Capítulo 544: 958
Relife Player (958)
According to future Yu-seong's story.
He said that with a sword made from the shield before his eyes, Aegis, he fought against the calamity that would come in the future and made his name known to the world.
That's how well it suited him...
'It's certainly something I would have chosen. I like it the best among all the treasures I've seen so far.'
Indeed, the aura emanating from Aegis seemed to prove that future Yu-seong's story was not a lie.
Above all, Eun-ha felt drawn to it.
Comparable to the flowers of the Western Sky Flower Garden, the Taeguk grade treasure used as material to make the Dawn Sword...
'If I use this shield as material, I'm sure I can make a sword worthy of replacing the Dawn Sword.'
This attraction shouldn't be denied.
If he doesn't choose Aegis, he'll greatly regret it.
So he must choose it.
Gulp.
Eun-ha strongly intuited.
He unconsciously reaches out his hand.
If...
—The future Father regretted it. He said if he had known such a national treasure existed in Italy, he would have definitely chosen that...
"..."
If the conversation he had with future Yu-seong earlier hadn't come to mind, he would surely have been captivated by Aegis's aura, unable to resist the soul's attraction, and would have ended up choosing Aegis.
Eun-ha barely withdrew his hand just before touching Aegis.
"...That was close. Ah, or was it not a big deal?"
Woong.
He clenches and unclenches his fist.
Gradually, his sense of reality returns.
Eun-ha gave a bitter smile towards Aegis, which seemed to be looking at him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't choose you."
Woong...
Aegis vibrates.
It seems disappointed.
Nevertheless, Eun-ha waved his hand and passed by Aegis.
Woong...
Suddenly, Eun-ha looked back.
Unlike the treasures he had seen so far, Aegis was not following him but staying in place.
That sight only felt pitiful.
His heart wavers.
"..."
He wants to turn back.
But suppressing that feeling, Eun-ha forcibly took a step.
He advances through the fog again.
"Tch, if I had known it would be like this, I should have raised the condition to receive three pieces instead of two..."
Eun-ha grumbled with regret.
* * *
After leaving Aegis behind, no more treasures revealed themselves.
The courtship of the treasures had ceased.
Eun-ha was inwardly anxious.
'I did as Yu-seong said... But was it the right thing to do?'
According to future Yu-seong's story.
In the distant future, any player who visits this vault receives courtship from numerous treasures just like himself now.
And.
'For whatever reason, they all reject them, he says...'
In the end, it seems the player had to advance for quite a while through the foggy nothingness with the treasures' courtship cut off.
Then the treasure that appeared at the very end was supposedly the one that future him coveted.
This was why Eun-ha was walking through the fog, even after giving up Aegis.
'I hope it appears soon... Surely it won't... not appear?'
Probably not.
From what he heard from future Yu-seong, that treasure apparently became interested in and approached players who weren't tempted by the courtship of other treasures.
'It must...'
Eun-ha prayed earnestly.
As if that prayer was answered, suddenly a blue light shot up from the direction he was heading.
Whoosh!
"..."
As if pushed back by the force of the blue light, the fog instantly cleared.
A pure white world unfolds.
Eun-ha, standing in that world, blankly looked up at the pillar of light.
He was completely overwhelmed by the mysterious yet auspicious aura flowing from the pillar of light.
'Without a doubt, that's it.'
He comes to his senses.
Lest the light disappear, Eun-ha ran recklessly towards the blue pillar of light.
Fortunately, the light didn't run away but waited in place.
"..."
The gaze that had been looking up now became a face-to-face gaze.
Eun-ha, with the blue pillar of light before his eyes, calmly regulated his breathing and then peered inside.
At that moment, the blue light rippled.
Simultaneously, a certain voice penetrated Eun-ha's mind.
I am the daughter of Oceanus, god of the ocean, and Tethys, goddess of the sea.
"..."
A clear female voice that was gentle yet firm.
Eun-ha listened to her voice resonating in his mind.
Primordial wisdom.
The background of the Titans' downfall and Olympus's birth.
The first wife of Zeus, god of the sky.
An unrealized prophecy of another downfall.
Mother of Athena, goddess of wisdom and war.
And...
The voice that followed was tinged with resentment.
A foolish and stupid woman blinded by one man.
One who wishes for his destruction.
"..."
At that moment, a round sphere revealed itself inside the blue pillar of light.
A bead with surging light dwelling within.
It was the treasure Eun-ha had been looking for.
Eun-ha reached his hand into the light towards that bead.
Blue light intertwines between his fingers.
So, child who will become my son.
Come, call my name.
He cups the bead with both hands.
Eun-ha spoke the name of the voice's owner penetrating his mind.
"Goddess of wisdom, Metis."
At that moment, the bead emitted light.
The treasure, Metis's Wisdom, acknowledges Eun-ha as its master.
* * *
A blue bead containing brilliant light, Metis's Wisdom.
Eun-ha, having finally obtained the treasure he was aiming for, raised the corners of his mouth.
He was very satisfied.
'I liked Aegis too, but I really like this as well. I think I understand why my future self said he regretted it.'
He could intuitively tell.
That Metis's Wisdom in his hand would match him very well.
If he uses this treasure as material, he's sure he can make a sword worthy of replacing the Dawn Sword.
Eun-ha was confident.
"I should show this to Hae-su hyung quickly. He'll be thrilled when he sees it, right?"
By his perception, it feels like a long time has passed since he entered the vault.
His companions waiting above might be worried that he hasn't returned for so long.
It's about time to leave the vault.
Eun-ha turned back the way he came.
'I don't know where the exit is, but if this is like the Taeguk grade vault, I should eventually come out if I walk with the desire to leave.'
At that moment, Metis's Wisdom flashed blue light for an instant.
It was affirming Eun-ha's thought.
There was no need to hesitate any further.
Eun-ha walked through the pure white world with the desire to leave.
Not long after, a massive iron door came into view.
'The exit.'
He hurries his steps and stands before the iron door.
Eun-ha placed his hand on the iron door.
Woong.
"..."
It was then that he felt a presence.
Eun-ha, who had stopped while trying to open the iron door, slowly turned around.
Aegis was there.
"It was you. Did you follow me?"
Woong...
As if asking to be taken along too, Aegis makes a vibrating sound.
In response, Metis's Wisdom flashed blue light in acknowledgment.
On the other hand, Eun-ha got the impression that the two treasures were happily communicating with each other.
It wasn't just an illusion.
Metis had spoken directly, and according to Greek and Roman mythology...
'They say Athena, the owner of Aegis, is Metis's daughter. But since Metis was trapped inside Zeus's head, they've never seen each other's faces...'
In that sense, the two treasures have just achieved a mother-daughter reunion.
It was natural for them to be happy to see each other.
Because of this, Eun-ha couldn't help but feel even more sorry.
He had to tear the mother and daughter apart because he couldn't take Aegis with him.
"I want to take you with me too, but... I'm sorry, it doesn't seem possible."
Woong...
It couldn't be helped.
No matter how much Metis's Wisdom and Aegis appealed to Eun-ha, there was no suitable way.
Eun-ha had to leave Aegis behind and pass through the iron door to exit the vault.
"Player Noh Eun-ha."
The chief administrator was waiting for Eun-ha in front of the vault.
He addressed him.
"Congratulations on obtaining the treasure."
"Thank you. How much time has passed since I entered?"
"Not much. It's been... 10 minutes now."
"10 minutes?"
"Yes, judging by your reaction, it seems you spent a lot of time inside."
"Well, yes... I guess so."
"According to records, time flows differently inside the vault. That's probably why you feel like you spent a lot of time."
"...It seems so."
Come to think of it, in the Taeguk grade vault too, there was a sense that time flowed differently from real time.
Eun-ha understood.
At that moment, the chief administrator asked.
"Would you mind showing me what treasure you brought out? I need to record it..."
"Yes, here it is."
Eun-ha opened his hand and showed Metis's Wisdom.
The chief administrator, amazed by the emanating aura, carefully examined the treasure.
"Indeed, it's a highest-grade treasure... However, there's not much known about this treasure... Can you tell what kind of treasure it is?"
"Well... I'm not sure either. I just instinctively chose it because it felt like it would suit me well. So I don't know its name either."
"It's called the Jewel of Adria. It's said to have been named that because it was discovered in the Adriatic Sea."
"The Jewel of Adria... I see."
There was no need to unnecessarily inform about Metis's Wisdom.
There was a possibility that Italy, belatedly realizing the treasure's value, might refuse to hand it over.
Eun-ha feigned ignorance.
"Then let's go up now."
"Yes."
The chief administrator didn't suspect anything.
Thanks to this, Eun-ha was able to receive Metis's Wisdom without any trouble and return to the surface.
And when he revealed Metis's Wisdom to his waiting companions, people were very interested.
Especially Byeok Hae-su was completely captivated.
"What do you think, hyung? Does it seem good?"
"...Are you asking while knowing? It's extremely good. This... Although I have no idea what kind of providence dwells inside... Anyway, it's certainly something extremely good. It's the feeling I had when you brought the flowers from the Western Sky Flower Garden before."
He wants to use it as material right away.
Byeok Hae-su expressed honestly.
And as if to prove that sentiment, he left for the workshop that very day, taking Hermit and Baek Hyeon-yul with him, all excited.
"That hyung... Before coming, he said he'd gain a lot of knowledge... Well, I guess it's good for me?"
Eun-ha gave a bitter smile.
* * *
Bracciano in the Lazio region of Italy, somewhat distant from Rome.
Bracciano was in a location convenient for drawing water, with a nearby caldera lake formed by volcanic eruption.
Above all, because the water in the caldera lake was rich in mana...
Italian craftsmen gathered here to form a village and live.
Clang clang! Clang clang! Clang...
"Oh... As expected of a craftsmen's village. The sound is really pleasant to hear."
So here, you could easily find workshops and hear hammer sounds wherever you went.
Byeok Hae-su couldn't help but be excited.
He kept exclaiming in admiration as he walked around looking at his surroundings.
"Haha... Is it that enjoyable?"
"I wanted to stay at the lodging..."
On the other hand, Hermit, who accompanied Byeok Hae-su, gave a bitter smile, and Baek Hyeon-yul rubbed his sleepy eyes.
It was during this that they arrived at a workshop, guided by an Italian official.
"This is the best workshop in Italy? It has a good feel to it?"
Byeok Hae-su, standing in front of the workshop with its impressive red roof and chimney, whistled.
Then he recalled the information he had researched before coming to Italy.
If Korea, or more precisely Pandora Clan, has Hephaestus's furnace.
This workshop, said to be rated the best in Italy, has...
'They say it has Vulcan's furnace.'
Vulcan, the god of blacksmiths.
The one called that in Roman mythology, in Greek mythology...
Coincidentally, he was called Hephaestus.
"That's why I like it even more!"
Instead of Hephaestus's furnace, Vulcan's furnace!
Byeok Hae-su felt a strange connection to this wordplay-like situation.
Somehow, it feels like things will go well.
In fact, after seeing Vulcan's furnace with his own eyes, he was convinced.
With this furnace...
'I can make a good sword that meets Eun-ha's expectations. I can do it.'
His heart starts pounding as if urging him to get to work.
Byeok Hae-su raised the corners of his mouth.
Just then.
"Hey, you there!"
"...Huh?"
A sharp female voice characteristic of women called out in Korean from behind.
Byeok Hae-su turned around at the sound that seemed to be calling him.
There.
"Are you that person? The first Maestro who engraved <White Silver> onto weapons."
"..."
A woman wearing a white T-shirt rolled up to reveal her navel was standing there.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder