908
[Chapter 225]
[The Last Fate (2)]
Conquering the <Dungeon of the Abyss>.
After receiving official approval from the Fairy government, Pandora Clan announced they would recruit a conquest team to conquer the black dungeon.
The news spread instantly.
"Did you hear? They say Pandora Clan is going to conquer a black dungeon." "Yeah, I heard too. But honestly... Do we have to do that? I just wonder."
As Eun-ha, Im Ga-eul, and Pandora Clan members expected.
The world's reaction was generally negative.
""""Why now?""""
That was people's question.
It was understandable, as the development of northern Gyeonggi Province was still ongoing.
It would take several years for development to reach Cheorwon, Gangwon Province where the black dungeon was located.
So they couldn't help but tilt their heads at the abrupt talk of conquering a black dungeon, skipping the intermediate process.
Moreover, the subject was Noh Eun-ha.
"Didn't he become the Twelve Seat leader saying he would serve the citizens? But now isn't he saying he'll act against public interest for honor or private gain?" "If Pandora Clan goes to the black dungeon? Then doesn't that mean all of Pandora Clan's Twelve Seats will enter the black dungeon too? Then who will protect the country?"
Twelve Seat leader, Lord Noh Eun-ha.
He was now a public figure.
But him conquering a black dungeon instead of serving the citizens didn't befit a public figure.
Especially, hadn't he just recently said he would devote himself to the country to atone for his and his father's crimes to the citizens?
"Hmm... Isn't this crossing the line?"
Public sentiment showed signs of wavering.
In such a situation, if Eun-ha honestly told citizens the reason for conquering the black dungeon, public sentiment would explode.
Investing massive manpower and resources to conquer a black dungeon to revive Noh Eun-ah.
They wouldn't welcome that.
"Announcement from Pandora Clan."
To this, Han Seo-hyeon moved to respond.
She had to hide the essence and plant an illusion to captivate citizens.
In a way, Pandora Clan could lose all the prestige they had built up until now through the black dungeon conquest.
Nevertheless, Noh Eun-ah was an existence they couldn't lose like this.
And Pandora Clan's founding purpose was also to create a clan for clan members.
She told the world's people.
"The reasons Pandora Clan is proposing to conquer the black dungeon are as follows. One, through our independent investigation, we have concluded that conquering the black dungeon will greatly reduce the frequency of monster appearances."
The reward citizens could obtain from conquering the black dungeon.
Han Seo-hyeon focused on that point.
"Also, we have reached the judgment that we can obtain byproducts of a different dimension than the principles known until now from plants native to the black dungeon and monsters appearing there."
Han Seo-hyeon didn't present evidence.
But the reasons she presented were also stories considered highly likely in current mana studies.
People started to be tempted little by little.
The propaganda that conquering the black dungeon would allow living in a better world than now effectively worked on people.
Because of Baek Seo-jin's betrayal, people were longing for a better world along with the Fairy.
"But they say the black dungeon's boss monster might be 1st rank? Can they conquer that?"
Of course, people weren't completely fooled.
Even if they accepted the rewards they could obtain from the black dungeon, whether they could conquer the black dungeon was a completely different matter.
Han Seo-hyeon answered this too.
The reason she decided on propaganda in the first place can be said to be because of the following answer.
"I will show you the sword <Maestro of Star Creation> recently made."
Han Seo-hyeon handed the sword to Mok Min-ho.
When Mok Min-ho infused mana into the sword─
────!!
The sword emitted white silver light.
It was dazzling light filling the screen.
""""...."""
People at the scene.
People watching through screens.
All lost their minds to that light.
Even without anyone saying what light the sword was emitting, they naturally guessed.
Han Seo-hyeon affirmed their guess.
"It's the <White Silver> gift."
""""...."""
"Until now, it was known that <White Silver> couldn't be contained in artifacts except for Cocoon. But just recently, <Maestro of Star Creation> and his workshop people shattered that notion."
People were shocked.
Han Seo-hyeon presented words that would shock people who had lost words even more.
"With this power, we are confident we can defeat the opponent even if it's 1st rank."
A statement not entirely impossible.
Han Seo-hyeon's announcement ended there.
People were truly enveloped in excitement.
"With that power, we might be able to conquer even a black dungeon!"
"World's first! It might not be an exaggeration to say that." "Uh... Is it possible?"
People's thoughts tilted.
Eun-ha's darkness inserted instigators to induce people's response.
But there was no need for that.
Those who had seen <White Silver>'s light with their eyes were already captivated.
"What's the name of the person who made that technique!?"
"Can that be commercialized? Please commercialize it right away!!"
People's inquiries flooded in.
To this, Pandora Clan answered their inquiries collectively.
One, commercialization is impossible. Because it costs too much.
One, the person who created the technique to contain <White Silver> is Creaster Baek Hyeon-yul in Pandora Clan.
"<White Silver Crest Maker>!!"
"<Light-Drawing Creaster>!!"
"<Light Master>!!"
Until now, Baek Hyeon-yul's name wasn't well known to the world.
But Pandora Clan's additional answer revealed him to the world.
