Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 29

Jinseong was standing a little apart from Iris and the user, but he could hear their conversation clearly.

“Hoho, you don’t need to be so serious. I’m just a fortune-teller who sees the future. I’m only here to deliver what is needed, at the right time, to the right person.”

Jinseong didn’t need to see Iris’s actions or the way she handed something over to the female archer user. He could already picture it all in his head.

‘It must be the bracelet. The Hyper Jammer.’

The item Iris was giving to the user was indeed a bracelet.

In the actual *Dungeon & Fighter* game, it could be equipped as part of the character’s gear, offering decent magic defense for its level range.

However, the item’s defensive stats were not the main point of importance.

“I could only make one, so you must be the one to wear it. Could you promise me that, as a gesture of goodwill?”

Iris emphasized that the adventurer must wear this piece of equipment.

The reason was clear: the item she handed over, the *Hyper Jammer*, had the ability to block the Apostle Lotus’s mind control.

‘…Yes, it does serve its purpose. After all, Hilder’s ultimate goal is to kill all the Apostles, and the user—who is meant to become a sharpened blade—must not be defeated by Lotus.’

The significance of giving this item to the user was obvious.

It was meant to grant the adventurer the strength to overcome trials, to sharpen them into a keener weapon, and ultimately fulfill the prophecy of the *Genesis Chronicles* by slaying the Apostles.

At this moment, the *Hyper Jammer* that Iris Fortune Singer gave to the user was indeed a well-intentioned gift, and it would be immensely helpful.

After all, it had the ability to save the user from the confusion caused by the Apostle Lotus.

‘But… damn.’

Yet, knowing exactly when its effects would kick in, after having cleared the main scenario quest in *Dungeon & Fighter* numerous times, Jinseong could only bite his lip.

Of course, he couldn’t point that out.

He couldn’t interfere. Doing so would go against the duty he had been entrusted with as part of the *Bucipke’s Mission*.

In the end, there was only one thing Jinseong could do right now.

He had to follow the female archer user, the “adventurer,” and board the Behemoth again to board Kagon’s airship, the Magata.

Jinseong hurriedly ran towards Kagon at the West Coast harbor.

By the time the user disembarked from the Behemoth, having already accepted the quest, the script was in motion, and all the members of the Iron Wolf Knights, as well as Robato, a knight from the Duchy, were already boarding the Magata.

Since the user wasn’t in sight, Jinseong spoke without hesitation.

“I’ll go, too. As a member of the Mage Guild’s investigation team.”

“Jinseong?”

“…Tasio.”

Lenny and Hartz each showed their own reactions, but considering it was an emergency serious enough for the adventurer to come down from the Behemoth, Hartz didn’t object to Jinseong boarding.

The Magata quickly rose into the air and began approaching the Behemoth.

This would be the final flight to face the Apostle Lotus.

* * *

Lenny wore a slightly tense expression.

The deputy commander, Hartz, was also gazing at the *Iron Wolf Knights’ emblem* brought by the adventurer, his face hardened.

‘Hartz doesn’t like it, and Van’s scheming is still suspicious… but at least the Iron Wolf Knights are well-organized as a knight order.’

The Iron Wolf Knights’ emblem was akin to an emergency signal, and if the commander wasn’t present at the summoned location, the order was to “wipe out everything in sight.”

Jinseong touched the hilt of his sword, also feeling tense for similar reasons.

‘No way they’re corrupted, right? If we arrive and Van is missing or Aganzo isn’t there—.’

The situation would spiral into chaos. Thankfully, for the moment, they didn’t have to face such misfortune.

From atop the Magata, which had now neared the Behemoth, they could see the female archer user, Van, Aganzo, Isadora, and the surviving followers of the GBL Cult near a section of the ruins.

Hartz and the rest of the Iron Wolf Knights sighed in relief upon seeing the sight.

Of course, it was the issue with the commander that still lingered.

“For Lord Lotus…!”

