episode_0056

KWAANG!!!

With a powerful sound, the world shakes.

Thanks to that, I fell off the bed and woke up.

Maybe because I lightly headbutted the floor, I feel a bit disoriented.

Perhaps it’s also due to the screams and sounds of battle heard through the window.

In this chaotic situation, a hand reaches out to me.

Raising my head, I saw it was Grace.

“Are you okay?”

The room assigned to us. Inside, it was just me and Grace.

“…The others?”

“They’re all defending the fortress.”

“Defending the fortress?”

“It’s been about 10 hours since you collapsed, you know? Black Yetis are continuously swarming in at regular intervals now.”

“Black Yetis, huh.”

There were no such monsters among those I saw on the 5th floor.

Then they must be monsters that only appear during this Polar Night phenomenon.

After drinking a few sips of the water Grace offered, my mind clears.

But something felt empty.

Looking closely, the deck on my left arm was gone.

“It’s here. Smoke suddenly rose from it, so I took it off. There’s no problem with it, is there?”

“…Thanks. It’s no big deal.”

*Clank*.

I equipped the deck.

『Current Status』

『Energy 4/4』

I thought there might be a problem since me and this damned Main God worked together to forcibly save the person who was the Red Skull Clan’s raid leader, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

“That person Ivan saved, Haidi, the 2nd Raid Leader of the Red Skull Clan. It’s said he knew about the Polar Night. Thanks to that, we were able to react quickly.”

“How could he know something the Magic Tower’s Faction Leader doesn’t?”

“I heard that the information about the dragon on the 5th floor was originally top-secret information passed down through the Red Skull Clan.”

“Information passed down… Does the clan have a long history?”

“Yes. The Red Skull Clan boasts a history of no less than 300 years.”

“300 years, huh…”

A world where the labyrinth has existed for quite some time.

Naturally, I expected there to be information control in the middle floors and above, but I didn’t expect such a drastic difference in information.

“What’s the current situation?”

“We’re managing to hold them off somehow. But…”

“What’s the problem?”

“I’m not sure. That person named Haidi didn’t tell us everything.”

“Really?”

First, I need to figure out how things are going and what needs to be done to break through the current situation.

At least I saved the raid leader, so I should have that much right.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!!”

*

The situation was not good.

Groups of black yetis attacked almost every 10 minutes.

Of course, they haven’t broken through the fortress yet.

A barrier created by the Magic Tower was also in effect.

Most explorers aren’t skilled in defense, but the Magic Tower’s mages are deeply knowledgeable in such situations, so they are barely holding on.

However, the rate of consumption is slowly becoming faster than the rate of drawing magic circles, so it’s only a matter of time before they dwindle.

Following Grace’s guidance, I climbed to the highest watchtower in the fortress.

I thought I would be able to see everything around from up there.

But the thick darkness narrowed my vision.

What was visible only extended to the ice lake.

Looking at the scene, a question arose in my mind.

“I thought they would have melted this lake first.”

It’s a simple method.

If all the surrounding ice were melted, wouldn’t it be difficult for the yetis to attack?

“That’s simple. It freezes over again quickly even if you melt it.”

The Faction Leader, who had approached me somehow, answered my question.

He immediately extended his hand to me. There was no reason to refuse.

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I would have almost died without knowing anything.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s good timing. You participate in the meeting as well.”

Following the Faction Leader’s guidance, I entered the tent.

Grace couldn’t enter and waited outside.

“Witch Hunter, Ivan. Are you awake?”

The Knight greeted me.

Unlike when we first met him in the ice cave, he looked drastically thinner.

I sensed that the situation was not good.

Everyone was standing, looking at a map the Knight had made.

Inside, besides the Knight and the Faction Leader, there were a few other explorers. There was also one Paladin.

He glanced at me and then slightly bowed his head.

Besides them, there were representatives from various classes, such as a merchant and a raid leader.

I wasn’t sure if I was of the rank to be included here, but no one stopped me from staying. I headed to the seat the Knight directed me to.

“How much do you know?”

“I only know the general situation.”

“To explain simply, we currently have two options. Either hold out until the labyrinth resets, or subjugate the monsters.”

“So which did you choose?”

“I…”

Everyone’s gaze is fixed on the Knight.

“I decided to wait until the labyrinth reset.”

Upon the Knight’s declaration, a mix of joy and sorrow crossed everyone’s faces.

While some followed his decision, there were also those who were dissatisfied.

I just listened quietly to the conversation.

“Therefore, from now on, how we will defend is…”

*

The current fortress protection plan is as follows.

