The Cave of Screams (2)
With a swift motion, I leveled my sword horizontally and thrust it forward. My target was the center of the forehead. The tip of the sword pierced through the blue flames, hitting the mark precisely. The skull crumbled with a soft crack, likely due to the magic imbued in the blade. Maintaining my momentum, I quickly assessed the position of the next wraith and adjusted my course.
If the wraiths had been aligned in a row, I could have reduced them all to ashes with a single thrust. But they were moving, making such a feat impossible. I had to adapt my swordplay, targeting each one individually.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
With each wraith I shattered, I flicked the hilt to aim for the next. Anhyun, startled by something brushing past him, took a few steps back before realizing it was me and sighed in relief. As I took down the fourth wraith, blue flames erupted from the remains of the first. I saw Anhyun’s lips move, but I had no time to listen.
“Haah!”
Yujeong was handling three of them. As I cut down one that lunged at me, I sensed others closing in from the sides. I halted, gauging the distance to Yujeong, and decided it was possible. Timing it just right, I pivoted on my left foot, spinning clockwise.
Slice. Slice.
The sensation of cutting through rotten wood traveled up my blade. Riding that momentum, I pushed off with my right foot, leaping high.
“Fall back.”
Though I didn’t shout, Yujeong immediately retreated a few steps. Sensing something amiss, the nearest wraith lifted its head just as I brought my sword down hard. I didn’t slice all the way through; I stopped at the top of the skull, then thrust the blade in again.
Goyeonju’s task was to eliminate them all within ten seconds. Around eight seconds had passed. Yujeong cheered as the wraiths fell to the ground, but her excitement faded as the flames reignited.
Goyeonju, eyes closed, had her hands extended forward, fingers splayed. From the shadows ahead, blue flames flared up, signaling the wraiths’ resurrection.
Then, she opened her eyes slightly and murmured softly.
“Abyss Crowd.”
The cave was filled with shadows, making her spell particularly effective. In a place like this, its value was undeniable.
From the darkness near the wraiths’ revival points, thin black threads emerged, weaving a dense web. The wraiths, caught in the threads, couldn’t move, and those that revived found themselves in the same predicament.
As all ten wraiths appeared, Goyeonju let out a peculiar shout and clenched her fingers. And then…
Boom!
Instead of the sound of bones breaking, a tremendous explosion echoed through the cave. Sparks flew in the air, and the noise of tearing air filled the space. As the group, wincing at the noise, looked ahead, they saw the wraiths reduced to tiny fragments. The flames that had reignited earlier were gone.
“Phew. It’s been a while since I used that. I’m not quite used to it anymore. It’s over.”
As Goyeonju’s voice reached us, everyone turned to look at her. She waved dismissively, letting out a deep sigh. I tilted my head in thought, but soon the realization hit me.
“So, the solution was to take them all out at once.”
“Exactly. I don’t know what kind of trick they were using, but it seemed like the ten were linked. As long as one was alive, they’d keep coming back. It’s a spell only the undead can use.”
“I see. Well done.”
“Oh, it was nothing. I’ve had a similar experience before, so I thought it might work. I was worried it wouldn’t, though. But really, what kind of cave master greets us with such a grand welcome right from the start?”
Watching Goyeonju feign exhaustion, I pondered. In my memory, wraiths didn’t appear this early. And I’d never encountered resurrecting wraiths before. I could understand the future changing, but this was a past alteration, which was quite perplexing. I was supposed to discover this cave two years from now. Something must have happened in those two years. Perhaps other users had entered and perished along the way.
After some contemplation, I decided to continue the exploration. Turning back now was out of the question, and we wouldn’t learn anything by staying put. It seemed best to venture further and see if anything else had changed. So, I rallied the slightly weary group. It wasn’t time to rest yet.
“We can rest when we return to the mule. As long as we have energy left, let’s continue the exploration. Everyone, form up and get into position.”
The group quickly followed my orders, and I resumed the exploration, stepping over the wraiths’ remains.
The entrance passage seemed unchanged. After about twenty minutes of slow marching, we reached a point where multiple paths branched out. Entering one of these holes would lead us underground. The slope wasn’t steep, but the path curved gently downward.
