Chapter 297: Group Spell (1)

Alisa, who had suddenly had her scale torn off by Keter, tried to bite into his neck. The distance between them was so close that even Keter couldn’t avoid it, so he shot out his arm instead and blocked her.

Her teeth weren’t like those of a human. They were sharp like a beast’s and pierced straight through Keter’s flesh. A dragon’s fangs could chew through even diamonds. Thus, tearing apart soft human flesh and bone should have been effortless, but for some reason, she couldn’t.

“

Hmm?

Tasty.”

Yet, Keter’s arm in her mouth tasted good. Alisa had eaten quite a few humans in her lifetime, but she had eaten them out of hunger, never because they tasted good. Dwarves tasted somewhat good, and elves could be called a delicacy. However, Keter was far more delicious than an elf. It was a sensation she had never experienced before, almost to the point of ecstasy.

Keter grabbed Alisa by the hair and pulled. “You’re eating quite a bit just for tearing off some scales, aren’t you?”

Even so, she refused to let go easily. Despite the humiliation of having her hair yanked, she stubbornly held on. As it began to feel like his arm might actually be torn off, Keter fired Tusk into her neck.

Only then did Alisa release her bite. “

Ow!

”

Keter quickly pulled his arm back and admired, “That’s almost Hyperion-level toughness.”

Even though he hadn’t used Tusk at full power, it was still a strike he hadn’t held back on. Yet, there wasn’t a wound on her neck, only a red mark as if she had been slapped. Hyperion’s Divine Ironblood Physique was at least a technique, so that could be explained. However, Alisa’s defense was purely without any skill involved, and it rivaled Divine Ironblood Physique.

So there aren’t any small fries in the Syndicate, huh?

Ivan, who could use all kinds of grand magic simultaneously with almost no risk, to the bucket man quietly observing, none of them were ordinary.

“

Mmm

. Keter, is giving me one arm really too much for taking my scales?”

Alisa was beautiful enough to be considered the finest among beauties, yet her behavior was no different from that of a wild beast. The contrast only made her stand out even more. As a result, Keter found himself growing interested in her. More precisely, in her dragon scales.

“I can’t even do much with a single scale the size of a finger, and you’re asking for my arm? I would need at least a thousand scales for that.”

“

Hehe

, are my scales really that tempting? If you sleep with me and satisfy me, you can take as many as you like.”

“Unfortunately, I promised my wives that I wouldn’t sleep with any other women anymore. How about someone else instead? I’ll only take a hundred scales as an introduction fee.”

“I don’t have eyes for anyone but you.”

“I can guarantee he’s just as good of a bite as I am.”

“

Hm

... really?”

“A Solver survives solely on trust. I don’t lie.”

As Alisa pondered, debating whether or not to take the offer, Tuska, the bucket man, stepped forward and held out a glass vial.

“A dragon’s fangs carry an Authority that causes wounds to rot. Even elixirs can’t heal it, so you should pour this on.”

“

Ah

, that does make sense.”

Keter had been consuming poisons since childhood, to the point where he could drink most toxins like water. More recently, his poison resistance had increased even further after ingesting the inner core of a Rock Ant queen. However, the toxin carried by a dragon’s fangs was closer to an Authority, so poison resistance didn’t apply.

Instead of immediately pouring it on the wound, Keter first took a sip from the vial Tuska handed him. Then he poured the rest onto the wound. Orange flames flared up from the wound as if oil had been poured onto fire, then quickly died down.

“You can treat the rest with an elixir. I can offer you mine if you don’t have one.”

“That’s fine. Using an elixir for a wound like this would be a waste.”

There were literal holes in his arm, but Keter truly didn’t mind. If anything, he could even say he felt slightly good. Pain was an old friend to him, after all.

Tuska didn’t recommend forcibly. He quietly stepped back and simply looked at Keter.

Then, Ivan asked Keter, “How did you get out of Three Thousand Worlds?”

Ivan was greatly shocked. No one had ever escaped from Three Thousand Worlds until now, yet Keter had shattered it. He thought it over while Keter bickered with Alisa, but he couldn’t find an answer.

“If someone who won’t believe me when I say I’m not a regressor hears how I got out of Three Thousand Worlds, I wonder if they’ll even believe that.”

“... Those are separate issues.”

“That’s correct, Ivan. You and the Syndicate are separate matters.”

Then Killian appeared without a sound, holding cups of tea in both hands. “I figured you would like it sweet, so I added plenty of sugar.”

Killian handed Keter a cup of cocoa tea. After handing out cups to the other three as well, he sat down across from Keter.

“Let me start with an apology. The Syndicate has no intention of being hostile toward you. I would like to explain that this incident was Ivan’s arbitrary decision,” Killian explained.

“

Wow,

that’s harsh,” Ivan said in response.

“I made it clear to Ivan that you were not a regressor. Yet he still brought you in as one, so this is simply retributive justice.”

“Why did you come looking for me in the first place if I’m not a regressor?”

Killian pointed to Keter’s Terra Ring. “The Terra Ring, one of the Five Element Relics. A new owner appeared, so we merely wanted to confirm who it was and offer our greetings.”

Keter studied Killian’s gaze. It was calm, without a hint of deception. Moreover, it also made sense from an alibi standpoint. The Terra Ring carried the power of Authority, making it worthy of close attention.

