111 – Men in Golden – 1

Regardless of the process, Chabanvesh, who had achieved growth into a High Orc, was extremely delighted and expressed his gratitude to Patum and Gi-jun.

“I understand that Jun is currently caught up in a very large and serious matter. Whenever you call upon us, we will support you, however little we can.”

“It would be reassuring to have your help. Let’s meet again.”

The Orcs said they planned to continue hunting in this dungeon.

To be cold, it would be difficult for them to participate in the operation to infiltrate the vampire kingdom at their current level, but as they were people whose character was fully trustworthy, they might be usable as support personnel.

Gi-jun resolved to bring it up when the time came, provided that the remaining four Orcs, including Kipuz, also succeeded in their advancement.

“They will not be of any help.”

However, Patum, who had actually helped Chabanvesh with his advancement, spoke so coldly.

Thankfully, he said this after they had parted with the Orcs and stepped out of the dungeon.

As Gi-jun was pondering how to respond to those words, unexpected words followed.

“They are far too weak to cope with the darkness.”

Was he suffering from eighth-grader syndrome?

However, looking at Patum, who was shaking his head with a serious expression, Gi-jun could not bring himself to call him out.

Surprisingly, his words did not end there.

“Those who can confront the darkness, endure it, and ultimately defeat it to move forward. They are only those who have received the blessing of light. We call them heroes.”

Even wrapping it up with self-praise?

Suppressing his desire to applaud at how truly perfect it was, Gi-jun suddenly realized that Patum’s meaningful gaze was resting on him.

Perhaps he had not intended to praise himself, but was simply trying to sound Gi-jun out.

—He definitely knows! No wonder his energy has been strangely bothering me since earlier. Don’t you think heroes are meant to recognize each other?

‘I get it now. Lucy, you were the hero?’

Gi-jun casually played along with Lucy’s words and climbed onto the back of Fortis, the griffin that was waiting for them outside the dungeon.

Looking back at Lectus, who was quietly admiring the majestic appearance of the griffin, Gi-jun asked.

“So, what do you plan to do from now on? I intend to head straight to join my party members who are active in the dungeons of Cor.”

“Before that, how about joining us for a bit?”

Lectus interrupted his schedule as if he had been waiting for the moment.

Of course, there was no way they would bring along someone who was a hero just to show off their strength once in front of the Orcs and then part ways.

“While staying in Gratia to prepare for the operation, Patum will be performing hero activities here.”

“Hero activities?”

To Gi-jun, who reflexively questioned the phrase he had never heard in his life, Lectus nodded heavily and explained.

“Indeed. Even excluding the schemes of those vampires that were uncovered this time, the darkness squirming in this kingdom is deep and thick. Since a proper hero has visited Gratia…”

Lectus, who was speaking as if it were a buy-one-get-one-free promotional event, glanced at Patum and lowered his voice before continuing.

“Since there is still plenty of time before the operation, we plan to have him perform high-difficulty quests that only Patum can resolve during that interval. There are quite a few matters we couldn’t resolve due to a lack of manpower, even though we had clues.”

“I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with the hero, but aren’t you dumping work on him a bit too shamelessly?”

“Of course, we will pay a fair price. Furthermore, we are also relatives.”

Lectus tapped the temple area of his helmet.

He was probably pointing to the horn that would be inside.

“The blood of the ruler of Tyrannus, the Golden Draconian, flows through all legitimate royal families that rule the continent. I am no exception.”

“So that’s why the two of you were moving together.”

It was best to understand it as the ultimate level of the Letan bloodline.

By the way, if the blood of the Golden Draconian flowed through the royal family of every country, did that not mean that practically every country in Leta was blood-related to Tyrannus and under its indirect rule?

Gi-jun was finally able to realize how powerful Tyrannus’s influence was, and he marvelled at it.

Lectus shrugged his shoulders and was about to say something to him again, but Patum spoke first.

“If you move with me, you will be able to understand what I said earlier. Will you join us?”

