Ch. 213

As soon as I entered Perda Desert, the sub quest updated.

[Sub Quest 'Finding Holy Relics 2' 2. <Holy Relic of Perda Desert>

Content: You who arrived at Perda Desert. Move following God of Beauty Kyros's power and obtain the holy relic.

Objective: Obtain Kyros's holy relic inside Perda Desert within 24 hours (This quest is a linked quest)

Final Success Reward: Obtain Kyros's holy relic

Upon Failure: -]

[Will you accept?]

[Yes/No]

After quickly scanning the quest content, I immediately pressed the accept button. Naturally I had no choice but to accept. Because this holy relic was as important as the Skeleton King's staff.

'To the degree that it wouldn't matter even if I couldn't obtain all other holy relics besides this holy relic.'

It wasn't just words. To the degree that it would be fine even if I couldn't obtain all remaining holy relics in the world, this holy relic was absolutely necessary. So I visited the desert while taking risks.

Well, finding the holy relic inside the desert wouldn't be that difficult. The problem was 'that thing' guarding this holy relic more than finding the location.

'Still... it'll be okay.'

Even if I faced that thing, if it flowed according to the expected scenario there wouldn't be great danger, and even if unexpected situations occurred, Terdius was with me.

"So... do you know the way?"

When I was lost in thought, Terdius's voice was heard from right beside me. He seemed worried watching the desert where only sand was visible under scorching sunlight.

"Yes. So you don't need to worry for now."

I smiled at Terdius then continued walking. Finding where the holy relic was located wasn't that difficult. Because as someone who knew the game inside out, I had all the locations memorized.

If you go about 1 kilometer north from Skelth village, you can see three large cacti standing like now.

'From here, I just need to move to the right.'

I recalled the time I played HSAW and reviewed the desert terrain's path.

Even when playing the original game, I lost quite many lives inside the desert. Unluckily dying from not bringing water, being attacked by all kinds of monsters, dying from getting lost in the desert, etc.

In doing so, I naturally memorized the paths inside this desert. Well, in the game they all appeared as choices.

'Rather, it was more convenient because they were choices.'

Because I just had to faithfully execute according to memorized phrases.

Like that, I earnestly moved my steps in the scorching sun. Though movement was uncomfortable due to sand sinking deeply under my feet, it still wasn't as bad as expected.

How far had I walked?

Rustle—

The sand around Terdius and me was visible moving. Perhaps Terdius also noticed the presence felt from inside that sand, as he stopped walking and drew his sword.

Flash—

At that moment, huge monsters jumped out from inside the sand. They were precisely scorpion-type monsters with huge tails dripping poison drop by drop and sharp forelimbs.

And their number was about five. Existences no different from gatekeepers of this Perda Desert.

"I'll handle them."

Terdius spoke briefly and took a stance ready to move immediately. But instead of cheering for Terdius, I grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait a moment, Brother."

"What? Even in this moment those things are trying to spray poison at us."

Meaning let's not waste time unnecessarily and finish quickly. This bastard? Still, I spoke as quickly as possible.

"You must not kill them. Knock them out."

"What?"

"Because there's something I need from those things."

"...Understood."

Though Terdius looked at me with eyes that seemed displeased with my instruction without even properly explaining the reason, it couldn't be helped. Because there was something I needed from the scorpions, and I could just show the use directly.

Tap—

Simultaneously, Terdius moved quickly. He was about to immediately send sword energy but hesitated because of my words. Then he began dealing with the scorpions using the back of his sword.

Tap— Thwack!

Still, Terdius made the scorpions unable to act at fast speed. Thanks to continuing attacks at each scorpion's joint, the scorpions fainted without dying.

Like that, the time it took to handle all five was less than even 5 minutes.

"Good work."

I greeted Terdius while watching him put away his sword.

"So what are you going to use those for?"

"Ah, that... you'll know when you see."

Along with a smile, I immediately walked toward the scorpions. And I took out the glass bottles and mace I had brought in inventory.

When I lightly channeled holy power into the mace to turn it into a holy sword, Terdius's expression who saw it changed subtly.

He probably wondered what I was trying to do. Still, I didn't care and continued what I had to do.

Stab—!

I immediately stabbed the holy sword into the scorpion's tail. Then poison condensed in the tail began leaking out. Being careful as much as possible not to touch my skin, I collected the scorpion's poison in a glass bottle.

And next, I went to the scorpion's head and similarly stabbed it with the holy sword. I collected the flowing scorpion blood in another glass bottle.

The glass bottles I brought were sizes that could hold about 2 liters. Though one bottle of blood could be filled quickly, the amount of poison the scorpions had wasn't that much, so I had to dissect several more.

