Tomb Raider King
chapter-39

Translator: miraclerifle

‘What?’

Chairman Kwon could not help but question his ears.

“W, what did you just say?”

"I said shut up, you stupid phone salesman.”

He had not heard wrong. That was why Chairman Kwon’s expression was quite entertaining to look at. Was he shocked and in disbelief or was he baffled?

Ju-Heon's gaze was also saying the following.

Get lost, I have no business left with you. You old bastard.

Ju-Heon was saying that with his whole body.

‘I praised him so much and even sucked up to him a bit.

But he instantly rejected me?’

Chairman Kwon felt awkward and embarrassed, but he held himself back.

It was because he knew Ju-Heon was a rare artifact user.

“Don't be like that and think about it. You are the type of genius who can rule the world. You are different from the others. I will take care of everything if you come work for me. Did you happen to get sick after going into a tomb? If you need a healing artifact to heal yourself...”

Ju-Heon's eyes sparkled the moment Chairman Kwon said that. Something unbelievable then happened.

Ju-Heon had quickly charged in and slashed Chairman Kwon’s neck.

Puuk!

It happened in an instant.

Chairman Kwon soon bled out and fell in this isolated corner of the airport. Ju-Heon had slashed Chairman Kwon's carotid artery without any hesitation.

“U, ugh!”

Chairman Kwon twitched on the ground in a puddle of blood. However, Ju-Heon did not even blink as he watched and coldly responded.

“Don’t you dare bring up healing artifacts in front of me with that dirty mouth of yours ever again.”

The bleeding Chairman Kwon who raised his head could not help but shiver. Ju-Heon was smiling but he seemed so scary that it gave him the chills.

That made Chairman Kwon feel anxious.

‘I am feeling pressure from another artifact user?’

However, Ju-Heon just laughed as if he didn’t care how Chairman Kwon was feeling.

The healing artifact had been as important to Ju-Heon as food and water in the past.

‘I wouldn't have given this bastard my youth and efforts if it wasn't for that.’

Ju-Heon was someone with the talents to be a monarch but ended up being unable to spread his wings and just had to help Chairman Kwon benefit because of those healing artifacts.

That was indeed the case.

Chairman Kwon was someone who was talented enough to be a monarch, but based on the specs, he was not someone who could reach the top of the monarchs.

He had the capital, connections, as well as luck and good timing to help him become the overlord.

‘I kept my end of the bargain and turned him into the King of the monopolizer.’

In return, he had gotten them killed without even giving the possession-type healing artifact he promised to give them. Even his precious sibling had died of illness during the process.

That was why Ju-Heon had a loathing smile on his face as he leisurely continued to speak.

“How about you stop acting and get the hell up. You're not someone who would die with something like that.”

“You......!”

It was as Ju-Heon mentioned. Chairman Kwon had not died even with his carotid artery being cut. In fact, the blood squirmed as if it was alive before returning to Chairman Kwon’s neck.

That wasn’t the only thing. Once the blood completely returned to Chairman Kwon’s neck, the cut on the neck healed itself as if nothing had happened.

However, Ju-Heon did not become anxious at all.

Why?

This was something he already knew about. He knew that Chairman Kwon’s undershirt, no, the defensive artifact made it impossible to kill him. He had just slashed him to check if that was still the case.

‘Now I know the identity of the artifact on his body.’

[Achilles’s Armor (S-Grade:Legendary Hero-grade/Possession Artifact)]

It's abilities were simple.

Immortality and defense.

He could not die as long as he was wearing that armor, and although you could harm him, you couldn’t cut through his flesh.

Of course, it would not come off even if you tried to take it off.

‘It looks like I need to find a weapon that is strong enough to destroy Achilles’s Armor.’

The overconfident Chairman Kwon clicked his tongue and started to speak at that moment.

“I'm warning you...ugh!”

However, Ju-Heon stabbed Chairman Kwon again. Chairman Kwon who was suddenly attacked felt dizzy.

‘He knows its useless! Is this bastard stabbing me on purpose?!’

He wouldn't die because of Achilles’s Armor and the pain and injuries would heal quickly, but he could not prevent the mental damage.

“You! Do you think you'll be fine after doing this?!”

However, Ju-Heon who knew Chairman Kwon’s personality and acting patterns well sharply smiled.

"Why? Are you going to report me to the cops?”

“Once we get out of here, you!”

