Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Securing the Chimera
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The magic tower's sewers were a space where no ordinary creature could survive.
Not only was the area overflowing with excessive mana, but it was also polluted to the extreme with waste.
In other words, the beings here weren't in a normal state. It was debatable whether they even qualified as living creatures.
-Kyagagagak!!!
-Kweeeeng!!!
The best way to deal with them was to avoid getting too close. There was no telling what kind of poison they might carry.
In that regard, Hellfire was the perfect tool.
Fwoosh. Using the mana-dense fog as fuel, the Hellfire blazed with greater intensity than usual.
"Hiiya! This is the power of a colored flame spell! It's amazing that two people with unique colors have formed a priestly bond."
"You don't need to make such a fuss."
"...S-Sorry."
The creatures blocking their path all turned to ash in Damian's flames.
Damian was focused on just two things.
Whether the target chimera might get caught in the Hellfire, and the aberrant creatures that could withstand it and charge straight at them.
Slash. But the latter wasn't much of a concern. Agnes's sword intercepted them the moment they entered a certain range.
"You don't look too happy. Tired?"
"No. It's just... it hit me again that you're a mage, Damian."
In truth, he was a black mage, but this was a secret he couldn't share with Agnes or anyone else.
"Hmm..."
Agnes turned her gaze forward again. Her expression still seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
'Get it together, Agnes. You're just imagining things.'
Damian wasn't a knight like her. He simply possessed comparable strength and skill; he didn't need to fight on the front lines.
A true powerhouse chose the battlefield that favored them. Damian's choice made perfect sense no matter how she looked at it.
Still, a corner of her heart felt uneasy. She inwardly regretted that they couldn't wield swords together.
'Enough! Stop it!'
But she had no time to indulge in such strange thoughts. Solving Dillon's problem took priority.
"No other enemies nearby. Let's move."
The search continued. Since they weren't yet in the sewer's depths, no major threats appeared.
The problem was...
"They're coming from behind too. Be careful!"
"Y-Yes, yes!"
A massive slime-like creature approached from the rear. Its sticky body was packed with bones, magic tools, and all sorts of debris.
A slime.
But it differed in color and size from the common ones found on the continent.
-Gurgle.
It had grown by consuming the tower's waste and magic tools.
Fwoosh. Green flames shot toward the enemy filling the passage.
The slime instinctively absorbed the Hellfire into its body but couldn't withstand the heat and burst apart.
Boom!! The chemicals it had absorbed reacted with the Hellfire, triggering a massive explosion.
"I-I'll put up a defense."
Dillon erected a mana barrier ahead, but it clearly wouldn't hold.
Crack! Damian covered one side of the passage with Stone Scales. The wall shook, but they took no damage.
"Ooh, ooh!!"
Dillon's eyes sparkled at the Stone Scales barrier. Its structure matched the Ezekiel mana barrier he had been studying.
"To think mana barriers could be used like this. Not just for defense, but offense too."
Damian had indeed pierced Ezekiel's mana barrier using reinforced Stone Scales.
"They're not exaggerating when they say you're beyond the Frozen Wastes and Great Desert."
As Agnes said, that didn't mean they could relax against these aberrant creatures.
The sewers themselves were like one massive magic beast. Enemies could emerge from anywhere at any time.
Even a slime crawling up from underfoot wouldn't be surprising.
Adventurers and mages who explored the sewers had likely met their ends this way.
"Let's take a short break."
The group decided to rest in a wide cavern. The others were running low on mana, and even Damian's stamina and mental energy were wearing thin.
"Please wait a moment."
The chores fell to Dillon.
Without being asked, he quickly took on the grunt work since he felt the most useless.
He cleared the area, set up a dome-shaped safe zone with a magic tool, lit a campfire, and brought out cushy chairs.
"Whew, haa."
Only then could he remove his gas mask and breathe.
The air inside the safe zone wasn't great, but it beat having sweat pooled on his face.
The three caught their breath and replenished their stamina and mana.
About two hours had passed since entering the sewers.
They could only hope the chimera was still alive.
"Any other rumors about the sewers?"
Damian casually asked Dillon.
"That's the problem—there are too many. Some say the current state is some kind of magic experiment, others claim the sewers will explode someday and destroy the tower, and..."
"And what?"
"This one's too ridiculous, but..."
Dillon gave a wry smile, as if he found it absurd even saying it.
"There's a rumor that a black mage is buried under the sewers."
He went on to say there was even talk that the five founding mages built the first tower here because of that black mage.
"Hahaha. Ridiculous. Who dares say such things about the magic tower."
To the tower's mages, this place wasn't just a location. It was where their pride resided.
Even the low-confidence Dillon was firm on this.
But Damian couldn't just brush it off. Not after what Valefor had said.
'What if it wasn't a black mage, but an ancient mage?'
Rumors could twist over time.
It was quite plausible that the five mages found an ancient mage's tomb and built the tower atop it.
