Regressor of the Fallen Family Novel - Chapter 340
Chapter 340
**”He has truly delved deep in just three months.”**
No one responded to the voice echoing through the passage.
Only the flickering flames from the torches swayed, casting moving shadows, while footsteps echoed down the straight underground path.
Logan hesitated, feeling a suspicion holding him back.
‘There are no hidden foes.’
As he descended the tunnel, he carefully observed his surroundings, stopping as he reached walls shining brightly white.
Buzz.
It was evidently a divine light even an ordinary person could see clearly.
“Hmm…”
Recalling his past experiences, he identified this as the location of the relic belonging to the Holy Magician, Zibrik Cassel.
However, if it was like the situation with the Pope, then this must also be a false divine power.
‘…I can’t differentiate it after all.’
While Bishop Ilia could instantly detect the fake divine power, Logan found it beyond his reach.
Nonetheless,
‘Taking it down is another matter.’
There was no reason to delay.
Clang.
The moment he decided, his sword swiftly sliced through the barrier before him.
A precise and effective strike, not wasting any energy.
Just as Lux, who wielded a swift sword, was about to hit the barrier, he released a surge of condensed aura.
Boom!
Yet the bright white barrier remained strong and steady, showing no signs of breaking.
“Indeed…”
Logan’s expression hardened.
Even though he had reached a state of perfect synchronization between his mind and body, allowing him to move the sword freely, this attack, infused with maximum efficiency a human could muster, was nullified. He was certain that no matter how much he enhanced his destructive abilities with various techniques, this barrier would remain unyielding.
‘In the end, I must follow the method revealed by the holy sword… Ugh.’
It was unsettling, but he couldn’t just walk away.
Reaffirming his determination, Logan visualized a golden sword strike in the air.
Glint!
The brilliant golden light from the air-strike enveloped the front, swiftly overpowering it.
Then, shortly after,
Tsuk-tsuk-tsuk.
The once rigid barrier flickered like a dimming light, succumbing to the golden blade.
Kwaaaah!
Hah…
More than half of the force dissipated in an instant.
Regaining composure through a deep breath, Logan steeled his expression and moved forward.
At that moment, his disguise faded away, revealing his original hair color, eye color, and face.
“How…”
Realizing what happened, Logan let out a small sigh and clicked his tongue softly.
When the Heaven-Rendering Strike shattered the barrier, the ripple from that action dispelled Clayton’s transformation spell.
This unfortunate event was due to his slightly inexperienced skills.
‘Once I’m more skilled…’
It was the outcome of rushing after mastering the Heaven-Rendering Strike. With a bit more practice, he believed he could break through that thin barrier and reach the next level, but using that skill had to wait a little longer.
For now, arranging the relic before him took precedence.
“Hmm.”
After the white barrier vanished, a solid wall emerged.
The unidentified gray wall split with the barrier, revealing what lay behind it.
As Logan confidently stepped inside, a long corridor extended on both sides. He had entered an area clearly not a typical entrance.
Wide enough for ten people to walk side by side, the corridor was decorated with vibrant murals.
‘Dragons, humans, lizardmen… Are they all ancient races?’
Regardless of the paint used, not a single image had faded despite the passing eons.
Among them, a massive dragon breathing fire, scorching a vast mountain range, surrounded by warriors of various races caught his attention first.
Traditional foes, standing shoulder to shoulder, faced the dragon. The murals continued on each side, narrating the story before and after the conflict erupted.
Logan’s gaze shifted to the murals depicting the aftermath of the battle.
Amidst the brutal carnage, the dragon appeared with shedding scales, and many tribes seemed to suffer severe losses.
He had no intention of merely admiring the murals.
Although curious whether the murals depicted actual history or were purely artistic, there was little time to dwell on that as he ventured forward, drawn by a stronger sensation.
‘I must locate the holy sword first.’
In a few days at most, the Imperial army would return with overwhelming force, stronger than those he had defeated.
So, he had to tidy up and leave this place before then.
Logan quickened his pace into the ancient ruins, often referred to as dungeons for unknown reasons. Many such sites remained buried underground, teeming with monsters and traps.
Historians suggested that ancient transcendent beings or powerful sorcerers had intentionally set traps to hinder unauthorized trespassers.
But in this relic, there were no monsters or traps.
‘It makes sense for monsters to be absent, but…’
Monsters born from primordial darkness, feeding on the world’s mana, had become rare on the continent.
As it stood, only two specific locations housed significant numbers of monsters.
The habitat of magical beasts consuming mana instead, left by an ancient demon lord, and the sinister forest of mana creatures shrouding the northern part of the continent.
The southern mountains, known as the sea of endless mountain ranges, where the races from the great migration had vanished.
Moreover, this ruin was infused with divine energy repelling corrupt beings, explaining the absence of monsters in the vicinity.
But to claim traps were also absent?
‘Does it invite anyone to enter?’
Logan hastened for that reason.
However, he slowed down as a wide plaza came into view at the end of the corridor.
As colorful, bright lights flashed from the plaza, Logan’s caution heightened. Even if there were no traps so far, there was no guarantee there wouldn’t be any further ahead.
While scanning for potential traps, Logan noticed another wall mural.
At the far end of the corridor, three dragons—red, blue, and yellow—were depicted, accompanied by two dragonkin, an elf, a dwarf, a lizardman, and an orc.
