Ch.127Mission Start

“Move quickly! Bring all the ingots from the warehouse to the workshop!”

“While the molds are being made, you lot copy the templates! Those who know how to handle magical tools, memorize the inscriptions in advance!”

“Hey! Where did we store the crystal mana tanks!?”

“We need at least 30 sets! 30 sets of 4 types of metal scales, 120 pieces must be completed tonight by any means necessary!”

The forge of Nidavellir, now shrouded in darkness, was bustling with numerous dwarf craftsmen and the young Aqua-folk who assisted them.

These craftsmen, who would rarely hammer after dinner under normal circumstances, were preparing for an all-night work session for one reason only:

To create scale shields that would be deployed in the mine reclamation operation starting tomorrow.

“What an incredible sight…”

“For those folks, this must be like a bolt from the blue. Imagine being told to complete 120 magically inscribed metal scales in a single night.”

“Is it alright for Mina not to participate? While scale production is one thing, I think Mina’s supervision might be necessary for the magical tool conversion process.”

“I gave them the formula samples, so they should manage fine, right? Outsiders joining a collaborative effort often just get in the way. Of course, I’ll personally conduct the final quality check.”

“Hmm…”

We were watching from a distance to avoid disturbing the dwarves’ work.

The reason for all this bustling preparation was that the scale shield design Mina had provided required considerable labor.

Testing the prototype shield revealed that regardless of material, each scale would break after one hit under normal conditions, or after the second hit when Seti or Fatum channeled mana into it.

Taking this hint, Mina designated the shield’s scales as consumables and designed them to be detachable and replaceable.

To sustain prolonged battles by periodically replacing scales damaged by beam attacks, they needed to produce as many replacement scales as possible.

As if that weren’t enough, each scale would be implanted with a downgraded version of the “destruction resistance” formula used in Seti’s spear. No wonder all of Nidavellir’s craftsmen had mobilized for an all-night work session.

“Well then, let’s leave the rest to the Korkas folks and head to bed.”

“Dumping an enormous workload and then leaving first—I feel like the boss of some black company.”

“Mass production is the craftsmen’s battle. Our battle begins tomorrow, right? Don’t worry about trivial matters; we need to enter the mine in peak condition.”

“Mina’s right. Our job is to reclaim as much territory as possible until all the scales they’ve made for us are used up.”

The plan was to neutralize the red beams while consuming scales, gradually reduce the number of monsters, and reclaim one level.

By repeating this process three times, the Korkas Mine would be liberated from the monster threat.

Thus, the Korkas Mine reclamation operation had taken on the character of a total war, mobilizing all of Nidavellir’s production capacity.

The next morning.

In front of the forge, where the sound of hammers had finally ceased, five adventurers and one Aqua-folk were receiving a cart loaded with supplies from Director Kelly.

“Four scale shields, 160 replacement scales, two spare shields, three crystal mana tanks, six seismic crackers… I’ve brought out everything we could provide.”

“Oh, wow. You’ve worked hard.”

“We’re counting on you now. We need some rest…”

Director Kelly, with dark circles under his eyes, handed over the cart to us and then sat down on a work chair, closing his eyes in complete exhaustion.

To honor their efforts in producing 40 more scales than the originally planned 120, I silently vowed to ensure today’s reclamation operation would succeed.

“Hello, adventurers! Good morning!”

“Good morning, Fatum. How are your wounds?”

“Hahaha! My body isn’t so weak as to suffer aftereffects from such minor injuries. And with healing magic on top of that, I couldn’t be better!”

Since yesterday evening’s test, Jessica’s attitude toward Fatum had softened to the point where she treated him no differently than other adventurers.

It was thanks to Fatum that we learned beastfolk could channel mana into shields as well as weapons, so he deserved significant credit for the improved scale shield design.

“Alright, let’s finally begin the Korkas Mine reclamation operation in earnest.”

“Ohhh~”

“Our formation will be Seti and Fatum at the front, Mina and I in the middle, with Phyllis and Jessica at the rear. The core of our anti-monster tactics will be ranged attacks from the middle and rear lines.”

“Yes. Fatum and I will block the red beams the monsters fire.”

“That’s right, Seti. The shields you’re carrying can withstand up to three hits in the same spot, but others’ shields lose a scale with just one hit. The front line needs to block beam attacks as much as possible so the rear can unleash 100% of their offensive power.”

As beastfolk, Seti and Fatum could infuse mana into their shields to increase the scales’ durability, and this action also supplied mana to the destruction resistance formula inscribed on the scales, allowing each scale to withstand three beam hits.

In contrast, Mina and I, lacking mana infusion abilities, could neither directly increase the scales’ durability nor activate the destruction resistance formula.

To activate even just the destruction resistance formula, Jessica would need to use “Fragment of Omniscience” to transfer mana from the crystal mana tank to the shield. During this process, Jessica couldn’t use other magic, and Mina and I would have to focus on escort duty, severely reducing the party’s overall offensive power.

