Chapter 688 - Chapter Six: The Demon Lord's Resurrecting Cave (Engrio) ④
On that day, we successfully crushed only one head of one of the pair. However, it is also said that if you see one monster, there are a hundred. They must have been brought in as eggs via the Northern Gram wetlands. I don't know how many there are ahead. Fainting every time to defeat half a monster is too inefficient. In fact, the two-head extermination was temporarily suspended, and today's schedule apparently changed to grass-mowing work. Moreover, since it was limited to places where there are no ponds or wetlands nearby, it seems it didn't progress much.
"There are three more, right? I don't think we can spend three days on it."
"It's a difficult point. If we make the hole thicker, we can use a sufficient amount of holy water, but Jeanne will faint. On the other hand, if we make the hole thinner, it will freeze and become blocked. Unless the spear of Light remains inserted, it will still become blocked. With just a thin spear of Light, unless you aim very accurately at the opponent's brain, it won't lead to surely killing them."
"If only there were some good way... at least if we could shorten the time a little more..."
As long as I don't faint, I could probably do it about twice a day. We just need to reduce the instantaneous maximum load. If we do that, even if more two-heads are found in the future, we can defeat one in a day.
"We have no choice but to reduce the water. If the ice for trapping them becomes thin, there's a possibility it will be broken, but..."
If they release magic power and break through the ice like a Lindwurm, casualties might occur. I have to think of something.
After dinner that night, those involved in the hole-making work gathered to devise countermeasures.
"Wouldn't it be better not to do anything reckless? After all, Bishop Jeanne is an extremely precious user of Anti-Sepsis."
The captain of the Monster Extermination Unit says something I'm grateful for; I'd like a certain Number Two to hear it.
"I heard it's a regular occurrence, but is it alright?"
Exactly. I want him to say more.
"Wringing out magic power to the point of fainting is based on the guidance of Archbishop Price, the Vice-Church Head of the Medioland Royal Capital Great Church. He says that for a priest with a low possibility of falling into darkness, that is the best way to train."
Eleanor-sama argues back. Certainly, that is true.
"Is that so?"
King Seldic asks the veteran of the monster extermination team.
"Yes. Among us priests, those whose main duty is monster extermination are generally like that. Since it also serves as training."
"Then, I cannot complain."
"Haha, that was an intrusive remark."
Oh boy, it was accepted so easily. Captain, it was definitely not an intrusive remark.
"However, if she faints every time, it will take too much time. Unless we think of some good way, casualties will eventually occur."
That's exactly right. Training is training. There's no need to bring it into the middle of monster extermination. Well, there's nothing like actual combat.
"Bishop Jeanne, what are your thoughts?"
"Um, could we somehow divide the work into two times?"
"Two times?"
"We drain the water created by melting the ice... in this case, it's hot water. I think it can be done with Clump Water. We stop the work at that stage. Then, we just have to pour in holy water."
Maintaining that thick pillar of Light while consecrating the melted water is what's tough. If so, we just need to shorten the time it's maintained. We can just pour in holy water that was made beforehand.
"Can it be done? If we add it later, won't it freeze halfway through?"
"I think it'll probably be fine. After draining the water once, if we make it a cylinder shape instead of a pillar of Light and pour holy water in there, I think it'll be fine."
Then it was decided to experiment, and we did it the next day.
The work itself is simple. We detect the position of the head of the two-head that is still alive with Sense Living and make a hole in the ice. As a result of saying I'd make a cylinder with Light, it was proposed to make a cylinder with Wind Barrier to support it instead of spear holders, and Beatrix took charge. Since the role of pushing the spear in is necessary, only that is done by human power. To prevent burns, those wearing iron gauntlets took turns one after another in a short time.
When pouring in holy water, we use a cylinder of Light, so it doesn't have to be that thick. And an ultra-high-level mage uses the mid-level Clump Water. The water draining ended easily.
We took a break once to catch our breath.
The cylinder of Light was easily made. Since we fired several shots of Over Flow with reflectors, the cylinder can maintain a warm temperature. It's a user-friendly specification for those holding it too. We inserted a funnel and poured in the holy water we had prepared. Since room temperature is fine, this too was easy.
