Chapter 687: Disguise
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 687: Disguise
Two days later, deep within the heart of the Abyss: the Red Zone.
The so-called Red Zone was a designation marked on maps by military scouts, adventurers, and explorers after conducting field surveys deep within the Abyss.
Four levels—Green, Orange, Red, and Black—divided the map Muen was currently studying into a chaotic, abstract mosaic of colors.
Green represented the wilderness where no demons lived. The only things to watch out for there were wandering magical beasts and various poisonous plants and fruits. In these areas, an ordinary person with enough wilderness survival experience could scrape by for maybe two or three days, even without much combat strength.
As for what happened after those two or three days... an ordinary person whose supplies had run dry would either have to play a game of Russian roulette by tasting Abyssal plants that remained poorly documented to this day, or engage in a true test of grit against the magical beasts lurking near rare water sources for a scrap of food.
Fortunately, no ordinary person would be suicidal enough to set foot on this land in the first place.
Orange represented areas where demons roamed and hunted. Generally, these regions weren't too barren, so one didn't have to fight to the death over a puddle-sized water source. However, more resources meant the magical beasts living there were more terrifying and ferocious. Toxic mists, miasma, and monster dens were as common as weeds by the roadside. Every year, many adventurers lost their lives in these zones, drawn by the lure of precious materials found only in the Abyss.
Above the Orange Zone was the Red Zone, where Muen currently stood.
This meant he was now within the settled territory of the demon tribes.
In terms of pure environmental danger, this place might not be as treacherous as certain monster dens in the Orange Zone, but for any human, it was a place that demanded the utmost caution.
Most magical beasts only attacked to defend their territory or nests, but these demons... they would hunt a human for a hundred miles just to skin and flay them alive.
As for the final category, the Black Zone... those were the unexplored regions, which still occupied a massive portion of the map.
"And yet, Gutons Fortress didn't appear in the Black Zone, nor even in the demon-settled Red Zone. Instead, it appeared in the Orange Zone, where many adventurers roam. Why?"
Muen stared at the map, lost in thought.
This was a question he had noticed two days ago.
According to the intelligence provided by Verner, the reason Gutons Fortress had been discovered so easily was that the area where it appeared was simply too conspicuous.
Deep within the strata beneath that wilderness lay a special raw material called Teboer Stone. Unlike modern magic materials, Teboer Stone possessed incredible magic-insulating properties. Whether used for anti-magic weapons or armor, its effects were outstanding.
Currently, Teboer Stone had only ever been excavated from that specific wilderness. Because it was rare, it was incredibly valuable. When Gutons Fortress appeared, a significant number of opportunistic adventurers were already there, scouring the area for the material.
It would have been a miracle if it hadn't been discovered.
But that raised a question: if something so obviously suspicious and likely to alert humans was truly important to the demons, wouldn't they have known to hide it when they brought it out?
It was a whole city, after all. If they had placed it in the Black Zone, about which humans knew almost nothing, they could have delayed its discovery for a long time, even if they couldn't hide it completely.
Therefore...
Either there was simply no need to hide it.
Or...
The city hadn't been built recently at all. It might have always been there, only revealing itself now.
It wasn't a new city, but an ancient ruin?
"It seems there really is a mystery here worth digging into..." Muen muttered to himself, folding the map away.
There was no point in dwelling on it for now. The area where Gutons Fortress stood had already been re-designated as a Red Zone. A massive number of demons had converged on the city and its surroundings. In Verner's words, the city had become a transit hub for demon movement and logistics—a heart connected to the main artery of the demon race's current operations. It was arguably one of the most dangerous places in the entire Abyss for a human.
"I can't just charge in blindly."
Muen stood up and pulled a black hood over his head.
Not far off sat a demon tribe of modest size.
This was a Red Zone adjacent to the wilderness where Gutons Fortress was located. However, not all Red Zones were created equal. This scattered demon tribe could hardly be called prosperous. In fact, due to the demon race's military campaigns against the Imperial defense lines and the subsequent rounds of conscription, the tribe looked withered and deathly silent even from the outskirts.
"Verner said the last contact was a month ago. I hope this isn't a wasted trip."
Muen offered a silent prayer to the Goddess, hoping she would grant him a bit of luck for Liya's sake.
Then, he took out a vial of spice and smeared it on himself.
This strange-smelling spice had also been provided by Verner. Apparently, many demons enjoyed wearing various scents, and this particular spice was the most common, capable of perfectly masking a human's scent.
But scent alone wasn't enough.
After applying the spice, Muen snapped his fingers.
The light around his body began to warp rapidly.
It was already evening. The Abyss, which never received the blessing of direct sunlight to begin with, was growing even darker. Under Muen's exquisitely precise manipulation of the Illumination Spell, the distorted light made his figure beneath the black robe appear several inches taller. Two long horns sprouted from the top of his head, piercing through his hood in a highly conspicuous fashion.
From outward appearances alone, Muen now looked exactly like an ordinary demon who preferred to keep his face hidden.
"This should be enough."
Muen carefully inspected his disguise in a mirror created by reflected light. If this disguise were seen through, he would immediately face the combined assault of the entire demon tribe.
He didn't know if there was a High-Class Demon stationed here, but regardless, it would be a massive headache.
"Still, something feels off..."
After a moment of reflection, Muen clapped his hands in realization and pulled out a blood sac.
It had come from a magical beast he had dealt with along the way.
Muen squeezed hard, rupturing the sac.
The beast's blood, still warm, spilled out and dripped from his palm.
The pungent, metallic scent of blood began to mingle with the spice on his body, creating the complex aroma of someone who lived a life of raw flesh and blood.
This was the true scent of a demon. In an environment as harsh as the Abyss, it was impossible to remain untainted by blood.
"Now, there shouldn't be any problems."
After confirming that neither his appearance nor his scent would betray him, Muen finally began walking toward the demon tribe.