Chapter 82

Chapter 82. This is the Price of Mischief (2)

The Mercenary Guild is a resting place for mercenaries and a mission brokerage.

Clients pay a fee when requesting a mission, and mercenaries pay a brokerage fee to the Mercenary Guild when accepting a mission.

All the money paid is stored in the guild’s safest place, the vault.

This vault contains not only cash but also records and confidential information about missions received from the past to the present.

Being such an important place, 30 mercenaries are constantly on patrol, and magic is used to control access.

The labyrinth Cork discovered could only be entered through this vault.

It wasn’t originally there; Cork had dug a tunnel to connect it. He had destroyed the original entrance.

“Branch Manager. Did you resolve the outside matters well?”

Inside the labyrinth, two mercenaries were standing guard. They were the last subordinates Cork had left.

Cork snapped at his subordinates’ question, unaware of the outside situation.

“Move! I need to awaken the devil.”

“Huh? Suddenly?”

“Keter, that bastard, knew everything. Otherwise, how could the Mercenary Council appear at that moment?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. The council? What happened?”

“Our plans have all gone to waste. Keter, the council, I have no choice but to kill them all!”

The mercenaries couldn’t bring themselves to ask more and kept their mouths shut. Cork’s eyes were already crazed.

There were two doors in this labyrinth.

One was the treasure room where Cork diligently offered blood as a tribute. The other was the door where the devil was sealed.

Arriving at the sealed door, Cork rolled up his sleeves.

“I will make a contract with the devil. You all stay back.”

“Branch Manager, are you serious? Please reconsider. You want to awaken a vampire?”

A subordinate pointed to a stone slab. It had a detailed description of the sealed devil.

-The first vampire, Elije. Here, I await the return of the Blood King. Those who wish to awaken me must prove their worth with blood and soul.

Vampires. One of the primordial races closest to gods.

Whether they are extinct or still exist is shrouded in mystery, but their existence is clearly recorded.

Literature consistently states that they are humanity’s natural enemies and once kept humans as livestock.

But if it’s ‘Elije,’ said to be the first vampire…

‘She would undoubtedly see humans as less than livestock, no, as insects.’

Knowing the danger, Cork had avoided the sealed door since discovering it.

But now, he wants to break the seal.

It was natural for his subordinates to try to stop him.

“Yes, I’m crazy. But I’m not a fool.”

He had already staked his life to achieve his dream.

Cork placed the center of his palm on the spike at the top of the stone slab.

“Huff, huff.”

All he had to do was push his hand in. The spike would pierce his palm, and blood would flow, awakening the vampire Elije.

But when it came to actually doing it, fear surged. Those who contract with devils. He knew all too well how they end.

Destruction.

Every single one of them meets destruction.

Even if they are ‘heroes’ with strong mental fortitude.

‘Even if I am destroyed, I won’t be the only one.’

Cork was willing to be destroyed if it meant he could kill Keter, who had ruined everything for him.

Just as Cork was about to push his palm onto the spike.

“Yawn-! If you’re going to do it, hurry up. How long do I have to wait?”

A voice that shouldn’t be heard, Keter’s voice.

Not only Cork but his subordinates were startled and turned their heads. There, leaning against the wall and yawning, was Keter.

“Need help?”

“K-Keter! How did you get here?”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Kukuku, what an arrogant guy.”

Cork, who had removed his hand from the stone slab, drew his sword.

Though not a magical tool, he was confident he could kill Keter without one.

“However you got here, it seems you came to die by my hand. I’ll grant your wish.”

Cork had retreated in front of the Mercenary Guild because of Joyray. He wasn’t confident he could defeat an Orichalcon mercenary, not that he couldn’t defeat Keter.

But Keter appearing right in front of him?

It didn’t matter how he got here. Killing him would be enough. Sensing the mood, his mercenaries also drew their swords and aimed at Keter.

Then Cork shouted.

“You two, block the entrance so Keter can’t escape.”

“Yes!”

The two mercenaries guarded the entrance while keeping an eye on Keter. Keter waved his hand dismissively.

“Whoa, just fight me? You’ve almost used up all your magical tools. Why not just contract with the devil?”

