The master and slave pair returned to the guild to report their quest. Viers was taken aback by what he saw, it was like a fish market there. There were many adventurers he’d never seen before, all eager to have a piece of the action.
“Avel!” Someone called him, Viers turned to the caller. It was one of the friendlier adventurers in this city.
“...Carl,” Viers replied.
“Callahan! When will you remember my name?” The brown-haired young man said.
“Apologies. I’m not good with faces and names. This is because of the new Biome, I take it?” Viers pointed to the situation.
“Yup. Adventurers that rarely go questing, on vacation, retired, or stuck in a bottleneck; every man of fortune that smells the opportunities that lie in the Biome are converging here. Some of them came from the neighboring towns and villages.”
“So what’s the situation? I’ve heard there’s a new Biome opening in the vicinity but no idea after that,” Viers crossed his arms.
“Why are you acting like a big shot? Oh well, forget it. I’ll tell you. The Biome was actually discovered four days ago but the news came out only yesterday. This one is not the spewing-disaster kind of Biome but the filled-with-riches kind. Only, the Rift only opens for an hour in the morning and another hour in the evening. The morning Rift can only be used to enter the Biome while the evening Rift served for exiting the Biome.
“Mm-hm,” Viers listened to Callahan while watching the guild staff acting like ants on a sugar rush because of the adventurers’ numbers.
“Noticed that most adventurers are Level 2s? That’s the thing in this Biome, Level 3 or above cannot go in. In the case where the Biome’s power ceiling is too high, the riches and resources inside usually are swallowed by the high-level Pathseekers. The weaker ones only get the leftovers. Therefore this Biome is the perfect stage for Level 2s like us! And that’s not the only good news. The earlier groups that went in reported the Biome is very, very laden with resources! The monsters inside are not too dangerous either! Oh-la-la!” Callahan was getting excited simply by explaining it. He wanted to dive into the Biome as soon as he could.
“...Yes. Perfect. Surely no one wants to miss this golden moment,” Viers said, in a very skeptical tune. “What are they lining up for?” He bobbed his chin to the long line of adventurers in front of a counter as if it was a Disneyland attraction.
“It seems the rumor that you’re quite young under that helmet and voice changer is true if you don't know. If a Biome is discovered in the close vicinity of a city or town, then it falls under the jurisdiction of that city or town. Unlike Biomes in the wilds where you can enter at your leisure, you must get permission to enter. This happens often enough so the city officials usually delegate the job to the Adventurer's Guild. The guild register the adventurers, regulate how many can go in per day, and take a cut of the adventurers' harvest for themself and the city. The current rate is fifty percent.”
Viers turned his face to Callahan in shock. “They get half of the earnings without doing anything?”
“What? It’s normal,” Callahan didn't find anything wrong with it.
Viers wanted to puke. Fifty percent taxes? How absurd. His unwilling groan was heard by Callahan.
“As I said, the Biome is rich and big. You’ll still strike a fortune if you went in. Speaking of it, if you want to get a slot tomorrow, you should start lining up now.”
“What about you? Why’re you not in the line?” Viers asked back.
“I’m already done,” he grinned.
Viers watched the faces of the adventurers on the line. Young and old, eyes shined with the light of hope. Each of them carrying their dreams and burdens.
“I see… thanks for the talk. C’mon Boram.”
“Hey wait, the last of the line is over there.”
“I obviously know that.”
Viers went to a guild staff to report the inaccurate quest difficulty. It seemed he had no interest in the Biome whatsoever. Callahan only shook his head. He thought Viers didn't fully understand how precious a Biome is. The earlier they went in, the higher their chance to find something truly precious. Goddess willing, the Biome might provide himself a shot to become Level 3.
“Early bird gets the worm Avel~” Callahan shouted from behind.
True, and yet to me, you all little birdies seem to be going into the open maw of an alligator. Might not find any worm there, but stomach acid and closed exit, Viers thought.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Day 2 since Viers had the opportunity to enter the Biome; he flipped the bird to the Biome, again.
***
What a beautiful day.
Irkun Marakkus woke up with two young women beside him on his bed, naked. Both were gifts from lesser nobles that wanted to curry favor with him. Irkun had grown desensitized to such things because of how often it happened. Their beautiful sleeping faces reminded him of last night's passionate activities and his lips curled upwards.
A nice midnight snack.
“Clean this up and I want a bath,” Irkun clapped his hands to call his attendants. Three female servants came to Irkun’s chamber and enacted his orders.
For the young women on the bed were no longer breathing. Their essence had been sucked dry by Irkun last night.
