Cave Ruins (2)
Pushed forward by Taylor, Allen stepped ahead just as four automatons burst out from the fog. They were a pack of boar the size of calves.
Taylor gripped his weapon, eager to see how Allen would fight. But things didn't go as expected.
"Your turn."
At Allen's word, the crouched leopard sprang into action. The charging boars closed the distance in an instant, the moment of collision rushing toward them.
The leopard reared up its upper body. Its charging form lifted slightly, freeing its front paws to slap the cheeks of the boars racing alongside it.
Krunch!Krunch!
Each beastly paw strike filled the labyrinth with the sound of twisting metal.
And that wasn't the end. The leopard dug its claws into the floor to adjust its slide, slamming its body into an intact boar.
Crunch!
The boar's camera eye popped out like fruit caught in a press, crushed between the leopard and the labyrinth wall.
Then the last one. The boar approaching Allen took a staff hit and slid across the floor on its knees.
Taylor watched the battle end in a flash before speaking up.
"How'd you do the last one?"
"I disrupted its mana signal the moment the staff hit its body."
"What?"
"The detailed principle follows the mana circuit with a mana pulse..."
"No, stop."
Taylor cut him off before it got too long-winded. He couldn't fathom how Allen handled all that brain-taxing magitech knowledge without a neural expander.
Worried Allen might continue, he quickly changed the subject.
"At this rate, the leopard could solo a gatekeeper."
"Unlike human skin, a gatekeeper's armor is too thick for it yet. With my support, it could hold its own, though."
"I notice it every time, but aren't your standards too high?"
Allen checked over the leopard as it brought back the boar.
"I once saw a book in Ranka's dump explaining Eastern Continent idioms. It mentioned something called 'dragon head, snake tail'..."
"I know that one. It's a bad thing, right?"
"I see it differently. They tried to draw a dragon but ended up with a snake. Same principle—if you aim for a snake from the start and miss, you get an earthworm."
"So you're saying dream big from the outset?"
"Yes, exactly."
Taylor still looked puzzled. He loaded parts Allen handed him onto the cart and asked,
"Still doesn't explain why the leopard suddenly got so strong."
"Let me explain simply. [Reinforcement], [Acceleration], [Empower]. Runes applied to the leopard. But that's not all. You know circuit magic? Unlike pictorial runes, it channels mana flows along lines to manifest mystical phenomena. I rearranged the leopard's patterns slightly to form an overall circuit magic structure. It retains rune traits while incorporating circuit advantages. The resulting spell is Crush. Each strike carries mysticism for more efficient attacks. You listening?"
Taylor, caught off-guard while collecting loot, fell victim to the knowledge assault.
"Huh? Uh..."
Taylor touched his ear with a dazed look.
"Just checking my hearing—thought something was wrong."
"Shall I explain again...?"
"No. Thirst for knowledge is good, but focus in the labyrinth."
"Right. Enemies could pop out anytime."
Allen finally went quiet, satisfied, and Taylor secretly sighed in relief. He feared turning into a scholar's dog at this rate. Natural learning was one thing; forced cramming was another.
Entering the cave, Allen reached the lower layers' start—Layer 18—without issue. Clearing the greenbloods, Taylor confirmed his expectations: upper and middle layer foes weren't threatening.
Allen gazed at the cave blending artificial and natural beauty.
"Every time I come here, I realize how vast each layer is. Even rushing battles and minimizing rests took over four days."
"That's why scholars call it the 'underground world.' It's a whole world—deeper in, months pass easily. Alright, round that corner and we're at the fortress path..."
Taylor halted mid-sentence. Countless presences ahead.
"Not fighting—just standing around."
"These bastards..."
Taylor seemed to know something. As they approached, the black fog thinned, presences grew stronger. In the passage center stood two explorers.
"Ibex Mercenary Corps is using this for training. Go elsewhere."
Zone control. Less common near the surface in Layers 1-3, but rampant deeper down.
Only big-group explorers could push back. Independent ones like Allen had no recourse—lacking both clout and strength yet.
"Smart thinking, old man. Go play with your grandson carefully."
Allen retreated slowly, muttering low.
"Knew it, but experiencing it pisses me off."
"The blockade? Or no metal plates or books?"
"Obviously the latter."
Only after distancing far from the controlled zone did Taylor speak again.
"Because of the collector?"
"Typhoon theory? Anomalies from incidents or massive mana clashes."
"How'd you get that before I finished? Who taught you?"
"Professor Oros at the city university."
"Musclehead prof? I know him. Allen."
"Yes?"
