C352, 353, 354
Chapter 352: Dark Continent (3)
Raven's torment(?) finally ended when we reached our destination after two weeks of sailing.
A vast plain stretched out before us.
A dark purple barrier, as if forbidding any intruders, stretched along the border of the land.
And the portal floating above the sea in front of it.
"Woooo!"
"We're here!"
The explorers gathered on deck cheered as the long-awaited sight appeared beyond the horizon.
Well, the voyage was indeed tedious.
I didn't have time to feel bored, what with exploring the islands when I was well and suffering from seasickness the rest of the time.
"It's Lihen Schuitz."
As soon as we disembarked, I reminded Erwen of my alias, and she quickly lowered her head, acknowledging her mistake.
Would this finally stop her from making those slip-ups?
"So why are you here? It'll be a while before we can enter the portal."
"Just... I wanted to be with you..."
I used to feel incredibly burdened by such direct expressions of affection, but I had gotten used to it now.
No, had I become accustomed to it?
"...What's that ship? I don't think I saw it when we departed."
I pointed towards a specific ship.
Many ships had already arrived at the portal, and among them were quite a few that were different from the galleon we had boarded.
"Oh, that? It's a fast ship. They usually send those ahead with the explorers who arrive at the 6th floor first."
"To prevent Noark from entering?"
"Yes, there have been more attempts recently. The ship doesn't have any battle scars, so it seems like there weren't any attempts this time... But I heard that over half of the fast ships were destroyed a few weeks ago. It was a fierce battle."
I see.
So they had taken care of the gatekeeper monster.
The essence probably didn't drop, though.
As I was lost in thought, I felt the gazes of the surrounding explorers.
It was a change that had occurred during the long voyage.
"That's the Blood Spirit Marquis..."
"But who's the man next to her?"
"No idea. I asked a friend in the Magic Corps, and they said he's a newbie on his first expedition. Apparently, he retired a few years ago and returned."
"Hmm, a companion of one of the Seven Strengths... He must be more skilled than he looks."
Thanks to Erwen's fame, Amelia and I were attracting attention wherever we went.
Most of the gazes were filled with curiosity.
New faces were common in the war, but it was unusual to see someone with the Blood Spirit Marquis from the start. They were curious about our identities and skills.
Of course, there was also a hint of hostility.
"Schuitz."
"Ah, Raven?"
"She's staring at us again."
Even though she was busy talking with the other members of the Magic Corps, Raven's gaze was fixed on us.
"Should I... take care of her later...?"
What is she talking about?
I flicked her forehead, and Erwen looked up at me with a wronged expression.
"But what if she recognizes you? I'm worried."
I had been thinking about that too.
Of course, not about whether to 'take care' of her.
Whether to reveal my identity and ask for her cooperation.
But...
'It seems like it would only complicate things.'
First, I would have to convince her that I wasn't an evil spirit. And even if she believed me, there was no guarantee that she would cooperate and keep it a secret.
Raven was loyal, but she wasn't the type to prioritize personal feelings over her duty.
'And if she keeps it a secret, she might get in trouble later on because she's with the royal family.'
It would be better to reveal it myself after everything was settled.
"Well... I'll have to tell her if she finds out."
"...But what if she finds out before then?"
That was what I was worried about.
______________________
Boooooo!
The foghorn blared from the lead ship, and the ship we were on became bustling.
"Everyone to their positions!"
It was finally time to enter the battlefield after a short wait.
Following the instructions of the royal official, the explorers on the deck moved to their assigned positions.
But we didn't have to move.
Our designated waiting area was the deck itself.
"I'll tie you down! ...Ah, I mean, Lihen!"
"Huh?"
"I'm good at this!"
We then secured ourselves to the ship with the provided ropes.
It was a safety measure to prevent us from falling overboard.
The foghorn blared again from the lead ship, and our ship started moving.
"This is a bit nerve-wracking..."
"Don't worry. I'll protect Lihen... no matter what."
