Rustle .
A leaf crumbled under Cale's feet .
“…For such a place to really exist…”
Mercenary King Bud looked around in disbelief and could not hide his shock .
The group who slowly descended with Raon's flight magic had different emotions as they looked around .
“It's even bigger than the Underground City!”
“It really is! Wow! Wow!”
On and Hong had their jaws dropped as they looked around .
“…I expected it to be similar to the Underground City…”
Choi Han mumbled as he looked around .
The Dark Elves Underground City had many trees as well . There was even an artificial river .
It was all thanks to magic and Elementals .
Choi Han had looked at that Underground City and thought that it was a nice city .
It was a beautiful city where Dark Elves and humans could live together .
'But this place is different . '
This village that was multiple times the size of the City of Life could be called natural .
It didn't give off any sense of it being created .
Everything in this region that was surrounded by these large cliffs on all sides looked natural .
“…It's free . ”
Choi Han nodded at Bud's description and looked up .
There was a small orb that shined like the sun at the top of this large underground area .
Trees freely grew underneath it .
Flowers and other vegetation were freely growing as well .
It was not all beautiful .
There were some dead and rotting plants and fruits .
However, that was what made it look so natural .
Choi Han slowly turned a full circle .
This place was quiet, but full of life and freedom .
Paradise was definitely a fitting word for this place .
It didn't seem like the place to have wars nor anything of the sort .
“Cale-nim . ”
Choi Han kept turning until he made eye contact with Cale . He subconsciously started to share his sentiments about this place .
“This place is beautiful . ”
“Do you feel that way even after seeing that over there?”
“…Excuse me?”
However, Choi Han could see Cale's stiff expression .
He looked toward the place Cale pointed out .
Cale was pointing at a spot near the cave that the group just came from .
Choi Han looked at the cliff with the cave .
His expression stiffened up after looking at it .
He had not noticed it when they had descended close to the cliff .
He had just thought that it was a rough cliff .
It was because all of the other sides of the cliff looked normal .
Bud who looked at the cliff as well started to frown .
“…Are those letters?”
There were large lines on the cliff .
The lines looked so clear that they seemed as if they would never disappear .
“…This . ”
Bud started to step backward .
AdvertisementJust a bit farther .
He needed to get farther away from the cliff .
He would be able to tell what these lines portrayed if he stepped back .
“Ah . ”
Bud took many steps back before he could see the words written on the cliff .
They were written in the Eastern continent's common language .
Bud read the words on the top row .
“Become strong . Then save the world . ”
It was a sword .
He was certain that a sword was used to write these words on the cliff .
The person who did this had to at least be a sword master .
No, forget whether they could use aura or not, this person was extremely skilled in sword arts .
Bud drank some alcohol to wet his dry throat .
It could not be helped .
Underneath the first row that he read…
There were other words that he had not read yet .
“…These look like they were written by someone else . ”
The style and calligraphy of the words underneath were different .
These people were able to write on the cliffs with swords as if they were using pens .
They needed to be extremely skilled to be able to do that .
He looked toward the others .
They had all been able to read the Mercenaries Guild's directory using Eruhaben's translation magic .
They should have seen these words as well .
However, Bud still read the other words written on the cliff .
“I will rule the world . Do not resent me . ”
The first row .
< Become strong . Then save the world . >
The row underneath it .
< I will rule the world . Do not resent me . >
Bud could not tell who wrote the first row .
However, he felt as if he could tell who wrote the second row .
“…The White Star . ”
He was certain that the White Star, the last Dragon Slayer, wrote those words .
He probably wrote it for the villagers right before he went to destroy Sheritt's castle .
“This is…beautiful?”
Bud could hear Cale's disapproving voice .
“I can't hear any birds nor insects . All I see are vegetation, a fake sun, and these suffocating cliffs . ”
Bud made eye contact with Cale .
Cale casually commented with a stoic expression .
“The strongest people in the world must have been frustrated with having to live here . ”
He started to walk as he added on .
“It must have felt like a prison . ”
Prison .
Bud could not say anything about it .
“Cat got your tongue?”
“…Huh? No, I just-!”
Bud scratched his head as he looked at Cale walk past him .
However, Cale had not been talking to Bud .
He was speaking to the Scary Giant Cobblestone .
However, he did not hear a response .
The ancient powers had been quiet ever since he blocked the White Star's attacks .
However, Cale needed the Super Rock .
The first Dragon Slayer that the Super Rock had protected . He needed information about the first Dragon Slayer .
“Ahem . Cale, in response to your thoughts that this place could feel like a prison… I-”
“Shut up . ”
Cale made Bud shut up .
Bud looked toward Cale with sorrow, but Cale just motioned to Raon .
“Let's go to the center . ”
Cale looked up above the lush forest .
He could see a tall stone building standing between the trees .
It was surrounded by vines, but he could still tell that it was a building .
“That's where the village should be located . ”
Swoooooooosh-
The Sound of the Wind gathered around Cale's feet .
He kicked off the ground .
The others followed behind him .
Shhhhhhh-
Cale moved forward while pushing aside the leaves .
This place that nobody touched for a thousand years felt like a jungle .
