Ch.13546. The Truth of Memory (2)

I stepped into the familiar temple.

The temple was located on the western outskirts of the Mu Nation, in a place called Jaksan. True to its name, which contained the word “mountain,” the temple was situated halfway up a high mountain.

This area was famous as a tourist destination in Mu Nation, filled with relics from the ancient empire era. If I were to compare it to Korea, it would be like Gyeongju.

From what I knew, Ailetan’s ancient empire existed as far back as Egypt’s Old Kingdom period.

As such, even though they were both classified as ancient empires, the cultures and histories of the Eastern and Western Empires were quite different.

This area contained traces of the Eastern Ancient Empire. However, the atmosphere here had changed significantly due to the war with the villains.

‘When I came before, this was a tourist spot crowded with people.’

But now the temple interior was deserted.

Just as I had arrived on a military transport plane, civilian aircraft would also be prohibited now. It wasn’t a time when people could leisurely go sightseeing.

This place was quite far from Korea. However, the reason I was able to visit was because Jaksan had been a field trip destination for Ains Academy.

During the second-year field trip, I had obtained the S-class gear, Hong-ok, here.

As I briefly looked around the spacious temple buildings and towers, I recalled those memories.

‘Among all the artifacts I obtained, Hong-ok was the highest grade.’

The clue to Hong-ok had started in Incheon’s Free Trade Zone. There, I had acquired an ancient book titled “Sanhaebakmulyeong.”

Though the Free Trade Zone was flooded with all kinds of forged documents, I could distinguish the original through the System’s appraisal ability.

The content of that ancient book was close to a collection of absurd myths from a modern perspective. But the System had appraised the document as SS-grade.

And coincidentally, this place, Jaksan City, which was scheduled as our field trip destination, was mentioned in a legend written in that book.

‘It was a legend about the divine beast, the Vermilion Bird.’

Given the high grade of the ancient document, I guessed there must be a special artifact somewhere in Jaksan City.

Of course, in the original story, the field trip episode was just a daily life segment that deepened the relationship between Siwoo and Chae Min-ah. But for me, I couldn’t miss that special opportunity.

During that field trip, I desperately searched for places connected to the legend. And the temple in Jaksan City related to that legend is this very temple.

This temple of the Mythic Religion was where the divine beast Vermilion Bird was said to have come and laid its eggs.

I stood in front of an information board in the temple. It briefly explained the legend of the Vermilion Bird and the Mythic Religion in the Mu Nation language.

‘A religion that worships fire…’

But it’s a religion that has disappeared, with no followers remaining.

Of course, I’m not an archaeologist, historian, or religious scholar. I didn’t come here to study this ancient religion that has disappeared even from Mu Nation.

In fact, this temple is now a tourist facility, not a religious one.

Currently closed due to the war, it was being maintained by a small number of caretakers, like civil servants on duty.

Naturally, there were no priestesses or fire-worshipping priests like those I had seen in my dream. So this place was actually off-limits.

But the temple caretakers immediately opened the doors for me, perhaps because the elder of the Cheonma Religion had already spoken to them. And they didn’t bother me at all as I walked around the temple.

‘Well, the caretakers are civil servants of Mu Nation. They can’t go against the words of a high-ranking official of the ruling party.’

That was fortunate for me.

When I came here four years ago, the temple caretakers were quite bothersome.

They kept stopping me as I wandered around the temple looking for clues to approach Hong-ok.

“The temple cave, sir? Understood. I’ll guide you.”

But now the caretaker was very kind to me. And he personally guided me to the entrance of a cave deep within the temple, which was not open to outsiders.

He opened a firmly locked iron door. I said to him:

“Don’t worry, I should be out by tomorrow if nothing happens.”

The caretaker looked at me and nodded. With that, I entered the cave.

***

Entering the temple cave, I felt nostalgic.

Four years ago, when I entered this place, I had to break through a firmly locked iron door like this one using magic and explosives.

‘This is much better compared to back then.’

Beyond the door stretched a massive limestone cave. Beyond this was not an ordinary limestone cave, but a dangerous place filled with numerous magical formations.

But I was desperate back at Ains. As a minor character, to get even slightly closer to Yuri, who was ranked first among the cadets at that time, I needed to obtain a high-grade gear.

So I desperately used an ancient book about breaking magical formations, which I had also obtained from the Free Trade Zone, in this cave.

‘That was the first time I had to use so much cunning.’

It was an artifact unrelated to the original protagonist. So I had no prior information on how to pass through this cave.

Moreover, I wasn’t even sure if there was a gear deep in this cave.

But the moment I entered this cave back then, I somehow had an intuition that there would definitely be a gear.

I continued walking through the cave.

