Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Pope Tehenut
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About thirty minutes had passed since the incident.
Next to the transport ship that had landed on the ground, the air pirates’ speedboats and the Black Dragon were lined up side by side.
Among the passengers, the only Players were Christian and Oh Ha-na. Choi Yu-ra, who could see Player nicknames, stood at a slight distance, watching Christian and Oh Ha-na—or more precisely, Oh Ha-na—as they talked with Kang-seok’s group.
She already had a rough idea of what kind of Player Christian was, having fought alongside him in the Tower of Raum, but she knew nothing about Oh Ha-na.
Her nickname was Grinder Girl.
It was reminiscent of Antonio Choi, the versatile production-class Player from the Adamas guild, but it was nearly impossible to guess her original game or abilities based on that alone.
An FPS Player or an MMORPG Player could just as easily use the word ‘grinder’ in their nickname.
‘Still, is she really a production class?’
The fact that she had been helpless against the air pirates was quite concerning.
Of course, there were Players like Khalid of the Seven Sword Knights whose individual combat strength was on par with an ordinary person. But that was precisely why Khalid never traveled alone. His separation in the Tower of Raum had been a literal accident.
On the other hand, Oh Ha-na was alone and had no affiliated guild.
“Hmm.”
Choi Yu-ra crossed her arms and tilted her head a few times, then let out a small laugh. Thinking about it, it was silly to be this curious about Oh Ha-na’s identity. If it came down to it, she could just ask.
‘It’s not like we’re enemies. If anything, Christian is the one I should be more concerned about.’
Choi Yu-ra’s gaze shifted to the robust, one-armed man, Christian.
“You were on your way to the Grand Temple of the Yellow God?”
At Seong Yu-jin’s friendly question, Christian chuckled and nodded.
Having removed his reinforced armor, he now looked like a typical big, warm-hearted, middle-aged Western man you might find at an English conversation academy.
Wearing a rather thick gray shirt, Christian pointed to his dangling left sleeve and said.
“That’s right. I heard from other Players that I could get my arm regenerated there. It sounds funny to say, but it really is a wonderful world.”
Oliver, with whom they had fought before, had said something similar.
Though it felt strange to say, Seong Yu-jin patted her chest in relief. Pleased by her reaction, Christian’s expression softened even more.
“We parted after the Tower of Raum raid without a proper goodbye, but I knew we’d meet again someday. I was sure you all would participate in the second World Quest. The fact that we met sooner than expected might mean there’s something to what you Easterners call fate.”
Listening quietly to Christian, Seong Yu-jin’s eyes widened slightly.
“Are you also participating in the second World Quest?”
The fact that he expected to meet Kang-seok's group during the World Quest meant that Christian was also planning to participate.
Christian was strong. But he had suffered a severe injury in the Tower of Raum, losing an arm. It was a bit ironic for the Adamas guild, who had also faced life-threatening danger, to think this way, but it was quite surprising that Christian was expressing his intent to join the second World Quest.
Christian understood the meaning behind Seong Yu-jin’s words. And because he knew it stemmed from genuine concern, he simply nodded calmly.
Christian, too, feared death. Even now, the memory of fighting the Demonic Beast Raum sent shivers down his spine.
But even so, he couldn't back down.
“I have to go back to my wife.”
Christian’s face was smiling. But his eyes were not.
Seong Yu-jin couldn’t bring herself to ask about his story. A thousand wild fantasies flashed through her mind, from a woman lying in bed with an incurable disease to a beautiful wife who deeply loved Christian, but she couldn't voice a single one.
Christian turned his gaze to stare into the empty air.
“If I die, I can’t go back. But I can’t just cower in a corner either. Living my life just hoping someone else will clear the World Quest isn’t my style. I will return with my own strength. Rebecca would want that, too.”
Clenching his fist at the end, Christian turned his gaze back to Seong Yu-jin. He scratched the back of his head as if to break the somber mood that had settled over them.
“Saying it out loud is quite embarrassing. Especially in front of the conqueror of Raum and his companions.”
