Part 2, Episode 129.
Hidden conditions. Sudden events.
All of these meant one thing.
Hidden Piece!
A device intentionally hidden within the game.
The fact that the Easter egg is activated by fulfilling the conditions to activate it.
I never imagined something like that would be hidden this time as well.
In this case, it seems the condition was to destroy all the remnants of the abyss in the vicinity.
I never would have been able to break it without the Ruler’s Eye.
It wasn’t just a casual remark.
Rupalo’s blessing only reacts to nearby remnants.
For starters, the user must be nearby for a reaction to occur. Therefore, you have to wander endlessly through the forest to find them one by one.
There were even a few of them that didn’t respond to the blessing.
It is likely a remnant hidden so that it cannot be found by mere protection alone.
Since it was said that the linked quests change depending on the grades, perhaps the linked quests were about destroying hidden remnants.
No, there’s a high probability that it will be.
It’s not like I’ve only been playing Demlok and God of Savior for a day or two.
Looking at how the situation was unfolding, it was obvious.
However, Dohyeon and his group have now destroyed all the remnants.
Then what will happen to the existing linked quests?
It will probably change to a different quest.
And the probability that this hidden piece would affect that quest was overflowing.
No, putting that aside, I obtained a hidden piece, so there was no reason to refuse.
At that, Dohyeon waited for the next message with a serious expression, and as if to satisfy his anticipation, a notification soon rang.
[Caution! A sudden event will occur.]
[A hidden secret dungeon reveals itself.]
And at that moment.
Kugugugu-
“!?”
“hmm!”
The Empress, the Sword Saint, and Dohyeon immediately lowered their postures to the ground, which was vibrating as if there had been a sudden earthquake.
Speed close to a knee-reflex.
Thanks to that, I was able to keep my balance, but not everyone was like that.
“Wow, what is this?”
-Kehek!? W-what is this, Master!
-Rizariza!?
“My Lord, it is dangerous… …!”
A middle-aged man with a huge frame who fell embarrassingly on his butt.
When you look at Jihad rolling around on the floor and Eliza jumping right over Charlie’s head at the sight.
Even though Charlie staggered violently, he managed to regain his balance and search for Dohyun, but…
-C-cough.
At the sight of my lord’s composed demeanor, I soon cleared my throat in embarrassment.
Kugugugu.
Meanwhile, the vibration gradually subsided, and soon the changed scenery was revealed along with the message window.
To be precise, the scenery hadn’t changed.
The place where the last remnants were.
-Uh, what is that?
-Liza!?
-Hmm, it’s strange that it looks like a crack and also like a living organism.
Something huge was rising from the ground there.
However, its size was extraordinary.
It was 5 meters tall, so it felt like looking at a giant boss monster, and the ominous aura made me feel like I was looking at something terrible.
No wonder the ground shakes so much, with such an ignorant thing rising up.
Despite the sudden appearance of something unidentified, Dohyeon and his colleagues remained relatively calm.
It was because it was visible to their eyes.
[The Eye of the Abyss (Imitation) has opened.]
[Eye of the Abyss (Imitation)]
– Grade : ?
-Type : ?
-characteristic : ?
– Description: The only entrance connecting the abyss and the surface, and the only Eye of the Abyss.
It is an entrance where you can feel the traces of someone having poured years of research and resources into creating it artificially.
I can feel an old and terrible energy, though I do not know when it was created or what materials were used to make it.
[Entry Limit: Those who have completed the hidden route]
The true identity of that thing.
Of course, I mean I was relatively calm, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t surprised.
Rather, as the saying goes, “a silent scream,” they were in shock, though it was not outwardly apparent.
“Eyes of the Abyss?”
What is the eye of the abyss?
The sudden event that almost happened during Gaiman the Destroyer and the Tomb of the Forgotten King.
Even though it hadn’t opened properly and had merely revealed itself, the thrill I felt was still vivid.
In contrast to that… … .
Hmm, it’s not that bad.
This eye of the abyss was far from sufficient.
It is true that a terrible aura is conveyed just by looking at it, making it creepy to approach… … but that is about it.
There was no sense of crisis as if every single cell in the body was sending a warning.
“Eye of the Abyss? Is this that thing from back then?”
“Damn it. Compared to back then, nothing makes my heart race at all.”
“Hmm. I agree.”
“Oh, right. You guys were here too.”
My colleagues were frowning, as if they shared the same thought.
“Well, it says it’s a replica. It must be different from the real Eye of the Abyss.”
“But am I the only one getting a feeling about this? An artificially created Eye of the Abyss? And of all things, is that the Hidden Piece?”
I do have a feeling about it.
It was just as the Empress said.
The combination and situation were too plausible to be dismissed as mere coincidence.
Even if Rupalo and the fairies cannot touch it, entrusting the Remnants of the Abyss—the core ingredient that sickens the World Tree—to mere monsters?
Something felt off.
but,
What if it’s not that I didn’t protect the remnants of the abyss, but that there was no need to protect them?
What if the invaders’ objective was not mere destruction, but actually to complete the Eye of the Abyss?
The remnants of the abyss are a kind of show.
If you think of it as blocking the eyes, it explains the entire situation before and after.
It was enough to feel cathartic, as if a puzzle piece that had been missing all along had finally been put into place.
“……That sounds plausible?”
“Wow, I didn’t think of that.”
“It’s no wonder Rupalo wouldn’t know. Since the remnants themselves couldn’t be destroyed.”
Oh. What’s gotten into you? You’re quick-witted for once.
“Kaiser, that guy has always been better at scheming than you, Kuku.”
“What, you punk?”
Even in the midst of this, Dohyeon took a step forward, lightly ignoring the bickering Empress and the Sword Saint.
There was no reason to worry about the situation as it turned out.
“Rupalo wouldn’t know even if I went, so there’s no real need to go.”
“You never know. If I leave this alone, it might disappear.”
So, it’s decided, right?
Of course, you punk.
“……Wow, when was that again, old man?”
“Oh, why? What is it now? Yeah, it’s nice being young. You think you’ll never age? Once you cross the 30s, it’s gone in a flash, you know?”
“Then how old were you back then, sir…?”
“Do you really want to die?”
Dohyeon, who had brushed off the sight of even the middle-aged man joining the fight as if he were used to it, raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.
Then let’s go inside.
That’s good.
The sea I had been longing for.
His colleagues immediately stopped fighting and answered as if they had never bickered.
-Ugh, I feel a bit uneasy about it… but since everyone else is going, I’m fine.
-Hmm! This humble sword. I will simply stand by my lord’s side whenever he goes.
-Lizariza!
And even the Guardians standing beside him.
Confirming that the decision was unanimous, Dohyeon reached out his hand to the Eye of the Abyss, and at that moment.
Paat-!
[Qualification verified.]
[Entering the secret dungeon ‘Eye of the Abyss (Replica)’.]
The vision flickered.
* * *
abyss.
A new world created in the aftermath of the battle between the gods who invaded Abtartel in the distant past and numerous races.
A terrible being that nearly swallowed up the entirety of Abtartel.
The biggest culprit that caused the defeat of ancient humanity.
A place where even the magical beasts, which are merely field monsters in Abtartel terms, possess tremendous durability and power because they must endure extreme magical energy.
As I frequently encountered guys like that, I couldn’t help but think this way.
What does the abyss look like?
They always just invade or break in.
It was because this side had never set foot in the abyss.
I was even more curious because they were the guys I had been involved with and dealt with since the early days of the main quest, and they were key figures.
And now.
Dohyeon was able to satisfy at least the tip of the iceberg of that curiosity.
[Entered Eye of the Abyss (Imitation).]
[Unable to enter the Abyss due to insufficient magic power of the Eye of the Abyss.]
[You have entered the ‘Abyss Realm,’ the boundary between the abyss and the surface.]
[All stats are reduced by 10% due to demonic energy flowing from the Abyss to the Boundary.]
[The ‘Hero’ trait blocks mental corruption.]
[The ‘Hero’ trait failed to prevent mental contamination.]
Because, at least officially, it was the first time we were able to enter the abyss.
To be precise, it seemed to be nothing more than a boundary between the abyss and the surface, rather than an abyss.
“oh?”
Hoho.
That’s new.
That alone was interesting enough, so the eyes of Dohyeon and his colleagues sparkled and shone.
Of course, not everyone was like that.
-Ugh… The air is terrible. It’s hard to breathe.
-Lizariza… … .
After all, Jihad and Eliza, who are sensitive to mana, struggled and gagged.
I felt sorry for the guys who wanted to leave right away, but Dohyeon couldn’t take his eyes off the surrounding scenery.
Swoosh.
Should I call it prejudice?
Just like the appearance of the creatures that came out of the abyss, and the black demonic energy that appeared when the Eye of the Abyss was about to open.
