Chapter 92 : Chapter 92

Chapter 92 - Miracle (2)

After exiting the mine, the party advanced, following the tracks of the expedition team.

Of course, it was not an easy task.

“They’re moving while deliberately erasing their tracks. Thorough bastards.”

It seemed there was someone with deft hands among the Empire’s expedition team.

But thankfully, because of Tersion, they were able to continue the pursuit.

Crunch…

Of course, the process was not entirely peaceful.

After leaving the mine, they had to engage in fierce battles with the Hellmorphs that periodically appeared.

[You have leveled up.]

“Tiresome bastards.”

“If I had my way, I’d just fly past them…”

When the fourth battle ended, the companions muttered, completely fed up.

Thanks to the healer from Reinard’s party and Collie, their bodies were not physically tired, but mental fatigue was eating away at them.

“This is strange.”

“Yes, I feel it too.”

In the case of Gerard and Reinard, in particular, their mana was starting to run out, and they were showing noticeably pale complexions.

“It’s a bit overwhelming even when using Holy Magic. How on earth did those Empire guys get through here?”

The further they went, the noticeably stronger the Hellmorphs became.

Of course, they could just use Holy Magic, but the strain on their bodies was no joke.

“Did they not engage in battle?”

“No.”

Tersion pointed to a broken piece of an arrow and a trace of something being torn.

“No matter how skilled they are, it’s difficult to hide such a skirmish. It’s clear they were attacked in a similar location as us.”

“What the hell is it? Do they have a Grand Magus in their party?”

“No, even if they did, it wouldn’t make a meaningful difference.”

Gerard said firmly.

“Even if it were a Grand Magus, the total amount of mana within the body is similar. High-level magic cannot be used here.”

The reason a Grand Magus could use mana as if it were flowing water was because they quickly replenished it from the surrounding space as much as they consumed.

A skilled mage could recover enough mana to use two or three skills with just a single breath.

But the space they were standing in now did not allow them to replenish mana through the external environment.

For mages, they were facing the worst possible situation.

“It’s the same for a knight. It’s difficult to gain an advantage in a fight against Hellmorphs through conventional means.”

“Then there’s only one answer. They also have a way to deal with Hellmorphs, just like us.”

“That gives us one more reason to chase after them.”

If they could use that method themselves.

The Sacred Knights, armed with Holy Magic and that method, would be able to gain a great advantage in the fight against the Hellmorphs.

Trudge, trudge.

“…Is that a village?”

“No, it’s closer to what was a village.”

As they crossed a hill, they discovered a village that was about half-burnt and gone.

“Let’s rest here for today.”

Artier checked everyone’s condition and made a decision.

At that, everyone who had looked tired let out a cheer.

“I will go and check if there’s anything suspicious around.”

“Game animals… there won’t be any, right?”

“Give it up, you might as well suggest eating Hellmorphs.”

“Hoh?”

“It’s a joke, you crazy bastard.”

Tersion moved away from Jeina with a look of disgust.

‘Hmm. What should I do.’

Artier checked everyone’s condition and fell into thought.

Unlike when they stayed in the waterway before, there was no way to recover mana.

‘Drinking a mana recovery potion is an option, but…’

Mana recovery potions were difficult to make and expensive, so they didn't have many. If possible, he wanted to save them for battle.

“…Ah.”

After a moment of thought, Artier took a Mithril ore out of his inventory.

‘If Mithril can suppress the influence of Hellmorphs, couldn’t I use this to create something like a barrier?’

Thinking that, he took the ore to Reinard and Collie and saw their conflicting reactions.

“A wonderful idea, Master! We will be able to get a positive effect!”

“It’s impossible.”

“Hmm? Why?”

When Artier asked back, Reinard quickly listed the reasons.

“For an obvious reason. The mana of the three mages who can activate a magic circle is completely depleted.”

A magic circle doesn't activate just by drawing it identically.

A mage had to activate the drawn incantation by infusing a sufficient amount of mana.

“If a perfect magic circle is completed, I could try to operate it with my remaining mana, but if it fails, I will immediately faint. And I will lose my life due to the surrounding toxic gas.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Pardon?”

“I can just draw it and operate it, right? My mana is sufficient.”

Artier, who had saved his mana by mainly using Perfect Counter without using Holy Magic, still maintained more than half of his mana securely.

“That’s absurd. A magic circle cannot be handled by a warrior…”

Crack!

With a light gesture, Artier erected a large ice pillar nearby.

“…Come to think of it, the Leader also used healing magic. I will give it a try.”

Reinard instantly changed his stance and held something out.

“Here is silver powder and the diagram for a protective circle. You just need to draw the magic circle you see here at the east, west, south, and north points of the campsite.”

The shape of the magic circle was simple.

Inside a circle, a star and five strangely shaped runes were drawn.

‘Even I could do this.’

Artier glanced at the diagram and headed towards the village entrance.

Reinard watched him and quietly shook his head.

“You should take the diagram with you. If you infuse magic into the diagram, it will show you how to draw…”

Pak! Ssssk!

Artier, who had connected a rope to two nearby branches, immediately drew a round circle as if using a compass.

