THIFSGSTW CH 34

Chapter 34: It wouldn’t take long.

I walked alongside Song Ha-gyeon. As we moved away from the campfire, the cold air immediately pressed against my skin. Song Ha-gyeon glanced at me and gently draped a blanket over my shoulders. The warmth wrapped around me, soft and comforting.

It seemed like the defensive magic covered quite a wide area. We had walked a decent distance, yet when I turned my head back, I could still see the flames flickering faintly in the distance.

Even though we had left the campfire behind, the surroundings weren’t completely dark. A soft light leaked out from a floating box that Song Ha-gyeon was carrying, casting a faint glow around us.

A dirt path, sparsely covered with grass, stretched before us, flanked by towering trees standing densely side by side. The forest was pitch black. The gentle glow barely touched its depths, as if the darkness refused to mix with the light.

‘How did a forest come to exist here?’

How could plants grow in a place with no single light? The trees and grass looked dry on the surface, yet they weren’t completely withered.

No, there was something even stranger than that. How could a place exist where it was always night?

“Ha-gyeon hyung, why doesn’t the sun rise here?”

“…You’re curious about that, huh?”

Song Ha-gyeon pondered for a moment before raising a hand. A map drawn in light appeared in midair, marked with colored indicators in certain areas. Keeping his gaze fixed on the map, he began to speak.

“There are places that seem… distorted.”

A forest where the sun never rises, a plain where flowers endlessly fall from the sky, a desert where it rains without end.

And yet, no one questioned these places. Even Song Ha-gyeon admitted that he had only realized how unnatural they were after taking the Hero’s Oath. Raen, Min Joo-hyuk, and Park Yul had all come to the same realization, only after becoming heroes themselves.

“Nothing is certain yet.”

Muttering to himself, Song Ha-gyeon made a small flicking motion with his fingers. The map dissolved into particles of light and scattered into the air. The shimmering specks of light slowly faded, while my thoughts filled with unorganized thoughts.

I wasn’t a hero, yet I had questioned this place. It had to be because of the system. That was the only reason that made sense.

‘But why?’

How was any of this connected? It felt like the scattered pieces of information were linking together in a vague, uncertain way.

The system had only told me one thing. That it wanted me to save the world with my power. That power was, undoubtedly, the healing skill. And saving the world meant aiding the heroes who were closing the rifts by healing them. That was how I would contribute, even if only indirectly.

But was that really all? Why did these twisted places exist, places that only heroes could perceive as abnormal?

What isn’t the system telling me right now?

The last traces of light faded into the darkness. Yet, for some reason, the afterimage lingered before my eyes.

◇

“This is as far as we go.” After walking a little further, Song Ha-gyeon placed a hand on my shoulder. Though his touch was gentle, there was an undeniable firmness in it. I came to a stop.

“Sun Yi-han. Do you see it?”

I did. A faintly glowing line stretched across the ground a few steps ahead, encircling the area.

“Don’t cross this line.”

It was the boundary of the defensive magic. I had no intention of leaving a safe zone anyway, so I simply nodded. I felt his silent gaze on me. When I looked up, my eyes met Song Ha-gyeon’s directly.

“It means don’t go out alone. If you want to leave, tell me.”

“I’ll go with you,” he added.

I didn’t think I’d ever have a reason to go outside the boundary, but I nodded vaguely.

The air was cool. Walking like this felt nice. Maybe I actually liked taking walks. I hadn’t realized it before, since I never had the chance to walk freely back at the temple. Now that we had confirmed the boundary, it was time to return. Without hesitation, I turned around to leave.

Or rather, I was about to—

Ding!

A quest window popped up in front of me.

<Unexpected! Quest> A Brave Step on My Own!

Success: Gain “A Brave Step (1 time)

Failure: 1-day walking restriction penalty

Faint blue lights formed a dotted line in the air, stretching beyond the boundary of the defensive magic.

The failure penalty was brutal. If I didn’t take a “brave step,” I wouldn’t be able to walk at all? This was basically a push rather than a suggestion.

Still, since there was no time limit, I figured I didn’t have to do it immediately. Just as I decided to think it over and started walking again—

Would you like to abandon the quest?

Time until automatic failure: 5 second

Time until automatic failure: 4 second

Wait, wait! I stepped back. The countdown halted. I felt unsettled. This was ridiculous.

“Sun Yi-han?” Song Ha-gyeon’s voice came from beside me. He stepped closer, lowering his gaze to meet mine. A faint worry flickered in his eyes.

A heavy feeling settled in my chest. But I didn’t avoid his gaze as I slowly spoke.

