Sung Joon could appraise the item from a different world after it had made contact with Rishubalt’s mana. It had three effects, so it was a pretty outstanding item.
He especially liked the Healing Amplification effect and the ability to use Blessing.
“These are the vestments that are used by the Empire’s Battle Priests. They’re soft garments, but they have the same defensive capabilities as steel, and are made of a special fabric,” said Rishubalt.
Sung Joon pierced the vestments without using his aura. It truly was like cutting through steel. There were no traces of any damage whatsoever.
“Rishubalt, I’m just asking because I’m curious, but I have a question.”
“You can ask me anything.”
“If both the Raids and the dungeons are connected to a different world, why are only the Awakening Dungeon’s items unable to be appraised?”
“It’s because the other world’s energy is obscuring them strongly. I don’t know the fundamental principles behind it, but up until now, I have been removing the energy from the other world from these items,” Rishubalt explained.
He couldn’t explain in more detail because Sung Joon’s synchronization rate was still too low.
“Then you’re saying that it’s possible for a non-appraisable different world item to drop in normal dungeons and Raids?”
“Indeed. The energy from the other world mostly dissipates when they cross over to Earth, but there are always exceptions, so it’s certainly possible.”
As Sung Joon collected the item and conversed with Rishubalt, the Awakening Dungeon disappeared and he returned to the empty C-rank dungeon Boss Room.
“Your synchronization rate is at 19%.”
“I thought it would reach 20%…”
“You just missed it.”
“I see.”
Sung Joon nodded his head. He was about to leave the Boss Room, but suddenly, he got an idea. Sung Joon stopped walking briefly and looked at Rishubalt.
“Are there any benefits to absorbing the mana from the other world?” Sung Joon asked.
“It will increase your synchronization rate. I didn’t tell you because there’s such a small amount of it. Also, if you keep the items heavily cloaked in the energy from the other world close to you, I believe that there’s a chance that your memories will become clearer. I recommend that you collect the different world items as a hobby,” Rishubalt responded.
“Collect the different world items, huh… It’s not a bad hobby.”
Sung Joon smiled. He was overflowing with money right now.
“Also, Rishubalt, one more thing.”
“Yes. Please speak, my lord.”
“From now on, tell me if there’s any other way to increase my synchronization rate, even if it’s by just a little,” Sung Joon said.
“I will keep that in mind,” Rishubalt replied, nodding his head.
After Sung Joon had sold his magic stones at the Dungeon Bureau, he walked over to the Hunter Bureau next door.
It was now six o’clock in the afternoon.
It was still too early for Hyun Sung to have left the office. No one blocked his way, and Sung Joon went up to the third floor, to Hyun Sung’s office.
“Mr. Kang Sung Joon?”
“It’s not your mealtime yet, right?” Sung Joon asked.
Hyun Sung nodded his head.
“Yes. Not yet.”
“Let’s eat dinner together. I also have something I want to talk to you about.”
Hyun Sung felt extremely anxious. Sung Joon always brought along a storm, so when he said that he had something he’d like to discuss, Hyun Sung couldn’t help but feel anxious.
‘He probably isn’t going to tell me that he’s going to kill someone again, right…?’
Hyun Sung’s anxiety seldom went away.
“Let’s go,” Sung Joon said.
“Let’s go when it’s mealtime for the other workers as well, since all we need to do is sit apart from them.”
“Thank you.”
Hyun Sung didn’t refuse his offer.
There were six people that were part of the First Investigation Team, including Hyun Sung, that went with him to a nearby restaurant.
Sung Joon and Hyun Sung sat slightly apart from the rest of the Investigation Team.
“Are there any items that the measuring tool can’t appraise?” Sung Joon asked, playing dumb.
Hyun Sung laid his eating utensils on the table and raised his head.
“Did you perhaps acquire one?”
“There was barely any information on it on Hunter.com, but it seems like they really do exist.”
“It’s because it’s quite an unusual case. There probably aren’t that many messages on Hunter.com regarding these items.”
It seemed that in most cases, when the invaders went through the warp gate, the other world energy would disappear.
“Does the Hunter Bureau have any of these items in storage?” Sung Joon asked.
Hyun Sung shook his head.
“We don’t have any in our possession. Because they don’t have any value, we don’t accept them.”
“Is that so?”
“However, I know they’re circulating through the market. It seems that because we don’t accept them, they are sold to special collectors,” Hyun Sung whispered, checking the surrounding area.
It was common for rich collectors to collect items. There were also collectors amongst Hunters, but there were quite a few that were just common civilians.
As long as they had money, items were a great collectible.
Since only Hunters could enter the Hunter Mart, items would mostly be illegally auctioned off on the black market.
“Isn’t that illegal? Aren’t you going to arrest them?”
“Collectors are mostly powerful people, so we can’t do anything about them with our own strength,” Hyun Sung responded, sporting a bitter smile on his face.
“Please tell me the location of the black market.”
“That won’t be difficult.”
Hyun Sung readily nodded his head. As their previously ordered food had arrived, they briefly paused their conversation.
There was a momentary silence, but Hyun Sung was the first to break it.
“The one we’re aware of is a low-rank auction house.”
“There are ranks?”
“Yes. You have to purchase more in order to move on to the VIP auction houses.”
“It sounds like an overly complicated system.”
“I agree.”
They paused their conversation.
After they had finished their meal, the Investigation Team thanked Sung Joon and returned to the Hunter Bureau to get ready to leave work.
Only Sung Joon and Hyun Sung remained on the populated street.
“It’ll become difficult if the message remains on your phone, so I’ll write it for you on a memo pad.”
