Chapter 664 - Chapter Seven: Above the Demon Lord's Temple ③
Since it was better not to leave too much of an interval, we went back up immediately after descending. The next experiment was the main event, so perhaps the two who devised this plan were feeling impatient.
I remade the bowl, loaded the luggage, and ascended once more. Up to the point where the window was, everything proceeded as before.
(Now, we will begin the experiment.)
With Eleanor-sama's signal, the bowl began to move toward the window. Seeing as she didn't use her voice through Thought Communication, she was in serious mode.
The window, which could be hidden by a palm if I stretched out my hand, gradually grew larger. At first, I thought the window was approaching. I could see the scenery outside.
(Everyone, please.)
At Eleanor-sama's signal, the three who had been at the front of the bowl—Henry-sama, Harold-sama, and Will—evacuated to the center.
"Dark!"
"Light!"
"One more, Dark!"
In that order—Lyudmila, myself, and the Priestess—we created a wall at the front. This time, it was a wall. Since the harder it was, the better, I put my full effort into it. The two casting Dark did not. If they did, we would be forcibly returned.
After a moment, my vision blurred.
It became pitch black again. Simultaneously, the bowl was deactivated, and we dropped onto the floor with a thud. The barrels also fell with heavy clunks.
"You lot. To think you have managed to reach this far."
He's saying it again. It might be a scripted line.
(Lyudmila!)
(Yes!)
"Wha—! Guuuh!"
As a result of Lyudmila deactivating the Dark wall, my full-power Light wall illuminated the front. Did the blinding succeed?
During that time, the sound of barrels rolling rumbled continuously.
"You bastards! What is this? What are you doing!"
He's flustered; as expected, it's not the Demon Lord. Moreover, he's unguarded against our raid. Perhaps they work in shifts. They really should do a proper handover.
While I was thinking that, several thunderous roars echoed in succession.
From the impact of ten barrels of gunpowder exploding one after another, my Light wall and the Priestess's Dark wall were pushed back all at once. Both the Priestess and I were bracing with both hands thrust forward, but we were pushed back until our hands were at our chests. If Lyudmila and Bonnie behind us hadn't supported Eleanor-sama and me, we might have been knocked over. In other words, the walls had retreated that much. The three in front, holding large shields used by heavy infantry, supported it. The sound of numerous objects hitting the shields rang out. Since the wall was curved into a semi-circle so the center protruded, it should have been able to kill some of the impact.
The roar subsided, and the sharp smell of gunpowder filled the air. The surroundings fell silent, with no sound to be heard.
"Seems we've finished him off."
Harold-sama said curtly.
When the Priestess deactivated the Dark wall, illuminated by my Light wall, I could see what was literally a shredded mass of flesh rolling in a pitch-black liquid. We overdid it.
"It looks gruesome, but it was instant death. It must have been easier to die like this than to let it drag on. I don't like slow torture, after all."
Is that how it works?
The medium-sized bowl we used this time had a slightly different shape. We had installed a partition to divide it into front and back. The barrels were lined up in the front. And that section was slanted forward and downward compared to the rear where the people were. This was so the barrels would roll forward when the spell was deactivated. The reason we couldn't ascend rapidly wasn't just because it was medium-sized, but also because of that special shape. If it lost its balance, there was a possibility it would flip over.
The barrels contained gunpowder and silver pellets. We had anticipated there might be a magic circle that lowers speed, but since that kind of thing slows down the movement of living creatures, the barrels were unaffected. They must have rolled toward the Demon Race. Then, upon explosion, countless silver balls that deal fatal wounds to the Demon Race scattered. At a point-blank range of a few paces, he took the force of ten barrels. There was no way he could survive. Since they can't use attribute magic, they can't deploy a Wind Barrier. There's the option of a Dark wall, but that wouldn't be able to block the impact of the explosion itself. On top of that, we divided them into two sets of five with different fuse lengths. The short ones exploded first to blow away the Dark wall, and the long ones exploded afterward. We managed to avoid the impact on our side using the Light and Dark walls, and the large shields.
It was a strategy devised by a group of battle maniacs.
