Chapter 70: The Underground Giant (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 70: The Underground Giant (4)
“What now?!”
“It’s collapsing!”
“Why is this happening?!”
“Because the main body is gone!”
“That elephant was the main body?!”
I took the lead, sprinting forward. I continuously scanned for a way back using [Clairvoyance]. Despite the dizzying strain, I managed to navigate the path without hindrance.
If I glanced back even for a second, I could see the blood-colored mana chasing us with the terrifying momentum of a tsunami. A single touch meant certain death.
Kaya was slumped against my back, unconscious.
Her usual faint scent was gone, replaced by the metallic stench of blood and gore.
“Why are you running on foot anyway?! Your golem could have carried you! It was huge and fast! Don’t you think?!”
I barely resisted the urge to scream back at Lisetta.
I couldn’t leave Kaya to Eden. He was already carrying Ian while running, and he had his own limits. Despite his level increasing and his speed improving, he was showing clear signs of exhaustion after being drained of concentrated rock mana twice. If I had entrusted Kaya to him, our pace would have slowed to a crawl.
“And what’s with you?! You’re not even humanly possible to begin with!!”
“Argh! Shut up! Summon your familiar or something! If you’re not going to help, stop complaining!”
“Ah?! You’ve said enough—!”
Lisetta glared at me, seemingly realizing she had almost let her temper get the better of her.
[Lisetta Lionheart]
Psychology: [Afraid of you.]
Lisetta was a woman whose fighting spirit ignited when faced with strong opponents. Her fear of me seemed to stem from the overwhelming sense of powerlessness she had just experienced.
“Damn it...!”
Lisetta summoned Jeff, her rock-armored lion familiar.
[Heh! You’re going to throw me into the thick of a new battle again, Master!]
As soon as he appeared, Jeff let out a valiant roar. However, the moment he heard the commotion behind us, he turned around. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
[Eek!!! What is going on?!!]
“Enough talk! Just get Kaya on your back!”
Man, both the master and the familiar are noisy.
Nevertheless, Lisetta had some sense. She could see that I intended to protect Kaya. I had to stay in the lead; no matter how strong I was, running at full speed with Kaya on my back was bound to slow me down eventually. Lisetta must have realized that.
I carefully shifted Kaya from my back to Jeff’s. The process forced me to stop for about two seconds to adjust her position. Fortunately, I still had some leeway since I’d been running since before the giant’s body began its final collapse.
「Ice Generation (Ice Element, ★1)」
I immediately froze Kaya in place on Jeff’s back to secure her. We picked up the pace, my body feeling significantly lighter.
Lisetta watched me navigate the obstacles with admiration. “You’re a good navigator!” she shouted, seemingly unaware of [Clairvoyance].
Soon, we reached the giant’s throat.
「Rock Generation (Rock Element, ★1)」
I conjured a stone staircase leading up the wide opening. It didn’t reach the top, but it didn’t matter—Lisetta and I took turns building the path upward.
We scrambled up the rock stairs.
“Oof!”
“Jeez, don’t you have any strength in your legs? If you don’t want to die, don’t fall!”
“Do you think I’m doing this on purpose, you brat?!”
The tremors made Lisetta stumble, but I caught her wrist and hauled her up. Once she regained her footing, I let go, and we continued our frantic climb. From the base of the throat, layers of earth were piling up like a mass burial site.
Just a little further! We’re almost there!
“Phew!”
At last, we burst through and made it into the mouth!
I quickly laid a trail of rocks across the tongue and stepped forward. The smell of the giant’s maw, the sticky saliva, and the suffocating atmosphere were repulsive. It was a thoroughly unpleasant place to be.
“The ceiling...!”
The teeth formed a tightly sealed roof above us. I could only make it out because the reddish-blood mana flowing around us acted as a dim light source.
Well, it didn’t matter. We were safe here.
“It’s alright.”
“What do you mean, it’s alright?!”
Before we knew it, the blood-red tsunami—now forming solid ground—was right on our heels. Startled, Lisetta screamed, shielding her face with her arms.
The crimson mana engulfed everything, reaching the giant’s mouth before it suddenly crumbled into dust and vanished.
Only a massive sinkhole remained where the giant’s head had been. Because the creature had thrust its head out of the earth to create an opening, the void remained unreplaced by the surrounding ground.
Suddenly, I felt a floating sensation. Beneath my feet was the center of a dark abyss.
“What is this?!”
