Chapter 34

"Do not exhaust yourselves like the one who just left. If you notice any symptoms, no matter how minor, speak up immediately. If anyone appears unable to walk on their own, Hinn Eldore and Finn Eldore will assist them as before."

"Understood."

The remaining four members of the Peletta Knights nodded, their gazes hardening. They were just as reluctant to be swept away by the mysterious blue wind to an unknown location as the ones who had already left.

Not long after, two of the Peletta Knights raised their hands, admitting they couldn't bear the pressure any longer, and descended.

As the surroundings turned increasingly barren, with lush trees and grasses giving way to rocks, another knight retreated.

Only one Peletta Knight remained, accompanied by the five Cavalry members, Commander Kishiar, and General Gino. Compared to the Cavalry members, who showed no signs of fatigue, the lone Peletta knight's breath was growing labored, his exhaustion evident.

Yuder recognized him as the knight who had led the way—the one the others referred to as the deputy commander. He appeared to be the highest-ranking of the Peletta Knights who had come on this mission.

'He seems to be the most capable among them, too.'

It was understandable that Swordmaster General Gino and Commander Kishiar were unaffected, but was it truly a coincidence that all five Cavalry members were also fine? Yuder had been closely monitoring the energy flow around him as they climbed, yet nothing unusual had surfaced.

"Gakane, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. If anything, I feel more energized the closer we get to where the stone is... I've been wondering if the stone that awakened us might be the reason."

Gakane checked his arms and legs before answering. Yuder thought his theory had some merit.

"We're almost there. Once we climb up that slope, we'll be able to see the massive crater left by the falling stone."

As trees began to disappear and they neared a rock-strewn slope, General Gino turned to Kishiar.

"Right, the place they call the Navel of the World, or something equally grandiose. I'm quite eager to see what it looks like."

The Navel of the World. Hearing their conversation, Yuder sifted through memories from his previous life.

The Yuder of the past hadn't participated in the Red Stone retrieval mission, but before his death, he had come across some information about the massive crater the stone had left while researching the Red Stone.

One day, the Red Stone had fallen from the sky, crashing into the Airic Mountains. It instantly obliterated the surrounding land and trees, leaving behind a colossal crater. The size was so vast that nearly an entire forest disappeared, and even after the stone was retrieved, no trees or grass ever grew there again.

Finally, the group reached the top of the slope. Before their eyes stretched a breathtaking sight—an endless, gigantic chasm.

It was as if a portion of the mountain had been gouged out with an enormous spoon. The crater wasn't just a simple hollow—it was more like a deep valley or a rift.

"I have a feeling the air is different from here on out. It gives me the chills."

Gakane wrinkled his nose, peering down into the abyss. His remark wasn't just his imagination. Yuder felt the same sensation as he gazed into the vast, dizzying pit.

'Yes, this is the feeling.'

Long ago, when he had seen the Red Stone that Kishiar retrieved from a distance, he had sensed the same strange energy. It was as if the air itself was pressing down on him—an invisible pressure riding on the wind.

"What a refreshing sight. Let's proceed downward."

Kishiar scanned the surroundings with his characteristic appreciation. Although no clear path was visible, they had no choice but to descend. The Red Stone they sought lay in the center of that immense pit.

"Your Highness, I… I don't think I can continue."

The last remaining Peletta Knight spoke up just as Kishiar was preparing to descend a nearby slope.

"I'm having trouble breathing."

"Alright, understood. Stay here, a bit further back."

"I apologize. I should be following you to the end… This is shameful."

"You've done an excellent job coming this far. Don't worry about it."

With that, the final Peletta Knight withdrew as well, leaving tension on the faces of the Cavalry members.

Carefully, they began their descent, mindful of each step to avoid slipping. The pressure increased with every step, growing stronger until it felt as though thousands of needles were pricking their skin by the time they reached the bottom.

'It seems all the Cavalry members are feeling the same… Is it because we're Awakeners?'

