Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Hair's-Breadth Crisis! (1)
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Cold water slammed into his face, and the unconscious black magician twisted, his eyes fluttering open.
"Ugh... ugh..."
A flickering shadow danced over his face like a goblin under the torchlight.
"Awake, are you?"
Mace growled.
In his hand was a hefty mace, no doubt soaked with the blood of countless monsters.
"!"
The black magician's eyes darted around frantically.
Bound with ropes and surrounded by a crowd of people—he had to be on edge.
"Heh... hehehe... So you survived after all. Lucky bastards!"
The prisoner licked the blood trickling from his mouth and flashed a sinister grin.
"But it's all for nothing. Torturing me won't help! The time of ruin is almost upon us..."
Thwack!
Before he could finish, Mace's fist plunged into his solar plexus.
"Gahk!"
"Who asked about the time? Answer the damn questions!"
Mace grabbed his collar and hoisted him into the air. Veins writhed like worms along his thick forearms.
"What the hell are you plotting? Where'd you hide the guildmaster? And what's this underground prison you mentioned?"
"Cough... hahaha! Even if I tell you... what can you do about it? I'll never confess!"
Pain twisted his face, but he cackled madly, eyes rolling back as if he were the victor.
"The dice have already been cast! Oakwood will be trampled under the monsters' hooves, and foolish humans will be slaughtered by our great lord, Dragosius!"
I stepped forward.
"You mean the artificial flood ritual?"
As I spoke up, Mace obligingly slammed him to the ground so his eyes met mine.
"Urgh...!"
"You're causing an artificial flood, right? Where's the altar? Give me the exact location."
The black magician glanced up at my head and behind me, then sneered.
"Hmph, rat brat... Why should I tell you? You're all dead anyway! The time of despair is coming!"
I let out a short sigh. Typical black magician—reasoning with him was pointless.
Time for a translator.
"Mace."
"Got it."
Crack!
A crisp, gruesome bursting sound. Mace's mace struck his shinbone dead-on.
"Aaaargh!!"
The black magician shrieked, his body bending like a shrimp.
"You... you barbaric savage!"
"Damn right, asshole! So spill it! Where's the altar for your ritual? Where's the guildmaster?"
"I can't say..."
Thud! Thud!
"F-Fine! I'll talk! Stop, aaagh!"
A few blows, and he couldn't endure the bone-crushing pain any longer. He spilled everything.
As expected of a Silver badge's tool—Mace's mace made for an excellent translator.
"...Th-The altar... is in the depths of the Ancient Disguise! Where the roots of the Empire's Pillar are! It's gathering mana and emotions from the surroundings!"
"The guildmaster? Where's the underground prison? You're holding more than one."
"Th-The old fortress... locked in the underground prison. For negotiations later..."
He stammered it out, eyes flicking nervously to the mace.
Mace flung him to the ground.
"Old fortress... So that's their hideout."
Mace's face hardened.
The old fortress was an abandoned ruin on Oakwood's outskirts. Dank, labyrinthine, and notorious as a crime den.
While Mace's comrades bound the black magician tight and loaded him onto a horse, we climbed into our donkey cart, ready to leave.
"No time. Tonight, right? Back to the guild first!"
I looked up at the sky. The moon already hung midway.
"What about the ritual and monsters?"
"We got the altar's location. Ancient Disguise is a quick ride away on horseback. We've got time!"
Mace mounted and spurred his horse, shouting.
"But Loti! They're unleashing a flood. We can't stop it with our numbers. Hundreds of monsters will pour out. We need every adventurer in the city! And from other regions too!"
"Other regions?"
"We're heading to the Oakwood post office telegraph! It's faster than the guild!"
We raced like the wind to the city telegraph office. The red-brick building stood silent and dark.
"Hey! Open up! Emergency!"
Mace kicked the iron door.
Bang! The heavy door swung open, and we stormed inside.
"What the...?"
Receptionists slumped over their desks.
Thankfully not dead—steady breathing rose and fell.
"Sleeping?"
Sena shook a shoulder, but no response—like corpses.
I smell black magic! Don't worry, it's just a sleep spell!
If Rodentia hadn't sniffed around, I'd have thought they were just asleep.
The real problem was inside.
"Ugh! Loti! Look at this!"
Mani groaned. The massive magic telegraph lay smashed to pieces.
