It had already been months since the Royal Alchemist, Rumier Kazan, last slept. He looked in the mirror and saw a haggard face, with inch-thick dark circles below his bloodshot eyes. However, Rumier did not feel tired despite his months of struggle against insomnia.

‘I’m almost there,’ he thought. The secret plan he had begun was about to reach its grand finale. He had set up numerous statues across the continent, and he had also laid to rest the suspicious rumors circulating within the palace.

Rumier sat in his stuffy laboratory that stank of stale air while deep in thought.

Would things go smoothly according to plan?

Would the regressor give up on fighting against the Demon Lord?

Would he be able to achieve the result he and his partner wished for?

He had no way of knowing what the outcome would be, but that was all the more reason for him to do his best.

Rumier fiddled with the pendant in his hand.

Meanwhile, at the royal palace…

The new owner of the palace, Empress Kisifran, gave an order that would drastically change the course of the future. “Summon Helkin. It is time for the Imperial Knights to make a move.”

***

The people who had been suddenly transported to the Sylphia Continent were called ‘Travelers’, and the strongest among those Travelers had gathered in front of a black ruin located atop a high mountain.

The mercenaries murmured among themselves.

“Look, that’s Bloodied Sword Vincent,” one of the mercenaries whispered.

“Huh? What’s up with the corny nickname?” another asked.

“You won’t be able to laugh at his nickname if you have a taste of his sword. Why, you ask? Well, your head will be on the ground by then, that’s why,” the first mercenary replied.

Vincent wore a light outfit that did not suit his class as a Knight. However, the bloody sword on his waist, his sharp yet relaxed gaze, and his confident steps gave credence to the rumors surrounding him.

Vincent looked at a man with a large bow on his back who was sitting on top of a rock. The man with the bow was just like Vincent in the sense that he did not resemble an Archer at all, due to his massive size that was reminiscent of a grizzly bear.

Vincent extended his calloused right hand and called out, “Blake? I see you’re the Archer who managed to kill the Ice Giant in the north. I’ve heard the stories of your marksmanship.”

Blake slowly stood up and extended his large hand toward the knight as he said, “I’m familiar with your legendary exploits as well, Vagabond Knight, Vincent. I’ve heard the story of when you pointed a knife at a duke’s neck just to complete a quest.”

“That is just a story from the past,” Vincent replied.

“You do not have to be so humble. It is fine for you to be proud of destroying an entire private army just to save a maid,” Blake said.

The two men looked at each other with a smile and shook hands.

“I’m very grateful that my back will be watched by a trustworthy companion like you,” Vincent said.

“It would be my honor to fight alongside a living legend like you,” Blake replied.

It was at that moment that a man wearing heavy armor interrupted their conversation. He said in a cold tone, “Wrap up your greetings.”

Vincent and Blake turned toward the man with the cold voice. His appearance was equally cold, and he had a dangerous-looking ax on his waist.

Vincent let out a boisterous laugh and said, “So there was another legend joining us, the Unforgiving Ax, Ignacio!”

Blake tilted his head in confusion and asked, “Ignacio? That’s an unusual name.”

“I’m from Portugal,” Ignacio said coldly.

The mercenary Travelers were worked up when they heard the conversation between the three men. It was unprecedented to see so many renowned men gather at the same spot and work together for the first time.

The three men were also known as the Pioneers. They were the first group to be transported to the continent, and they had lived harsher lives than any of the other Travelers. They were renowned for not joining any guild and attaining the strength they had through their own efforts. Not one of the mercenaries had not heard of their stories; that was why they all looked at the three men with respectful gazes.

“That’s simply amazing. Their track record says it all,” one of the mercenaries said.

“How long have they lived on the continent? They speak and act like the Continentals,” another mercenary asked.

“I’ll become like them one day…!” another mercenary exclaimed, clearly starstruck.

Ignacio shouldered his ax and said, “Enough with the pleasantries. It’s now time for us to enter the ruin.”

The three men looked toward the black ruin. They had gathered today to conquer the impregnable ruin, the Death Pool.

They had all received the same request to conquer the ruin. That was the reason why, despite preferring to always work alone, they had gathered as a party and even hired mercenaries to conquer the ruin.