Uh, isn't that my line as the tank?
I didn't say anything.
"Lead ship entering!"
As the lead ships entered the portal one by one, I felt my heart pounding.
We were approaching the battlefield.
Even the other explorers, who had been relaxed earlier, were now tense and solemn.
This reminded me of the 1st floor incident.
I almost got PTSD.
"Main force, entering!"
It was time to get serious.
This was my first time entering the 7th floor in this body.
And it was a place teeming with explorers, even more dangerous than monsters.
Even if our goal was to obtain something, there was always a chance of returning empty-handed.
"Erwen, and Emily."
"Yes."
"Listen."
I gripped the railing with one hand and my newly purchased shield with the other.
"Stay close. Don't stray from my side."
Flash!
Our ship entered the portal.
______________________
Crash!
The massive galleon, momentarily suspended in the air, slammed into the water, sending a spray of seawater into the air.
It was a thrilling experience, but we didn't have time to admire it.
We weren't in the calm waters under a blue sky anymore.
「Entered the Dark Continent of the 7th floor.」
The sea was black, as if covered in oil.
A thick fog had already settled in, obscuring our vision, even though we were only at the edge of the continent.
And...
Boom! Boom! Crash!
Loud explosions bombarded our eardrums.
It was a barrage of magic cannons fired from the Noark forces stationed on the cliffs.
"That's a warm welcome."
"Where did they even get magic cannons?"
"Probably stole them from one of our ships."
Even as we talked, magic cannons, dark magic, and various abilities rained down on our fleet.
The sheer firepower was overwhelming, but the royal fleet remained unscathed.
Money can buy anything.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A defensive magic barrier, activated the moment we entered the 7th floor, blocked all incoming attacks.
The ship occasionally shook from the impact, but it never sustained any significant damage.
It was a measure taken by the royal family after suffering heavy losses during the initial landing. A massive investment.
It supposedly cost tens of millions of stones per minute to maintain the barrier.
'How much would it cost to reach the continent with this barrier active... Ah, well, it's probably a bargain compared to the cost of a ship.'
I dismissed the thought of worrying about national spending and focused on the present.
The fleet bravely advanced through the barrage, finally breaking through the enemy's defenses and entering a narrow canyon.
The ships rearranged their formation into a single file line.
「Entered a special area.」
「Field Effect - Ghostly Canyon activated.」
「All healing and regeneration effects are deactivated.」
「Divine power is sealed.」
Ghostly Canyon.
A mandatory route to enter the Dark Continent, where all the coastlines were cliffs.
As our warship entered the canyon, following the ship ahead, the ominous and gloomy fog intensified.
And...
"Prepare for battle!"
Undead monsters started crawling up the ship's hull.
They were diverse in both type and rank.
「Deadburn defeated. EXP +3」
「Redeye defeated. EXP +4」
「Banshee Queen defeated. EXP +6」
「Teeth Skeleton defeated. EXP +4」
「Cliff Ghost defeated...」
Over half of the monsters were ones you could hunt on the 6th floor, but we gained experience points much faster since we had skipped the 6th floor.
Erwen's long-range attacks were a huge help.
Almost 70% of the monsters were taken down before they could even board the ship.
The sea monsters couldn't even reach us.
「Chaos Seaman defeated. EXP +6」
「Mud Elephant defeated. EXP +5」
「Skeleton Mermaid Queen defeated...」
The experience points flowed in effortlessly with just one hit from Erwen, who was Bound to me.
Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
Wham!
Ghost-type monsters, immune to physical attacks, swarmed the deck, forcing us to constantly swing our weapons.
「Ghosties defeated. EXP +4」
「Souldrinker defeated. EXP +6」
「Canyon Wraith defeated. EXP +3」
The sheer number of respawning monsters was overwhelming.
And to make matters worse, the Noark bastards continued their bombardment from the cliffs, even as we fought on the deck.
Well, the defensive barrier nullified the attacks, but...
"Aaaaargh!"