'The sewers themselves might be influenced by that mage.'
As he pondered the possibilities, Dillon brought up another tale.
"Oh, one more. There's a rumor that the hideout of a infamous necromancer from the past is in the sewers. Packed with undead, including even a Death Knight."
"Death Knight?"
This time, Agnes showed interest.
"They're said to be the strongest undead in imperial history. Not sure of the details, but it was made from hundreds of elite knights' corpses. No knight could stand against it back then, they say."
"I'd love to fight one if the chance arises."
"Hahaha... That's a knight for you. Necromancy's practically extinct now, so it's impossible."
Related to Death Knights too. The sewers were worth a thorough investigation, even if not right now.
"Let's move again."
But the priority was solving Dillon's issue.
A chimera might be stronger than ordinary creatures, but how long it could endure the sewers' horrors was unknown.
The three pressed deeper into the sewers.
"Got it! Signal acquired!"
Soon, a red dot appeared on the tracker.
"Scout first."
Damian sent the Watcher’s Eye ahead. In the direction the tracker indicated, they spotted the chimera—an eagle head on a crocodile body.
"Looks fine. Still, better get it out quick."
"Hueee... Thank goodness."
Dillon's legs gave out in relief, and he collapsed. But he quickly shook it off and rummaged through his subspace pouch.
"When dealing with the chimera, please use this."
Dillon handed Agnes a thick baton. Pressing the button on the handle sparked electricity from the tip.
"Using a sword seems too risky..."
Finding the chimera didn't mean killing it to bring back. That could provoke even greater wrath.
"Got another one?"
"I do, but why would you, Damian..."
Dillon tilted his head. Someone unable to use aura had no reason to take point with a stun baton.
"You're fine, Damian. Even without aura, your strength and skill rival any knight."
"...So the rumors are true?"
The rumors that Damian wielded swordsmanship on par with knights.
They had spread widely, but skeptics like Dillon still lingered.
"Let's go then!"
"...Your face lit up all of a sudden?"
"I-It’s just... Dillon's problem is solved. Of course I'm happy."
To hide her twitching lips, Agnes strode ahead.
"Grrrr..."
Soon, the massive chimera appeared before them.
As Dillon prepared the restraints, Damian and Agnes slowly advanced with stun batons.
"I'll take the lead."
Damian nodded, and Agnes charged forward, swinging her baton.
"Kyyyaaaaak!!"
The chimera's eyes brimmed with venom. Starved from research neglect, the charging foe was just prey.
Crack! But its blind attack was easy for Agnes to read. She dodged the yellow beak lightly and struck the nape with the baton.
"Kyyaaak!! Kyyaaak!!"
Electricity coursed through it, making the chimera tremble. It endured and slammed its thick beak down at Agnes.
Thud! The strike never landed. Damian had slipped in close and battered its belly with his baton.
"Wow..."
Dillon froze mid-preparation, staring in awe.
The rumors and Agnes's words were true. Damian was syncing perfectly with aura-enhanced Agnes.
How was this possible? Damian's magic was unique, but nothing compared to this sight.
"Doesn't hurt, right? Your mouth keeps twitching."
"N-No. Just focused on the fight."
At Damian's words, Agnes covered her mouth. Her lips were curling upward, just as he said.
She had longed for this moment.
Her training had always been solitary. Against beasts or knights, always alone.
No comrades, no family cheering her on.
Not anymore. She had a partner who understood her way and fought alongside her.
'A partner... of the sword.'
They were engaged, but Agnes preferred the ring of "partner."
'Next time, maybe a no-holds-barred spar?'
Pure physical might and skill, plus every tool at their disposal, clashing fully.
She wasn't sure if Damian would agree, but she wanted to try.
"Kraaak!!"
The bipedal chimera gaped wide. Venom gathered between its teeth.
But Damian and Agnes moved faster than it could spit. Its jaws snapped shut, and it writhed in agony.
"That's enough! I'll restrain it now."
They fell back, and Dillon's restraints flew in, subduing the foe.
Compressed into a small orb, the bound chimera couldn't move.
"It'll hold for six hours at least. Still, we should hurry..."
"Everyone down!"
Boom!! Stone Scales erupted from the ground. A sudden gust had hit.
The passage was wider now, so it didn't fully block. The fierce wind battered them mercilessly.
No ordinary gale. Definitely magic.
Whoooosh!! The blast lasted dozens of seconds. Only then could they check on each other.
"You okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine... Oh no! Dillon's gone!"
Only the chimera's orb remained where Dillon had stood.
It didn't seem blown away. They'd have heard his scream.
"W-What do we do?"
Securing the chimera meant nothing if Dillon was in trouble.
Agnes stared at Damian in dismay.
"Damian?"
"It's fine. No need to panic."
Unlike Agnes, Damian stayed calm. No, he even let out a hollow chuckle.
'As expected.'
Everything had gone just as he predicted.