Like that, after collecting all blood and poison in glass bottles, I put them back into inventory. Then I felt Terdius's gaze.

He was looking at me with narrowed brows. What displeased him again?

"Why are you like that, Brother?"

After lightly brushing off the holy sword stuck with scorpion blood and poison to make it clean, I put it in inventory and asked Terdius. Then Terdius twitched one eyebrow and answered.

"That sword, wasn't it a holy relic?"

"Ah. Yes, that's right. It's a holy sword."

"But you're using such a sword to collect scorpion poison and blood..."

"Well, because this is the only suitable weapon I have."

It seemed he disliked me using Kyros's holy relic.

"Right. Even setting that aside, what are you going to use that blood and poison for?"

"Well, there are uses for them. I brought them because they're all useful, and I'll show you soon so don't be too much like that."

I answered Terdius roughly then moved my steps again. During the brief conversation, the scorpions whose blood and poison were taken from me drooped.

'I told him to knock them out because scorpion poison can only be collected while alive.'

Still, it was fortunate I could collect all the needed amount.

'From here... I don't even need to particularly find the way.'

While moving steps, at some point I began feeling Kyros's power. It was natural that holy relics would be at the end. Still, just in case, I advanced searching for the holy relic while comparing with the path I knew.

—Oh, child!

It was right then that Kyros's voice was heard. Perhaps noticing we were gradually getting close to the holy relic, Kyros shouted in an excited voice.

—You'll soon come face to face with my holy relic!

'Yes. Probably not much remains.'

I responded to Kyros while steadily moving my steps. How far had I advanced like that?

Finally, a mysterious space appeared before Terdius and me. It was hard to define in one word... right, if pushed, it was ruins that looked like temple remains.

Collapsed stone pillars, floors, roofs, etc. were everywhere, but most were buried in sand making it difficult to easily recall the previous form.

But such things were all secondary problems, and the most important thing existed intact.

"This is..."

"We've arrived. We reached it properly."

I briefly answered Terdius who was looking around with admiration, then walked with long strides.

Toward the floor that looked most intact among the remaining temple ruins. The huge-sized stone floor was easily 10 meters on each side.

And inside it was a huge circular magic circle that couldn't be easily deciphered, engraved in intaglio. Inside the circular magic circle were various shapes mixed together, confusing first-time viewers.

"What exactly is this?"

But in reality, it wasn't such a magic circle that mages used.

—Oh, I can strongly feel my holy relic's energy from this place! But be careful, child. Because there's another existence with tremendous power in this place...

'Yes. Don't worry.'

After answering Kyros, I approached close to the magic circle. And I took out glass bottles from inventory. Glass bottles each containing scorpion blood and poison. And even a large jar that could contain both liquids at once.

Glug glug glug—

I began pouring blood and poison into the jar.

"What are you trying to do again?"

"Be quiet and wait."

I answered Terdius briefly then took out my mace. After transforming the mace into a holy sword, I quickly mixed the scorpion blood and poison filling the jar.

Right after that, while holding the jar, I told Terdius.

"Step away."

After confirming Terdius withdrew from the magic circle, I poured the scorpion blood and poison in the jar onto the magic circle.

Splash—

Dark red liquid flowing from the jar began quickly spreading over the magic circle. After shaking out all the liquid, I put down the jar.

Because the magic circle was huge, a bit of time was needed to fill it all. Meanwhile, I put the holy sword in inventory.

"If you were going to mix blood and poison anyway, why did you contain them separately?"

Terdius who approached beside me at some point asked me.

"Ah. Scorpion blood and poison coagulate before long when mixed. So I contained them separately."

"...I see."

Meanwhile, finally the entire magic circle was stained dark red.

Flash—!

Simultaneously, the entire magic circle emitted red light.

Rumble—

Then the magic circle split in half and began disappearing to both sides. Finally, the tightly closed door had opened.

"This is..."

Terdius discovered the suddenly appeared space and looked at me with surprised eyes. I shrugged at him once, then slowly approached the huge pit where the magic circle had been.

Inside the pit was filled with pitch-black darkness. Still, if fortunate, a path entering inside existed separately, so it wasn't severely dangerous.

"Let's go."

I gestured to Terdius and headed toward stairs at the pit's edge.

Step, step.

While descending the stairs, Terdius didn't say anything. And it was the same for me too.

I just didn't have any particular conversation except taking out a lantern before it got darker.

We opened our mouths when we finally reached the stairs' end.

At the stairs' end, there stood a door so huge its size was hard to easily gauge.

And on that huge door was a fierce dragon pattern engraved in relief.

While looking at it, Terdius asked me with serious eyes.

"...Don't tell me, there's a dragon behind this?"

Instead of answering, I just smiled broadly.