noveltune Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Prøks]
Chapter 17 : Poison Breath (2)
4.
To all adventurers, the Mystic Gate is a dream stage.
Indeed, since the start of the Mystic Gate era, adventurers have been living in the most prosperous days in Maple World history.
Items were abundant, and thanks to powerful items, adventurers were able to gain even stronger power.
The guilds that brokered these items were able to gain wealth and influence incomparable to the past.
However, there is always risk in everything.
“Damn it.”
The reason why Ebisu’ expression hardened was precisely because of that risk.
He received a report.
“Of all things, poison.”
The moment he saw the content of the report, which mentioned a very deadly unidentified poison, he knew that the situation had become seriously complicated.
So he moved himself.
He came to where the Mystic Gate was located and soon saw the adventurers staying there.
The moment he saw them, there was no need for a long conversation.
“How many casualties?”
“One party was wiped out.”
After a brief conversation, Ebisu breathed a sigh of relief when it was over.
One party was by no means a small loss.
Of course, they were not just any adventurers, but veterans among the adventurers who could conquer the Red-rank Mystic Gate.
They were the veterans contracted by the Gafor Merchant Union, the geese that laid the golden eggs that would continuously bring in huge profits in the future.
However, on the other hand, it means that the remaining geese are safe.
“There are two left inside the Mystic Gate.”
“Two?”
When he heard the following words, Ebisu wasn’t particularly surprised.
After all, losing two more people here wouldn’t make the situation any worse.
On the contrary, he was relieved to hear that there were two baits.
Thanks to those two, the rest were safe, so wasn’t it a good deal?
“It’s the El Paume party.”
“What?”
However, the moment he learned the identity of the bait, Ebisu felt a sense of bewilderment.
Never did he expect El Paume’s name to come up.
Of course, it wasn’t that he felt embarrassed or anything because El Paume was a precious existence.
‘Those two as bait?’
They were simply too low-level to be used as bait.
So the embarrassment wasn’t that great.
He did have some expectations for El Paume, but they weren’t that big.
‘If they saved the rest with El Paume, then it’s a good deal.’
On the contrary, it seemed like they had gotten a good deal here.
‘Rather, I guess they died.’
In other words, Ebisu didn’t think El Paume would come back.
And it wasn’t just him.
“What are the chances of survival?”
“It’s been half a day since we came out through the exit, but they haven’t returned yet. That means... ...”
All the escaped adventurers had the same thought.
“It means that the situation is not good in many ways.”
If it was a safe place to begin with, there would be no reason to escape.
Moreover, time was of the essence when it came to escaping.
It was common adventurer knowledge that the longer they stayed, the worse their chances of survival.
And considering the El Paume party’s abilities, the chances of them surviving were honestly close to zero.
To begin with, the fact that they had managed to fulfill their role as bait was nothing short of a stroke of luck.
That was why.
“Then we’re withdrawing.”
Ebisu gave the order to withdraw without hesitation.
“Everyone?”
Iburu questioned the fact.
“Are we not leaving behind a rescue team?”
There were more cases than one where people came out of the exit in a life-threatening condition, and in such cases, the help of a rescue team was crucial.
That was why the adventurers here were still staying.
Because they had received help.
And to top it all off, it was poison.
If they came out in a state of being poisoned, they would need to take measures to detoxify them as soon as possible in order to increase their chances of survival.
Ebisu knew that too.
“We can’t afford to take any more casualties.”
But what if something happened to the rescue team if they were left behind?
“There’s also the possibility that the remaining people will get poisoned as well, in a situation where we can’t even get an antidote.”
Above all, there was the possibility that the escaped El Paume, who was poisoned, would spread the poison to the surroundings as well.
There was no reason to take such a risky gamble for the sake of adventurers who were already as good as dead.
“We’re withdrawing.”
Therefore, when Ebisu repeated his words, there was no further questioning.
Everyone thought.
That El Paume was dead.
“Can you also use poison magic?”
Trying it out yourself.
“Yes.”
It wasn’t a strange method in itself.
“I can use it.”
The only problem was that El Paume was already using two types of magic, Psychokinesis and Fire.
Dibo was speechless at El Paume’s answer.
‘Three, three attributes?’
In the world of mages, where even being able to use two attributes was treated differently, he was using three attributes?
It was unheard of.
El Paume didn’t bother to explain to the surprised Dibo.
That he had the talent of the coming Master.
‘I can use poison magic. Better than anyone else.’
And that El Paume had the skill to use this Poison Breath even on Balrog.
There was no reason to tell him right now.
And there was no time for that.
“Let’s go back then.”
It was time to return to the Gafor Merchant Union.
“To collect our payment.”
6.
There is nothing as surprising as when someone who was thought to be dead returns.
That was why Ebisu was surprised.
“You’re alive.”
Because El Paume, who he thought was dead, was standing before him.
“Yes, I’m back.”
However, El Paume’s expression was calm.
“It must have been difficult.”
He didn’t look like he had gone through hell and back.
On the other hand, Ebisu thought.
“That’s why you didn’t leave behind a rescue team.”
That El Paume might have ill feelings towards the Gafor Merchant Union for not taking even the minimum precautions.
This was a rather important part.
‘I don’t have much debt left now.’
Although El Paume had borrowed a large sum of money, Ebisu had heard from other adventurers.
About the deal El Paume had made.
Once that deal was over, El Paume would have a huge amount of money in his hands, and he would be able to pay off a considerable amount of his debt with that money.
After he pays off all his debts?
It meant that El Paume would be a very promising adventurer who no longer needed to be involved with the Gafor Merchant Union.
In the end, Ebisu decided that he needed to treat El Paume with a certain degree of respect in order to keep him as an asset.
“I apologize for that part. But no matter how I think about it, the situation wasn’t good.”
He bowed his head.
El Paume spoke calmly to him.
“This isn’t the first or second time this has happened, so it’s fine.”
It was nothing.
“It was a daily occurrence when I was a slave bait. There were times when I barely survived and returned alone, and no one was there.”
For El Paume, this kind of thing was actually a daily occurrence.
‘Especially when I’m the last survivor after a battle.’
A harsh reality.
Of course, he didn’t come out like this all calm just to show it.
El Paume, he planned to use this.
“So, I can always come back alive, no matter where I am.”
That was when it happened.
Creak!
The door to Ebisu’ office opened.
Without knocking.
Rudely.
However, no one rebuked him for his rudeness.
“Lord Lacan.”
After all, no one could rebuke one of the executives leading the Gafor Merchant Union for rudeness.
“What is this.......”
Lacan, who appeared in this way, answered Ebisu’ question by showing him his palm. He didn’t even look at Ebisu.
He only looked at El Paume, and El Paume didn’t avoid his gaze either.
“I heard the story roughly outside. You can come back alive from anywhere?”
“Yes.”
After hearing the short answer, Lacan smiled faintly.
“Even the 100-man Gate?”
And he uttered those words.
‘He took the bait.’
The moment El Paume had been waiting for those words to come out, he didn’t hesitate at all.
“The 100-man Gate.”
He just had to spit out the lines he had prepared for this moment.
“It seems like it will be a bit difficult there.”
[Translator – Prøks]
[Proofreader – Prøks]