Chapter 689 - Chapter Six: The Demon Lord's Resurrecting Cave (Engrio) ⑤
Prior to the exploration, we fire several shots of Blizzard magic to lower the temperature. Since we have to explore, we can't freeze the pond water, but the frogs became quiet because of the cold. Some of them had been croaking, but they stopped. Probably it's warmer inside the water. They are floating with only their eyeballs and noses sticking out.
Since there are now two ultra-high-level attribute mages, we perform water exploration riding in a medium-sized bowl. We proceed while driving away the frogs by sticking Fireflies all over in eight directions. Since it's not that deep, there was no need to dive. However, since it's wide, it will take time.
At first, we proceeded along the wall. Partly because Beatrix is still firing Blizzard, the frogs that fled, hating the Light, are keeping their distance. They seem to be on guard, but they don't croak or throw water. While doing that, we went halfway around and came out on the opposite side.
There is a cave in the wall on the opposite side. The result of the Engrio Sense Living user's search was no reaction. Just in case, we went around once and confirmed there was nothing else along the wall, then crossed the central part of the pond and headed for the cave again. The cave is half-submerged in water, but it extends diagonally upward and becomes completely higher than the water surface halfway through. It's not that large. Since we can't go in a bowl, we turned it into a deep plate and all crouched down to enter and land. From here, it's on foot.
Since it would be troublesome if we were attacked from behind by frogs, we solidified the lower half of the shore with ice blocks made with Ice Cube.
I hold my staff high and illuminate with Light. The cave is clearly an artificial thing. From the place higher than the water surface, it's almost straight.
"There are two types of footprints. This large one is probably a frog. However, this one is likely from the Demon Race."
There are four scouts, including Bonnie. They found them while looking at the ground. To me, they just look like shallow depressions no matter how I think about it, but to a veteran, they must look like footprints.
"It's larger than that female demon. Wouldn't it be a male?"
I see. They are used to seeing them daily. However, if it's a male, it'll be troublesome.
"Are they new?"
"No, time has passed. It would be at least over a year ago."
Fumu. Then it's fine.
When we went further in, there was a room with a magic circle. Teleport. A hit. Surely, they jumped the two-head eggs and frogs through here.
"Is it connected to Northern Gram?"
That's Eleanor-sama. The fact that she spoke without analyzing means she has considerable apprehension. We should have investigated that place quite a bit. I wonder where it was.
"Isn't it Medioland? That Demon Realm is the largest on the White Island, right? The supply source for the ants was also there, right?"
King Seldic's judgment can also be said to be reasonable. But, I don't want to think about it much. If it's not the Northern Gram wetlands, it'll be even more complicated. It would mean two-heads are in various places on the White Island. This time, it was easy because they were in a narrow pond that could be frozen with magic. We had the wall of Light, Wind Barrier, multiple Cocytus users, multiple ultra-high-level holy mages, and the pieces were all there. One country alone couldn't gather this much.
After the transcription of the magic circle was finished, we completely destroyed it. The analysis is for after we take it back.
"What will you do with the frogs?"
Eleanor-sama is asking King Seldic.
"Extermination will be fine."
"Won't you use them on the third floor?"
"How would you use them?"
"If you cool the frogs with Freeze or Ice Cube, they will hibernate. After finishing them off with Sleep so they don't move, let's transport them with Teleport. As you know, there are many insects on the third floor. Since the frogs will attack the insects on their own, it'll be easy."
"Fumu. That sounds interesting. Won't you use Light magic? I heard you made many magic circles."
"We will. Leave that to the monster extermination shop."
Since there are no ants, we can do whatever we want. Eleanor-sama's proposal was approved by King Seldic and decided to be put into practice during the conquest of the third floor.
The next day, it was a strategy meeting from the morning. The conquest of the second floor itself is being continued by the Monster Extermination Unit and the monster extermination team since the big ones are gone. If there are multiple illuminators, bowl users, and people who fire Holy, there is no one to fear. Of course, if anything happens, there will be immediate contact.
Those who participated in the meeting were, on the Engrio side, King Seldic, the captain and vice-captain of the Monster Extermination Unit, two ultra-high-level mages, and the head of the church's monster extermination team. From the Henry Party, Henry-sama, Eleanor-sama, and I participated.