“No! The commander—!”

“Stop, commander. You’re fine. What’s happening?”

Standing beside the horrified Lenny, Hartz shook his head and asked.

Van, snickering beside him, was with Aganzo and Isadora as they explained the current situation.

They had discovered objects around the temple that were suspected to be the eggs of Lotus, and from these eggs, small creatures that looked exactly like Lotus were beginning to hatch.

“…I see. It’s a far more serious situation than I thought.”

“Breaking through the Blood Prison will be no problem with this group, but how we handle the Apostle Lotus is the real issue.”

Robato, the knight from the Duchy, commented, to which Aganzo nodded.

Though they were quite skilled, the power of an *Apostle* was another level entirely.

“Lotus’s mind control is spreading from the center of the temple. We’ll need to split into teams at the Blood Prison.”

“Commander, there’s no need for everyone to join the GBL Cult survivors. We should go ahead and clear the path.”

Isadora suggested splitting up the group, and Hartz supported this idea, proposing they divide the teams before even reaching the Blood Prison.

Jinseong, who had been listening to all this while standing among the Iron Wolf Knights, a bit removed from the others, took in the conversation.

He was at a distance where his voice wouldn’t appear on the user’s monitor but where he could still hear everything.

‘…When I return to reality, ranking up in the Arena will be a breeze. I’ve gotten pretty good at positioning myself off-screen in the X-axis by now.’

The reason he could indulge in such nonchalant thoughts was because everything that had been said so far matched his memories exactly.

With the user, Van, Aganzo, Isadora, and Robato heading to the Blood Prison, and Hartz and the Iron Wolf Knights clearing a path by defeating Lotus’s eggs and the brainwashed GBL Cult followers, Jinseong’s course of action was clear.

‘I’ll follow Hartz’s team. No worries about getting caught on the user’s monitor. Lotus is the one who will cause the most problems if corrupted. It’s best to deal with that first.’

Jinseong had already formulated his plan from the beginning, knowing exactly whom to follow and what to investigate.

His goal was to investigate matters related to Lotus while staying apart from the user…

And now, the question Lenny asked confirmed what he already knew.

“Where exactly is the Blood Prison? If we just take the Magata—.”

Isadora responded.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. The Blood Prison… is inside the Behemoth’s belly.”

With that, she led the way, hurrying her steps.

Aganzo and Robato, who followed, instinctively frowned at the idea.

“Trying to save the world, and now we’re crawling into a whale’s stomach.”

Van, muttering in a defeated tone, caused Jinseong to smirk.

The group heading to the Blood Prison consisted of the female archer user, Van, Aganzo, the Duchy’s knight Robato, and Isadora from the GBL Cult. As soon as they departed, Hartz and the Iron Wolf Knights began moving as well.

“We’ll assess the paths leading to the temple center and eliminate any enemies we encounter! Don’t hold back, and move in squads!”

Jinseong immediately proposed to Hartz.

“Hartz, assign Lenny, Fiona, and Den to me.”

“…You don’t need to be involved. You’re here for a Mage Guild investigation, not to lead knights—.”

“That’s precisely why I’m asking. Who do you think is the most capable of figuring out the structure of the ruins on top of the Behemoth and the paths to the temple center where Apostle Lotus is?”

Hartz clenched his teeth but couldn’t refute Jinseong’s logical argument.

Jinseong made his presence known before the Iron Wolf Knights, and soon Lenny, Fiona, and Den followed his instructions.

“Let’s go.”

Jinseong’s steps were sure and swift.

Though he didn’t know the layout of the ruins atop the Behemoth, he had only one reason to be confident.

“Uh, Jinseong… was it? The deputy commander didn’t say much, so we followed, but… Do you really know the way through the Behemoth?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard the Mage Guild of the Duchy is impressive, but I thought even the GBL Cult’s existence was unclear until Ophelia was found. So how do you—?”

Fiona and Den, both knights from the Duchy and Lenny’s comrades, expressed their doubts.

