The swarm of Evil Eyes circled a few times, then vanished with a whoosh.
Once he confirmed they were gone, Ichan let out a sigh of relief.
“Young Hero. I think we need to get out of here quickly. We’ve shaken them off for now, but they’ll come swarming soon.”
Using the gargoyle stone-muscle camouflage suits Shinhyeok had made for them, they swiftly left the area.
After moving for some distance, they saw the boundary of the world.
A faint border in space was rippling.
Namgung Jincheon looked across to the other side.
“This is not good. It seems to be a world with quite a few people. It is my first time seeing this place.”
Shinhyeok checked the other side.
What he saw was a vast plain, a forest, and buildings of medieval Western style.
He roughly got the picture.
“How about we cross over for now? I think we need to get away from here fast.”
Because of the swarm of Evil Eyes passing overhead, everyone was on edge.
In the end, with no other choice, they moved into the world on the other side.
After they crossed, a lich arrived in midair over the gargoyle region.
Light flickered in the eye sockets of its black skull as it checked the surroundings.
“I can see traces.”
It gathered up the numerous Evil Eyes.
Black magic flowed out and read the information from the Evil Eyes.
As the lich scanned the memories flowing in, a subtle expression crossed its face.
“Unclear……”
The information from the Evil Eyes held no visual data.
There was only detection data using mana.
Five stones shaped like people appeared with unusual frequency.
And, intermittently, five presences that had been detected.
The lich, wearing an ambiguous expression, pondered for a moment before nodding.
“I will pursue.”
It reached one hand down toward the ground for a moment.
“Be reborn as kin of the demonic.”
Black magic dropped to the ground with a tap.
The black magic that fell onto the ground rapidly spread across the surroundings.
Even the gargoyles that had yet to awaken were engulfed by it.
Grrrk!
The gargoyles’ screams rang out briefly, then fell silent.
Then, as rocks began to tumble from the stone mountain, the lich turned around.
The stone mountain was uncurling itself and beginning to stretch.
The lich smiled wickedly.
“Are you the mother?”
The gigantic Gargoyle Queen stared at the lich.
Unconcerned, the lich held out its hand.
“Good. You come with me as well.”
The Gargoyle Queen ignored him and struck down at the lich’s hand.
But the lich’s black magic reached her first.
It seeped into her just like that.
The queen’s movements gradually came to a halt.
Before long, everything had fallen into the lich’s grasp.
Leading all the gargoyles, the lich headed toward the rippling world on the other side.
“Let us go. We shall confirm whether those bastards are from Earth.”
* * *
Having crossed into the world on the other side, Shinhyeok looked back.
“They’re not chasing us.”
He checked the movement of the Evil Eyes.
Fortunately, it seemed the area around the stone mountain on that side had been their primary target.
Even so, Namgung Jincheon hurried them along.
“I think it would be better to hasten. This place does not seem very safe either.”
Everyone agreed with him.
They all hurried on to get through.
Shinhyeok continued to scan the surroundings through mapping, never letting down his guard.
‘It’s quiet.’
The area was not as noisy as he had expected.
It did not seem to be a world teeming with people.
Walking behind him, Ichan found his statue-like appearance strange.
“Hyung, this is stifling. Can’t we do something about it?”
Shinhyeok shrugged.
At that, bits of stone crumbled and fell.
“You never know. And we don’t have clothes.”
“Ah.”
Arin, too, looked disappointed at those words.
The sight of five statues walking side by side was quite alien and strange.
After walking for a long while, Shinhyeok sensed human presences in the distance and sent a mapping crystal far ahead.
At a place quite far away, he saw a fortress that was falling apart.
He immediately informed the others.
“There are people over there. What should we do?”
Namgung Jincheon pondered for a moment.
“I would like to avoid them if possible. But we have little food.”
He pointed to the modest bundle they were carrying.
Thinking of the food he himself had failed to bring, Shinhyeok realized they had no choice.
“Let’s stop by.”
Everyone nodded.
They approached the distant fortress Shinhyeok had identified.
As they began drawing near, a booming trumpet sounded from the fortress wall.
“Oh no.”
Namgung Jincheon looked troubled.
“They do not seem very friendly. We may have to flee quickly, so everyone be ready.”
Soon, men in shabby armor and all manner of mismatched clothing stood on the wall with bows in hand.
At their center stood an elderly knight.
He shouted in a booming voice.
