Chapter 146
Chapter 146
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Underground Passage Entrance
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Finding the entrance to the underground passage was no easy task.
The ruins they had explored so far were mostly paths that predecessors from Byulbureumi had already traversed and mapped out. But this underground passage existed only in ancient texts; no one had ever confirmed its location firsthand.
All they knew was that somewhere in the hilly region southwest of Masille Territory lay an entrance. It was a terribly vague clue.
And after weeks of scouring the hills on faith in that clue alone, they had nothing to show for it.
Thanks to Byulbureumi bringing ample food and water, supplies were not an issue. But the lack of any progress was wearing everyone down.
Unlike a long march with a clear destination, wandering without certainty exhausted the spirit several times over.
At that moment, Arsen lay sprawled on a hillside, away from the group on what was meant to be a patrol but had turned into a idle stroll, staring blankly at the sky.
There was only one reason he could afford to be alone like this. Over the past few weeks, he had relentlessly patrolled these hills, slaughtering every magic beast that dared attack.
The beasts here now seemed to accept humans—almost as new apex predators in the area—despite their savage instincts to kill any they encountered.
Or perhaps all the aggressive ones were simply dead.
Just then, as Arsen lay gazing at the sky, a voice echoed in his mind.
Fortunately, it wasn't madness-induced hallucination.
[You look exhausted.]
“...Seems that way.”
Arsen's Jin, the black lion, carried a backpack with a single orb inside. An orb containing an ancient soul from hundreds or thousands of years past.
He answered aloud with his physical voice, not spirit speech. No one was nearby.
[This is a first. You usually have that unflappable look, like nothing's impossible.]
The ancient, Barkran Kedow, spoke in an amused tone.
Arsen felt a surge of irritation at being mocked for his frustration, but he suppressed it.
‘...Never mind.’
His nerves were just frayed from things not going as planned. It wasn't worth snapping over.
And Barkran wasn't someone you could lash out at freely.
Calming himself, Arsen posed a question.
“Time's not on our side, and nothing's panning out. You really have no idea where this underground passage is?”
[I told you, I don't. That area beyond the Eldarin River you mention—Werun—was enemy territory back when I lived in Bashara. No way I'd know their geography intimately. I get the gist of what the passage is, but...]
According to Barkran, the passage they sought was from a distant ancient era—even before his time. It was a tunnel akin to a subway line.
A project led by the Isht Republic, which once dominated the continent. The ultimate goal had been a massive loop encircling the entire land. But it collapsed the republic due to excessive budget and manpower, halting midway.
“A nation ruling the entire continent... So there really was such a thing.”
He had heard it multiple times, but it never failed to feel surreal.
In this barren world, where survival outside territories and citadels was impossible, a vast nation like those on Earth had once existed.
He could scarcely imagine tens of millions—or hundreds of millions—living under one rule.
Arsen, with his Earth memories, could accept it without much fuss, almost whining about it. An ordinary person here would likely reject the very concept of such a colossal state.
Even as Arsen grasped concepts alien to this world's natives with ease, Barkran found nothing suspicious.
Trapped in the orb, the ancient struggled to gauge the limits of medieval common sense.
Having spoken only to Arsen, Barkran assumed people of this era were more sophisticated and open-minded than expected.
[Well, yeah. Your societies are barely at the primitive city-state level. There's a kingdom down south, right?]
“So they say. A few territories merged under one rule, vast land... But places actually livable are few and far between anyway.”
[Unless you restore the purification magic circles.]
Restoring the purification magic circles was no simple matter.
Their indestructible material came from the ancients' so-called "progenitors'" world—unobtainable on this planet, as far as anyone knew.
Even in Barkran's era, the lord's and castle lord's manors housing the circles' bases were strictly off-limits.
“That's a problem for later. Right now, finding the damn passage is the issue...”
“Captain!”
Someone shouted from afar, calling for Arsen.
Recognizing it as one of the soldiers, Arsen sprang to his feet.
“What is it?”
“Sir Anun found something!”
* * *
Anun, clad only in shirt and pants, poured stream water over his head to cool off.
It wasn't the summer heat. He had flown their sole flying Jin, the Winged Bird, until his mana was nearly depleted.
Knights, unlike mages, rarely exhausted their mana. Infusing weapons or armor consumed little, so the body fatigued first in battle.
Unless wielding something like Arsen's wind axe that guzzled massive mana, knights seldom pushed to the brink.
Thus, seeing a knight drained from overusing mana was unfamiliar even to Arsen.
