72. Long time no see?
It was certain.
‘That guy is.’
His old comrade and one of the The warrior’s companions, the [Savage Chieftain].
He was a guy who valued honor and warriors’ battles more than anyone, even to the point of getting along well with the Knight King.
But something was strange.
His face was definitely the Savage Chieftain’s.
“Kuaaa!”
It wasn’t the Chieftain he remembered.
He was as large as a half-breed of a giant.
He looked at least three times larger than a tall, muscular man.
“Killed…all!”
Boom!
The Savage Chieftain, who seemed to have become a monster himself, jumped up.
He was so fast that the air seemed to bounce off him.
Kuooooh!
Drake tried to confront him, but it was no use.
Flames, claws, teeth, and even tail attacks didn’t work.
Boom!
Drake’s body collapsed from the Savage Chieftain’s fist.
Jooin looked at the muscular man as if to ask what this was.
But the muscular man just shrugged.
“Why? You wanted to see our Chieftain, didn’t you?”
Jooin was shocked.
“Is that Karasen?”
[Barbarian Chieftain Karasen]
He was an intelligent man who knew honor and how to persuade his peers.
He was the only intellectual born in a savage tribe that pursued battles and blood.
He was also a sage who was respected even by Ryuujin’s comrades.
He was also a guy who cared quite a lot about appearances.
He definitely was.
Kuwoooooo!
Bang! Bang!
What is that giant beast with the crazed eyes?
No matter how positively I think about it, there’s no way that’s Karasen.
Not only his appearance, but just looking at his eyes that are filled with madness, I can be certain.
That guy isn’t the guy that Juyeon knew.
Kwaaang!
The body of the giant monster shook from the beast’s fist.
There was none of the delicate techniques that the macho warrior from before had used.
Just simple, brute strength.
He was cornering Drake with the overwhelming strength that was bursting out of his entire body.
Of course, Drake wasn’t just taking it.
Kurarararara!
Drake’s mouth opened wide.
Hot flames erupted from his mouth.
It was a powerful firepower that could melt not only the stadium, but the ground as well.
Hwarurur!
“Everyone, get away! The ground is collapsing!”
“Don’t get close! Once you catch on fire, it’s over!”
The spectators nearby scattered in panic.
Not only them, but all of the audience knew exactly how powerful Drake’s flames were.
But there was only one.
Kukhahahaha!
Karasen… no, a single, crazy beast jumped into the flames while laughing maniacally.
Haken looked at him with disgust.
“Is… isn’t that crazy? Is he crazy for trying to become firewood? Drake’s fire is strong enough to melt bones?”
“No. Look closely.”
At Daedo’s gesture, everyone doubted their own eyes.
“Wh, what? He’s fine?”
Even in the flames, Karasen was fine.
His skin was a bit burnt, but he didn’t care and instead was pushing through the flames.
Soon, he approached Drake’s face and swung his fist.
Kwabang!
Drake’s head rolled away, still spewing fire.
Several sharp teeth flew through the air.
“Crazy… How the hell did he get such monstrous strength?”
“That’s not the problem! He’s completely fine in those flames!”
Some of the spectators were burned by the flames Drake scattered as he collapsed.
However, the monstrous bastard known as the Champion was completely unscathed.
“Look! His skin!”
“His wounds are healing in this situation?”
Just as Haken said.
The monster’s skin was bubbling as it returned to its original state.
It was a ridiculous recovery power.
A power that looked like that of a demon.
However, the conversation between the two didn’t last long.
Kuaaah!
The chieftain grabbed Drake’s mouth with both hands. And then he tore it off.
Screeech!
Drake’s blood splattered everywhere.
The only one still standing beneath it was the savage chieftain, Karasen.
He burst into madness, his whole body soaked in red blood.
Kukukukuhahahahaha!
Daedo’s eyes trembled fiercely.
“That’s not the Karasen I knew. That’s… That’s just a mindless monster.”
