Ch. 33 The Bird That Sings of Destruction
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 33 – The Bird That Sings of Destruction
In MMORPGs and various other games, developers prepare numerous mechanisms to immerse players deeply into the experience.
Background music (BGM) that changes with the environment is one such element that draws players into the game.
This world was no different. The gentle sound of flowing water, the chirping of birds tangled in the trees, the occasional gust of wind, and the mysterious cries of unknown beasts all harmonized to create a grand BGM.
The music, crafted not by humans but by nature, overwhelmed everyone present.
The half-collapsed ruins stood proudly over the vast lake.
The vines and blue moss covering the ruins were evidence that no human had touched this place in a long time.
Though we had stumbled here by accident, it seemed we had found the right path.
I let out a long sigh and stood up.
“Supreme?”
“I’ll rest for a bit. I’ll go take a look around.”
“Ah, no! I’ll come with you!”
Startled by my response, Isolin jumped up.
As a player, she didn’t tire physically. Since all her wounds had healed, there shouldn’t be any major issues.
I nodded and began exploring the area with Isolin.
As we walked around the lake, a cool breeze brushed our cheeks. Isolin asked,
“What are we looking for?”
“A way out.”
“After coming all this way, you want to leave…?”
“We saw that level 30 Death Knight earlier. This place is too dangerous for us.”
“That’s true, but…”
Isolin muttered, clearly disappointed. Her sparkling eyes gazed at the collapsed ruins.
I, too, felt a sense of regret. But considering the party’s safety, retreating was the right decision.
Who knows if there might be another Death Knight like the one we encountered earlier?
“Hmm…”
Old stone bricks occasionally peeked out from beneath the hard ground.
It was evidence that the area around the lake had once been entirely paved with stone bricks.
“The trees are too dense, aren’t they?”
“Yeah.”
As Isolin said, the trees surrounding the lake were incredibly dense.
Even when I tried to squeeze between them, it was impossible to pass.
In short, we were surrounded by a wall of trees.
“A way back…”
There wasn’t one. Turning my gaze toward Gladi, I saw her examining the gaps between the trees on the other side.
“Gladi!”
-Yes!
Gladi waved her hand in response. As her clear voice echoed, nameless birds fluttered into the air.
“Did you find an exit or something?”
-No!
It seemed the situation was similar on the other side.
Climbing the trees wasn’t an option either. As if warning us not to go higher, sharp thorns covered the trees beyond a certain height.
It didn’t take long to realize there was no way out after circling the lake several times.
Isolin, Gladi, and I sighed and huddled around the campfire.
“Phew…”
“What should we do…?”
“Maybe we should go inside the ruins after all.”
Isolin was right.
Just because there was no exit didn’t mean we could go back the way we came.
The Death Knight might still be waiting for us at the narrow passage.
“We might have to…”
I trailed off and stood up. This world was based on an RPG game.
Maybe clearing the dungeon would create a portal to the outside.
Perhaps there was a portal inside the ruins that could take us out.
“So we have to go, right?”
“It seems so.”
Before heading to the ruins, we tidied up the campfire. For a moment, I considered burning all the surrounding trees, but that would have to be a last resort.
I loved this world. I didn’t want to set it on fire. Of course, if our lives were in danger, I wouldn’t hesitate.
“Let’s go!”
There were two ways to reach the ruins: swimming or using the collapsed bridge.
Our party chose the latter. We were tired of getting wet.
The collapsed bridge served as stepping stones. Some parts were close enough to cross easily, while others were too far apart to cross normally.
Of course, that didn’t apply to Gladi, whose agility was exceptional. Upon reaching the collapsed bridge, she began hopping across with light, bouncy movements.
Whoosh-!
“Wow…”
Isolin marveled at the sight. I began crossing the bridge slowly with her.
Hop here, hop there, climb up if the distance was too far, then hop again.
“Yah!”
Every time Isolin’s small body bounced, her pink hair swayed delightfully.
Her stylish cowboy hat was nowhere to be seen—she must have lost it during our escape. Instead, she wore her usual pointed hat.
It would’ve been even cuter if the hat had a big bell at the end.
Enough daydreaming. I shook my head and leaped toward the other side with all my might.
After a running start, my body soared lightly and landed successfully on the other side.
Tap-tap!
The ground was slippery due to moss and moisture. One wrong step, and I could slip into the water.
I reached out to Isolin, who was hesitating on the other side.
“Isolin! Come over!”
“Ah, okay!”
Isolin nodded, stepped back, then ran and leaped into the air.
Hop-!
Her pink hair fluttered, and her mage robes billowed. As her outstretched leg touched the ground, her body tilted to the side.
She had clearly lost her balance as her foot slipped.
Before I could say anything, I grabbed her arm.
Thud-!
As I absorbed the impact of her landing, Isolin quickly regained her balance. A bewildered smile appeared on her face, which had been filled with anxiety.
“Be careful.”
“Th-thank you…”
We were almost at the ruins. I let go of her hand and leaped toward the other side with all my strength.
Whoosh-!
Isolin’s mistake was the first and last.
“Wow…”
The ruins looked even more massive up close. Gladi, who had arrived earlier, was already searching for the entrance.
“Gladi, did you find anything?”
“Hmm. I see a small gap, but no proper entrance. It must have collapsed.”
“We’ll help you look.”
Three pairs of eyes were better than one. As Isolin and I joined the search, we quickly found a small hole.
“It’s too small, isn’t it?”
“But we can fit through it.”
“That’s… true.”
The hole was very narrow. If Isolin and I hadn’t minimized our body sizes to the extreme, we wouldn’t have been able to pass.
Before entering, I threw a small stone inside. There was no reaction, so it seemed there were no monsters nearby.
Isolin was the first to go through the hole. Without hesitation, she squeezed her body into the gap and, after a bit of wriggling, slipped inside.
“Isolin! Are you okay?”
Just as I was about to ask, Isolin’s cheerful face popped out of the small hole.
“I’m fine! There’s nothing here!”
Trusting her words, I squeezed my body into the hole. Gladi followed, and soon we were all inside the ruins.
“Oh…”
The interior of the collapsed ruins had a mysterious atmosphere. Sunlight streaming through the broken walls created strange lines.
My gaze followed the hieroglyphs carved into the walls, alternating between light and dark areas.
“Is that an altar?”
“Was this a religious site?”
“There’s a big bird statue over there!”
We walked together, tossing out various theories. We passed by a bird statue with broken wings, a collapsed altar, and dusty skeletons.
There were no signs of battle inside the ruins. All the skeletons lay in peaceful poses, hinting at their final moments.
Then, something caught my eye. A peculiar stone slab. Among the completely collapsed ruins, this slab was remarkably well-preserved.
Though the hieroglyphs were unfamiliar, I could somehow read them. So could Isolin and Gladi.
Without a word, the three of us began reading the text on the slab.
[The sky split, and rain poured down.]
[The swollen sea, fed by the rain, engulfed the land.]
[When even the gods turned their backs on humanity,]
[The singing bird appeared.][Its radiant wings guided all,]
[Its bright song opened the path to a new world.]
[The singing bird appears when all is doomed.][Thus, it is called the bird that sings of destruction.]
“Ah.”
The moment we finished reading, the intricate patterns on the slab lit up.
Whoosh-!
A mysterious light, a mix of blue and white, spread across the ruins.
At that moment, a system message appeared before my eyes.
[The Singing Priest Radanheim awakens.]
[An instant dungeon has been opened.]
[You cannot leave this map until it is cleared.]
Cold sweat dripped down my back.
Vrslop_translator
0 Comments