Chapter 195: Three Of Four
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
When Wain returned to the golden temple, he immediately decided to try on the cloak. His ring glowed, and the black cloak disappeared. The Wailing Ghost appeared in his hands.
'The description says ghost madness is the curse. So this cloak is completely safe for me, right?' Thought Wain looking at the ghost drawings on the dark blue cape.
Wain was impressed by the description of the item. It was a whole story behind which was the fate of hundreds of creatures.
'This gear is from Sven, no wonder this cloak is the best and most unusual I have, except for Forgotten Monarch's Sword.' Thought Wain and put on the cloak.
The next moment there was the furious shouting of hundreds of spirits. The drawings on the cloak glowed bright blue and turned into phantom copies of ghosts.
Wain was not worried. He was sure that a message was about to appear saying that his Title had neutralized the curse's effects.
However, instead, something more incredible happened.
Whooooooooosh.
As the ghosts were about to attack Wain, the Ring of Damned suddenly glowed brightly. A green glow appeared on the ghosts, and they all gradually calmed down and went back into their cloaks.
"What happened...?" Wain muttered puzzledly.
He looked with surprise at the ring, which had already managed to extinguish.
'Looks like I was right. The Ring of Damned has room to grow and progress, it's not the maximum.' Thought Wain and headed for the exit of the Dungeon.
...
After a while, he heard the sound of footsteps in the distance. Wain became alert and prepared for a fight, he didn't know who it was.
Then a group of people ran out from around the corner. When they saw Wain, they stopped and shouted, "Who are you?"
Whoooosh.
The Ring of Damned shone brightly, and a platinum sword appeared in Wain's hands. He was ready to take a swing, but suddenly one of the group stepped forward and said, "Mr. Wain, glad to welcome you!"
"Hmm? Who are you?" Wain was puzzled. This was the first time he had seen these people.
"We are one of the groups of Last Light. We are currently exploring this Dungeon in search of valuable items."
"Last Light? Gisle is already here?" Wain was surprised.
Because of the wounds sustained during the aid to Frigus to get his name, Wain had lain in the icy lake for almost a week. A lot could have happened at that time, but he didn't expect Gisle to decide to attack the west during that period.
"Yes. Three days ago, Last Light headed west, and two days ago, we defeated the strongest organization in that part of town. We are still exploring the areas and consolidating our power." A man answered quickly.
He was the leader of this group and knew about who Wain was. Gisle had warned some people about it, as he knew there might have been a confrontation between them and Wain. Wain could have been anywhere and anytime.
"What about the heads of Twilight Steel? Did Gisle kill them?" Wain asked.
"No." The man shook his head. "We attacked abruptly and unexpectedly and got the advantage right away. When their leader saw they had no chance, she decided to surrender on certain conditions."
"What conditions?"
"I don't know." The man shook his head. "I'm just the simple leader of the group. I'm not supposed to know such information. However, I can state with certainty that after that, the killing stopped, and Twilight Steel submitted to Last Light."
"I see. Where is Gisle now?"
"At the former main base of Twilight Steel. He and the enemy leader are still discussing some matters."
"Good. You may not explore this Dungeon any further. It's safe here, at least until new monsters appear." Said Wain.
"Roger that."
Wain nodded and headed for the exit of the Dungeon. In a few minutes, he had already reached the main base of Twilight Steel. He jumped high and reached the top of the central tower in a few leaps.
Wain made his way into the main hall, and as he expected, Vineta and Gisle were there. They were sitting at a wooden table in leather chairs discussing something.
"Wow, look who's here." Gisle said smiling as he looked at Wain.
Vineta also turned around, "It's you! What are you doing here?"
She didn't know that Wain was connected to Last Light. Besides Gisle and Vineta, there were other people in the room.
Behind Gisle stood Teresa, Grut, and Agnes. They contributed the most during the capture of the western part of the city. Behind Vineta was Selena, a man with a massive sword and a wounded girl with unusual eyes. It was Hana, from whom Wain had recently taken a sniper rifle.
"I came to see how the negotiations were going. Isn't it obvious?" Wain said calmly.
"Hey, you're the one who broke into our base then and took my rifle!" said Hana angrily, glaring at Wain.
"So?" Wain shrugged. "You attacked first. What's more, you should be thanking me for letting you live."
With Wain's arrival, the tension in the room began to build.
"Everybody, calm down." Said Gisle. "Wain is a good friend of mine, and he sides with Last Light. I don't know what happened between you before this, but this was all before the armistice, just like our war. You are the losers, and all you can do is submit to us on terms favorable to both sides."
Vineta and the others were unhappy with this situation, but they had no other option. Vineta decided to surrender because she understood that they would lose in the end.
