The Devil’s Cage

Kieran found a broken claw with a missing talon yet had the upper foot attached in his bag.

It was the [Key of Grave], the mystical item from the [Blade of the Daybreaker] that possessed the powers to open the “grave”.

Kieran knew the item from the bottom of his heart but he remembered clearly that the [Key of Grave] was marked “unable to bring out of dungeon” when he first got it.

“Is it because I hurt that great being from below so it triggered the unusual change? Or…”

Kieran suddenly squinted his eyes as he thought of something, still, it didn’t stop him from picking up the [Key of Grave].

[Name: Changed Key of Grave]

[Type: ETC]

[Rarity: ???]

[Attack: ???]

[Defense: ???]

[Attribute: Initiate (Reopen Blade of the Daybreaker dungeon with corresponding energy)]

[Effect: None]

[Prerequisite: Corresponding energy]

[Remark: It is buffed by a certain energy, granting it a more magical effect]

…

Looking at the remarks, Kieran’s eyes squinted and then they shined.

Then, he tried using devil flame and touched the [Changed Key of Grave].

Right away, a new notification popped up in Kieran’s vision.

[Detected special dungeon, enter? Yes/No]

“NO!”

Kieran immediately rejected without any further thought on the matter.

He never believed in coincidences, and also never believed free biscuits falling out from the sky.

How much would it cost to re-enter a dungeon without continuous means? No one knew it better than Kieran since he used [Emerder’s Deal] before.

Now, what was supposed to be a one-time event, the [Blade of the Daybreaker] dungeon, suddenly presented a continuous method and even used the [Key of Grave] as the initiation, almost out of instinct, Kieran thought about that giant hand.

Other than that being, Kieran thought of nothing else.

Even Broker did not possess such powers.

Why though?

Kieran looked down at the other item in his hand: [Fenrir’s Crown].

“Unwilling eh? That is why this obvious trap appeared?”

Kieran muttered to himself softly.

Whenever there was a trap, there would be temptations.

The [Fenrir’s Crown] in his hand was exactly that bait.

The crown didn’t just attract the great being below, it was also attracted to him at the same time.

If it was possible, Kieran wished he could immediately find out what the questions marks were on [Fenrir’s Crown], more so, there were still many matters worthwhile to be excavated in [Blade of the Daybreaker].

The continuous dungeon might even increase “Blade of the Daybreaker” further.

There were many obvious benefits if he did so but Kieran wasn’t moved.

Before his strength reached a considerable level, Kieran would never open [Blade of the Daybreaker] again.

He knew exactly what would happen if he re-entered the dungeon without Afu’s help and had to face the great being underneath.

Regardless of how substantial the reward may be, once he died, everything would be useless.

His clear mind allowed him to block out Greed’s clamoring. He placed the claw and the crown into his bag before waiting for everything to return to normal.

The wait wasn’t long, two seconds later, the starry sky vanished and Kieran returned to his own game lobby in the big city.

At the same time, Starbeck appeared beside him as well.

The changing of worlds was something the coward Starbeck could never get used to.

Almost out of Starbeck’s little animal instinct, he grabbed Kieran’s feathered mantle and swiftly shrunk behind him.

After a few seconds, he popped his head over Kieran’s shoulder and looked around.

When he realized it was 13th Wallway, he let out a breath of relief but his hand did not release Kieran’s mantle.

It seemed like Starbeck still had a lingering fear in his heart as he was still immersing himself in the previous scene.

Whenever Starbeck thought about that gigantic palm pressing down on him, he couldn’t help but tremble.

Kieran raised a brow at Starbeck’s trembling body.

He knew Starbeck was easily scarred but the scene before him refreshed his knowledge towards Starbeck’s cowardice.

A guy was frightened to the brink of crying by his own memories…

If compared Starbeck to a mouse, it would be insulting to the mouse instead.

Kieran sighed and tapped Starbeck on the shoulder.

Pak!

The noise and the tap brought Starbeck back to reality and when he saw the palm on his shoulder, feeling the warmth that spread from the palm, Starbeck’s anxious heart quickly calmed down.

The indescribable calmness made Starbeck move his steps towards Kieran, quietly closing the distance between them.

Starbeck looked up to the face blurred out by the system, his heart was painting the features by its own. Unconsciously, a face was painted in Starbeck’s heart.

Then…

“Hahahahaha! Superbly done, 2567!”

Amidst the rough laughter, Lawless came in through the door and gave Kieran a big hug and tapped his back hard.

After almost breaking Kieran’s bones, he took out a cigar from his shirt pocket.

“Good stuff, I used the low alcohol level wine Rachel brewed to make this, don’t tell her!”

Lawless reminded Kieran.

“Sure.”

Kieran smiled and nodded. He took the cigar and a small fire appeared on his left hand.

As the cigar got close to the fire, it was lit up right away.

The heavy tobacco smell was mixed with a faint aroma of fruit wine.

Kieran took a deep puff and the sweetness filled this mouth and throat, making him unwilling to spit it out.

Lawless laughed again when he saw Kieran enjoying the cigar.

Compared to the previous rough laughter, this one was happier.

“Come, let’s go to the inn! Those guys have been waiting for a while!”

Lawless grabbed Kieran by the shoulder and wanted to head outside.

Kieran didn’t reject. He knew it was Lawless’ own way in welcoming back his triumphant return.

Starbeck felt it too, so he was very envious of it.

Throughout his entire life, Starbeck didn’t have a friend like this.

Kieran?

Kieran in Starbeck’s heart was more than just a friend now, despite the self-proclaimed relationship, Starbeck asked after a slight struggle, “Can I go?”

“If I say no, will you let go of 2567’s mantle?”

“Come one, mimosa, you are now 2567’s friends and my previous employer, how can I reject you?”

Lawless took a glance over Starbeck and said with slightly little frustrated tone; Starbeck was still holding the edge of the mantle as he followed Kieran tightly.

“T-Thank you,” Starbeck stuttered.

The look on Starbeck forced all the words out of Lawless’s mind, he didn’t know what to say anymore other than sighing with a little frustration; he then changed the topic.

“Ready for this?”

A moment before stepping out of the room, Lawless asked.

Kieran didn’t answer but smiled as a reply.

He knew what his friend meant.

The conflict between him and Broker, him possessing the sub scroll of a Title Dungeon, none of it was a secret amongst the veterans.

Those who watched him and camped in front of his room were naturally too many to count.

However, what did all that have to do with him?

They were just a bunch of strangers that he had no obligations to care about.

Kieran stepped out frankly and welcomed those gaze of surprise, fear, and… admiration.