Book 16 Chapter 37

Episode 93

June, year 1104 of the Origin calendar.

Southern Acrad Continent, southernmost part of the Red Mountains - Silnev Valley.

"Look out!" Rista shouted.

Immediately, Lin's lightning and Kiese's arrows shot out in two streams, neutralizing the heavy steel equipment that had appeared in the narrow path.

"They're coming out endlessly. This whole area has been completely fortified! And only with relics of the <Ones Who Came>!" Friede, who had protected everyone from the ancient field artillery fire with flames, clicked her tongue.

"How odd. Greta Visor wasn't the type to put so much effort into a single hideout…" Nils Blantz said, shouldering his X-Blast Plasma Cannon.

'Greta always…'

…was the type to casually blow up a hideout if there was even the slightest chance of it being discovered, and move her laboratory elsewhere.

'By the way, these guys are incredible. They've already dealt with more than seven Beraters. Without even breaking a sweat!'

It was around then that Lin called out to the party.

"Everyone, come here! Kiese found something!"

The members, who hurried there, had their mouths fall wide open one after another.

"What is this?"

What kind of power must one wield to be able to carve out the slope of a valley and erect a structure inside it like this?

Is this technology, or a miracle?

A mirage shimmered, making it utterly impossible to distinguish the structure from its surrounding nature.

"No, that's not a mirage. It's optical camouflage!"

"Optical camouflage?"

"It's a substance found only in facilities of the <Ones Who Came>… something that cannot be explained by any modern superpower or science. No doubt about it. This is a structure built by the <Ones Who Came>…!"

Friede, who had flown closer to the gate tower on her broom and deciphered the writing carved on its surface, narrowed her eyes.

"Mu Rondel?"

"What's that?"

"Literally, it means 'Beacon No. 4,' but I'm not sure what it signifies. But to think such a place existed… I thought I knew the Red Mountains inside and out."

Nils's eyebrows twitched.

"Is this why? The reason Greta set up shop here…?"

But it's strange.

How did she immediately find out information that even the Oracle of the Fire Dragon didn't know? She shouldn't have any prior activity in this area.

"The door is closed, how do we get in?"

Rista said with an apologetic expression.

"If only I could use Shirpang at full power, I would have opened the door with a spatiotemporal island…"

Then Link went to the right of the door and pointed to the left, at Lin and Kiese.

"Link, Link, Link!"

"What? You'll pull that side, so we should pull this other door?"

"Link, Link, Link!"

At Lin's interpretation, Link shook his head violently. Lin rested her finger on her chin.

"Hmm, what should we do?"

To exert pure power, psychokinesis would be more suitable than the eight elements.

Although her understanding of the psychokinesis attribute is low (she can't use detailed techniques), she still believes that simplicity is the greatest strength of psychokinesis.

The magic circle's form consists of five layered trapezoids, with all five runes inscribed identically with only the 'pull' (引) character. This is for extreme pulling power, for attraction (引力).

"Here we go, Link. Yorghen Type deployment."

As Link inserted his fingers into the diagonal grooves of the gateway and put his whole body's strength into it, the volume of his muscles and tendons expanded to nearly double.

On the opposite side, Lin's 5-star magic exerted immense attractive force, and with a creaking sound… the gateway slowly began to open with a roar.

Nils stared at the sight dumbfounded.

"I've felt it since I first saw them, but they're truly a strange one. That person must be the only human who understands Link's words immediately."

Friede smirked and put her pipe in her mouth.

"Sometimes that person seems foolish, other times like a madman… but it's because their inner self is pure. That's why they can interpret the emotions of others without any distortion. Although Sval says they just interpret his words as they please, our thoughts are different."

Sval's reactions completely differed depending on how Lin interpreted his words, which was clearly a form of communication.

"Compared to people who raise pets like dogs or cats, you can tell it's completely different. They can only guess where they hurt or what they need. It's a good thing Pipi can talk, though."

At that moment, a gap wide enough for Link to enter sideways opened between the doors.

"Hurry and go in!"

It truly was a structure of the <Ones Who Came>, they marveled.

Once everyone except Link passed through the door, Kiese fired ten arrows into each doorpost.

The branches of the World Tree extending from those twenty arrows supported the gateway, preventing it from closing until Link came through.

"I definitely feel like we've entered a tiger's den." Friede chuckled mockingly. Lin put her index finger to her lips.

"Shh! Be quiet. What if the enemy hears? Can you handle it if the lights suddenly come on and enemies start pouring out?"

No sooner had she said that than thump, thump, thump-thump, thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump… the corridor lit up brightly all the way to its end! As if to welcome them.

[Unauthorized access confirmed, Alert Level 3 declared. Seraphin Squadron deployed.]

Then, the outer wall cleanly parted, and mechanical flying vehicles surged out! It was the pinnacle of mechanical engineering, something even Aein's technology dared not aspire to.

"Hmm…"

[(ㅡㅡ)…]

"Ha…"

"Sigh…"

"Link, Link, Link…"

"Friede, um, this is a bit much…"

Everyone stared intently at Friede and let out sighs.

"No, why is everyone looking at me! I really spoke quietly! If anything, Rista spoke louder! This is so unfair, I could die!"