Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Infiltration Mission in the Dungeon
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On the massive ship slicing through the sea, the students were awestruck by the vessel's technological prowess.
They gained a newfound wariness about the future ahead.
By now, the crew and dwarves were bustling about.
With nothing pressing to do at the moment, Chief Engineer Blunt decided to give the students a tour of the ship's interior.
Woooooong!
Ssssss!!
"Wh-what is this?"
"There's this incredible noise..."
"This is the 'engine.' Think of it as the heart that powers the entire ship."
"This little thing moves the whole ship?!"
"This is magitech..."
As the students marveled at the engine, Blunt, clearly thrilled, showed them everything under the sun.
But reality soon hit, and he let out a deep sigh.
While the students were distracted by all the new gadgets,
Crane noticed Blunt's demeanor and spoke up.
"Mr. Blunt, what's wrong?"
"...Crane, have you heard of the Centaur Core?"
"That's... the artifact from the Abyss Depths, right? And it's what gave rise to the field of magitech, as I understand it."
"As expected from the Empire's elite—you know your stuff. But looking at these devices... I'm starting to doubt if magitech is really all that great."
Blunt paused for a moment, caressing the machinery inside the ship.
"First off, these things... they're perfect upgrades over our race's own technologies."
"Th-that impressive?"
"I've seen plenty of tech in my time, but these? Efficiency, power, speed—they're all insane. And yet we couldn't figure them out ourselves? Now they're trying to analyze the Centaur Golem, the pinnacle of this tech? Heh heh heh, what a joke."
"So you're against magitech, then, Mr. Blunt?"
"It's not just against—I'm saying it's a flawed field from the ground up. Sure, the humans have made some sense of it. But there are major problems."
Just looking at schematics, you could only guess at a device's function or how it generates power.
The true inner workings remained a mystery.
Influenced by the Great War, where much technology became lost tech, the dwarves had a crystal-clear grasp of magitech's shortcomings.
"A proper tech path always has countless bridge technologies leading up to it. But humans are skipping straight to the endgame, staring at the tip of the iceberg."
"And what happens next?"
"What happens? They'll progress a bit, sure, but then hit a massive wall and stall out. Plus, humans have short lifespans. Even if they leave records, any genius inheriting this broken foundation will waste their time."
It was clear why Blunt was called the dwarves' chief engineer—he wasn't just assessing the present but predicting the future. Crane was impressed.
Eleresa, who had been eavesdropping, fell deep into thought.
This girl, from the Blackheart Marquisate, was the daughter of a family whose knight commander had aided in retrieving the Centaur Golem's core.
In other words, her house had access rights to the core. What if they collaborated with the chief engineer right in front of her?
The world was changing rapidly—who knew what the future held?
Even if it was flawed scholarship, partnering with honest artisans like the dwarves might change everything.
Having thought it through, Eleresa made Blunt an offer.
"What if your family, with access to the core, teamed up with us?!"
"But I'm not the head of the house—I'd have to convince my parents."
"Just be the bridge! We'll handle the rest!!"
It was a proposal born of eavesdropping,
but Blunt didn't care. He saw ferrying the students as a stroke of luck and was delighted.
Thanks to seeking this meeting in the dungeon, everyone benefited, and the ship raced along the blue coastline.
************
After touring the ship, the students gathered in the navigation room.
Blunt and the ship's captain brought out a map.
"Wow... you even made a map like this?"
"It's the early sections, forged by my kin through endless death. We weren't going to show it, but... thanks to that girl, you're in luck."
The students glanced at Eleresa, the target of Blunt's gaze, but she just shrugged off their stares.
"Heh, cool customer. Anyway, ghost ships haunt this area—stay sharp."
"Ghost ships... I've heard the basics."
"With a ship this size, couldn't we just overpower them?"
"No, absolutely not."
The captain and Blunt had once tested a prototype of this ship in a sea battle against a ghost ship.
What was the result?
"It looked rickety on the outside, nothing special. But it's clearly the final form of those ghost ships."
"So..."
"Yeah, we got wrecked."
"The damn thing slid sideways like it was on ice, and each cannon port fired 3 to 5 shots in a row."
"Sea battles mean automatic loss. What about boarding actions?"
