Around summer's end, revisiting the place we had come to for evaluation felt refreshingly different in the winter. Kang Sihyun, without any hesitation, headed for the orc's habitat and, alongside Russ, subdued the attacking orcs, feeling a renewed sense of novelty.
In the past, battling even a single orc had seemed a tough challenge, but it was no longer the case. Though not bringing his staff made mana manipulation somewhat more difficult than usual, it wasn't overwhelming for Kang Sihyun, who drowned an orc in blue water.
Russ briefly marveled. Complimented on his improved skills, Kang Sihyun swallowed his pride. Indeed, after navigating through the Shadow World, his mana handling and skill application had significantly advanced.
It was during the suppression of the third wave of orcs that an unexpected comment was made.
"With this level, you'd easily qualify as A-grade."
Russ was certain of Kang Sihyun being more than A-grade without a hint of hesitation, even though I had thought at best he'd be considered sub-A-grade due to lack of experience. Kang Sihyun looked at him with a slightly bewildered expression, wondering since when A-grade became so attainable.
"A-grade?"
"Is that lower than you expected?"
"No, it's quite high…"
"High? If you're a Quadruple, being considered as sub-S-grade wouldn't be undeserved."
That wasn't modesty; that was foolishness, kiddo.
Such a prettily phrased remark was nonetheless a compliment, and just as Kang Sihyun was about to express his gratitude, Russ's battle prowess caught his eye. Whether it was the movement generating heat, the man, having removed his outer clothing, gave a slight nod. The sight of several orcs being struck down by a single bolt of lightning was astonishing. To witness such combat prowess and then hear him confidently claim sub-S-grade potential made it hard to take him at face value.
It was practically deceit.
As Kang Sihyun dismissed Russ's words as mere flattery, Russ insisted he wasn't just being nice. What was meant to be a compliment turned into an admonition to start stepping out of school and actively fight against Irregulars, having gained skills and experience. Kang Sihyun grimaced, pretending not to hear.
"Being with you does make things faster, though."
With Russ included in the force, the speed of combat was on another level. The number of orc corpses piled up incomparably faster than before when eight of us had come. Asking if at this rate orcs could be driven to extinction, the reply was breeding rates were high and the queen was kept outside the stronghold, making extinction without killing them all unlikely.
Feeling momentarily disappointed, Kang Sihyun refocused on the battle. It wasn't a massacre they aimed for today, after all.
Noticing the absence of the orc chieftain, Kang Sihyun surveyed the surroundings. Not seeing the formidable orc seen before, he tilted his head and shared his concern with Russ.
"The chieftain's not visible, is that okay?"
"Must've gone off through a rift."
Russ responded nonchalantly, then looking at the numerously outnumbering orcs, he frowned as if tired.
"Let's wrap this up and rest."
You said it yourself, finding that place is a task.
Advising not to waste energy on minor foes, Russ snapped his fingers. The sky roared once.
Then, dozens of lightning bolts simultaneously struck the orc stronghold.
Boom!
The sound was akin to a building collapsing. Kang Sihyun, in that moment, grasped Russ's hand that shielded his eyes from the light, regaining his vision. He was speechless.
Hundreds of orcs were eradicated by just a few dozen lightning bolts. The man who accomplished this with a snap of his fingers seemed as if he was just warming up, with a face calm enough to believe.
The combat was overwhelmingly dominant.
"If it was this easy to finish, you could have done it earlier."
"Seeing how much you've grown was the opportunity, why bother."
The response was unabashed. Seizing the moment, he mentioned that a few training sessions at the IRS could promote Kang Sihyun to sub-S-grade. Kang Sihyun scowled and waved his hand dismissively. The relentless recruitment was tiresome.
Declining the offer, he looked over the land now littered with orc corpses. The primary issue was resolved, but finding the orc chieftain's chamber was the next challenge.
Mentioning the need to search for a hidden underground space, Russ suggested a drastic method: strike the ground hard with lightning to reveal it. Kang Sihyun, startled, asked if that was possible. A confident affirmative came back. Awakeners seemed like walking natural disasters at this level.
To reach S-grade, apparently, one needed to know such feats.
Surely, searching the underground could be effective, but it
was a risky method for themselves as well. Kang Sihyun recalled a skill from the list he could copy. Among the skills of a rescue team member he met in the Shadow World, one seemed fitting for the current situation.
Detection.
Though its range was limited to a 100m radius and somewhat narrow, if he moved non-stop for 10 minutes, it was a viable approach. Suggesting using the detection skill instead of wasting energy, Russ agreed and grabbed Kang Sihyun's waist.
"...What's this?"
"When will you finish searching with your steps? Run, and focus on detection."
His dismissive tone narrowed Kang Sihyun's brows. He was confident in his running ability. Asserting his confidence in speed, Russ questioned which would be faster: him carrying Kang Sihyun while running or Kang Sihyun running and detecting on his own. The question seemed rhetorical, leading Kang Sihyun to bite his lip and sigh.
Comparing with the world's number one was unfair.
