Chapter 64 – Blood Fight
#064.
“Ice Arrow!”
At the same time as Chorin’s cry, the ice arrow floating in front of her palm pierced her scorpion’s carapace and cut off her pincers.
Gaon took advantage of the gap and hit the claw on the opposite side of him, then rotated in the opposite direction and used that power to vigorously swing the spear.
He struggled to block it somehow, but the pincers, stiffened by the cold of the ice arrow, did not move.
In the end, the guy’s body was split by the blade of the spear, and he collapsed on the sandy floor, spattering blue blood.
Gaon swung his spear to wipe away her blood and then turned to Chorin.
“It was great.”
“Yes! I got it easily.”
It was a sight I had already seen more than a week ago, but still, Chorin’s magic achievement was quite surprising. After devising a way to pierce the scorpion’s carapace, she learned an arrow-type spell with high penetrating power.
She even learned the ice attribute after learning that it has great resistance to heat. Not only did she memorize formulas by injection, but it was proof that she was properly exploring magic.
The two of them took a quick look at the corpses of the scorpions scattered around to make sure they were dead and then left.
“But I still can’t see it. Should we go deeper?”
“Hmm… No. Let’s take a quick look around here. I have to go back in a few days anyway.”
“Come to think of it, it’s already been about 10 days since I came here.”
“Yes. We only have half the food left, so we have to go back in a few days. Then it is dangerous to go deeper.”
“There’s nothing we can do. I hope to find it soon…”
Seeing Chorin impatient, Gaon felt even more anxious.
‘Has the future changed by any chance?’
I’m pretty sure it’s somewhere around here, but I can’t see it at all. To be honest, I didn’t think I would be able to find it right away in a day.
That’s because the desert has the characteristics of changing its topography several times a day. The only clue to find the ruins is the twin hills.
It would be better if the sand had accumulated so much that it covered it all that it was not exposed. The worst happens when the future changes and there are no ruins here.
I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I can’t just pass by even the smallest odds.
Doing so creates a big problem.
I just hoped it wasn’t the worst.
“Let’s go over there today. Just in case, I’ll check back for a few days to see if I’ve missed anything, and check the places I’ve been.”
“Whoa… Song!”
With Chorin’s courageous answer, they moved toward the direction they had passed a few days ago.
***
“Ahhh… It’s hot.”
“Cheer up a little. Let’s look around and go back one last time on this hill.”
“Yes… I’ll do my best!”
The two climbed up the hill, which was as tall as a mountain because of the piled up sand, and squeezed their motivation. Three more days have already passed. Now is the time to truly stop the search and return.
I thought I would definitely find it this time, but my stomach hurts. For now, it is certain that the ruins cannot be found.
Whether the future has changed, or it is still buried under a pile of sand and is not revealed. I couldn’t know for sure, but it was certain that no further wandering would yield results.
In fact, the search ended yesterday, and now it was just a general look around on the way home.
It’s a really slim chance, but who knows if the ruins could have risen over the sand in a few nights.
Thinking so, Gaon, who had just climbed the hill, was able to see the ruins rising to the east and west.
“Her… !”
Indeed, in those few days, ruins rose up.
Should I say that the floor has sunk? The area around the ruins was hollowed out, probably because of quicksand.
On the contrary, it could be that the sand was sucked into the empty space created by the rising of the ruins.
In any case, the important thing is that we finally figured out the whereabouts of the artifact. Gaon met his gaze with Chorin, who looked at the ruins in bewilderment while on his knees.
“Lee Cho-rin, it seems to be over there.”
“Yes? Me, are you there? Are the artifacts over there?”
“I don’t know, but I need to check it out first. Let’s go!”
“Oh! Let’s go together!”
Chorin, slightly surprised by the sight of Gaon running out to her hall, raised the corners of her mouth. It’s because the child-like side of her, which he hadn’t shown at all since meeting her, looked cute.
Chorin catches her breath and she inhales! Taking her breath, she followed Gaon down the hill.
So she quickly went down the hill and ran to the ruins, but suddenly Gaon stopped walking.
Chorin, who hastily braked after running after her, stood next to Gaon, glanced at her serious face, then turned her gaze to the front.
And she, too, was able to figure out her situation only after seeing countless footprints on her floor. Footprints were of two types.
It wasn’t just that the feet were different sizes, but one was a human foot and the other was an animal foot.
However, Gaon noticed that it wasn’t just the traces of an animal and took a closer look.
“They are the footprints of a beastman. Traces of human footprints are even older. It seems that he followed him and entered after him.”
“Is that so? But did you follow me… What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know. For now, let’s go quickly too. I want to steal the player.”
“Yes! Come on!”
The ruins were so old that they were worn out here and there. The entrance was surrounded by round stones like a tunnel using two huge pillars as support, and the inside was dyed in pitch-black darkness.
Gaon, who had narrowed his eyes for a moment to gauge the inside of the eerie interior like an animal’s mouth, took out a signal flare from his bosom.
If not now, when would you use this? I don’t know who the people inside are, but I have no intention of letting them occupy the artifact.
During the week, the soldiers must have advanced here. If you fire a signal flare, they will probably gather quickly within 30 minutes.
Having made that decision, Gaon pulled her string and fired her flare.
Piyuuung—pababababang!
Signal flares that went off along with the smoke exploded high in the sky, spreading a bright light. It was so bright that it was clearly visible even in broad daylight.
Gaon then made a torch with the tools he had brought and looked at Chorin.
“Then let’s go in. Stay behind and follow me. Perhaps there is a trap inside.”
“All right! Do not worry too much.”
Taking her eyes off Chorin, who answered with courage, Gaon slowly stepped inside.