She understood that the more she delayed, the more her people would die. She could not allow such a disaster.
"You're being overconfident! If we kill you here, we will rule these lands again!" Said Selena and was about to attack Gisle, but he didn't even try to dodge.
Whoooosh.
Suddenly a dark mist appeared behind Selena, and someone put a dagger to her neck. It was Zero, who was acting as a secret protector.
'Huh, this girl reminds me of an assassin. Stealthy, fast, strong, and deadly. Perfect.' Thought Wain looking at Selena's confused face.
"Can we go on?" With a slight smile on his face, Gisle said.
"Yes, it won't happen again." Said Vineta.
"Good, then I want to talk about the terms of our union."
Everyone understood that this was not a real alliance. As the winning side, Gisle would dictate its rules, and Vineta would have to follow them.
"For starters, all your territories, resources, Dungeons, and Nest now belong to Last Light. I hope that's clear."
Vineta nodded. She had never found herself in this position before. Since the beginning of the apocalypse, she had dominated and absorbed others, but now the same thing had happened to her.
"Now I want to talk about the relationship between our members. First of all, Twilight Steel no longer exists. All of you are now members of Last Light.
Second, there is no double standard or bias among my members. Former members of Twilight Steel have the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else.
Third, rebellion and disobedience are unacceptable. I always liked the idea of equality, but it's impossible, especially in the current climate, so you are obligated to obey those above you. I hope that's clear."
Vineta frowned, "You say there is no double standard, but given the rules, you could put us inferior rank, and then everything would be fair. Isn't that how it works? We'd still be like slaves."
"Huh." Gisle grinned. "Don't make me out to be a monster or an evil genius. I have too much to do as it is and no time to come up with clever plans. The rules are plain and simple, and I won't use them that way. Do you agree?"
"Of course, I fucking agree. It's like I have another option..." Vineta replied.
Gisle was a fairly kind person by nature, but he got the toughness he needed in his three months running the organization during the apocalypse. It didn't change his personality, but Gisle became more experienced and knew how to act.
"May I ask?" Hana said hesitantly.
Gisle nodded.
Hana pointed at Wain, "I want him to give me back my sniper rifle! Without the weapon, I'm completely useless."
Gisle shrugged, "Alas, it's not me you need to ask, but Wain."
"What? But you're in charge..." Hana muttered puzzled.
"Yes, but I can't control him. That's it, question closed, anyone else wants to ask something?"
Vineta nodded and said something. She and Gisle discussed some more things and Gisle's plans for the future. At this time, Hana approached Wain uncertainly. She was afraid of him and unsure of what she should do.
"You don't even have to try. I won't give you the sniper rifle." Immediately Wain said.
"But why? Judging by the way you attacked us a few days ago, you're fighting in close quarters. What's the point of you having a long-range weapon?"
"I can fight in a lot of ways, and so far, I'm happy with my new sniper rifle, so stop boring me." Wain replied and headed for Grut.
Hana didn't say anything back. She knew she was in no position to demand anything. She tried, and it was the most she could afford.
The Ring of Damned glowed, and a gold breastplate and lion emblem appeared in Wain's hands.
"Here, it's for you." Said Wain.
Grut was surprised that Wain decided to give him something. When he read the item's description, he didn't know what to say.
The Cuirass of Unbowed Lion was an incredible item for Grut. He didn't expect to receive something like that suddenly.
"Thank you..." Grut muttered quietly. He was a shy man, and though he was very happy, that was all he could say.
Wain nodded. He found Grut useful and strong. So far, he had never met anyone with such powerful defensive skills.
Gisle and the others were not paying attention. They were focused on the negotiation, but some were surprised and even outraged.
"This is the second time you've given an item to Grut. Is there something I don't know about you two?" Teresa said grudgingly.
"Huh, it's not my fault I get items like that." Said Wain. "Why does it bother you so much? Maybe you're jealous?"
"What?! Am I jealous? I have plenty of good equipment without your handouts." Teresa quickly replied.
"Hmm, then why are you still walking around in your old clothes?" With a slight smile on his face, Wain said.
"It's none of your business. I just like to look classy. What's more, it's hard to get good gear when our chief blacksmith is constantly depressed."
"Gisle." Said Wain.
"What is it?"
Wain smiled, and two map fragments flew out of his body the next moment. He swung his hand, and it flew into the heads of everyone present except the members of Twilight Steel.
Vineta knew what it was, for the second part of the card had passed through her and Selena when they were in the golden temple. It saved them from being trapped in the golden statues.
After a few seconds, fragments of the map returned to Wain.
"I see...need another one..." Gisle muttered.
