NOVGO.NET Chapter 178 : Chapter 178
Chapter 178. I’m going all out (1)
“Ooh…. This is amazing.”
Patrick exclaimed in admiration at the sight outside the window.
He hadn’t seen it when he arrived because he was unconscious, and after regaining consciousness, he was immediately taken to the Seven Sages, so he hadn’t seen it then either.
Just how magnificent and majestic this place called the Tower of Truth was.
“This shouldn’t be called the Tower of Truth. It should be called the Towers of Truth.”
Outside the window, there were so many towers that he couldn’t count them all.
Although the height of each tower varied, with so many towers gathered together, it looked like a mountain range made of strangely shaped rocks and stones.
Countless towers in this area, centered around the massive tower Patrick was currently in, were creating a huge domain.
This was one of the three great powers of the continent.
The headquarters of the mages, the Tower of Truth.
To Patrick, who couldn’t take his eyes off the magnificent sight, one of the Seven Sages spoke.
“How is it? It’s impressive, isn’t it.”
“Is each of those towers a residential facility for mages?”
“To be precise, they are research facilities. Mages who have obtained a qualification of the 4th floor or higher usually build their own towers and immerse themselves in research within them.”
“Is there a reason to build separate towers?”
“Isn’t that the only way to fully protect and guard the results of their research?”
“It’s quite reclusive.”
At Patrick’s words, the Seven Sages said seriously.
“The results of research are as precious as life itself.”
“No, they are more precious than life.”
“Of course. Life is finite, but achievements last forever, don’t they?”
Seeing the other Seven Sages agree, it seemed this was the nature of mages.
‘They are researchers rather than practitioners.’
There were people like this in Murim as well.
In the prestigious orthodox factions, there were often those who focused on the research of martial arts rather than training in them, dedicating their entire lives to it.
They themselves might not be able to aim to be the number one under the heavens, but they believed that the martial arts they researched and improved would one day produce the number one under the heavens.
With such hopes, there were those who poured their entire lives into the research of martial arts.
90% of these people usually end up creating only a few modified forms with no significant results.
But sometimes, they would indeed bring about great advancements, greatly developing their sect.
As the achievements of such people accumulated one by one, the martial studies of the prestigious orthodox factions deepened.
So, what about the Twin Dragon Sect?
‘I had to do it all. All of it….’
The martial arts created by the founding ancestor were hopeless.
The research to refine it into an ordinary martial art suitable for his untalented disciples to learn was solely his responsibility.
Yes. Well, if that was all he had to do, it would have been fine. But….
Go earn money.
Go gain fame.
Handle the tasks assigned by the Murim Alliance.
If you see any unorthodox faction bastards in our territory, beat the X out of them.
After doing all that, he even had to develop martial arts in his spare time….
‘Wow, I really lived diligently in my past life.’
While Patrick was wiping away tears and reminiscing about the past, the group had already arrived at their destination.
After climbing a long spiral staircase, they arrived in front of a magnificent iron door located high up in the tower.
And the Seven Sages spoke.
“This is the secret warehouse of our Tower of Truth. Please do not touch or handle anything carelessly once you are inside.”
“I guess there are a lot of expensive things.”
“There are many expensive things, and many dangerous things too. In any case, do not touch.”
“……”
“Your answer.”
“Tch, yeeeees….”
It seemed the Seven Sages were gradually getting to know what kind of person Patrick was.
A moment later.
They drew a magic circle towards the door and chanted something simultaneously. Then….
Kkiiik.
The magic circle engraved on the huge door flashed once, and the door opened by itself.
“Follow carefully.”
“Don’t touch anything, and follow closely behind us.”
“Remember. Absolutely do not touch anything. Even if something speaks to you, ignore it.”
The Seven Sages sternly warned Patrick and led him inside.
“Oh… ooooh….”
Patrick, who had entered, was amazed.
Inside, a space far larger than he had imagined unfolded.
There was a space much larger than the main training ground of the Knight Faculty, and it contained all sorts of things.
There were various artifacts, from peculiar items whose purpose could not be known just by looking at them, to items that exuded a dangerous aura and looked expensive at a glance.
“Why is that book floating in the air?”
“Absolutely do not touch it. It is an item in which the soul of a heinous demon is sealed.”
“Is it expensive if I sell it?”
“……”
“What is that giant statue over there?”
“It is a golem made with ancient magic. We have left it alone because we do not know how to control it. Once activated, it begins to destroy everything in its vicinity, so absolutely do not touch it.”
“Is it expensive?”
“……”
“Huh? That goddess statue over there….”
“It’s expensive. It’s expensive, so stop asking!”
“Yes. I see. Hmmm….”
The Seven Sages, seeing Patrick looking around with eyes full of greed, were very anxious.
What should one say?
It felt like entrusting a fish to a cat.
They quickened their pace. And a moment later.
“This is it.”
“Is that gold?”
“……”
“Ah? What did you say?”
One of the Seven Sages said in a weary voice.
“This is the artifact of the ancient Roman Empire that I explained to you.”
“Ah, that’s it?”
Patrick licked his lips and looked at the object in front of him.
Anyway, wasn’t the purpose to use this? But looking at it in person, this was….
“A silkworm cocoon?”
That’s right.
It had exactly that feeling.
It resembled an oval-shaped silkworm cocoon, large enough for a person to enter.
When the Seven Sages manipulated the cocoon somehow….
Pshiiiiik.
The lid of the cocoon opened, revealing the interior.
There was a space where one person could enter and lie down comfortably.
“If you enter here, you can directly experience the record stored in this device.”
“Experience it?”
“That’s right. The record of the Apostle of Kallaron, [The Walking Calamity], which the Roman Empire encountered during its conquest of the Great Forest, is stored here.”
“The Walking Calamity? Is that its name?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmmm….”
To Patrick, who seemed to be thinking about something, the 2nd Sage said.
“First, I will explain this device. This is an artifact of the Roman Empire, a recording device that can store and engrave human memories and experiences. And inside it contains information about the Walking Calamity that annihilated the 10th expeditionary force of the Roman Empire.”
“But you said experience, not see or hear, what does that mean?”
“It is just as I said. If you enter this artifact, you will face the Walking Calamity.”
“Face it?”
“It is a bit difficult to explain. you will know once you actually do it.”
“……”
“Let me say this in advance, if you want to quit, quit now. You could go mad if something goes wrong.”
At the 2nd Sage’s words, the other Seven Sages also spoke as if in agreement.
But Patrick said with a smirk.
“Isn’t it a bit uncool to back down after coming this far?”
“……”
“What the hell, let’s just do it once.”
Saying so, Patrick entered the artifact on his own.
The Seven Sages, looking at Patrick, said.
“Once the device is activated, we cannot stop it either. However, there is a time limit.”
“A time limit….”
“7 minutes and 32 seconds.”
“……”
“The playback time of this record is 7 minutes and 32 seconds. If you just survive within that time, we will acknowledge you. So, do your best.”
Hahaha. Look at these old men.
Do they know who I am to say that even just surviving would be difficult?
This body, you see.
Is none other than the Radiant Dragon Great Master….
‘Sigh. What’s the use of telling you? It’s sad. So sad.’
Patrick let out a small sigh and said.
“I get it, so let’s just do it.”
“……”
When the Seven Sages manipulated the artifact again, the lid closed. And Patrick’s consciousness slowly faded as if he were falling asleep.
‘This is perfect for a nap….’
* * *
When he regained consciousness.
Patrick found himself in a place he had never seen before.
Looking around, he could tell he was in the middle of a dense forest.
It seemed this was indeed the Great Forest.
But the situation was indescribable.
The trees of the forest were frozen, with ice flowers blooming on every leaf.
Countless corpses, frozen solid and fallen.
And even those who were fleeing in a scene of utter chaos….
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“Uwaaaaaaah! Run!”
“This is crazy. We shouldn’t have come here in the first place!”
“What is this because of the mad emperor!?”
Seeing the soldiers shouting at the top of their lungs and fleeing with terrified expressions, Patrick had a surprised look on his face.
“So it’s like this. Indeed…. A device to experience the memories of others. This is truly amazing.”
Patrick nodded and thought seriously. And then….
“Couldn’t this be used for erotic purposes? I think it could make some money.”
To think a guy like this was a Great Master….
Anyway, setting aside the business plan using this device, the important thing now was to check the information recorded in this memory and endure the set time.
Patrick looked around with a calm expression.
Watching the soldiers fleeing with tears and snot running down their faces in fear, Patrick was slightly impressed.
‘All of them are 2-star or higher?’
Even those wearing ordinary soldier uniforms were aura practitioners who could be called knights by the standards of the current continent.
And yet, all of them were throwing away their weapons and fleeing in terror.
What were they fleeing from?
He would soon find out.
Kuuuuuuung!
It approached slowly from a distance.
They called it the Walking Calamity, and it was just as its name implied. It was so huge that the ground vibrated with every step it took.
The pressure was like a huge mountain approaching, and an immense power was felt even more than that.
“This is beyond imagination.”
Patrick’s face hardened.
He had thought it would be strong.
He had estimated it would be ten, twenty times stronger than a King Ogre. But experiencing its power directly like this….
“Comparison itself is meaningless.”
A King Ogre was not even a proper measure for this.
It was a being that truly possessed the power to be called an apostle of a god. But just then….
“Huh? …Uh uh?”
An undisguisable shock appeared on Patrick’s face.
As the being called the Walking Calamity gradually approached and revealed its form, Patrick’s expression contorted.
“No way… No way?”
Patrick moved hurriedly.
The entire form of that huge thing was not visible from this distance.
He had to move further away and look down from a high place to see the whole thing.
Patrick moved quickly and leaped onto a cliff a short distance away.
Patrick, who had climbed the cliff by pushing his movement technique to the extreme, looked down.
Only then could he see the entire form of the Walking Calamity. And….
“…Crazy.”
Patrick bit his lower lip hard.
The overall shape was that of a turtle.
The body of a turtle so huge it was reminiscent of a mountain, with the head of a dragon and the tail of a snake.
“……”
This was a creature Patrick knew.
No, any person from the Central Plains would know it.
Of course, he had never seen it in person, but this was definitely the form he knew.
Patrick stared at it with a blank, hardened expression and said.
“…Black Tortoise?”
* * *
He knew.
In this world, Patrick was a completely isolated existence.
This was not the Central Plains, nor was it the Murim of the Jianghu.
He was no longer the Radiant Dragon Great Master, Jin Cheon, but the Double Dragon, Patrick Schneider.
He knew this fact more desperately than anyone else.
No matter how much he upheld his master’s teachings, chewed on the memories with his friend, and reminisced about those days….
His connection with the Murim of the Jianghu was completely severed.
That’s what he had thought. But….
“Why is something like that here….”
Black Tortoise.
One of the Four Guardian Deities, a divine beast that protects the north.
This creature, known as an imaginary being in the Central Plains, was now present before Patrick’s eyes.
“That’s the Apostle of Kallaron? If so… if so, the Central Plains and this world are… no….”
Patrick staggered.
It wasn’t because of the power emanating from that huge being.
What was shaking him now were the two words, ‘hope’, which existed so small and faint.
‘Maybe…. maybe…. maybe…….’
No.
This is not right.
This is a lingering attachment that he should never have. But despite that, Patrick could not escape the temptation blooming within him.
How could he not?
If by any chance. No, even one in a billion, if he could connect with that place he remembered….
If only he could….
“Master, I……. I….”
It was then.
-Krooooooooooo!
Black Tortoise, no, the Walking Calamity, raised its head to the sky and let out a great roar. Then….
An extreme blizzard raged from the sky, beginning to freeze everything in existence.
“Keuk….”
Patrick momentarily summoned the Yang Heat Qi within his body to resist the cold that was freezing him solid.
A hot energy bloomed within his body, and warmth returned to his body, which had been freezing from the extremities.
But Patrick was truly surprised.
‘Just the aftermath of the energy it releases is this much?’
Right now, Patrick was enduring by converting half of his power into Yang Heat Qi.
And that was despite not being the direct target of the energy it was emitting.
And in the case of the Roman Empire, where that energy was directly exploding….
“Uwaaaah! Block it! Block it!”
“What are the mages doing? Hurry up and block it!”
“Uwaaaaaaaak!”
Those who were fleeing in front of the Walking Calamity instantly became ice statues.
And the moment that being took another step forward….
Kuuuuuuuuung!
With a huge shockwave, the beings that had become ice statues were destroyed.
10,000, or maybe even more.
In a single attack, the forces of the continental superpower, the Roman Empire, were shattered to pieces.
That was the Walking Calamity.
The power of despair, called the Apostle of Kallaron, the Mountain of Destruction.
“……”
Patrick watched the scene while maintaining his Yang Heat Qi and thought.
This is just a memory.
Just someone’s memory that occurred over a thousand years ago.
So, he had to be calm and not get excited.
“For now…. I’ll do what I have to do.”
Resolving his bewilderment and doubts was for later.
For now, doing what needed to be done was the priority.
“Black Tortoise, no… you called it the Walking Calamity, right?”
Patrick leaped off the cliff, resisted the extreme blizzard, and walked forward step by step.
The Walking Calamity didn’t even pay attention to Patrick and just continued to walk forward.
To that huge being, Patrick was no different from a bug crawling under its feet, so he was probably not even worth paying attention to.
“Well, I understand, but….”
Patrick aimed his sword at the huge being in front of him and said.
“I’m in a bit of a mood right now. So….”
Kwachiiing!
Twin swords, clearly imbued with Aura Blades.
Patrick, with killing intent materialized as a red glint in his eyes, said.
“I’m going all out.”