Jooyeon also narrowed his brow.
From Noble mtl dot com
‘What the hell happened to Karasen?’
This was the first time something like this had happened in his long gameplay.
It didn’t exist in any route, and it shouldn’t have happened.
It was clear that someone’s intervention had caused the change.
Daedo glared fiercely.
“How dare you lay a hand on my old comrade.”
Ugh.
He was angrier than when he had been betrayed by his disciple.
His eyes looked like they would overturn this whole place at any moment.
Jooyeon felt the same way.
However, he calmly maintained his reason.
‘Getting angry won’t change anything. The important thing is what has changed.’
The beast before his eyes was no longer the Karasen that Jooyeon knew.
If it continued like this, his plan to get a job through Karasen could go awry.
Of course, the relic wasn’t a problem.
‘The relic is right there.’
The wing feather stuck in Karasen’s head.
The object that seemed like a common trinket was actually the oddity.
‘I can get another job anyway. Let’s get the oddity and the Karasens first.’
That was when Jooin was about to move.
The macho warrior suddenly fell to his knees.
“You’ve arrived.”
“……!”
“Hmm……. Are these the ones.”
An old man suddenly appeared behind Jooin.
An old man wearing all sorts of accessories, unlike the bare-bodied warriors.
The atmosphere of the room changed in an instant.
Gooooooooo.
It was a heavy and wicked energy.
Everyone broke out in a cold sweat, not knowing what to do in front of that overwhelming power.
Dae-do quickly distanced himself and took out his hidden weapon.
“Who are you!”
He looked heroic, but even he was sweating on the inside.
That’s how formidable the energy he felt from the old man was.
The only one who was fine in this place was Jooin.
The old man looked at Jooin with interest.
“You have eyes that already know me.”
“There is only one person in the Barbarian who could have such great shamanic skills.”
[Grand Shaman]
He was the second-in-command of the Barbarians.
He assisted the chieftain with all sorts of shamanic powers and wise wisdom, and he was the one who led the tribe.
If the Grand Mage specialized in attack magic and artifacts, the Grand Shaman specialized in curses and shamanic powers.
‘To deal with that guy properly, you need to be at least a Grand Warlock or a Sage.’
Only those who used the same mystery could properly defend against curses and shamanic powers.
The Grand Mage couldn’t recklessly touch him either, due to their compatibility.
Shamanic powers were strange and secretive powers.
The others were already under the shamanic powers of the Grand Shaman and had lost their minds.
Jooin would have been under their effects too if he had been careless.
However, he had a special power.
[Shamanic power ＜Resonating Beat＞’s ＜Oppression＞ effect is reflected.]
[Shamanic power ＜Sinking Cry＞’s ＜Suppression＞ effect is reflected.]
[Shamanic power ＜Constriction＞’s ＜Fear＞ effect is reflected.]
I wondered why the second-in-command showed up so late.
‘Was it to cast shamanic powers without people knowing?’
However, no matter how secretive the shamanic power, it was useless in front of ＜Reflection＞.
Of course, he didn’t reflect it on the Grand Shaman.
‘If I had, he would have been wary of me right away.’
So I secretly reflected on it to someone else.
Who did I send it to?
“Ugh… Why is my body so heavy…”
It was Daeho.
In other words, he was like a scarecrow.
Even now, Daeho was getting double the effect of the spell.
It was possible to send the [Black Water] that became his hand the damage of the reflection.
‘His life force seems to have increased, so please do well.’
The great shaman, unaware of this, extended his hand to Jooyeon with eyes full of greed.
“I’m skilled enough not to care about such a low-level spell, but you’re this young. You must be quite useful. Do you belong to any group?”
“Why? Are you going to give me a position if I don’t?”
“We’re always short on skilled people. If you just stay by our champion’s side, you’ll be able to gain even stronger power, so it wouldn’t be a bad offer for you.”
