Hunting the Gnats
“It’s been months, yet it looks almost exactly the same as when I was here last. I suppose everyone else gave up on the research….” Lee Yeon-woo said, walking slowly as she surveyed the overall state of the ruins.
Well, that’s to be expected.
Considering the conditions required to open the gate to the ruins, their judgment had been sound. Even if one managed to interpret the inscription above the entrance, Lee Yeon-woo was likely the only person capable of identifying the specific form of mana that acted as the key. And even she would have eventually given up had she not discovered Kim Ilshin, who had mastered the Ilshin Pacheon-gong.
“This is the mechanism I told you about—the one that opens the door to these ruins.” Lee Yeon-woo pointed to a circular plate in the center of the entrance. The vines surrounding the plate and the erosion marks from wind and rain were striking. It was a testament to how long these ruins had existed.
“Please place your palm here and channel the mana of the Ilshin Pacheon-gong. That should open the door.” Lee Yeon-woo stepped back, her voice brimming with anticipation, and Kim Ilshin stood before the plate. After clearing away the obstructive vines and dust, he pressed his palm against the surface.
Goooooo…
As he skillfully channeled the Ilshin Pacheon-gong, he felt a powerful vibration deep beyond the door. It felt as if it were welcoming him. Or, more accurately, welcoming the successor of the Ilshin Pacheon-gong.
Kim Ilshin pushed the mana he had drawn from his entire body into the plate. The mana flowed past the plate, racing quickly along the open path inside.
The seal has been released.
It opened.
The door to the ruins began to slide open, even though he hadn't applied much force. He was curious about what lay behind it, but he didn't open it all the way just yet. Kim Ilshin turned his head and asked Lee Yeon-woo, who wore an overwhelmed expression, “Would you like me to open it?”
He had asked because he thought she might want to open it with her own hands, but Lee Yeon-woo didn't seem to care about that, answering energetically, “Yes! Please, open it with your hands, student Kim Ilshin…!”
With her confirmation, it was time to open the door. Kim Ilshin put strength into both hands and pushed the thick door wide open.
Kugugugugu…
The interior of the ruins was slowly revealed through the gap as the door let out a heavy, grinding sound. A space he hadn't expected—a completely new world—unfolded before them.
At the end of a long corridor lined with geometric patterns in a regular sequence, there was a desert under a scorching sun.
Is this an illusion barrier?
An illusion barrier was a type of barrier art that projected whatever the user desired inside the barrier; it was usually used to confuse opponents and trap them within. However, the illusion barrier ahead of them was far beyond such petty tricks.
When an illusion barrier evolves to a higher dimension, it can create not just phantoms, but things with physical substance. The gates that generated artificial dungeons were inventions created using this principle. However, even those gates required multiple supercomputers connected to them to assist with calculations to function properly. Maintaining such a vast space for such a long time without any of that was absolutely no easy feat.
“To think that such a high-level illusion barrier existed even in ancient times…. Let’s go in quickly…! I’m so curious to see what’s inside…!”
It was just as Lee Yeon-woo, excited by the new discovery, stepped into the ruins.
“Stop right there!”
A familiar voice echoed from the path Kim Ilshin and Lee Yeon-woo had just taken. It was the voice of Park Sung-jun, whom they had encountered at the Mt. Baekdu entrance checkpoint.
“Huk…!”
Lee Yeon-woo, seeing Park Sung-jun’s group walking out confidently, was startled and covered her mouth. It wasn't because she was surprised that they had been tailing her. Their condition was so wretched that it wiped away even that thought.
“Excuse me… are you alright…? Should I call a rescue team…?” Lee Yeon-woo’s voice was filled with concern for them. That was how miserable they looked. None of the three had a single uninjured spot on their bodies, and Park Sung-jun in particular looked as if he had been rolling on the ground for months. Because of the caked blood and dust, she couldn't even recall the face she had seen at the checkpoint.
“Shut up!” Park Sung-jun, hearing Lee Yeon-woo, waved his hand in indignation. Then, pointing at Kim Ilshin and Lee Yeon-woo, he said, “Lee Yeon-woo, and you! I’m sorry, but it would be best if you turned back now. From now on, we will be the ones investigating these ruins.”
“What is that supposed to…!”
“If you’re thinking of resisting, it would be best to abandon that thought quickly.” Park Sung-jun, cutting off Lee Yeon-woo’s attempt to argue, pointed to his companions beside him.
“Don’t let their looks fool you; both of them are C-class Heroes. That means we can bury you without a trace. Let’s resolve this peacefully, peacefully.”
Tension filled Lee Yeon-woo’s face as she fully grasped the situation. Instinctively, she grabbed Kim Ilshin’s sleeve. It wasn't out of anxiety, but out of the thought that she had to protect him.
