Episode 134: Great Ruins (3)
―You have succeeded in purifying the Cursed Key.
―Displays the original information of the item.
[Special item]
Name: Master Key of Flanders
Grade: A
The owner of the Flanders Mansion. A memento of the Count of Flanders.
Any door and chest can be opened.
*Cooldown: 2 hours
The key was smoothly purified and regained its original silver color.
Jaehyun smiled with satisfaction as he read through the item window.
“Is this enough?”
“… … Ah yes. Great. Honestly, I thought it would take a few days… … .”
Hella said with a slightly bewildered reaction.
Jaehyun nodded and put the key back into his inventory.
“The sooner we start, the better, right?”
“yes. It would be better to attack the ruins as quickly as possible. I don’t know when Heimdall will release my restraints.”
“All right. We leave tomorrow. to Iceland.”
* * *
a few days later On the day of the second ordeal attack.
Jaehyun quickly arrived in Iceland using the Incheon International Portal Center.
Current location is Reykjavik.
It was the capital of Iceland and a famous tourist attraction.
“Can we go this way?”
“yes. There’s no doubt about it, don’t worry.”
Jaehyun and Hella were on their way to the center of Reykjavik, where the great ruins are currently located.
Originally, it was near a famous hot spring, but it was difficult to tell where it was as Jaehyun, who had been building a fence with travellers.
Fortunately, Hella followed along on this journey.
‘No, that may not be fortunately.’
Just thinking about how Hella had driven him into a predicament the other day and pretended not to know it made his blood still run backwards.
‘after. Let’s be patient.’
Jaehyun shook his head to shake off his thoughts and looked around.
A colorful roof. The softly piled snow took away his gaze.
It was a typical landscape of Reykjavik that I saw in the pamphlet, but it was strange again. Departing abroad was a rare event even in Jaehyun’s previous life, so it was only natural.
‘It took me a while to get a passport issued through an international portal… … .’
Once again, identification was not difficult.
A cadet’s card for a student at Miles Academy guarantees the highest level of treatment anywhere in the world, and Jaehyun is by far the star of the highest place.
Jaehyun suddenly realized how different his present and past were.
“It is over there.”
Hella said, breaking Jaehyun’s thoughts.
Jaehyun silently moved his gaze in the direction she was pointing.
The center of Reykjavik. The entirety of the great ruins located there was clearly captured in both eyes.
A large number of people gathered around the towering mound.
‘Is it the European Union led by Ballack?’
Jaehyun already knows their identities.
Those who tried to capture the great ruins on a recent TV broadcast, but failed.
As Jaehyun approached the great ruins, one of the members of the coalition blocked the way.
“What is going on?”
‘Fortunately, there is no problem with language communication.’
Jaehyun was relieved to think that the interpreter artifact he had recently purchased was doing its job.
The artifact 《Interpreter’s Necklace》, which was purchased at a whopping 500 million won. It was a small-sized pendant that automatically translated words from other countries.
It is very expensive because it is made of a very expensive stone called a transmission stone, but its value was very high in that it could easily translate words from all countries in the world.
Jaehyun asked without embarrassment.
“I’m going to look around for a while. Would it be okay?”
“It is difficult now. It hasn’t been long since the raid on the ruins failed.”
The sentinel at the Great Ruins said that and quickly started to hit the barricade.
The crowd splits up at once, and the people who were gathered disperse.
Jaehyun thought for a moment.
‘It’s going to be difficult to evade with ‘stealth’ and go inside secretly. There must be an artifact that detects magic around you.’
Pretending to follow the sentry’s words, he stepped back.
‘I’ll have to take advantage of the quiet time to go inside the ruins.’
It was burdensome because there were so many people staring at me during the day.
Jaehyun looked back at Hella and spoke softly.
“We move in earnest in the evening.”
“great. There is nothing good about attracting attention.”
Hella also agreed.
Jaehyun walked moderately and started looking for a hotel to stay for a while.
* * *
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Fortunately, it didn’t take long to find a hotel with pretty good facilities nearby.
It is called the Silkan Hotel, and it is said that it receives guests only when there is no attack on the great ruins.
After entering the lobby, Jaehyun rented a decently sized room.
‘I’ll have to look around beforehand. I need to secure an escape route just in case.’
I walk down the aisle thinking about it. Suddenly, Hella’s telepathy was heard.
[Jaehyun-kun.]
[I know.]
