TRGBM 60

Episode 60

060. Not a Single Thing is True

Contrary to its sturdy appearance, the state was extremely vulnerable to the weaknesses revealed by Intuition of Cracks and Insight of Veins. It seemed like it would crumble completely with just a little force.

“Tia, I don’t think this is it? If we hit this wrong, we’re all dead.”

He meant it. If the giant stone statue collapsed, they’d be completely buried alive.
But then, Iron Walker seemed to have found something.

“Walker? Workeerr! Worker?”

What Iron Walker found was a stone tablet inscribed at a fairly high position. True to the name ‘City of Giants,’ it was inscribed at a height unreachable by the gaze of an ordinary person.

“This is ridiculous. Are short people supposed to just live in misery?”

Grumbling, Golden Hand climbed onto Iron Walker’s shoulder. Mounted on his shoulder, golden hand read the inscription on the tablet.

[I have no mouth, but hold a song within the rock.]
[I have no strings, but await a precise performance.]
[To the one who awakens my slumbering harmony, I shall open the forgotten path.]

Geumson pondered the words inscribed on the tablet. Because he had an intuition that this was the method to enter the ‘Forgotten City of Giants.’

‘Song within the rock,’ ‘precise performance,’ ‘slumbering harmony.’
All the clues pointed to one action.

‘Is this entire statue a giant instrument?’

The thought that arose when considering the entire giant statue as an ‘instrument.’ A hypothesis flashed in his mind.

‘What if, by striking specific points in a certain order, resonance occurs?’

The numerous threads visible in golden hand vision. They would resonate and reverberate with each other.

golden hand started to take out his hammer, then put it away again. If he hits it with a hammer, it will collapse. That’s certain.
Then only one thing remains.

“Is this ridiculous? Well, it is a key, though a key.”

Geumson took out the ‘Iron Rod from a Forgotten Ancient Ruin’ he had won at the auction. This must be the tuning hammer and baton for the performance.

Tiaak! Tii—!

Just then, Tia, perched on Geumson’s shoulder, fluttered her wings and pointed to seven locations in sequence. Tia’s mystical eyes shone with a rainbow hue, as if reading the subtle magic waves flowing from each point.

“So there is an order.”

Geumson memorized the sequence Tia indicated. Those locations coincidentally were where the blue dots were concentrated. There wasn’t a single red dot. It seemed hitting the red points wrongly would be a trap causing an immediate collapse.

“Walker, hit the points I indicate with this iron rod, precisely. Control of strength is crucial. Not too strong, not too weak.”
“Wooorker!”

Too strong a strike wouldn’t do, and too weak wouldn’t either. Without being able to see the blue dots and lines directly through Insight of Veins like golden hand, it seemed impossible to open. Unless, of course, you came knowing the answer.

“First one, 30% strength!”

Iron Walker, holding the iron rod, stood before the first point. In sync with golden hand signal, Iron Walker struck the rock with precise force.

Dooooong—

The sound was definitely different from when struck with a hammer. A clear, deep sound echoed and reverberated throughout the mountain range. golden hand, focusing intensely on the vibration and shaking of the blue threads, pointed to the next location.

“Next, top right! 70%!”
Claaang—
“Below the fourth toe! Gently, 15%!”
Duuuuung—

golden hand instructions continued without pause. Like a conductor leading an orchestra.

Tiiiiing—

The echoes gradually overlapped and accumulated.
The sound echoed back, layering wave upon wave.
And when they struck near the seventh little toe…

Taeeeeng!

Grrrrrumble—

A grinding stone sound began, and the ground started to shake. Then, the hole they had seen initially began to slowly rise.

“Walker!”

That hole where the iron rod fit perfectly.
Inserting the iron rod into that hole and turning it…

Click—
Grrrumble—

This time, the iron rod turned smoothly like a key. Not only did it turn, but an entrance appeared before them.
With a deafening roar that seemed to shake the entire mountain range, the giant door that had been closed for millennia slowly opened. From beyond the door, a chill preserved since ancient times howled out like a storm.
Simultaneously, messages appeared.

