Chapter 65

“W-wait...!!!”

Chason cried out in alarm at the light streaming from the cross.

[The curse on Chason is lifted.]

Watching the black fog leave his body, he buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

“Let your father go now.”

“I can't...”

“You're the only one who can.”

Just then, Harterwin's hand settled on his shoulder.

[“... My son.”]

It was the grotesque, horrifying voice of the dead, but to Chason, it was simply the voice of the father he had missed so dearly.

[“Forgive me... for burdening you with the family's curse to save your life.”]

“Ah... ah...”

[“I was happy... to see you again...”]

CLINK

He brought the tip of the [Seawater Sword] to his chest.

[“Don't... worry. There is... no need... for you to do... anything cruel. With... your curse... lifted... you can no... longer be... head of the family.”]

Though his spirit was fading, his smile seemed perfectly clear.

[“So... do not... grieve. I... am only... going to... see your... mother.”]

SHUNK

Harterwin drove himself onto the blade.

“Father!!!!!”

As Chason screamed, Harterwin's soul turned to ash and scattered.

[The Bolton family's curse has been lifted.]

[The waves stop.]

[The city is no longer sinking.]

As Harterwin's soul vanished, the torches lining the dark hall flared to life one after another with blue flames.

[Congratulations.]

[Your level has increased.]

▶ 44 → 46

Perhaps because this was the first clear of an unexplored region, he had gained a full two levels.

“Whoa!”

Ruen was now level 44 as well, and Setsuna had shot all the way up to level 15.

[The black fog lifts.]

[The Bolton family's domain, the Mist Archipelago, is revealed.]

[The Mist Archipelago will now appear on the map.]

As though nothing had happened, the firelight and the sunlight spilling through the windows simply bathed the city in beauty.

“... We made it.”

Ruen sank to the floor as though her legs had given out.

[Quest complete.]

[Quest Name: The Bolton Family's Curse]

▶ Check your rewards in the Bolton family mansion's storeroom.

[Congratulations.]

[You are the first to explore the unexplored region, the black fog.]

[A title befitting a great adventurer is bestowed upon you.]

[Mist Pioneer]

▶ Grade: Legendary

▶ Description: A title bestowed upon the first person to explore the unexplored region, the black fog, and lift the Bolton family's curse.

▶ All stats +10

▶ Trait: Sea King's Blessing

▶ Trait: Undulating Sword

▶ Skill: Vengeful Spirit Slash

‘Legendary-grade...’

Woojin stared at the window, his mouth hanging open. Not only did it grant ten stat points—twice as many as other titles—but every Trait and skill it offered had an exceptionally rare effect.

Trait: Sea King's Blessing

▶ Multiplies all stats by 1.5 during combat at sea.

▶ Grants 10% additional experience from hunting during combat at sea.

▶ Allows you to breathe underwater.

The stat and experience bonuses were nice, but the ability to breathe underwater was an enormous advantage above all else. The Labyrinth Tower had underwater floors, and the leading cause of party wipes on those floors was drowning, not monsters.

‘The community says there are items that slow your breathing, but...’

Even with those, you eventually had to surface for air. Once the time limit ran out, even the most formidable ranked player would die instantly. Removing that restriction would vastly improve his chances of clearing those floors.

Trait: Undulating Sword

▶ Grants knowledge of the Bolton family's secret art.

▶ Grade: Unique

▶ You may use First Form — Wind and Waves.

※ Your current Dexterity is insufficient to learn the sword forms.

▶ Second Form and above require a certain level of Dexterity.

▶ Dexterity requirements: Second Form — 70; Third Form — 80

‘A new sword art...’

Even if it was only the first form, it was welcome rain to Woojin, who had possessed only Dragon Heaven until now. Moreover, the Bolton family's swordsmanship incorporated finesse—the complete opposite of Dragon Heaven.

‘This should prove useful in all sorts of ways.’

His only regret was that he lacked the Dexterity to learn the remaining forms.

“Hmm.”

Raising Dexterity would also let him acquire Traits like Reaction, which he had used earlier. Still, sacrificing increases to his other stats for just a few special benefits was no small commitment.

‘If I want to raise my stats without using level-up points...’

There was only one way: runes.

‘If I go to the other world and collect runes...’

At that thought, he shook his head with an involuntary, bitter smile.

‘I must be out of my mind. Have you already forgotten how you barely escaped with your life, Kim Woojin?’

But it wasn't simply greed. He would have to return eventually to clear the final floor of the other world's tower, which was said to grant wishes.

‘If I go back, collecting runes needs to be my first priority this time.’

Even the lowest-grade runes were difficult to obtain in the game, but there, he could acquire them simply by hunting in the Dark Forest.

‘But what's this skill...?’

Woojin tilted his head in puzzlement as he examined the last skill he had obtained.

Skill: Vengeful Spirit Slash

▶ When used on spirit-type monsters, allows you to cut souls.

‘Cut souls... What does that mean?’

Did it annihilate them? Or did it purify them?

