Chapter 27

Level Up Heretic Inquisitor – Episode 27 (27/227)

Episode 27: Quest In (4)

[Level Up!]

After taking down all the thieves, Ail leveled up.

He reached level 14, and upon gathering and sorting through the loot from the four thieves, it became clear they had dropped items of considerable value.

Though challenging, as expected, this area provided far better experience and rewards compared to normal hunting grounds of the same level.

Pwoosh!

Light erupted from Lisa’s hands, and Ail’s HP steadily recovered.

The HP that had been drained by poison on the thief’s dagger was fully restored.

“Thank you. Still manageable.”

“No time limit here, right?”

“Yeah, we can take our time and hunt them steadily.”

With looting done, the two moved without delay.

As they ventured deeper, the number of torches lining the passage increased, rendering their carefully prepared potions unnecessary.

Still, it had helped them quickly break through Hard Rock Cave, so it wasn’t a total loss.

Most thieves traveled in pairs or trios, allowing them to hunt smoothly.

Occasionally, the numbers would increase but always within manageable limits.

Indeed, having a skilled healer in the party made all the difference. With Lisa’s healing support, even moderate HP losses could be endured.

Their constant HP monitoring and perfectly timed healing practically made death impossible.

Adapting to the enemies’ patterns, they progressed smoothly until the cave’s straightforward structure suddenly became more complex.

The paths branched off in multiple directions, with large spaces occasionally appearing. Some were multi-leveled, while others featured structures like bandit outposts.

‘So that’s why there were two options mentioned.’

The part Sebera mentioned before giving the quest.

Sneak in and assassinate the target Casano, or kill every enemy encountered.

The dungeon’s layout allowed for either playstyle.

Being an instance dungeon created specifically for this quest, it naturally had no monster respawns. Taking the shortest route would allow for quick quest completion.

But neither Ail nor Lisa had any intention of doing so.

This was a one-time-only quest-specific instance dungeon.

Such opportunities didn’t come around often.

They planned to thoroughly clear the dungeon, collecting all the experience and items from the monsters inside.

In other words, they intended to completely wipe out every single thief in this dungeon.

That’s right.

Even if they went full frontal assault and wiped out all enemies, as long as there were no witnesses, it would still count as an assassination.

* * *

Kingdom Ascalon.

The capital city representing all of Warode, unlike other territories where guilds managed everything, this was the only city directly governed by the royal family.

Fitting its name and symbolism, it was the largest city in Warode, the most important hub always bustling with countless users.

But today, an even greater, massive crowd filled Ascalon’s streets beyond usual.

Numerous official broadcasting crews from around the world were set up to capture the scene, while users packed the wide streets on both sides, eagerly waiting with excited expressions.

Some users who climbed onto rooftops to get a better view were occasionally seen getting beaten up and chased away by building owner NPCs.

“There… they’re coming!”

“Kyaaaah!”

As a mounted procession appeared in the distance, an enormous cheer erupted.

Dressed uniformly in pitch-black robes, armor, weapons, symbols, and masks, these were the Rankers from one of the Rokuto dai guilds – Nightmare.

As elite forces of the dominant power controlling Warode, their skills and reputations needed no introduction, and it was natural for such a massive crowd to gather just to see them.

However, all eyes were focused on the front of the formation.

Leading the group was a woman with a stoic expression, dark hair contrasting against her pale skin, a beauty whose approachable aura was dampened by her lifeless eyes.

Despite wearing the same black equipment as her guildmates – all top-tier items – her tattered cloak exuded a rugged feel, while her sleek leather armor accentuated her sharp features.

A dagger rested in its sheath, but a chain jutting out from her waist wasn’t mere decoration – it was one of the defining symbols associated with her.

Her name was Karin.

The undisputed leader in Warode’s Thief Ranking and ranked #4 overall among the highest tier High Rankers.

What set her apart from other Rankers was her position as Guild Master of the Nightmare Guild, one of the six great powers ruling over Warode.

She was a star player known throughout Warode regardless of whether one played the game or not, and most of the people crowding these streets had gathered specifically to see her.

While the noisy crowd snapped photos and chatted excitedly, Karin calmly observed something visible only to players – a holographic screen.

