Chapter 260: Canyon of Illusions, the City Where Time Stopped
Chapter 260: Canyon of Illusions, the City Where Time Stopped
Experiencing mysterious things always stimulates one's curiosity. In the past, while active in the Hall Plain, I often found myself wondering about the things I didn't know. What kind of region lay beyond this one? What ruins slumbered in the unexplored territories?
It wasn't exactly the same, but seeing the unicorn was a similar experience. It was a rare event, not something one could encounter often.
After sending the baby unicorn off with a sense of longing, we resumed our march, following the trail.
Ko Yeonju and Kim Hanbyul seemed to have quickly composed themselves, focusing on the march. Ahn Sol and Lee Yoojung, however, seemed to regret letting the unicorn go, occasionally glancing back with faint sighs.
I could understand why. It was the first time they had seen a divine beast that acted cute and cuddly, not a monster that had to be fought on sight. The feeling must have been novel. Thinking of the Pegasus egg sleeping soundly in my room, I scanned our surroundings.
The canyon was shaped like the letter V lying on its side. We were heading toward the wider end. The ruin in the Canyon of Illusions was less than an hour away from where we had met the unicorn. About forty minutes had passed since we resumed our march, and I could feel us getting closer to our destination. Because…
The fog is getting thicker.
Though the morning sun was shining down, the fog floating over the river seemed heavy, as if saturated with moisture. The deeper we went, the deeper and quieter the canyon became. Other than the sound of our footsteps, only the cool rush of the river broke the encroaching silence.
Snap.
The sound of a dry branch breaking in half echoed as I stepped on it. I reflexively raised my hand. The moment I gave the signal, I felt the footsteps following me stop in unison.
“Soohyun. What is it?”
“The path is gone.”
“What?”
“The trail has vanished.”
The physical path was still there, but the trail of the Rapids’ Edge expedition, which we had been following so clearly, had abruptly ended at a certain point, as if it were all a lie. As I answered calmly, Ko Yeonju immediately came forward to survey the area ahead. Then, with a puzzled look, she spoke.
“You’re right.”
“…Let’s go to where the trail disappeared.”
I wasn't particularly flustered. I already had a few suspicions in mind. We walked about twenty more paces, but we couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.
The path continued, but the trail was gone. With about eight steps left to the spot, I spoke to Ko Yeonju again.
“I think…”
“This is likely the place.”
It seemed her experience wasn't just for show; Ko Yeonju had come to a similar conclusion. With a look that said she understood, she poked at the empty air with her finger and continued.
“A magic boundary, or is it a barrier? Anyway, the problem is we have to go inside… How do you plan on getting in?”
“Did you think I’d come without a plan? Step back for a moment.”
There was a formal procedure for dispelling a barrier, but it was time-consuming and complicated. It might seem a bit brutish, but tearing it open with sheer force was the fastest and most effective way.
Drawing the Sun and Moon Divine Sword, I glanced at Baek Hangyul as if just passing by. If he grew a little stronger, he might learn a high-level ability capable of reflecting even a boundary like this. But that was for the future. For now, he couldn't even perceive that a barrier existed; his current limit was barely managing to amplify and maintain the range of his ability. In any case, at his current level, a direct clash with a field effect covering this entire area would more likely result in him being overwhelmed.
I raised my sword and activated Third Eye. As expected, I could sense a large-scale barrier that extended beyond the canyon, perhaps even enveloping the entire Mountain of Delirium. For a moment, I was speechless at its immense scale, but then I turned to the clan members standing blankly behind me and spoke.
“The trails of both the expedition and the rescue team disappeared at this very spot. I surmise that this is likely the entrance to the ruin. Of course, I know you must all be tired from the journey here. But it would be a shame to stop the expedition now, with the entrance right in front of us.”
“……”
I was suggesting we press on. In truth, while we were tired from marching without sleep, we hadn't fought any monsters. In other words, we hadn't faced any real danger. Besides, we had just taken a break and boosted our morale, and we were standing before the entrance to the ruin.
When I asked for their opinion, I was relieved to see all the clan members nod in agreement.
