Translator: miraclerifle
‘Seo Ju-Heon!’
They could clearly see it.
They could see Ju-Heon surrounded by an extremely suspicious and chaotic black aura!
The Heirlooms that had launched the attack couldn’t help but become anxious.
It was to be expected.
‘The way he looks right now!’
They could tell.
This black and chaotic aura was definitely that Crow bastard’s aura!
[Shit, did they already finish the contract ritual?!]
They seemed to be in shock.
They had burst out of the tomb they had worked so hard to create for nothing.
However, the Heirlooms quickly started to shake their head.
[No, look at Seo Ju-Heon's condition.]
[!]
The Heirlooms started to smile.
‘It's still the middle of the contract ritual.’
He had to thank it.
It took some time for an Heirloom to complete a contract with a human. It usually took a few minutes.
It was that way because Heirlooms were different from normal artifacts.
Most possession-type artifacts didn't do much but the Heirlooms actually modified the human body.
All Heirlooms had different abilities but they all modified the human body to turn them superhuman, requiring some time for that to happen.
That also meant that......
‘It’s proof that the contract ritual is not completed yet.’
They still had a chance.
The contract ritual only ended once the body modification was finished.
The contract would not be completed if they managed to kill Seo Ju-Heon or disrupted the process.
The Heirlooms quickly started to attack.
[It's easy-peasy killing a human in that unguarded state.]
They launched the strongest attacks they could muster.
However, the Heirlooms could not get past the Crow's aura.
[The Heirlooms’ attacks are disappearing.]
[The Heirlooms’ attacks are disappearing.]
[Damn it!]
It seemed as if that Crow bastard was trying to protect its contractor.
But their attack was effective.
[Warning. The contract is about to be canceled.]
[It is dangerous to be attacked anymore than this.]
Ju-Heon, who had been standing still like a doll even with the chaos around him, started to bleed from the mouth.
Drip.
The Heirlooms were happy to see that things were going as they expected.
[Good. Let's finish him off.]
[Die, Seo Ju-Heon.]
The Heirlooms launched their attacks once more.
Boom!
However, the Crow’s aura was still present even after their attack.
[What the hell? What is going on?]
They found it very odd after realizing that it was an issue with their fire power.
They had rushed out here and left their bodies in the tomb so their strength was weaker than normal, however...
[Hey, don’t you think we are too wea...huh?]
They were shocked after looking around.
That was to be expected.
[What happened to the other bastards who were here?]
[Huh, huh?!]
What was going on?
Some of the 15 Heirlooms that should have gathered here were gone.
They were some of the stronger ones as well!
It was no wonder that their fire power had decreased!
[What the hell? What happened to the rest?!]
[Ah, those idiots. They must have screwed up because they were in a rush.]
[It’s fine. Just wait a little bit. They’ll reappear if there are no issues with their main bod-...]
As it was about to say that they would reappear...
Flash!
They saw a bright pillar of light shooting up in a different direction.
The Heirlooms gasped after seeing that light.
They couldn't help it because the light was coming from where the bodies of the Heirlooms that had just disappeared were supposed to be.
And based on that light......
[No way, right?]
Unfortunately, they were wrong.
[Something bad has happened!]
The Heirlooms’ subordinates urgently sent a message.
[Some of the Heirlooms already ended up in Seo Ju-Heon's group's hands!]
‘What?’
[Wait, stop. If you do that!]
They urgently turned back toward Ju-Heon.
At the same time...
“W, what the hell?! That bastard!”
Zhen Cai Yuan's excavation team and the top restorers were gasping with astonishment.
They couldn't help it because something they had not expected had happened.
“H, how is that bastard still alive......?!”
They were all shocked.
Zhen Cai Yuan was especially shocked as she looked down at her hand.
Her hand that was covered in thunderbolt was touching Yoo Jaeha’s heart but Yoo Jaeha seemed perfectly fine after being struck by it.
He seemed fine even though he had major burns all over his body!
This was unbelievable.
‘What is going on?’
It had taken less than a few seconds.
Zhen Cai Yuan and her subordinates already knew that it would take a few minutes for a person to contract with an Heirloom.
They also knew that the contractor would be completely defenseless during that time.
The contract would be voided if the human died during the process.
That was why the sharper members of the excavation teams had realized that Zhen Cai Yuan would pretend to give the Monarch of Pushoverness the Heirloom before killing him off.
She was not the type to throw away benefits for all of China over a single photo.
Even if she really wanted the photo, she just had to kill Yoo Jaeha and take it by force.
‘Our Professor isn’t the type to negotiate anyway.’
She just had to take it by force if she wanted it.
But what?
“......You!”
It was rare to find an anxious expression like this on Zhen Cai Yuan’s face.
However, Yoo Jaeha's expression was not changing even though his body was disgustingly burning and his hair and all burnt away as well.
“Aigoo, Professor-nim. I guess you've never seen something like this before?”
“......!”
Zhen Cai Yuan did not usually get scared like this.
She was not afraid of him; humans were afraid of the unknown.
Yoo Jaeha then grabbed Zhen Cai Yuan’s arm.
Zhen Cai Yuan was shocked.
“Ah damn it, just hurry up and remove your hand! It fucking hurts!”
“.........?!”
‘This crazy bastard.’
This made no sense.
Zhen Cai Yuan had pierced through Jaeha’s left chest as soon as he had placed his hand on the Heirloom.
She had used Indra’s thunderbolt artifact.
But something was weird.
For reference, thunderbolts move at, at least, 100,000km/s.
They were slower than light but they were too fast for humans to react to them.
Furthermore, Zhen Cai Yuan had released the thunderbolt with murder on her mind unlike Julian who never used it for that reason.
But the fact that this bastard was still alive must mean......
‘It’s proof he formed a contract with an Heirloom.’
Heirlooms turned humans into superhumans. They would go from regular to extremely powerful.
That was why Monarchs ended up having such a difference in strength compared to the Expert-Grade artifact users.
The fact that he could survive such an attack must mean that the contract was completed.
But that made it even harder to understand!
‘How the hell did he complete a contract ritual that should take a few minutes instantly?!’
The fact the ritual was over the moment he touched it was weird, no, should have been impossible.
All of them were in disbelief other than one person. Ilya was the only one who seemed to understand this.
‘I guess that punk at least has what it takes to be a Monarch.’
Even if he was rotten, Yoo Jaeha was the only one on the team who had experienced what it was like to be a Monarch.
He had experienced the contract ritual with an Heirloom once already.
Why would it take a few minutes when he had already done it before?
And now...
“Professor, you look shocked. Why are you so shocked? It was obvious.”
Yoo Jaeha had expected it.
He knew what Zhen Cai Yuan would do.
That was why he had gambled with it.
Thankfully, that gamble had paid off.
Yoo Jaeha started to smile.
“Here’s the photo as promised.”
Yoo Jaeha placed the photo in Zhen Cai Yuan’s hand.
“Unfortunately, it’s a picture of me! Kakaka!”
Yoo Jaeha then started to run.
Zhen Cai Yuan looked at the picture and became angry.
It wasn't risque enough to be called 19+, but it was definitely a man’s naked body.
It was a back view of a naked Yoo Jaeha. He looked quite average compared to Ju-Heon.
“Kakaka, I took it to use as a reference for art but who knew it would be useful like this? Anyway, Captain-nim, I'm sorry! I promised to follow you forever but I almost died just now!”
‘Umm, you'll probably really die now.’
A thunderbolt struck down as soon as Ilya had that thought.
Boom, booooooooooom!
An angry Zhen Cai Yuan was launching thunderbolts left and right.
Zhen Cai Yuan seemed extremely angry, as if her eyes had been sullied by looking at that photo.
Her eyes had been sullied, the Heirloom was taken, and she had been tricked by the Monarch of Pushoverness.
It would be weird if she was not angry.
“Come over here, you damn Monarch of Pushoverness.”
“No thanks! Would you come if you were in my shoe, you damn Seo Ju-Heon stalker!”
Yoo Jaeha then shouted toward Ilya.
“Hey baby chick! We need to go get you an Heirloom too!”
Ilya started to smile.
“What did you say, you retard? Don’t think that I am the same as you. I already got one.”
“What did you say?! When?!”
“Oh, you didn't know? It was when I was being chased by the cannibals. I think the others probably got some as well.”
Yoo Jaeha was shocked.
While that was going on...
“F, fuck! The Monarch of Strategies took the Heirloom!”
“The Monarch of Destitution also got an Heirlo-...... ugh!”
There was bad news coming in from multiple locations.
The Heirlooms aiming for Ju-Heon felt as if their asses were on fire.
[Fuck, Seo Ju-Heon is really going to finish the ritual at this rate!]
[Tsk, we don't have enough fire power right now!]
They only had one choice left now.
[Use the humans in this tomb!]
Something shocking started to happen.
The artifacts the Heirlooms had stolen from the artifact users were all released.
Of course, Ju-Heon's group’s artifacts were still imprisoned.
The released artifacts all returned to their respective masters. The Heirlooms were planning on using Ju-Heon's rivals for their benefit.
‘We just need to make sure Seo Ju-Heon does not contract with the Crow.’
The other humans were not very dangerous to them.
Ju-Heon’s enemies who had received their artifacts back were confused.
"What the hell?! My artifacts are back!”
“Why are they suddenly back?! They disappeared as soon as we got to the island!”
“Hey, whatever! We'll have no issues finding the Heirlooms with these!”
Their eyes then flashed while looking at the central region of the tomb.
Why?
“That’s definitely the Heirloom the Monarch of Fate mentioned!”
“Aim for that Crow!”
They didn't know that Ju-Heon was there as well, but the Crow's chaotic aura was clearly visible in the central region of the tomb.
It was an easy target.
“We must grab that artifact!”
The artifacts were satisfied after looking at these people.
[Good, very good.]
Ju-Heon’s rivals who had gotten their artifacts back were teleporting or warping to move far distances in a short period of time.
They were all headed toward the Crow.
They were moving so quickly.
It was at that moment.
Boooooom!
Ju-Heon’s enemies had arrived through the opening the Heirlooms had created.
It was easy to find the Crow because it was so strong.
And then...
“We found you, Seo Ju-Heon.”
The first thing they saw in the tomb was Ju-Heon's back.
Ju-Heon was standing still in the tomb with his eyes closed. He was glowing under the light flowing in from the ceiling.
They started to smile after surrounding Ju-Heon.
“Alright, hurry up and attack!”
“Take that Heirloom away!”
“He doesn't have his artifacts on him either! This is our chance to get rid of him!”
“The aura is strong but don’t be scared!”
They got closer to take the Crow artifact away.
But at that moment...
Boom!
The chaotic black aura instantly disappeared.
It was completely clear, as if they were looking at the calm before the storm.
And then...
“That’s right. Welcome. Are you guys my first prey?”
Ju-Heon opened his eyes.
“You better have brought some good artifacts.”
His eyes were extremely red.
