Chapter 514 – Sanctuary of Blood (1)
After promising to give one of the empty rooms on the 5th floor as an office to increase the employee’s work efficiency.
The last place the guild members, led by Shin Ji-yeon, arrived at was the second basement level.
Ding!
As soon as the elevator door opened, which took several times longer than when coming down from the first floor to the basement level, what was seen was none other than an iron door.
Shin Ji-yeon, who had arrived in front of her, stepped aside and said.
“This is a place where only the guild leader and other combatants can enter.”
Then she points to a small terminal next to the door.
“It’s an iris recognition feature. Currently, only the guild leader is registered.”
“Ah.”
Kim Do-jin remembers something from her words.
“This is where she came a few days ago when she needed to authenticate her terminal.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Bring her face closer to the terminal at eye level.
Eventually, his eyes are projected onto the black screen.
[Master Kim Do-jin, authentication completed.]
Coo coo coo… !
The lock on the thick iron door is unlocked with a somewhat familiar voice.
Kim Do-jin looked at Shin Ji-yeon, who was standing next to the door, and asked.
“Is there anything on this terminal…”
Her face turns red.
“… Yes, that’s me.”
Shin Ji-yeon slightly turns her head as if she doesn’t want to mention it anymore.
Leaving her behind, I open her thick door.
At this point, you might be curious.
A door so thick that even a direct hit from advanced magic won’t leave a scratch and a biometric terminal.
What is the identity of this space surrounded by such tight security?
Rattling!
Finally, the door fully opens, revealing the interior to everyone standing there.
A vast space filled with top-class shock absorption magic, from the floor where you step on to the walls.
This place, measuring several hundred pyeong, was none other than their training ground.
She comes in after Kim Do-jin and opens her mouth.
“This is a training ground exclusively for the Twilight Guild.”
“Wow.”
“We have this large space to ourselves… ?”
“The size of dozens of personal training rooms at Korean universities, just us…”
This was the biggest culprit that caused the building interior cost to exceed tens of billions of dollars.
The tiles on the floor and walls are strong enough to block attacks from S-class hunters, and even have a self-repair function if the damage rate does not exceed 60%.
In addition, there are artifacts that purify the air to make it reminiscent of the deep Amazon forest, and facilities that have the function of maintaining a constant temperature all year round.
Is that all?
On the left is a physical training room equipped with gravity magic to easily tighten the hunter’s hard body.
On the right, there are rows of personal training rooms that are good for solo training.
One last thing.
On the wall opposite the training room door, there is a tile with a groove the size of a fist. This is one of the key features of the training room.
“It’s a concentrated force. If you place a magic stone here, the concentration of magic power inside the training ground will increase.”
Magic circles with a magic concentration function were installed throughout the training area.
It has been only five years since research revealed that in places with abundant magic attribute concentration, one can enjoy the effect of increasing magic attribute levels as well as training efficiency.
The Twilight Guild had acquired a truly state-of-the-art training center that not many guilds yet had.
Kim Do-jin spoke confidently to the guild members who were standing in rapt attention with their mouths wide open.
“Did I tell you? If you trust and follow me, I will let you enjoy anything.”
Now, enjoy it.
“This is all yours.”
“Oh my gosh… !”
“I believed it!”
Trust in the guild leader has exploded among guild members.
* * *
After completing a hideout tour that covers everything from head to toe.
The guild members were all scattered.
Shin Yu-jeong immediately locked herself in her fitness room, and Jeong-hee headed to her kitchen to make at least a simple meal.
What about other kids…, I left to look around the private lounge and other places.
Now that I was alone, I wandered around for a while and then came up to the guild leader’s room.
As I leisurely sing to myself, I realize it again.
“… “You really put a tremendous amount of effort into it.”
The fact that the saint has quite a few expectations from me and us.
There is nothing free in this world.
Didn’t she say that since she joined the Guardians?
I will definitely pay for my dedication and sacrifice.
In other words, it means that support is impossible without dedication and sacrifice for world peace.
In other words, it is safe to say that this is not an investment, but an advance payment.
About the sacrifice or dedication you will make in the future.
“What…, Not a bad price.”
For me, it’s a transaction where I have nothing to lose.
The Guardians’ main enemies are the Seven Deadly Sins.
Their disappearance is something I too can welcome with open arms.
Of course, I feel pressured to keep my identity well hidden until the end…
“I think it has melted in well at this level.”
Perhaps thanks to the dedication we showed while working together on several operations, the number of people suspicious of me has decreased significantly.
Now I feel like I just move on and say, ‘Ah, he was always like that.’
Of course, you cannot let your guard down because you cannot know her true intentions behind the veil, but if you remain vigilant and careful like you are now, you will not have to worry about being caught.
“The outside view is nice…”
Everything is peaceful.
Flirting with the women I like.
Looking down on the city center from the top of such a tall building.
Especially since I was able to achieve things in my early 20s that in the past could only be achieved when I was middle-aged.
It was when I closed my eyes for a moment, intoxicated by that tranquility.
Beep-beep-beep-
An object placed on the desk makes noise at regular intervals, breaking the peace.
“That…”
The identity of the object is an ultra-long-distance transmitter and receiver.
A closed communication system that allows people with crystal balls that emit the same wavelength to communicate with each other.
It is an artifact that is directly connected to the core members of the Guardians.
For reference, the price of one crystal ball is over 1 billion.
Place your hand on the crystal ball that continues to make noise and inject magical power.
Then, a holographic window made of magical power forms a single shape above the crystal ball.
Eventually, a welcome voice is heard.
-“Hey, how are you?”
I thought the only person who would contact me at the right time was a saint, but I was wrong.
The hologram looked like a man, not a woman.
That’s also quite familiar.
