Chapter 352: Dark Continent (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 352: Dark Continent (3)
Raven's harassment ended when we reached our destination after a fifteen-day voyage: a continent with vast plains. As if to prohibit intruders, there was a dark purple barrier spread along its borders and even a portal located in the sea in front of it.
"Woahhh!"
"We're here!"
As soon as this long-awaited sight unfolded over the horizon, the adventurers all gathered on deck and cheered. True, the voyage had been boring, although I personally had no time to be bored between suffering from seasickness and looking around the islands when I was feeling all right.
"It's Riehen Schuitz," I warned Erwen once again as soon as she came up next to me. She lowered her head. It seemed she realized she'd made a mistake. Hopefully, this would prevent any more. "Anyway, why did you come up here? It'll take a while for us to enter the portal."
"Just because... I just wanted to be with you..."
At first, her directness had burdened me a great deal, but she had eased up on me a lot lately. Or should I say I had gotten used to it?
"...But what are those boats? I don't think I saw them when we set sail." I pointed off into the distance. The portal we'd arrived at was packed with boats that had already arrived, and among them was a different kind than the sailboat we came on.
"Ah, that? It's a speedboat. They send those who arrive on the sixth floor first out in advance."
"To stop Noark from coming down?"
"Yes, there has been more of that recently. But seeing as there are no signs of battle on the ships, I don't think there was an attempt this time... I heard it was intense not long ago, to the point where more than half of the speedboats got completely destroyed."
I see. Anyway, since they arrived earliest, these guys would have killed the Gatekeeper already. I wonder if there was an essence.
While I looked around, I could feel eyes on me. This was a change that had occurred as the voyage dragged on.
"That woman is Blood Spirit..."
"But do you know who the man beside her is?"
"I don't know. When I asked a friend who joined the Magic Corps, they said this is his first mission back after retiring a few years back."
"Hmm, yet he became teammates with one of the Seven Powerful right away... I guess he has some kind of ace up his sleeve."
Thanks to Erwen's popularity, Amelia and I received attention wherever we went. For now, the emotion in people's eyes was 99 percent curiosity. Although this war had no-name adventurers appearing in it all the time, they were probably interested in my identity and capabilities, as I was working with Blood Spirit from the get-go. The other 1 percent was hostility.
"Schuitz."
"Ah, Raven?"
"She's doing that thing again," said Amelia.
Even as we gathered with the rest of the corps to talk about our plans since war was just around the corner, Raven's eyes were glued to us.
"Um... should I get rid of her when the opportunity presents itself...?" asked Erwen.
What was this girl saying? When I knocked Erwen on the forehead so she wouldn't get any ideas, she gave me a resentful look.
"But what if she recognizes you?" she asked. "I'm anxious."
Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Of course, not about getting rid of her, but whether or not to reveal my identity to Raven and ask for her to help us.
It just seems like a pointless hassle.
First, convincing her that I was not an evil spirit would take some work. Even if she did accept, there was no guarantee she'd keep my secret and cooperate. I knew Raven could get attached to people, but she also knew how to distinguish between public and private affairs.
And even if she does keep it a secret, the fact that she belongs to the palace now would just cause trouble later on.
My final decision was that it would be best to explain everything to her myself once everything was already dealt with.
"If I get caught, though, I'll have no choice but to be honest and tell her everything." Regardless of how I was hoping this would go, if I were discovered before that, I'd have no choice but to ask for her cooperation.
"Ugh, that makes one more person."
...Is that what you were anxious about?
***
Bwoooooo!
The moment the horn sounded from the ship in the lead, our ship also came to life.
"Everyone to your positions!"
Finally, our short wait was over, and it was time for all of us to enter the battlefield. The adventurers who were waiting around on deck moved to their assigned positions at the command of a palace affiliate. We didn't need to move because our assigned position was the deck.
"Mis—no, Riehen, I'll tie you up!"
"Huh?"
"I'm good at these things!"
Soon, we tied ourselves to the boat with the rope we were given. This was a measure to make sure we didn't fall off. Once our preparations were complete, the horn sounded from the flagship again and our ship began to move.
"I'm kind of nervous..."
"Don't worry. Riehen... I'll make sure to protect you."
Um, isn't that supposed to be my line as the tank?
Even as I thought that I didn't bother continuing down that line of conversation.
"Ship entry complete!"
The ships in the lead crossed through the portal and as our ship moved closer to it, I could feel my muscles tensing with barely contained energy. That was because we were headed toward a battlefield right now. The other adventurers were also stiff and solemn-faced, unlike earlier. The sight gave me PTSD as I was reminded of a certain event on the first floor.
