98
098 ― Too Many Words
A sword mark that split the cliff and created a canyon. What immediately came to mind was that giant sword that had cut down the Moonlit Forest.
That sword, which the God of War had pulled from the ground and swung.
'The forest was shattered to pieces, so no sword marks remained.'
This red cliff was different. Whatever it was made of, it was much harder than the forest.
Thanks to that, the traces of the sword that the God of War had swung remained intact.
'…….'
Jin-woo looked at those traces. The sword mark that split the cliff was so massive it was hard to take in at a glance, but that made it all the more captivating.
As he examined it, an image formed in his mind. The image of that sword that had fallen in the Moonlit Forest, cutting through the cliff. Even though it was just imagination, it was as vivid as reality.
'The sword wasn't an ordinary sword either.'
That sword that had cut down the forest wasn't just a sword that was merely large. Despite being so massive, it possessed unparalleled sharpness. As if it could cut through all things in the world with just its sharp energy alone.
Perhaps that sword alone could cut through this cliff. The shock he had felt then was that significant.
But that didn't mean it had carelessly swung and cut the cliff. Tracing back the image of the sword strike revealed in the sword mark, one could tell that the skill of the one who had swung it was also at no ordinary level.
'Is this the swordsmanship skill of the God of War?'
When cutting down the Moonlit Forest, he had been too busy dodging and evacuating the Elves to properly observe.
Because of that, now in this place, he could only speculate by looking at the sword's traces, but even so, his skin tingled with excitement.
The swords of S-rank Hunters, David or Lin Shenlin, who used swords, weren't at this level. Even when facing Rona, who had taught Jin-woo sword theory, he had never felt this way.
Suddenly coming to his senses, he saw himself continuously fidgeting with his sword hilt.
He felt a sensation as if his hands were itching, along with a small trembling. Looking closely, even his body hair seemed to be standing up.
'Am I excited?'
Even he found it hard to understand his own emotions. However, if he had to express his current mood, it was close to feeling exhilaration.
Would he have felt this way if the opponent used magic or wielded a spear or axe? Probably not.
Jin-woo was a swordsman.
That's why, seeing the swordsmanship displayed by one who had reached the realm of divinity with the sword, even though it was only traces, there was something that stirred his heart.
'Right now.'
Could he cut it?
He wasn't sure, but there was no need to worry. If he swung and succeeded, it would be good, and if he failed, it would just be regrettable.
Jin-woo gripped the white gem sword he had received from Rona and swung it as his heart desired.
***
Kwaaaaaaang―!
The red cliff that blocked the world shook, and dust clouds rose up.
Kalesian, who had been breathing fire for a while, momentarily thought his attack had worked. But it wasn't so.
The part he had been attacking was perfectly fine and wasn't the source of the vibration either. It was much lower, near the ground level.
"Jin-woo! What happened!"
That was where Jin-woo was. He came down with Mahiri and headed toward Jin-woo.
The aura emanating from Jin-woo was extraordinary, and it looked like he had just finished swinging his sword. His sword was still emanating sharp energy.
And the cliff was…….
"I couldn't cut it."
Looking at the intact cliff, Jin-woo spoke with apparent regret.
In his heart, he had cut it in one stroke, but in reality, he couldn't.
What was lacking? Had he not properly absorbed the God of War's swordsmanship? Or was the sword insufficient?
'It might be both.'
It didn't seem like only one thing was the problem. He couldn't follow all of the God of War's swordsmanship just by looking at the sword marks left on the cliff, and the white gem sword he possessed was also quite lacking.
The sword Rona had given him was indeed a famous sword, but it wasn't comparable to the giant sword the God of War had used.
That sword pulled from the ground, no, from the star, was a sword of such a different caliber that words like treasure sword or famous sword couldn't fully express it.
"Were you trying to cut through the cliff?"
"Yes. I had a small realization."
Saying it was small was just modesty. What he had gained from seeing the God of War's sword mark was by no means small. It just wasn't enough to cut through the cliff like that, being had.
However, it wasn't without gain. Though cutting through the cliff had failed, there was a change.
"The barrier's entrance is broken……?"
Kalesian spoke while looking at the dark path between the cliffs. His voice contained undeniable amazement.
The barrier inside the cliff that even the dragon's eyes, being a master of magic, couldn't find a way to break. The entrance to that barrier, which operated by the laws of the Spirit Realm above, was damaged and distorted.
The energy itself was greatly disturbed, and the distortion was even visible to the naked eye.
"Shall we go in?"
"Let's go right away."
Kalesian answered without hesitation.
Since this was the first change to the cliff, there was no telling what dangers might lurk. But if he was going to hesitate here, he wouldn't have been firing breaths at the cliff in the first place.
Jin-woo seemed to have the same thought and nodded, then entered the path with Kalesian.
So the two of them, no, three, including Mahiri, entered between the cliffs, leaving only one light cluster outside.
[ Just now that was……. ]
He had been watching everything Jin-woo was doing from the side.
