Chapter 612 - Game Changer's Infiltration
"
A faint light welled up before my eyes, and after a moment, Lupi appeared.
"Woof!"
I stroked Lupi, who was sitting, and checked my MP.
Yep, it only consumed about a Magic Wolf Fang's worth, so it seems fine.
"Alright, let's go."
"Please be careful."
Seeing Argenta-san off, I ran to the large double doors at the back of the dry dock.
Judging by the pattern, it was undoubtedly an Ancient Magic Door.
"Is this a normal one?"
"Yes. It's a normal one."
"Roger. Then, right away… no, first, I'll use [Stealth] and [Lurking]."
Until now, there was a zero chance of people being beyond the door, but that wouldn't be the case from here on out.
Thinking about it, landing at this port, which I found from above, without any caution… well, all's well that ends well.
"Shou-kun. Before opening the door, can you tell what's on the other side?"
"I wonder. Is [Presence Detection] enough?"
"There's a skill called [Eavesdropping]."
"Seriously? I should've gotten it a long time ago…"
I opened the skill list from the menu and searched… found it.
It should be better than nothing, even now. It's an Uncommon skill, but I might use it in the future, so I'll take it.
Then, I immediately pressed my ear to the door leading further inside, but I couldn't hear anything.
"I don't think anyone's there, so I'm opening it."
"Yes."
After activating [Stealth] and [Lurking], I gently placed my hand on the door.
[Blessed One's access confirmed. Unlock?]
I answered "Yes" as quietly as possible, and it seemed to unlock without issue. I opened the door just a crack, and a faint light was on inside.
I sent Lupi ahead… no reaction on [Shared Presence Detection]. I'll go too.
[Eavesdropping skill level increased!]
I see. So I get skill experience when I figure out the answer for [Eavesdropping]…
"Shou-kun. Club President and the others have returned to the Necropolis. A discussion will be held among the top players of the Necropolis."
I nodded at Mion's report. That side also seems to be getting complicated.
Lupi, who was ahead, stopped at the bottom of an upward staircase.
When I caught up and looked up, it seemed to be a T-junction ahead.
I gently stroked Lupi's back and asked her to check out what was above.
"Woof"
Lupi, having reached the top of the stairs, looked left and right, then turned to me and gave a small bark.
It's confirmed that no one is there, so I also hurried up the stairs.
Straight passages extended both left and right, with doors at their ends. Wait, is the structure similar to my island's?
I'll organize my thoughts first…
"This is definitely an Ancient Ruins with a [Transfer Magic Circle], right? There was no World Announcement of its discovery."
"Yes."
If so, then the [Transfer Magic Circle] must be beyond one of these paths, but…
"I've seen a bit of Sabana-san's live stream archive, and she proceeded past the room with the [Transfer Magic Circle] but couldn't open a door that required administrator privileges."
I see… wait, my island didn't have a door requiring administrator privileges, did it?
Was it because the facility wasn't as important? Or because it was operational even when the calamity occurred? No, never mind that for now.
"Then it seems best to look for that door requiring administrator privileges."
"I think so too."
So, first, I checked the right door… a normal [Magic Door]. The left side… this one requires administrator privileges.
If this was the door Sabana-san couldn't open, then there might be people on the other side…
This time too, I carefully used [Eavesdropping] and confirmed that no one seemed to be there. Probably.
[Blessed One's access confirmed. Highest Administrator Privileges confirmed. Unlock?]
I answered "Yes" in a low voice, just like before, and Lupi slipped through the slightly opened gap.
There was no reaction from [Presence Detection], so I followed… Yep, no one's here. I firmly closed and locked the door.
Ahead, on the straight path, I saw another staircase going up. If it's similar to my island's structure, the one going up should be the Control Room course.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Lupi kept vigilant as we followed the path.
The door at the dead end was a normal [Magic Door], and beyond it was what looked like a Data Room.
The shelves were packed with various books or records, but I didn't have time to check them.
The door on the opposite side of the room also…
"It's a normal door."
"If it's the same as my island, the Control Room should be beyond this, but did Sabana-san get that far?"
"No, she didn't reach what seemed to be the Control Room."
Since it seemed safe inside, I asked Mion for more detailed information on Sabana-san's exploration status.
She started from the southwest beach, defeated Treants and insect-type monsters in the southern forest, and rescued the Esason.
Then, Esason showed her the entrance to the Ancient Ruins, and she began exploring from there, finding the room with the [Transfer Magic Circle].
"I see. After it was opened to the public… it's only been one day, so she hasn't advanced much, I guess."
"Yes. Sabana-san proceeded past the [Transfer Magic Circle] room but couldn't open the door requiring administrator privileges. She then proceeded in a different direction and went outside, where she encountered a Two-headed Beast and retreated."
A Two-headed Beast, is that Cerberus? Oh, no, Orthrus, was it?
Probably, an administrator privilege ring or something similar drops after defeating that monster.
"Is the direction Sabana-san is fleeing in right now the one where that Two-headed Monster is?"
"Yes, most likely…"
I hope Emeraldia-san finds them while they're successfully fleeing, but there's nothing I can do but leave it to her.
"It's almost 10 o'clock… I need to hurry."
"Please don't push yourself, okay?"
"Yeah."
For now, I should be able to proceed safely up to the door requiring administrator privileges, right?
Oh, no, if they founded a nation, it wouldn't be strange for them to have a ring with privileges. I need to be careful.
I exited the Data Room and continued down the path.
Along the way, there were doors on the right, but all of them seemed to be storerooms, piled high with Heavy Silver Steel Ingots. Probably materials for repairing magic ships.
After moving for just under 20 minutes from the Data Room, a considerable distance, I discovered a new room, but this was…
"This is the Control Room, right?"
I nodded at Mion's question. However, I had no intention of becoming the administrator of these Ancient Ruins, so I should probably bypass it and hurry on.
Beyond the Control Room, about 10 meters further, was a door.
"It's a door requiring administrator privileges."
I had a feeling this was the one Sabana-san couldn't open, so I needed to proceed even more cautiously from here on.
First, I used [Eavesdropping]… Hmm? Footsteps!?