Chapter 165: Party Quest (2)

“What?”

“What does that mean!”

“…!”

The adventurers gasped at the old magician’s shocking statement.

The gates of hell had opened!

It was impossible.

Sure, long before the great war with the orcs, ancient tales spoke of a time when the human and demonic realms were connected, allowing free passage… but wasn’t that just myth?

‘This is too much.’

‘The gates of hell opened? That means demons could come through…’

‘No way. Absolutely not. Even a demon-contracted Demon is said to be incredibly strong… Fighting actual demons or apostles directly?’

‘And why hide this? The Yellow Magic Tower… aren’t they going to report to the Holy Kingdom?’

The agitation was palpable.

Hot-headed adventurers were already thinking of leaving. This wasn’t just their problem—it was a matter that could decide the continent’s fate.

But not everyone reacted that way.

A wandering magician with a large scar on his forehead, who looked seasoned, scoffed and said,

“Hmph. Such a fuss.”

“What? You’re not shocked by this…?”

“You’re all panicking over a tiny dimensional rift. Sure, the Yellow Magic Tower’s vague wording is the problem, but… how about a proper explanation now, Magic Tower folks?”

“Hm.”

“What, afraid to speak plainly because something’s fishy?”

“Of course something’s fishy. Even a small rift must be reported to the Holy Kingdom.”

“…So you’re saying you’ll secretly exploit hell’s resources?”

“To put it bluntly, yes.”

The Yellow Magic Tower magician answered honestly, and though the adventurers didn’t fully grasp the situation, they began murmuring anxiously.

But the unrest didn’t last long.

“Quiet!”

The Magic Tower magician shouted into the magic microphone, scanning the room.

It was quiet. Not just because of the loud voice, but because the 7th-star high magician’s Mana subtly pressed down on the room.

“Impressive.”

“Indeed.”

Most adventurers looked intimidated by the power gap, but some didn’t. They sent competitive glances, eager to measure themselves against him.

The Yellow Magic Tower magician smiled, pleased.

The stronger the adventurers, the more resources they could gain.

With that thought, the old man continued.

“Sorry for the dramatic start to get your attention. To be precise, as the wandering magician said, it’s not a dangerous situation worth panicking over. It’s just a dimensional rift in an ancient tomb sealed by a predecessor magician.”

“So it’s true that a passage between the human and demonic realms has opened?”

“Not true. It’s a tiny gap even insects can’t pass through. This happens more often than you think. It’ll likely close naturally in a few years.”

“Still, you should report to the Holy Kingdom…”

“If you’re going to say that, you can leave now. After a short-term memory wipe, of course.”

“…”

“Anyone?”

The Magic Tower magician scanned the room, as if expecting no one to leave.

He was right. Despite knowing the quest violated the continent’s peace treaty, no one stood up.

The reason was obvious.

An illegal job bypassing the Holy Kingdom’s oversight would have substantial rewards.

‘Of course, it’ll be dangerous.’

‘If it wasn’t, the Yellow Magic Tower would’ve handled it themselves. Assigning us as the vanguard means they want to minimize risk.’

‘The high points aren’t for nothing.’

‘But… the rewards are too tempting to pass up…’

Thick, heavy greed spread like fog in the briefing room.

The atmosphere grew denser as the magician’s explanation continued.

The ancient tomb had been corrupted into a labyrinth—no, a Demonic Palace—due to the dimensional rift.

Thus, the Grave Keepers inside had evolved into fiercer, stronger beings, but they were treasures of immense value to the Magic Tower.

“That’s not all. The burial items in the tomb have likely been altered by the demonic influence. To a magician, those are treasures too.”

“…”

“…”

“To put it simply, everything in the Demonic Palace is money and points.”

Harang nodded, understanding why the Yellow Magic Tower was secretly exploring the Demonic Palace without informing the Holy Kingdom.

If a dungeon covered in gold was to be destroyed just for being dangerous, who would completely abandon their greed?

To the Magic Tower, those items might be more precious than gold.

It was clear why they offered massive points to gather skilled fighters.

Clap!

“Now, you get the gist, right? Why our Yellow Magic Tower invited talents like you.”

“…”

“…”

“It’ll be dangerous. You’ll be risking your lives. But if you survive, you’ll gain immense wealth. It might even be less dangerous than expected. No one knows what lies inside. Think of it as a high-stakes gamble. Of course, safety-oriented folks who avoid gambling can leave after a memory wipe, as I mentioned.”

“…”

“…”

“So, what’ll it be?”

After about 30 seconds, the result was clear.

No one left.

Adventurers lived on danger and curiosity. They wouldn’t kick away such an opportunity. Their confidence in their skills also supported their decision.

