Chapter 121: Chapter 121

In response to the warriors’ cheers, Jeong-Hoon raised Ilion’s head high.

“Woooooah!”

The cheers grew even louder.

“…You succeeded.”

Cain approached Jeong-Hoon with a grateful expression and knelt on one knee.

Jeong-Hoon nodded at the sight.

“Yes. What about the tribe members?”

“Thanks to you, warrior, we were able to rescue all those who were alive.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Yes. We also recovered the bodies of our comrades who were killed by that damned bastard.”

“I see.”

They couldn’t save everyone, but it was fortunate that they weren’t too late.

“Thank you, true warrior!”

The rescued tribal warriors knelt and bowed their heads.

[Well, they should be grateful. They owe their lives to you. Hey, Master, see the second one from the right in the last row? That bastard isn’t bowing his head low enough.]

‘…Are you determined to make your master look like trash?’

[Trash? How can you call someone who saved your life trash?]

‘Even if they saved you, their attitude afterward is important…’

[What are you talking about? If they were saved, they should show an attitude of willingness to give you their gallbladder.]

Jeong-Hoon’s head ached listening to Mukho and Anima’s conversation.

Ignoring their chatter, Jeong-Hoon approached the tribal warriors and cast Healing.

As the holy power-based Healing poured out, the warriors’ faces relaxed.

At the same time, their faces were filled with surprise and respect.

“Ooh…”

“The true warrior even possesses the power of healing.”

Now they were even praising him, and Jeong-Hoon, starting to feel a bit overwhelmed, closed his ears and returned to the village.

The children, including the elder, were waiting for them in the village.

And an exclamation mark was blinking above Elder Aibator’s head.

“…You really succeeded.”

Aibator who had looked down on Jeong-Hoon at first was no longer there.

When he brought back the warriors who were dying from poisoning, she too acknowledged Jeong-Hoon as a true warrior.

If it weren’t for Jeong-Hoon, they wouldn’t have been able to defeat the evil Ilion, and they would have had to watch the tribe’s demise helplessly.

“Yes.”

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, our tribe would have perished soon.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with Aibator’s words.

Then Cain stepped forward and spoke.

“Chieftain, we cannot simply let the true warrior who saved us go back empty-handed.”

The other tribal warriors chimed in.

“That’s right!”

“We should have a feast today!”

“I’ll hunt an Owlbear! And I’ll open the grape wine I’ve been saving at home!”

“Yeah!”

Perhaps energized by the Healing, they seemed ready to go Owlbear hunting right away.

‘…I should have held back on the Healing.’

Fortunately, Cain wasn’t clueless.

“Stop! I meant we should give him a proper reward, not a feast!”

“Ah…”

“That’s true.”

The warriors quickly agreed.

The Irun Tribe would have been wiped out if it weren’t for Jeong-Hoon.

He had saved the entire tribe.

So no matter what they offered, it wouldn’t be enough as a reward.

Without hesitation, Aibator held out a red stone.

[Rune of Extinction]

This was the Rune of Extinction that Jeong Chang-Ho was supposed to have taken.

“Elder!”

The warriors, including Cain, widened their eyes at the appearance of the Rune.

“Isn’t that the symbol of our tribe?”

“No, even if it is, that’s…”

They hesitated for a moment, even though they had seemed willing to give anything just a moment ago.

That Rune was like a guardian deity protecting the tribe.

It wasn’t easy to offer such a guardian as a reward.

Aibator then shouted at them.

“You fools! Does this look like a guardian deity to you?!”

Flinch.

The warriors looked momentarily confused, unable to understand Aibator’s words.

Aibator looked at them with pity and added,

“If this were a guardian deity, it wouldn’t have just watched you suffer like that.”

“…!”

“And it wasn’t this stone that saved you, was it?”

“…!”

The warriors’ eyes widened as Aibator continued.

Her words were undeniably true.

It wasn’t the stone that saved them, but Jeong-Hoon, the true warrior.

They were ashamed of their hesitation just a moment ago.

“Then it seems we’ve reached an agreement. Here, will you accept this?”

Aibator held out the Rune.

Jeong-Hoon nodded and accepted it.

[You have acquired the Rune of Extinction.]

With this, the Rune of Extinction was in Jeong-Hoon’s hands.

[‘Theme Dungeon: Ilion Castle’ All quests completed. 50,000 achievement points awarded.]

[Achievement Shop level increased to 5.]

[You have acquired the ‘[Title] Guardian of the Irun Tribe’.]

He also received a whopping 50,000 achievement points, raising his Achievement Shop level to 5.

‘Good. It’s time to put them to good use.’

Jeong-Hoon had been deliberately saving his achievement points.

The reason was because of the Rune he was holding in his hand.

The Rune couldn’t be used immediately after obtaining it; it required additional work, and achievement points were necessary for that work.

But then, a rainbow-colored question mark blinked above Aibator’s head.

‘Wait a minute. What’s this?’

Remembering what had happened with the Fist King, Jeong-Hoon touched the question mark.

[Secret Quest: Hero of the Beginner Region (Stage 1)]

– Restriction: Users who have acquired both [Title] Guardian of the Village and [Title] Guardian of the Irun Tribe.

– Reward: [Title] Hero of the Beginner Region (Stage 1)

– Description: Upgrade the [Title] Guardian of the Village to [Title] Hero of the Beginner Region (Stage 1).

‘Finally, I can evolve the title.’ Jeong-Hoon thought

It was time to evolve the ‘Evolution Title’ once again, which he had evolved through the Fist King after obtaining the Hidden Class.

[You have completed the Secret Quest.]

[[Title] Guardian of the Village has been upgraded to [Title] Hero of the Beginner Region (Stage 1).]