We began to fall in unison.
As far as I remembered, this sinkhole wasn’t that deep. Still, a direct fall onto the bottom would be fatal.
“It’s not that high! Quickly, make some rocks!”
“What? Ah!”
Lisetta used [Rock Generation] to form a massive boulder beneath us.
Drrrrr—!
The landing point was higher than expected. Thanks to her quick thinking, we landed smoothly on the boulder Lisetta had created.
“Huff, huff...! We almost died!”
Lisetta sat on the rock, gasping for air. I felt the same way.
We really almost died.
‘It’s over...’
I sat down beside her, a deep sense of relief washing over me.
Jeff, the lion familiar, chimed in with a fascinated tone. [I’ve never encountered a crisis like that before...]
We sat there for a long time, breathing hard and letting our racing hearts settle.
‘Are Kaya and Ian okay?’
As soon as my breathing calmed, I turned to Jeff. I glanced at Kaya, who was still secured to his back.
She’s sleeping peacefully.
[Kaya Astrea]
Lv: (140)
Race: Human
Elements: Wind, Ice, Plant, Blood
Danger: X
Psychology: [ ]
The [Flower of Evil] that had been crawling from her neck to her cheeks had long since vanished.
I’m glad she’s okay, but...
‘Temporary level 140...’
This was the side effect of awakening as a blood wizard. In this world, the blood element created a secondary personality. This meant that the persona of ‘Kaya the Ravenous,’ the one who wields blood magic, was now dormant within her.
The temporary level 140 was likely because the status window was measuring the ‘Ravenous’ version of Kaya. She was ten levels higher than in the original scenario, most likely due to her full awakening.
Furthermore, the humanized Kaya was safe. She no longer harbored the murderous or demonic instincts that Elphelt the Evanescent had instilled in her. To be clear, her entire personality hadn’t changed; there was simply a dramatic shift in her character when the blood magic took over. Ultimately, Kaya was still Kaya.
Except that to wield blood magic, she had to transition into her ‘Ravenous’ persona.
‘What about Ian?’
Next, I looked at Ian Fairytale, who was being held by Eden. The blood on his forehead had dried. He should be fully healed by now; his light element constitution gave him excellent resilience.
If he had woken up along the way, I’d planned to use [Black Ice] to conceal my appearance. That way, I could buy enough time to hide my true identity. The real question was whether Lisetta could keep her mouth shut.
[Notification from the Academy]
Just then, Professor Fernando’s voice crackled through the communication bracelet. It seemed the magic had finally reactivated now that the interference from the giant’s shell was gone.
[The Hunting Evaluation has been urgently terminated. We are currently conducting rescue operations. Please remain in your current positions and report any unusual occurrences immediately... Re-transmitting...]
“Hey.”
Lisetta called out, sitting in a slouch as she rubbed her sore shoulder.
“Can I say something?”
“Since when did you need my permission to speak?”
Lisetta furrowed her brow in irritation, but she didn’t lash out. She took a deep breath to steady herself. It surprised me that she managed to control her temper. Perhaps that was the power of logic winning out over emotion.
“I won’t ask for details. If it’s something someone like you can’t reveal, it must be something big. A demon must have brainwashed the Second Seat. It’s all so strange.”
“...”
“You’re the Black Monster, aren’t you? You’re hiding your identity on purpose.”
I nodded.
“I have my reasons. I’ll reveal everything when the time comes, so keep it a secret for now.”
“Then what are you going to tell the academy? It’s ridiculous to claim we defeated a demon of this magnitude on our own. They’re probably tracking our location in real-time, and the Second Seat is covered in blood. They’re bound to realize we were involved with a demon.”
“What else can we do? We’ll just say the Black Monster appeared.”
“...”
With a determined expression, Lisetta narrowed her eyes. Grasping a jagged edge of the rock, she pulled herself up.
“For now, let’s organize our story. I know which side you’re on.”
Her demeanor had shifted.
“But tell me one thing. Why are demons appearing so frequently? Is there some hidden secret within this academy?”
“I can’t tell you that either.”
It was a truth I kept to myself, fearing the complications it would bring. Especially when it came to Kaya, with whom I felt a sense of camaraderie. I didn’t want to burden her with this knowledge, much less Lisetta.
“...Do you always bear this weight on your own? Ha, how amusing. Even if I knew, I wouldn’t be able to help, you fool. Even an absurdly strong bastard like you was struggling. What could I possibly do?”
