episode_0014

5. Climbing the first tower (2)

Moving towards the tower once again, we soon arrived at a forest full of dried-up old trees that could be considered the entrance to the mountain where the tower was.

Compared to when I came here with my uncle before, the forest outside had already become quite desolate, and even the weeds on the ground had turned yellow and dried up.

” So, before we go in, does anyone have any plans? ”

When I looked at them like that and asked, they both shook their heads.

” First of all, I said that a giant orc came out here before, right? ”

Kang Hyun-seok asked, touching his chin.

” That’s right. He said that the old man and the people from Mokdong came out from the place where they set up a makeshift camp.

To be honest, I’m concerned about that. I’ve never conquered the tower before, but when I researched it separately and listened to Mr. Doosik,

I don’t think that came naturally at all. ”

This is not just something I’m saying, but it’s something I’ve developed while working as an Inquisitor in ‘Maderona’ and as an ‘Apostle of Patruna’.

As I worked as an Inquisitor, I realized that most of the phenomena that did not normally occur were caused by human intervention.

That’s why I could say this.

The two faced each other with my firm opinion.

” I agree with our Bul-yeo-si. It doesn’t make sense for a mid-level orc to come out of a tower that was built not long ago. ”

” What should I do? Should I explore and go? ”

” That would be good. ”

Watching the two of them talking like that, I couldn’t understand how they were able to explore such a vast forest.

Kang Hyun-seok smiled as if he sensed my gaze.

” My ability is the ability to control the wind, so I can spread it thinly and detect it. ”

” Is that possible? ”

” Hyunseok is a ‘returner’. That’s why he’s different from awakened people like me. ”

” A returnee…? Huh? Really?! ”

” Hey, didn’t I tell you? That’s right, I’m a returnee. The world I was reborn into was filled with heroes with abilities. ”

‘ Kang Hyun-seok was a returnee too? I feel a sense of kinship with him. ‘

I approached him like that

” Really? That’s quite an interesting story. Can you tell me about it later? ”

Honestly, as a man, how could I ignore the stories of a world where there were heroes?!

Rather, isn’t it one of the worlds that you long for or want to visit?!

” Okay, I’ll tell you later. So, can you step away for a bit? ”

” Huh? Oh, sorry. ”

I guess I got too excited and got too close without realizing it.

As I took a moment to distance myself from him, Yeonseo, who came behind me without me knowing, hugged me from behind.

” Even if you are not aware of it, if you do that, the person involved will misunderstand, so you have to be careful. We are not like that. ”

” What? Hey! No way?! ”

Yeonseo, who was touching my cheek again as if she didn’t care about my screams, looked at Kang Hyunseok.

” You can start now. ”

” Okay, just in case, stay away for a bit. ”

Yeonseo held me and moved to a tree a little further away.

Kang Hyun-seok’s hair and coat fluttered in the wind, and a weak breeze passed through Yeonseo and spread out.

After some time had passed, Kang Hyun-seok quietly opened his closed eyes and approached us.

” First of all, it looks like there are no giant orcs around. If they were really brought out by the tower, there should be more.

Instead, there are quite a few goblins. I guess it’s because the tower hasn’t been built for very long. ”

Yeonseo, who was next to me, took a book out of her bosom.

” Then, now all that’s left is to break through. Anyway, the goblins around here will be able to take care of them in no time. ”

” Okay, then I’ll ask you. ”

As soon as Kang Hyun-seok finished speaking, Yeon-seo drew out her magic and opened the book.

” Summon! Marinarion. ”

At those words, the pages of the grimoire began to flutter and glow, and three pale blue lions made of ice appeared.

” Okay, let’s go quickly. ”

” Wow~ Can I ride this? Isn’t it cold or something? ”

” It’s surprisingly not that cold, so just hurry up and get on. ”

When I got on it literally, it didn’t feel that cold.

Rather, it was quite cool and felt good.

*****

As Yeonseo rode the lion she had summoned, the tower began to appear, and Kang Hyun-seok, who was running in front, stopped first.

” We’re going to have to fight from here on out. There’s going to be a lot of them. ”

When I approached him like that and looked ahead, it was truly creepy.

Just as the word ‘Ugle Ugle’ appears in the cartoon, the sight before my eyes was nothing less than a sea of green.

Rather than a sea of green plants, the murky waters and occasional yellow snow gave off a creepy feeling.

” There are so many. Do I have to get rid of them all? Can’t I just go straight to the top? ”

At my words, Yeonseo opened her mouth while caressing the lion she was riding.

