Chapter 178 (1/2)

Trace of the Monarch (1)

Nate and Hibiki’s active Mana was just about 50,000 each.

In other words, since most of their potential Mana had already been activated, the means of increasing their battle power were limited apart from backing it up with items.

Of course, they were hunters that belonged in the top-tier in that state by Earth’s standards, and as they both had extraordinary Unique Skills, they could be considered powerful beyond doubt.

But what if we widened the range of comparison?

First of all, there was a big gap between them and me, who was the outlier on Earth.

Lately, most of my Mana were converted and used as divine power, so there was no meaning in the numerical value, but my Mana was estimated to be over 1 million. Indeed, a comparison was futile.

Even by other species’ standards, 50,000 wasn’t a prominent figure for the top-tier Awakened.

Due to that, I became interested in ways to expand active Manas for my human colleagues.

It was around that time that I found an eye-catching item on the Main Quest list.

– In the dimension “Lutresia,” traces left by the long-lost devil “Monarch of Evolution” are being discovered one after another.

– Explore the dimension and collect tangible and intangible assets left by the devil and offer them to the System. Based on its value, we will exchange it for experience points.

– NOTE: The mentioned dimension has never started the tutorial quest and currently has no open gates. Therefore, you will need to purchase a ‘Dimensional Leap Ticket’ to reach it.

The number of quests on the Main Quest list was vast and was updated from time to time.

In that case, Awakened beings would often prefer to enjoy a rich option without worries when choosing a quest, but the reality was different.

Sentient beings’ minds were all the same. They didn’t rush in if they didn’t expect to yield good results relative to their invested money and time.

The same was true if the quest had high risks.

By always selecting the best conditions, competitors gathered, and the preferred quests were set.

And such quests were bound to get Cleared quickly according to the principle of free competition.

If there were such popular quests, of course, there were unpopular quests.

There were the Red Gate quests that were full of risks. Meanwhile, some types weren’t particularly dangerous, but people still tended not to choose them.

The newly released quest concerning the Monarch of Evolution was one of those.

The Awakened beings’ response to such quests was mostly along the lines of the following:

“What? It’s a dimension that we have to purchase Leap Tickets for just to travel to?”

Buying tickets undoubtedly consumed experience points.

It meant that the priority should be to determine whether such investment costs could be returned or not.

However, looking at the description that the System provided…

“Isn’t that crazy? It didn’t even exactly notify how many experience points it would give. Rather it will generate rewards based on the situation? Who in the world would take on this kind of quest?”

There was a fixed cost, but the return was uncertain.

It was similar to gambling.

Nevertheless, even such shitty quests often attracted Awakened individuals if one more condition was satisfied.

That was if the difficulty was too easy.

In a word, a case that was expected to be a piece of cake.

But that quest wasn’t like that either.

I mean, it doesn’t have any hints as well? Is that all? There’s a discovery of the Monarch of Evolution’s traces? What does that even mean? Who discovered it, and how was it discovered? And what is to be discovered from that point on?”

The contents of the quest were too vague.

Therefore, I tried not to pay attention.

While we were compiling a list of quests for the guild members to participate in to build experiences, the quest was mentioned, but everyone didn’t respond well because of the reasons mentioned above.

Since I had never heard of the Monarch of Evolution’s name in my previous life, I had no reason to focus on it, so I was about to turn to other quests naturally.

However, Genograche, who was fooling around since there was no Gate to that needed immediate Clearing, suddenly joined the conversation.

– The Monarch of Evolution? Are his traces still around? I thought the System scattered so many quests that Awakened ones have swept them all. I guess there’s more, huh?

Everyone looked at him in wonderment, and he explained.

Genograche said that the Monarch of Evolution had appeared and swept the magic kingdom after he had already been sealed in the sword, so he had never faced him himself.

However, he seemed to be a devil that once had a notorious reputation in every dimension.

He swept the magic world to the brink of reunification.

– The scariest fact… is that not only the devils but also the other species volunteered to crawl under him and become his subordinate. It was said that the Awakened beings even bought a Leap Ticket to come all the way to the magic kingdom to beg.”

Why the hell?

The reason was simple.

“It’s only a rumor, after all, but he had a special ability.”

Our ears were wide open as we listened to the words that followed.

“The ability to evolve the Awakened one step further?”

It wasn’t the evolution of unique skills.

Rumor had it that his ability was linked to the growth of potential Mana, which was considered impossible.

“Even the Awakened ones who had stopped growing because they have used up their potential Mana were said to have been blessed with the ‘grace’ to overcome their stagnation when they went to him. Well… I’ve never seen it myself, so I was half-confident. But I think the System took the rumor quite seriously.”

The System put up a new item on the Main Quest list.

– Capture the ‘Monarch of Evolution’ alive and surrender it to the System.

The System’s reward in exchange for the quest’s completion was huge amounts of experience points.

Eventually, skilled Awakened from different worlds gathered in the magic kingdom to capture him, and there was a war between the Awakened that followed the System and the Monarch’s forces.

The victory must’ve leaned toward the Awakened, causing the Monarch and his men to flee from the magic kingdom and hide.

It wasn’t known who ultimately captured him.

However, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that someone succeeded because the quest eventually disappeared from the list.

My eyes widened when I heard all of the details.

“Hmm, is that so?”

But I couldn’t go since the Adgons had appointed me to help them find an incarnation candidate.

“I think we’d better get some rest, too.”

The Celestial Dragon Guild had an advantage that other-dimensional species didn’t have.

We didn’t have to buy a [Leap Ticket] to get to that dimension.

We had an item called the [Door of Hope], after all.

Furthermore, they’re a dimension that hadn’t even finished the tutorial, so we didn’t have to pay for admission.

Although Mana Cores would be consumed for the [Door of Hope] to be activated, they were much cheaper than the value of experience points.

Hence, before I left, I selected Nate, Hibiki, Euclid, and other guild members of S-Class or higher and sent them to the mentioned dimension.

They were met with minor problems along the way.

I thought it was a quest with rock-bottom popularity, but other member dimensions of the Union had declared that they would send Awakened beings to clear it as well.

Eventually, the expedition team became a combination of humans and other species.

At that point, I had already headed to the Darion dimension to find Rosuelen.

“Did you get the call through the Union?”

I looked at Secretary Kim.

He nodded anxiously.

“Yes, I did.”

From the Union’s perspective, they regularly exchanged communication with the expedition team dispatched after conjoining the two dimensions’ forces, but it was suddenly cut off.

“Hold on for a minute.”

Even if the one who had contacted secretary Kim were a commissioner, they couldn’t have been very high in rank.