Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

"...!"

The sudden voice startled the pioneers, making them instinctively grip their weapons. It was the kind of situation where one wrong move could lead to an accidental attack. But the moment they saw who the voice belonged to, their surprise overpowered all other thoughts.

"A Dark Elf?"

Her skin was a rich, healthy shade of brown. Her silver hair shimmered like sunlight on the water. Her limbs, though slender, appeared firm and strong, with not a hint of excess fat on her body. She was the embodiment of what humans consider an ideal physique, though her ears—easily twice as long as any human's—set her apart.

The Dark Elf, with her alluring feminine form, smiled as she looked at their astonished faces.

"Yes, a Dark Elf. That's what we were called. A race that has now fallen... No, one that has gone extinct," she said with a bitter smile, her eyes lowering in sorrow.

Her expression, tinged with deep melancholy, made her even more enchanting than before. Hearing the continuous sound of his companions swallowing, Justin clicked his tongue.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"You've all been completely charmed. Snap out of it."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

At his command, several of them quickly wiped their faces and corrected their posture. Among them were the three men on Justin's own team. He couldn't help but smirk to himself. Seriously, behaving like that in front of everyone else?

After shaking his head in mild amusement, Justin turned his attention back to the Dark Elf.

"I'm sure there's a grand and tragic story behind all of this, but that's not what I'm curious about right now. Are you the one overseeing this trial?"

"You're impatient, aren't you? No time for idle chatter?"

"If you're going to serve the meat, you should at least give me a fork and knife. I'm not interested in drawn-out dinner etiquette."

"But this is meat that won't go cold, no matter how long you wait. Wouldn't it be better to hear some etiquette, out of respect for your meal?"

"Unfortunately, my appetite's too strong for that. My mouth is already watering—I can barely wait to dig in."

"Hahaha!"

The Dark Elf threw her head back and laughed heartily. It was a deep, genuine laugh, as if it came from the bottom of her heart. She laughed so hard that small tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, you're amusing. It's been so long since I've had this kind of playful banter."

The Dark Elf wiped away her tears and smiled, her face brighter than before. The melancholy from earlier had been replaced by a radiant beauty.

"You're right. It would be rude to draw out a long story just for my own satisfaction. Let me explain the trial. This time, multiple leaders will participate at once."

"Leaders?" Justin asked.

"Yes, leaders. While your pioneers will participate as well, they're only necessary for the trial. All decisions will be made by the leader."

So the one actually taking the trial was the leader, while the pioneers were simply there to assist with the tasks necessary to pass.

"The trial isn't just a one-time event. I will test you several times, and each time, you will be compared to the others."

"So it's like a cumulative score from multiple tests?"

"Exactly. Even if you don't pass one test, it won't be the end. And just because you perform well on one test, it doesn't mean you've won."

Justin nodded. He understood now. Multiple leaders would undergo a series of tests, each in a different format. Some of these tasks would require the use of their pioneers. In the end, the leader with the highest score after all the tests would claim the city.

"I see. So, what's the first test?"

"There's something you must do before that."

The Dark Elf smiled and snapped her fingers. In an instant, Justin and the others found themselves transported elsewhere. As they staggered, still adjusting to the sudden movement, the Dark Elf pointed toward something in the distance. A massive gate to a city wall had appeared close by.

"Go inside and take a look at the city that was once ours. And let yourself desire it. Tell yourself that you want to live here, that you don't want to give it up to anyone."

As soon as she finished speaking, the ornate city gates swung open.

"This is insane."

Just as the Dark Elf had instructed, they entered the city and began to look around. And with each new sight, their mouths gaped open in awe.

Every building, every street, every corner of the city was stunningly beautiful.

"This place is way better than the house I used to live in on Earth."

"There are even appliances inside some of these homes! How does that even work?"

"The item description says they're magical artifacts. No idea how, but that's what it says," Rachel explained.

The pioneers spread out, exploring the nearby homes with a sense of wonder. Justin's companions were no exception. After wandering for a while, they regrouped, their faces flushed with excitement.

"We have to claim this place," Ethan said firmly.

"Absolutely. The location alone is incredible," Zachary agreed.

The two of them were more focused on the city's strategic advantages than its beauty.

"I went up to the third floor of one of the houses, and the city is surrounded by the sea on three sides. It'll be extremely easy to defend—we only need to fortify one side. Once the walls are reinforced, it'll be impenetrable."

"And that one side is wide and open, perfect for expansion. This city can keep growing. Plus, being near the sea means we can eventually tap into marine resources or even trade," Zachary added.

"There's more!" Rachel chimed in, followed by Nathan, both of their faces flushed with excitement.

"The spacing between the houses is perfect, and the soundproofing is amazing. The living rooms are spacious, and there are enough rooms for everyone to have their own private space," Rachel said enthusiastically.

"And the beds! The bathrooms! The toilets! They're all way better than the ones we had back in the village. Even better than what we had on Earth!" Nathan added.

It wasn't just the luxurious mansions for the pioneers. Even the more modest homes for civilians were far superior to the pioneer homes in their previous village. And as for the mansions, they were on par with the homes of the wealthy back on Earth.

Finally, Derek leaned in and whispered to Justin.

"The city is so large that it's practically empty. Honestly, if someone offered to let us live here, I think people would give up everything and swear loyalty on the spot."

"Hmm."

Justin nodded quietly. That was exactly what had been on his mind. In a city this pleasant to live in, simply offering a home would be enough to inspire loyalty. Add in the aristocratic and class-based system, and the city would be even more appealing to pioneers.

'The civilians would be the same. Even if they knew about the class system, they wouldn't hesitate to move here,' Justin thought.

And to think that if he failed the trial, the city would fall into someone else's hands. The thought alone sent a chill down his spine.

'I have to win this.'

Justin clenched his fists as he stared at the distant spires of the castle.