“The words about enduring the darkness?”

“Yes.”

When Gi-jun, who was contemplating the words, stole a glance at Viv, she nodded her head vigorously as if to say he must accept no matter what.

She was surely imagining the scene in her head where Gi-jun would be approved as a hero through Patum, and furthermore, connect with the Tyrannus Imperial Family.

“Fine, as long as it is only until my party members come out of the dungeon.”

“It is decided then. Now—”

Patum, who nodded in satisfaction as if he had known he would agree, suddenly vibrated his throat and let out a strange cry.

Just as Gi-jun was tensing up, wondering if this was the Dragon Fear he had only heard about, a massive shadow suddenly fell over their heads.

—Peeeet!

Following Fortis, who was raising the feathers on its neck stiffly and letting out a cry of caution, Gi-jun raised his head and saw a giant winged lizard descending from the sky.

A monster lizard with wings instead of forelegs was, as far as Gi-jun knew, only one thing.

Wyvern.

—Kyaaaak!

The wyvern landed skillfully right in front of Patum and screeched fiercely.

Although the creature, rolling its bright yellow eyes, looked like nothing but a monster no matter how one looked at it, Patum patted its head and fed it fresh meat taken from his sub-space pouch.

Did he seriously tame that powerful monster?

As Gi-jun was marveling at this, Viv clapped her hands softly and whispered to him.

“I’ve heard that Draconians have dominance over the dragon species, so it is easier for them to tame wyverns. But a wyvern of this size and strength… as expected of a hero.”

“The more I hear, the more overpowered that race is.”

They possessed great natural strength and stamina, and their defense was excellent because of their scales; on top of that, they were naturally endowed with vast mana, and as if that were not enough, they could even dominate the dragon species.

‘No wonder Draconians rule the continent. Even if they start at the same time, while we are rolling out infantry, they are immediately training an air force, aren’t they?’

However, no matter how cool the wyvern was, he had the fantasy species griffin, the absolute highest tier of mount pets, on his side!

Gi-jun stroked Fortis, who was growling in vigilance toward the wyvern, and climbed onto its back.

Patum, who had also mounted the back of the wyvern and sat Lectus behind him, looked back at him and said,

“We are leaving immediately. Can you keep up?”

“Of course.”

Snorting at Gi-jun’s confident reply, Patum immediately made the wyvern take off.

The wyvern continuously accelerated while blasting strong winds, seemingly manipulating wind-attribute mana, but Fortis easily followed behind, even controlling the wind generated by the creature to increase its own speed.

Its nimble movement was incomparable to when Gi-jun had first met it.

This was possible because the light mana mixed into Fortis’s wind, however subtle, boosted its efficiency to an absurd degree.

“Hmm?”

Patum, who suddenly looked back at him, widened his eyes in surprise upon seeing the griffin tailing right behind them.

“Lafi, are you going to yield the lead to a griffin?”

—Kyaooook!

He provoked his wyvern, accelerating even more!

While Gi-jun was dumbfounded by the sight of them widening the distance in an instant, Viv, who had snuggled into his arms, shook her head and spoke.

“He’s trying so hard to discourage you, Lord Jun. But this griffin is truly amazing. I thought that even though they are rare, their flight speed was inferior to a wyvern’s.”

“Well, that’s because Fortis is special… But Viv, how far do you plan to follow me?”

When Gi-jun, who had further empowered and boosted Fortis with Lucy’s strength, asked Viv, she answered shamelessly.

“When Lord Jun, the hero, and even the successor of Gratia are together here, where would I go? Rather than clinging to other miscellaneous matters, it is more beneficial to stay by Lord Jun’s side.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Since it’s a hero activity. Supporting a hero representing the Faction of Light does not violate the taboos of a fairy merchant at all.”

Even as they chatted, Fortis accelerated further and caught up with the wyvern once again.

Patum, who had attempted to widen the distance a few more times as if provoked, was repeatedly caught up with, and upon finally arriving at their destination, he acknowledged Gi-jun’s griffin.

“For a griffin to catch up to a wyvern, you possess an excellent specimen.”

“Fortis is indeed special.”

—Kyaaaak!

—Piyooon!

Wondering if they had a natural enemy relationship, Gi-jun quieted Fortis, who was screeching warily at the wyvern, and checked his surroundings.

Where they arrived was the entrance to a secluded forest.

The forest, densely filled with withered black trees extending long, thin branches without a single leaf, was incredibly eerie.

“It would be stranger if nothing appeared in an atmosphere like this.”

“Just a few months ago, it was a dense forest. There was also a small village that made a living off the herbs and mushrooms from this forest. But…”

Looking in the direction Lectus pointed, a large clearing with only charred traces remaining came into view.

Could that really be the trace of the village?

Considering it was not far from the forest, it was obvious that the downfall of the village was related to the transformation of the forest.

“It ended up like that before we knew it. The lord of the nearby city, who first learned of this, mobilized the mercenary guild to investigate, but—the result was total annihilation.”

“So they requested support from the royal family.”

“Indeed. But as you know, the royal family is currently distracted trying to resolve another incident. While wondering on whom we should dump… assign this task, Patum happened to arrive.”

“Did you just say dump?”

“Didn’t you mishear?”

Well, a knight who led soldiers would be equivalent to a field officer in the modern military, so it was not strange for him to use military slang.

Beside Lectus, who turned his head to avoid Gi-jun’s questioning, Patum stepped forward while drawing the greatsword slung over his back.

“Let’s enter then.”

“Are we entering straight away?”

“It is certain that there is someone harboring darkness inside the forest. If the target has also sensed us, it will try to flee, so we must secure it before then.”

Patum walked with long strides into the forest.

Not a shred of fear or hesitation was visible in his gallant back.

Gi-jun and Lectus looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and followed him.

They felt they were starting to understand the hero’s personality.

—Piyoooh!

“Yes, Fortis. Let’s go together. You can move inside the forest too, right?”

—Peeet!

Fortis flapped its wings vigorously and followed behind Gi-jun.

Meanwhile, as if it disliked Fortis to the very end, the wyvern glared at its rear, snorted loudly, and overtook them to chase after its master.

The moment they all stepped into the forest, a system notification appeared before Gi-jun’s eyes.

[You are entering the Turio (túrĭo) Forest of the Gratia Kingdom. This is a place where exploration is not difficult for your current level.]

As Gi-jun looked around the forest—where, contrary to its name, no sprouts or greenery could be found—and sized up the darkness lurking within, Lucy spoke quietly.

—I think I know what kind of guy is inside.

‘Really? In a withered forest, if Lucy thinks she knows… Could it be a dryad?’

—As expected of my Contractor!

Dryad was a term referring to the wood nymphs that appeared in Greek mythology.

Here, the term fairy did not refer to a small-bodied, winged fairy like Viv, but an existence similar to spirits like Lucy or Ur.

A spirit that dwelt in a tree, unable to leave its side, and died along with the tree if it died.

The fact that the forest where such dryads lived had completely withered like this meant that, after all, the dryad’s state was also abnormal.

—Exactly, that’s what’s strange. There is no way a dryad could survive in this environment, yet the one inside is alive, and its energy is strong too. It must be at least high-Unique.

‘He was talking about darkness this and that, and it seems to be true.’

When Patum asked him to tag along, he had accepted with the intention of learning more about heroes, but for some reason, the very first case was unusual.

“Wow, the atmosphere of this hero activity is awesome…! If they write a book about what happens today, my name will be in it too, right?”

“Viv, don’t get excited and just take care of yourself.”

“But it’s only the atmosphere that’s eerie, there’s nothing dangerous yet—Kyaaa?!”

In response to Viv’s powerful provocation, the dryad, hidden who knows where, immediately responded.

A tree near them had suddenly extended a sharp branch and tried to pierce Viv!

“Ur!”

—Kit!

As their communion deepened day by day, Ur’s reaction was also instantaneous.

The spirit’s flame that bloomed in midair not only burned down the branch in an instant, but went as far as turning the entire tree to ashes.

However, there was no way the situation would be resolved so easily; from that moment on, the entire forest began to exude a strange mana.

Viv, with a terrified expression, flew over and spoke as she snuggled into Gi-jun’s arms.

“Is, is it because of me?”

“No way. Since we’ve come deep into the forest, it must have launched an attack thinking it would be hard for us to escape now. Look.”

Looking up at the sky along Gi-jun’s vertically pointing finger, Viv gasped.

Before they knew it, trees that had grown dozens of meters tall had interwoven their long branches to form a dense grating to block them from escaping.

The sight looked just like a giant prison.

—It’s not that there aren’t dryads who turn the entire forest into their domain, but if demonic energy is added to it, that’s a different story. This stench piercing my nose… It’s even worse than the vampires, isn’t it?

Lucy let out an exclamation as if she did not feel even a hair’s breadth of danger.

In fact, since Gi-jun was currently masquerading as a Flame Human, he possessed a great advantage against highly flammable trees, so he did not feel very tense either.

Patum, who had stopped his reckless advance and rejoined the group before they knew it, chuckled and said,

“Indeed. Controlling the forest… I think I understand.”

“Patum, what are you going to do? I can burn everything down.”

“Hmm. The ability of a Flame Human is truly interesting—but I will do it.”

When Patum concentrated his strength into the greatsword in his hand, a thick golden aura rose over the blade.

Then, he performed a peculiar action, blowing a light breath onto the blade.

At that moment, the aura covering the blade began to blaze fiercely!

“It is the legendary authority, Breath.”

Lectus said as he lightly sliced off a branch reaching out to him.

“It is something obtained only by those who have reached the pinnacle even among pure-blooded Draconians. Since he has fully awakened a portion of the great dragon’s authority, what is there to fear?”

Reading the envy and jealousy contained in his voice, Gi-jun quietly watched Patum instead of saying anything.

Standing firmly in place, Patum bent his knees slightly, pulled back his sword to take a stance, and in the next moment, thrust it forward with great force.

Then, the golden flames fused with the aura surged forward like a wave, sweeping away all the trees in the vicinity!

Although the magnitude of the power Gi-jun could manipulate had also increased significantly, he could not even dream of such a wide-area skill, making this a performance truly worthy of being called a hero.

Ur, the spirit of fire, also widened his eyes, perhaps having felt something from it.

—Kiiii… kit!

—He says it’s a 9 out of 10.

‘Strict. I think it would be fine to give it a 10.’

—Kit-kit, kiiit.

—He says he deducted 1 point because the nature of the flames is too violent.

In addition to a third of the forest being instantly wiped out, the flames, which had not yet lost their momentum, spread in all directions, burning the blackened trees.

Patum swung his greatsword this way and that, dispersing the ash fluttering in all directions, and tilted his head.

“Still not coming out? If my guess is correct, you shouldn’t be able to escape.”

“What does that mean, Patum?”

“The enemy is probably a variant of a dryad. An existence that is incomparably powerful in the forest but cannot leave it.”

Even though Patum would not have the help of a spirit, he had surprisingly reached the conclusion that Gi-jun and Lucy had arrived at all by himself.

“Since there’s no need to worry about it escaping, we can kill it by burning down or cutting down all the trees in the forest. If possible, I’d like to ask why it came to harbor such demonic energy, but if it refuses to show itself to the end, I have no choice but to—”

However, at the very moment Patum was about to unleash his Breath once more,

The remaining unburnt trees all rose up at once from all directions.

They had pulled out their own roots and started to move!

—Contractor, that…!

‘Yeah.’

Watching the trees, which had gathered together in an instant, form thick legs, a torso, arms, and finally a head, Gi-jun said confidently,

‘It’s a combining robot.’