kscans

CHAPTER 7 CHALLENGE TO THE LABYRINTH – Episode 10 The Puppeteer of Nightmares (Part 1)

t/n: the title is actually weaver or spinner of nightmare. but since echidorkiye is controlling human heart, the word ‘puppeteer’ is closer to the meaning.

1

“Why aren’t you dreaming? That’s strange. According to the Master, everyone who enters the Dream Room should have a dream shown to them.”

The one who suddenly spoke to him was a man dressed in white with a bald head. The room was incredibly vast, with smooth walls and floor. Strange machines lined up along the walls, and men in white uniforms were busily observing and operating them. Bard asked the man in front of him.

“Who is this “Master”?

“Ah, “Master” refers to the leader or highest authority here. Well, in any case, congratulations on making it this far. I’m Steshil, the head of the technical department.”

Bard was about to ask more questions, but the men along the walls started calling out.

“Number 2, loss of consciousness! He has fallen. Emotions remain calm.”

“Number 1, loss of consciousness! Likewise, he fell while emotions stayed calm.”

“Number 4, loss of consciousness! Fell, emotions calm.”

“Ah, Number 3! Loss of consciousness. Fall down! Blood is coming from the mouth. Seems he bit his tongue off!”

He rushed over to the man who reported biting his tongue. Steshil ran over as well. There was something laike a large framed screens on the wall, and a picture was moving inside. The image shown was of Karz Rowen. No, it was not a mere painting. The frames were actually projecting Karz Rowen himself.

Steshil shouted in a loud voice.

“Rescue team! Immediately dispatch three members to the Dream Room, number 3. A challenger has bitten through his tongue. Retrieve him and provide first aid! What a shame. Just when we had a successful challenger.”

Karz lies collapsed within the frame. He is vomiting blood from his mouth. What on earth has happened? Did he bite his tongue? Why would Karz have to commit suicide?

Looking at the frame next to him, it shows Engdahl. Another frame is displaying Yemite. There is also a frame showing Godon. They were all lying down as if they’re asleep. Yet another frame shows Zariya.

Three men in white clothing, white hats, and white masks appeared within the frame containing Karz. They lifted Karz, who was on a wheeled bed, and carried him away. Bard approached Steshil.

“What is the meaning of this? What has happened to Karz?”

“I…I don’t know. According to “Master”, there should be no danger to his life.”

Just as Bard was about to ask who this “Master” was, a loud, metallic and unpleasant voice echoed from the ceiling.

“Steshil. Bring Lord Bard Rowen to me.” (t/n: bard roen -dono)

“Yes, Master. Mr. Bard Rowen, that would be you. Please, this way.” (bard roen -sama)

Suddenly, the scene before Bard’s eyes distorted, and he found himself in a different location. Steshil is there too. They were in a hallway.

“Please, come this way.”

Following Steshil’s guidance, Bard walked on. He had many questions to ask, but it would be best to inquire of this “Master” directly. Steshil stopped in front of a massive door.

“Please, enter here.”

Steshil bowed in a peculiar manner, and the door silently slid open. Bard stepped into the room.

2

The room was also vast. There were many strange machines, and elegant furnishings were placed throughout. In the back, there was a massive chair, and a gigantic Dragonoid sat upon it. He was truly a giant among Dragonoids, and likely an ancient one as well.

“Welcome, human Bard Rowen. When that strange old woman called your name, I realized you were Bard Rowen. I thought I had heard that name somewhere before, but I never expected the wielder of the spirit sword to come here of all places, so I was slow to recognize your true identity. In the arena battle before, I thought you were a strange one with peculiar powers, but I see now that was the power of the spirit sword. How remarkable. If I had known you were that Bard Rowen, the wielder of the spirit sword, I would not have sent the enemies in the corridor. But in any case, I could not avoid having you fight the arena enemies. They were beyond our control. You and your companions have impressively defeated the enemies that appeared. Let us welcome you. Those who conquer the “Cave of Trials” will be rewarded. Weapons, medicine, or knowledge. What do you desire?”

Without answering the Dragonoid’s question, Bard posed his own question.

“What have you done to Kars and everyone else, Dragon Man Echidorkiye?”

“…Ah, so you know me. Did you hear from Uldruu or the human Lugurgoa? No, wait. You went to the Dragonoid’s island, didn’t you? You must have met the Dragonoid tribe chief. The chief cannot leave the island, after all.”