"Never... never let those bastards board."
"Y-youngsters? I get the hot blood, but avoid fighting those undead at all costs."
"Just how strong are they?"
"You'll see soon enough on that island."
The captain pointed to an island marked with an X on the map.
"That's where the treasure is, huh."
"And where those undead we mentioned roam."
"Alright! Fetch the treasure map!"
"""Yes, sir!!"""
A crewman brought the treasure map, detailed with info on the island.
They soon explained the treasure island.
"Don't go near the docks—tons of intelligent, powerful undead there."
"So we can't land at all?"
"We'll sneak in with small boats. Right... here."
"There's a small beach on the opposite side from the docks."
"We'll use the small boats to slip in. These run on engines too, so they're crazy fast—you'll be there in no time."
"""Ooooh......"""
With the plan coming together smoothly, the students' enthusiasm surged.
Seeing their youthful vigor,
Blunt and the captain exchanged glances and smirked.
But the island was no pushover.
"Insanely strong undead roam the island."
"They look like regular skeletons, honestly? But they're tough, and crazy fast. Run, and you're caught for sure."
"Th-then how do we move?"
"They're mindless, and most are in torpor."
"Basically, no loud noises or parading in front of them, and you're good."
"So..."
"Yeah, infiltrate from start to finish."
After some discussion,
a solid plan emerged.
"We'll split into three teams, taking three routes. It'll take over an hour to the target, same for retreat."
"Get spotted, and we're done—stay sharp. If you do, use the signal flare."
"This the flare?"
"Light the fuse, and it'll shoot red smoke."
"...To keep it from dragging in other teams. What about retreat?"
"We'll guard the small boats. If undead attack, we'll pull back and circle around."
"What if that overlaps with retreat...?"
"We're screwed. That's why we gave you colored flares—don't worry."
Red for spotted or emergency.
Blue for retreat.
The dwarves like Blunt couldn't betray the students, not with Eleresa as the link.
With her as the perfect safeguard, they picked agile students for the three teams.
Each got a treasure map copy and compass.
"Never thought I'd be doing something like this here..."
"But aren't you pumped?"
"Hahaha... yeah, you're right."
The students were fired up for the mission.
An infiltration op you couldn't get anywhere else?
Blunt and the captain smirked at their energy,
but Blunt grew uneasy at the sea's state.
"The sea... it's too quiet."
"Blunt, think something'll happen this time?"
"If it does, no choice. But we gotta milk these infinite lives, right?"
"Still hate drowning..."
"You're a strong swimmer—worried about that? I get hating it, though."
Both hoped nothing went wrong on this shakedown cruise.
**************
Soon after.
The island with the treasure came into clearer view.
As the ship slowed through rough currents, the sky darkened in an instant.
"This is..."
"Happens automatically near islands like this—no big deal."
"Come on! Open 'em up!"
Creeeak...
The ship's underside opened, readying small boats for launch.
"Hard to believe those are disposables."
"We crank 'em out in an hour—use freely. Everyone ready?"
"""Yes, sir!!"""
"...Good luck."
The operation began.
Three small boats cut through the waves, reaching the beach in a flash.
Students dashed into the forest upon landing.
Dwarves and crew swiftly positioned on the boats.
Engines off, they set up defenses with crossbows loaded with anti-undead iron balls.
Now they waited, praying no undead came, for the students.
Crane, on the lowest route, moved with his team.
Not the leader due to his commoner status,
but the noble in charge was basically Elerena's lackey—
cliquish, but highly competent.
Tap tap.
The leader signaled quietly. Students spotted undead ahead.
'Those things are skeletons?'
'Quiet! Crouch low and move.'
The undead they faced were skeletons.
But charred black bones,
oozing an eerie power and black smoke.
Their grotesque sounds—kaduduk—made them twitch unnervingly.
Sidestepping the chilling undead, they soon met more threats.
"Grroooaa..."
"Uuuooh..."
"Krrrooo..."
Hundreds, like the skeletons before, marched right in front.
Seemingly heading somewhere.
Spotted in that horde? Instant doom.
Students clamped mouths shut, holding breath.
Once the procession passed, they whispered urgently.
"Th-those guys... heading to the beach?"
