Read Novel Full Chapter 194: Worth
Chapter 194: Worth
Vale whistled to himself as he entered the Dungeon Core room and walked to the throne.
Vale picked up the map he’d left on the seat and sat down. He wasted no time in saying:
"No."
Crossing his legs, Vale leaned back in the seat and breathed one hefty sigh of relief.
’Thank you, Mias!’
Greed had him right where she wanted him.
Vale had truly thought he was all out of options and would have to take one of Greed’s shitty deals. Either give up Salome or Mias, or become her servant.
’And after doing that to me, she continued on as if nothing happened.’
Vale was still reeling mentally from it all. This situation was even more stressful than the chameleon one. If that deal had taken any longer to reach, who knew who would have died?
In fact, most of the warriors were dead, with only the named ones and a few more remaining.
’This wasn’t the worst result...’
If Greed called Mias’s bluff, Vale would be totally screwed.
If Greed decided to take what she wanted by force, Vale could have done nothing.
’Speaking of that...’
Why didn’t she?
’What does Mias know?’
Why was Mias so sure Greed wouldn’t kill him?
Besides that...
They did get the Aether from the Level, as well as a few Items.
Items Vale would definitely give a lookover with his glasses once he was done studying the map.
As Vale unfurled the world map, Mias appeared next to him, hovering over his shoulder.
"So that’s where we are..."
Vale traced his fingers along the edge.
’There aren’t many countries, huh?’
Vale looked at the southern pole.
’And I’m guessing the blacked-out bits are corrupted or unknown.’
But there was one blackout part which was different than all the rest, for it was labeled.
’The Lost Expanse...’
By Vale’s estimate, a good couple hundred kilometers south and slightly west led into a huge blotch of black in the center between two continents.
Mias pointed
"So that’s where I am. The other me."
Mias pointed to the edge of the Lost Expanse closest to where their dungeon was.
As for how they knew exactly where the dungeon was...
Liora was marked on the map.
Not that it existed anymore.
Vale marveled as he looked at just how huge the continent was on the other side of the world.
And speaking of continents...
’Five.’
There were only five continents.
Triton, Wrath’s continent, was massive and separated by an ocean.
The Dungeon of Lust stood on the continent north of the Lost Expanse. A continent called:
’North Hela’
Then, south of the Lost Expanse was the last major continent.
’South Hela.’
Vale, after looking over the map as a whole, traced south down the Terracotta Scar.
’So that’s where Eagles Landing was.’
There was absolutely no way Laertes was making it that far.
A little further...
’So that’s where you are.’
There, on Greed’s map, the Dungeon of Envy was marked.
"Not the furthest distance away."
If Vale were stronger, he’d pay her a visit and give her a piece of his mind right now!
Vale smiled.
’This map was worth it...’
Though Vale wasn’t too excited about the prospect of having to defend Envy if a Virtue arrived.
Still, this was precious knowledge that it would have taken him who knows how many more months to uncover.
Next, Vale eyes continued southbound, past the Lost Expanse and onto South Hela, where he spotted the Dungeon of Greed...
’The hell is going on there?!’
Greed’s dungeon was...
’Inside of Windshire?’
But if Greed was trying to take over Windshire.
’Huh?’
It made little sense.
So, did someone settle on top of Greed’s dungeon? Did Greed’s dungeon form in the middle of a city?
’Just what the hell is going on in your life?’
Vale drew his gaze back up to North Hela and explored the nation on the west side, his side of the Scar.
’Celestia.’
Vale studied with great care.
"They’re quite far."
It was at least a two-week journey, even if there was a road and ideal conditions. Which there wasn’t.
Vale’s eyes drifted across to the east side of the scar and found Akkuron.
’That’s scary...’
Vale’s dungeon was nearly directly between the path from Celestia to Akkuron.
’It’s a miracle I haven’t been found yet.’
Vale continued to study the landmarks of North Hela before casting his gaze down to South Hela.
Unlike its northern counterpart, which had only two powerhouses, there were eight smaller nations.
