Arman Abandoned Mine (4)
Captain Wilen of the Rockhart Knights, having cut down the remnants of the Radiant Revolutionaries, sheathed his sword.
The zombies kept cackling even with their heads severed, but soon their movements halted as their mana depleted.
Shoooo—
Smoke-like wisps were sucked away from their faces, erasing the ritual magic overlaid there.
Before long, their rotten, original visages were revealed.
"They were undead from the start. But still..."
Wilen had circled back to me in the meantime and continued.
"What was that dagger? Some artifact that reveals false appearances?"
"......"
I chose silence over a reply.
This ritual dagger belonged to a black mage.
Sure, I'd obtained it by defeating the boss, but there was no point stirring up trouble by admitting it.
I neatly handed the borrowed Book of Rituals back to Diren, then slipped past Captain Wilen.
We naturally returned to the temporary command tent and resumed our discussion.
"In any case, we now know attacks from the undead pose no issue... but what do you make of their capabilities over there?"
Captain Wilen, seated at the head of the table, addressed me directly.
The others waited expectantly for my response as well.
I'd successfully seized control of the conversation.
But my assessment hadn't changed.
Five entrances, plus one hidden escape route. All six had to be guarded.
To prevent the outnumbered foe from slipping away.
"First, we must secure all six entrances. If even one is left unguarded, they could flee through it."
"What if they rush one of the exits first? We could end up picked off one by one."
One senior knight posed the question.
"If they come out of the mine, that's actually to our advantage."
A necromancer who commands the dead.
At first glance, it seemed like an invincible class... but it naturally came with penalties.
Undead were phenomena that arose spontaneously in places rife with death.
Forcing them to rise incurred a corresponding cost.
Forcibly summoned undead lost much of their power outside death-saturated areas.
I briefly explained the necromancer's key weakness.
"The mine is filled with death conjured directly by the black mage. Therefore."
"He'll want to defend from inside."
I nodded lightly in agreement.
The entrances had seen little fighting from the start, so the deathly aura had already dissipated.
Without that density, the undead couldn't perform at full strength.
If Black Mage Gerald abandoned the mine and emerged, the battle's difficulty would plummet.
"Then why not just seal the other entrances? Collapse them with explosives or something—simple enough, right?"
Another senior knight suggested.
I glanced at Diren instead of answering.
He pondered briefly, then shook his head.
"The Rockharts plan to reopen the Arman Abandoned Mine. They want it preserved as much as possible."
"As much as possible," he'd said... but if the entrances were blown, Diren's position with the Rockharts—who'd already dispatched knights—would become awkward.
Captain Wilen shook his head too, signaling it wasn't feasible.
The brief exchange yielded no real solution.
"So, mage, what's your plan now? Further talk is pointless."
Wilen fixed his gaze on me, demanding an answer.
...No helping it.
"The only issue right now is not knowing the black mage's strength inside."
"Exactly. We've sent scouting parties in, but two haven't returned. Sending more is too risky."
They'd already tried scouts.
Since they hadn't come back, Black Mage Gerald must have woven a tight net of traps.
Once scouts delved deep, he'd unleash hidden undead to trap and hunt them.
I opened my inventory and checked one item.
◈ Teleports user to a pre-designated location.
◈ Special: Usable in Labyrinth Dungeon, Eternal Frozen Land, Temple of Chaos.
The Designated Return Scroll.
With this cash item, even if surrounded by undead, escape was possible.
I didn't know what undead Black Mage Gerald had gathered, but no matter how strong, there'd be a moment to use the scroll.
Given my current level, he'd likely commit all his hidden forces.
The instant he realized I was alone, he'd go all out to keep me trapped.
Scouting myself was optimal... but getting permission was uncertain.
Without explaining the scroll, they wouldn't let me go.
And I didn't want to reveal it.
Least of all use it in front of them.
But no other options.
"I'll check it out and return."
I said quietly.
The reaction was immediate.
"Can't allow that, mage. Even if not you, no one here can be captured and turned undead."
Captain Wilen flatly refused.
A senior knight turned undead would exponentially raise the difficulty—natural response.
But with no alternatives.
"I have a way to escape unscathed."
"...What do you mean?"
"Exactly that. I can come back from there without a scratch."
Wilen and the senior knights looked incredulous.
"...For real?"
Beth. She met my eyes steadily and pressed.
