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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 79
He was someone Chris didn’t even want to associate with, but there was something he absolutely had to say.
“You said I was below expectations? That’s just because your eyes are broken, you lunatic bastard.”
“……!!”
“A mad dog like you is better off dead and gone. It’s the only way the world gets better. One day, I’ll personally cut your throat.”
At the sudden verbal assault, Sherad widened his eyes.
And then—
“Hmm.”
The smile lingering on Sherad’s lips vanished, and a cold aura descended.
Thump, thump.
Chris’s heart pounded as memories of the past surged up—but he didn’t step back.
Instead, he glared at the bastard with even fiercer hostility. As if to declare, I will cut your throat someday—no matter what.
The air grew taut, as if it would snap at any moment.
“Hahaha! Alright, I take it back. You’re… pretty interesting after all.”
Sherad burst into hearty laughter.
“But you’re still not enough to catch my full interest. Try harder.”
Fwoosh!
With a drop of blood, Sherad’s body vanished.
It was Blood Clone Art.
Sherad, the Blood Shadow Band Master, despite being from the Dark Demonic House, had completely rejected dark demonic energy.
Instead, he mastered the Blood Clone Art.
A demonic technique that perfectly suited Sherad’s nature—one that thirsted for blood.
Reappearing atop a distant tree, Sherad flashed a sticky smile.
“I’ll be watching.”
“…….”
After Sherad’s presence had completely vanished, Chris ground his teeth hard.
And then—
Bang!
He struck a tree with brutal force.
“Damn it. Damn it all!”
Even after coming face-to-face with the enemy of a fallen comrade, he hadn’t been able to lift a single finger.
A wretched sense of helplessness welled up inside him.
‘I have to get stronger.’
But accelerating his growth further was unreasonable.
Chris was already growing stronger at a pace no one could match.
It hadn’t even been a year since his return, and he was already nearing 4-star level.
In all of history, no one had grown stronger at such a rate.
‘If I really pushed it, I could raise my level faster than this. But that’d likely cause problems later.’
The higher one’s star level climbed, the more important the foundation beneath it became.
If he was thinking long-term, laying the proper groundwork was essential. Chris still needed minimum time to advance.
‘Still, one year. No matter what it takes, I have to kill him within a year.’
For now, there was no trace of devilish energy lingering on him.
It meant he hadn’t made a contract with a devil yet.
If he did, and received the blessing of “Ghost Eater,” then he would become a truly catastrophic disaster.
He had to be killed before that happened.
A method had to be found.
If I want to kill him within a year, I need a tool that can amplify my power.
That referred to artifacts or relics.
Any warrior who reached a certain level used tools to enhance their strength.
There’s the broken Holy Sword, Grunade, but it has too many limitations. It’s damaged, so I can’t fully draw out the power of the constellation. I need another tool.
The problem was, such artifacts or relics weren’t easy to obtain.
He had recently acquired the Constellation’s Emblem, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a combat-type relic.
He could ask for help from Ruina’s merchant guild, which ran the auction house—but “the real deal” never showed up at auctions.
There might be artifacts and relics stored by the Dark Demonic House, but they won’t hand any over to me. That leaves only one option.
Chris’s eyes settled coldly.
I’ll have to explore ruins. I already know which ruin holds the artifact I need. I just need to figure out how to get there.
At that moment, a servant approached.
“Young master, the Marchioness is waiting for you.”
“Ah, I’ll be right there.”
He had originally been on his way to meet the Marchioness.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he headed for her office.
“You’ve come? You’re late.”
Presia greeted him in a calm tone.
Perhaps she was still reeling from the shock of the recent tournament—her face looked noticeably gaunt.
Doesn’t seem like she called me with good intentions.
Chris sneered inwardly.
Presia’s gaze was colder than ever.
A far more intense hostility than before.
It was like a murderous intent—he could feel her desire to tear him apart right then and there.
“What is this about?”
“I called you because of the Young Lords' Gathering. Do you know what it is?”
He knew.
It’s supposed to be a social gathering for those newly titled as young lords and ladies, right?
The participants were from the three great noble houses of the Southern Mage Kingdom.
Held once every three years, those who became young lords or ladies during that period were grouped into the same cohort for building connections.
They say it’s about camaraderie, but it’s really a battleground.
The gathering was always held in perilous demon realms by default.
There was even an official “competition” in the schedule.
The young lords and ladies competed, putting their family honor on the line.
It’s a fairly important event. A chance to spread my name beyond the Dark Demonic House.
Reputation gave him power.
He had to build as much fame as possible whenever the chance arose.
This gathering would be a valuable opportunity.
But… did she really call me just to tell me that?
It was something that could’ve easily been conveyed through the deputy butler.
As Chris tilted his head in confusion, Presia revealed her true intent.
“The location of the gathering is decided in turn by each house. This time, it’s our Dark Demonic House’s turn. We’ve chosen the ‘Seventh Floor of the Underground Garden’ in the Grand Duchy of Bessen’s territory—take note of that.”
“!!”
Chris’s expression hardened.
It was a well-known ruin.
