Chapter 394

Chapter 394

Lake Kingdom Dungeon, Zone 10. The Farm.

In the heart of the city, a vast expanse of land suddenly unfolded. Endless rows of fruit trees, planted at precise intervals like blades, stretched out before the eyes.

On one side, a barn; on the other, fields and paddies...

Originally, it was a top-grade farm exclusively supplying the King's Castle, reserved for the royal family.

Covered with pristine glass walls, this facility maintained optimal temperatures and lighting for plant growth through magic.

Even as the kingdom fell to ruin, shrouded in darkness and monsters, this place continued to operate.

Guided by the will of its current owner.

Trickle, trickle.

From the terrace of the central mansion, overlooking this wide and beautiful farm.

Into the wine glass on the outdoor table, red wine poured with a clear sound.

"Do you know the difference between fermentation and decay?"

The burly man, having filled the glass halfway, slowly set the bottle upright and began to speak. His deep voice flowed from him.

"The principle is the same. Microbes multiply, and, simply put, rot. But the outcomes are different. When rot deepens the taste and aroma, its fermentation. When it produces foul odors and toxins, its decay."

The man swirled the glass in his hand. The red wine rippled, nearly spilling as it spun inside the glass.

"Its all rotting, but if it benefits humans, its fermentation; otherwise, its decay. Quite a convenient standard, isnt it?"

"..."

"Even in decay, there are flavors like this wine, a time for harvest, and the subtlety of maturation. Yet humans neither understand nor try to appreciate its true taste."

Slowly, the man raised the glass, examining the red liquid in the light of the farm.

"So, I sought to enlighten humans with the aesthetics of my decay. But failing to embrace my philosophy, they branded me a monster."

The man chuckled.

"Oh, the irony! When it suits their taste, Im hailed as a great doctor. But when I follow my own path, they treat me as a plague monster. Really, so arbitrary. Ive always consistently studied rot."

"..."

"So, as people wished, I became a monster. Using my body as a breeding ground, I infused all my researched decay into myself... I became the embodiment of plague."

Gulp-

The man downed the glass.

Having savored the last drop of red wine, he let out a satisfied exclamation and set the glass down, then looked across the table.

"Ive rambled on. Why not have a taste? Its my farms own brew. Quite good, actually."

"..."

"Afraid to drink something brewed by the Plague Master? Or has my bare face put you off your appetite? Either way, I suppose I understand."

Wiping his mouth, the man picked up a mask lying beside the table. A white crow mask.

Donning the crow mask and a black top hat, he took his place.

The fourth-ranked commander of the Nightmare Legion.

The lord of the Plague Legion - Raven, sat and faced his visitor.

"So, what brings you here today?"

"..."

"Your silence makes me prattle on all by myself."

Sitting opposite Raven was a Frost Giant.

This Frost Giant was remarkably small for his kind, only slightly larger than a typical human.

Yet, this man was the commander of the Frost Giant Legion, the Last King.

One of the most formidable among the hellish monsters beneath this lake - King Hraim of the Frost.

Hraim, who had been silently staring at Raven, finally parted his heavy lips.

"I'm done."

"What are you referring to?"

"Im done being a dog for your Plague Legion."

Hraim, having bluntly stated his purpose, pushed back his chair and stood up. Raven tilted his head to the side, puzzled.

"Does this mean you're abandoning your wife and children, held hostage by my legion?"

"...!"

Hraim, his eyes flickering wildly, growled fiercely.

"For hundreds of years, youve held my wife and children hostage, using my Frost Giant people like your slaves."

"I thought it was a decent collaborative relationship."

"I sent my forces to capture the Succubi Queen on your orders. But the result was annihilation. Many of the few remaining warriors of my race were needlessly lost due to your command."

"You speak as if I killed your warriors."

Raven smirked mockingly, shrugging his shoulders.

"I requested cooperation, and you accepted. The annihilation by the Succubi Queen was due to the weakness of your men."

"..."

"To lose all your subordinates and not even capture a single Succubi, the Frost Giants have really declined."

Insulted to his face, a terrifying malevolence erupted from Hraim.

Looking as though he might draw the greatsword on his back and attack Raven at any moment, Hraim eventually exhaled a long breath, suppressing his rage.

