The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board-Chapter 417

WHOOM…

The statues began crossing the bridge.

"It's moving, let's go."

As Ur led the group, he naturally became the pack's leader.

If this ruin had even the slightest connection to Cagon, it was the best for him to take the lead. After all, he was the only one here—no, in this world—who still remembered Cagon.

Seol and Ur walked side by side at the front while Mariju and Somi slowly followed behind.

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Thanks to this, a quiet environment was created for them to chat with the person next to them.

"Seol, you felt it too, right?"

"Felt what…?"

"The connection to the Void has been severed. This ruin is an independent space."

"Ah, that. Yes."

The connection to the Void was cut off the moment the statues appeared. Something was interfering with the connection.

"Tsk… If Jamad were here to lend a hand, things would have been several times easier."

"I agree…"

Even if he drew attention, even if they had to explain why a towering being was with them, having Jamad by their side would have been of great help in a situation like this.

"Things are going to get a bit tougher…"

"Is it serious?"

"Well… that depends on what's waiting for us ahead."

"You sound pretty sure that something is waiting for us…"

"Of course. Even if it's in the hands of a fool, that orb is dangerous. And now that it's in the hands of a Magician, I can't help but wonder what kind of tragedy unfolded."

Seol wondered if Cagon's power was truly as cataclysmic as Ur made it out to be.

'Ur is the only one who really knows.'

From the moment traces of Cagon appeared, Ur became the host and Seol a guest.

Seol quietly observed Ur's demeanor as they decided to follow the traces of Cagon.

But then, he noticed a slight tremor in Ur… a reaction that seemed almost like tension.

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm excited. After all, this is an unexpected gain."

His reaction wasn't that of worry but anticipation.

WHOOM—!

They couldn't head straight to the fortress. The place the statue entered was a small mountain lodge.

Ziinng…

Once again, letters appeared in the sky.

Ur grumbled in frustration. "More incomprehensible text. It will take some time to decipher…"

However, amid Ur’s annoyance, Seol blurted out, "Treasure beyond one's means breeds pain."

"What…?"

Whoosh…

Thud…

The fire went out, and the statues started moving.

"Keep the fire lit."

"Okay."

Mariju formed a fireball in her hand once more.

Fwoosh…

"Hmm…"

"Hmm."

The group's reaction was subtle.

The scene illuminated by the fire was enough to make everyone click their tongues in surprise.

It looked as if the pirate's sword had severed the Magician's arm.

"So they were after the orb."

"Was it a betrayal…?"

"It seems so."

Ur looked at Seol and asked. "More importantly, how can you decipher that?"

"I'm not sure… It just came to me."

"This is a first… Well, we're going to figure that out later. For now, this takes priority."

Ur placed his hand on the orb in the Magician's hand.

Whoosh…

The orb then started to emit power.

Whoosh…

The pirate became engulfed in light, and its appearance gradually changed.

The robust, young pirate's beard grew uncontrollably. His frame, once full of spirit, was now hunched, and his eyes were dull and lifeless.

Just like that, the pirate became an old man.

Crack—!

The now-old pirate, unable to put up much of a fight, was killed by the Warrior who swung his axe.

The Warrior picked up the Magician's severed arm and placed it against where it was severed from.

"Ur."

"Yes…"

Whoosh…

As the orb vibrated, the arm reattached to the body as if it had never been severed.

"The more I see, the more surprised I am. Did this really happen?"

"It seems so."

Mariju and Somi talked to each other and agreed to their respective statements.

Ziinng…

Letters then rose to the ceiling.

At the same time, the statues started moving again.

"Now, there are only two dwarves left…"

"It seems like your interpretation is correct."

As the statues left, the four naturally regrouped.

"But isn't it a bit too empty here?" Mariju curiously asked.

In response to Mariju's question, Ur nonchalantly answered. "The ruin might be much larger than it looks, or most people are sitting quietly, waiting to be rescued."

Seol added. "Or many people might have died…"

"If there are people like before hiding their identities, that's definitely a possibility too."

Letting go of unsolvable worries is the best way to live comfortably.

* * *

They continued following the statues.

Finally, it seemed like they would reach the Throne of Ashes if they crossed one more bridge.