“You monsters! We have nothing left to give! So get lost!”
At those words, Shinhyeok hurriedly took off his top.
Then the camouflage over his upper body came undone.
“Everyone, take off the camouflage!”
Namgung Jincheon realized there was room for misunderstanding and quickly took off his robe, and Ichan also removed his top.
The elderly knight on the wall rubbed his eyes and remained on guard when the five moving statues suddenly appeared like people.
They raised both hands to show their intent to surrender.
“What are you!”
With both hands raised, Shinhyeok said to him,
“We are travelers! We were fleeing from monsters as well!”
At those words, the elderly knight lowered his guard by one step.
Taking his hand off the scabbard, the old knight gestured to those around him.
“Everyone, lower your bows for now. They do not seem to be monsters.”
Seeing that the other party’s vigilance had eased, Shinhyeok carefully moved forward and shouted,
“We will move slowly!”
The elderly knight nodded.
However, the gate did not open.
When they drew closer, the elderly knight silently stared at Shinhyeok’s group.
Namgung Jincheon stepped forward as if he were used to this.
“Sir. We only wish to obtain a small amount of food and be on our way.”
The elderly knight answered with a solemn expression.
“With what?”
Namgung Jincheon took a piece of gold from his robes.
“We will pay in gold. Or we also have magic crystals.”
At the mention of magic crystals, the elderly knight showed faint interest, but refused.
“I refuse. We will not threaten you. Instead, pass us by. There are unsettling rumors going around as well.”
Namgung Jincheon realized the devil’s message had spread even this far.
“Please understand. You must have heard it as well.”
Shinhyeok looked over the fortress, checking whether there was anything they could use to negotiate.
‘It’s old and broken down. The traces of battle haven’t faded.’
“We are in difficult circumstances as well, so food will be hard to provide. I am sorry.”
The elderly knight tried to turn away without lingering.
Shinhyeok immediately raised his hand and shouted,
“We’ll repair your fortress walls!”
At that shout, the elderly knight turned back.
He looked at Shinhyeok, who seemed to have something he was relying on.
“You? I am sorry, but we have labor as well. There are circumstances that have forced us to leave it like this.”
‘They must be pressed for time. That’s why they can’t even take temporary measures. They keep fighting before they have time to repair it.’
“One day! No, half a day will be enough! Or shall I show you right now?”
At his confident shout, the elderly knight snorted.
“Young man, how could you do what even our castle’s mage cannot? Hm? Huh!?”
Shinhyeok skillfully used alchemy to fill in the cracked part of the wall.
Looking up at the elderly knight, he asked again.
“To be honest, if it’s only the wall, it won’t even take half a day.”
The elderly knight’s eyes changed.
“Come in at once! Hey! Open the gate! Open it this instant! A noble guest has appeared! Even if he were a demon, we would have to sell our souls!”
The gate was flung wide open at the elderly knight’s frantic order.
Namgung Jincheon admired Shinhyeok’s method.
“Young Hero, what did you do?”
“It’s my talent.”
“Hoho. How fascinating.”
The elderly knight rushed out and welcomed Shinhyeok.
“I had no idea such an honored guest existed. Come in, come in!”
Thanks to Shinhyeok’s miraculous art, they were fortunately able to enter very easily.
“That’s our mister for you.”
“Our hyung is awesome.”
Arin and Ichan praised Shinhyeok from behind.
Receiving the elderly knight’s welcome, Shinhyeok immediately exchanged opinions with him.
“What should I repair first?”
At those words, the elderly knight broke into a broad smile.
“Hohoho! What an upright young man! If you do not mind, please start with the fortress wall!”
Before they even exchanged names, Shinhyeok immediately jumped into the hard labor.
‘There seems to be enough material.’
It really seemed they had been too busy to repair it.
For starters, there were many stones piled up around the area.
‘Hoo. Alchemy.’
He immediately melted and lifted the stones, plastering them onto the wall and smoothing it out.
The people inside the fortress all marveled at Shinhyeok.
“What in the world is that? Well, I’ll be. That’s something.”
An old man in a robe emerged from the inner keep at the center of the fortress and watched.
Stroking his long beard, he pushed up the glasses that had slid down his nose.
“Where have I…… seen this before?”
At this miraculous sight, he thought back to the ancient texts he had read throughout his life.
“Young man.”
But when nothing came to mind, he approached and gently asked.
