In any case, I kept speaking to him while deliberately looking angry to get as much information as possible.

But he already smelled a rat.

“Hehehehe…I see. I don’t think I came here that early since you’re trying to steal information from me.”

“…”

This guy was far from easy to deal with.

So I quietly opened my mouth.

“Alright, one week. Let me give you an answer one week later.”

“One week? Alright. Well, one week should go by quickly, considering I’ve been waiting so long until now,” he replied smoothly.

So I said, “I really want to see the real guy at that time.”

“Hahaha! If you join him, you can always see him. Why don’t you see him then?”

Shuuuuuuuung.

As soon as he said that, this guy disappeared like smoke in an instant.

There was only silence in the small meeting room.

Deep in the ground of the Myongjin Shelter around that time.

Wiggle, wiggle.

Wiggle, wiggle.

The White Root moved its body in all directions while coiling around the black plate.

By now, the black plate was several times bigger than it was, and the red haze it emitted now looked closer to a dark black. Of course, the White Root wanted to grow it a little more because it continued to grow as if it had no limits. And the more it grew, the more delicious it looked.

But the White Root began to feel something chilling sometime ago.

It noticed that the black square plate that was originally struggling while emitting a red haze didn’t move any longer like a hunter waiting for his prey.

And the White Root that felt this change, wrapped around the plate as usual, as if it wanted to raise it without eating it for 100 or 1000 years.

Trembling.

Puck, Puck!

The moment the White Root constricted the plate, the body of the White Root began to shake due to wounds carved all over its body. And some of the wounds were quite deep.

But the White Root didn’t care about it, and started devouring it as if it wanted to make up for its missed appetite until now.

Each time the White Root bit the plate, the wounds on its body gradually healed.

At that moment, a red line began to be engraved between the black tattoos it acquired on its white body after accepting the mark that showed Juyoung Hong’s 100% reality actualization rate.

Yum, yum, yum.

Of course, regardless of that, the White Root was absorbed into eating the plump plate because it really tasted delicious.

***

In the small meeting room of the Myongjin Shelter.

“…”

“…”

“…”

After that guy from the Lucia Guild disappeared, there was a heavy silence in the small meeting room for a while.

So I said to Director Sok, “Any update?”

“Nope…”

Of course, my first meeting with the Lucia Guild was by no means normal.

The Lucia Guild already had the title of ‘Strongest Guild’, which Myongjin only recently acquired by winning first place in the ‘Strongest Guild Selection’ event.

It was also called ‘The Great Guild’.

Perhaps because of that, all those who joined the Lucia Guild received an all stat increase by 300, along with an increase in health and mana.

Aside from other options, this title was not inferior to the title of the ‘Strongest Guild’, which increased all stat points by 100.

So at first I tried to join the Lucia Guild because I was also curious about its identity.

But I didn’t like the restrictions set by the Lucia Guild that prevented me from withdrawing from the guild without the leader’s permission once I joined it.

I didn’t join it because of this excessive restriction because I had no intention of putting shackles around my neck by myself.

Since I disclosed everything to my family members, I didn’t foolishly keep my contacts with the Lucia Guild secret to them.

Anyway, although the Lucia Guild couldn’t shackle me, it didn’t mean they would forget me or give up on me.

Even though a lot of time has passed since then, Director Sok said he could not find any clues about them.

Of course, I didn’t show any particular reaction to his reply because I knew he was a hard worker. If he couldn’t find out any information, nobody else would.

Anyway, I stood up from my seat and opened my mouth because it was no use just sitting there without finding any solution.

“I’m going to wipe out the monsters outside.”

Even now there were lots of monsters appearing around the shelter.

Tramp- Tramp-

After wrapping up the meeting, we started leaving the conference room.

At that moment, my sister asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to join the Lucia Guild?”

She was full of concern about the possibility of me joining them.

So I stopped for a moment and said, “No way! That’s the worst possible choice!”

I was serious. Was it because of my sacrifice or considerations for my family and those in the Myongjin Shelter? No, it had nothing to do with my sacrifice and considerations.

If I joined them, it would be just foolish and stupid because it meant I was duped by the Lucia Guild.

Even though I asked the guy from the Lucia Guild to give me one week for the reply, I had already made up my mind right after he left.

I decided that I would rather dissolve the Myongjin Guild than join them because there was only one reason why I was humiliated by the Lucia Guild.

It’s because the Myongjin Guild was larger than the Lucia Guild. What if Myongjin is small? It would be quite easy to move the Myongjin Shelter, and even if the Lucia Guild tries to play a dirty trick, we could just move again due to our small size. And Myongjin can take revenge on the Lucia Guild, veiled to the outside world, as soon as information about them leaks out.

And my family, including my father, mother, brother, sister, and sister-in-law, would not object to this opinion, not to mention Director Sok, Captain Lee and Chief Secretary Dongyoung Ahn.

That would be a much better choice for Myongjin than for it to be taken over by the Lucia Guild.

Anyway, I had still one week before that guy came back for my answer, so I didn’t reveal my idea to my family members. Then I headed to the rooftop right away after leaving the small conference room.

***

In Barcelona, Spain around that time.

“…”

Matthias, who was at times furious, at times worried, and at times frustrated about this unexplainable situation, just stared blankly at the sudden message that appeared in front of him.

You have lost your trait, ‘Ancient Monster Summoning Energy’.

-The assimilation of 578 monsters under your control has been removed.

You have lost the 42,571 stat points you received by assimilating the monsters.

– ‘Griffon’s Bravery’ imprinted into your body has been removed.

You have lost all the abilities you gained from Griffon’s Bravery.

Your ability to imprint monsters has been removed.

– The buffs that made monsters recognize you as your ally have been removed.

In the future, all monsters will recognize you as an enemy.

-The command buff with which you can control monsters below level 800 has been removed.