[You have discovered the hidden ancient dungeon ‘Forgotten City of Giants’ for the first time!]
[First Discoverer: golden hand]
[The name ‘golden hand’ is permanently recorded in the Hall of Honor.]
[The system pays its respects to your wisdom and perseverance.]
[A special blessing is granted to the First Discoverer.]
[Fame increased by 1,000.]
[All stats permanently increased by 5.]
[All EXP gained within the dungeon is increased by an additional 100%.]
[Chance to acquire rare items within the dungeon is increased by 50%.]
[Achievement: Ancient Explorer]
[You have found and released the seal of the ‘Forgotten City of Giants’ for the first time!]
Effect 1: Chance to discover hidden passages or traps increases by 30% when exploring ancient ruins and dungeons.
Effect 2: Acquired ability to decipher ancient script.
Effect 3: ‘Great Success’ chance increases by an additional 5% when crafting Ancient-grade items.
[Warning: The ‘Forgotten City of Giants’ is filled with dangers that exceed your current level. Please exercise caution when challenging it.]
[Recommended: 5-member party of Level 50 or higher.]

Messages rose up like crazy. The rewards were enormous just for discovering a hidden dungeon.

‘Is it because it’s structured so you can’t open it just by finding the dungeon’s location?’

It seemed the rewards were more varied because he solved a riddle-like puzzle.
However, amid the storm of messages, another question arose.

‘Did… Seo Ju-won discover this alone?’

It made no sense.
In his past life, the Gwang Gwon Seo Ju-won had clearly said this:

『Around level 50? It was good that I discovered a dungeon solo early in Lepyon, but I got the skill too easily, you know? Honestly, I didn’t know it was that great a skill. The activation conditions were tricky too…』

He definitely said he discovered the dungeon alone. And that he got it easily.
But based on firsthand experience, not a single thing Seo Ju-won said was true.

*’The key isn’t just any key… and he got this alone? With a recommended level of 50 and a 5-member party?’*

Without the Intuition of Cracks and Insight of Veins skills, even Geumson couldn’t have opened the dungeon door.
Moreover, considering the warning message, even Geumson hesitated to enter.
That means the Seo Ju-won of that time overcame all these adverse, difficult conditions and obtained ‘Infinite Chain Strike.’

‘Something’s off…’

The circumstances were suspicious, but Golden Hand had no way to verify. There was no guarantee that the Seo Ju-won of the past spoke only the truth anyway.

‘Anyway, the important fact is that I discovered the dungeon. More importantly, Seo Ju-won won’t obtain Infinite Chain Strike this time.’

golden hand shook off the complex thoughts.
It didn’t matter what Seo Ju-won did, as long as he didn’t get Infinite Chain Strike.
For now, it seemed best to focus on the Forgotten City of Giants.

“Walker, Tia? Let’s go in.”
“Wooorker!”
Tii— Tiit!

As Geumsom stood before the enormous door he had pushed open, another message appeared.

[As a First Discoverer privilege, you may ignore the recommendation.]
[Will you enter the ‘Forgotten City of Giants’ as a solo player?]

A dungeon recommended for a level 50, 5-member party.
He hesitated at first, but not now.

‘Let’s treat this as practice for hunting the Eclipse Serpent.’

One of the living calamities that defined the Age of Ruin.
The quest to defeat it recommended a 30-member party of level 100.
Compared to that, these conditions were like a rehearsal.
So he shouldn’t hesitate here.

“Enter.”

[Entering the Forgotten City of Giants.]

Along with the brief message, darkness swallowed Geumson.
And when his vision returned, Geumson felt an illusion as if his body had shrunk.

An underground cavern of unimaginable size.
Giant, glowing stalactites hung from the ceiling like crystals, faintly illuminating the entire space like stars in the night sky.
And below, a colossal city, as if carved from an entire mountain range, lay slumbering.

None of the buildings were made to human scale.
Even the smallest house was the size of a three-story building, and the giant castle towering in the central square looked like a mountain itself.

However, the city was eerily silent as if dead.
The giant buildings, unable to withstand the traces of time, had collapsed in many places, and the streets were filled only with dust and spiderwebs.

“So this is… the City of Giants.”

The moment golden hands took a step towards the city in admiration…
The ground shook.

Thump-thump-thump-thump—

Along with a cold, sinister aura that seemed to declare trespassers unwelcome, countless pairs of red eyes lit up.

[Ancient Guardian, Stone Golem Lv. 73]
[Giant’s Wraith Lv. 75]

“…A very grand welcoming committee. Walker! Get ready!”
“Woorrker!”

Geumson gave a bitter smile and tightened his grip on the ‘Forgotten Void Hammer.’ Iron Walker also shifted into combat stance, standing before Golden Hand.
Golden Hand, about to face battle. The level difference was more than double. But Golden Hand wasn’t trembling.
Rather…