Episode 1014

“Then let’s begin. Pengerine and Wardanaz, if the spell calculations go awry, please adapt and assist as necessary.”

“Understood.”

The wizards began preparations to fully unveil the hidden veil deep in the underground sewers.

Though already more than a third of the veil had been stripped away, with dimensional energy from the eroded reality leaking out, it was time to reveal the true form now that the expedition’s preparations were finished.

“Awaken, show yourself!”

“Activate!”

Crunch!

Lee Han thought back to the time he visited the area where the Frost Giant King had descended last year.

A phenomenon in which reality was twisted by laws that should be impossible—a bizarre distortion.

The scene now below this area was exactly that.

“Gasp…!”

“It’s much fiercer than I’d expected.”

The expedition members murmured.

Sights from other dimensions were always alien and strange for the people of the continent, but even so, what appeared before their eyes was no ordinary scene.

Webs spread so thickly they blocked the view, and pools of acidic liquid gathered throughout the passages.

The clear water that was supposed to run through the conduits now carried acid, dissolving rock as it flowed. It was obvious what kind of dimension this monster had come from.

“Will you be alright…”

An expedition member started to ask if he was okay, but was shocked to realize Lee Han was already gone.

Turning their head, they saw Lee Han and Alsicle had already walked up to the edge of an acid pool.

“Do you think this can be neutralized?”

“Who knows. It’ll probably take a while. Rather than neutralizing, just avoiding it might be better. …Hey! Why are you scooping that up to taste it!!”

“Oh, I wanted to check the toxicity. It’s fine.”

‘…Now I see why Lady Erindarbel sent him!’

The expedition member, chilled to the bone by both words and actions, thought to themselves.

As expected, the archmage’s discernment was flawless.

• * *

The magic criminal, Kitarenanum, assessed the group assembled and sneered inwardly.

‘Just a bunch of imperial rejects gathered here.’

He might be called a magic criminal for saying so, but technically, it wasn’t inaccurate.

Everyone present truly deserved such contempt.

To the left was an elf, an evil-god worshiper. His face, including his eyes, swathed in bandages, and his exposed skin was covered in blasphemous marks vulgar enough to make even a criminal frown.

To the right, the giant hybrid was a separatist. A warrior who wanted to lead giants out of the Empire and found a kingdom ruling over many slave races—there was a bounty on his head worth a small castle.

The wizard in front was one Kitarenanum especially did not want to be involved with.

Among magic criminals, the most bizarre and horrific clan—the Apocalyptics.

Driven mad along the path of magic, they wished to bring about reality’s end!

Magic criminals were notorious in the Empire, but they were simply taking a more “efficient” shortcut for their ambitions. The Apocalyptics were on another level entirely.

But Kitarenanum had no choice but to cooperate with them now.

The Antagondals Faction—the criminal group he normally would have worked with—had suddenly collapsed.

-That rumor is true, yes?

-Yeah. Trust the words of Esadojikua, Duke of Wrath’s chief lieutenant and greatest herald.

Kitarenanum nodded at the demonic voice whispering in his head.

Since forging an infernal contract, the demon and the magic criminal had enjoyed a symbiotic relationship.

Who knew how long it would last, but so far, there had been no particular issue.

-That thing is infamous even among demons. If you catch and enslave that monster, no one on this earth will be able to defeat you.

-I don’t buy it, but I’ll try to believe.

Kitarenanum certainly did not trust the demon fully.

A demon who contracts with mortals never helps out of simple kindness.

But even if only one-tenth was true, it was reason enough to capture this monster.

Such a powerful monster.

-I don’t know what the others’ motives are.

The separatist giant was probably similar to him.

But the evil-god worshiper and the apocalyptic mage—he couldn’t guess, nor did he want to.

Their goals and plans, tinged with madness, were simply beyond sane understanding.

-It doesn’t matter. Use them to catch the monster, then get rid of them all. Esadojikua will assist you.

-Enough chattering, demon friend. I get it.

The demon growled with a wrathful wail at the criminal’s insolent retort.

But that was all. This archdemon’s power was not yet complete.

-If Esadojikua’s power returns, and the Duke of Wrath is resurrected…

The archdemon repeated the promise again, as always.

To regain his own power and resurrect his master.

Kitarenanum hardly wanted that.

The reason demon and criminal could coexist was simply that they both needed too much from one another.

“It’s time.”

The blindfolded evil-god-worshiper elf spoke up.

Crumble!

As the underground aqueduct before their eyes suddenly transformed, filled with webs and acid, the group stirred.

The mercenaries hired with coin murmured uneasily, and the giant hybrid stood up with a start, a huge greatsword in one hand as tall as a man.

“We move. They’ve opened the way for us.”

“Shouldn’t we check if it’s dangerous?”

“That’s right.”

The giant hybrid grabbed a nearby mercenary by the head and tossed him forward.

Splash!

The mercenary thrown into the canal melted with a scream. Undeterred by the gruesome sight, the warrior continued, tossing in a few more mercenaries.