Shinhyeok turned back briefly at the unfamiliar voice.
When an elder in robes approached, he greeted him politely.
“Hello.”
“Yes, good to meet you. But how are you casting such magic? It seems to be magic I am not familiar with.”
Shinhyeok wondered whether to hide it, then simply answered.
‘Even if he knows, it won’t matter anyway.’
“It’s alchemy.”
At those words, the elder exclaimed in admiration.
“Aha! So you are an Alchemist!”
When he recognized it right away, Shinhyeok was the one who was surprised.
“Ah, you know about it?”
“Of course I do! I am a scholar who researches ancient magic. Ancient alchemy stands shoulder to shoulder with ancient magic, so of course I know!”
Perhaps excited, he wanted to match the knowledge he possessed with Shinhyeok’s ability.
However, the elderly knight stopped him.
“Lord Strun. The young man is very busy.”
At the subtle pressure, the elder gave a small laugh and stepped back.
“Young man, when your work is finished, let us have a talk. How exciting it is to meet someone walking the same path after so long.”
Shinhyeok chuckled at the elder’s appearance.
“I’ll be done soon, so I’ll come see you right away.”
“Good! I would like to help as well, but I am completely ignorant in this field.”
Shinhyeok hurried his work for now.
‘I’d like to sit and talk more, but I have to hurry.’
He had no idea how far those things had chased them.
After two hours of restoring the fortress wall through hard labor, Shinhyeok clutched his thigh and panted.
“Hoo. Feels like my head’s going to split open.”
‘Ah, I miss Link.’
Struggling to his feet, he checked on his companions.
Judging by Namgung Jincheon, it seemed he had traded a magic crystal for an appropriate amount of food.
“Hoho, are you finished?”
Strun approached as soon as the work was done.
“Ah, Elder.”
When Strun came closer, Shinhyeok greeted him with a smile for now.
“This truly is a pleasure. I am Malakai Strun. As you can see, I am the only mage and enchanter in this castle.”
‘An enchanter!’
He had met someone he was glad to see.
Shinhyeok hurriedly introduced himself.
“I am Bu Shinhyeok. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hohoho. The pleasure is mine. To think I would see a being from ancient texts in person. How fascinating.”
He looked Shinhyeok over carefully and asked,
“In the ancient texts, it says that an Alchemist is chosen by fate and chosen by the world. Is that true?”
‘Wow, they sure wrote “carried by talent” in a beautiful way.’
“It’s more or less similar.”
“As expected……! They were described as those who manipulate all things with their fingertips and create all things. Seeing you, it appears those words were true. You truly are remarkable.”
Amazed, he asked this and that.
“In the ancient texts, it says that if a mage interprets mysteries with their mouth, an Alchemist is one who interprets mysteries with their hands. With a single gesture, all mysteries……”
Shinhyeok agreed with those words to some extent.
‘It’s similar. Ordinary mages cast by uttering runic words in the form of spells, while I just use it.’
“I think that is correct.”
“Hohohoho!”
From Shinhyeok’s perspective, seeing the other party so purely excited and delighted made it hard not to talk.
“How interesting.”
Namgung Jincheon urged Shinhyeok with his eyes.
Reading that look, Shinhyeok politely asked for understanding.
“Elder, it seems my companions are calling me……”
“Ah, then it cannot be helped. Tsk. Go on, then. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
‘Hm, I need to ask him about runic words.’
Since he was being called, Shinhyeok gave up for now as well.
“I hope to see you again.”
“As do I. Go carefully. And beware the monsters around here!”
Passing by the people, Shinhyeok headed toward his companions.
“Phew, I’m glad he wasn’t a monster.”
“I know. Looks like we won’t get robbed this time.”
Namgung Jincheon gathered Shinhyeok and urged them to move again.
“We obtained a suitable amount of jerky. Let us be on our way now.”
Receiving the elderly knight’s gratitude, they left the castle.
As they walked while deciding on their route, they saw an Evil Eye in the sky.
“Oh no!”
Everyone hurriedly put on their camouflage suits.
Shinhyeok immediately mapped the area behind them to check.
‘No way?’
It was exactly what he feared.
A massive swarm of gargoyles was rushing toward them.
“Wait.”
Shinhyeok saw the approaching swarm and the castle standing between them.
“Young Hero! We must go quickly!”
But his gaze kept lingering on the castle.
“Young Hero……!”