LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 367
Chapter 368. If It’s Tangled, Just Cut It (6)
Joyray had a mountain of questions he wanted to ask Keter if he ever saw him again. How had things been resolved outside? Why had he returned to Ruquer and come looking for him?
But when he finally faced Keter, those questions felt unnecessary. Keter hadn’t changed at all—neither on the outside nor the inside.
Joyray knew. It wasn’t that “nothing had happened.” He could see in Keter’s eyes the desperate struggle to maintain “himself.”
“You’ve been through a lot.”
Joyray patted Keter’s shoulder. It was the first thing he, as an adult and a mentor, needed to do.
“Geez, since when did you become like this?”
Keter awkwardly pushed Joyray’s hand away.
Seeing that, Joyray couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“You’ve changed too. The guy who used to punch me for being gross.”
“I’ve always said it. I’m naturally kind.”
“Not something a guy who burns people alive should say.”
Even as he said that, Joyray knew. It had been the most appropriate measure for him.
Sure, it hurt like hell, but he could endure it. Enduring wasn’t a big deal.
“So… why did you come looking for me?”
True to his mercenary nature, where time is money, Joyray skipped the small talk and got straight to the point.
Keter did the same.
“A son looking for his runaway father. I couldn’t just sit around wondering what you were up to after leaving the Mercenary Guild. Plus, I had some things to ask.”
“You sure took your time saying you were worried.”
“Can’t you just let it slide gracefully? Anyway, old man.”
Keter scratched the back of his head and asked casually.
“The mercenaries at the hideout said you came to the Arena to gain Authority. Is that not true?”
“Right. What I want isn’t Authority. It’s life.”
“You mean the lives of the mercenaries, of course.”
Joyray nodded.
Keter could understand the whole situation.
Even though it was a mercenary hideout, there were too few mercenaries. Mercenaries don’t see dying in battle as honorable like knights do. They’re the kind who believe survival is the ultimate goal, with cockroach-like tenacity. There’s no way all of them could have died.
They must have been kidnapped and brought to this Arena. As playthings for monsters, or as merchandise.
Joyray had entered the Arena to save them. That was Keter’s deduction, and it was the truth.
“That’s how it is. What did you want to ask me?”
Joyray seemed to draw a line. This was his business, and Keter shouldn’t interfere.
Keter ignored that and asked anyway.
“Everyone knows that the underground of Ruquer has a high concentration of mana, allowing one to grow stronger quickly, and is overflowing with treasures. But even Transcendent Beings, who don’t need such things, often head underground. As if they know what they’re looking for is definitely there.”
“…So you’re planning to head underground too.”
“I don’t think Transcendent Beings would waste their time on mere rumors. There must be a basis for it. Do you know what that basis is and where to find it, old man?”
“Hoo.”
Joyray let out a deep sigh and downed the liquor on the table. He clearly knew but didn’t want to share.
Keter silently pulled out some dried meat from his pocket and handed it over.
Munch munch.
Joyray devoured it without hesitation.
There was no need for persuasion between the two. They both knew persuasion wouldn’t work on the other.
“Give me another piece.”
“You already swallowed that tough jerky? Chew it properly.”
“You’re stingy with jerky when I’m giving you top-tier information? I should be asking for the whole bag.”
“In the desert, water is more precious than gold, you know.”
“For an adventurer, a map is more precious than gold.”
Joyray was just as stubborn as Keter. He never backed down.
In the past, they would’ve tested whose patience would run out first, lasting a week or even a year—
“Ugh. I’m in a worse position here.”
In the end, Keter handed over another piece of jerky.
True to his role as a representative of millions of mercenaries, Joyray’s explanation was short and concise.
“Transcendent Beings head to the underground of Ruquer because there’s a place and an object where they can find answers to everything. The first of these is the ‘Library of Nipur’ on the 5th Layer.”
Nipur.
The name was quite familiar to Keter.
“Nipur, the Observer of All Things? Is that guy really on the 5th Layer?”
“You know about him? Unfortunately, Nipur isn’t there right now. But the library is. A library with an almost infinite number of books. It exists somewhere on the 4th Layer. Finding the library alone takes at least two years, and the unlucky ones have taken up to 27 years.”
“So you can find any information in that library.”
“Yes. But there’s no librarian there. You have to find the book you want yourself… As I said, there’s an almost infinite number of books there.”
“It exists, but you can’t find it…”
“And no matter how many books you read there, you’re only allowed to remember one. All other information and knowledge is forgotten.”
“Has anyone ever found the information they wanted there?”
“As far as I know, only one person did, after 92 years. He found the real culprit who killed his parents.”
“After 92 years, the culprit would’ve died of old age.”
“No. The one who killed his parents was himself. He told me that information and then took his own life.”
“Could it have been false information?”
“A god staked their existence on it, declaring that all information there is ‘true.’”
“Hmm.”
Nipur is a god who provides information in exchange for offerings. That’s the Nipur Keter knew. But getting Nipur’s information for free?
Of course, since Nipur doesn’t help, finding the desired information seems nearly impossible.
‘A Transcendent Being could live for a thousand years if they wanted… but with an almost infinite number of books, even a thousand years might not be enough.’
It might be better to find Nipur himself rather than searching through his library.
Keter had thought of that too. Just bring an appropriate offering and ask Nipur directly, right? But no.
‘Nipur knows the basics of trade. The value of information changes in real time. It depends on how much the other person wants it.’