“I don’t need magical tools to deal with you!”

Confident that Keter was merely annoying, not strong, Cork leaped forward without hesitation and swung his sword. The blade flashed, and Keter’s hair fluttered.

At that moment, a crisp sound rang out.

Whack!

Cork, who had confidently leaped, fell flat. Keter’s uppercut had landed squarely on his chin.

Cork, lying on the ground, couldn’t get up and just blinked.

Keter blew on his fist and said.

“The early bird gets the punch.”

* * *

Cork quickly got back up.

‘What, what just happened?’

He vaguely saw Keter extending his arm.

That was it. The moment he thought something moved, the sky turned upside down, and his body was rolling on the ground.

Feeling something foreign in his mouth, he spat. Two teeth came out with bright red blood.

“Grrr!”

Swallowing his groan, Cork threw away the sword he was holding and drew a dagger from the sheath on his thigh. Acknowledging Keter’s speed, he decided to match it.

Carefully stepping closer, Cork launched a swift stab.

Swish, swish, swish!

His dagger was, of course, a magical tool. It contained the power of the wind, accelerating its thrusting speed.

Cork persistently aimed for Keter’s face, and Keter narrowly dodged with minimal movement.

The dagger grazed his cheek.

Blood splattered.

The ends of his hair were cut and fluttered.

Cork smirked, thinking his attack was effective.

Then, Keter spoke.

“That’s not how you use it.”

Cork’s wrist, which had swung and was returning, was caught by Keter.

Snap, Cork’s wrist twisted.

Being a Diamond Class mercenary, Cork tried to counter with force, but Keter’s strength was overwhelmingly superior.

With his wrist twisted, Cork’s fingers lost strength, and he dropped the dagger.

Keter caught the falling dagger and spun it around.

“This is how you use it.”

Holding the dagger in a reverse grip, Keter charged at Cork. Unlike Cork, who only used his arms, Keter thrust forward with his whole body.

Thud, thud, thud!

Under the relentless pressure of the dagger techniques, Cork was busy defending his vitals with both arms.

The speed difference made it seem like they weren’t using the same weapon.

It wasn’t just that Keter was faster. He was using the wind power of the dagger more effectively.

“What do you know about magical tools!”

Cork, who called himself an expert on magical tools, screamed more from humiliation than pain.

Whoosh!

Along with his scream, his cloak was engulfed in flames.

A level 2 magical tool, the Flame Cloak. It spewed flames that could even melt steel.

Fire is the natural enemy of all living beings. Even a slight touch brings terrible pain and extreme fear.

An ordinary person would have retreated.

But Keter was no ordinary person. He threw the dagger at Cork’s face and, while Cork dodged, grabbed his torso.

“Stupid fool. Burn to death!”

Whether Cork sneered or not, Keter pushed him against the wall.

Cork was helplessly pushed back, but it didn’t matter. The flames were consuming Keter.

But-

“Ah, no!?”

The flames didn’t burn Keter.

Only the blood Keter was covered in dried up.

No matter what, the searing pain should be felt. Could he really endure it?

Thud!

Cork was pushed to the edge of the wall.

Then his Flame Cloak spewed out an enormous flame. The impact against the wall had caused it to overload.

“Whoa, aaaah!”

The wearer of the Flame Cloak shouldn’t be affected by the fire, but in an overloaded state, even the wearer began to burn.

Keter was also hot, but not enough to get burned.

Keter, who had stepped back, shook off the dried blood and said.

“Don’t you know that fire-based magical tools are extremely unstable? Well, you’ve only met those who didn’t know, so you survived until now.”

Cork had no strength to reply.

Instead, he hurriedly removed the Flame Cloak and threw it away. It was a quick response, but his back, already once engulfed in flames, was now roasted.

If he hadn’t had a ring that granted fire resistance, he would have burned to death long ago.

“What’s left, Cork? Give it your all. You can do it. I believe in you!”

Keter, who could attack but chose to cheer instead.

Cork gritted his teeth and mobilized all the magical tools he had.

A whip imbued with the power of lightning, ‘Thunder Crow’.

