Chapter 72.
Whoosh!
A river with a cool breeze blowing along it.
Following that great current was something very suspicious.
Squarish, with handles, it looked just like a picnic basket.
No, it wasn't merely something that looked like one—it was indeed a picnic basket.
Only, its size was somewhat larger than ordinary.
"…Is this really possible?"
Along with a somewhat clumsy voice.
Creak!
The basket's lid opened.
"He's not messing with us, is he?"
The owner of that clumsy voice was a blond man, William.
He was currently sitting inside a picnic basket, floating down the river.
"…I don't know. He didn't seem like the type to joke about something like this."
It wasn't a soliloquy.
The one answering William was Yeil.
The two of them were drifting atop the river, inside a giant picnic basket.
"But does that even make sense? Yeil, do you believe that?"
William, who was quite intelligent, now spoke Korean quite well.
Thanks to the translator device Yunchan had given him, he could understand words smoothly, so his progress was inevitably much faster.
"I have to believe it. If not, I would have refused the moment he told me to get in this basket."
Yeil himself, who spoke thus, was actually half in doubt.
'I can't believe this, yet I can't disbelieve it either…'
A basket, of all things.
And at that, a picnic basket adorned with a cute ribbon.
Why on earth did they have to drift down the river in this cute little basket?
That was because of what Yunchan had told them a short while ago.
'This basket? Of course it's meant to be used. Take it to any river and drift around leisurely. Then you'll be able to go to the underground world I told you about.'
The path to obtaining an Ancient Fragment.
It turned out to be leisurely drifting down a river in a basket.
At first—no, even now—it was a hard thing to believe.
What change could possibly occur from crossing a river in a basket?
Could he be making fun of them?
'But he was too serious for that. And he wouldn't joke in a situation like this.'
Though he had firm faith in Yunchan, in truth Yeil was also wavering under William's doubts.
Just as their doubts were growing larger and larger.
Kwaaaaah!
They could suddenly feel the current accelerating.
"Huh?"
William was the first to react to the change in the current.
Gazing ahead as the basket picked up speed.
"T-there!"
He hastily pointed to one side of the river.
What was visible there…
Rumble rumble rumble rumble!
Was a gigantic whirlpool.
"Good heavens!"
Surprised, Yeil covered his mouth with his hand.
No, this wasn't some bathtub—what kind of phenomenon was that in this massive river?
It was creating a colossal whirlpool, as if someone had pulled the plug on a drain.
"What should we do?"
At Yeil's question.
"It seems… it wasn't a lie."
"Huh?"
"The whirlpool. This is probably it. What Yunchan was talking about."
William, who had been heaping all manner of blame on Yunchan until moments ago, was now certain.
That this was the phenomenon that would take them to the underground world Yunchan had spoken of.
Of course, it was annoying that he hadn't given them exact information, but he was simply relieved that Yunchan hadn't been playing a prank.
"Ah! Now that you mention it, you're right."
Despite the tremendous spectacle unfolding before their eyes, the two remained composed.
Because they firmly believed that if they rode the basket, the entrance would open.
Although it was a somewhat unexpected phenomenon, the two, who possessed faith and trust in Yunchan, met the whirlpool with calm expressions.
Not long after.
Swoooosh!
They were caught in the whirlpool and fell downward.
Splash!
They escaped the whirlpool with a slight impact.
"…."
They raised their heads and surveyed their surroundings.
A space filled with darkness.
Fwoosh.
What illuminated the place was a torch.
Torches installed here and there helped secure a small field of vision.
"A cave?"
An artificial cave that seemed to have been intentionally constructed by someone.
Splish.
With the water having shallowed, the two could no longer move by basket and stepped onto solid ground.
'After moving to the underground world? There's nothing much. Anyway, it's a world where imagination becomes reality. The Forgotten Existence—deal with him, and you’ll be able to obtain the Ancient Fragment. However, the thing you need to watch out for at the end is…'
The mission was relatively simple.
Invade the virtual space created by the Ancient Fragment and eliminate the Forgotten Existence there.
William took the lead holding a torch to secure visibility, with Yeil following behind.
"…."
Contrary to their worries, nothing much happened.
They continued through the fairly long cave and finally arrived at their destination.
A circular clearing.
"Krrrrk—"
Something gigantic was lying in that space, using straw as a blanket.
'The Forgotten Existence? It's called Jiha Gukdaejeok (地下國大敵), but it's no big deal. Just a giant with nine heads.'
Yunchan had not told a single lie.
A gigantic being that looked to be over three meters tall—a monster with nine heads, at that—was snoring loudly.
'This is a chance!'
At that moment, William could feel that this was an opportunity worth its weight in gold.
The being before them was undoubtedly the giant, the Forgotten Existence that Yunchan had mentioned.
Since eliminating it was their goal, now while it slept was the perfect opportunity.
"Shh!"
He brought a finger to his lips, cautioning Yeil not to make a sound, then carefully set the torch on the ground and crept forward.
Even if it was a monster with nine heads, there was nothing to fear if it was in the land of dreams.
But there was something William had failed to consider.
Squelch.
He had merely stepped on a spot where a little water had pooled.
At that moment.
"Kyaaaaaak!"
A tremendous shriek burst forth.
"Wh-what?"
Startled, William froze in place.
"Husband! It's the enemy, the enemy!"
