Chapter 172

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Chapter 172: Challenge

The High Priest of the Shadows.

Lucas had first met him shortly after Han Siah was born.

At the time, he was troubled.

Han Siah’s talent was far greater than he had expected, and the amount he could absorb was limited.

Moreover, it was difficult to absorb the deep-seated talent that could be called the ‘source.’

It was at that time that the High Priest visited. The way he had emerged like a stealthy shadow from behind him was still vivid in his memory.

‘I was terrified.’

His heart had almost stopped beating then.

Not only had the family’s security system been completely breached, but he had also appeared behind him without a sound?

It meant he was an invincible opponent.

Even as the fearless head of the Griff family, it was different then.

He felt a chilling fear.

He thought it was the end.

Until the High Priest smiled gently and spoke.

— There’s no need to be afraid. I haven’t come to harm you.

A voice that was both young and old, feminine and masculine. It was a voice he couldn’t quite analyze.

After that, the Griff family underwent a transformation.

Thanks to the ‘tool’ the High Priest had given him, he was able to absorb Han Siah’s talent to its very source.

The family’s leaders received great power, and Griff’s dominance became several times stronger than before.

As the family’s influence grew, so did Lucas’s fear. Why was the organization called the Shadows helping them?

Of course, they had given something in return.

Things like data from human experiments and kidnapping key figures.

But that was a trivial price compared to what they had received.

That’s why he was afraid.

What would they demand?

And he didn’t know how to respond to that demand.

After 10 years had passed, Lucas finally heard about their purpose from the High Priest.

— A cataclysm may come to the world someday. Fortunately, there is a solution. We will build an ark. An ark stronger than anything else.

Build an ark.

It was a meaningful statement.

— I have observed you for a long time. Now I can be sure. You are qualified to board the ark. Congratulations, Lucas, ‘Priest’.

After that, Lucas became a ‘Priest’ of the Shadows.

Lucas looked at the crystal ball and bowed respectfully.

“I greet the great High Priest.”

— Young Priest. Have you been well?

Gulp.

Lucas swallowed.

Every time he saw him…

‘He’s truly an enigmatic figure.’

Age, gender, nationality, etc.

Everything about him was vague.

But there was one thing he could guess.

Lucas was well over 60 years old. But he was being called ‘young’?

The High Priest was likely far older than he appeared.

“…Yes. Thanks to your grace, I’ve been able to live each day faithfully.”

— Don’t be so stiff. What’s with the formalities between us?

“It’s not that. How can a lowly servant be on equal footing with their master?”

Shadow Apostle Hardronox.

Even he, who had received only a fraction of that power, had grown this much.

Then what about the High Priest, who was known to communicate directly with the apostle?

His strength would be unimaginable.

It was the same when Han Siah was born, and it was the same now.

— Haha, young Priest. You’re still gripped by fear. It’s very clear to me. But that is precisely why you were chosen by me. So ask freely. What are you so curious about?

“…High Priest. While I was in seclusion training, I felt the power of the apostle surge.”

— That’s right.

“Could this be a sign of the cataclysm…?”

— Do you foresee the era of cataclysm? The place where we reach out will be the final destination. Whether it’s destruction or salvation is in your hands.

It was a cryptic statement.

Then, the corners of the mouth within the black robe curved into a gentle smile.

— In that sense, there’s something I’d like you, Priest Lucas, to do.

“What is it?”

— To build the ark, we have a long way to go. But there’s a despicable person who keeps tripping us up.

“Who are you referring to…?”

— Don’t you know him too? Kim Minwoo. That cunning and deceitful fellow.

“Are you saying that such a youngling dared to interfere with the Shadows?”

Lucas asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Of course, he knew Kim Minwoo.

That was the reason he contacted the High Priest in the first place. But it wasn’t because he was afraid of Kim Minwoo’s power.

He was just a fledgling who hadn’t even reached level 500.

Even the battle at the airport, in Lucas’s eyes, was just so-so.

Of course, he acknowledged that Kim Minwoo was very strong for his level.

But that was a story for the lower levels. He was one of the world’s top rankers, ranked around 20th among mages.

Not only that, but he also had the power of the Shadows.

And much more than Jonas, at that.

‘The summoned creature, Merhen, seems tricky, but…’

Honestly, it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t handle it if he went all out.

The problem was that the locations of the secret facilities were exposed, and the world was in an uproar.

But that youngling had interfered with the Shadows?

Moreover, the High Priest had even described Kim Minwoo as a ‘cunning and deceitful fellow.’

In other words, it also meant that the High Priest held Kim Minwoo in high regard, enough to make such an evaluation.

That’s why he couldn’t help but be puzzled.

— It was a minor conflict, but there was definitely a clash. Losing the Korean branch was a painful experience. Han Baekgil. That child had such a devoted faith.

The High Priest tapped his fingers on his arm as if playing a piano.

It was one of his habits that Lucas had observed for a long time.

He usually did it when he was pondering something seriously.

— Of course, in the grand scheme of things, it’s a loss no bigger than a pimple. But… one thing is certain. His influence is rapidly growing.

“Hmm… You’re right, High Priest.”

Lucas nodded in agreement. Even if he ignored everything else, the fact that he was doing all this less than half a year after Awakening was definitely something to be wary of.

He might be a youngling now.

But there was no law saying he had to remain a youngling forever.

“Then, the task I have to do is…”

— Priest Lucas, you must be in a bit of a predicament too, right?

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“That’s right.”