Obviously, the artifact from the previous life was not excavated until two months later. This word means one.
‘The future has changed.’
I don’t know what cause and effect caused the change, but the future unfolding in front of me was an unknown that he had never experienced.
Gaon prepared his mind and made his way through the darkness.
***
“Wow, Mr. Are there real artifacts here? Isn’t that serious?”
“Junho oppa, calm down. There might be a trap.”
Five figures were passing through a long passage filled with darkness.
At Yoo Ji-hee’s words, Park Jun-ho, a man with a shield in the lead, pointed at a man with a short sword who was scanning the surroundings from right behind him.
“Jihee, you worry a lot. Chan-joon is there. Have you ever seen anything like this that you haven’t found?”
“It’s not like that, but it’s still dangerous.”
“If it was really dangerous, we would all be dead already! Isn’t it? Joo Ha-yeon.”
Ha-yeon turned her head to the front while looking at the geometric letters engraved on the surrounding walls at the words of Park Jun-ho, who suddenly attracted her.
“Why don’t you stop bullying Ji-hee and be vigilant? I don’t know about the trap, and it looks like everyone will die if the monster appears now because of you.”
“Chit! Got it, got it Concentrate. Sun!”
It’s my fault for asking Joo Ha-yeon. Park Jun-ho muttered inwardly, clearing his mind. Certainly, he seemed too excited that there might be artifacts.
If the monsters did a surprise attack like this, an accident could really happen.
As he closed his incessant chatter and quietly moved forward, the others in the party took their steps with even greater caution.
Discovering this place was quite by accident.
In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt something like a slight vibration, and then there were ruins.
Just in case, I wondered what this was going on when everyone went up the hill as soon as they woke up in the morning.
Then, at the word Park Joon-ho’s artifact, he ran in a hurry.
If what he said was true, this was an opportunity.
You don’t have to notice the people around you anymore, you can live a leisurely life and slowly build up your strength.
What I went through after coming here to Union for about a month was an ordeal I could never have endured if I was alone. Thanks to the rest of the party, I was able to keep going without being caught in despair until now.
‘I wonder if the family is safe.’
Ha-yeon was immersed in her emotions, thinking of her mother and father, and her two polar brothers.
Her parents, who lived as her athletes, always wanted her to advance into the arts and sports. And even her trustworthy older brothers who guarded her surroundings and took care of her younger sister. I was thinking about it strangely today.
Ha-yeon shook her head hastily as she felt her longing for her come out of the box in her heart.
Now was not the time to turn her attention to other things. Hayeon brushed off her thoughts and focused on her surroundings again. You can worry about this later. No matter how much she thought about it now, she was nothing more than an unrealizable illusion.
About half an hour later, they saw a light shining from a passage in the distance. There may be artifacts, but it was the starting point to illuminate their brilliant future.
“Can you see everyone? Then go.”
“Okay.”
“Yes!”
Only Ha-yeon and Ji-hee answered Park Jun-ho’s words. The rest of the men just silently nodded, as if to prove their usual silence.
I could see a light at the end of the passage, but it wasn’t close. After going on for another 5 minutes, they were able to exit the passageway and face a wide cavity.
A cavity the size of a high school playground overwhelms the viewer. In particular, the Anubis-like stone statues erected on both sides seemed to look down on them loftily.
A large luminous stone glows from the ceiling and illuminates the son-in-law.
At this time, when everyone’s eyes were focused on the stone statue, Park Jun-ho pointed to the common center.
“Hey! Look over there!”
“Uh? That… Could it be a real artifact?”
In the center of the cavity, a huge hand made of stone rose, and on top of it lay a dagger that looked unusual even if it looked black and gold in harmony.
If that were all, it would have been just a fancy dagger, but it strangely drew attention to what kind of magical power it had that couldn’t be explained.
Regardless of who said it first, the party met each other’s eyes and hurriedly ran towards the center with bright smiles.
Artifacts are the medium that connects other dimensions and unions. However, cracks do not open around the artifact, and once the overlapping dimension is maintained, cracks continuously occur in a certain area in a number of places to allow monsters to come over.
Breaking that link is simple.
It’s just injecting mana. By injecting the mana accumulated in the Union, the energy of the other world is disturbed.
In that case, the connection point is broken and ownership is transferred at the same time, making it impossible for others to use it.
And since you need to inject mana in order to use the artifact, it could be said that you can’t use that function to maintain the demonic realm.
If it weren’t for that, it would have been possible to enjoy the benefits of the Demonic Realm while using the artifact’s features.
That’s why you can’t easily trust the mercenaries.
It is only after handing over the artifact to the request and receiving the reward, but once the ownership of the artifact is passed on, it is an object that can be used usefully for the rest of one’s life until one’s death.
It is said that you can use emotional magic to find out what function it has, but there were not many people who would maintain their reason even with it in front of them.
And it was the same for Park Jun-ho, who was running right in front of the party.
A delusion was running in his head that he could reign over everyone as long as he got the artifact.
And then you will be able to release the feelings that you have hidden deep inside.
Park Jun-ho glanced at Ha-yeon, who followed him, and stretched out his hand toward the artifact.
And,
Kwajijik!
His head was shattered by the claws of the beast tribe that suddenly appeared with tremendous leaping power, and he fell to the ground.
At that time, when everyone stopped their legs in surprise and hardened their bodies, the red-haired prisoner who killed Park Jun-ho growled.
“See you again. Earthlings like worms.”
With those words, five more beastmen appeared around them and formed a siege around them.
They were a group of beastmen who had a verbal fight with Ha-yeon in the downtown area about 20 days ago.
