I groaned in frustration.
"Where the hell is that path?"
For the past three hours, I had been searching for the path that led to the center of the Dragon Tomb. In the game, the protagonist had escaped through the same route after completing his mission. It was called the Mist Gate.
I racked my brain, trying to recall the details. The protagonist had seen something when he reached the base of the mountain—a wooden statue of a soldier. That was the landmark.
And yet, I had been circling this very statue, trying everything I could think of, but the route remained hidden.
Then I remembered.
Why didn't I think this before?
Ever since I had gotten there, there was something different , weird about this wooden soldier. Perhaps—perhaps only—something to do with the secret path.
I approached it slowly, examining it thoroughly. I spotted something odd after a while—a tiny hole in the spear that it was holding.
"A defect?" I grumbled, reaching out to finger it.
The instant my fingers made contact with the hole—
Sting.
"Ow—!"
It didn't hurt, only stinging—like a needle bite. I drew my hand back, frowning. Before I had time to react, the statue moved.
The wooden soldier raised its spear and executed a swift, economical movement—like a royal salute.
"What the hell." My breathing caught.
Was it. saluting me?
A shiver of cold crept down my spine. But before I had time to observe it, the statue put down its spear and pointed at a nearby tree.
I glared, focusing. "You want me to go to the tree?"
Apparently, it didn't reply.
Reluctantly but out of curiosity, I approached the tree. From afar, it seemed like an ordinary tree—nothing different. But because I believed my gut was right, I stuck out my hand and flattened it against the trunk.
PWSSH—!
The next thing I knew, the world whirled by me as I was pulled in.
All was covered in heavy, churning mist. I couldn't see a damn thing—even if a man was standing right in front of me, he'd be nothing but a shadow in the fog.
And that's why they called it the Mist Gate.
"Hell yeah!" I grinned. "I made it in!"
I couldn't contain my excitement and let out a victorious shout.
There were two reasons why I was so happy. First, I had managed to enter the Mist Gate—something I had spent hours looking for. And
second, if Selena was following me and attempted to enter the same way, she'd be stuck here forever unless a miracle occurred.
Only I know how to make it through this fog. Well, me and the protagonist—thanks to his bloody system.
No use wasting time on worthless thoughts. I needed to get moving.
Reaching into my backpack, I took out the Necklace of the Unknown and put it around my neck. Then, grabbing a small knife, I made a minor cut on my finger.
A few drops of blood fell on the necklace.
That should do it—
But it wasn't.
The necklace responded.
I didn't even have time to realize what was happening before it began sucking my blood, drawing it in like a famished animal.
"What the—!?"
Panic filled me as I felt my strength ebbing away quickly. At this pace, it would drain me dry.
Gritting my teeth, I rummaged through my bag with my off-hand, rapidly producing a health potion. As soon as I opened it, I drank the whole bottle in one gulp.
The warmth of healing flowed through my body, offsetting the blood loss.
Damn.....Good thing I had anticipated this. I had brought all the things I would need on this journey -although at a fortune's price.
I clenched my fists, frustration boiling within me.
"Fuck my money," I grumbled, wincing at the memory of all that spent gold.
But I couldn't waste any time on it.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the necklace ceased its relentless draining.
For a second, it just hung there, as though taking in what had occurred. Then, without notice, it rose into the air, suspended weightlessly before slowly rotating—pointing in a particular direction.
Just as I thought…
This necklace was an unrestrained fragment of a ritual—one that could set Asmodeus free from the Abyss. Of course, it was leading me to its other half.
And as for why it had responded to my blood? Simple.
I was a Draquemort.
During the great war against Asmodeus, the last man standing against him had been my ancestor—the founder of House Draquemort. He had been the one to deliver the final, killing blow against the Demon King, locking him away forever.
But victory had cost him dearly.
To keep Asmodeus sealed, my ancestor had given up his own body and soul and bound them into the very magic that held the demon captive. That was the reason why no one other than a true Draquemort could ever break the seal.
And now, whether I wanted it or not, the blood in my veins had roused a power that had lain dormant for centuries.
The necklace throbbed softly, its light flickering like a heartbeat.
It was guiding me ahead.
The Path Through the Mist
"Let's do this."
The necklace floated ahead, suspended with ease as it indicated the direction I should go in. Without pause, I began to follow it.
As for why I selected this course of action—even if I might get lost here forever—the reason was straightforward: it was safest.
The sentence would guide me along the shortest path, to the center of the tomb. Even though beasts would be the scariest in this labyrinth of mist, they wouldn't step inside. For them, the Gate of Mist equalled death.
Not for me.
Today, I finally experienced how it would be to be blind.
The world around me was just an infinite sea of fog. My eyesight did not work. The sole navigational tool at my disposal was the delicate glimmer of the floating necklace, its radiance piercing through the choking obscurity.
So I stepped forth accordingly—blind, but having no other recourse.
After a long time, and seemingly through every step on what felt like miles of path, I eventually came to the site of the destination—the tomb housing the second component.
I breathed out, my cloud of breath in the abnormally cold air.
"Finally… I'm here."
The mist curled heavy around the old building, centuries bearing down on it. I stepped closer, the necklace beating softly against my chest.
A wide grin tugged across my lips.
"Wakey, wakey, Asmodeus