The result was... a strong smell of burning meat that made me want to vomit drifted around, but it went well. As a result of detecting with Sense Living, the reaction of one animal disappeared. It died. My fatigue level wasn't that bad. I had a bit of trouble making the cylinder, but once I made it, I got used to it. We plunged into the second one just like that and defeated it in just the morning.
"Fumu. You are worthy of calling yourselves a monster extermination shop."
"Bishop Jeanne, that was splendid."
"You are manipulating Light magic freely. It's admirable."
"As expected of our stray priest."
They praised me one after another. Will's words stuck a little, but well, it's fine. It must be her own way of praising.
"According to the current exploration results, it has been revealed that there are six more of those Amphisbaena in this second floor alone. I'm counting on you in this way in the future too."
There are six more? Beatrix is also participating in the Blizzard fired as a finishing blow after freezing them with Cocytus. If it goes well, she might be able to become ultra-high-level.
From the next day, we prioritized the remaining six two-head exterminations over grass-mowing.
There are two ponds left, but the one in the central part is quite wide. The one at the diagonal from the pond we already froze is about the same size as the one we froze. So, we froze the smaller one first.
The next day, the ice attribute mages and holy mages all together fired Cocytus strengthened with Holy at the wide pond, and they somehow succeeded in freezing it. We let them sleep for two full days until they are completely asleep. Since there's a possibility the bottom of the wide pond isn't frozen, we decided to confirm their location every day. During that time, because the frozen range became wider, we defeated the snakes whose movements had become poor, and we did work like heating and melting the water of the first pond with Flame.
What we do at the smaller pond is the same as the first location. We were able to defeat the pair without any particular problems. Because only I can use Light, it took a full day, but during that time, other work progressed. Especially since the first pond had melted considerably, we used Teleportation Circles to jump the pond water to the wasteland outside the cave.
The wide pond also seemed to have frozen to the bottom safely, and we defeated them safely over two days.
"I have a report!"
We defeated eight B-ranks without any casualties. While everyone was rejoicing, a soldier who was draining the water from the first pond came on a bowl.
"What is it? Did some problem occur?"
When the captain asked, he knelt on one knee.
"Regarding that pond, it has been found that there is a horizontal hole near the bottom of the pond."
A horizontal hole...
If I recall, if it's three stories from the bottom to the water surface, the horizontal hole is at about the height of the second floor. The height is half a story, but since there's width, the hole itself is apparently quite large.
"Currently, scouts have entered to explore, but first, a report."
Isn't this bad? There might be two-heads in the back.
"Let's go!"
"Do you have magic power left?"
"Even at basic level, I can restrain them with Light. We have to hurry."
"Understood."
Beatrix is making a plate even before Eleanor-sama answers.
"King Seldic, just in case, I intend to support those exploring the horizontal hole and, depending on the situation, call for a withdrawal. Is that alright?"
Henry-sama, who jumped onto the plate quickly, asked King Seldic. When the six members of the Henry Party and the Class of 175 were gathered, the edge of the plate rose and it became a bowl.
"Understood. I'm counting on you. We'll follow right after. Don't be surprised because we'll fire Holy wildly toward the hole as soon as we arrive."
"Roger."
I release Light from the tip of my staff and fly up.
Behind us, the Engrio bowl users are making bowls and the monster extermination team is boarding one after another. They'll come soon.
When we fly toward the pond, there are several soldiers on the shore. When we asked for the position of the horizontal hole, they pointed it out, so we flew just like that.
One bowl is floating on the water surface like a small boat, and a soldier is illuminating the hole with an illuminator.
The water has decreased considerably, and when illuminated with Light, there's a considerable distance from the water surface to the floor part of the horizontal hole. The remaining water is probably about half a story left.
The horizontal hole is of course open in the wall of the pond, but that wall is the wall of the entire second floor. In other words, there's a possibility the horizontal hole is connected to a place far outside the second floor. Since I couldn't detect with Sense Living, it's surely quite long. It must have been an underwater cave.
"Withdraw! Withdraw!"
Will shouts with a loud voice.
"Three people have entered inside!"
"We shall go. You are to withdraw. King Seldic will also be here shortly. Withdraw."
