Chapter 134

Chapter 134. The Legacy of Iron Fist (3)

A wide cavern.

In the center, a pair of gauntlets emitting a mysterious blue light floated in mid-air.

Even someone ignorant about artifacts would instinctively think, “Oh, that looks like something special,” as an extraordinary aura emanated from the gauntlets.

“Brother, that… Could it be…?”

The name that simultaneously came to our minds upon discovering the gauntlets.

“Th-the Legacy of Iron Fist, isn’t it?”

One of the ‘Five Great Heroes’ who sealed the Devil God and saved humanity 500 years ago.

The name of Iron Fist Ryu Jinseong flashed through my mind.

“No… why is this here…?”

I looked at the gauntlets floating in mid-air with a confused expression.

‘What on earth is going on?’

In my past life, I clearly explored this ruin with Yuren, Berald, Iris, and Senior Sophia.

It was the first ruin we challenged as a party, so we thoroughly searched every corner and even found a hidden path that Berald discovered.

‘There was nothing there back then.’

Of course, there’s a 10-year gap between then and now, so someone might have taken the gauntlets during that time.

But.

‘We were definitely the first to find this ruin, right?’

Our party was the first to open the ruin’s door, which had been hidden for 500 years, by finding the scattered seal stones throughout the canyon.

‘And we defeated the Guardians back then.’

Guardians naturally formed in ruins don’t regenerate once destroyed.

If someone had entered the ruin before us and taken the Legacy of Iron Fist, there’s no explanation for why the Guardians were still intact 10 years later.

‘Has the future changed…?’

No.

I shook my head slightly.

If something that was there disappeared, that would be one thing, but how does the future changing explain something that wasn’t there appearing?

“B-brother… Can I touch those gauntlets?”

“Wait. If anyone’s going to touch them, it’ll be me.”

I pulled Berald back as he tried to approach the gauntlets and stepped forward.

‘It would be great if Professor Elisha were here right now.’

But calling her now wasn’t an option.

“Iris. Just in case, cast a protective spell beforehand.”

“B-but then Dale will…”

Since I was outside the spell’s range, casting it now would mean I wouldn’t be protected.

I swallowed a bitter laugh and turned my head toward Iris.

“I’ll be fine.”

You know that, right? I didn’t need to say it.

“…Alright.”

Iris reluctantly stepped back and began chanting an incantation.

“Phew.”

I let out a short sigh and approached the gauntlets floating in the center of the cavern.

The gauntlets, made of dark blue metal.

Each finger joint was meticulously crafted to move naturally, as if made by a master artisan, and blue lightning crackled around the gauntlets.

‘That lightning… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere.’

Pushing the question aside, I reached out toward the gauntlets.

Crackle! Zap!

Blue sparks fiercely erupted, shaking the entire cavern as if an earthquake had struck.

“D-Dale!”

“I’m fine.”

I waved at Yuren and examined the gauntlets again.

‘It seems like these gauntlets are the core of the ruin.’

The fact that the entire cavern shook in response to the gauntlets’ reaction was proof.

Crackle! Zap!

I reached out toward the gauntlets again, now crackling with blue lightning.

Rumble!

As I got closer, thunder roared, and a powerful magic field erupted.

An ordinary person would have been instantly burned by the blue lightning upon contact.

“Little thing’s throwing a tantrum.”

Whoosh!

Ash Fire ignited, burning away the magic field protecting the gauntlets.

“Gotcha.”

As I pulled out the gauntlets, the shaking of the cavern stopped as if the power had been cut.

“…Is it over?”


“Are you okay, Dale?”


“Are you hurt?”

The party members who had stepped back rushed over.

I nodded and lightly shook the gauntlets in my hand.

“Is that the Legacy of Iron Fist?”

Even Camila, who usually spouted stubborn remarks about how a true warrior shouldn’t covet weapons, couldn’t resist the allure of the “Legacy of Iron Fist” and looked at the gauntlets with interest.

“Seems like it.”

Who would have thought we’d obtain the Legacy of Iron Fist, something countless heroes had searched for over 500 years?

“Th-the Legacy of Iron Fist! This is a huge deal, isn’t it?!”

Berald was so excited he was practically steaming.

‘Come to think of it, Berald was the most enthusiastic about exploring this ruin in my past life too.’

Well.

Any martial artist who uses their fists would be excited by the name “Legacy of Iron Fist.”

After all, Iron Fist Ryu Jinseong was the legendary martial artist who single-handedly defeated tens of thousands of the Devil God’s army with just his fists.

“Here. You take it, Berald.”

I handed the gauntlets to Berald.

Berald’s eyes widened as he looked at me.

“Me… take it? You’re saying I should take it?”


“You’re the only one here who can use these gauntlets.”


“B-but… you use martial arts too, brother?”

Berald was so shocked he could barely speak.

