Chapter 700 - Engrio Demon Lord's Cave (Fourth Layer) ②
The way down to the fourth layer is exactly as it was during the Demon Lord's extermination, so it's drawn on the map for conquest. It's surrounded by two ponds and one mountain, or rather, a giant pillar connected to the ceiling. It was the same in Sertoria, but going through the darkness on foot is quite a task. However, in a bowl, it was over in an instant.
Participants are the Henry Party, Beatrix, and me. In addition, the support is the Vice-Captain and one ultra-high-level mage, and two ultra-high-level class priests from the monster extermination unit. Eleanor-sama had expected two support members, but the Vice-Captain also came along. Perhaps because the prospect for the third layer conquest was established, the Captain was generous.
After flying at high speed in a bowl with fireflies pasted on it as usual, we went near the stone shrine connected to the tower for the fourth layer, turned off the bowl's fireflies, and dropped several for decoys on the ground. While the bugs that finally caught up were gathering toward them, we entered the shrine. Since there are no windows, once we close the blackened iron door, it's safe even if we illuminate the room with Light.
When the support Sense Living user probed, there was a reaction only far below. This is also as expected.
We go down the stairs and go down one floor. It's the same structure everywhere, with a giant blowhole connected to the fourth layer. From the results of the Sense Living probe, we found that monsters had entered the first floor of the tower. Since they didn't seem to be B-rank, we immediately went for monster extermination. Dropping one firefly while it's glowing, we dive rapidly in a medium-sized bowl, and toward the four Chat-Palu that are wary of the firefly, we fire Holy, Wind Cutter, and Holy Water Arrows in succession, finishing them off all at once.
"Since there are C-ranks in the fourth layer, they cannot be blocked with simple barriers."
It's as Eleanor-sama says. The problem is what to do about bases, including clinics and standby locations for support. They could be placed in the third layer, but we would have to go down in a bowl every time. In other words, we would be one step late in an emergency.
"Should we just build a temporary camp after all?"
It's the Vice-Captain. The idea of building a temporary camp on the first floor of the fourth layer has been discussed until now. This reconnaissance also serves as an estimate for that. By the way, for the Sertoria one, we gave them what could be called a clean sweep of damage during the Demon Lord's extermination battle. Moreover, since the Behemoth also came out and we defeated it early on, we were able to conquer it easily. However, at that time, multiple bowls with their appearance hidden were floating. To that extent, we were able to reduce the number of magic beasts with Holy and archers. The opponent also has flying types. It's too dangerous in a state where we can't hide our appearance. So the idea that was brought up was the construction of a field camp. If we connect it to the outside with Teleport, both withdrawal and support become quite flexible. Of course, it takes time and effort.
"Let's try a light encounter once while doing reconnaissance. We can decide based on that response, can't we?"
Eleanor-sama's argument passed, and we decided to try fighting.
As for the battle, what we're going to do is, in the end, a decoy.
As usual, we blocked the tower's exit with a Light wall with narrowed output and a Wind Barrier with holes. Since we also brought firewood, we lit bonfires grandly around the tower. So that we could escape at any time, everyone waited in bowls. After that, it's a matter of how far the magic beasts will come, but...
For some reason, they don't come at all.
"They are not coming."
"They aren't coming, are they?"
The Vice-Captain and I both fold our arms.
"As I thought, they are not coming."
Eleanor-sama seemed to have been able to predict it.
"Why are they not coming?"
"There is a possibility that they have died."
"Eh?"
Could it be, they starved to death because the demons who looked after them were gone?
"That very 'could it be.' The magic beast we defeated earlier was a Chat-Palu. In other words, it is a D-rank that can somehow survive as long as there are magic stones mixed in the soil."
Does that mean that? Did the Cerberus and Behemoth and such starve to death?
"I wonder? If they were eating each other among the magic beasts, the strongest one would survive, wouldn't it? If only the Chat-Palu, which is probably the swiftest species, was able to escape this far..."
"Is the strong one surviving further in?"
"There is a possibility. Especially a Behemoth."
That one has the possibility of having become giant while absorbing extremely dense magic power as a cow eating wild boars. It's quite possible.
"Bishop Jeanne, that Behemoth is said to be quite strong, but what kind of monster is it exactly?"
The Vice-Captain asked. He seems to have no combat experience. I mean, it's better not to get involved with something like that.