Explorers occasionally lost their footing on the swaying deck and fell into the sea.
And...
"Why isn't the ship moving forward?"
"The ship ahead has sunk!"
"What?! Why?!"
"It seems like a Deadlect appeared and damaged the ship's magic barrier!"
Based on the real-time updates, some ships had their barriers destroyed by monsters, leading to their sinking.
'No wonder they're so persistent with their bombardment.'
Destroying even one ship would be a significant victory for them. And their constant attacks prevented the fleet from deactivating the barrier.
They had to keep the barrier active throughout the canyon, consuming a massive amount of mana.
"Amelia, behind you!"
I shouted, and Amelia swiftly smashed the skeleton that was trying to ambush her from behind with a roundhouse kick.
And...
"You don't have to thank me. We're companions—"
"It's Emily."
"Huh?"
"Just in case anyone heard, be careful."
"Ah, I'll be careful..."
Even though it was the same alias I had used in the past, it felt strange coming out of my mouth.
Was I in no position to criticize Erwen's slip-ups?
"Mister...! Look over there!"
"It's Lihen."
"Oh... okay... Anyway, look! We're almost there!"
Erwen pointed, but I couldn't see anything through the fog.
But...
「Field Effect - Ghostly Canyon deactivated.」
We soon exited the narrow canyon, and a vast lake came into view.
Waterfalls cascaded down the cliffs, the water stained red, like blood.
And...
"Phew, it's finally over!"
"Now I can finally breathe."
The relentless onslaught of monsters ceased, and the bombardment from the Noark forces also stopped.
We had successfully passed the first hurdle.
'Then it starts now...'
I gulped, staring at the faintly visible shoreline shrouded in fog.
"..."
"..."
I don't know if it was just my imagination...
But the air already smelled of blood.
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 353: Dark Continent (4)
"Lihen! Here's some water!"
"Ah, thank you."
As the explorers, including myself, quenched their thirst with water or alcohol, the royal officials moved through the ship, conducting a headcount.
And...
"The ships will be unsummoned immediately after disembarkation, so please make sure you have all your belongings!"
Following their instructions, we boarded smaller boats and headed towards the shore.
The troops who had already disembarked were lined up in formation on the shore.
Well, it was still a far cry from the modern standard of marching in perfect unison.
"It seems like they weren't waiting to ambush us."
"They seem to avoid direct confrontations with our main force."
"Well, they'd be hard-pressed to win against this many soldiers."
We waited in line, and the troops soon began their march.
Of course, we didn't follow them.
Our ship, the 3rd-class ship 3-21, was assigned to escort the 3rd Magic Corps.
And the 3rd Magic Corps, being part of the 3rd Army, was responsible for securing the rear.
In other words, our role in this war was to establish a base here and defend it after the main force departed.
"Let's set up camp!"
As the remaining ships of the 3rd Corps disembarked, the base construction began in earnest.
Explorers set up the provided tents, and mages busied themselves drawing various magic circles.
And after some time...
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The deafening roar of the waterfall subsided, and the fog that had obscured our vision cleared.
"Phew, finally..."
"Everyone, have a drink and rest! We'll announce the tent assignments and mission details soon!"
As the base construction neared completion, we were assigned our tent.
A six-person tent located in the east, near the lake.
Even though we were under military control, they didn't separate us from our team.
"Let's introduce ourselves. We'll be working together from now on."
Three strangers joined us.
We weren't just sharing a tent, we were assigned to the same squad for guard duty and patrols.
'That's why they put us together.'
Clans or teams usually consisted of five... no, six members after the Bonding spell update.
But we were only three, so they matched us with others.
'Well, it doesn't seem completely random.'
I looked at the man who was leading the conversation with a friendly smile.
He was wearing a fancy uniform and a sword at his waist, but he was a mage. The emblem of the 3rd Magic Corps on his chest proved it.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Alex Hailo, Assistant Vice-Captain of the 3rd Magic Corps."