“Ha-gyeon hyung. I think… I have to go beyond this line.”

“…Why?” He asked absently, then shook his head. He placed his hand on my head, patting it twice.

“Never mind. …Tell me later.”

“Let’s go.” He added softly, brushing my hair gently.

“Thank you, hyung.”

I meant it. Song Ha-gyeon had agreed easily, but I knew this wasn’t a simple decision. I had no magic, and whatever lay beyond could be dangerous. Of course, I would be fine thanks to the system, but he didn’t know that. He would be worried. Everyone was already busy and exhausted. At least I didn’t want to be a burden.

A faint sense of guilt pressed down on me. But I couldn’t apologize. Apologies require sincerity. If I was still going to push forward despite feeling guilty, I had no right to apologize. That would just be for my own comfort.

While I was lost in thought, Song Ha-gyeon spoke in a quiet voice.

“…It’s okay.”

What was? I stiffened for a second, wondering if I had accidentally spoken out loud. But I hadn’t.

I didn’t know what he meant by “it’s okay.” That he would go with me? That I didn’t have to explain myself? Or something else entirely? Still, somehow, I felt a little better. Even if I didn’t fully understand why. Humans are selfish like that. Even when I knew it was just a simple phrase, it eased my mind a little.

Song Ha-gyeon’s neat face entered my field of vision. As always, he walked forward with a calm expression, and I matched my steps beside him.

Beyond the boundary, the trees were densely packed. The path of the guiding light stretching ahead was vivid.

‘This is it.’

The guiding light extended straight up from a single point, shooting vertically toward the sky. It was the location of a large, thick tree. The light seemed to end at its highest point. I took a deep breath. My heart settled slightly.

I pulled out a piece of paper imbued with levitation magic from my pocket. Then, I calmly explained to Song Ha-gyeon that I needed to climb the tree. At first, he hesitated, showing some reluctance, saying it was dangerous. But when I didn’t waver in my decision, he eventually agreed.

When he offered to go with me, I shook my head. According to the quest, this was something I had to do alone.

“It wouldn’t take long”

I tore my gaze away from Song Ha-gyeon, who seemed about to say something more and ripped the paper. A sharp sound rang out, and my body lifted into the air.

The sensation of having no solid ground beneath my feet was strange. It felt like walking on the wind. The light that followed the tree stretched far above.

And then, suddenly, it ended.

I had arrived. At the top of the tree was a tall branch sticking out of the tree. I carefully stepped onto it. The surroundings were completely still. There was no wind, only silence.

I stood firmly with both feet, but no quest completion window appeared. Did I need to reach the very end of the light? It was just within my reach if I stood on tiptoe.

I gripped the tree trunk tightly and slowly stretched my hand toward it.

Pop.

A clear sound echoed sharply. The noise was eerily out of place in the silence. My fingertips felt as if they had passed through a thin barrier. The sky seemed to ripple for a brief moment. 

What is this?

Startled, I pulled my hand back. Another pop resounded near my ear. A strange, intangible sensation brushed past my hand again. And at the same time—

Whoosh.

The path of guiding light that had stretched out ahead vanished in an instant. There was nothing. Only darkness. Above, below, beside, everything was an empty void. My legs wobbled slightly. Just for a moment. But maybe because I had been standing on tiptoe—

‘Ah, wait—’

I felt a sharp sensation of my body falling downward. The cold wind lashed past my ears. There was no time to react. As I fell, a quest window popped up in front of me.

<Unexpected! Quest> A Brave Step on My Own Success!

As a reward you acquired ‘A Brave Step (One-time use)’ 

What? You’re showing me this now?

I clenched my eyes shut in despair. What would it feel like to hit the ground? I was certain it wouldn’t be pleasant. I worried about Song Ha-gyeon. He was probably panicking right now.

…So, how much farther until I hit the ground?

Just as I braced myself for the unfamiliar shock—

“Sun Yi-han!” A desperate voice called out.

My falling speed slowed noticeably. I hesitantly opened my eyes. Only then did I realize that the area around me was glowing softly. The scent of grass. A familiar scent. Somehow, I had landed in Song Ha-gyeon’s arms.

It was warm. No—it was hot. A heat that burned too intensely. My heart pounded as if it would burst. Song Ha-gyeon’s face, still holding me, blurred in my vision.

I took a breath. I couldn’t just stay dazed like this. The one most shocked right now was probably him. I had to say something to reassure him. I barely managed to steady myself.

Forcing a smile, I spoke, trying to ease his worries. “…I was back in no time, right?”

Ah, that wasn’t what I meant to say.