"Let's see. It looks like a cross between a cow and a wild boar, its favorite food is wild boar, it's the size of two mountain huts, and with a combination of magic and a charge, it turns city walls into mountains of rubble. It's a monster."
"That is, again, a monster beyond imagination."
"If I recall, it should have been alive even after being hit by Megiddo Fire. It was on the verge of death, though."
"U-Umm, t-that is, again..."
When I brought up Megiddo Fire as a comparison, he let out a groan.
"There should have been a report from Finis that it might have been created by the hands of someone thought to be of the Demon Race. If its favorite food is wild boar, it makes sense that it is attacking and eating the magic beasts of the fourth layer."
The Bishop of the monster extermination unit knew. However, he didn't seem to know that the Henry Party was involved. If I recall, publicly it's supposed to be that the Finis royal family defeated it after obtaining support from mercenaries and such.
"However, it is also said that the Behemoth became giant by absorbing extremely dense magic power."
It's Eleanor-sama, the person involved.
It's said, or rather, we saw the site where it was likely raised. Since it includes information obtained from local wild boars, I can't easily say it, though.
"Therefore, if the food is gone, it might have become a little smaller."
"Then, assuming it was alive, has it become somewhat weaker?"
"I hope so."
A miniaturized Behemoth, eh. That's even harder to imagine.
Just because there's no reaction doesn't mean we can go home. We decided to proceed further in.
"The fourth layer looks like a temple at first glance, but the interior is a labyrinth. Let's just turn it into a mountain of rubble."
When we participated in the Demon Lord's extermination battle, a Behemoth came out when we destroyed the temple-like building. It's based on the expectation that the same thing will happen if we do the same thing. The Vice-Captain also gave his consent, so we advanced in Eleanor-sama's medium-sized bowl while illuminating with the maximum Light from the tip of my staff.
At the point where the three priests prepared for the Over Flow with a reflector and Beatrix deployed an air defense wall of Wind Barrier overhead, the attack began.
First, two shots of Crevasse by the ultra-high-level mage, then Colossus Collapse. In total, the exterior of the temple turned into a mountain of rubble with three spells.
Since there's no particular change, we proceed as is and position ourselves on top of the mountain of rubble.
Furthermore, we move on to the destruction of the complex internal structures. It's Megiddo Fire.
At the same time as a giant fireball was completed from both hands held overhead, I canceled the Light for illumination, and toward the fireball flying while illuminating the surroundings, we fired Over Flows with reflectors. Since it's for three people, it should be quite powerful. By the time it reached the target, it had changed to white light.
Beatrix deployed an air defense wall across the entire front, and the bowl retreated.
The fireball raised a muffled explosion sound while making a large hole in the labyrinth deep in the temple.
It's dark and there's a defense wall, so I don't know well, but from the sound of things hitting the defense wall and the sound of the wind, I knew something had flown from the front. Beatrix's arms, which were thrust out in front of her body, were pushed down slightly intermittently.
Once things settled down, we moved the defense wall overhead and restored the illumination. Furthermore, we hit the labyrinth with a barrage of Crevasse and Colossus Collapse. The priest group was preparing for Over Flow and the archers were preparing for Holy Water Arrows, but... in the end, nothing happened.
"As I thought, did it die?"
We retreated to the tower and watched the situation, but there was no change. There was no response either. The Vice-Captain also seemed relieved, and his mouth was slightly breaking into a smile.
"Should we go catch a wild boar?"
It's Beatrix. She has a track record of luring out a Cerberus with a bear.
"It wouldn't hurt to try. Let's withdraw for today and make a suggestion to King Seldic. If possible, I also want to obtain permission to use gunpowder."
Apparently, Eleanor-sama really intends to turn it into a mountain of rubble.
We return to the base, saying that's enough for today.
As a result of suggesting both the wild boar and the gunpowder to King Seldic, both were approved. However, he said it would take three or four days to gather the gunpowder. Surely, because they are also taking it to the continent, the stock must be low. In other words, for two days, it will be logging work in the third layer. Since there's no particular problem, Eleanor-sama readily agreed.
"Before that, there is one thing I want to confirm."
"What is it?"
"Regarding the Behemoth. Is it really there? In the records, the heroes of the time went to defeat the Demon Lord after defeating the Behemoth. To be precise, it seems the main group of one was pushed to the brink of total destruction, though. And according to the information brought from Finis via the church, the Behemoth was created by the Demon Race in the land of Finis. If so, is it not here now?"
