Chapter 28 - Yoron Village (1)

The Spring of Elixir, located at the entrance of the Abyss.

This was the place where I had spent the most time since I was reincarnated.

I spent anywhere from a short 5 hours to a long 8 hours a day soaking in this spring, to the point where this spring now felt like home.

A thick fog always hung over this entire lake-sized spring, so I couldn't observe the surroundings, but if I sat quietly here and practiced my mana inner arts, I would hear all sorts of stories.

Most of them were about quests in the Abyss.

Because this Spring of Elixir was a place where Hunters who had finished clearing the Abyss and were returning to Earth recovered their bodies.

I was able to hear many stories today as well.

From the story of a Hunter from the Blue Moon Guild who received an item worth billions as a quest reward, to the story of a promising talent from some sword family who fell off a cliff during a quest.

Because my senses were so outstanding, even if various sounds overlapped, they were organized neatly in my head.

Most of it was unnecessary information, so I immediately let it evaporate, but sometimes there were stories that caught my ear.

Just like right now.

“I heard Min Ha-rin, who went into Yoron Village, still hasn't returned?”

“I know, right. I wonder what kind of quest she got.”

Min Ha-rin was the promising talent from the Muwon Sword Family who I would soon be having a Bimu with.

It seemed that the people soaking around me were Hunters from the Muwon Sword Family.

“Sometimes the quest difficulty goes crazy, you know. I guess she got caught in that.”

“It seems Ha-rin is having a rough initiation on her first Abyss expedition.”

“I know, right. The quests in Yoron Village are usually a piece of cake.”

“But she’ll probably be back soon, right? Her skills aren't going anywhere.”

From what I heard, it seemed Min Ha-rin had entered the first village in the Abyss and was struggling.

My curiosity was piqued.

And I happened to have two Abyss Runes.

‘Should I go and see?’

I knew that Yoron Village was the first quest area in the Abyss and was not too far from this Spring of Elixir.

The time it would take if I hurried was only 30 minutes.

I didn't know how long it would take to clear the quest, but now that my curiosity was piqued, it was too hard to just pass it by.

‘That guy Ho-joong is going to nag me again.’

I had never once stayed out overnight since I was reincarnated.

If I wasn't found within the family estate by tomorrow morning, the entire household might be turned upside down. That point bothered me a little, but my feet were already heading towards Yoron Village.

With the thought that I could just clear the quest quickly and return.

As I had heard, Goblins appeared quite often on the path to Yoron Village.

In the past, it would have been quite a burden, but in my current physical condition, I could handle any number of Goblins without much trouble.

Because my basic physical strength had improved so much that I could take care of them using almost no mana.

Kereureuk!

Every time the Reapersword flashed, a Goblin would invariably die.

Kereureuk!

As I walked along the path like that, a signpost appeared before I knew it.

It wasn't a wooden signpost.

[Yoron Village 100m ==]

Letters floating in the air like a hologram.

The dungeons of Earth and the Abyss were truly mysterious places.

As I walked a little further from the signpost, a portal began to appear.

[Would you like to consume a Rune to enter Yoron Village?]

I stepped into the portal without hesitation.

It was the moment my unplanned first journey into the Abyss began.

***

Every time I passed through a portal, I experienced a new world.

This place, Yoron Village, was a completely different place from Earth.

A world from another dimension was connected to Earth through the Abyss as a medium.

Naturally, Kalia came to mind.

It was only natural to hold onto the hope that somewhere in the Abyss, there might be a portal that connected to Kalia, where I used to live.

Because there were people I wanted to see, and a being I had to meet again there.

Of course, for now, I had to solve the problem of the choice before me.

[A long-term unresolved quest exists in Yoron Village. Would you like to solve it together?]

[Yes/No]

[If you refuse, you can receive a new, randomly generated quest.]

I had heard what the unwritten rule was in situations like this.

Not to choose an unresolved quest that another Hunter was already undertaking, so as not to overlap.

But today, I planned to break that unspoken rule.

[You have chosen the long-term unresolved quest.]

[Obtain a Lycanthrope's Fang from the Alcantha Labyrinth.]

It was likely that the one struggling with this quest was Min Ha-rin of the Muwon Sword Family.

There was still time until the day of the Bimu, but it was a problem for my opponent to be struggling here.

Because if her return was delayed, the Bimu might be canceled.

“You, you’re an outsider, right?”

The one who greeted me at the entrance of Yoron Village was a man covered in thick brown fur.

Seeing that he recognized me as an outsider right away, it seemed that people from Earth had visited this place quite a bit.

He didn't show any hostility towards me.

Rather, it felt like he was about to try to solicit me for business?

“If there’s anything you need, just say the word. Mr. Outsider.”

As expected, he was a guy who was soliciting business.

“I want to know where the Alcantha Labyrinth is.”

“The Alcantha Labyrinth... That’s particularly expensive information.”

“Why?”

“If I say so, then it is so. You ask useless questions.”

I could feel the hint that he was trying to fleece a sucker he had caught.

“What do you want?”

“Shouldn't you pay a price corresponding to the information? Take out all the things you brought from the world you lived in. Let me see if there’s anything negotiable among them.”

In fact, there weren't many things in my Inventory.

A spare longsword and a dagger each. And a change of clothes and some emergency food.

That was all I had.

“What is this! Are you kidding me?”

“Does that mean there’s nothing negotiable at all?”

