Episode 632
Raon lowered his gaze while sitting on a black rock where lava was gushing out.
[Sigh….]
The phoenix, which seemed bigger than a volcano, had lost all its strength and was sitting on the ground, smaller than a chicken.
“name.”
[….]
I lifted my finger to tell it to say its name, but the phoenix only opened its beak as if in a daze.
“answer.”
[Pyeong pyeong?]
When I lowered my voice, the phoenix let out a chirping sound as if it was frightened.
“Ask again. name.”
Raon lowered his cool eyes and narrowed his brows.
[It’s Ka Kaiyan!]
The phoenix spat out its own name with its sharp beak that terrified humans.
“It’s Kaiyan….”
Raon nodded and asked the second question.
“Age is?”
[I haven’t really counted since about a thousand years passed.]
Kaiyan scratched the back of his head with his wing as if he was embarrassed that he didn’t know his age.
[Plus, since this is a special place, it is a bit difficult to find out the age…]
“If I don’t know, it’s over?”
[….]
“Answer.”
[Pyeong pyeong!]
The guy quivered his beak with a frightened expression.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s not accurate. “Tell me at least roughly.”
[If you count the years I’ve lived, it seems like it’s been a little over 3,000 years…]
The Phoenix answered with its eyes tightly closed, as if it was forced to calculate its age.
“Three thousand years….”
From the first time I saw it, I felt that its size and firepower were different from ordinary phoenixes, but as expected, it was a creature that had lived for a very long time.
“What were you doing here?”
[I was keeping my promise….]
“What promise?”
[This is to test the people who stay here and come in.]
Kaiyan continued, stroking his beak with his wings.
[Only people I allow can go downstairs.]
“I guess he was the gatekeeper, after all.”
As he was dying, he shouted that he could not leave this place without his permission. As expected, he seems to have been playing the role of gatekeeper here.
“What am I seeing now?”
Burren shook his head as if he was dumbfounded.
“Is it true that you are interrogating the Phoenix now?”
“Was it okay to resurrect the Phoenix and have it practice combat?”
Marta snorted, saying that she was quick to get startled.
“I don’t think I’ll be surprised anymore if that daju does something.”
She looked at the back of Raon’s head and stroked her hair.
“Good luck Raon.”
Runaan clapped her hands as if she was doing well.
“Who made a promise to you?”
Raon looked down at Kaiyan and gestured with his chin.
[Over there…]
Kaiyan forced his trembling head up.
[Because of that, can I also ask one question?]
“What is it?”
[Can I take a closer look at the flame used to resurrect me?]
His tone of voice has completely changed. I had no idea that the Phoenix could speak so softly.
“The flame used to resurrect you?”
[I felt similar to the person who made a promise to me…]
“….”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he listened to Kaiyan’s words.
‘Is this what Sieghardt’s first head of the family did?’
It seems that it was Sieghardt’s ancestor who appointed this phoenix as the gatekeeper.
After making a cover so that other people wouldn’t hear, he burst into comics fireworks.
Hwaaaaa!
As it reached the cartoonist Cheonhwa, a light golden flame appeared in the Phoenix’s eyes.
[As expected…]
Kaiyan nodded, looking at the cartoon ball’s flame, which was still closer to red.
[It’s still immature, but it’s a descendant of that human. However, their personalities are completely opposite…]
“What?”
[Pyeong pyeong! No!]
The guy fluttered his wings as if he was afraid of being hit again.
“He created this place, right?”
[That’s right. It seems like it was made by many people, not alone, but…]
“Hmm…”
That memory was real. It was right that King Seonjo and his colleagues created this space.
“Why did you accept the role of gatekeeper?”
[I am in debt….]
“Debt?”
[That human saved the children of his people. If it weren’t for him, he would have been captured by other humans and become a slave.]
“I see.”
It seems that the ancestors saved the Phoenix that was captured by humans. There is nothing that doesn’t get stuck here and there. I think I really had wanderlust.
