The Last Adventurer

Chapter 19

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 19: 100-Man Gate (1)

1.

Victoria Island

The largest island in Maple World, it was considered a great place to live by many.

“A good place to live means it’s less dangerous.”

In other words, the monster level of Victoria Island was not as high as other places.

In fact, the Adventurer’s Association even classified most of Victoria Island as a D-rank or lower adventure difficulty. This meant that a party of four D-rank adventurers could travel anywhere in Victoria Island.

“It means it’s ridiculous for adventurers.”

Therefore, adventurers who operated in other areas looked down on adventurers who operated in Victoria Island.

“Except for Sleepywood Forest.”

However, Sleepywood Forest, located in the center of Victoria Island, was an exception.

The Adventurer’s Association also clearly stated it.

“Entry to Sleepywood Forest is recommended for C-rank adventurers or higher, and entry to the central area is only allowed for B-rank adventurers or higher.”

Sleepywood Forest was said to be a very dangerous place.

And the Top Players followed this rule more than anyone else.

No matter what, the Top Players never crossed Sleepywood Forest or took a path near it.

That was the common sense and rule of Victoria Island.

However, that common sense and rule was broken with the appearance of the Mystic Gate.

Adventurers rushed into the forest, aiming for the Mystic Gate that appeared in Sleepywood Forest, a place beyond the reach of adventurers and Top Players.

And then they realized.

Why Sleepywood Forest was also called the Devil’s Forest.

The first difficulty of Sleepywood Forest was that the monsters that appeared were much stronger.

Even the same orange mushrooms were of a different level of strength in Sleepywood Forest.

Above all, the number of mushrooms that appeared was different.

“No light enters Sleepywood Forest. On top of that, it’s very humid. What does that mean? It’s simple. It means that moss grows well.”

The reason was simple.

“Mushrooms also grow well in places where moss grows well.”

Sleepywood Forest was the optimal environment for mushrooms to grow.

That’s why once a battle with a group of mushrooms started, the battle was so fierce that it was impossible to predict its end.

“Damn mushroom bastards! They’re coming like crazy, like crazy!”

That was why El Paume chose Sleepywood Forest as the training ground for Dibo.

“Boss!”

“Keep catching them.”

In order to get Dibo used to the overflowing mushroom monsters of Sleepywood.

‘This is enough.’

And that was all the training El Paume had prepared.

‘Dibo is a genius.’

In the first place, the concept of teaching Dibo a new skill was meaningless.

Just as there is no need to teach a tiger how to hunt.

Dibo’s innate talent was that overwhelming, and all such people needed was one thing.

‘All you need is experience.’

Days of fierce battles.

‘And items.’

That was all.

There was no better place to gain such experience than Sleepywood Forest.

“Boss! Are you really not going to help me?”

“If I help you, there’s no point in training.”

“I really think I’m going to die! If I’m pushed back, you’ll be finished too!”

“Judging by the way you’re asking questions, you seem to have some余裕.”

In fact, Dibo was not pushed back at all in the face of the hundreds of orange mushrooms that were rushing towards him.

He swung his massive polearm, smashing the mushrooms perfectly one at a time, eliminating them as they came.

“Slash Blaster!”

And when he felt himself lacking, he used his skills only at that moment to turn the situation in his favor.

‘What a great talent.’

Even by El Paume’s standards, who had seen many people, even heroes, it was an amazing talent.

What’s more, El Paume knew.

‘He has a reason to fight.’

That Dibo had a younger sister to protect, and that he knew how strong those with something to protect could become.

‘He’ll get stronger.’

That’s why El Paume had no doubt that Dibo would grow at an amazing rate.

‘But that alone is not enough.’

Of course, El Paume knew that he could not achieve what he wanted with just this current power.

It was obvious.

‘Hontail.’

What he needed to catch right now was Hontail.

‘And the Black Mage.’

After that, they would have to face the transcendent being known as the Black Mage, who had caused all this chaos. There was no way that a warrior and a magician alone could do it.

They needed a stronger force.

‘We need a thief, a pirate, and an archer.’

They needed at least three skilled people.

‘There are many skilled people.’

There were many candidates.

However, El Paume did not rush here.

“Dibo.”

“Boss! Will you help me?”

“No, we’ve reached our destination.”

“Ah.”

What they needed to do now was not find allies.

2.

Sleepywood Forest, known as the Devil’s Forest.

That’s why veteran adventurers said.

“If you want to survive in Sleepywood Forest, don’t make a sound.”

If you ever enter Sleepywood Forest, don’t do anything unnecessary and be as quiet as a corpse.

That was the common sense.

But now, there were those who were breaking that common sense.

Hwarr!

First of all, they were making a fire.

That was crazy.

Making a fire meant stimulating all of the monster’s senses, including sight, smell, and hearing.

It wasn’t even that.

“Cook the meat a little more.”

“Beer! Is there no more beer?”

They were even cooking meat and drinking alcohol in front of the campfire.

It was a sight that would even amaze the monsters, let alone stimulate them.

“Th, that?”

That’s why Dibo was terrified to see the sight.

“Aren’t they crazy?”

“I guess so.”

However, El Paume thought differently.

He didn’t question the sight before him.

“This is because it’s the 100-man Gate raid.”

The value of the 100-man Mystic Gate was far greater than what ordinary adventurers thought.