Therefore, for the mine reclamation operation to proceed smoothly, such disadvantageous situations should not occur frequently, and we needed to steadily replace scales while defeating monsters.

‘Based on our calculations from the previous two entries, this should be entirely feasible if we proceed cautiously without getting greedy.’

After finalizing our strategy, we formed our ranks and entered the Korkas Mine.

We passed through the secured first underground level and arrived at the elevator leading to the second underground level. After preparing for battle, we opened the elevator platform doors to check for monsters.

“No monsters inside the elevator platform.”

“OK. Mina, please handle the seismic cracker.”

The four-legged monsters occupying the mine could climb up the vertical shaft of the elevator platform, but after several trials and errors, we discovered they wouldn’t force their way through sand-blocked passages.

Furthermore, once it was confirmed they wouldn’t fire red beams just to destroy objects in areas without hostile life forms, the dwarves began filling the vertical shafts of elevator platforms with massive amounts of sand stored in seismic crackers to prevent monster invasions.

It was laborious to remove and replace mountains of sand each time we used the elevator, but necessary.

“Underground level 1-2 platform clear~”

“I’ll pull up the elevator. Let’s go down two people at a time, and keep the pack mule waiting on the upper level until we secure the first sector of the second underground level.”

It goes without saying that carrying hundreds of metal scales in bags would make not just fighting but even walking impossible.

Therefore, we had Ancestor pull the cart we received from the director, but since the red beams that could destroy metal or wood in a single hit could be fatal to Ancestor, we kept him at a safe distance.

I pulled the control lever on the wall, bringing up the freight elevator, and we descended in pairs—front line, middle, and rear—securing the second underground level’s elevator room.

Up to this point, we arrived safely without encountering any monsters, just like yesterday.

Now the real mine reclamation operation begins.

“Let’s see, no magical damage to the barrier door… and it doesn’t seem like there are any monsters right up against the door.”

Mina, wearing the goggles—Magiascope—she always carried around her neck, examined the barrier door and quickly returned to her position, ready to defend in front of Phyllis.

Both Mina and I were positioned in the middle to handle attack and defense flexibly, but comparatively, I was more focused on offense while Mina leaned more toward defense.

In situations requiring quick responses like now, it was natural for Mina to prepare to counter light bullets while I readied my revolver for rapid fire.

‘Krrrrrr…’

As the elevator room’s barrier door rapidly rose upward, Seti crouched low to observe the situation on the other side.

Beams could fly through the gap before visibility was fully secured.

“Two monsters about 20 meters ahead.”

“OK. Seti, Fatum. Spread out a bit.”

Seti and Fatum, who had been standing close together, widened their gap at my instruction, and through that gap, we could see two Dragoons recognizing our voices and turning in our direction.

Click-click-click. Their leg movements were irritatingly fast, but their turning speed itself wasn’t particularly quick.

“Stone Bullet!”

‘Tang!’

‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’

Firepower from three people poured through the gap between Seti and Fatum’s bodies, and a moment later, red beams shot from the monsters’ heads.

“Hup!”

‘Bzz! Bzzz!’

Each time a red beam hit Fatum’s shield, an unpleasant noise reminiscent of a short circuit or electrical leakage spread.

Judging by the absence of the crisp sound of scales crumbling, he seemed to have defended successfully.

‘Taang!’

When Mina’s large-caliber pistol hit the already wobbling leg joint that had been struck by Phyllis’s rifle, one of the Dragoons rapidly approaching us lost its balance.

In normal circumstances, this would be the moment Seti would leap forward to impale one with her spear, but today her role was strictly defensive.

Whether one could maintain solid defense without being tempted by immediate opportunities would be the key point of this long-term mine reclamation operation, and Seti understood this well, not rashly rushing out to take down enemies.

Our follow-up attacks concentrated on the Dragoon that was quickly approaching rather than the one that had lost its balance, and the Dragoon with Jessica’s Stone Bullet deeply embedded in its body collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.

No other enemies were visible, and the surviving one had lost its balance.

I thought this might finally be the moment Seti would rush forward, but she remained firmly in place, maintaining her defensive stance until Phyllis pierced the other one’s body.

“No remaining enemies in sight.”

“Good job, Seti. Fatum, how’s the shield?”

“Hmm… both hits landed in different spots. Each location can withstand two more hits.”

“Check the condition of your shields whenever you have a moment during battle and replace broken scales immediately. The real offensive is about to begin.”

Today’s first battle ended easily, but the Dragoons’ true abilities would be demonstrated from now on.

Surprisingly, these Dragoons seemed to have the ability to share vision or information with each other, as once even a single individual discovered an enemy, they would organically establish an encirclement and launch relentless wave attacks.

‘Click-click-click-click’

“They’re coming from the front. Four, maybe five.”

“Seti and Fatum, hold the center! Rear line, stick to the walls only when firing! The real reclamation operation starts now.”

The metallic footsteps approaching from ahead grew louder.

The time had come to confront the Dragoon horde that had tormented the dwarves and Aqua-folk of the Korkas Mountains for years.