Ch.97Revealed Truth (4)

The saint’s words could be summarized like this.

The Valkyrie had disappeared.

“She was right in front of you when it happened?”

“Yes. She’s not the type to go somewhere without saying anything…”

We had established rules long ago to survive on this deserted island. The basic rule was to stay together. However, now was a time when division of labor was unavoidable, which is why we were working in two separate groups.

As soon as we divided into groups, this disaster struck.

“It must be a monster’s doing.”

Director Adora said.

“Some monsters kidnap people through barriers. If she was caught by such a monster… the outlook isn’t good. By now, there’s a high possibility she’s already been attacked.”

“What should we do then?”

“You should have taken action first and reported later.”

The saint’s eyes took on a reddish glow.

“She disappeared without me even knowing? Do you think that was the right judgment?”

“I was just following military protocol.”

“You’re still so rigid. Try to be even a fraction as gentle as Erich. When a woman is cold, men won’t find her attractive.”

The Director glanced at me.

“Is that true, Major?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I asked for your opinion.”

“I think finding the Valkyrie should be our priority.”

I got up, gathering my magic stone and crossbow. The Director spat out her bubble gum, adjusted her clothes, and asked the saint for directions. We quickly arrived at the scene.

“It’s here.”

“I don’t sense anything?”

“Neither does Riyo.”

“I don’t feel anything either. But she was definitely gathering here.”

While the Director and the saint were talking, I concentrated my senses.

I had fought countless monsters over time. I might not have noticed before, but by now my senses had become beast-like. I could detect it now.

“I sense malicious mana.”

“Really?”

“Yes, over there.”

Where I pointed stood a large ancient tree.

At first glance, it looked like just a slightly larger ordinary tree. But when focusing magic power, a new aspect became visible. Invisible spores covered the tree.

“There’s a barrier.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Intuition.”

“Intuition?”

“I feel something off only around that area.”

There’s a way to confirm whether it’s intuition or not. I approached the ancient tree and reached out my hand.

“…”

“What? Nothing happened!”

“No. Someone disappeared.”

“…Huh?”

The saint hurriedly counted the people. Her eyes turned orange. Director Adora frowned as well.

The fox sisters had disappeared.

“Damn it.”

This is a mobile barrier. The magical power engraved on the ancient tree was just a residual trace. The real one must be circling around, targeting us.

Its plan is to draw us into the barrier one by one and pick us off individually.

We need to stick together. The saint and the Director must have realized this at the same time, as they both reached out toward me.

“Erich!”

“Major!”

The one who remained without disappearing was…

“…Ah, damn.”

The Director.

Unable to stop her momentum, the Director crashed into me. We rolled a couple of times before stopping. The Director quickly got up and cursed.

“To think it would take the saint right away too. This monster knows strategy and tactics.”

“We’ll be dragged in one by one and defeated. We should prepare our internal circuits.”

“You remain calm even in this situation. Reliable. I like that.”

The Director drew her sword, and I infused power into my stones. Our battle preparations were complete.

However, despite some time passing, we weren’t transported elsewhere.

“This is strange. Something’s wrong.”

“Looks like they want to play by themselves, leaving us out.”

“Could it be that we’re not being transferred because we’re sticking together?”

“That’s certainly possible. Or maybe they’re not touching us because we’re from the Magic Kingdom.”

“Do monsters identify friend from foe?”

“For a creature smart enough to deploy barriers, it’s not an impossible scenario. It probably knows who I am from the cult emblem I have.”

The Director’s words confirmed it. There was some connection between the Magic Kingdom’s leadership and the monster leaders.

Anyway, this wouldn’t do.

We needed to find a way to enter the barrier and follow the Holy Spirit Kingdom’s female soldiers.

“What if we separate and wait?”

“Request denied. You need to stay by my side.”

“But won’t they be in danger at this rate?”

“Aren’t you concerned about me being in danger if we separate?”

“Aren’t you strong enough, Director?”

“That’s a surprising statement. It’s true though. What I’m worried about is something else.”

“What is it?”

The Director whispered.

“You.”

She pulled my clothes, drawing even closer.

