“A Roman Emperor even I know a lot about?”

“Yes.”

Ju-Heon was running deep into the tomb without any hesitation.

Boom boom!

The inside looked like an overbearing and magnificent temple, similar to the Italian Pantheon if a comparison had to be made.

However, it gave off the feel of a gloomy old castle because there were no lights of any kind.

Yoo Jaeha's eyes sparkled as he followed behind Ju-Heon.

“Then is it Caesar, Augustus, or maybe someone like Constantine? Ah, Julius Caesar wasn’t an emperor. Anyway!”

Ju-Heon sneered at him.

“I know what you are looking forward to, but unfortunately, it isn’t someone like that. Don’t have such high hopes.”

“Huh? Then who is it? I thought you said it’s a Roman Emperor even I know a lot about.”

“Domus Aurea (Golden House). That should be enough of a hint for you, right?”

‘No, I can’t tell at all.’

“…Domus Aur……Domus Aurea?”

Yoo Jaeha was recalling information about western art history when his eyes suddenly opened wide as if he thought of something.

“Ah, maybe……!”

But the moment Yoo Jaeha tried to keep talking!

Boom!

They heard something fall before the inside of the temple suddenly caught fire.

Crackle!

The fire was burning even taller than them. The fire started to spread rapidly and block their way.

Yoo Jaeha who saw this started to tear up as if it was as he expected.

“Is the owner of this tomb really Emperor Nero?! The bastard who burned down Rome?”

“You know quite a lot about him.”

“Damn it, Nero is that tyrant. The tomb’s trial is going to be damn cruel.”

“It is indeed cruel.”

Ju-Heon didn't know the specifics as a Chinese team was the one to clear this tomb in the past.

‘But they said over 1,000 people died.’

Ju-Heon shouted toward the fire that was moving as if it was alive.

“Use the painting to absorb the fire! It’ll be a useful weapon in the future.”

As Yoo Jaeha nodded his head, they absorbed the fire with van Gogh's painting and started to run down the now open path…

“It's that bastard!”

“!”

They heard some footsteps before seeing people who had chased after Ju-Heon.

They were the members of the other excavation teams that had been trying to get inside the tomb.

“Is that bastard the one who blasted a way in?”

“Capture him and make him spill how he did it!”

Ju-Heon was wowed.

They had to be above average people to make it this far.

‘I guess there are some Monarch-Grade users with them.’

There were some troublesome veterans whom Ju-Heon had always run into in the tombs among those he saw in Kyoto.

However…

“That bastard is Seo Ju-Heon.”

There was an excavation team he had never seen before. Maybe that was the reason, but Ju-Heon tilted his head in confusion.

‘Who the hell are they?’

But that confusion only lasted a moment as they started to shout.

“Young master Austin said to make sure we don't lose the artifact to this bastard!”

‘Austin?’

Ju-Heon was amused.

He was wondering why the excavation team members’ equipment, tools, and artifacts looked as if someone had gone on a shopping spree.

‘Hmm, what to do…’

Austin was a Divine-Grade user who appeared as the future changed.

He would normally observe and analyze more since he had no information, but……

“Ah, so annoying.”

‘These bastards should really think about the time and place.’

Ju-Heon lightly placed his hand on the ground. Ju-Heon’s hand that touched the ground seemed to glow before the ground started to shake.

Boom!

The ground soon split open and the area where the people chasing them were standing started to crumble.

“Hold, what the hell?!”

They quickly rushed back as the ground continued to crumble.

What he did was not very strong, but it was enough to mess with the tomb and tie these bastards down.

Of course, their faces turned red in anger.

“That bastard must have done something!”

Ju-Heon who had used the Tomb Destruction skill started to smile.

“This Tomb Excavation skill really is useful.”

“……Archaeologists will cry if you call that excavating.”

A message popped up in front of Ju-Heon as if to agree with Yoo Jaeha.

[You have received the title of < Tomb Destroyer who makes Archaeologists cry > and your < Tomb Excavation > skill has evolved to < Tomb Destruction >.]

[The destructive nature of the skill will increase upon usage.]

[The scope of the skill has increased from the ground (dirt, rocks) to the entire tomb.]

[You are now able to destroy not just the ground but all spots of a tomb.]

[The scope and area of destruction will increase as the skill goes up in rank.]

Ju-Heon laughed while looking at that.

“Oh?”

The Tomb Excavation skill was weak because it was for excavating.

That was why he had to make artifacts self-destruct to make it stronger.

But Tomb Destruction?

At that moment…

“It doesn’t matter! We can jump over a hole this size!”

“Yes sir!”

Ju-Heon started to smile like a fox while looking at the enemies who were trying to get over to him without any fear.

‘Idiots.’

Ju-Heon ruthlessly activated his skill toward the enemies.

‘Tomb Destruction!’

Boom!

The tomb started to shake and the Roman-styled buildings started to split.

Bang!

“Ahhhhh!”

The excavation teams that were trying to jump over the hole were humiliated by the pieces of rock falling from the ceiling.

Ju-Heon started to whistle as he watched.

‘Tomb Destruction is quite useful.’

If it was this strong at F-Rank, how destructive would it be once it leveled up?

Ju-Heon who was crazed by that thought started to smile while looking at the idiots.

The upset members of the excavation teams opened their eyes in anger.

“Fuck! It’s a petty trick, it’s not that dangerous! Go!”

"Aigoo, come on over.”

Ju-Heon snickered and continued to use the skill.

Bang bang bang!

The tomb ruthlessly started to crumble while message after message popped up in front of Ju-Heon.