"Main unit, entry complete!"
It was time for me to ditch my light-hearted attitude too. This was my first time entering the seventh floor in this body. Moreover, the said floor was full of adventurers from Noark who were more dangerous than monsters. Even if I was planning to get something out of my trip up here, I could just as easily lose something.
"Erwen and Emily."
"Yes."
"Speak."
Holding onto the railing with one hand and my new shield with the other, I said, "Do not leave my side."
Flash!
Before long, our ship entered the portal.
Boom!
The large sailing ship soared through the air for a moment as if thrown by a giant before hitting the surface of the sea and sending streams of water flying everywhere. It was an incredible experience, but there was no time to be distracted. We were not currently on a peaceful sea under a blue sky.
It just seems like a pointless hassle.
First, convincing her that I was not an evil spirit would take some work. Even if she did accept, there was no guarantee she'd keep my secret and cooperate. I knew Raven could get attached to people, but she also knew how to distinguish between public and private affairs.
And even if she does keep it a secret, the fact that she belongs to the palace now would just cause trouble later on.
My final decision was that it would be best to explain everything to her myself once everything was already dealt with.
"If I get caught, though, I'll have no choice but to be honest and tell her everything." Regardless of how I was hoping this would go, if I were discovered before that, I'd have no choice but to ask for her cooperation.
"Ugh, that makes one more person."
...Is that what you were anxious about?
***
Bwoooooo!
The moment the horn sounded from the ship in the lead, our ship also came to life.
"Everyone to your positions!"
Finally, our short wait was over, and it was time for all of us to enter the battlefield. The adventurers who were waiting around on deck moved to their assigned positions at the command of a palace affiliate. We didn't need to move because our assigned position was the deck.
"Mis—no, Riehen, I'll tie you up!"
"Huh?"
"I'm good at these things!"
Soon, we tied ourselves to the boat with the rope we were given. This was a measure to make sure we didn't fall off. Once our preparations were complete, the horn sounded from the flagship again and our ship began to move.
"I'm kind of nervous..."
"Don't worry. Riehen... I'll make sure to protect you."
Um, isn't that supposed to be my line as the tank?
Even as I thought that I didn't bother continuing down that line of conversation.
"Ship entry complete!"
The ships in the lead crossed through the portal and as our ship moved closer to it, I could feel my muscles tensing with barely contained energy. That was because we were headed toward a battlefield right now. The other adventurers were also stiff and solemn-faced, unlike earlier. The sight gave me PTSD as I was reminded of a certain event on the first floor.
"Main unit, entry complete!"
It was time for me to ditch my light-hearted attitude too. This was my first time entering the seventh floor in this body. Moreover, the said floor was full of adventurers from Noark who were more dangerous than monsters. Even if I was planning to get something out of my trip up here, I could just as easily lose something.
"Erwen and Emily."
"Yes."
"Speak."
Holding onto the railing with one hand and my new shield with the other, I said, "Do not leave my side."
Flash!
Before long, our ship entered the portal.
Boom!
The large sailing ship soared through the air for a moment as if thrown by a giant before hitting the surface of the sea and sending streams of water flying everywhere. It was an incredible experience, but there was no time to be distracted. We were not currently on a peaceful sea under a blue sky.
[You have entered the Dark Continent on the seventh floor.]
The sea was black as if covered in oil. Although this was only the entrance to the continent, the surrounding fog was already affecting our visibility.
Bang! Bang! Pop!
Explosions from all sides pounded on our eardrums thanks to the mana cannons being fired by the troops Noark had stationed on top of the canyon.
"Their welcome is very intense today," said Erwen.
"Where did those guys get mana cannons?"
"They must have taken them from our ships."
Even as we conversed, mana cannons, black magic, and various special abilities flew toward the ship. I could tell the firepower was considerable just by the sound, but the damage to the royal fleet was nonexistent. There was nothing you couldn't achieve with money.
Shaaaaaa!
The moment we entered the seventh floor, all incoming attacks were immediately blocked before they could reach us. Although the ship rocked significantly on occasion, there was never any damage. This was proof of the large-scale investment the palace had put into all their warships after initially suffering heavy damage during the landing process. Apparently, mana stones in the tens of millions were consumed per minute just to maintain the magic circles on board.
So how much money is that just to get to the continent? Ah, maybe it's still a bargain compared to the cost of the ship?
