Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Survival Competition (8)
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Haa. I barely suppressed the sigh that was about to escape my lips. I couldn't very well tell the emperor of an entire nation, "I'm in a really bad mood right now."
Still, at least we'd confirmed the kid was a complete outsider, so we could head underground without worrying about any fallout.
Excluding Dras, who still hadn't returned, everyone agreed that the solution to this incident lay somewhere underground or in one of the caves. We decided to gather only those who could fight and deal with it.
"I'd love to go with you if I could."
"You know that's not possible, right?"
"I do."
On our side, the combat personnel were Big Sis Mina and me. From the emperor's side...
"We'll take care of it instead."
"May I have your name and title...?"
"Captain of the Imperial Guard Knights, Yura Ainship. I only learned your true identity recently, Duke's Heir Yulius Lebedev."
"We were planning to abandon the Lebedev name anyway."
"Understood. Then I'll call you Yulius."
True to her role as the captain of the knights who shadowed the emperor, she not only had intel on me but was quick on the uptake too.
Well, you couldn't keep a meathead swordsman by your side no matter how skilled, if they lacked brains.
A single handshake.
The inner strength I felt in her grip—or call it ki—the calluses and hand strength hard enough for a noblewoman to reach were striking.
"Personally, I think we should move with as few people as possible."
"Why is that?"
"This is a rough map I made based on the terrain data I gathered while scouting yesterday."
I unrolled the map and marked all the caves from the surface down to the altitudes I'd explored. The ones I'd entered personally were detailed down to the depths, accounting for my stride length.
"From this alone, it's clear the underground isn't just some 'deep, vast cave.' And if they're storing smuggled weapons and gear from the Empire, the actual combat space would be even more confined."
"Which means limits on the firepower we can bring to bear."
"Captain, between swordsmanship and magic, which is your specialty?"
"Magic, if I had to pick. Though I don't think I'm lacking with the sword either."
Perfect. Mid-to-rear line fighters with self-sufficient combat ability, no need for close protection.
Considering the environment made it tough for AoE or heavy firepower, I'd be the one pressing from the front.
"We'll find the cave entrance soon enough—we've already sent people out."
This was something I'd requested before starting the meeting. To check locations with manpower first for efficiency, before explaining why.
In the meantime, we checked our gear for the expedition.
"Oh, right. Shopkeeper."
"Yes?"
"From my experience, there's something down there that messes with people's minds. So, here—this is a prototype, but..."
Another ring this time. Not just for me—everyone got one, and they were slimmed down to not hinder sword grips.
No gem inlay like before.
"I haven't tested it, but it should work against fear or hesitation at least."
"You made this in such a short time."
"The ring itself I bought from the shop next door. I just re-enchanted and reshaped it."
Well, Big Sis usually handled everything from start to finish for items meant for sale.
I expressed my thanks.
It was about time for the scouts to return.
I did some light stretches while waiting, and after about 15 more minutes, someone came back.
"I think we've found it! There's some material inside that sucks you in, so I couldn't enter, but it's the most promising so far."
"Good work. We'll head out. Looking forward to good news."
"Understood."
"Of course."
All three of us were superhumans beyond normal limits, so no need to sync up—we bolted out of the building. I tucked the guiding soldier under my arm and pointed directions with my finger.
The site we reached was a cave not far from where the dwarves lived.
Darkest under the lamp indeed.
I thanked the nameless soldier, set him down, and headed inside.
"Stench... and Dras."
"No way, for real."
The moment we tried to go deeper, we spotted a bizarre, dull black mass and Dras beside it.
How long had he been here?
"Oh, the shopkeeper's finally here."
"Aren't you way too relaxed?"
"No real bad effects so far."
As I approached Dras, the ground was covered in black mud that sank underfoot. I waved off the other two trying to follow.
"Explain what's going on."
"Well, I heard some weirdo was raising something odd around here, so I came. Saw that thing, got close, and my feet got stuck in the mud."
"Be more careful."
"Yeah, I will."
"So, what is that?"
"Dunno. But it's docile, no harm. The mud too."
"It's absorbing it instead."
To check if this was demon-related, I wrapped my left hand in the goddess's power and brought it close.
No reaction. If anything, the spot my hand touched changed color first, turning gold in part.
So, the most natural conclusion was that it had grown by absorbing this stuff.
"If it's absorbing nonstop but the amount doesn't decrease, something must be supplying it from somewhere."
"Sound reasoning."
"Then let me check."
I plunged the hand touching the mass straight down. Instead of purifying or anything, the highly viscous liquid hardened solid.
Good. Time to go brute force.
I released the goddess's power, picked up Dras, and moved him outside.
Then lifted the mass and pulled it out too.
No more worries. Crank up the output.
My whole body turned gold, and my overtaxed body began cracking bit by bit.
Like dry sand splitting, but still within healing tolerance.
I unleashed raw power, solidifying most of the black slime in the cave, then shattered the hardened goo with the backlash, scattering it.
"Shopkeeper. Over there."
"Ah, whew. Yeah."
"Can you still fight?"
"I'm fine. Well, a break would be nice, but filling up again after resting feels like the dumbest move."
"Impressive."
"Not really my achievement. Borrowed power."
I regulated my disrupted mana with breathing and stood.
Time to go in.
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
"Right."
With the slime cleared, we saw slime dripping from what was clearly an artificial pipe.
Yura thrust her sword in, unleashed intense sword ki, and yanked it out. A blade aura at least 10 meters long rent the earth, exposing what hid inside.
"Yah!"
On Big Sis Mina's signal—after neutralizing the activating defensive magic circles with arrows and spells—we jumped in.
Inside was a suspiciously pristine research facility.
Mineral research... maybe.
A mad scientist's lab should've had biological samples floating in tubes, but this felt far from that.
Most experiments involved minerals dwarves would love...
No, then what was with the black slime? Could minerals produce endless slime like that?
We split up to search for meaningful data.
It was handy having everyone with enough melee prowess to protect themselves.
The lab had no signs of life.
Most documents were about minerals. The most suspicious was a method to corrupt gemstones empowered by the Earth's Grace with demonic power.
"Planning to develop magic tools with this, huh."
I bundled the documents just in case and headed to regroup when the anomaly hit.
"...Hah."
Since getting stronger, my body rarely froze up, but presence alone could do this.
I dashed toward the clear presence. Big Sis Mina and Yura converged with the same expressions.
A cage of glass-like material filled with black slime, opaque inside.
"We shouldn't let it out, right?"
"No."
"Agreed."
Time to report to the emperor after sorting this. As I turned to leave...
『Eee-yai-yai. No, no. You're leaving after seeing all this?』
Who? I'd heard the voice before. In the first game I played, major characters had voice actors, so key enemies were identifiable by voice alone.
Memory fuzzy, though—couldn't pinpoint who.
『After all this time refining and refining, the ultimate creature awaits!』
"Communication's two-way?"
『Of course! Though nothing more to say! Boom!』
With that cheeky tone, the cage shattered, black slime pouring out.
We all turned and bolted, but what crawled out splattering slime was a dragon embedded with black gems all over, eyes replaced by fist-sized jewels.
Ah.
This was developed here.
The moment I recognized the boss, my mind started racing.