Super Senses (5)

As I'd expected, it wasn't a particularly high-level dungeon.

After we'd finished off all the guardians and pressed onward, traps came next. Magic circles were carved into the walls at intervals along the long, straight corridor.

A thunderous crash ripped through the corridor.

Twin arcs of sword aura from Ashel shattered every magic circle on the walls. Things kept coming after that too, but we smashed through the rest without breaking stride. The writing on the walls went on about trials and whatnot — they'd really prepared quite a lot. The creator probably hadn't designed all this just so someone could pulverize it and walk through. I almost felt a little sorry.

Still, it's impressive that everything's still working.

Dungeons, for the most part, had been built in ancient times. That was why the guardians and traps their creators had prepared so often failed to function, having simply been around too long — like the dungeon where the Immovable Barrier had been hidden last time. But this one was different. The creator didn't even seem like a particularly gifted mage, and yet every device was still operating properly, without a single breakdown. Maybe it had been built relatively late even by ancient standards. Or maybe it wasn't an ancient-era dungeon at all.

Before long, a massive stone door loomed ahead, as if advertising that this was the final stage.

The end?

I hadn't found any hidden spaces on the way here. So the Mystery I was looking for had to be inside. I figured that was the end of these so-called trials — but letters lit up on the floor right in front of the door.

Ashel couldn't read the ancient language, so she simply stared at it, uncomprehending. After reading the entire explanation, I started walking. I picked up the orb from the pedestal before the door and stepped closer.

A click.

I slotted the orb into the left groove without a second thought. The door did nothing. Letters lit up on the floor again.

I scratched my cheek, then said to Ashel,

"Ashel. Smash it."

The massive stone door exploded into fragments. It seemed to have been magically reinforced, but that meant nothing in the face of Ashel's power. And so, having smashed through even the final gate with sheer force, we arrived at the end of the dungeon.

I stood before the collapsed door, glanced inside, and said to Ashel,

"Wait here."

"Yes."

Leaving her behind, I went in. After a narrow corridor, what appeared was a space like a laboratory. In the center sat an ornate wooden chest, as lavish as any treasure box. When I opened it, a single worn old tome and a letter lay inside.

"······."

Judging by the title, the book seemed to be a magic tome in which the dungeon creator had compiled their own arts, and the letter was from the creator as well. I skimmed the contents.

I let out a hollow laugh and folded the letter. One look at the dungeon's devices told you everything about the creator's skill as a mage, and yet the letter was written as if they'd left behind the greatest magic tome of the century.

Whatever. That's not what matters.

I looked around. There was no passage going any further, so this was the only space where a Mystery could be. But in the scene before me, there was no Mystery pattern anywhere. Don't tell me I went through all this just to come up empty again? Feeling a twinge of impatience, I scanned the surroundings more thoroughly.

"······Ah."

And when I shifted the bookshelf sitting in the corner and examined the wall behind it — that was when I could finally grin.

A Mystery pattern, carved into the wall. Glowing with a faint blue light, it was exactly the size of the bookshelf, concealed with almost surgical precision. I reached for it without a moment's hesitation.

A brilliant surge of light.

As always, the pattern shone brightly and was absorbed into my body. I stood there dazed for a moment, then slowly looked around again.

······What is this.

I could feel it. The instant I absorbed the Mystery, it began to register with startling clarity — sound, smell, every stimulus flowing in from the world around me. Ashel's presence, standing outside the room, resolved as sharply as if I could see her with my own eyes. When I focused a little harder, my senses grew even keener, and I could feel even the faint stirring of insects crawling across the floor. It felt as though I had crossed the threshold into an entirely new world.

So this was it?

Was this the kind of sensation the superhumans of this fantasy world lived with every day? And it wasn't just the senses. I could feel that my reflexes had improved tremendously as well. I picked up a stone from the floor and threw it. The stone arced toward the far side of the room, and it looked as slow as a grub crawling. With my vision enhanced on top of that, I could see every angular facet of the pebble even as it flew.

This is actually insane.

This was an ability I truly could not have afforded to miss. I'd realized it all over again after getting thoroughly wrecked by that ancient mage earlier — even if you had defensive abilities, they were worthless if you couldn't react to an attack. But with this level of perception, I should now be able to respond to the speed of most superhumans.

I'll need to get used to this fast.

I clenched and unclenched my fist, then eased the razor-sharp senses back down. I'd only just obtained it, so I wasn't used to it yet, but it didn't seem like it would take long to adapt.

Come to think of it, this Mystery didn't have a name. Or rather, I didn't know it. In the game, Teir had never particularly given it a name when he spoke of it. I pondered for a moment, then a suitable name came to me immediately. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠There was already the Mystery of Super Regeneration, so I'd go with something in that vein.

Super Senses.

With this, I'd already obtained three Mysteries, Super Senses included.

We left the dungeon immediately. I had no need for the creator's legacy — the magic tome — but there was no reason to leave it behind either, so I took it with me. You never knew. I wouldn't be learning magic myself, but it might prove useful to some talent I recruited later.

