Chapter 74

In the deepest part of the hidden temple, the guardian 'Hercules Knight' stood. With seemingly infinite stamina and strong resistance to both physical and magical attacks, this golden Hercules beetle-type monster possessed weapons that surpassed the latest modern armaments.

However, the mythological monster, which had slaughtered countless enemies with various martial techniques, now lay on the ground, its horns broken and legs severed. The once beautiful golden exoskeleton was now shattered and charred.

"Finally, we've defeated it... The sacrifices were unexpected!"

Wiping the sweat from his brow, the old man surveyed the area with a look of disgust. Among the nine excellent 'Monster Tamers' who were his disciples, five lay dead. Some had no heads, others only upper bodies, and some had large holes in their chests, clearly lifeless at a glance.

The monsters they had controlled, including the Cerberus and the Thunderbird, had also been defeated, with most of the others killed as well. It was only by using their trump card, the 'Guardian of Hell,' that they finally managed to defeat the Hercules Knight.

The battle was over, but the old men were already in tatters, their bodies riddled with injuries.

"I'm surprised. I didn't expect it to be such a tough fight even with the power of the emperor."

Breathing heavily, Loki spoke with a tired voice, also surprised by the unexpected strength of the Hercules Knight.

"I've heard of a monster that mimics the half-god, half-human 'Hercules' from mythology, but the name is a bit of a joke. ...However, to obtain the magic stone of a monster with such power, the sacrifices were worth it..."

The old man stroked his chin, looking at the defeated Hercules Knight with a conflicted expression. He intended to recover the magic stone, process it with ritual magic, and turn it into a tamer's magic stone. Monster tamers cannot control a monster just by obtaining a magic stone; it needs to be properly processed.

"...If you could control a monster like this, you'd be invincible, wouldn't you?"

Loki casually approached the fallen Hercules Knight, licking the blood from his hand.

"It would have been better if it were a bit smaller. Still, there are plenty of uses for it. Now, open the seal, Loki."

"Got it. Let's see if there's any treasure. ...What's this? Nobunaga was a strange guy, wasn't he?"

Loki chuckled mischievously, approached the door, and was about to touch it when he tilted his head at the writing on the door.

"Business hours: 9 AM to 5 PM. Lunch break: 12 PM to 1 PM."

The old men, who had no time to care, shouted at him.

"Open it quickly!"

"Alright, alright. I got it."

As Loki, transformed into the emperor, touched the silver door, a mechanical voice echoed from somewhere.

"Royal blood confirmed. Unlocking."

The magic-imbued silver door, which had neither decayed nor rusted, shone with a silver light. The massive door began to open slowly, creaking.

The old men cautiously peered inside as the thick silver door opened.

"Wow! This is amazing!"

Seeing the scene inside, they exclaimed in awe. The high disciples also marveled at the sight.

"It's true. This is incredible!"

The hidden treasure. Even Loki, who had thought it was just a dubious story passed down orally, was amazed by the sight that exceeded his expectations.

The room itself was a 50-meter square, not particularly large. The walls were made of stone, with no special features. The lack of deterioration suggested the use of magic stones, but there were no mythological carvings or murals to give it a mystical feel.

However, the simplicity of the room made the treasure's brilliance stand out.

There were countless chests filled with gold coins, their lids open, spilling over with gold. Among them were also gems and silver vases. The room was bathed in the golden glow, illuminating Loki's face. At the back, an altar was visible, with powerful magic items like swords, spears, necklaces, and rings, as well as various other magical artifacts.

"Indeed... Nobunaga had a good understanding of the image of treasure. I've never seen such brilliance before."

"Indeed. It gives the impression of a mountain of gold and silver. I didn't expect it to be this much."

The magicians, captivated by the golden glow, had forgotten their earlier dissatisfaction and were now grinning as they gazed at the treasure.

"Now, the magical artifacts in the back. Among them should be the one I seek, the 'Dromi,' which can control all monsters."

The old magician, a sly smile on his face, gripped his staff and slowly turned to Loki. Loki, with a smile that didn't match the emperor's stern face, looked at the old magician.

"So, what do you want to say?"

"This is as far as our agreement with Duke Kamu goes. We were to cooperate up to the treasure room."

"True. That was the agreement. So?"

"Loki, I know you're tough. But you can't match our numbers. We might still have business to do, so leave now. Take as much gold as you can carry."

Loki, initially confused, then laughed.

"No, I thought I'd be killed once my usefulness was over, but you're surprisingly rational."

"There are few great magicians who work for money. So, what will you do?"