However, judging by how the statues didn't stop, it seemed like they would enter the fortress straight away.

"By the way, Mariju, how do you know about the Throne of Ashes?"

"Ah, it's because I'm quite interested in archeology…"

"That's fascinating. I thought nobles only cared about drinking tea…"

"There are indeed nobles like that… However, there are also people like me. In fact, my hobby is more expensive than others."

WHOOM…

The gates of the fortress opened.

It felt as if they were stepping into a miniature. Although the fortress was significantly smaller than its original size, compared to Seol's group, it was still massive.

"If you see the Throne of Ashes in person, it's overwhelming. The grandeur of the fortress that stretches across the mountain range…"

"Have you been inside before?"

"No. I've only seen it from afar. I heard it's been overrun by monsters."

"I see… By the way, the name 'Throne of Ashes' is quite unique."

Mariju smiled playfully. "Are you curious? Why was it named that?"

"Huh…"

"Are you curious?"

"Yes… Yes…"

Somi played along for now.

"Ehem… Let me explain. The Throne of Ashes is one of the quintessential ruins of the ancient dwarves. It's believed to be the royal castle of a powerful nation."

The reason the fortress was called the Throne of Ashes…

"In the past, wars with other races were frequent. The war records left in Pandea's history are filled with the names of numerous races tangled together—giants, elves, humans, trolls, and even old dragons."

Everyone in the group listened intently to Mariju's story, which was filled with fascinating details.

"Due to frequent clashes, this fortress often caught fire, and the ash that wasn't cleared away would float around even during peaceful times."

"That sounds plausible."

"Right? But the strange thing is…" Mariju tilted her head. "Despite having been invaded multiple times, this impregnable fortress suddenly stopped being mentioned. Something must have gone wrong."

"It wasn't recorded in history?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Like a squirrel who had just found an acorn, Mariju's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Maybe today, we’ll find out why."

"Mariju was your name…?"

"Yes, Mr. Magician."

As Mariju replied to Ur, he smiled.

"Do you think I'm a Magician?"

"I can feel an unbelievable amount of mana from you, after all… It doesn't make sense unless you're a Magician. Even if you were one, it still doesn't make sense…"

"Not bad. You're probably right. Once Cagon's artifact fell into the hands of a Magician, they probably couldn't stop the inevitable destruction."

"You keep bringing up the name 'Cagon'. What exactly is Cagon?"

"The Empire of Time and Domination… Although it's a country only I can remember, that orb is something that came from there."

"Well, now four of us remember it, right?"

"I suppose so…"

Ur didn't seem to dislike Mariju's reaction.

"But just now… Did you say ‘time’? Did I hear that correctly?"

"…"

"That's impossible! Every Magician has tried to unravel the secrets of time… but everyone has failed…"

Ur snorted, displaying the arrogant attitude one would expect from him. "All Magicians do is fail."

"Are you saying the people of Cagon succeeded?"

"Of course."

"How…?"

"Because they are Wizards."

"Wizards…?"

"Enough, the statues have stopped. We're going to continue this conversation later."

The statues had stopped at a location not far from them.

"Upon looking around… it seems to be the great hall…"

"That can't be. We haven't moved that far from the entrance."

Ur explained, "It's probably not the great hall but an imitation of it."

"Ah…!"

"The story isn't over yet. It's probably because of the flow, so just watch quietly."

Ur's words sounded like he was scolding children.

As if responding to his words, the statues began to rise from the ground.

Thud…

"You were right…"

Servants and soldiers were lining up on both sides; their attire was anything but ordinary.

In the center, a kneeling Magician and Warrior were visible, and before them was the Throne of Ashes.

And the one sitting on it…

Ziinng…

Letters rose to the ceiling.

"There's a lot of text…"

"I'd appreciate it if you focused. Unfortunately, you're the only storyteller here."

Seol shrugged and started reading.

"The Magician Maradum was before the King of the Ashes, Sirion."

This time, there was dialogue.

"King of the Rock Mountains, this ancient artifact has come into my possession."

Their conversation continued for a while.

"What is that, and what can it do?"

"It's called the Stone of Time. It has the power to shrink giants, age and sicken elves, and bring dragons down from the sky."

