Raon lowered his gaze as he sat on the black rock where lava was bubbling up.
[Creak...]
The phoenix, which had appeared larger than a volcano, now sat slumped on the ground, drained of all strength and smaller than a chicken.
"Name."
[.....]
He motioned with his finger to speak its name, but the phoenix just opened its beak as if dazed.
"Answer."
[Pya, pyak?]
When he lowered his voice, the phoenix let out a chick-like sound as if terrified.
"I'll ask again. Name."
Raon narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold.
[Ka, Kaiyan, sir!]
The phoenix spat out its name with the sharp beak that had once terrified humans.
"Kaiyan, huh..."
Raon nodded and asked his second question.
"Age?"
[We, well, I stopped counting after a thousand years...] (E/N: we -> I essentially means more respectful speech)
Kaiyan scratched the back of its head with its wing, seemingly embarrassed about not knowing its own age.
[Plus, this is a special place, so it's hard to know my age...]
"If you don't know, that's it?"
[.....]
"Answer."
[Pya, pyak!]
It trembled its beak with a frightened expression.
"It doesn't have to be exact. Just give me a rough estimate."
[Counting the years I've lived, it's a bit over three thousand years…probably...]
The phoenix answered with its eyes tightly shut, as if forcibly calculating its age.
"Three thousand years..."
From the first glance, he had felt that its size and firepower were on a different level from ordinary phoenixes, and as expected, it turned out to be an incredibly long-lived creature.
"What were you doing here?"
[I was fulfilling a promise...]
"What promise?"
[To stay here and test those who enter.]
Kaiyan continued, stroking its beak with its wing.
[Only humans I permit can go down to the lower floors.]
"So you were the gatekeeper after all."
It had shouted that no one could leave this place without its permission while dying. As expected, it seemed to have been playing the role of a gatekeeper here.
"What am I seeing right now?"
Burren shook his head in disbelief.
"Are we really interrogating a phoenix right now? Is that really fine?"
"And was it okay to resurrect the phoenix and use it for battle practice?"
Martha snorted, saying he was quick to be surprised.
"I don't think I'll be surprised by anything that Division Leader does anymore."
She ran her hand through her hair while looking at the back of Raon's head.
"Handsome Raon."
Runaan clapped her hands as if to say 'well done'.
"Who made the promise with you?"
Raon looked down at Kaiyan and jerked his chin.
[Um, well...]
Kaiyan forcibly raised its trembling head.
[About that... may I ask one thing as well?]
'What is it?'
[Could I take a closer look at the flame you used to resurrect me?]
Its tone had completely changed. He didn't know a phoenix could speak so gently.
"The flame I used to resurrect you?"
[It feels similar to the human who made the promise with me...]
...
Raon narrowed his eyes as he listened to Kaiyan's words.
'So it was indeed the work of the first patriarch of Zieghart?'
It seems that the ancestor of Zieghart was the one who set up this phoenix as a gatekeeper.
He raised an aura barrier so others couldn't hear, then ignited the flame of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
Whoosh!
As it reached the level of Ten Thousand Flames Heavenly Fire, a pale golden flame swirled in the phoenix's eyes.
[As I thought...]
Kaiyan nodded, looking at the flame of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, which was still closer to red.
[Still immature, but you are indeed that human's descendant. Though your personality is the complete opposite...]
"What?"
[Pya, pyak! It's nothing!]
It trembled its wings as if frightened of being hit again.
"That person created this place, right?"
[That's right. It seems he made it with several others, though...]
"Hmm..."
That memory was real. His ancestor and his companions indeed created this space.
"Why did you accept the role of gatekeeper?"
[I owed a debt...]
"A debt?"
[That human saved the children of my kind. If not for him, they would have been captured by other humans and enslaved.]
"I see."
It seemed that the ancestor had rescued a phoenix captured by humans. He seemed to get involved in everything, truly having a wandering spirit.
[Since I didn't have much life left anyway, I accepted his offer to become the gatekeeper of this place.]
"Tell me exactly what that person requested of you."
[He said to give appropriate tests, send those who pass to the lower floors, and send those who fail back to retake the test.]
Raon nodded as he looked into Kaiyan's eyes, which had stopped trembling.
'Now I'm starting to get it.'
It seemed that the first patriarch of Zieghart had created this space for all of Zieghart's descendants. The fact that he called it a test made it certain.
"But isn't something strange?"
[Pya, pyak?]
"When you saw us, you showed real killing intent."
Kaiyan had emanated killing intent as if it would kill all the humans here, not just test them.
The reason I used it as a training dummy by killing it multiple times was because I felt that real killing intent then.
[Th-that wasn't my will.]
"Not your will?"
[There were humans who found this place not long ago. They weren't satisfied with just passing through, but twisted the formations and barriers. Among them was a monster that even I couldn't handle...]
He had a feeling he knew who that was.
'Derus Robert.'
As he had sensed on the first floor, it was clear that Derus Robert had come here in person.
'This really isn't a normal tomb after all.'
Even if this place was originally a training ground for Zieghart or the Sword Saint's tomb, now it was nothing more than a trap set by Derus Robert.
