Chapter 122 A Deal We Don't Know Yet

"About three months ago... there was an appearance of S rank gate. Which rarely happens. After the horde of S rank gates were cleared two years ago by an alliance of all special ranks."

"Oh, so all the special ranks came together to clear all S rank gates. Are S rank gates that strong?" Raith asked– even though it was clear that he was talking to the chairman, his eyes were on Mok Jae-Hwa.

"Yes, S-rank gates are that strong. I was opportune to pair up with the catastrophe rank hunter from Russia... even he had it rough. I, a disaster-rank hunter could not even do much against those monsters." Mok Jae-Hwa replied, looking down in shame.

"I see..." Raith acknowledged.

"Yea..." Chairman Mok Jun-Seo continued, "...since that time, S rank gates rarely emerge until this one. So it's in high demand. But I decided to make it your first official gate raid, the eyes of the media will be upon you from all around the world."

Chairman Mok Jun-Seo wore a big smile on his face as he spoke.

"What if I fail?"

"Hunter Raven... I have seen what you are capable of... at least a speck of it. I know you can't fail." He assured Raith with a confident expression.

Raith shook his head with a smile.

"Besides, you will be doing this with me and my team." Mok Jae-Hwa added.

"There's nothing impressive about that? Am I supposed to be gratefully raiding a dungeon with a guy that thinks too little of death?" Raith sternly said to him.

Mok Jae-Hwa went silent and said nothing after that while his father just laughed at how harshly he has been shut.

***

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***

The first raid was a success but the paladins whom the citizens were so proud of were coming back in ruins. Their number has greatly reduced and even the littlest of citizens dare to ask the question: Will they be able to clear the ant chimera dungeon in Ephselon city?

This was a question that everyone knew the answer to and the fear they had all forgotten about found its way back into their hearts.

Streets that used to be lively with news and story of the pontifices' grace was not dry and looked abandoned because everyone has learned to stay in the comfort of their house.

This situation has given rise to the commencement of preachers who say the end of the world is coming and they shall know that the end of the world is near.

"Hm... the boy has not been heard of since he went to Felfhiem... he is probably dead or something. I told you he can't survive, it is a sad thing. I guess we have to find a new hero for the failure archon."

"Wait! Your grace, you are going to give that cruel faith to another person?!"

The white-haired elven lady turned to him with a gloomy smile, "Wow wow... Pieter, you have now learned to talk haven't you?"

"I'm sorry Leane, I was just worried."

"Do not waste your time and thoughts on things such as worry. You have known me for so long as my Knight Of Oath, aren't you used to it by now."

"Ah, it is hard to get used to you Leane."

"Wow, I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult."

The dark-haired knight with a cold face looked down in contemplation. He seemed to have an issue in his mind but wouldn't talk.

"I told you already Pieter, useless emotions, I hate them."

"I'm just thinking about the heretic preachers... what if they are right–

The atmosphere immediately changed. She was not facing Pieter but he could tell that she was very angry at what she just spilled.

She cocked her head backward over her neck, "Hey Pieter, do you want to die? Do you want me to kill you?" as she asked, a gloomy and dark serenity overwhelmed her face. It was so calm that it was very scary.

"I'm sorry Leane!" The man immediately got on all fours and begged.

She stormed away from the balcony where both of them were into the large hall of the Throne Archon temple, The Oasis Of Alachra as it is popularly called.

The man sighed and looked over the balcony, to the cities that all seemed empty because people were beginning to lose fate in the pontifices. The only places crowds could be seen were amidst the preachings of the world's end.

***

A certain man in a black cloak, his head was also covered by the hood of the cloak but there was a point carved out of the hood of the cloak as if something pointy was trying to escape.

The man reached the front of a ragged man who was packing up his microphone box which was like that of a Victorian era.

"Huh? Young man, are you lost?" The ragged man said to the man in the cloak who just stared down at him.

Seeing that this man was not responding, the ragged man left what he was doing and stood up to the cloaked man.

"See, for today I am done preaching but you can always meet us at this point if you want to hear more."

"I have a question for you" The cloaked man finally spoke, his voice was like a strained foghorn, but oddly there was a pleasant and addictive tone that it rang out with.

"What is it, young man?"

"How are you so confident that this world will come to an end?"

"The signs, did you not hear about the raid? Even the paladins were not able to avoid ruination. The archons will be forced to wake up and the moment the archons wake up, Therut will be destroyed because the archons' bodies are the very foundation on which this world was bu– The man paused and belated covering his mouth with his hands.

'...shit, it slipped. I wasn't supposed to say that part'

The hood of the cloak was covering the upper face of this individual hence it was hard to see what his face looked like but the man could see as his lips curled up.

"Now, now, aren't you an interesting one? You are quite informed aren't you?"

"Haha... young man, just look away from me. I was just saying gibberish."

"You are right, their bodies are the foundation of this world. But what you don't know is that they can wake up without having to wake up their body. And that is why all pontifices are elves. Only the lifespan and body of an elf can accommodate them, the human body is too weak and has a short lifespan."

The man's eyes shivered, '...this guy, he just said what that man used to teach all of us.'

"I am very sure that this is something you were taught. I don't care who taught you but I can help you to your aim... if you are willing to make a deal with a demon."