The Last Adventurer

Chapter 41

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 41: Cross Hunters (3)

8.

Cross Hunters

Those who fight against the followers of the Black Mage.

In other words, they are the top priority targets for the followers of the Black Mage.

Naturally, Cross Hunters were bound to react most sensitively to those who knew their true identities.

Of course, it wasn’t like the Cross Hunters would indiscriminately eliminate everyone they encountered.

“A will?”

“Yes, I found this letter and ring while I was attacking the Mystic Gate.”

Due to their closed nature, the bonds between them were stronger than anyone else’s.

Their unity was stronger than any other group’s.

They were willing to sacrifice their lives for their comrades, and therefore, they were ready to give more than what was expected in return to the one who brought their comrade’s letter.

El Paume was no exception.

“He said he would give me a fair reward if I brought this.”

He was prepared to give a generous reward in exchange for the letter and Cross Ring he had brought.

“……How did you know about this place?”

The problem was that El Paume had found the Cross Hunters’ secret hideout.

“Surely the letter didn’t specify the location of this place?”

In fact, the letter mentioned a plain tavern that the Cross Hunters operated as a front.

Common sense dictated that El Paume and the Cross Hunters should have parted ways there without knowing each other’s identities, simply paying the price for the letter.

That’s why El Paume came here in person.

‘Just taking the money and leaving doesn’t make sense.’

He didn’t want money.

To achieve that, El Paume took things step by step.

“Let’s read the letter first.”

He handed the letter over.

The Cross Hunter picked up the letter.

The contents were ordinary.

It was just a letter to a family.

However, the Cross Hunter knew that what was seen on the surface was a disguise, and that the real content was written separately.

And in order to read it, one had to use a method that only the Cross Hunters knew.

“The true identity of the Kania Guild is that they are a follower of the Black Mage, it will be written like that.”

El Paume said about the hidden content.

At that moment, the atmosphere around the place changed.

The murderous atmosphere became even more murderous.

They can see the code that only they know? They know so much about their secrets?

‘We must eliminate him.’

At that moment, the Cross Hunters gathered here started pointing guns.

[TL/N: The original TL for the line is “At that moment, the Cross Hunters gathered here became guns.” But This don’t make sense so i changed it a bit]

Guns ready to fire on El Paume at any moment, as soon as the signal to pull the trigger was given.

The killing intent of the Cross Hunters was blatant and vicious.

It was enough to take his breath away.

It was that intense.

The fate of the Cross Hunters was on a different level from the fate of the adventurers, and their determination was on a different dimension.

Of course, El Paume was an exception.

This murderous intent didn’t give him any kind of stimulation.

More than anything, El Paume saw this as a good opportunity.

‘Originally, I had a different plan… but that’s beside the point now.’

El Paume’s initial strategy involved carefully presenting himself as an exceptional individual. With that groundwork laid, his goal was to eventually meet a Cross Hunter executive through a series of carefully planned steps.

It was a long-term objective, but things had changed.

‘Cheryl is here.’

Since a Cross Hunter executive was present, there was no need for a drawn-out plan.

That’s why El Paume didn’t hesitate to say, “I’d like to speak with the person in charge in greater detail.”

He glanced directly at Cheryl as he spoke.

The man who had been pointing a gun at El Paume seconds before spoke.

“Follow me.”

9.

Cheryl

El Paume had only recently learned of her existence. The news came some time after the monsters started emerging from the Mystic Gate; he’d learned that the former Cross Hunter leader, Gerechter, had died, and Cheryl was the new head of the organization.

In other words, up until that point, Cheryl’s identity had been closely guarded, even within the Cross Hunters themselves. This was a necessary security measure. Unlike the leader who could remain hidden, executives needed to be mobile in order to manage the Cross Hunters’ operations.

If the followers of the Black Mage learned the identities of these executives, they wouldn’t rest until they were eliminated. They would mobilize every resource and tactic, conventional or otherwise, to achieve this goal.

That’s precisely why El Paume intentionally looked at Cheryl when he mentioned the person in charge. If her identity as an executive was suddenly revealed, it would cause a major headache for the Cross Hunters, even if they killed El Paume on the spot.

“Follow me.”

The moment El Paume spoke, Horgue, the branch manager of the Cross Hunters Reese, moved El Paume to a different location – his own room. It was a small, private space containing only a desk and a chair.

Clank!

The lock on the room clicked shut with a harsh sound, as if to emphasize that no one would be leaving.

Just then, it happened.

“Lady Cheryl.”

With those words, a woman materialized in the chair that had been empty in front of the desk. She was a striking beauty with sharp features and blonde hair… the same woman El Paume had glanced at before.

“One minute.” Cheryl looked directly at El Paume. “Convince me not to kill you within that time.”

It was a chilling statement.

El Paume was also acutely aware of another fact. ‘At this point, Cheryl has six rings.’

He knew Cheryl possessed the ability to kill him without a second thought if he failed to persuade her within the allotted minute.

‘She wouldn’t hesitate.’

And she was the kind of person who could execute that action without remorse.

‘She’s done it before.’

Already Having Experienced It Directly, He Knew Well

‘She didn’t hesitate even a little when we went to catch the last Honeytail.’

What kind of person was she until the very end?

Of course, El Paume didn’t have any major worries or tension at this moment.

If he hadn’t been confident in his persuasion, he wouldn’t have come to this place in the first place.

“There are two things. One is the merit of not killing me, and the other is the risk of killing me.”

El Paume gladly explained the reasons he had prepared.

