The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board-Chapter 415

[ Adventure 34 - (Special). 'Star Graveyard'

In Shirlen, a city under the Federation’s jurisdiction, there is a ruin that seems almost alive.

This ruin, which had been built by ancient dwarves, was created with technology far more advanced than what is known today.

The magic, shamanic spells, and mechanical knowledge slumbering here are enough to make every scholar's heart race.

However, once a year, this ruin becomes a playground for nobles who hide their identities.

Today was one of those days…

Until the Star Graveyard began showing an abnormal reaction.

This ancient relic had woken up, and it was craving blood.

Survival is naturally the most important goal.

Objective: Survive until the Star Grave reopens or break through the Star Graveyard.

Caution. This Adventure is very dangerous.

Caution. This Adventure can change at a moment’s notice.

Remaining time 「Unknown」]

There was one thing to note.

It was about whether this Adventure was truly dangerous.

'There's no way to know…'

The answer was closer to being unknown.

The difficulty of an Adventure was based on the player's level. It had nothing to do with the player's skill.

In other words, based on Seol's level alone, this Adventure should have been quite dangerous.

However, considering that Seol was much stronger than others of the same level, the difficulty of this Adventure was appropriately labeled as unknown.

'Judging by the energy I feel… it doesn't look easy.'

The ruin's unique energy was disrupting Seol's senses.

The weapons targeting him were trivial, but the secret of the Star Graveyard was real.

It was impossible to know how many visitors here were torn to pieces.

Moreover, it seemed that the tremors had reached nearby areas as well, not just the auction site.

Seol asked Somi.

"Is there any chance of rescue?"

"None. Although the Investigation Bureau might come, the Star Graveyard is a place that cannot be damaged. Legally or physically."

Sensing movement, their gazes turned elsewhere.

"Ugh… Are you alright? Ms. Mariju!"

"I'm fine…"

"You're bleeding from your knee!"

"Sir Jalv… it's natural for humans to bleed."

"Such disrespect! It's my fault for not protecting you properly! Please, take my head…"

A noisy knight and a noblewoman were caught together.

"Huh…?"

The masked woman called Mariju saw the blood on Seol's hand and the hole in the chest of the woman who had tried to ambush him, then frantically scooted back on her bottom.

"Th-That person…"

"Is that a weapon…?"

Swoosh…

Jalv drew his sword and pointed it at them. He was ready to swing the sharp blade at any suspicious movement.

However, Somi stopped him before anything could happen.

"We're from the Federal Investigation Bureau. We were also caught up in this."

"How can we believe that?"

Swoosh…

As she showed the Investigator's seal, Jalv sheathed his sword.

"My apologies. The situation is too severe."

"In such situations, being hasty can lead to big mistakes. Sir Jalv, was it?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"My name is Somi."

"Somi, I'll remember that."

Jalv seemed quite mature.

Despite his tone, he didn't look that old.

Mariju stood up and asked while brushing off her dress.

"I never imagined I'd face such a situation while wearing such an outfit."

Despite her jewel-adorned appearance, she seemed quite down-to-earth.

Thud…

Thud…

Mariju threw her pearl necklace and jewel bracelets to the ground.

"Ms. Mariju? There's no need to go that far…"

"They're in the way."

"Hmm…"

Seol looked around, assessing the situation.

Mariju approached and asked.

"So, what do you think?"

"About what?"

"Honestly, I'm not curious about who did it… How to escape seems more important."

They were trapped in a square space—a stifling area with no breeze. Staying here would mean suffocating to death.

"There's no door."

"Right?"

It was at that moment.

WHOOM…

"Ms. Mariju!"

"Sir Jalv, stop making a fuss."

"I-I'm sorry. It's just that the ruin shook…"

"Wait, there's something in the ceiling…"

What illuminated the dark space were star-like dots forming letters on the ceiling.

Everyone fell silent, endlessly gazing at the letters.

"Oh… Interesting. So this was indeed a dwarven ruin."

"Yes? How do you know that?"

Somi was startled by Mariju's words.

"Those characters are ancient dwarven letters."

"What? Really?"

"You can believe me. I may look like an empty-headed noble, but I came here because I'm more interested in the ruin than the auction."

"Ms. Mariju is a splendid archeologist. She will probably decipher those characters in a blink and lead us out."

"Jalv… isn't that too irresponsible? And I can't even decipher it that quickly."

Deciphering ancient dwarven scripts wasn't simple. Even if it was a short sentence, if there were difficult words, it could take a long time.

"Wait a moment. Let's see…"

"A few dwarves emerged from an old mountain. What they were holding in their hands was incomprehensible."

"What…?"

Seol naturally uttered the sentence. Everyone, including Mariju, was surprised.

"Oppa, you can decipher it?"

"It seems so…"

Seol had experienced something similar before.

[May you be forgotten with Alcatron, Ur.]

The phrase that had sealed Ur again in Alcatron. Seol had read the phrase Ur said he wouldn't be able to.

And now, a phrase presumed to be written in ancient dwarven language left his mouth.

"What does this mean?"

As Seol tilted his head, the surroundings shook.

WHOOM…

"Is it because you've read the sentence?'"

"That doesn't seem so."

WHOOM…

Statues began rising from the ground.

There was a pirate statue with a monkey on its shoulder, followed by a Warrior statue gripping a massive axe. Next came a Magician's statue with flames wrapped around its staff. Finally, the statue of a giant troll wielding a menacing club blocking their path.

"Wh-What's this?"

"Wait! The pattern on the floor…"

Mariju checked the pattern on the floor.

The fancy pattern seemed to symbolize something.

"Doesn't it seem that we need to place the statues on the pattern?"

