The morning sun rose, casting a warm glow over the camp.
“Good morning, everyone! Feeling strong and ready for the day?”
The clan members, still groggy from sleep, stared at Yujeong with bewildered expressions. It was no wonder—they were used to seeing her with a gloomy demeanor lately, and her sudden shift to such a bright and cheerful attitude was startling.
“Wow, Mr. Jaeryong, you’re looking especially dashing today.”
“Uh, th-thank you?”
“And what about me? Do I look pretty today?”
“Ah… Miss Yujeong, you’re always beautiful, of course. Haha.”
Jaeryong managed to lie with a straight face, but then he squinted at Yujeong, concern etched on his features.
“Miss Yujeong, are you feeling alright? You look a bit tired, and your face is flushed…”
“Huh? Oh, I’m fine! I just didn’t get any sleep last night.”
Yujeong waved her hand dismissively, but Jaeryong’s eyes widened in shock.
“What? You didn’t sleep at all?”
“Not a wink.”
“But why…?”
“How could I sleep? I was too excited!”
“Excited…?”
“Anyway, enough chit-chat. Look around! Isn’t the world just beautiful?”
Yujeong gestured dramatically at the gloomy forest, then spun around with her arms wide open.
Jaeryong’s jaw dropped. He stood there, utterly confused, before turning to me for answers. I quickly averted my gaze. He was surprisingly perceptive, that one.
But I regretted looking away almost immediately.
To my right, Da-eun and Hanna were watching me, their arms linked. As soon as our eyes met, they started nudging each other excitedly.
“They did it~.”
“They totally did~.”
“Oh my gosh, what do we do~.”
“What do you mean, what do we do~.”
‘What?’
I blinked, speechless. But then, a sudden surge of indignation made me speak up.
“What are you two whispering about?”
They froze, then put their hands over their mouths, mimicking gossiping old ladies, nodding knowingly.
“Whisper whisper?”
“I’m a bean cake.”
“Then I’m a sticky rice cake.”
“Hehe, I’m a steamed rice cake.”
’…’
What on earth?
I was so dumbfounded that I could almost see my disbelief packing its bags and leaving.
Seeing my expression, they stopped again, then started whispering with exaggerated innocence.
“Ah, talking about rice cakes makes me want some. Right, Hanna?”
“Yeah, now that you mention it, I could go for some rice cake too.”
Da-eun glanced at me, smiling sweetly.
“How about we have some when we get back?”
“But how? We don’t have any here.”
“Then we’ll just have to make some.”
“Make some?”
“Of course! You pound and knead rice cakes in a mortar. When we get back, let’s take turns making them.”
“Making rice cakes…?”
Hanna seemed to ponder this for a moment, then her eyes widened in realization. She clapped her hands together with a bright smile.
“Hehe, sounds good. I’ll go first. I’ve been craving it lately, so I’ll eat my fill when we return.”
“Haha, I can let you have that. I’m a patient woman. But be careful, if you eat too much, you might be full for a year.”
…I finally understood. Their laughter wasn’t just laughter. Their lips were smiling, but their eyes were sharp, like predators eyeing their prey.
”…Clan Lord, we’re ready to move out.”
A voice beside me offered salvation. I turned to see Sun Yuwon stepping back, startled. Why was he retreating?
I took a deep breath, calming my racing heart, and addressed the clan members gathered around me.
“Everyone, to your positions! We’re moving out.”
“Yes, brother~. Coming right away~.”
That was definitely Yujeong’s voice, but it wasn’t her usual sharp tone. It was sweet and shy, like a girl in love.
I felt the intensity of the stares around me increase, the murmurs growing louder. I quietly covered my face with my hands.
Please, stop. Just stop.
Despite the morning’s little incident, we… or rather, I managed to set off without further trouble.
As we marched, I noticed a change in the atmosphere among the clan members. It was completely different from yesterday.
We had started off tense, with the oppressive mountain terrain and constant battles pushing us to the brink. But overnight, all that tension had dissipated.