Jaehyun raised a corner of his mouth as he answered, then raised his head and looked at the man blocking his way.
A man with a sharp nose and a fierce impression of a giant.
“It’s a face I haven’t seen before.”
The face he spoke to was quite familiar.
‘Ballack. The representative of the European Union, and the owner of the dragon sword Balmung.’
Incidentally, Balak was a man who was filled with the idea of the chosen people to the core.
It’s not a bad performance as a radar, and it’s not a big issue because it doesn’t commit any particular evil.
‘It’s never good to have a great personality.’
Jaehyun tried to ignore it. Balak blocked his way and asked again.
“what? you. don’t you know me?”
“Should I know?”
At Jaehyun’s words, Balak’s expression immediately hardened.
Camilla, who was walking alongside, said with a frown.
“Balak. What the hell are you doing with the kid?”
But Ballack did not stop.
He put his hand on Jaehyun’s shoulder and said with strength.
“you. Awakener. At least B grade or higher. yes?”
“Move.”
Jaehyun’s eyes were irritated. Even if you don’t, you have to move quickly in order to attack the great ruins.
There was no time to waste in a place like this.
Balak paused for a moment and removed his hand from his shoulder.
Jaehyun glared him in the eye once, then walked past Balak and left.
Camilla exclaimed, putting her hands in her skirt pockets.
“Why are you even talking to a kid? Taking out your anger on others for failing to capture the great ruins… … .”
“That’s not it. Something is wrong.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“He moved, but there was no sound of footsteps at all.”
Balak raised an eyebrow.
“He’s a guy who knows how to intentionally hide his presence.”
* * *
Ending the war of nerves with Balak.
After looking around for a while, night came.
As the day got dark, Jaehyun immediately went into action. There were still a few sentries guarding the ruins near the great ruins, but they weren’t too concerned.
[let’s begin.]
From here on, we decided to communicate using telepathy.
This was because there was room for conflict in the case of direct encounters with radars with excellent detection capabilities. If he didn’t, it could have been annoying if he caught the attention of the top rankers.
‘I need to be as careful as possible here.’
After activating «Stealth» and approaching the vicinity of the Great Ruins, I looked around.
‘Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to have caught the detection artifact yet. then.’
Jaehyun raised his mana to the size of a speck of dust, then slowly spread it towards the two sentries in front.
As much as they are guards guarding the great ruins, they are also radars. I kind of needed to be careful.
―Activate the active skill 《Brainwashing》.
―Contaminates the mind of the designated target.
Fortunately, the two were easily caught by Jae-hyun’s brainwashing. It seemed that they were not high in magical achievement.
It was fortunate for Jaehyun.
“May I go inside?”
When Jae-hyun, who appeared after releasing her concealment, spoke with a smile on her face, the two sentries silently moved away.
Things are going easier than you think. However, even as he walked past the two, Jaehyun couldn’t hide his nervousness.
‘If I don’t finish it quickly, other raiders may discover my presence. It has to be finished as quickly as possible.’
Attacking the great ruins is one of the world’s first concerns.
However, what if one day the ruins are suddenly attacked by an unknown person?
All radar associations and stations around the world. In addition, it will be frantic to find an aggressor up to the European Union.
A situation where the risk of revealing one’s identity naturally increases.
Jaehyun shook his head.
‘My name will spread throughout the world at least after I become an S-class raider. It’s too dangerous before that.’
Whenever and wherever you are attacked, you must have the strength to counter it immediately.
The Maginot Line that Jaehyun thinks is the S-class radar. At least among humans, he intended to improve his skills so that no one would fight with him on equal footing.
[be careful.]
As I was clearing my mind, I suddenly heard Hella’s telepathy.
A mysterious stone slab came into Jaehyun’s eyes right in front of the ruins.
I bit my lip lightly and looked around.
‘An unbelievable level of magic is emanating from the inside.’
Powerful magic enough to make your skin tingle.
Jaehyun gulped down his saliva and looked at the endlessly high ruins for a while.
yet. An unknown voice began to be heard from the slate.
[this place… … silver … … of the great ruins. ingress… … For… … Prove your qualifications.]
Hera, sitting on his shoulder, felt her claws rise.
I had a strong feeling that it would not be an easy dungeon.
Jaehyun calmly took a breath and looked ahead.
The voice continues again.
[first… … Qualifications have been proven… … antagonist of the prophecy. second qualification… … Prove it.]
In an instant, the son-in-law became dark with a voice that seemed to be cut off.
An unbelievable amount of magic spread out under the dark night sky.
Koo Goo Goo!
He soon swallowed Jaehyun.
‘what… … what!’
Jaehyun fell into the thick magical vortex and could not breathe properly for a long time.
It seems to be sent somewhere. It felt like my body was breaking into pieces.
What is it?
What is this situation now?
Before he could give an answer, the surroundings suddenly brightened.
The scenery is so white that it hurts the eyes. However, this was clearly heterogeneous.
Jaehyun opened his eyes and took a closer look at the space around him.
There was nothing around.
There is only one abandoned rusty iron door in an empty space.
Jaehyun frowned, but the voice came again.
[this… … open the door that is… … Heading to the ruins… … the only way.]
Jaehyun immediately went to the door and put his hand on it.
In the midst of tension that suffocates. His lips hardened as he touched the door.
‘No way… … not moving.’
I pushed lightly, but the door was too firm.
“This is why.”
Hella suddenly interrupted and said.
‘Somehow, that’s why Hela said that stats are important.’
Jaehyun raised an eyebrow and opened the inventory.
Because there was an item prepared for a time like this.
―Do you want to use Flanders’ Master Key?
Jaehyun immediately nodded.
“I accept.”
Along with Jaehyun’s words, the key started pouring out a transparent light, and soon.
Clap!
The door opened, revealing a pitch-black interior.
The entirety of the great ruins that have not been conquered for the past few decades.
“after… … .”
Jaehyun took a step through the crack in the open door, catching his breath.
He looked ahead and asked calmly.
“Wouldn’t that be easy?”
“Probably you will die with a 90% chance or better.”
Hella’s cool answer. But Jaehyun didn’t hesitate.
Two eyes full of love. Jaehyun finally stepped inside the great ruins.
Awesome profit!
It was none other than the one that came into Jaehyun’s field of vision at the same time as the sound of the door closing.
“Are you the opponent of the prophecy?”
It was a giant with a long beard with a height of well over 3 meters.
* * *
“I am Smir. He is the giant who guards the great ruins here.”
Smir.
The Keeper of the Great Ruins introduced me. he narrowed his eyes.
“Speak. Are you the opponent of the prophecy?”
Jaehyun hesitated for a moment at the pressure of the ensuing voice.
The giant literally stood upright, scattering mana close to coercion.
However, I couldn’t back down from here.
Jaehyun calmly responded.
“Yes, what. People around me called me that.”
“hmm… … The girl next to me… … No, she is an alter ego with her powers.”
“That’s right. My name is Hella. I took on the role of guide of the five trials and brought the opponents of the prophecy.”
Hella was without delay.
“Smir. I can sense the same energy from you as Hrungnir. Maybe you… … .”
“Yes. I am the son of Hrungnir, the great giant who created the Great Ruins, and the current owner of the Great Ruins.”
‘Surprisingly, he’s a communicative guy.’
Jaehyun thought that things might be solved easily because of the unexpectedly favorable response.
‘Maybe he will listen to the situation and adjust the difficulty level of the ordeal?’
The happiness circuit was burning.
It’s nothing else, and now it’s an urgent situation.
If I had any thoughts, I wouldn’t let myself die here.
The moment Jaehyun thought so and was about to propose, Hella jumped up and said.
“Smir, please prepare the prophecy’s antagonist for the second trial. A threat now looms over Midgard. An urgent situation… … .”
“I will refuse.”
Smir’s short answer fell heavily.
Hella looked at Smir and Jaehyun alternately with her eyes wide open.
Jaehyun was equally confused.
“… … Why are you refusing?”
Jaehyun narrowed his eyes and asked in an annoyed voice.
It was completely incomprehensible to him.
‘Even if it’s not, it’s a dangerous situation, but you won’t even allow me to go through the ordeal? why?’
To the troubled Jaehyun, Smir came up with an answer with ridicule.
“You are foolish. adversary. Since you opened the door through an expedient, do you think you can pass your father’s ordeal?”
At those words, Jaehyun and Hella. Both had to remain silent.
Smir already knew that Jaehyun had falsely proved his qualifications through the master key.
Jaehyun looked at Hella with an expression asking him to do something, but Hella also looked at Jaehyun as if he couldn’t help it.
“Adversary. Now you will not be able to pass the second trial. Go back and build up your strength again.”
Jaehyun sighed unconsciously.
I have to fight Heimdall soon. what?
You want to increase your strength?