The smallest of which was Windshire.
Though the word ’small’ was doing a bit of a disservice, as each country was nearly the size of a continent from Terra.
Vale continued studying the topography he was allowed to see on either Hela, before finally looking over at the mega continent Triton.
’Holy fuck, Pride.’
The Kindom of Hearth was absolutely massive.
It was even bigger than the Lost Expanse.
Pride’s dungeon and capital were at the center and stretched for several thousand kilometers in every direction.
’No wonder Wrath needed to go through Pride’s land.’
There was no way around it!
Wrath’s dungeon was on the southern edge of Triton, right below a vast mountain range that nearly split the continent in half.
As for the kingdoms and countries there...
Much like North Hela, the continent seemed to be controlled by a few superpowers. Four to be exact.
There was Hearth.
Malakite, which was Northwest of Hearth and similarly massive.
Beakon, which was directly West of Wrath’s dungeon, and its capital positioned at the end of the mountain range.
Finally, the smallest country on the northernmost tip, Joppa
’That is one scary continent.’
Vale almost felt bad for Gluttony, who would presumably assimilate there if she hadn’t already.
But he didn’t know if anyone had the right to his empathy after what he’s been through.
Vale looked at the northern frost-covered continent, Fridio, half lost to the Corruption. Not a single landmark existed there.
It was simply a frozen tundra.
Then, south, at the very bottom of the map, were the Frozen Isles.
’Now, then...’
Where was Sloth?
’By my guess, she’s on the Frozen Isles.’
Based on what Wrath said about helping the containment effort.
Vale handed the map to Mias, who continued to scrutinize every detail as he fell back in his chair.
’Today has been a weird one.’
Though Vale wasn’t sure if he lost or gained more today...
’I have nearly 360 Aether to spend.’
His overpopulation problem had been solved. He’d gained a map, just about the most useful thing he needed at the moment.
He’d learn the locations of every major player.
’And, I was able to keep Mias and Salome.’
As well as securing a pseudo-alliance with Greed. Well, the agreement was not to harm each other. An agreement that was enforced with a death penalty if betrayed.
He did lose a quarter of Mias, but that Mias could also feed him information about Greed or whatever Greed learns.
It actually benefited him quite a bit.
The only major negative was his need to follow three of Greed’s requests.
Thankfully, he was able to add on the stipulation that it had to be something he deemed ’reasonable.’ However, Vale wouldn’t be able to exploit that loophole to its full potential.
If his mind and soul saw a request as reasonable, he’d be forced to fulfil it irregardless if he claimed it was beyond reason.
’Now I only have to wait to see what she’ll request of me...’
As much as Vale was worried about what would be ordered of him.
’I’m more worried she’ll hold onto them.’
Because, as Vale got stronger, absurd requests would become more and more reasonable to him.
Mias shook slightly, still looking over the map.
"Mias? What’s wrong?"
Mias muttered:
"The Lost Expanse..."
Vale questioned:
"You notice something?"
Mias drew the map closer to his face.
"Maybe..."
’Ah, he’s in pursuit mode.’
Instead of interrupting Mias from his thought, Vale stood up and walked over to Ximena.
"You finally had some company..."
’And I must say, what weird company it was.’
Vale smiled deeply as he placed his hand on the crystal.
A mass of emotions flowed through Vale that he didn’t know still existed within him. But he couldn’t pinpoint one feeling.
Like multiple emotions were fighting for dominion over his mind, but when they clashed, they fused.
Vale wanted to cry.
Vale wanted to smile.
’Almost.’
Vale didn’t want to jinx it, but he couldn’t hold himself back from the thought.
’Almost. You won’t have to suffer much longer.’
Vale drew his hand away from the crystal and looked down at the bloody fabric. Then he turned away and sat back on his throne.
’I guess it’s about time...’
Vale reached into the Nexus of Beginnings and pulled out the gift Greed had given him.
[You have equipped UR-ranked Item: Essence Pryer]
It was time to read the descriptions of his Items and find out what they do once and for all.