Memorize Chapter 254

The urge to pry into her inner turmoil was strong, but it wasn’t the time to force answers from someone unwilling to talk. Besides, we were in the middle of an expedition, and there was no room to waste time on trivial matters. So, I simply gave An-Sol, who was hanging her head silently, a couple of reassuring pats before signaling to resume the march.

The sun was slowly setting, and the sky was growing darker.

By the time the twilight fully enveloped the plateau, the scenery had shifted into a markedly different atmosphere from what we’d seen initially. Each gust of wind rustling through the leaves and grass echoed loudly, almost unnaturally. Occasional, unidentifiable cries and the pitch-black landscape visible to the naked eye heightened the eerie mood.

During the march, I sometimes felt the pleading glances from the group, yearning for rest or to set up camp. But I silently ignored them, stubbornly pressing on. The best way to cross the Plateau of Delusion was to keep moving without thinking—pure, relentless walking.

Of course, since the field effect directly drew out one’s inner thoughts, few players could actually achieve this. My plan was to use high-quality pills to manage our mental states and counter lingering anxiety with a rapid march. The downside was the constant drain on stamina, but the harder it got, the more focus it demanded with each step.

“Huff, huff.”

“Phew, phew.”

How much time had passed? It felt like hours since I’d declared the night march. By modern time, it was probably between 3 and 4 a.m. Everyone except Go Yeon-Joo and me was breathing heavily. Some were deliberately exhaling loudly, as if to make sure I noticed. Suppressing a smirk, I slightly slowed the pace.

“O-Oppa.”

“Hm?”

“Can’t we… take a short break?”

“…Hm. Resting sounds nice, but… I think it’s better to keep moving for now.”

As I shared my thoughts and glanced back, I saw An-Hyun and Yun-Jung drenched in sweat. If the melee fighters were this worn out, the magic players were likely in worse shape. Still, I didn’t stop. Turning back to the traces ahead, I spoke in a low voice.

“Some of you might think the Plateau of Delusion is easy, like An-Hyun did earlier, since we haven’t encountered many monsters since the Mountain of Delirium. It’s just constant marching, so it might feel a bit dull.”

“N-No, it’s not exactly that…” Yun-Jung stammered.

“No, Hyung, I didn’t mean…” An-Hyun added.

“I’m not scolding you. It’s not entirely wrong.”

Acknowledging their point, they both fell silent, as if by agreement.

I didn’t continue right away. Lifting my head, I gazed at the moon casting its radiant light and the countless twinkling stars. The beautiful sight tempted me to linger, but fearing I’d lose the traces, I tore my eyes away.

Resuming my normal posture, I stopped stalling.

“This might seem out of nowhere, but let me tell you an interesting story. In South Korea, the Marines have a training exercise called tightrope walking.”

“…”

“But before crossing the rope, they make each person do an insane number of push-ups until their arms tremble. You have to cross relying only on your hands—why do you think they do that?”

“Uh… to keep them alert and not let them slack off?” Yun-Jung ventured.

Correct. I nodded, and her sheepish “Hehe” laugh followed. Amused by her reaction to something so minor, I let out a faint chuckle.

“Exactly. It forces you to focus solely on holding the rope. They say it reduces accidents. I think marching through the Plateau of Delusion is similar.”

“…”

“I’ve said it before—rest is good, vital even. But the Plateau of Delusion is an exception. If we rest here, some of you will let your guard down, creating openings. The field effect will absolutely exploit those gaps. If we’re lucky and something minor shows up, fine. But if something we can’t handle appears…”

“Oh, I see,” Yun-Jung murmured.

No one knows what the group will face in Hall Plain moving forward. But I was certain of one thing: as they gain experience and continue expeditions, they’ll eventually face situations far tougher than this.

What if, during a march this grueling, we’d been frequently ambushed by monsters? Honestly, since entering the Mountain of Delirium, we’d mostly just marched, which is why they’d kept up. In a scenario with constant attacks, some would’ve already collapsed.

In the future, when such situations arise, their greatest asset will be the skills honed through experience. Even if it’s tough now, each moment like this will serve as a valuable guide for similar challenges later—especially if I’m not around…

'Endure. Push through and overcome, no matter what.'

That was all I could say to them. Hoping they’d one day understand my intentions, I returned the march to its normal pace. For now, reaching the Gorge of Hallucination quickly was the best course.

---

The grass, damp with morning dew, left my legs slightly wet. Time flew, and a faint dawn broke on the eastern horizon. Thick fog blanketed the area, but the rising sun’s warm rays pierced through, gently enveloping the plateau.

The dawn light seeped into the fields, as if chasing away the lingering shadows. Gazing at the dazzling morning, I took a deep breath. The crisp air, mixed with a watery scent, stung my nose pleasantly.

Savoring the smell, I paused my steps, about to raise my hand to signal a stop.

“Eek!”

“Oh my!”

Turning at the soft cries, I saw a few members clutching their faces, flustered—likely from walking half-asleep and bumping into each other. Go Yeon-Joo clicked her tongue a few times and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.