“I’m being chased by the Kania Guild right now. I’ve become a target for the followers of the Black Mage.”

The first was the merit.

“So if you use me as bait, you’ll be able to deal with the followers of the Black Mage.”

That was a pretty decent merit.

Just as the Cross Hunters kept their identities hidden, the followers of the Black Mage concealed their identities even more.

If it was revealed that they were followers of the Black Mage, all the forces of the Maple Alliance, including the Cygnus Knights, would come out at that moment.

But now, he was a bait that could draw them out?

However, that wasn’t enough to persuade Cheryl.

“We can do that too.”

The fact that the followers of the Black Mage were chasing the Cross Hunters, which meant that the Cross Hunters could also be bait at any time.

“30 seconds left.”

So now all that was left was the penalty.

“The moment I die, the location of Leader Gerechter will be transmitted to the followers of the Black Mage.”

And the moment El Paume spoke of that penalty, Cheryl didn’t get angry.

Far from being angry, she scoffed.

She didn’t believe it.

What does a mere adventurer like El Paume, who hasn’t been an adventurer for very long, know about the location of Leader Gerechter that even the followers of the Black Mage don’t know?

“20 seconds.”

“Then can I tell you the location?”

“19 seconds.”

“Edelstein.”

“18 seconds.”

“Underground of the Council.”

The moment he spat out the words, Cheryl stopped counting down.

She knew now.

The negotiation she was having with El Paume right now was not with anyone else, but with the life of Leader Gerechter.

She couldn’t risk killing El Paume forcibly in that situation.

“What do you want?”

In the end, the only choice left was to do as El Paume wished.

And in that place, El Paume said.

“The Kania Guild is chasing me. And I went into the Gafor Merchant Union to avoid it.”

“The Gafor Merchant Union will use you as bait. They just need evidence that the Kania Guild is trolling. They want to shake and collapse the Kania Guild.”

“So I need an item. An item that can help me survive against a fish that’s trying to eat me.”

Cheryl didn’t think long about that story.

As mentioned earlier, this place was virtually impossible to negotiate.

Only one thing was needed.

“If I give you an item, can you trust that you won’t betray us?”

Trust.

El Paume calmly replied, “If I die, the information I hold will die with me. But if I live, the Kania Guild will be even more desperate to kill me. They’ll have the followers of the Black Mage come and kill me.”

At those words, Cheryl didn’t even bother to think anymore.

“What’s your job class?”

“Mage.”

“What’s your attribute?”

All El Paume wanted was for her to give him the right item for him.

That was all.

Cheryl didn’t think there was any need to attach any more meaning to this than necessary.

“Give me anything.”

“So tell me your attribute. Is it fire or poison?”

“You can give me anything.”

“What do you mean…”

“Any item is fine, from fire to psychic abilities.”

But the moment she heard that, Cheryl had to think again.

“Allmaster, that’s my ability.”

10.

“Boss!”

El Paume arrived there late at night.

“You’re late?”

“I had something to do.”

By the time El Paume arrived, the Gafor Merchant Union was already prepared.

Ebis had been waiting for El Paume until late at night.

“Here’s the deposit.”

He had prepared a whopping 20 million mesos.

But that wasn’t all he had prepared.

“And here’s a list of Mystic Gates we need to raid.”

The Gafor Merchant Union demanded a Mystic Gate raid.

This was not unusual.

It was written in the contract that the El Paume Party would raid Mystic Gates periodically.

And any adventurer would know.

“In this situation, the other side of the Mystic Gate is actually safer.”

When facing the same adventurer, the outside of the Mystic Gate was much more dangerous.

This was because there was an entry condition for the Mystic Gate. In the case of an Orange-rank Mystic Gate, only those with 3 circles or less could enter.

In other words, there was absolutely no chance of encountering an adventurer with 4 circles or more on the other side of that gate.

Of course, it was still dangerous in its own way, but there was no need to even think about which was more dangerous, raiding an Orange-rank Mystic Gate or being attacked by a 5-circle adventurer in reality.

“You’ve found the safest places possible. With a maximum entry of 50 people and a low level of adventurers participating in the raid.”

Above all, the Gafor Merchant Union had focused on finding the Mystic Gates with the lowest difficulty among those.

This was a level of consideration that the El Paume Party should have been grateful for.

‘I can’t refuse.’

In other words, the El Paume Party had no choice but to accept this offer, whether they liked it or not.

The problem was that El Paume knew.

‘Even if it’s hell.’

No matter which one they chose, the list that the Gafor Merchant Union had presented was nothing more than a trap for the El Paume Party.

In truth, the answer was simple.

“You’ve given me a generous amount of money, so I can’t just half-heartedly raid a Mystic Gate.”

“What do you mean?”

He could just choose another one.

Of course, there was no problem with just choosing any other one.

“I mean exactly what I say. If I’ve received a deposit of 20 million mesos, shouldn’t I show you my ability that matches that amount?”

A place with guaranteed merit.

“I’ll raid the Mystic Gate with a bounty of 9.99 million mesos.”

In the world of adventurers, the word “merit” meant exactly that.

“9.99 million mesos? Are you talking about the Mystic Gate that the Nautilus has a bounty on?”

“Yes.”

“Now, wait a minute! That’s…”

“The place where Eagle Eye Leia, one of the disciples of Captain Kyrin of the Nautilus, failed to raid.”

A place where the risk was as great as the merit.

“Since then, no one, not even after a year, has dared to attempt an adventure there.”

El Paume’s next adventure stage was that place.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

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