"I can't believe it. Are you saying that's a god?" Seol paused for a moment before saying. "It's time."

Ur's eyes took a distant, almost pained look.

It was clear that he was shaken.

A rough sound escaped from his mouth, "That idiot…"

Seol ignored his reaction and continued reading. "Please, believe me. This artifact can lead the dwarves to prosperity."

"I don't doubt the power of this artifact."

"Then… wait, isn't this too long?"

"Please, continue."

"Ugh…" Seol frowned and kept reading. "Sirion said, ‘What I doubt is us, who will become the masters of this artifact.’"

Seol continued to narrate the words that followed.

"What brings us glory is coal, steel, and courage. Delving into realms beyond our control is not reason—it’s blindness. Such power, if it exists, won't lead us to glory but ruin. Now, hand over that artifact."

Ur smirked. "It seems that dwarf deserved to sit on that throne."

Seol kept narrating while Ur bitterly smiled.

"That artifact is a thing of calamity, one that must be destroyed at the forges of the seven mountains. Maradum raised his head and said."

Although he read it in a calm tone, everything that had taken place at that time was being conveyed. After all, this place was recreating what had happened back then.

"No. King of Ashes. I cannot give you this artifact. The Throne of Ashes will fall into ruin because of your foolishness."

WHOOM…

The statues acted out the scene.

The soldiers were trying to seize Maradum, and Maradum unleashed the Stone of Time.

"It seems we must touch the orb."

"…"

"Ur?"

"Ah… Yes. Let's do that."

Ziinng…

Fwoosh—!

A horizontal beam of light struck the statues, transforming the soldiers—they had become children, their clothes hanging loosely.

Fortunately, Sirion avoided the light.

As Maradum's statue tried to escape the Great Hall, a Warrior tried to cover his back.

"Eorian, you…"

"Maradum, leave. I'll stop them for you."

"Eorian, I'll leave it to you. One day, I will come back for you."

Maradum left, and Eorian's head was cut by the soldiers who chased after them.

"What is this…?"

"It was just like a fairy tale until now…"

Mariju and Somi shivered.

Ur quietly spoke. "Let's follow Maradum's statue."

Maradum's statue was in the next room. It seemed that part of the fortress had been turned into his residence for the story's sake.

"Something changed…"

"You're right. First, that Magician’s beard…"

"He seems to have aged."

Maradum's beard, which once reached his chest, now hung to his knees.

Ziinng…

As letters appeared, Seol sighed and read them.

"For many years, the pursuit didn't stop. However, although they could delay the research, they weren't able to stop the Magician."

"Again?"

"The power of the Stone of Time had limits. Although it could turn the living into children, it couldn't turn them into babies. It could age them but not turn them into skeletons. The Magician realized… if he could overcome these restrictions…"

Seol's eyes narrowed.

"He could grasp the past and the future."

"Ha… Hahaha…"

"Ur, why are you laughing?"

Somi scratched her head.

"The acting was a bit awkward, but.."

"I thought so too…"

"No. That's not why I'm laughing."

Ur raised his finger. "It's funny how those who became obsessed with the power of time always think the same way."

"Is that funny…?"

"And… because the worst possible scenario we could face came to my mind."

"What scenario?"

He walked around the small space with his arms crossed.

"Do you know when people usually tell these kinds of stories?"

"…"

"Before sending soldiers to the battlefield. Before parents sell their children due to poverty."

"You mean…"

"Before demanding sacrifice."

Mariju froze and stepped back.

"Don't tell me… Are you saying that someone's planning to demand sacrifice from us? Just who…"

Step…

Step…

Ur walked up to the statue seated in the chair.

"This guy… he might still be alive."

Swoosh…

At that moment, Maradum's statue turned its head around.

"KYAA!"

"The statue…"

The direction where the statue's head turned happened to be where Ur was standing.

A faint red light flickered in the statue's eyes. However, it was just a small glow for now, just like a firefly.

"How interesting… I don't know about the others invited to this place, but I…"

Ur leaned his face close to the statue's and said.

If it was about someone tainted by madness, they also had a Magician—no, a Wizard.

"I hope you're still alive."