C158
Currently, the Sky Eating Water had 53% of the seal unlocked. With the situation where the Super Rock and Wind seals hadn't been released, Cale didn't feel the need to unlock the water seal any further.
"Rather, it's necessary to unlock the Fire Power for purification."
Or maybe, the Indestructible Shield. Cale wanted to focus on purification and defense. The attack, at this moment, had many people willing to help him.
"Young Master-nim?"
Chief Eunuch Wi called out to Cale curiously as he approached the shelves, then opened his mouth as he saw Cale's tense expression.
Of course, Cale was excited inside.
"Do you sense something there?"
Cale hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, I feel that there's something behind this shelf."
He simply patted the shelf for fun.
-Sniff.
The Sky Eating Water reacted by sniffing. It's not that she couldn't speak; it's just that her way of communicating was unique.
-Yes. Though I don't know what it is, I feel energy there.
Cale's heart raced, but he acted calmly and composed, trying not to show it.
She says she doesn't know what it is... Could it be a treasure?!
'Finally, in the midst of the Central Plains and the Murim World, I was finding a treasure for myself!'
Cale, who had been using everything others had given him, was excited at the prospect of finding his first treasure with his own hands.
Of course, he also thought about the possibility that the owner of this object might be the Lord of Sichuan.
In that case, there were two possibilities.
If the Lord of Sichuan is a member of the Blood Cult, I can take it without any problems.
If not...
'I'll have to report it to the Emperor.'
Cale began to calmly think about the current situation.
"Young Master, could you take a look there?"
"Since you say so, then I'll check it out."
A secret space in the study where the Lord of Sichuan resides.
Chief Eunuch Wi felt his heart growing even heavier. He had a feeling that he would soon discover a great secret.
"It seems like there's something behind this shelf."
Cale touched the shelf and looked at the others.
They also had expectant expressions, especially Choi Jung Soo and Sui Khan. In contrast, Ron and Beacrox seemed uninterested and were, in fact, urging Chief Eunuch Wi.
"Where should we prepare tea?"
"Eh?"
Chief Eunuch Wi was surprised. In this situation, were they trying to prepare tea?
Cale spoke to him calmly.
"I'd like it a bit sweet."
"Ah, yes."
"I'll be checking this, so don't worry."
After Cale said that, Chief Eunuch Wi finally led Beacrox and Ron out of the study.
At that moment, Cale saw Ron smiling kindly at him.
"They work really well together, don't they?"
The Team Leader chuckled, as if he were excited. Then, he quickly approached and tapped the shelf that Cale was touching.
"It definitely seems like there's something behind this shelf."
"Yes."
"Should I cut it?"
"Yes."
Cale stepped back and pointed with his hand.
"There, just cut it to the size I indicated."
"Understood."
It was no issue for Sui Khan, who had the ability to cut anything.
Slash, slash~
Every time he made a cut, the shelf was cleanly sliced.
When Choi Jung Soo quickly approached and pulled the door, Sui Khan took the opportunity to reach into the space he had created and pull on the shelf.
Zzzzip~
There was a strange sound.
"It definitely looks like there's something."
Lee Soo Hyuk found a device attached to the shelf, a fairly sturdy piece of metal that he pierced with his sword.
Slash, slash.
After a few cuts, the device separated completely. A slight smile appeared on Choi Jung Soo's lips.
"It reminds me of when we used to raid illegal guilds in the past."
There was no response to his murmur. Sui Khan simply shrugged and stepped back. Soon, Choi Jung Soo pulled the door harder, and the space behind it appeared before Cale's eyes.
It was a staircase leading downward.
Choi Jung Soo asked with a firm voice.
"Shall we go together?"
Cale looked at him with astonishment.
'He's excited.'
Cale smiled as he saw Choi Jung Soo's excited expression.
"Eh? Shouldn't we go together? I'll take the lead!"
Cale's expression became even more astonished.