Someone had deliberately ripped out the core mana stone amplifier.
But the bigger issue...
"Someone cut the telegraph lines! We can't contact other offices now."
Mani pointed to the thick metal cables crudely severed.
The black magicians had severed the communication network already.
"Damn it!"
Mace punched the wall. Thud—dust billowed.
"Thorough bastards. They plan to sweep Oakwood clean! We're completely isolated."
Oakwood was an island now.
No quick external contact with lines cut.
"Those rotten black magicians! Messing with the telegraph too..."
Mani shook her head with a sigh.
Frustrated, I dredged up a vague memory and blurted it out.
"Wait. Doesn't the guild branch have a telegraph? I saw it when registering. Behind the desk! They send adventurer docs to central with it."
Mace snorted bitterly at my shout.
"That? Useless. It's a terminal piggybacking the main line you saw. Line's cut—won't work. Not a magic slate."
"Oh..."
A reflexive groan escaped me.
Did Oakwood have to handle this alone?
But Mace's eyes sparked as he rubbed his chin.
"No... There is a way!"
"A good idea?"
"The guild telegraph has a hidden feature. Uses high-purity mana stones to blast a strong mana wave straight to capital HQ—emergency long-range dispatch!"
"Oh, then we're good!"
Sena brightened, but Mace shook his head.
"But... on second thought, no."
"Why not?"
"It costs a fortune in mana stones—one-use only. Needs an activation phrase. Only the guildmaster knows it."
Mace clenched his fist. Knuckles cracked.
"Another reason to rescue the guildmaster fast."
I adjusted my bowgun strap.
Mace looked up, resolute.
"Alright, first..."
He stepped out and barked orders to his party.
"Jet! Ride to the baron's estate now—please! Alyssa, Mickey! Head to guild hall, warn adventurers, rally everyone!"
"Got it, boss!"
White Skull members nodded and vanished. Mace turned to us.
"Me and Loti's party rescue the old man first. Those bowguns got the power, right?"
We three demonstratively racked our bowgun levers with a click.
My lips curved up.
"Just leave it to us."
With our goal set, we raced to the old fortress's underground prison on Oakwood's edge.
*
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*
The old fortress was a massive, rotting monstrosity.
Crimson-black mist coiled like venomous snakes through crumbling walls. Unmistakable black magic aura, visible to the eye.
Sniff sniff... I smell it! Apostle, this place is toxic!
Rodentia pinched her nose in disgust.
"Battle stations! Quiet entry."
On Mace's signal, we slipped inside like shadows.
Down the spiral stairs to the underground prison, a wide corridor appeared.
Foul stench and beasts' growls clawed at our eardrums from cells and halls.
"Grrr..."
Grotesque shadows writhed under torchlight.
"What the hell are those?"
Mani muttered, stifling a retch. No guards in sight.
Instead, twisted horrors blocked the path.
Wolf torsos with snake tails, two heads each—monsters.
"Damn! Chimera Wolves. Careful—they're venomous!"
Mad glints pierced ragged, stitched hides.
Mace drew his greatsword and roared.
"Come on, all of you!"
"Kieeeek!"
They spotted us and charged madly.
Narrow corridor—no room to dodge.
"Sena! Mani! Let's go! Cover Mace!"
"Leave it to me!"
"Got it!"
Lead chimeras clashed with Mace.
"Fire!"
Mani and I unleashed rapid bowgun and crossbow fire from behind.
Thung! Thung!
Bolts pierced hides. Front ones staggered, but the beasts pressed on, mindless of pain.
"Kieeeek!"
Chimera Wolves lumbered, then climbed walls and ceiling, swarming from all sides.
Clatter!
"Get lost, you freaks!"
Mace whirled his greatsword like a propeller, cleaving two or three at a time. Yellow-glowing blade melted flesh like butter.
We rained bolts on flankers from sides and ceiling.
Melee would crush us. Best to cover Mace and advance—flanks mean death!
"Heads! Aim for heads!"
Fire nonstop, reload magazines, push forward shooting.
Click! Thung! Click! Thung!
"Good! Slow, but we're advancing!"
Blood spraying, their momentum unrelenting.
We dyed the underground passage red as we descended.
Then, charging Chimera Wolves abruptly halted.
Click-click-click—obsessive rhythmic clatter.
"...What now?"
Unlike monster paws—stone footsteps.
From behind us.