"Did you happen to see his face?"
[I was caught so quickly that I couldn't see. He was incredibly strong, but he was wearing something on his face...]
Kaiyan trembled its tail feathers, still seeming to feel fear.
"I see."
Raon nodded calmly. There was no need to be disappointed. After all, Derus Robert wouldn't have left any traces of himself here.
[Th-thanks to that, I've come to my senses. I'll open the way to the lower floors...]
Kaiyan glanced around and slowly backed away.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Raon reached out and grabbed Kaiyan's neck.
[Pyaak!]
"You're not a chick, you know."
If a stranger saw this, they might think he was bullying it.
-Isn't that exactly what you're doing!
Wrath shook his head.
-That poor thing. If it were me, I would have eaten it in one bite...
He smacked his lips as if regretting the missed opportunity.
"Sigh..."
He sighed deeply and plucked one of Kaiyan's feathers.
[Pyaak...]
As he plucked feathers one after another, Kaiyan's eyes welled up with tears.
[A-are you really going to eat me? I don't have much meat right now, so I won't taste good...]
"That's not it..."
-Well thought out!
As Raon shook his head, Wrath raised a clenched fist.
-I have just realized something amazing!
'What is it?'
He felt uneasy, but looked at Wrath just in case.
-You can keep resurrecting that phoenix, right?
'Yes.'
-Then eat it leaving just one feather, resurrect it with that feather! Then eat it again and resurrect it again!
Saliva flooded from Wrath's mouth.
-An endless supply of tender meat! Solving the continent's hunger problem! Infinite refills of roast chicken!
His eyes rolled back in his head.
-Didn't that chick also ask to be eaten? Put it in my mouth right now!
Bleargh!
Raon shoved his fist into Wrath's mouth.
'You glutton! Eat this and shut up!'
* * *
"Whew."
Delphros slumped into a snow-white chair, clutching his forehead.
"That person was right..."
He bit his lip as he looked at the shattered crystal ball.
"Pardon?"
Sabi shook his head, not understanding what he meant.
"That person said if Raon Zieghart ever entered the tomb, we should eliminate him as quickly as possible. He said to consider him as dangerous as a Transcendent Warrior."
"But, but why..."
"I thought the others were more important."
Delphros frowned as he looked at the broken crystal ball.
"There are at least five guys in the tomb stronger than Raon Zieghart. It doesn't make sense to focus on a kid just over 20 years old while leaving those monsters alone!"
He bit his lip as if he hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
"Moreover, just killing him won't help. He's such a troublesome guy."
"Then how about directing all the traps and monsters on the next floor towards the Light Wind division?"
Sabi approached, bowing his head.
"No matter how strong Raon Zieghart is, he won't be able to protect all members of the Light Wind division. Or rather, if Raon stands at the front and deals with all the traps and monsters, that would be even better. We can deplete his stamina and aura."
He clenched his fist, saying that was the only way.
"Right. That's probably the only option we have now."
Delphros nodded with a sigh.
"I'll prepare for it."
Sabi nodded and disappeared into the shadows.
As Delphros was massaging his temples in apparent irritation...
Clank!
A strange noise like a hell demon wailing rang out from the right corner of the dim room, accompanied by the sound of chains.
Woooo!
Delphros calmly turned his gaze to where the sound had come from. As if guarding something, or confining it. A black glint flashed in the space wrapped in gray fog.
"It's not your turn yet."
Delphros curled up the corners of his mouth as he met the black glint with his eyes.
"The protagonist always comes out at the end, after all."
* * *
Raon dipped the old iron ring he had bought in Cameloon during his trainee days slightly into the lava.
The ring maintained its intact form without melting, even in the lava.
Tssssss!
After some time, a strange resonance occurred on the surface of the ring.
It wasn't melting. The yellow rust peeled off, and mysterious patterns began to be engraved on the ring.
'It's done.'
Raon wrapped the gleaming golden ring with the phoenix's feathers. Since the feathers were large, he could cover all parts of the ring with just three feathers.
Wooooong.
The ring emitted intense heat and trembled slightly within the phoenix's feathers. Once this trembling stops, the seal on the ring would naturally break.
'Now for this one...'
He took out the ring he had received from Merlin and dipped it into the lava in the same way.
'This one doesn't work.'
There was no particular reaction even after soaking it in lava for a while. This ring also had a special seal engraved on it, but it seemed the method of release was different.
'I'll have to find another way.'
Thinking there was no other choice, he put Merlin's ring back on his finger.
"Kaiyan."
Raon dusted off his hands and gestured to Kaiyan, who was trembling behind him.
[Pyak?]
"Open the door."
[Pyaak!]
Kaiyan twitched its beak and spread its wings, which were only as big as a human palm.
Kugugugugu!
The lava split in a serrated pattern, and a dimensional door leading to the next floor opened above the red-hot ground.
[If you enter through that passage, you should arrive at the third floor maze.]
"Maze?"
[Yes. The third floor is a maze. You'll have to find your way while avoiding traps and monsters.]
"Hmm..."
Raon turned his gaze from Kaiyan to look at the Light Wind division.