The first hole we chose was on the left. After counting the openings, I proceeded as planned. We couldn’t be picky, so the group followed me, ducking as we entered. Originally, I wanted to send Ansol ahead, but given what we’d already confirmed and my eagerness to delve deeper, I led the way.
The group followed silently, the cave’s atmosphere adding to the tension. Everyone seemed more on edge than during any previous expedition. Their faces were tense with caution. But the silence broke as soon as we emerged from the hole.
“Wow, this is complicated.”
“Ugh, just looking at it gives me a headache.”
Seeing the maze of paths ahead, I found their complaints a bit pathetic, but I continued walking toward the next passage.
“It would be nice to have a lead spell from a priest right now, especially without an archer.”
Goyeonju’s comment made Ansol lower her head. It seemed she hadn’t learned the spell yet. From an outsider’s perspective, our caravan might seem like it was just starting out. But this was the only method left, and since I’d discovered the Cave of Screams similarly, it wasn’t a major concern. In reality, I was following a meticulously calculated route, but she had no way of knowing that.
“You only know once you go in. Even if a perfect clear is difficult, we just need to find the path to the end.”
“True, there’s no point in fighting undead if they don’t drop anything good. But we should at least see it through, right?”
“Of course.”
Nodding in agreement, I heard Goyeonju’s light chuckle. This time, I planned to move in the opposite direction from my first attempt. Instead of thoroughly clearing each area, I would head straight to where “that thing” was. The complete clearing of the Cave of Screams would be left to future investigation teams or other users. Of course, I’d make sure to take the best parts for myself first.
It was about time for them to appear, but the undead were nowhere to be seen. However, since the monsters’ patrol routes wouldn’t be the same as before, I quelled the unease rising within me and kept walking. The branching paths continued to appear, and I navigated them one by one, following my memory.
“Oh, stairs?”
At the end of a forked path, we encountered a terrain with a steeper incline than the gentle slope we’d been on. As Vivian noted, it was hard to tell if it was a slope or stairs, but the signs of wear suggested it was likely the latter.
Examining the slope closely, Goyeonju nodded and spoke.
“There are faint traces of human activity here. It’s not surprising. From the statues at the entrance, it seemed this cave had a purpose. And if you look down there, you can see a large open space. User Kim Suhyun, are you planning to go down there?”
As we approached slowly, I heard Go Yeon-ju’s voice cautioning, “The slope is steep. Be careful not to slip.” Just as she said, there was a sudden drop ahead, revealing a glimpse of a vast clearing. However, it wasn’t a direct path to the ground; only part of the clearing was visible, meaning we’d have to jump down.
“It seems we haven’t come to the wrong place,” I agreed with Go Yeon-ju, who then pouted with a playful expression. This place was familiar to me. The clearing ahead was safe, and after a rest, we would enter a single path. Despite a nagging feeling, my companions were already cautiously approaching behind me.
“It looks like there’s more than a meter drop from the edge to the clearing. Be careful as you come down,” I advised, moving forward carefully while scanning the area. We were only a few steps away from the entrance below, wary of any lurking monsters. Fortunately, my senses didn’t pick up any monsters, but there was a faint, mysterious magical aura. I raised my hand to signal the group to stop.
The group had already descended partway. Having walked a gentle slope until now, the sudden steepness made everyone brace against the cave wall with their palms. We had been caught off guard by wraiths earlier, so caution was necessary. Just as I was about to activate my third eye, a sudden cry pierced the air.
“Mom!”
A low scream came from behind, followed by a heavy impact that knocked me forward. I tried to regain my balance, but the force pushed me further, and I tumbled forward, clutching my collar tightly.
“Suhyeon!”
“Brother!”
“Sola!”
As my companions called out, I rolled forward. Just as I tried to steady myself with magic, I felt the sensation of floating in mid-air. My outstretched hand barely grazed the edge of the entrance, and I fell into the clearing.
Thud!
“Ahh!”
Even as I fell, I held onto the person clinging to my collar, cushioning their fall with my back. The impact was heavy, but there were no traps. An Sol, who had been holding on, grimaced and shook her head.
“You…”
I started to speak but closed my mouth, quickly surveying the surroundings. Thankfully, there were no undead monsters. As I sighed in relief, the earlier sense of unease returned, gripping me tightly.
