Chapter 54: The Hidden Floor (6)
Meanwhile — At That Same Time
The Garden Where Flames Bloom Beautifully
After entering this stage, Yeon Hwarang cleared quest after quest in rapid succession, finally reaching what he believed to be the deepest part.
The sight that greeted him there—
It was a vast garden, lavishly adorned with countless flowers in shades of crimson and scarlet.
Yet it did not end there.
Every single flower flickered as if burning with flame.
True to its name—fire flowers.
Despite their appearance, there was no heat to be felt even up close.
A mysterious, breathtakingly beautiful scene.
And within it, Hwarang discovered a maze of flowers.
....
A strange floral scent drifted through the air.
Hwarang stepped into the maze, savoring the fragrance.
Something felt… off.
His thoughts grew hazy.
His body felt light.
An intoxicating, blissful sensation spread through him.
Just a little longer…
I want to feel this a bit more—
Fwoooosh—
In that instant, blue flames erupted from Hwarang's body, engulfing him completely.
"…Ah!"
The flames dragged his sinking consciousness back to the surface.
As the blue fire slowly subsided, clarity returned—and Hwarang realized just how close he had been to losing himself.
When he looked around again, the flower maze was gone.
In its place stood a massive log house.
....
Maintaining full alertness, Hwarang carefully surveyed the yard.
The flowerbeds were filled with brilliant flowers of species he had never seen before, beads of water clinging to their petals as if freshly watered.
Flutter, flutter.
A blue butterfly circled near him briefly, then drifted away.
Hwarang followed it with his gaze—
And saw a girl.
She had the same black hair and pink eyes as himself.
But beyond that—
There was a divine presence, something that naturally inspired reverence.
Several vividly colored butterflies danced around her.
She watched them, letting them rest on her fingers—
Then raised her head toward Hwarang.
"…You've returned—Hm? Who are you?"
She looked genuinely confused.
It seemed she had mistaken him for someone else.
"Yeon family member, son of Yeon Illarde—Yeon Hwarang, pays his respects to the Family Head."
Hwarang knelt and bowed formally.
Yeon Hana.
The head of the Yeon Family.
Hwarang had never seen the other Great Family Heads in person, but—
He understood why Yeon Hana was said to be the most beautiful among them.
Her beauty was simply undeniable.
....
"Illarde's child, is it… But how did you come here?"
As she spoke, Yeon Hana studied him closely—
And soon, realization dawned.
Within Hwarang burned a flame she had never seen before.
"…Hmm. How interesting."
She smiled faintly.
"That flame… Even when I was a D-rank Regular, I hadn't managed to awaken it. And yet you already have."
She tilted her head slightly.
"The maze is one thing, but entering the Hidden Stage at all is—Alright. I've decided."
With a casual gesture, tiny fairy-like beings flew in, setting up a table, chairs, carpet, teacups, chocolates, and sweets.
In mere moments, an elegant tea setting was complete.
Hwarang blinked.
"…This is…?"
Yeon Hana sat down gracefully and gestured toward him.
"Please, have a seat. It seems Illarde won't be returning anytime soon, so we have time."
She smiled warmly.
"A little tea won't hurt. How you entered the Hidden Stage, why a man carries the flame of Yeon, what that blue fire is—Let's talk, shall we?"
Hwarang still wasn't used to a Great Family Head being this casual—
But he accepted the invitation gratefully.
Was this what they had been like back when they were D-rank Regulars?
"Thank you for allowing me to share your table."
"When people talk, sitting together is only natural."
She chuckled softly.
"I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but I have so many questions. You came here for something as well, didn't you?"
"Then let's answer each other honestly. I promise I will."
Her eyes curved into a gentle smile.
Hwarang returned it, lifting the teacup to his lips.
A part of him wondered—
What kind of path had these Great Family Heads walked, to become what they were later…?
But that wasn't his purpose here.
So he waited for Yeon Hana's questions.
....
Meanwhile — Near the Palace of Spears
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SLEEP?! WHAT KIND OF RUCKUS IS THIS IN SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME?!"
The boy's voice echoed across the space.
Maschenny's eyes widened slightly.
The lightning from before.
The divinity radiating from him.
And that presence—
She knew instantly.
Though his appearance differed greatly, this was unmistakably her father.
Khun Eduan.
Maschenny immediately knelt and bowed deeply.
"Khun Family's Zahard Princess, Khun Maschenny Zahard, greets Father."
"…Huh?"
Eduan turned toward her with a scowl, clearly in a foul mood.
With a flick of his hand, he dispersed the lingering lightning before studying her.
"So… a Zahard Princess. I've heard of that."
He scratched his head.
"So why are you here? Looks like you came through the Hidden Floor. How'd you manage that?"
....
"I was guided here by a close friend. And the reason I came…"
Maschenny lifted her gaze.
"…was to meet you, Father."
Eduan groaned, rubbing his forehead before turning away.
"Tch… another fanclub idiot? If you came for something that stupid, leave. What kind of kids does my outside self even—"
"No."
Eduan paused.
"…What?"
Maschenny's voice was firm.
"I came here because I want to fight you."
"…What?"
Eduan turned fully toward her, disbelief written plainly across his face.
Maschenny rose to her feet.
And as she did—
The flow of shinsu around them shifted.
Dangerously.
"So I was going to let it slide since you're my kid, but now I'm wondering…"
Crackle—bzzt.
Massive lightning poured from Eduan.
Every brush of it made Maschenny feel as though she stood before something overwhelmingly vast.
This—
This was D-rank Regular Khun Eduan.
