Returning from the Magic Tower, Hyunwoo felt a significant change within himself.
The intense training had granted him new powers, but he knew it was only the beginning.
A new threat, as forewarned by the mysterious wizard, was looming, and he had to find a way to confront it.
One night, as Hyunwoo was rearranging his small library at home, he discovered an old book that he seemed to have never seen before.
Its worn and dusty cover indicated that it had been untouched for a long time.
Carefully, Hyunwoo opened the book, and inside, he found an ancient map hidden among the pages.
The map was made of aged animal skin, with black ink that was beginning to fade.
On its surface, lines depicted the region of Eldoria, marked with several strange symbols he didn't recognize.
In the corner of the map, there was a phrase written in an ancient, difficult-to-read script.
"Here lies the lost power, to fight the coming darkness" Hyunwoo felt his heart race.
He knew this was no coincidence.
This map revealed the locations of powerful artifacts hidden throughout Eldoria, believed to help combat the approaching threat.
Without wasting any time, he decided to study the map further and seek help from his friends.
•••
The next day, Hyunwoo gathered Yoona, Hyeon-Jin, Seojun, and Hana at their headquarters.
He placed the ancient map on the table and explained what he had found.
"This is an ancient map showing the locations of powerful artifacts hidden throughout Eldoria," said Hyunwoo.
"These artifacts could help us fight the new threat that's coming." Yoona examined the map closely.
"This is incredible, Hyunwoo. But we need to know more about these artifacts. What do they do, and how can we find them?" Hana, an expert in ancient knowledge, began reading the inscriptions on the map.
"This language is very old, but I can translate it. From what I see, there are five main artifacts scattered across Eldoria. Each artifact has a unique power that can aid us" Hyeon-Jin nodded in agreement.
"Alright, we need to divide the tasks. We can search for these artifacts one by one. I'm sure it won't be easy, but we have to try." With a solid plan, they decided to begin their journey.
The first point indicated on the map was an old temple deep within the wilderness.
The journey to the old temple was not easy.
They had to traverse dense forests filled with dangers. However, their spirits remained high.
Hyunwoo led with confidence, using all the knowledge and power he had gained from the Magic Tower.
When they arrived at the old temple, the building was nearly in ruins.
Its walls were covered in moss and climbing plants, and the surroundings felt cold and eerie.
Inside the temple, they found an ancient altar adorned with classical carvings.
"This is it," said Hyunwoo, pointing to a small statue atop the altar.
"This must be the Artifact."However, as Hyunwoo approached the statue, the ground around them began to tremble.
From the shadows emerged a large figure made of stone and fire.
The creature roared and moved towards them.
"Prepare yourselves!" shouted Hyunwoo, drawing his sword.A fierce battle ensued.
Hyeon-Jin charged with his sword, striking the stone creature with full force.
Yoona cast protective spells, while Hana used her magic to weaken the creature.
Hyunwoo, with all his new powers, directed a fiery magic attack straight at the creature's core.
After an exhausting battle, the stone creature finally crumbled into rubble.
Hyunwoo and his friends breathed a sigh of relief, but they knew this was just the beginning.
Hyunwoo approached the statue on the altar and felt a strong surge of energy as he touched it.
"We finally have the first artifact," he said, holding the statue.
"One down, a few more to go."
•••
After a long and challenging journey, Hyunwoo and his friends successfully obtained the first artifact, the Shield of Eldoria.
Night had fallen as they returned to Hyunwoo's castle, feeling relieved and proud of their achievement.
However, they knew this was just the beginning of their long journey to gather all the artifacts and face the impending threat.
Back at the castle, they headed straight to the small meeting room in the library.
Hyunwoo placed the shield on the table, gazing at it in awe.
The shield shimmered with magical light, emanating a warm and protective aura.
"With this artifact, we have a strong defense," Hyunwoo said, exhaling in relief.
"But we still need to learn more about the threat that's coming." Hana, who had studied various ancient texts, examined the shield closely.
"There are symbols engraved here," she said, pointing to the edge of the shield.
"These might give us further clues."Hana began to chant a spell to activate the magic contained within the shield.
Soft light emerged from the shield, forming glowing symbols in the air.
These symbols then transformed into words in the ancient language of Eldoria.
"It says here that this shield is the key to activating a portal that connects our world to the shadow world," said Hana with bright eyes.
"This portal is located in the Eldoria Mountains and can only be accessed with this artifact." Seojun, always ready for action, said, "We need to head to the Eldoria Mountains as soon as possible. If this portal is the key to defeating our enemy, we can't waste any time." Hyunwoo nodded in agreement.
"Right, but we need to prepare ourselves well. The Eldoria Mountains are a dangerous place. We must ensure we're ready for whatever lies ahead." They spent that night preparing supplies and planning their journey.
The next morning, they set off with renewed spirits, carrying the shield and the ancient map as their guides.
The journey to the Eldoria Mountains was filled with challenges.
They had to cross dense forests, swift rivers, and steep cliffs.
But with teamwork and strong determination, they overcame every obstacle.
As they finally reached the foot of the Eldoria Mountains, the air grew colder and thinner.
Thick fog enveloped the mountain peaks, creating a mysterious and tense atmosphere.
"The portal should be somewhere around here," said Hyunwoo, examining the map and the shield.
"We need to look for signs indicating the portal's location." They began to climb, carefully inspecting every nook and cranny of the mountain.
After several hours of climbing, they discovered a hidden cave behind large boulders.
At the entrance of the cave were carved the same symbols found on the shield.
"This is the place," said Yoona with confidence.
"The portal is inside this cave." They entered the cave cautiously.
Inside, they found an ancient altar with a magic circle engraved on the floor.
Hyunwoo placed the shield in the center of the circle, and immediately a bright light illuminated the space, activating the hidden portal.
Light from the portal radiated, creating a vortex of energy that connected their world to the shadow world.
A rumbling sound echoed as the portal fully opened, revealing a path to a place they had never seen before.
"This is it," said Hyunwoo with hope.
"We must enter this portal and learn more about the threat we face." With determined hearts and unwavering courage, Hyunwoo and his friends stepped into the portal.
On the other side, they found themselves in a dark and mysterious shadow world.
Everything felt different here.
The air was colder, the colors more muted, and the atmosphere more oppressive.
They walked slowly, observing their surroundings.
Ahead of them lay a dense forest rumored to conceal the Hidden Castle.
This castle was said to hold vital clues about the great threat they would face.
With firm resolve, they entered the forest, following a barely visible path among the towering trees.