First, the explorers are generally divided throughout the fortress.

The front, where the most yetis swarm, is handled by the Magic Tower.

The other parts are handled by explorers who include mages.

The place assigned to me was the back gate.

My party members, who had joined fights in other areas, had all returned to my side.

“Still, if we just hold out for a few more days until the labyrinth reset, won’t we be okay?”

Grace was smiling brightly as she spoke.

But her pupils were trembling slightly.

The expressions of the explorers around were also not good.

Even explorers, who are closest to death, seem to find this sudden situation difficult to accept.

*Rustle*.

I checked my hand.

[Terrain Manipulation(3) – Power] [Archmage’s Grimoire(5) – Power] [Mana Overload(0)] [Strike(1)] [Telekinesis(1)]

I hadn’t decided what to use as the first card yet.

Originally, I intended to use Terrain Manipulation to turn this area into almost a fortress.

*Thud!!! Thud!!!*

However, dirt walls seem useless against the giant black yetis whose steps alone shake the ground.

In the end, enchanting the highest cost card is the obvious choice.

I threw a card.

[Archmage’s Grimoire(5)]

The card lands on the ground.

Ah, right.

『Current Status』

『Energy 4/4』

My energy is insufficient.

I first picked up the card that had been discarded on the ground.

“…Hmm.”

To use a card with a cost of 5 or higher, I need to secure energy. If I use an energy card like Mana Overload, it gets enchanted, leading to a situation where a Cat’s Paw flies out.

Then should I give this up?

“……Ah, I had this.”

I looked at the Abyssal Space Bracelet.

The trace of one goblin felt inside.

I immediately checked if anyone was around.

Only my party members were there.

“Could you cover me a bit?”

“Understood!!”

Kailek awkwardly covered me with his large frame.

Hans raised his shield.

Since I confirmed through spreading my senses that no one else was there, I took out the goblin from the abyssal space.

“Kkyak!?”

“Die.”

Plunging a dagger into the goblin’s neck, it died instantly.

Just in case, Grace and Luca, who were preparing to fight, also put away their weapons upon seeing the goblin disappear.

『[Butcher’s Gloves] absorbs blood.』

『Energy increases by 1, and you draw 1 card.』

『Energy 5/4』

I immediately use one card.

[Archmage’s Grimoire(5)] – Allows you to draw magic circles.

A feeling of omnipotence flows through my body.

And then, a new way of using it began to emerge in my mind.

‘To think I can draw magic circles on a living creature’s body.’

Various ways to use it come to mind.

For now, I’ll think about this possibility later.

『Your turn. Draw 5 cards.』

『Hayan’s White Storage Box – Preserves 1 card at the end of your turn.』

The card to leave behind is [Terrain Manipulation].

As soon as my energy filled up, I immediately used the [Terrain Manipulation] card.

[Electrocution(2)] [Shield(1)] [Tidal Wave(3)] [Fusion(4)] [Crush(4)]

Among the remaining cards, there were none I could use because I lacked energy – Shield is not treated as a card – so I roughly put the cards in my pocket and started to move the terrain.

However, the frozen lake prevented the terrain from moving.

While I was looking far away, thinking it wouldn’t be of much help in protecting the fortress.

“Witch Hunter, Ivan.”

Someone approached me.

Turning my head to check who it was, a few people emerged from the blizzard.

The Blue Faction Leader of the Magic Tower and the 2nd Raid Leader of the Red Skull Clan. And the people following them.

Just hearing their names, they held positions that made it difficult to even speak to them, yet these two had come to find me.

“Ka… No, Mage Ivan.”

“What is it?”

“The current situation is not good. We need to break through this situation quickly, but the Knight is being too optimistic.”

The conflict I had felt at the meeting earlier.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You should also hear about the Leviathan, shouldn’t you?”

“…That’s true.”

“Listen carefully. The offensive will continue to grow stronger. And in the end, the Leviathan itself will descend. In this situation, do you think we can buy time until the labyrinth resets? The Knight intends to kill us all!!”

“Faction Leader, I don’t know much about this Leviathan.”

“…*Ahem*, I seem to have gotten quite heated. Haidi. You explain.”

The Faction Leader, who was a little heated, stepped aside, and the 2nd Raid Leader, Haidi, approached me.

Haidi looked at me and my party members around me and spoke strongly.

“If you hear the story and inform other explorers, the Red Skull Clan will respond.”

“Even in a situation like this, you’re controlling information?”

I couldn’t understand.

Didn’t Haidi just say that even now, he hasn’t fully informed everyone within this place about the monster they have to face and the current situation?

