Chapter 779

[Translator - Night]

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Chapter 779: Inheritance Trial (9)

The future assets of Yugui Moga.

Of course, in practical terms, it was undeniably a bandit’s guide.

After all, it was a ledger detailing precise information on those prime for plundering.

‘Thinking of it that way, calling it future assets actually makes sense. Either way, it’s money I’ll be taking in the future.’

The reason Yeongwoo could easily accept this book as future assets was that, along with the names and locations of each target, all sorts of distinct traits were thoroughly recorded.

Who was rich, who possessed rare treasures, and at times, even the number and combat prowess of the private soldiers they commanded—down to the locations of the hideouts they frequented—were documented.

In short, it was a walkthrough written by a Great One.

“Yugui Moga really was incredible, that’s for sure. How did she even gather all this intel?”

However, there was one thing to keep in mind.

The information written here—in other words, whether a target was considered strong or weak—would strictly be based on the standards of Yugui Moga.

‘Don't tell me that’s why...’

Swish.

Yeongwoo turned his head back.

Toward the spot where Commandment Leader Achiga and the Nine Commandments stood on standby.

“Calling you an escort guard is just dressing it up nicely; in reality, you were a bandit crew prepared for the inheritor. All of you, I mean.”

At that, Achiga answered in a calm voice.

=What we do is not for us to decide.

It meant the purpose of the Commandments depended entirely on the inheritor’s intent.

In other words, if he chose to use them as bandits, they would instantly become a bandit troupe immune to the effects of Majesty.

“Are the people listed in this ledger all still alive today?”

=That cannot be known, but most likely, yes.

“I suppose so. It’s not like this would update automatically.”

Nodding his head, Yeongwoo examined the countless coordinates recorded inside the ledger.

“I’ll have to take this to Deputy Manager and have his input it into the navigation chart.”

With this, the Earth Ship would possess the locations of the ‘beasts’ received from Hunter Nema, the locations of forgotten mythologies, and even the future asset intel of Yugui Moga.

In other words, viewing the cosmic map with all three sets of information reflected would naturally dictate their next destination.

“Naturally, starting with the bastards bearing fewer markers would be the way to go.”

In the ledger, there was even someone marked with a staggering eleven markers.

“Just what kind of bastard is this? They have practically everything.”

Parina stole a peek at the ledger held in Yeongwoo’s hands.

『Could… could they be those guys called Great Ones?』

“Well, that’s certainly possible.”

He hadn't read the explanations for all the markers yet.

So, quickly skimming through the lengthy preface, he discovered that markers denoting Great Ones did indeed exist within the ledger.

Yugui Moga had been a crazy bandit who robbed fellow Great Ones.

“So this is the mark indicating a Great One.”

Three straight lines vertically piercing a small circle.

Though he couldn't tell what design it was meant to represent, within this ledger, it was the mark signifying a Great One.

“I should avoid these bastards entirely. In any case, hand it over to Deputy Manager, and he’ll sort it out on her own.”

However, because it was a book carved from stone, it wouldn't fit into his bosom, nor was there any immediate way to digitize it.

“I should’ve brought the porter along. I didn't think I’d obtain an item that doesn't go into the Illustrated Guide.”

『A porter?』

“You know that golden goblin shrieking in the corner of the wheelhouse. Pretty much anything can be shoved into the sack that guy carries.”

Yet, the creature wasn't here right now.

After pondering for a moment, Yeongwoo held out the ledger toward Achiga.

“Keep watch over this until we return to the Earth Ship. Whatever you do, do not break it.”

=As you command.

Receiving the inheritor’s command, Commandment Leader Achiga took the stone ledger into his arms, whereupon Yeongwoo’s gaze shifted toward the third vault.

The final vault said to contain the wealth amassed by Yugui Moga.

However, to open this, Commandment Leader Achiga would have to be consumed.

“……”

Of course, Yeongwoo’s mind had already been made up the moment he opened the second vault.

Was that not why he had already entrusted the ledger to Achiga?

“Commandment Leader Achiga.”

=Command me.

“Have you ever committed banditry alongside the Great Yugui Moga?”

When Yeongwoo asked this, Achiga failed to answer readily, as though caught completely off guard by the unexpected question.

Then, looking around the subterranean expanse outside the vault chamber, he slowly spoke.

=My universe begins and ends here. For the Great Yugui Moga commanded me to guard this place.

Ever since coming into existence as a Commandment, it meant he had never once stepped outside this Inheritance chamber.

At that, Yeongwoo pointed toward the empty air and spoke.

“Commandment Leader Achiga, and the Commandments meant for me. I shall show you the real universe. I will not open the final vault.”

When Yeongwoo ultimately gave up the third Inheritance, Commandment Leader Achiga asked again to confirm.

=This cannot be undone, so consider carefully.

“I’m the type to make quick decisions. I have no doubt that you all will earn that money for me.”

As Yeongwoo spoke and turned his back on the final vault to display his resolve, Achiga took a step backward.

Then, he snapped off the horn-like ornament attached to his helmet.

Snap.

=The key has been broken, so the final vault shall be sealed for eternity.

No sooner had Achiga uttered those words than the third vault, supposedly sealed forever, flared with brilliant light.

Piaaaa-!

“…Huh? Don't tell me it’s going to explode?”

Startled, Yeongwoo looked toward Commandment Leader Achiga, but it seemed he hadn't foreseen such an occurrence either.

Although his expression couldn't be read due to the visor obscuring his face, fluster bled through his every motion.

“What the hell, don't tell me even you don't know why it’s doing this?”