"Not that way. Maybe another team..."
"No red smoke in the sky, so we're good."
"Damn... heart's pounding from nerves."
Suppressing racing hearts, they pressed on.
Weaving past scattered skeletons in the vast forest,
luring patrolling undead by tossing stones elsewhere.
One student nearly triggered a trap.
Click...
"Shit..."
"Don't lift your foot. Everyone, grab something heavy for the plate."
Luckily, a teammate's hunter parents taught him: pressure plate trap.
They weighed it with a big rock, stepping off safely.
Extra caution slowed them after,
but following the map copy,
they reached the target unscathed.
The other two teams were already there, digging quietly.
"You guys... alive?"
"Such a relief..."
"Thought you were goners, late as hell."
Sweat-soaked, clothes trashed, they chuckled at themselves.
Then the diggers got excited.
"Chests here...!"
"D-done... just gotta head back."
"Grab 'em and bug out."
Three chests, perfectly portable size.
Students split again for the beach.
Nearly halfway back, tension easing,
the top-route team slipped up.
Click!!
BOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
"""Huh?"""
The island-shaking blast startled them.
No time to gawk.
That explosion...
[ KRAAAAAAGHHH!!! ]
Undead howls echoed across the island.
"Damn it!!!!"
"All hands, retreat!! Run!!"
"Cr-crazy!! They're so fast!!!"
Skeletons charged the trapped team like starving demons.
Team leader Eleresa ordered drop the chest, fired green and red flares, led the sprint.
Countless undead swarmed with eerie speed, ensnaring other teams.
"Whoa whoa whoa!! This is bad!!"
"Move!! Run!!!"
"Gyaaaaaah!!"
Thankfully, other teams were closer to the beach, chests in hand, reaching defenses.
Pew!
Pew pew pew!
Boom!
"Hey!! Hurry!! Run!"
"Son of a—!!"
"Fire!! Shoot!!"
"Too many!!"
"We'll support too!"
"C-can we use magic?"
"Every undead on this island's coming—blast 'em!!"
Crew and students barely held the line.
Far off, Eleresa's group appeared.
Blunt, spotting the last team, ordered engines hot.
He pulled something from his pocket.
"Take this, you skull-headed bastards!!!"
Like an iron ball, it was a contingency device Blunt crafted from local scraps,
tailored to undead weaknesses.
Loaded into a crossbow, fired skyward.
Then...
[ PIIIIIIEEEEEEK!!! ]
Deafening screech drew every undead eye, redirecting them.
A massive blast bought precious seconds.
"Now!! Ditch everything at the line and board!!"
"Hurry!! Hurry!!"
"All on? Punch it!!"
Elerena's ragdoll team, saved by Crane and others' magic, barely boarded.
Boats roared seaward.
Beach undeads watched them go—the infiltration succeeded.
***********
Through the waiting ship's hatch, students collapsed inside.
Thud!
"Hueeeek..."
"Thought we were dead."
"S-sorry, everyone, my fault..."
"We're alive—that's what counts. Fun at the end, right?"
"You find fun here?"
"Heh heh heh..."
"Pffft!"
Hilarious situation?
Even Eleresa and nobles couldn't hold back laughs.
Time to check rewards.
Lost one of three—sad, but the rest better pay off.
Hearts pounding, they opened the chests.
"Th-this is...?"
"Looks like potions?"
"Potions? Could be elixirs!"
"What?! Then these coins?"
"I know these! Abyss Coins!!"
True to treasure chests: dozens of elixirs, heaps of Abyss Coins.
Early dungeon skip passes, glowing mystery potions, thick grimoires.
Rare treasures galore.
Lost in the haul at the ship's bottom,
a weird noise echoed inside.
Piiiing!
Piiiing!
"Huh...? What's that?"
"Ghost ships nearby! Everyone stay put!"
"We'll come too!!"
"Me too!"
Crane and Eleresa chased Blunt to the navigation room.
They arrived fast.
Bang!
"Captain!! What the hell?!"
"...Blunt, we're screwed."
"Why...?"
"Look out there."
Captain pointed seaward.
Fog shrouded the windows,
but shapes moving on the sea were clear.
The two students and Blunt saw countless ghost ships charging across the waves.