Reincarnated as Twins: And Then, I Was the Only One Abandoned - ☆70 The Last Adventure ③

☆70 The Last Adventure ③

We continued forward along a narrow path that cut through the vast open space. 

The last time I came here, there was no map beyond this point. 

It was here that I met Lilith. And together, we ventured further ahead, creating the very first map of this area. 

Thanks to that map, my reputation skyrocketed beyond what my actual abilities warranted. 

That recognition opened many doors for me—including the offer to inherit Vald. 

The branching paths ahead were so deeply ingrained in my memory that I didn’t even need to check the map. 

After weaving right and left for a while, we finally emerged into a vast, sunlit expanse. 

Even though we were inside a cave, the ceiling was impossibly high. 

A sprawling jungle stretched out before us, its dense vegetation thriving unchecked. 

Just like three years ago, glowing plants and luminous insects flickered and crawled about. They cast dazzling lights. 

The presence of magical beasts lingered in the air, but none seemed inclined to attack. 

“This is way easier than last time, huh?” 

Lilith glanced around, her posture relaxing. 

“Hah! I’m not the same guy I was back then. Even Wyverns would be trembling in fear at my presence now.” 

“Haha. Let’s hope so. If they do attack, you’ll handle them, right?” 

…Was that a flag just now? 

◆◆◆

After trekking through the jungle for about an hour— 

We arrived at a spot where the glowing plants faded. And shadows pooled like an air pocket in the midst of the luminescence. 

A pitch-black hole lay open before us. It was as if all the colors of the world had been drained into it. 

At that very moment— 

Multiple shadows came hurtling down from above. 

Winged creatures, resembling dragons, swooped in at full speed. 

…Of course. 

I barely had time to sigh in exasperation before I instinctively moved to shield Elysia— 

But before I could even reach for her, she and the others had already scattered in all directions. 

…Wait. Am I really handling this solo?! 

A set of razor-sharp claws were gleaming in the light. They slashed toward me at terrifying speed. 

Staying calm, I reinforced my arm with mana and caught the blow head-on. 

A sharp clang rang out, reverberating through my entire body—but I was completely unharmed. 

Before I could even catch my breath, I felt intense heat surging from behind. 

No time to turn around. 

From the corner of my eye, I saw a massive fireball roaring toward me. 

But before my body could react, my mana moved on its own. 

The moment the flames reached me, their heat was instantly converted to ice— 

And in the next instant, they dissipated into a burst of white steam. 

The Wyvern that had launched the fire attack hesitated for a fraction of a second. 

I didn’t waste that opening. 

Channeling mana into an ice spear, I took aim. 

The spear sliced through the air with a sharp whistle. It glinted as it flew straight and true. 

And then—*thud*. 

A heavy impact rang out as the spear impaled the Wyvern cleanly. 

Confirming the hit, I exhaled and turned to deal with the rest— 

That’s when I noticed something strange. 

The other Wyverns were gone. 

“Impressive! Wow, you’ve really grown!” 

Lilith clapped her hands. She was flashing a genuinely impressed smile. 

“Huh? What about the others? There should’ve been two more.” 

“They took one look at you and fled.” 

…Seriously? 

◆◆◆

“Alright, this is it. Are we all ready?” 

We stood gathered before the dark abyss as Lilith checked in with everyone. 

Her voice was steady, but all of us could feel it— 

The ominous mana seeping from this hole, it was an oppressive presence like something straight out of hell. 

I remembered this feeling. 

Last time, every fiber of my being had screamed in fear. And I had no choice but to turn back. 

“This is bad… I’m getting chills.” 

Yuhak’s face was slightly pale. 

“Yeah, this is insane. What is this? A spirit? A demon? A devil? Well, worst case scenario, we use Morglim as a shield and make a run for it.” 

Abyssla joked, but there was an edge of tension in his voice. 

“Everyone, stay ready to engage at any moment.” 

Lilith’s quiet words echoed. 

We all nodded in silence and took slow, deliberate steps toward the hole. 

I felt a small hand clutching the hem of my shirt. 

Elysia’s pale fingers were trembling. 

—Why? 

Why was I so drawn to this terrifying existence? 

The real me—the person I used to be—would have avoided something like this at all costs. 

And yet, I had even brought Elysia along. 

I knew she would never let me go alone. 

Maybe… we should never have come here in the first place. 

Even so— 

Something deep inside me was being pulled toward the “presence” lurking in this darkness. 

It wasn’t curiosity. 

It wasn’t duty. 

—It was something far more primal. 

Something instinctive and irresistible. 

Like a shard of iron drawn to a magnet, I stepped into the abyss.