"Yes, and it is in the south, I'm sure of it. When we find a complete map, we'll know the exact location of the island." Said Wain.
"South... That's problematic... It's about a month and a half before the island appears. There's a lot to be done in that time." Mumbled Gisle.
He wasn't worried that Vineta might hear about it. He didn't consider her an enemy, she was now part of the organization and his subordinate.
Gisle was pleased with his progress, but he knew that he had to allow at least a week to prepare for the departure. Also, although he knew which side of the world the island would appear in, he did not know how long the journey would take.
He had recently taken over Twilight Steel and had a lot of work to do. So even though Elsa helped him, he was also involved in managing the northern and eastern parts of the city.
At that point, Gisle realized that he was running out of time. He didn't have enough time to find the last part of the map.
'Hmm, I could form a group and try to get the third part of the map quickly and capture the southern part, but then the west and south would be unstable. That could lead to a riot, and that would be a serious problem...' pondered Gisle.
Wain noticed that Gisle was tense and said, "You don't have to think about putting together a full map. I'll do it. What's more, I have my own reasons for going South."
'That's right, Wain got the second part of the map himself, I don't have to worry about that. Even though this guy's a loner, he'll never refuse to cooperate.'
"Well, if it all works out, that'll be great."
Wain nodded.
"By the way, Vineta, I wanted to ask you something else. There's an airport in this part of town. Tell me there's an intact and working vehicle there?" Asked Gisle.
Vineta shook her head, "We explored the airport hoping to find a working plane or helicopter, but to no avail. All the hangars have been destroyed, and the equipment is broken and seriously damaged. It's impossible to use."
"Shit...okay, there's nothing we can do about it..." Gisle muttered.
"Where is Lea now?" Asked Wain.
"Lea is now in the east, at our main base, run by Elsa. Lea is building equipment with the fire goblins, and she's as depressed as ever."
"Yeah, that girl's a master at it." Teresa said unhappily.
"I see... Nothing changes..." Wain muttered and took off his gloves.
He tossed them to Agnes and said, "If you can pass these things to Lea, let her make something useful out of them or just practice, oh yeah, that too."
Wain's Ring of Damned glowed brightly, and a blueprint appeared in his hands. This is the item Wain received when he killed the Snow Beast, leader of the enemy Void, during his first war.
[Weapon Blueprint (First Chronicle, Epic Rating)
This blueprint contains a method of creating a powerful weapon capable of making its owner incredibly powerful. Any warrior would want such a weapon now. It's not a dream but almost a reality. However, only a man with the soul of a blacksmith can know what is written on the blueprint].
"Got it." Agnes replied succinctly.
Wain had been a First Chronicle creature for quite some time, and the effectiveness of his previous gear was dropping by the day.
Since there was no one else to sell the items, he decided to pass them on to Lea. There was a slight chance that she could make something of value out of it.
"You work with monsters...?" Vineta said surprised to hear about the fire goblins. The others were just as surprised.
Gisle shrugged, "Why not? They're useful and act like humans. There's no point in prejudice."
Vineta didn't answer anything. It was strange and incomprehensible to her.
Wain did not linger and headed for the exit. He found out the situation and got rid of the useless things. He wanted to get to the South as quickly as possible.
"Wait!" Suddenly Hana said.
"What is it?"
"Take me with you!"
"Ah?"
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
When Wain returned to the golden temple, he immediately decided to try on the cloak. His ring glowed, and the black cloak disappeared. The Wailing Ghost appeared in his hands.
'The description says ghost madness is the curse. So this cloak is completely safe for me, right?' Thought Wain looking at the ghost drawings on the dark blue cape.
Wain was impressed by the description of the item. It was a whole story behind which was the fate of hundreds of creatures.
'This gear is from Sven, no wonder this cloak is the best and most unusual I have, except for Forgotten Monarch's Sword.' Thought Wain and put on the cloak.
The next moment there was the furious shouting of hundreds of spirits. The drawings on the cloak glowed bright blue and turned into phantom copies of ghosts.
Wain was not worried. He was sure that a message was about to appear saying that his Title had neutralized the curse's effects.
However, instead, something more incredible happened.
Whooooooooosh.
As the ghosts were about to attack Wain, the Ring of Damned suddenly glowed brightly. A green glow appeared on the ghosts, and they all gradually calmed down and went back into their cloaks.
"What happened...?" Wain muttered puzzledly.
He looked with surprise at the ring, which had already managed to extinguish.
'Looks like I was right. The Ring of Damned has room to grow and progress, it's not the maximum.' Thought Wain and headed for the exit of the Dungeon.
...
After a while, he heard the sound of footsteps in the distance. Wain became alert and prepared for a fight, he didn't know who it was.
