Chapter 96: Twenty-Fourth Floor, Kokkari Swamp (2)

[Eliminate the heretics from the Kokkari Swamp or survive. Time remaining: 45 hours 53 minutes.]

Comet diligently shared the information he had gathered over the past week, but ultimately, it wasn't particularly useful. All he had managed to uncover was the heretics’ general location and that they were protected by a formidable guardian.

Embarrassed by the inadequacy of his findings, Comet lowered his head in shame.

“This is everything I know... I’m sorry. I feel as though I’ve failed both the goddess and you, Mr. Kwon Su-Hyeok."

I had no intention of blaming Comet, however. None of this was his fault. He had done everything within his power, and the toll these past two weeks had taken on him was already a testament to his efforts.

“No, you've done well, especially since you couldn’t use the goddess's power."

My words seemed to move him as tears welled up in his eyes. He had endured two weeks alone in enemy territory, all the while facing dire circumstances. Even a few comforting words seemed to provide him a measure of strength.

In the end, all I needed was the exact location of the heretic’s base. I could handle the rest. That was, after all, why this trial had been given to me. The fact that I encountered Comet here was practically a sign that I was meant to handle this situation.

“You mentioned you know a route without traps, right?"

“Yes, but since a trap was triggered earlier, their surveillance will likely be even more intense now."

“Don’t worry about that. I have a solution."

“Is the solution related to your sudden appearance earlier?"

I nodded slightly, and Comet's face brightened. Just as he suspected, I intended to use the Shadow Veil to infiltrate the heretic stronghold. And, just like in the slave factory from the twenty-first floor’s hidden mission, I would dismantle their forces from within.

“Let’s rest for a while before we proceed."

“Huh? Shouldn't we attack them immediately?"

“Comet, you’re in terrible shape. Was that food I just gave you the first you’ve had in days? How many days has it been since you’ve eaten?"

“Uh, about three days or so..." Comet averted my gaze, his voice trailing off.

I pictured the swamp we had just traversed, letting the image resurface in my mind. It was a place devoid of even clean water.

Considering he had just escaped the desert before entering the swamp, he likely hadn’t had a proper meal in quite some time. Comet looked visibly exhausted, and I suspected that the adrenaline from meeting me was the only thing keeping him going, temporarily numbing his fatigue and pain. However, once combat began, that exhaustion would surely catch up with him.

Proper rest was essential.

“We still have plenty of time. Resting is the wiser choice. We are on this mission to help the goddess, and maintaining our physical condition is crucial. Besides, the heretics are likely on high alert right now—nightfall will be more suitable for infiltration."

“You’re right. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Convinced, Comet leaned his head against the wall of the dugout to rest. Within moments, his breathing slowed, and the soft sound of his slumber soon reached my ears. His exhaustion had likely overwhelmed him as soon as his tension eased.

Doppy and I had already rested in the waiting room, so we had ample energy.

Nevertheless, I forced Doppy to sleep as well. Who knew what awaited us at the heretic base? While I was confident in my own stamina, Doppy needed to conserve as much strength as possible.

In the meantime, I used the information Comet had provided to formulate a rough battle plan.

First, I need to use Shadow Veil to infiltrate as deeply as possible.

My primary objective was to create chaos from within and dismantle the heretic forces.

Yet, I couldn't afford to be overly optimistic. During the incident at the slave factory, Shadow Veil had been dispelled, likely due to the interference of another deity's power. It was possible that the heretics’ god could neutralize my veil again.

If that happens, I will be quickly surrounded by heretics.

Fortunately, I wasn’t overly concerned about Comet. Although I hadn’t witnessed his combat abilities firsthand, he was undoubtedly capable as the goddess's Great Warrior. Doppy, too, was competent enough in combat and had the shield to protect himself in dangerous situations.

The real issue is the powerful guardian Comet mentioned, however...

According to Comet, the guardian was likely the heretics' own Great Warrior. I wasn’t worried it would be more powerful than me, but I was concerned about how formidable it was. If the Great Warrior was strong enough that I couldn’t defeat it quickly, Comet and Doppy would have to withstand the onslaught from other heretics.

I should be able to support them with Lightning Essence and Master of Shadows, but still...

Given that this floor was supposed to be conquered by a party of normal climbers, it probably wouldn’t be as challenging as the Overseer.

Having contingency plans in place for various scenarios made me feel significantly more at ease. With that in mind, I glanced at Comet and Doppy, who were both fast asleep, and decided to close my eyes for a brief rest as well.

***

[Eliminate the heretics from the Kokkari Swamp or survive. Time remaining: 37 hours 53 minutes.]

Night had fallen over the Kokkari Swamp. From my limited view out of the entrance of the dugout, I spotted ominous branches thick with foliage that cast long shadows across the ground, along with a glimpse of the star-studded sky through the gaps in the leaves.

The moon shone brightly in the cloudless night sky, though only faint beams managed to penetrate the dense jungle below. With the swamp shrouded in darkness, it was a perfect night for an infiltration mission. Exactly eight hours after he went to sleep, Comet woke up amid the eerie chorus of insect noises.

“It's already night. I guess I overslept."

“Not at all. You woke up at just the right time. You seemed like you needed sleep, do you feel a bit better?"

Comet’s sleep must have been restless over the past week, constantly interrupted and full of tension and fear. I doubted he had experienced any real, undisturbed rest during that time.

