Translator: HunterW

Editor: RED

“That’s enough!” I heard a new voice cry out the same time I received the message confirming that this guy was registered into Call. I didn’t react to that voice, however, and grabbed my spear. There was no way he could ever get away from me now. But then, just when I raised my spear, I heard another, familiar voice call out to me.

“Stop, Mr. Lee!” It was Daniel Miller’s voice. I hesitated this time. I didn’t need to listen to him, since this guy was the one who attacked me first, but Daniel sounded urgent. If the guild master of the Shire Guild was that concerned, then that meant that whoever this punk was, he was someone important.

I looked down at the guy struggling to get out from beneath me. I had him registered in my Call. If he ever messed with me again, I could punish him whenever I wanted. I slowly lowered my spear and got up. It’d be best to do as Daniel asked, especially with all these Shire Guild members around watching.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” a well-dressed, middle-aged man standing next to Daniel cried out. He walked right up to me and shook my hand vigorously as he thanked me.

“What is…?” I tried to ask, but I got my answer from the guy on the ground.

“Dad!” He tossed his sword and shield away, and tearfully hugged the man shaking my hand.

“…” I was speechless. Not too long ago, he was acting all high and mighty when he challenged me to a fight, and had even given me a hard time with his pay-to-win abilities. He was the one other person I had to admit was stronger than any of the Monarchs, and now he was acting like a seven-year-old kid who was just bullied on the schoolyard.

“He really beat me up, Dad. Look! He hurt me here and here!”

“You idiot! Why did you even do this in first place?”

“But… you were going to join him. We needed to know what kind of person he really is.”

“Why did that have to be you?”

“But it had to be me!”

“Argh! You idiot son!” the older man yelled as he smacked his son on the head.

“Ow! Dad, stop! I already got beat up!”

“Die! Just die!”

As I watched the friendly scene of a father chastising his son, Daniel walked up to me. “I believe you know of the Messenger Guild…”

“The Messenger Guild? What about them?” Of course I knew the guild. I knew that it was the richest guild in the world, with all the Teleporters it ran all over.

“That is Victor Lucas, the guild master of the Messenger Guild, and his son, Arthur Lucas.”

So he was even more important than I had figured. “So why did Arthur Lucas attack me?”

“I heard it had something to do with a strong desire to be a hero.”

“What?”

“We, the Empire, have taken it upon ourselves to fight for Earth’s fate, and you are the closest figure we have for a commander. Victor wanted to aid us in our endeavors. He knew there was no point in holding out when our world is about to end.” Daniel glanced at me before continuing, “And that is why Arthur challenged you; to get to know you! Simply put, he was looking out for his father and guild, and wanted to see if you had the mettle to be a hero.”

“Huh…” That was quite the reason.

“The boy’s naïve, but is also good-natured and looks out for weaker devas and mortals.”

I turned back to the father and son at what Daniel just told me.

“Ow! Dad! You’re going to kill me!”

“Good! I hope you die!”

It was almost comedic. I no longer saw the dangerously strong deva, and I felt my anger completely subside.

“Naïve as he is… he’s strong.” He was definitely stronger than a Monarch.

“…” Daniel fell silent when I told him that. It seemed that he had not known that.

——

Ten minutes later…

“Allow me to extend my deepest apologies. I’ve spoiled and sheltered him too much. He doesn’t quite know how society works.”

“I’m an adult, Dad! You can’t just say that about me…”

“Be quiet, you!”

“Tsk. You always treat me like a child.”

“…” Just a little while ago, I was full of rage and wanted to kill this kid for provoking me and making me waste Stat points by using Ripped Advance. But the damn comedy skit between father and son was starting to cool my anger. It didn’t mean I was willing to forgive and forget. We had come too far. “I don’t know. This has been a very unpleasant experience for me. Who in their right mind just goes and attacks someone without warning?” I asked coldly, while staring at Arthur.

“I understand completely. It wasn’t right for him to do that. You, come over here and apologize properly.”

“But Dad, Jiwon hurt me more than I hurt him! He beat the crap out of me and I lost almost all of my money!”

“You punk! That’s Mr. Lee to you!”

“Oh, come on!”

I was amazed at how Arthur was so laid back. We had just fought with full intent to kill the other, and I was sure Arthur realized that, but already, he was acting as if I was just one of his buddies.