“That’s right. I don’t know the entire layout of the ruins atop the Behemoth.”

Jinseong nodded, but his reply was surprisingly brazen.

Fiona and Den immediately protested.

“What? That’s not what you told the deputy commander!”

“Are you just using us to stick close to Lenny?”

“Let’s not joke around, Den. I have good reason to stay close to Lenny.”

Fiona and Den, unlike

Lenny, didn’t trust Jinseong after what had happened at Sky Castle.

Jinseong paused briefly, a touch of annoyance and impatience in his voice as he replied.

“A while ago, we searched the outskirts of the temple over there, and the Dendroid Jungle, the GBL Goddess Temple, and the first vertebra region where Lotus’s eggs were mainly found are in that direction. The Blood Prison is slightly east of there, but we’re heading toward the second vertebra. That’s where Apostle Lotus is located.”

“…What?”

“Huh? How do you know that… in such detail…?”

Fiona and Den were clearly flustered, and Jinseong snorted in response.

“Does that even matter? Our job is to secure the path for transporting the weapons while eliminating any enemies we encounter between the Blood Prison and the second vertebra. I’ll be conducting the investigation as part of the Mage Guild. Focus on your own tasks. Clear?”

He then turned and resumed running.

‘Do they even know how many times I’ve gone through this? Not to mention the frustration when dealing with invincible Alex, ugh!’

Having explored the *Dungeon Area: Behemoth* in *Dungeon & Fighter* countless times, Jinseong knew the map by heart.

Especially the details and locations of the dungeons he frequently traversed—those were impossible to forget.

‘Besides, *Dungeon & Fighter* uses dungeon design for storytelling. It’s easy to remember because the game is designed to guide you step by step through the dungeons…’

While the user and their party entered the Behemoth’s belly through the Blood Prison, Jinseong, Lenny, Fiona, and Den found a faster route toward the second vertebra.

“Glory to Lord Lotus…”

“Kill those who interfere with Lord Lotus…”

In other words, they were about to face the most brainwashed individuals under Lotus’s mind control—those who held greater power than ordinary GBL Cultists.

Jinseong smiled as he raised the beam saber, its blade gleaming with light.

“Of course, I’ll help clear the way!”

With consecutive attacks—*Upper*, *Brief Cut*, *Spin Attack*, and *Pierce Strike*—Jinseong swiftly dealt with three brainwashed GBL Cult followers and plunged into the fray.

“J-Jinseong!”

The sudden burst of aggressive action left Lenny, as well as Fiona and Den, momentarily bewildered, but Jinseong wasn’t acting without thought.

Having gained a magic-sealed item and increased his level after their first climb on the Behemoth…

And now—

“Dark Explosion!”

*Fwhaaa—!*

The skill, which consumed the colorless cube fragments he had stocked up on from Sharan, was a skill colloquially known as a *no-cube skill* or *NQ skill*.

“Kiieeek!” “Huaah!”

The explosion of dark energy from Jinseong’s fingertips sent the brainwashed followers flying, causing them to scream in their final moments.

“Let’s do this properly, everyone.”

Jinseong said to Fiona and Den.

It was likely the first time they had seen Jinseong use a skill, which was why they simply nodded with stiff expressions.

Jinseong grinned and prepared to move forward again.

‘Hm? Wait a minute.’

His eyes caught something.

It was a mask that had fallen off the face of one of the brainwashed GBL Cult followers.

‘No way…’

While keeping an eye on the NPCs, who were still engrossed in casual conversation, Jinseong discreetly picked it up.

Then, he looked at it.

The name of the mask, recognized by its purple hue, brought back old memories for Jinseong.

‘…A unique item?!’

Jinseong was astonished.

Not just because it was a unique-grade piece of equipment.

‘Wasn’t this item discontinued!?’

What shocked him was the fact that, according to his memory, the item had been discontinued long ago, meaning it shouldn’t have appeared anymore.