I can’t let student Kim Ilshin face two C-class Heroes…
C-class was the rank assigned to graduates who had completed the entire academic curriculum of the academy. Moreover, since they looked like they had long careers, they were clearly much stronger and more dangerous than that. No matter how much of a top student he was, Kim Ilshin was still a third-year, making them difficult opponents for him to handle.
“We’re going with the usual. What’s the spell?”
“I can cast it right away.”
Park Sung-jun’s companions were already preparing for battle, emitting enough killing intent for even Lee Yeon-woo to notice. Bae Gi-tae, holding a dagger, stepped to the very front, while Han Ju-hyun was chanting a spell in the back. It was as natural as if they had synchronized their breathing countless times. Seeing that, Lee Yeon-woo made a decision.
…Let’s give up.
For Lee Yeon-woo, it was an unavoidable choice. Of course, if she backed down here, all the research she had done so far would go to waste. Even if she reported them after leaving Mt. Baekdu, it would be difficult to reclaim the rights to investigate the ruins. Not only was there no clear evidence that they had been tailing Kim Ilshin and Lee Yeon-woo, but the rights to ruins that hadn't been fully investigated were ambiguous from the start.
Kim Ilshin’s thought that the tailing wouldn't stop unless there was a change in circumstances stemmed from that very reason. Because hijacking it as soon as the door opened was the easiest and fastest path.
Still, there’s nothing I can do…
Lee Yeon-woo couldn't put a student in danger because of her own greed. Being in this situation was largely her fault for not noticing their tailing sooner. Closing her eyes tightly, Lee Yeon-woo said in a trembling voice, “Stop it. We’ll give up and….”
“What are you talking about?”
At that moment, Kim Ilshin grabbed Lee Yeon-woo’s wrist. He understood her heart, forced to make such a choice, but for Kim Ilshin, this was the exact situation he had been hoping for.
“It might be dangerous, so please step back.”
Saying that, Kim Ilshin drew his Hyeonwol sword and walked forward.
“Wait! Student Kim Il…shin…?”
Lee Yeon-woo, who had been about to rush out to stop Kim Ilshin, suddenly stopped as if someone had slammed on the brakes. Kim Ilshin’s gait, moving forward without a shred of hesitation even with two C-class Heroes in front of him. That sight left not only Lee Yeon-woo but also Park Sung-jun’s group dumbfounded.
“You’re making a stupid choice! Hey, finish him off quickly!” Park Sung-jun, who had retreated behind Bae Gi-tae, shouted as if giving an order.
“You’re noisy. …Tsk. I don’t have a hobby of touching such a young kid, but it can’t be helped.”
As Bae Gi-tae, looking displeased, frowned, his body began to blur and soon disappeared completely. Behind him was Han Ju-hyun, focusing on his spell.
“Invisibility magic…! You have to target the mage in the back first!”
Lee Yeon-woo’s urgent shout was clearly the textbook way to handle them. Those who faced Bae Gi-tae and Han Ju-hyun chose that method one hundred out of one hundred times, but that was the wrong choice.
Several magic traps that would trigger upon being stepped on were installed on the ground in front of Han Ju-hyun. They were things they had secretly installed in preparation for combat.
If you move rashly to deal with the mage, it’s over right there.
Because he had to use only a small amount of mana to avoid being detected, the effect of the traps wasn't great. At most, it would bind the feet for a very short moment. But in a situation where Bae Gi-tae was invisible, that split second was fatal. They had never experienced a single defeat since they started using this tactic.
Swish.
Kim Ilshin did not fall for the bait. Closing his eyes while holding his sword neatly, he calmly observed his surroundings.
Since you can’t see me, are you going to try to feel my presence?
But even that was laughable to Bae Gi-tae. No matter how much Kim Ilshin sharpened his senses, there was no way his position would be discovered. Because no presence whatsoever was generated from his footwork, which was specialized for stealth.
Bae Gi-tae, who had advanced without any obstacles, reached within arm’s reach of Kim Ilshin. Even until then, Kim Ilshin had been standing still with his eyes closed. Seeing that, Bae Gi-tae was certain of their victory. Now, all that was left was to finish it.
I won’t kill you!
It was just as Bae Gi-tae, thinking that, thrust his dagger.
Wobble.
Along with a stinging pain felt in both ankles, Bae Gi-tae’s field of vision tilted downward.
“Uh, uhhh?”
Before he could even realize what had happened, his body rolled on the floor. Bae Gi-tae, bewildered, was inhaling dirt and dust. From above him, a cold, ruthless voice rang out.
“I won’t kill you.”