Gauntlets that draw out monstrous strength, ‘Ogre Gauntlets’.

A mace that spews deadly gas, ‘Green Mace’.

Boots that sprout ice spikes, ‘Frost Edge’.

But it was all useless.

Before the ice spikes from the boots could fully form, Keter stomped them away and leaned in close.

“Whoa!”

“Gasp!”

Even a simple threat made Cork flinch and retreat.

He was panting.

There were no more magical tools at hand.

He had used them all. Every single one he had.

None of them worked on Keter. Instead, Keter took them and showed him how to use them properly.

He was thoroughly crushed.

His dream of becoming the Mercenary King, even his pride as an expert on magical tools.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Keter, who had received various forms of attack, wasn’t unscathed either. His appearance was quite messy. But inside, he was fine.

On the other hand, Cork, who was ruined both inside and out, shouted at his subordinates who were just watching.

“What are you all staring at? Attack! Attack from the front and back!”

The subordinates who had followed Cork into the labyrinth were greedy but not fools.

“Branch Manager. It’s no use… Keter hasn’t even used his own weapon.”

“There’s no hope of winning. We don’t want to risk our lives for nothing.”

They had clearly seen the gap between Keter and Cork.

Keter wasn’t even fighting. He was just playing around. With none other than a Diamond Class mercenary. What difference would it make if they, Platinum Class, stepped in?

Keter approached Cork and said.

“What now. Your subordinates aren’t as foolish as you.”

“Grr, grr…”

Cork looked around. Was there anything he could use, anyone who could help?

But who and what could be in the labyrinth he had built? Only the damp smell of earth and stale air filled the place.

A chill he hadn’t felt before seeped into his skin and flowed through his bones.

Cork knew. Mercenaries who live by the sword can’t die in bed.

But he never expected or wanted such an end.

‘What did I do so wrong?’

He had only worked hard for a dream anyone could have. As a man who drew his sword, he aspired to stand at the top.

In the process, he had killed many people, so he had a feeling he might face retribution someday.

But this was something else.

This wasn’t revenge for the dead.

Was this the price for crushing his dream, for not acknowledging a child as a mercenary?

“Ahhh! I can’t accept this. I can’t end like this, even if it’s unfair!”

Cork screamed at the ceiling and started running.

Seeing the direction, one of Cork’s subordinates urgently shouted.

“Stop him! He’s trying to awaken the devil!”

But Keter put a finger to his lips and said.

“Shh, I’ve been waiting for this.”

“…!?”

“Are you insane? If the vampire awakens! No matter how great you are, you can’t defeat a vampire!”

Thinking they would die if the vampire awakened, the subordinates ran instead of Keter.

Keter smirked and watched.

‘A pure-blood vampire might be different, but a vampire revived through a contract can’t be pure-blood.’

Killing Cork now would be quite satisfying.

But not 100%.

It’s still 2% short.

He had shattered Cork’s plans and pride, but one thing remained intact.

‘I’ll crush your hope too.’

Cork’s last hope that selling his soul to the devil would allow him to kill Keter, Keter planned to crush it completely.

This isn’t the end. Fighting a vampire is a rare experience for Keter too.

‘What kind of vampire will come out? It’s not a pure-blood, but I’m looking forward to it.’

Having loosened up fighting the Red Comet.

Fighting a vampire would be quite an enjoyable battle.

Whether Keter’s anticipation was known or not, Cork plunged his palm into the spike on the stone slab without hesitation.

As the stone slab was soaked in blood, a loud noise erupted.

Rumble!

The entire labyrinth shook. The unusual atmosphere made Cork’s mercenary subordinates tremble.

“Ah, no. It’s awakened.”

“Keter, you madman! Do you know what you’ve awakened? The first vampire!”

“Ruquer will be destroyed. There’s nowhere to run…”

The massive black door behind the stone slab began to vibrate.

Cork laughed like a madman.

“Kahahahaha! Keter! Even if I die, I’ll take you with me. You’ll achieve nothing, just like me!”

The black door, once opened, swung wide, and the sealed devil began to appear.

It was…

“Kyu?”

A small, cute, white-furred bat.