Chapter 257: Canyon of Illusions, the City Where Time Stopped
Chapter 257: Canyon of Illusions, the City Where Time Stopped
After calming Ahn Sol down, I took out five Mind-Calming Pills and handed one to each member of the party. I considered taking one myself, but frankly, it would have been pointless. No matter how strong the field effect was, I didn't think it could penetrate my Mind’s Eye and the Blessing of the Battlefield. So, just in case, I tucked the Mind-Calming Pill back into my coat. Out of the twenty pills I started with, fourteen remained.
Ahn Sol was doing much better than when she had collapsed, but her complexion still wasn't great even after taking the pill. I soothed her and let her compose herself. Only then were we finally able to climb the last remaining slope.
“Wow! Is this the Plateau of Delusion?”
“Whoa... It's huge.”
Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojung, who had reached the top, cried out in unison at the sight of the vast plains stretching before them. I had rarely visited the Plateau of Delusion myself, so I was able to take in the surroundings with a fresh perspective.
“I can't see the end.”
“That's because the mountain itself is enormous.”
Ko Yeonju shielded her eyes with a hand and scanned the area. While she calmly surveyed our surroundings, I turned to look at the clan members behind me. The Mind-Calming Pill was clearly top-quality, as most of them showed no signs of any issues yet.
But I have to remember this is just the entrance.
My gaze fell on Ahn Sol, who was repeatedly licking her dry lips. I spoke in a quiet voice.
“Is everyone feeling alright?”
“No problems here. I feel the same as usual.”
“All good here, too!”
“The Mind-Calming Pill seems to be working well. It's naturally calming my mind. I can focus better, too.”
Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoojung, and Kim Hanbyul answered in turn. There was no need to ask Ko Yeonju, of course, but the problem was Baek Hangyul and Ahn Sol.
Baek Hangyul looked fine. When our eyes met, he gave a slight nod to show he was okay. Ahn Sol, on the other hand, still seemed shaken from the earlier shock. Her expression was much darker than when we had first set out. As I watched her, she must have felt my gaze, because she forced a smile and spoke.
“I-I'm okay, Orabeoni. It's a little tough... but I can still handle it. If it gets too hard, I'll tell you right away. I'm sorry.”
“Okay. Alright. Ahn Hyun, keep an eye on Ahn Sol. If she shows any strange reactions again, let me know immediately like before.”
Even though she said she was fine, anyone could see it was a forced smile. Ahn Hyun replied, “Yes,” and quickly moved to her side. I watched him gently pat Ahn Sol's head before turning my attention back to the whole group.
“As you can see, the Plateau of Delusion is incredibly vast. However, we don't need to explore all of it. We'll be tracking the trail meticulously, and at this rate, we should be able to reach the Canyon of Illusions in a day.”
The sun was already high in the sky. The reason so many Users avoided the Plateau of Delusion was that it was impossible to make camp here. No one would be crazy enough to camp in a place with a continuous field effect, which meant a night march was all but guaranteed.
Once we entered the Canyon of Illusions, we would stop taking the Mind-Calming Pill and rely on Kim Hanbyul's and Baek Hangyul's abilities. It would be a heavy burden for both of them, especially Baek Hangyul, but he should have conserved a fair amount of stamina by not participating in combat so far. And once we were in the canyon, finding the ruin would be quick, so there would be a chance to rest before then.
After quickly running the calculations in my head, I turned to face forward. The vast, seemingly endless plain greeted us, its sparse patches of grass swaying gently in the wind.
“Alright, let’s move out.”
And so, we took our first steps across the Plateau of Delusion, on the final leg of our journey to our destination. The moment I stepped onto the plateau, a thought crossed my mind.
Come to think of it, the chasers haven't shown up yet. In that case...
*
“Hyung. I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
We were in the middle of our march. Ahn Hyun, who had returned to the front after Ahn Sol said she was fine, was walking beside me and spoke in a quiet tone. I answered without taking my eyes off the trail ahead, and his voice soon followed.
