56 – Fissure (8)
Leaving behind my doubts, I swiftly headed towards the villa to join my companions.
On the way, I couldn’t shake off the uneasy thought that something might have happened to them, but,
“Wade…!”
Fortunately, my companions were unharmed.
“Lord Wade…!”
“W-Wade, sir….”
“I’m relieved you’re safe.”
“….”
Starting with Mary, my companions all recognized me and greeted me warmly.
However, it wasn’t just joy and concern that filled their eyes; there was also doubt and astonishment clearly present.
It was an inevitable consequence.
Since I had single-handedly dealt with the tentacled wolf, which Ethan had evaluated as a calamity-level monster, in front of them.
Honestly, I could only force a wry smile at the revelation of the truth I had been trying to hide, but there was nothing I could do about it.
If I hadn’t intervened, the situation would have undoubtedly taken a turn for the worse.
Though it unintentionally revealed my abilities, I wasn’t overly anxious about it since my companions, to some extent, knew that I was concealing my true strength, and more importantly, they were not the type to casually gossip about it just because they knew my real abilities.
“Why did you visit the island?”
At that moment, as if unconcerned about such matters, one person calmly inquired.
It was Estelle.
Perhaps because she knew to some extent about my abilities, she showed no sign of surprise like the other companions.
However, it was difficult for me to answer immediately about the island.
“I’ll explain that later.”
“Understood.”
Estelle nodded understandingly.
She, too, must have known that the current situation was not conducive to having a conversation.
Setting aside detailed discussions for later, we decided to focus on the present once again.
While my companions were unharmed, the octopus-like creatures were still wriggling about.
Therefore, I had to participate in the monster hunt immediately.
Although both my body and mental strength were practically at their limits, considering the circumstances around me, there was no room for rest.
Luckily, the octopus-like creatures were nothing more than a large number of opponents.
In any case, the group I joined swiftly dealt with the creatures at a faster pace than before.
As the fight continued and the surroundings were gradually cleared,
“What, is it already over?”
Ethan returned.
Looking quite exhausted.
Apart from his face showing signs of fatigue, upon closer inspection, it seemed like he had been through quite a battle, judging by the minor injuries scattered across his body and the tattered state of his clothes.
However, there didn’t appear to be any noticeable injuries.
This was a remarkable feat.
Even for a seasoned warrior like him, facing a calamity-level monster was no easy task.
Considering the time spent, it was fair to say he didn’t utilize any advanced techniques or skills.
Yet, he managed to single-handedly deal with the tentacled wolf.
It meant he had pierced through the absurd defenses and regeneration of the tentacled wolf using rather crude methods.
Given that even with a mixed resolve and swordplay, he couldn’t inflict meaningful wounds, what Ethan accomplished was truly a feat beyond mere achievement.
That’s why I gazed at him in admiration.
“…This madman doesn’t have a scratch on him.”
Ethan, in turn, looked at me with eyes that betrayed weariness.
Truth be told, outwardly, I seemed to be in better shape.
I emerged from the battle with the tentacled wolf without a scratch.
But that was solely due to my ability to wield a sword.
Perhaps, if Ethan could wield a sword, he would have effortlessly dispatched both tentacled wolves the moment they appeared.
Simply observing the current situation, Ethan might seem outwardly unkempt, but he had far more reserves than I did.
Hence, although it felt unjust to receive such a gaze, I decided to postpone resolving that sense of injustice for later.
With Ethan joining us, the pace of monster hunting accelerated even further.
Not long after Ethan joined us, the surroundings were all cleared, and we relentlessly pursued monsters fleeing in different directions without a moment’s rest.
From Noble mtl dot com
After running around for quite some time, the commotion from the rifts finally came to an end.
***
The rift commotion that suddenly engulfed us concluded without significant damage, considering its unbelievable scale.
There were no casualties among us, and the external damage was not substantial.
Due to the octopus-humanoids dispersing in all directions, there were some civilian casualties, but fortunately, the number of affected individuals was not high.
Most of the vacationers gathered at the lake noticed something amiss and managed to escape in time.
Despite the relatively low impact, the rumors of the rift commotion spread rapidly across the continent.
It was only natural. The appearance of such a massive rift, two calamity-level presumed monsters, and a significant number of monsters that were hard to count made it an uncommon event in the continent’s history.
With numerous eyewitnesses, the spread of rumors was inevitable.
Thus, the news of the rift commotion spread overnight, but there was a missing piece.
The part regarding the individuals who handled the two calamity-level monsters and resolved the situation.
This was deliberately omitted because we chose to conceal our identities.
After tidying up and ensuring everything was in order, we hastily left the lakeside.
Being associated with this incident, having it known that we dealt with most of the monsters, would undoubtedly attract attention from all over the continent.
As that was not our intention, we concealed our identities and erased our traces.