Loki was right; that was one of the options. However, considering the escape, the old magician thought it was better not to fight. Loki was, after all, a hired mercenary. If given a portion of the treasure, he might easily betray Duke Kamu.

But Loki shrugged, chuckled, and looked down. The old magician, expecting an immediate nod, frowned and subtly signaled his disciples. They put their monsters on alert and began to guard.

"...What's your answer, Loki?"

"Hehehe, hahaha. Sorry, but I love chaos more than money. So, I intend to hand this treasure over to Duke Kamu. You can leave with the magical artifact you want and half the treasure, as per our agreement."

Loki lifted his head, laughing merrily. His face was distorted in a frightening way, and the old magician stepped back, quickly raising his staff with a stern look.

"Are you going to fight? You should know that even with the power of the emperor, you can't match us. We have the numbers to compensate for any lack of strength. We are not ordinary magicians."

The old magician didn't want to fight Loki, as he wanted to escape and didn't want to waste any more of his forces.

However, he didn't think he would lose. With his disciples and their controlled monsters, they could kill one emperor. The emperor was strong, but the old magician and his disciples were famous in the dark world. With the help of his disciples, they could surely kill him, even if it was a tough fight.

"You're right. The emperor isn't enough. This body is strong, but so are you. I would definitely lose."

"Then, will you take the treasure and leave?"

Loki understood the power difference, and the old magician was relieved. However, it was a mistake to lower his guard.

"But what about this new form I just acquired? I think I can give it a good test against you."

Loki's body, which had been laughing, began to change, like clay being molded. The old magician and his disciples were shocked by the transformation.

"What! That form!"

"Hehe. With this form, I can win, right? After all, I just tested it."

In front of the old magician was the form of the Hercules Knight, which they had just defeated. Loki, using the emperor's power, had managed to defeat this mythological monster, even using their trump card.

"Didn't you know? I can transform by drinking the blood of my opponents. I just drank the blood of the Hercules Knight, didn't I?"

Loki could have left the old magician and his group alone and gone, as the elite forces of Duke Kamu were waiting at the temple entrance, about to enter. Loki had used the communication device to signal them. He could have enjoyed watching the two forces clash.

However, Loki's bad habit kicked in. The Hercules Knight, the temple's guardian, was unexpectedly strong, and Loki wanted to test its power. Using a newly acquired form immediately was one of his bad habits.

Loki, now transformed into the Hercules Knight with its golden exoskeleton, taunted the shocked old magician and his group, then flew to the side of the dead Hercules Knight.

"The weakness of this form is the lack of equipment, but it's right in front of me."

He picked up the magic sword and shield that had fallen next to the dead Hercules Knight and pointed the sword at the old magician.

"Damn! How can this be! Go, 'Guardian of Hell'!"

The old magician raised his staff and shouted. Behind the transformed Loki, the space wavered, and a demonic ape with pitch-black fur and blood-red eyes appeared, swinging its long, dark claws.

These claws, which had shattered the Hercules Knight's exoskeleton, were powerful dark attribute claws. The 'Guardian of Hell's' claws were a powerful, non-physical magical attack that the Hercules Knight's exoskeleton couldn't defend against.

"No, no. You've already shown me that attack. I don't want to see the same trick again."

'Lightning Triple'

The moment Loki's magic sword emitted a purple lightning, the lightning passed through the Guardian of Hell. The Guardian of Hell, with its arm raised, swayed and a bright line passed through its body.

There were three bright lines. The body tilted and split, falling to the floor.

"Now, your magic stones are all gone, right?"

"Argh! You, Loki!"

The old magician, veins bulging on his forehead, shouted in anger.

"The power of lightning and the sword. I'll test it on you!"

Loki, looking pleased, unleashed the power of the Hercules Knight. The old magician and his disciples commanded their monsters and cast spells.

Flames raged, ice storms blew, wind became blades, and thunder roared. The roars of the monsters echoed through the labyrinth. After a while, the sounds of battle faded into silence.

The battle was over, and only Loki, in the form of the golden monster, was standing.

"Wow, this is amazing. With weapons, I might be invincible. Don't you think so?"

The dead bodies of the old magicians lay on the floor. Blood dripped from the magic sword in Loki's hand as he moved the beetle's mandibles and turned around, looking satisfied.

"Yes, indeed, Master Loki."

From the depths of the labyrinth, a beautiful woman with golden hair appeared, bowing her head.

"Are you here to collect the treasure for Duke Kamu?"

"Yes, I've come to collect the treasure."

Loki's words made the beautiful woman, Frigg, smile seductively.