Chapter 75 : Chapter 75

Chapter 75: And So It Shall Fall (1)

“Light.”

Flash!

As Gerard conjured a bright sphere, the party cautiously entered.

However, there was nothing to see but thick dust.

“Is this really the place that’s using up all the mana?”

Jeina grumbled.

“There’s not even basic lighting, let alone magic.”

“It’s not that there isn’t any.”

Tersion pointed to the ceiling.

When everyone looked up, they saw a shattered light fixture.

“There was, but it was smashed.”

“Smashed so violently. It must have been the Hellmorphs.”

“But how did they get in here, sir? The lord’s castle is still holding its defense, even if it’s precarious.”

No one could give a proper answer to Collie's words.

It was then.

Splish.

Hearing a sound from beyond, Artier immediately turned his sword and lowered his stance.

“Gerard, send the light forward.”

Simultaneously with Artier’s words, the light moved forward.

The identity of the creature that made the sound was revealed.

Strange flesh covered the floor.

Some parts of the flesh were covered in dense, fine hair.

Artier and the party had seen this before.

[Hellflower Membrane]

An ecological substance installed by unknown invaders to alter the planet's environment. It seems to provide beneficial effects to Hell Soldiers within a 15m radius.

(Additional information for Intelligence 15 or higher: This membrane seems to provide vision to the Hell Soldiers.)

It was when they had entered the Hellmorphs' territory during the defense of Dorman.

“Why is that here?”

Tersion said, nocking an arrow.

“The fact that this is here means this is their nest!”

“...You’re right.”

The membrane was so weak that it could be destroyed just by a human stepping on it.

That's why the Hellmorphs only installed the membrane in safe areas they considered occupied.

‘The basement of the lord’s castle has become a Hellmorph nest?’

Even Artier found this fact hard to accept.

“Everyone, calm down.”

Just then, Gerard spoke.

“On the contrary, this makes it certain. We've figured out what's explosively consuming mana in this basement.”

“Right! We don't have to fix it, we just have to break it, right? Easy.”

Jeina grinned and swung her axe.

Thwack!

The fragile membrane burst with a single swing of the axe.

“Let’s be careful. From the moment we entered the membrane’s line of sight, we’ve already been spotted by them.”

“Meaning we have to get in fast and get out fast? How simple.”

Tersion sneered but walked ahead at a brisk pace.

“Ugh…”

“Collie, what’s wrong?”

“The corrupted mana is getting thicker.”

Collie stuck his tongue out a little and coughed lightly.

“To me, it’s as if the air is filled with poison. I can endure it for now, but I can’t guarantee what will happen if it gets worse.”

And Collie's worries soon became a reality.

At some point, Collie, who had gone silent, suddenly stopped walking, vomited blood, and staggered.

“Ughh…!”

“Collie!”

Gerard rushed over and checked Collie’s condition.

“The corrupted mana is attacking Collie.”

“What?”

“No, it would be more accurate to say it’s trying to become one with him. It’s trying to corrupt the mana within his body.”

Gerard cast a shield around Collie and then channeled a small amount of his own mana into him.

“Take a deep breath in and out. And protect your respiratory system with mana. Can you do that?”

“I can… sir.”

After confirming that Collie was barely catching his breath, Gerard stood up and looked at the party with a grim expression.

“This doesn't just apply to Collie.”

“What?”

“We’re just a bit duller because we’re human, but we’re definitely being affected too. We’ll probably be vomiting blood like Collie if we go further inside.”

Saying so, Gerard taught everyone how to protect their respiratory system with mana.

It was a method of concentrating mana on the nose and mouth, so even Jeina, a warrior, could do it without difficulty.

“Don’t forget. From now on, we can’t recover mana through breathing. Think of it as becoming useless once you’ve exhausted all the mana you have.”

“That’s harsh, Leader. You just mean we can't use skills.”

“That’s right. But if you can’t use skills, you usually become useless unless something special happens.”

Gerard glanced at Artier and continued.

“The map the researcher gave us says we’ll reach the center of the underground facility if we go a little further. But no one knows what will be in the center, so save as much mana as you can.”

And as if Gerard’s wish was answered, there were no Hellmorph attacks for a while.

However, because the membrane had become excessively thick, at some point they started to just step on it and pop it instead of cutting it.

“The texture feels weird, is it okay to step on it?”

“It’s cheating to say that while wearing shoes, sir.”

“Ah… that's true, hehe.”

“Look over there.”

Tersion pointed somewhere.

“I see light.”

“Light?”

Light in a place that had been pitch black all this time.

As the party approached, a new space could be seen beyond an open wall.

“Strange. This space wasn’t on the map the researcher gave us.”

At Gerard's words, everyone fell silent.

An ominous feeling brushed past their minds.

