Rescuing Ahn Hyun

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“What…?”

Ahn Sol inhaled slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. The man didn’t speak again, simply looking up at her with eyes that seemed to ask for silent permission.

“Ah… but…”

Feeling the weight of his gaze, Ahn Sol turned her head this way and that, trying to avoid him. Eventually, she looked at me with pleading eyes, as if silently asking, “Brother, what should I do?”

‘Please, grant us a chance to save you and your loved ones.’

I had no reason to refuse. From what I gathered, there was a hint of reward in the air.

Still, it felt a bit awkward to outright accept, so I offered a gentle smile instead.

Ahn Sol blinked a couple of times, then brought her loosely clenched hand to her mouth. Her throat bobbed as if her mind was racing.

After a moment.

“Are you really okay with this…?”

Thankfully, Ahn Sol didn’t overturn the table, so to speak. Her face still showed uncertainty, but she nodded slowly, as if coming to a decision.

Finally, Ahn Sol gave her consent. The man’s face lit up, as if her promise to repay the favor wasn’t just empty words.

“Thank you for granting us permission, savior. Now, we’ll perform a simple ritual, so please don’t be alarmed.”

Ahn Sol nodded cautiously once more.

I could somewhat understand how she felt. She was used to following me around, and now, being the center of attention must have felt strange.

The man slowly stood up, raising the sword in his hand high into the sky, closing his eyes as he began to speak.

“In the name of Istantel, I swear to the sun above.”

’…What? In the name of Istantel?’

The familiar term caught my attention, and I quickly glanced at the man.

But it wasn’t the time to interrupt. He was chanting rapidly, and the sword in his hand began to rise slowly.

”…Therefore, we promise once more to protect the savior who has guided us to the light of miracles.”

For about a minute, the man chanted at a rapid pace. The sword, now high in the sky, blazed with the sun’s light, and as it grew brighter, so did the light flowing through the souls.

”…By the law of Istantel, the soul’s oath is complete.”

With those words, it seemed the simple ritual he mentioned had concluded.

I focused on his last words. The law of Istantel, or Istantel Law, piqued my curiosity, but it wasn’t the right moment to ask.

I decided to ask Han So-young about it later and continued to watch the man.

And then, it happened.

A brilliant light burst forth from the sword in the sky, illuminating everything around. Simultaneously, the light flowing through the souls began to resonate with the sword’s glow.

Noticing Ahn Sol’s persistent gloom, the man smiled gently.

“Please, don’t look so troubled, savior.”

“But…”

“We are happier and prouder than ever. We can finally walk the path of liberation we’ve longed for over millennia. To use our last strength for our savior is the greatest joy. Please, don’t refuse our small gesture of gratitude.”

Perhaps comforted by his earnest words, Ahn Sol’s face brightened a little.

The light flowing through the man’s body grew stronger, while the souls gradually faded.

The man, with a wistful gaze, slowly surveyed the fortress before turning to me with eyes that seemed a bit empty.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I have a request.”

I nodded for him to continue.

“We will follow our oath immediately, but we plan to leave this child behind for a while. If you follow her, you should easily reach the first basement level. And…”

The child he referred to was the golden-haired woman who had healed me earlier. She met my eyes and smiled gently, as if to reassure me.

The man paused, then continued with calm resolve.

“Once you’ve finished your business on the first basement level, there’s a path to the second basement level.”

“The second basement level?”

“Yes. The second basement level is where the Magna Carta is sealed, and where the great hero walked into at the end. If my guess is correct, the great hero might still be there.”

”…I see.”

I looked at the man intently, having a sense of what he might say next.

“So, once you’ve finished your business, could you go to the second level and meet the great hero?”

“Are you asking me to save this great hero as well?”

“No, not at all. Just as we were unexpectedly saved, I leave that entirely to you. I only ask that you meet her and listen to her story. And when we meet again, I’d like to hear why she did what she did.”

It was a reasonable request, so I agreed. The man smiled with relief, then looked up at the sky. The surrounding souls had transformed into a single light, flowing into the sword one by one.

