Chapter 88
Chapter 88
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Raum's True Chamber
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Players weren’t the only ones to witness the World Tree that formed after the destruction of Raum’s Tower.
Sky Citadel Avalon.
A man stood atop the high ramparts of the royal palace, looking down at the world below.
Athos, Captain of the Knights Templar of the Church of the Sword God Cnut.
He was one of the world’s Eight Great Superhumans, a man called the strongest swordsman in the world.
Said to have inherited the blood of the Sword God Cnut, he had a large, sturdy physique and slightly faded golden hair, just like the Cnut of legend.
He wore the formal black uniform of the Knights Templar with a red cape, and two swords hung at his waist. One of them was nothing more than an ordinary longsword, part of the Knights Templar’s standard armament, but the other was special.
The Famed Sword Caliburn.
One of the Thirty-Seven Star Swords, a sword of the sun that could be considered a lesser copy of the Divine Fairy Sword Excalibur.
The Divine Sword ‘Stormcaller’ of Shangri-la, humanity’s most powerful nation, and the Divine Fairy Sword ‘Excalibur’ of the Principality of Avalon were both collecting dust in their respective royal treasuries due to their symbolic importance.
Considering this, the Famed Sword Caliburn, wielded by the world’s greatest swordsman, was arguably the strongest sword in existence.
Unlike the typically rigid Knights Templar, Athos was famous for his hearty and easygoing personality. For a swordsman who had reached his level of mastery, he was also quite playful. But today, his eyes were cold and subdued as he looked down upon the land.
“The World Quest has concluded. Of the three hundred or so Players who entered the tower, it is estimated that about fifty have survived.”
A young Knight Templar standing behind Athos reported in a quiet, measured voice. As the incident had occurred right next to the royal castle, the Knights Templar had been closely monitoring every development of the World Quest.
The blood of the Sword God Cnut flowed through the veins of Avalon’s royal family.
This was not a mere rumor or fabricated legend, but a truth confirmed by an oracle. For this reason, the Knights Templar of the Church of the Sword God Cnut were practically the Royal Guard.
Despite the report, Athos said nothing. The knight, after glancing at Athos for a moment, continued his report.
“The Player who defeated the Demonic Beast Raum is said to be Choi Kang-seok of the Adamas Guild. He is the Meister from the Kingdom of Britain who arrived in Avalon with his airship a few days ago.”
In the past month, Choi Kang-seok and his party were the only Players to have set foot in the Sky Citadel Avalon. Moreover, given his status as a Meister from the Kingdom of Britain, there wasn't a single knight guarding the castle who didn't know his name.
The Dark Destiny Lord.
The savior of Aachen who had defeated the Demonic Beast Andras.
The Player who had defeated Edward Price, Captain of the Knights Templar of the God of Honor Gawain, in a sparring match.
He was the type to generate stories that gossips loved.
Once again, Athos did not reply. The knight, fiddling with his lips in a bout of needless anxiety, asked cautiously.
“Would you like to meet him?”
“How could I face him?”
His voice was tinged with a hint of anger.
The knight flinched involuntarily, not knowing what to do, and could only swallow nervously.
Athos’s anger was not directed at Choi Kang-seok, the hero of the story. It was anger at himself.
“Dozens of people died right before my eyes. Over two hundred people died inside that tower. And I just watched from afar.”
The tower had shot up and swallowed the Players. The ensuing bombardment had slaughtered dozens of them en masse.
Players were not beings of this world.
They were all superhumans, and they had participated in this World Quest of their own free will.
But did that make it right to stand by and watch them die?
Was it right to leave the crisis of Raum’s Tower solely in the hands of the Players?
Protecting the royal castle was certainly an important duty. But Athos was displeased with the current situation. He felt a fierce anger toward himself for having merely stood by and watched so many deaths unfold before his very eyes.
“Louis, dispatch the priest-warriors to the surface. Treat the Players’ injuries and see to their needs. Do not abandon them in that barren wasteland.”
“Yes, sir.”
After a brief bow, the knight hurried off to deliver the order.
Left alone, Athos gripped the Famed Sword Caliburn. His gaze turned south, following the blowing wind.
***
As soon as the Players’ rescue operations were complete, Kang-seok’s party flew their airship to a remote area east of the Sky Citadel Avalon.
The reason they had moved in such a hurry, almost as if fleeing, was simple.
Avoid trouble and get some rest.
The Players who hadn’t been able to enter Raum’s Tower and the people of this world who had flocked here after hearing the rumors all wanted to know what had happened inside.
Among them were those who pestered the Players who had come out of the tower. And among those, many were particularly eager to hear the story from Kang-seok’s party.
They were a nuisance. Not only were they insensitive enough to pry into the affairs of those who had just returned from the brink of death, but they were also the type to start strange rumors if ignored.
They weren't the only ones who were difficult to deal with.
There were also those who wished to join the guild.
Kang-seok had established a basic rule: he would only accept people he could truly trust as guild members. Unless it was a recommendation from someone he had already decided to trust, like Go Min-gu, he had no intention of accepting complete strangers into the guild.
Even during the flight, quite a few people had already hinted at their desire to join.
Politely refusing one or two people was one thing, but the whole process was, above all, a hassle.
So Kang-seok had flown the airship to a deserted, remote area. In effect, he had cut off any possibility of conversation.
But even in a place where no one was around, he couldn't simply rest.
“So you’re saying we have to go up at night?”
Choi Yu-ra said, sprawled carelessly on the deck.
Seong Yu-jin, sitting demurely on a simple chair, nodded. In her hand was Raum's Feather, its description having changed after she received the chain quest.
“‘Raum’s Mark. A key that leads to the Demonic Beast Raum’s true chamber. It will light the way under the moonlight.’”