“Mr. Francis?”
-“Yes, it’s me! “Your older friend.”
The person who contacted me was none other than Francis Meyer.
The moment I saw him, memories of the past suddenly came to mind.
-“I contacted you when the time came. Is the time okay?”
The moment when he asked me to stand on the battlefield with Francis Meyer.
She definitely said that back then.
They are planning to attack the stronghold of the supposed apostle of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The time he is talking about probably refers to the time to carry out the operation.
“It took longer than I thought?”
It was a bit surprising that I finally received a call.
Since I said directly that I didn’t have much time, I thought I would hear from you within a month or two.
-“Huh? Ah…, Because it took some time to investigate.”
“If it’s an investigation…”
-“Until before, the probability that that place was the apostle’s headquarters was only about 70%.”
“Then what now?”
Francis, a hologram, smiles, showing his teeth.
-“90%…, No, I’m actually certain.”
I guess so.
The accuracy of information was increased to prevent colleagues from being sacrificed in unnecessary operations.
I ask him again.
“Where should I go?”
-“Hmm…, That’s what I mean.”
After saying those words, Francis is silent for a moment.
What is it?
Where on earth is the apostle’s headquarters, so why are they making such a fuss?
That time when curiosity gained weight.
Francis opened his mouth again.
-“Friend, have you ever heard of Romania?”
Romania.
It is a name that is vivid in my memory.
In fact, it is impossible not to know.
“If you’re talking about the place where the EX-class dungeon break incident occurred 10 years ago, then yes.”
-“Yes, there is no way you wouldn’t know. “It was a very big incident.”
Romania, one of the European countries.
There was a dungeon there that had been declared unattackable 10 years ago.
The name of the dungeon is ‘Jinjo’s Fortress’.
As you can guess just by hearing the name, the main character is a dangerous and gigantic fortress haunted by ‘vampires’, monsters with a strong body and magical power that are above grade A.
The world association and the Romanian government were not negligent in management.
You don’t have to experience it to know how terrible something will happen the moment an EX-level dungeon is saturated, and the surrounding area is encroached upon.
But then a ridiculous incident occurred.
One of the strongest earthquakes in the history of Romania, an earthquake-prone area, occurred.
The ground cracked, buildings collapsed, and countless people died.
This earthquake, so terrible that it is already considered the worst disaster that can happen to humans, ridiculously ends up even touching the nose hairs of a sleeping lion.
The effects of the earthquake that shook Romania even affected the dungeon above.
The dungeon, which suddenly became distorted and the concentration of magic power soared, exploded and encroached on the surrounding area.
And.
A disaster of such magnitude that it could rival the worst earthquake in history struck.
The true ancestor’s fortress that existed beyond the crack has materialized into reality.
In other words, even the boss monster that made the dungeon impossible to conquer has appeared in the real world.
The name of the boss monster in ‘Fortress of the True Ancestors’ is ‘Noblest Blood.’
The king of all vampires and a father figure.
The shock of the castle appearing in the real world woke him up from a deep sleep.
And the angry king dyed a third of Romania’s territory red.
Afterward, the World Hunter Association organized an attack force and succeeded in putting Jinjo to rest.
Yes.
Not subjugation, but sealing.
The Jinjo’s fortress still remains intact in the southern region of Romania.
In a coffin placed in the deepest part of the castle, the true ancestor, the one with the noblest blood, is sleeping deeply.
And.
-“Jinjo was easily the strongest monster I’ve ever fought.”
Francis Meyer was the leader of the attack team who made the greatest contribution to putting that kind of situation to rest.
A dizzying thought passes through my head.
Bringing up the topic of Romania in this situation.
“… “The apostle you found is based in Romania?”
-“Yes, that’s right.”
Francis admits obediently.
His words did not end there.
-“Not only that, but they are even using the fortress where Jinjo is sleeping as their hideout.”
“…”
I was speechless for a moment.
The place where the monster that soaked a third of Romania’s territory in blood sleeps is its home.
Is he crazy because he wants to die, or is he just cool?
If it’s neither, then should I consider it as being overly intelligent?
-“Not easy…, No, it will be a very difficult journey. In the worst case, we may have to face not only the Apostles of the Seven Deadly Sins, but also monsters stronger than that.”
The apostle and true ancestor of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The worst situation is that you may have to deal with enemies at the same time, where it is difficult to determine whether you will win or lose even if you deal with them one by one.
He told me with a grave expression, assuming the worst future.
-“Friend. I know it’s too much to ask, but…, I hope you will give me strength.”
“…”
I am deeply troubled.
But my answer was decided before I even thought about it.
“Let’s do as much as we can. Instead, if I think it won’t work, I will run away without looking back.”
-“Flaw…, Good. Only then can you call me my friend!”
Francis smiles and nods with a satisfied expression.
What should I do?
I’ve already received a lot, and I’ve sunk in too deeply to just quietly step out.
Even if I failed and had to run away, I had to participate.
-“Then I’ll see you soon. “I’ll meet you with some perfect drinks.”
“Yes, of course.”
After finishing the conversation, cut off the flow of magical power that was constantly being injected into the crystal ball.
A hologram slowly disappearing.
“Whoa.”
Once again, I sit alone in the silence of the guild leader’s room and get lost in thought.
“Romania.”
After the Jinjo’s fortress appeared.
The land in that area became blood-red and became a cursed land where nothing could grow.
And after Jinjo fell asleep, the place was covered with a red, translucent curtain and cut off from the world.
A terribly fishy scent of blood is wafting through the nearby area.
So at some point, people started calling the cursed land beyond the red wall this way.
“Blooded Sanctuary…”
Son Si-woo and Kim Do-jin.
The most dangerous land of both lives.
That was my next destination.
