Chapter 126

After kidnapping Rembrando and leaving the camp, Taewoon summoned Leo in the forest. While keeping a vigilant watch on all directions with Thousand-League Perception, he rode on Leo’s back and raced through the woods.

“So, what exactly is this ‘Sanctuary’?”

“There are many monsters living on this island, but I’ve heard there is a special place where they do not dwell. That place is the Sanctuary.”

It was roughly as he had expected. However, there was something that bothered him, and Taewoon frowned slightly as he continued.

“Is it an island? Or a continent? Your story keeps changing.”

“Ah, my apologies… Though it is called the New Continent, I understand that this place is actually one giant island. It is simply different from ordinary islands.”

“I thought so. Do you know anything about the previous Exploration Teams that found this place?”

Considering the questions A Word of Advice had posed to him, the fact of ‘which’ Exploration Team Taewoon was might act as a more important factor than he thought.

However, Rembrando was merely an employee; it seemed he did not know exactly when this cycle of events had begun.

“…Tsk. So, how do we get to the Sanctuary?”

“Beyond the forest, there is a massive lake known as the Abyss. Once you cross that lake region, the ecosystem changes once more, and I’ve heard the Sanctuary exists somewhere in that area.”

“Then in the end, you’re saying your information is lacking?”

“T-that may be, but it can’t be helped, can it? It’s not as if I’ve actually had cause to visit the place. However, since I heard it from a high-ranking official of the Empire, it won’t be some baseless rumor. I also know a few other clues, so I’m confident I can be of help once we reach the vicinity.”

It would be a lie to say there were no concerning parts, but honestly, it didn’t matter much. Either way, Taewoon had made up his mind to dig into the ‘Sanctuary’ during this Cycle.

“Enemies. Lower your stance and hold your breath.”

“A-alright.”

After detecting the positions of the bullet lizards hiding all around, Taewoon pulled out several daggers from his waist and dealt with them in an instant.

The throwing techniques he learned from Ma Widong snatched their lives away before they could even perceive him. He had eliminated about five of them, but he could already feel the presence of another enemy approaching.

‘…A Hypervibration Hedgehog?’

It was a quite troublesome foe, but having faced one before, there was no reason to be as cautious as he had been previously.

Taewoon leaped from Leo’s back, dodged an invisible wave bomb, and dispatched the creature in a flash. A greatly startled Rembrando began glancing at Taewoon’s face repeatedly.

“Y-you… you are stronger than I thought. I heard that even the Empire’s elite soldiers cannot handle them so easily…”

“Elite soldiers? Are they the strongest in the Empire?”

“Not necessarily. They are merely soldiers; there are countless people above them. However, that doesn’t mean their status is low.”

As he expected, the Imperial forces behind this New Continent exploration seemed to possess formidable power.

Taewoon was confident in his own skills, but he likely couldn’t face them alone.

After all, the power of an organization existed in a realm that an individual could not easily approach.

“Anyway… at this rate, finding the Sanctuary isn’t an impossible goal.”

He couldn’t be optimistic.

The creatures currently in the forest were merely the weak who had been pushed out of the survival competition in that ‘lake region,’ and it seemed even the owner of the journal had failed to reach beyond the lake.

Following this, Taewoon encountered and fought various Magical Beasts such as thunder bears, muscle monkeys, and poison-mist leopards. Before a full day had passed, he finally arrived at the lake region he had only heard about.

‘Damn, this is tougher than I thought…’

Even Taewoon wasn’t a combat machine capable of fighting indefinitely.

The most malicious aspect of this place was, without a doubt, the difficulty of finding a timing to rest.

That was the nature of the wild, and the ecosystem of this island was a fierce struggle for survival.

“Good job, Leo.”

“Gra-ong.”

After unsummoning Leo, who had helped him break through the forest, Taewoon gazed at the massive lake in the distance and carefully scanned the surroundings.

‘I can feel quite a few presences… but not many are showing movement.’

Compared to the forest creatures who repeated attacks without question, the creatures of the lake region exhibited a more calm and static Aura.

In a way, it could be called the composure of the strong.

‘Still, if it’s like this, I might be able to focus on moving while minimizing combat.’

As night began to fall, Taewoon took a short break at the edge of the forest and then began moving again with Rembrando.

Giant crocodiles occasionally poking their heads out of the water, red-eyed owls staring at Taewoon with chillingly sharp eyes.

He could see various creatures mentioned—and some not mentioned—in the journal, but fortunately, most of them didn’t show any particular interest in Taewoon and Rembrando.

‘…No, more accurately, they’re just waiting for an opportunity.’

Every single one of them viewed Taewoon not as prey, but as an equal predator.

