Episode 13: Dungeon (2)
The inside of the dungeon was entirely different from its shabby exterior.
A massive pillar stretched across the center, and the marble floor replicated the grandeur of an ancient temple.
Elegant patterns engraved throughout the space exuded a sacred aura that enveloped the entire area.
If it had been a skeleton lair, it would’ve been different, but this was a double dungeon.
“This is nice. I feel refreshed.” Cheon Yeoul said softly, taking a small breath.
Her expression softened, and her face glowed with a gentle radiance.
Her hair shimmered as if it were woven silk, gleaming with vitality.
This dungeon—or should it even be called a dungeon?
This was the legendary tomb of Iano, a famous Japanese shrine maiden.
About five years ago, Japan had been thrown into chaos.
It was because Iano’s will, left behind during her lifetime, had been discovered. Its content was as follows:
“A fake for the homeland, the real one for a foreign land.”
According to the will, she had left a fake tomb in Japan out of fear of grave robbers and hidden the real one deep in the mountains of an unknown foreign country.
Her prediction turned out to be correct. The fake tomb in Japan was looted not long after.
The problem was the truth revealed by the will.
The tomb Japan had guarded for centuries turned out to be fake.
Japan, guided by the will, searched the world for her real tomb but ultimately failed.
And now, that tomb was right before my eyes.
“What rank was it?” I asked Cheon Yeoul.
Iano hadn’t simply hidden her tomb in a foreign land but had disguised it as a dungeon, securely concealing it.
Only those with sufficient divine power could access it, the minimum requirement being the third rank.
However, the aura Cheon Yeoul had emitted earlier didn’t seem to match that of a third-rank priestess.
“Well… I’m definitely third rank,” Cheon Yeoul replied, tilting her head and placing a finger to her lips.
“Why? Does it not seem that way?”
She countered my question with a relaxed smile.
I glanced around the dungeon once more.
This was a double dungeon. Normally, it should’ve been filled with intricate puzzles and challenges.
‘It’s too clean.’
The marble floor didn’t have a speck of dust, and paths that should’ve been winding and confusing stretched out in straight lines.
This kind of scene only occurred in games when you used cheats or brought in priests of seventh rank or higher.
A typical third-rank priestess wouldn’t stand a chance.
‘… Could it be possible?’
We did use the highest-grade holy water—something my mentor cherished deeply and an extremely valuable resource.
And Cheon Yeoul wasn’t an ordinary priestess. Even if she was third rank, the amount and quality of her divine power were far beyond the norm.
It was, in fact, a good thing. It really was. But still…
“I memorized everything…”
Last night, before going to bed, I had memorized all the strategies and puzzles.
Now that I couldn’t use them, I felt a pang of regret.
“It’s fascinating. Who would’ve thought something like this was hidden behind such a small dungeon?” Cheon Yeoul remarked casually, looking around the surroundings.
We walked down the straight path as if a red carpet had been laid out for us.
At the end of the path stood a massive door, firmly shut.
The distance was considerable, and this path should’ve been filled with countless traps and puzzles.
‘Lucky me.’
I decided to forget my foolishness from earlier.
“How did you know?”
As we walked, Cheon Yeoul asked.
“You seemed to know everything, even bringing holy water along.”
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at me.
It was a fair question. I turned my head slightly and gave her the answer I had prepared in advance.
“This is Iano’s tomb.”
“Really?”
Cheon Yeoul’s eyes widened slightly.
She seemed familiar with Iano’s story as well.
“While going through some old texts, I found records of Iano visiting Taebaek in the past.”
In fact, Japan had even searched this area but ultimately failed to find anything.
“Taebaek is imbued with sacred energy because of its mountain ranges. An undead dungeon didn’t make sense. So, I figured it might be here.”
Cheon Yeoul nodded, listening attentively to my explanation.
“Well, 90% of it was luck.”
Cheon Yeoul chuckled softly.
“So humble.”
As our conversation came to an end, we arrived at the massive door.
The sight before us once again took my breath away.
Once all the traps are overcome, this door opens automatically.
-Thuuud…
It seemed we were being treated as if we had cleared all the traps.
The enormous door began to open slowly with a majestic sound.
As soon as it opened, a soft, warm breeze flowed out from within, carrying a faint floral scent.
“Wow…”
A gasp of awe escaped my lips.
The scenery beyond the door was like an entirely different world.
There stood a house brimming with Eastern charm.
Its roof was covered in black tiles, its pillars were painted red, and its neatly trimmed garden were all perfectly harmonious.
Beside the house, a massive cherry blossom tree towered high enough to block the sky.
The swirling petals fell like snow, adding to the serene atmosphere.
“The mood has completely changed.” Cheon Yeoul said, looking around in amazement.
This tomb was modeled after Iano’s childhood home.
And in the center of the yard stood a gigantic statue.
It depicted a knight clad in armor, standing beside a sword planted firmly in the ground. The figure looked like a guardian, resolutely protecting the place.
It felt as though we had entered a space beyond time, where everything existed in perfect harmony.
As we admired the tomb’s scenery,
-Bang!!!!
The massive door behind us slammed shut as if it would break.
“Up ahead!”
Cheon Yeoul shouted.
The towering statue before us began to move, as if it had come to life.
I instinctively stepped back to create some distance.