No more dark or irritated faces. Everyone wore content, warm smiles. Damn it, let’s just leave it at that. In any case, we were much more stable than yesterday.
Standing atop a hill, I surveyed the landscape. It was familiar yet different from the terrain we’d traversed so far. The dark, dense foliage remained, but the ground sloped steeply. There were countless hills, forming a hilly terrain.
We descended one hill, only to climb another.
‘Almost there.’
I recalled the location of the ruins from my first journey. Back then, I had crossed several hills before finally discovering the ruins.
“How’s Han-gyeol doing?”
“He’s alright. He seems to be pushing himself a bit, but his face is brighter today… though…”
“Though?”
“This morning, the first thing he said was, ‘This isn’t a dream, right?’ It seems he hasn’t completely shaken off the memories.”
Jaeryong clicked his tongue sympathetically.
Not a dream, huh.
Han-gyeol’s face looked brighter, but that didn’t mean he was fully healed. He had been on the verge of being possessed, and that trauma wouldn’t fade easily. Once we returned to the clan house, he’d need rest and high-level mental care.
As we chatted, climbing the hill, I sensed someone approaching through the mist. A quick glance revealed Heo Junyoung, his face as expressionless as ever.
“Kim Suhyun. I need to talk.”
At his words, Jaeryong looked between us, then nodded and stepped back, giving us space.
Once we were alone at the front, I looked at Junyoung expectantly. He cleared his throat a couple of times, then spoke in a low voice.
“I’m sorry.”
”…What?”
It was an unexpected apology. I stared at him, puzzled, and he continued quietly.
“I misunderstood you a bit. Because of what happened three days ago… I didn’t show it, but it bothered me.”
“Ah.”
He must be referring to the incident with Yujeong.
I respected Junyoung because he never lied. Whether immediately or later, he always spoke up if he thought something was wrong.
I shrugged, indicating it was fine. Junyoung shook his head.
“As a user, I understood, but as a clan lord, I was a bit disappointed. But today, I realized I was wrong.”
“Hmm. You didn’t need to apologize. It was my mistake, after all. An undeniable error.”
“No. I forgot that before being a user or a clan lord, you’re also a man. I overlooked that.”
”…What are you talking about?”
His cryptic words left me confused. Sensing my bewilderment, Junyoung glanced sideways.
Following his gaze, I saw Hanbyeol with a sullen expression.
At the same time, I caught Yujeong quickly turning away, startled. She must have been watching me, and when I turned, she was caught off guard.
’…’
Yujeong’s actions were endearing. She’d glance at me, then look away. Glance again, then look away. And then, as if something amused her, she gazed at the distant mountains, a soft smile on her lips.
And finally, I understood what Heo Jun-young was getting at. As I slowly turned my gaze, the first thing I noticed was the slight upward curve of his lips. I let out a long sigh.
“I have no idea what I’m supposed to be seeing.”
“Really? I see a pink aura filling the air.”
”…Hey.”
“Didn’t think you’d be so good at charming women… Just kidding. I wanted to try saying something like that, so stop looking at me like that.”
Heo Jun-young chuckled quietly, denying my sleepy-eyed stare. For a moment, I wanted to ask if he was actually capable of joking, but I just shook my head instead.
“Take it easy, will you? I’m starting to get annoyed.”
“Alright, alright. Sorry. Anyway, there’s something I really wanted to ask.”
“If it’s nonsense again, I won’t let it slide.”
“Well… I’m curious about Ahn Hyun and our destination.”
By now, we had crossed most of the hills.
I straightened my drowsy eyes. Ahn Hyun and our destination. Come to think of it, I had only given a simple explanation and never really detailed where we were headed. Some might just think we’re on a rescue mission.
I nodded for him to continue, and Heo Jun-young looked up at the steep hill we were climbing.
“Do you think Ahn Hyun is alive?”
“That’s why we’re in these mountains. But I’m not certain.”
“Let me rephrase. Do you really believe Ahn Hyun is in the ruins we’re searching for?”
“Probably. It’s the most likely place.”