"Then, at least we will illuminate the entrance from above."
Hoh, they're working hard, aren't they?
"We appreciate the assistance!"
When Henry-sama replied, they flew up from the water surface and rose while illuminating the entrance just like that.
Since it's a cave and we don't know what's there, I made a defense by attaching a wall of Light to Eleanor-sama's Wind Barrier. Since there's no height, it becomes a plate. As expected, it's deep. Moreover, because it's curved, we can't see ahead. Perhaps because it was underwater, water is dripping from the ceiling. Water is running down the walls. The floor is soaking wet.
"There are three sets of footprints."
That's Henry-sama. How can he tell them apart so well? To me, they just look like depressions in the mud.
When I switched to the illuminator for a moment and detected with Sense Living, there were reactions of three humans over two hundred paces ahead. We made it in time! Everyone rejoiced and as we flew just like that, the three were there. One is illuminating the feet with a lantern, and one is carrying an illuminator that isn't activated. They seem to have been prepared. At the same time as being illuminated, they ran over in a panic. Even though it's muddy, they don't fall and there's no sound of footsteps. How can they run like that?
"Is it alright while illuminating?"
One of those who ran up asks in a small voice.
Hoh. They are trying to fulfill their mission without regard for danger. That's admirable.
"I'm glad you're safe. Ahead of here, there might be those Amphisbaena. If you're found, they aren't opponents you can easily escape from. With Jeanne's Light, we can drive them away. We also have permission to withdraw from King Seldic. Even if you're going to scout, let's join up with us."
At Eleanor-sama's explanation, they positioned themselves behind the plate, saying 'if that's the case'.
As we proceeded slowly, it became an incline. It must be hard to walk in the mud. We switched to Eleanor-sama's medium-sized bowl and had them board. The Wind Barrier for the defense became Beatrix's responsibility.
As we proceeded up the gentle incline, we eventually came out to a dry place. We came to a place higher than the water surface of the pond. As we proceeded further, we came out to a wide place.
"This is..."
An underground lake spreads out in front of us, and frogs are floating. In other words, it's a feeding ground for the two-heads.
When I detect with Sense Living, there are many frog reactions. However, there are no reactions of two-heads.
"This means there's a Teleportation Circle somewhere."
That's Eleanor-sama. Were they being transferred, or were they transferred here?
"Perhaps there's a further underwater passage and there's a nest of Amphisbaena."
The breeding method of the Ice Vice-Demon Lord was like that. Originally, it was the Vice-Demon Lord who bred the frogs in the cave where the Demon Lord resurrects. The same structure... no, I wonder?
"Um. I don't think there's a nest of Amphisbaena here."
"Why do you think so?"
"Um..."
The Vice-Demon Lord disliked the two-heads increasing on the White Island. No matter how much the Vice-Demon Lord was the one who trained the frogs, he wouldn't go that far.
"How should I say it, it's a hunch from my experience so far."
Since Engrio soldiers are here, I can't tell everything. Eleanor-sama has also met the Vice-Demon Lord. She also saw the frog breeding ground. She should surely remember.
"...That's true. I don't think it's such a complex structure either. I was overthinking it."
She understood. However, it was decided to explore.
While everyone was looking at the lake where frogs were floating, King Seldic came. He's riding in a medium-sized bowl.
"What is this place?"
He's looking suspiciously at the lake where frogs are floating. Normally, one would be surprised.
"I think they were probably breeding frogs for food for the Amphisbaena and snakes, but..."
"Is the Demon Race doing even that kind of thing?"
He seemed even more surprised at Eleanor-sama's words.
"There are examples. Since they are very intelligent creatures, they would easily manage that much."
"I know their intelligence is high, but I never thought they would go this far. How was the cave in Sertoria?"
"In Sertoria, there weren't even Amphisbaena."
"Is there some difference?"
"I don't know. The terrain is grassland, wetlands, and ponds. We also drained the pond water and buried them, but there were no horizontal holes."
"I see. Perhaps they are on the third floor here too."
I wonder? On the third floor, frogs were the strongest except for the ants. If the enemies of those frogs were positioned, wouldn't the insects increase too much?