“Get it together, everyone. We’re almost there.”

“Yes…” Came the weak replies.

Their voices lacked energy, not just from the march’s toll. Even I felt the field effect’s subtle pressure. If it was this heavy for me, it must be exponentially worse for the others. I’d given extra pills to those struggling last night, but a faint unease lingered.

“Su-Hyeon, don’t you hear water? The air feels damp too,” Go Yeon-Joo said.

“I hear it and smell it. We’re probably close to the Gorge of Hallucination.”

As I backed her up, life returned to the group’s drooping eyes. An-Hyun sniffed the air, tilted his head, and spoke.

“That’s weird. I don’t hear any water. All I smell is something fishy.”

“Isn’t water supposed to smell a bit fishy sometimes?” Yun-Jung replied.

Yun-Jung’s reflexive retort prompted An-Hyun to shake his head. With a mock-serious expression, he sniffed around her. Yun-Jung glared, clearly annoyed, but didn’t say anything. Ignoring her goodwill, An-Hyun wrinkled his nose dramatically.

“No, this isn’t water—it smells like blood. Hey, are you on your period or something? Come on, have some restraint…”

“What? You crazy bastard!”

Yun-Jung lashed out with a fierce kick to An-Hyun’s leg. Watching him hop around in pain, I couldn’t help but feel exasperated. I wasn’t the only one—the female players all shot him looks as if he were some kind of beast.

Thanks to An-Hyun’s unintended sacrifice, the mood lightened briefly, and we resumed marching along the traces.

How much time passed? Less than 20 minutes later, I had to signal another halt.

As I stopped abruptly, the clan members began looking around and stepping forward. Though morning had arrived, the fog lingered. While it was thinning elsewhere, dense mist still swirled ahead of us.

The moment the fog from the front enveloped our feet, the scent of water and the sound of its flow became more distinct.

“Everyone, back up.”

“Su-Hyeon?”

Go Yeon-Joo questioned me, but I shook my head silently and drew the Sun-Moon Divine Sword. A reddish aura began rising from the blade, trembling under the sunlight.

I let the sword hang low and took three steps forward. I didn’t strike a grand pose—it was, in a way, my natural stance. My purpose wasn’t to fight but to act, so I raised the sword over my left shoulder and swung it down forcefully.

Shwing!

A harsh gust tore through the air, the unleashed wave ripping apart the gathered fog and surging downward. Then—

Boom! Fsssh! Splash! Thud!

“What was that?”

“The wave disappeared into it?”

The sounds of impact, bursting, and something falling echoed in sequence. The wind pressure from my wave was strong enough to clear much of the fog ahead. As light pierced through the opened gap, a breathtaking scene emerged.

Before us lay a deep valley with steep, sheer walls forming a sharp incline. Focusing my vision, I could see the dizzying depth of the gorge below. Stepping closer and peering down, I glimpsed a transparent stream flowing gently, like a continuation of the grass above. The gorge below was filled with mist and scattered terrain features, blending in perfect harmony.

Turning my gaze forward, I saw a massive hole and cracked walls where my wave had struck. Some of the fallen rocks likely landed on the ground, others in the stream below.

The clan members and I stood in silence, taking in the view. Snapping out of it, I spoke to Kim Han-Byeol, who was cautiously peeking over the edge, clearly wary of heights.

“Kim Han-Byeol, how many gems did you bring?”

“Eek! Uh, hold on a second.”

Letting out an uncharacteristically cute yelp, she hurriedly rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a handful of glowing gems and showed them to me.

“There aren’t many. Their efficiency isn’t great either… When I tested with the smallest gem, it lasted about two hours.”

“Two hours? Without any effects, two hours means, here…”

“Maybe less than an hour.”

“So it’s a race against time. The group’s reaching their limit.”

I said this but calmly counted the gems in her hand, making an optimistic estimate.

'That should be enough. We might even have some left.'

If my guess was right, the Riverside Clan had solid information. If we could descend the gorge from where we stood, reaching the ruins wouldn’t take long. They must’ve had that level of confidence to even attempt the Gorge of Hallucination.

I stretched broadly, glancing between Kim Han-Byeol and Baek Hangeol. The discovery of the gorge had somewhat revived the previously sluggish mood. Some of the clan members I’d been worried about had held up well. An-Sol had struggled a couple of times but endured admirably. Now, all that remained was entering the ruins.

“Alright, Kim Han-Byeol, Baek Hangeol…”

“Su-Hyeon, hold on. Come over here.”

Just as I was about to call them, Go Yeon-Joo cut in. Turning with a questioning look, I saw her silently pointing downward. Where she indicated, several large rocks had fallen—likely dislodged by my wave.

“What’s up?”

“Use your enhanced vision. Hehe.”

Her chuckle carried an odd vibe. I immediately channeled magic to heighten my sight, hearing, and smell. My vision expanded, bringing the lower gorge into sharp focus.

As I closely examined the area near the fallen rocks, my eyes widened.

“Kyu…”

'Something’s… pinned underneath?'