Chapter 157
Chapter 157
Chapter 157
The man blocking Nam-gung Cheon's path was none other than Sword Star Ju Won-jae.
"Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry, Nam-gung Cheon?"
His eyes gleamed as he looked at Nam-gung Cheon, who had just lifted his foot to flee.
"Damn it."
Nam-gung Cheon gritted his teeth.
Just when he only needed to escape, of all people, he had to run into that guy.
If it were any other member of the Frontline Strategy Team, it might have been different, but against the Sword Star, there was absolutely no way to win.
That guy was a natural disaster no different from Lee Seo-jin, that bastard.
Even just saving his own skin and escaping from this place wouldn't be easy.
"……."
While Nam-gung Cheon rolled his eyes around, searching for an escape route.
Sring-.
Ju Won-jae drew his sword with a small smile.
"Come to think of it, it's been quite a while since we've crossed swords."
He had been feeling rather lonely lately, lacking a proper opponent to test his blade against.
Fist King Choi Gang-hyeon was out of the question since he used his fists, and Divine Spear Lee Seo-mun used a spear.
Paladin Robert did use a sword, but it was only a sword in form—in practice, it was no different from a blunt weapon.
For these reasons, he had been disappointed by the lack of worthy swordsmen to duel, but this worked out perfectly.
Nam-gung Cheon broke out in cold sweat as he watched him draw his sword.
"……Well, I'm kind of busy right now. Can't we have our duel some other time?"
"I want to do it now. And sorry, but this isn't a duel."
Paaang-.
Ju Won-jae lightly swung his sword.
Jjeoook-.
Beyond the slash that carried enough power to split the cave in half, his eyes gleamed.
"It's the homeowner catching a thief."
***
"You were hiding well."
Krrring-.
After the meeting ended and during the brief rest period given.
Ha-yeon returned to the Rabbit Tribe's cave and petted Baduki, who had been waiting obediently in place.
Since Seo-jin had modified him, Baduki had gained optical camouflage and mana control functions, achieving a true invisible mode.
Except for Robert, who was sensitive to black magic, and Ju Won-jae, who possessed Sixth Sense, there would be no one capable of detecting Baduki in invisible mode.
As long as he avoided those two well, there shouldn't be any problems traveling with Baduki.
But from now on, full-scale combat would begin, so there probably wouldn't be time to play with Baduki...
While Ha-yeon was having these various thoughts.
Sniff sniff-.
Baduki, who had been sitting quietly and sniffing around, began leading the way outside as if telling her to follow.
"You want me to follow?"
Krrring-.
Following behind Baduki, they arrived at a secluded spot in the Rabbit Tribe's cave.
Ha-yeon looked at the dead-end wall and asked Baduki.
"What's here?"
Kring-.
Baduki nodded his head at Ha-yeon's question.
But to Ha-yeon's eyes, there seemed to be nothing special in this dead-end corner of the cave.
'Should I try digging through the wall?'
Baduki wouldn't lie. There must be something there.
Having already had the experience of digging into the Eternal Snow Ice mine barehanded on the 10th floor Primgard.
Digging through the cave with her hands was an easy task for Ha-yeon.
Just as Ha-yeon was rolling up her sleeves to dig through the wall with her bare hands.
Busss-.
Dust began trickling down from the cave wall, then dirt fell away, creating a small hole.
And from that hole.
"Oh."
A woman wearing black tights appeared.
She was Francesca the Phantom Thief, who had infiltrated the Rabbit Tribe to steal their totem.
Ha-yeon stared at her blankly, then tilted her head and greeted her.
"Hello?"
"……."
Francesca, frozen in place, looked at Ha-yeon standing right in front of her and Baduki wagging his tail beside her instead of answering.
And soon, she understood the situation.
'That damn mutt...!'
Krrring-.
According to the leader, he had sent him to find the members, but he still hadn't returned.
She wondered where he had gone, but apparently, not only had he been following behind the Saintess, he had even revealed her location.
'Damn it. I need to run first.'
Now that she'd been caught like this, stealing the Rabbit Tribe's totem was impossible.
Fighting the Saintess over taking the totem would obviously end with her bones scattered, so she had to escape immediately.
Srrk-.
Just as Francesca quickly tried to hide in the shadows and dodge.
"W-wait a moment. Let's talk."
Ha-yeon stopped her.
Francesca looked at Ha-yeon with suspicious eyes.
"What kind of talk? I don't have anything to discuss with you."
Except for bathing together in the hot springs a few days ago, they had no connection whatsoever.
She could be considered close to the leader, but right now they were competitors in the test.
That famous Saintess wouldn't suggest having small talk without distinguishing between public and private matters. She must have some ulterior motive.
"Excuse me, but how are you proceeding with this World Quest?"
"Why should I tell you that?"
"Ah, I'm not trying to extract information. I was wondering if you might have found a way to clear the test without killing as many natives as possible. If it's Seo-jin, I'm sure he would..."
"……."
Ha-yeon scratched her cheek with an awkward smile.
At first glance, it was impossible to tell whether she was acting or being sincere.
Was she truly a benevolent person befitting the name Saintess, caring even for the natives' lives, or was she a masked ranker from the Frontline Strategy Team trying to extract information?
There was only one way to find out her true intentions.
After thinking for a moment, Francesca extended her hand and said.
"The Rabbit Tribe's totem. Give me that, and I'll tell you."
***
Deep inside the Wolf Tribe's cave.
A man and woman working intently with torches lit.
"Water."
"Yes."
At Seo-jin's gesture, Nam-gung Rin, who was beside him, drew up a water vein and sent it toward Seo-jin.