Taylor called again to the forward-facing Allen.
"Allen."
"Something wrong?"
"Finally looking back, huh."
"..."
"Not joking—don't glare like that. Similar to typhoon theory. I called, you turned."
"The labyrinth reacts to stimuli, right?"
"Yeah. Thanks for stealing my lines—saves calories. Anyway, the collector caused changes, and they're claiming it under new recruit training pretext. A real farm."
Finishing, Taylor felt the cave wall.
"There should be a secret passage to the relic by the fortress around here."
"Breaker-only path?"
"As far as I know."
"Found it."
Allen pressed part of the wall with his staff, and a dark passage yawned open.
Caves are usually damp or dry. They host unique small bugs and animals adapted to harsh ecosystems. No oxygen-producing plants means fire is strictly forbidden.
But the labyrinth's caves defied all common sense. Ideal humidity, cool temperatures perfect for movement, endless monster spawns, infinite oxygen supply from somewhere.
Early explorers lugged oxygen tanks in fear, but none do now.
"Folks with anxiety still carry oxygen generators. Turns out the walls generate it—no need."
"Good info, thanks."
Cheerful Allen and weary Taylor moved quietly but swiftly through the secret passage. Even at a brisk pace, the cool air kept sweat at bay.
Every glance revealed rugged rock. Repetitive scenery would bore most, but not Allen.
He felt the same thrill as rummaging Ranka's dump. Monsters blocking paths or meddlesome people were trivial before knowledge.
His natural excitement led to one-sided chatter. Taylor felt like a walking encyclopedia was beside him, praying for the passage's end.
This secret path didn't warp space or dimensions—it looped around the fortress's full area.
Finally at a dead end, Taylor explained.
"Out there's the cavern with the fortress. Past it to the relic—watch for underground dwellers; they'll be a hassle."
Allen nodded, and Taylor groped the wall.
"Eleven o'clock with your right hand."
"I don't recall teaching you secret passage spotting... Did I when you were delirious?"
"Your brain's fine—don't worry. It shimmers or blurs like magitech or Oparts."
Taylor touched the spot, and the rock slid open like automatic doors.
A vast open space like several soccer fields, with a stone fortress wall in the center. It wasn't just called a fortress—it looked like one.
Allen took in the full view because, like factories, no fog shrouded it here.
"Don't stare like that. I really don't know."
Taylor preempted Allen's questions effectively. Allen swallowed his doubts and prepped to move.
[Camouflage], [Silencing], [Stealth]
Allen engraved the three runes directly on the cart. The rest he drew on metal plates for the leopard or handed to Taylor.
"Reminds me of old times."
"Something happen?"
"Deeper you go, longer the expeditions—gear maintenance gets crucial. One engineer I dove with back then shone in every way. Green as hell at first—wanted to smack him."
Right after, explosions echoed from what seemed the fortress's main gate far off.
Taylor frowned at the wall blocking his view. Allen hugged the cavern wall, inching forward while tinkering.
"Done."
The recon automaton spider uncurled on his palm, stretching legs and looking up with its round camera eye.
Linked to his left eye, Allen saw the spider while viewing himself simultaneously.
Underground dweller movements might require path changes, and he was curious about the Ibex Mercenary Corps too.
"Spider again, huh."
"Legs let it handle any terrain easily."
"Got a special name for it?"
"Is that necessary?"
"Better to nickname long-term tools. Right?"
"..."
Allen looked reluctant, so Taylor persuaded slyly.
"Think about it. Famous weapons or heroes' blades all have names."
"Some swordsman called his sword disposable."
"True, but toss a Gram or Tyrfing if broken? No—entrust to a master for repairs."
Old or cherished items gained spirits. In a world where mana and mysteries breathed, it was natural.
Such things turned names into magic, flaunting their power.
"Building mysticism takes more than a day or two. Mythic feats aside, it needs decades or centuries."
"Start is half the battle. Let me name it now. Spiders crawl deep labyrinth darkness—Deep Dark Crawler?"
"...Starting recon."
"Lame, huh?"
The spider leaped from Allen's palm, skittering toward the fortress. It stabbed spikes into the wall and climbed with a scrape-scrape.
Taylor specialized in recon, but poor gear made it tough in a dweller-infested fortress.
If targeting dwellers and automatons inside, fine—but detection causing a ruckus could alert Ibex.
Allen yanked a cable from another spider-relay and handed it to Taylor.
"Watch together."
"Treating me like a beam projector now?"
"No, remote-linked—no need."
Allen tapped under his left eye. True to his word, a blue glow flickered inside his pupil.