She laughed softly before sighing. I had nothing to say, so I remained silent.
“People like you... I wish I hadn’t known. It would have been better that way.”
[Lisetta Lionheart]
Psychology: [Feels a strong sense of inferiority towards you.]
It was a cliché—the "genius" who becomes frustrated when faced with a true monster. I wasn’t a genius, so I couldn’t fully empathize, but Lisetta was clearly feeling the weight of the gap between us.
“Let’s go back now,” I said, rising to my feet.
By using elemental magic to create stairs and ladders leading out of the sinkhole, we could easily reach the surface. Lisetta, along with Eden and Jeff carrying Ian and Kaya, followed me without another word.
*
The situation outside the sinkhole was dire. The earthquake had caused the cave system to collapse, blocking most paths. The giant’s outer shell must have rendered the academy’s wizards powerless during the crisis.
The Imperial Knights would have had a hard time clearing the rubble manually, as they hadn’t dispatched anyone specifically suited for large-scale excavation. However, now that the giant had vanished, everyone could use magic freely again.
Lisetta and I made our way toward the exit, clearing debris with elemental magic as we went. We were eventually rescued by an exam proctor rushing from the other side.
The academy staff was in full rescue mode, using wind magic and makeshift carriages to transport students. We boarded one and headed toward the dock.
The students gathered at the dock fell silent as they saw the four of us. An awkward, heavy atmosphere hung in the air.
“Isaac...!”
Suddenly, a female student with long, rose-gold hair rushed toward me. Her face was as pale as a corpse, her expression one of pure terror.
It was Luce Eltania.
[Luce Eltania]
Psychology: [Deeply relieved that you are safe.]
Luce skidded to a halt in front of me and Lisetta, her eyes darting around to assess the situation.
She saw Ian, unconscious with blood on his face. She saw Kaya, also out cold, her uniform drenched in red. She saw the normally fierce Lisetta looking utterly drained. And she saw me, my uniform torn and damaged from Rose’s earlier attack.
While healers rushed to move Ian and Kaya onto stretchers, Luce bit her lip, her expression hardening.
“Top Seat?” Lisetta called out.
“...”
Luce’s azure eyes, deep as the ocean, turned toward Lisetta. After a moment of processing, Luce suddenly bowed deeply, expressing her sincere gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“...!”
Lisetta was taken aback. The onlookers were equally bewildered. The Top Seat was notoriously suspicious of anyone who approached her and usually treated everyone except Isaac with cold cynicism. She never cared about anyone else. Seeing her offer such a sincere thanks was shocking.
“You protected Isaac, didn’t you? Thank you so much...”
Lisetta was supposed to go along with my story. Even though she was the one who had been protected, she managed to keep her mouth shut, though a cold sweat broke out on her brow. Thank you for keeping your promise, Lisetta.
Then, Luce raised her head and ran toward me.
“Lu—”
Hug.
Suddenly, she threw her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. She clung to my waist, refusing to let go, as if she never wanted to be separated from me again.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, Isaac. I’m so, so... glad.”
Her voice, soft as moonlight, trembled on the verge of tears. I could feel her struggling to keep them from falling.
My heart tightened. Seeing someone care enough to shed tears for me was both precious and humbling. I gently took her shoulders, pulling her back slightly so I could look into her eyes with a soft smile.
“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Thank you, Luce.”
Luce locked eyes with me for a moment before giving a wry smile and wiping the corners of her eyes.
“Isaac, stay with me from now on. Don’t leave my side, okay?”
“Sure. I don’t mind.”
“Well... put these on, then.”
Suddenly, as if she had been waiting for this exact moment, Luce pulled out something that looked suspiciously like handcuffs.
What is this?
“What are those?”
“Handcuffs. I bought them at an unmanned shop.”
Wait, seriously? They’re actually handcuffs?
“Here, let’s put these on our wrists. That way, we can stay close to each other.”
“...”
“I can’t help it. It might get dangerous again... You need to stay close to me, Isaac.”
Her expression was one of sincere concern. I knew she was genuinely worried about me... but Luce’s judgment, fueled by her intense emotions, was veering in a very wrong direction.
[Luce Eltania]
Psychology: [Feeling a strong instinct to protect you.]
“I’ll protect you, Isaac. So, from now on, you’ll be safe by my side... Ah! Isaac?!”
I instinctively backed away from Luce, turning and fleeing for my life.