“Aren’t you curious how I knew the Terra Ring’s location and passed its trial?” Keter asked back.

“I wouldn’t say I’m not curious, but aren’t such things usually secrets? Who would openly explain secrets like that? It’s only common sense.”

“That’s scary. We connect a little too well.”

“

Haha

, is that so? You’re more amusing than the rumors suggest, Mr. Keter. Ivan may be a bit rough in personality, but his abilities are the real deal. The fact that you managed to make someone like him drop his guard and boldly infiltrate the Syndicate’s headquarters... I can confidently say that isn’t easy.”

“Getting praised feels good. So tell me, are you going to keep popping up and interfering every time I do something?”

“Interfering? We never intended anything so negative. You’re aware that the appearance of a Transcendental can become an axis that shakes the world, aren’t you? And the owner of a Five Element Relics goes without saying. That won’t be true only for the Syndicate. The Special Task Force is likely keeping an eye on you as well.”

“

Hm

. When you put it that way, you’ve got a point.”

The Syndicate had simply gotten to him first. It was highly likely the Special Task Force would come for him as well.

Keter took a sip of the cocoa tea Killian had brought him. He said he added plenty of sugar, but the sweetness was just right.

“It seems we just misunderstood each other. So can I go back now?”

“You’re simply going to leave?”

“I’ve got something more important to deal with.”

“Since fate brought us together like this, I can’t just let you go. I would like to make a proposal.”

“If it’s business, I’m all ears. If it’s a threat, I’ll make you understand, physically, how I got out of Three Thousand Worlds.”

“As I said before, we have no intention of fighting you. Quite the opposite, actually. We would like to ask for your help.”

“Help,

huh

? That’s a word that gets a Solver excited.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t have time?”

“It’s the Syndicate’s request, isn’t it? I’m sure you can offer an artifact as payment, and I happen to need artifacts.”

“Of course. If an artifact is what you want as compensation, we can provide one.”

“So then, what exactly do you want to request? Let’s hear it first.”

Keter wouldn’t accept anything that took too long, but was willing to take it if it was short. It was true that the Solver within him had been itching because he hadn’t been able to solve anything properly these days, but no matter what, stabilizing Sefira came first.

And I’ll need a lot of artifacts at the final destination anyway.

At the last stop of this journey, the place that could be called the main point, artifacts could be used as offerings. The more artifacts he had, the better.

“Mr. Keter, as you can see by meeting these three here, they’re all individuals who live however they please.”

At Killian’s words, the trio who supposedly lived as they pleased all furrowed their brows.

Keter nodded. “Right.”

“But all of that stems from anger or desire born from not being able to achieve what they truly want. If that state continues, it inevitably leads them astray,” Killian said while looking at Ivan.

Perhaps feeling some guilt, Ivan averted his gaze.

“So I would like to ask you, Mr. Keter, a Solver, to help relieve the pent-up desires of the Syndicate. Including the three here, there are seven members in total. The compensation will be paid according to how many of their desires you manage to resolve.”

“What if I resolve just one?”

“In that case, an artifact would be difficult, but we can give you a level five magic tool.”

“And if I resolve all of them?” Keter asked.

“We’ll give you one artifact with its seal removed.”

“By seal removed, you mean an artifact in which its True Name has been revealed?”

“So you even know about True Names. Yes, that’s right.” Killian nodded.

“

Oh

... That’s a suspiciously generous compensation.”

“Well, that’s because satisfying a Transcendental’s desires is no easy task. To be honest, we don’t expect you to resolve all of them.”

“Neither do I. How am I supposed to accept whatever demands seven different people might make?”

“Then, will you accept the Syndicate’s request?”

“I came here expecting a fight, so I guess I can’t go back empty-handed. I’ll take it.”

Killian grinned and rose from his seat. “We’re grateful that you’ve accepted the request so readily, Mr. Keter. To start, would you handle the requests of the three here? I’ll have the remaining four summoned to this location as well.”

“One week. I won’t wait any longer than that.”

“

Haha

, as expected of a busy man.”

With that, Killian opened a door in midair and disappeared.

Then, Keter immediately walked up to Ivan.

“Got anything to say?”

***

Ivan bit down on his lower lip. Killian, who could be called the representative of the Syndicate, had abandoned him. Or rather, calling it retributive justice would be more accurate. Ivan felt betrayed.

My arbitrary decision? Argh...

In the end, those words meant that the Syndicate wouldn’t step in to help him even if Keter chose to be hostile toward him.

It is my fault, but still...

Even ordinary people didn’t easily admit their own mistakes, but Ivan was a Transcendental. His pride was thousands of times stronger than most. Therefore, apologizing was so difficult to the point that he would almost rather die.

Knowing that, Keter deliberately provoked Ivan. “Just say you’re sorry and I’ll forgive you.”

Hearing Keter’s words, Alisa and Tuska both chimed in.

“Hurry up and say it. Can’t you see we’re waiting?”

“Ivan, acknowledging one’s mistakes is also part of a Transcendental’s dignity.”

“

Argh

...”

Ivan might have said it eventually if they had just left him alone. However, being rushed only made him want to do it even less.

“I’m s-so...”

Keter circled around Ivan, deliberately provoking him some more. “

Hm?

What was that? I can’t hear you very well.”

In response, Ivan finally snapped. “You lunatic! You were the one who acted suspicious first!”