Suddenly, the man nudged the woman beside him. Startled, she turned to him, and he whispered in her ear. She glanced at me, then laughed softly and jabbed him in the side. He let out a pained groan but kept smiling, as if he were still alive.

“Until we meet again… farewell, everyone…”

With those final words, the man dissolved into a beam of light and merged with the sword. The sword, now glowing brilliantly, fell from the sky, and Ahn Sol hurriedly caught it. I activated my third eye to examine the fallen sword.

『Sword of Oath.』

(Description: In the distant mythological era, dragons and humans waged a great war for control of the continent. …Thus, the heroes of myth were liberated from millennia of suffering by the miracle wrought by the priest of radiance.

This Sword of Oath is a kind of pledge to the savior who guided the light. It can summon the mythical heroes who participated in the final battle once at the user’s will. Those who have returned to their spiritual home will come without hesitation whenever the user calls. The extent of their power is immeasurable.)

In short, it meant I could summon a legion of mythical heroes. It was a valuable gain for me, even if it was a one-time use. I had already experienced their power firsthand.

‘I must save it for when it’s truly needed.’

“Brother…”

As I pondered, Ahn Sol approached, holding the Sword of Oath in both hands, and cautiously extended her arm. I snapped out of my thoughts and met her wavering eyes. In a way, this achievement was almost entirely her doing.

I paused for a moment, then shook my head gently.

“You should keep it.”

“What…? No, I can’t.”

“They’re the ones you saved. Keep it safe, and if you ever think it’s truly necessary, let me know.”

”…Really? Are you sure?”

Ahn Sol tilted her head in confusion but then hugged the sword tightly, looking down at it with a tender gaze that warmed my heart.

Finally, Ahn Sol’s face blossomed into a bright smile, as if she finally felt at ease. I returned her smile and patted her head.

“That’s right. You’re smiling now, our little treasure.”

”…Am I really a treasure?”

“Of course. You did so well, I was amazed.”

“Wow…! I got praised!”

Ahn Sol spread her arms wide, taking small steps toward me as if she wanted to be embraced.

But at that moment, her outstretched arms were caught by someone on either side.

“Hehe. Our little treasure is so precious. Come here, don’t just go to your brother, come to your sister too. You little rascal, trying to sneak away…”

“Uh, uh…? Y-Young, why are you doing this? Why are you grabbing my arm?”

“Oh dear. Come here, Sol. Who do you take after to be so pretty? You really are like a little fox~.”

“Eek…! What are you saying! Ah, why are you grabbing my arm too, Da-eun? Let go. I said let go. Eek…!”

Watching Ahn Sol being dragged away by Yoo-jung and Da-eun, I quietly lifted my gaze to take in the surroundings.

The sky was clear and blue. Sunlight bathed the fortress. The souls that had once filled the area were gone, leaving only broken statues and charred walls behind.

And there it stood, the skeletal remains of a dragon, a solitary monument to our efforts. In a way, it was an achievement in itself, and I found myself momentarily lost in thought.

“What should we do with that dragon… and why does it have a demon’s horn?”

Just then, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. Turning around calmly, I saw a lone spirit gazing intently at me. When our eyes met, she pressed her hand to her chest. Her gesture was clear.

“Is she asking me to follow?”

Realizing what I had overlooked, I quickly called out, “Everyone, listen up! You’ve all worked incredibly hard, but there’s still more to do. Let’s save the celebration for when everything’s truly finished. Line up, please.”

“Kim Su-hyun! What about the dragon? What are you going to do with it?” Vivienne asked, her eyes gleaming with greed as she pointed at the dragon’s corpse.

“We can’t take it with us now, so let’s leave it here for the time being. We can discuss it on the way,” I replied, waving my hand dismissively.

Vivienne pouted but eventually let out a disappointed sigh and started walking.

The rest of the clan, perhaps thinking of Ahn Hyun still underground, quickly gathered and formed ranks. Once we were organized, the spirit began to walk steadily in a certain direction, and we hurried to follow her.

The conquest of the dragon’s mountain was nearing its end.

