Emperor's Office – Arcadia Imperial Castle, Morning
Behind the grand desk piled high with documents, the aging Emperor of Arcadia let out a long sigh. His wrinkled hands signed orders one by one, managing the ongoing war on the frontlines.
"The supplies for the troops in the southwest are running low..." he murmured, his voice full of exhaustion.
However, before he could think further, the loud sound of a door being swung open echoed in the room.
Bang!
A man with black hair barged in without permission.
"Emperor! I'm here, I need your help!"
The Emperor stared at him with a flat expression. "What is it this time, Hero? The last time I helped you, you disappeared for three days without a word."
Arthur—the Hero—flinched, slightly awkward at the statement.
"Ah... about that, there were some matters I had to take care of," he answered with a stiff smile. Of course, he couldn't tell the Emperor that he had just returned from the Demon King's Castle.
The Emperor shook his head. "I know already, debating with you is just a waste of time. I really don't understand why Lady Saint trusts you so much."
Arthur gave a small smile. "Don't worry. This time, my request isn't difficult."
The Emperor raised an eyebrow, mildly intrigued.
"I need a map of the continent."
Without asking many questions, the Emperor signaled to one of his guards. Soon, a large map was spread out before Arthur.
Arthur's eyes immediately scanned every corner of the map with full concentration.
"Hmm... Ah, found it! Wait, why is it so far..."
He looked at the Emperor with a pleading expression.
"Your Majesty, I must head to the ruins of an ancient civilization in the southwest. There's something I need to find there."
The Emperor sighed again. "How long will you be gone?"
"Seven days."
"I need to remind you, you are the symbol of hope for humanity, Arthur."
"I know. Besides, everything I do is for the sake of peace." Arthur's voice sounded firmer this time.
The Emperor stared at him intently before finally nodding. "Alright. I'll prepare your supplies this afternoon. Don't make me regret this."
Arthur smiled in satisfaction. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
---
Afternoon – Journey to the Ruins
At the castle gates, the knights had prepared horses and supplies for Arthur.
"Is this enough, Hero?" asked one of the knights.
Arthur simply nodded, not wanting to waste time. Without saying much, he mounted his horse and headed toward his destination.
After reaching a sufficiently distant point from the capital, he stopped his horse.
"Alright, time for the shortcut."
Arthur pulled a silver compass from his pocket. His lips moved as he read the coordinates written inside.
Suddenly, a magical circle glowed from the compass, forming a complex pattern in the air before spreading to the ground where Arthur stood.
Cling!
The light of the magic shot up into the sky, drawing the attention of creatures nearby.
Then—
Flash!
In an instant, Arthur and his horse disappeared.
---
Ancient Civilization Ruins – Southwest Desert
The teleportation light faded, and Arthur now stood in the middle of a vast, uninhabited desert.
"Finally here."
He glanced at his compass again.
"About 300 meters north... Luckily, the coordinates weren't too off."
He continued on his journey with his horse-drawn carriage, though the sandy terrain slowed his progress.
A few hours later, only 50 meters remained. However, his horse suddenly collapsed, exhausted.
Arthur sighed. "Alright, you wait here for a bit."
He walked on foot toward his destination. Once he arrived, he began searching for the entrance to the hidden ruins.
His eyes caught something—a strange pattern engraved in the ground.
"A magic seal, huh? Looks like it's still locked."
Arthur mimicked the magic circle formation engraved in the seal.
Crack!
The seal broke, and a stone door slowly emerged from the sand.
"Finally."
However, before entering, he hurried back to his horse.
Luckily, the horse was still in place. With a little effort, he managed to bring it inside.
---
Secret Room of the 37th Repetition
Inside the dark, silent room, magical engravings filled the stone walls.
Arthur observed his surroundings with a nostalgic gaze.
"So it's still here..."
This room was his own legacy—the place he created in the 37th world repetition.
Here, he had stored all the magic formations he had learned from various world repetitions.
Also, some valuable items that couldn't be found in the present world.
Arthur walked toward a massive magic circle on the wall. He mimicked the formation, and the circle broke open, revealing another room behind it.
Inside, lay his greatest treasure.
Among them—
EXP Elixir.
Arthur smiled with satisfaction.
"Just as I thought... It's still here."
As a Hero with a status window, he knew very well the use of this item.
In the 37th repetition, alchemy had reached its peak, allowing the creation of the EXP Elixir—a potion that could instantly raise a level.
In that life, he only needed 300 elixirs to become immensely powerful. But this time...
"I need to consume 1000 elixirs in one week."
Arthur swallowed.
This wasn't just a matter of strength, but a necessity.
Because this time, he couldn't afford to fail.
---
One Week Later – Back to the Empire
Arthur finally returned. His body felt heavy, but he knew the results were worth it.
He used to be level 12.
Now—
Level 356.
More than three times the strongest individual in the empire.
In fact, he no longer needed disposable magic scrolls.
Now, he could use all that magic directly.
Arthur immediately headed to the castle to gather information.
Once he obtained what he needed, he went to the blacksmith's barracks.
"Excuse me. May I borrow your forge?"
The blacksmith hesitated.
Arthur pulled out several gold coins and placed them in the man's hand.
The blacksmith immediately smiled broadly. "Ah, of course, Hero! Please, go ahead!"
Arthur smiled in satisfaction.
Now, he would forge his own weapon.
Because in the coming days—
He would carry out his plan.
Status Window
Name: Arthur
Level: 356
Class: Hero
Race: Human
Attributes:
Strength: 7,900
Endurance: 6,300
Agility: 11,250
Intelligence: 10,340
Mana: 7,330
Skills:
Magic Reconstruction
Mastery of All Weapon and Magic Types