Unlike the other skill descriptions, this one was frustratingly unhelpful about its exact effect.

“It would have been nice if there were some banshees left on the first floor... A shame.”

Now that the mansion had been cleared, no monsters remained. Waiting for them to respawn was an option, but it would take far too long to bother.

[The Bolton Family's Cursed Archipelago is a single-instance dungeon.]

[It opens only once per day.]

[Dungeon reactivation time — 23:58]

‘It opens once a day... Dungeons in unexplored regions really are different from ordinary ones.’

“People are going to fight tooth and nail over this.”

Woojin wondered how the community would react.

[Congratulations.]

[You have cleared the Bolton Family's Cursed Archipelago.]

[You have reached first place on the Dungeon Board.]

[1st: ???' s Party (2 members) 24 minutes 32 seconds]

[2nd: None]

[3rd: None]

[You have reached first place on the Dungeon Board.]

[You have acquired the title — Hero of Bolton.]

‘It's good that Setsuna and Chason didn't count toward the party size... but that time could be better.’

Woojin studied the Dungeon Board record. Waiting for the [Pilgrim’s Cross] to reset had taken far too long.

‘A record like this will be broken in no time.’

He wondered whether he should wait another day and clear the dungeon again after it reset.

But just then—

DING!

A new message window appeared with a notification chime.

[You have cleared the dungeon with the special NPC, Chason.]

[The absolute condition has been met.]

[Your current record will remain fixed in first place, regardless of any subsequent time attack records.]

[The special NPC, Chason, will no longer undertake the conquest of the black fog.]

“... Huh?”

[You have fulfilled a hidden condition.]

[Conquer the black fog without killing the special NPC, Chason.]

DING

[The clearing party has been confirmed to consist of 2 members.]

[This hunt has reached the heights of greatness.]

[Adventurers will hear of this unprecedented record.]

[The title's effects are changing.]

[Benefactor of Bolton → Hero of Bolton]

“Hah!”

At the seemingly endless stream of notifications, Woojin couldn't help laughing.

[Hero of Bolton]

▶ Grade: Heroic

▶ Description: A title bestowed upon those who achieve first place in the time attack for the unexplored region's dungeon — Bolton Family's Cursed Archipelago — with two or fewer players.

▶ Additional bonus for Chason's survival

▶ All stats +5

▶ Trait: Sword Mastery

After seeing a Legendary-grade title, a reward with only one Trait felt rather underwhelming. But the moment Woojin read its description, he cheered inwardly.

Trait: Sword Mastery

▶ Increases attack power by 10% when using a sword.

▶ Increases critical hit chance by 5% when using a sword.

‘This is exactly the Trait I need.’

It had been a grueling journey, but the rewards certainly matched it. More importantly, those rewards didn't end here.

CLICK

Woojin opened the chest left where Harterwin had vanished.

▶ Captain's Old Uniform × 1

▶ Intermediate Potion × 5

▶ Lowest-grade Rune (Agility) × 1

▶ Lowest-grade Rune (Health) × 1

▶ Lowest-grade Rune (Dexterity) × 2

▶ 15 gold

▶ Bolton Family Storeroom Key

‘The real rewards must be in the storeroom.’

Woojin closed his hand around the old key inside the chest.

“I think you should keep this.”

Woojin handed Chason the uniform from the reward chest. He wasn't particularly interested in costumes. He could probably sell it for a high price to someone who was, but he wasn't that desperate for money.

‘It ought to belong to someone who treasures it, at least.’

Seeing the tremor in Chason's eyes, he smiled wryly. Strangely, he kept forgetting that Chason was an NPC.

“Thank you...”

Chason accepted the uniform and hugged it tightly to his chest.

“Sniff... sob...”

Tears streamed down his cheeks. Woojin waited quietly for a while, letting him cry.

“Someday... I'll repay your kindness.”

“You don't owe me anything... Who knows when we'll meet again? We should just do our best to live our lives.”

“Thank you.”

Chason nodded at Woojin's reply.

DING

[You have earned Chason's favor.]

[From now on, he will occasionally send you news of events in Hundred Flowers Valley.]

‘... Hmm?’

Woojin stared at the unexpected notification. [Evil Tale] was known for not having an affinity system, so players didn't grind NPC affinity as they did in other games.

‘But there was Charlson last time, too... Notifications like these certainly suggest there is some kind of affinity system...’

It seemed to require various factors, like real human relationships, rather than a simple number raised by repeating quests.

Just then, Woojin glanced at Ruen.

‘Of all the NPCs, mercenaries are probably the ones least likely to be treated as people.’

After all, once players reached the central continent, most hired mercenaries simply to use them as meat shields.

“...?”

Sensing Woojin's gaze, Ruen tilted her head.

“No, it's nothing. Just... thank you.”

“... Pardon?”

At Ruen's bewildered expression, Setsuna covered her mouth and giggled.

CLUNK

Woojin slid the key into the massive iron door at the rear of the hall.