<White Silver Crest Maker>.
<Light-Drawing Creaster>.
<Light Master> etc.
Baek Hyeon-yul gained many aliases.
"This technique shouldn't be monopolized by Pandora Clan! The country should manage it!"
"But Noh Eun-ha is the lord?"
"Isn't there not much difference between Pandora Clan and the Mana Management Organization now?"
"Still, this is different from that!"
The power to make <White Silver> into a crest.
People wanted the power for public good to be revealed to the world.
Pandora Clan revealed it to the world.
Because it didn't matter if they revealed it.
"So..." "Only people with certain gifts can divide one crest into two?"
"I heard there are quite a few other conditions too. First, you need an artifact capable of containing that crest. Then you'd need a Maestro to make that artifact."
There were six conditions needed to create a <White Silver> crest.
A Maestro with skills on par with <Maestro of Star Creation> Byeokhaesoo.
A Creaster who can capture something invisible like <Light Master> Baek Hyeon-yul.
A device to contain the <White Silver> crest.
A crest to express <White Silver>'s power.
And Hephaestus' Forge.
Lastly, a holder of <White Silver>.
"Only Pandora Clan can make it."
People clicked their tongues.
The entry barrier was too high.
Meanwhile─
"─Please secretly gather prisoners with little time left until execution and prisoners who shouldn't be released to the world."
Im Ga-eul supported within the range she could support Pandora Clan to conquer the black dungeon.
She secretly contacted prisons nationwide at Eun-ha's request.
Whatever Eun-ha's intentions were, she was satisfied to be able to deal with heinous criminals that had been troublesome for her to handle.
☆
It couldn't end with propaganda.
Eun-ha, Han Seo-hyeon, and the Sub-lords worked hard day after day to recruit for the conquest team.
They requested cooperation from clans governing Jung-gu, Yongsan-gu, and Dongdaemun-gu.
They also requested cooperation from clans they had built relationships with until now.
Their efforts bore fruit.
Whew... We survived thanks to Hae-su hyung and Hyeon-yul making <White Silver> into a crest.
If not for that, it would have been hard to gather a conquest team.
Of course the district clans.
Many clans showed interest.
Regulus, Silla, King of the Dead, Blaze, Tempest, KK, East Sea, and Habaek Clan expressed intent to participate.
Of course, they couldn't dispatch many troops considering the risk.
But that was fine.
Just their expressing intent to participate gradually changed perception of the black dungeon conquest positively.
Thanks to that, conquest team recruitment would end in a few days.
Moreover─
─I also blackmailed Choi Jeong-hoon.
Eun-ha induced clans reluctant to conquer to have no choice but to participate.
The best example was Zenith Clan.
By blackmailing Choi Jeong-hoon, he made Zenith participate in the conquest too.
Also, Han Seo-hyeon blackmailed Oh Hae-in, making Samra Clan have no choice but to participate too.
Choi Jeong-hoon and Oh Hae-in had leashes on them.
That's how the black dungeon conquest team was being roughly completed.
Still not enough.
I need to bring in people who will help with the black dungeon conquest.
Before regression, there were people who helped with conquering the <Dungeon of the Abyss>.
Eun-ha was in the middle of personally finding those people and bringing them into the conquest team.
Twenty-five also belonged to the people he would bring in.
"Twenty-five."
"Do you need something else?"
The border between Bomun-dong and Sungin-dong.
Eun-ha found Twenty-five.
Twenty-five had recently been tasked with promoting positive public opinion about Pandora Clan.
So he thought Eun-ha had come to ask him about work related to that.
But the words Eun-ha spoke next were beyond his expectations.
"Only you can do it." "..."
"There will be many difficult traps to solve in the black dungeon. Your power will be really helpful there."
Pandora Clan had quite a few capable Rangers.
Notably <Divine Archer> and <Gemini >.
Nevertheless, Eun-ha wasn't satisfied.
"I'm sorry to ask like this, but I'd like you to enter the black dungeon with us too." "But I'm not even a player?"
"Hiding your identity is no big deal, and we'll be entering the dungeon among ourselves so it's not important."
"That's true."
"So... I'm asking like this. I'd like you to participate in the conquest too."
In his previous life.
<Blabbermouth > Twenty-five ended his life in the black dungeon.
Eun-ha remembered that but still bowed his head to ask him.
"─What the heck, it's not like I can't enter. So raise your head, master."
"..."
"I feel good that master evaluates my skills so highly."
Twenty-five shrugged his shoulders.
He smiled slightly and said.
"We're not going to die, right? Surely you're not telling me to die there instead of the clan members?" "How could I do that?"
"Then it's fine." "..."
"There's no need to feel so sorry when it's not a conquest attempting to die, but trying to live."
Twenty-five held out his hand.
Eun-ha looked at that hand.
Twenty-five chuckled and said.
"Let's give it a try. Although I won't leave my name in history, I'm curious how amazing things we can obtain by going."
"Okay, thank you."
Apology and gratitude.
Eun-ha wanted to say many words, but soon only spoke one.
There was no need to speak at length.
It was conveyed without saying.
Eun-ha grasped his hand.