Looking a bit embarrassed but clearly feeling better, Comet nodded slightly.

“

Haha

, yes. Thank you."

“Shall we get going?"

“Sure."

“Doppy, it's time."

“

Kriee!

Goblin! coming!"

The moment I stepped out of the cave, I manifested Shadow Veil. Looking out from inside the veil, the dense jungle night caused the separation between the real world and the shadows to appear more solid than ever. Comet’s eyes widened in fascination as he glanced around, captivated by the black-and-white effect that cloaked our vision.

“This power... I didn’t see you use anything like it in the desert.”

“I didn’t have a reason to use it back then. But don’t rely on it too much. Although we’re hidden, enemies can still hear sounds from inside the veil.”

Even though he was clearly tense, Comet nodded. Pushing through the bushes meant we couldn’t completely suppress noise, so we would have to slow down. Of course, I planned to detect any potential enemies and avoid them before they could notice us, but a bit of caution never hurt anyone.

“Hey, Comet, before we start, let’s establish some hand signals. This means stop, this means move forward, and this is for caution, got it?”

“Stop, move forward, caution. Got it.”

Having more signals would have been nice, but three were enough. We didn’t need a complex system.

After ensuring both Comet and Doppy had memorized the signals, we pressed on. Comet led the way, guiding us along a route free of traps and with minimal heretic patrols. Although we were invisible, we avoided the marshlands just in case argars could still sense us.

We walked in silence for about thirty minutes before we spotted the first group of heretics. They were about two hundred meters away, hidden from plain sight by the thick trees, but well within the range of my senses.

As soon as I noticed their presence, I raised my hand and signaled for us to stop. Comet, clearly on edge, scanned the surroundings.

Keeping my voice low, I whispered, “It’s alright. They’re still too far away to hear us. There are eight of them at eleven o’clock. Keep your voice down.”

“Eight? That’s unusual. It’s probably a scouting party. Normally, there’d only be four, but they’ve likely doubled the size of their patrols because of the explosion earlier today.”

He had a point. Given that there weren’t any bodies at the site of the blast, the heretics were likely on high alert.

“What’s the plan? Should we take them out?” Comet’s tone held a hint of eagerness, as though he was looking forward to repaying the heretics for all the hardship they had caused.

I shook my head. “No, let’s travel deeper for now. It wouldn’t do us any good to leave evidence this early. We’re heavily outnumbered.”

“Understood. Should we head in the opposite direction?”

“There’s no need for that. They’re heading our way, probably patrolling along their route. Once they pass us, we can follow the trail they leave behind.”

Comet nodded in agreement. The plan seemed sound since patrols typically loosened their guard after passing through an area. Heading the opposite way might land us in the path of another patrol, or worse, get us surrounded.

Though we were invisible, there was no need to tempt fate.

“From now on, keep silent until they’ve passed.”

We waited as the scout team crossed in front of us. They didn’t look particularly special, but they carried an unmistakable smell—fresh blood, pungent and strong enough to cut through the humid air.

That is when it struck me; these heretics could be returning from a ritual, or worse, a human sacrifice.

I didn’t have long to ponder this as I sensed a gaze upon me.

What?

Turning slightly, I locked eyes with one of the heretics. Despite the veil supposedly separating us, it felt as if he was staring directly at me with his empty, chilling gaze. His eyes were vacant, devoid of reason, more beast than man. Fear crept up my spine at the unnatural sight.

Comet sensed the tension and held his breath, my sudden exhale startling him.

Can that heretic see through the Shadow Veil? No. Stay calm.

I could tell the veil was still up, so unless the heretic had a special ability, we were fine.

Taking a closer look, I realized the heretic’s eyes weren’t focused on me. He was merely staring into the dark void, unable to see anything at all.

Soon, another heretic called out to him, “Picante! What are you doing? Did you see something?”

“No, it’s nothing. Just thought I saw something.”

“Let’s get going. Shift change is coming up, and I’d rather not get stuck on patrol longer than we have to.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go.”

As the group faded into the distance, Comet let out a shaky breath. “I thought we were done for when that guy looked this way.”

“It was just a coincidence. We all stare off into space sometimes. Don’t let it worry you.”

After calming him down, we resumed our journey and followed the trail the heretics had left behind. From how well-trodden the path was, it was obvious countless patrols had followed the same route. The ground was damp, and there was a good chance we would leave footprints, but...

It is nighttime, and I am sure there are plenty of other footsteps. It won’t matter.

The moonlight wasn’t strong enough to penetrate the canopy, and besides, their base would be nothing but ruins by the time the night ended. We didn’t need to worry about leaving traces.

***

[Eliminate the heretics from the Kokkari Swamp or survive. Time remaining: 36 hours 52 minutes.]

We had been following the heretics for approximately twenty uneventful minutes. Every now and then, I sensed movement far off in the distance, but we didn’t cross paths with any patrols.

As the heretics’ well-constructed wooden buildings came into view, I realized something had gone terribly wrong. Suddenly, torches flared up and drove away the darkness shrouding us. The heretics’ eyes blazed intensely, rushing around with torches in their hands.

“Emergency! Emergency! Intruders! Find them!”

What was happening? I couldn’t understand.

How did they find us out?

“What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure either...” I replied, trailing off.

Did the heretic from before really see through Shadow Veil?

No, that wasn’t it. He hadn’t seen me. That left only two possibilities.