Honestly, I thought it would just be pure darkness with nothing in it, but when I actually came in, it was completely different from what I expected.
A texture that looks like the night sky and the earth were depicted with a rough brush.
No, it is such a unique and dreamlike landscape that it makes you wonder if it would be like standing in the world at the boundary between the earth and the sky.
Should I say it’s like the world in Munch’s The Scream?
Everything reflected in the eyes was mysterious and stimulating.
You said boundary, and that really is the only word that comes to mind.
“I know.”
He really lives up to his name.
“But there are no monsters?”
Since it was called the Abyss, I honestly expected something exciting, but there’s really nothing here.
“Hmm, is it because it’s the boundary? Come to think of it, it’s somewhere in between, not the abyss.”
At that, Dohyeon and his companions stared blankly for a while, taking in every single detail of the scenery.
It was the moment the Empress took a step forward in that process.
Ding!
A notification suddenly rang.
However, the notification sound is unusual.
Ding! Ding!
The loud ringing felt less like an alert and more like a warning sound, as if telling me to take my foot off immediately.
And that intuition was accurate.
[Those who have previously entered the Abyss sense the presence of a new entrant.]
“what?”
“huh?”
“Hmm?”
No sooner had I shown a look of bewilderment at the unexpected message than something flew in from afar like a beam of light.
The moment my gaze was captivated by a beautiful flash of light that seemed to cleave the darkness.
Kaang!
The Sword Saint blocked it by swinging the sword he was holding in a reverse grip.
Right of supply.
It was such a phenomenal speed that, if it weren’t for this technique that blocks within the surrounding area at a speed close to a conditioned reflex, one would have been cut in the blink of an eye.
“Whoa, what is this!”
-Eek!
-Rizari!?
Except for Dohyeon and the Empress, who actually flinched and took their positions, no one seemed to react.
No, actually, the two of them were also a bit late.
‘… … That’s fast. They must have barely managed to prevent a fatal injury.’
After all, even the two of them reacted about half a beat late.
A surprise attack of such high quality that even the Empress, who possesses the physical ability to react instinctively to ordinary surprise attacks, was somewhat delayed.
Was that really bothersome?
“What are you…….”
Just as the Empress was about to say something while frowning, something flashed from the opposite side.
Not as fast as before, but a more threatening aura.
However, the moment she realized the surprise attack, the Empress was not one to fall for the same surprise attack.
Bang!
As I blocked it with a hand that had suddenly turned blood, the hulking man whose fist was caught grinned.
“Oh, to block that. You’re quite capable, just as I heard.”
“What the….”
The Empress’s furrowed brow deepened even further at the sight of the man suddenly thrusting his fist and laughing heartily in an acknowledging tone.
And the reaction of the Sword Saint was similar.
Unusually for her, her fine brow was deeply furrowed, clearly revealing her displeasure.
Smirk.
And as if even that sight was simply delightful, the man holding the Western sword who had first launched a lightning-fast surprise attack greeted me.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I hear you are the greatest swordsman in Joseon. I am the foremost expert in Western swordsmanship. I have always wanted to duel with the greatest swordsman of Joseon.”
Thump, thump.
And then, the sound of another presence coming from behind.
This time, it wasn’t a surprise attack.
A tall man was simply walking leisurely through the darkness.
And at that moment, *ding*, a notification rang.
[Recognizes the existence of a person with whom you have a bad relationship.]
[The Lawless Zone and Lord Kaiser have a terrible feud.]
[When the conditions are met, the ‘Field of Ill-fated Relationships’ unfolds.]
[The Book of Defiance is reading the narratives intertwined with the caster and the target to search for the appropriate power.]
[The Bond of Rebellion is activated.]
[By strongly resisting fate, you are granted the power to defy one of the destinies that could result in death at the hands of an opponent.]
A lawless zone? No way…
There was no room for doubt.
Because the identity of the guys who would show up in this situation was obvious.
“I came in here first just in case… and it was the right choice.”
Just as Dohyeon instinctively sensed the true identity of those guys.
A man whose face was faintly visible in the light like the night sky smiled sweetly at Dohyeon.
“Raon, that dummy got a bit of a lesson… I was really curious about the face of the person who taught him. So I came all the way here, only to find he’s covering his face? Well, I should take that mask off, shouldn’t I?”
“…….”
“Kaiser.”
Karmile.
It was the moment he appeared leading the kings of the lawless lands.