This time, definitely─
─I will conquer the <Dungeon of the Abyss>.
While protecting all my people.
Eun-ha resolved, betting his life.
☆
The clans participating in the conquest team gathered.
The clans decided to organize their troops.
Eun-ha was the same.
We can't send all clan members.
The period to conquer the black dungeon would take at least 3 months.
That's how Eun-ha felt.
So he couldn't commit all of Pandora Clan's forces to the black dungeon.
He had to consider Pandora Clan and this country's public safety too.
"We can't send all the Twelve Seats. We'll have to leave some here. The Fairy and citizens will want that too." "That's right."
Han Seo-hyeon voiced her opinion.
Eun-ha nodded.
Other Sub-lords agreed too.
Our clan has five Twelve Seats.
Since noona is gone, it's four.
Me, Yeon-hwa, Chang-jin hyung, idiot hyung...
One of these has to be left out.
There was no need to ponder.
If only one has to remain─
"─We should leave Yeon-hwa at the clan."
Eun-ha intended to leave Ryu Yeon-hwa behind.
He had already hinted at it to her.
Pa-rang hyung is needed for conquering the black dungeon.
Chang-jin hyung will be helpful too.
Ryu Yeon-hwa would certainly be helpful.
But among Pandora Clan's Twelve Seats, she was the only one he could trust to leave in charge of the clan.
Even if there were no more forces threatening the Fairy government, you never know.
Someone was needed to support Im Baek-yeon if anything happens.
'...Alright. I'll do as you say. But please save Eun-ah. I'm begging you.'
Of course Ryu Yeon-hwa didn't accept.
Usually she followed Eun-ha's words, but as Noh Eun-ah's friend, she didn't want to follow his words this time.
So Eun-ha spent a lot of time persuading her, and only then could he get her consent.
"Yeon-hwa unnie should be enough. Okay, then let's organize the clan members now."
Including Han Seo-hyeon.
Jeong Ha-yang, Mok Min-ho, Cha Eun-woo, and Jin Seo-na nodded.
Eun-ha continued discussing the organization afterwards.
"We should call Choi Eun-hyeok too."
"I'll ask Eun-hyeok once. I can't ask him to participate in the black dungeon conquest, but I'll try asking him to stay at the clan during the conquest period."
Mok Min-ho and Jin Seo-na discussed about Choi Eun-hyeok.
There was a shortage of troops to protect Pandora Clan while the black dungeon conquest was ongoing.
They could trust and leave it to Choi Eun-hyeok.
Everyone agreed.
"If possible, I'd like one Sub-lord to stay behind too... Is there anyone who wants to stay?"
"If it's someone to assist with your work Seo-hyeon, Ha-yang seems most suitable... She has to take care of Yu-ran too."
"We have enough Supporters for the conquest team so it might be better for Eun-woo to stay."
Arguments broke out among the Sub-lords too.
Because they insisted at least 1 person should remain at the clan.
But they couldn't reach a conclusion easily, and the conversation just kept going in circles.
Eun-ha wanted Jeong Ha-yang to stay, while Mok Min-ho wanted Cha Eun-woo to stay.
Then Jeong Ha-yang and Cha Eun-woo expressed they wanted to participate in the conquest too, not yielding their intentions.
In the end, Han Seo-hyeon mediated them, and it was concluded that all Sub-lords would participate.
"I wish one of you would stay, but if that's what you think, it can't be helped. I'll manage somehow by myself until you conquer the black dungeon. Instead, make sure you succeed."
It was a decision that placed a heavy burden on Han Seo-hyeon.
From now on, she would be acting Clan Lord, acting Sub-lord, and Administrator.
Anyway, thus─
"─Let's organize like this."
The clan member organization was finished.
It was the maximum organization Pandora Clan could realistically muster.
Black Dungeon Conquest Organization Plan
─ Pandora Clan (S+) ─
Clan Lord: Noh Eun-ha
Division | Name
--- | ---
Dealer | Noh Eun-ha
Dealer | Mok Min-ho
Dealer | Yoo Nam-hoon
: | :
Guardian | Kang Si-hyeong
: | :
Guardian | Noh Avenir
: | :
Hunter | Han Chang-jin
Hunter | Jin Pa-rang
: | :
Caster | Bae Su-bin
Caster | Jo A-ra
: | :
Ranger | Hoshimiya Kaede
Ranger | Mei Lin
Ranger | Twenty-five
: | :
Supporter | Cha Eun-woo
Supporter | Iriya
Supporter | Yeo U-bi
: | :
Sniper | Bong Gu-rae
Sniper | Son Ga-yeon
: | :
Navigator | Jeong Ha-yang
Navigator | Mei Ling
: | :
Telepath | Jin Seo-na
Telepath | Ariel
Telepath | Seo Dam-bi
: | :
: | :
The number of players Pandora Clan will commit to the black dungeon is about 70.
About 30 people including Ryu Yeon-hwa, Choi Eun-hyeok, Kim Min-ji, Kim Mary, On Tae-hee, and Hermit decided to protect the clan.
Clan members in charge of pioneering Uijeongbu were not included.