Once we were out of the dungeon, I told Ashel what I'd been thinking.

"Ashel."

"Yes."

"Swing your sword at full power. Just once."

"······Pardon?"

She flinched and looked back at me. She seemed to have misunderstood something, so I shook my head.

"I'm not telling you to attack me. Swing at empty air."

"Ah······."

The reason I was making this sudden request was because there was something I wanted to confirm. Ashel looked puzzled, but she didn't ask why. She drew her sword without protest. As she was about to swing, I spoke again.

"Full power. Use your trait as well."

Ashel, being of the White Moon Clan, possessed a racial trait that enhanced mana. I wanted to see her at true full power, with that trait activated. The request seemed to startle her a little; she hesitated, then nodded and unleashed it.

A faint shimmer ran through her. Ashel's body glowed softly, and then the skin of her entire body flushed a luminous, snow-white. This was the first time I'd seen her use her trait in person. Until now, there simply hadn't been a situation that called for it.

She settled into her stance, drew a single breath, and began to swing.

A tearing of air you couldn't believe came from a mere swing of a sword ripped through the clearing, and sword-light carved itself through empty space. I pulled Super Senses to the maximum and watched her sword dance.

······I can see it.

Her movements were visible — clearly enough that even if those sword strikes had been coming at me, I could have reacted. Super Senses was sharp enough to catch even the full-power movements of a Level 81 fighter. And I still had room to spare.

At this level, I should be able to react to most Elite Combatants in the Level 80s, at least to some degree.

But what about someone stronger than that? I thought of the Fist Saint's movements I'd seen on the transport ship, of Gwangrang's single strike in the corridor during the Lord Council. Of the ancient mage's attack that had erased my entire side not long ago. The attacks from before I'd obtained Super Senses hadn't been visible at all, so there was no way I could gauge them just by recalling them······ I didn't know. Not unless I confirmed it again in person.

Anyway, having confirmed a reasonably satisfactory result, I spoke.

"That's enough."

Ashel stopped her swordplay and stood still, catching her breath lightly. She hadn't swung that many times, so she must have truly gone all-out. But for some reason, she stared at me intently, as if expecting something.

"······."

Why was she looking at me like that? I tilted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my head, then realized.

······Don't tell me she thinks I had her do that to evaluate her skills?

Looking at that faintly expectant gaze, that seemed to be exactly it. I was silent for a moment, then said,

"You certainly have potential. Keep working at it."

"······Understood."

She nodded with a slightly disappointed expression. Sorry for getting her hopes up — but what advice could I possibly give her with my skills?

It was dark, being night, but we didn't rest. We left the forest immediately. We were worn down in more ways than one, but with Super Regeneration it was bearable. Sleep could wait until we got back to the carriage. By the time the sun stood high in the sky, we arrived — and found Varos eating a meal by himself.

"You have returned, my lord."

He'd apparently gone hunting. He'd dressed a rabbit neatly and was roasting it as he ate. I was glad he seemed to have been eating well while we were gone. While we were at it, Ashel and I joined him for the meal right there, then headed back to the city.

After returning to the city, I stopped by the adventurer's guild again to look into Raylo. I heard from another adventurer that she'd come back to the city — and then immediately left in a hurry for somewhere else.

She really did get scared and bolt.

The situation was a bit ridiculous, but I'd confirmed there was nothing wrong with her safety, so I stopped worrying about her.

After staying one more night, we left the city immediately. The next destination was, as originally planned, Shintoe's First Lord's Territory. This time it was a fair distance. From our current position, I intended to take the shortest route, cutting a curve straight through the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd Lord's Territories.

A great deal of time passed before we arrived at Cubex, one of the major cities on the border of the 3rd Lord's Territory. Waiting our turn in the inspection line at the city gate, I sat in the carriage and fell into thought.

This is the fork in the road now······.

I was a little conflicted. Blood Arts — one of the abilities I needed most. The place I could obtain it: Elrod Forest. And Elrod Forest lay far to the west of this city of Cubex.

Do I keep going straight to the First Lord's Territory, or do I stop by Elrod Forest?

According to the original plan, I was going to put off obtaining Blood Arts and just focus on Mysteries. But after acquiring the Immovable Barrier and Super Senses, and gaining a measure of confidence in my own safety, I felt reluctant to simply pass it by.

······No. Never mind.

After a brief deliberation, I decided it was better to just go to the First Lord's Territory. No matter how I turned it over, heading to Elrod Forest had too many variables. Even if I'd gained confidence in my safety, ultimately I'd need to be able to talk with the vampire tribe living there to obtain Blood Arts. And did I have even a single thing going for me on that front? So as originally planned, putting Blood Arts on hold for now and focusing on Mysteries would be best.

"······?"

I was still lost in thought when a commotion started outside, and I looked out the window. Several carriages were boldly cutting past to the side, ignoring the inspection line standing before the city gate. The pedestrians waiting in line were shushing one another and looking away.

The cargo holds of the carriages were fitted with iron bars, like prison cells — and inside them, young boys and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠girls were locked up.

······A slave caravan?

I rested my chin on the window frame and stared at them.