Chapter 57: Dungeon of the Alchemist (2) |
“Hold on. We should change our formation.”
“Huh? Oh. Yes. How…?”
“Single file, behind me. Each of you, grab the hem of the person’s clothes in front of you. Once you grab on, you must not let go.”
Normally, they might have questioned why, but this time, they moved as soon as the words left my mouth. After a brief shuffle, I felt An Sol, who had secured the spot right behind me, grin as she firmly gripped the back of my shirt. I had a pretty good idea why they were suddenly moving so swiftly.
After confirming that An Sol, Yu-jeong, and An Hyeon were lined up behind me in that order, I continued in a calm voice.
“The space we’re about to enter is called a Pathfinding Barrier. If you take even one wrong step, our paths might split from one another. So never, and I mean never, let go. It would be best if you can step exactly in my footprints. And… no, that’s all. Let’s go.”
I had wanted to add that they shouldn’t be surprised no matter what happened, but I deliberately held my tongue. Even I couldn’t predict what kind of scene would unfold before us. Composing myself, I took a slow step forward.
The others followed my instructions diligently, though I could occasionally feel their questioning gazes. I kept The Third Eye active and proceeded cautiously.
One step. Two steps. Three steps… My eyes were fixed on the ground to follow the tracks, but I could feel that I was heading in the right direction. The grass surrounding us was regaining its original, brilliant luster. The occasional gasps of awe from behind me reinforced my confidence.
How much time had passed?
“Phew. You can let go now.”
We had completely entered the barrier and arrived at our destination. After nearly forty minutes of tracking, the strange, otherworldly air around us seemed to have vanished. I let out a breath and noticed a hand was still clutching my shirt. It was quite annoying how it would occasionally tug at the fabric.
I turned my head slightly and grabbed the back of Sol’s hand to get her to let go. A soft, warm sensation spread through my palm. When I took her hand, An Sol looked up at me with a startled expression before her face turned a shade of pink. I was just trying to get her to let go because it was distracting…
She twisted her hand to grasp mine, refusing to let go. After I forcibly pried her fingers away, I gestured for the others to come closer. Seeing my signal, Hyeon and Yu-jeong quickly gathered by my side. They were all just staring at my face blankly, so I pulled them further in.
“Whoa…”
An Hyeon let out a gasp as he stared at the old marble castle standing tall before us. When I pointed forward, Sol and Yu-jeong also stared at the castle with dazed expressions. After seeing nothing but the gloomy forest, the sight of a castle surrounded by brilliantly colored vegetation seemed to have left them speechless.
After a moment of silent admiration, An Hyeon spoke, his voice filled with awe.
“This castle is…”
“I believe it’s the Dungeon of the Ancient Alchemist Vivian… though we'll only know for sure once we go inside.”
Seeing their dumbfounded faces, I felt a swell of pride. I had agonized over which unique ability to choose. I had selected The Third Eye over countless other incredible powers because I believed it would be the most versatile and efficient ability in Hall Plain. In the past, finding a cave or a dungeon had been an ordeal no matter how hard I tried, but now, finding one with just a sliver of information made me feel I had truly made the right choice.
“Hyeong… I never thought you’d actually find it.”
“I didn’t know either. I just followed the tracks and my gut… Beginner’s luck, I guess.”
Hyeon’s eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at me. I replied humbly. He was already this surprised, but what would he do when he realized this would happen every time I decided to go exploring? Still, this wasn't a time for pure celebration. They were all marveling at the peaceful scenery now, but I knew better than anyone just how hellish it was inside.
“Heehee. Su-hyeon, the castle is so pretty! When you said ‘dungeon,’ I was picturing some weird, gloomy place.”
You’re right. That’s what you’ll find if you go inside and head downstairs. I answered Yu-jeong’s mumble silently. I didn’t want to ruin the mood just yet. An Sol also spoke up, her face full of excitement.
“It feels like I’m looking at a real fortress. Something I’ve only ever seen in movies…”
As Sol spoke with a dreamy look in her eyes, I saw a flicker of bitterness cross Hyeon’s face. I didn’t know why, but it seemed the word “movies” was the trigger.
Yu-jeong looked like she was itching to go inside. With an excited bounce in her step, she moved ahead and urged me forward. The kids who had been so dejected just a moment ago had completely changed their tune with a simple change of scenery. They were quite moody, it seemed.
