Chapter 132

Тhе Undеrgrоund Arenа Тоurnаmеnt in Erindel.

Viscоunt Аldrik announсed the рrizе fоr thе Undеrgrоund Arenа Tournаmеnt being hеld in Еrindеl thrоughоut the kingdоm.

In faсt, many wеrе unаwаre that аn Undergrоund Arena Тоurnament was being hеld in Еrindel.

There was а сhance the Roуаl Palаcе might imроsе sanctions.

“Hоho… an Undеrgrоund Аrena Тоurnаment. So suсh a thing eхists.”

A man with a prоminеnt white mustaсhе and bеard mutterеd to himself while rеading thе nеwspaper with an intriguеd loоk.

“Вut thе prizе is an Anсiеnt Мagic Тomе. Соuld it bе thаt such а thing аs аn Anсiеnt Magic Tome truly exists?”

The man simply examined the details of Erindel’s Underground Arena Tournament with an interested gaze.

The distance from his location to Erindel was quite considerable.

“I should go see this.”

Although he had a white beard, one could not consider him an old man by any means.

Despite the wrinkles covering his face, his body was entirely filled with muscle, creating a stark contrast.

As he rose from his seat and stepped out of the room, a Knight who had been waiting in the mansion hurriedly approached.

“Sir Dramos, is something the matter? If you need anything, please tell me.”

“Haha, it’s fine. I’m not some seventy-year-old geezer who needs constant assistance, I told you it’s unnecessary.”

“But… are you perhaps going out somewhere?”

“Yes, it seems I’ll be away for quite a long while.”

“What do you mean all of a sudden?”

The Knight who addressed the older man as Dramos was named Hagon.

Hagon was a Knight from the Royal Knight Order, and the person he served was Barken Dramos.

Dramos, formerly the Guard Captain of the Sinsiniel Royal Palace, was now retired, but in the past, he was an incredibly formidable individual.

“Being cooped up in a rural village for so long is unbearably dull. I’ll be away for a few months, so if anything happens in the village, you’ll have to handle it in my stead, Hagon.”

“No, I’ll go with you! What if something dangerous were to happen to Sir Dramos…”

“Hey, you rascal! No matter how old I’ve gotten, I’m still stronger than a greenhorn like you. Monsters might appear in the village, so you need to stay here.”

“That may be so, but…”

Hagon knew very well just how strong Dramos was.

However, no matter how strong, Dramos was now approaching 60 years of age, and the thought of him traveling far alone seemed somewhat dangerous.

‘Where in the world is he planning to go?’

Hagon wished he could follow Dramos, but it was impossible.

Their location was a place called Herbil, a very small village.

Hagon had stubbornly followed the retired Dramos here, and over five years had already passed since they started living in Herbil.

‘Monsters frequently appear in Herbil, so I can’t leave my post.’

Hagon had been with Dramos for over ten years, since their time in the Knight Order until now.

Thus, he knew his personality very well.

“Hagon, when I return in a few months, I’ll likely be far stronger than I am now. Hahaha.”

“What do you mean by that, Sir Dramos?”

“There’s something to it, so I’ll explain everything once I return.”

“Sir Dramos!”

Hagon tried at least to ask where Dramos was going, but it was already too late.

Dramos’s figure vanished in an instant, and his presence could no longer be felt in the surroundings.

“Phew… This is maddening. Well, how could anyone think such a person is nearly a 60-year-old man?”

Since Dramos had settled and lived in Herbil for quite a long time, Hagon felt a momentary worry.

This was the first time since coming to Herbil that Dramos had said he would be away for such an extended period.

Thinking this, Hagon moved his steps toward Dramos’s room to tidy it up.

“Huh? What’s this…?”

After tidying Dramos’s bedding and now attempting to clear the teacup on the table, he discovered something he hadn’t seen in his room for the past few years.

“A newspaper? What’s this about…?”

Dramos, a former Guard Captain of the Royal Knight Order, retired about five years ago.

He had vowed not to interfere in the kingdom’s affairs since he was retired.

Thus, he had never once read a newspaper until now.

“Where did he even get this newspaper? And this content…”

The front page of the newspaper detailed the Underground Arena Tournament being held in Erindel.

In addition, it contained articles about the currently unstable Kingdom of Sinsiniel.

“An Ancient Magic Tome…?!”

Upon reading the newspaper, Hagon wondered if Dramos might be planning to visit the Royal Palace, but upon reflection, if that were the case, he would have taken Hagon along.

As he continued reading down the newspaper and discovered the ‘Ancient Magic Tome,’ the prize for Erindel’s Underground Arena Tournament, he understood.

“Sir Dramos went to Erindel to obtain the Ancient Magic Tome!”

He had once heard Dramos speak about the Ancient Magic Tome.

The only Magic Tome that even Knights like Dramos, who possessed no Talent for Magic, could learn Magic from.

He had only heard rumors that such a legendary Magic Tome existed, never imagining it could be real.

“An Underground Arena Tournament… Everyone participating in this tournament is going to get seriously hurt.”

Worrying not for Dramos but for the other participants, Hagon tidied up the teacup and newspaper.

He didn’t know why Dramos had read the newspaper, but in any case, it seemed not bad for him to start showing even a little interest in the currently chaotic kingdom.

‘The kingdom is already crumbling. If someone as strong as Sir Dramos goes to Arcana to help…’

The Royal Palace had fallen long ago.

Currently, the Kingdom of Sinsiniel had no king, and the authority of the Nobles would soon become entirely useless.

Across the world, the number of Gates was gradually increasing, and with it, the Monster population was growing exponentially.

‘The Royal Palace surely collapsed because of the Monsters.’

The exact reasons why the entire Kingdom of Sinsiniel was greatly shaken and why the Royal Palace fell so swiftly were not clearly revealed.

However, Hagon somehow felt it was all connected to the Gates and Monsters.

‘The Ancient Tower in Arcana. That’s the problem.’

The Ancient Tower, which had existed for decades already.

Since the appearance of the Ancient Tower, Gates began to appear, teeming with countless Monsters inside.

‘The Ancient Tower must be completely conquered.’

Hagon wasn’t just cooped up in the village.

Whenever he had time, he made efforts to learn about events happening outside.

Thus, he also knew that over the past few years, roughly millions of people had been gathering in Arcana.

“We can’t stay in this village forever. When Sir Dramos returns, I should suggest we go to Arcana too.”

Since Hagon didn’t know in great detail either, to understand precisely what was happening in the kingdom now, he needed to go to Arcana.

Strangely, events in Arcana weren’t well-covered in newspapers.

“For now, I suppose I’ll train while waiting for Sir Dramos to return.”

Muttering to himself, Hagon quickly began finishing the cleanup of Dramos’s room.

* * *

Barken Dramos, former Guard Captain of the Royal Palace.

He had dedicated his entire life to serving the Royal Palace.

Recognized for his skill, he rose to the position of Guard Captain of the Royal Palace.

“Hoho, it’s fun wandering around like this after so long.”

Dramos had fought countless people and slain numerous Monsters throughout his life.

Reaching the position of Royal Palace Guard Captain required immense Talent and effort, and he possessed both, which allowed him to become the Guard Captain.

He headed swiftly toward Erindel using light-footed movement.

However, along the way to Erindel, he saw things he hadn’t encountered before.

“This is. A Dungeon? No, I heard youngsters these days call them Gates.”

The path he was currently walking on was a mountainside, and before his eyes stood a blue-hued Gate.

Clearly, when he passed this road just a few years ago, such a Gate didn’t exist; it was likely a newly formed one.

Swoosh.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Dramos stepped into the Gate and emerged back outside roughly five seconds later.

“Not as impressive as I thought.”

Having slain all the Monsters inside within five seconds, he resumed his light-footed journey toward Erindel.

“That must be Erindel in the distance. It’s my first time coming to a provincial city like this; I’m quite curious.”

He was actually learning for the first time that a city called Erindel existed.

Having been confined to the Royal Palace, he had never visited any city outside the Capital Region of the Kingdom of Sinsiniel.

Dramos increased the speed of his light-footed movement, beginning to move even faster.

He was moving at a speed almost transcending humanity, yet producing no sound at all.

Light-footed movement was a skill only true masters could use, and he was a person who had reached that very realm of a true master.

Whoosh—

Pavababat!!!

While Dramos was swiftly heading to Erindel, he could see a giant of a man practicing with a large sword on a small rocky hill.

To be precise, such a scene flashed by as he moved rapidly.

Normally, he would have just passed by, but for some reason, he sensed an immense Talent from the man who had just flashed past.

Dramos, who had been using light-footed movement at maximum capacity to head toward Erindel at tremendous speed, halted his steps and quietly headed toward the rocky hill where the man was practicing.

Arriving at the rocky hill and nearing where the man was practicing, he indeed felt an overwhelming Talent.

“Hohoho, he possesses an unbelievably innate Bone and Muscle structure. Tsk, tsk… But his Swordsmanship, whoever taught him, seems quite crude.”

Those with such innate Bone and Muscle structure could see their skills skyrocket overnight with just a day or two of proper Swordsmanship training.

Among the thousands of Disciples he had taught so far, only two possessed such Bone and Muscle, and both grew significantly within days of learning Swordsmanship from him.

‘There’s still some time left until the tournament, so I can spare a little guidance.’

Dramos smiled and slowly approached the man.