Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ruby
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Because That's Destiny
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"We've blocked the entrance we came through."
"Well done."
I nodded at Diaz's words.
With this, we should be able to shake off any pursuit.
Since we had cut through the door, they would think we had escaped through the door.
We slowly entered this mysterious space.
I looked around the surroundings broadly.
It had the shape of a cave.
At first glance, it might have looked like just a naturally occurring place.
But it couldn't fool the eyes of someone who had been a Paogat user.
'This... is a ruins pattern.'
Here and there, artificial features came into view.
Originally, the world of Paogat was particularly abundant with underground ruins.
Was there a setting about an ancient era existing?
Anyway, that was the case.
Moreover, they were so well hidden that some places were discovered even 7 years after the game's release.
'Of course, there weren't any particularly rare items in those places discovered after 7 years.'
Anyway.
This was also a place I was seeing for the first time.
No, I had doubts about whether this was even a place players could access in the first place.
Maybe it was a place we could enter because it had become reality...
For now, I carefully advanced step by step.
When I had obtained the Ring of Black Thunder, I had no fear because it was a place I had been to before, but this was an unfamiliar path, so it seemed necessary to be cautious.
'Still, according to the original future flow, that Baron Romhadi also escaped alone.'
What trouble could there be?
Indeed, we advanced smoothly.
And finally.
We came to stand before some kind of door.
From here on, it definitely felt distinctly artificial.
This time too, Diaz stepped forward first.
"I'll open it."
"Mm."
Kuguugugugu...
It was quite a heavy iron door.
Diaz had to lean her body forward greatly and almost fall over to push the door.
At that moment.
Pat, pat, pat!
Surprisingly, the candles inside the room lit themselves.
Baron Romhadi, who was watching this scene, was startled.
"Ooh...!"
It was advanced magic.
Naturally, mages existed in the current era too.
Though they weren't common.
But even their level was actually falling behind that of the ancient era.
Even now, magic was something from a very mysterious realm.
However, records remained that the magic of that era was a bit more primitive and simultaneously a bit closer to nature than the current one.
'Only records remained. The magic itself had all disappeared.'
Mysteriously, from a certain point in time, most of the methods of operating ancient magic had been lost.
Ancient magic had become so obscure that there were even people who chased only things related to ancient magic, like treasure hunters.
Therefore, spaces like this could be said to be extremely rare.
It wasn't strange that Baron Romhadi's eyes widened.
Even I felt anticipation rising.
'This... if things go well, could it be a jackpot?...'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
As the candles illuminated all directions, the interior became much clearer.
But... the scenery that actually came into view was more empty than expected.
'Huh? What's this?'
Was it a dud?
That thought was the first to cross my mind.
Because it looked like it had already been looted.
That's how empty this place seemed.
Now that I think about it.
There was also the possibility that Baron Romhadi had only managed to escape from prison through this path without gaining anything.
'Hmm. Is this just an exit route?'
But the funny thing was, no exit route was visible either.
Since it was made in a round dome shape, it was like a dead end.
'But going back would just lead to prison.'
There had been no other branching paths in between.
Surely there must be another path somewhere here...
That's when it happened.
Baron Romhadi called me.
"Sir Rohan! There's something here. Would you take a look?"
I had been feeling around the walls when I walked over toward Baron Romhadi.
Diaz, who had heard the sound, was also coming this way.
We gathered next to Baron Romhadi and looked at what he was pointing to.
Unlike the other walls, there was something like a picture drawn there.
'Inside a semicircular dome... is this picture a person? Next to the person's picture is... what is this?'
Below that, writing was inscribed.
"It looks like ancient language. I can't read it."
Baron Romhadi looked at Diaz with hopeful feelings.
But Diaz also shook her head.
"Even within the Order, only a few people can interpret ancient language. Even that is interpretation rather than reading, so it's difficult to know the exact content. Finding out what this says right now is realistically impossible..."
"In this circular arena, prove yourself and seize honor. Warrior. Once you have set foot here, you cannot escape without victory. Reach out your hand to the stone tablet. And face your enemy. To you who grasps victory, I shall bestow a small gift."
"S-Sir Rohan? Don't tell me you just read this..."
Diaz looked at me with a blank expression.
Only then did I become aware.
Huh?...
I had unknowingly read the sentence below.
'Why can I...'
I couldn't understand it.
I should say it was read automatically.
Those letters were automatically understood.
Honestly, I was surprised too right now.
Meanwhile, Baron Romhadi, who had been listening carefully to my story, reached his hand toward the stone tablet with writing.
"Wait!"
I hesitated for a moment.
A small gift...
Could this possibly be that?
'Silver Spear?'
Now I remembered.
That skill Baron Romhadi had used.
Silver Spear wasn't a unique skill.
It fell into the category of general skills.
However, among general skills, there were particularly powerful ones.
Especially skills created based on ancient magic were like that.
And Silver Spear was one of them.
The skill itself was very simple.
As a Lancer class technique, it coated the spear with a silver aura.
Silver attribute was added to deal additional damage to demon-type monsters...
'Romhadi used this to establish the Silver Spear Corps and became a hero who protected Rezeta during the Great Invasion.'
The effect had been quite substantial.
So I was momentarily tempted too.
Of course, since Silver Spear wasn't a unique skill but a general skill, anyone with talent could learn it.
But why did I feel greedy?
'The first inheritor bonus... that would be a waste...'
General skills could be acquired through two main routes.
Learning from someone or an NPC who had already learned the skill.
Or like now, being the first to acquire it through ruins or ancient texts.
Skills that NPCs had could be learned by clearing quests, but the problem was when a user became the first inheritor.
When the game was played online, if a rare general skill was discovered, only the first discoverer could pass on that skill along with various bonuses.
