Chapter 434

“Hero, Her Majesty… no, Queen Tuna Sushi is waiting for you,” Salmon Sushi announced with a cough as it approached.

Behind it stood the queen, elegantly dressed and radiating beauty.

‘Even her royal guards are here.’

Flounder Sushi, Cuttlefish Sushi, and even Sea Urchin Sushi—every member of the “Rotating Sushi” guard was present.

A marriage with the queen…

For most, this would be an overwhelming blessing.

But that was a sentiment only for the uninformed.

Jinhyuk could feel cold sweat running down his back.

‘Sssshhh…’

The atmosphere froze.

Beside him, Alice glared with eyes sharp enough to kill.

On the other hand, Tuna Sushi and the Merfolk showed no intention of letting him leave.

A classic no-win situation.

“This is what they call ‘you reap what you sow,'” Chun Yoosung said mockingly, sipping the Merfolk’s alcohol.

“Hyung, good luck!”

“Oppa, if you survive, try this. It’s delicious,” Lee Taemin and Yoo Yeonhwa teased, treating the situation like it was none of their business.

Casey and Judro were nowhere to be seen, likely busy killing someone somewhere.

“Master, if you wish to die honorably, I can assist,” Wolyoung added solemnly.

Damn it.

There wasn’t a single person he could rely on.

“Fufu. Don’t worry too much. I’ve been trained in all the proper etiquette of a bride since childhood. Even though we are of different races, I’m prepared to sacrifice everything for the greater good,” Tuna Sushi said with a bright smile.

Sacrifice? What sacrifice?

Marriage should be with someone you love!

Of course, saying that wouldn’t make a difference.

‘Do I let Alice kill me or let the Merfolk kill me? Is that the choice I have to make here?’

If he wanted to escape this situation, he needed a clever plan.

Just then, an idea struck Jinhyuk like lightning.

“Wait, wait! Before anything else, shouldn’t I present this first?”

‘Wooong!’

With a brilliant light, Jinhyuk opened his subspace inventory.

Inside was the magnificent ‘Spear of Atlantis,’ radiating unmatched beauty.

“Ah… of course. In our joy, we forgot about retrieving our relic.”

“Indeed. It’s only right that I return it first.”

“As expected of you, Hero. Truly, you’re the perfect husband,” Tuna Sushi said, her eyes glistening as she took the spear.

—

[The Merfolk have reclaimed their relic.]
[Replication conditions fulfilled.]
[The unique ability ‘Will of the Tides’ has been replicated.]

[Will of the Tides]
Acquisition Difficulty: Race-restricted ability
Details: Allows the user to read the ocean’s currents and, with mastery, alter them. Increases attack and defense against water-element monsters by 50%.

—

Perfect.

Finally, he had obtained it.

With this, he had completed everything he needed to do here.

Next was…

[Unique ability ‘Grave of Swords’ is activated!]

In the span of a second, Jinhyuk channeled his magic into the spear.

The burst of energy was so quick and subtle that no one noticed.

[Durability of the Spear of Atlantis: 103 / 135,000]

Having already been pushed to its limit from shattering the barrier, the spear couldn’t handle the strain.

‘Crack!’

[The relic has been destroyed.]

The Merfolk fell into utter despair.

“Kyaaaah!” Tuna Sushi shrieked.
“How… how could this happen?”
“Why would the relic of the Merfolk…?”
“What happened, Hero Jinhyuk?”

Panic spread throughout the banquet hall.

“Well, during the intense battle earlier, the spear couldn’t withstand the strain,” Jinhyuk said with a feigned expression of regret.

“That can’t be… with the Hero’s blessing, it should have been indestructible.”

“Yes, if I were truly the Hero,” Jinhyuk replied, pointing toward a corner of the hall.

“In fact, I am merely a servant to the true Hero, the great Sword Hero, Chun Yoosung.” (T/N: WTF. I did not see this one coming. HAHAHAHA)

“…Pfft!?”

Chun Yoosung, leisurely sipping wine, spat out its contents in shock.

‘Cough! Cough!’

He choked, clearly unprepared for the sudden declaration.

“Having lost the spear, I no longer deserve the title of Hero. It would be absurd for someone like me, a mere shadow of that great man, to be with the queen.”

“Jinhyuk, you…! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!”

“His humility in concealing his achievements, his strength in defeating the Kraken! If the future needs a true Hero, it must be his offspring!”

“I’ll kill you!” Chun Yoosung yelled, attempting to draw his sword, but it was too late.

The Merfolk, their target now set, rushed toward Chun Yoosung.

“Ohhh! So you’re the real Hero!”
“I knew it. You’re far more handsome.”
“Please, bless Her Majesty with your lineage!”

“I’ll remember this! I’ll remember this forever!” Chun Yoosung shouted as he fled, chased by the eager Merfolk.

Watching him disappear into the distance, Jinhyuk muttered to himself like the closing line of a fairy tale.

“And the Hero lived happily ever after.”

—

Paradise Island.

A haven said to be modeled after heaven itself.

The Trial Tower’s most renowned resort, known for its golden sunlight, emerald seas, and white sand as pristine as platinum, was a paradise one could never forget.

Now, the members of the Veteran Corporation, including Jinhyuk, had gathered there.

