Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Abandoned Mine (7)
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Galen fell back a short distance. He hadn't been out for long, and he'd already trampled the dolls to pieces beforehand, so he had some breathing room.
Even though he insisted he was fine, Lilia insisted on supporting him anyway. In truth, since Galen wasn't leaning on her at all and was walking steadily on his own two feet, it looked more like she was hugging his arm tightly.
"You four! Come here for a second!"
Lilia called out in Galen's place.
They had just finished off all the special earth dolls visible on both the left and right flanks. With some leeway now, the four leaders hurried over.
"Hey, you okay? We saw you collapse."
Akanksha asked in a voice laced with concern.
She was just speaking for the group, but they were all skilled enough to keep an eye on their surroundings even in the heat of battle. They'd seen Galen go down, so the mood was a bit heavy.
"I'm fine."
Galen brushed it off lightly. And honestly, he was fine now.
"What about you all?"
"We're good, of course. Not sure about the humans, though."
"We're fine too, naturally."
"No, I wasn't trying to pit sides against each other. The question is, how long can we hold out like this? We can't fight all day."
"Well..."
Neither the earth fairies nor the humans could answer right away. Pride was probably holding them back, but that silence was answer enough.
Galen pressed on quickly.
"We need to destroy the ruin's core. Before we get too exhausted."
"The core? You mean the treasure guardian?"
"Yes. You said the ruin stops if we kill it, right?"
"How do we know which one out of all those is the guardian? There might not even be one. A ruin spawning this many powerful monsters in a group..."
"But what if there is? What if the dolls keep spawning infinitely until we take it down?"
Akanksha was at a loss for words.
Ruins where monsters multiplied endlessly until the core was destroyed did exist—and quite a few of them at that. They weren't even rare.
Of course, those were usually places that relied on quantity over quality, whereas this one had both. Still, different or not...
They couldn't be certain it was the type where you just beat a set number and win. Betting on that assumption could lead to them being overwhelmed by truly infinite numbers and suffocating to death.
"...So what are you suggesting?"
Alon asked. Galen replied.
"We find it. The one that's the core. If it was up front, we'd have been wiped out already, so it has to be in the back."
"But there are too many enemies. If it stands out visually, fine—but if not, how do you plan to find it?"
"I have a way. It's sensory, hard to explain in words... but I think I'll know it when I clash with it directly."
"Clash directly... meaning?"
"You'll need to hold the front for a bit."
The four leaders' expressions hardened. Galen continued matter-of-factly.
"Fortunately, the earth dolls can't jump. They're slower than me, so I can dart through their ranks and search for the core."
"And if there's no core?"
"Then I come right back."
"Hm."
"If they ignore me, I can find the core quick. If they don't, it takes pressure off the front."
"Seems like it'll burden the overseer too much, not us..."
"It's just what I think is best. If there's a better way, we'll do that instead."
There wasn't.
Just holding out and hoping it ends eventually was gambling with their lives on probabilities. Destroying the core, if possible, was the optimal play.
The problem was figuring out which of the horde was the core—but Galen claimed he could. If he really could, sending him was the only option.
Still, the leaders hesitated not out of guilt over letting him take the risky job in their place.
"No need to worry."
Galen said with a faint smile, seeing right through them.
"I'm not the type to propose this and then use it as leverage for extra rewards. My conscience isn't that low."
"...That wasn't what we meant."
"Good. Then we're agreed."
Galen bowed lightly and turned. Lilia quickly fell in step beside him.
"...Let's tighten the formation a bit first."
"And pull back slightly. The enemies don't seem to be coming from the walls anymore..."
Half-willing, half-reluctant, but once decided, the leaders wasted no time. The expedition's formation reformed swiftly.
Lilia glanced back and whispered.
"This works out in the end, right?"
"I didn't say anything wrong. This is the best way."
The expedition was exhausted. They'd avoided deaths or serious injuries so far, but once fatigue dulled the leaders' performance, casualties were inevitable.
Galen would end it before then. By smashing the core.
Any dolls he encountered on the way would just turn into experience points—a nice bonus. Good deeds come with gifts, after all.
The leaders might chafe at Galen racking up more achievements, but if they didn't like it, they should've done better themselves. What was a little more on the pile?
"But, Brother."
"Yes?"
"Can you really detect the core? I mean, I trust you completely! Just purely curious."
"I wouldn't bluff about something like this. You still have plenty of holy power left?"
"Yes! Thanks to you!"
The two special earth dolls Galen had assigned her—claiming they'd lead to some insight.
She'd caught the same number of specials as the other Golds, but they'd smashed dozens more giants and regulars on top.
Her lower performance meant she'd conserved more strength. Which let Galen solo the front and hoover up experience.
"Match my pace and watch my back. But don't get stuck in place."
"Got it!"
"Whether the dolls attack us or the expedition, we need to smash the core fast to minimize casualties."
The water giant, which had held firm until then, began to shrink gradually.
Not completely small—just down to giant earth doll size.
Water Flow Manipulation pushed the spirit forward. Its upper-body-only form glided across the muddy floor, half-water, half-earth.
