Chapter 268
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 268.
The news from outside had also reached Fellia.
“The door has opened!”
“Yes, yes! The door to the depths… That bastard had the key!”
Fellia was shocked upon hearing the news.
‘But that can’t be.’
It was said that the key to the temple had disappeared long ago. The Evil Dragon himself had intervened to ensure its disappearance.
“Are you saying the key… existed?”
Fellia’s expression darkened.
This temple was no ordinary place.
It was the resting place of the Dragon Slayer’s, who had once dealt a fatal blow to the Evil Dragon.
The equipment he had used was there. If it fell into human hands…
“No… If that happens, there’s no turning back.”
Fellia bit her lip.
She clutched the incomplete blueprint of a magic circle in her hand.
“It’s still imperfect, but there’s no choice. Send out the Naga King! Track him down at all costs!”
“But Lady Fellia, weren’t you planning to use them for breeding…?”
“You fool! Does this look like the time for such concerns?”
Fellia glared fiercely at the Black Shadow member who had voiced the objection.
“This temple must be destroyed. You will stop them even if it costs your lives! Now!”
The Black Shadow members hesitated.
Everyone knew Fellia had been preparing a means to destroy the temple.
That magic circle was her method.
‘Is she planning to destroy the temple?’
‘Then if we chase after them, we’ll get crushed and die too.’
Such thoughts were inevitable.
Seeing through their hesitation, Fellia smiled meaningfully.
“If this mission succeeds, I’ll speak to the Master about granting you his favor.”
“……!”
Favor.
The Black Shadow members’ expressions changed.
“Yes, Lady Fellia!”
As the Black Shadow members departed, Fellia scoffed dismissively and began setting up the magic circle.
Using summoned creatures, she checked the situation in the sealed depths.
“The temple will be destroyed.”
Her magic power flared.
“Without fail.”
***
Yoo Baek-jun was walking through the temple.
The interior of the temple’s depths was flooded, making it difficult to move quickly.
Moreover—
“Be careful.”
“Kyaaak!”
Traps were scattered everywhere.
Yoo Baek-jun saved Delowin, who had nearly been impaled by a hidden spearhead in a puddle.
She screamed.
“Hey, you too—”
“Wuaaak!”
The walls on either side began closing in, attempting to crush Baimar, who had been leading the way.
Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue and rescued him.
“W-what’s with all these traps?!”
“H-human, th-this is…”
“Places like this are always like that.”
Even though only those with the key could enter these depths, one would think they’d make it easier to retrieve what they came for.
‘Useless traps.’
Whether they feared the temple could still be looted despite the key, the path to the innermost chamber was a nightmarish maze filled with deadly traps.
“Leave some markers.”
“Ugh, okay.”
Delowin used spirits to mark the floor.
“But won’t this let the pursuers follow us? Is that okay?”
“It’s fine. That’s what I want.”
“Huh?”
Delowin tilted her head in confusion.
Yoo Baek-jun pressed forward.
‘A nightmarish maze.’
The path was unnecessarily convoluted.
On top of that, deadly traps were strewn everywhere.
He searched his memories.
“…….”
Yoo Baek-jun began navigating the maze, avoiding the traps.
His steps were unwavering.
The watching elves marveled.
“How is he avoiding all of them?”
“…Does he know the way?”
Just as Yoo Baek-jun was advancing smoothly, he suddenly stopped.
He looked up.
Rumble…
The sound of vibrations echoed from all directions.
Though faint, the ceiling and floor were trembling.
It was almost like an earthquake.
“Human, this is—”
“We don’t have much time. We need to move fast, but that’s not possible now.”
Yoo Baek-jun looked back.
Enemies were approaching from the passage he had just traversed.
Monsters with humanoid upper bodies, massive serpentine lower bodies, and multiple arms.
“Naga.”
—…….
The Naga glared at Yoo Baek-jun.
There were at least a hundred of them.
‘Can’t afford to get caught.’
Yoo Baek-jun ignored them and sprinted forward.
The Naga submerged into the water and pursued him at incredible speed.
“They’re fast!”
“Prepare what I told you earlier!”
“Yes!”
Yoo Baek-jun suddenly kicked off the ground and leaped into the air.
The Naga reached the spot beneath him and aimed their weapons.
Kwaaaang!
At that moment, a trap activated.
The trigger Yoo Baek-jun had stepped on summoned a massive fist from the air, smashing into the Naga.
—……!
—Sssssk!
The Naga screamed in pain as they were flung aside.
‘They won’t die, but it’ll hurt.’
Seizing the opportunity, Yoo Baek-jun put distance between them and pressed on.
“Hmm…!”
Suddenly, a massive net of water blocked his path.
He turned around.
—Halt, human.
Countless Naga stood there, led by one who looked different from the rest.
A monstrous figure with an enormous frame and a crown-like ornament on its head.
—We cannot let you proceed any further.
The Naga King.
Its crimson eyes bore into Yoo Baek-jun.
A sign of being dominated.
—This temple must be destroyed for his sake. We cannot allow you to go any further.
A Naga who had lived since ancient times—a formidable monster.
On par with a named boss monster.
‘I could kill it if I had to. But there’s no time…’
The Naga King glared at Yoo Baek-jun.
—I will kill you.
“Did you follow the trail I left?”
Yoo Baek-jun spoke abruptly.
