chsdbacks Chapter 156: Adventurers Caught in a Trap (1)
Chapter 156: Adventurers Caught in a Trap (1)
Chapter 156: Adventurers Caught in a Trap (1)
The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices – 156
EP.156 Adventurers Caught in a Trap (1)
Sunlight poured through the forest leaves, breaking the peaceful afternoon silence with a resounding cheer.
“We have triumphed!”
Squall’s declaration amplified the orcs’ cheers. With robust arms and legs, the orcs gathered over the adventurers’ corpses, flashing their fangs and letting out sinister laughs as the blood-stained blades and spears glinted among them.
Squall clenched his fists and shouted to his tribesmen.
“Look at these worms! Chwik!”
“Ooh! Ooh!”
At the chieftain’s words, the orc tribesmen raised their bloodied weapons high. The bodies beneath the orcs were those of the adventurer Et and his party members. Having heeded Lloyd’s words and ascended the mountains, they unfortunately encountered Squall.
It was the grim end of adventurers who recklessly followed rumors.
“Let the warriors of our tribe always remember today! That the end of those who know not honor is nothing but death!”
“Ooh! Ooh!”
Before his death, Et had offered money to Squall, begging for his life. This action only provoked the orcs further. Feeling insulted, Squall ordered the adventurers to be killed. Consequently, the adventurers were turned into cold corpses. Yet, it seemed the orcs’ anger was not fully vented as they kicked the torn armors of the corpses in frustration.
“There’s no need to collect the bodies of those who knew not honor! It would only dirty our hands!”
“Ooh! Ooh!”
Squall and the orc tribesmen’s actions showed how much they valued honor, as they didn’t even touch the gold coins and jewels the adventurers had. They wore expressions of disgust, as if they had seen something filthy. Another tribesman pounded his chest, reinforcing Squall’s words with vigor.
“Chwiik! The chieftain is right! We cannot dirty our hands because of these honorless worms!”
The surrounding orcs began to laugh even more heartily. Their sharp eyes gleamed with the thrill of battle and the joy of victory. Their maniacal laughter echoed through the forest, almost tearing the air apart.
After a moment, Necros, who had been quietly observing from the back, stepped forward. Squall greeted him with a smile.
“Lord Necros! Thank you for giving me the chance to judge these honorless worms!”
“Clack, clack, clack.”
(I merely did what needed to be done.)
“Ah! In my life, I have never seen a warrior as honorable as you!”
Squall was deeply moved by Necros’s words. To say he merely did what needed to be done, so bluntly. Squall knew well that not all warriors in this world were as honorable. This made Necros’s actions seem truly magnificent.
“Listen, tribesmen! We must all strive to train and train again to become honorable warriors like Lord Necros!”
“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”
Although Squall thought this, he had no intention of letting his benefactor, Necros, leave without proper thanks. Even if the other party refused, they had already received a favor. Without appropriate repayment, he would be disqualified as a chieftain. For an honorable warrior, gratitude was a virtue deeply etched in the heart.
“Lord Necros! If you have any request, I will fulfill it! I swear on the name of the chieftain!”
Squall was sincere. If it was Necros’s request, he would even lead his entire tribe to fulfill it. Necros raised his head at Squall’s earnest words.
“Clack, clack, clack. Clack clack.”
And then, Necros made his request, which was simple. Since Squall, an honorable warrior, had dealt with those who knew no honor, Necros himself offered to clean up the corpses.
“Chwiik? No, I never expected such a request!”
Naturally, Squall was taken aback. To think that the request was merely to clean up corpses. That wasn’t really a request. However, Necros was resolute.
“Clack, clack, clack. Clack, clack. Clack, clack, clack.”
“A dungeon with a treasure... Does anyone here know more about these rumors?”
In response to Kyle’s question, there was silence. The content of the rumor was truly something they had heard for the first time. Had such a dungeon existed, they would have likely been the first to form a party and enter it. As expected, with no answers forthcoming, Kyle moved on to the next point.
“Even so, I have conducted some investigation into this matter. The protagonist of the rumor is a man named Ralph.”
True to his role as the head of the Guild Union, Kyle had significant connections. He had discreetly sent elite adventurers to the Sael Kingdom to verify the source of the rumor. Their target was Ralph, the man at the center of the rumor.
“However, we were unable to make contact with this Ralph.”
The branch managers widened their eyes in surprise at the admission of failure from someone like Kyle.
“What do you mean, Guildmaster? You couldn’t make contact?”
Ralph was, after all, just a nouveau riche. That Kyle could fail in investigating such a person was unthinkable. Kyle was famous for a reason, even before he became a legendary adventurer. During his active days, his ability to handle tasks was unparalleled, and people felt assured when they entrusted him with a job. The disbelief among the branch managers was palpable when they heard of his failure.
“It seems that this Ralph has hired mercenaries.”
According to reports received by Kyle, Ralph’s mansion was heavily guarded by armed mercenaries covering their bodies.
“How typical, he must have gotten scared after suddenly accumulating wealth.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem too strange.”
Most of the branch managers dismissed it as trivial. It was natural for someone who had suddenly become wealthy to hire mercenaries for protection. However, Kyle felt uneasy about something.
It was the intuition of a man once called a legendary adventurer. According to the reports, the mercenaries had even covered their faces, clearly intending to hide their identities. But why would they want to conceal their identities? This point seemed suspicious and unsettling.
However, if they continued to push the matter, they risked being discovered by the royal family of the Sael Kingdom. Kyle was cautious about this issue. Despite being the Guildmaster, he knew that any misstep could be seen as interference in the internal affairs of the Sael Kingdom.
‘That must never happen.’
Moreover, the current queen of the Sael Kingdom was a figure who had earned merit by defeating a calamity and was keeping an eye on the White Order. There was nothing to gain by antagonizing such a person. Yet, Kyle couldn’t simply bury this issue.
Kyle came up with an alternative approach.
“This meeting is not about verifying the truth of the rumors or stopping them.”
They couldn’t restrict the actions of adventurers. Ideally, he would have liked to control entry into the mountain range, but it was nearly impossible without the authority of a nation like the Sael Kingdom. Having already failed to make contact with Ralph, the guild had limited options. In fact, it boiled down to one course of action.
“The reason for this meeting is to seek your consent.”
Everyone swallowed hard at Kyle’s words. The atmosphere of the meeting suddenly turned cold.
“If these rumors grow beyond our control—”
There was only one reason the Guildmaster would seek consent during a meeting.
“I plan to deploy Adamantium-ranked adventurers to the Silent Mountain Range.”
Adamantium adventurers were the highest-ranked adventurers active on the continent of El Dorad. Their numbers were so few that even combining all the branches, they didn’t exceed ten fingers.
Of course, there were those who had formed parties and received the Adamantium rank, but this did not mean they were weak.
“So now, as the representative of the union, I propose. If anyone opposes deploying Adamantium adventurers to the Silent Mountain Range, please raise your hand.”
Kyle’s gaze was sharp. Adamantium adventurers possessed the highest level of skill. To mobilize such beings, the unanimous agreement of the guild branch managers was necessary.
“I would appreciate it if you could speak without reservation.”
His words were gentle, but his expression was anything but. The deep scars crossing his face made his expression even more formidable. The branch managers involuntarily held their breath under his gaze, reminiscent of a warrior sizing up an enemy on the battlefield.
“Very well. Then this matter is unanimously approved.”
Kyle’s expression softened simultaneously.
“Let’s notify the Adamantium adventurers.”