Ch.109Otherworld Exploration (1)

The beginning of everything was the fact that once again, a mid-level magical beast… a ‘Winged Ratbeast’ had appeared in the northeastern forest.

This large creature, resembling a rodent as its name ‘Ratbeast’ suggests, was a magical beast about the size of a real-world lion. In terms of appearance, it was a flying magical beast similar to a wyvern with wings for its front legs.

It was a ‘Ratbeast’ type magical beast that could shoot spines running along its spine all the way to the tip of its tail, and synthesize various toxic substances internally to secrete them from its teeth or spine tips.

It happened to attack when the village was busy surveying land, which could have led to a significant crisis, but fortunately, the beast was subjugated by my hand as I had gone out to inspect the first survey operation.

It was also good that as a reward for defeating it, I gained the constitutional factor ‘Toxin Resistance,’ which provides strong resistance to countless toxic substances and diseases.

In this world, there exist countless creatures that use deadly magical poisons as their weapons….

The resistance I gained at that time was magical in nature, so it applies to almost all magical abilities.

….The other two factors were defective ones like ‘Rodent Incisors’ or ‘Spine Projection (No Spines on Body),’ so in truth, I had no real choice in the matter.

Anyway, the corpse of the defeated Winged Ratbeast was handed over to Gretel at her request.

Since it was a highly toxic corpse with almost no practical use, I readily gave it to her after hearing that she needed to boil it whole to make a base reagent for some high-grade magical compound.

But even though the immediate outcome was good, there were too many suspicions to simply let this matter slide.

Logically speaking, does it make sense for mid-level magical beasts to appear this frequently?

Even if we exclude the Chimera’s appearance as it was likely part of a plot with ‘Gluttony’ behind it, there have already been two mid-level magical beasts appearing near human territory, including the Basilisk.

While the forest is quite large despite being called small, and it wouldn’t be strange for a few mid-level magical beasts to exist in the deepest parts of the otherworld, but for such a mid-level beast to come near human territory… and even cross over to what wasn’t originally part of the otherworld?

It was strange. Something was off. Even for someone like Hannah, who was often belittled for thinking of nothing but fighting, it was obvious enough that something unusual was happening.

To be frank, mid-level isn’t just some pet name—it’s incomprehensible that such dangerous magical beasts would appear so frequently.

To be honest, magical beasts are living creatures that prioritize their own survival above all else, and moreover, mid-level and higher beasts typically have high intelligence, so they wouldn’t do something this foolish.

“This Winged Ratbeast… it used to live near our village…”

“…Really?”

“Yes, without a doubt… It was the leader of the Ratbeast pack in the forest… I wonder why?”

According to Gretel, this Winged Ratbeast was the leader of the forest’s Ratbeast-type magical beasts, an alpha-type magical beast with high intelligence.

They must have formed a fairly advanced society capable of restraining their instincts, even to the extent of forming a kind of alliance with the werewolf village.

So why would a Ratbeast, which typically lives in groups, attack the village alone and in such a clearly aberrant manner?

“…What could have really happened in the forest?”

“I think… something did… probably…?”

Since it was virtually certain that something major enough to disrupt the existing ecosystem was happening in the forest, I, as the chief of a village not too far from that forest…

Thought it necessary to investigate the forest at least once, whenever possible, and thus gradually began to implement this plan.

In other words, a plan to explore the otherworld.

※ ※ ※

The “otherworld” that can be found without much difficulty in this world I was reincarnated into is, to put it simply, a space similar to the concept of a dungeon.

It’s a space that forms naturally around certain natural environments or powerful mystical beings like mid-level or higher entities or tools, creating a barrier that separates the inside from the outside while transforming the internal environment.

In a sense, the otherworld is a space where different laws apply compared to the outside world, and naturally, it’s a hellish place for outside beings that haven’t adapted to its internal environment.

To be frank, for an environment to transform into an otherworld, it must contain very powerful mystical elements. And if the mystical influence is so strong, what do you think happens to the natural environment affected by it?

Obviously, such spaces evolve to become inherently hostile to normal living beings.

A volcano where “flame particles,” a powdery form of fire, float in the atmosphere, burning the respiratory system of those without resistance to fire.

A forest where toxins mixed in the air slowly accumulate in the body, causing death within an hour for those without immunity.

Given that such “normal” otherworlds are considered relatively tame compared to the abundance of unique environments out there… the otherworld, especially the deeper regions, is an extremely dangerous territory.

Particularly lethal is the high magical density that’s practically a basic characteristic of the deeper areas of the otherworld—an ordinary person would die from magical overdose just by breathing there for a while.

Of course, for mid-level beasts or those adapted to such environments, the interior of the otherworld would be safe and comfortable. And these extreme conditions only apply to the deepest regions of the otherworld, but…

Since I felt the need to enter and investigate the otherworld immediately, these details weren’t particularly important to me, so I began preparing what was necessary for the conquest—or rather, investigation—of the otherworld.

“Hmm… this seems uncomfortable.”

“Sister, please bear with it. It’s better than dying.”

For example, there’s the air purification mask prepared by Gretel, a tool designed with the consideration that we don’t know how the interior of the otherworld might have been transformed.

Though called air purification, this mask, which prevents harmful substances from entering the respiratory system, is practically essential in a forest-type otherworld where any kind of biochemical attack might occur.

Next, Gretel prepared a cloak. Made from fibers extracted from the leaves of magical trees in the forest, this green hooded cloak is enchanted with magic that conceals one’s appearance and presence.

No matter how strong the mid-level beings who will be part of the investigation team are, they still have limitations, and especially in such long-term situations, it’s best for mid-levels to minimize resource consumption in preparation for powerful enemies.

Ultimately, combat between mid-level and higher beings is a kind of attrition warfare where one minimizes their own consumption while maximizing the opponent’s. Unless one is a deranged masochist, it’s natural to prefer not being depleted before the fight even begins.

In short, it’s useful to avoid combat or engagement when possible, and this cloak is a tool to assist in such combat avoidance.

“Hmph…”

Of course, for Hannah, who loves combat in a sense like a lover, such an approach is enough to cause dissatisfaction, but she’s not so foolish as to be unable to distinguish the gravity of the situation.

Dissatisfaction remains just that—dissatisfaction. With her relatively well-maintained cooperation promised, the formation of this “investigation team” was finally completed.

In terms of pure combat power, undoubtedly the strongest in the village, me, Camille de Alzar.

Hannah Wolfblood, who has become quite powerful after getting her new specialized equipment, serving as the vanguard and scout.

Gretel Wolfblood, a mid-level witch who requested to join because she needed something from the abandoned werewolf village in the forest.

This “investigation team,” centered around these three, is actually closer to an extermination squad ready to directly handle the culprit behind the incidents if they appear.

Well, that’s precisely why as many as three mid-level village members could be dispatched…

‘…Should I bring those guys too?’

[[[[Grr, grrrr?]]]]

After a moment’s consideration, the Chimeras, who would likely be completely uncontrollable without me, also joined the investigation team, completing the formation of an exploration party with the incredibly high specs of a total of five mid-level beings.

The objective was to analyze any variables that might have occurred in the otherworld and, if necessary, find and neutralize the root cause of the incidents.

…Considering the purpose, having five mid-level beings might be somewhat excessive, but that’s undeniable.