When the chain quest activated, the description of Raum's Feather had changed.
Kang-seok, sitting with his back against the deck railing, summarized.
“Sounds like Raum’s chamber, something like Andras’s nest, will be there if we go to the top of the World Tree on a moonlit night, right?”
Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong, sitting side by side, grinned as if the mere thought of it was exciting. Go Min-gu added his thoughts.
“Yeah, it wouldn’t make sense if the only reward for beating such a tough boss monster was a single feather. I’m getting excited.”
Yang Jun-gyu raised his hand.
“But how do you plan to get to the top? If we go by airship, I think we’ll stand out too much.”
Most of the Players were currently staying near Raum’s Tower—or rather, the World Tree.
Even besides them, there were the people who resided in the Sky Citadel Avalon.
If Kang-seok's party headed for the top of the World Tree in their airship, more than a few people would be watching with suspicious eyes.
“If we go up late at night, we won’t be as noticeable. The Black Dragon is black, after all. And even if other Players see us, I doubt it would be a major problem. We can just say we wanted to check it out. There might be some who annoyingly press the issue, but I still don’t think it’s a big deal. We’re not doing anything wrong. We’re just trying to open Raum’s chamber with Raum’s Feather, which we got as an MVP reward.”
Hunt spoke in a calm, measured tone, and Kang-seok nodded. As Hunt said, it wasn't something to worry too much about.
“So it’s decided? We’re gonna whoosh up to the top of the World Tree tonight, right?”
When Choi Yu-ra asked, the other guild members also turned to look at Kang-seok. The final decision rested with Kang-seok, the guild master.
“Yeah, let’s leave as soon as the moon rises.”
It was settled. Choi Yu-ra, who had been lazing about on the deck, quickly got to her feet.
“Alright, then I’m going to wash up and sleep first. See you guys at night.”
There wasn't much time left until sunset. After fighting with intense focus for hours, most of the Adamas guild members were exhausted.
Kang-seok turned to Hunt.
“I’m going to get some sleep too, so if you could wake me when it’s time.”
“Understood. Rest easy, sir.”
This was why it was so important to create a guild with people you could trust. Kang-seok patted Yang Jun-gyu on the head—who told him to knock himself out without a worry—and headed for his cabin.
***
The sun set, and night arrived.
When it was time for the moon to rise high in the sky, Yang Jun-gyu set the Black Dragon in motion.
The moon was bright, but there were no stars.
The Black Dragon melted into the darkness of the night, and it seemed nearly impossible to distinguish it from the ground, as even its sails were black.
“It’s beautiful.”
Seong Yu-jin, leaning against the deck railing, said without thinking.
Standing alone under the softly pouring moonlight, the World Tree was a mystery in and of itself.
Over two hundred people had died inside that World Tree today, but it was a beauty that made one momentarily forget even that cruel reality.
The airship, piloted by Yang Jun-gyu, lightly caught the wind. Following the path of the wind, it gently gained altitude, and soon the top of the World Tree came into view.
The World Tree was a large, lush green tree. Thus, from the top, all one could see were countless spreading branches and their leaves; there was no flat place to land.
They said Raum’s chamber was at the summit, but could it really be at the very peak? Or perhaps it was nestled deep within the branches?
For now, Yang Jun-gyu steered the airship toward the very center of the World Tree’s summit. And just as they reached their target…
[Quest Cleared]
[Quest: Reach the summit of the World Tree.]
[Quest: Raum’s Chamber]
[Reveal Raum’s Feather under the moonlight, and the path shall open.]
[You heard that, right?]
Added at the very end was Iris’s cheerful voice. The initial mechanical tone she once had was now completely gone.
Choi Yu-ra swallowed nervously and urged Kang-seok on. Seong Yu-jin also looked at Kang-seok’s chest with expectant eyes, while Go Min-gu snorted in excitement.
Kang-seok took Raum’s Feather from his coat and held it high in the air.
The moonlight shattered.
That’s what it felt like. A soft light swirled around Raum’s Feather, like a flower in full bloom.
And then a path opened.
The moonlight extending from Raum’s Feather pointed to the very center of the World Tree’s summit.
“So it’s inside the branches after all…”
“Kang-seok! Look at that!”
Choi Yu-ra pulled on Kang-seok’s arm, pointing below the airship. Not just Kang-seok and Choi Yu-ra, but everyone on deck quickly leaned against the railing to look down.
Near the center of the World Tree, a silver light spread out toward the night sky, soon forming a circle. A circular chamber, larger than the Black Dragon itself, revealed its true form.
It was a beautiful sight that drew gasps of admiration.
But beautiful was beautiful, and practical was practical.
Kim Kang-san said excitedly.
“I’ll go get a rope, wait here!”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Kim Kang-san turned and headed for the cabin entrance. Park Han-yeong and Go Min-gu also stomped their feet in excitement. Hunt, too, rubbed his hands together lightly, expressing his delight.
“Ugh, it’s so hard to wait.”
The time it would take to get a rope was a few minutes at most, but even that felt long. When Seong Yu-jin showed an uncharacteristic impatience, Kang-seok grinned. He looked back at Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra and asked.
“Then should we go first?”
“Huh?”
“Hm?”
Hearing their nearly identical replies, Kang-seok stretched out his arms and wrapped them around Seong Yu-jin’s and Choi Yu-ra’s waists. Using the monstrous strength unique to Players, he leaped from the deck while holding them both.
Startled, Seong Yu-jin hugged Kang-seok tightly. Choi Yu-ra let out a short scream, and the other three people on the deck stared with wide eyes in surprise.
The wind slapped against Kang-seok’s cheeks.
Kang-seok laughed cheerfully and tightened his arms around Seong Yu-jin’s and Choi Yu-ra’s waists. He kicked off the air and headed for Raum’s chamber.