“Do it. There won't be any evidence.”

Ju-Heon snickered as he said that. That was indeed the case. Chairman Kwon didn't have the injury on his neck anymore and there were no witnesses in this empty airport. That wasn’t the only thing. The CCTV had already turned into junk long ago because of the Tomb Appearance.

In fact, it could be said that it was actually beneficial for Ju-Heon that Chairman Kwon had the immortality artifact. The shocked Chairman Kwon scoffed as if it was funny.

“You don't know how easy it is to turn someone into a retard.”

Ju-Heon did not back down.

“You don't know how easy it is to get rid of a stupid phone company like yours.”

“What?”

Ju-Heon calmly took out his phone and threatened Chairman Kwon.

“I warned you. It probably won't even take an hour.”

Chairman Kwon looked toward Ju-Heon and became wary.

Even someone like him with the conquest artifact could not read Ju-Heon’s thoughts at all. That was how confident Ju-Heon was, and his gaze was different than other people.

‘Does he perhaps have some kind of curse-type artifact that can destroy the company?’

The chances of that being the case were high.

This was someone who could see through his artifact and knowledgeable enough to take down a higher-grade artifact with a lower-grade artifact. So, rashly provoking him might make Chairman Kwon be hit by an artifact he didn't know much about.

‘Provoking him might end up with me being harmed.’

Of course, this was just a giant bluff by Ju-Heon.

However, Chairman Kwon who had no information about Ju-Heon’s artifacts could not do anything. This, and the fact that he seemed to have some kind of relationship with that almost untouchable Irene Holten was giving him a headache.

‘Damn it.’

It was the people who had more things to lose who would be more cautious and thorough. Chairman Kwon was also such a person.

Ju-Heon approached him at that moment.

“Now then, should I give a thank you gift to the Chairman-nim who tried to scout me?”

Chairman Kwon flinched in reflex. It was because he was dealing with Ju-Heon.

“You, what are you thinking?!”

“Ah, don't worry. I don’t plan on killing you just yet.”

Well, it would be more accurate to say he couldn't kill Chairman Kwon because Chairman Kwon was stronger than him right now, but there was no need to be honest.

‘TKBM will end up becoming an important company so I will thoroughly use them for my benefit.’

Ju-Heon's gaze turned cold as he had that thought.

‘This bastard is someone I need to make experience the worst before I kill him.’

That was what Ju-Heon had decided the moment he had returned to the past.

A shoddy method would not resolve Ju-Heon’s grudge. He would show this bastard hell once he was no longer weaker in dominance level or financial power and was leveled with this bastard in society.

‘So, just wait. I will stomp on you from a monopolizer position. I will thoroughly use you until then.’

However, he wasn’t planning on just letting him go because he was keeping him alive.

And lo and behold.

“Muramasa, draw out everything you have.”

Muramasa started to scream and cast a violent aura.

[@(#&&@*#]

Muramasa was in intense pain as if it was cutting its own body.

It was an obvious reaction.

It was like forcefully whipping someone who could only release an energy level of 10 to make them release an energy level of 100.

It allows it to release power at a couple grades higher than normal, but the artifact would end up breaking in the process.

It was close to a suicide attack.

Maybe that was the reason.

The conquest artifact sent a signal as if it was obvious that being stabbed by the attack would hurt.

- Use your power of conquest.

It was because the parasitic conquest artifact would be impacted as well if Chairman Kwon was stabbed.

However, Chairman Kwon had no plan on using his power of conquest.

Why?

‘That bastard has the Code of Hammurabi.’

Using it would just harm him from the counter-attack.

‘Damn it!’

He had lost all other artifacts he brought with him, and it wouldn't be easy to escape from such a young bastard!

However, Chairman Kwon started to smile.

‘No, it’s fine.’

His subordinates would soon come looking for him. Then he could use other artifacts to steal this bastard’s artifacts.

‘I just need to last until then.’

He wouldn't die because of Achilles’s Armor anyway. The pain would be reduced by the armor and the injury would quickly heal if he waited a bit.

‘So, let’s see what you got!’

However, the confident Chairman Kwon ended up becoming anxious.

Puuk!

Once Muramasa slashed at him with this suicidal attack...

“Ugh!”

Chairman Kwon almost lost consciousness because of the unbearable pain.

It was a terribly severe pain! Forget the injury recovering, he felt as if he would die from the pain.