"Mace! Something's coming from behind!"
"What? Shit, encircled?"
Mace whipped around, eyes bloodshot.
Lantern light revealed it—we froze.
A yellow-tinged white wave surged like a tsunami.
An army.
Spotless white uniforms, grotesque smiling porcelain masks. Filling the narrow passage.
"Skeletons!"
As I shouted, the lead masked skeleton silently raised its sword.
Dozens behind halted in perfect unison.
Clank. Front line slammed shields into the ground, forming a wall. Rear ranks aimed crossbows through gaps.
"Everyone, down."
A chilling yet familiar woman's voice. We dropped flat instantly.
Whoosh!
Arrows whistled overhead! Crossbow volley swept the chimeras.
"Kieeeek!"
As they recoiled shrieking, shield skeletons marched mechanically past us.
Thud! Thud!
"Kreuk!"
Shields up, swords swinging in formation, they shoved back the chimeras.
Mace, mid-battle moments ago, gaped in bewilderment.
"Goddess of Wisdom and Magic, bring judgment!"
A cold voice rang from the skeleton legion's rear.
Brilliant blue flash erupted.
Rumble!
A thick lightning bolt arced over skeletons, striking the chimera pack's center.
"Kyaaang!"
Five chimeras charred black, reeking of burnt flesh. Overwhelming firepower.
Remaining monsters fled in terror; white-uniformed skeleton ranks parted.
Through them emerged three in white robes.
A jet-black-haired elf woman, eyepatch over one eye, strode toward us.
"Necromancers?"
She blew smoke from her staff tip.
"Oh my~ Didn't expect to meet here."
"You..."
Mace lowered his greatsword arm, utterly baffled.
"What gives? Mayor said you were arrested. Military police tossed you in jail, right?"
Why were necromancers here, leading armed skeleton legions? Prisoners should be caged.
She smirked.
"Jail? Oh, that."
The elf waved dismissively.
"We went in on purpose. Had to let the mayor relax and show his tail. City lock? Hairpin opens it."
A male necromancer beside chuckled.
"Food was crap anyway. So we left. Business with the guildmaster too."
Guildmaster mention perked my round ears.
"What's your deal with the guildmaster? Who are you really?"
Her exposed left eye gleamed oddly at my questions.
"Ah, time to clarify. Little rat... no, blessed children of the earth."
She smiled awkwardly, then drew a heavy silver badge dramatically.
Lantern light glinted off it: crossed staves before an engraved scale.
Sena's red eyes widened like lanterns.
"Eek! That's... the Goddess of Wisdom and Magic's...!"
"Ta-da, correct. Novice holy knight sisters of the Hearth Goddess."
"Pantheon Temple?!"
The sudden word spun my head; Mace's jaw dropped.
"Camilla, Grade 1 Inquisitor of the Pantheon Temple's Heresy Division, under the Twin Goddesses of Wisdom and Magic."
The elf named Camilla winked.
"Meant to investigate quietly, but things escalated."
Her gaze lingered on me, Sena, Mani. Chill aura gone, eyes softening.
"And... our cute little ones! Nice to see you again. Sorry for taking those mana stone beetles—duty called."
The situation twisted bizarrely. The Lich Clan's price-dumping culprits were Pantheon Temple priests!
"...We're... on the same side, right?"
Sena asked cautiously. Camilla shrugged.
"Of course! Little sisters. How could fellow Pantheon believers ignore evil's rampage?"
She extended a hand before Sena's eyes. Blue glyph bloomed in her palm—Sena's face lit up.
"Ah! This aura, this glyph! Servants of the Twin Goddesses! Loti! We can trust them!"
Sena's verification unlocked our doubts fully. Awkward how to act, though.
Camilla gestured; porcelain-masked skeletons marched in unison deeper into the prison.
Step, step, step!
Precise footfalls echoed. Mace stared at me, dazed.
"Hey, Loti. This for real?"
I eyed the sturdy skeleton backs.
"Have to. Sena recognized the badge—real priests."
Above all, these skeletons fought better than us.
Led by the skeleton legion's might, we blazed through like an express train to the prison depths.
Soon, a familiar face peered through inner bars.
"Urgh... You kids? Wait, Mace! And Loti! How'd you...?"
The guildmaster, slumped from ordeal, lifted his head—stunned at us.
I grinned confidently.
"Here to rescue you!"