“Of course! What am I supposed to do with this junk. I’ve never seen an outsider like you since the portal to Yoron Village opened!”

Well, it was true that I had visited a quest area today without any preparation.

“But I do like that one sword you’re holding right now.”

“This?”

“Yes. That one.”

What he coveted was the Reapersword.

He had a good eye.

“This sword is a bit of a problem.”

“Then I’m out too.”

The furry guy shook his head with a firm expression.

Then there was no choice.

I had to go into the village and find other natives to get information.

“What! Are you just going to leave?”

“Didn't you say you didn't want the other stuff?”

“I'll be generous. I'll give you the information if you just hand over the longsword and dagger you showed me earlier.”

This bastard?

He really was a guy who fleeced suckers.

For a moment, I felt a surge of anger, but I decided to let it go.

It wasn't a valuable item anyway, and what I needed right now was information.

When I meekly handed over the two items, the furry guy, as if he were being generous, told me the location of the Alcantha Labyrinth.

“By the way, why are you trying to go to the labyrinth? A person with no mana like you will die right away if you go there.”

“I look like I have no mana?”

“Strictly speaking, you do have some. Not even at a booger level.”

His mouth was full of a sneer.

But rather than being offended, I was just surprised.

Because that unremarkable-looking guy had accurately assessed me.

“How did you know?”

“What do you mean how did I know. I can just tell by looking.”

“You just know?”

It didn't seem like he was lying.

It meant that the furry guy had the ability to accurately gauge another person's mana.

“Our Yoron Village race can see it all. It seems you outsiders can't see it.”

So that was it.

These guys had another sense in addition to the five senses that humans have.

In other words, the residents of Yoron Village were an inhuman species that looked similar to humans.

“Anyway, that’s not something you need to worry about. I’m just going to the Alcantha Labyrinth on business.”

“I won't stop you, so have a good trip.”

The guy continued to let out a sly laugh.

That laugh wasn't very pleasant, but since I had figured out the location of my destination, I immediately turned to leave.

In that moment, my senses sharpened, and I felt a killing intent from behind me.

The aura of mana imbued in a blade rode the wind and came towards me.

Hwiik.

I slightly turned my body to avoid the attack and then reached out and grabbed the guy's neck.

“Keck! Keck!”

The furry guy had swung the longsword he had received from me.

“The reason?”

“Keck! Keck!”

“If I put a little more strength into my hand right now, you’ll die. So talk.”

“No way! Keck! You can’t possibly have this much strength!”

“You judged that you could kill me easily. Were you perhaps after my sword?”

The furry guy, in agony, barely managed to nod his head.

Being honest was good.

When I let go of his neck, the guy coughed and spat out blood from his mouth.

“Wow! Shit! I thought I was going to die!”

“Don’t be relieved. You still have a much higher chance of dying.”

Just as I was about to consider how to deal with this guy.

Hweeing!

His attack followed again.

Perhaps because he could see my mana, he still seemed to think he had a chance.

Chaeng.

The longsword that collided with the Reapersword was shattered.

Along with the sword, the guy’s expression also crumbled.

“What are you going to do? That was my sword.”

“Th-this can’t be!”

“Leave your last words.”

“Spare me! I’ll give you everything I have.”

What did this bastard take me for.

I knew that items obtained in a quest area could not pass through the Abyss portal.

Just as the people of a quest area could not come to the Abyss.

“Then I’ll take it that you have no last words.”

As I raised the Reapersword, the guy covered his head with both arms.

“Spare me! I’ll help you explore the labyrinth!”

“I don’t think you’d be of much help.”

“That’s not true! I don’t know what you’re going there for, but I’m the most knowledgeable person about the Alcantha Labyrinth in this Yoron Village!”

I couldn't trust him.

I had already been backstabbed.

But in fact, I had no intention of killing him.

Because there was one thing I wanted to confirm with this guy.

“Lead the way.”

“Good thinking! You, you’re lucky you met me!”

“Is being shameless also a Yoron Village racial trait?”

“Kekeke.”

Beyond my expectations, this guy was a decent guide.

I was able to smoothly navigate the path to the Alcantha Labyrinth, avoiding rough terrain.

I was also able to hear about the race of this village.

This guy was from an inhuman species called ‘Penozeri’. As I expected, he said they had a third eye that could see another person’s mana.

“Is that eye something you’re born with?”

“I suppose so. Our race can naturally see an opponent’s mana with our mana eye.”

In fact, humans could also produce a similar ability when they reached a certain level.

I too could gauge an opponent’s strength to a fairly accurate level.

Of course, it wasn't perfect.

For example, just like how I belatedly realized I had been reckless the moment I was hit by the dragon’s decisive blow.

So it was a coveted ability.

Even more so in a wretched body like now.

“That mana eye, can it be learned later in life?”

“Of course it’s impossible. Not a single human among the outsiders who visited Yoron Village succeeded. Kekekeke. We do it so naturally, but humans can’t do this easy thing.”

“Judging by your insolent way of speaking, you want to die right now?”

“Ah, no! It's this damn mouth of mine. It's just that our race is a bit peculiar. Kehuk!”

The furry guy immediately clamped his own hand over his mouth.

The labyrinth was one thing, but before that, something else had come up.

To learn the unique ability of the Penozeri race.

I was told that among the humans who had tried to learn it so far, there were no successful cases, but I couldn't conclude that it was impossible just based on that.

Because there probably hadn't been a genius like me among them.