Then, as if measured with a ruler, he precisely carved the star and runes.

“…You are excellent in practice.”

“Huh?”

Artier looked at Reinard with a bewildered expression.

Then, belatedly discovering the diagram, he felt quite embarrassed. He had been happy because he thought he drew it well, but it turned out to be unnecessary effort.

“You should have told me sooner…”

“Just embed the Magic Stone on top, place the Mithril ores around it, and then infuse it with mana.”

As he did as Reinard instructed and tried to infuse mana, he felt a sudden block, and at the same time, a complex path unfolded.

‘Oh…’

It was the moment he thought it might be fun.

Even though his eyes were closed, Artier could see an information window.

It was a minigame where you had to connect scattered pipes to link a starting point and a destination.

“…”

What is this?

Artier was so flustered for a moment that he almost cut off the mana he was infusing. He had used quite a few skills until now, but this was the first time the system had assisted him like this.

‘This, only I can see it, right?’

Artier carefully opened one eye. Collie and Reinard were still just watching him.

‘Should I give it a try.’

Artier quickly solved the minigame that had appeared in the darkness.

Perhaps because it was a simple magic circle, the process of connecting the pipes was not very difficult.

Paaat!

As soon as the pipes were connected, he felt the blocked path clear, and Artier's mana rushed into the magic circle.

“You’ve succeeded.”

“That was incredibly fast! Amazing!”

When he opened his eyes, the magic circle was emitting a faint light, and the drawn symbols were slowly rotating.

It was completely activated.

“It’s not difficult?”

“It seems you have a talent for creating magic circles.”

“…Is that so.”

Artier wore a truly awkward expression.

He wondered why it was so easy, and it turned out to be the protagonist's all-purpose talent shining through again.

It was no wonder that the remaining magic circles were activated even faster.

[You have learned how to install and activate a magic circle from a colleague.]

[You have acquired Magic Circle: Korkinu's Camp Formation (Lv.1).]

“Uh…?”

The moment a faint circular curtain covered the village, Artier stared at the information window that appeared before his eyes with a look of disbelief.

‘Why did I learn this in one go?’

In the first place, his intelligence stat was not over 50.

So he had thought of using a trick through Soul Share to try using a magic circle, but he had no intention of learning it as a skill.

‘Is it real talent?’

Was the protagonist's talent so outstanding that he could learn things after seeing them a few times even without the qualifications?

‘Then why the hell not Holy Magic?’

Although he was happy, a feeling of unfairness naturally arose.

It was to the point where he suddenly doubted if all his efforts over the past two months had been in vain.

“I can breathe so much better!”

“The air has cleared up. What a relief!”

The party members immediately took deep breaths, their expressions much more at ease.

As soon as Artier's magic circle was activated, all the mana inside the village had been cleanly purified.

“Hmm? The effect seems to be even greater?”

Collie kept tilting his head.

As far as he knew, Korkinu's Camp Formation had the effect of blocking negative effects from the outside, but for negative effects already accumulated inside, one had to use a separate spell to expel them.

“It must be the effect of the Mithril. Korkinu’s magic circle has the characteristic of being strengthened in response to added materials.”

“That seems to be the case. Korkinu was a truly great mage.”

Artier watched the two mages whispering to each other, smirked, and headed to the well to wash up.

While drawing water, he fell into a small dilemma.

‘Hmm, should I try learning other skills too?’

Perhaps the talent of the protagonist, Artier, was beyond imagination.

Of course, having too many miscellaneous skills wasn't good, but wouldn't it be great to learn useful skills?

‘Alright. I should ask my companions after this mission is over.’

With that thought, Artier got into his sleeping bag.

***

“Leader.”

At the crack of dawn.

Artier woke up as a bright light turned on above his head.

“…Get rid of the Light.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of a way to wake you.”

Forcing away the unpleasant feeling, he saw that the healer from Reinard’s party was looking down at him. Her expression was unusual, so Artier, who had gotten up, asked with a look that instantly chased away his sleepiness.

“What’s wrong?”

“They said the alarm magic went off. So Sir Gerard went out first, but the atmosphere is unusual.”

“Gerard?”

Artier got up and grabbed his sword.

If it was Gerard of all people, there was definitely a good reason for it.

“Lead the way.”

Following the healer, he arrived at the village entrance, where Jeina, Collie, and Reinard were already out.

Artier, who was casually looking around, flinched when he confirmed the look of contempt on Gerard's face, who was standing at the very front.

‘What is it?’

Gerard despising something?

The first thing that came to mind was Hellmorphs, but the atmosphere didn't seem to be in the middle of a battle.

“Reveal your identity at once! What trick is this!”

“Calm down, Gerard! It could be real, right?”

“It can’t be. I checked myself. He was in no state to be saved!”

“What’s going on?”

Artier passed Reinard and came forward.

And then he froze.

“Artier? You’re here! Please stop our leader. I’m really going to die at this rate!”

“…Ben?”

Worn leather and a piece of a broken shield.

Soot was smeared on a face he hadn’t seen in a long time and all over his body.

Ben, looking no better than a beggar, waved his hand at Artier repeatedly.

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