“I’m sorry… I slipped,” Sol said, her voice trembling. Above, our companions called our names, and soon Go Yeon-ju peeked through the open entrance.
“Are you okay? We’ll come down soon, so hang on.”
“Yes, we’re not hurt. But it’s quite a drop, so be careful coming down.”
“It’s not that high,” Go Yeon-ju remarked, as An Hyun and Jung Ha-yeon appeared behind her, carefully lowering themselves. I helped An Sol to her feet, and she stared at the ground, aware of her mistake. Just as I was about to scold her for her carelessness during the expedition, a sudden flash of light interrupted.
Pop! Pop!
A white light flickered like a flash before my eyes, and messages began to appear. Even my third eye, which I hadn’t activated, was sending messages. In that fleeting moment, I realized something was wrong, but my eyes were drawn to the messages.
『Ancient Magic Unconscious Reveal has been activated. This spell is based on a high-level magic circle…』
『Potential Ability: Blessing of the Battlefield (Rank: EX) has been activated.』
『Luck stat 88. Defense check failed. Blessing of the Battlefield EX rank confirmed. Defense check upgraded. User’s magic stat 96 confirmed. No anti-magic ability, unable to resist powerful spell. Mental-type magic detected. Potential Ability: Insight (Rank: A Plus) reacts. Partial defense check upgraded.』
“What… what is this?”
I stammered, shocked by the message indicating a spell had penetrated my magical defenses. A wave of discomfort surged within me, and dizziness clouded my mind. I struggled to maintain my composure, when a loud stomp echoed beside me.
“Why are you staggering? It doesn’t even hurt. Are you sure you’re okay?”
I wanted to say, “Don’t come closer,” but as I turned my head, the words escaped me. It was already too late. I watched in dismay as Go Yeon-ju and the others began to descend, one after another.
Pop! Pop!
The white light flashed again from the ceiling, this time enveloping our entire group.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Haha, our protagonist keeps encountering unexpected events. :D And of course, no dungeon exploration is complete without a magic circle (trap) activation. I wanted to add a twist, so I avoided using illusions or hallucinations. What kind of magic has ensnared our protagonist and their companions? :)
『 Reader Comments 』
Kuroshion: Congratulations on being first! But what exactly is Moe Can 19’s archive? I’m curious! ?ㅇ?
Rororororap: Yes, I’m always surprised too. It’s a mystery how comments appear right after I upload. ‘ㅡ’
Hwiul: Haha, I’m quite busy these days too. As soon as I get home, I throw my bag and sit in front of my ultrabook. ㅜ.ㅠ I’ve already broken over eight promises. Sigh. And yes, there’s a tendency for that. But I used fire magic for the lich because it was necessary. :)
GradeRown: Hahaha. A bolt from the blue during battle. That’s a good one. Hahaha. I’ll explain the luck setting in more detail later. :) (But what is Moe Can?)
Offiturb19: Please, don’t do this. I’m a man, and so are you, Offiturb19. I’m not gay. ㅜ.ㅠ
Cheongeop Hyeol Sin Cheon Mu Jon: What? What?? What??? What???? What????? Humiliation, you say?!?!?!?!?! (Runs away.)
qklcnw: Then no one can beat Suhyeon. It’s truly unbalanced.
Saramin Saeng: Ancestral rites! If you’re the eldest son, you must have had a hard time! Good job. I’m the second son, so it’s a bit easier for me. Hehe.
zjekfksqlc: Haha. If you don’t mind spoilers, send me a message. :) Although nothing is confirmed yet.
Flute: Ah, you might be right, Flute. However, the protagonist had reasons for purchasing weapons, elixirs, or abilities at that time. Please understand that the perspective of the readers and Suhyeon, the protagonist, might differ. I’ll work on making it clearer in the future. :)
Danbeol Shinsa: Oh yeah! Found a fan of Hanbyeol! Please love Hanbyeol a lot. ㅜ.ㅠ
Ttangol: The sword will be used after the
Honju: Welcome back. (__) Please continue to show interest and support!
Cat Bell: Thank you for reading over two days. I’m deeply grateful that you find it enjoyable. ㅜ.ㅠ
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