Although this place had numerous magical formations that would be dangerous even for an S-class hunter, I had already disabled many of them back then, and now my knowledge was different from that time.

‘Having received Elder Yeon Moon-woo’s teachings.’

This place, which had seemed like a hellish labyrinth back then, now looked as peaceful as a neighborhood playground. I casually disabled the still-functioning magical formations as I walked through like taking a stroll.

And as the cave deepened, this place where not a single ray of light entered began to grow brighter.

The limestone cave, with its stalactites and stalagmites.

Red jewels embedded between those stalagmites blazed as if on fire.

‘Indeed, this is no ordinary place.’

Since I had already taken the Hong-ok from the end of this cave, this temple and cave were no longer special places for obtaining artifacts.

But the intensifying headache was constantly proving that coming to this place was the right answer.

‘I still need to endure…’

It was an extreme headache, like a burning sensation. But this headache was evidence that memories were surfacing.

Like floating in a dream, the surrounding scenery began to change. The stalactite cave was transforming into something like the temple outside from earlier.

More precisely, it was becoming an ancient temple much more antique than the modernly renovated one.

I ignored that scenery and continued walking. Despite the headache, my body felt rather comfortable.

Even though I hadn’t taken the Archangel’s Citadel for a while, I didn’t feel that terrible sensation of flesh-eating ants clinging to my body and tearing it apart.

‘This place might indeed… be related to me.’

The Archangel’s Citadel, more potent than the strongest existing narcotic painkillers. Its withdrawal symptoms are unbearable for humans.

But as I descended deeper into the cave, my body felt lighter. The burning sensation that had never stopped since I regained consciousness was no longer felt.

I felt as if a warm fire was embracing me.

Before I knew it, without even being conscious of the magical formations in this cave, I naturally continued descending.

The magical formations, which would be a death sentence for intruders, disappeared one by one as I took steps. As if they had been waiting for my return.

I finally reached the end of the cave.

An altar made of red stone. The edges of the altar were burning with blue flames. Despite being in the depths of a cave where no light could enter, everything was as bright as midday due to those flames.

That blue flame was familiar. I instinctively reached out to that fire, but like the blue flame I created, I could feel its warmth without it harming me.

As if entranced, I climbed onto the altar.

On that altar was the box from which I had taken Hong-ok. I hurriedly opened the box.

At that moment, everything around me went dark.

As all the lights went out, I entered a different space.

***

The space around me shook as if an earthquake had occurred, then stopped.

After confirming through my senses that my body was safe, I looked around.

‘Where am I?’

The altar’s fire, which had been as bright as midday, went out, and I fell into darkness.

But as the surroundings brightened again, I could examine the nearby scenery. It was completely different from the limestone cave from earlier.

Just as I was cautiously trying to survey the surroundings, I suddenly felt a presence and tensed up.

‘Who…’

But there was no time to react. Someone strongly embraced my body.

“Let go… ugh…”

I tried to resist, but with my body captured like this, I couldn’t. Even though I was capable of close combat, my style was to overcome through magical combat.

But there was a way to escape.

I quickly called for Hong-ok to use a spell. If she accelerated my mana, I could attack the opponent with blue flame.

I was startled at that moment.

Hong-ok didn’t respond to my call. I felt dizzy.

‘If I can’t use mana in an unknown place…’

Then I would be no different from a powerless civilian. Instinctively, I tried to call for Wind Cutter, but Wind Cutter didn’t respond either.

Cold sweat was about to break out due to the dizzying sense of despair. I still had so much to do.

‘What if that caretaker from earlier was a spy from the Red Lake…’

If they had been following me since I left the Association, this would be the perfect moment to harm or capture me, with no companions around.

If they knew about hunters entering the Association headquarters at this time and were somewhat aware of Flame’s activities, they might consider me a valuable hunter and capture me. And in reality, I knew a lot of information that villains would covet.

‘No… I have to… escape somehow…’

At that moment, the grip of the person embracing me from behind loosened slightly.

At the same time, the sensation felt strange. Though the strength was clearly felt, the touch from behind was excessively soft.

I had already experienced a similar sensation before.

‘A woman’s… chest…?’

I was startled by that thought. I’m a man over 180cm tall. It’s hard to imagine a woman who would challenge me in physical combat out of nowhere.

That’s when the woman who had grabbed me finally spoke to me.

“My lord… I… I am truly delighted to see you again!”

It was a voice I had heard somewhere before. Taking advantage of the loosened grip, I quickly escaped from the woman’s hands. And our eyes met.

A beauty with fiery red long hair and red eyes.

Though I had never met her in reality, I knew who she was the moment I saw her.

“Hong-ok?”

She nodded vigorously at my voice.

“Yes! I am Hong-ok, your lover!”

I was momentarily speechless at her response.