Field Investigation (3)
The place we entered was a vast cavern. Strangely enough, it was incredibly bright. It was hard to believe this was inside the same labyrinth—the dim corridors we'd passed through earlier, or the passages crawling with grotesque undead.
"Is that... a portal?"
"Looks like it."
Among everything, what stood out most was the hazy light emanating from the opposite side. That was probably our way out.
But the problem was the structure smack in the center of the path leading there.
"An altar, right?"
"Probably."
As Siel sunbae said, it looked like an altar. There were shallow, low steps in front, and in the center stood a pedestal—the kind used for sacrifices or rituals. Around it were massive candelabras flickering with blue flames.
But what really caught the eye was...
"So, is that person lying there?"
"It looks like one... but something's off."
It was a figure lying on a flat marble slab in front of the pedestal. A person? Could you even call it that? It was too far to see clearly, but the body was shriveled and emaciated all over. Yeah, like a mummy in its sarcophagus.
Was this thing like the undead we'd encountered before? Just in case, I drew my sword and tensed up.
Paaat...!
At that moment, a dark red orb embedded in the figure's body on the altar began to glow. Whoosh—!
Like smoke billowing out, thick black mana poured from the altar, dense enough to see with the naked eye.
"Kuh...?!"
"Wh-what the...!"
The instant we faced it, I clutched my tightening left chest. Siel sunbae trembled and collapsed to her knees.
It wasn't just overwhelming mana pressing down on us. No, it was something more—the word for it escaped me. Killing intent? No, death aura fit better.
Just a glimpse of that silhouette passing behind the altar, our eyes meeting—it felt like staring death in the face, if only for a moment. It wasn't mere survival instinct. My body, no, my soul was rejecting it. That thing ahead wasn't something I could face. Every cell in my body screamed to squeeze out every last drop of strength and flee.
"...Sunbae, let's run."
"Y-yeah."
That was all I could force out through trembling lips, somehow enduring the pressure. But maybe that alone conveyed the crisis I felt. Siel sunbae turned to flee without hesitation.
However.
Wuuung....
"Th-the door...!"
The moment we turned, the door we'd just come through dissolved like a mirage, vanishing in a shimmer. Blocking our retreat, huh. Damn it.
—Iferia....
I clenched my fist until my knuckles cracked, grinding my teeth—when a voice echoed through the entire cavern. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female. The grating, scraping sound—like metal shards rubbing together—felt utterly otherworldly.
"Iferia? Why would that name come up here...?"
Sunbae stared at the altar with puzzled eyes upon hearing it.
Piiyuung—!
"Sunbae!"
Suddenly, without warning, a black laser shot from the pedestal on the altar. I threw myself over sunbae, who was a half-beat slow, and rolled aside.
Zeeng....
No respite, either. Dozens of thin and thick black light beams converged.
I didn't hesitate—scooping sunbae into my arms, I bolted along the cavern's edge.
Kwagagagang—!!!
Lasers blasted everywhere I passed, shattering the ground and pulverizing marble into dust that scattered wildly.
"Kuhuk?!"
Unfortunately, I couldn't dodge them all. Sunbae deflected a few incoming beams, but a slender black ray pierced my side.
Udatang!
I tumbled across the floor still holding sunbae tight. As she slipped from my grasp and scrambled up, she thrust her hands forward.
Hwaruruk!
The same flame magic she'd used to sweep away the undead in the labyrinth earlier. Now even larger, a massive wave of fire surged toward the altar.
She'd poured a ton of power into it—her body swayed unsteadily after casting.
But it was all for nothing.
Shiiik....
"N-no way...! Just with mana alone?!"
The flames extinguished futilely upon touching the pitch-black mist cloaking the altar.
"Sunbae! Dodge!"
"Kyaaak?!"
In response, it fired more lasers. I countered with my sword aura-infused blade, but the shockwave hurled us into the wall.
"D-damn it...!"
My body, already at its limit, screamed in protest. This thing didn't look like some early-game event boss. Mid-game at best, endgame more like.
"That magic's at least 7th circle or higher! We can't win. Aren, we have to run!"
"I'll buy time—go first, sunbae!"
"What?!"
Shiiik!
No time to explain—I issued the order and charged forward. The black orbs embedded in the four pillars around the altar swiveled toward me like eyes.
Piiyuung!
"Kuh...!"
Just slashing the incoming laser with sword aura made my hands shake. From what I'd glimpsed of its power, if it went all out, we'd have been vaporized already.
That meant the main body was still dormant—some kind of interception system was blocking us. I had to find the source controlling it.
"Kuhk...!"
Overusing mana, blood sprayed from my mouth. But I steadied myself and scanned the mist-shrouded corpse.
That instant, I spotted a red gem embedded in its chest.
Artifact!
That was it. Certain now, I mustered my last reserves to form sword aura.
Sususu...!
I slashed through the gathering mist and closed in. Thrusting my hand through a gap in the vanishing fog—aiming straight for the red gem in its chest.
Chiiik...!
"Kuh...!"
Defending its master, the black mist surged to repair. Smoke rose from my left arm where it touched, agony searing through.
I yanked it free—my fingertips numb, senseless. But no stopping now.
Taak!
I feinted a dive, then leaped into the air, escaping the mist's range.
Kururuk...!
A grotesque hand erupted from the floor toward me. I twisted aside and slashed down.
Kang!
"What...!"
But before the blade reached the chest gem, an invisible barrier blocked it.
No backing off now—there was no escape anyway.
"Kruuk...!"
Zizizik! Zizizik...!
I burned my remaining mana, strength, life itself. Fail now, and I die...!
My blazing blue sword aura bored into the barrier. A brutal standoff—on the verge of breaking, or not.
Pagak. Pagagak....
Unfortunately, my sword cracked first, sparks flying as the edge rapidly chipped away. Shards filled the air, blurring my vision—
"Arreeeeen—!"
"...?!"
A sharp cry snapped me back. Turning, I saw Siel sunbae—who I'd thought had escaped through the portal.
Whiric!
She hurled a sword I'd never seen before—must've picked it up somewhere.
At the same time, light gathered at her fingertips. I released my broken sword, kicked off the pedestal, leaped high, and caught it.
Piiyuuung—!
Sunbae's massive mana shot straight out, slamming the barrier that had blocked me.
Already weakened by my strike, it shrieked under the surprise attack.
Kang!
Like shattering glass, it crumbled into fragments.
No time to confirm—I swung the sword in my right hand down at the corpse on the altar.
Pachang!
The red gem in its chest shattered like my sword had, fragments scattering.
Wuuung....
The black lights glaring murderously from around us lost their power.
"It's... over...?"
Sunbae, staring blankly from afar, smiled in relief.
"Good... thing...!"
Plop.
She collapsed onto the steps, as if that had drained her last drop of mana.