Blake slung his quiver across his back before saying, “We only exchanged letters, so this is the first time we’re meeting. In any event, it’s an honor to meet the two of you.”

Vincent nodded before saying, “I have something I want to clarify before we enter the ruin. We might be hunting together, but the one to complete the quest will be the one who kills the ruin’s boss monster.”

The three men looked at each other; none of them was willing to give up the boss monster to the others.

Just as the eight-hundred-strong mercenary army finally finished their preparation and was about to enter the ruin, a loud voice suddenly made them stop in their tracks.

“Hold on a minute!” a shabby looking man shouted from atop a cliff. Then, he bravely jumped off the cliff and landed in front of the mercenary army.

The mercenaries squinted and waited for the dust to settle so they could see who the madman was, but their eyes soon widened with shock when they finally saw his face.

“C-Cheon Si-On!” one of the mercenaries exclaimed.

“The Ruin Destroyer! It’s the Ruin Destroyer!” another mercenary shouted.

“E-Even that monster is going to be joining this raid?” a mercenary wondered in awe.

The Ruin Destroyer, Cheon Si-On!

His vicious combat style was considered by Travelers to be the most powerful among them. Cheon Si-On was thought of as the best when it came to raiding ruins, but he was usually cast out from raid parties because of his tendency to suddenly go off on his own.

Ignacio slowly moved his hand toward his ax while glaring at the madman. He said, “I don’t remember inviting a wild animal off its leash like you.”

“Well, that’s what you think. I got bored hunting alone, and I still have to finish the request to conquer that dungeon, so I decided to fight alongside you guys,” Cheon Si-On said with a carefree attitude, which was well-known among Travelers.

Vincent let out another laugh before saying, “Alright! Let’s raid this ruin together!”

“Is it alright to let him join us just like that?” Blake asked with a worried look.

Vincent smiled and replied, “Don’t you think it would be an interesting showdown? Four of the strongest Travelers on the continent gathered at one ruin to try and conquer it. The mere thought of finally deciding who the strongest one among us is is already making me feel excited.”

“Decide who the strongest one is? Are you asking for a fight, right here, right now?” Cheon Si-On asked.

Vincent shook his head preemptively and replied, “We have to kill the ruin’s boss monster since he got the same quest, and the one who kills the ruin’s boss monster can take the title of the strongest Traveler on the continent.

“They’ll be deciding once and for all in the ruins whether who the strongest Traveler is among them! This will be an interesting showdown!” one of the mercenaries exclaimed.

The strongest Traveler!

It would indeed be an interesting showdown, since there was no ranking system on the continent.

In the end, the four men all burned with fighting spirit as they waited for the raid to start.

***

The Death Pool Ruin had the worst survival rate among all of the ruins that had been discovered. It was so notorious that even famous guilds blinded by its untouched riches only gave up immediately after daring to challenge it.

However, the four men bravely rushed forth and plowed through the ruin.

“Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!” Dark Skeletons rose up from the ground and clacked their jaws.

Dark Skeletons were so tough that most steel weapons would not be able to leave even a scratch on their bones, but Vincent made easy work of them with his swordsmanship.

“Scatter Shot,” Blake muttered while drawing his bowstring, before firing ten arrows at once toward the skeletons.

Meanwhile, Ignacio only targeted the large and powerful-looking skeletons. They could not withstand the force of his ax swings and were quickly smashed to pieces.

However, the one who smashed the most number of skeletons was Cheon Si-On.

“Glory of Ruin Destruction.” Cheon Si-On used one of his high-ranking class-exclusive skills, which enveloped his body in a bright light, then dashed toward the skeletons and smashed them one by one.

A few of the mercenaries started to die the deeper they went underground, as the skeletons grew stronger and more traps were installed. Eventually, the large group they had brought when they first entered the ruin was reduced to half of their original number.

Ignacio approached Cheon Si-On while they were taking a break and asked, “Now that I think about it… Who did you receive your request from?”

“Duke Ekishar. He said something about a secret passage beneath the heart of the Death Pool Ruin that led underground,” Cheon Si-On replied.

“So you’re after the same thing as us? Are you trying to be the first to explore the Unknown Underground?” Ignacio asked.