Recognizing the opponent’s ability and strength, they were waiting for the moment they could guarantee a victory.

‘If I get injured, or show a moment of carelessness…’

He could guarantee that most of them would suddenly change their attitude and attempt to hunt Taewoon and Rembrando in an instant.

A tingling tension stimulated Taewoon’s entire body, enough for him to be certain of it.

“A-are you alright?”

“I wonder…”

“The monsters here… are more eerie than I imagined.”

Rembrando said that while working as a captain, the only creatures he had seen with his own eyes were those at the entrance or middle of the forest.

Indeed, that was likely why he could casually make such a dangerous suggestion to cross the lake region and find the Sanctuary.

While continuing to walk, Taewoon stopped Rembrando with one hand and began to cast Thousand-League Perception more precisely to read the surrounding presences.

“I think there’s something…”

“W-why are you being so scary? There’s nothing nearby, is there?”

It was exactly as Rembrando said, but Taewoon had been sensing a minute Killing Intent piercing his skin for a while now.

Someone was targeting the two of them.

The moment Taewoon became certain, Rembrando’s shadow twisted violently, and something with massive teeth and shaggy fur leaped out from within it.

“H-hugh…!”

Just as those giant teeth were about to pierce the terrified Rembrando’s neck, Taewoon’s spear shot out like a bolt of light, carving through the creature’s hide in several trajectories.

Green blood splattered and the creature let out a hideous scream, but contrary to its commotion, the wounds left on its skin were not that severe.

Taewoon frowned and immediately summoned the Wax Mask, pulling it over his face.

‘This thing is tough!’

He had clearly slammed a Technique of the Soul-Chasing Eight Ghost Spear directly into it, yet this was the result even though it hadn’t properly defended.

It meant the durability of the creature’s hide was beyond imagination.

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: The Red Man】

The creature was incredibly agile, but its speed was inferior to Taewoon’s when utilizing the power of The Red Man.

However, Taewoon’s spear, which battered the creature’s torso, only managed to leave scratches. The creature vanished back into the shadows of the brush, letting out a sinister cry as if it would not let its prey escape.

‘The presence isn’t disappearing from the vicinity. Is it determined to see this through to the end?’

Taewoon put strength into the hand gripping Barata and began to circulate the Magical Power within his body violently.

In a critical moment, Taewoon’s shadow was pulled long, as if by someone, and became fixed to the shadow of a nearby tree.

‘What?’

At the same time, feeling his body stiffen, Taewoon desperately twisted his waist and barely managed to avoid the teeth of the creature leaping from the shadow.

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: The Red Man】

Seizing the momentum, Taewoon quickly used the power of The Red Man, but he felt an unknown resistance, and the activation of the ability was delayed, unlike usual.

It was likely related to the creature manipulating Taewoon’s shadow. Gritting his teeth, Taewoon sent a stronger desire and drew out the power of the mask.

A moment later, the shadow tied to the tree snapped back like a rubber band, and Taewoon’s figure appeared as if blinking in a spot slightly further away.

The creature was hidden in the darkness once again. Confirming this, Taewoon stomped his foot, channeling the circulated Magical Power into his toes to generate an intense shockwave of Magical Power in a 10-meter radius.

It was the result of instantly reassembling the Wave Force Steps learned in the Heavenly Secret Manual Theater and the ability shown by the Hypervibration Mole.

As the intense wave of Magical Power covered the area, a scream of obvious panic erupted, and the Magical Beast hiding in the shadow of a rock was flung into the air.

Taewoon, who had guessed its position with Thousand-League Perception, dove into the creature’s space a step ahead. Soon, a brilliant light of Magical Power enveloped the tip of the spear, and several trajectories were embroidered in the air.

【Condition 1: Must be facing a Formidable Foe】

【Condition 2: Must possess and be using a weapon of a certain length or more】

【Condition 3: Must have mastered all Techniques of the Soul-Chasing Eight Ghost Spear】

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: Soul Chasing Path Destruction】

Eight Spear Shadows extending from the tip of the spear pierced the creature’s body, and as blood sprayed, its corpse tumbled across the ground.

Approaching to check the corpse, he saw it looked like a cross between a water deer and a jackal. Since he had no memory of it, it seemed to be a creature not recorded in the journal.

‘…Damn, I went through all this trouble to catch one pathetic thing?’

As he expected, the strength and abilities of the monsters inhabiting the lake region were stronger and more bizarre than those of the forest.

And above all, the nocturnal predators who had been watching for an opportunity were showing great interest in this fight.

‘…….’

The number of presences he could feel was alarming.

Taewoon gripped his spear tightly and began to spread a rough wave of Magical Power filled with Killing Intent in all directions.

With a mindset of no retreat, he dared them to come if they wished.