And just like that.. A peak grandmaster swordsman, one of the top 10 fighters of the Flavot city died in the act of trying to exact vengeance.
There was once a time when Arkham had helped Kahn with improving his weapon mastery when he gave his test inside Adventurer Association. The man had also offered him the assassination contract, eventually leading to him getting enough resources and money to raise his levels and strength.
With the assassination contract alone, Kahn gained many skills and even created his Six Generals. In a way, Arkham played a vital part in Kahn's making into the man he is now.
But at this moment, the same was killed by his own hands and cut in half.
Kahn's gaze then changed to Solomon, the President of Adventurer Association and the old-time friend of the magic swordsman.
Kahn quickly covered his entire body in somir scales and took a defensive stance against the Elven mage.
But unlike how he expected the elven mage to attack him, get enraged to the core and go in a frenzy to kill him.. The elf looked at the scene from far distance and didn't have a slight emotion of rage or surprise.
Solomon looked at the scene with lifeless eyes as if what happened just now didn't affect him in the slightest.
"You.. You could've saved him in the last moment just like before. But why didn't you.." asked Kahn as he activated his 12 darkness swords again.
"Eh, don't fret. It's nothing like what you think. He was a good companion but outlived his usefulness." replied Solomon.
"What do you mean?" asked Kahn in a puzzled tone.
He always thought of this duo as partners in crime. But the elven mage just said that Arkham outlived his usefulness.
"Don't you get it.. It's you who have helped me clear an obstacle in my path." he replied with a stern tone.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" shouted Kahn. His senses were already on full alert and he was skeptical of where the direction of this conversation was going. He wasn't a fool to leave his guard open at this moment and let the elven mage attack him from someplace else.
But in response, the president of the adventurer association only threw a light smirk back at him and replied.
"It's because I was going to kill him later anyway." spoke the regal-looking elf donned in high-quality mage attire.
"You what?! I don't understand.." asked Kahn in a completely bewildered tone.
"Arkham tried to kill you because he wanted to avenge his son. He asked me to come as a backup in case you really had broken through to Semi-Saint rank as per the rumors. But I had my own reasons to accept the invitation." spoke the elven mage.
"And what's that?" asked Kahn.
The next second, Solomon summoned a torn-down page that appeared to be part of some logbook.
"You see, I had my suspicions but after looking at that Basilisk, I'm very certain that you have it." he spoke.
"What's that list about?" asked Kahn as he could see hundreds of names written on both sides of the page.
"It's the list of people who entered the Bromnir dungeon the very day when it was cleared." explained Solomon.
"Amongst all the people who bought the dungeon passes.. Only you had the strength and means to do it. I was already suspicious about your high leap in strength and how your familiars were growing strong with each passing day. But when I saw your name in the list.. I was certain that it was you who cleared the dungeon and killed that damn lizard who was guarding the final floor." smiled Solomon as he patiently elaborated how he found about Kahn being the person who cleared the Bromnir dungeon.
A fire arose from his hand and burned the page to crisps. The elven mage pointed his forefinger at the young man.
"If you want to stay alive.. Give it to me." he ordered Solomon.
"Give you what?" asked Kahn.
"Don't play fool in front of me! Give me the dungeon core.. or should I call it... The Emperor's core." declared the elf.
Flabbergasted!
Kahn couldn't believe how the elf already knew about Emperor Rathnaar, the founder of Rakos empire who was a Peak Saint Rank swordsman and his core being hidden inside the Bromnir dungeon.
"You.. How do you know about it? The first sage said that nobody knew about its location." he spoke.
"Since you've helped me finally get it.. I'll let you know about the truth." said the mage as he folded his hand behind the back.
"I, Solomon Elfenheim, belong to the Elven clan that was one of the founding clans of this Empire. In our ancient archives.. Lied some records about the first Sage taking away the first Emperor's core after his death and hiding it somewhere close to the Abyss forest." explained Solomon.
"But nobody in my clan believes it anymore. I was once the chosen heir of my clan. Until one day, my younger brother surpassed me and defeated me in a dual for the position of the clan heir. I was thoroughly humiliated by that wench!"
"After spending years to improve my magical skills and finding ways to increase my power, I came across those ancient records and decided to find the core. Because it's not just a core.. But an unimaginable source of mana and world energy. If in right hands.. It can even destroy the entire capital in a single night." spoke Solomon.
"And during my journey.. I came across these newly formed dungeons 70 years ago. I was but a beginner grandmaster rank mage then. But with all the artifacts and resources I had. I did manage to clear the dungeon floor.. I even killed that undead Lich. Until the last floor." spoke Solomon and his face turned somber.
"That was an enemy which was far stronger than me in every aspect. I couldn't even scratch that drake. But I did manage to see the core.. And at that moment, I knew that the ancient records were correct. And it was indeed the Emperor's core acting as the dungeon core in the first place."
"I barely managed to leave that place alive using an Epic rank space teleportation artifact. And since then, I've lived in this shithole of a city to break through the Saint Rank and kill that Drake with my own hands. I even became the president of that wretched adventurer association filled with nothing but barbarians and mentally disabled insects twenty years ago, just to mandate and keep an eye on the core." said Solomon and completely released his dense and terrifying purple aura.. It was far denser and heavier than Arkham's aura.
"Now you have two choices. Give the core to me and I'll let you leave alive.. Or I rip your heart out and take it myself." threatened the elven mage.
If it was the other time of the day.. Kahn would've thought about this offer although he wasn't a fool to think that the mage would let him live anyway.
But as the sunset had finally gone. He replied to the elven mage with two simple words..
"Fuck off!"
Said Kahn as the system gave him a notification.
[Hero of Darkness title activated!]