"The analysis results for the Teleport have come out."
Where on earth is it? Northern Gram, or perhaps Medioland?
"Positionally, it's almost the same. Probably the third floor of this cave."
That way, huh. In other words, it wasn't for the two-heads but for the frogs. Probably they were gathered for food for the two-heads. Since frogs cannibalize, they increase on their own. It seems they are maintaining their bodies by obtaining magic power from the Magic Stone powder contained in the soil on the third floor, so they'll stay like that unless someone exterminates them all.
"Then it's simple. Identify the place where the magic circle on the third floor is and install a new magic circle. We just have to send all the frogs here."
The policy was easily decided, and the monster extermination shop was assigned to search for the magic circle on the third floor as soon as the second floor was finished.
I was given a two-day vacation. This was in the contract from the beginning. The Engrio soldiers also take a vacation all at once. It's related to the soil containing magic power. I spent the vacation at the fortress. Since beer was served, everyone spent time leisurely while basking in the sunlight to their heart's content.
After the vacation ended and we went to the cave, as a result of proceeding with the conquest battle, we were able to completely suppress it in about five days. The grass was cut down and baked hard, the soil from the leveled hills was used to bury the ponds and wetlands, and except for the pond with the frogs, it became like a vacant lot.
"The second floor is finished. Next is the third floor."
That's King Seldic. Since the conquest is going smoothly, he seems to be in a good mood. Though, since he never breaks his expression which contains a smile, I don't know his true feelings. He's royalty, after all.
"Is the thing I requested ready?"
The one who made the request was Eleanor-sama.
"Yeah, I've prepared them and finished transporting them to the tower on the third floor."
Iron rods. We attach Light magic circles to the tips of many iron rods. If activated, insects will gather. While they are eating each other, we cut down the trees. Since ants don't come out, the method is simple. While we are cutting trees like that, we were to search for the magic circle for transporting frogs.
Regarding the third floor, we don't know the terrain well. It's said to be the most difficult to break through, and the overall picture hasn't been grasped.
"Since it's a place where there are many frogs, it'll be near a pond. For now, let's confirm the layout of the ponds."
Since I was also entrusted with the overall reconnaissance, I proceed forward while detecting with Sense Living. The ones operating are Eleanor-sama and the Engrio ultra-high-level mage.
In the search for the magic circle, a support unit led by the vice-captain joined temporarily. It's a veteran among veterans who joined as the main force from Engrio during the Demon Lord subjugation, with one ultra-high-level mage and two priests from the monster extermination team. The mage can operate a bowl, and one of the priests can use Sense Living.
There are ten people in total. My role is to protect the hole part of the bowl with a wall of Light. After all, insects gather, regardless of the Light. To be honest, they are a nuisance, but on the other hand, without Light, we can't even do a decent search. Now more than ever, I realized that I had been blessed with companions until now.
Since speed isn't needed, the active mage operates the main body, and Eleanor-sama was in charge of the lid. Holes for firing magic are open in the front and bottom of the main body. My Light is attached to them.
First, since it was said to be along the wall, Beatrix relentlessly cuts trees with Wind Cutter.
Anyway, moths fly in. I thought it would be fine since we're illuminating the bottom, but the moths weren't only those clinging to the ceiling. They fly up from the shadows of the trees. I had them open a hole in the bottom too, and the priests are shooting them down with Holy, but since they come one after another, there's no end to it.
"Are we going like this?"
Beatrix became impatient. She's relentlessly cutting trees, but the moths are in the way.
"I'm sorry, but please keep working hard like this. Once a mountain of moth carcasses is made, a mountain of cockroaches and such will come, so let's wipe them out all at once on the way back."
I see. It is efficient.
While relentlessly cutting trees and defeating moths, we reached the corner. Since we came out of the tower, turned right, and proceeded along the wall, it's the front right corner. We stay in the corner for a while and cut trees over a wider range. This is where the iron rods will be inserted. If I have my wall of Light or a simple barrier, we can stay. Consequently, a mountain of carcasses was truly completed.
"It might be the limit soon."
Beatrix reached her limit. She cut a lot of trees.
"Then, please take the role of the lid. I will cut the trees."
"Y-Yes..."
It's not so easy that you can rest.