King Seldic's argument is sound. Especially if the next resurrection of the Demon Lord is in Medioland, there's no need to place it here.
"I think it is there."
"The basis for that?"
"There is none. It is a hunch."
A hunch, eh. But it's a former hero's hunch.
"What does Henry think?"
"Isn't it there?"
"Is that also a hunch?"
"That's right."
"If so, is it there?"
"Yes. I think so."
Unexpectedly, King Seldic was readily convinced.
"The wild boars can probably be gathered as early as this afternoon. Let's capture about ten for bait."
"We shall do it. Since we are the ones who suggested it, after all."
"I see. Then, I leave it to you."
And so, the afternoon became a wild boar hunt.
Regarding the Behemoth, I also have doubts. While doing the wild boar hunt, I asked Eleanor-sama. Since only the Sertoria group is in charge, we can also have private talks.
"The Behemoth is large, isn't it?"
"That is right."
"How do they carry that giant thing?"
The two-headed ones shouldn't have been jumped. Judging from the words of the Vice-Demon Lord, the subordinate Demon Race moved the eggs or larvae on their own.
"I do not know. However, there is the example of the ants. The Demon Race... likely some of the high-ranking Demon Race, can freely connect space and space. Moreover, the other day, we met the Demon Lord who appeared temporarily, not as a resurrection, didn't we?"
"Yes."
"The Demon Lord disappeared into a three-dimensional magic circle he brought out in the air. Likely, it is a variation of Teleport. If they can move things with that, it would not be strange even if they transferred it to the same place."
When you put it that way, it's true. I've never seen anything like that.
"Heaven's Roar is also like that, but there is a possibility that magic beyond our imagination was used in the ancient world. I think it would not be strange no matter what happens."
"That's right."
When you put it that way, it's exactly as she says. It's nothing but arrogance to think that the range of what one has seen and heard is all the phenomena in the world. The hunch that the two former heroes together judged that the Behemoth is there would also be one of those kinds of things. And King Seldic easily believed that hunch. It's better to be prepared in case it is there, even if it's not.
Until the gunpowder was gathered, we simply did wild boar hunting. Fortunately, the area around the Demon Lord's Cave is directly under the Engrio royal family and general hunters are forbidden from entering. We requested the collection of leftovers from surrounding villages while riding in a bowl, and with King Seldic's permission, we had them jump more and more toward a single point deep in the forest at a fixed time with Teleport magic circles. This method itself has produced results in Finis. As a result, we succeeded in gathering a large number of wild boars. Once they're gathered, the rest is easy. We paralyze them with lightning magic, and finish them off with Sleep. So that those that escaped wouldn't approach, we illuminated the surroundings with Light, tied their four limbs with ropes for restraining monsters, and jumped them to the base with Teleport. As a result of working hard for three full days, we gathered more than twenty. On the other hand, the collection of gunpowder was unexpectedly poor. Therefore, it was decided to precede with the reconnaissance.
For the wild boars, based on the experience in Medioland, we decided to put them in a cage made by inserting iron rods for lighting devices into two wooden boards. We carried the materials to the tower of the fourth layer and assembled them while illuminating with bonfires. The movement of the wild boars is Teleport. We untie the restraints of the sleeping ones and jump them. We drop them from the ceiling of the cage and wake them up. Even though I call it a cage, it has gaps large enough for the wild boars to go outside. Around the cage, we've scattered leftovers, leaving them to eat.
If they don't come with this, there's nothing we can do. We'll end up blowing up the labyrinth with gunpowder. It would be terrible to be attacked while hiding during the work. It's an arrogant thought, but if nothing happened, the two we killed wouldn't be able to rest in peace. I want them to take the bait if possible.
While I was waiting in anticipation like that, there was finally a movement. The movement of the wild boars that were eating the leftovers stopped. Before long, they ended up entering the tower of the fourth layer as if competing with each other. They are squealing as if screaming. They must be looking for an exit. It means something so powerful has come. It must be a Behemoth. It must be starving, so it's ferocious.
"Once it bites into the killed wild boars, the attack begins. We'll settle it all at once."
By Eleanor-sama's instruction, the supporting ultra-high-level mage began the incantation for Prominence.