“If the person who saved my life were to die, I don’t think I could live with a sound mind.”

“You’re going too far.”

“No, is it really going too far? I’ll make sure you don’t die and escape this island, so don’t worry too much.”

The Director seemed unwilling to separate under any circumstances.

It wasn’t a wrong judgment. Even people only eat as much as they can digest at once. The same would apply to barriers.

Given the situation, I decided to use the next best option.

It was a method for the Director and me to enter the barrier together without separating, though it might take longer.

“Here, a stone.”

“I can see that. What am I supposed to do with… Ah, I get it.”

The Director and I threw stones infused with magical power in all directions. We were trying to locate the current position of the moving barrier. The barrier would be where stones suddenly disappeared. Once found, we could rush in and jump through.

We didn’t just throw them anywhere. We continuously detected magical power and focused on likely locations.

After several attempts, we discovered two facts.

First, the barrier only operates in this vicinity.

Second, the barrier moves at a discontinuous speed.

In other words, no matter where we threw the magic stones, we could only get close to the barrier’s vicinity, but couldn’t hit the teleporting barrier itself.

But a proper Mage should be able to find solutions when problems arise.

“David, Senior Kalon.”

I pulled out the two with a grim face.

“Would you help me?”

[‘What are you planning?’]

“To throw you.”

[‘Ah.’]

“While flying, please detect the surrounding mana. If you reach the barrier’s vicinity, please hold onto it.”

Throwing academy seniors and juniors like objects? My conscience wouldn’t normally allow it. But the situation was urgent. If we delayed too much, the Holy Spirit Kingdom’s female soldiers might die in there.

[‘Then we’ll step up.’]

It was then that the Valkyrie’s comrades spoke up.

[‘We need to save Rachel…’]

[‘So throw us first. Since becoming like this, I think we’ve gained some magical power, so there shouldn’t be a problem.’]

Their voices were resolute.

Thanks to the determination of the two female soldiers, David and Kalon quickly agreed.

Even so, I preferred throwing my seniors and juniors before the Valkyrie’s comrades whom I had killed. With a sigh caught in my mouth, I threw David.

[‘Oh, ohh, ohhhh!’]

There was a crackling sound as mana sparked.

We found it immediately.

Come to think of it, barriers don’t have eyes, nose, or mouth. It must operate by detecting souls. I should have done this earlier.

The Director and I didn’t miss the opportunity and rushed in immediately. My vision brightened, and a new landscape I hadn’t seen before appeared.

Dark green thickets.

Densely packed giant spores.

Narrow, long paths created by those spores.

“What is this…”

“Seems like a maze made of mushrooms.”

I picked up David who had fallen to the ground. David, covered in white spores like cotton, groaned.

[‘This is insane, what is this? How is it that even in death I have to suffer such a terrible fate?’]

After dusting David off well, I untangled my arm from the Director’s. The Director uttered an incantation and set her sword on fire.

[“Flame Allure.”]

Kiing!

The blade cut heavily through the air. The flames devoured the air, instantly burning the spores that had been flying around. The sound of insects being fried by electricity was endless.

“Be careful, Major. If you touch or inhale these spores, you might end up like those spore creatures.”

“…We should find the three female soldiers first.”

The Director and I began to move slowly, keeping our hands on the right wall of the maze.

***

Rachel had definitely been gathering resources.

She was trying to carefully pluck some mushrooms that could be used as fuel under an ancient tree. But at the same time, she was transported to this strange maze-like place.

Though momentarily confused, Rachel had been trained to maintain composure in any situation.

Even in a desperate environment like this.

[“Foolish child. Why not give up?”]

An old woman covered in spore clusters approached, waving a flute.

She had been facing this monster alone for about thirty minutes now. Rachel frowned and spat.

“Ptui.”

Spore powder escaped with her exhaled breath.

She was short of breath despite not doing anything particularly strenuous.

[“I, Niemi, will finish you myself. Consider it an honor.”]

The monster brought the flute to her mouth and blew. Rachel, barely resisting the disorientation, gripped the spear shaft Erich had made for her.

She couldn’t collapse pathetically in a place like this.