— Sometimes, going straight is the fastest way. It seems to me that now is one of those times.

“Going straight?”

A gentle smile appeared on the lips visible through the robe.

— Priest Lucas. You will take care of Kim Minwoo. Directly.

“Understood. I will follow your orders…”

— Ah, don’t worry too much. I’m not asking you to take on the guilt of murder or anything like that. I wouldn’t ask a devout follower to do such a cruel thing.

“…?”

Lucas tilted his head inconfusion.

Wasn’t he just told to go and kill him?

Since the guy was holed up in Korea, he had to be prepared to take the blame if he wanted to kill him.

Of course, he was willing to accept it.

It was the High Priest’s order.

That was the only way he could board the ark.

But that wasn’t it?

— Priest Lucas, as an Awakened, you must know about the duel system.

“A… duel? Ah!”

Lucas’s eyes lit up.

A duel overseen by the system.

The consequences of such a duel could go as far as murder without incurring any guilt.

It was one of the global rules.

“Are you saying I should challenge him to a duel directly?”

— If Kim Minwoo accepts, it won’t be bad. If he doesn’t accept? That won’t be bad either. It’ll tarnish the image he’s built up.

Lucas nodded in understanding. The only thing he had to consider when challenging someone to a duel was his public reputation. Kim Minwoo was a rookie who had awakened less than half a year ago.

On the other hand, he was practically stagnant water.

Usually, the one who gets ridiculed for proposing a duel is the latter.

‘But, it doesn’t matter.’

It wasn’t like his reputation was good.

It wasn’t like he was seeking praise from somewhere.

So even if he got a little dirty, it wasn’t like he would hate it any more than he already did.

He also had a good reason.

Kim Minwoo had tarnished the family’s honor. As the family head, he couldn’t just stand by and watch.

If he was so confident, let’s have a match.

With lives on the line.

That would be the end of it.

‘If he refuses…’

His reputation would plummet instantly, becoming nothing more than empty words.

After all, why had Kim Minwoo risen to fame?

Spending money like crazy was one reason, but the most decisive factor was his confidence.

His confidence that didn’t waver even against big shots like the US President, the Chinese President, and the Saudi King.

But if he backed down just because the opponent was a little strong?

The power behind Kim Minwoo’s words would also diminish greatly.

Of course, it wouldn’t solve all the problems caused by the exposure of the secret facilities.

But even considering that…

‘It’s a brilliant move.’

It was clear that it was worth using as a means to escape this crisis.

Lucas’s eyes gleamed.

***

He had been really busy lately.

Numerous broadcast schedules were lined up.

And every time, he appeared and revealed another one of Griff’s dirty secrets.

It was possible because he had a lot of information.

‘This is why being a veteran is good.’

The Griff family was struggling to cope with the constant stream of information popping up like a game of whack-a-mole.

The international pressure had also intensified.

It was to the point where if one asked 100 people on the street, 99 of them would call Griff a piece of trash.

No matter how much the international community revolved around power, there was a limit.

This level of trash couldn’t be covered up.

‘It’s about time they did something.’

The reason Griff was being beaten up now was that the family head, Lucas, was in seclusion training.

So to be precise, it was because they lacked a leader.

There was the second-in-command, the head butler, but he didn’t have the ability or skill to control this chaotic situation.

That is unless the old mage got off his lazy behind.

“If you look at this data now…”

Just as he was about to reveal new information, intending to keep digging until the guy showed up, the host hurriedly spoke.

“Um, excuse me for a moment, Guild Master?”

“Yes.”

“We just received a call from a German broadcasting station. They said Lucas, the family head, has arrived in person… They’re requesting a live connection with you. Would that be possible?”

The host’s eyes sparkled like jewels as he asked.

The head of the Griff family himself was coming to confront Kim Minwoo, who had exposed their secrets?

Even though they were far apart, it was still a huge scoop.

“Let’s do it.”

“Yes, then we’ll connect you right away.”

Soon, Lucas’s face began to appear on the broadcast screen.

A mage with a pale complexion like plaster and an emaciated body.

No one would laugh at him just by looking at his appearance.

He was a great mage, a giant among the billions of Awakened, as numerous as the stars.

Ranked 27th among the world’s mages.

Moreover, that record was from five years ago.

The head of the Griff Family, Lucas.

He stared at Kim Minwoo from the screen.

— You took my daughter, didn’t you? And on top of that, you’re going around insulting my family.

“That’s strange. I didn’t make up anything that wasn’t true. Don’t you feel any guilt?”

— I won’t waste words. Return my daughter. And you’d better stop that nonsense.

“And what if I refuse?”

At those words, Lucas on the screen chuckled.

— Awakened ones should prove themselves with their skills, not their words. Kim Minwoo, I challenge you to a duel. If you’re confident, accept it. With your life as the wager.

The host, who was broadcasting the incident, gaped. What was that crazy old geezer saying?

Challenging him to a duel?

And a world-ranked mage who had awakened decades ago, no less?

It was absurd how shameless he was, trying to assert his power in this situation.

‘…Well, he can just refuse.’

In the host’s view, there was no benefit for Kim Minwoo to accept.

He knew Kim Minwoo was strong.

But that was by rookie standards, not by the standards of a world-ranked mage. He was still just an egg trying to crack a rock.

No, maybe it was the rock trying to smash the egg now.

Of course, he would refuse…

“Alright. Let’s do it, the duel. Let’s set the time and date.”

“Huh?”

The host’s eyes widened.

What did he just hear?

[Translator – Prøks]

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