The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 66

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Fire

Erendor’s footsteps stopped as he turned around.

“…A demonic sword?”

“Yes. Since it wasn’t completely purified, there was no one who could take it. So I ended up keeping it. It’s probably gathering dust in my basement right now.”

Thud, thud.

At my footsteps, dust around the stairs swirled up and disappeared with a sparkle.

He remained silent while I descended, then raised the corners of his mouth.

“Perhaps due to my insufficient spiritual training, it was too much to lift a curse that had aged for hundreds of years. If I train more and build up my power, that sword could return to being an ordinary sword.”

I slightly manifested my Purification Power. The floating dust began to glow, illuminating the surroundings softly like dawn light.

“Oh my, was that a boring story? Then let me tell you a recent one. The Marquis who handed over that sword is dead. That’s why there was no one to take it. What a shame. That sword’s appearance was truly magnificent.”

Erendor moved his steps. The stairs were long.

“Shall I tell you why he died too?”

I spoke without smiling. Since Erendor had his back turned, I didn’t need to put effort into Expression Management.

“No… it’s fine. What I wanted to hear was where exactly that legendary sword is.”

“I see. Then… may I ask why Brother is curious about that sword?”

“Well, I originally have a hobby of collecting weapons and such. That’s why.”

A lie.

Having a hobby of collecting weapons? He just wants to obtain that demonic sword.

I habitually tried to smile but stopped. Instead, I continued speaking while only making my voice bright.

“So that’s why you’re so knowledgeable about weapons.”

“Well… that’s right. But are you going to leave that demonic sword in the basement?”

“Yes. If anyone other than me were to hold it, they would surely be cursed. No matter how weakened the curse has become, it’s a sword that has fed on blood for hundreds of years. I can’t just leave such a demonic sword anywhere.”

“Haven’t you considered sealing it?”

“Unfortunately, research on ‘sealing’ is prohibited in the Empire. There are no specialists in sealing, nor are there ancient texts or items.”

Erendor revealed his true intentions.

“That’s truly unfortunate. Hmm… Centa has quite a few masters of Sealing Technique. I know someone. Shall I introduce you?”

His trading skills were adorably clumsy. It was like watching a child on their first errand.

“That would be wonderful for me, but… unfortunately, there’s no way to cross between Centa and the Empire, so it’s quite hopeless.”

“Indeed, the Saint’s role this time will be significant. If the ceasefire negotiations go well, trade routes will open and the friend I introduce could come to the Empire and be of great help.”

I spoke with a smile. Since we were walking together, my profile was visible.

“That’s right. Though I’m inadequate and have many shortcomings… I will remain faithful to my mission until the end.”

“Even if you die protecting that mission?”

“Yes. Even if I die.”

That’s a lie. I wouldn’t risk death for a mission that doesn’t even exist.

Being a Cult Leader is generally like a class president election.

Until you’re elected, you make unrealistic promises like building a school store or installing vending machines, then after being elected, you act like you know nothing!

Thud.

My feet touched the ground.

“We’ve arrived. I’ve never been that far either, so be careful from here on.”

At Erendor’s words, I suddenly felt puzzled.

He seemed to know the World Tree well from before. Even I, who was a veteran player, didn’t know much about the World Tree…

‘Is it because he’s an Elf?’

I asked casually.

“Has Brother Erendor been inside the World Tree before?”

“Yes. It’s a famous legend that there’s treasure inside the World Tree. So well… I came to check it out. But there was definitely a barrier here last time.”

He walked a few steps ahead of me faster than I did. There was the stone monument I had seen earlier.

“There is a way to get inside, right?”

…There isn’t.

I had never been to the World Tree in-game, and I didn’t even know if that first barrier where I left Kalebrin and Austin Gerard existed.

But I couldn’t turn back here. I couldn’t be blocked so futilely at this golden opportunity that I might never find again.

I had even staged a self-kidnapping, so they wouldn’t try to send me here again.

Having all these barriers was unexpected.

“Do you know what the stone monument says?”

“Of course I know. ‘Outsider, return. One who remembers the forgotten, enter.’ I never thought my memory was particularly poor, but seeing that I can’t enter, it seems there are specific conditions that must be met.”

Erendor mimed as if there was an invisible wall. He apparently wasn’t ‘one who remembers the forgotten.’

‘One who remembers the forgotten… Wait, this is similar to the three questions in Astrapolis.’

I barely managed to calm my trembling hands. If I couldn’t enter here, I’d have to remake all my plans.

I gently reached out my hand. My middle finger, then index finger – these slender hands that weren’t mine passed through the air.

Yes. They ‘passed through.’ They weren’t blocked.

“…!”

I could feel Erendor beside me looking on in surprise. I took a step forward and swept through the air. My arm, upper body, heel. I had entered inside the barrier.

“This is really an interesting friend. When you come back, tell me what the forgotten thing was and what treasure was really inside.”

“Yes, I will.”

I moved forward into the darkness, emitting Purification Power to create light.

*

How long had I walked? Continuing to walk in this pitch-black place made me feel like I was losing my sense of time. It felt like I had walked for several hours.

Then, I discovered another light besides my own.

