Chapter 20 (1/2)

Chapter 20: Infiltration

Level 9 spell [Move Outer Plane].

This spell transfers the bodies of a maximum of 7 people, including the caster, to an alternate plane. Anyone in this alternate plane is completely cut off from anything going on in the physical world. It is impossible to be detected or attacked from the physical world, so this is pretty much the ultimate defensive spell. Furthermore, all obstacles in the physical world can be pa.s.sed through as if they don’t even exist. For the duration of 6 hours, it is possible to transverse between the real and alternate planes as often as desired, the only condition being that the followers must remain within a 3m radius from the caster.

(T/N: I’m surprised the Sedia side understands spatial theory lol.)

In other words, this spell is just way too perfect for covert operations.

“That sounds truly all-powerful……” (Gillion)

“W-, Wizard-dono, are you a G.o.d?” (Gunnah)

Both Gillion and Gunnah have turned pale while commenting so.

“Are you an envoy from the guardian deity of winter, Ashuginea-sama?” (Lioria)

Oy, Lioria-san over there, please don’t kneel.

“...... N-, No I’m not a G.o.d.” (Gio)

I don’t think I can be faulted for being fl.u.s.tered at being treated as a G.o.d. It’s true that with my level, I’m more than qualified in D&B to undertake an ‘attaining G.o.dhood’ kind of quest, but I haven’t. That’s definitely not the way that I’ll explain it to them, but I can see in their eyes that I’m going to need to do some sort of explaining to convince them that I’m not a G.o.d.

“Anyways…… I don’t even know any G.o.ds, and neither am I interested to. If my wizardry seems like the power of a G.o.d to you…… then it must be due to you having too much religious piety.” (Gio)

Even I don’t know what I’m saying. Behind the three knights who, for some incomprehensible reason, look deeply impressed, Sedam and Claura are looking at me with eyes tearing up with repressed laughter. Those two are my only saving grace, really.

In actuality, I am far from a G.o.d. Although the power of the spells at my disposal are indeed powerful, D&B wizards have mountains of weaknesses. One of those is that there is a limit to the number of spells that I can have charged. For example, from among the spell list that I’ve charged up for today, this is my current level 9 loadout:

[Spell Name] Useable Number / Charged Number

[Meteor] 2 / 2

[Complete Healing] 1 / 1

[Time Stop] 1 / 1

[Create All Monster] 1 / 1

[Word of Death] 1 / 1

[Chaotic Wall] 1 / 1

[Move Outer Plane] 0 / 1

[Invincible] 0 / 1

It’s like that.

The maximum number of spells that can be charged goes up according to level. In my case, I can keep 9 spells charged on each floor. Spells whose Useable Number has dropped to 0 cannot be used anymore for the day (I already cast [Invincible] when we departed from the fort). Of course, I’ve also carefully selected 9 spells each from all eight other floors.

If possible, I really wanted to charge one more [Complete Healing], and I really want [Shapes.h.i.+ft] too for its versatility. But well, this is one of the limits of a D&B wizard.

“Enough of that. Ladies and gentlemen, should we be off?” (Gio)

My spells don’t last forever either.

♥♦♣♠

With Sedam in the head, we walked along the valley floor.

The valley turned out to be more complicated and deeper than we'd expected, with the main path branching off several times. Each time we came upon a fork, Sedam had to search the surroundings for traces of the army’s pa.s.sage. There were a lot of rocks and debris in our way, but such obstacles did not even slow us down, as we were in the alternate plane. Thanks to that, it took us only two hours of walking to discover the anki base.

“There is a rock demon……” (Gillion)

“Before that, what is that?” (Lioria)

We are in the deepest part of the valley. In an open s.p.a.ce the size of a baseball court that is encircled by sheer cliffs, there is an elephant…… no, it is a rock demon 4 to 5m tall, surrounded by several tens of small demons. It appears that the rock demon is being served lunch, as the small demons are carrying several pig-like creatures toward it. Of course, none of them sense us, since we’re still in the alternate plane. But rather than that, what first caught my and Claura’s attention is the gigantic door set into one of the cliffsides. Is it at least 10m in height? At that size, even rock demons can easily pa.s.s through.

“What do you mean ‘what is it.’ It’s a door, duh.” (Gillion)

“Yea no duh. I meant, why is there a door here?” (Lioria)

“That might have been made by the anki themselves.” (Gunnah)

Gunnah provides a proper answer to the sibling manzai skit. Sedam is nodding in agreement, so he must be right. It’s true that the construction itself appears quite simplistic, but the patterns and decorations that look like avant-garde art are ominous, to say the least.

“But wasn’t it only recently that anki began appearing around here? Did they really have that much time to make something like this?”

“Whichever way you look at it, it doesn’t seem like something slapped together within 2 or 3 days. This must have taken …… 10 years …… or maybe even more.”

Wait, wasn’t it 10 years ago that the last anki nest was found in Liuus? If this dates before that, then it must be from the great battle 150 years ago.

“Doesn’t matter either way. For now, what we have to do is kill that rock demon and charge through that door, right?” (Gillion)

“That is indeed correct, but leave it to me.” (Gio)

“...... Alright, fine.” (Gillion)

Oooo, I thought he’d just charge in regardless, but I guess even Gillion is growing.

“But before I begin, let’s take a look beyond that door.” (Gio)

I take out a single scroll. Claura tries to peek at it while feigning disinterest.

“My, even wizardry has scrolls? Wait a second, isn’t it completely blank?” (Claura)

“It’s blank right now, but…… Well, just keep watching.”

I spread out the blank scroll on the ground.

“Ah, something’s becoming visible.”

“...... This, is this a map?”

Exactly. This is a magic item called a Mapping Scroll. It’s normally just white paper, but once spread open, it will automatically turn into a map of the nearby area.

Seeing as how the t.i.tle [Dungeons & Braves] is mostly about dungeon exploration, such an item is practically ant.i.thetical to the game itself. However, most dungeons above level 30 are either in other dimensions or are encased in lead, which wizardry cannot pa.s.s through, so Mapping Scrolls don’t work. Conversely, it is an item used by high level characters who can’t be bothered to explore normal caves and ruins step by step.

“As I had expected, there is an underground pa.s.sage behind that door.” (Sedam)

After closely gazing at the map, that is the a.n.a.lysis that Sedam comes up with.

“Considering that the nest also sp.a.w.ns rock demons, we should reach it by going down a pa.s.sage large enough for them to pa.s.s through…… This must be where it is.” (Sedam)

The place that he is pointing to is a large room situated at the edge of the map, which means it’s in the deepest part of the cave system. It is indeed connected to the huge door by the widest tunnel on the map.

“It seems like there are a lot of branches and small rooms also. Ones that can serve as escape routes are……” (Claura)

“All the others look too small for large demons, much less rock demons, to pa.s.s through.” (Sedam)