Then a group of people ran out from around the corner. When they saw Wain, they stopped and shouted, "Who are you?"
Whoooosh.
The Ring of Damned shone brightly, and a platinum sword appeared in Wain's hands. He was ready to take a swing, but suddenly one of the group stepped forward and said, "Mr. Wain, glad to welcome you!"
"Hmm? Who are you?" Wain was puzzled. This was the first time he had seen these people.
"We are one of the groups of Last Light. We are currently exploring this Dungeon in search of valuable items."
"Last Light? Gisle is already here?" Wain was surprised.
Because of the wounds sustained during the aid to Frigus to get his name, Wain had lain in the icy lake for almost a week. A lot could have happened at that time, but he didn't expect Gisle to decide to attack the west during that period.
"Yes. Three days ago, Last Light headed west, and two days ago, we defeated the strongest organization in that part of town. We are still exploring the areas and consolidating our power." A man answered quickly.
He was the leader of this group and knew about who Wain was. Gisle had warned some people about it, as he knew there might have been a confrontation between them and Wain. Wain could have been anywhere and anytime.
"What about the heads of Twilight Steel? Did Gisle kill them?" Wain asked.
"No." The man shook his head. "We attacked abruptly and unexpectedly and got the advantage right away. When their leader saw they had no chance, she decided to surrender on certain conditions."
"What conditions?"
"I don't know." The man shook his head. "I'm just the simple leader of the group. I'm not supposed to know such information. However, I can state with certainty that after that, the killing stopped, and Twilight Steel submitted to Last Light."
"I see. Where is Gisle now?"
"At the former main base of Twilight Steel. He and the enemy leader are still discussing some matters."
"Good. You may not explore this Dungeon any further. It's safe here, at least until new monsters appear." Said Wain.
"Roger that."
Wain nodded and headed for the exit of the Dungeon. In a few minutes, he had already reached the main base of Twilight Steel. He jumped high and reached the top of the central tower in a few leaps.
Wain made his way into the main hall, and as he expected, Vineta and Gisle were there. They were sitting at a wooden table in leather chairs discussing something.
"Wow, look who's here." Gisle said smiling as he looked at Wain.
Vineta also turned around, "It's you! What are you doing here?"
She didn't know that Wain was connected to Last Light. Besides Gisle and Vineta, there were other people in the room.
Behind Gisle stood Teresa, Grut, and Agnes. They contributed the most during the capture of the western part of the city. Behind Vineta was Selena, a man with a massive sword and a wounded girl with unusual eyes. It was Hana, from whom Wain had recently taken a sniper rifle.
"I came to see how the negotiations were going. Isn't it obvious?" Wain said calmly.
"Hey, you're the one who broke into our base then and took my rifle!" said Hana angrily, glaring at Wain.
"So?" Wain shrugged. "You attacked first. What's more, you should be thanking me for letting you live."
With Wain's arrival, the tension in the room began to build.
"Everybody, calm down." Said Gisle. "Wain is a good friend of mine, and he sides with Last Light. I don't know what happened between you before this, but this was all before the armistice, just like our war. You are the losers, and all you can do is submit to us on terms favorable to both sides."
Vineta and the others were unhappy with this situation, but they had no other option. Vineta decided to surrender because she understood that they would lose in the end.
She understood that the more she delayed, the more her people would die. She could not allow such a disaster.
"You're being overconfident! If we kill you here, we will rule these lands again!" Said Selena and was about to attack Gisle, but he didn't even try to dodge.
Whoooosh.
Suddenly a dark mist appeared behind Selena, and someone put a dagger to her neck. It was Zero, who was acting as a secret protector.
'Huh, this girl reminds me of an assassin. Stealthy, fast, strong, and deadly. Perfect.' Thought Wain looking at Selena's confused face.
"Can we go on?" With a slight smile on his face, Gisle said.
"Yes, it won't happen again." Said Vineta.
"Good, then I want to talk about the terms of our union."
Everyone understood that this was not a real alliance. As the winning side, Gisle would dictate its rules, and Vineta would have to follow them.
"For starters, all your territories, resources, Dungeons, and Nest now belong to Last Light. I hope that's clear."
Vineta nodded. She had never found herself in this position before. Since the beginning of the apocalypse, she had dominated and absorbed others, but now the same thing had happened to her.
"Now I want to talk about the relationship between our members. First of all, Twilight Steel no longer exists. All of you are now members of Last Light.
Second, there is no double standard or bias among my members. Former members of Twilight Steel have the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else.
Third, rebellion and disobedience are unacceptable. I always liked the idea of equality, but it's impossible, especially in the current climate, so you are obligated to obey those above you. I hope that's clear."
