Chapter 146

Not long after the search began, Taewoon and Biryeong could feel a faint pulsation of power emanating from the ground near the Jewel Forest.

Since the danger was still unknown, Biryeong stepped forward first, cautiously digging into the ground with a gust of wind from her fist. There, she discovered a red jewel pulsating like a heart.

‘This is the Seed…’

Roughly the size of a human head, it emitted strange waves of energy from time to time, reminiscent of a creature in a cocoon before its emergence.

One thing was certain: the object that Yerin’s group had snatched from the Empire’s hands had entered some extraordinary, special state.

“What should we do?”

“For now… I don’t think it would be wise to touch it rashly.”

They had found the location, but there seemed to be too many unstable elements to take immediate action.

Taewoon and Biryeong decided to observe the changes from a distance in silence, maintaining a state of high alert.

After nearly two days had passed, the quietly pulsating Seed finally cracked open, beginning to reveal the result of its transformation to the world.

“Hmm…”

“Oh my, this is…”

White fur that hadn’t fully grown, a scrawny body that had only just shed its infant appearance, and a characteristically serene gaze.

The fox from the lake region that Taewoon had been searching for so desperately was right there.

“How did this happen?”

“It seems… that the creature was originally born from the ‘Seed.’”

He clearly remembered hearing that in the previous Cycle, the research wing had been closed, and consequently, the first Seed—a failure—had been discarded.

Did that mean the fox was born from that discarded Seed, lived in the lake region, and then encountered Taewoon?

‘…It’s not impossible.’

Since Yerin had stolen the Seed in this Cycle, there would have been a discrepancy in timing. If the conditions were met through some process and the Seed hatched, everything could be explained.

However, there was no way to know why a fox was born from the Seed or if the Seed was originally intended to be such a thing.

Watching the fox approach him with the clumsy steps of a newborn, Taewoon had no choice but to reach out his hand to the creature.

Several more days passed.

Feeding on the fruits and fish brought by Taewoon and Biryeong, the fox grew rapidly, eventually reaching the size it had been when they first met.

Taewoon tried taking the creature to the crystallized forest to face Yerin’s group, who had become stone statues, but the fox seemed to have no way to solve the problem, merely tilting its head in ignorance.

“This is problematic.”

“….”

It certainly was.

Fortunately, thanks to the fox’s existence, access to the Sanctuary had become free, but Taewoon, who could no longer afford to be away, had to return to the camp.

As for dealing with Yerin’s group, who had become jewel statues, he had no choice but to leave everything to Biryeong for the time being.

“I’ll keep looking for a possible solution. So please, be careful. The General is by no means an easy opponent.”

“Yes. I’m counting on you.”

Since a solution to restore them couldn’t be found in just a few days, Taewoon ultimately left the aftermath to Biryeong and departed the Sanctuary to return to the camp.

Naturally, in the week Taewoon had been gone, the atmosphere at the camp had grown even darker.

The eyes of the members were already filled with light of surrender and resignation, and a sense of dissatisfaction and resentment seemed to be spreading just as widely.

‘There are fewer casualties than last time, but… it’ll be soon.’

However, unlike the island in the 1st Cycle, the current island was under strict control by the Empire’s elites and the General.

Even a faint act of rebellion was not an easy feat, and he could infer that the anxiety the members were experiencing would be far more extreme.

“So, were there any results?”

“If it were something that could be done so quickly, wouldn’t you have found the place already? It is a truly bizarre phenomenon. I conducted my own investigation, but there were no significant results.”

“What a tedious answer.”

Despite the fact that he had left the camp of his own accord and returned empty-handed, Kaira accepted it with a composed face, as if she hadn’t expected anything from the start.

However, since they both saw through each other’s intentions, they couldn’t keep stalling for time like this forever.

Taewoon, too, would eventually face a moment where he had to make a decision.

“Then, shall we continue from where we left off the other day?”

“…I’ll pass. I’ve exhausted quite a bit of my stamina wandering the island.”

“Then that is enough. You may leave.”

Kaira showed a lukewarm attitude, as if she didn’t have much interest in Taewoon, but she surely hadn’t let go of her suspicious gaze internally.

Leaving the General’s office, Taewoon returned to the camp barracks for the first time in a while and began to let out a low sigh.