Just figuring out that the path between the cliffs was a sword mark made by the God of War was already amazing. Knowing that meant his skill, or at least his insight, had reached the Spirit Realm.
But what came next? He couldn't help but be shocked that he directly swung the sword realization he had learned through the sword mark.
A being from the lower world, and not even an immortal being or member of a long-lived race, but a young human understanding a divine being's sword? Just from looking at the traces left by the sword?
[ Impossible. ]
That was impossible. It wasn't something that could happen. It wasn't a level that an ordinary being could reach in less than 100 years of life.
Then there must be something extraordinary about him.
[ Come to think of it.. These Hunters from Earth are said to recall memories of past lives. ]
He recalled the stories he had heard from the bee before. From small common knowledge about Earth to its current history. He had heard many stories and remembered them all.
Among them, what was particularly impressive was that beings who awakened to become Hunters recalled memories of past lives. For those with high cultivation, there were even cases where their current life was consumed by their past life memories.
Souls reincarnate, flowing all their memories into the River of Oblivion before being born anew. For those memories to surface meant going against the River of Oblivion.
Jin-woo was also such a Hunter.
[ Who exactly are you? ]
That was the same question the God of Sky, who had once descended to Earth, had about Jin-woo.
What was his identity? No, what had it been?
Having the insight to see a divine being's sword meant his past life was also a being equal to or greater than a divine being.
Perhaps among those who had descended from the Spirit Realm long ago, there was his past life. That thought occurred to him.
***
Sunlight barely reached the path between the high cliffs.
In that dark place, Jin-woo was about to take out a lantern. However, Kalesian stopped him and lit a fire above his head to illuminate the surroundings.
"Keep your hands always ready to draw your sword. I'll provide the light for visibility."
"Understood."
Indeed, in the heart of enemy territory, one couldn't seal off one's hand by holding a lantern.
So with the fire lit, they walked along the straight path ahead. As they walked, the light cluster came chasing from behind a bit late.
"Where were you?"
[ I had something to think about for a moment. It's personal, so you don't need to worry about it. ]
The light cluster spoke with what seemed like a bright smile. Of course, that was just the tone, not that an actual expression was visible.
[ More importantly, did you find anything? ]
At his question, Jin-woo shook his head.
"Nothing much so far. It's just a path."
Though they hadn't walked for long yet, there was nothing special. A dark path where light didn't reach. That was all.
"In a way, it's natural. If they had set something up on this path, there would be no need to have deployed a barrier in the first place."
Kalesian's words also made sense. Since they had entered the path by twisting the barrier's entrance, it would be difficult to find anything special.
It was the same as the room in the Temple of Sky where the divine artifact had been. The barrier deployed there had been special, but after the barrier was broken, the room was just a room.
And probably, just like the Temple of Sky, there was a high possibility that a divine artifact would be at the end of this path, too.
'I don't know if all the divine artifacts that bastard stole will be there.'
The God of War was robbing divine artifacts from various gods and using them as a means to descend himself.
He didn't know if all those divine artifacts were stored here, but there should be at least one.
If he could steal that, that bastard's descent would be delayed considerably.
"But there really is nothing here."
"Tsk. I thought there would be something……."
Kalesian clicked his tongue and spoke with apparent disappointment. From his tone, he seemed to have been hoping for precious treasures or such.
But forget treasures, there weren't even buildings or decorations. Just an empty path shrouded in darkness.
They went quite deep like that. The cliff itself was so massive that it was impossible to know how deep they had gone. It was right then that Jin-woo detected flames.
'These flames are…….'
Black flames. And if it wasn't a mistake, they were in a form he had seen before.
"As expected, it was you, Jin-woo."
What greeted him with a vicious smile was the healer they had met in the 3rd floor, Bertus.
Unlike the past when he wore neat priest-like clothing, now it was torn here and there with wounds as well. His eyes were bloodshot with red, and his already large muscles throughout his body were pumped up even more.
He looked like he had been fighting until just moments ago, but there was no other being around besides him.
"Bertus. So you were here after all. Are you guarding a divine artifact?"
"……."
"You're not denying it."
Seeing Jin-woo point his sword at him, Bertus's smile deepened. His eyes were filled with the same thrill of battle he had shown before.
"I'm delighted. That I can reunite with you in this form."
Jin-woo, who came to find the divine artifact, and himself who guards it. Could there be a situation where they could fight more sincerely now?
Bertus was pleased with this. Just playing at fighting wouldn't satisfy him. A fight where both sides stake what they cannot yield and throw away their lives. That's what he wanted, and his god had granted that wish.
"Come at me. I will……."
Bertus, who was preparing for battle, couldn't finish his words. Because.
Kwaaaaaaa―!
Kalesian had suddenly blasted him with a breath attack from beside Jin-woo.
"Hmph, an Orc talks too much."
Kalesian snorted while looking at Bertus, who was swept away by the torrent of light.