Of course, this wasn't the time to be worrying about the country's financial situation, so I shoved aside those distracting thoughts and focused on the present. Taking the warm welcome head-on, the fleet steadily advanced and soon broke through the adjacent coast before changing formation into a single-file line to enter the narrow canyon.
[You have entered a special area. Field Effect – Canyon of Vengeful Spirits has activated. All Healing and Regeneration effects are disabled. All Divine Power is sealed.]
The Canyon of Vengeful Spirits was a section of the map that you had to pass through in order to enter the Dark Continent, as the entire coastline was made up of cliffs. As the warship we were on followed the ship before it into the canyon, the ominous, gloomy fog thickened even more.
"Prepare for battle!"
Undead monsters began crawling up the outer walls of the ship. Their ranks were as varied as their types.
[You have killed a Deadburn. EXP +3]
[You have killed a Red Eye. EXP +4]
[You have killed a Banshee Queen. EXP +6]
[You have killed a Teeth Skeleton. EXP+ 4]
[You have killed a Cliff Demon...]
More than half the monsters that appeared here could be hunted on the sixth floor too, but since we skipped that floor, we racked up XP no matter what we killed. Erwen's contributions as a long-ranger were considerable. Almost 70 percent of the monsters were dropped before they could even get on the ship, and the sea monsters had no chance of attacking us at all.
[You have killed a Chaos Seaman. EXP +6]
[You have killed a Malder Elephant. EXP +5]
[You have killed a Skeleton Mermaid Queen...]
Since I was bound with Erwen, the XP flowed my way even if all she did was fire off a basic attack. Of course, that didn't mean I spent my time freeloading.
Smack!
The deck was also full of Spirit monsters that had no need to climb, so I had to swing my weapon unendingly.
[You have killed a Ghosties. EXP +4]
[You have defeated a Soul Drinker. EXP +6]
[You have killed a Canyon Ghost. EXP +3]
Given the fact that there were so many people on the ship, the spawn rate was no joke. And even as a fierce battle unfolded on deck, those vicious bastards from Noark added to the chaos by firing cannons at us from on top of the canyon. This was neutralized by a defensive magic circle.
"Ahhhhhh!"
However, there were still cases of adventurers whose lines were cut during battle falling off the rocking deck into the sea.
"What the—why isn't the ship moving?"
"The ship ahead has sunk!"
"Huh? But it was moving forward just fine!"
"It looks like a Deadrect appeared and damaged the warship's magic circle!"
As I listened to the battle updates, it seemed there were cases of some of the ships' defensive magic circles getting broken by monsters, causing the entire ship to go down.
Welp, the persistent bombardment from above is worth it, I guess.
Not only would it be a plus for Noark if they were lucky enough to destroy just one ship, but as long as they continued to attack, the ships could not turn off their defensive magic circles. Thus, as we advanced through the canyon, we had no choice but to keep the magic circle on, consuming a lot of our firepower.
"Amelia, behind you!" At my urgent shout, Amelia shattered the skeleton trying to ambush her with a back kick. "No need to thank me. We're comrades after—"
"It's Emily."
"Huh?"
"I'm sure no one heard you in the middle of all this, but I want you to be careful."
"Ah, I'll be careful..." Even though it was the same pseudonym she used back in the past, it wasn't sticking for some reason. Which meant I had no right to scold Erwen for her mistake.
"Mister—! Look over there!"
"It's Riehen."
"Ah... right... anyway, there! We're almost there!"
I looked where Erwen was pointing, but all I could see was fog.
[Field Effect – Canyon of Vengeful Spirits has been deactivated.]
A while later, however, the narrow canyon opened up to reveal a wide lake. There was a waterfall on one of the sides, and the water here was as red as blood.
"Whew, it's over!"
"I can finally catch my breath."
As the constantly spawning monsters disappeared, the bombardment from Noark also came to an end. This meant we had safely cleared the first hurdle.
So this is when the real challenge begins...
As I stared at the fog-covered water, I gulped. Maybe I was only imagining it, but I thought I could already smell blood.
[You have entered the Dark Continent on the seventh floor.]
The sea was black as if covered in oil. Although this was only the entrance to the continent, the surrounding fog was already affecting our visibility.
Bang! Bang! Pop!
Explosions from all sides pounded on our eardrums thanks to the mana cannons being fired by the troops Noark had stationed on top of the canyon.
"Their welcome is very intense today," said Erwen.
"Where did those guys get mana cannons?"
"They must have taken them from our ships."
Even as we conversed, mana cannons, black magic, and various special abilities flew toward the ship. I could tell the firepower was considerable just by the sound, but the damage to the royal fleet was nonexistent. There was nothing you couldn't achieve with money.