“S-Still, that’s amazing. I think it’s really amazing.”
It was Yang Jun-gyu whose eyes sparkled. Christian laughed good-naturedly again. This time, he was the one to ask Kang-seok a question.
“So, you’re heading to the Yellow God’s Temple for the Yellow God’s Divine Artifact, I presume?”
“Yes, and there are a few other things I want to find out.”
Vivian, having heard what happened in the Tower of Raum, had said the nameless hero’s necklace must be a formidable divine instrument.
A miracle of the Yellow God that had essentially ‘resurrected’ Kang-seok after he had died once.
Among the Yellow God’s divine instruments, only a few possessed that kind of power. If he learned the instrument’s specific name at the Yellow God’s Temple, there was a high chance he would also discover its owner.
Instead of elaborating on these facts, Kang-seok changed the subject, turning to Oh Ha-na, who had been listening quietly.
“Ms. Ha-na, do you also have business at the Grand Temple of the Yellow God?”
“Me? Uh… I don’t really have a proper reason, I just thought I’d go have a look. I’ve been cooped up in one place ever since the Great Summoning, so… and I’m still not sure if I’ll participate in the second World Quest or not.”
Oh Ha-na rambled on before finishing her story with a cheerful laugh.
Among Players, it was an unspoken rule not to ask about each other’s original games unless in a combat or emergency situation.
It wasn't a written law, but an implicit rule, so Kang-seok didn't press Oh Ha-na about her origins.
Just as the conversation lulled, Kim Kang-san, who had been talking with the transport ship officials, returned at the perfect moment.
“It seems they’ve magically reported it to a nearby military base. From the looks of it, they want us to stay with them until the army arrives… but I have a feeling we’ll get caught up in something troublesome if we do. Let’s head out before the military gets here.”
One wrong move and they could waste precious time with debriefings and what not.
It wasn't a bad idea, so Kang-seok nodded in agreement and looked back at Christian and Oh Ha-na.
“As you heard, we’ll be leaving right away. If you’re heading to the Grand Temple of the Yellow God, would you like to accompany us?”
It was an attractive offer with no reason to refuse.
As if on cue, Christian and Oh Ha-na nodded in unison.
* * *
The Four Great Gods, whom nearly all humans in this world, including those in Shangri-la, believed in and served, each had a symbolic cardinal direction.
The White God of the West.
The Green God of the East.
The Yellow God of the North.
The Red God of the South.
The ancient Elder race had constructed a grand temple for each of the Four Great Gods in their respective directions, centered around their capital, the ‘Great Village’.
One of them was the Grand Temple of the Yellow God.
Kang-seok, greeting the rising morning sun from the deck of the Black Dragon, let out a heartfelt sigh of admiration at the sight before him.
The view of the ground from high in the sky was beautiful.
A salty breeze blowing from the faintly visible northern Olympus Sea made the grass of the plains dance. The sunlight, shattering as it fell from the sky, reflected off the golden Grand Temple and the large, blue river flowing beside it, creating a sparkling spectacle.
Seong Yu-jin, who came up to the deck after Kang-seok, sleepily approached him, but only for a moment. The beautiful sight of the Grand Temple instantly chased away her drowsiness, and she gazed at the ground with bright eyes, just like Yang Jun-gyu.
The Yellow God, goddess of water, love, and beauty.
As befitting a temple dedicated to the goddess of beauty, not only the temple itself but also its surrounding grounds and decorations were all beautiful.
A large, trapezoidal building reminiscent of a pyramid stood at the center, with four single-story temples at each cardinal point. Canals and small lakes enveloping these temples came into view.
In a world where divine miracles were real, almost all humans were believers. Naturally, the villages and cities where people lived were all built around temples.
The Grand Temple of the Yellow God was no exception. Shifting his gaze slightly from the temple grounds, he saw a city as large as Roselburg.
A large, blue river leading to the Olympus Sea. A city situated on both its banks, and the Grand Temple of the Yellow God, as if looking down upon them.
Although it was just dawn, the roads were teeming with people.
