Diana Bank.

It was an old, rustic building with a clock tower. The sign on the building depicted a pair of scales and a shield.

Not only was it the first bank ever established on the continent, but it was also where Eder’s private safe was located.

'This is the best place to store the adamantium gemstone.'

Kang Oh gripped his blue crystal earring.

Beep. Beep.

He heard a familiar voice after dialing a few times.

"Yes, Mr. Kang Oh?" Eder asked.

"I want to use your private safe," Kang Oh said out of left field.

"Excuse me?"

What brought this on?

"Bring the coin that opens your safe. I'm going to summon you soon."

"What?"

"You don't want to?" Kang Oh said frigidly.

"N-No, I’ll do it."

"That's what I thought. I’m gonna summon you right now..."

"W-Wait a second! I'll call you after I get the coin."

"Hurry up."

A short while later...

Kang Oh summoned Eder.

"You brought the coin, right?" Kang Oh asked.

"Yes," Eder replied weakly.

"Let's go."

Everything went downhill from there. Kang Oh and Eder were able to enter his private safe without much difficulty.

The safe contained Kang Oh's 4,000 gold quest reward, as well as Eder's original body.

"Mm. The money's all here."

He saw the neatly stacked 40 gold bars and smiled contentedly.

"I have to give it to someone, so there's no way I'd do anything to it," Eder replied.

"Good. Keep that mindset. Now then..."

Kang Oh placed the adamantium on one side of the safe.

"Is this adamantium?"

"Yeah."

"It looks expensive."

"It is."

"Then why aren't you selling it?"

‘For someone who sells anything that'll yield a profit, why isn't he selling it?’

"There's a reason I can't sell it."

He wasn't willing to risk the consequences of selling it.

"Did you steal it?"

Eder glanced at him, seemingly saying, 'You're suspicious.'.

"Nope."

"Never mind then."

"Wanna die?"

Kang Oh scowled. Eder quickly avoided his gaze and feigned indifference.

"Just a heads up, I'm going to keep the adamantium here for the time being."

"Ok."

"I have no other business here, so let's go."

The two left the Diana Bank.

"May I go home now?" Eder asked.

"Nope."

"As I... thought. Then what are we going to do now?"

"We're going to the Great Forest," Kang Oh declared.

Then, he sent Sephiro a message.

- Mr. Sephiro.

- Yes?

- Where are you?

- I'm at Altein's Archery Guild. Why?

- Please come to the Viyoom Inn.

- Why?

- We're heading to the Great Forest soon. Before that, I want us to convene and share what we know.

- Understood.

* * *

Kang Oh, Eder, and Sephiro sat around a table.

"We have to find the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth that is located somewhere within the Great Forest," Kang oh said.

The Parmarl Underground Labyrinth!

Another demon sword laid dormant there, the same sword that Grande Loxia had once used.

"Parmarl Underground Labyrinth... Why are you looking for that?" Sephiro asked.

"I have to complete a quest."

"A quest?"

"This one."

Kang Oh shared the quest with him.

[Find Grande Loxia's Grave]

Grande Loxia is the founder of Loxia, the family of the sword and leopard!

He is a hero who once defeated a demon that threatened the world.

He was called the Wise Sword and was akin to a model knight. Everyone respected him for his superb character and ideals.

If you find his grave, you will surely find something important...

Difficulty: Unknown.

Minimum Requirements: None.

Reward: Unknown

Failure: Unknown.

"Grande Loxia's grave is located in the same place that he vanquished the demon. And that place is located in the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth, which in turn is located somewhere in the Great Forest," Kang Oh explained.

"So, the reason we're going to the Great Forest is to find the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth and complete the quest."

Sephiro looked curious.

"Exactly. But we need more information."

The Great Forest was huge! It made up most of the southern part of the continent.

Even with his Hyper Intuition, it'd be stupid to go there without a lick of information.

"We have some keywords that'll help us out. Grande Loxia, the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth, the demon that resides within the labyrinth, and Grande Loxia's sword," Kang Oh said.

"What about Grande Loxia's sword?" Sephiro asked.

"It's been passed down that Grande Loxia wielded an extremely ominous and mysterious sword. His sword was buried with him. That's what I'm going to find."

"Is it a good weapon?"

"It's at least an S-rank weapon."

"That's not the only thing that'll be there, right?"

"Who knows?"

Kang Oh shrugged his shoulders.

'It feels like the reward is going to be huge...'

That's what Sephiro's instincts were telling him. Now, he just needed to find a way to get a piece of the pie.

"I have an offer," Eder said.

"Which is?"

"I'd like 30% of everything you get from the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth and the quest."

Because he'd established such an unfair contract with him, Sephiro couldn't take any of the loot.

"Why would I do that?"

Kang Oh didn't refuse immediately. He was giving Sephiro the chance to negotiate.

"If you accept, then I won't be just a guide anymore; I'll become a partner. Wouldn't that make me work that much harder?"

"Hmm."

Kang Oh clearly wasn't very interested. 'Offer me something that's actually worth it!'.

"I know some information brokers. I'll pay them and procure some information."

"Mm."

Kang Oh's expression loosened a little bit.

"I'll lower my offer to 20%."

"Hoh."

"Lastly, I promise to do my best. I swear it on my name."

"The sword in the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth is mine. I can't give that to you as part of your share."

"Understood."

"I accept."

Kang Oh smiled.

Then, Eder, who'd been quietly listening in, raised his hand.