Vineta frowned, "You say there is no double standard, but given the rules, you could put us inferior rank, and then everything would be fair. Isn't that how it works? We'd still be like slaves."
"Huh." Gisle grinned. "Don't make me out to be a monster or an evil genius. I have too much to do as it is and no time to come up with clever plans. The rules are plain and simple, and I won't use them that way. Do you agree?"
"Of course, I fucking agree. It's like I have another option..." Vineta replied.
Gisle was a fairly kind person by nature, but he got the toughness he needed in his three months running the organization during the apocalypse. It didn't change his personality, but Gisle became more experienced and knew how to act.
"May I ask?" Hana said hesitantly.
Gisle nodded.
Hana pointed at Wain, "I want him to give me back my sniper rifle! Without the weapon, I'm completely useless."
Gisle shrugged, "Alas, it's not me you need to ask, but Wain."
"What? But you're in charge..." Hana muttered puzzled.
"Yes, but I can't control him. That's it, question closed, anyone else wants to ask something?"
Vineta nodded and said something. She and Gisle discussed some more things and Gisle's plans for the future. At this time, Hana approached Wain uncertainly. She was afraid of him and unsure of what she should do.
"You don't even have to try. I won't give you the sniper rifle." Immediately Wain said.
"But why? Judging by the way you attacked us a few days ago, you're fighting in close quarters. What's the point of you having a long-range weapon?"
"I can fight in a lot of ways, and so far, I'm happy with my new sniper rifle, so stop boring me." Wain replied and headed for Grut.
Hana didn't say anything back. She knew she was in no position to demand anything. She tried, and it was the most she could afford.
The Ring of Damned glowed, and a gold breastplate and lion emblem appeared in Wain's hands.
"Here, it's for you." Said Wain.
Grut was surprised that Wain decided to give him something. When he read the item's description, he didn't know what to say.
The Cuirass of Unbowed Lion was an incredible item for Grut. He didn't expect to receive something like that suddenly.
"Thank you..." Grut muttered quietly. He was a shy man, and though he was very happy, that was all he could say.
Wain nodded. He found Grut useful and strong. So far, he had never met anyone with such powerful defensive skills.
Gisle and the others were not paying attention. They were focused on the negotiation, but some were surprised and even outraged.
"This is the second time you've given an item to Grut. Is there something I don't know about you two?" Teresa said grudgingly.
"Huh, it's not my fault I get items like that." Said Wain. "Why does it bother you so much? Maybe you're jealous?"
"What?! Am I jealous? I have plenty of good equipment without your handouts." Teresa quickly replied.
"Hmm, then why are you still walking around in your old clothes?" With a slight smile on his face, Wain said.
"It's none of your business. I just like to look classy. What's more, it's hard to get good gear when our chief blacksmith is constantly depressed."
"Gisle." Said Wain.
"What is it?"
Wain smiled, and two map fragments flew out of his body the next moment. He swung his hand, and it flew into the heads of everyone present except the members of Twilight Steel.
Vineta knew what it was, for the second part of the card had passed through her and Selena when they were in the golden temple. It saved them from being trapped in the golden statues.
After a few seconds, fragments of the map returned to Wain.
"I see...need another one..." Gisle muttered.
"Yes, and it is in the south, I'm sure of it. When we find a complete map, we'll know the exact location of the island." Said Wain.
"South... That's problematic... It's about a month and a half before the island appears. There's a lot to be done in that time." Mumbled Gisle.
He wasn't worried that Vineta might hear about it. He didn't consider her an enemy, she was now part of the organization and his subordinate.
Gisle was pleased with his progress, but he knew that he had to allow at least a week to prepare for the departure. Also, although he knew which side of the world the island would appear in, he did not know how long the journey would take.
He had recently taken over Twilight Steel and had a lot of work to do. So even though Elsa helped him, he was also involved in managing the northern and eastern parts of the city.
At that point, Gisle realized that he was running out of time. He didn't have enough time to find the last part of the map.
'Hmm, I could form a group and try to get the third part of the map quickly and capture the southern part, but then the west and south would be unstable. That could lead to a riot, and that would be a serious problem...' pondered Gisle.
Wain noticed that Gisle was tense and said, "You don't have to think about putting together a full map. I'll do it. What's more, I have my own reasons for going South."
'That's right, Wain got the second part of the map himself, I don't have to worry about that. Even though this guy's a loner, he'll never refuse to cooperate.'
"Well, if it all works out, that'll be great."
Wain nodded.
"By the way, Vineta, I wanted to ask you something else. There's an airport in this part of town. Tell me there's an intact and working vehicle there?" Asked Gisle.