All adorned with white halos, they soared into the sky on clouds. Below them stood a human figure, scowling as he watched their ascent.
That mural captivated Logan’s attention inexplicably.
‘What is this?’
Logan momentarily forgot about traps, engrossed in studying the mural, as if a profound understanding teased his mind, keeping him fixated.
He had no formal education in ancient history, nor did the following images offer more insight, yet its allure was irresistible.
But as rational thoughts returned, Logan shook off the vague impression and refocused on reality.
‘There’s no time for this.’
Thankfully, he sensed no traps nearby and cautiously entered the plaza, wearing a serious expression.
There, his sight was met with a massive pile of treasures stacked high as the ceiling.
Typically, ruins were believed to hide numerous treasures hoarded by ancient beings of immense power.
The majority of discovered remains indeed contained such treasures.
Historians theorized that these ancient beings possessed extraordinary power akin to deities, accumulating riches within their domains.
And this space attributed to Zibrik Cassel was overflowing with astonishing treasures.
Golden coins from forgotten eras formed hills, while various jewels transformed into decorations and artifacts emanated dazzling light.
Beyond that, a clear path led to the altar where the holy sword was embedded, almost hidden by the abundance of riches.
What seemed like vague memories from the past now felt more tangible than expected.
Before him lay an unbelievable sight.
It appeared this treasure trove could surpass the kingdom’s annual budget.
‘Leaving all this behind…’
A sigh of frustration escaped him, but the value of wealth was of less concern now. First, he needed to address the core reason for being there.
Logan carefully surveyed his surroundings. Aside from the holy sword on its altar, all he could see was this heap of treasures.
Then…
‘Is the holy sword’s insight hidden within this pile?’
An abrupt irritation surged within him, yet he couldn’t ignore the search. If the empire’s strongest sought the holy sword’s vision, they would undoubtedly grow stronger or discover their weaknesses.
Glancing at the holy sword, Logan sighed again, focusing his mind. He couldn’t possibly sift through a mound larger than himself item by item.
Buzz.
The core of his heart’s power emitted energy, and six orbiting cores amplified that strength exponentially.
Consequently, that power transformed into a network of force extending through the treasure heap.
With his eyes closed, Logan concentrated on the sensations flowing from his fingertips through the force.
‘Only the books. The literature type.’
Being a highly skilled aura user with abnormally acute senses, he was capable of such a task.
The web-like force combed through the treasure mound, seeking anything matching his request.
Yet.
‘Nothing?’
After numerous checks, reminiscent of a vast net sweeping through, he found no books resembling what he sought.
‘It can’t be.’
Gritting his teeth, Logan intensified his focus, further dividing his power. He cleared his mind completely and directed his sensory aura throughout.
Now that he had refined the power into finer strands, the web-like force moved more slowly but delicately through the treasures.
Still,
No matter how many times he repeated the process, nothing fitting his vision emerged.
“Huh…”
Had he wasted energy needlessly?
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Logan’s expression noticeably darkened.
‘If it’s not here, then where did the holy sword vision truly originate?’
There was a possibility that Lewis, who had once provided him with the holy sword and vision in his previous life, might have misunderstood something.
That would bring relief.
‘But if it’s here?’
If it was something beyond his capabilities to detect?
The invaluable vision of the holy sword wasn’t likely placed at the entrance, so if it existed, it might be hidden there with a high probability.
Perhaps it was even magically concealed.
Yet he had neither the time to search nor the desire to leave empty-handed.
Therefore…
‘…I must eliminate it.’
I can’t allow the empire to claim what I can’t have.
Determined with that thought, Logan resolved to utterly destroy the treasure that might reveal ancient secrets.
He immediately unsheathed his sword again. But a sudden idea struck him, causing him to take a few gold coins, a finely crafted dagger, and a piece of jewelry.
Small enough not to hinder his movements, yet he believed they might offer some insight into the historical context of the era when this ruin existed originally. Historical materials were alongside treasures, and as a human descendant, he felt some hesitation about destroying them.
With a resolute action, Logan once more empowered his sword.
– Holy Sword Vision Six Forms, Source Division Application. Universal Collapse.
When a golden energy burst from the sword’s tip and connected with the treasure heap,
A golden wave surged through the plaza.
Roar!
Flash!
In an instant, the mountainous heap of treasures exploded into a shimmering symphony of particles and fragments.
Swaah.
The treasure hill vanished instantly, leaving only glistening golden dust on the plaza floor.
As Logan observed the radiant gold powder, his expression became complex.
It wasn’t regret over the lost wealth.
Although less than if it had remained intact, it still held immeasurable financial value in its dust form.
However, it was insignificant since he couldn’t take it with him.
His heart weighed down by another feeling.
‘I didn’t calibrate my power correctly…’
The energy expended in entering the ruins with the Heaven-Rendering Strike, plus the focus exhausted in the search, caused him to misjudge the range of Universal Collapse.
The problem was that, despite this, the plaza’s walls and floor remained untouched.
‘Unless it’s an attack splitting the fabric of space like Heaven-Rendering Strike, I can’t damage anything? What the…?’
A quick glance at the altar revealed the holy sword still emitting remnants of divine energy, proudly asserting its presence.
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