Consequently, the continent was left with unexpected turmoil due to the news and a lingering mystery.
On the other hand, we simply returned to Lakewood.
With an unexpected guest in tow, Ethan.
Honestly, I hadn’t anticipated Ethan accompanying us, but there was no reason, no justification to refuse his company.
In this particular matter, without Ethan, it could have resulted in a major catastrophe.
Two tentacled wolves—I might have somehow managed to confront them, but without him, I might not have been able to handle the island’s giant.
Perhaps, I could have been overwhelmed without a chance to escape.
In that regard, rejecting Ethan’s company was difficult.
Moreover, there was something to discuss separately with him.
Although I was concerned that Edan’s unpredictable nature might cause a disturbance, Edan surprisingly managed to conceal his identity well, did not stir up any major trouble, and showed a courteous demeanor to both insiders and outsiders.
Anyway, when we returned to the mansion with an unexpected guest.
The insiders showed a strong reaction.
They worried anxiously about whether their precious daughter and the guests were injured in any way.
After confirming that everyone was unharmed, the tension eased, but it was quite a scare until then.
On the other hand, the father.
“…Is anyone hurt?”
“…No.”
“…Then it’s fine.”
He responded with such indifference.
At this cold greeting, the group looked at me and the father with strange eyes, but I remained silent.
That was always the way between me and my father.
In any case, after the sudden end of the unusual visit, we returned to our daily lives.
***
“So, you failed to retrieve the artifact?”
In a dark room.
In a room where the faint light barely distinguished the outlines of objects.
Han Inyeong’s voice echoed.
“…Yes.”
The answer came from slightly below.
There, a man wrapped in a robe was bowing towards Inyeong.
“…….”
And silence descended upon the room.
“…….”
In the heavy silence, the man in the robe was sweating coldly.
If Inyeong was upset, a big incident would surely follow.
Please let it pass gracefully, the man fervently wished inwardly, knowing better than anyone that it wouldn’t happen.
Even if it led to a major punishment, it was a matter that could not be helped.
Therefore, the man closed his eyes tightly, preparing for the upcoming future.
However.
“I see.”
Inyeong’s response was calm.
Completely different from what the man had expected.
“……?”
It was so unexpected that the man reflexively raised his head with a puzzled expression.
He thought his neck might be on the line any moment, but such a composed response?
“Is there a problem?”
“Oh, no, not at all…!”
As if sensing the man’s reaction, Inyeong asked, and at that question, the man hastily bowed his head again.
‘Why…?’
This was by no means a matter to be taken lightly.
It was a weighty matter to the extent that even if the organization were to be completely overturned because of this incident, it could be understood.
However, Inyeong’s reaction was strangely indifferent.
As if she were someone who didn’t care much about this matter.
‘…Whatever the reason may be.’
Although it was incomprehensible, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
No, it was rather a good thing.
It meant that her fate was not ending today.
“What are the specifics?”
“…It seems that the crack near Lake Rayclund was caused by Brian.”
“Makes sense.”
Inyeong calmly nodded after hearing the man’s information.
Opening such a massive crack, summoning two monstrous beings from another world of catastrophic proportions simultaneously, was impossible without divine intervention or something equivalent.
“And the whereabouts of the relic?”
“That….”
The man said after tightly closing his eyes.
“It seems to have been taken by a ‘great being’.”
“…I see.”
Inyeong nodded again.
Shortly after, Inyeong spoke again.
“Has it been revealed who dealt with the two catastrophic beings?”
“Well… The scene was so chaotic, with almost no traces left, so we couldn’t determine the exact identity, but based on the faint remaining traces, it is presumed that a level ten swordsman was involved.”
“A level ten swordsman… I see.”
Inyeong nodded for the last time.
Then, with an unfathomable calmness, she said:
“Go check it out.”
“…Yes.”
In response to Inyeong’s command, the man left the room without hesitation, moving as smoothly as flowing water.
‘She survived…!’
Whatever the reason or why Inyeong was so indifferent, it didn’t matter; she had survived.
Rather than tainting this joy with unnecessary questions, the man decided to be grateful that his life was not ending today, and he left with lighter steps.
***
As the man left the room, Inyeong was finally left alone in the dark room.
How long did the silence last as Inyeong remained alone in the room?
Suddenly, Inyeong spoke:
“…Once again, the flow has changed.”
The planned course of events had changed.
And not just once, but twice.
A massive change had already occurred, one that couldn’t be dismissed as mere coincidence.
And once again, a variable emerged.
Originally, disaster would have probably befallen the human world.
The apostles of the ‘great being’ would have descended, bringing irreparable harm to humanity.
But such a future was changed by the emergence of a variable.
“A variable…”
Recalling now faded memories from a distant past.
Inyoung lifted her head.
“We can’t let it repeat.”
In the silent darkness, only Inyoung’s eyes gleamed.