The Hero didn’t need to actively do anything; the adverse environnt which would dizzy and disorient an ordinary person couldn’t affect her at all.
And so, the Hero could fully concentrate on expanding her Perception, observing the surroundings.
It’s unknown how much ti had passed, as the black cat walking in front of the Hero, blending into the darkness without any sound, suddenly let out a light cry.
"ow~"
Following the black cat’s warning, the Hero stopped in her tracks.
Stabilizing her breathing slightly, she turned a corner and after a few more steps, the sensation beneath her feet abruptly changed from uneven rock to a flat stone pavent.
The Hero looked down, realizing she had stepped from a natural rocky passage onto man-made flooring.
She had arrived at the ancient Curse Temple.
This place was a half-collapsed stone chamber, half of the space destroyed and buried by rocks, while the other half still preserved a construction from who-knows-how-many-years ago.
She wasn’t the first visitor to co here; the Hero could sense traces of Adventurers who had ventured this deep in the past.
Fragnts of Armor, broken Rusty Swords, and the black stains on the ground, suspected to be bloodstains, all silently spoke of those who were only a step away from escape being pulled back into despair in this room.
"We’ve arrived." Having circled the room, Hunting Knowledge gave a confirmatory statent.
[Hunting Knowledge’s main sources of knowledge regarding the Curse Temple]
1. A long-vanished ancient tribe (collapsed secret door)
2. Lost texts (main entrance)
3. Researchers who committed taboos (other ruins)
4. Cursed descendants (teleportation)
5.1
6.2
7.3
8.4
9. Descendants of deicide (tomb chamber)
10. Critical Success/Extre Failure♛
D10=d10(10)=10
D2=d2(2)=2
Embracing extre caution, the Hero, accompanied by three Magic Creatures, advanced through the ancient temple full of collapses and cracks.
She could sense, not far down the corridor, an extrely intense aroma of a Curse wandering, likely so sort of nearly Immortal Magic Creature, a cursed Undead body.
Deeper within, she also faintly sensed the presence of living beings, but those life forms had also been deeply corroded by the miasma, emitting an aura that gave her a disgust comparable to that of Goblins.
To avoid being noticed by these Magic Creatures, she ordered the Gleaming Scale Serpent to conceal its luminescence and proceeded silently through the darkness.
Unexpectedly, contrary to her caution, the exploration progressed exceptionally smoothly. They didn’t encounter any danger along the way, making the Hero’s mood beco sowhat cheerful.
After relaxing slightly, she suddenly rembered a question and turned to look at Hunting Knowledge beside her, asking curiously:
"Speaking of which, if we didn’t have that Adventurer brother’s guidance, where were you planning to take in from?
"And, didn’t you know about those hidden passages? I thought you were quite familiar with this place."
If it weren’t for the village chief grandma rembering that ancient knowledge, she might still be here completely clueless.
[Hunting Knowledge’s sources of knowledge, Extre Failure——(4&9 Hunting Knowledge will receive negative effects)]
1. Fragnted sewer murals
2. Sacrifices that were offered
3. Unreliable texts♛
4. Curse on Hunting Knowledge
5.1
6.2
7.3
8. The ramblings of a madman
9. Curse of Knowledge
10. Critical Success/Extre Failure
D10=d10(3)=3
To the Hero’s question, usually responsive Hunting Knowledge fell silent for a few seconds.
"Before I answer your question, perhaps it’s necessary for to explain our existence chanism to prevent any misunderstandings," the sound of a page turning slowly rose.
"Humankind refers to us as ’Hunting Knowledge,’ aning hunters of knowledge. But I believe you should be clear that it doesn’t an all the knowledge we possess is correct without a mistake, nor does it represent that we fully understand all the knowledge we gather."
Imagine, if there were a scholar obsessively claiming to have discovered a cross-age theory. However, this theory could neither be falsified nor verified, and eventually, it was discarded like worn-out shoes by the academic community, with the scholar himself deeply impacted, on the brink of a despondent end.
This profound theoretical knowledge, on the brink of disappearing without inheritance, should the Hunting Knowledge passing by his house get involved, or should they?
But just because Hunting Knowledge includes that so-called cross-era theory, it doesn’t an the theory is correct.
Of course, since it was deed valuable enough for Hunting Knowledge to docunt, it usually isn’t just a re fantasy. However, besides that, it could be the whispers of Chaos creatures, twisted common sense from the Otherworld, or ssages from the stars that no one can understand.
More likely, while so of this knowledge contains value, much more of it is the result of wishful thinking and erroneous conclusions.
"We are neither the spokespersons of truth nor do we possess the Wisdom that transcends that of human sages."
"So...?" Hero looked at the lengthy exposition of Hunting Knowledge with a sowhat blank expression.
"So, the answer is: I don’t know." Hunting Knowledge calmly provided the answer.
"Based on a not-so-rigorous paper, I deduced that beneath the Border City lie the ruins of the Curse Temple, and I’ve calculated the exact depth coordinates. But before you t that Adventurer, I hadn’t found a way for humans to reach this place.
"Including the human scholar you call village chief grandma, I do not understand the knowledge she speaks of."
Hero’s eyes widened, never expecting Hunting Knowledge to give such an answer.
"I have a feeling I might have been deceived by you all..."
Recalling how both the major and minor Hunting Knowledge had consistently guided her to obtain various information about the Demon of Cannibalism and the Curse Temple, doubts flickered in Hero’s eyes.
Could it be they just wanted soone to pave the way so they could co here to conduct archaeological research?
But upon seeing Hunting Knowledge’s elental body that isn’t hindered by rocks and soil, Hero could only admit that this might just be a coincidence.
After all, she had smoothly arrived at her destination, so she decided not to fuss over these details for now.
At that mont, the black cat gently brushed her calf with its tail, giving a low ow to signal Hero to look in another direction.
Although Hero could move effortlessly in the dark, it wasn’t normal vision. The Night Tiger with Spiritual Eyes could clearly see more details.
Then, at Hero’s signal, the Gleaming Scale Serpent lit up with a faint glow, illuminating that part of the wall.
"Is that... a marker for a Hidden Passage!" Hero exclaid in a low voice.
With the clear hint provided, she focused her Perception and effortlessly found the switch for the Hidden Passage.
[Exploration>Environnt, over 100, Hero successfully finds the Hidden Passage and will receive a 30 Bonus on the next turn’s Exploration]
[The switch for the Hidden Passage is——]
1. Book
2. Podium
3. Wall Tile
4. Floor
5. 1
6. 2
7. 3
8. 4
9. Infusing Magic Power
10. Critical Success/Extre Failure♛
D10=d10(10)=10
D2=d2(2)=2
Unexpectedly finding the direct route to the end, Hero was invigorated by the series of discoveries, and was about to step forward.
"Hero, wait a mont."
At the sa ti, not caring that her image had greatly plumted in Hero’s eyes, Hunting Knowledge’s Perception also extended around, and then cautioned Hero:
"Rather than my incomplete knowledge, perhaps you should pay more attention to the construction of that Hidden Passage.
"In that room, although there is a Hidden Passage that leads directly deeper, if you look at the mark above the entrance of the room, it likely ans—"
[Mark Extre Failure!]
1. Sacrifice Express
2. Shamaness Purification Place
3. Goblin Statue
4. Tainted Path♛
5. 1
6. 2
7. 3
8. Path of Depravity
9. Magic Trap
10. Critical Success/Extre Failure
D10=d10(4)=4
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