"Assistant Vice-Captain?"
I mumbled, and Amelia whispered in my ear.
"It means he's the Vice-Captain's assistant."
Oh, so he's Raven's right-hand man?
It was obvious why he was sent here.
To monitor and control us... or rather, to keep an eye on Erwen.
"The six of us assigned to this tent will be part of Squad 3-17, and as the squad leader, I'll do my best to—"
"Squad leader? Who decided that?"
Erwen's hostile question cracked the man's smile.
"Haha... I understand you might have some concerns about that. But it's an order from my superiors, so—"
"You're putting on a brave face, but you're quite nervous, aren't you?"
"...Yes?"
"Why, am I making you uncomfortable?"
The man flinched and then forced a smile, shaking his head.
"...Of course not. I'm actually quite reassured."
It was clearly a polite lie.
He wouldn't be avoiding Erwen's gaze if he really felt that way.
"Stop it."
I knew he was just following orders, so I intervened.
"But we're fine with just the three of us..."
"Isn't it better to have more people?"
"But a squad leader..."
"There's nothing wrong with a military officer being the squad leader. Why are you so against it?"
"...Okay, I'll stop."
Erwen finally backed down, but her behavior seemed to have left an impression.
The man turned his attention to me.
"And you are...?"
"Lihen Schuitz."
"Ah, yes... I know. Nice to meet you. And you must be Emily Raines."
"Yes."
He greeted me and then introduced the other two, who had been awkwardly observing the situation from afar.
"These two were on the 3rd-class ship that sank on the way here. They were rescued, but unfortunately, their other companions..."
So that was why they had taken two members from other teams.
"It's an honor to meet you, Blood Spirit Marquis. Of course, I mean all of you. I'm a 5th-grade explorer, Laikion Elt."
He seemed like a decent guy.
He was polite and had good manners, judging by how he waited for his turn to introduce himself.
He was a 5th-grade explorer, so he could definitely hold his own in battle.
And his situation seemed rather unfortunate...
"I'll do my best not to be a burden! I'm... Hans Kaiser!"
"...What?"
I couldn't help but blurt it out, and he kindly repeated his name.
"Hans Kaiser!"
Are you kidding me?
____________________
I thought about it for a moment.
What happened the last time I met someone named Hans?
It didn't take long to remember.
Hans J, the one we met on Parune Island, was a traitor.
And...
'I was dragged into the past after meeting him.'
I spent six months there, and when I returned, two years and six months had passed in the original timeline.
And that wasn't all.
Not only were my companions scattered, but I was also branded as an evil spirit.
"Huh..."
I let out a dry chuckle, and Hans K tilted his head.
"Uh... is something wrong?"
I didn't answer.
It would only bring bad luck.
"Erwen."
"Yes, mister."
"You said we were fine with just the three of us, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Hmm..."
I was seriously conflicted.
One word from me, and Erwen would tear this squad apart.
But...
'That would reach Raven's ears.'
That was what bothered me.
Raven knew about my Hans phobia. She might start suspecting me after hearing about this.
'Wait, but as long as it doesn't seem like I kicked them out because of their name...'
That would be fine, right?
Alright, I made up my mind.
"They're trash."
"...Yes?"
"You guys will only hold us back."
My cold words made their faces harden.
They never expected me to say something like that, especially not Erwen.
"Haha... what do you mean? Didn't you just say it's better to have more people, Schuitz?"
Ah, right, I did say that.
"I changed my mind."
Hans was a serious matter.
I then suggested that they either remove those two or let us leave. The officer looked troubled, but...
"That's ridiculous. You think you're something special just because you're with the Blood Spirit Marquis?"
"Fine, then we'll leave. We don't have to stay here and be insulted. But make sure you tell the military that it wasn't our fault."
My words must have struck a nerve. They declared their withdrawal and stormed out of the tent.
Phew, that takes care of one problem—
"How dare they say that. Should I go after them?"
"No, don't even talk to them."
