Arkys Great Labyrinth (1)
"Hmm, well."
Eunhyeon stopped in his tracks and smiled at Elenoa.
"It's a trade secret."
"...Are you messing with me right now?"
It was utterly infuriating how he put on that expression while withholding the most crucial detail.
"Halt! State your identity!"
"I am Elenoa Armitas of the Armitas Ducal House."
Elenoa pulled the ducal crest from her bosom and showed it to the guards manning the city gates.
"Th-the lady of the ducal house? Why are you out at this hour...?"
"I'm pursuing a criminal who fled in secret. Please keep this confidential."
"Ah, understood! But... is that man your only attendant?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"No, it's just..."
The guard glanced at Eunhyeon.
He wore no ordinary armor or gear—just a versatile travel backpack slung over his shoulders, which struck them as odd. Typically, a duke's daughter would have at least one escort knight, but Eunhyeon looked less like a bodyguard and more like a pack mule. It was no wonder they found it strange.
Unless she was a combat-class like a swordswoman, but everyone in the capital—even commoners—knew Elenoa was a priestess, a non-combat class.
For such a priestess to venture beyond the gates with only a porter? It didn't make sense to the guard.
"It's fine."
"Yes, understood."
But what could he say if she insisted it was? The guard nodded reluctantly despite his uneasy expression.
After passing inspection, the two left the capital and walked through the forest in silence, exchanging no words.
In the lingering quiet, Elenoa spoke first.
"Are you really okay with this?"
"With what?"
"You don't even have a weapon."
"No need to worry."
"What do you... Ah!"
Eunhyeon reached into empty air, and suddenly a sword materialized in his hand.
Elenoa's eyes widened in shock at the blade appearing from nowhere.
"M-magic?"
"Something like that."
Come to think of it, back in the abandoned warehouse when Elvin had threatened his life, Eunhyeon had saved her with a sword that seemed to come out of thin air.
"What kind of magic?"
"Trade secret."
"Aren't you using that line too much?"
Elenoa grumbled, but Eunhyeon just gave a wry smile without responding.
In truth, this ability wasn't magic—it was one of the divine authorities granted to him by the goddess herself. How could he even begin to explain that convincingly?
"I've always been curious about your true identity."
"And?"
"Among foreigners—not kingdom citizens—I've heard of people with unusual names like yours."
"..."
Eunhyeon faltered mid-step in the forest.
"Are you a descendant of the ancients?"
The ancients referred to a minority ethnic group that played a pivotal role in driving out the demonkin during the war between humanity and demons, before Arkena's history truly began.
After the war known as the Void Age ended, the surviving ancients migrated to the continent, settled down, and preserved their bloodlines and traditions amid its societies.
One hallmark of the ancients was their short names like his.
Even among ancients, cultures varied—some prefixed surnames to meaningful syllables, while legends claimed each letter in their names held distinct significance.
Encountering ancient descendants on the continent wasn't impossible, but exceedingly rare. Elenoa realized the man walking beside her was an even rarer specimen, still using the ancient naming convention with "Eunhyeon" after four centuries.
"You know about the ancients, then."
"Your name is so unique. It wasn't hard to look into."
Even so, she couldn't have imagined he was the last survivor of "Earth," having lived over four hundred years from before its destruction.
"I wanted to talk to you."
"Talk?"
"Why you saved me and my family. What you're thinking. What you want. I have so many questions about you."
Was that why she'd insisted on accompanying him?
"Sorry, I don't really follow..."
Eunhyeon suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"Lady Elenoa. Is the tracking artifact still pointing this way?"
"Yes."
"You said it follows the traces of Lord Alex's mana and guides us."
"So?"
"Meaning we're chasing the mana residue he left behind..."
Essentially, following his footsteps.
"We don't know Lord Alex's exact current position."
In other words, no firm info on where he was—or if he was even alive.
"Why ask that all of a sudden?"
"Just a thought while walking this way."
Eunhyeon shook his head and resumed walking. Elenoa followed, puzzled by his furrowed brow and dissatisfied look.
Girl? Something bothering you?
It's... there's an undiscovered dungeon ahead in this direction.
So?