"If it gets too tough, let me down."
"If this tires you, it'd be too embarrassing to call yourself an Awakener."
It was a strange pride. Deeming it unnecessary to understand, Kang Sihyun nodded perfunctorily and copied the detection skill. As soon as he signaled readiness, Russ moved. Kang Sihyun pinpointed a large underground space with a minute left in the copy's duration.
"Here!"
Due to Russ's speed, there was no time for formalities. Kang Sihyun, urgently stopping him, disembarked from Russ's embrace and touched the ground. The timing was critical to confirm what was below. It was certain.
The space he had seen that day was beneath them.
Turning around, Kang Sihyun nodded towards Russ, who, receiving the cue, hurled lightning at the indicated spot.
With a thunderous roar, the ground split open, and the floor they stood on collapsed. Russ, catching the staggering Kang Sihyun, used a flight buff to descend. Their descent was faster than the falling debris of the earth.
Landing with an astonishing speed yet stabilizing effortlessly, Kang Sihyun, having been held by Russ, gently touched down and inhaled the underground air. The air, striking his lungs, was musty and damp, a sensation he had felt before.
In the darkness, using a miniature version of the sacred light, Russ asked if this was the place. Kang Sihyun, relying on the light, surveyed the surroundings.
Then, just like before, he found stairs leading downwards.
"This is the place. If we go down these stairs, there should be murals on the walls we need to verify. Could you lend me a hand?"
"A hand?"
Russ, puzzled by the unexpected request, extended his rugged hand. Kang Sihyun placed his own hand over Russ's and activated the miniature sacred light. The column of light that rose from his palm elicited a short exclamation of awe from Russ. Kang Sihyun then proceeded towards the stairs.
"There should be murals on both walls, so please shine the light with me. I intend to see them from the beginning to the end this time."
"Where did you start last time?"
"Halfway down when I realized there were murals, so from the middle."
Recalling that moment and adding the detail, Russ readily agreed. Kang Sihyun took a deep breath and stepped onto the stairs. Suddenly, Russ, with narrowed eyes, swiftly grabbed Kang Sihyun's arm.
"Kiddo."
His voice deepened. Startled, Kang Sihyun turned to face the man.
"What's wrong?"
"Was teleportation not working here before?"
"What?"
It was news to him. Confused by the question, Russ tightened his grip on Kang Sihyun's wrist, his gaze piercing into the darkness of the stairs below.
"I have a bad feeling."
A low whisper made Kang Sihyun uneasy. Recalling the dense cries of Pia, he clenched his fist and faced the wall. Extending his hand to illuminate the wall, the beginning of the mural became visible.
"...We should still go."
"I think so too."
The need to verify what was below overcame the ominous premonition.
"Do you remember what we talked about over the phone?"
"Which part?"
"To be careful."
It was the first time Kang Sihyun felt this uneasy even with Russ around. Murmuring softly, he decided to proceed and slowly took steps down. Carefully stepping on each stair, he checked the murals painted on the walls. The beginning of the murals, marked by the passage of time, came into view under the sacred light.
In the painting, a robed figure created something. It was the monster from the mural he had seen with Hamin before. The giant monster, left alone in an empty space, turned around several times before tearing off its own flesh and throwing it on the ground. From that flesh, other monsters arose, seeming like a form of life creation.
The awakened monsters bowed to the giant monster. The three-eyed creature’s eyeballs rounded in response.
"...What's this about?"
"It's hard to judge from this alone. Looks like we'll need to see more."
It appeared the giant monster had created the other monsters. Kang Sihyun, alternating his gaze between the murals on both walls, descended the stairs. Russ faithfully illuminated the wall.
The giant monster created more monsters. At some point, these monsters began reproducing among themselves. Then, when the walls were filled with monsters, the mural abruptly ended. Kang Sihyun continued down the stairs in search of the continuation. After descending a few more steps, a horrendous stench assaulted his nostrils.
"Damn, what's this smell?"
Russ cursed, covering his nose. Kang Sihyun quickened his pace, driven by the unforgettable stench. The mural was yet to be seen, but he knew where it would start again.
Turning a corner and descending a few more steps, the altar seen in the summer came into view, along with a pathway leading inside. Kang Sihyun, curious about the altar, pulled Russ inside and illuminated the wall.
Sure enough, the mural resumed.
Now, the giant monster was alone in a vast space. Having created many monsters and lost most of its flesh, it was battered. The creatures it created offered something to the giant monster. It resembled the creatures themselves. The giant monster with rounded eyeballs swallowed the offered creature. The body of the giant monster began to recover bit by bit.
The unforeseen act of cannibalism halted Kang Sihyun's breath.
"It looks like they're offering sacrifices."
Russ murmured quietly beside him. Kang Sihyun glanced back at the altar. Somehow, he felt he understood the purpose of this altar. At the same time, he instinctively grasped what the mural meant, what story of which being it contained, and exhaled deeply before speaking.
"The original Irregular..."
This ancient mural narrated the story of the Irregulars that suddenly appeared in the world ten years ago.
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