"If nobility wasn't hereditary, who the hell would be a noble?"

Although that lynx tiger man didn't look quite kempt, he was a hereditary Earl. Although his family had weakened and controlled only this town now, the inheritance money was substantial. The local scenery was well-maintained, tourism wasn't generating a low income, there was a stipend from the Royal Court, and under the Emperor's grandeur, the tax dividends were modest, but still a cut of the profits. In short, money wasn't an issue.

He wasn't cut out for politics—the Royal Court was a veritable labyrinth of mortal peril. You'd never even know what got you.

Though he ran short on funds every month, the bulk of his wealth was the family legacy. Without getting into some outrageously ruinous scandal, it was hard to deplete it so quickly.

Nashano led Liszt down the underground stairs step by step, claiming he was taking him to his collection.

"No way, man, did you really off Doringger?"

Nashano was naturally an addict, and the goods from the East Sea were even more potent than those from the Great Wetland; it would be a pity to have them cut off.

"Come to Heaven Port and see for yourself. The tomb I gave him is quite lavish."

Respecting the dead, Liszt had buried Doringger with all the honors of a Duke to assert his status as the new boss.

"That works, if this actually goes down, I'll resign my official post and join your Pirate Gang."

Nashano spoke with utter seriousness.

Liszt was shocked, thinking his buddy's brain must have been fried. If he weren't otherwise occupied, he'd rather switch places. Serving as an official was comfortable; why join the pirates?

"Give it a rest, you're not even cut out for physical labor, let alone swinging a sword."

Back when Liszt was with his Pirate Gang, although he'd never met them personally, Heaven Port had had a few from the south. Shadi had killed several who had harassed him before he made a name for himself. As for this refined fellow, he'd likely end up dragged off as booty by some northern Beastman.

"I'm serious—the nine-hundred-year cataclysm is coming. It's best to stay far away from the Western Continent; Heaven Port is really not bad."

Nashano believed disaster was inevitable in a few more years. Nine hundred years ago there was an extraterrestrial invasion, and eighteen hundred years prior it was even more monumental. He hadn't been born at an auspicious time.

Liszt was stunned by this revelation.

Garscek, who had slept on Iron Soul Island for seven hundred years, had said something similar. This world hid some kind of fundamental strength, coveted by many powers. Every nine hundred years, the Nameless Warrior's transcendent power weakened a bit, and it was during such an opportunity that Garscek had come over from Flying Dragon Ridge.

Liszt would have been a disbeliever in the past: he didn't see how it concerned him. But Haywood was indeed Da Gun's Sentinel. He really had summoned the Demon God Army. Could it be that in a few years, that expeditionary army might actually descend?

That would be an entirely different league of trouble.

If it were the mythical characters from the legends of the Western Continent—with beings like Holy Spirits, Dragons, and Gods—it would be a dreadful encounter.

These beings were often depicted as capable of overturning eons, indescribable, endowed with Great Power—in comparison, the exaggerations from those religious fellows looked conservative, like they were writing about romance and stock trading.

Hopefully, those guys were just boasting.

Maybe Da Gun seemed mighty, but what if, due to some trope, he was weak due to the powerful gravity of the Western Continent, a junkie as pathetic as the tiger man next to him?

Liszt might just take him down with a single slash and save the world.

The Lostra Queen, the Emperor's daughter, the Mermaid Queen, and the Ancient Divine Continent's Elf Queen—not sure if they were all female, but let's assume they were for now.

To embrace everything into his arms!

Harem Emperor, Liszt! Dominating all the sister universes! Damn, that's freaking cool as hell!

Nashano was astounded, unsure of what kind of fantasy Liszt was reveling in, grinning so sinisterly. Was he actually looking forward to the great disaster? Each time, someone rose up; eighteen hundred years ago, it was the Nameless Warrior, nine hundred years ago, the Gureg Royal Knight Order.

This time, Nashano had no clue if anyone would stand up, or maybe the Emperor was born for this crisis, and he could hold his own.

"Turns out we're of the same mind, putting so much faith in the nine-hundred-year cataclysm."

Nashano acknowledged it, planning to let Liszt try his hand with the Junlin Sword. If he had a method of control, that would be ideal.

"I believe because I have a reason, you're just a charlatan."

Liszt thought the tiger man was really off his rocker.

Nashano used his key to unlock the door to the underground collection.

Holy smokes.

Contrary to the dimly lit living room above, this place was like a museum, astonishingly spacious, as large as two basketball courts, with labyrinth-style customized showcases and antique racks categorized and filled with all sorts of valuable curios.

Above, the exquisitely carved, plastered ceiling was inlaid with track spotlights that focused illumination on the collections, giving those pieces pronounced shadowing and depth.

Let's not dwell on how much is true and how much is false; Liszt isn't an expert and can't recognize them, but this place has certainly been set up with care. Nashano, the old guy, really enjoys fiddling with these things.

"How much did this big house cost you?"

Liszt figured that selling it would definitely fetch thousands of Golden Dragons.

"Well, I exchanged two pieces of land with other nobles. My old man used to have quite a few fiefdoms."

Nashano doesn't care about that now.

Liszt really didn't understand the mindset of these Aran tycoons, but then again, this guy had delved deep into the abyss of drug addiction; without some refined hobbies, he'd surely snort himself to death.

Nashano then pulled out a bunch of keys and found the biggest one among them.

There was another door in the basement, set aside to store his most cherished treasures.

But at that moment, he hesitated.

"Can I ask you something?"

Nashano, his head swimming with excitement, had only now begun to wonder if Liszt was trustworthy.

"Go ahead."

"You're not going to kill me to keep a secret, right?"

"Bro, you've already let the wolf into the house, and now you ask this?"

If Liszt's sanity were to be assessed, one might conclude his brain had indeed gone to waste.

"So that means you will?"

"Hell no, why would I kill you for no reason?"

"There are rumors that you eat people, is that true?"

"Dammit, which tabloid made that up? I don't relish that taste, thanks."

Liszt himself found amusement in this because Nashano, being from the Upper Three Flags of Aran, wasn't too afraid of him. He was a pampered young master used to a life of luxury, with a rather humorous way of speaking.

"Do you really have the ability... to control the Junlin Sword?"

"Genuine as they come."

"If I had a magical treasure that could sense the direction of powerful spell power, not only finding the existing seventeen swords but also the others, would you go and collect them all?"

"Fuck! Do you really have that?"

"In any case, the situation is such—I've spent my entire life studying the Junlin Sword, and I truly want to see the day when the whole collection is gathered. But I lack the ability. What exactly will happen after the full collection is assembled? It excites me more than Doringger's goods. The only thing that compares is the twenty-four stones on the Overlord Crown."

Nashano still hadn't opened the door.

Liszt was speechless. You're acting like an academic talking about a lifetime's work when you're just a junkie? You've never seen the toughest stuff out there. If you gather all the Netherworld Stele, that's when you truly ascend to Heaven and become divine. Da Gun, you really have no idea about the underworld. Give me three days, and I could have you killed and your ashes scattered.

"We must complete the collection. Uncle me? My journey is among the stars and the sea."

Liszt said.

Knowing hesitation was useless, Nashano decided to proceed. After all, with the National Guard always at the ready, his safety was absolutely assured. He used the key to open the exclusive gallery for the Junlin Sword.

Each Junlin Sword had its own unbelievable effects.

Liszt was astonished.

Dreya had only mentioned she had some leads, but this was beyond just having a clue.

It was true, just as Nashano said.

He had exhausted his life's work for this thing.

The room was not lit by track spotlights but was filled instead with dense clusters of clue walls—all covered in newspapers, torn book pages nailed up, and stacks of books collected from second-hand markets. It looked like the dwelling of a mentally deranged maniac.

And in the most central glass case, there it was—a Junlin Sword.

"Want to give it a try?"

Nashano spoke succinctly, and if it were really possible, his years of study could finally be shared with someone. He could even ask for help from his friends in the Tower Alliance, as his sword research was the most authoritative, second to none.

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