Ch.129After Much Discussion, It Was Decided to Dismantle This Historic Site…

“Even if you call it a passage, it’s just a wall made of stone, right? My arm might be in this state, but I can still break it. Even if there’s some protective magic on it… my sword should be able to shatter it. If I keep breaking pieces here and there, it’ll eventually collapse on its own.”

This kind of building will inevitably collapse under its own weight once you dig out enough of the pillars, walls, and ceiling.

If we had explosives, it would be easier… but there’s no point looking for what we don’t have. I’ll just have to put in some effort.

“That sounds like a violent and crude method just from hearing it. A perfect plan for getting crushed to death, don’t you think?”

Frider let out a hollow laugh.

Well, that would happen if I broke things without thinking. As if I would do that.

“I have it all figured out. Of course we’d die if I just smashed everything randomly, but it’s fine if I damage things in sequence. I’ll cut away the walls and ceiling of the innermost part just enough so they don’t collapse immediately, and cause increasingly severe damage as I work my way outward.”

It’s a method that requires some skill, but it shouldn’t be impossible.

The early part of the dungeon where imps and centipede snails appeared was a vast cave-like space, so this method wouldn’t work there… but the only area we absolutely need to destroy is this passage, and the ceiling here is within reach of my sword.

“Once I reach the end of the passage and deliver the strongest possible attack… it’s just my prediction, but the impact of the collapse should spread in a chain reaction, causing everything to crumble inward. Probably.”

Like dominoes, they’ll shatter one after another.

“What do you think? Perfect plan, right?”

“It sounds plausible, but I’m not sure if I should believe it.”

Frider still seemed somewhat doubtful.

You lack faith, Frider. I’m telling you it’s perfectly possible.

“Just trust me. You have nothing to lose anyway, right?”

“What if it collapses while you’re in the middle of it?”

Millia asked worriedly.

Well… with bad luck, that could happen.

“Then there’s nothing we can do, right? We’d just have to run for our lives to the entrance.”

“……”

No answer came back.

Does your silence mean you agree with my opinion?

If that happens, I’ll carry you on my back and run, so there’s no need to worry.

“Is this really the right approach…?”

“…I don’t really know, so I’ll just go wake up Demian.”

While Frider continued to contemplate, Millia, who had given up thinking, approached Demian and shook his shoulder.

Awakening from sleep, Demian slowly raised his head.

“Uh… Millia…?”

“Yes, Demian. You must still be tired, but it’s time to get up. Let’s go outside. Haschal has returned too.”

“Haschal…? Oh, you really are back. You look pretty injured, are you okay?”

Demian got up from his seat, rubbing his eyes and asking with concern.

Well, I can understand his surprise. I’m covered in bloodstained bandages all over.

“I’ll manage. More importantly, I have something important to tell you, so listen.”

“Something important?”

While Frider and Millia were gathering their belongings, I told Demian the same story I had told the other two.

“What do you think?”

“Hmm… I’m in favor.”

After thinking briefly, Demian nodded.

Frider and Millia looked at Demian.

“I don’t know much about it, but seeing how strongly you emphasize the danger, Haschal, it must be dangerous. I’m not sure if the plan to collapse the passage will work… but I think it’s worth trying.”

As expected, you have a righteous and excellent way of thinking, Demian, befitting a future hero.

Frider sighed.

Once Demian agreed, the conclusion was as good as decided.

After all, Millia wouldn’t vote against anything Demian wanted to do.

“If we get crushed to death, I’ll kick you all the way to hell.”

Eventually, not long after, Frider also agreed to the plan to collapse the dungeon.

And Millia, of course, followed Demian’s opinion.

—-

Demian volunteered to destroy the teleportation gate.

If I touched it, I might get sucked in again.

Demian approached the gate, raising his greatsword.

“Come to think of it, I heard your newly forged black iron greatsword completely melted. That’s unfortunate.”

“It’s fine. It served its purpose before breaking. Without it, Millia and I would have been in danger. Besides, this greatsword seems to perform even better.”

“Really? That’s good then.”

But is it okay to take that greatsword outside as is…?

It seems to have permanent magic cast on it, making it an ancient artifact like the mana lamp.

Mages would probably recognize its value.

“Haaah!”

Demian swung his greatsword hard at the teleportation gate.

The moment the blade touched the gate, a strange collision sound and intense flash erupted.

A sound like breaking glass rather than rock. A dazzling explosion of green light and a clear mana reaction.

Startled, Demian froze for a moment.

“Huh?!”

“Demian! Step back…!”

Frider’s urgent warning was cut short.

Unlike when the spatial magic activated, the light that burst forth this time disappeared in an instant, as if shattering.

Only debris remained where the light had been.

Shattered marble fragments and pieces of the broken greatsword blade lay at Demian’s feet.

Demian stared dejectedly at the greatsword, now reduced to just a handle.

