Chapter 290: Temple [1]
Swooosh-!
The plan worked flawlessly.
'Leon' got kidnapped, and I quietly followed the thread connecting me and him. I didn't need to go fast since I knew exactly the path that the Wraith was taking.
....That, and there was also the fact that ideally, it would be best if I didn't run. It was possible, but it was just not ideal.
"Hoo."
Leaning against the side of the tunnel, I took a moment to rest. As I did, my leg started to convulse uncontrollably.
Clench.
Firmly clenching my teeth, I endured the sensation and waited for it to pass.
The poison was spreading at a faster rate than I had originally anticipated. The time at which it would completely take over me wasn't too far.
"...Looks like I can't take it easy like I've been doing."
Moving my hand away from the wall and withstanding the numbing sensation that took over the lower half and the upper half of my body, I once again moved to follow the thread on the ground.
The journey wasn't easy.
There were many Wraiths along the way and I needed to be extremely careful with each step that I took.
While it was true that the lower half of my body was numb, it didn't mean that I couldn't fight.
I could still fight just as well as before, but it wasn't comfortable.
But I was okay with that.
Thump!
A notification flashed before my eyes as I got rid of another Wraith. It was a sight I had gotten accustomed to and ignored it.
"The increase in experience isn't that much.'
It was about ten thousand Wraiths per level.
A ridiculous amount.
With a resigned sigh, I shifted my attention away from the Wraith.
"I've noticed it for quite some time, but the path is getting wider and wider."
At the start, the tunnels were rather narrow, allowing at most two to three people. But now...? It could probably fit ten people comfortably.
"I'm getting closer."
The thread had long stopped moving and I knew that I wasn't far off from finding the Queen's layer.
With a little bit more caution, I moved ahead and headed for the layer. My surroundings were dark, and the only thing I could hear was the faint sound of my steps and my breath.
I tried to perceive my surroundings with my hearing in case there was a Wraith lurking around, but there didn't seem to be any.
It was a little odd considering that they had been everywhere before, but I had no time to dwell on the matter.
In the distance, I saw a faint white dot.
"There.'
It was also the area where the thread stopped.
Shrouding my body in the darkness that surrounded me, I ignored the numbness that took over me and hurried my steps further.
The dot in the distance grew larger with each step until it enveloped me in a basket of light.
Cautiously, I lingered at the tunnel's end, allowing my eyes to adjust. I released several threads to scout the area ahead. Only when I was certain the path was clear did I step out, and at that moment, my breath caught in my throat.
"Ah."
An enclosure of massive proportions appeared before my very eyes. Its size was massive, covering at least several football fields while its height was also great, with the ceiling reaching at least a dozen meters in height.
Supporting the ceiling were tall and scattered black pillars with faded runes and scripts.
Cracks webbed across the pillars, with some broken down and littering on the ground beneath.
At the heart of the cave loomed a massive black temple, its walls seeming to absorb the very little light coming from the torches which flickered sporadically, casting erratic, and edged shadows across the surface of the ground.
A faint purple glow bathed the structure, heightening the sense of dread that hung in the air.
But if it wasn't all...
Statues with eroded, featureless faces lined the temple's entrance, their hollow eyesockets appearing to stare in my general direction.
My mouth went dry at the sight before me, and when I took a step closer to get a better look, the path before me stopped as I stood by the edge of a tall cliff.
Beneath me, an endless amount of Wraiths lingered, their many hands tracing down the ground while their empty sockets carelessly surveyed the area around them.
I secretly swallowed my saliva at the sight that greeted me.
"Don't tell me that the Queen is located within the temple..."
No, before that. What was a temple doing here...? Given that there had been no warning beforehand by the members of the Empires, it appeared as though I was the first to discover
this place.
The thought made me a little apprehensive, but at the same time, I thought back to the first
vision.
Was the location random, or...?
"Ukh."
My head twitched involuntarily as I looked at the temple. There was something about it that
was making my heart race.
Almost as if it was calling for me...
"Huu."
I was quick to snap out of it.
Massaging my face, I looked around me and took in all the possible information that I could.
'The thread stops right inside of the temple. I'm afraid that the Queen is using it as a nest.' The thought made my heart drop especially when I looked down and saw the thousands of Wraiths that lingered beneath.
While it was true that it had gotten easier for me to fight the Wraiths... this was a different situation. The number of Wraiths that appeared before me was far too many to count. It was
impossible for me to fight that many.
...Especially not when taking into account the current state that I was in.
'What do I do...?'
I didn't panic. In fact, I started to assess the situation with a calmer mind.
'Can I avoid them...?'
I looked down and licked my lips. Avoiding them was not hard. However, they had acute hearing and just the slightest sound could tip them off. Their vision was also there. Despite
not having eyes, they could actually see.
With that being said, it was clear that while they could see, it wasn't to a great degree.
It was probably because of that that I was able to get away with my trick.
"....It's not impossible, but it's too risky."
I shook my head again and discarded the possibility. So then what...? How was I supposed to
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get to the temple?
I yet again looked at the surroundings.
My eye twitched as I felt my legs start to convulse. The pain made it harder for me to think, making the entire view before me tremble.
But it was also then that it suddenly hit me and my heart raced.
"This is crazy."
It was a crazy thought that I wasn't sure would work but taking note of my current situation, I
was desperate.
Turning my palm, several threads emerged from them.
"Technically speaking the threads are extremely sturdy. In theory, it should be possible, but I'm not sure
how feasible my idea is.'
"If we exclude the ones that are broken, there's about sixteen pillars."
The threads shot forward, encircling each pillar several times. It wasn't long before each
pillar was connected by a thread.
"Crazy."
I didn't encircle each pillar once, but several times. Given how thin each thread was, I had no
other choice but to do this.
Even if they didn't snap, it'd be impossible for me to walk over them.
My mana drained rapidly at my actions, but it was a necessary step that I needed to take.
It wasn't long before I was done, and my breath was somewhat unsteady.
'I'm good.' Wiping the sweat that had accumulated on my forehead, I looked behind me to check if everything was in place, with several threads connected to the walls behind.
It was only when I was sure that everything was in place that I finally took a deep breath and
stepped forward.
Toward the tightrope.
Wobble Wobble~
"!"
The moment I stepped onto the threads, my entire body tensed. Swaying precariously from left to right, I twisted my hands desperately to keep myself balanced. To an outsider, I must have looked ridiculous, but that didn't matter.
Anxiety gnawed at me as I struggled to find my equilibrium, my heart pounding with each
step until I finally managed to steady myself.
Only then did I finally take a breath as I felt sweat drip down the side of my face.
'It's working.'
My heart was still pounding out of my chest.
Especially when I couldn't afford to fall. I had previously thought about using a thread to
cover my waist in case I fell, but I was quick to scrap the idea.
"The moment I fall, I'll likely die.'
The threads were sharp. If I were to use them as rope for safety, then I'd be directly sliced in
half the moment that I fell.
By having several threads beneath me, I was able to evenly distribute the pressure, hence why
I was still fine.
But the same couldn't be said for this scenario.
"H-hoo."
Calming my thoughts, I took another step forward.
Wobble Wobble~ The thread wobbled again, and I once again swayed my arms. Unlike the first time, I was able
to return to balance rather quickly and it was there that I took another step.
Wobble~
I tried to not look down as I walked.
I was high up, and my expression hardened each time that I looked down. It was for that
reason that I didn't look down.
Wobble-
The path to the first pillar seemed endless.
It wasn't far, but it felt like it was hundreds of kilometers away from me.
I continued to walk in this manner for what felt like forever.
The drop beneath seemed endless, and sweat continued to pour down the side of my face.
I kept steady, trying to keep my legs from wobbling.
Anxiety was starting to gawn at me, and my toes curled slightly.
'Focus... focus...'
Before I knew it, I had almost reached the first pillar.
It was then that the true size of the pillar sank in. Its width was monstrous, stretching far
beyond my sight. Though the details were obscured by darkness, faint, jagged lines and symbols etched its surface.
I squinted, straining to get a better read on the carvings.
The more I tried to focus, the more they seemed to shift and writhe. Almost as if they didn't
want me to read them.
My curiosity piqued.
'I'll get closer.'
Only then would I be able to see properly.
"....Uh?!"
I had just taken another step on the tightrope when my leg suddenly started to spasm.
"Shit..!"
I hastily bit my tongue in order to stop myself from making any sound.
But that was the least of my problems.
Wobble-!!!
The thread wobbled violently beneath me, sending my body swaying erratically from side to
side.
My heart pounded like a relentless drum, and my mind raced frantically.
I flailed my hands wildly in an attempt to balance myself, but that proved to be of little to no
help. Glancing beneath me, my stomach churned.
'Oh, no...!'
With each movement, I felt myself losing my balance more and more.
Wobble! Wobble-!
Dread gripped every corner of my mind as I stepped back, and I lost my center of gravity. I
looked all around me in desperation, and in the last moments, before I lost my balance, I
decided to risk it all and jumped toward the pillar.
"Huek!!"
I shot away from my line and expanded my arms in a hugging motion.
The distance was short, and yet, as I fell down, it appeared to be endless. Time seemed to
slow down in that moment as everything moved slowly in my vision. Approaching the pillar with both arms stretched, I felt my breath leave my body. I was getting closer to it. It was only only an arm length's away. My hand stretched forward,
and the tips of my fingers soon brushed against the pillar.
'More... a little more...!' "Ah."
My eyes widened.
To my horror, my body stopped moving forward, and...
My body soon started to fall down.
It was then that I understood.
...I couldn't make it.