It displayed photos related to the recent incident at Quinnze Blonde.

An event that occurred in one of Nightmare’s territories, Quinnze Blonde, showing the charred remains of a user burned at the stake.

“The strategy isn’t bad.”

Karin smirked after reviewing the last photo.

The staged execution site and the incinerated corpse were impressive enough, but what happened afterward was particularly intriguing.

The scorched symbol of a church left behind evoked a disturbing image, drawing significant attention.

“Of course, it wasn’t done without thought…”

He was clever.

Even villains could create major buzz with a well-crafted character concept.

And such attention usually benefited the user, flowing in advantageous directions.

Within the game, there was no need to be bound by moral constraints. Gaining popularity could lead to broadcast appearances, guild recruitment offers, or even founding one’s own guild – there were various ways to profit.

Attracting initial user interest was difficult, but once successful, nothing was more effective for building one’s reputation.

“Well, it’s really nothing special. This incident has drawn quite a bit of attention since it happened in our territory, so I’m just letting you know.”

Standing beside Karin, Lambrick, wielding a greatsword, shrugged as he spoke.

Ranked #31 globally, he too was a High Ranker, and deliberately themed characters weren’t uncommon in Warode.

In fact, the game developers actively encouraged diverse character concepts, resulting in countless themes appearing. The Light Church following the crazy goddess ‘Lu’ was a prime example.

“So what’s next?”

Flipping through the screen, Karin asked.

Their Guild Master didn’t usually appreciate meaningless gossip, but judging by her expression, this wasn’t unpleasant.

“The guild behind the attack on the Tower of the Dead has been identified.”

“Hmph, anyone could guess who’d do something like that.”

“…Well, now we have solid evidence. Just as the Guild Master predicted, it was Dawn’s doing. They hired mercenaries to avoid detection, but we successfully uncovered the information.”

One of the key hunting grounds for around level 190, the Tower of the Dead offered guaranteed leveling speed even without boss raids or quests.

For upper-level users struggling to gain levels, it was like manna from heaven.

Important hunting grounds like this were typically managed by major guilds controlling the surrounding territories.

Nightmare controlled access to the Tower of the Dead.

However, just three days ago, unknown assailants attacked and assassinated the guild members guarding the entrance.

Worse still, they boldly took advantage of numerical superiority to inflict damage on Nightmare guild members hunting inside the tower before fleeing.

Considering how attacks on the six major guilds had virtually disappeared after the major powers established dominance in Warode, this was no ordinary event.

But most guild members, including Karin, easily predicted who had hired the attackers.

None other than their sworn rivals, the Dawn Guild.

Their conflict dated back to the first generation game ‘New World,’ continuing into Warode despite settling in this new world.

With such longstanding animosity, peaceful resolution seemed impossible until one side was completely wiped out.

Yet destroying each other outright was difficult when both occupied equal positions among the six major guilds.

Until just a few months ago, their rivalry involved several full-scale battles and endless small skirmishes, but they had temporarily agreed to coexist to focus on competing with the other four major guilds.

Apparently, they had broken that agreement again.

“Shouldn’t we officially protest at the upcoming meeting?”

“Nah, it’s fine. We’d just end up in pointless arguments.”

Karin responded indifferently.

Their destination was the Central Conference Room in Kingdom Ascalon.

Famous as the place where the six guild masters periodically met for summit conferences, it was currently hosting a scheduled summit with all six factions present.

Though technically possible to file an official complaint there, Karin had no intention of doing so.

While officially aimed at reducing unnecessary friction between major guilds and resolving border disputes, these “summit conferences” were mostly formalities with little practical resolution.

Still, the reason they rented the royal conference room for vast sums of money and gathered these powerful figures despite their precious time was simple.

The meetings themselves generated buzz and symbolism.

Having top rankers, rarely seen together under normal circumstances, gather in the capital showcased the absolute power of the major guilds, reinforcing the perception that lesser guilds couldn’t compete – making the gatherings invaluable.

“So what do you plan to do?”

Lambrick casually asked.

Even a complete rookie knew their Guild Master wouldn’t let something like this slide.

And true to expectations, Karin coolly curled her lips upward and spoke.

“Letting this slide would tarnish our guild’s name. Paying them back in kind is our way.”