Doesn't it feel off? Given the circumstances, if she took three knights and mages as escorts, the princess might have planned for combat from the start—possibly heading to that 'undiscovered dungeon.'
Hmm, true...
And even stranger: where did she get info on an 'undiscovered' dungeon that even the kingdom and guild haven't found?
Verdandi hummed thoughtfully, nodding at Eunhyeon's point.
How had Princess Yuria known of a dungeon undiscovered by kingdom or guild and gone there?
Hoping she didn't, but...
Eunhyeon sighed inwardly, praying Yuria's runaway wasn't tied to that dungeon.
"Hold up."
"Yes? What... Hey!"
Mid-forest path, Eunhyeon stopped and raised a hand to signal halt.
He suddenly grabbed Elenoa's hand and pulled her into the underbrush.
Stunned by his abrupt action, she started to protest but fell silent at his serious gaze fixed in one direction.
"Kobolds. Nine of them. Moving in a pack."
"You can... see them?"
Elenoa squinted, barely making out shapes, her face incredulous.
Eunhyeon observed the wolf-like bipedal beasts prowling for prey, then acted.
"I'll handle them."
"All nine, just us two?"
"I'll do it alone."
"Nine kobolds by yourself?! That's too..."
Before she finished, Eunhyeon moved like lightning.
He summoned his sword, gripped it, and charged.
Kruk?
The kobolds looked up at the rustling footsteps closing in—but it was too late.
Eunhyeon had already beheaded the nearest one.
Krurruk!
Seeing their kin's headless body tumble, the kobolds bristled and lunged at Eunhyeon.
With Sense already active since the fight began, their attacks posed little threat.
As the lead kobold leaped, jaws wide, Eunhyeon thrust his arm into its maw.
It bit eagerly, smug at the "foolish" prey, clamping down to tear flesh.
Kring?
But its teeth met resistance on his forearm—like biting steel.
Some invisible barrier blocked it; the kobold's fangs couldn't pierce Eunhyeon's mana-reinforced body.
Eunhyeon seized the moment of confusion, yanking his arm upward. The kobold flew airborne, impaled through the gut on his sword. It convulsed in death throes.
He withdrew the blade, then kicked a kobold charging his leg.
Kiiing!
The kobold sailed skyward, knocked out cold from the devastating blow.
Having slain three kin in seconds, the remaining kobolds hesitated, halting their reckless charge.
Krurrng.
They growled fiercely, glaring murderously, but held position against the silver-haired human radiating unknown menace.
Their wild instincts screamed: Attack now, and die.
"Better instincts than expected."
He'd planned to kill one more, but clicked his tongue inwardly at their wariness.
Unlike his assumption of blind instinct, they'd learned caution from their dead.
No need for authorities at this level.
He muttered calmly.
"If you won't come, I'll go to you."
Eunhyeon sprang forward. The kobolds couldn't react to his speed; the front one fell to his blade.
Realizing too late again, they grasped their reversal: they weren't the hunters—they were the hunted.
Their faces paled.
"Long road ahead. Better finish quick."
Krr, krurruk!
Fury in their eyes turned to fear. They backed away, momentum broken—but Eunhyeon noticed.
Sweeping his sword, he cut them down. Survival instinct overtook them; with only three left, they fled.
"Where to."
Spotting the escape, he summoned daggers and hurled them at their legs.
Kruk!
One hit. He summoned more, crippling the rest.
Thus, he exterminated all nine.
"My god..."
Watching from afar, Elenoa stared dumbstruck, mouth agape.
Even low-tier beasts, nine kobolds in a pack—dispatching them in under five minutes was astonishing.
"Cracir squad level or higher... Stronger than Brother, maybe even..."
She imagined knight captain tier, but as a swordsmanship novice, couldn't gauge precisely.
Recalling kingdom knights, she compared: possible for them, but his one-strike kills, speed, and youth made it phenomenal.
She'd known his skill from the Elvin fight, but chaos then left no room for assessment.
Now, observing fully, she truly felt his prowess.
"You can come out!"
Eunhyeon waved, shouting. Elenoa approached cautiously.
He dragged three fleeing kobold corpses, piled them with the rest, and began dismantling with a dagger.
"What... are you doing?"