[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter: 137
[Main Quest #12 Completed.]
[Since there were no casualties, the reward has been increased to the maximum.]
[Received 1,000,000 gold.]
[Gained 40 stat points.]
[Experience increased by 550,000.]
[Level increased by 5.]
[Gained 5 additional stat points.]
[Progress has advanced.]
[Main Quest #13: Epilogue]
You successfully defended Ifrit from the final monster wave.
Now, it's time to return to the city and take care of the remaining tasks.
Objective: Reach the storyâs ending.
Reward: Episode completion.
Current Progress: 97%
- Whoa.
- That reward is insane, lol.
- Did they really kill the yeti like that?
- A boss? No choice but to worship it.
- The spirit is strong, but that sword is busted too.
- Wait, how is it even possible to move like that?
- [Info] This guy is Gear Level 3.
- "This guy"? Do you think Black Dragon is your buddy or something?
- But a 0-casualty run⊠isn't that basically a glitch?
- Those dwarf guys are out of their minds.
- Is this even something a normal player can pull off?
- No one else has done what he did.
- Even getting close would be a huge win.
[User âSmallSpenderâ has donated 100,000 won.]
[Are you insane?]
[User âă ă â has donated 300,000 won.]
[Canât you just write a new strategy guide?]
[User âSwordGodâ has donated 1,000,000 won.]
[Damn, Iâm jealous of that sword.]
[User âSpiritLordâ has donated 5,000,000 won.]
[Congratulations!]
[Corporation Taeyul has donated 4,000,000 won.]
[Yeonhwa Gaming has donated 5,000,000 won.]
[User âGellrodâ has donated 7,000,000 won.]
...
The chat and donation messages flooded in.
The response was overwhelming.
"Thank you, everyone. But about this strategy..."
"Black Dragon!"
A voice called out from behind.
Turning around, three of his battle companions were running toward him.
"Are you okay? You nearly died back there!"
Jinuk, still shaken by the intense life-or-death battle, checked his condition.
Kevin walked over to the cliffâs edge, peering down.
"You actually pulled it off⊠I might have underestimated your strength."
Even for an experienced A-rank adventurer like him, it was a shocking sight.
Dozens of meters below, the forest lay in ruins.
Amid the crushed trees and bushes, the fallen yetiâs massive corpse was clearly visible.
"Hah! That was a spectacular takedown! What do you want to do with the body?"
Kudran added that leaving it unattended could be dangerous.
A powerful monsterâs corpse could disrupt the local ecosystem.
"There's still loot to collect. Letâs head down."
"Iâll go gather some people to help with the process!"
With a nod, Kudran quickly disappeared into the woods.
"And what about you?"
"Uh, I was just about to go, but..."
Jinuk awkwardly lowered his outstretched arm.
He was probably still feeling guilty about his actions at the corpse disposal site earlier.
"Oh! There they are!"
Before long, the reinforcements arrived quicker than expected.
A mix of adventurers, soldiers, and dwarvesâ
A team-up that would have been unthinkable not long ago.
It seemed they had already finished dealing with the monster wave and were now searching the forest.
"Black Dragon took down that thing?"
"An enraged yeti⊠just thinking about it is terrifying."
As the group peered down at the corpse below, they couldnât hide their astonishment.
Hanbit, heading toward the detour, spoke up.
"Letâs get down there first."
* * *
Hah... You really fought against something like this?"
"Wasn't Black Dragon ranked as a D-rank adventurer? That makes no sense."
"He has the golden bracelet. His rank doesnât really matter."
The group stood in front of the yetiâs corpse after descending the cliff.
Even though the beast was clearly dead, its sheer presence made them hesitant to approach.
ââŠNo way.â
Hanbitâs eyes caught something, and he climbed onto the corpseâs chest.
A gaping hole, shattered by the impact of an attack.
Inside, the tip of a blue crystal was barely visible.
Crackâ
Hanbit reached in and pulled it out.
Brushing off the black soot, the crystal's full form was revealed.
[Yetiâs Breath]
Rank: 5
Rarity: Epic
Description: A rare crystal formed from the condensed breath of a yeti mixed with its frost-infused mana over time. When used, it creates a temporary protective zone that grants powerful cold resistance while restoring health and mana. Once its effect wears off, it can be used as a material for magical artifacts or equipment crafting.
- Huh?
- Yeti drops this?