"Okay!"
As they left, I noticed Raven's right-hand man, Alex, glaring at me with disgust.
Well, he must have heard about the incident from Raven.
He probably thought I was a pathetic loser who relied on others for protection, even though I seemed decent at first.
"So what are you going to do? There are only four of us now, but the squad is supposed to have six."
"...I'll report to the Vice-Captain and let you know."
"Alright."
Alex also left to report the situation, and Erwen cautiously asked me,
"But... why did you do that?"
"His name was Hans."
"...What's wrong with Hans?"
Ah, she doesn't know about my Hans jinx?
Hmm, come to think of it, I don't remember telling her.
As I was about to explain, Amelia chuckled and spoke for me.
"You don't even know that about your companion?"
"...So you know?"
"Of course."
Amelia shrugged and briefly explained my Hans jinx.
She knew how significant it was since she had called me 'Lee Hans' before.
But Erwen seemed offended that she was the only one who didn't know.
"Hans..."
She muttered the name with a chilling voice, then clenched her fist.
"Hans Aulock, the traitor from Parune Island, his name was also Hans. I'm sorry. I won't forget it."
"Uh... o-okay..."
I was worried she might start shooting arrows at anyone named Hans, but I decided not to worry too much.
Well, what difference did it make? They were all Hans anyway.
They must have some sins to atone for.
'The problem is, I've already met a Hans...'
We had managed to kick them out of the squad, but I had spent too much time in the same space as Hans K.
And it wasn't even a well-ventilated space.
Considering we were in the middle of a battlefield on the 7th floor...
"Mister... my hands are shaking..."
Ugh, this is going to be a problem.
____________________
What kind of disaster was about to unfold?
I couldn't even relax and enjoy the break, my hands trembling with anxiety.
"Your squad assignment has been decided."
Alex returned and told us about the situation.
Nothing had changed.
We were still a four-person squad, and he was still the leader.
But...
"From now on, we'll be assigned to VIP protection instead of perimeter patrol or guard duty."
Our mission had changed to protecting Raven, the Vice-Captain of the 3rd Magic Corps.
Well, there was no problem with that.
Raven was the most important person in our unit now that Kyle had joined the special forces of the 1st Corps.
It seemed like they just wanted to keep an eye on her and prevent any accidents...
Yes, there was no problem with that.
Kaboom!
A magic cannon fired from somewhere.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm magic activated, blaring throughout the base.
"Ambush! Ambush!!"
"All units, prepare for battle!!"
It happened less than two hours after we met Hans K.
-------------------------------------------
Chapter 354: Isolation (1)
The lakeshore where the base was established was one of the few safe zones in the Dark Continent.
However, it simply meant that monsters didn't naturally spawn here, not absolute safety.
Monsters aren't the only danger in the labyrinth.
Like right now.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm magic blared like an emergency siren, sensing the presence of enemies.
It was obvious who they were.
Even if monsters wandered in by chance, they wouldn't be firing magic cannons.
"It's Noark!"
"They're attacking!"
But that raised another question.
We knew who the enemies were.
But how did they get here?
The main force had supposedly been thoroughly searching the area as they advanced.
'The main force couldn't have been defeated.'
I started with that premise.
They had overwhelming numbers. It was impossible for them to be defeated in such a short time.
And if they were in trouble, they would have contacted us, and the 3rd Corps would have been dispatched immediately.
Therefore...
'They bypassed the main force and ambushed us.'
That was the most plausible scenario. And if that was the case, the attackers were likely a small elite force. It would be much easier to avoid detection that way.
Of course, I wouldn't know for sure until we saw them...
"Mister...! What are you doing? Let's go!"
Hey, it's Lihen.
Well, it's not like Raven would believe me even if I corrected her.
"Right, let's go."
I quickly finished organizing my thoughts and rushed out of the tent.
And at that moment...
"Uh, oh...!"
A ball of pure magic energy was flying towards us.
Good thing I was at the front.