“I’m just bored of the continent since I’ve been to most places, and I just thought there had to be something new and exciting underground,” Cheon Si-On replied with a shrug.

The raid party continued their conquest of the dangerous ruin, and they soon reached the 12th floor, where the heart of the ruin lay. They found themselves standing before the door leading to the room where the boss monster awaited them.

The doors suddenly shut tightly and blocked their path of retreat the moment they stepped into the room. The boss monster, a slender beauty who exuded a dangerous aura, was now the only thing standing between them and the heart of the ruin.

The woman raised her staff and exclaimed, “You foolish humans dare to enter the forbidden lair of a dragon?”

[The Boss Monster, the Demon Taming Witch, Alsroa, has appeared!]

Powerful monsters appeared with one swing of Alsroa’s staff. Dark elves that cast curses on their enemies, ogres that blindly charged into the fray, a lesser demon, and many other dangerous monsters appeared to face the raid party.

The four men fought courageously, and the mercenaries behind them followed their lead in the fight against the monsters.

“The monsters will keep coming no matter how many times we kill them! We have to target the summoner! The monsters might be strong, but the witch must be weak enough to die in a single blow!” Blake shouted before drawing his bowstring and unleashing a flurry of arrows toward the witch. However, his arrows were completely blocked by the large monsters that were guarding their summoner.

Vincent shouted after cutting an ogre’s head in half, “We’ll take care of the monsters, so aim for the witch and unleash your most powerful attack!”

“Alright!” Blake shouted.

However, Alsroa was not an easy foe to deal with. The powerful monsters she summoned blocked the path of the three men whenever they tried to cut their way toward her, and the seemingly unlimited stream of summoned monsters shifted the tide of battle against the raid party.

Soon, all of the mercenaries died, and only the four men remained.

“We’re cornered,” Cheon Si-On said.

The three other men nodded in agreement.

Cheon Si-On rushed ahead and blocked the incoming monsters before shouting, “There’s only one way out of this! The three of us will risk our lives to create an opening, and you need to use that opening to snipe the witch. The monsters will naturally disappear if the witch is dead!”

“I can’t accept surviving this alone!” Blake protested.

However, Ignacio gripped his now-bloodied ax tightly and said coldly, “You’re the most proficient at sniping targets from a distance. So it’ll be your duty to kill the boss monster.”

Vincent shouted while swinging his bloodied sword, “Unfortunately, it seems I’ll have to concede the title of the strongest Traveler on the continent to you, Blake.”

Blake said while holding back tears, “I’ll make sure that your deaths aren’t in vain.”

The three men charged forward while using the strongest skills in their arsenal. They managed to kill many of the powerful monsters, but they were left exhausted beyond their limit.

When the men managed to kill the monsters, a small opening presented itself, and Blake fired dozens of magic arrows without an ounce of hesitation toward the boss monster.

Piiiiiiing!

The dozens of magic arrows fanned out in every direction before streaking toward their target—the witch, Alsroa.

However, Alsroa did not even stagger after being hit by the magic arrows. She smirked and said, “A witch can never die unless the insignia engraved on her back is sliced apart, foolish humans.”

Despair filled Blake’s eyes.

The new wave of powerful monsters the witch summoned beat the three men into a bloody pulp, and the monsters approached Blake after making short work of his comrades.

Just as Blake was cursing his arrogant self and steeling his resolve to meet his demise, a small sound rang out from somewhere.

Sukeok!

“Kyaaaaaahk!” Alsroa screamed in agony before falling to the ground. A large cut was clearly visible on her back. The witch, who had been grinning arrogantly mere moments before, turned around and looked at the man who cut her down while she was being drawn toward death’s door.

Neither the summoned monsters nor Blake could not believe their eyes. A man had walked leisurely out from the heart of the ruin and cut down the witch from behind.

‘H-How is he walking out from the heart of the ruin when you can only enter it after killing the boss monster…?’ Blake thought, baffled.

The man who walked out from the heart of the ruin looked peculiar as well. He held a sword in his right hand and a chalice of alcohol in his left. The strange man said in a low, dry tone, “Hand over the rewards.”

The strongest Traveler on the continent, Kang Yoon-Soo, had appeared!