𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓𝟐
Seo Ji-an’s confidence was not unfounded. Fortunately, we were able to proceed with our exploration beyond the restricted area for civilians and investigate as we wished.
Whoosh!
“. . . The terrain is too rough. It’s harder to move than on a cliff.”
As Cheong Juhwa said, this area was definitely not made for people to pass through.
It was a mountainous area that had been affected by volcanic activity, so the currents were strong and cliffs were everywhere.
If we accidentally fell into the water and got swept away, we could end up getting stranded.
However, there was no other way. Because that’s why the Yeouiju could be hidden in such a place.
“Can you move?”
When we asked Seo Ji-an, the weakest of the three of us, she nodded, exhaling slightly.
Fortunately, it seemed that she was still okay.
“Do you feel any energy?”
Since there was water everywhere, Seo Ji-an’s exploration abilities would be able to show off their full potential here.
After taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to concentrate, Seo Ji-an pointed to a spot with her finger and said,
“. . . Amazing. There’s something about 2 km away at the bottom of a cliff.”
“You can see that far at once?”
“It’s hard to do normally. But the energy is so strong that I could notice it.”
That was pretty good news. If there was something that gave off that much presence, it was likely none other than the azure dragon’s Yeouiju.
We hurriedly increased our pace and followed in the direction Seo Ji-an was guiding us.
And finally, we reached the cliff.
“This place feels really foreign. An ordinary person wouldn’t be able to come back down if they went down.”
“. . . The signal is not very good either. We need to be careful.”
However, we couldn’t hesitate. I summoned my Black Yin and Black Bird flocks once again and led the group.
“Where do you feel the energy?”
“. . . Inside the rock of the cliff?”
Somehow, I felt a sense of deja vu.
As if following the trait of games from that era, this time the hidden place was a secret space inside the cliff.
Soon, we found the entrance by breaking the rock and entered one by one to look around.
However, this time we couldn’t easily find the source of the energy.
“Do you feel anything?”
“. . . I think because I entered the interior of the place where the energy is emanating, I can’t distinguish it from here.”
If that’s the case, then we have no choice but to search on foot.
After searching around for a while and exploring the space tirelessly, I was finally able to come to a definite conclusion.
“This space itself is emitting energy.”
“Really?”
“I don’t know why, but there’s a strong spiritual power in the ground. Maybe it was used as a training ground in the past.”
I don’t know the original reason why the ground came to possess energy, but in any case, it meant that this time too, it was a wild goose chase.
Cheong Juhwa and Seo Ji-an walked over with disappointed expressions and climbed back up to the top of the cliff.
Although we were somewhat discouraged, in any case, this left only one last place as our destination.
「𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧?」
In fact, if there was one place that was the most likely of the three, I thought it was that place.
Somewhere beyond the sea at a beach in Sokcho, Gangwon-do.
We set out again towards the place where the Yeouiju would be waiting.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
There were quite a few people at the beach.
Although it was still the end of April when the weather had not yet cleared up, it seemed that people often came to visit with their families to pitch tents, boil ramen, and spend the night.
Because of that, one safety officer came out to inspect the beach, so we went to him first to explain the situation.
Creak.
“I am Han Kang-yoon, a state-certified 3rd-grade exorcist. I am here to investigate something, so I will be entering the sea, but I came to inform you that you do not need to worry.”
“Oh? Ah, I see. I understand. Is it a dangerous situation?”
“No, it is not. There is no need to evacuate the citizens.”
The other party was a surprisingly young man. He stared at the exorcist license in my hand and soon began to walk away with a surprised look on his face.
Perhaps he was quite surprised by the fact that I, who looked like a student, was a state-certified exorcist.
After a while, a familiar voice began to echo through the speakers installed at the beach.
『Ah, ah. Microphone test. This is an announcement. Currently, a group of exorcists from the state have entered the beach for an investigation, but citizens are asked to enter within the boundary line as before and to remain active in the inner area. This is an announcement. . . . . .』
When I listened to the general content, it seemed that the citizens who saw us entering the sea were worried that they would break the rules.
Before I knew it, Cheong Juhwa spoke to me in a low voice as I reached the beach where the waves were crashing.
“But how do you move? Do you also have a shikigami for the sea?”
For some reason, she asked as if she was expecting something, but unfortunately, I did not have such a shikigami at the moment.
Instead, there was a more convenient means of transportation than that.
Swoosh.
“. . . I kind of expected it.”
Seo Ji-an, who met my gaze, sighed slightly and raised her spiritual power to create a thin water curtain.
Soon, the curtain that surrounded us in a circle naturally melted into the waves and floated on the water, leaving the beach.
Cheong Juhwa let out an exclamation of surprise at the experience that she could not easily have, and I nodded in satisfaction.
In that way, we continued to explore the azure dragon’s Yeouiju as we had until now, wandering around.
“I don’t see anything special.”
“. . . It’s the same here.”
“It’s okay. I was thinking of going a little deeper from the beginning.”
The yokai that appeared at Ayajin Beach was originally found on Oki Island in Japan.