With a major crisis resolved, they decided to relax and prepare for the challenges of the next floor.

“Wow… it’s so beautiful,” Teresa said, marveling at the scenery.

Her usual days of heavy armor and shield in battlefields full of tension made this peaceful moment feel almost unreal.

For once, Teresa found herself free from the unrelenting pressure of her usual duties.

“Kyaa! It’s been so long since I’ve seen water this clear!”

“Kyahoo! The sand is warm! It feels great even without a fire,” exclaimed the summoned spirits, gathered together to enjoy their time in their unique ways.

“Mooogiiiii!”

“Hehe. Back before I came here, I was revered by all humans. Everyone knew of the Azure Dragon, the most noble and beautiful of the Four Divine Beasts! That’s who I am!”

“Rattle. Hey, Mr. Azure, enough nonsense. Get back to making clouds unless you want to end up as grilled lizard. Didn’t you hear what Master said about keeping him out of the sun?”

Elsewhere, the other summoned creatures had gathered, contributing to the lively atmosphere on the island.

“This isn’t bad at all,” Chun Yoosung remarked as he settled under a palm tree.

In one hand, he held a tropical drink. In the other, a thick medical textbook.

“You’re studying? Even here?” Jinhyuk asked incredulously.

“While minor quizzes could be excused under the pretense of climbing the Tower, midterm exams are non-negotiable.”

“So you’re saying you’ll do anything to avoid failing? I can see the determination not to repeat a year,” Jinhyuk teased.

“Fail? What nonsense are you spouting?” Chun Yoosung raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve never failed to be the top of my class.”

“Wait, you’re telling me you’re the top student? Even while spending all your time practicing swordsmanship?”

“Of course. Once the Tower is conquered, I’ll continue pursuing my studies. There’s no reason to neglect my future.”

Jinhyuk stared at him, questioning whether Chun Yoosung was truly human or a machine.

He also realized he’d never once seen Chun Yoosung sleep.

“Well, I guess having a doctor as a friend isn’t so bad. Free treatment and all.”

“And who said I’d treat you for free?”

“Come on, we’ve been through so much together. Charging me would be heartless.”

“Save your words. Don’t block the view—go play somewhere else,” Chun Yoosung said, slipping on his sunglasses and effectively shutting Jinhyuk out.

At that moment…

“I…”

Jinhyuk noticed Alice mumbling to herself nearby.

She wore a black dress with a wide-brimmed beige hat adorned with a butterfly-shaped pink diamond brooch.

Despite her elegant outfit, her expression was far from cheerful.

“This… isn’t the kind of trip I wanted,” she muttered, her hands trembling slightly.

Her eyes were filled with disappointment.

After working so hard to carve out time for just the two of them, the result was a crowded island swarming with people.

“I’ll make time for us tonight, so please don’t blow up the island. And put away those skewers made from the Blood Road.”

Jinhyuk quickly patted Alice on the head to calm her down.

“Really? You promise? I mean, hmph! Of course, that’s only natural. I don’t mind spending time with everyone during the day,” Alice said, her tone softening as she pretended to brush it off.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Finally, the Queen of Stubbornness seemed to have cooled off.

—

The peaceful vacation stretched on for hours.

But the tranquility was interrupted by a gate emitting green light.

“Hmm. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,” said a voice from the shimmering surface.

Emerging from the gate was a dapper old man in a stylish fedora—Rick Hennessy, one of the mid-level administrators.

“Rick? What brings you here?”

“I thought I’d stop by to check in and share some news from the Tower. After all, Jinhyuk, you’ve been stirring up quite the commotion recently.”

It had been three days since the Kraken was sent to the Demon Realm.

Though the demons had succeeded in killing the Kraken, the cost had been staggering.

Thousands of demons perished, including dozens of high-ranking nobles.

The number of wounded was immeasurable, and territories and strongholds across the Demon Realm were left in ruins.

Unsurprisingly, the Demon Realm seethed with fury.

“Especially Guntafer. He suffered the most devastating losses… but judging by your smile, I’d guess that was intentional.”

“Ahem! Smile? I’m merely expressing my condolences for the demons’ sacrifice.”

“In any case, it would be wise to keep a low profile for now. Several administrators died in the recent chaos, and it’s causing quite a stir among us.”

“Aruty… so that bothersome hamster is finally gone,” Jinhyuk mused, his smile fading.

It made sense. Someone must have fed the Kraken magic to awaken it prematurely.

From the mention of “several,” it was likely Aruty and many of his lower-ranked followers had been slaughtered.

It wasn’t hard to guess who was responsible—Hastings had arrived.

However, the other administrators wouldn’t suspect Hastings of killing Aruty.

‘That leaves me as the prime suspect for the chaos on the 29th floor.’

Indeed, caution was necessary. Turning the administrators into enemies would be troublesome.

“Thanks for the warning, Rick. I owe you one.”

Rick Hennessy was by far the most trustworthy and useful of the administrators.

“No need to mention it. I just hope I didn’t ruin your mood with all this heavy talk.”

Rick fiddled with a cocktail decorated with a little umbrella.

“To make it up to you, how about a game to spice up your vacation? Are you interested?”