Since there was no particular movement, I switched the wall to Fireflies. Just in case, I checked the life or death of the shredded Demon Race. He was the same as the high-level Demon Race we had seen so far. Since his horns were short, he probably wasn't that strong. As expected, he was dead, so I offered a prayer and sent him off. The Demon Race's body crumbled like ash and turned to dust.
After illuminating the whole area, I finally understood the full picture.
This was a stone room. However, it was enclosed by a floor, a ceiling, and four walls. But there were no exits anywhere. It was like being inside a box. The Demon Race probably jumped here using Teleport. And we were simply sent here by Teleport... or likely Translate, as the Priestess said. I thought for sure we were surrounded by black mist, but it seems it was an Illusion.
The room wasn't that large. The shape was almost a square, probably about twelve or thirteen large strides per side.
There was a magic circle on the floor. According to the Priestess's analysis, it was a barrier magic circle that lowers speed.
The explosion of the gunpowder and the resulting damage from the silver pellets had also damaged the room itself. Countless small holes, which could be called infinite, were opened in the walls and ceiling. The silver pellets must have pierced them. However, the gunpowder explosion and impact only occurred in front of the defensive wall we created. It was roughly only half.
The floor was almost unscathed. Since the speed-lowering magic circle itself hadn't activated, there seemed to have been some damage, but no notable holes were found. However, a part of the magic circle was broken as if it had been scraped away.
Magic circles are strengthened the more powerful the magic cast is, and the more powerful the caster is. If it's a combination of magic and a magic circle, it becomes even stronger. Including the fact that the material was hard stone, the magic circle was safe. It must have been made by someone quite powerful. The fact that the barrels exploded on the floor might also have something to do with it. This is because the silver pellets should have mostly scattered upward.
Henry-sama, Harold-sama, and Bonnie, with Fireflies in hand, began to investigate the floor and walls that appeared to have nothing at first glance. Eventually, Henry-sama slashed with his silver sword; it left a mark, but not enough to cut deep. The walls were likely reinforced with magic as well.
"I wonder if attribute magic can be used."
At the Priestess's words, Eleanor-sama fired a Fire Ball, but only smoke came out. In other words, attribute magic cannot be used. Last time, the Demon Race fired lightning. So, Eleanor-sama tried to fire it as well, but as expected, it didn't work. Was it only the Demon Race who could use it? Or was it not magic?
"Is this place the opposite side?"
The Priestess asked, but I didn't know. In Dune's case, only water magic, holy magic, and light... probably dark too... should have been usable. Since the speed-lowering magic would be dark magic, that's fine, but I didn't think Translate, which belongs to other types of magic, could be used.
"In the opposite sides so far, Light was the trigger for activation, and we were jumped to a different location. I didn't know Teleport or Translate were involved, and there were no magic circles. So, I don't know."
In fact, other than the magic circle on the floor, nothing of the sort could be seen here.
"Then, maybe it's ultra-high-level. One level above Translate."
"Does such a thing exist?"
The one-person-two-roles act began. But I didn't know there was something one level above Translate.
"I don't know."
She was giggling. Since she was laughing with Eleanor-sama's expression, which had her brow slightly furrowed, it was quite scary.
"I mean, I don't know what kind of magic the Demon Race... let alone the Demon Lord... uses."
Well, that's true. Whether spirits or the Demon Race, they casually use magic that humans can't. Even with magic humans can use, the power, effect, and activation method are different. Dune's fluffiness remains a mystery.
"Hey, I just thought of something."
"For example, I think Jeanne knows too, like Lock."
I know it. Though I can't use it.
Eleanor-sama must have heard about it from Price-sama or Harris-sama as well.
"That kind of thing is activated or deactivated with Dark or Light as a trigger, right?"
As if she knew, Eleanor-sama nodded repeatedly. However, her complexion was clearly turning pale. If it's because she can read what the Priestess is about to say, the future is frightening.
"With that, if a Light user makes it, it can be deactivated with Dark, and if a Dark user makes it, it can be deactivated with Light, right? Since the creator can nullify the magic itself, it's the same in a way, but normally you'd think it's the opposite, right?"
That's right. It means the first King could use Dark, or had an acquaintance who used Dark.