The Naga King remained silent, staring at him.
He smirked.
“Then you should’ve been more suspicious.”
Yoo Baek-jun suddenly unleashed Moonlight.
Countless sword energies surged toward the Naga.
—Pathetic.
But the Naga King effortlessly blocked the attack.
The deflected sword energies struck the ceiling, walls, and floor before dissipating.
Yes, it had blocked them.
Rumble…!
—……!
But the attack hadn’t been aimed at the Naga in the first place. Yoo Baek-jun’s sword energies had targeted one thing.
Clang—!
—Guhk!
The trigger for the trap.
Chains shot out from all directions, binding the Naga.
Iron bars rose from the floor, caging them, and a steel dome sealed them inside.
—What have you done, human?!
“Brainwashed or just stupid? Either way, this worked out perfectly.”
The elves used spirits to reinforce the dome trapping the Naga.
Yoo Baek-jun assisted.
“You’ll be safe here.”
—Safe?! Graaah!
The Naga thrashed inside, but Yoo Baek-jun only smiled before activating Flash Step.
In an instant, he reached the deepest part of the temple.
Boom—!
“Guhk!”
The ground shook violently.
The floor trembled, the ceiling swayed, and then began collapsing.
Debris rained down.
‘The magic circle must have been activated.’
The magic circle Fellia had prepared to destroy the temple.
It had been triggered.
“Human! The temple is collapsing!”
“W-what do we do, human? Shouldn’t we turn back now—?!”
“Turn back? It’s too late for that.”
Yoo Baek-jun took a few more steps and reached a massive door.
“Dead or alive, we move forward.”
He opened the door.
Beyond it was a grand altar and statues.
Statues of warriors clad in full armor surrounded the altar.
At the center stood an especially large statue.
“…….”
Yoo Baek-jun walked toward the altar.
Rumble…!
“Kyaaak!”
The temple’s shaking intensified.
Yoo Baek-jun looked back at the corridor they had come through. It had completely collapsed from the explosions.
Baimar paled.
“T-the path… It’s blocked.”
The only way into the depths was the corridor they had just taken.
There was no other exit.
With it sealed, Yoo Baek-jun and his party had no way out.
“Delowin.”
“Y-yes, human. I’ll hold on.”
Delowin summoned earth spirits to support the ceiling.
The falling debris stopped.
“Phew.”
The altar had a circular indentation for the key and Yoo Baek-jun inserted the key.
Whoosh—!
A brilliant light erupted from the altar, spreading across the floor in all directions.
“Oh my, what’s this?”
“A circuit?”
The floor was etched with circuit-like patterns.
The light traveled along them, spreading throughout the temple.
Then, the light gathered back at Yoo Baek-jun’s feet.
“……!”
A blinding flash erupted from the altar.
Yoo Baek-jun shut his eyes tightly.
“Guhk!”
An overwhelming power surged into his body.
Along with excruciating pain.
He endured it with his eyes closed. How much time had passed?
Boom—!
With a deafening noise, the pain stopped.
The light filling the space also vanished.
Yoo Baek-jun opened his eyes.
“Human, that’s…”
Before him hovered a radiant white spear.
He grasped it.
The light enveloping the spear faded, revealing its true form.
[Dragon Slayer’s Spear (S+)]
A spear bestowed by the gods upon one born with the fate of slaying dragons.
Its sole purpose is to “kill dragons.” It cannot unleash its power for any other purpose.
But against dragons, its might is absolute.
―Options: Dragon Slayer, Ancient Grudge, Life Respect.
*Dragon Slayer: Increases all stats and skill potency against dragon-type enemies.
*Ancient Grudge: Dragons wounded by this spear suffer stat reductions and immense fear.
*Life Respect: This spear loses all power against non-dragon enemies.
Yoo Baek-jun whistled.
Though its use was limited, its power was unmatched.
‘Against other enemies, I’ll just use Thunder Spear.’
He’d have to upgrade it soon anyway.
He gripped the spear.
“It looks vicious.”
“Yeah.”
The Dragon Slayer’s Spear was made of bone—likely dragon bone.
Dragon scales were interwoven grotesquely along its length.
Rumble…
As Yoo Baek-jun held the spear, the altar vanished with a thunderous noise.
In its place was a necklace crafted from bone.
An artifact.
“Hmm, nice.”
The Dragon Slayer’s Spear and the artifact.
When Yoo Baek-jun took the artifact, the surrounding statues disappeared.
He had obtained everything.
Kwaaaang!
“Human! We can’t hold on any longer!”
“Aren’t you going? You have that sword, right? Can’t you use it to escape?”
“No, I can’t use Grandal.”
He had used Mass Teleportation at dawn, so the skill was still on cooldown.
Baimar screamed.
“T-then what do we do? Die here?”
“No way. That won’t happen.”
Baimar trembled.
Delowin, however, looked at Yoo Baek-jun with unwavering trust.
He said nothing. Instead, he pointed at the floor.
“This is…”
A magic circle.
A teleportation circle leading outside.
‘To be precise, it’s an expulsion.’
Once the temple’s equipment was retrieved, its purpose was fulfilled, and it would collapse.
The expulsion circle forcibly ejected intruders.
“Let’s go.”
Yoo Baek-jun and the elves were enveloped in light.
“Now, it’s time to kill the Dragonkin.”