I remembered it as quite an interesting system at the time.
Since only the first discoverer could pass on the skill, they would share skills only within their guild.
When guild wars broke out, they would spread their respective guild's signature skills, creating spectacular scenes.
So first inheritors of advanced skills received decent treatment and experience bonuses, and they all held positions within guilds.
'Back then, I really envied the first inheritor users.'
Anyway.
It seemed like that stone tablet was a switch.
If my prediction was correct, the moment someone touched the stone tablet, that person would become the first inheritor of Silver Spear.
But I soon decided to abandon my greed.
'If I take that... Rezeta might be destroyed...'
Even if I obtained it, I couldn't remain in Rezeta.
Then the initial inheritor would disappear, so skill transmission wouldn't occur either.
Naturally, there would be no Silver Spear Corps either.
Then there would be only one remaining result.
The end of Rezeta.
That felt unsettling.
And I wasn't even a Lancer type who used spears as my main weapon.
Paogat's level system was a bit different from typical level systems.
If you used a specific weapon for a long time, that weapon type's experience would increase.
It was a weapon proficiency system.
Since I was already using swords as my main weapon, my sword proficiency would be increasing.
Moreover, when I already had a unique skill that could cut through space with a 'sword', it would be a waste to abandon the sword.
So I gathered considerable courage.
"Baron Romhadi. Place your hand on that stone tablet."
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"Don't tell me this is... a skill?"
Baron Romhadi, who had been reading my expression, asked.
I nodded.
He seemed to know about inheritors too.
So he firmly refused.
"That's impossible. This isn't something I should obtain. When Sir Rohan has led me here, how can you tell me to take this?"
"Because you have to."
"What do you mean?"
You have to protect the people here in the future.
Would he believe me if I said such a thing?
It probably wouldn't be easy.
It seemed more convenient to push forward with a bit of a mystical concept.
"Because that's destiny."
"...Destiny?..."
The effect was certain.
With just one word, Baron Romhadi closed his mouth tightly.
Before my feelings could change, I urged him on.
"Are you planning to stay here all day?"
"..."
He slowly reached his hand toward the stone tablet.
And then.
He paused.
He stopped again.
'Ah, please hurry up.'
Maybe it was because I was Korean.
I was already feeling frustrated.
Unaware of my feelings, Baron Romhadi asked one more question.
"But this place... looks like an arena, so when I touch this, won't some monster like in that picture appear?"
Why wouldn't I know?
I had already read all the writing below, and I had seen similar scenes several times in the original work.
I roughly nodded and gestured with my chin.
"I know, so hurry up and put it on."
"Ah, understood..."
In the meantime, I drew my sword.
Naturally, Diaz also prepared for combat.
When Baron Romhadi placed his hand on it.
The arena shook greatly.
Kuuuuuung!
At the same time, something fell from the ceiling.
The massive thing that landed with a ground-shaking thud was... a golem.
As soon as the golem spotted us, it immediately thrust down its right arm.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.
And fist for fist, as someone once said.
Well, I think I said that.
I extended my left arm forward.
Jjeeoeoeng!
At the sound of two fists colliding, Baron Romhadi's face turned pale white.
It was probably much larger in scale than he had expected.
On the other hand, I was concerned about my side.
This time too, I felt a tingling sensation.
It seemed the battle in Siforeo hadn't fully healed yet.
Except for my left arm, I was just an ordinary person with somewhat good stamina.
'Definitely. Physical reinforcement is essential. And... I'm still quite weak.'
Realizing this once again, I leaped up and ran along the golem's fist.
When I reached about the middle of its arm.
The golem also reacted and swung its left arm to shake me off.
Having already grasped the attack trajectory with my Third Eye, I easily dodged it and.
Shak!
Leaped up high.
I cut the golem's head vertically.
Seogeok.
The golem's head was split in two in one strike along with the space itself.
As the magic inside the head was released.
Ururu...
The golem collapsed powerlessly.
I landed lightly on the ground.
Chak.
When I looked up, I saw Baron Romhadi staring at me with his soul half gone.
"T-this is impossible...!"
I almost felt my mouth corners rise in pride, but I held back since I had dignity to maintain.
This much was nothing.
It's easy now.
And.
Hwaaaaaak!
Something like small silver stars rose from the golem.
Shuuuuung...
Gradually they gathered toward Baron Romhadi.
Then the lights soaked into his body.
Shaaaaa.
Baron Romhadi seemed to glow silver for a moment, then the light soon faded.
According to the original history, Baron Romhadi had become the owner of the Silver Spear skill.
He clenched his fist tightly with a moved expression.
Then he looked back at me.
"Thank you! Sir Rohan! On my honor, I will absolutely never forget this debt!"
I answered by showing him a small smile.
'Yes. This worked out well. Let's not be greedy.'
I sheathed my sword and turned around... then stopped.
The golem was definitely defeated, but strangely my Third Eye was reacting.
'That's odd?'
So I lightly kicked away the pile of stones with my foot.
But surprisingly, inside there was.
'T-this is?...'
I made the same expression Baron Romhadi had made just before.
Looking at what was buried under the pile of stones.
'...Golden Spear?'
It seemed to be a stone tablet that had been the golem's core, split by my sword.
On the stone tablet, the words "Golden Spear" were carved.
And below that, there was more text in small letters.
Warrior who abandoned greed and gave up the Silver Spear. You are ready to possess true power.
At that moment.
Hwaaaaaaak!
A massive fireball incomparable to the Silver Spear rose up.
If the Silver Spear had been like small stars in the night sky.
This one was like the sun itself.
That mass of light.
Without giving me time to admire it, flew toward me.
Shuuung!
It soaked into me.
Sareureureung...!
It seemed that people should live virtuously to receive blessings.