Vineta shook her head, "We explored the airport hoping to find a working plane or helicopter, but to no avail. All the hangars have been destroyed, and the equipment is broken and seriously damaged. It's impossible to use."
"Shit...okay, there's nothing we can do about it..." Gisle muttered.
"Where is Lea now?" Asked Wain.
"Lea is now in the east, at our main base, run by Elsa. Lea is building equipment with the fire goblins, and she's as depressed as ever."
"Yeah, that girl's a master at it." Teresa said unhappily.
"I see... Nothing changes..." Wain muttered and took off his gloves.
He tossed them to Agnes and said, "If you can pass these things to Lea, let her make something useful out of them or just practice, oh yeah, that too."
Wain's Ring of Damned glowed brightly, and a blueprint appeared in his hands. This is the item Wain received when he killed the Snow Beast, leader of the enemy Void, during his first war.
[Weapon Blueprint (First Chronicle, Epic Rating)
This blueprint contains a method of creating a powerful weapon capable of making its owner incredibly powerful. Any warrior would want such a weapon now. It's not a dream but almost a reality. However, only a man with the soul of a blacksmith can know what is written on the blueprint].
"Got it." Agnes replied succinctly.
Wain had been a First Chronicle creature for quite some time, and the effectiveness of his previous gear was dropping by the day.
Since there was no one else to sell the items, he decided to pass them on to Lea. There was a slight chance that she could make something of value out of it.
"You work with monsters...?" Vineta said surprised to hear about the fire goblins. The others were just as surprised.
Gisle shrugged, "Why not? They're useful and act like humans. There's no point in prejudice."
Vineta didn't answer anything. It was strange and incomprehensible to her.
Wain did not linger and headed for the exit. He found out the situation and got rid of the useless things. He wanted to get to the South as quickly as possible.
"Wait!" Suddenly Hana said.
"What is it?"
"Take me with you!"
"Ah?"
When Wain returned to the golden temple, he immediately decided to try on the cloak. His ring glowed, and the black cloak disappeared. The Wailing Ghost appeared in his hands.'The description says ghost madness is the curse. So this cloak is completely safe for me, right?' Thought Wain looking at the ghost drawings on the dark blue cape.Wain was impressed by the description of the item. It was a whole story behind which was the fate of hundreds of creatures. 'This gear is from Sven, no wonder this cloak is the best and most unusual I have, except for Forgotten Monarch's Sword.' Thought Wain and put on the cloak.The next moment there was the furious shouting of hundreds of spirits. The drawings on the cloak glowed bright blue and turned into phantom copies of ghosts.Wain was not worried. He was sure that a message was about to appear saying that his Title had neutralized the curse's effects.However, instead, something more incredible happened.Whooooooooosh.As the ghosts were about to attack Wain, the Ring of Damned suddenly glowed brightly. A green glow appeared on the ghosts, and they all gradually calmed down and went back into their cloaks."What happened...?" Wain muttered puzzledly.He looked with surprise at the ring, which had already managed to extinguish.'Looks like I was right. The Ring of Damned has room to grow and progress, it's not the maximum.' Thought Wain and headed for the exit of the Dungeon....After a while, he heard the sound of footsteps in the distance. Wain became alert and prepared for a fight, he didn't know who it was.Then a group of people ran out from around the corner. When they saw Wain, they stopped and shouted, "Who are you?"Whoooosh.The Ring of Damned shone brightly, and a platinum sword appeared in Wain's hands. He was ready to take a swing, but suddenly one of the group stepped forward and said, "Mr. Wain, glad to welcome you!""Hmm? Who are you?" Wain was puzzled. This was the first time he had seen these people."We are one of the groups of Last Light. We are currently exploring this Dungeon in search of valuable items.""Last Light? Gisle is already here?" Wain was surprised.Because of the wounds sustained during the aid to Frigus to get his name, Wain had lain in the icy lake for almost a week. A lot could have happened at that time, but he didn't expect Gisle to decide to attack the west during that period."Yes. Three days ago, Last Light headed west, and two days ago, we defeated the strongest organization in that part of town. We are still exploring the areas and consolidating our power." A man answered quickly.He was the leader of this group and knew about who Wain was. Gisle had warned some people about it, as he knew there might have been a confrontation between them and Wain. Wain could have been anywhere and anytime."What about the heads of Twilight Steel? Did Gisle kill them?" Wain asked."No." The man shook his head. "We attacked abruptly and unexpectedly and got the advantage right away. When their leader saw they had no chance, she decided to surrender on certain conditions.""What conditions?""I don't know." The man shook his head. "I'm just the simple leader of the group. I'm not supposed to know such information. However, I can state with certainty that after that, the killing stopped, and Twilight Steel submitted to Last Light.""I see. Where is Gisle now?""At the former main base of Twilight