“You can breathe at least. Let’s go! I’ll ride that beast myself. It’ll make a mount way better than any sheep.”

“It’ll… it’ll be far more useful than some dumb sheep.”

A terrified mercenary stammered in an attempt at flattery.

At that, the giant hybrid froze and glared at the mercenary.

“What was that?”

“Uh? I said it’ll be way better than some dumb sheep…”

Splash!

The warrior shoved the mercenary into the canal.

“How dare you insult my sheep!”

“Quiet. If others hear, it’ll cause us trouble.”

Kitarenanum cautioned the warrior.

The goal was to capture the monster quietly and escape, not attract all the Empire’s powerhouses from the capital.

“Let them come. I’ll kill them all.”

-Stupid beast.

The demon muttered, and Kitarenanum grinned. He agreed.

“At least it’s underground—no one will hear yelling.”

“No one will come from outside.”

The evil-god-worshiping elf spoke again. Kitarenanum felt somewhat relieved.

The elf was known for his high-level prophetic magic. If he said so, it was unlikely their actions would be discovered.

“We meet the monster soon.”

“Even better.”

“Not good.”

“???”

The evil-god-worshiper suddenly turned away.

“I’m leaving. Better to flee than offer this beast to my master.”

“Wh-what’s up with that guy?”

The mood grew odd as the cultist abruptly left. The mercenaries eyed each other in dismay.

“Shouldn’t we kill him? What if he gives away our position…”

“Leave him. No cultist would play informant. Just means we don’t have to split the loot.”

The warrior was pleased at the improved shares, indifferent to the elf’s departure.

Though Kitarenanum agreed, he nevertheless felt uneasy.

Perhaps for that reason, he asked the apocalyptic mage beside him,

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“That elf.”

“Ah! The prophecy, you mean!”

The apocalyptic’s gentle, kindly voice somehow made him all the more chilling.

Kitarenanum instantly regretted asking.

“Even if things get messy, it’s no problem.”

“…Why’s that?”

“If everyone here dies, that too is progress toward the end!”

“……”

-Disturbing spellcaster.

The demon grumbled. Kitarenanum concurred again.

“It’s the monster!”

“!”

‘Already?’

The group turned at the shout from scouts up ahead.

A truly massive spider was staring at them.

“Don’t kill it! Capture it! I’ll make it my mount!”

“Out of my way.”

Kitarenanum stretched his arm, reciting an incantation. His arm instantly transformed into a spell he’d prepared in advance.

Among applications of transformation magic, this was one of the most bizarre and grotesque.

To pre-condense magic and carry it in the shape of a limb.

But the effect was sure. The high-density magic, unleashed, instantly flared out wildly.

A binding spell that no monster from any dimension could easily break free from.

Binding of Baquantalana!

Snap!

Tens of layers of nets and chains formed like shadows in mid-air, tightly binding the spider. Several mercenaries gasped.

“Whoa, did you get it? Impressive!”

The giant hybrid was amazed, but Kitarenanum did not smile.

Something felt off.

“It’s… too weak.”

“Huh? Oh.”

The warrior was about to ask what he meant, but then froze.

From the far side of the eroded spider-webbed aqueduct, dozens of additional giant spiders began to reveal themselves.

“There wasn’t just one!”

“It’s multiplied! Be careful!”

The Empire’s outcasts shouted savagely and charged the spider horde. More and more poured out from behind the canal.

• * *

“You travel with Professor Baegrek during vacation?”

“Yes. The professor is a very valuable client.”

The expedition included knights, patrolmen, stonemasons, alchemists, and adventurers.

Surprisingly, the adventurers from the -Wasteland Peacock- party here had connections with Professor Voladi as well.

They were even sometimes hired by the professor during vacations.

“Did you ever get hired as test subjects for students… Ah, never mind, probably not.”

“?”

“Nothing. What kind of requests did you usually get?”

“Well… we can’t really say.”

The adventurers averted their gaze awkwardly. Lee Han thought to himself.

‘What on earth did you get up to?’

“Plundering? Theft? Robbery? Illegal duels? Bounty hunts? Why do you guys look so shocked at every suggestion?”

“It’s… It’s not what you think!”

Their constant flinching at every guess made Lee Han even more wary.

Surely they didn’t do all of that…?

“Hold on. Someone’s ahead.”

“What? Down here?”

Alsicle, who had blanketed the party in cold to protect their breathing, paused.

The others’ eyes sharpened as well.

“If it’s not the monster, it’s an intruder.”

“Ready up.”

The group instantly shifted to battle posture, brimming with fighting spirit. Lee Han stored his prepared spells and cast buffs.

“!”

Emerging from the distance was an elf, face grotesquely swathed in bandages. Alsicle clicked her beak in disapproval at the blasphemous marks on the elf’s visible skin.

The elf spoke abruptly.

“You’ve met the monster.”

“…?”

Involuntarily, Lee Han looked behind himself. No monster in sight.

‘How dare he try such a cheap trick on an Einrogard student!’

To fall for a trap like that despite having so many companions—Lee Han scolded himself deeply.