"Let's go."
*
The expedition's formation, backed against the cavern wall, naturally faced the cavern's center.
In that direction, the water giant had wreaked havoc: the ground was pocked with craters everywhere, a total mess, and water pooled so deep it no longer soaked in but overflowed.
It was practically a swamp, unfit for normal movement—but Galen and Lilia traversed it with ease.
Whoosh!
A small wave trailed right behind the gliding spirit up front.
Galen, following the spirit, used Water Flow Manipulation to shove the water ahead of his feet forward.
Not meticulously gathering every drop, but roughly enough to turn the floor into ordinary wet dirt—perfectly walkable.
Splash! Splash!
Those gathered waves flew forward as weapons whenever earth dolls blocked the path.
With Spirit Creation's mana nearly depleted, he was even controlling the spirit via Water Flow Manipulation.
The spirit was basically just bait for attention; the real fighting came from Galen's water.
Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!
No matter how much Spirit Creation had surged in the ruin, it couldn't compare to Water Flow Manipulation.
Its level had closed the gap considerably, but familiarity was another story.
Water sloshing on the floor targeted legs, or erupted from below like massive spears to strike bodies.
Not as flashy as the water giant's smashes, but precise and swift.
Water danced from all sides, smashing approaching dolls.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
If anyone from the expedition watched closely, they might sense something off—different from Galen's style so far.
But the expedition was too far, too dark, and too busy with intensified combat after Galen and Lilia peeled off.
So Galen freely unleashed Water Flow Manipulation, pulverizing front-line dolls and pressing on.
Slash! Slash!
Meanwhile, Lilia handled flankers and rear pursuers.
Her radiant sword—the sole light source—sliced dolls in half with single strokes.
Her earlier muted performance was purely because she'd chosen to drag out fights with specials.
Now, with no need, every approaching doll met fair ruin equally.
'The matchup's a bit unfavorable, but can't be helped...'
Priests were jacks-of-all-trades, lacking in any single area.
Especially against these dolls, who'd sacrificed everything for extreme defense.
Earth fairies with their brute strength were a given; even warriors outdid priests in physical power and weapon might. Tough matchup.
Lilia, being Gold-tier bishop level, could still perform like this.
'...But she's cutting cleaner than before? Am I imagining it?'
Galen tilted his head, glancing at her.
She seemed to handle these dolls better than back in the ruin passages.
Still one-shots either way, but... easier somehow?
Dolls weakened in waterlogged mud, sure—but this was deeper in, past the spirit's rampage zone.
Had she really gained insight from the specials?
As Galen opened his mouth to ask—
"Brother, Brother."
Lilia called out first, having spun and smashed another doll.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Is just pushing like this okay? You don't seem to be scanning for anything special..."
"Oh, I already found it."
"...Pardon?"
"It's a bit far, but could you shine some light that way?"
At Galen's request, Lilia dazedly thrust her radiant sword forward.
Flash!
Holy light blazed at full intensity.
A cluster of earth dolls came into view where Galen pointed.
Nothing special there. Dolls littered the whole cavern. Just part of the scenery.
"See the big one in the middle? Shaped a bit differently."
"Huh?"
But looking closer: a giant earth doll, yet distinct from the rest.
Like how specials looked "handsomer" than regulars, this was a handsome giant.
"Wait, no—it's not dirt? That's actual rock, right? Different color."
"Too dark for me to tell. A leader specimen might be like that. Anyway, that's the core."
"How did you find it?"
"I've been sensing it. Since over there."
"Sensing... it?"
Magic acquired via the status window could be used immediately.
The moment it was learned, usage instinctively engraved itself in the mind, as if known forever.
Of course, at level 1, it was useless. The newborn mana and control were infant-level.
But the inherent magical sense and knowledge mattered even at 1.
Especially here.
Maybe because it was ruin-acquired magic, but upon learning Territorial Advance, Galen grasped part of the ruin's system.
Including how the most special entity lurked in the cavern's heart.
Galen hadn't come on a "hunch" about a core monster—he was certain.
"I'll explain later. For now, focus on killing it."
While they paused to talk, slow-moving surrounding dolls caught up.
Plus the ones guarding the leader. No time for chatter.
Lilia scanned around, nodded with resolve.
"It's the leader, so tougher than specials, right?"
"Probably at least in defense."
"Then let me test one thing!"
The radiant sword in Lilia's hand stretched long. It became a spear.
She gripped the radiant spear reverse and assumed a javelin stance.
'Javelin on the leader?'
Even Gold warriors' slashes barely fazed specials. How much would a bishop's weaker strike do against something tougher?
Stabbing repeatedly up close might save holy power over a one-shot throw.
Though she had her reasons—
Fwoosh!
In an instant, light flared like flames, flickering wildly.
Galen's eyes widened.
Platinum light cloaked her body as she twisted powerfully.
Boom!
The radiant spear shot forward in monstrous whoosh, a streak of lightning.
Crunch-crunch-crunch!
Piercing three dolls in its path, the beam slammed into the leader's head with full force.