The statue, with heavy, ground-shaking steps, pulled the sword from the ground and pointed it menacingly at us.
“… This is a place where past, present, and future hold no distinction.”
A red light flickered between the visor of its helmet.
The giant sword shifted its aim slowly, pointing directly at Cheon Yeoul.
“Are you… worthy?”
The energy emanating from its sword rippled, encircling Cheon Yeoul.
It felt as though the very air around us was trembling.
The statue’s red eyes briefly dimmed before it spoke again, its voice slow and deliberate.
“… Worthiness acknowledged.”
“You have a Good eye.” Cheon Yeoul replied nonchalantly.
Even her jest didn’t faze the statue in the slightest. Instead, it turned its sword toward me.
It wasn’t surprising that she, a candidate for the next Saintess, was acknowledged.
But the real problem was me.
“Are you… worthy?”
This time, the energy wrapped around me.
I gripped the spear at my waist tightly.
It seemed the time to fight had come.
“Prepare for battle.”
I muttered softly, and Cheon Yeoul gave me a slight nod.
“If that’s what you want.”
She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, beginning to pray.
The statue would likely swing that massive sword down at any moment.
My muscles tensed, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.
“… Worthiness acknowledged.”
“…What?”
The statue lowered its sword and, with the red glow fading from its eyes, continued to speak.
‘What is this?’
The statue began to utter cryptic words.
“Bearer of a burden defying the heavens, have you finally laid it down…?”
Heaven? Burden?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.
Normally, you fight the statue, defeat it, and earn its recognition. That was the standard script.
“And you who now share that burden…”
Cheon Yeoul slowly opened her eyes.
“… Feel its weight.”
-CRACK!
As the statue finished speaking, it raised its massive sword and sliced itself in half.
Like a cracked stone, it crumbled slowly, revealing shining objects within.
“…Okay.” Cheon Yeoul murmured quietly.
“I’ll feel it.”
Her expression carried a sense of resolve.
On the pedestal where the statue had stood lay a cross and a transparent bottle.
I slowly approached the spot.
The shimmering cross and the liquid inside the bottle caught my eye.
The cross was Iano’s, imbued with divine power beyond imagination.
The other was a legendary elixir.
It was said to forcibly expand one’s mana channels and enhance efficiency to the absolute extreme—a mythical substance rarely spoken of outside of legends.
The cross, I had planned to give to Cheon Yeoul.
The elixir, I intended for Sung Siwoo.
And if one were to convert the value of these relics into monetary terms…
‘Impossible.’
Their worth was simply beyond calculation.
“What a shame. I should’ve requested a share.” Cheon Yeoul remarked nonchalantly.
I picked up the cross, pondering for a moment.
‘Should I give it to her now?’
Even if she accepted the divine power of the cross, it would take time for her to fully absorb it.
It would be simpler to hand it over here and now. Once we left, the association would undoubtedly get involved and delay things.
Having made up my mind, I held the cross out to her.
“Take it. I didn’t expect a reward like this either.”
“Honestly, without you, I might not have made it this far.”
Hearing my words, a momentary tenderness flashed across her face.
But she quickly shook her head, replacing it with her signature mischievous smile.
“That’s nice, but want me to tell you an even better idea?”
She leaned in close, speaking in a low voice.
“Let’s sell this to our temple for a fortune.”
Then, she whispered in my ear.
“Anyway, the church would’ve given it to me no matter what.”
She stepped back with an alluring smile.
“What do you think?”
…Genius.
The idea was so unexpected that I was momentarily speechless.
“…Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
She nodded with a bright smile.
In the end, I put both the cross and the elixir into my bag.
“What about the elixir? You’re going to use it, right?”
“No, I have someone to use it on.”
I planned to give it to Sung Siwoo. It would give wings to his already exceptional mana capacity.
“…I see.”
Cheon Yeoul nodded, and the two of us walked toward the dungeon entrance.
“Wait.”
Suddenly, she grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.
“There’s a chance it could be dangerous, right? Let me hold onto the elixir. I’ll evaluate it.”
I knew it wasn’t dangerous, but her suggestion made sense.
Nodding, I carefully pulled the elixir out of my bag.
“Don’t open the cap. The effect might dissipate.”
As long as the cap stayed sealed, the condensed energy would remain intact. But if the cap was removed, the elixir had to be consumed immediately, or its power would vanish.
I handed the elixir to her cautiously and turned to continue walking.
-Pop
…?
What was that?
Startled by the sound of the cap opening, I quickly turned around.
-Thunk
And she promptly shoved the elixir into my mouth.
“Mm!”
-Gulp
The fiery liquid slid down my throat, spreading a scorching heat.
She held me tightly from behind and spoke.
“There you go… good. Drink it all.”
An uncontrollable surge of energy exploded within me.
My legs went weak, and I couldn’t stand without leaning against her.
“Yes, that’s right, my sweet little Haein. You’re being so good.” she whispered softly into my ear.
“Why don’t you rest in my arms… sleep soundly until you wake up?”
In that instant, the torrent of mana rushing through my body overwhelmed me, and my mind started to fade.
It was a sign that the elixir’s effects had begun to circulate.
-Hmph. Do you even realize how precious this is? And you were going to give it to someone else…
Her voice echoed faintly as my consciousness slipped away.