Kaboom!
I blocked it with my shield, and the magic energy exploded, scattering debris everywhere. The impact was significant, but I didn't get knocked back.
The Mark of the Guardian Corps absorbed 50% of the impact.
"Are you alright?"
He's scared?
Is that what happens when you're always in the rear?
"No problem."
I reassured Raven's assistant, who was startled by the magic cannon fire, and quickly gave orders.
"Alex, was it? Stay close behind me."
"Y-yes!"
"Emily, Erwen, you two protect him from the rear."
"Yes!"
The formation was quickly established.
It was usually Alex's job as our squad leader, but...
He seemed like the type who only followed orders.
He didn't seem to mind me taking charge.
"Alex, where's the Vice-Captain's tent?"
"R-right over there!"
"Then we'll head there first. Follow me."
"Yes!"
As other explorers rushed out of their tents and gathered with their squads, we moved towards the center of the base.
Our mission was to protect Raven.
...Well, that was just an excuse. I figured we could get more information about the situation if we went to the command center.
'And Raven might be in danger...'
We soon arrived at Raven's tent.
She was standing outside, surrounded by mages in uniform. They had drawn a magic circle on the ground and were chanting something...
"Vice-Captain Raven, what's going on?"
Raven frowned at my question.
"Why are you here...?"
"We're here to carry out our assigned mission. It's an emergency."
"Ah..."
Raven nodded, seemingly remembering that she had changed our squad's mission to protect her.
But something still bothered her.
"Assistant Vice-Captain Alex Hailo, why is he asking questions instead of you? Aren't you the squad leader?"
Alex froze under Raven's glare.
"W-well..."
It seemed like he had just realized that I was leading the squad.
Well, that wouldn't be an excuse.
"Well...?!"
"N-no, I... I'll fix it!"
"Fix what? How? Ugh, we don't have time for this."
"Vice-Captain! Mana charging complete!"
One of the mages shouted, and Raven cut off the conversation, moving towards them.
And...
「Arrua Raven has cast the 2nd-grade defensive spell [Wall of Thousand Gold].」
A massive iron wall, shaped like a dome, enveloped the entire lakeshore.
____________________
Honestly, I was speechless.
'Wow... she's using 2nd-grade magic now?'
2nd-grade defensive spell, [Wall of Thousand Gold].
Dozens of mages had poured their mana into it, but Raven was the one who cast it.
It meant she had grown strong enough to use 2nd-grade magic.
'This is... strange.'
Vice-Captain of the Magic Corps.
And she even had the nickname 'Golden Mage', so I knew she must have become strong...
But could I really bring someone like her back to the clan?
She was practically a high-ranking official, she wouldn't need to explore the labyrinth anymore.
"That should buy us some time. Good work, everyone."
"It was nothing, Vice-Captain!"
"Follow me."
Raven exuded an aura of authority as she walked, and the mages followed her.
I quickly caught up and walked beside her.
"Where are we going?"
I was worried, but thankfully, Raven answered with a sigh.
"...We received a message from the 3rd Corps command. They told us to activate the defensive barrier and join them at the central headquarters. And please, don't ask any more questions. I have a lot on my mind."
I could relate to the feeling of having your thoughts interrupted, so I quietly followed her.
We soon arrived at the central headquarters, and Raven entered alone.
I tried to follow her, but...
"...Why are you following me?"
"Our mission is to protect you—"
"Stay outside. That's an order."
Raven firmly drew a line, and I had no choice but to back down.
I was curious about what they were discussing inside.
Was there a way to eavesdrop?
I asked Erwen and Amelia, but they didn't seem to have any ideas either.
So we waited outside.
And after about 30 minutes...
"Vice-Captain!"
Raven emerged from the tent.
I immediately approached her and asked what had happened, but she just gave me a cold response, refusing to share any information.
'Damn... she's really different now.'
I missed the old Raven.
She used to get flustered but always helped me out, even when I was being ridiculous...
