Chapter 12 - Cradle of the Broken Pilgrim (4)
“N-No, it wasn’t me! I didn’t touch anything!”
Han Su-ah denied it vehemently, waving her hands wildly.
She looked utterly flustered, like a kid caught red-handed.
“I know. But I can’t figure out why the trap went off.”
“Did it detect us the second we came in? We definitely didn’t touch a thing...”
“Could be.”
Kim Sun-woo nodded.
The traps scattered throughout the dungeon’s depths came in countless varieties.
He’d been too fixated on the mountain of treasure right in front of him to consider the possibilities—a rookie mistake.
“Probably the type that triggers if intruders stick around too long. This is a pain.”
“...So, since we’re stuck here anyway, can I at least grab one?”
Han Su-ah’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at him hopefully, but Kim Sun-woo just gave a wry smile and shook his head.
“The traps on this room might be separate from the ones on the treasure. I’ve heard of people who touched something carelessly and got burned alive from head to toe.”
“...Ugh.”
Greed clearly wasn’t worth risking her life for. Han Su-ah’s face fell into a pout.
“What now? Doesn’t look like we can just walk out. Maybe it only opens from the outside?”
“Doesn’t seem easy to escape from in here on our own.”
These kinds of traps usually reopened after a set time or when certain conditions were met.
After all, they needed to let in fresh prey.
...The problem was that it’d likely be after anyone trapped inside had died.
Kim Sun-woo kept that grim detail to himself.
Grip!
He shoved against the stone wall with all his strength, just in case, but it didn’t budge an inch.
A sword strike would probably yield the same result.
Flying Thunder Flash might do the trick if I pushed it...
Tapping the wall produced a hollow thunk-thunk.
Seemed about seven centimeters thick. Chain a few pinpoint Flying Thunder Flashes and it might crack.
Of course, that was a last resort.
Even if he broke through, he’d probably collapse from exhaustion.
And if the commotion drew monsters in the meantime? They’d be done for.
If he tried it, he’d need to prepare meticulously.
“Let’s check this place out first.”
The treasure room wasn’t all that big.
After sternly warning Han Su-ah one more time not to touch the loot, he poked around.
That’s when Han Su-ah spotted something first.
“Sunbae! There’s a door here!”
“A door?”
Kim Sun-woo hurried over.
Sure enough, there was a small door leading somewhere.
“Should we open it?”
“I’ll push. Support me from behind.”
“Got it!”
A sliver of hope.
Han Su-ah gripped her staff, nodding with a bright face.
Kim Sun-woo gathered his inner energy and eased the door open cautiously.
Staying razor-sharp, ready for an ambush from the other side.
... Creeeak.
The hinges groaned as the sealed door swung slowly open.
The interior was pitch black.
He cracked it halfway, then stepped in carefully. A deep echo reverberated inside.
Far roomier than the storeroom.
Even with dark-adapted eyes, he couldn’t see a thing, so he fished a small flare from his pouch and tossed it ahead.
Hiss...
The flare sputtered smoke, bathing the space in crimson light.
The scene sharpened into focus.
“...A palace?”
He couldn’t think of any other word for it.
A red carpet stretched across the floor, flanked by thick pillars.
And at the far end...
Kim Sun-woo and Han Su-ah both sucked in a breath and looked up.
A black knight in ebony armor lounged crookedly on a jade throne.
Chin propped on one hand, utterly motionless, gazing down at the hall below.
“......”
Without a word, they both backed away slowly.
Retreating step by step toward the treasure room they’d just left.
Whatever it is, it’s no ordinary monster.
Kim Sun-woo couldn’t tear his eyes from the throne, cold sweat trickling down his back.
His senses screamed louder than ever.
Get out now, or you’re dead.
A razor-edge peril he’d never felt before.
Maybe better to bust through the storeroom wall by force...
Whoosh.
A faint breeze brushed his face.
He blinked, staring ahead. The throne sat empty.
“......”
His breath caught.
He froze mid-step, unable to twitch a finger.
...Something was behind him.
Any movement, and he’d die. The warning crashed over him.
“......”
Han Su-ah was trembling too—her chattering teeth gave her away.
Kim Sun-woo exhaled a long, shallow breath, silent as death.
But they couldn’t stay like this forever.
Better to strike first at full strength.
Shing!
Gripping his sword hilt, he unleashed every ounce of inner energy, ignoring his meridians’ protests.
The White Flow Sword Technique’s first form—Flying Thunder Flash—that had pulverized a dozen monsters in an instant erupted from his blade tip once more, piercing the air like lightning...