Chairman Kwon instantly became anxious.

‘Unbelievable, why did the armor not function properly...!’

However, he soon figured out the reason.

It was because Muramasa's curse had temporarily paralyzed Achilles’s Armor.

‘Shit!’

As the conquest artifact that sensed danger activated itself...

‘Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth!’

Ju-Heon activated the Code of Hammurabi as if he had been waiting for this and a bright light flashed.

Baaaaang!

The airport instantly exploded as if to destroy all of the evidence.

[I thought I was going to die. Mummies suddenly started to appear and something was saying it was an Egyptian god and talked about a test or what not.]

[There really were items possessed by ghosts!]

[There must be artifacts inside these tombs!]

[Some people were using items that were able to do marvelous things.]

The world was in chaos.

The sudden large earthquakes, the Great Tomb Appearance, and artifacts. People who witnessed them started to talk about their experiences.

The world was in a state of panic. However, the people of the world who were stuck inside these tombs had learned about tombs and artifacts. The TV finally came back on after a few days after probably being down because of the world-wide disaster and Ju-Heon was watching the news while smiling.

“Looks like the secret is gone from the world. They deserve it.”

Ju-Heon was in a hotel at a nearby city that had not been destroyed as much. He had needed a temporary place to stay because the airport was destroyed.

It was at that moment. Oh Seung Woo who had been watching the news with him asked cautiously.

“By the way, what happened to Chairman Kwon? Was he not with you until the end, sir? We had fainted so...”

“Why, are you worried about that old bastard?”

“Of course not. I'm just worried something might happen to you, hyung-nim, or us.”

“Don't worry. That guy won't be able to move for a while.”

Ju-Heon thought about Chairman Kwon and started to smirk. He had left because there were people approaching where they were at the airport, but Chairman Kwon should be suffering from Muramasa's curse right now.

‘He might not die but he can't avoid the pain.’

The biggest gain was the following.

[Achilles’s Artifact has received 30% damage.]

[The conquest artifact has received serious damage and 90% of its body has been destroyed.]

That was what the message windows had said.

The Code of Hammurabi truly was amazing.

‘That old bastard should not be able to do much for a while.’

Chairman Kwon should be hospitalized because of the damage from Muramasa and his cherished artifacts were damaged by the Code of Hammurabi, so he should be quite angry right now.

Ju-Heon who had ‘gifted’ Chairman Kwon such wonderful presents started to smile.

However...

“Umm, but hyung-nim. Are those items called artifacts okay?”

Oh Seung Woo was worried while looking at the damaged artifacts lying around. He had left them on the bed to rest, but they were all on the brink of destruction.

It was an obvious reaction. They were harmed by the Monarch of Destitution after coming to Las Vegas, and then harmed by the Egyptian Divine-Grade artifacts.

It was hell for the artifacts. The artifacts were probably cussing Ju-Heon out right now.

‘Even the other consumable artifacts will be destroyed after using them once or twice.’

That wasn’t it. The Egyptian artifacts that were harmed by Muramasa were like corpses and Muramasa had broken in two as well. Oh Seung Woo who was looking toward the artifacts that were slowly turning into dust with concern started to speak.

“These things called artifacts... They seem to be in terrible condition...is there no way to fix them?”

“You can’t fix artifacts. They get destroyed if the durability reaches zero or they receive serious damage.”

“Then do we just let these things break? What a waste......”

However, Ju-Heon started to chuckle.

“Other bastards would let them break. I have a method.”

"What method?”

Ju-Heon took out his phone and called someone instead of responding.

[Hello?]

Ju-Heon started to laugh and scam the person who picked up the call.

“Irene. I know it’s not a good time to call, but I called you because I was so happy. I found the way to find a way to resolve your curse.”

[Excuse me? Really?]

“Yes. I think your curse can be resolved if we find someone.”

There was a reason he had handled the artifacts terribly without worrying about durability or destruction until now.

He had a decently useful level of the restore ability, but it was because there was a restoration expert, an artist who could even restore completely destroyed artifacts, restore artifacts’ durability and make the artifacts like new.

‘That bastard is an important worker I definitely need.’

Ju-Heon who decided to use Irene to find that reserve slave started to smile wickedly.

‘He’s probably going around scamming the rich right now, < The Monarch of Fraud >. Alright then, shall I go reel him in now?’