“It cannot be helped. I am also merely acting according to the rules of the clan.”

“…I understand for now.”

In any case, I am currently in a position of weakness.

Let’s hear the story first and decide.

“Do you know that each section of the 5th floor has a lake?”

“Yes. I think there were four, north, south, east, and west.”

“There are statues within those lakes. If you manipulate all of them, the temple door will open.”

“Where is the temple?”

“I cannot tell you that.”

“……”

“Anyway, after that, if you defeat the dragon sleeping inside the temple, the raid ends. However, we were attacked by a heretic who was waiting inside the temple. Although I don’t know why he was inside.”

“Were you wiped out there?”

“That heretic is an incredibly skilled individual. Our 2nd raid group was made up of high-level explorers, but being attacked from both front and back, we couldn’t hold on.”

Is it just my imagination that seeing Paidi rambling on gives me the feeling he’s trying to gloss over his failure?

“Then wouldn’t it be right to hold out here instead? If such a strong individual is holding out there, attacking the Leviathan seems risky.”

“That is also true. However, listen to the end.”

“Please continue speaking.”

“The strategy for the Leviathan is to do the opposite of this. If you turn off all the lit statues, the polar night will recede, and the monster will regain its original form.”

“Is it that simple?”

“Th-That’s right.”

Paidi’s eyes trembled slightly.

He seems to be hiding something.

“So why are you telling me this story?”

“We believe we should abandon this place and form a procession to attack the lakes. Or form a separate special unit to find someone who can deactivate the statues. Lend us your strength.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

“Do think carefully!”

I didn’t watch Paidi leave.

I was looking far away, beyond the ice lake that was out of sight.

Is it the right choice to push through that darkness?

Is it right to hold out here until the labyrinth resets?

No one knows.

Perhaps it’s not something that can be decided in the first place.

“It’s a bit bad.”

“Why?”

“It would be better if one of the two options was clearly decided. It feels like deciding ambiguously will make the situation worse.”

“……”

Listening to Grace speak of the worst-case scenario, I quietly continued to layer magic circles.

One on the fortress wall. The other on my body.

So I could endure whatever situation befell me.

*

“From now on, we abandon this place.”

The Knight said slowly, as if empty.

Everything he had built over half a year had collapsed in just a few days.

He had personally built this fortress in a place where they could only shelter from the wind.

Now, nothing remains.

Most of the fortress had collapsed, and there was not a single intact building.

There wasn’t even a minimal wall to block the blizzard, and they were gathered near a large bonfire created by the Magic Tower.

The fact that the number of deceased explorers was not very high was the only hope.

“If we had listened to the Red Skull Clan earlier, we might have already finished the raid!”

In the despairing atmosphere, some explorers began to defy the Knight.

“Shut up!!”

As the Knights were about to attack the explorers, the Knight stopped them.

“Enough. In a situation where we need to unite, division is unacceptable.”

The explorers who had been about to fight back against the Knights also backed down due to the Knight’s attitude.

“First, we head south!!”

Following the Knight Order in the lead, everyone cut through the blizzard and advanced.

They crossed the ice lake and passed through the thick darkness.

Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any monsters during that time.

As soon as we crossed the thick, fog-like darkness, we found them.

Countless yetis looking down from above and a single black dragon on a high snowy mountain.

“Huh?”

The explorers were flustered.

As if they had never encountered such a colossal being before.

They stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly upwards without moving.

I immediately activated one of the magic circles etched on my body.

[Meteor]

A single light streaking across the dark polar night sky.

It was enough to shift the gaze that was fixed on the dragon.

A shooting star falls.

The target is the yetis near us.

I can afford to stir up trouble with Leviathan later.

*CRASH!* The meteor grinds up countless yetis.

An intense shockwave spreads around, far greater than the tremors caused by yetis walking.

Then, everyone regained the composure that had been stolen by the dragon.

I raise the terrain to protect everyone.

Wada-da-da-da-da!!!!!!

As if the world was ending, countless amounts of dirt and stones rained down from the sky, but the wall of earth I created blocked them all.

The cost was high.

*Trickle*. Blood streamed from my nose, and my body swayed.

“You got them.”

Grace caught me as I was about to fall.

I immediately steadied myself.

The Blue Faction Leader, who had been watching, approached me.

“Amazing, Card Mage. Your mana didn’t seem to move at all.”

“Let’s talk later.”

Leaving everyone’s gaze behind, I shouted.

“We need to move!!”

At those words, the explorers snapped back to their senses and began to move.

I also began to follow them.

I don’t know how far I can go.

But I have to try.

I will surely survive this place.