[ TWATF ]

Chapter 52: Last hope (1)

Episode 8.
Last hope (1)

A week after the speech to retire from being the Master, the word spread throughout <Chaos>.

- Anyone who wishes to become a Master, challenge me! But if you lose, you will go to the <Depth>!

It fueled the fire in the minds of the people of <Chaos>. Anyone powerful enough was going to have a chance to become a Master of the fortress. It was very tempting. The rumor that the new Master was a [Non-Adapter] served to fuel the fire even more.

‘No way! How can the Master be a Non-Adapter?’

‘It’s true! The elders and officers of the Ten-Clan confirmed it!’

The rumors spread quickly.

‘How did a Non-Adapter become a master?’

‘Is he from the Palace of Reincarnation?’

‘No way. Lords or Renowned families are not allowed to interfere in <Chaos>.’

There were some who were suspicious of Jaehwan’s intentions.

‘What is he up to?’

He had stated a condition for when he won. Any normal man would fear death, especially when he was only 50 years old. He must have a reason for such a gamble, and that he must be certain of his victory. Some of the Ten-Clan thought this.

‘Maybe he is trying to use the Guardian Horn.’

If the Guardian Horn was called upon, even the Leaders had no way to ensure victory. However, Jaehwan clearly said that it would be fair one-on-one fight, so it didn’t seem that Jaehwan would use it. Besides, the Guardian Horn, which could only be used by the Master’s right, was not made to fight against individuals.

Thus, people came to one conclusion.

‘This new Master is mad!’

But as always, people loved mad things.

‘We’ll go to Gorgon anyway!’

People did not realize that it wasn’t the condition after winning that they were excited about, but the condition after losing.

Euren thought as he walked to the gate of the inner keep.

‘What is going on?’

Euren trusted, not Jaehwan, but the former Master’s choice. Even if Jaehwan seemed like a mad man, he would not do something that would harm Gorgon’s future…

“OPEN UP!”

“We have the right to fight with the Master!”

“The Master should keep his promise!”

Or so he thought.

‘Dammit.’

Euren shook his head as he watched the crowds gathering in front of the keep gate.

‘Master, what are you up to?’

The people in front of the inner keep numbered over four thousand. There were reports that the people were waiting to fight Jaehwan. Including the ones outside the fortress, there was about twenty thousand. All the inns in Gorgon were fully packed, and the citizens of Gorgon were having a great time because of the sudden wave of visitors.

“Cheap room! Half a unihorn for a night!”

Half a unihorn was about 30 thousand horuns. This amount was the average cost of a week’s stay in most hotels. But inns were now receiving such a price for one night.