I guess the gate had protective magic on it too. When that broke, it destroyed the greatsword along with it.

That’s fortunate. Now we won’t have to take that sword outside.

“Ah… it was a good sword.”

“How do you manage to break every weapon you use in less than a week? You might end up with a nickname like ‘Demian the Weapon Destroyer’ or something.”

Demian laughed awkwardly.

Well, even he must find it absurd.

Black iron weapons don’t usually break that easily.

“Don’t worry about the greatsword, I’ll get you another one when we get back. It broke while fighting alongside me, so as your senior, I should take responsibility.”

“Oh, as expected of Senior Frider. Does that mean I can count on you for my armor repair costs too?”

“Take care of your own. If you can’t afford to repair your armor, maybe cut back on mana herbs.”

Merciless, aren’t you.

—-

The entire way back, Frider kept looking back with regret.

I was busy carving into the passage walls with Durandal.

As expected of a silver masterpiece, Durandal cut through the rocks like tofu.

There was protective magic on the walls too, but it wasn’t a problem. Silver is a metal that cuts through mana.

Unlike the magic on the monsters’ weapons, the magic on the walls was relatively weak.

When you think about it, it makes sense.

Weapons are designed for combat and must withstand strong impacts, but how often would an ordinary passage, not even a castle wall, face such strikes?

They probably never even considered it when establishing the protective magic.

Thanks to that, it cuts through smoothly.

Still, it required more concentration than I expected.

Each time I cut through weight-bearing sections, I had to carefully check whether there were any signs of imminent collapse.

From the middle of the passage, I sent the group ahead to the exit.

If my calculations were wrong and the passage collapsed, I could probably run out somehow… but while Frider might manage, it would be difficult for the other two.

Millia objected, but she couldn’t break my stubbornness.

After proceeding like this for dozens of minutes,

the once-pristine passage was now covered with countless lines.

Pillars cut through diagonally. Ceilings split vertically.

Deep sword marks etched into the walls like perforations.

It was all barely maintaining a precarious balance, but with just a shock, the pillars would twist and misalign, shattering in an instant.

Good, this looks like it will work properly.

Gradually increasing the depth and thickness of the sword marks, I walked to the entrance of the corridor.

The three who had arrived earlier were waiting near the entrance.

Judging by the empty bottles rolling around, they must have been drinking the remaining holy water while waiting.

“Oh, you’re here? Impressive that you didn’t collapse it yet.”

“I told you to trust me. This is the skill of a master.”

“Being a master of breaking and burning things isn’t exactly something to brag about…?”

Well, I have nothing to say to that.

It makes me sound like some kind of master of terrorism.

Most of what I’ve done has been the opposite.

“Whatever it is, being good at something is much better than not being able to do it at all, right? I’m going to break it now, so step back a bit.”

After confirming that the group had moved back, I put away Durandal and took my stance.

I spread my legs and bent my knees slightly.

I had no intention of using the sword.

I needed to deliver impact to as wide an area as possible.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered all the strength remaining in my body.

All the power I could control was concentrated in my legs.

“Kaaah!”

With a battle cry, I pivoted hard on my left foot.

The ground crumbled beneath me, and the rough recoil propelled my body forward.

Twisting my knees and waist, I channeled that force into my legs—and pushed with all my might.

A strike delivered by throwing my entire body like a projectile.

My right foot, extending like a meteor, struck the ceiling of the passage.

A boom like a tank’s cannon.

The rock that my foot touched crumbled as if erased.

The massive impact pierced through the entire passage.

And then the collapse began, like an avalanche.

The cut pillars and fragmented ceiling came crashing down, colliding with the floor.

Intense vibrations and resounding booms.

Impact called forth new impacts, and widespread destruction continued endlessly.

“Wow… he actually succeeded…?”

“Amazing…”

The group watching muttered.

See, I told you it would work.

—-

There was a slight miscalculation.

I thought only the ruins inside the passage would neatly collapse, but it seems those ruins also served as a kind of support structure for the dungeon.

Which means…

– CRASH!

“Ah! Demian! Above you, above your head!”

“Ugh…! Thanks, Millia!”

Demian quickly rolled to the side.

A boulder that brushed past his face shattered into pieces as it hit the ground.

Demian jumped up and ran again.

Millia, who had urgently warned Demian, was also running frantically.

“I knew! This would! Happen!”

“Anyone can say that after things go wrong! Just run!”

Frider screamed hysterically while dodging stalactites that were raining down like arrows.

The stalactites that hit the ground weren’t just breaking—they were piercing through the floor like spears.

“If I ever trust one of your plans again, I’m not a human but a beast! A beast!”

“So you’ll trust me again! Well, thank you for that!”

Frider let out a scream-like shout.

It was filled with resentment. I might need to apologize once we get out.

I run, smashing the falling rock fragments that drop toward my head.

The entire dungeon was collapsing.