‘I expected it, but it’s not going very smoothly…’

Yerin’s group, who had finally reached the Sanctuary, had all become jewel statues, and soon the reorganization of the Exploration Team would begin, and the new team containing Seoyoon would arrive on the island.

Because the situation had turned strange and he had secured a separate role rather than being part of an Exploration Team, Taewoon could survive just by staying still, but now that he had caught the General’s eye, reality was no different from walking on thin ice.

‘Padrik is likely preparing his own moves…’

Honestly, Taewoon didn’t think he could oppose the General on this island and balance the power.

Whether in terms of martial force or strategy, there was a clear difference in capability between the two.

‘Until Seoyoon, the final runner, arrives on the island, what can I do?’

There weren’t many talented individuals in the current Exploration Team, and it would be difficult to gather comrades who would follow Taewoon’s will, like Yerin.

He had already passed information to Padrik, secured the first Seed, and succeeded in establishing some standing within the camp.

Despite thinking it over, there wasn’t much more the current Taewoon could do.

‘First…’

Find a way to restore Yerin’s group from their statue forms, and dig up information on the identity of the fox and the second jewel that would become the finished product.

Deciding to focus only on the goals right in front of him without looking too far ahead, Taewoon quietly closed his eyes and awaited tomorrow morning.

Afterward, Taewoon secretly gathered information on the second jewel to an extent that wouldn’t arouse the General’s suspicion, but unfortunately, there were no major results.

It might be because the matter was being handled with extreme secrecy, or perhaps the research had not yet reached success.

‘Seoyoon also said she was only aware of the existence of the second jewel and couldn’t obtain any other information.’

However, by that point, the General’s forces were already in the stage of executing a certain plan using the completed jewel.

In other words, there was no doubt that research was still being conducted somewhere and that the finished product would be born soon.

‘…Should I take the risk and probe the General?’

Naturally, as the person planning the overthrow of the Empire, Kaira would possess definitive information regarding it.

However, he couldn’t imagine she would easily hand over such information to Taewoon, who would surely obstruct her.

If he wanted to extract information from her, Taewoon would have to be prepared to take a corresponding risk.

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Yes. How is the situation inside the Sanctuary?”

“Similar. However… it seems the problem of those who became statues is not something that can be solved with my Martial Arts.”

That was certainly true.

While it was a fact that Biryeong’s abilities were extremely superior, she was not particularly proficient in fields other than Martial Arts.

Perhaps recognizing this herself, Biryeong nodded and gave Taewoon a suggestion with a slight smile.

“You’ll be able to deal with the island’s Guardians with your own power anyway… and in an all-out war with the General, I won’t be able to provide decisive help either.”

“…You’re suggesting I Summon someone else to help.”

“Yes. That would be the rational decision.”

Both Taewoon and Biryeong understood the situation. Taewoon gave a small nod in acceptance, and as Biryeong vanished into a cluster of light, she left Taewoon with one final piece of advice.

“Please be careful. The General’s true power will be far greater than you imagine.”

“…Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

After Biryeong disappeared, Taewoon let out a deep, low sigh.

Though it couldn’t be helped given the circumstances, Biryeong’s presence was intended to be a great strength in the future conflict with the General’s forces.

‘What’s done is done. I just need to focus on what’s ahead.’

If so, who could provide meaningful help to Taewoon in the current situation?

In truth, the answer was already largely decided.

“…It’s been a while, Jain.”

“It seems quite some time has passed again. Do you require my assistance?”

Since their last meeting in the Heavenly Secret Manual Theater, there hadn’t been many occasions where Taewoon needed Jain’s help.

But when facing an obstacle that couldn’t be solved with general common sense, as he was now, his insight and foresight were of great help.

“Aquila, can you help me a bit?”

• Yes, User. I will deliver the summarized information to the subject.

Through Aquila’s ability, Taewoon briefly organized the events he had experienced in this Theater and passed them to Jain. After reviewing them, Jain nodded and began to speak.

“I see. In the end, you are looking for a way to restore Miss Yerin and her companions who have become statues?”

“Exactly.”

“I will need to check their condition personally first, but as long as they are alive, a method surely exists. Please guide me to the place called the Sanctuary.”

Having made their decision, Taewoon and Jain proceeded from the lake region to the location of the Sanctuary’s entrance, and with the help of the fox, who had approached after detecting Taewoon’s Presence, they were able to enter.

After confirming the state of Yerin’s group in the center of the crystallized forest, Jain pondered for a long while before he began to speak.