Splash-.
Seo-jin used the mana-infused water vein to knead the magical clay, creating a clay doll.
Not in human form, but shaped like a puppy. Thanks to having made Baduki before, shaping it wasn't too difficult.
For genetic information, he cut and inserted pieces from the leather clothing Romulus had been wearing.
Finally, after completing the clay doll that would serve as the vessel, Seo-jin summoned the wolf's soul stored in the Anima Totem and breathed it into the doll.
Charrr-.
As the soul took residence, the clay doll gradually took shape and transformed into a wolf.
Seo-jin placed his hand on the doll and carefully analyzed the flow of mana with his Eye of Insight.
Krrring-.
Soon, the fully revived wolf with a silver mane shook off the dirt on its body, stood up, and began growling.
Wild eyes glowing bright yellow in the darkness.
It was a much more dignified and magnificent appearance than Baduki, who only followed behind Ha-yeon.
"So this is a wolf..."
Wonder filled Romulus's eyes as he saw a wolf for the first time in his life.
Until now, he had only seen them depicted in murals; this was his first time seeing a living wolf.
How ironic, to claim to be the Wolf Tribe yet never have seen a wolf.
Seo-jin stroked the wolf's mane and said,
"Wolves are honorable creatures."
Dogs, which could be considered the same species as wolves, were also creatures that understood honor and loyalty.
Baduki was the same way.
...Wasn't he?
Anyway, Seo-jin sent the revived wolf to Romulus and said.
"Take it outside and play together. Also prepare for the coming battle."
"Yes, yes, Savior."
Romulus grinned widely and took the wolf outside, beginning to frolic with the other tribe members.
Seo-jin watched that scene for a moment, then instantly erased his smile and hardened his expression.
"……."
Creating the wolf wasn't simply to satisfy Romulus's curiosity.
It was to analyze the revival ritual through the totem more closely.
Seo-jin narrowed his eyes after analyzing the flow of mana circulating through the wolf's body during the ritual.
'As I expected, this revival ritual is the power of Reverse Heaven. The power that invites Heaven's wrath.'
Of course, the mana flow didn't circulate backward like Seo-jin's method, but it employed the same principle in terms of going against the fundamental principles of the world.
Seo-jin asked Nam-gung Rin, who had watched the ritual together beside him.
"What do you think?"
She also had considerable knowledge about sorcery and techniques.
Though it would be different from Seo-jin's five senses specialized in systematic analysis, she must have instinctively realized something.
At Seo-jin's question, Nam-gung Rin carefully parted her lips.
"Perhaps... the sequence might be reversed."
"Right."
Nimrod said that the tribe members created and divided the totems to avoid contamination from the surface, but the sequence might be reversed.
'The desire for revival, wanting to live forever.'
That desire for Reverse Heaven summoned Heaven's wrath, and the natives took refuge underground to escape that wrath—that was the hypothesis.
'The rightful heavenly punishment for those who defied the Mandate of Heaven.'
Those who incurred Heaven's wrath became earthbound spirits, ultimately fated to live underground.
But the price of that revival was horrific.
In a harsh environment, clay puppets that moved eternally only for battle.
Was this truly the form of eternal life the natives had desired?
Nam-gung Rin continued.
"And now I understand why only bloodlines that have never undergone the revival ritual can become chieftains."
Those who made that rule had instinctively known it too.
To return to the surface someday, the twisted Mandate of Heaven must be restored to its original form.
Only those who possessed the proper form of heaven and earth, not the Reverse Heaven bloodline that refused death, could lead them as chieftains.
"I also understand why Seo-jin prohibited the revival ritual even now."
"Mm."
If they continued to increase the earthbound spirits through revival rituals, eventually even pure-blooded individuals like Romulus might completely disappear.
This was especially true in situations like now, facing large-scale battle.
Fortunately, the materials and mana required for revival weren't trivial.
If they had revived everyone who died, there would be no beings left to return to the surface.
They would have become clay dolls living eternally only for battle in this underground realm.
"What remains is finding a way to inform them of this."
Nam-gung Rin seemed heavy-hearted.
If such facts were revealed, great confusion would arise among the tribe members.
"The choice is theirs to make."
Before that.
First, he had to do what needed to be done.
Just because he understood the principle of the revival ritual didn't mean anything was solved.
To resolve this situation, he needed totems representing each tribe.
He had to collect the totems each tribe possessed and make them into 'one.'
If he made the totems into one rather than leaving only one and destroying the rest.
It would also meet the victory conditions of the test.
Sparkle-.
While Seo-jin was analyzing the revival ritual with Nam-gung Rin.
"Oh, it seems brother succeeded."
A signal came in that Nam-gung Rin's talisman had been activated.
It seemed Nam-gung Cheon had successfully stolen the Eagle Tribe's totem.
'Good.'
Then he would modify the ley lines surrounding the Eagle Tribe's territory area, sending mana wavelengths similar to a totem being destroyed.
With that, he could perfectly create the illusion that the totem had been destroyed.
Seo-jin and Nam-gung Rin stood up and moved for the next plan.
New Glossary Entries
Silver Mane (은빛 갈기) - Descriptive term for the wolf's silver-colored fur around its neck
Earthbound Spirits (땅의 생령) - Supernatural beings bound to the earth, unable to ascend
Pure-blooded (순수한 혈통) - Individuals who have never undergone the revival ritual
Ley Lines (지맥) - Underground channels of magical energy
Mana Wavelengths (마력 파장) - Magical energy frequencies that can be detected and analyzed