Steel. He and the enemy leader are still discussing some matters.""Good. You may not explore this Dungeon any further. It's safe here, at least until new monsters appear." Said Wain."Roger that."Wain nodded and headed for the exit of the Dungeon. In a few minutes, he had already reached the main base of Twilight Steel. He jumped high and reached the top of the central tower in a few leaps.Wain made his way into the main hall, and as he expected, Vineta and Gisle were there. They were sitting at a wooden table in leather chairs discussing something."Wow, look who's here." Gisle said smiling as he looked at Wain.Vineta also turned around, "It's you! What are you doing here?"She didn't know that Wain was connected to Last Light. Besides Gisle and Vineta, there were other people in the room.Behind Gisle stood Teresa, Grut, and Agnes. They contributed the most during the capture of the western part of the city. Behind Vineta was Selena, a man with a massive sword and a wounded girl with unusual eyes. It was Hana, from whom Wain had recently taken a sniper rifle."I came to see how the negotiations were going. Isn't it obvious?" Wain said calmly."Hey, you're the one who broke into our base then and took my rifle!" said Hana angrily, glaring at Wain."So?" Wain shrugged. "You attacked first. What's more, you should be thanking me for letting you live."With Wain's arrival, the tension in the room began to build."Everybody, calm down." Said Gisle. "Wain is a good friend of mine, and he sides with Last Light. I don't know what happened between you before this, but this was all before the armistice, just like our war. You are the losers, and all you can do is submit to us on terms favorable to both sides."Vineta and the others were unhappy with this situation, but they had no other option. Vineta decided to surrender because she understood that they would lose in the end. She understood that the more she delayed, the more her people would die. She could not allow such a disaster."You're being overconfident! If we kill you here, we will rule these lands again!" Said Selena and was about to attack Gisle, but he didn't even try to dodge.Whoooosh.Suddenly a dark mist appeared behind Selena, and someone put a dagger to her neck. It was Zero, who was acting as a secret protector.'Huh, this girl reminds me of an assassin. Stealthy, fast, strong, and deadly. Perfect.' Thought Wain looking at Selena's confused face."Can we go on?" With a slight smile on his face, Gisle said."Yes, it won't happen again." Said Vineta."Good, then I want to talk about the terms of our union."Everyone understood that this was not a real alliance. As the winning side, Gisle would dictate its rules, and Vineta would have to follow them."For starters, all your territories, resources, Dungeons, and Nest now belong to Last Light. I hope that's clear."Vineta nodded. She had never found herself in this position before. Since the beginning of the apocalypse, she had dominated and absorbed others, but now the same thing had happened to her."Now I want to talk about the relationship between our members. First of all, Twilight Steel no longer exists. All of you are now members of Last Light. Second, there is no double standard or bias among my members. Former members of Twilight Steel have the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else.Third, rebellion and disobedience are unacceptable. I always liked the idea of equality, but it's impossible, especially in the current climate, so you are obligated to obey those above you. I hope that's clear."Vineta frowned, "You say there is no double standard, but given the rules, you could put us inferior rank, and then everything would be fair. Isn't that how it works? We'd still be like slaves.""Huh." Gisle grinned. "Don't make me out to be a monster or an evil genius. I have too much to do as it is and no time to come up with clever plans. The rules are plain and simple, and I won't use them that way. Do you agree?""Of course, I fucking agree. It's like I have another option..." Vineta replied.Gisle was a fairly kind person by nature, but he got the toughness he needed in his three months running the organization during the apocalypse. It didn't change his personality, but Gisle became more experienced and knew how to act."May I ask?" Hana said hesitantly.Gisle nodded.Hana pointed at Wain, "I want him to give me back my sniper rifle! Without the weapon, I'm completely useless."Gisle shrugged, "Alas, it's not me you need to ask, but Wain.""What? But you're in charge..." Hana muttered puzzled."Yes, but I can't control him. That's it, question closed, anyone else wants to ask something?"Vineta nodded and said something. She and Gisle discussed some more things and Gisle's plans for the future. At this time, Hana approached Wain uncertainly. She was afraid of him and unsure of what she should do."You don't even have to try. I won't give you the sniper rifle." Immediately Wain said."But why? Judging by the way you attacked us a few days ago, you're fighting in close quarters. What's the point of you having a long-range weapon?""I can fight in a lot of ways, and so far, I'm happy with my new sniper rifle, so stop boring me." Wain replied and headed for Grut.Hana didn't say anything back. She knew she was in no position to demand anything. She tried, and it was the most she could afford. The Ring of Damned glowed, and a gold breastplate and lion emblem appeared in Wain's hands."Here, it's for you." Said Wain.Grut