[Anyway, since I didn’t have much time left to live, I accepted his offer and became the gatekeeper of this place.]
“Tell me exactly what that person asked you to do.”
[I told them to give an appropriate test and send them downstairs if they passed, and send them back to take the test again if they failed.]
Raon nodded, looking at Kaiyan’s eyes that had stopped trembling.
‘I’m starting to get a feel for it now.’
Sieghardt’s first matriarch seemed to have created this space for all of Sieghardt’s successors. It was clear that it was a test.
“But isn’t it a little strange?”
[Byeong byeong?]
“When you saw us, you showed your true spirit.”
Kaiyan was not testing, but was emitting a murderous spirit that seemed to kill all the humans here.
The reason I killed him several times and used him as teaching material was because I felt truly alive at that time.
[That wasn’t my will.]
“It wasn’t my will?”
[There were humans who found this place not long ago. They were not satisfied with just passing through this land, but twisted the lines and barriers. Among them, there was a monster I couldn’t handle…]
I felt like I knew who it was.
‘Derus Robert.’
As I felt from the first floor, it was clear that Derus Robert had come here in person.
‘As expected, this is not a normal tomb.’
Even though this place was originally Sieghardt’s training camp or Swordzone’s tomb, it was now nothing more than a trap created by Derus Robert.
“Have you seen his face?”
[I was caught so quickly that I didn’t see it. He was strong, but he was wearing something on his face…]
Kaiyan trembled as if he was still afraid.
“Right.”
Raon nodded calmly. There was no need to be disappointed. There is no way Derus Robert would have left his mark here.
[Thanks to you, I also came to my senses. Open the way to go downstairs…]
Kaiyan noticed and slowly stepped back.
“Where are you going?”
Raon reached out and grabbed Kaiyan’s neck.
[Bwaak!]
“It’s not some kind of chick.”
I felt like a stranger would think I was harassing him if he saw me.
-You’re bullying me, right!
Lars shook his head.
-That poor thing. If it were the real king, he would have eaten it in one bite…
but he chewed his appetite as if he felt sorry.
“Huh…”
He sighed deeply and pulled out Kaiyan’s feather.
[Kwanyak….]
As he plucked out the feathers one after another, Kaiyan’s eyes filled with tears.
[Are you really trying to eat me? There is no meat now, so it would be tasteless….]
“That’s not it….”
-You thought well!
When Raon shook his head, Lars raised his clenched fist.
-The King has now realized something tremendous!
‘What?’
I was anxious, but I looked at Lars just in case.
-You can keep resurrecting that firebird, right?
‘okay.’
-Then eat that guy, leaving only one feather, and then resurrect him with that feather! After eating it, you can resurrect it again!
A flood flowed from Lars’s mouth.
-There is endless supply of tender meat! Solve the problem of hunger across the continent! Unlimited refills of grilled chicken!
The guy’s eyes widened.
-Didn’t that chick ask you to eat it too? Into the King’s mouth right now!
Whoops!
Raon shoved his fist into Lars’ mouth.
‘You insectivore! Eat this and shut up!’
* * *
“Whoa.”
Delphros sat down on the white chair, clutching his forehead.
“He was right…”
He chewed his lip as he looked at the shattered crystal ball.
“yes?”
Archbishop Sabi shook his head as if he had no idea what he was talking about.
“He told us that if Raon Sieghart enters the tomb, we should eliminate him as quickly as possible. “He told me to think of it as being as dangerous as a transcendental person.”
“But why…”
“I thought the other guys were more important.”
Delphros frowned as he looked at the broken crystal ball.
“Actually, there are at least five people in the tomb stronger than Raon Sieghart. “It makes no sense to leave those monsters behind and look after a child who has just turned 20!”
He chewed his lip as if he didn’t know that things would turn out like this.
“Besides, just killing him won’t help. “He is truly a nuisance.”
“Then, how about driving all the traps and monsters on the next floor towards the frenzy?”