As a result of the cutting role switching to Eleanor-sama, the number of trees cut at one time changed. Even Beatrix has ultra-high-level class magic control. Probably higher than Mary. However, as expected of a Great Mage. Somehow, rather than cutting with wind magic, it's as if a Fire Dragon is swinging a Silver Spear in the forest, mowing them down.
Since we were able to secure a quite wide range, we proceed along the wall again.
"Please increase the speed of the bowl. Let's advance forward all at once."
She began cutting with a momentum reminiscent of the Demon Lord subjugation battle.
Because the movement speed is fast, the moths can't keep up. Consequently, I had them open a hole in the rear too, and we began attacking those chasing from behind. It's also hard to confirm whether there's a cave along the wall. Henry-sama, Will, and Bonnie are looking as if they are stuck to it.
As we proceeded further and further, we finally left the forest. A pond. Here, we finally caught our breath. I weaken the light of the Light and circle over the pond.
"Please use Sense Living."
I wonder if the two-heads are here. If they are, we'll change the policy, but...
"Within the range that can be detected, there are only frogs. At least there are no long reactions like snakes."
Everyone let out a sigh of relief all at once.
If there are no two-heads, we're safe. We block the holes, land on the pond, and float like a boat. I tried to look into the water... but it was turbid like muddy water and I couldn't see well. It was the same even when I illuminated with full power.
"There's something here."
One of the Engrio priests said.
"Normally, water in an underground pond is clear. However, the water here is turbid."
Apparently, the fact that it's turbid is strange in itself.
"Are you saying it's turbid for some reason?"
Eleanor-sama didn't seem to get it either.
"Yes. For example, let's say you put muddy water in a bucket. If you leave it alone, eventually the mud will settle at the bottom, and it will separate into clear water on top."
Now that you mention it, that's true. If you stir it, it'll go back, though.
"For example, if there's a large creature that stirs the pond water, or if muddy water is flowing in, or if it's welling up from the bottom of the pond. Unless there's some cause that creates a flow of water, wouldn't this kind of turbidity occur?"
The pond is quite wide. I don't know the depth, but if there's a creature that stirs the entire pond water, it must be quite huge. Since I can't detect with Sense Living, is it a Revenant? If it's there, it'll be a big deal.
"Then, we won't know unless we drain all the water."
"I think so. How was it done on the third floor in Sertoria?"
"We drained the water, dug up the sediment at the bottom, and buried it after sufficiently baking it with fire magic. However, it wasn't turbid to this extent. Many things like black algae were floating, but since we collected quite a bit, as you mentioned earlier, the water itself should have been clear."
"And at that time, there were no signs of new water flowing in?"
"Yes. That is how I remember it."
"How did you confirm the water was clear?"
"I saw it directly when we jumped it outside."
"Did you jump the water with a Teleportation Circle?"
"Yes. Since some sediment and filth can also be jumped together. I think it'll be fine as long as we bake it sufficiently at the destination. However, we've left one place. It's for research."
That would be the place where they keep frogs. I recall they should have finished the underwater exploration using a Wind Barrier orb.
In the end, the pond became a point of caution. Since we can't drain the water right now, we decided to cut the trees on the shore from the point where the wall and the pond meet to create a flat place. That's because insect extermination using frogs is easy there.
As a result of going around the pond, it was found that the pond itself is located in a corner. Along the wall, it was confirmed all over except for the pond. We decided to stop there for the day and return to the tower to report.
On the way back, as Eleanor-sama intended, various types of insects had gathered and were engaged in a predation battle. We switched to a new bowl and dashed through the passage created by cutting trees in a lidless bowl. My wall of Light was also relieved of its duty. While Will and Bonnie illuminated the front with illuminators, the three priests took turns firing Over Flow as we proceeded.
"This is quite grand."
"Umu. It wouldn't be interesting if it weren't at least this much."
"As expected of a hero. Splendid."
"Former, former."
Perhaps because we achieved a reasonable result for the first day of the third-floor conquest, the vice-captain, who had been consistently nervous, also became talkative. We returned to base while chatting with Henry-sama.
When I told King Seldic about the pond, he immediately said to drain the water. But it's not that easy. We have to prepare many extra-large versions of Teleportation Circles. Fortunately, since there's a track record of using them for the second-floor water draining, we left it to the Engrio army.