"I wonder if the Teleport here is also set up to be activated by magic like that."
I thought of that too. After all, Alarm activates when an object passes over the magic circle.
"Could it be a composite magic circle?"
A composite magic circle activates multiple spells simultaneously. To put it another way, it can be said to activate a specific effect with multiple spells. We saw it in the wetlands where the two heads were spawning, and the Puppets we saw in Primordia were the same.
"Exactly. In other words, I wonder if there's an invisible magic circle somewhere. I think it's the entrance for Translate. The kind that's set to activate with Dark."
Wait? That means. Didn't that magic circle itself get damaged in the explosion just now?
Eleanor-sama is sweating profusely from her temples.
"Just in case, let us confirm the withdrawal route."
Perhaps flustered after hearing the Priestess's story, Eleanor-sama spoke up.
When it comes to withdrawal, we jump to the place with the window using Dark, so we have to do a mid-air fall again. This time, in preparation for that, everyone was connected by a single rope so we wouldn't drift apart. We wrapped it around our waists and tied it securely, connecting everyone. There are four Wind Barrier personnel, including Lyudmila. The plan is for Lyudmila to activate Dark, and the moment it turns dark before our eyes, she activates it toward our feet, and with that shout as a signal, everyone jumps up at once.
"Everyone, here I go. Dark!"
The scenery before my eyes didn't... blur!
"Huh?"
Black mist was welling up from both of Lyudmila's hands.
"I'll do it one more time."
Eleanor-sama, who was now deathly pale, nodded silently.
"Then, second time, Dark!"
It was the same. No change at all.
We also tried the magic circle for sending letters and the simple magic circle whose counterpart was left at the fortress, but it was in vain.
It seems we can no longer return...
"Well then, it's time for me and Fiona to take the stage."
Pale blue flames rose from Eleanor-sama's body, who was standing dazed.
"Jeanne, turn off the Light. Can you make the illumination a lantern?"
When I deactivated the Fireflies, the Priestess slipped out from Eleanor-sama.
"Fiona, come. We're going scouting."
"Ah, yes."
Next, Fiona slipped out.
"Eleanor-san, don't be so depressed. It's not just your fault. Leave the rest to me, the Priestess, and Fiona."
So cool! People who become leaders in their teens are different!
"Wait! No matter how you look at it, it is too dangerous!"
Just as the Priestess and Fiona were about to pass through the wall, Eleanor-sama called out a stop.
"Eleanor. The two of them have undertaken the role of scouts. As scouts, they will willingly become the vanguard at times like this. You should understand that well yourself."
It was Harold-sama. The former Regnentes scout captain. The Priestess isn't a scout, but I suppose I shouldn't say that.
"But..."
"No buts. The person who was involved in the operational planning says she will go. Normally, I should be the one going, but I have no moves left. In that case, we have no choice but to leave it to them."
"I-I see..."
"Well then, once more," the Priestess said, about to enter the hole-riddled wall.
Wait? Hold on a second. There's still another way, isn't there?
"Hey, wait a minute!"
It's worth a try.
"What is it? Jeanne this time? Don't kill my motivation."
I don't deserve to be told that much.
"Listen, there's an experiment I want to try."
"Experiment? What?"
Alright, she bit.
Simple... I mean, people with strong curiosity are easy to persuade.
"What are you going to do?"
"Um, two, no, three things."
"Three? Sounds fun."
"Right?"
She's completely hooked. Eleanor-sama put her hands together as if praying to me. If anything happened to the Priestess, her face toward Primordia would be completely lost.
Please leave this to me.
"Um, the first one is Sense Living. To probe the surroundings."
"Ehh—"
She made an overtly displeased face.
As the Priestess expected, there was no reaction. Well, that's probably true. But this is just a warm-up. The real thing starts from here.
"The second thing is, making a sword with Light."
"Eh? You can do that?"
She's surprised. I thought so, I thought so.
It can't be done with Dark. After all, if a normal human touches it, their hand will be burned. This idea probably didn't exist. It would be fine if they wore metal gauntlets, but only those who have fought the Demon Race would know that. It's only recently that the Priestess fought the Demon Race.