“Cale-nim . ”
Choi Han pointed in front of him .
On and Hong who were both jumping through the trees shouted as well .
“I think there's a village up there!”
“I can see buildings!”
“Human! It's over there!”
Cale was already looking at the place Raon was pointing at with both paws .
He could see a large open area .
It was the center of the forest .
He could see buildings made of stone or wood .
The buildings were so old that they were crumbling or covered in vegetation .
There were two large statues at the entrance of this village .
“They are swordsmen . ”
The large statues were of swordsmen kneeling on one knee .
Clang!
Choi Han took out his sword .
Paat!
The eyes of the two statues flashed .
'There are guardians I created at the village entrance . They are there to protect the village . '
Everybody recalled one of the things that Lord Sheritt had said .
Boooom-!
Boom!
The two statue guardians raised their bodies that were covered in vines after being abandoned for 1,000 years .
Crackle!
Crack!
The vines surrounding their bodies started to rip away .
The two statue swordsmen took out their large stone swords at the same time .
The points of those swords were pointing toward Cale's group .
However, Cale's group did not slow down . In fact, they started to speed up as they got closer to the village .
Boom! Boom!
The guardians started to move . They got into a position to defend the village .
These guardians were three times as tall as Choi Han .
They raised their swords high into the sky .
As their swords headed back down…
“I'll see you later . ”
Cale charged forward .
Choi Han's sword swung down vertically in response .
Slaaaaaash!
The vines blocking Cale's way were slashed away by Choi Han's aura .
There was nothing in Cale's way anymore .
Boooooooong!
A stone sword was slashing down toward Cale .
And then…
Boom!
Boom!
The stone swords fell to the ground .
The guardians started to move at the same time .
Boom! Boom!
The large guardians' two knees created craters on the ground .
The swordsmen knelt down .
Their stone swords were stabbed into the ground .
Shaaaaaaaaaa
Between the two guardians .
Cale who was surrounded by wind easily landed on the ground .
Lord Sheritt had said the following .
'Once the guardians appear . '
The white crown was on Cale's head as he descended to the ground .
'Cale Henituse, become a king . '
The two guardians lowered their heads toward Cale .
'That village is a place for Dragon Slayers . All things there will welcome the return of the king . '
Cale looked past the kneeling statues .
The stone building that he could see from the distance was now fully visible in front of him .
'There is a stone building at the center of the village . '
Cale started to walk toward the stone building .
'There is a barrier surrounding that building . The first Dragon Slayer and I created it together . '
There was a half-transparent barrier surrounding the stone building that was covered in vines .
'Plants and water can freely approach that building, but humans and animals cannot get past the barrier . '
Cale walked straight forward .
Nothing was getting in his way .
He took a step toward the barrier .
Ooooooong-
The white crown on his head started to shake .
Paat!
The barrier surrounding the stone building disappeared at the same time .
He looked back to make sure the others were following him before entering the stone building that nobody had entered for 1,000 years .
'That stone building was the first Dragon Slayer's home . '
It was a building that only the person with the Dragon Slayer's crown could enter generation after generation .
“…How interesting . ”
The others looked toward his back after hearing him mumble .
However, Cale did not look back at them as he walked past the old stairs and headed toward the center of the building .
There was an altar at the center of the empty first floor hall .
Cale walked toward the altar as he started to speak again .
“The traces of people have not disappeared even after a thousand years . ”
Bud's expression stiffened up after hearing that .
They had not seen any skeletons since coming down from the cave . It could be said that they all returned to dust after such a long time, however, there were traces of clothing .
There were traces of children's toys in the plaza as well .
There were no people, but their traces had remained .
Traces that showed that they must have been full of life .
It was as if people who were living peacefully had suddenly met their ends and all that remained for a thousand years were their belongings and traces of them .
Bud started to think that what he described might have actually been how it happened .
He quickly snapped out of it and followed Cale to the altar .
Lord Sheritt had told them about it .
She had said there would be a record book that the first Dragon Slayer created .
She had said that everything would be written inside it .
'Look through the record book on top of the altar . '
She said that they would be able to find the White Star's weakness in the book .
'That book is something only someone who can put the crown on their head can grab . '
Bud looked toward the crown on top of Cale's head .
Cale was the only one here who could grab the record book .
Bud could see a very thick book once he approached the altar .
The book that was covered in a thick barrier looked fine even though 10,000 years had passed since the first Dragon Slayer .
It was soon time for this book to end up in Cale's hands .
Bud could feel his heart beating wildly .
It was from excitement .
“…Cale-nim?”
“Human?”
However, Bud's expression stiffened after hearing the group calling for Cale .
“…Hey, what's wrong?”
Cale was standing in front of the altar with an odd expression .
Bud had never seen such an expression on Cale before .
Cale's face was completely pale .
Cale clenched his fists .
The tips of his fingers were shaking . He brushed his face with his shaking fingers .
He could see the book on top of the altar .
This record book had survived for 10,000 years underneath this barrier .
He could see the title and author written on it .
'The Birth of a Hero .
Nelan Barrow . '
It had the same title and author as the book that Kim Rok Soo had laughed at and read until volume 5 .
Chapter end
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