Jooyeon scoffed.
“It’s not even worth listening to.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not interested unless I’m the best. And I absolutely hate being a useless second-in-command.”
Anyway, all I need is the Barbarian Chieftain.
What do I need you for?
The great shaman’s face hardened as if he understood what that meant.
“You’re cockier than I thought.”
“Can’t I be cocky enough? You guys have a lot of money, don’t you?”
At those words, the great shaman’s gaze immediately changed.
He must have already heard through the Great Warriors and other barbarian warriors.
In fact, Jooyeon laughed as he looked at his greedy eyes.
“Did you come here in person after hearing that story?”
“Yes, they said it was enough to build a tower of gold. I needed a little more money to build an arena in the capital anyway.”
“Oh, you’re going to build an arena like this in the capital?”
“I’ve already gotten everything I can get here. It’s time to play in bigger waters.”
Jooyeon burst out laughing.
Are you going to mass-produce those who are crazy about power, gambling, and murder in the capital of the kingdom?
What on earth for?
No. There was no longer any need for a reason.
‘He’s dangerous.’
Could he be the one who changed the barbarians?
Just as Jooyeon was about to move, the guy opened his mouth first.
“I heard you wanted to meet the chieftain? But you didn’t pay to come here, did you?”
“……!”
“Pay me first. Then I’ll let you meet the chieftain right away.”
He’s funny.
His smiling eyes were clearly hiding murderous intent.
There was no way he would just show it to him.
He must be thinking of stalling for time and extorting money.
‘And if it turns out that I don’t have any money, he’ll stab me without looking back.’
That was why Joo-Heon laughed out loud.
“Right, you said I need to pay an entrance fee to meet the Patriarch.”
“Yes, so……”
“Do I really need to do that?”
“……!”
Joo-Heon pointed outside the window.
“The person I’m looking for is out there. Why do I need to pay money to meet him?”
“……!?”
The Grand Sorcerer and Grand Warrior realized Joo-Heon’s intentions right away.
They shouted toward the guards protecting the room.
“Stop that man!”
“Don’t let him get to the window!”
They tried to catch Joo-Heon too, but it was useless.
Joo-Heon’s body was already dashing toward the window overlooking the dueling grounds.
The guards threw their bodies at Joo-Heon.
“Stop!”
“You can’t go any further!”
But it was useless.
Swish!
Joo-Heon’s body scattered, leaving behind a faint afterimage.
He dodged the guards’ bodies like the wind and slipped past them.
The guards missed Joo-Heon.
The Grand Patriarch was surprised and shouted.
“That… that crazy bastard!”
He couldn’t help it.
The technique that Joo-Heon had just used was very familiar.
No. It was a technique that he knew better than anyone.
-Grand Patriarch’s Eighteen Secret Techniques: Basic
-High-Speed Movement Technique
＜Shadow Step＞
That was the Grand Patriarch’s technique.
It was also the basis for ＜Invisible Step＞ that the Grand Patriarch had used in the forge where he fought Joo-Heon.
However, he had only used that technique once in front of Joo-Heon.
‘And he stole it just by watching it?’
What kind of guy was he?
No matter how much he had inherited from the King of Knights, this was an incomprehensible level of potential.
But there was no time to be surprised.
Crash!
Joo-Yeon broke the glass window and fell outside.
Startled, Haken shouted.
“Joo-Yeon! This is the top floor of the Dueling Arena!”
But Joo-Yeon patted her shoulder instead of answering.
[Darkwing uses ＜Levitation＞]
She didn’t spread her wings intentionally.
She didn’t want people to see her black wings.
‘But at least I can fall more slowly this way, even if I can’t fly.’
Thud!
Finally, Joo-Yeon landed in the Dueling Arena.
The eyes of the monster named Savage Chieftain turned towards her.
At that sight, Joo-Yeon slowly got up with a smirk.
“Hello? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”