“Possibility, huh.”
“Yes, possibility.”
Heo Jun-young looked at me, expecting more explanation.
I spoke calmly.
“It’s been months since the Dragon’s Resting Range was discovered. It’s still unexplored, leaving users with countless questions.”
“True.”
“One of the biggest mysteries is the disappearance of users. If they died during exploration, there should be bodies. But they vanished without a trace. Two theories emerged: either they were absorbed by the undead or taken somewhere.”
“I think it’s the former. Look at Baek Han-gyeol’s case.”
It sounded plausible, but I shook my head firmly.
“No, it’s different. Han-gyeol’s case is unique, but it actually disproves the first theory. He was almost possessed, not absorbed. If the soul becomes undead, the body should remain. But it doesn’t.”
“Hmm. It’s complicated. So you think the latter theory is more likely?”
“Yes. It’s the best and only option left. We can’t wander the entire mountain range looking for Ahn Hyun.”
“True… Our main goal is to rescue Ahn Hyun, but we might explore the ruins along the way. However, we need a miracle…”
“Plus, we have to solve the additional quest. And if we find him, we need to consider his condition. The ruins are the key to solving most of these issues.”
“So the ruins are the intersection point. I get it. Then…”
Heo Jun-young paused, then looked at me cautiously.
“About the question I changed earlier… What do you think about Ahn Hyun’s chances of being alive?”
“I already answered.”
I deliberately left my response vague, and Heo Jun-young didn’t press further.
“Then, finding the ruins is our top priority.”
Just then, a cool breeze swept through. Heo Jun-young’s purple hair fluttered lightly, scattering in the air before settling back in place.
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me. It was as if someone else’s image overlapped with his fluttering hair. At the same time, I realized the ground beneath my feet had leveled out. Looking down, I saw we had reached the top of the hill.
It felt oddly familiar. The déjà vu lingered.
I gazed down the hill. The place I saw was a flat area surrounded by high mountains.
But it was hard to see clearly. The basin was shrouded in a thick, gray mist, exuding a gloomy, ominous aura that held my feet in place.
“Clan Lord?”
A voice called from behind, and I quickly moved to join the clan members who made space for me.
And then I realized.
This was the spot where Han So-young had stood, overlooking the ruins.
“Clan Lord, why did you stop?”
In response to the question, I pointed down the hill with my finger.
Moments later.
A gust of wind blew, dispersing the mist and briefly revealing a massive fortress-like structure.
“Is that…?”
Yes.
We had finally arrived at the ruins of the Dragon’s Resting Range, the ‘Last Fortress.’
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
We’ve finally reached the ruins. Please don’t expect too much about the dragon. It’s really a pitiful creature. You know how it is—always seems impressive at first… huh?! Haha. I can’t wait to write the next chapter. :D
< Player Status >
Name: Han So-young (7th Year)
Class: Maestro of the Battlefield (Secret, Master)
Nation: Barbara
Clan: Istantel Low (Clan Rank: AA - Double A)
True Name • Nationality: Queen of Blood and Iron • South Korea
Sex: Female (30)
Height • Weight: 174.8cm • 55.8kg
Disposition: Belief • Blood and Iron
[Strength 80(+2)] [Endurance 85] [Agility 94(+2)] [Stamina 87] [Magic 98(+2)] [Luck 90(+2)]
< Achievements (3) >
< Unique Ability (1/1) >
< Special Ability (1/1) >
< Potential Abilities (4/4) >
Extrasensory Perception (Rank: EX)
Battlefield Command (Rank: EX)
Grand Magic (Rank: S Zero)
Anti-Magic (Rank: A Plus Plus Plus)
< Recent Ability Comparison >
(Before) [Strength 78] [Endurance 84] [Agility 94(+2)] [Stamina 86] [Magic 98(+2)] [Luck 88]
(After) [Strength 80(+2)] [Endurance 85] [Agility 94(+2)] [Stamina 87] [Magic 98(+2)] [Luck 90(+2)]
『Authority: Destructive Charge』