The Great Lord Sabi bowed his head and approached.
“No matter how strong Raon Sieghart is, he will not be able to protect the entire Gwangpungdae. No, it would be better if Raon stood in front and took out all the traps and monsters. “It could drain his stamina and aura.”
He clenched his fist, saying that was the only way.
“okay. “I guess that’s the only way for now.”
Delphros sighed and nodded.
“I will prepare.”
Lord Sabi nodded and disappeared into the shadows.
Delphros was rubbing his temples as if he was irritated.
Charalalak!
From the right corner of the dark room, a strange noise, like the sound of chains and the crying of a devil in hell, rang out.
Woooooo!
Delphros calmly turned his gaze to look at the place where the sound rang out a moment ago. As if protecting or confining something. Black eyes flashed in a space enveloped in gray fog.
“It’s not your turn yet.”
Delphros made eye contact with the dark eyes and curled the corners of his mouth.
“Because the main character comes last.”
* * *
Raon slightly dipped the old iron ring he bought in Cameloon during his trainee days into the lava.
The ring did not melt and remained intact even in the lava.
Chiyiyi profit!
How long has it been? A strange sound arose from the surface of the ring.
It’s not melting. The yellow rust peeled off and mysterious patterns began to be engraved on the ring.
‘it’s okay.’
Raon wrapped a golden ring with phoenix feathers. Because the feathers were large, all parts of the ring could be covered with just three feathers.
Wooooow.
The ring radiated intense heat from the phoenix’s feathers, causing a small tremor. If this trembling stops, the seal on the ring will naturally be released.
‘Then this time…’
I took out the ring I received from Merlin and immersed it in the lava in the same way.
‘This isn’t working.’
Even after being submerged in lava for a long time, there was no reaction. This ring also had a special seal engraved on it, but the method of unlocking it seemed to be different.
‘I guess I’ll have to find another way.’
Thinking that there was nothing I could do, I put Merlin’s ring back on my finger.
“Kaiyan.”
Raon shook off his hands and gestured to Kaiyan, who was shaking behind him.
[Pyeong?]
“Open the door.”
[Bwaak!]
Kaiyan clicked his beak and spread his wings, which were as big as a person’s palm.
Coo coo coo coo!
The lava split into jagged shapes, and a dimensional door opened to go down to the next floor on the red-hot ground.
[If you go through that passage, you will arrive at the maze on the third floor.]
“Maze?”
[Yes. The third floor is a maze. You have to find your way by avoiding traps and monsters.]
“Hmm….”
Raon turned his gaze to Kaiyan and looked at the Gwangpungdae.
“Go down first.”
“All right. “Let’s enter one by one, starting from group 1!”
Buren nodded and made a gesture, and the wind blowers entered the hole one by one.
[Okay then, take care. I’ll just leave….]
“What are you talking about?”
Raon shook his head and stretched out his right hand. He grabbed Kaiyan’s neck, who was fluttering as if trying to escape.
[Pyeong pyeong!]
“Where are you going?”
[I have finished everything I had to do…]
“You should guide me. “If you know it’s a maze, you roughly know the way.”
[Ahhhh….]
The Phoenix rolled its eyes as if it were anxious, but there was no one to save it.
-Well done!
Lars said well done and waved his hand.
-You can’t give away the unlimited refills of grilled chicken!
‘That’s not it.’
-What do you mean it’s not?! Is that guy riding?
‘yes?’
-It comes back to life indefinitely, right?
‘That’s true too…’
-Then it’s unlimited refill grilled chicken, right?
‘….’
I didn’t feel like explaining it anymore, so I just ignored it.
[I know the route roughly, but I need something to move quickly…]
“That’s it. Follow me.”
[Piyaaaaaak!]
Raon grabbed Kaiyan’s neck and went down into the hole leading to the third floor.
….
The people still remaining on the second floor stood there blankly, unable to enter even though the hole was open.
“Aren’t you going down?”
“…There’s no point in going.”
“therefore. “There are humans who are kidnapping the phoenix that came out for the test, so why should we take care of anything?”
“I’m going to give up.”
“me too. I’ll just stay here and go home…”
Gwangpungdae was the only one who went down to the third floor from the lava room that day.
* * *
Now I’m a little used to the feeling of falling. When I felt the strength in my body coming back, I opened my eyes and saw brown sand spread all over the ground.
Raon raised his gaze and narrowed his eyes.
‘Is this a maze?’
There was a huge wall erected in front of me, so I couldn’t see clearly. The color of the walls was all gray, so it seemed difficult to determine the location.
‘Where…’
I used Taehwabo and lightly kicked the ground.
Ugh!
I tried to go over the wall, but I couldn’t go or see beyond it, as if there was an invisible ceiling.
It felt like I was blocked from moving forward at all.
“I tried, but I don’t think I can get over the wall.”
Rimmer also shook his head as if he couldn’t get out of the wall.
“It won’t break even with a strong knife.”
Marta clicked her tongue as she retrieved the sword she had struck against the wall.
“It doesn’t even freeze.”
Runan also lowered his head in disappointment.
“How long does it take to get here properly?”
Raon shook Kaiyan slightly.
[Even if I guide you, it would take more than half a day.]
“It’s half a day…”
I don’t know exactly how much time has passed since I entered this place, but those who went first were likely to have passed through this maze.
It took a long time, so I had to get down as quickly as possible.
“Is there any way to get there faster?”
[In the past, if the person put his hand on the wall and did something, a path to the end of the maze was opened. But I don’t really know what that is…]
“What are you doing…”
Raon licked his lips and looked at the wall. On the outside, it was just an ordinary wall blocking the road.
However, after listening to Kaiyan’s words, I got a sense of what to do.
Hwaaaaa!
Raon used the ring of fire and the cartoon ball at the same time.
With a flame in his hand that could easily be called Sieghardt’s flame, he drew the barrier shown by his ancestors on the wall.
Wooooow!
The flames advanced like a waterway that collapsed a bank, drawing a clear barrier on the walls of the maze.
The completed barrier flashed golden light and opened a swirling passage.
It was similar in shape to a hole that allows you to go down to the next floor, but the color was different.
“It works.”
[Bwaaak!]
Kiyain flapped his wings as if embarrassed and then sat down.
[It’s that door! How can I do this?]
Looking at his reaction, it seemed like the path to the end of the maze was correct.
“What is this!”
“My lord! “What have you done!”
“Why did the door close as soon as I arrived…”
Gwangpungdae also widened his eyes as if surprised by the sudden situation.
“Can I come in here?”
Dorian swallowed dry saliva as if he was scared.
“No one else may know, but we have qualifications.”
“What does that mean….”
“I’ll explain later. “Let’s go first.”
Raon smiled slightly and entered the passage of flame first.
It was not a falling path like other passages, but a single path that could be walked. Strangely, for the first time since entering this tomb, I felt warm.
As I walked along the red line like the throne room carpet, I saw a passage of flame in the same shape as the entrance.
As I slowly got out of there, a huge wall rose up in front of me, and in the center of it, I saw a hole that could lead to the fourth floor.
“It’s simple.”
Raon was smiling slightly and looking at the passage leading to the fourth floor.
A white hand protruded from behind the wall on the left. A young-looking woman who did not fit in here glided towards us, accompanied by creepy black frost.
After the tongue.
Mine, the head of the Black Tower and the Grand Master, had reached the end of the maze.
“I don’t know why you’re here, but it worked out.”
Seolgoehu raised a transparent finger with a faint smile.
“I was disappointed that I couldn’t finish it outside.”
“I was disappointed too.”
“what?”
“My part was a bit lacking as I was only training my subordinates.”
Raon pulled out his sword without a sound. A golden light burst out from his red eyes.
“Even if it’s not unlimited refills, I want at least an appetizer.”