The bathroom was the very definition of lavish luxury. In the pool of warm water mixed with flower petals, Irkun’s body was being washed by the hands of half a dozen women with transparent clothing, each from different races. Their soapy touch made his body clean without him doing a thing.
After the bath, he was also dressed by his female attendants. Irkun watched himself in the mirror as they dressed him with the clothes he picked.
Handsome face thanks to his impeccable lineage. No unseemly fat on his body. Six-pack chiseled stomach. His physical beauty was easy to gain. He only needed to thin his wallet a little. Granted, the sum was enough to buy a hill or two but a meager amount for one as rich as him.
With a luxurious and enchanted battle garb, Irkun walked the halls of the manor. As always, the giant Takju followed behind him. The Level 4 was a member of Gigantes race. Irkun recalled he was a chieftain before his grandfather captured the man from the Menace West. He was now a loyal bodyguard and a useful beast of burden for Irkun.
In a room in the manor’s basement, there was a magical portal. Irkun went through it without a thought. When he came out, he was in front of a gigantic megastructure. The giant stayed behind since he couldn't come.
The mausoleum made entirely of black stones was truly imposing. Irkun imagined it was how ants felt when they saw human houses. The mausoleum was as big as a whole city. The whole area was covered by walls but there were hundreds of gates. All protected by various enchantments.
They called it the Tomb.
The first task of the Blood Church's expedition was to pick the suitable gate and unravel the enchantments so they can gain entry. Irkun watched the enchanters under his command working together to solve the protective barrier of a gate with an angel carving on it. They deduced this gate was the easiest to solve and to travel through.
There were 20 enchanters. Some were forced, some were hired. The forced ones wore slave collars to ensure obedience. There were others too, 30 cannon fodder Pathseekers for the challenges inside the mausoleum. The wealth promised made the hired ones willing to risk their lives.
Too bad for them though. Father will not keep them alive after the job. The secret inside is too important.
Irkun might be the leader of this group but he was only Level 2 while the forced human resources were a gathering of Level 2s and 3s. Even if some of them were here because they were unwilling and bitter, none dared to attack Irkun. The imposing 20 Level 3 Deathsworn of the Marakkus family would protect Irkun at all cost. Not to mention the various magical items Irkun himself possessed.
Pathseekers above Level 2 could not enter the Biome, the adventurers were subject to this rule but the Blood Church had broken it.
The enchanters had been working on the gate for a whole day and it would open very soon.
Twenty-one gates apart from Irkun’s gate, another team of the Blood Church was doing the same thing as Irkun.
Invoking an Arte for farsight, Irkun scouted in that direction. The other camp had smaller numbers than his. Amidst the people, he saw the exquisite Izabella.
She was wearing her signature pointy hat. Her long red hair that reached her back, her unblemished skin on her neck and ample bosom always stoked his ember of desire. Her black skirt was long but there was a slit near the left thigh for ease of movement and fashion style. Her long milky white legs always captivated his eyes.
There was nothing Irkun wanted more than to ravish that body.
Unfortunately, Izabella had a sisterly bond with Blood Exarch Ursula. Irkun wanted to pluck the fruit and sow the field immediately but that was not to be.
Still, they were engaged. The Thyris house may have fallen from grace but the Blood Church top brass wouldn't want to lose such a valuable bloodline. Irkun’s lineage was great and the union between him and Izabella was expected to produce children with exceptional aptitude and talent. A task that Irkun would gladly do with zeal.
To make that dream come true, he must do his utmost in this ‘match’ that the top brass arranged. If he lost, then Izabella would no longer be his fiance.
I’ll not let you go, my sweet. You are mine, Irkun unconsciously licked his lips.
There was a sound of glass breaking and the massive stone gate opened with the creak of a moving giant.
“Alan, you know what to do,” Irkun said.
“I’ll be off then,” Alan went in first with four others. He was to lead a forward party to scout ahead.
With the first barrier broken down, Irkun reported his progress. A mirror in his tent showed the image of his father, the Blood Exarch Haghen.
“Father, we have gained entry to the Tomb,” Irkun said.
“Good. Now we begin the hard part. Do not let down your guard inside. It is a dangerous place.”
“I understand. I will be extra careful,” he answered.
“How are the fuels?”
“Reporting to father, the adventurers have come in droves like moths to the flame.”
“Hehehe, the outer region is safe currently and the peasants would make great harvest foraging there. Savor it while it lasts, peasants. Your lives shall be the key to awaken the slumbering power in this place.”
As the father smiled like a devil in the mirror, the son also smiled.