"Emily, can you find out?"
"I was already planning to."
Information was more valuable than gold in this situation, so I sent Amelia to gather intel.
She was experienced in this, so it didn't take long.
"Communication with the main force has been cut off."
"So we can't get any reinforcements?"
"Not necessarily. They communicate at regular intervals. If communication is cut off, they'll know something's wrong here."
"Then the key is whether we can hold out until they return."
It had been almost 10 hours since the main force departed.
Even if they turned back immediately, it would still take a considerable amount of time for them to return.
"What about the other explorers? How are they reacting?"
"They're calm. They trust the Golden Mage. They believe that nothing will happen, like last time."
"Last time?"
"Ah, I know about that!"
Erwen chimed in.
Apparently, there had been one previous incident where the base was attacked.
It happened in the early days of the war, when they didn't have much information about each other.
"She used the magic circle she had prepared beforehand to summon this wall. The Noark forces tried to break through for hours, but they eventually gave up and retreated."
That was how Raven earned the nickname 'Golden Mage'. And after that, Noark realized that Raven was always guarding the base and never attempted such a thing again.
Well, until today.
"Something's off."
"Indeed..."
Amelia agreed with my mumble, but Erwen tilted her head, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"They never repeated the same mistake after that failure."
If they were using the same strategy, it meant they had a way to break through.
Noark wasn't stupid.
They had prepared a large-scale explosion magic to counter the dimensional gate escape during the previous incident.
Would they really just try the same thing again?
It didn't make sense.
'The question is, how are they planning to break through...'
I thought about the [Wall of Thousand Gold] spell.
It was a high-level spell that required mastery of both earth and lightning magic.
And its main characteristic was...
'It's not a channeling spell.'
Unlike other magic that required a constant flow of mana to maintain, this spell's duration was determined by the amount of mana used during its initial activation.
'And it can be repaired by adding more mana. They could even recast it.'
Now I understood why the explorers weren't panicking.
They had dozens of mages at their disposal.
If the wall was damaged, they could just repair it, or even recast it.
But...
'This can't be the end...'
I had just met a Hans, after all.
There had to be a hidden card.
I racked my brain, trying to anticipate their next move.
"Uh... mister?"
"He's thinking, leave him alone."
What are they planning to do?
Did they bring a high-ranking mage like the Ruin Scholar?
Or...
'Do they even need to break through?'
If I were them, I wouldn't waste my time with long-range attacks. I would close the distance and force a chaotic battle.
But they didn't.
They attacked from afar, giving Raven time to cast [Wall of Thousand Gold].
As if they wanted her to use it.
'It means they wanted her to cast the spell.'
Then why?
The answer came to me as I thought about it from their perspective.
"They're already inside."
There's no easier way to defeat an enemy than to strike from within.
But Amelia didn't seem to understand.
"...What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, I looked at the [Wall of Thousand Gold] that covered the lakeshore and asked her,
"Do you know how long the wall lasted last time?"
"About eight hours... They said it didn't collapse even after the main force arrived."
Right, I knew it.
'Eight hours...'
That was how long we would be trapped inside this wall.
____________________
As soon as I figured out Noark's plan, I stormed into Raven's tent.
"I have something to tell you."
"I told you to wait outside. Are you trying to imitate that woman's rudeness?"
Raven frowned, but I ignored her and told her everything.
She initially looked confused, but as the story unfolded, her expression changed.
"Why Noark would repeat a failed strategy... We were also curious about that. And your reasoning makes sense. I'll report this to my superiors right away—"
"Report? We need to take action now."
"...I'll handle it, so please leave."
She even cut me off, but it didn't seem to be working.
'Damn... she's really different now.'
I missed the old Raven.
"It seems like she's not taking it seriously."
"We can only hope she reports it properly."
We waited outside her tent, and after about 30 minutes...
Thump!
Something dark and slimy landed in front of us.
And it slowly rose to its feet.
[Grooooan...]
It was a stitched-together corpse.