Echidorkiye was one of the two Dragonoids empowered by the monster that is the “Master” of the Dragonoids. The other Dragonoid, Uldruu, was killed by the prince’s soldiers in the Goriora Empire’s imperial palace. There is one more dragon with special powers. That is this Echidorkiye. So it was him. He was the trump card of the Dragonoid tribe chief. The Dragonoid tribe chief had said,

“I had Echidorkiye control the Queen of Manuno and send a horde of demonic beasts into the human lands, in the faint hope that the wielder of the spirit sword might appear and use its power against the demonic beasts.”

This is him. This is the one who manipulated the Manunos and had the horde of demonic beasts attack Lordvan Castle. Bard’s mind was flooded with the horrific scenes of that battle. The faces of the fallen warriors came to mind. Maitalp Yagan, “Crooked Nose” Nid Yuil, “Pretentious” Husban Tieluta, and the others. Bard felt a seething, dark red anger boiling up from the pit of his stomach. Suppressing those emotions, he pondered.

The Dragonoid tribe chief Popolbarpopo had told Bard to make the power of the “First Human’s Legacy” his own, saying it was the Dragonoids’ wish for Bard to defeat the monster by wielding the great inheritance’s power. And he had taught him about the “Cave of Trials.” Of course, there had to be traps there. The proud Dragonoids would never simply hand over an advantage to a human. That trap was this Echidorkiye.

Chief Popolbarpopo knew that Echidorkiye was dwelling deep within Fyuza as the master of the “Cave of Trials.” Whether Bard would be able to solve the riddle to enter the “Cave of Trials” and conquer it was uncertain. No, it was likely a gamble with a low probability of success. But for the Dragonoids, it was a bet with no risk and a large payoff. If Bard and his companions managed to traverse the “Cave of Trials,” the Dragonoid Echidorkiye with his special powers would be waiting to swoop in and reap the benefits.

“Bard Rowen. Bard Rowen. I had heard that name from a spy, but at the time it was quite chaotic. “Master” was so sleepy that he had no choice but to push me in here. And he blocked the entrance and exit. This is the first time such a thing has happened. But that is proof that “Master” feared you and the spirit sword. To ensure that I would never meet you, he confined me here. And yet, you came here to this place. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And yet, I sent one powerful demonic beast after another to attack you. You have defeated them all, and even defeated all your opponents in the arena. It is truly remarkable. I tried to give you an illusion, foolishly thinking that if I could corrupt your heart, it would all be over. But you did not let your heart be corrupted. Tell me, how did you prevent the illusion?”

Bard did not answer Echidorkiye’s question, but instead posed his own question.

“What did you do to my comrades?”

“Ah, that. It was nothing much. I showed them a dream where their most trusted companions attacked them. I thought that would confuse and devastate them, and they would try to kill the attacker. Even after the dream was dispelled, the hatred and anger would remain. Those who trusted each other would end up killing one another. I thought it would be an entertaining sight. But it did not turn out that way. All of them lost consciousness with their minds still calm. Probably they were just killed without any anger or hatred towards the one they were meant to attack. They are a strange bunch. As for one of them, he resisted too strongly, so I changed my approach. I forcibly took control of his body and made him slay the one he trusted. Then he tried to take his own life. Truly strange ones.”

What a despicable act. What cruelty. This foul lizard has shown the party a nightmare merely for the pleasure of watching the adventurers kill each other. Who is the one most trusted by Godon, Engdahl, and Yemite? Could it be Bard? That is unclear, but if there is one Karz trusts the most, it would surely be Bard. Karz, with his limbs manipulated by someone, attacked Bard. At that moment, Karz bit off his own tongue without hesitation. Karz thought that he would rather die than kill Bard Rowen. Ah! What a man he is. But yes, that is the kind of man Karz Rowen is.

“It seems they are treating him now. The medical technology here is remarkable. There, I have answered your question. I was about to ask you a question, but that bracelet with the engraved pattern can only be Yana’s. So you had obtained that. Well, thanks to that, you were saved.”

The Dragonoid Echidorkiye rose from the chair and approached Bard.

“Bard Rowen, follow me.”

Saying that, the Dragonoid Echidorkiye left the room. Bard followed after him. Echidorkiye walked through a dimly lit corridor, perhaps made of stone or metal. He did not even look back at Bard. He trusted that Bard would follow without question. Yes, that is the way of the Dragonoids. The Dragonoids simply command, and others obey.

Without walking far, Echidorkiye stopped. He muttered something akin to an incantation, and a part of the wall split open vertically. It was a large, dimly lit room. Floating in the center of the room was a blue, spherical light.

“That glowing sphere is a relay device. Aim your spirit sword at it and call out. That will grant you access to the legacy of the First Humans.”