[You have acquired the [Title] Hero of the Beginner Region (Stage 1) for the first time. 30,000 achievement points have been awarded.]

Done.

With this, the title had evolved once more.

[Hero of the Beginner Region (Stage 1)]

– Type: Evolution Title

– Grade: Epic

– All attack power increased by 2.5%.

– All skill damage increased by 3%.

– Experience gained increased by 1.5%.

As the title evolved, some options disappeared, and new options took their place.

‘Awesome!’ Jeong-Hoon exclaimed internally

A 3% increase in all skill damage was a very good option.

‘It means additional damage is added to all the skills I use.’

And the fact that it was Stage 1 meant there was a Stage 2, right?

That would probably be solved naturally when he obtained the next beginner region’s title and evolved it.

“Warrior, if you don’t mind, would you like to have a drink with us?”

Cain approached Jeong-Hoon and asked.

Everyone’s eyes and ears turned towards Jeong-Hoon’s mouth.

The future schedule would be decided depending on his answer here.

“I’m sorry, but I think I have to go back.”

He wanted to attend the feast, but Jeong-Hoon had originally come here to close the Random Gate.

Now that Ilion was defeated, he had to return to the royal palace and receive his reward.

“Oh no…”

“Then what about the Owlbear…? And the grape wine Luke was talking about…?”

“Huh… We can’t drink our wine?”

“Life is bitter…”

They were disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Hmm? It seems like another foreigner is coming.”

Aibator muttered, looking towards the forest.

‘Is it Jeong Chang-Ho?’

Jeong-Hoon immediately realized it was Jeong Chang-Ho.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

It was time to hurry even more.

“…Travel safely, warrior.”

Cain raised his sword in salute.

The others also saluted, though with a tired expression.

“Yes. Thank you.”

* * *

“I can’t believe there’s a Theme Dungeon in a place like this.”

Jeong Chang-Ho frowned and brushed off his robe with his hand.

A cloud of dust fell from him.

The journey to this land had been quite unpleasant.

A swamp, far removed even from the hunting grounds frequented by level 250 users.

Beyond that swamp lay a parched land devoid of any moisture.

A land where not a single living creature, let alone monsters, existed.

He had even braved a dust storm that raged like a typhoon, crossing a place he’d rather not have.

‘Find it quickly. According to the clue, the Irun Tribe is definitely hiding somewhere here.’

The Fire Spirit, Ignis.

Though his tone was quite infuriating, as a Spirit Summoner, Ignis was his source of power.

He was an irreplaceable soulmate who had helped him reach this point.

“Can’t you see I’m searching diligently?”

Rune Stones, officially found only in dungeons designated for levels 220 and above.

A clue about the ‘Rune of Extinction’ obtained in the process of collecting those Rune Stones.

[Regarding the Tribes]

It was a clue that was barely even a clue, more like a report detailing the customs of various tribes.

Jeong Chang-Ho, deciphering the report, learned that the Irun Tribe held the Rune of Extinction.

‘If they really have the Rune of Extinction…!’

Then Ignis evolving into an Ifrit wouldn’t just be a dream.

That was the reason Jeong Chang-Ho braved the dust storm and ventured here.

But there was nothing in front of him.

‘Hmm? There’s a hole over there.’

The place Ignis pointed to was a pit barely big enough for one person to enter.

“Ha, you’re not suggesting that’s the entrance, are you?”

Jeong Chang-Ho had already cleared Theme Dungeons twice before.

Usually, the entrances to Theme Dungeons were portals, and they looked completely different from regular portals, making them easy to distinguish.

This meant that this pit couldn’t be the entrance.

‘Then what’s here? Is it a dead end?’

That Ignis…

But he couldn’t argue; the portal that should definitely be there was nowhere to be seen.

“…Sigh, fine.”

Jeong Chang-Ho casually approached the pit and half-heartedly stuck his foot in, just for show.

Instantly, his body was sucked in, and he was transported to the Theme Dungeon.

‘I was right after all. Tsk.’

Ignis looked at Jeong Chang-Ho with a disdainful eye.

The way he fell in was quite comical.

“Ha, what kind of filthy place is this?”

Jeong Chang-Ho got up, seemingly annoyed.

‘Anyway, it seems like this is the right place. I can sense people nearby.’

His tone was rude, but he was reliable at times like this.

“Okay. Let’s go right away.”

Jeong Chang-Ho and Ignis quickly crossed the forest and arrived at the village where the Irun Tribe resided.

And there, Cain and the warriors stood guard, wary of him.

“Identify yourself!”

Jeong Chang-Ho frowned at those words.

‘This is strange.’

The NPC information confirmed it was the Irun Tribe, but no quest appeared above their heads.

Unlike normal quests, in Theme Dungeons, the first one to enter and clear it owned it, so the absence of a quest meant someone had already visited and cleared this Theme Dungeon.

“Do you happen to know anything about the Rune of Extinction?”

At the mention of the Rune of Extinction, Cain smirked.

“Ah, that? Someone else already took it. A true warrior, that is.”

“What?!”

* * *

Meanwhile.

Northern wall of the Märchen Royal Capital.

‘Hoon, when are you coming out…’

Ragan looked at the violently vibrating gate with a worried expression.

The gate, gradually increasing in size, had become large enough for everyone to see.

And it showed no signs of being cleared yet.

“…Isn’t this a big problem?”

“He went in alone… Could he be dead?”

“No way… He quelled the mana storm himself. Someone like that wouldn’t die easily.”

The atmosphere around them grew restless as time passed.

“Everyone, quiet!”

Ragan’s voice instantly froze the atmosphere.

Someone was risking their life fighting in there, and yet they were fidgeting while just watching!

Ragan’s anger flared up, but he managed to suppress it.

Just then.

“He’s out!”

The gate opened, and Jeong-Hoon emerged.

——–