“For the first few days of the expedition, it felt like we were fighting a lot. But ever since we entered the Mountain of Delirium, it feels like there have been almost no battles.”
“There's nothing strange about that.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. I told you to read the records before we left... You didn't read them carefully, did you?”
I teased him lightly, and Ahn Hyun laughed sheepishly. "Hehe."
Strictly speaking, there was one type of monster that appeared on the Plateau of Delusion. It was the creature I had mentioned to the others earlier: the Black-Headed Eagle.
Since they primarily lived on the Mountain of Delirium, they might have some resistance, but from a general standpoint, the field effect didn't discriminate between humans and monsters. However, the effect wasn't immediate. It manifested slowly, even if just slightly, and some cunning creatures occasionally used this small time lag to their advantage.
As I explained this to him step by step, Ahn Hyun tilted his head, looking puzzled.
“But there's no way we'd just fall for that. If they were aiming for that opening, wouldn't they have to take us down instantly?”
“They don't need to take us down. Think about what I told Hanbyul earlier.”
“?”
“I said they attempt a dive, right? They lock onto a target from the air, descend at high speed, and snatch their prey with their beaks or talons. Then, using that same momentum, they fly back up into the sky and out of the field effect's range.”
Only after that detailed explanation did Ahn Hyun's face light up with an "Ah," and he nodded. Seeing him, I sighed inwardly. Sometimes the kid was impressively sharp, but at other times, he could be a complete idiot.
Still, if I raise this type well, he could become quite useful... Well, he still has a long way to go.
Whether they knew what I was thinking or not, the kids were no longer just Users. They now had an identity that was better described as 'Mercenary Clan members.' This meant they needed to quickly develop the awareness of a clan member. Improving their skills was also urgent, but that wasn't something that could be solved in a short time. I renewed my resolve to get the clan properly established once this expedition was over. I was about to pick up the pace when...
Keeeeeyaaaaaaaah!
A sudden cry made me look up. A large bird was circling leisurely in the sky. It was probably about two meters long. It had a jet-black head and beak, a dull, dark-brown body from neck to tail, and sharp, hook-like talons.
“Speak of the devil.”
As if on cue, the moment the words left my mouth, I heard Kim Hanbyul begin to chant a spell. Her quick response was commendable, but I waved my left hand to stop her.
“Oppa?”
“Responding with magic is fine, but just wait a moment.”
“But...”
“Ah, it's perfect since there's only one. Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoojung. I'll teach you how a melee class deals with that thing on the Plateau of Delusion. Watch carefully. Seeing it once is better than hearing about it a hundred times.”
At the mention of a rare demonstration from me, the kids' eyes sparkled with anticipation. I drew my Sun and Moon Divine Sword and put some distance between myself and the party. These things were cunning, so just standing alone like this would likely draw its attention, but there was a surefire way to get its aggro. I raised the slick, shining blade and reflected the sunlight off it.
Keeeeeyaaaaaaaah!
From the Black-Headed Eagle's perspective, a flashing light must have been shining right at it. As expected, it worked. The creature's cat-like eyes flashed toward me, and it began to circle in the sky. Its speed gradually increased until it shot off toward the other side of the plateau. Or so I thought for a brief moment.
The Black-Headed Eagle, which had been flying away as if to disappear, suddenly made a sharp U-turn and came streaking back toward us.
Here it comes.
I quickly lowered my sword. A glance to my side showed Ko Yeonju tossing a dagger up and down, ready for anything. Although I had provoked it, these creatures usually hid from afar, spotted their prey, and launched a surprise attack. Moreover, being a cunning beast, there was no telling when it might veer off in another direction.
Kreeeeeeeeeeeeek!
The Black-Headed Eagle descended in a smooth arc. As expected, it chose to attack with its talons. I waited patiently for it to approach, calculating the path its body would take.
Two and a half steps to the left.
My calculation was bound to be better than a birdbrain's. After moving to the predicted spot, I wiggled the fingers of the hand holding the Sun and Moon Divine Sword. The wings, spread like a semicircle, the bulging belly in the center, and the talons extended below grew larger and larger.
