kscans

Chapter 160 - A Basement Under a Basement is Too Much Basement

I started down the stairs to the basement, holding up my lantern as I searched for a switch.

"I don't see one."

There was no protrusion like the one near the entrance of this building.

"I agree. Perhaps there isn't a switch like the one upstairs."

Nanapon, right behind me, seemed to have some certainty about this.

"Why do you say that?"

"There's a passageway at the bottom of the stairs, and on the walls, there are several basket-like things for holding torches."

How primitive.

"Is it to prevent pursuers? Or a lack of budget?"

"Who knows? In any case, if those are installed, I think it means that special paint isn't applied here. Besides, if there was a switch, the SDF members would have turned it on."

I see. That makes sense.

"So we'll have to go in the dark... well, same as the Diana Mine."

"There are Eight-Armed Skeletons, right? I looked them up, and they seem strong."

"Heh heh. In that case, I shall sever all eight of its arms before lopping off its head."

I'll turn it into a limbless doll.

"Um, I think this every time, but you're probably trying to make people think you're amazing, Eleanor-san, but it just comes across as morbid and scary."

"It takes skill, you know?"

"It's pointless, and you sound like a psycho."

Psycho... That hurts...

"I'll do it normally."

"Please do. We're about to reach the bottom of the stairs."

At Nanapon's words, I shone the lantern downwards and saw that the end of the staircase was indeed in sight. I continued down the stairs, illuminating the area with the lantern, and observed my surroundings.

"You're right, there are baskets for torches."

The passage at the bottom of the stairs was only about two or three meters wide, but on both walls, metal-like baskets were installed at intervals of several meters.

"Does anyone have anything that burns?"

I asked the four people who had come down the stairs.

"I have something, but nothing that would burn for a long time."

Yanagi-san said as he observed the torch baskets.

Hmm, what would they use for this? Wood or something?

"It can't be helped. Let's proceed as we are."

As I said that, Nanapon tugged on the sleeve of my robe. This was the signal that an enemy had appeared.

I turned to face forward and took my sword out of my bag. The other three, excluding Nanapon, then illuminated the depths of the passage.

As I watched the illuminated passage ahead, I heard the familiar clattering sound. Then, a Skeleton slowly emerged.

"How disgusting."

The Skeleton that appeared was a skeleton, just like a normal one, but it had four arms on each side, which was unsettling. What's more, each of its hands gripped a sword.

"There's no point in holding that many. And please don't tell me the drop item is a lame prize like eight Skeleton swords."

It has to drop something better than that.

"Too bad. It's eight Skeleton swords."

One is 5,000 yen, so that's 40,000 yen. It's a decent price, but without an Item Bag, they'd be too bulky.

"Well, I suppose I'll take what I can get..."

I said, readying my sword. The Skeleton clattered as it slowly advanced towards us. Then, when it reached a certain distance, it broke into a run.

"The speed is the same..."

The Eight-Armed Skeleton was just as slow as a normal one. It was practically no different from a regular Skeleton.

Thinking it was all for show, I waited for the Eight-Armed Skeleton to approach. It raised all the arms on its right side.

Eh... that's how you're going to use them? That's pointless.

Thinking what an idiot it was, I stepped forward and slashed at its right shoulder, which was wide open from raising its arms. The four arms it had raised fell to the ground, swords and all. Moreover, having lost the swords and arms on its right side, the Eight-Armed Skeleton completely lost its balance and toppled over to the left.

I swung my sword down at the head of the Eight-Armed Skeleton, which had fallen with its hip on the ground. Its head split vertically, and it vanished into smoke.

Eight swords were left in its place.

"There's no way the SDF personnel were defeated by this."

I crouched down and muttered as I picked up the eight swords.

"Isn't it that you're just strong, Eleanor-san?"

Nanapon is so cute.

"No, that might be part of it, but it's just plain weak. It's not an opponent that four trained SDF members would lose to."

"Is that so... Um, another one is coming."

"Hmm?"

At Nanapon's words, I looked forward. Sure enough, another Eight-Armed Skeleton, identical to the last one, was heading our way.

"I'm busy picking up swords, so you shoot it with your fire magic. It'll only take one hit."

Eight swords is a lot.

"You think I can?"

Nanapon said as she readied her staff.

"You can, you can. It just has eight arms and swords, otherwise, it's no different from a Skeleton."

They should at least use the swords more skillfully, but they just swing them all at once. Honestly, the Hide Skeletons were more of a threat.

"Here I go... Fire!"