Clang!
A brutal shockwave hit, followed by massive recoil.
His insides churned like seasickness; a metallic tang surged up his throat.
Kim Sun-woo let the force hurl him back, using it to gain distance—but a black trajectory chased him relentlessly.
A sword wreathed in dark aura swung down.
He thrust his blade forward to block.
Boom!
But the inky arc sliced clean through empty air, snapped his sword, and slammed him back into the treasure room.
“...Ah.”
Han Su-ah could only clutch her staff, petrified, watching the scene unfold.
Her mind screamed to move—to heal or buff Kim Sun-woo, give him a fighting chance against the black knight.
But seeing the man who’d swept through monsters like a god get crushed so effortlessly... her head went blank.
Her legs felt like jelly in the surreal nightmare.
Step.
The black knight who’d flung Kim Sun-woo into the storeroom turned and strode toward her.
“......”
Yet she remained rooted, fingers locked.
Clanking armor and heavy footfalls approached—then passed her by, heading back to the throne.
It’s not interested in me?
Han Su-ah, still tense, turned cautiously and backed away.
For whatever reason, the knight ignored her.
A blow to her pride, but survival trumped ego. She hurried toward the storeroom.
... Click.
She slammed the door shut and rushed inside.
Kim Sun-woo lay buried in a pile of gold coins, only his legs sticking out limply.
“Sunbae...!”
Han Su-ah stifled a scream, yanking him free in a panic.
He coughed up bright red blood, staring at the ceiling.
Sword shattered, ribs cracked, armor in tatters, and serious internal damage besides.
“Drink this first. I’ll heal you right now.”
As he gulped the potion and leaned against the wall, vibrant green light poured over him.
The warm glow brought on drowsiness.
Part of him wanted to just close his eyes and sleep—but Han Su-ah’s anxious face made that impossible.
Once the healing eased his pain more than before, he spat out the last of the blood and peered into the hall with a haggard expression.
What the hell? Never heard of a black knight here.
The annex temple’s boss was a lich with a massive scythe.
No reports of any other boss monsters, at least not that he knew.
He’d checked the latest intel before this raid, so it couldn’t be wrong.
Unless... this isn’t the fifth floor?
The suspicion he’d harbored settled like lead in his chest.
The dungeon scenery they’d passed, the unreported treasure room, the unfamiliar boss type.
Kim Sun-woo let out a short sigh and spoke weakly to Han Su-ah, who was still showering him with heals.
“Su-ah. This doesn’t seem to be the fifth floor.”
“...Huh? What do you mean?”
“Backup should’ve arrived ages ago. Even if Team Leader Kim Jin-cheol came alone, he’d have cleared to the fifth floor no problem. It’s been way too long, and no one’s shown up...”
Not the fifth floor.
That left only one possibility.
“Looks like we got teleported underground.”
“Underground? But the reports said this temple has no basement levels...”
“The transfer magic circle under the stone coffin wasn’t reported either. It must’ve been undiscovered until now. Bad luck.”
“...S-So what do we do?”
Han Su-ah’s face drained of color.
She’d held on this long thanks to hope—rescue was coming soon.
But underground instead of upstairs?
“Once the guild finishes clearing the fifth floor, they’ll figure it out soon enough. Then they’ll start searching for the basement entrance.”
The issue was if they couldn’t find the way down.
Fortunately, the black knight didn’t seem to leave the hall, but their time here was limited.
If worst comes to worst, prepare to fight it again...
Four days, tops.
After that, dwindling food and water would turn dangerous.
“Let’s rest for now. Not all bad, though.”
Kim Sun-woo eyed the gold coins spilling from his grasp.
“Looks like no extra traps on the treasure itself.”
“...Oh, really?!”
“Let’s make the most of what’s here.”
No food, unfortunately, but replacements for his broken sword and armor were everywhere.
As Han Su-ah pulled out the staff she’d been eyeing, Kim Sun-woo headed to a shelf packed with herbs and elixirs.
Creeeak.
He opened the glass case and reached in.
Four days left.
Seven elixirs on the shelf.
No clue what powers they held, but each shimmered with ethereal allure.
Buying these outside? Easily billions of won.
Good luck or bad? Hard to say.
That’s when Han Su-ah sidled up, staff and gear in tow.
“Elixirs?”
“Yeah. I’ll consume them all and cultivate...”
He turned toward the hall, eyes burning with resolve as he stared at the black knight.
“Then I’ll fight that thing again.”