"Inside are at least a 4th Hierarchy black mage and undead wielding their lifetime skills. Even surrounded, you can get out?"
"Yes."
"Alright then."
Beth stood.
She gestured for me to rise too.
"Go scout."
"W-Wait! Beth, you can't decide this alone!"
The other senior knights immediately protested.
"Too dangerous! Better to charge together!"
"What makes you think it's okay to approve?"
"Simple."
Beth smirked faintly.
"My gut."
After a short debate, it was settled: I'd scout the mine.
The biggest help came from Beth, who trusted me.
Her instincts carried more weight than others'.
Not everyone was convinced, though.
"...This is too reckless, even for you."
Captain Wilen voiced his concern to the end.
I understood his position... but no other way.
Truth be told, I didn't want to go either.
Using the scroll would reveal my teleportation ability.
"Maybe reconsider now..."
"It's fine."
I cut him off, drew my staff, and summoned a golem.
Then I entered A Point, the nearest mine entrance.
Scattered at the entrance were remnants of Radiant Revolutionaries' flags and tents.
Stepping over them, signs of battle gradually appeared.
Bloodstains trailed along the walls deeper in.
I followed the traces inward.
Then, six undead crawled from ahead.
- Uuugh...
- Y-You...
- Hiii...
Mumbling incoherently, they approached in eerie unison.
All former Radiant Revolutionaries, by their looks.
I cast Splitting Ray to put them out of their misery.
Tzzzzz—
The beam decomposed their heads; the crawlers stilled.
I pressed on into the mine's depths.
The Arman Abandoned Mine's layout: five entrances linking to three tunnels, plus an underground network.
The black mage likely hid at the underground hub.
Perfect for strategic movement to any tunnel.
I dispatched more undead with Splitting Ray en route, reaching the tunnel's end.
Descending the visible path revealed the underground tunnels.
Battle scars and blood were rampant here.
The death aura hung thick.
Enough for Gerald's undead not just to perform at full power, but with bonuses.
Yet few undead presences nearby.
Just an ambiguous number stationed.
As if blatantly inviting entry.
I obliged the ploy.
Tzzzzz—
Splitting Ray shattered heads; they crumpled.
Chaining 4th Hierarchy spells, yet no mana strain.
Thanks to my Dragon Heart.
Restoration: 50%
Magic Power: +500
Mana: +10,000
◈ Special: Dragon Heart — Mana recovery scales with ambient mana density.
◈ Hierarchy Order — Instills fear in vastly inferior foes.
At 50% restoration, mana regenerated swiftly.
Plus, in death-choked spots like this, mana density boosted recovery further.
The tunnel widened into a vast mining chamber.
In its center, an old man lounged on a pile of rocks like a bed.
Spotting me, he sat up with a hunched back and spoke.
"Heh... Hey, you. Really came alone?"
I approached slowly.
Black Mage Gerald.
He continued, incredulous.
"Impressive confidence. Die here, and you'll end up like them... heh."
Gerald raised a hand; undead poured from every path converging at the hub.
Among them, familiar faces.
Blanche, Procaille, Leventa, Schpang... countless elite NPCs risen as undead, encircling me.
One stood out most.
"...Roxfel?"
"Heh! You know him too!"
Gerald clapped gleefully.
Ironclad Knight Roxfel.
The wandering knight matched Rockhart Knights Captain Wilen in skill.
Plus at least ten more elite undead NPCs.
...This was why he'd holed up.
Without knowing of Roxfel, disaster.
"Taming that one halved my undead legion. Time to replenish... heh."
Gerald scratched his hunched back and waved.
Undead tightened the encirclement.
"Heh! Foolish mage. Battles are won with information. My undead spies in your village reported everything—your strength, numbers!"
Gerald cackled on.
"Blasting magic at undead without a clue! Mana left for more? Against my horde?"
Magic, huh.
Plenty remained... but black mages had reflection spells.
Besides, I hadn't planned a full fight.
"Just scouting."
"That's why you shouldn't have come this far, idiot mage. Got a way out?"
"Yeah."
I opened my inventory and pulled the Designated Return Scroll.
"Thanks for the show. Heading out."
"What—? Seize him!"
Shwick—
At Gerald's command, Ironclad Knight Roxfel drew and lunged.
His blade arced toward my neck in an instant.
But zzzzip—
The scroll tore first, teleporting me to the Labyrinth Dungeon gate.