And at that moment, beams of light radiated out like a spiderweb from the spot where the third vault was embedded, climbing the inner walls of the vault chamber to reach the center of the ceiling.

T-t-t-ting!

A metallic friction sound, akin to repeatedly pulling a handgun’s trigger, echoed from beyond the inner wall.

Then, before long, the vault chamber’s ceiling began to part in a circular shape.

“What the—.”

Unlike the passageway they had used to descend into this underground expanse, the tunnel that appeared in the vault chamber was filled with dazzling, resplendent light.

Gazing blankly at it, Yeongwoo soon realized.

“An exit.”

『What?』

“The vault opening means a worthy inheritor has visited this place. So of course she’d prepare a way out, too.”

The moment Yeongwoo finished speaking, it actually unfolded.

Rumble…!

The entire vault chamber seemed to tremble, and then the third vault, left unopened, began to float into midair.

And then, the feet of everyone inside the vault chamber, Yeongwoo included, lifted off the floor.

“It’s carrying us up. The third vault is a kind of elevator.”

Grasping the situation, Yeongwoo immediately shifted his gaze to the subterranean expanse outside the chamber.

Because hundreds of bandits and the uncollected scrap metal weapons were still strewn about out there.

“Wait, my weapons. My Karma!”

Blinking rapidly, Yeongwoo shouted at the top of his lungs so everyone in the subterranean expanse could hear.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

“This place is about to be sealed off! So anyone who wants to live, grab the weapons around you and run over here! But if you come empty-handed, I’ll take your head!”

As Yeongwoo shot a glance to cue the Commandment Leader along with his words, Achiga promptly lowered his spearshaft toward the floor and commanded the Commandments.

=Anyone approaching the vault chamber without a weapon shall be shoved outward, but if they are empty-handed on their second attempt, sever their neck.

It was a remarkably flexible order, granting an extra chance to those who hadn't managed to pick up a weapon in time.

Hearing this, the Nine Commandments each raised their weapons and assumed formation near the entrance of the vault chamber.

“Hurry! The ride’s already pulling out!”

Meanwhile, Yeongwoo had already floated roughly five meters into the air.

It was designed so that the closer one was to the third vault functioning as the lift, the higher one ascended.

Naturally, unable to miss this, the bandits outside the vault chamber scrambled frantically to gather the weapons scattered across the floor.

—W-wait!

—Take us with you!

—Just give us a little more time!

And then, they began dashing headlong in a bid to become passengers of the vault chamber.

Whirrrrr!

The third vault was even letting out an ominous operating roar now, reminiscent of a passenger jet’s engine.

『It wouldn't be strange at all if it rocketed into the sky this very second.』

Yeongwoo couldn't help but thoroughly agree with Parina’s remark.

“Commandment Leader, is there no way to delay the escape sequence even a little?”

Achiga shook his head.

=I have no knowledge regarding this situation.

This escape system was something that had not been imparted even to the Commandments.

“What, then was the claim that wealth was stored inside here a lie from the very beginning, too?”

Meanwhile, having sprinted along the main thoroughfare at full speed, bandits began leaping into the vault chamber one after another, around which time an unidentified sphere rose from the center of the underground expanse on the far side.

Clack!

Though there was neither an explanation nor a warning text, everyone present could intuitively sense it.

—I-it’s a bomb!

—A bomb! She plans to blow this entire place to pieces!

—Aaaaargh!

And Yeongwoo fully agreed with the bandits’ dread.

Was she not Yugui Moga of the Self-Destruct Ships?

It wasn't strange in the least that her method of concluding an inheritance would be a colossal explosion.

Which was why she had prepared a way to eject the inheritor from this place.

“Indeed, not just anyone can become a Great One.”

By the time Yeongwoo muttered this, most of the bandits had entered the vault chamber, and shortly after, the third vault thrust its front into the ceiling’s passage and vented pure white steam.

Chwaaaa-!

Then, for the first and last time, it printed a system message.

「Inheritance Delivery Complete.」

“What?”

A tremendous pressure squeezed the entire vault chamber, launching everyone present beyond the ceiling passage right at that moment.

Baaaaang!

First, the third vault surged along the passage like a bullet, and the rest bounced upward behind it as though tethered to the vault by invisible ropes.

—Aaaaaaaargh!

—H-help me!

Though they were clearly escaping, the bandits screamed at a phenomenon they had never experienced in their lives.

Then, finally.

Fwaaat!

The extraordinary brilliance enveloping their surroundings peeled away, and the atmosphere of Planet Pareshik appeared above their heads.

“……?”

The passage they had just traversed had stretched all the way from the subterranean space to the summit of the Mountain of the Colossus.

Consequently, Yeongwoo’s party and hundreds of bandits were spewed out into the high altitude where the distance to the ground was dizzyingly far, and shortly after, the congratulatory performance the Great One had prepared long ago commenced.

Boom-boom-boom-booom!

The bombs buried within the underground expanse set off a continuous chain of detonations, completely collapsing the Mountain Range of the Colossus.

“Crazy.”

Just as Yeongwoo’s jaw dropped at the overwhelming spectacle, even the third vault detonated at last.

KABOOOOOM!

“Ack!”

Though it wasn't an explosion that inflicted damage, a shockwave powerful enough to scatter everyone who had been dragged up into the sky burst forth in all directions.

Phaaaat!

Through this, Yeongwoo was able to realize at least two things with absolute certainty.

First.

“Wait, this bastard… she didn't prepare a landing method, did she?”

And second.

Flut-tut-tut-tut!

Yugui Moga had never once lied.

For from inside the third vault opened by the explosion, high-denomination Karma bills poured out like a deluge.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]