"I have an offer too. If you give me a share..."

Kang Oh gave him a death stare, and Eder lowered his hand.

He relaxed his eyes and then clapped to bring things back on track.

"Now then! Let's go and gather some information. Mr. Sephiro, please gather as much information as you can via your connections and information brokers."

"Leave that to me!"

Sephiro was extremely enthusiastic about all this.

"Eder, find what you can from the library."

"I'll try, but..."

Eder sported a sullen expression.

Kang Oh realized that this was the time to use the carrot, not the stick. Threatening to use the stick wouldn't be effective here.

"If you manage to find some good info, then I'll pay you for it."

"How much?"

"50 gold. If you don't want it, then that's fine too," Kang Oh said firmly, unwilling to negotiate on the fee.

"Alright," Eder replied immediately.

"I'll gather information on my own too, so do your best."

"Yes sir!" Eder and Sephiro simultaneously replied.

After that, Sephiro headed for the library. Sephiro also left the Viyoom Inn, stating that he'd set an appointment with his information brokers.

As for Kang Oh...

"Let's go to Tino first, shall we..."

Tino was once a renowned mercenary, but was now reduced to nothing more than a drunkard.

He left the inn and headed for Tino.

* * *

As always, Kang Oh found Tino within the Jurento Bar.

But for some reason, Tino wasn't drunk.

"Hello."

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember?"

"Ah, seafood soup!"

Tino seemed to remember him, raising his index finger.

"...You mean the guy who graciously bought you that seafood soup, right?" Kang Oh added.

"That was the cost of the information though."

"So you do remember me."

Kang Oh grinned.

"Of course I do. Now then, did you come for information today?"

"Yes."

"Ahem. I'm parched."

Tino stroked his throat.

"Do you want gold or alcohol?"

"Both are good."

Tino beamed.

Kang Oh passed him 10 gold and Tino quickly pocketed it.

"Hehe."

He quickly ordered a drink, and the owner left him a cheap bottle of wine and a cup on his table.

"You want a drink?" Tino poured himself a drink and asked.

Kang Oh shook his head.

"Keu."

Tino emptied the cup and poured himself another drink.

"We've talked about the Loxia family before. Do you remember?" Kang Oh asked.

"I do. I told you about the Loxia family's sword and their hidden storehouse. I also remember telling you to go find The Loxia Chronicles."

"Do you know anything about the founder of the Loxia family, Grande Loxia?"

"Grande Loxia... Aside from the fact that he was a legendary knight who left his name in history, no."

"What about the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth, which is located somewhere within the Great Forest."

"That's the first time I've ever heard of that..." Tino said after sipping his wine.

"But I can introduce you to someone who knows a lot about the Great Forest."

Kang Oh's eyes briefly glinted.

After all, who did Tino introduce him to last time? It was Grano. Who would he introduce him to this time?

"Who is it?"

Kang Oh took out 20 gold and passed it to him. 'Here, the commission fee.'

"There are countless tribes that reside within the Great Forest and among them, there's a tribe called the Nuwak."

"The Nuwak?"

"It means third eye. They have a tradition of drawing a third eye on their foreheads."

"And?"

"Seek the chieftain of the clan. He's one of the wisest men that reside within the Great Forest."

"Do you know him? If you do, then please write me a letter of introduction..."

"We're not acquainted. Though I do know that he's more than 100 years old, and that he's called the Wise Soul."

'The Wise Soul, huh...'

Kang Oh thought it'd be worth meeting him.

"I'll go find him."

"You do that. That man's an expert on the Great Forest."

Tino filled his cup once more. He truly did drink unceasingly.

"I'll see you later."

"Take care."

Kang Oh left the Jurento Bar and headed for his next destination.

Creak.

Kang Oh entered the Adventurer Guild.

"Mr. Jayce."

"Oh, it's you," Jayce, an Adventurer with a scar over his eye, greeted him.

"Are you busy?"

"No. Let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea."

The two headed down to the underground cafe and sat down at a table.

"What have you been up to lately?"

"I've been focused on strengthening myself so that I can explore more dangerous locations."

He'd also been on a TV program too.

"Good thinking. The world is a big place, and there are plenty of places to go."

Jayce smiled.

"Indeed. That's why I'm thinking of going to the Great Forest this time."

Kang Oh moved onto the main topic.

"The Great Forest, huh... It's a beautiful place. It's also a very dangerous place as well."

"I've obtained information that states that the Loxia family's sword is located somewhere within the Great Forest."

"Hoh, is that so?"

"Yes. Apparently, it's in the Parmarl Underground Labyrinth. Do you know anything about it?"

‘Anything like the exact location or how to find it!’

Jayce briefly thought it over and then shook his head.

"No. Mr. Tino might know something."

"I've already asked him. He advised me to find the Nuwak Chieftain."

"Is that so?"

It seemed like Jayce didn't have any useful information for him.

'If that's the case, then...'

"Mr. Jayce."

"Hmm?"

"It doesn't matter if it has nothing to do with what I asked. Do you have any noteworthy information for me?"

'Preferably information that'll make me a lot of money!'

"I do have something for you, but..."

"But?"

"I'll tell you after you've found the sword."

"Why not now..."

"Don't divide your attention on two different tasks; find the sword first. After that, tell me about your adventure, and then I'll give you the information," Jayce interrupted him.

He was being obstinate.

"Understood."

Ultimately, Kang Oh was forced to nod his head.