“We will continue the expedition. I have only two things to ask of you. Ahead of us, there will be a boundary made of magic. No one knows what will happen the moment we cross it. I’m telling you now, no matter what happens, do not be alarmed and maintain your composure.”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
As soon as I heard Ko Yeonju’s reply, I stepped out of the range of Reflection without hesitation. I heard urgent voices calling out to me from behind, but I raised a hand to signal that I was fine.
『Latent Ability, Mind’s Eye (Rank: A Plus), activates.』
『Latent Ability, Blessing of the Battlefield (Rank: EX), activates.』
My vision blurred for a moment before returning to normal. And once again, I felt that subtle pressure weighing down on my entire body. Though the effect was minimal, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.
I aimed the tip of my sword, bent my knees, and assumed a thrusting stance. I couldn't see any weakness in the barrier. The entire surface visible to Third Eye had a uniform composition. That meant it didn't matter where I struck.
The next moment, as a reddish aura began to rise from the Sun and Moon Divine Sword, I kicked off the ground and charged without a shred of hesitation.
Thwump!
It was a good start. I had expected heavy interference before I even reached the barrier, but I was able to plunge my sword into it from the get-go. It seemed the power of my Authority was stronger than I thought. Still, as befitted a large-scale barrier, I could soon feel a powerful flow of magic resisting my thrust.
Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!
The barrier tried its best to push me back. I tried my best to push through and tear it apart. As our magic powers clashed, blue sparks flew where the Sun and Moon Divine Sword met the barrier, scattering through the air. The repulsive force of such a large-scale barrier was no joke, but I trusted my abilities and my Authority. Against the barrier that was gradually increasing its magical intensity, I summoned all my strength, leaned forward, and poured more magic into my attack.
Screeech! Szzzzzt! Crack, craaack!
Good.
The sensation of tearing through paper shot up my arm from the sword. We had been locked in a tense struggle for a while, but the scales were finally tipping in my favor. My hands, pressed so hard against the hilt that they touched my chest, were slowly inching forward. Encouraged, I twisted and pushed, and just as the feeling of ripping through its core intensified…
Wooooong!
The hole in the barrier had been steadily growing larger when a deep hum echoed around me as the flow of magic suddenly shifted. All the magic that formed the surrounding barrier began to converge on one point. With it, the pressure crushing my body grew even heavier. It was likely a phenomenon where magic rushes to the point of a forced breach, temporarily strengthening the field effect around me.
Thinking this wouldn't be an easy win, I licked my lips and readjusted my grip on the sword. That’s when it happened.
‘Oppa…’
“Huh?”
Without any warning, a woman's voice whispered in my ear. It was a faint, yet familiar voice, and I snapped my head up. Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded before my eyes.
“What…?”
A voice laced with disbelief escaped my lips. The scene was playing out in the empty air right above my head. Two figures were there, clinging to each other, both with faces I knew all too well.
‘Ahhn…! Please, stop… Ahh…!’
“Park Dayeon…? Belphegor…?”
In the air hung Park Dayeon and a demon. Belphegor was sitting in a chair, chin in one hand, a look of immense pleasure on his face. And centered on his lap, a woman was impaled on his erection. Every time Belphegor thrust his hips up, the woman's limp limbs would sway and she would let out a deep moan.
As I stared blankly, the scene changed again.
‘Soohyun…. Run…. Run and… somehow, survive….’
I saw my brother. He was lying on the dirt ground, blood trickling from his lips. A large hole was torn in his abdomen as he reached a hand out to me.
The scene changed once more.
‘Don’t look…. Please don’t look…! Soohyun, I’m begging you…. Don’t look…!’
This time, it was Han Soyoung. Her face was stained with tears as she shook her head, her voice pleading.
“You fucking—”
Just as a spark of fury was about to ignite in my eyes, forcibly reminded of memories I wanted to forget, I felt a strong heat from my waist. Looking down, I saw the ‘Glory of the Sun’ glowing a fiery red.
Calm down. It’s an illusion.
I quickly collected myself. Although I had been momentarily captivated by the unexpected sight, I immediately pulled myself together and tried to maintain my composure. Deciding to tear through the barrier first, I shook my head to clear my vision. Thankfully, I hadn't been pushed back much. In that case, I needed to end this quickly. Drawing out the power surging from my heart, I once again poured all my strength into the Sun and Moon Divine Sword.
Fwoosh, fwoosh!
Crack, craaack!