” That’s not necessarily true. The entrance is blocked, as if intentionally preventing you from heading straight to the top. ”

” Really? Haa, when are you going to finish that… ”

” Haha, what can I do? But if Yeonseo, Charlotte, and I are here, we’ll be able to catch up soon. ”

Because I felt better after hearing his words

” Really? Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do. Then let’s get rid of it quickly.

Then I can join Mr. Doosik. ”

” Then I’ll take the middle, so Yeonseo and Charlotte, take the sides. ”

” Okay. ” / ” Okay. ”

So we ran towards the goblins swarming around the tower.

*****

Yeonseo and I often went to conquer towers together, and we gained combat experience by going around taking on various requests.

‘Well, I’ve already been fighting in the world I was in before.’

That’s why I thought that compared to people of similar age and ability, I had pretty good skills in using my abilities and in making good judgments about situations.

Right now, I was in the center, Yeonseo was on the left, and Charlotte was on the right, and we were taking down the goblins.

Honestly, even though Charlotte is strong, I thought she was a little lacking compared to us.

‘There was no need to worry. No, rather, they were more skilled than us?’

He seemed to be fiddling with something around his neck, then appeared to be wearing a cloak and armor.

The armor appeared to be made of a silvery metal, with a light that felt quite sacred.

The cloak billowed and blazed as if it were made of fire.

Then he took out a sword and wrapped it in black fire.

The body of the sword turned red and the blade turned yellow, and then it charged towards the goblins.

With each swing of Charlotte’s sword, the goblins’ heads and necks fell off, and a burning smell filled the air.

Charlotte, who had defeated quite a few goblins, smiled faintly and paused for a moment as if her body was warming up.

Numerous sparks were created around her, and soon the sparks took the shape of swords and circled around Charlotte.

‘Haha! Try this too!’

The sight of her running towards him while shouting like that was like a knight depicted in a novel.

The black flames surrounding her flew and exploded, burning the goblins.

That doesn’t mean the surrounding grass wasn’t on fire, it was just burning the goblins.

” That’s great? I can’t lose to you. ”

Seeing Charlotte and Yeonseo running wild, I felt a fighting spirit burning inside me for some reason, so I decided to put in more effort and finish it quickly.

*****

After some time had passed since the battle began, I looked around and saw that the goblins seemed to have been almost subdued.

I thought I could slow down for a bit, so I looked around and saw Yeonseo and Kang Hyunseok, and they were fighting pretty well too.

” I guess the story about conquering the tower is true. ”

Yeonseo took out the three lions and two bears that she had taken out earlier and slowly watched from behind.

He was just smashing the heads of those who approached him with a hammer made of ice.

‘Wow, that kid seems gentle, but he also has an unexplainable feeling. Maybe that’s why he goes around smashing things with a hammer.’

In the case of novels or comics I read before

I remember that all the characters that use ice throw ice chunks in the shape of spears.

I thought Yeonseo might be similar.

Even now, when I feel like we’ve become quite close, I still can’t seem to read Yeonseo’s actions or thoughts.

I didn’t know you could go around smashing people’s heads with a big hammer made of ice.

In contrast, Kang Hyun-seok’s movements were quite smooth.

If you think about the word returnee, he probably has some combat experience.

So that’s why it moves so smoothly.

‘At least it’s a movement that knows how to move efficiently.’

He was using the wind to crush the goblins or shooting them with sharp projectiles to defeat them.

Leaving those two behind as I watched them, I began to concentrate again to fight properly.

After creating a flame with ‘Holy Fire’, I decided to try fighting in a different way this time, rather than making it into a sword and exploding it.

As you run towards the goblins, you fire a sword of flame at those approaching from the sides and behind, then spin it around.

It felt like they were just cutting the body in half or making it smaller and shooting it in the foot, then immobilizing it to prevent movement.

As I was swinging my sword around so frantically, there were no more goblins in sight.

” Phew, are we done with everything? It wasn’t really in a cave or a labyrinth, we were just wandering around, so it was easy. ”

It seemed like Yeonseo and Kang Hyeonseok had also sorted things out and we headed to the entrance of the tower.

*****

” So, are you both ready? ”

Kang Hyun-seok looked at me and Yeon-seo and asked while putting his hand close to the ‘stone monument’ at the entrance of the tower.

” Anytime is fine. Let’s finish quickly and go find that girl named Ara. ”

” Yeah. I’m ready. ”

When Kang Hyun-seok heard our answer and touched the ‘stone’, the transparent wall that seemed to be blocking the entrance broke and disappeared.

Light poured in through the open gap in the door, revealing that the surrounding scenery was not a forest but the inside of a tower.

The walls are engraved with strange and unusual patterns, and the torches hanging on the walls are not the modern-day fluorescent lights that use electricity.

And then a large wooden door that seemed to lead inward appeared before us.