Finding the path to the underground wasn’t difficult. A short distance from the central plaza of the fortress, we discovered a large hole, just as the man had described. It seemed the dragon’s emergence had caused a massive quake, likely from forcing its way up from the second underground level.

The hole wasn’t as deep as expected, allowing us to reach the first underground level with ease.

The melee fighters descended first, followed by the mages and priests, who were assisted down. Finally, the last person to descend set up a rope to ensure we could climb back up later.

Once everyone was underground, we proceeded through a straight corridor.

There was nothing particularly special about the underground. We walked along a straight path flanked by walls, much like exploring a regular cave. Thanks to Magna Carta, we had an easy entry, though I couldn’t imagine the challenges of a normal approach.

The corridor was mostly level, but there was a slight downward curve as we walked.

I followed the spirit, lost in thought.

I was on guard for any potential battles, but no monsters appeared. It seemed more like a hidden area of the ruins, though we remained cautious. It felt like a bonus stage of sorts.

“Yes. The second underground level is where Magna Carta is sealed, and where the great hero walked in for the last time.”

This suggested a high chance of more rewards. So far, we had four significant gains: the Sword of Oath, the dragon’s remains, and two individuals, Hannah and Cha So-rim.

Hannah and Cha So-rim were unique cases. When asked about their conversation with the spirits, it turned out one was an Arcus Valkyrie and the other a Twilight Priestess. To the spirits, these two were like successors.

After a brief exchange, the spirits bestowed gifts upon their successors—powers, to be precise.

Hannah received the ability of the Engraved Tattoo, one of the three powers used by ancient priestesses. Cha So-rim’s latent ability, Valhalla’s Blessing, evolved into Astera’s Blessing. In layman’s terms, they both hit the jackpot.

Honestly, the Sword of Oath alone was a tremendous reward. But human greed knows no bounds, does it?

With Ahn Hyun’s rescue almost certain, I looked forward to the rewards awaiting us on the second underground level. My thoughts were interrupted as the spirit’s pace began to slow.

Ahead, the gentle slope became a steep incline. At first, it seemed like a simple curve, but closer inspection revealed traces of human craftsmanship. It must have once been a staircase.

The spirit paused at the base of the incline. At the top, a vast darkness loomed. It seemed like a significant place lay beyond, but the deep shadows obscured everything.

After a brief pause, the spirit resumed her ascent.

We followed her cautiously up the slope, greeted by a void of darkness. It was like staring at a canvas painted entirely black.

Huh Joon-young, standing beside me, murmured, “Can’t see a thing.”

Perhaps hearing him, the spirit at the front slowly raised her hand.

She hadn’t spoken a word since we met. I wondered if she was mute, but then remembered she had cast a translation spell on the man and chanted incantations while healing me.

At that moment, curiosity got the better of me, and I tried to use my third eye to discern her information. But she waved her raised hand gently.

And then—

Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!

Like dozens of fluorescent lights flickering on at once, the darkness above was suddenly illuminated by a bright light.

I instinctively raised my arm to shield my eyes. The light was so dazzling, it was almost blinding.

After a moment, the light dimmed enough to look around.

And with my vision restored, the space that had been shrouded in darkness slowly revealed itself.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Let’s see~. The rescue of Ahn Hyun is set to conclude in the next chapter. After that, we’ll move on to the encounter with the great hero and the collection of remaining rewards. Once that’s done, this part of the ruins exploration will be nearly complete.

Ah, I read the comments from yesterday. Unfortunately, most of them fell outside the constraints I’ve set, but there were some really interesting ideas. I was surprised to see how many of you shared similar thoughts with me. Haha.

As for continuous updates… well, I was a bit shocked by some of the comments. Locking me up and feeding me only dumplings? And asking me to transform into a woman? Where do you come up with these things? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.

Really, what was that comment from before? There was a theory about Ahn Hyun being impotent due to Cha So-rim’s virginity setting, and the comments back then made me laugh so much.

‘Ha ha, how silly. If the front is impossible, there’s always the mouth or the back, right?’ (I toned it down as much as possible to avoid being too explicit.)

It reminded me of Marie Antoinette’s “Let them eat cake” comment. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.