"Indeed…"

At that moment, options appeared before Seol.

[[An unknown test seems to have arrived. The floor is filled with unknown patterns, and the statues are standing idly. What will you do?]

1. Move the Warrior statue to the front right.

2. Move the Warrior statue to the front left.

3. Move the Warrior statue to the rear right.

4. Move the Warrior statue to the rear left.

…]

It seemed that the statues could be moved.

"I got it! We have to move the dwarves to defeat the troll!"

"Yes, that seems right."

"Oh! It makes sense. So how…"

As they were pondering how to overcome the test, a sound came from behind.

"Uhm… Ms. Mariju?"

"Sir Jalv, what is it?"

"Look over here."

The conversing group turned their heads.

The orb in the Magician's statue's hand was glowing.

"It's been glowing for a while…"

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Seol asked him.

"Did you touch it?"

"T-Touch it?!"

Jalv gulped.

"The truth is… I did."

"Oh no, step back."

WHOOM.

"Huh?"

The statues began to move—or rather, cracks appeared on their surface, and their skin tones transformed into that of human flesh.

"No!"

The reason Seol shouted was because the change was also happening to the troll statue.

They hadn't even touched the statues yet, and the dwarf Magician was standing right in front of the troll.

Fwoosh…

Before the flames could rise, a horrific scene unfolded.

Crack…

The Magician was crushed and sent flying. The Warrior and pirate charged at the troll, but their swords couldn't pierce it.

Crack…

Eventually, they were all defeated by the troll and turned into fragments.

Paaf…

The broken pieces turned back into stone and returned to their original positions as statues.

"Look over there!"

One of the five stars lined up on the ceiling had lost its light.

"Do we have five chances?"

"No… I think we had. It seems we only have four left."

"Jalv!"

"I-I'm sorry! I was just checking to make sure it doesn't explode…"

"Sigh… It's fine. At least, now we know how this test works.

As they conversed, only Seol remained silent.

"What's wrong?"

"Haven't you noticed something strange?"

"Something strange? Jalv indeed made a mistake, but he isn't that strange…"

"I-I'm sorry! Everyone"

"That's not it. I'm asking about the surroundings."

Seol's words drew everyone's attention.

"The surroundings?"

"Oppa! What did you see in that short time?"

"Fire."

"I've also seen fire…"

"I need fire."

As he said that with a serious expression, Mariju smiled.

"If it's fire, I have plenty."

Fwoosh…

A fireball floated in Mariju's hand. As expected, she was a Magician.

"But what about it…"

"Ah! The surroundings…"

"…"

The square space became transparent—no, not transparent, but reflective like a mirror.

"So I wasn't mistaken…"

"Yes?"

Seol said to Somi.

"Somi, you can scout, right?"

Somi was a hunter.

Although she had astigmatism, it was irrelevant now.

"Yes… but why?"

"Look there."

Seol pointed at a wall, and on it was the troll statue's reflection.

"Huh? It's different from that statue."

"The position, its standing, and size are different."

"I-I'll check it out.

Beep…

As Somi blew a small horn, something soon appeared.

"Th-The statue!"

"There was another one! Over there!"

Near the rear, a troll holding a dagger similar to a kitchen knife stood. Judging by its size, it wasn't fully grown.

"At least we know we shouldn't place the Magician in the rear…"

Jalv muttered while shaking his head.

WHOOM…

Seol pushed the statues onto different patterns.

This time, the hidden troll faced the pirate, the large troll faced the Warrior, and the Magician stood on the side.

"Now, let's try."

"Wait, Jalv. You're being too hasty!"

"It's not being hasty. We still have many chances. So we should test things through attempts."

Seol agreed.

Nod…

"Then, touching the orb will activate it, right?"

"Yes. You should check it out."

Whoosh…

As Seol touched the orb in the Magician's hand, a mysterious energy spread.

'This feels strange…'

That strange feeling was the first impression he got upon touching the orb.

Soon, the statues' battle began.

Crash!

The pirate's sword pierced the small troll's heart.

Tang—!

The Warrior's axe struck the troll's club, creating a perfect opening.

Whoosh…

Flames erupted from the Magician's staff.

BOOM—!

Whoosh…

Tss…

"It worked! It worked!"

"It's a success!"

Somi and Jalv jumped in excitement.

But as Seol tilted his head in confusion, their hopes soon shattered.

BOOM—!

Crash…

The troll, while enduring the flames, swung its club and killed the Magician.

Once again, the dwarf party lost the Magician and was wiped out.

"What's the problem…?"

"Now, only three stars remain."

"…"

Strangely, everyone looked at Seol.

"Huh… This scene feels familiar."

Somi suddenly remembered having met Seol with Gyeongtaek and Munho. Even at that time, they had relied on him.

"Did you figure something out?"

Mariju asked while moving close to Seol.

Seol muttered.

"Necklace…"

"Necklace? What do you…"

"During the fight, the troll's necklace glowed. Specifically, when it became engulfed in flames."

Jalv shouted.

"You're right! The troll has a bizarre necklace. If we remove it, we can win!"

Thud…

Thuud…

The troll's necklace wouldn't come off.

Of course it wouldn’t. It was made of stone, after all.

Slash…

"Since it became like this, we'll have to break it…"

"Stop. That could cause unwanted problems."

"That's right, Jalv. Don't act recklessly."

"Hngh…"

Seol fell into thought.

"We need to cut its necklace during the battle… But who…"

Soon, his steps led him somewhere.

He stopped in front of the pirate statue.

Without hesitation, Seol lifted the monkey statue on the pirate's shoulder.

It came off surprisingly easily.

Smirk…

"So it was you…"