Behind the giant, a hidden being was screaming at the top of her lungs.
The giant's wife, whom Yunchan had mentioned.
Contrary to the word "wife," she had the exact same build as a human and was an incredible beauty.
Due to her neurotic screaming.
"Mmm. What's going on?"
"You idiot, intruders!"
"Intruders?"
"There, there!"
Right where that pointing finger aimed stood William.
"What the. It's a human!"
"Exactly. If it weren't for me, you would have been stabbed to death by that damned human."
"Thanks, wife. As expected, my wife is the best."
"Hmph! If you know that, hurry up and take care of them."
"Got it, wife."
Thud!
The giant sprang to his feet, grabbing a massive barbed spear made from whale bone and moved.
'This won't be easy.'
He had thought it would be easy, but as expected, it was no simple matter.
"Yeil. That thing."
"Yes."
At William's words, Yeil immediately began to pray.
Huaaaaah!
The bursting light enveloped William.
Miracle.
The Saintess's unique ability that raises the physical body's capabilities for an instant.
Shing!
Savoring the ability that now dwelled within his body, he drew his sword.
『+99(★★) Terror (公布)
Classification : Sword
Grade : Lowest-tier Treasured Sword
Durability : 190/200
Unique Effect : Increase in latent potential for swordsmanship
Unique Side Effect : Occasional invasion by vengeful spirits dwelling in the sword
Reinforcement Effect (9/99) : Extreme minor increase in latent potential for swordsmanship
Reinforcement Effect (15/99) : Minor increase in latent potential for swordsmanship
……
Max Reinforcement Effect (Max) : Moderate increase in latent potential for swordsmanship
Transcendence Effect (★) : Possession by the Sword Ghost (劍鬼) dwelling in the sword
Transcendence Effect (★★) : Possession by the Sword Demon (劍魔) dwelling in the sword
Description : What forms the eerie purple sword body is not mist, but the souls of countless beings who have brushed past this sword.
Undoubtedly, this sword is cursed.
But one who wields the sword will have no choice but to grasp this demonic sword.
—He who desires the greatest swordsmanship under heaven must seize this sword—』
Terror.
A treasured sword and demonic sword that explosively increases the latent potential of swordsmanship.
But certainly, that sword—Terror—was a cursed sword.
If one without the ability greedily grasped that sword, they would become a Sword Ghost that only knows blood and slaughter.
But that did not apply to William.
His talent was the Sword King.
Though he was now nothing more than a fledgling, his latent potential was undoubtedly the best among swordsmen.
Swoooosh—
The purple aura that had tried to envelop William was soon sucked into the sword body.
There would be no foolish sword soul that dared to steal the flesh of one who possessed the talent of the Sword King.
Thud! Thud!
The Jiha Gukdaejeok, the giant with nine heads, widened its strides and approached in an instant.
"Hrah!"
And swung its barbed spear.
Paaaaang!
It was a sound like the air wasn't splitting but shattering, like an explosion.
"Damn!"
Unable to dare meet it head-on, William hastily fell back.
Kwaang!
Where he had stood moments ago, a gigantic crater like a spider's web had formed.
Gulp!
He swallowed dryly at that power.
Destructive power—judging by that alone, it was a force that would make even the First Emperor weep.
But.
'Perhaps it's a bit simple?'
William, possessing the talent of the Sword King, saw it in that instant.
Spear technique that relied solely on power.
Had that not been the case, he wouldn't have been able to escape its attack range so easily.
'Certainly its strength is great, but it lacks speed and technique.'
He was surprised by the power, but not frightened.
Because he knew.
That battle is decided by who can highlight their own strengths and lead the fight advantageously.
If the opponent's strength is power, then you fight with technique and speed that can counter it.
Tatat.
He ran.
Kang!
The giant's spear followed, predicting his direction, but he had already nimbly leaped away.
The daring William didn't retreat backward but dove into the giant's embrace, near its thigh.
Because it was obvious that the range of that massive spear would narrow considerably if approached closely.
Right in that spot where the giant's heads were positioned directly overhead.
Pat!
He stabbed with his sword, aiming for the foot.
Undoubtedly, that strike was a very apt attack targeting the giant's weak point, but.
Kaang!
The sound of piercing flesh he expected did not come.
Instead.
"Kuk!"
William clenched his grip and staggered back.
'Terrifying hardness!'
He had definitely stabbed at a bare foot, yet his hand bounced back with the sword from the recoil.
'Just as Yunchan said.'
Parts other than the head could not deal any damage to the giant, the Jiha Gukdaejeok.
Kwang!
He rolled forward to avoid the spear coming down from above.
Righting his posture immediately.
"…."
He stared at the front—no, above.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The approaching giant.
But he was not intimidated.
Oong oong!
Terror emitted a low tremble, radiating a sword cry.
"Haap!"
He kicked off the ground and soared into the air.
The giant tried to swing its spear upon spotting William, but his hand was faster.
Shhk, shhk.
The trajectory blooming from William's hand began to complete a single picture.
『Meihua Lu Pang (梅花路傍 : Plum blossoms line the roadside)』
Papat!
Blooming red trajectory.
Pong! Pong!
And the pink flowers blooming upon the linear trajectory were red plum blossoms.
It was the sword technique of Mount Hua, which only Awakeners who had bloomed the trait called 'Mount Hua' could display.