but to give up.
“I understand… If you all say so, then I must have been mistaken.”
But now,
Jinhyuk, in turn, caught Meirena’s shoulder as she attempted to leave.
Oh? Where do you think you’re going without a word?
“Suspecting innocent people is the worst thing you can do.”
Are you saying you can just stab someone with a knife and go ‘Oops, my bad’ to have it all be over?
If you’re going to doubt someone, you should at least be prepared to take responsibility for your accusations.
Simultaneously,
A white palm faced toward Meirena.