Pilgrims, who appeared to have come for the Grand Temple of the Yellow God, were diligently making their way toward it.
Yang Jun-gyu carefully maneuvered the Black Dragon to land at a location somewhat distant from both the temple and the city.
Having driven all night, Yang Jun-gyu desperately needed sleep and immediately holed up in a cabin after landing. Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong decided to stay behind on the Black Dragon to guard him and their luggage.
“It’s not like today’s the only day. If things go well, we might even get permission to land the Black Dragon on the temple grounds. So don’t feel sorry and just go. It’s not like we came here for sightseeing, right?”
Kim Kang-san said to Kang-seok with a smile. Choi Yu-ra added in a whisper.
“Look how that girl fawns over him. We’re doing them a favor by leaving them alone, you know?”
Though it seemed like a story mixed with leaps of logic and delusion, looking at Park Han-yeong smiling foolishly while linking arms with Kim Kang-san, it seemed like there might be some truth to it.
Although it was a whisper, it was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. Kim Kang-san let out a dry cough, and Kang-seok smiled wryly. He disembarked from the Black Dragon with an embarrassed Seong Yu-jin and an envious Go Min-gu.
Even with Kim Kang-san, Park Han-yeong, and Yang Jun-gyu staying behind, the addition of Christian and Oh Ha-na brought their party to six. Coupled with the flashy appearance unique to Players, they stood out greatly even among the hundreds of pilgrims.
Perhaps because it was the path to a grand temple, it was consistently quiet despite the hundreds of people gathered. The group, naturally following the atmosphere, fell silent and simply walked.
And how long had they walked?
Kang-seok suddenly raised his head. Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra, who had been walking right beside him, were gone. He looked back, but Christian, Go Min-gu, and Oh Ha-na were also nowhere to be seen. In fact, not a single one of the pilgrims who had filled the surroundings was visible.
A chill ran down Kang-seok’s spine, but instead of panicking, he gritted his teeth and scanned his surroundings. He had experienced something like this once before.
In the Ash Tree Forest of Vivian, the Witch of the Lake.
It had been the same back then. As he walked through the misty forest, he had suddenly found himself at the lakeside where Vivian awaited.
Was someone guiding him?
A thousand thoughts raced through his mind.
It wasn't just about him. If Seong Yu-jin, Choi Yu-ra, and the others had also been led away to different places, and if this was a trap set by someone with ill intentions, it would be a disaster.
His eyes darted around, taking in a beautiful garden. Walls made of green grass and bushes, long, trailing vines here and there, and a small pond. Flowers bloomed everywhere.
“Are you lost?”
He instinctively turned toward the direction of the voice and drew Durandal. A beautiful woman stood under a green tree.
She had light brown skin, long black hair like ebony, gold bracelets and a necklace, a flowing yellow dress made of thin, slightly translucent fabric, and her bare legs were clearly visible.
She was unarmed. Her hands were empty, and her stunningly beautiful and elegant face held green eyes that showed not a hint of hostility.
The sensation was similar to when he faced Vivian, the Witch of the Lake. But it wasn't exactly the same. There was a distinct difference.
“The black sword, Durandal… one of the top ten among the Thirty-Seven Star Swords. A famed sword that vanished from the world for hundreds of years, yet it is in your hands.”
The woman spoke softly, and Kang-seok sheathed Durandal. Instead of showing any hostility, he faced the woman with a much more relaxed expression.
The Grand Temple of the Yellow God.
A woman resembling the mythical Yellow God.
An ability to guide him, much like Vivian, the Witch of the Lake.
The sensation he naturally felt upon facing her.
A name came to mind.
As Kang-seok lowered his guard, the woman blinked once in surprise, then a slightly mischievous smile graced her lips.
“You don’t seem to have been captivated by my beauty, so I suppose you’ve figured out who I am. Most people are more flustered. You’re quite composed.”
The woman took a step forward. She walked right up to Kang-seok and gave a light bow.
“I am Tehenut. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Conqueror of Raum, Dark Destiny Lord.”
Tehenut.
The Pope of the Yellow God Cult.
Kang-seok faced her.