“I do use martial arts, but my main weapon is the sword. Wearing gauntlets would just get in the way when swinging my sword.”

Plus, with the overpowered “Ash Fire,” I didn’t need to rely on an artifact’s power.

‘Forcing myself to use it might just make me weaker.’

In that sense, Berald was the most fitting owner for the Legacy of Iron Fist.

“Really… I can take it?”

Berald looked at the gauntlets with trembling eyes.

I glanced around at the other party members.

Yuren, Camila, and Iris all nodded, agreeing that Berald should take the Legacy of Iron Fist.

“Well, even if Iron Fist Ryu Jinseong isn’t your ancestor, it’s not like you’re completely unrelated, right?”

The current head of the Ryu family, Ryu Jinhyeok, was Ryu Jinseong’s younger brother, so there’s some connection.

‘Though they were mortal enemies.’

But they’ve been dead for hundreds of years, so what does it matter now?

“Th-thank you! Thank you, Brother Dale! And Brother Yuren! Sister Iris! Sister Camila!”


“No problem. I also thought it was best for you to have it.”


“Ahem. Sister…? Call me senior.”


“Can I call you sister-in-law?”

The party members all chimed in, congratulating Berald.

“To think I’d get the Legacy of Iron Fist…”

Berald’s eyes sparkled like a child who’d just received a birthday present.

I stifled a laugh as I watched Berald carefully take the gauntlets, as if afraid he might drop them.

‘Seeing him so happy makes me feel good too.’

I think I understand a little why parents go out of their way to give their children good gifts, even when they’re struggling.

“Can I try them on?”


“Of course. They’re yours now.”

Berald gulped and put on the gauntlets.

Crackle! Zap!

As soon as he put them on, blue lightning crackled around him.

“Ooh… Huh?”

Berald, who had been flexing his fingers while wearing the gauntlets, tilted his head in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”


“Well, when I put them on, they felt a bit creaky.”


“…Creaky?”


“Hmm… How should I put it? It feels a bit rusty.”


“……”


“Hahaha. Well, the Legacy of Iron Fist is over 500 years old, so it’s natural it’d be rusty.”

No.

It’s not natural.

‘An artifact called the Legacy of Iron Fist… rusty?’

No way.

It might get damaged in battle, but it shouldn’t corrode over time.

“…Wait.”

At that moment.

The scattered puzzle pieces clicked together in my mind.

How the Legacy of Iron Fist, which wasn’t there 10 years later, could be in the ruin now.

How the legacy could disappear without any signs of intrusion.

How an artifact like the Legacy of Iron Fist could rust.

‘Someone’s been secretly absorbing the ruin’s magic power.’

Like poking a small hole in a hard fruit to suck out the juice.

Someone who couldn’t find a way to open the ruin’s entrance instead made a small hole leading to the ruin’s core and absorbed its magic.

Of course, this isn’t something that’s normally possible.

There’s only one “Blessing” I know of that allows this.

‘The Blessing of Exploitation.’

And the owner of that blessing is…

Click, click.

The sound of heels echoed through the wide cavern.

“Oh my~ I wondered who the little mice sneaking into the ruin were, but they’re just adorable little kids~?”

A woman with purple hair, wearing a revealing outfit that flaunted her figure.

Though her appearance was undeniably beautiful, the first thought that came to mind upon seeing her wasn’t admiration but a warning: “Dangerous.”

‘Grand Archbishop of Desire, Laktasia.’

One of the six at the pinnacle of the Mains, she approached with a leisurely stride, a sly smile on her face.

“Hmm~ Let’s see, is there a handsome man to my taste… Huh?”

Laktasia, who had been licking her lips while slowly turning her head, locked eyes with Yuren.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my! What’s this? He’s totally my type!”

Upon spotting Yuren, Laktasia’s eyes sparkled as she let out an excited squeal.

“Hehehe. Little one, what’s your name?”


“…I have no name to give you.”

Yuren, seemingly sensing the thick aura emanating from her, stiffened and placed his hand on his sword hilt.

“Haaah~! What, what! How is your voice so perfect too?”

Laktasia hugged herself, trembling with excitement, and gazed at Yuren with a greedy look.

“I’ve decided. You’ll be my pet, and I’ll cherish you for a long, long time.”


“……”

Her attitude was as if the rest of us were invisible.

‘She hasn’t changed a bit.’

In my past life, she was spouting nonsense like this before Yuren sliced her head off.

“How about it? If you become my pet, I’ll spare the others.”

Why is it…

“Hehe. It’s not a bad offer for you either. As my pet, you’ll experience heavenly pleasures.”

Even though I’ve experienced this situation before, seeing her try to seduce Yuren filled me with uncontrollable anger.

“Come here. I can fulfill all your desires…”


“Hey.”

I cut off Laktasia and took a step forward.

“Who do you think you are, trying to seduce my man?”

Huh.

Now that I say it out loud, it sounds a bit weird.