All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 105

53. A Place I’ve Been – 1

It didn’t take long to reach the first barrier since it wasn’t during a wave.

Unlike before, there were quite a few explorers around the tower.

Of course, Dimensional monsters and Guardians were approaching, but since only those who could get inside the first barrier were present, it wasn’t too difficult to fend them off.

A spider-like Dimensional monster I’d seen before was being riddled with the auras of Master-level explorers.

As I was watching, a man tapped Ian on the shoulder.

“Hey, Ian. Long time no see. How have you been?”

A large, burly man with scars all over his face. It was a face I recognized.

The leader of the Solken Mercenary Group, famous throughout the continent.

One of the people who came to scout Ian during the Academy’s last Hero Festival.

“I heard about it. You had a fight with those Scarlet Kingdom bastards?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if you ever want to fight them, let me know. If the price is right, there’s nothing we can’t do.”

“Aren’t you going to offer me a position this time?”

“Are you going to accept it?”

“No.”

As if he expected that, he chuckled.

“Honestly, I wanted you to take over my position, but if you join now, it feels like I’d be losing my spot right away, not after I get old.”

If they saw Ian’s skills, all the mercenaries in the Solken Mercenary Group would follow him. That would put the current leader’s position in jeopardy.

“But if you’re going to be a mercenary, I’m willing to provide support.”

The mindset one should have as a mercenary, and aspects of contracts and deals—he could teach him those things.

“Are you saying we should join hands if I create a mercenary group?”

“Haha. Did it sound like that?” He shrugged with a sly smile. “There’s no reason to fight a strong person when there’s no grudge. And our mercenaries can fight anyone as long as there’s money and a contract.”

He grinned, then headed towards the mercenaries who had taken care of the spider, as they called out to him.

“Contact me anytime if you’re interested.”

After watching them enter the tower, Ian asked Kirke,

“Is it possible to analyze the inside of the tower?”

At Kirke’s report, Ian looked at the tower again. Quite a few people were entering through the tower’s large door, but the number of people coming out was extremely small.

“If you want to catch a tiger, you have to go into the tiger’s den, right?”

Ian walked towards the tower without hesitation. Some explorers, mercenaries, and knights who saw him trying to enter were startled.

“Hey! Kid! Are you trying to go in alone?! It’s dangerous!”

“If you don’t have anyone to go with, come with us!”

People from a small party didn’t recognize him and waved their hands while shouting, but Ian cleanly ignored their calls and grabbed the door.

-Creak.

The large iron door opens.

Arriving on the first floor, there were quite a few people, along with those selling various items.

“Combat rations for one exchange ticket!!”

“We also sell potions to prevent injuries!”

Explorers or mercenaries, or employees who appeared to be from each family managing the Forgotten City, many people were selling or buying goods.

“Myaa~.”

At that moment, Myane meowed softly. Ian glanced in that direction. He could see people wearing the vestments of the Solar Cult [a religious order] and paladins [holy warriors] carrying luggage and climbing the stairs.

“Does the Solar Cult also enter the Forgotten City?”

“Trying to get some artifacts, huh? Seriously.”

Ian picked up his bag. Anyway, he couldn’t just stay on the first floor. As he bought food and headed towards the stairs, some explorers and mercenaries sitting around the stairs stood up.

“You can’t pass through here alone.”

“Don’t go alone, find a party member.”

At their fierce momentum, Ian snorted.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Then sign this and go.” A mercenary with a grim impression handed over a piece of paper.

“No rescue requests in case of distress. All belongings will belong to the acquirer in case of death. Don’t complain outside even if you are attacked inside… But doesn’t this also apply to the Forgotten City?”

“This upper area is like another world. We’re just reconfirming.”

“Of course, if you lose up there, you lose everything, but if you bring it back, everything is yours.”

“If you agree to that, go up.”

The skills of those around the stairs were only Master-level or close to Master-level. For such people to be in charge of the process, I could roughly guess how dangerous the tower was.

Ian quickly signed and handed it over.

“Ian Brandon?”

“A famous person has come.”

“Do you hear rumors about me even here?”

“We hear stories about the strong, if nothing else. If you’re comparable to the Sword Saint, the Forest Keeper, or the Emperor, we obviously have to know.”

The Master holding the axe made way.

“But be careful. Even Masters can die up there.”

“Okay.”

Ian went up the stairs. How long did he climb? The moment he stepped into the light at the end, an endless desert came into view. Looking back, the light he had come through had disappeared without a trace.

“It’s a similar method to a gate [a portal].”

After hearing Kirke’s explanation, Ian looked around again. The people from the Solar Cult who had climbed up earlier were nowhere to be seen.

“Myaa~ Mya Mya~.”

Was it because she liked the scorching sunlight? Myane, who was sitting on Ian’s shoulder, meowed happily. Ian stroked Myane and glanced at the sky. Even though it was a created world inside the tower, that sun was emitting a strong energy like a real sun.

“That is…….”

Just as he was about to speak, Kirke, who had finished exploring, reported.

That was something he had heard before. The second floor of the tower is the Garia Desert Kingdom. Ian looked around again and nodded. The worldview of that place was unfolding here.

“Tsk. You shouldn’t mess with dimensions carelessly.”

Ian chuckled at Kirke’s words. He had been like that too.

“Myaa Aaa~.”

As Myane cried, Ian stepped into the desert. Dry, fine sand, the scorching sun—it was an environment that would be painful enough for those experiencing the desert for the first time, but Ian, who was familiar with this world, wasn’t too burdened. So he skillfully traverses the desert.

How long did he walk? The sound of battle could be heard in the distance.

“Uwaaa!! Run away!!”

“Kyaaaak!!”

A group of explorers was being chased by a giant scorpion. The giant scorpion, which was on a different level from Radpion [likely a previous enemy], grabbed the body of one explorer with its sharp pincers.

-Crack!

The explorer’s body was split in two by the sharp pincers. The giant scorpion threw it away and drove the explorers into one place. At that moment, a giant snake popped out of the sand. Slithering through the desert sand, the snake swallowed three explorers in one bite. The snake licked its long tongue as it watched the remaining explorers, who were terrified, and retreated leisurely.

But it was the snake that retreated, not the scorpion. As the giant scorpion raised its body, small scorpions moved from underneath it. It seemed they were trying to attack and eat the corpses the scorpion had killed and the remaining explorers. As the small scorpions rushed in, the remaining explorers ran away in a hurry.

And a large old man who appeared from one side passed them and approached the scorpions.

-Shiiiik!!

The scorpions move with sharp vigilance. He caught them all with a single halberd [a pole weapon], and even smashed the head of the giant scorpion. Then, after looking around the giant scorpion’s corpse, he glanced at the side where Ian was standing.

“Hello.”

And bowed politely. Ian also bowed back and went down, and he cut off the scorpion’s pincers and asked while taking them.

“Long time no see. How have you been?”

“Yes. I’ve heard rumors about you too. Haha. You’re quite famous.”

“It’s just empty fame.”

“I heard you’re on par with us. Something like that.”

“Haha. Yes. They were saying strange things.”

The old man, Forest Keeper Rune Balzac, smiled at Ian’s words.

“To go up from here, you have to carry out the mission given by the ruler of this place. If you’re okay with it, would you like to join me on this floor?”

“I’ll decline. It’s my preference to break through if someone is blocking the way.”

“That confidence. Very excellent.” The Forest Keeper smiled and didn’t recommend it any further. He just politely greeted and stepped back.

“I wish you good luck.”

And left after greeting. Ian glanced at him as he walked away and asked Kirke.

“Check on the ruler of this place.”

As Kirke said, Ian headed north. He crosses the endless desert.

Ian looked at the side Kirke had mentioned. People who had covered their bodies with white cloths were attacking giant scorpions and snakes.

-Kwaaaang!!

-Swish! Swish!!

Every time the people who covered their bodies with cloth rampaged, scorpions and snakes died. After annihilating them in an instant, they slowly disappeared.

“Seeing the Mejel, it seems like the Garia Desert Kingdom.”

The Mejel are a kind of guardian who follows the orders of Pharaoh, the ruler of the Garia Desert Kingdom. Their presence meant that Hotep, the Pharaoh here, could at least imitate a real Pharaoh.

Anyway, there was no reason to stop on the way, whether they were there or not. Ian strode into the area where the Mejel had appeared. The moment he set foot on the desert, the Mejel began to appear one by one on the sand of the desert, as if telling him not to pass through here.

Ian raised his hand towards them, who had completely blocked the way.

In his hand, one of the techniques that only a true Pharaoh could use, the Sandstorm, was implemented.

-Kwaaaang!!

A giant sandstorm sweeps away the Mejel’s group. As they disappeared with the storm, Ian walked leisurely.

It was as Kirke said. A place with trees and a lake can be seen in the distance. Whether a village had already been formed there, there were small houses and stockades [defensive fences]. The black-skinned men in front of the stockade pointed their weapons at Ian, who was trying to enter.

“This place is a warrior’s resting place.”

“Only those who have proven themselves to be warriors can enter this place.”

As Ian was about to draw his sword and kill them to prove he was a warrior, a voice was heard from behind.

“I guarantee that he is a warrior.”

It was a familiar voice. Ian turned his head and looked at him, wondering.

“Why are you here?”

At his question, the Sword Flower Unit leader said nonchalantly, “There’s no better training ground than this tower.”