When the remaining distance was less than a meter, I raised the Sun and Moon Divine Sword from its downward-pointing position, lifting it straight up into a vertical line. Then, I stepped forward with my right foot and stomped down hard, planting it as an axis. With that, all preparations were complete. All that was left was to wait for it to come to me.
Slice! Sccchhhhrrrrrrrrip!
The Black-Headed Eagle, which had thrust its talons forward with great momentum, had them sliced off first. Unable to overcome its own acceleration, it ended up ramming its body straight into my sword. Its momentum was terrifying, but unfortunately for it, it was no match for my stats and Authority.
The impact wasn't non-existent. I shifted more weight onto my front foot and leaned into it. I felt the sensation of cutting through a tough slab of meat travel up the blade of the Sun and Moon Divine Sword. Hot blood splattered across my face and trickled down, soaking my Coat of Plates. Just as the sensation from the blade ended, I heard the heavy thump, thump of its massive body parts hitting the ground behind me.
I'm really going out of my way to find trouble.
After confirming the corpse of the Black-Headed Eagle, neatly sliced in half on the ground, I immediately walked back to the others. Wiping my face with a cloth Baek Hangyul handed me, I spoke in a calm voice.
“That's how you do it.”
“Y-Yes?”
“See? Easy, right?”
“...”
The kids didn't answer.
*
The blazing sun, which had been beating down from high in the sky, gradually softened, its heat turning from scorching to gentle. The sun was setting. As dusk fell, the plains were bathed in the light of the sunset, swaying softly under the twilight sky.
I looked around the Plateau of Delusion at sunset. We were in the center of the plains. All I could see in every direction was grass. I had no idea how far we had walked, but I felt like we were adrift in a vast ocean. The only thing we had to go on was the trail left by the previous expedition team, which we used as our guide.
The atmosphere among the clan members was quiet. Perhaps because of the forced march and the lack of any real rest since entering the Plateau of Delusion, everyone seemed to be feeling the fatigue. I honestly considered letting them rest just once, but I immediately shook my head. It was better to maintain the tension, even if it was a bit taxing. Resting would naturally cause them to let their guard down, and for a User with weak mental strength, the field effect could slip through that opening.
While the Mountain of Delirium caused cognitive impairment through fear, the Plateau of Delusion manifested pathologically formed misjudgments or convictions. It was a rather comprehensive effect, in a way. It took one's own delusions—abnormalities in thought—and connected them with the delirium effect to make them reality.
To put it simply, if I didn't have the Mind-Calming Pill, Mind’s Eye, and the Blessing of the Battlefield, and if the worst-case scenario had occurred, we might have encountered the Sovereign of Hell right here.
I checked the party members' conditions in real-time. Most seemed fine at the entrance, but the effect grew stronger the deeper we went. If I had my way, I would have used Baek Hangyul's ability right away, but gems compatible with his magic wavelength were rare, so I hadn't brought many. As such, I planned to hold out with the Mind-Calming Pill for as long as possible. Steeling my resolve once more, I strode forward with renewed vigor.
It was then.
“O-Oppa. Wait a second.”
“Hm?”
Hearing Yoojung's voice from behind, I turned around to see Ahn Sol beside her, gasping and struggling to breathe.
“S-Sol? What's wrong all of a sudden?”
“Move.”
One look at Ahn Sol's face and I could sense that something serious was happening within her. I quickly approached her, took out another Mind-Calming Pill from my coat, calmly opened her mouth, and placed the pill inside.
The Mind-Calming Pill slowly dissolved on her pale pink tongue, and I could see Ahn Sol's breathing gradually return to normal.
“Are you okay?”
“S-Suddenly... Suddenly... In front of me...”
I didn't know what she had seen, but Ahn Sol was panting, her mouth just opening and closing. She couldn't finish her sentence. I waited patiently for her to calm down, but she just shook her head violently, refusing to answer.
But the moment I saw her reaction, I felt a strange sense of familiarity. This feeling was just like...
Could it be... she saw something related to her trauma?