Shaaaaaa!
The moment we entered the seventh floor, all incoming attacks were immediately blocked before they could reach us. Although the ship rocked significantly on occasion, there was never any damage. This was proof of the large-scale investment the palace had put into all their warships after initially suffering heavy damage during the landing process. Apparently, mana stones in the tens of millions were consumed per minute just to maintain the magic circles on board.
So how much money is that just to get to the continent? Ah, maybe it's still a bargain compared to the cost of the ship?
Of course, this wasn't the time to be worrying about the country's financial situation, so I shoved aside those distracting thoughts and focused on the present. Taking the warm welcome head-on, the fleet steadily advanced and soon broke through the adjacent coast before changing formation into a single-file line to enter the narrow canyon.
[You have entered a special area. Field Effect – Canyon of Vengeful Spirits has activated. All Healing and Regeneration effects are disabled. All Divine Power is sealed.]
The Canyon of Vengeful Spirits was a section of the map that you had to pass through in order to enter the Dark Continent, as the entire coastline was made up of cliffs. As the warship we were on followed the ship before it into the canyon, the ominous, gloomy fog thickened even more.
"Prepare for battle!"
Undead monsters began crawling up the outer walls of the ship. Their ranks were as varied as their types.
[You have killed a Deadburn. EXP +3]
[You have killed a Red Eye. EXP +4]
[You have killed a Banshee Queen. EXP +6]
[You have killed a Teeth Skeleton. EXP+ 4]
[You have killed a Cliff Demon...]
More than half the monsters that appeared here could be hunted on the sixth floor too, but since we skipped that floor, we racked up XP no matter what we killed. Erwen's contributions as a long-ranger were considerable. Almost 70 percent of the monsters were dropped before they could even get on the ship, and the sea monsters had no chance of attacking us at all.
[You have killed a Chaos Seaman. EXP +6]
[You have killed a Malder Elephant. EXP +5]
[You have killed a Skeleton Mermaid Queen...]
Since I was bound with Erwen, the XP flowed my way even if all she did was fire off a basic attack. Of course, that didn't mean I spent my time freeloading.
Smack!
The deck was also full of Spirit monsters that had no need to climb, so I had to swing my weapon unendingly.
[You have killed a Ghosties. EXP +4]
[You have defeated a Soul Drinker. EXP +6]
[You have killed a Canyon Ghost. EXP +3]
Given the fact that there were so many people on the ship, the spawn rate was no joke. And even as a fierce battle unfolded on deck, those vicious bastards from Noark added to the chaos by firing cannons at us from on top of the canyon. This was neutralized by a defensive magic circle.
"Ahhhhhh!"
However, there were still cases of adventurers whose lines were cut during battle falling off the rocking deck into the sea.
"What the—why isn't the ship moving?"
"The ship ahead has sunk!"
"Huh? But it was moving forward just fine!"
"It looks like a Deadrect appeared and damaged the warship's magic circle!"
As I listened to the battle updates, it seemed there were cases of some of the ships' defensive magic circles getting broken by monsters, causing the entire ship to go down.
Welp, the persistent bombardment from above is worth it, I guess.
Not only would it be a plus for Noark if they were lucky enough to destroy just one ship, but as long as they continued to attack, the ships could not turn off their defensive magic circles. Thus, as we advanced through the canyon, we had no choice but to keep the magic circle on, consuming a lot of our firepower.
"Amelia, behind you!" At my urgent shout, Amelia shattered the skeleton trying to ambush her with a back kick. "No need to thank me. We're comrades after—"
"It's Emily."
"Huh?"
"I'm sure no one heard you in the middle of all this, but I want you to be careful."
"Ah, I'll be careful..." Even though it was the same pseudonym she used back in the past, it wasn't sticking for some reason. Which meant I had no right to scold Erwen for her mistake.
"Mister—! Look over there!"
"It's Riehen."
"Ah... right... anyway, there! We're almost there!"
I looked where Erwen was pointing, but all I could see was fog.
[Field Effect – Canyon of Vengeful Spirits has been deactivated.]
A while later, however, the narrow canyon opened up to reveal a wide lake. There was a waterfall on one of the sides, and the water here was as red as blood.
"Whew, it's over!"
"I can finally catch my breath."
As the constantly spawning monsters disappeared, the bombardment from Noark also came to an end. This meant we had safely cleared the first hurdle.
So this is when the real challenge begins...
As I stared at the fog-covered water, I gulped. Maybe I was only imagining it, but I thought I could already smell blood.