A mysterious site located in the domain of the Destruction Demonic House, the Grand Duchy of Bessen—no one knew when or by whom it had been built.
No one even knew how many floors it had, and the deeper one went, the more dangerous the monsters and dungeons that appeared.
Young Lords' gatherings are usually held in dangerous places, so the Underground Garden isn’t an especially strange choice.
In fact, the Underground Garden was a regular venue for the gatherings.
As long as the right floor is chosen, the difficulty can be matched to the level of the young lords.
However—
...Why the seventh floor, of all places? That’s strange.
Chris narrowed his eyes.
Because it’s dangerous?
No, it’s the opposite—it’s too safe.
The seventh floor isn’t a threat to me at all.
The Underground Garden had currently been explored down to the 26th floor.
Interestingly, the floors were divided according to the rank of one’s demonic cultivation.
Floors 1 to 3 were suited for 1-star demons.
Floors 4 to 6 were suited for 2-star demons.
Floors 7 to 9 were suited for 3-star demons.
This pattern repeated every three floors, tailored to a specific cultivation stage.
That’s why it’s also called the Garden of Training. Demons from the Southern Mage Kingdom often visit for training.
According to that system, the seventh floor would have monsters suitable for low-tier 3-star demons.
If they intended to harm Chris, this choice made no sense at all.
There must be something else behind this.
To discern the intention, he asked:
“May I know who else will be attending, aside from myself?”
“From our Dark Demonic House, it will be you and Lady Jupien. From the Venomous Demonic House, Lady Marisa. And from the Destruction Demonic House, Lord Kashmir will attend.”
“!!”
Chris flinched.
It wasn’t because of Marisa, his former fiancée.
It was the participant from the Destruction Demonic House that startled him.
The Rebel, Kashmir.
A famous name from the Age of Ruins.
He would later become a 7-star demon and a key figure in the resistance force that opposed the Blood-Drenched Demon King within the Magus Empire.
Not all demons followed the will of the Blood-Drenched Demon King.
The king committed ruthless slaughter and turned the mortal world into hell.
But as one could see with the Dark Demonic House, not all demons reveled in such carnage.
No—most demons simply pursued strength and the path of supremacy, not evil for evil’s sake.
It was only natural that resistance would rise.
Kashmir was one of those people.
Was Kashmir originally from the Destruction Demonic House? I only heard he was abandoned by his family when he was young… Ah.
A puzzle clicked into place in Chris’s mind.
Looking at the list of participants, it became clear.
Kashmir.
Marisa.
Jupien.
Christian.
They had something in common.
They were all outsiders within their own houses.
People many hoped would just die and disappear.
And then, there was the suspicious choice of the “seventh floor.”
They plan to wipe out all the participants in one go on that floor.
At this point in time, no one knew.
But the Underground Garden held a secret.
A secret that only Chris knew—because he was a regressor.
By exploiting that secret, it would be entirely possible to annihilate everyone attending this young lords’ gathering.
Just as he suspected, Presia’s eyes gleamed ominously.
Her gaze clearly said she believed Chris would die.
That was proof his guess was correct.
Avoiding it would be wise.
“I understand. The seventh floor of the Underground Garden. I’ll keep that in mind and prepare accordingly.”
“!!”
Normally, it would be a trap no one could survive. But Chris knew the one and only way to live.
A method only Chris could pull off.
No—on the contrary—
Chris swallowed dryly.
This is an opportunity. A tremendous one. To think I’d get the chance to obtain the highest-grade relic of the Underground Garden like this.
From his memories, there were relics he absolutely had to acquire.
One of them was in the Underground Garden, but he’d never had the strength to even consider going after it.
Originally, it would’ve been far in the future before he could even attempt it. But now, if he used this “trap” well, he might actually get a chance.
And I might gain immense fame as a bonus. If things go well, I could even become a ‘Pioneer.’
The Underground Garden was a ruin yet to be fully explored.
Those who achieved something new within it were honored with the title “Pioneer” and recorded in its Hall of Fame.
Among the demons of the Southern Mage Kingdom, the Underground Garden was considered a sacred site of magic.
Leaving one’s name there was an enormous honor.
His name would spread far beyond the Dark Demonic House.
“You’re saying you’ll attend?”
“Yes. I actually wanted to visit the Underground Garden sometime. I thank you, Aunt, for providing such a great opportunity.”
Perhaps Chris’s enthusiasm rubbed her the wrong way—Presia frowned.
No way… did he figure out the trap?
No, that was impossible.
The scheme she had prepared was a trap devised using a secret that the Destruction Demonic House uncovered during a recent investigation of the Underground Garden.
There was no way that brat could know about it. And even if he did, once he stepped inside, there would be no way to come out alive.
“The young lords’ gathering concerns the honor of the main house. Make sure you prepare thoroughly.”
“Yes, understood. But… may I ask for one favor?”
“A favor? What is it?”
“Please give me some money.”
“…What?”
Chris grinned.
“I got pretty worn out beating that Mysak guy to a pulp at the last tournament. I figured I’d blow off some steam before the trip—so I’d like some pocket money to have a bit of fun in the capital.”
He needed to prepare for survival.
And for that, he needed money.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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