And from there, it crossed the East Sea in a straight line and landed here in Ayajin, and in the meantime, it achieved a rise in rank of two or three stages.
In other words, when the line was drawn from this beach to Oki Island on the map, the azure dragon’s Yeouiju would exist somewhere along that path.
「. . . 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣.」
However, to be honest, I can’t guarantee how far we have to go.
The reason I went to other places first even though Gangwon-do seemed the most certain was because I had a hunch that the exploration here would not be easy.
Swish.
Splash.
Splash.
Thud!
An hour passed like that, but there were still no noticeable results. The expressions of the group also began to fill with doubt.
“Excuse me. . . . . . . Where are we going? If we keep going like this, we’ll just end up in Japan. . . . . .?”
That’s right.
Honestly, if we go any further, there is a risk of friction with both the South Korean Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
「𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩, 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚.」
However, I had no intention of backing down. This was something that had to be done. It would be even more difficult to overcome the adversity that lay ahead if we backed down at a problem like this.
After making a decision, I hurriedly began to give instructions to the two of them.
“From here on, we’re going down. Submerge the air bubble, and surround it with a concealment technique so that we don’t get caught.”
If I have the future spell that I have, I can easily neutralize the detection devices of this era.
Seo Ji-an diligently raised her spiritual power, but complained to me with a somewhat grumpy expression.
“. . . I wish you would tell me about this in advance. I’ve never done it before.”
It felt more like a tantrum than anger. Of course, as we suddenly started doing such a dangerous thing, the role of Seo Ji-an, who had to move the air bubble, became important.
Of course, I gave the instructions because I judged that it was not a difficult task for her now, but Seo Ji-an seemed to be somewhat burdened by the situation where she was now responsible for the two of us.
So I honestly admitted my fault.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to come this far.”
“. . . I understand, so please cheer me on so that I don’t make a mistake.”
Splash.
Seo Ji-an slowly lowered the air bubble below the water’s surface and began to create several small bubbles to connect the passage through which oxygen could enter.
And I steadily deployed the concealment technique accordingly.
Whoosh.
Swish.
Seeing the two of us, Cheong Juhwa asked.
“What should I do?”
“. . . If a yokai appears, please intercept it.”
“Ugh, there’s no way one would suddenly appear in a place like this.”
At that ominous remark, Seo Ji-an and I looked at her with slightly anxious expressions.
Cheong Juhwa glanced away as she continued speaking.
“The idea that there are many yokai in the sea is an old wives’ tale. These days, with how organized things are, it’s just like on land. There aren’t many yokai that can even operate in a place like this in the first place.”
It was certainly true, but hearing her say it so bluntly somehow made me feel uneasy.
And as if to spite her, my thoughts soon became reality.
“Huh, huh?”
“. . . Phew.”
Cheong Juhwa seemed bewildered as if she couldn’t believe it, and Seo Ji-an let out a sigh.
「𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 44. 𝘼𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚.」
An opponent of this level shouldn’t be too difficult. After making my assessment, I quietly gave instructions to Cheong Juhwa.
“Can you handle it on your own?”
“. . . Y-Yes. I’ll take care of it right away.”
Sensing that it would be unwise to interrupt Seo Ji-an while she was concentrating, Cheong Juhwa cast her spells with more speed and precision than ever before, crushing her opponent.
Her power and speed were truly formidable. It had only been a little over a month since our last battle, yet she was showing signs of having grown even stronger than before.
“I-It didn’t bother you, right?”
“. . . No. It’s fine.”
Leaving the relieved Cheong Juhwa behind, I turned my gaze to the strange sight before me with a somewhat puzzled look.
That’s because I had just caught sight of the yokai’s body shrinking as if it were withering away just before it disappeared into thin air.
「𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙚?」
A phenomenon that occurs in yokai who have received a temporary power boost due to the influence of some kind of energy.
If that was the case, then at least one of them was nearby. An artifact that had given the creature its power.
“Let’s focus. The target is probably nearby.”
“Hmm. Just now, Azure Dragon-nim. . . . . . .”
As if to confirm my suspicions, Azure Dragon, who had been silent until now, began to signal to Cheong Juhwa.
The message was simple.
“You sense a familiar energy, don’t you? Somewhere nearby.”
“. . . Wait, I just felt it too.”
Seo Ji-an slowly moved her air bubble, landing on the sandy bottom of the sea and pointing her hand beneath it.
“This way this time. I’m sure of it.”
Azure Dragon’s reaction and Seo Ji-an’s intuition. This was definitely the right way.
Finally sensing that this tiring journey was coming to an end, I began to cast various spells to locate the entrance.
And immediately after. As if in response to one of the spells I had cast, the ground suddenly shook with a tremor.
“Huh? Something’s strange. . . . . . .”
Whoosh!
Before we could finish our sentences, we felt a powerful force pulling at our bodies and were sucked underground along with Seo Ji-an’s air bubble.
As we were tossed around inside the bubble, unable to control our bodies due to the impact, and our heads were spinning, the impact finally subsided and a new world unfolded before our eyes.
「. . . 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨?」
It was a gigantic structure submerged in the sea.
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