Hyun Sung took out a memo pad and a pen from his suit, put the memo pad against the wall, and wrote down the address. Then he passed the paper to Sung Joon.
“This is the location of the auction house.”
“Thank you.”
Sung Joon placed the paper inside his pocket and returned to his studio apartment. Before he slept, he enjoyed a brief respite by watching TV on his sofa.
“Are you planning on going to the auction house tomorrow?” Rishubalt asked.
Sung Joon nodded his head.
“Yeah, I’m going to buy all the different world items.”
They might have a slight effect, but when he had heard that the items from the other world might increase his synchronization rate, Sung Joon had become extremely interested in them.
Plus, they could make his forgotten memories clearer, and when he removed the other world energy, he would gain new items.
“I should sleep now.”
Sung Joon had checked the time and knew it was late, so he took a shower and threw himself onto his bed. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
That night, he dreamt.
* * *
Sung Joon was walking down a long hallway, which was filled with fancy decorations.
‘Is this a memory from my past life?’
Sung Joon entrusted his body to Roukel and observed through Roukel’s eyes. Unlike most dreams, Sung Joon didn’t really have any control over his dreams regarding his past life.
“Welcome, greatest knight.”
When he reached the fancy, enormous door at the end of the hall, a gleaming golden-armored man bowed his head before Sung Joon. Sung Joon nodded his head and spoke.
“It must be a lot of work, Captain.”
“I am happy to perform my duty. Please go in. His Imperial Majesty is waiting for you inside.”
The Captain of the Royal Guard signaled with his hand.
A member of the Royal Guard on standby opened the door, revealing the royal audience chamber. There were dozens of golden-armored royal guards defending the audience chamber, and at the end of the room, the Emperor sat on his throne, wearing his royal robes.
“Come in, greatest knight, Roukel.”
After Sung Joon walked up to the emperor, he bowed on one knee and paid his respects. Valian, a fellow member of the Thirteen Knights, stood guard over the emperor.
Sung Joon turned his attention to Valian. His past self, Roukel, seemed to dislike Valian, as he felt displeased at the sight of him. He lifted his head and returned his attention to the emperor.
“I heard that you called for me,” he began.
“I did indeed call for you,” the Emperor answered.
The emperor shifted his posture, perhaps due to how uncomfortable the stiff throne was, and spoke.
“I heard you were against the invasion.”
When he heard the term, ‘invasion’, Sung Joon paid close attention to the emperor.
‘If all goes well, I should be able to hear the whole story today,’ he thought.
His conjecture might change, based on what he heard today. Sung Joon raised his head and began speaking.
“Of course. How could we join hands with the monsters and invade another world? They have been our enemies since the founding of this empire.”
“Can you call them an ‘allied species’? They don’t really like the term ‘monsters’.”
“But Your Majesty-!”
When Sung Joon raised his voice, Valian, who was at the emperor’s side, stepped forward and said, “Sir Roukel! You may be the greatest of the Thirteen Knights, but remember to show your respect to His Majesty!”
“Can’t you see I’m in the middle of a conversation with His Majesty!?” Sung Joon roared.
“Ugh!” Valian groaned and stepped back.
He was a fellow member of the Thirteen Knights and a swordmaster, but he was still much weaker than Roukel.
“Sir Roukel, I’ll ask you again. Do you have no intention of changing your mind?”
“I do not! I will not allow it, so long as I am alive!”
“Then it wouldn’t matter if you died,” the Emperor said coldly.
Sung Joon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Even Roukel was shaken; he must have been shocked.
The emperor raised his hand and the dozens of royal guards inside the audience chamber raised their weapons. Then, the background ripped apart and pale vampires appeared.
“The Sacred Blood Knights? So you actually joined hands with the monsters!?” Sung Joon yelled angrily.
The Sacred Blood Knights was a organization of one hundred vampires that had superb combat abilities, even amongst the vampire nobles.
The emperor smirked.
“Even you, who has keen senses, couldn’t detect their presences. Indeed, Duke Riopelle’s interdimensional cloaking magic is truly amazing!”
“This is Arcane Magic that lurks beyond the dimensions. There is no one else who can use this magic besides me and there is no one on this continent that can sense it beforehand,” Duke Riopelle said.
Behind the emperor, a one-eyed man appeared, wearing a magician’s robe and glasses.
“Surround him and wipe him out,” the Emperor ordered.
The Sacred Blood Knights and the royal guards surrounded Sung Joon. Sung Joon’s anger burst forth.
“How dare mere monsters step foot in the sacred imperial palace!”
“This is revenge for Duke Arkell’s* death.” (*The vampire noble that Roukel killed early on in one of Sung Joon’s dreams.)
The Sacred Blood Knights moved first. The vampire nobles gleamed in a bloody-red aura and dashed at Sung Joon.
Sung Joon drew his sword. The members of the Thirteen Knights were allowed to carry their swords, even in the audience chamber.
“Howl, Roel!” Sung Joon cried out, and Roel let out a dragon’s roar.
The weaker vampire nobles amongst the Sacred Blood Knights toppled as they heard the dragon’s roar.
“D-Dragon Fear?”
“Is there a dragon’s soul sealed within!?”
“This wasn’t in the report!”
The Sacred Blood Knights, as well as the emperor, were astonished.
“Of course it wasn’t. I’ve hidden it up until now.”
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“It must be the evil dragon* Ruben’s soul.” The Archmage Riopelle had immediately identified the soul dwelling within his sword. (*Sung Joon saw Roukel fighting an evil dragon in his dreams in the prologue. This is presumably the soul of that evil dragon.)
“A-Attack!”
The rest who hadn’t been affected by the Dragon Fear attacked. They got into formation and attacked together, but then…