Yuder glanced at the faces of his fellow members as they moved slowly. Though they clearly felt the pressure, none of them appeared to be struggling to breathe.

"General, which way should we go now?"

"Head straight for the center of the pit. The stone is small, so you can only see it when you get close."

Kishiar asked, and General Gino responded. Even he seemed to feel the immense pressure now, as his furrowed brow indicated.

Only Kishiar and Yuder remained unaffected, their expressions unchanged.

'The World Sphere didn't emit such strong energy.'

As Yuder moved closer to the Red Stone's location, he recalled the World Sphere he had seen many times before.

The World Sphere, long embedded in the Sanctuary Forest, gave off a subtle, strange sensation when approached, but it didn't emit this kind of intense, raw energy.

'It's clear that the energy of the Red Stone diminished and disappeared due to the refining process in the Pearl Tower. What were they really trying to accomplish?'

Yuder didn't know the true purpose behind the mages of the Pearl Tower refining the Red Stone into the World Sphere, but he suspected it wasn't for anything good.

'They conducted more than one or two disgraceful experiments there.'

The Pearl Tower had originally been established by Archmage Pierre Mice, who sought to gather mages with no desire for political power—those who wanted to pursue magic purely for its own sake.

Like a clam coating a foreign substance with layers of nacre to create a pearl, the mages of the Pearl Tower were obsessed with magic. They lived solely to practice and perfect their craft, layering spells over time to achieve the essence of magic itself. The name "Pearl Tower" symbolized their aspiration to build countless layers of magic toward this ultimate goal.

At first, they were ostracized for their unconventional approach, but over time, the Pearl Tower's reputation changed. The tower produced numerous archmages and unveiled groundbreaking research findings.

While people traditionally thought of mages as state-bound court wizards, the mages of the Pearl Tower refused to serve any kingdom. They conducted their research and trained without political or national influence.

Those bound by the state and controlled by the elite couldn't compare to the free-spirited mages of the Pearl Tower. Over centuries, the tower grew into an organization that represented mages across all nations, and no country could afford to ignore its influence.

However, over time, the tower's noble intentions twisted into something darker.

Their goal of existing solely for the pursuit of magic had been replaced by a hunger for power. The mages of the Pearl Tower became entrenched in the political power structures of various nations, using their abilities to maintain influence and conducting increasingly inhumane experiments.

Creating the Misty Wind Horse was one of their less harmful projects, involving captured monsters and beasts rather than human subjects.

The mages of the Pearl Tower fiercely resisted losing the power they gained through the Red Stone found by Awakeners. Yuder strongly suspected that refining the Red Stone into the World Sphere had been a key part of their efforts to preserve their authority.

'Good riddance. Even if I didn't destroy it myself.'

Yuder smirked, recalling the fall of the Pearl Tower—a crime that had led to his eventual execution.

"The stone is in sight."

General Gino's heavy voice interrupted Yuder's thoughts. He followed the General's gaze. Half-buried in the ground, the stone—about the size of a fist—came into view.

At first glance, the Red Stone appeared completely ordinary. If it weren't the only stone in the barren surroundings, no one would have guessed it was the legendary Red Stone.

It had a slightly dull color, rough but mostly round in shape.

Though the group was still far from it, the stone stood out clearly against the desolate backdrop. The party halted, each person caught up in their own thoughts. Some looked at the stone with reverence, others with fear, and some with simple curiosity.

Yuder, however, felt something entirely different when he saw the stone. But it wasn't reverence or fear.

'Because of that.'

Because of that stone, his entire fate had changed.

Once just an ordinary peasant boy, Yuder had become an Awakener, gaining immense power—power that ultimately led to his execution when he dared to seek the stone again. His life and death had been determined by this very stone.

'And now, it's a stone that needs to be carefully studied and protected.'

In the past, he hadn't had the chance to closely examine the stone before it was taken away and refined. But this time was different. This time, he resolved to seize the opportunity and make better use of it than anyone else.

"How's everyone feeling?"