was surprised that Wain decided to give him something. When he read the item's description, he didn't know what to say. The Cuirass of Unbowed Lion was an incredible item for Grut. He didn't expect to receive something like that suddenly."Thank you..." Grut muttered quietly. He was a shy man, and though he was very happy, that was all he could say.Wain nodded. He found Grut useful and strong. So far, he had never met anyone with such powerful defensive skills.Gisle and the others were not paying attention. They were focused on the negotiation, but some were surprised and even outraged."This is the second time you've given an item to Grut. Is there something I don't know about you two?" Teresa said grudgingly."Huh, it's not my fault I get items like that." Said Wain. "Why does it bother you so much? Maybe you're jealous?""What?! Am I jealous? I have plenty of good equipment without your handouts." Teresa quickly replied."Hmm, then why are you still walking around in your old clothes?" With a slight smile on his face, Wain said."It's none of your business. I just like to look classy. What's more, it's hard to get good gear when our chief blacksmith is constantly depressed.""Gisle." Said Wain."What is it?"Wain smiled, and two map fragments flew out of his body the next moment. He swung his hand, and it flew into the heads of everyone present except the members of Twilight Steel.Vineta knew what it was, for the second part of the card had passed through her and Selena when they were in the golden temple. It saved them from being trapped in the golden statues.After a few seconds, fragments of the map returned to Wain."I see...need another one..." Gisle muttered."Yes, and it is in the south, I'm sure of it. When we find a complete map, we'll know the exact location of the island." Said Wain."South... That's problematic... It's about a month and a half before the island appears. There's a lot to be done in that time." Mumbled Gisle.He wasn't worried that Vineta might hear about it. He didn't consider her an enemy, she was now part of the organization and his subordinate.Gisle was pleased with his progress, but he knew that he had to allow at least a week to prepare for the departure. Also, although he knew which side of the world the island would appear in, he did not know how long the journey would take.He had recently taken over Twilight Steel and had a lot of work to do. So even though Elsa helped him, he was also involved in managing the northern and eastern parts of the city.At that point, Gisle realized that he was running out of time. He didn't have enough time to find the last part of the map.'Hmm, I could form a group and try to get the third part of the map quickly and capture the southern part, but then the west and south would be unstable. That could lead to a riot, and that would be a serious problem...' pondered Gisle.Wain noticed that Gisle was tense and said, "You don't have to think about putting together a full map. I'll do it. What's more, I have my own reasons for going South."'That's right, Wain got the second part of the map himself, I don't have to worry about that. Even though this guy's a loner, he'll never refuse to cooperate.'"Well, if it all works out, that'll be great."Wain nodded."By the way, Vineta, I wanted to ask you something else. There's an airport in this part of town. Tell me there's an intact and working vehicle there?" Asked Gisle.Vineta shook her head, "We explored the airport hoping to find a working plane or helicopter, but to no avail. All the hangars have been destroyed, and the equipment is broken and seriously damaged. It's impossible to use.""Shit...okay, there's nothing we can do about it..." Gisle muttered."Where is Lea now?" Asked Wain."Lea is now in the east, at our main base, run by Elsa. Lea is building equipment with the fire goblins, and she's as depressed as ever.""Yeah, that girl's a master at it." Teresa said unhappily."I see... Nothing changes..." Wain muttered and took off his gloves.He tossed them to Agnes and said, "If you can pass these things to Lea, let her make something useful out of them or just practice, oh yeah, that too."Wain's Ring of Damned glowed brightly, and a blueprint appeared in his hands. This is the item Wain received when he killed the Snow Beast, leader of the enemy Void, during his first war.Weapon Blueprint First Chronicle, Epic RatingThis blueprint contains a method of creating a powerful weapon capable of making its owner incredibly powerful. Any warrior would want such a weapon now. It's not a dream but almost a reality. However, only a man with the soul of a blacksmith can know what is written on the blueprint."Got it." Agnes replied succinctly.Wain had been a First Chronicle creature for quite some time, and the effectiveness of his previous gear was dropping by the day. Since there was no one else to sell the items, he decided to pass them on to Lea. There was a slight chance that she could make something of value out of it."You work with monsters...?" Vineta said surprised to hear about the fire goblins. The others were just as surprised.Gisle shrugged, "Why not? They're useful and act like humans. There's no point in prejudice."Vineta didn't answer anything. It was strange and incomprehensible to her.Wain did not linger and headed for the exit. He found out the situation and got rid of the useless things. He wanted to get to the South as quickly as possible."Wait!" Suddenly Hana said."What is it?""Take me with you!""Ah?"
