Episode 173 Episode
58. Mirage of the Great Desert of Mitra (1)
According to the words of the watertail tribe, it seems that the land of beastmen is full of enemy tribes these days.
Originally, the enemy tribes had a strong tendency to look down on other races, but recently, they even extort money from beastmen and adventurers passing through the land of beastmen, calling it a ‘toll tax’.
“The answer is no if you get caught by those evil guys.”
“Toll tax, that kind of fighting race is doing what back alley junkies do.”
“Anyway, you are lucky. Because you met us.”
Originally, Jin tried to enter the land of the beasts along the forest road where Kingelo’s branch was located. If he hadn’t met the Watertail, he would have gotten into trouble with a high probability.
“I guess the enemy tribes don’t know the road you’re walking on?”
“I never know. Follow me.”
The Watertail Tribe has a reputation for being second only to the Myoin Tribe and avoiding predators.
We walked and chatted with them. Most of the watertail people asked, “Why are you going to the Great Desert of Mithra?”
After about a couple of hours, the burrow they dug came out, and Jin, who struggled through the burrow, had no choice but to let out a sigh.
Beyond the cave, a waterfall was pouring like a lie.
“Get some fresh water.”
After filling the canteen and passing the waterfall, another cave appeared. It was a cave full of rocks, but unlike normal caves, there were no number of forks inside.
“Did you guys sell this too?”
“No, I dug a tomb man.”
“Ohh.”
The cave dug by the Myoin tribe was truly a maze. It seemed that their habit of rejecting all other races as well as humans was buried.
The path leading to the cave was different depending on how the crossroads were chosen. Among thousands of cases, there must be one path to the Myoin tribe’s hideout.
As if playing games, I passed dozens of forks in the cave.
At the end of the cave, another group of beastmen of the same height as the Watertails (they barely reached Jin’s waist) were taking a nap.
They are a member of the Geumtoejo tribe, with fluffy hair bundles with a mouse-like face.
“Hey hey. What if I brought something like that here?”
Unlike the Watertail Tribe, they had accurate pronunciation and spoke quickly, befitting a race that was good at trading.
Soon after, the watertails and golden snows were talking while mixing the common language of the continent and the common language of the beasts, and Jin thought they were quite cute.
The conversation ended with the watertail beast holding out a small jewel.
“Ah, we don’t know why we go to the great desert, but we wish you luck.”
After passing the Geumseoljok, a large wooden door appeared out of nowhere.
“If you open this door, you will find a general store.”
“variety store?”
“Geumseoljok general store. The rest is Yuca Yuca Market.”
“Ah, did the cave lead all the way there?”
Yuca Yuca Market is a place where moderate beast tribes gather and trade.
All kinds of goods were traded, no different from the human market, but if there was one other thing, it was the existence of a ‘guide’ touting adventurers.
As countless human travelers visit every year, there are guides who deal with them in every market in the land of beastmen.
“The Golden Snow Tribe, the guide, recommends it. Golden Snow Clan guide Heo Cheop. Ignore it and use tow. He is sincere and does not cheat.”
“Thank you in many ways. Shall we say aloud before we part?”
“I am Darkspark.”
“what?”
“Darkfire. My Name.”
What’s your name? I almost asked, but it might be rude. In any case, it was a name that did not fit well with what it was like.
“Yes, the Darkspark of the Watertail… I am.”
“Jean Runkandel.”
“How did know?”
“Then I saw the black sword pattern on the robe. The day you gave me the fish.”
“But it could be another normal cadet, right?”
“It feels like Runcandel. You are the captain.”
“Awesome. Where are you going to stop talking?”
“Don’t worry.”
“Okay then, next time we meet, let’s repay the favor as Runcandel. Goes.”
profit.
As soon as I opened the door and went out, the inside of the general store came out as the dark flame said, and the golden snow tribe, who seemed to be the owner, quickly began to solicit customers.
Jin ignored him and went straight to the area where the guides were gathered. Humans were often found on the streets of the market, so he was wearing a hooded hood.
It wasn’t difficult to find a trustworthy tow-footed guide.
Afterwards, while moving with him to the Great Desert of Mithra, fortunately, there were no enemy tribes encountered.
Instead, we could often see humans who were obviously members of Kingelo, and they were wearing clothes with the ‘broken sun’ pattern, the symbol of Kingelo.
If you walk around wearing such clothes on the continent, you are bound to be caught or dragged away by security guards. It’s not famous yet, but most countries define Kingelo as a terrorist group.
Since they were working casually in the land of beastmen, I felt a strange sense of disparateness.
‘Maybe most of the Beast Tribe, not the White Rang Tribe, have a relationship with Kingelo.’
When the towing tribe reached the beginning of the desert, they returned to Yuca Yuca Market, and Jin stared blankly at the desolate desert for a while.
Walking alone in the desert takes courage.
As he left his first footprints on the sand of the Great Desert of Mithra, Jin had to feel more pressure than ever before.
I was confident in fighting a strong opponent and risking my life.
However, just looking at the sea of sand that stretched out without an answer under the cloudless clouds was imbued with a sense of intimidation that took your breath away.
‘If I die here, I won’t even find the body.’
It is a place where not even the bones of the indigenous beasts are left if they get lost. Suddenly, I was in awe of the great adventurers who were said to have crossed the Great Desert of Mithra.
‘It’s a legend of the spirited sword…’
The feeling I felt when I cut Muron’s Hell Gate and when I cut Goltep’s hammer into pieces.
The reality of the senses, as if the sword and the spirit qi became one and cast a spell, is called the ‘Spirit Sword’.
A special swordsmanship allowed only to Runcandel magic swordsmen.
The Myungwang family, who were said to have already been exterminated, were the successors of the Spirited Sword, and somewhere in this desert there was only a land left for them to carry out their mission of succession.
Why did the Ming Dynasty become the inheritors of the Spirited Sword?
In the background, there is a secret story unknown to the public.
-The Myeongwang family did not believe in the power of the gods. So, I challenged myself and was horribly defeated and annihilated. This is why they, who enjoyed their heyday 5,000 years ago, perished overnight.
-In one day?
– When fighting little Andrei. How did Quikantel react as soon as he saw the Demon Stone?
-You were terrified.
-Even the Demon Stone, which is an imitation of the Root Stone, is that much. But the source stone was made with the power of the gods. Such is the power of God. At the time the Myeongwang family challenged the gods, the source stone had been destroyed, but they were no match.
When the gods who joined forces are setting an example by trampling on the Myungwang family.
There was only one god who took pity on them.
-Solderette saved a small number of the Myungwang clan and made them his own. I don’t know what the contract is exactly, but the spirit sword can’t be learned from anyone but them. Temar also learned from them.
A conversation with Murakan before leaving Tikan.
Jin was reminded of the fact that ‘Temar Runkandel’ had learned the spirit sword from them.
‘Maybe you’ll hear about the first family head, to the Myungwang family.’
Temar Runcandel.
Despite being the first head of the family, there are not many records about him in the Garden of Swords.
He gave himself and his followers the surname ‘Runkandel’ to raise the family, and the anecdote about defeating Murakan a thousand years ago and the name of his beloved sword, Barisada, were almost all.
Although he is the founder of the family and the greatest hero, there is not even a place for him in the mausoleum of the Garden of Swords.
It was because Ziffle erased all records related to Temar.
jerk jerk. Every time I took a step,
the water flowed from the canteen at my waist. It could last for a few days, but it was unclear whether an oasis or spring water could be found in it.
At first, I didn’t bring a compass. If the compass were functioning properly, there would be no reason for native beastmen or veteran adventurers to get lost.
So I had to walk and look straight ahead.
how many hours did it take
When I felt like my head was getting more and more dazed, I looked back and saw the same scenery as in front of me. The forest and trees that had risen at the beginning of the desert had completely disappeared from sight.
‘It doesn’t even leave footprints.’
The sand of the Great Desert was arbitrarily shaped even by a small wind. The hills that were seen in the distance often collapsed when approached, and footprints quickly disappeared, just like the wave of a lake disappears.
Even if you give up right now, can you go back the way you came?
impossible.
Jin, who came to a conclusion right away, shrugged lightly. Gradually, I felt it. The fact that death here is a very natural and common thing.
Whoa.
Jin takes a breath and moves again.
The first night of the great desert after that was surprisingly harsh, and the sun that rose the next day was hot enough to make me nervous.
That’s how I walked for a week until December 1, 1796. The canteen no longer flickers, but Oasis shows no signs of showing up.
If he was a normal person or a moderately trained adventurer, he would have already died.
Right before Clam descended in Colón, he was even more desperate than this, and even then, the memory of having done it in the end kept Jin from feeling intimidated.
-When the third mirage is over, unleash the aura. If you do that, the Myungwang family will appear.
Enduring the Great Desert of Mithra is itself a test to inherit the Spirited Sword.
Fighting nature means fighting against God. Jin was vaguely realizing what this ‘test’ meant.
There were only a few drops of water left, and his steps were heavy as if he had weighed a thousand pounds.
Still, he steadfastly moved forward.
“her.”
The first mirage appeared when I drank all the remaining water after emptying the canteen.
But can that be called a mirage?
“It’s been a while, maknae. I finally found it.”
“You don’t know how much I missed you. Thanks to you, life at our family’s home has been really like…”
The voice that came out of nowhere was none other than the Tona brothers. The voice was so clear that it could hardly be considered an hallucination.
‘But the mirage is fake.’
Just a few seconds ago, there was only sand everywhere, like the open sea. The sudden appearance of the Tona brothers would be impossible unless it was a mirage.
However, as they strode towards the camp, they clearly left footprints.
Even the greatswords and chain swords they were holding poured out a variety of auras. Clearly, he also had the intent to kill Jin.
‘It’s really not an ordinary mirage… It would be difficult if all three mirages were like this.’
Jin slowly drew Bradamante and raised his aura.