“It seems this is the secret place the count built.”

“But was it taken over by Hellmorphs?”

While his companions were murmuring, Artier entered the passage one step ahead.

‘A hidden place not on the map, where monsters of a higher than average level are placed to block access. In such arrangements, often…’

Krrrrack!

As Artier swung his sword, a tentacle shot out from the membrane that had been watching silently until now, a beat too late.

‘A mutant monster appears.’

Slice.

After cutting the tentacle, Artier quickly dealt with the tentacles that rushed in from all directions.

“Artier!”

“Don’t come.”

Firmly pushing back his companions who were about to approach, Artier dealt with all the mutants using only his movements without using any skills.

“It’s over.”

“Impressive… How did you know?”

“The membrane is usually scattered everywhere to spread widely. But here, the membranes were gathered in a narrow passage.”

Artier swallowed hard and looked beyond the passage.

He knew. The characteristics of the places where those fiends commonly appeared.

“It seems they’re hiding something important.”

“Alright. Let’s see just how great of a thing they’re hiding.”

The party checked their respective conditions and moved forward quickly.

The facility was structured with rooms attached to both sides of a large passage.

Dried bloodstains here and there told of a tragedy that had occurred here long ago.

“It seems they were researching something.”

Nearby, what were presumed to be iron cages for confining something were left neglected in a molten state.

“Alchemist’s equipment. And top-quality at that.”

“They just threw money at it.”

“Can’t we take this?”

“It’s all broken anyway, so it’s no better than scrap metal.”

“Aww, what a waste!”

Artier looked around and realized something, his face hardening.

“They’re gone.”

“What is?”

“There are a lot of bloodstains, but not a single corpse.”

In a place like this, it would be normal to find at least skeletons.

But now, where they were walking, there was no trace of humans at all.

Flash!

In that moment, a sound so clear that everyone in the party could feel it echoed.

“What’s this?!”

“I-I’m being sucked in somewhere!”

“Get down!”

A wind began to blow from behind them.

As Gerard shouted, everyone grabbed onto the floor.

But a moment later, the wind grew so fierce that it became difficult to maintain balance.

“Dammit!”

And Gerard began to roll forward.

The strength in his right arm had given out.

“Gerard!”

“I got you!”

Jeina pulled out the axe she had embedded in the floor and caught Gerard.

And just as she was about to embed the axe again, Jeina and Gerard were swallowed into the unseen darkness.

“Kugh!”

Next, Tersion, who had weaker physical strength, finally lost her grip, and lastly, Collie staggered and flew into the air.

Artier, who had been watching the whole scene, glanced around before pulling his sword from the floor.

‘There’s no point in holding on. Let’s follow.’

As he deliberately kicked off, his body began to fly rapidly somewhere.

Artier got into position and widened his eyes, aiming his sword.

Thud!

It wasn't long before Artier landed in a place he had never seen before.

He hurriedly got up and aimed his sword, but there was no sign of anyone anywhere.

Is everyone okay?

We’re fine!

Me too. A bit dirty, though.

Where is everyone, sir?

The problem was that he couldn't sense his companions' presence either.

Artier ignited his sword with the Flame Cleave skill and scanned his surroundings, but all he could see was a giant structure made of white fangs and membranes.

It seems we’ve been scattered. Do you see a strange building in front of you?

Yeah.

I see it too. It seems we all fell into the space where this building is.

Ugh, it’s scary not seeing anyone.

After talking with his companions, Artier learned that they had been scattered to the east, west, south, and north respectively.

The room, formed in a large circle around the central structure, was sealed off without any windows, giving it the atmosphere of a prison.

The paths are connected, so if we move to one side, we should all be able to meet… Jeina, did you just see that?

Gerard? What’s wrong?

Artier repeatedly called out to Gerard after the communication was suddenly cut off, but Gerard did not answer.

Soon after, Tersion also began to say strange things.

I don't know if I saw it wrong, but a tentacle just shot out of that building.

And as soon as Tersion's words ended, several bundles of grayish tentacles shot out from inside the central structure and clung to a nearby wall, beginning to suck something out.

W-Woah! Disgusting! What on earth is that building?!

...It’s sucking up mana.

It seems this thing was the culprit consuming the mana.

The place where the tentacles clung was where the underground facility's mana circuit was installed.

Even Artier, who was half a warrior, could feel the dense mana being absorbed into the structure through the tentacles so clearly.

It seems regrouping is important. Jeina and I will move south to where Collie is. I hope Bow and Artier will come this way as well.

Got it.

Just as he was about to cut off the communication and move, Artier heard human footsteps behind him.

He hurriedly aimed his sword and turned around, and in that moment, Artier doubted his own eyes.

There, an alchemist wearing a neat leather tunic and even a hat was staring intently at Artier, tilting his head.

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