Chapter 80 – The Magical Beast and the Serpent of the Sanctuary
079 – The Magical Beast and the Serpent of the Sanctuary #1
“Hey, yeah, I’m talking about the dude over there. If I were to ask that guy which way is correct, which path do you think he’d point me to?”
I thought this was the question that would lead to the answer.
The truth-teller Oreo knows that Oz, next to him, lies, so he points to the false door.
And on the flip side, the lying Oz, aware that Oreo would point to the honest path, has to respond with a lie, meaning he would also indicate the wrong direction.
In the end, both of those knuckleheads can only point to a false path.
“A double negative sure does equal a strong positive, huh?”
Even a science major knows that much.
With bared fangs and a confident grin, Seongseong raised a finger and pointed to the left path.
“Alright then.”
It was revealed that the left path was indeed the false road connected to the maze.
I turned to Leaf and Judah, full of myself, and said, “The right path is the correct one.”
“Are you sure the right path is correct? Why’s that?”
Leaf asked, looking puzzled.
I briefly explained the question I had posed to those two and how it led to the conclusion that the right path was the correct one.
As the others listened, Leaf’s face brightened as if he finally grasped the problem and the answer.
“Wow, so that really means they’d point only to fake paths!”
“Great job, bro! So we can head right now.”
Judah exchanged glances between the right path and the twin Seongseongs.
Soon, he approached the twin Seongseongs and patted their shoulders.
“Looks like the reign of the wicked serpent witch Kaah is coming to an end. Don’t you want to join us?”
“Nah. We have our duties to fulfill here, Judah. A mission is a mission.”
“Wise adventurers you’ve brought along. The future of this forest lies with you and these fine folks. Now, get going!”
The twin Seongseongs responded fluently to Judah’s words.
I was a little surprised that they could communicate about things beyond just riddles.
‘Wasn’t planning to eat them, but this doesn’t feel like the right atmosphere for that.’
Seeing the twins hug each other like a friendly trio discussing their future made me feel a bit awkward, and I scratched my face with my front claw.
‘Considering the last ones I ate are still digesting…’
I thought it wouldn’t hurt to let one or two Seongseongs live.
These brothers seemed to get along well with Judah, who hired me. If I ate them, Judah might just hold back the treasure of the air-conditioning clouds.
‘That’d just make things unnecessarily messy. Gotta take it easy.’
After a while of hugging each other, the Seongseongs broke apart.
“Judah, the final trial beyond this point is guarded by that Sphinx over there.”
“All we can offer is this much advice. Now go! Kaah’s eyes are everywhere.”
One of the Seongseongs pointed to a tree.
There, a tiny lizard, about the size of a palm, was watching us.
Upon sensing our gaze, the lizard flicked its tongue and vanished quietly into the branches without a sound.
*
Separated from the Oreo and Oz brothers, Leaf and I strolled down the right path.
The underbrush was getting thorny, and an array of bones made the atmosphere seem like this path led to a trap in the forest maze.
I kicked a nearby bone like a tin can while muttering.
“Man, this place gives off a creepy vibe.”
“There are raccoon bones on the ground…! Definitely raccoon bones!”
Leaf let out a gasp, pointing at a skull with a snout.
Judah, who had been silent since entering the right path, finally spoke up, looking deep in thought.
“Raccoons and their relatives are prime snacks around here. They tend to go nuts over riddles and numbers. We Seongseongs love snacking on them too.”
“Hmmm.”
After hearing Judah’s words, I narrowed my eyes at Leaf.
It seems there are quite a few clever raccoons like this spicy raccoon Leaf hanging around the forest.
I wondered if they were lured in like sparrows to a gristmill by riddles and puzzling questions.
Judah picked up a raccoon skull from the ground and tossed it beyond the thicket.
“But there’s only been one raccoon to escape this forest alive. A little baby raccoon. It stole Mihuwang’s precious sword and caused quite a ruckus for a time.”
“Uh-huh. Cough.”
Suddenly, Leaf started coughing at Judah’s explanation.
“Ah, I got choked up all of a sudden.”
Judah, looking puzzled, turned his gaze away to the distant end of the path.
“It’s probably about time we see the next checkpoint. Since the Sphinx is stationed there, you won’t get by with half-hearted resolve. He’s Kaah’s top minion, you know.”
‘A Sphinx, huh.’
That familiar name put me on edge.
I wondered if I’d be facing a lion with a human face or something.
As I lost myself in thought, I finally noticed something in the distance that resembled legs and a cliff.
‘Is that the Sphinx?’
At the rickety bridge made of wooden boards and vines stood a Seongseong with a thick build, reminiscent of a lumbering beast.
His body was covered in long, blue fur, clearly displaying his thick muscle structure.
He looked like some 2-meter tall wrestler clad in a blue fur coat.
With a presence that might fit a name like “Gorilla” or “King Kong,” this beast was far more intimidating than just a mere Seongseong.
“Behold, the Mam’s Touching Sasquatch, the Sphinx! A notoriously feral beast under witch Kaah’s command.”
Judah spoke in a whispering tone.
I couldn’t help but wag my tail at the name attached to this creature.
‘Where do they even come up with these ridiculous names? Chili, Tartar, Curry, and now Mam’s Touch?’
Finally arriving at the end of the path, Leaf, Judah, and I stood face to face with this Sphinx.
Leaning against a wooden post securing the bridge, it seemed to sense our presence, lifting one eye languidly.
“In this deathly bridge, only those who can answer my three questions may cross. The one beside you—is that a human?”
The voice boomed like an old tree speaking.
“Eeeek!”
Leaf, who was pointed out, trembled and vanished behind me.
The Sphinx scoffed and said, “Well then, fine.”
“Each of you gets three questions. If you fail to answer one, you’ll plummet into the abyss below.”
The Sphinx extended three fingers, visibly challenging us.
I looked down at the endless chasm beneath the bridge.
I could hear water flowing, but couldn’t see any rivers or streams—it was probably a gaping void far deeper than I could even contemplate.
“Who will challenge me first?”
Judah, standing on my left, bravely stepped forward.
“Let me try first.”
“Ah, Mihuwang’s son Judah, eh? Very well. Here’s the first question. Who are you?”
“I am Judah, the red-furred son of Mihuwang.”
“And where are you headed?”
“I’m going towards the sanctuary where the roots of the World Tree lie.”
“Lastly, what is your favorite color?”
“Red.”
“Good. You’ve answered all the questions correctly, so you’re free to cross the bridge.”
The Sphinx stepped aside for Judah.
Judah shrugged and quickly said, “I’ll go first then.”
‘What kind of questions are these? This is easy.’
Contrary to my worries about the infamous Sphinx, those questions were simple enough.
After observing Judah’s turn, Leaf, too, seemed energized by the breeze of confidence and declared, “Now it’s my turn!” as he dashed to stand before the Sphinx.
Once again, the Sphinx blocked the bridge, directing a question at Leaf.
“Who are you?”
“I am Leaf, the raccoon!”
“Hmm.”
The Sphinx paused, scanning Leaf from head to toe.
Did saying he was a raccoon in an almost human form raise any flags?
After a moment, the Sphinx cleared his throat and resumed.
“What’s your goal?”
“I’m going to use the sap of the World Tree to cure a curse.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“White!”
“Very well, wise one. You may pass the bridge.”
“Hehe!”
Leaf bounced excitedly as he crossed the wobbly bridge.
‘Now it’s my turn.’
Finally, it was my turn. I stretched my shoulders and approached the Sphinx.
The Sphinx gave me a sidelong glance.
“What’s your name?”
“Alpha White Dog.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Of course, it’s white.”
“Now for the last question. Yan-Mite travels to and from his hunting ground at speeds of 50 km per minute going and 60 km per minute coming back. If the journey takes 22 minutes, what is the distance from Yan-Mite’s cave to the hunting ground?”
“Uh, wait, what?”
“That’s not the answer. Failing to provide an answer means you’re going down into the abyss!”
The Sphinx bared its fangs, thumping its chest vigorously.
I backed away from the furious Sphinx and growled.
“You! You’re the one who set up a math problem at the entrance! Why am I the only one getting a tough question?!”
“To find this hard, you have no right to go to the sanctuary!”
The Sphinx swung its massive arms at me.
Its muscular arms and fists made a threatening whooshing sound like a huge hammer swinging.
When its fist crashed down, it created a small crater in the ground.
‘This guy’s just like that Pao-Hoo.’
I quickly distanced myself while assessing the Sphinx’s abilities calmly.
The Sphinx’s strikes were powerful but predictable; he relied on sheer muscle.
‘But it seems slower than Pao-Hoo.’
Though the Sphinx’s punches were heavy, they weren’t so fast that I couldn’t dodge them.
Having gained experience by battling Mu-hamba and Pao-Hoo, my body moved like a feather as I weaved through the Sphinx’s arms and legs.
“You ignorant beast who doesn’t know numbers, hurry up and go to the abyss! Rhetoric is the root of all evil!”
The Sphinx, angered by my evasive maneuvers, snarled, baring its teeth.
“Oh!”
As I dodged another blow, I tripped over a stone and fell to the ground.
Seizing that moment, the Sphinx raised its joined hands high into the sky.
“I’m going to turn you into minced meat!”
With enormous motion, it swung down toward me.
I lifted the corners of my mouth, smiling.
“Did you really think I’d leave you an opening, you foolish beast?”
I had anticipated that if I showed a gap, a big attack would come—just as expected, the Sphinx delivered a powerful strike.
After a big swing, a moment of vulnerability was inevitable.
I took that chance when its arms hit empty air and aimed my claw at its neck.
“Gah! You little rascal!”
The Sphinx clamped its hands on its neck to stem the bl**d gushing from its veins.
‘As expected, the muscle makes my attack shallow. I was aiming to slice it wide open.’
I dismissed the bl**d on my claws, whipping my tail.
With its hands busy staunching the bleeding, it couldn’t block my attack.
My tail whipped through the air like a whip, hitting the Sphinx on the head with a loud smack! that echoed all around.
“Ugh!”
The giant collapsed to the ground, rolling about.
“P-Please, let me go.”
In sheer terror, he gazed at me, crawling away on the floor.
I chased after him, slamming my tail down on the Sphinx’s back.
“Ahhh!”
“Begging for your life? Is that your fourth question? What do you think my answer will be?”
Wrapping my tail around the Sphinx’s neck, I lifted it off the ground.
Brought eye-to-eye with me, he averted his gaze, cowardly trembling his lips.
“I-I could admit that!”
“Wrong! You failed to answer, so you’re going down into my belly!”
“If you k*ll me, Kaah won’t leave you be!”
His threat made me scowl. I didn’t appreciate those who relied on someone else’s backing.
“Why should I care? Kaah will soon follow you.”
“L-Let’s make a deal! I-I’ll give you treasure!”
“Treasure?”
“I have all sorts of jewels in my nest! They sparkle and shine! How about it? I’ll give you all of it!”
With his earlier heavy presence completely lost, the Sphinx shouted desperately like a coward with a kn*fe to his throat.
Hearing the word jewels made me consider it for a moment.
“Can you eat them?”
“What kind of question is that? You can’t eat jewels, you know!”