“You alright, Sir Anun?”
“Hoo, yes. Feeling better after resting.”
Anun's face remained flushed with heat.
Barkran claimed it was the combat doll's backlash—forcing the body to generate energy after mana overuse—but Arsen, lacking such arcane knowledge, struggled to follow.
“So, you found the entrance to the underground passage?”
“Yes. Not certain it's the one, but patrolling north, I spotted what looked like a massive sunken basin. Sheer cliffs surround it—hard to see from below.”
At that, cheers erupted; the tedious search was over. Arsen shared the joy but shouted to maintain order.
“Hold!”
Silence fell. Confirming composure, he issued orders.
“Fire a signal to gather the patrols, then head where Sir Anun leads. Elder Latis, if you would.”
“Understood. I'll assemble everyone.”
With the leaders' seamless accord, nearby knights, mages, and soldiers converged on base.
Over forty in number.
Once assembled, now a proper force, they marched north.
Toward the basin Anun described.
* * *
“No wonder we couldn't find it! How do you even spot this?”
Bazkal's lament drew silent nods of agreement.
They stood atop a great peak enclosing a basin some 20 meters wide.
The rim rose high, surrounded by rounded earth like a volcanic crater.
The depression plunged dozens of meters; even knightly eyes couldn't pierce its depths clearly.
With a 20-meter sheer drop and no easy ascent, finding it on foot could have taken months or years.
Who would climb such a sharp peak just to peer inside?
“Brother, you foresaw this and brought the Winged Bird...?”
“No way.”
Arsen shook his head, but Bazkal nodded in admiration.
Turning from his foolery, Arsen watched people ascending from below.
He and a few strong knights and mages had gone ahead for safety; now regular soldiers and Byulbureumi servants hauled mounts and gear.
Finally, the elderly mages and their knight escorts.
They built a simple lift to climb. The Winged Bird proved invaluable.
Arsen flew up with thick ropes and materials, then worked from both ends to complete it swiftly.
Byulbureumi tools, artifacts, and spells minimized risks and boosted efficiency.
“Last one!”
A shout from below, and the pulley whirred. Mana-reinforced with strength-amplifying grips on handles, four men hoisted hundreds of kilos effortlessly.
The lift carrying ten rose, and at last, all personnel and gear crested the peak.
“Everyone up?”
“Yes. Headcount complete, Sir Arsen.”
Latis bowed politely. Arsen nodded, peering into the basin.
Surprisingly, a path descended inside. A metallic one.
Spiraling along the inner wall like ancient mage architecture from ruins.
Barkran commented.
[Old-timers believed spirals held mystical power. They always built descending stairs this way.]
Despite having elevator tech, ancients preferred spirals unless essential, installing lifts separately in their era, Barkran explained.
Noting it, Arsen ordered the descent.
“Jisharan, distribute the medicine.”
“Understood.”
He had her give night-vision enhancing drugs not just to soldiers but Byulbureumi detachments and mages too.
Even normals gained decent darksight from it.
Trivial for knights, but vital in crises.
Limited supply, so only in true emergencies—no light from mage spells or torches.
The spiral was narrow, descent tricky.
A mount nearly slipped to its death; bags of gear tumbled.
Deep down, sky reduced to a palm-sized patch.
“Stairs end!”
Rino called from the lead. All gathered, packing the basin floor tight.
Their goal was obvious.
In the stone-walled underground chamber, a metal door stood.
“Seeing a ruin door in person... It's been ages.”
Latis placed a hand on it, awed.
Arsen couldn't share the sentiment. He heard the door's spirit speech.
But no desire to shatter the moment by revealing its dignified rebuke: "Remove your hand at once, you lowly combat doll."
“I'll open the door, Elder Latis.”
“Ah, yes. I was in the way.”
Stepping him back, Arsen touched it.
[Welcome, visitor. Thank you for visiting the Continental Loop Train Emergency Exit...]
[Something's off.]
Amid rote greetings, Barkran interjected.
Arsen frowned slightly, replying via spirit speech.
[What?]
[These ruins usually have security protocols. Combat dolls can't pass, obviously, but even humans aren't auto-approved. Thieves would've looted them bare otherwise. This exit was for overseers only—unless the whole system's been reset...]
Arsen sensed Barkran tilting his head, though unseen.
Puzzled yet composed, he intoned the command softly.
The brief silence had already stirred uneasy glances.
“Open the door.”
[Welcome, visitor.]
With that, the door to the underground passage swung open.