“Great, great. Let’s dive into the details.”

The Yellow Magic Tower magician, nodding with satisfaction, continued.

Due to the Magi leaking from the dimensional rift, only up to four people could enter the Demonic Palace at a time.

Even then, they’d be randomly dropped at different locations, making it impossible for all 40 to move together.

At this, a shadow passed over everyone’s faces.

But the next explanation replaced their concerns with greed.

“We’ll lend everyone a subspace pouch and recording equipment.”

“Collect anything from the Demonic Palace—monster corpses, Grave Keeper remains, minerals, burial items, dirt, plants, bugs, even air or water in a bottle.”

“Even if you do nothing but survive, we’ll calculate points based on how much your recording equipment contributes to mapping the Demonic Palace.”

“Lastly, if you defeat the ‘Crack Keeper’ guarding the dimensional rift and the tomb’s master, the ‘Ancient Magician,’ and bring back their remains… regardless of points, we’ll provide any Magic Tool available from the Yellow Magic Tower. To all four party members.”

“…!”

“…!”

It was an unprecedented offer.

The promise of rewards just for surviving and the bounty on the Demonic Palace’s bosses—the Crack Keeper and Ancient Magician—stirred the adventurers’ hearts.

Some swallowed hard.

Soon, the briefing room filled with loud voices.

“I am Murunga of the Black Rock Tribe, an elite warrior! I can’t use Aura like humans, but I can enhance my body and weapons with earth spirit power.”

“I’m Kizen, a 6th-star magician. I specialize in fire and lightning magic. You all know, right? Undead and demonic creatures are weak to fire and lightning. With a solid vanguard, I’ll turn the Demonic Palace’s vile beings to ash with overwhelming firepower.”

“I’m Berg, a Rogue from the western continent. I’m skilled in stealth, infiltration, and backstabbing. I’m also good at solving puzzles and lock-picking… It’s a Demonic Palace now, but it was originally a magician’s tomb, right? There’ll surely be intricate mechanisms and devices. You’ll need me. Oh, and I can distinguish real treasure chests from nasty mimics.”

Each voice was a pitch for themselves.

It was inevitable.

Since the 40 couldn’t enter as a group, they’d have to roam the Demonic Palace in four-person parties from different starting points.

Thus, joining the most capable party was crucial—for survival and for collecting as many resources as possible.

So, the adventurers were busy sizing each other up and boasting about themselves.

The only one silent was Harang.

He wasn’t used to cooperating with others like this.

But salvation came to him.

A vibrant magician in all-blue attire stood before him and said,

“Hello. I’m Salina Mayer. From the Red Magic Tower, but practically a wandering magician. By the way, I’m a 7th-star magician.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Harang, from Marzen in Nadan Kingdom…”

“I know. I saw you on the quest floor below.”

“Saw what? Oh, that…”

“Ignore those stupid adventurers’ reactions. A gem should go to someone who recognizes its value.”

Salina Mayer smiled brightly, hyping him up.

Behind her were two adventurers.

The Rogue, Berg, who had passionately pitched himself.

And a lithe elf archer.

‘Pretty impressive people.’

Harang nodded.

Though they hid their Presence, he could tell. They were among the top-tier adventurers here.

Looking at Salina Mayer, the 7th-star magician, he saw her still smiling brightly, offering in a sweet voice,

“How about it? Instead of struggling with those idiots, join our party. With a solid vanguard like you, we’ll face little danger. Plus, Berg here has experience in a Demonic Palace. This friend and I have cleared over ten regular dungeons too.”

“I see. That’s impressive.”

Harang replied sincerely.

It was indeed a solid party. Not only were their individual skills excellent, but their dungeon experience made it hard to imagine a better group.

But.

“Sorry.”

“What? Why? Are we not enough? No way!”

The blue-clad magician asked in shock.

It was understandable. She was confident in her skills, and with Harang, their party’s synergy would be near-perfect, so she hadn’t expected rejection.

“Think again. Parties are forming already. You won’t find a group as good as ours elsewhere.”

“Mayer’s right. Choose wisely, friend.”

“Yeah. Make the right choice and avoid regrets.”

The magician, Rogue, and archer stepped closer, pressuring Harang.

Some adventurers watching looked annoyed. They hadn’t been chosen by anyone and were wandering the briefing room, so seeing Harang courted by three made them jealous.

“Hm.”

But Harang didn’t care about their stares.

With a serious expression, he craned his neck toward the platform.

The Yellow Magic Tower magician, still at his post, asked,

“What’s up, young friend? Got a question?”

“Yes. Instead of a four-person party… is it possible to enter the Demonic Palace alone?”

Harang asked.

And every adventurer in the room turned to look at him.

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