[The mastery of the F-Rank Tomb Destruction skill has increased.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill's mastery level has increased.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill's mastery level has increased.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill's mastery level has increased.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill's mastery level has increased.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill's mastery level has increased.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill has risen to E-Rank.]

[The Tomb Destruction skill has risen to D-rank!]

. . . [The Tomb Destruction skill has risen to C-rank!]

Thanks to this, the excavation teams could only struggle through these disasters inside the tomb.

“Ahhhhh! Save me!”

"Damn it, run!”

Bang bang!

Ju-Heon was only satisfied once the 20 pyeong area was completely destroyed.

“Wow, how effective. It’ll be useful in the future.”

Of course, Yoo Jaeha was just standing there with his jaw dropped.

Ju-Heon looked at Yoo Jaeha as if he was wondering why Jaeha was blankly standing there like that.

“The Roman Emperor is waiting for us, hurry up.”

“Damn it, it’s fine if he doesn’t wait for us……”

They reached a large amphitheatre as they got rid of the enemies and quickly moved farther in.

The golden amphitheatre was extremely luxurious and filled with sculptures and fresco paintings that would make any art history student gasp in admiration, but…

Yoo Jaeha could not admire those things.

How could he?

“Ow, it's so hot!”

The amphitheatre was a sea of fire. They could not take a single step inside.

But Nero's artifact was definitely here based on the presence of its aura.

That was why Yoo Jaeha started to shout.

“Is this where we have to complete the artifact’s test?!”

“Apparently. I thought it was surviving being burned at the stake.”

Just then… They heard a gloomy voice coming from the tomb.

[Observe this Emperor's art! And praise it! Worship it! Scream in joy! Give this Emperor the greatest stimulation!]

Emperor Nero was said to neglect his political duties and just sought out thrills until he eventually set fire to Rome and persecuted the Christians.

This Emperor loved art so much that it has been said that he would have been happier to be born as an artist.

He spent time performing on stage and writing literary works.

‘But I heard that he sucked.’

That was why he showered people who praised him with gold in admiration.

Anyway, he seemed to still be obsessed with that as watching this bastard’s performance in this giant oven seemed to be the conditions for clearing this tomb.

However…

‘You'd have to be crazy to burn to death.’

How many people must have died here in the past trying to clear the mission?

That was why Ju-Heon quickly launched a challenge.

Ju-Heon quickly took out and put on a round pair of glasses that looked like Harry Potter’s glasses.

It was Homer’s artifact he had taken from Chairman Kwon Artifacts in the past.

‘I know you're a Homer fanatic.’

Nero was a Roman Emperor but was obsessed with Greek literature.

Was that the reason?

Homer had written the famous Greek epic poems, The Odyssey and The Iliad (Battle of Troy).

He should be able to bait Nero with Homer’s artifact, especially since even Alexander the Great was said to have carried a copy of The Iliad with him.

‘An artifact's trial is meaningless. The tomb will be cleared as long as you can make the artifact submit.’

As he activated Homer’s artifact's abilities…

[Human. Such petty tricks will not work!]

“!”

The fire had stolen Ju-Heon’s artifact in the blink of an eye.

The tyrant inside the fire started to laugh as if he knew what Ju-Heon was planning on doing.

[Haha! Don't try to be sly! This Emperor loves Homer but it is just a human bastard’s artifact!]

‘Wait, you're a human bastard’s artifact too, you punk.’

However, it just kept laughing out loud as if it had become a god.

[A lowly human using that artifact still cannot wow this Emperor!]

It must be one of the 7 Great Tombs for a reason as this bastard seemed to have no intentions of easily submitting.

Even the large fire this bastard started to bring forth was beyond all expectations.

"Damn it, this damn artifact! Captain-nim!”

Yoo Jaeha quickly tried to use van Gogh's painting but the fire that seemed to be alive stole Yoo Jaeha's painting artifact as well.

That wasn’t all.

“Ugh!”

Ju-Heon was submerged in the fire. The burning heat that was starting to stick to his body and burning away his skin that was made of protein and water.

The fire was extremely hot.

It would be difficult for even Ju-Heon to withstand this inhumane fire. That was why Ju-Heon quickly started to move his hands.

‘I need to use an artifact to deal with this.’

However, the bastard ruthlessly destroyed Ju-Heon’s artifacts.

‘!’

Boom!

The crazy bastard then started to shout, as if telling Ju-Heon to give his body into the pain.

[All of that is useless! Human, just enjoy the pain! Enjoy the stimulation! There’s only one way out of this tomb! You must survive this fire! Die, human!]

‘I guess the 7 Great Tombs really aren’t easy to deal with.’

As Ju-Heon and Yoo Jaeha were in pain…

[Huh? Hold on.]

It must have finally taken a good look at them as the bastard who was excitedly torturing Ju-Heon and Yoo Jaeha suddenly had a change in reaction.

[Oh, my goodness, look who it is!]

He then instantly got rid of the fire and started to say something weird.

And that was…

[Aren’t you writer Seo Ju-Heon who wrote < The Slutty Secretary >?]

Both Yoo Jaeha and Ju-Heon's expressions turned odd after hearing that.

How could they not?

‘T, the Slutty Secretary? Is he talking about Captain-nim's terrible novel?’

But the bastard shouted as if he was happy to welcome them.

[Ohhhh! I've been waiting for you! The hot topic of the artifact world and the person who could be considered as my sole rival! The best selling author!]

‘……Wait, what the hell is he talking about? How does this bastard know about that novel?’

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter