Chapter 214: Fifty-Seventh Floor, Recommissioned Mine Exploration (1)

“The fourth mine?”

I couldn't help but be a little taken aback. Kyuntriachae had never gone into much detail about the mines. Not that I had asked, of course.

Still, my instincts had told me something would eventually go wrong with the mana stone mines, although the fact that more than one existed surprised me.

“There are four of them?”

“Technically, five. Mana stones tend to be spread over a wide area. We started with one, then gradually expanded by surveying and excavating the surrounding land,” Kyuntriachae stated matter-of-factly, as if it were common knowledge.

Ah, so that is how it works.

It was simply something I hadn't been familiar with since it was a standard practice in this world. Nodding, I decided to move past that and focus on what actually mattered.

The number of mines wasn't the issue right now.

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

“The miners and supervisors typically live near the excavation sites. Each mine has three supervisors, and they take turns reporting back here every night.”

“To update you on the day's yield, I assume?”

Kyuntriachae nodded slightly. “Precisely. I only realized something was off last evening. The supervisor on duty never arrived.”

“And you’re only bringing this up now because...?”

“Well, for one, you’re here. And besides, this sort of thing has happened before. Occasionally, when the miners have a big haul, they skip reporting for the night and hold a feast instead.”

I crossed my arms. “So you came to me because only now you’re certain something's wrong.”

His expression tightened. After a brief pause, he slowly nodded. “A little while ago, a miner returned from the city. The missing supervisor had sent him there on an errand. When he got back, a house near the fourth mine had completely collapsed.”

My brow furrowed. “Any survivors?”

“I can’t say for sure. Two people lived there. One went inside to check, but he never returned, and a scream was all that anyone else heard. The other man panicked and ran straight here to report it.”

I exhaled through my nose. “So he didn’t actually see anything.”

It was frustrating to have so little to go on, but I couldn't blame the guy. Anyone in his position would have been terrified.

The fact that he had managed to overcome his fear and ensured that the incident would be reported was already commendable.

“

Hmm

. The building collapsed, and someone screamed. Something clearly happened.”

Kyuntriachae sighed. “If the building was sabotaged, this is no trivial matter.”

I nodded. Though I hadn’t seen it myself, the miners’ lodging was at least a three-story structure. If bandits had been targeting the mana stones, they wouldn’t have needed to demolish an entire building.

“That’s why, despite my reservations, I came to you. I may look young, but my body isn’t what it used to be. Moving as I please has become... difficult.”

With fifty more years under his belt, he was now four hundred thirty-two. Even back when we had first met, he had spoken about his memory starting to fade. It didn’t surprise me that his body had begun to feel the effects of his age as well.

“I thought about hiring mercenaries, but they would arrive tomorrow at the earliest. Right now, you're the only one I can count on.”

He studied my face cautiously, clearly wary of overstepping.

It made sense. He had invited me as an honored guest, so immediately asking for a favor would have made him feel uncomfortable.

He also wasn’t wrong, however. By the time he sent for mercenaries, at least a full day would have passed. If anyone had survived, they probably wouldn’t have lasted that long.

Trying to ease his guilt, I offered him a reassuring smile. “You don't have to worry. I'm a mercenary, am I not? Taking on requests is what I do. Besides, I could use a little action.”

His entire posture loosened as relief flooded over him. “I cannot thank you enough!”

He had done a good job keeping his emotions in check until now, but he had been deeply distressed.

For me, this was just another floor to clear. Still, seeing how much it meant to him almost made me feel like I was doing a good deed.

As if suddenly remembering something, he hesitated. “Ah, I could at least send a few men with you—”

“Not necessary. I'll handle this alone.”

“Then at the very least, I should accompany—”

“Absolutely not. You just said that you can’t move like you used to. Stay here.”

He grimaced. “I just feel guilty—”

“There's no need for that,” I interjected before he could protest further.

After a long pause, he finally nodded reluctantly. “Right. There's something else I should tell you.”

I raised a brow. “What is it?”

“Do you remember the necromancer?”

“Of course. That was just a few days ago for me.”

He blinked, momentarily startled. “Ah. I suppose it would be.”

“Why bring him up now?”

“After you left, I spent quite a while searching his laboratory. I found something strange.”

“What was it?”

He breathed out slowly. “I'm not sure. His journal mentioned that he was searching for something. Unfortunately, he didn’t describe it and only wrote that it was difficult to find. The night we arrived at the fortress, when he was missing, he was likely out looking for it.”

So he left for a reason?

It could have been a coincidence. Though given that this was in the tower, it was far more likely that everything was connected.

Fuck, this isn’t going to be simple.

“Of course, it could be unrelated. But when I heard about the mine this morning, that immediately came to mind. I have a bad feeling about this. Be careful.”

“I will. Now, how do I reach the fourth mine?”

Kyuntriachae's gaze flickered past me, into the room, and directly at Doppy. He was still groggy, fumbling with his armor as he tried to wake up.

“You plan to leave right away? It's still dark out. You could wait until morning.”

I shook my head. “No point in waiting. We have no idea what's going on over there, and if anyone’s still alive, every second counts.”

“I truly appreciate this. Finish getting ready and meet me downstairs. I'll have a map prepared for you.”

“Okay.”

Kyuntriachae studied me for a moment before nodding and turning away. His small figure disappeared down the corridor, his call for a servant echoing through the halls.

I turned back to Doppy, who was still struggling to put on his armor. “Come here. I'll help you with that.”

“Thanks!”

***

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s former employer has invited him to a banquet! Accept his invitation and enjoy the festivities. Time remaining: 4 hours 12 minutes.]

By the time we finished preparing and stepped into the courtyard, Kyuntriachae and several servants were already waiting, their expressions tense.

Behind them were two horses, one large, one small—a welcome accommodation for Doppy and me.

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Kyuntriachae. What's with the horses?”

“Didn’t I mention it before? The fourth mine is quite a distance from here.”

“

Huh?

”

Seeing my puzzled expression, Kyuntriachae approached, map in hand. “The fourth mine is about an hour and a half away on horseback.”

“An hour and a half? But didn’t you say the mana stone mines were nearby?”

“The first, second, and third mines are close, but the fourth and fifth are farther out. We’ve had fifty years to expand, after all.”

Well, that made sense. Fifty years was a long time.

I nodded, still feeling a bit unsure.

Kyuntriachae unfolded the map and pointed to a marked location. “Head northeast from the fortress gates. Just follow the road, and you’ll find it. Even if you stray, plenty of landmarks can guide you back.”

The map was centered on the fortress, and sure enough, the fourth mine was noticeably farther away.

As I finished studying the map, my gaze drifted toward the horses behind Kyuntriachae.

Seemingly catching on, he cautiously asked, “Do the horses not suit your liking?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then what? You do know how to ride, don’t you?”

He had a sharp observation. I had ridden a horse once in Jeju Island, but someone had guided the horse for me—I had never properly steered one on my own. Although I had also ridden on Turen’s and the Camadenus’s backs, both could communicate with me and made the ride comfortable.

Still, admitting that outright wasn’t an option.

“It’s not that I can’t ride; I just don’t do it often. Plus, while I’m fine, this little one here doesn’t know how to ride a horse.”

As I spoke, I motioned toward Doppy, only for it to confidently declare, “What are you talking about? I’m great at riding!”

I turned to Doppy in surprise. “Really?”

“Of course!”

Kyuntriachae chuckled, clearly relieved. “

Haha

, then there’s no problem.”

“I suppose not.”

“Then let’s get moving.”

Feeling somewhat awkward, I nodded.

Well, as long as I don’t fall off, it should be fine.

***

The tower’s message refreshed after we had ridden for about an hour and a half.

[Welcome to the fifty-seventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Recommissioned Mine Exploration.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s former employer has a new request. Investigate the incident at the fourth mine and report any findings to the employer. Time remaining: 11 hours 59 minutes.]

The tower’s message refreshed after we had ridden for about an hour and a half.

Contrary to my concerns, handling the horse wasn’t too difficult. At first, I was slightly clumsy, but my body, having transcended, adapted quickly.

Ten minutes into the ride, I already felt as though I had been riding all my life—as if the horse and I had become one. It also helped that the sharp dawn air felt cool and refreshing against my face.

Thud, thud, thud—

With each steady beat of the hooves, I swayed fluidly in sync with the motion.

To my surprise, Doppy controlled its horse far better than I had anticipated.

I have no idea how Doppy, whose first memory is inside the tower, became so skilled at horseback riding.

Pushing that mystery aside, I focused ahead of us. Finding the mine was easy thanks to the well-trodden path leading straight to it.

As I moved with the horse’s rhythm, I contemplated the trial ahead.

What kind of enemy awaits us?

Considering Delikurn had delved deep into the mysteries of dark magic, it was almost certainly related to that.

Since we were heading toward a mine, the root cause likely occurred during excavation.

Is this the classic trope of awakening some sealed and ancient evil?

Kyuntriachae had rewarded me with an item that enhanced magic resistance. Hence, I felt even more confident about my theory.

If past floors were any indication, rewards often served as preparation for upcoming challenges. Therefore, the enemy had to have some proficiency with magic.

Still, I didn’t intend to equip the cloak—I would stick to my strategy of enduring hits in the pursuit of growth.

That didn’t mean I would let the cloak go to waste, however. I had handed the cloak over to Doppy once we left the castle. It wouldn’t have been polite to give it to someone else right in front of Kyuntriachae, but now that we were far away, Doppy could use it.

Huh?

A sudden shift in the air sent a chill down my spine. The wind had changed, becoming cold, thick, murky, and oppressive.

This feels familiar.

It was the same nauseating sensation emanating from the ground on the previous floor: dark mana.

The scenery ahead underwent a stark transformation. The trees loomed ominously, casting long, unsettling shadows. Beyond them, a collapsed building came into view.

That has to be the lodge.

Just beside it was the mine’s entrance, dark and abandoned.

I gently pulled on the reins, slowing my horse. “Doppy, let’s proceed on foot from here.”

“Got it!”

Doppy dismounted first and took my reins, tying both horses securely to a nearby tree. Then, we cautiously advanced toward the mine.

As we reached the ruined house, my senses immediately picked up on something.

There are dozens of weird creatures.

They were scattered within the mine and lurking in the forest around us.

Damn. The tower isn’t even going to give us a moment to catch our breath?

The way they had surrounded us, as if waiting for our arrival, left no doubt in my mind that this was intentional.

The faint stench of blood mixed with the pungent musk of beasts stung my nose.

A low, predatory growl shattered the eerie silence.

“

Grrrrr.

”

I leaned toward Doppy and whispered, “Prepare for battle.”

Rustle, rustle.

Hearing the shifting foliage, Doppy unsheathed his sword, sending a clear, metallic ring into the air.

“

Kreekk!

”

“

Kyaaaah!

”

From the depths of the mine and the shadows of the forest, a slew of shrieking, monstrous creatures lunged at us.