“You’re amazing, Su-hyeon. I swear this castle wasn’t here when we passed by before. How on earth did you find this?”
“Who knows. I guess I’m just lucky.”
“Aww, come on. I know you’re always reading those records and stuff. You really did pluck a star from the sky, didn’t you?”
I gave a faint smile at Yu-jeong’s words. Kim Han-byeol suddenly popped into my mind. I didn’t know what she was doing now, but if she had come with us… I shook my head. She would have nagged me relentlessly if it were just the two of us.
In any case, it was too early to relax. No, it wasn’t just early; things were just getting started. As I started walking toward the castle, the others hurriedly followed behind me.
“Wait a moment.”
I stopped in front of the castle gate. There were definitely tracks leading inside, which meant the caravan that had discovered this dungeon had already entered. This time, however, I could make out a total of five sets of footprints. They either started with five people, or one of them died on the way here. I tilted my head for a moment, then carefully pushed open the door blocking our path.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Whew.”
“Ooh…”
We had finally entered the long-awaited castle. Upon stepping inside, the others were too busy craning their necks to take in the interior. The castle’s circular lobby could hardly be described as tidy. Broken chairs and shattered windows were scattered everywhere. It had an antiquated charm, but contrary to its exterior, a slightly eerie aura lingered in the air.
Still, the white marble ceiling was a sight to behold. A massive circular dome supported by marble pillars, it bore a striking resemblance to a European church in some ways.
“What the…? But there are no treasures or monsters. Did someone already clean the place out?”
“…”
Did you think it would be that easy? At Yu-jeong’s disappointed remark, I briefly touched my forehead and then raised my other arm to point toward the center of the room. On the floor in the direction I was pointing was a wooden door with an iron ring handle, set flush with the ground.
“Ooh, a secret base.”
“…It’s a door to the dungeon. How old are you, calling it a secret base…”
“Hmph. Same difference. You’re always picking on me.”
It seemed finding the castle had gotten her excited again. A moment ago, she was like a puppy with its tail between its legs, but now she was starting to get cheeky again. I decided to let it slide for now and took a step back.
The original meaning of ‘dungeon’ is an underground prison. The absence of monsters in the lobby was surprising, if anything, but it wasn't completely incomprehensible. Either there were no monsters here to begin with, or the caravan that entered before us had already dealt with them. Given the lack of bodies or any signs of a battle, the former seemed more likely.
“So, we just go in through here?”
“That’s right. We didn’t come all this way just to look at the outside and leave.”
I gave a simple nod and grabbed the handle. It looked quite heavy, but it was no match for my Strength stat, which was approaching 94. With a single heave, the door creaked open with a grating sound. A large, square hole now gaped in the floor.
“It doesn’t look too deep. I’ll go first, so follow me one by one.”
After speaking, I immediately jumped down. The faintly visible floor below rushed up to meet me, and I landed with a soft thud. Seeing that I had landed without issue, Hyeon and Yu-jeong nodded to each other and jumped in together.
Another thud echoed as dust billowed up. An Hyeon, with his naturally high physical stats, looked unfazed. Yu-jeong, however, was kneeling on one knee, clutching her foot. Thinking the worst, I approached her, and she looked up with a pained expression.
“Ugh… I landed wrong.”
Hyeon and I sighed in unison as we looked at the miserable Yu-jeong. I glanced up and saw Sol still hesitating at the edge. She faltered for a moment, but Hyeon’s words—“If you stay up there alone, a ghost will get you”—made her shut her eyes and jump. It seemed she hated the idea of being alone. I watched as she leaped gracefully… wait, she closed her eyes?
“Catch me!”
Sol screamed as she descended, her eyes squeezed shut. Hyeon and I just stared at each other blankly, tilting our heads. Yu-jeong shot us an exasperated look and sighed. Who was she to be sighing?
Splat!
“Kyaa!”
There was the sound of something soft being crushed. With a short scream, Sol landed unceremoniously on the floor. She rubbed her sore bottom a few times, then looked up at us with a face full of betrayal. It seemed she never imagined that no one would actually catch her.
As I watched Sol pout at us, I felt a sense of unease. She had landed on her butt, but the sound wasn’t a thud; it was a soft, squishing noise. I quickly circulated my mana to enhance my vision. And…