The flickering blue light clearly seemed to be the main destination.

I could hear the sound of water. And I could smell the scent of trees from deep in the forest. This wouldn’t have been possible if it were a game.

‘If this were a game, they would have made the walking part shorter. Making it this long without light would get them complaints…’

Soon there were leaves blocking my way. They were vine-like leaves hanging long across the passage. I lightly brushed them aside and ducked my head to enter inside.

‘Oh…’

A large cavern appeared. Light was streaming in diagonally from the ceiling that was completely open, as if light could enter even into this underground space.

Only dust was sparkling and floating in the air where the light entered.

Splash.

As I stepped down, cold water seeped through the gaps in my shoes.

‘Startling.’

The water surface was densely covered with aquatic plants like duckweed, so I had thought it was a grass field.

‘This is unpleasant.’

Who knows what might be on this bottom. Moreover, there could be parts where I might sink deep.

But since I had no choice but to go inside, I soon stepped my other foot that hadn’t touched down into the water as well.

How could I turn back after coming this far? I couldn’t return here just because I might fall into the water.

Looking up, marble pieces were scattered about, each destroyed by vine plants.

And marble Stone Statues were placed here and there, with cracks and damage throughout, some with their upper halves half-destroyed.

‘Was this place used as a Temple?’

Thinking that way, the stairs and human bones from earlier all made sense.

Passing by where the Stone Statues stood, I could sense their size. The Stone Statues were enormous, appearing to be about three times my height.

Even from a distance their faces weren’t clearly visible, but going right underneath, I could only see their lower jaws. I’d need to look more carefully when leaving later.

‘Are these Stone Statues of the Forgotten Gods?’

Including the broken ones, there were roughly 10. Hmm, I don’t know about the Forgotten Gods, but 10. It was a number that was many if you considered it many, few if you considered it few.

Just looking at Greek and Roman mythology that one generation in South Korea knows, there are dozens of gods.

I pushed through the water and moved forward. Light was concentrated on that place floating like an uninhabited island beyond.

‘Definitely 100% something is in a place like that. This is a gaming rule.’

No matter how much this isn’t a world inside a game, the basic framework is similar to games. Just looking at the Status Window attached to me, isn’t the UI similar to games?

No matter how much I walked, the water didn’t rise above my thighs. That was fortunate.

It seemed that while doing overall floor construction, they had mistakenly disturbed some groundwater somewhere, causing water to fill up.

Step.

I stepped on land. Perhaps because I was wearing flowing clothes, the water-soaked clothes were heavy. Since I had no sense of touch, I couldn’t feel cold or warmth.

As I climbed up, there was a podium. And on the podium, unlike the broken and damaged stone monument, there was a neat book placed there.

When I opened the book, it was full of an unknown language.

It seemed like a similar language to what was written on the stone monument earlier. One unfortunate fact was that I couldn’t read ancient language.

‘I’m already grateful just to be able to speak, hear, and write what I do now. Ancient language that even elves can barely read? This isn’t something I can read just by staring at it.’

I quickly flipped through the book, which didn’t have much content anyway. Nothing special. An ancient book with no pictures drawn in it seemed pretty useless.

‘If I take it to Kalebrin or Erendor, something might come of it.’

I tucked the book under my arm and looked around. There was another path leading deeper into the cavern. It seemed it wasn’t visible earlier because vines were growing thickly like before.

‘That’s obviously where the real quest takes place. But doesn’t this route look like it leads to a boss room? I feel like I should do equipment checks and skill tree checks here before going to the boss room.’

I should take the book with me when I leave later. It would be troublesome if it gets wet….

I carefully placed the book back on the podium and shuffled toward the other room.

When I pushed aside the grass hanging like curtains with my hands, that place wasn’t as grand or mysterious as what I had seen before.

‘Snake Stone Statue…?’

The stone statue I first saw earlier was white like marble and decorated with gold in various places.

But this was just like stone….

‘Wait. I think something just moved.’

Is this a boss battle? Is this really a boss battle?!

I tensed up instantly.

And I remembered Swordy (pseudonym) that I left at home, thinking it wouldn’t be necessary since Kalebrin, Cardil, Yelena, and Austin Gerard would be there anyway.

‘Even if I’d probably just swing it once, I should have brought even that! I should have…!!!’

I fled desperately. However, the flaw was that I couldn’t gain speed because of the water.

Kuguuuung….

Ah wait, is this really a boss battle? A boss battle with nothing prepared like this?

‘Damn it, does a solo boss battle with a priest class have any conscience? You damn game development company…!’

Violently surging waves struck my legs hard. At that moment, something strange was happening to the Snake Stone Statue at the edge of my vision.

Bright yellow light poured out like flowing water and flashed. Cracks starting from its tail spread throughout the entire body, creating fragments.

Kuguung!

The stones on the surface fell off like shells and dropped into the water.

Before the stone dust could even clear, a light green entity opened its mouth wide. The gleaming fangs were larger than my forearm.

I heard a tearing sound as if the air was being ripped apart.

‘…!’

By the time I turned my head toward where the sound came from, it was already too late.

The gaping mouth filled my entire field of vision.

A huge shadow fell over me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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