Meanwhile, the Team Leader's laughter was heard.
"I'll be waiting here."
The Team Leader sat back in a relaxed manner in a chair and watched the two of them.
"I'll stay here too."
For some reason, Choi Han decided not to follow them. Cale felt puzzled, but seeing Choi Jung Soo's pleased smile, he guessed what he was thinking. It seemed that the Team Leader was on the same page.
"Yes, yes. Have a good time."
Choi Jung Soo, who couldn't look at Choi Han-uel, burst out in response to those words.
"Have a good time? We might be heading to a dangerous place right now!"
The Team Leader laughed.
"You're going, Raon is going, and Cale is going too. Danger? Is this the Blood Cult?"
"...I can't argue with you."
Choi Jung Soo muttered as he looked at Cale.
"Shall we go, then?"
He got excited then.
"Human, let's hurry!"
Raon, who deactivated his invisibility, joined in.
Cale closed his eyes for a moment.
For some reason, he didn't feel like they were going to find treasure, but it seemed like he was taking a young Dragon and a bigger annoying guy to have some fun.
-Sniff.
But Cale decided to ignore that feeling.
The Sky Eating Water.
She emitted a sniff and then heard a voice behind it.
-It seems delicious.
The Indestructible Shield. The Glutton Priestess spoke for the first time in a long while.
Something must be pulling her down.
"Alright. Let's go."
Cale began walking down the underground stairs, with Choi Jung Soo and Raon in tow.
That's how Cale advanced into the endless darkness.
---------
But it wasn't dark thanks to Raon.
Paat~
A bright light, created by Magic, illuminated the stairs.
It was as if it were broad daylight.
"Magic is the best after all."
There was nothing more comfortable than Magic.
"No traps or anything, just stairs?"
Choi Jung Soo, who was leading the way, looked ahead as he walked.
Cale simply continued walking without worry.
'Is it okay, though?'
Suddenly, memories of days gone by came to mind.
'Those were very difficult days.'
He remembered his past, where he did all sorts of things for money and survival. It was a busy time in his life. Although he was still busy now, he was glad to have a group of people he could use. Otherwise, he would have eliminated all the Hunters and other nuisances and secluded himself in the Henituse Territory.
-Sniff.
The Sky Eating Water still seemed to be smelling something.
-Eh?
Eh?
Suddenly, it reacted differently.
Cale stopped walking.
"Oh. I can see the end. It was almost three floors deep."
Choi Jung Soo reached the stairs first.
"Eh?"
Then, he tilted his head with a strange expression.
"Why are you so picky, Choi Jung Soo?"
Raon quickly flew and stood next to Choi Jung Soo.
Eh?
Then, he also tilted his head in the same way. Choi Jung Soo and Raon looked at Cale at the same time.
"Is there something strange here?"
"Human, where's the treasure?"
Cale considered the possibility of simply turning around and going back. But he couldn't do it.
-This feels good.
The Sky Eating Water spoke with an excited voice.
Of course, Cale only wanted to turn around. However, he continued to descend slowly.
"Human, why are you so slow? Hurry up!"
And when he finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Cale saw an entrance to a small cave that could barely be called a door. Inside that space, he saw a large cavern. It was a space with a height of almost two stories.
"...There's nothing here."
There was no trace of treasures or potions within that place. It was completely empty.
"Does this make sense?"
Cale entered the cave, with an expression of disbelief on his face.
"How boring this has become!"
He didn't even bother to look at Choi Jung Soo's disappointed expression.
-Sniff.
Because he could still hear the Sky Eating Water smelling something.
'There must be something.'
Cale had come this far and couldn't stop now.
Then...
Step, step.
Footsteps were heard descending the stairs. Not one. Several.
Cale realized it was a group coming down and looked in their direction.
'Mmm!'
And then he stopped. Chief Eunuch Wi was accompanied by a middle-aged man with a pale face.
-It's the Lord of Sichuan Province.
Chief Eunuch Wi's calm voice echoed. The Lord of Sichuan was tied up with hemp rope, staggering as he walked.
"...B-Blood Cult..."
His face was perplexed as if he couldn't believe it. Although no one would think he was a spy for the Blood Cult, it was still possible that he was acting, so Cale and Chief Eunuch Wi remained on guard. Behind the Lord of Sichuan, Choi Han was already holding his sword.
"The Lord of Sichuan wants to meet Young Master Kim, the highest authority, and has something important to tell him, so I brought him here."
Chief Eunuch Wi grabbed the dazed Lord of Sichuan by the shoulders. With quite some force, it seemed.
"Ah."
The Lord of Sichuan regained his senses and looked at Cale.
"Ah!"
He exclaimed.
His eyes lit up for a moment.
Cale looked at him, waiting to hear what he had to say.
Of course, also considering what he might have hidden here.
"What do you have to say?"
The moment Cale faced the Lord of Sichuan and opened his mouth...
The Lord of Sichuan stiffened.
Then he exclaimed.
"...Drag-!"
Eh?
"...Drag-...!"
Cale's gaze passed over his shoulder.
Raon scratched his cheek with his front paw.
"I forgot to turn invisible for a second. Hehe."
Raon's cheeks were chubbier than ever, probably because he had been eating a lot of sugar lately.
As Cale was pondering this without understanding...
"This can't be...! Does this mean that the Ancestors' records were all true...!"
The Lord of Sichuan jumped to his feet.
He walked quickly, staggering over the tied ropes. As he headed to the center of the cavern, he muttered.
"I thought protecting this place was useless! I thought it was just a ridiculous legend, but it's all true!"
Cale was bewildered but stopped Choi Han, who was trying to restrain the Lord of Sichuan, and stared at the Lord of Sichuan.
"Here..."
Then, the Lord of Sichuan looked at Cale, or more precisely, at Raon.
"Here is where the Dragon rests..."
Eh?
When Cale blinked,
"Our great-grandfather said that."
The Lord of Sichuan spoke alone.
"This is the place where the Dragon, who came from another world and left his final mark here in the form of tears, died. Our family has protected his tomb for generations, hoping that one day his anger and greatness will be revealed to the Dragon Descendants."
His voice was a mix of anger and excitement.
"Damn it, that's why I resigned from the central government and stayed in Sichuan, something I would have ignored if not for my father's will! My God, and it was really true. Ha!"
What's going on here? No, what's happening all of a sudden?
-Dragon Tears, right? Is that why it smells so good?
-Dragon Tears must taste good.
Cale cleanly ignored the voices of the two Ancient Powers.
However, he made eye contact with Lee Soo Hyuk, who was descending the stairs last.
Cale asked the Lord of Sichuan straightforwardly.
"Do you know the name of that other world?"
"I-It seems to have been called... Apidou!"
Apidou.
It was a different name, but Cale knew of a world with a similar name.
Apitoyu.
A world that was currently home to the Purple Blood Hunter Family, and whose Hunters were Dragons.
A world that valued balance and nature, where Dragons became hunters.
Did a Dragon who crossed over from there die here?
"Ah, ah-"
The Lord of Sichuan exclaimed.
"He then said that he is also a Black Dragon, and that his appearance is different from the Dragons of this world, and that matches his description..."
A Black Dragon?
Cale's gaze shifted to Raon. In Cale's world, there were not two Dragons with the same black color in the same era.
"He said he could see the future, that he had inherited that power, and that's why he came here, with one last hope."
Each Dragon had its own attributes.
Just as Eruhaben had the Dust Attribute. The attribute of the Dragon mentioned by the Lord of Sichuan was 'Future'.
"And he also said that, after his death here, a Dragon would emerge, the only one who would set things right."
Raon narrowed his eyes.
"He said that only that Dragon could change the Present!"
The Present.
Raon the Black Dragon's attribute was the Present.
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