- I thought fur and fangs were the standard loot.
- Thatâs a different kind of yeti.
- The level difference between this and the usual story yeti is 60.
The chat exploded as players noticed an unexpected loot drop.
Hanbit was just as surprised.
âSo this actually drops here?â
The crystal had survived even after the yetiâs body was torn apart by his attack, without a single scratch.
Normally, this kind of item could only be obtained from rare yetis in completely different regions.
Yet, somehow, he had acquired it here.
An unexpected turn of events had led to a new reward.
Several potential uses immediately came to mind.
"Did you find something?"
Kudran approached, curious.
Hanbit stepped down and held up the crystal.
"I found this. Do you recognize it?"
"Oh, let me take a look!"
Kudran leaned in, examining the crystal closely.
Rubbing his chin, he then declared confidentlyâ
"Hah! I have no idea! You should show it to the prince instead!"
With a hearty laugh, Kudran abandoned any attempt at appraisal.
Instead, he gestured toward the yetiâs body.
"There are some useful materials here! Weâll salvage whatever doesnât disintegrate!"
Materials harvested from monster corpses were usually limited.
Most of the body would naturally deteriorate over time.
This wasnât just a game mechanicâhistorically, the same thing had happened.
Ssshhhâ
As if proving that point, parts of the yetiâs body started turning black.
Moments later, they crumbled into dust, scattering into the air.
"Letâs make a transport cart!"
"Weâll help."
"Start cutting down some trees over there!"
Led by Kudran, the group began working together.
With dwarves around, the cart would be built in no time.
âTheyâre still watching.â
A distant gaze lingered.
Someone from the Holy Kingdom was observing them.
Not from Isisâs 8th Bishop faction, but from another bishopâs forces.
âI canât kill them.â
If they were simply an enemy, tracking them down and eliminating them would be the logical move.
But this information needed to reach the Holy Kingdom.
Its ripple effect would play a crucial role in Hanbitâs plan.
"Alright, letâs move out!"
Just as expected, the preparations to transport the yetiâs remains were completed quickly.
Hanbit took one last glance at the forest before heading toward Ifrit with the others.
* * *
"There they are!"
"I heard that person led the subjugation."
"It wasnât just leadingâit was planned down to the last detail!"
As Hanbit returned to the city, the citizens welcomed them with cheers.
Judging by the satisfied smile on Xenonâs face, he must have let slip some details about Black Dragon.
"But the dwarves were incredible too, right?"
"Did you see earlier? They were breathing fire!"
"They even built all those siege weapons!"
Another hot topic was the dwarves.
Previously, under the mayorâs influence, the city had harbored deep resentment toward them.
But now, not a trace of that hatred remained.
To the citizens, the dwarves were the heroes who had protected Ifrit.
"Ahem. Are they talking about us?"
"Well, we did put in some effort this time."
"This is just how strong we are when weâre serious."
Hearing the loud praise, the dwarves rubbed their noses, embarrassed.
Even if it was a victory-driven shift, this wasnât just a temporary change.
Of course, the past still lingered, waiting to be addressed.
"This is ridiculous."
Mayor Pirnen scoffed as she watched the excitement.
Turning her head, she spoke again.
"Have you all forgotten about the greedy dwarves who cared only about money? And you, dwarvesâarenât you resentful of the discrimination and hatred you suffered?"
- ?
- Whatâs her deal?
- [Hard Facts] Some people just have to speak the truth to feel better.
- [Socially Inept] Completely oblivious to the mood.
- Wasnât she the one who made everyone hate the dwarves in the first place?
- We canât let this slide. Time to show her some Salion justice.
[Barres has donated 1,000 won.]
[Hiss... Thatâs a bit much.]
Breaking the victorious atmosphere sent the chat into an uproar.
Yet, those who heard her words couldnât refute them.
Like it or not, these were thoughts they hadnât been able to shake even before the wave.
"Sister, please stop."
Jinuk finally stepped forward, unable to hold back.
His face was tense with anger.
"Jinuk, youâre the biggest hypocrite of them all. Werenât you the one who tormented the dwarves the most? I donât know what kind of influence Black Dragon had on you, but that fact wonât change."
"âŠI know. Thatâs why Iâll spend my life making amends."
Swishâ
Jinuk turned toward the dwarvesâ ranks.
Then, he bowed deeply.
"I have spent years hurling insults and violence at you. I donât expect forgiveness. I just... I am deeply ashamed and full of regret. I canât erase the past, but truly⊠I am sorry."
His sincere apology left the citizens frozen.
Even if they hadnât been as cruel as Jinuk, memories of their own disgraceful actions surfaced.
"âŠNo, we canât forget."
The one who spoke was Balron, the dwarven elder.
Stepping forward, he lowered his gaze.
"These past few years have been hell for us. Ever since His Highness left, weâve been treated as nothing more than trash. It felt like, even if we took our own lives, weâd only be met with ridicule."
His calm words struck deep into the hearts of the humans.
After a brief pause, he lifted his head and looked at them all.
"But we were at fault too. We let greed consume us, lost our way, and abandoned our own identity. That was my decision. And shamefully, I didnât realize my mistake until just before His Highness returned."
This was the same elder who had accepted the mayorâs offer, swaying the dwarvesâ stance.
Right or wrong wasnât the issueâit was more complicated than that.
In the end, their actions had driven Gorik away, creating an extreme divide.
For so long, they had blamed the prince who had left them, instead of facing their own faults.
"Truly pathetic."
Gorik, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke.
With a sigh, he looked down at his hammer.
"And I am the most pathetic of all. The fact that I couldnât become king makes that clear. A ruler should never let their people starve."
His stubborn belief that all dwarves should be blacksmiths had led to disaster.
The consequences of that choice weighed heavily on him.
Thus, after the past few days of events, many realizations had come to light.
"Ifrit was protected through the strength of everyone here. My father, King Hedric, once saidâone must forge the future, not dwell on the past. And in that future, there is no need to divide dwarves and humans."
His voice, carrying weight and meaning, resonated deeply within the citizens' hearts.
Jinuk, still bowing, was no exception.
"But you are different. You still donât seem to understand."
Gorik turned his gaze toward Pirnen, whose face was red with anger.
Hearing her name, she jabbed a finger in his direction and retorted.
"You think I donât understand? Who do you think made Ifrit prosperous? Itâs all thanks to me leading these idiotic fools! Iâm the one who even allowed the dwarves in!"
"And? If Black Dragon hadnât come to this city, everyone here wouldâve been wiped out. You wouldnât have escaped death either."
"Whatâs the point of that kind of hindsight? If the adventurers and soldiers had just done their jobs, we wouldâve been fine! And Levius from the research institute wouldnât have just sat back and watched!"
Pirnen screamed in frustration, denying every argument.
Watching this exchange, Hanbit finally stepped forward.
"You said you made Ifrit prosperous?"
"Isnât it obvious? Do you have any idea how valuable our city is?"
"Oh, no, thatâs not what I meant. I was just thinkingâif you had actually used all the money you pocketed, you couldâve protected the city properly."
"âŠWhat did you just say?"
"You turned Ifrit into a hub of commerce and the arts by funneling money into your own projects, right? Thatâs why you refused to alert outsiders about the danger and insisted on keeping the glass walls."
"âŠâŠ."
As Hanbit laid out the facts one by one, Pirnen fell silent.
She glared at Hanbit for a moment before scoffing.
"And whereâs your proof?"
"Oh, I know you already cleaned up everything. Youâre not that stupid."
"Your words reflect your lack of class. Iâll report this reckless defiance of the mayor to the capital. Iâll make sure youâre exiled from the Raven Kingdomâ"
"You can report it right here."
Cutting her off, Hanbit turned toward the shattered city gates.
Pirnen followed her gazeâand her eyes widened.
Neighâ!
A group of knights and soldiers arrived, mounted on unadorned horses, as if they had rushed here without delay.
Leading the charge was a woman clad in platinum armor.
She swiftly dismounted and strode toward them.
Srrkâ
As she removed her helmet, long black hair cascaded down, framing her piercing blue eyes.
It was Leon, the Vice Captain of the Royal Guard.
"LeonâŠ!"
Pirnenâs eyes trembled at the sight of her.
Leon stopped directly in front of her, then unfurled a parchment bearing the royal seal.
"A report has been submitted regarding the emergence of abnormal monsters in Ifrit, the capture of a Holy Kingdom devotee, as well as cases of negligence, embezzlement, and dereliction of duty concerning the cityâs defense, finances, and personnel. You are hereby required to cooperate with the investigation, Mayor Pirnen d'Artuis."
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]