It meant that they would do anything to succeed in the raid.

“No, but this is Sleepywood Forest, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s why they’re there.”

“They are?”

In response to Dibo’s question, El Paume pointed with his finger at those who were drinking and eating meat.

“They’re B-rank adventurers.”

And the moment he heard El Paume’s explanation that followed, Dibo finally understood.

“B, B-rank?”

B-rank adventurer.

A rank that only those adventurers who have opened the 5th circle and have outstanding titles can receive.

“Why are they here?”

They were some of the best of the best, the kind of people you would never see on Victoria Island, which was often treated as an island for beginners.

It was no exaggeration.

“Shouldn’t they be going to the Ossyria continent at that level?”

It was common for even D-rank or higher adventurers to leave Victoria Island.

That was the history and tradition of adventurers.

It was the same in the era of Mystic Gates.

The number and rank of Mystic Gates appearing on the Ossyria continent were much higher.

As proof, there had never been a Mystic Gate of Green rank or higher officially appearing on Victoria Island.

Considering that Green-rank Mystic Gates are accessible to even 5th Circle adventurers, there was no reason for 5th Circle adventurers to stay on Victoria Island.

Even so, the reason why there were seven of these 5th Circle adventurer parties here was one.

“They’re here to support the Top Players.”

To support the adventurers who are challenging the 100-man Mystic Gate.

“Ah.”

Only then did Dibo understand.

Just how valuable the 100-man Mystic Gate was.

‘A single Unique-rank item from the 100-man Mystic Gate can change the value and destiny of the Top Players and adventurers.’

In fact, a single item with a Unique skill could change the value of the Top Players and adventurers like heaven and earth.

‘And it can also change the future.’

Even enough to change the future that El Paume saw.

That was why El Paume was here.

“Hey, it’s reassuring that the 5th Circle adventurers are holding up. At least they won’t be fighting each other.”

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

“That’s right. There will be no fighting over Unique items.”

“Huh?”

“Even if we get it, it won’t be our share anyway. It’s also impossible to hide or run away. Not against 5th Circle adventurers.”

“……I see.”

After all, it was much more difficult to keep a Unique item than to acquire it.

“But you’ll definitely give us a reward if we get it, right?”

“Of course.”

‘But I don’t care.’

However, El Paume had no intention of giving up just because it was difficult.

He intended to acquire the Unique item by any means necessary.

“What a ridiculous bunch.”

At that moment, a cold female voice was heard from behind El Paume and Dibo, and they both turned their heads at the same time.

“You’re already talking about rewards.”

Then, a beautiful woman with a cold appearance, wearing armor and her long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, appeared.

That was why.

“Kiri?”

Dibo was able to immediately recognize her identity.

She was that famous.

“A trainee of the Cygnus Knights?”

After all, she was a trainee of the Cygnus Knights, the powerful force that protected the Maple Alliance.

In fact, the Knights and the Adventurers were on different paths.

The Cygnus Knights were like judges, the forces that upheld the values of the Maple Alliance.

Their goals were different from those of the free-spirited adventurers.

However, the trainees were different.

The Knights’ trainees, who needed to gain a lot of experience, didn’t act much differently from adventurers.

In fact, the trainees of the Cygnus Knights attacked the Mystic Gate more fiercely than anyone else.

Anyway, for that reason, she was quite famous.

Of course, her appearance was also one of the reasons she was famous.

‘A trainee of the Knights?’

However, El Paume didn’t remember her.

That was obvious.

All that was in El Paume’s memory of this 100-man Gate was the fact that it was a demon that devoured everyone.

In the future that El Paume experienced, those gathered here didn’t exist.

El Paume could only speculate.

‘The fact that the Gafor Merchant Union gave this golden opportunity to a trainee of the Cygnus Knights means….’

The 10th Top of the port city of Liss, 10 spots given to them fairly in front of the 100-man Mystic Gate.

If the Gafor Merchant Union gave those spots to a trainee of the Cygnus Knights instead of an adventurer they contracted, there had to be a reason for it.

Of course, there could be several reasons.

It could be seen as the Gafor Merchant Union offering a kind of bribe to the Cygnus Knights.

Moreover, the Gafor Merchant Union had never had good results in the 100-man Mystic Gate, and the number of famous adventurers among the adventurers they were bringing was lacking in many ways.

If it was going to fail anyway, it was a better deal to leave some other benefits behind rather than force it.

However, El Paume knew.

That the Gafor Merchant Union was not the kind of merchant group that did business that way.

That’s why he was sure.

‘They know something bad is going to happen.’

“I’ve heard the stories. They say you’re the best bait there is.”

Kiri spoke to El Paume, who was deep in thought, with cold eyes and a cold voice.

“I don’t need bait.”

Don’t try to butter me up.

The moment she made that announcement, it happened.

“Gulp!”

With a loud thud, one of the adventurers who had been drinking heavily stood up, and everyone’s attention turned to him.

“It looks like everyone’s here.”

That was obvious.

“I’m warning you all. Anyone who causes trouble here will have their head smashed in without a warning.”

The man who spoke had five black rings on his left wrist.

More importantly, those gathered here had one clear goal.

“Now, let’s get ready. Get ready to enter the 100-man Gate.”

And the time to challenge that goal had come.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]