Festival Of The Fallen Warriors (1)

Scratch!
Swipe!
Scratch, scratch, scratch.

“Hungeng…”

Hungeng. Wuuung.
Hungengengeng!

“Why are you whining so much?”
“I-I’m tired!”
“Hehe. That’s why you should exercise regularly. Oh, did you gain weight–”
“You’ll die if you keep that up!”

I laughed cheerfully and ducked my head.
I skillfully dodged the sponge Moon Bora threw.

Moon Bora was panting.

Soon, with a ‘Hmph!’ she focused on cleaning again.

I watched her silently.

This, looking at it like this…

“Moon Bora.”
“Yes?”
“You… really look like a cleaning lady now.”
“Eeeeeek!”
“Oh, no, it’s just an observation… Ah, don’t hit me!”

Oh dear.
Why so fierce?

Currently, Moon Bora was in baggy pants with a headscarf.

She even had a towel around her neck.

She looked like a lady diligently cleaning a bathhouse.

Of course, her face was so beautiful that it made you wonder what any of that mattered.

“…Pretty.”
“Wh-what?”
“…And funny.”
“Eeeeeek!!!”

With my continued teasing, Moon Bora puffed her cheeks slightly.

She approached with a slightly reddened face, ‘Hungeng!’ and tapped my shoulder with her fist.

A truly adorable massage.

And with rubber gloves on, it made a popping sound as a bonus.

“Seha, you’re a fool! Fool!”
“Ah! The detergent is splashing on me! Stop, stop, I’m sorry!”
“Fool!”

10 minutes later.

After teasing each other fully, the statues were all sparkling clean.

Of course, there were suds here and there, so a thorough water rinse was still needed.

Moon Bora, standing beside me, spoke with a still, incredulous nuance.

“…Seha, but is this really the way to enter the <Trial>? It’s hard to believe.”
“Yes, this is correct.”

I could understand Moon Bora’s reaction.

As I’ve mentioned several times, the <Trial> is a place of dreams and opportunities that all hunters desire, and it is a treasure in itself.

That’s why most trials are either extremely difficult to find, have numerous obstacles, or require offering a powerful tribute to open.

The idea that such a trial opens just by doing a thorough cleaning…

If other hunters heard, they’d laugh in disbelief.

‘That’s exactly why it’s so unexpected.’

That’s why, for decades…
No one has discovered it.

These statues in the <Land of Forgotten Warriors> don’t require finding special items or interpreting ancient languages; they open through sincere cleaning and offering respect.

Showing respect and treating the warriors earnestly.

The ‘fallen warriors’ respond to that sincerity and open the door.

Anyway, it seemed like it was time to finish the cleaning.

I told Moon Bora to step back for a moment.
I raised my hand.
Before I knew it, a water orb the size of a human head began to swirl, imbued with powerful magic.

The manifestation of [Tsunami], a derivative skill of [Rising Dragon Tidal Wave].
If used normally, there’s a high chance the statues would be damaged by the water pressure, so I deliberately adjusted the amount.

Snap!

The moment the bubbles were completely cleared away.

Buzz!

“…Huh?”

The five statues began to glow.
Bora, who seemed doubtful, was surprised.

Soon, she was even more astonished by the statues’ actions.

“S-Seha, they’re moving!”
“Yes, they’re opening the entrance.”

The statues of the five warriors were now looking down at us.

Each gathered their weapons into one and slowly placed them towards the ground.

Rumble!

The ground shook slightly.
A small vortex appeared, just large enough for two people to pass through.

It was unmistakably…

The entrance to the <Trial>.

“Wh-what?”
“Come on, stop whining.”

Let’s go in, Bora Bora.

Inside the trial, the path was filled entirely with black corridors.

It was a place where no end was in sight, no matter how far you walked.

Yet, strangely, we could clearly perceive each other’s presence.

Moon Bora seemed utterly fascinated, continuously looking around.

“…My goodness.”

She seemed curious about what this black substance was made of.

Thud.

I soon came to a stop, and Moon Bora naturally halted as well.
Right in front of us.
There was a path split into two.

One had a sword pattern engraved, and the other had a pattern of a dancing dancer.

“Seha? It’s a fork in the road?”

This is where it gets important.

I exhaled deeply and looked back at Moon Bora.

“…?”

I took hold of her hand.

It felt slender and soft, yet subtly cold and delicate.

“Eek!”

A flustered Moon Bora blushed.

This place, <Festival of the Fallen Warriors>, isn’t something you can just brute force your way through with sheer strength.

Of course, if you’re overwhelmingly powerful, you might be able to overpower it, but since we came here to grow, that’s difficult.

Therefore, it’s important to solve all the gimmicks offered here to receive as many buffs as possible.

‘And those gimmicks are not just for me…’

Moon Bora also needed to do her part there.

I explained to Moon Bora.

We each had to enter the divided paths and perform the roles assigned to us.

“I need your strength. And it will be a great help to you as well.”
“Ugh, alright… But can you stop closing the distance…”
“Will you trust me and help?”
“…Ugh.”

Moon Bora, who had been silent, pouted her lips and huffed at me.

“…Of course. That’s why I came along in the first place, right?”

Just trust me.

“Even if a dragon awaits us, I’ll fight it.”
“As expected of Moon Bora. So reliable!”
“…Pl-please, praise me more.”
“So reliable!”
“Hehe!”

A moment later.
Yu Seha headed towards the path engraved with a sword.
Moon Bora went towards the path engraved with a dancer.

She walked out.
Then she glanced at the hand Yu Seha had touched.

“……”

A subtle warmth lingered on the back of her hand.
Moon Bora, unknowingly, smiled bashfully.
The corners of her mouth twitched.

‘…Seha asked for my help.’

She wanted to be of help to him.
Yes…
She really wanted to be of help.

Soon, a bright light spread beyond the passageway.
Moon Bora steeled herself.
No matter what lay ahead…

‘For Yu Seha!’

She vowed to do her best.

As she stepped inside…?

“…Huh?”

Moon Bora looked around with a surprised face.

-Waaaaaa!!!!!!!!

A deafening cheer.

Surprisingly, the place she arrived at was filled with countless spectators raising their hands in support.

Beings made up of spirits whose distinct features were hard to discern.

Soon, Moon Bora realized exactly where she was.

“This is…”

Colosseum…?

Soon, as Moon Bora was startled, spirits presumed to be dancers approached her.
Their faces were blurry, but for some reason, Moon Bora thought they might be beautiful.

The spirits of the dancers stared intently at her.
Soon, they carefully seated Moon Bora in the spectator stands.

“Uh, um…”
―Please cheer for the participant.

Amazingly, communication was possible.
Then, at the mention of a participant, Moon Bora looked down with a feeling of disbelief.

Yu Seha.

Amazingly, he was standing confidently in the middle of the arena.

I stood on the arena and looked around.
A hot fervor swirled, and dozens, hundreds of eyes were fixed on me.

-Waaaaa!!!

The sound of a deafening cheer.
The shout, loud enough to burst eardrums, was a kind of signal welcoming the arrival of a new challenger.

I silently listened to their voices.
Even though they were just shouting, my heart pounded…

It was clear that this was the effect of the <Festival of the Fallen Warriors> at this place, at this moment.

An exhilaration that rose involuntarily.
The desire to draw a weapon and fight anyone right away surged.

“……”

I slowly looked around.

<Festival of Warriors> is classified as an A-grade trial.

However, for its high grade, the risk to life is remarkably low.

Here, even if you fail, you won’t die.

‘…Let’s see.’

The Festival of Warriors begins with a deathmatch-style tournament in the coliseum where I am now.

One by one…

A total of five warriors appear in order, and you face them one-on-one to determine victory or defeat.

Ultimately, by defeating the fifth and final leader here, who is also the dungeon boss, the trial ends.

If you win, the next opponent appears, and if you lose, your eyes close naturally.

You won’t die in this process.

You’re just forcibly expelled.

This was the same for Moon Bora, who was flustered in the audience, exclaiming, ‘Woo, woo, huh?’

‘And you can never return.’

<Festival of the Fallen Warriors> is a type of trial, but unlike other trials, it leaves no trace.

Whether you clear it or not, once opened, you can never enter this place again.

Even if you revisit, the statue does not respond.

It’s more of a one-time event dungeon than a trial.

Thud, thud, thud!

Soon, on the stage installed at the center of the audience…

A giant drum made from the skin of a monster began to beat.

A man with his upper body bare raised a horn in his hand and blew a huge signal sound, ‘Bwooo!’

Women in fluttering attire scattered blood-red petals from the flower baskets they held.

A sense of beauty and, oddly, cruelty arose.

The excitement for battle began to rise again.

Soon, the crowd in the audience shouted as if they were one.

-Fight. Fight. Fight!
-Win. Win. Win!

The spectators were all spirits whose features were indistinct.

Most of them probably don’t even remember who they were in their lives or if they had families.

‘They are just spirits who couldn’t ascend and remain here, endlessly yearning for battle.’

The Festival of the Fallen Warriors was a celebration to honor and comfort them.

Shhhh!

‘Starting right away, huh?’

I turned my gaze toward the sound of metal bars.

Beyond the coliseum’s waiting room, the clattering of metal against metal could be heard.

Step by step.
The majesty and power of a strong warrior spread out.

The first opponent to appear was a knight clad in thick Western armor and helmet.

Soon, a cheerful yet strong voice resonated from within the helmet.