The moment I mixed the power of Eternal Flame into my magic, I felt the barrier’s fierce resistance instantly wither away. It was like watching ice cream melt under intense heat. The hole, which had been slowly widening, couldn't hold on any longer and began to melt away in an instant.
『Latent Ability, Unyielding (Rank: A Plus), activates.』
“Haa, haa.”
“Oppa…!”
I heard Kim Hanbyul’s anxious cry from behind me. The clan members rushed over and pulled me back within the range of Reflection. In any case, I had succeeded in creating an entrance. It hadn't been dangerous, but being caught in a hallucination, even for a moment, was unexpected.
As I caught my breath and steadied my breathing, Ko Yeonju approached with a worried expression.
“Soohyun. That power… Are you okay? You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine. It’s draining, but it’s manageable.”
I gave a brief reply and took a few steps back to look ahead. There was a hole large enough to be a cave entrance, melted into the space before us. Small sparks flickered around the edges, suggesting it was trying to restore itself, but the lingering effects of Eternal Flame were actually making the opening wider.
I let out a long sigh and calmly sheathed the Sun and Moon Divine Sword.
*
“Wow. Hyung found another one.”
“I know, right? Look at that hole he tore open.”
“Hehe. My Orabeoni made that. Ahem!”
“…Yeah. It’s amazing.”
I took a long drag from my cigarette, listening to the others talk. The three hallucinations I had just seen struck a raw nerve, so naturally they provoked my anger. But this anger wasn't hot. Instead, it cooled my head and summoned a chilling killing intent. It felt a bit much to call it a blessing in disguise, but I felt that the sharpness I had unknowingly lost over time had been honed once more.
Flicking away the cigarette I had smoked to the filter, I stood up. Everyone’s eyes turned to me.
“Let’s head inside.”
“Soohyun. Shouldn’t you rest a little more?”
Worried gazes from Ko Yeonju and the other clan members poured over me, but I just shook my head. Tapping the scabbard, which was still warm, I urged them to move. Only then did she step back with a look of resignation.
Before entering, I saw that the scenery visible through the hole was similar to the outside. Aside from the distorted parts from the impact, there wasn't much difference between the view inside and outside the boundary. But that was just on the surface.
The moment I took a step into the hole, an intense sense of dissonance washed over me. And once I passed through completely, I understood the difference clearly. It was the absence of life. This dissonance wasn't from an external factor, but something I felt internally. My body was reacting instinctively to the abrupt, unnatural change in environment.
I led the way, and after Ko Yeonju was the last to pass through, I paused. I turned around silently and looked at the clan members. Their faces were all blank and bewildered. Perhaps they were confused by the strong sense of unease, or maybe they were still reeling from the surprise of finding the ruin's entrance. None of them seemed to have noticed right away.
“Hey, everyone. How are you all feeling? You okay?”
“It feels a little straaange…”
“Strange how?”
“I just… I don’t know. It’s too quiet, and nothing is moving. And… umm… It feels like the whole world has stopped.”
Ahn Sol answered my question with a question mark floating above her head. It was a visual quirk I hadn't seen in a long time. Unable to find the right words, she pouted and tilted her head. But hearing her answer, I was inwardly impressed.
Her intuition is as sharp as ever. But where on earth does that question mark come from?
For a brief moment, I felt the temptation to reach out and touch that question mark. But I just chuckled and, for the sake of the still-confused members, pointed to the right. Toward the river.
They obediently followed my finger with their eyes. And the moment their gazes touched the river, I watched as their dazed eyes widened dramatically.
“Wh-what?”
“The, the river isn’t flowing?”
“Huh? It’s stopped? It’s frozen?”
“It’s too early to be surprised…”
I muttered, this time pointing my finger upward. The others, who had been staring at the unmoving river, now tilted their heads back to look at the sky. Then, as if their eyes refused to widen any further, their jaws dropped in unison.
Following their lead, I raised my head to the sky. My gaze traveled up the dizzying cliff face and landed on the sun, which was shining brightly. At that moment, Ahn Hyun’s gasp reached my ears.
“It’s a city…!”
High up on the canyon walls, countless buildings stood tall, as if piercing the sky. It was the true ruin of the Canyon of Illusions we had been searching for.
To be more precise, its official name was the Magic City Magia. A place that would later be known to Users as the City of Apostates.