"From this moment, the Frost Giant Legion severs its master-servant relationship with the Plague Legion."

Hraim turned and began to walk away.

"Do as you wish with those held hostage. Kill them, spare them. They're no longer my concern."

"How cold, King of the Frost Giants. You intend to abandon your wife and children?"

So genuinely delighted that a hum escaped from under his crow mask.

Having completed his task, Raven, with a reverent gesture, wiped his hands and headed towards a warehouse on one side of the farm.

"On the day a new plague is sown in the body of the Frost King... It's only fitting to celebrate with a drink."

Despite being the master of a plague rotting the world with his power of decay,

He was a true connoisseur when it came to alcohol.

Fruits and grains were stored cleanly, not using the power of decay, and the joy in his life was to ferment and age them with time and care.

"There were some freshly harvested Immortal Peaches. Paired with the peach wine I brewed last year, it will be exceptional."

Thrilled with the small joy of ending his day, Raven opened the warehouse door

"...?"

Raven sensed something amiss.

It was gone.

In the deepest part of the fruit warehouse, where only the rarest and top-quality fruits were collected, Raven's cherished collection was completely gone.

"What, what...?"

Raven let out a perplexed groan, staring at the empty shelves.

The Immortal Peach, a fruit that grew by absorbing magic power.

Among them, the Pantao Peach, which only ripens once every three thousand years, even rarer than any elixir, was nowhere to be found.

And not just that.

All the other precious magical fruits that Raven had painstakingly harvested over many years, stored in the best condition with dozens of preservation spells, and which he hesitated to even eat or brew into alcohol, merely admiring them

Gone.

Completely cleaned out.

"Who on earth..."

Raven's shoulders trembled violently with emotion.

"Which audacious madman dared to sneak into the deepest part of this Plague Master's farm and steal...!"

There had been many instances of theft in the farm. Most monsters of the Lake Kingdom were driven by greed.

But never had someone selectively stolen only the most precious items. This was the first time since his resurrection in the Lake Kingdom that he felt such rage.

Unable to control his power of decay, poisonous energy boiled over from Raven's entire body.

The other fruits and grains stored in the warehouse rotted away completely.

"I will kill them...! Whoever stole my possessions! Those who coveted them! All of them!"

Raven's voice, filled with rage and despair, echoed loudly.

"I will find them all and kill them-!"

***

On the path from Zone 10 to Zone 9.

Mason was scouting at the very front, and Salome was likewise keeping an eye on the surroundings from the rear. And I,

Crunch.

Was eating a fruit Salome had acquired yesterday.

I do need to eat to live, after all. Mason and Salome don't seem to need much in the way of supplies, but I need food to keep moving.

Especially since today we're entering Zone 9.

Unlike the calm atmosphere of the final Zone 10, Zone 9 is an absolute hellish battlefield. Supplies are crucial as real battles will start.

Crunch!

Biting into a peach, my eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, what's with this peach? It's really good."

"Tastes good, right? Haha. I did have a bit of trouble sneaking around for it."

Salome boasted from behind.

But it wasn't just empty praise; it was genuinely delicious. Maybe slightly better than canned peaches from Earth?

But remember, Earth's fruits are top-notch, improved by generations of scholars through breeding.

Isn't it a huge compliment to say a fruit from this fantasy world tastes better than Earth's?

'I wonder if it's just me, but I feel full of magic power now.'

After finishing one, I felt revitalized. I asked Salome,

"Got many fruits left?"

"Yep! Brought loads of them. Don't worry about eating them all! I can just sneak into that farm again!"

Stealing crops that someone else has worked hard to grow is wrong...

But well, it seems these were grown by a monster legion commander for his consumption. No need to feel too guilty, I guess.

"That's great. Thanks. It's delicious."

"Hehe, leave it to me!"

Salome, her nose in the air, proudly exclaimed,

"For you, I'd raid that farm until it's empty!"

I don't know who the farm owner is.

I just hope they don't get too stressed out by our raids...

***

And when we arrived at the place connecting Zone 10 and Zone 9 'The Great Bridge'.

"...?!"

Someone blocked our path as we attempted to cross the wide bridge.