Under the crushing pressure, Maschenny spoke.
....
"I know I cannot defeat you. I understand the difference clearly."
"But once I return outside, this will be something I can never achieve."
"So here—just once—I want to cross spears with you."
She met his gaze without flinching.
"That is why I challenge you."
BZZZT—
The lightning pressure tightened around Maschenny even further.
Eduan strode toward her without hesitation, then lifted her chin with one hand, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Maschenny's eyes—burning with a warrior's resolve—did not waver in the slightest.
If anything, they blazed with a mad hunger for battle, with anticipation and exhilaration.
For a moment, it felt as though Eduan was staring into his own eyes.
"Hah… so you really meant it."
In an instant, the lightning vanished.
The crushing pressure around her body, the sparks crackling through the air—everything disappeared as if it had never been there.
"If you're going to challenge me, then at the very least come back when your body is fully recovered. In your current state, this wouldn't be a battle—just a pointless death."
Learn the difference between fighting spirit and recklessness.
Leaving those words behind, Eduan turned his back, about to return to the palace—
Then stopped.
"Oh. I'll allow you to stay by my side."
He glanced back at Maschenny.
"I like your personality. And your eyes. Come to the Palace of Spears."
Someone of his own kind—someone who reveled in battle as obsessively as he did.
That was Eduan's reason. A rare exception, granted on a whim.
And just like that, the number of residents in the Palace of Spears became two.
"Ah—one more thing."
Eduan's eyes crackled with electricity as he turned his head.
"That friend of yours who discovered the Hidden Floor… who is he?"
....
Sword Altar — Arie Hon's Residence
Arie Hon extinguished the flame and poured the brewed tea into my cup.
"Well? I prepared it myself."
I thanked him and carefully lifted the teacup, taking a sip.
So this was the tea brewed by one of the Ten Great Family Heads.
"…It's bitter."
"Haha. Arie Hon's tea is always like that. You'll get used to it."
Ah. Yes, sir.
Hon poured tea into his own cup and took a sip.
"…Bitter."
"..."
If he knew it was bitter, why didn't he ever think about fixing it?
Hon took another sip and then looked at me steadily.
"Very well. Let us get to the point."
He spoke calmly.
"What are you?"
A question I had been asked once before—about eight years ago.
I hadn't expected him to cut straight to the heart of it like this.
Then again, it was the fundamental question.
Answering it would resolve every other doubt.
It was a good question.
Just… whether I should answer it was another matter.
"Haha… don't you have any other questions?"
"…What?"
Hon blinked, eyes widening slightly. He clearly hadn't expected that response.
Right—
The future Arie Hon, my father, asking his child a direct question… and being refused.
Even I had to admit—this was insane.
Naturally, the surroundings erupted.
"That insolent brat!"
"How dare you—!"
"Father! Let me cut off that fool's head—!"
The Arie data who served Hon at the Sword Altar reacted in various ways—some shouting with veins bulging in their eyes, some gripping their swords, others frozen in stunned disbelief.
But the emotion directed at me was the same.
Hostility.
If Hon hadn't been present, they would have cut me down on the spot.
Hon raised one hand lightly, silencing them, and looked back at me.
His eyes were different now.
Where before there had been ease and gentleness, there was now curiosity, intrigue—
And a faint trace of irritation.
"Hm. I didn't expect you to ignore my question as well."
His gaze sharpened.
"Is that power of yours making you arrogant?"
"…That question is a bit difficult to answer, for various reasons."
Silence fell between us.
No—
It wasn't silence.
Every Arie data present could feel it.
They all understood exactly what was happening between me and Hon.
"…."
Shinsu gathered rapidly around me.
Not by my will—but by Arie Hon's.
The shinsu condensed, its density skyrocketing as it pressed down on my body.
It felt as though the world itself was trying to crush me into the floor.
But I didn't just endure it.
I extended the roots of my perception, touching the shinsu around Hon's data.
From there, I let my internal shinsu flow outward—accelerating it, pushing it faster and faster.
The shinsu currents surged violently.
The shinsu in Hon's space twisted into a raging vortex, crashing against him like a storm.
Krrrk—
SHWAAAK—
The air around us screamed as the shinsu ran wild.
One side pressed down with overwhelming gravity.
The other countered with ferocious currents.
A silent battle of wills raged between us.
I clenched the armrest of my chair, trying to interfere with Hon's shinsu and relieve the pressure—
But the space he controlled was far from easy to seize.
Then again—
The same was true for mine.
CRACK—
At last, the chairs we were sitting on—and the table holding the teacups—could no longer endure it.
They shattered into pieces.
Hah.
I had only wanted to see the faces of the Ten Great Family Heads, talk peacefully, and look around the Hidden Floor before leaving.
Now that I thought about it… that had been a ridiculous expectation from the start.
As I shut down my wishful thinking, Hon spoke first.
"…Let's end this tedious standoff."
He met my eyes.
"Very well. What would I need to do for you to answer me?"
A bad feeling crept up my spine.
I raised my guard to its maximum and replied carefully.
"I'm sorry, but I don't really intend to answer just yet."
CLANG—!
Bad premonitions were rarely wrong.
The instant my words ended, a blade flew toward my throat.
I drew Baekya, barely blocking it in time.
"I see. Then I suppose I have no choice."
Hon's voice was calm—almost amused.
"When I set my mind on something, I'm the type who keeps trying until it works. Ten times, if necessary."
"…That sounds exhausting."
Baekya gleamed fully as its blade was bared.
If I couldn't avoid it—
Then I might as well enjoy it.
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