In other words, even if Keter offered the Five Divine Artifact Toban, Nipur wouldn’t give him the information he wanted.
Apart from that, Keter found Nipur unsettling.
‘He’s not someone I want to see twice.’
Keter handed Joyray the second piece of jerky. Joyray naturally accepted it and shared the second piece of information.
“Next is the ‘Mirror of Truth’ on the 6th Layer. It’s a tool, a bronze hand mirror. If you ask it a question, it will answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”
“Convenient. And just as hard to obtain, I assume?”
“You can get it from Thanatos, the ruler of the 6th Layer.”
“Why is the explanation so lacking? Does he just give it to you if you ask?”
“Surprisingly, yes. He’ll give it to you if you ask. But only if you can find him.”
The rulers of each layer have completely different tendencies.
The Sphinx of the 1st Layer is easy to find. It stays in one place, and the area is open, making it easy to spot.
But the rulers of other layers aren’t like that. Even if they have a place they stay, they’re not always there. Sometimes, people have seen them just wandering around.
“How do you find him?”
“If there were a strategy for that, I would’ve challenged the 6th Layer myself. The 6th Layer itself is a land that rejects living beings. Boiling lava, toxic gases, and endless acid rain. Even a Transcendent Being would struggle to survive an hour there.”
Keter shook his head.
As expected, nothing in the world is free. Each one is worth risking your life a hundred times over.
“Is there more?”
“That’s the part where you give me more jerky.”
“Greedy old man.”
Grumbling, Keter handed over the jerky, but Joyray held out his palm and said,
“One piece isn’t enough. Give me more.”
“Take it all, then.”
Keter handed over the entire bag of jerky. He had another one anyway, but he also felt sorry for Joyray, who looked like he’d lost weight.
Joyray, holding the bag of jerky, spoke with a slightly apologetic tone.
“The last piece of information isn’t confirmed. It’s a rumor. You’re the type to go check it out yourself, so I’m even more reluctant to tell you…”
Joyray glanced at Keter. When Keter tried to take the bag back, he continued.
“The 8th Layer, the Forest of Souls. It’s said that you can meet the souls of all who have died there. Unlike Nipur’s Library, you don’t need to search for them—they’ll come if you call. But as I said, this is just a rumor. There are many witnesses for Nipur’s Library and the Mirror of Truth, but only one person has ever returned alive from the 8th Layer, so it’s unverified.”
The 6th Layer alone is an environment where even Transcendent Beings can’t survive. How much more dangerous would the 7th Layer be?
Moreover, moving between layers isn’t something you can just do whenever you want. You have to find a passage, but the passages that are always in the same place are dangerous, and the randomly appearing ones are, well, random. It all comes down to luck.
The 8th Layer. It’s definitely a place where even a Transcendent Being can’t guarantee their survival.
“Is that it?”
“That’s it.”
“Who was the one who returned alive from the 8th Layer?”
“Franken.”
“……!”
To think he’d hear Franken’s name here.
And not only that, but he had gone all the way to the 8th Layer and returned alive to the surface.
‘Impressive. Then again, you’d have to be that strong to plant your soul in someone else’s Mental World.’
Franken had sacrificed himself in the Mental World to protect Keter from the Dragon.
But Franken had said he wasn’t truly dead.
‘Transforming the soul beyond the body. Did he succeed?’
If so, isn’t Franken a god?
Slap slap.
Keter slapped his cheeks to shake off the thoughts and continued his questions.
“Do you know where Franken went?”
“I don’t even know if he’s dead or alive. He just disappeared at some point.”
“That’s just like him.”
Keter stroked his chin, deep in thought.
He was considering whether to look for Franken.
But it wasn’t a long deliberation. If even Joyray, who was closely connected to the Grand Duke, the ruler of Ruquer, didn’t know, then only the Grand Duke himself might have that information.
“If you have no more questions, why don’t you go now? Focus on recovering.”
Joyray dismissed Keter. He didn’t want Keter getting involved in his affairs and told him to leave.
It seemed cold, but it was actually considerate, as Keter’s progress was being hindered by the mercenaries.
“You’re staying here? Let’s go together.”
“Are you asking me to be your guide? No thanks. I still want to live.”
Going to the underground of Ruquer now was suicide. Joyray had warned him.
But Keter just shrugged and said,
“If you don’t come, it’s your loss, old man.”
Keter turned and left.
Joyray was dumbfounded. The sound of Keter’s footsteps was light and cheerful, like a child heading off to receive a gift.
‘I was being harsh, but he’s leaving so easily.’
Joyray was surprised to realize he felt a bit disappointed. Deep down, he had hoped Keter would help him.
‘That’s not right. How could I ask Keter for help?’
Keter was a free spirit. Taking on the role of a branch manager for the Mercenary Guild was just for fun, not out of any sense of responsibility.
‘This is the mercenaries’ business, and Keter is a Solver, not a mercenary. It’s my job as the mercenary representative.’
To save the 500 mercenaries captured in the Arena by winning ten consecutive matches.
Joyray lay down on the bed to rest for tomorrow’s match. It was an incredibly uncomfortable bed—hard and lumpy. The stench around him assaulted his nose, and the sound of bugs crawling irritated his ears.
Still, he had to close his eyes and rest. Pushing aside worries about his next opponent and even his disappointment with Keter, he slowly drifted off to sleep—
BOOOOOOM!
CRASH!*
With a deafening explosion and the collapsing ceiling, Joyray had no choice but to jump up.