Chapter 167 - Narrow Road Widening Project
I continued past where I had defeated the group of skeletons.
Beyond the unlock code door, there was no light characteristic of ancient ruins, so I proceeded cautiously, illuminated by the Light Spirit.
Soon, I reached a crossroads. A path continued straight ahead. To the left was a descending staircase, and to the right, an ascending staircase.
Now...
"What should I do?"
“Didn’t that ‘Record’ say something about the north door also being locked?”
"Ah, right, you're right. I think it mentioned the north and south doors."
If so, if I go straight, that door should be there, right? ...Are there skeletons there too?
"Woof."
"Hm? Oh, up?"
Lupi put her paw on the ascending stairs to the right, as if to say, "This way."
I had no particular objection, and if I was going, up first, right? That Control Room mentioned in the Record, was it? I don't think it would be downstairs.
“Does Lupi-chan know?”
"I wonder. But I think the Control Room is this way."
Up for the Control Room, down for the Power Section feels like a more plausible image. Just my assumption, though.
After ascending the stairs for about one floor, the path continued eastward...
"Whoa, this is..."
“It looks like the elevator Bell-bucho used in the ancient ruins’ tower.”
"Yeah, it does."
An elevator-like transfer device.
It probably goes up, but is it working?
“What will you do?”
"If it's working, I'll try it. This is probably the only way to go up."
To the right of the perfectly elevator-like door was, predictably, an elevator button.
So, this must be the bottom floor, and I can only go up.
"Will it work?"
Carefully, I pressed the button, and after a faint glow, I heard a ding and a whoosh as the doors slid open to the sides.
“It really is an elevator.”
"I wonder if it's good that it's working."
Inside the elevator, which could hold about ten people.
Lupi was at my feet, and Sweee had her head out of my hood, both seemingly focused on my next move.
There was only one button on the panel inside. So, it only went to the final stop above.
Soon the doors closed, but there was no announcement like I heard when Bell-bucho used one. Is this a service elevator?
"Let's go."
"Woof-woof."
I pressed the button, and for a moment, I felt a sensation as if my body was floating, then the next moment,
Ding, whoosh...
"Eh? Ah, the back!"
The door opened on the opposite side from where I entered.
Sometimes you get elevators like this, don't you?
"It's good that we arrived, but this is..."
Getting off the elevator, the path continued eastward, leading to a landslide? No, a collapse. Broken ceiling pieces were piled up, and a large rock blocked the way.
“I have a feeling this is impossible...”
"Well, I would have come to check it out eventually, so it's fine, but... Lupi?"
Lupi, who had scurried along the right wall to just before the collapse, looked back at me and said,
"Woof-woof."
"Eh, is there some way to get through?"
I went to where Lupi was peering, and indeed, there was a space large enough for a head to fit through.
Beyond it seemed to be outside, brightly lit, and all I could see were some weeds. It looked about a meter long?
"When you were little, Lupi, could you get through here?"
"Woof-woof."
Still, it's impossible now, and even if Lupi alone could get out... no, wait.
“What’s wrong?”
"I'm thinking if I can make a hole just big enough for me to squeeze through."
“You’re going to enlarge the hole?”
"Yeah. It's perfect since I just learned a good spell."
“Ah!”
With [Excavation] magic, I might be able to open a hole just my size.
However, the problem is...
"I'm scared that if I use [Excavation] here, this collapsed area will get even worse."
“Right.”
If this collapse were to avalanche our way, it would definitely be game over.
Carefully, I'll try to widen the hole towards our side...
"Lupi, Sweee, it might be dangerous, so stay back a bit."
At my words, the two of them, looking a bit worried, still kept their distance.
“Shou-kun, you be careful too, okay?”
"Roger."
Well, the collapsed area itself doesn't seem likely to fall towards us anytime soon.
Or rather, I don't need to do it right next to it. I could do it at a distant mining point, so I'll move back as far as I can while still controlling the magic. Maybe two or three meters.
"This is about the limit. Alright... [Excavation]."
Clang!
The hole grew slightly larger towards me, spewing out earth and sand.
Ugh, my MP took quite a hit... nearly 40%. Probably because of the large size and the mixed-in stone wall.
The collapsed area didn't budge, so it seemed safe to continue. I just had to watch my MP.
"Alright, one more time. [Excavation]."
This time, I targeted above the original hole. With one more go, it should be a sufficiently passable hole. But my MP was critical.
"It's really hard to use [Excavation] on anything other than dirt. Trying to break down a castle wall with this feels a bit unrealistic..."
“But you have Magic Crystal Stones, don’t you?”
"Ah, that's right! And I forgot about the Red Armor Bear's Magic Crystal Stone..."
According to Bell-bucho, I could apparently have about 200 MP in reserve with that!
Lupi came to my feet as I instinctively squatted down.
"Woof-woof."
"Ah, thanks. You're really healing me. In many ways."
She recovered my MP with [Mana Aid].
Alright, then, shall I finish it with the next one?
"Phew... [Excavation]."
[Elemental Magic Skill level has increased!]
[Civil Engineering Skill level has increased!]
“Congratulations!”
"Thanks. Now, can I get across?"
Carefully, I approached and crouched down.
This is... If I put my round shield in my inventory, I should be fine.
"~~~♪"
"Oh, you'll go check first. Be careful, okay?"
Sweee easily slipped through the hole and went to the other side.
After looking around for a while, she reappeared beyond the hole and formed a circle with both hands.
"Alright, Lupi, go first."
"Woof."
Yeah, yeah. Lupi has grown so big, hasn't she?
After watching Lupi crawl through, I also crawled through the hole.
"Heave-ho!"
The spot I emerged into was definitely outside, but in a thicket.
Turning around, I saw a cliff with a passage inside. And to my right, there was a landslide... so the inner passage was blocked by that.
"Woof!"
"Hm?"
Lupi called me, so I continued through the thicket.
"Eh?!"
“Amazing!”
As I exited the thicket, a blue sky and a blue sea spread out before my eyes.
Lowering my gaze from there, I could see the starting coast at the southern tip, the dense forest to the southeast, the southwest forest, and to the west, a basin with the mountain cabin visible as a tiny dot.
"Awesome... but it's scary!"
“It’s high up, after all.”
"Lupi, did you fall from here?"
"Woof-woof."
Seriously?
It's a wonder she was alright...