"Go down first."
"Understood. First squad will enter in order!"
Burren nodded and gestured, and the Light Wind division entered the hole one by one.
[Th-then, please be careful. I'll be going now...]
"What are you talking about?"
Raon shook his head and reached out with his right hand. He grabbed Kaiyan's neck as it fluttered, trying to escape.
[Pya, pyak!]
"Where do you think you're going?"
[I-I've finished all my tasks, so...]
"You need to guide us. If you know it's a maze, that means you roughly know the way, right?"
[Pyaak...]
The phoenix rolled its eyes nervously, but there was no one to save it anywhere.
-Well done!
Wrath waved his hand in approval.
-We can't let infinite refill roast chicken go!
'That's not it.'
-What do you mean it's not? Isn't that thing alive?
'Yes?'
-It revives infinitely, right?
'That's also true...'
-Then it is infinite refill roast chicken!
...
Now he was too tired to explain and just ignored it.
[I-I do roughly know the way, but to move quickly, there's something we need...]
"Forget it. Just follow me."
[Piyaaaak!]
Raon descended into the hole leading to the third floor, gripping Kaiyan's neck.
...
The people still remaining on the second floor stood blankly, unable to enter despite the hole being open.
"Aren't you going down?"
"...There's no point in going."
"Exactly. There are humans kidnapping the phoenix that came out as a test, how could we possibly gain anything!"
"I'm giving up."
"Me too. I'll just stay here and go home later..."
That day, the Light Wind division was the only group to descend to the third floor from the lava room.
* * *
The sensation of falling had become somewhat familiar now. As he opened his eyes, feeling the strength leave his body and then return, he saw brown sand covering the entire ground.
Raon raised his gaze and narrowed his eyes.
'Is this the maze?'
A huge wall stood before his eyes, blocking the view ahead. The walls were all gray, making it difficult to determine one's position.
'Where...'
He lightly kicked the ground, using the Supreme Harmony Steps.
Thud!
He tried to go over the wall, but it was as if there was an invisible ceiling, preventing him from going or seeing beyond the wall.
It seemed they had completely blocked any way to advance.
"I tried, but it seems we can't climb over the walls."
Rimmer shook his head, indicating that he couldn't get out beyond the walls either.
"Even Astral Energy can't break it."
Martha clicked her tongue as she retrieved the sword she had struck the wall with.
"It won't freeze either."
Runaan also dropped her head in disappointment.
"How long would it take to properly navigate this place?"
Raon lightly shook Kaiyan.
[E-even with my guidance, it would take more than half a day.]
"Half a day, huh..."
He wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed since they entered this place, but those who went ahead had likely already passed through this maze.
Since a lot of time had been wasted, they needed to go down as quickly as possible.
"Is there no faster way?"
[In the past, when that human placed his hand on the wall and did something, a path to the end of the maze would open. But I don't really know what exactly he did...]
"Something he did, huh..."
Raon licked his lips as he examined the wall. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary wall just blocking the path.
However, hearing Kaiyan's words, he had an idea of what to do.
Whoosh!
Raon simultaneously used the Ring of Fire and Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
With flames in his hand that could rightfully be called the fire of Zieghart, he drew the barrier his ancestor had shown him on the wall.
Woooong!
The flames advanced like water breaking through a dam, drawing a clear barrier on the maze wall.
The completed barrier flashed golden, opening a swirling passage.
It was similar in shape to the hole that led to the next floor, but the color was different.
"It works."
[Pya, pyaak!]
Kaiyan flapped its wings in surprise and then slumped down.
[Th-that's the door! How did you...!]
Judging by its reaction, this seemed to be the correct path to the end of the maze.
"W-what is this!"
"Division Leader! What did you do!"
"Why is there a door as soon as we arrive..."
The Light Wind division also widened their eyes, seemingly surprised by the sudden situation.
"C-can we really enter here?"
Dorian gulped nervously, as if frightened.
"I don't know about others, but we have the right."
"What do you mean..."
"I'll explain later. Let's go for now."
Raon smiled faintly and entered the flaming passage first.
Unlike other passages, it wasn't a drop but a single path they could walk on. Strangely, for the first time since entering this tomb, he felt warmth.
Following the red line like a carpet in an audience chamber, they saw a flaming passage similar to the entrance.
As they slowly emerged, a massive wall loomed before them, with a hole leading to the fourth floor at its center.
"That was simple."
It was then, as Raon was looking at the passage to the fourth floor with a faint smile.
A snow-white hand shot out from behind the left wall. Along with chilling black frost, a woman with a youthful appearance that didn't fit this place glided towards them.
Glacial Wraith.
The Floor Master of the Black Tower and a Grandmaster-ranked demonized human had reached the end of the maze.
"I don't know why you're here, but this works out well."
The Glacial Wraith raised her transparent finger with a chilling smile.
"I was disappointed I couldn't finish you outside."
"I was disappointed too."
"What?"
"Training my subordinates left me a bit unsatisfied."
Raon silently drew his Heavenly Drive sword. A golden network of light surged in his red eyes.
"Even if it's not an infinite refill, at least be an appetizer for me."