——

That night at the Shire Guild’s headquarters…

==House Centipede (1

/1), (Passive)

The House Centipede was a pet insect that once belonged to Antoine Monet, the richest man in the world who owned 95% of the world’s… taking its master’s will with it.

Spend golden rings to increase ATT and MATT depending on the amount spent.

Spend golden rings to increase DEF and MDEF depending on the amount spent.

Spend golden rings to increase skill power depending on the amount spent.

Spent golden rings become feed for the House Centipede and are non-refundable.==

“This is all the Messenger Guild knows about this skill,” Victor said. As a part of his apology, Victor explained Arthur’s random skill to me. He also explained about the skill’s Combat Mode which lasted for a full day, but cost a large amount of golden rings to use.

“I know we’ve all started off on the wrong foot, but after all things are considered, can’t we start again?”

“Hmm…” Arthur had lost more than 4 billion golden rings during that hour-long fight with me. That had to be a huge blow financially, even for the wealthiest guild in the world. I couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved, knowing that there was a huge price to Arthur’s strength.

“I would like the Messenger Guild to join the Empire’s alliance. I don’t want to see my own son die before me. If it will help secure Earth’s victory on the Judge’s Continent in any way, I’m more than willing to put my life and my entire guild’s wealth and manpower on the line.”

“…” I could tell that Victor was being sincere about this.

“The Messenger Guild is currently one of the five guilds that make up the Kintore Alliance. Not long ago, the Kintore Alliance decided that we will not be taking a part in the coming Judge’s Continent battle, to minimize our losses as much as possible. Frankly, that decision did not sit well with me at all. It was a foolish and suicidal decision.”

I could see why he would think so, since he wanted to make sure his only son could actually survive the end of the world.

“I know that the Messenger Guild is more well-known for its Teleporters, but I have invested heavily in our military strength. That strength was supposed to be the wings on Arthur’s sandals, but I know that the Messenger Guild will not be able to stand alone against the Judge’s Continent. I will give those wings to you instead, but in return, I would like it if you would look kindly upon Arthur before, during, and after you win the battle.”

I took a moment to contemplate what Victor just said. He wanted me to win for the sake of his son. It was a weird feeling, seeing as how I grew up as an orphan, even though I wasn’t one anymore.

“I’m afraid I can’t accept those wings of yours,” I said. It was burdensome to say the least, and the Empire was big enough already. One thing I’d learned from my guild master friends was that it was not easy running a large guild or organization. Even Song Daechul had to give up on his own growth so that Sunbin could grow instead. I, on the other hand, had no intention of doing so. I was busy enough looking out for my own progress; I didn’t have time to look out for another guild.

“However, I will forgive all of Arthur’s misdeeds.” I needed someone as strong as Arthur to fight by my side. I was also more than willing to let the Messenger Guild into the Empire and have Victor do whatever he believed was best. My other allies all agreed that having them on our side was a good idea.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Victor fervently thanked me again and then pulled something out of his pocket. “If you won’t take what I had prepared for Arthur, I’d like you to have this instead.”

While an entire guild was burdensome, a measly item was not. “No, you don’t have to…” I didn’t take it right away, though. I didn’t want to come off as too easy.

“Please, take it as a token of gratitude,” Victor said as he pushed the item towards me.

“Very well then. Thank you.” I took the purple Rank 10 item right away. “Item Check.”

==Necklace of Bortega’s Horn (Rank 10)

Bortega’s Horn stands seventeen kilometers tall on the southernmost tip of the world. This necklace was made from a shard that naturally fell from the Horn and is considered to be one of the most valuable items in the world.

Increase all Stats by 300 points.

Increase STR by 1,000 points.

Increase CRIT rate by 5.9%, increase CRIT damage by 250%.

Bestows Bortega’s Blessing upon equip. (Gain 0-3 additional levels upon leveling up.)

DEF 10,000; MDEF 10,000==

My eyes shot wide open at the Bortega’s Blessing. That was way better than any EXP boost effect out there! It dwarfed the rest of the necklace’s effects, it was that good!

“Arthur is currently over level 1200.”

“…” He was 400 levels higher than me!

“He wanted you to have this item.”

Honestly, this was too much. I would have been content with a Rank 8 item since neither of us came out of the fight that much worse for wear. Losing a hundred Stat points wasn’t all that bad.

“Tell him I appreciate it, and that I look forward to being friends with him,” I said with the utmost sincerity to Victor.