As I finished putting all the swords into my bag, Nanapon unleashed her signature fire magic. The fireball she launched struck the Eight-Armed Skeleton's body directly and spread into flames. The Eight-Armed Skeleton thrashed about as if in agony, but unable to shake off the fire, it collapsed on the spot.

"Oh, it really was just one hit."

"Besides the arms, it's the same as a Skeleton."

Nanapon's fire magic is powerful, with enough firepower to defeat a Skeleton in a single blow.

I walked to where the Eight-Armed Skeleton had been and stood guard, letting Nanapon pick up the dropped Skeleton swords. Once she had collected the drops, we proceeded deeper.

Thanks to Nanapon's Clairvoyance, we knew of any enemies or traps, so there was no need to be particularly vigilant, but we advanced cautiously due to the darkness. After walking a short distance, Nanapon suddenly stopped.

"An enemy?"

"No... there's something on the ground."

On the ground?

Wondering what it could be, I walked forward, illuminating the path with my lantern, and saw something piled up.

"Skeleton swords."

Eight Skeleton swords were neatly arranged in a corner of the passage.

"The SDF team that went ahead?"

"Probably. That arrangement is typical of my unit. We're taught to line up drop items we can't carry back in a corner so they're not in the way."

Yanagi-san stepped forward, crouched down, and looked at the swords.

"You can take them back."

"No, you take them. They won't fit in my Item Bag, and that's our agreement."

Honestly, I don't want them since they feel like a dead person's belongings, but I guess it's fine since I'll just sell them.

I picked up the neatly arranged Skeleton swords and continued on. Along the way, we found more Skeleton swords lined up, so I picked those up and put them in my bag as well. We continued on and eventually came to a T-junction.

"Which way, I wonder?"

I stopped in front of the T-junction and glanced at Nanapon. However, there was no instruction from her.

"What's wrong?"

I asked, wondering why our guide, Nanapon, wasn't giving directions.

"Um, I'm sorry, but would it be okay to go that way? It might be a detour, but..."

Nanapon said in a small voice, pointing down the left passage.

A detour? That means the gold bars are to the right. But Nanapon wants to go left. Is there something there?

"That's fine. We have to make a map anyway."

Following Nanapon's direction, we walked down the left passage, opposite from the direction of the gold bars. After walking a short distance, we saw a door ahead. However, unlike the wooden doors we'd seen so far, this one was a sturdy, iron-like door. What's more, there was some kind of strange pattern drawn on it.

"What's this?"

"Who knows? Maybe this is that escape route you were talking about?"

Yoshino-san and I approached the door and observed it.

"It looks sturdy, so maybe."

"But what is this pattern... huh?"

As Yoshino-san was looking at the pattern, she made a strange noise.

"What is it?"

"This, it's writing. And I can read it..."

This is writing? And there's no way I can read something like... wait, I can read it.

Thinking this was impossible, I focused on the pattern, and I could indeed read the characters.

[No Entry Beyond This Point]

That's what it said.

"Is this the writing of the Frontier people?"

"Maybe so."

Neither Yoshino-san nor I have drunk a Translation Potion. Perhaps if you write something after drinking a Translation Potion, this is what happens. If you drink a Translation Potion, you can not only listen and speak, but also read. It would be natural to assume that if I, having drunk a Translation Potion, wrote something in Japanese, a foreigner could read it. Maybe I'll test it out next time I see Claire and Harry.

"Yanagi-san, Maede-san, please confirm."

"Right."

It seems Yoshino-san decided to have the two of them look at the door. They stepped forward and began to observe it.

"I can certainly read it."

"No Entry Beyond This Point... Does that mean the area beyond the door is a restricted zone?"

"Probably so."

While Yanagi-san and Maede-san were touching the door and speculating, Nanapon tugged on my sleeve. When I looked at her, she showed me her phone screen.

'I can't see beyond the door. It's pitch black and I can't see anything.'

She can't see through it... Does that mean there's nothing there? Or is it magic?

I took out my phone and started typing.

'You mean there's nothing there?'

'No, it feels like it's being blocked.'

Magic, then...

"Yanagi-san, I don't think that door will ever open, but you absolutely must not open it. You might really get the Gate closed on you."

From Nanapon's Clairvoyance result, I concluded that the area beyond was a restricted zone.

"I think so too. In any case, I'll report this to my superiors. They will likely come to the same conclusion."

Well, since it says "No Entry" in mysterious writing, it's probably wisest to just obey.

"Please do. Well then, let's head back. We'll go the other way this time."

We gave up on the door and retraced our steps.

Alright! Time to finally meet my little golden darlings!