episode_0134

Reconnaissance resumed from morning. Numerous Violet unit members traversed the mountain slopes, searching the surroundings. They meticulously looked for any human traces, even a single footprint or a shred of clothing.

“Where are you! Alex!”

The current number mobilized was two hundred and ten. A full two companies were widely dispersed, surveying the area. Five hang gliders were on patrol in the sky.

On top of that, I received help from Daphne and the blue-haired autonomous mobile magic staff.

“Anything turn up?”

“Well… we’re not finding anything.”

“Nothing, absolutely nothing. This kind of tracking method is only useful for short distances.”

Daphne scanned around with an electronic staff, and Lucian attempted magic tracking. There was no progress.

“O-outside the tent is a bit cold…!”

“Here, it’ll be a bit better if you hold this.”

“Th-thanks!”

When Levi shivered from the cold, Irene was seen handing him a hot pack. I wondered if the warm hug from yesterday wasn’t enough.

“Ugh, ugh…my whole body aches… Is it because I slept in the cold?”

Granite moved stiffly, unable to control his body. The sight of the axe-wielding brute doing so was like a Tin Woodman.

“Hey, but why are you girls so fine? You’ve been full of energy since morning. Did you put more heaters in the tent?”

“Well, it’s a secret!”

When he asked, I chuckled and dodged the question.

Currently, the team members were moving in the center of the Violet unit, maintaining vigilance. Unfortunately, the mountain was rugged, so they had no choice but to proceed on foot from a certain point.

In the midst of this, the Violet squad from 1st Company, 3rd Platoon, 2nd Squad discovered a peculiar trace. A black device was buried in the snow.

As they dug through the snow, a tire appeared.

“A wheel?”

“This looks like an ATV. Didn’t those kids say they rented an ATV and rode it?”

Just then, Kalia, who was near the 2nd Squad, approached. She recalled the information surveyed before embarking on the dungeon rescue.

“They said they borrowed three ATVs and left, right?”

“They’ve come quite a long way!”

On what grounds did those kids think there was an artifact called the Holy Grail in this mountain? And that it increases strength? As far as we knew, an artifact called the Holy Grail didn’t exist.

“They said it increases strength, right? Perhaps the rumor about the Aether Amplifier was distorted?”

“Aha! That could be it.”

An artifact that increases strength… Perhaps one of the hunters accidentally discovered and used an Aether Amplifier in another dungeon. Of course, it must have had some effect.

The rumor might have spread from person to person and been distorted into a strange form.

I stopped my idle thoughts and searched the surroundings. We found several remnants of destroyed vehicles. They were identical to the ATVs in the reference photos. With the license plate found, there was no denying it.

“Everyone! We found traces here!”

“Company Headquarters to all personnel and 1st Air Wing: Disperse! Narrow the search area!”

Based on the traces, we gradually narrowed the search area. Things that hadn’t been visible all day began to appear one by one.

“Here, there are footprints!”

“There are several.”

At first, scattered human footprints.

“Violet! Isn’t this a bloodstain?”

Kalia found scattered bloodstains amidst the ice shards.

“Monster footprints too. Judging by the tracks and form… it’s an Ataqwan.”

Irene bent down and meticulously examined the scene around her.

“There are signs of combat too. Want to see?”

“It’s an arrow…?”

In that way, we found evidence one by one, using the traces as stepping stones to advance step by step. The gaps between each stepping stone ranged from tens of meters to hundreds of meters or even several kilometers. We filled those gaps with numbers.

“We found it! It looks like this direction!”

“The numbers aren’t certain, but I can feel the unique magic of an Awakened person. This way!”

After walking for a long time in this dungeon where there was no distinction between day and night, it was suddenly lunchtime. We finally arrived at a cave. It was a place hidden beneath ice and rocks, making it difficult to find even with aerial reconnaissance.

But wait a minute. This place seems familiar?

“Ugh! This is it, that place. The Aether Emitter!”

It was like ‘the day you leave is market day’ [a proverb about an unexpected coincidence or stroke of luck], could they really have hidden here? We were unsure.

“Levi, shoot down any strange creatures that appear!”

“U-uh-huh!”

After having the team members wait at the entrance, the Violet squad, acting as canaries, advanced cautiously. The cave wasn’t dark, as mysterious glowing crystals were sparsely embedded in it.

“Indeed, this is the place we were looking for!”

“The Aether Emitter! Two birds with one stone!”

At some point, the canary squad found five students, appearing to be our age, lying with haggard faces.

“Ugh, ugh! Who are you?”

“We’re the rescue team!”

A green-haired boy shakily pointed a knife, his hand trembling. Behind him, four other students stumbled to their feet.

“Report to Company Headquarters: Rescue targets found!”

**

After the other team members entered the cave, we gave food to the haggard students. They gulped down the warm liquid food eagerly.

“We’re alive… we’re alive…!”

“Thank you!”

Meanwhile, I had a short conversation with the client’s son.

“So, your father sent you guys?”

“That’s right!”

Listening to Alex, it seemed he had coaxed his friends into coming here.

Fortunately, his friends weren’t seriously injured. According to Daphne, they only had minor injuries and malnutrition.

“So, it’s time to go home now. Your adventure is over!”

Upon hearing my words, he seemed relieved yet hesitant.

“Wait… couldn’t you let us stay here a little longer? I have something I need to find…!”

“You mean the Holy Grail?”

I took out the note and showed it to him. Seeing it, he cried out urgently.

“Yes! The Holy Grail. It’s definitely in there! Though we couldn’t go in because of the monsters…”

“In there? You mean deeper inside the cave?”

He nodded. Daphne, who had been observing Alex and his group, spoke in a firm tone.

“No. You see your friends, right? You need to go home right now. You don’t want your friends to get hurt any further, do you?”

The boy, hearing Daphne’s warning, bowed his head in embarrassment and fell silent. Why was he so obsessed with the Holy Grail?

“He said it was in there, right? It must be the location of the Aether Amplifier!”

While one Violet company guarded the cave entrance, I led the team members toward the spot the students had mentioned. There were stairs there.

As we descended the stairs, a wide, plaza-like space appeared. The plaza-like space was warm and filled with monsters. The shape of this place was similar to the ruins of Chloris Forest.

“There are so many.”

“They’re all just low-level monsters anyway. Let’s go!”

-Bang bang bang!

-Clang!

After wiping out all the monsters with several rounds of shooting and sword slashes, I led the team members and stood before the Aether Amplifier.

“So, if I activate this, I can gain powerful strength?”

“Trust me!”

After some hesitant trust from the anxious team members, I activated the Aether Amplifier. Magic power gushed out and slowly seeped into the team members’ bodies, being absorbed.

“This power…!”

“It’s the second time, but it’s certainly amazing.”

“Let’s test our strength later. For now, getting back is the priority!”

How lucky to be able to handle both the rescue and team strengthening at once.

As we were heading out, Violet Unit 621, who was the last to leave, discovered something peculiar in a corner of the ruins. It was an ornately decorated, gold-plated metal cup. The gold plating was peeling off, making it look dirty.

Unit 621 brought up its status window. And was disappointed.

[Golden Cup Containing a Pure Heart ☆]

“This… isn’t that Holy Grail, is it?”

Reading the description in the status window, there were no mystical effects. It had a unique function, but compared to other artifacts, it was quite ordinary.

I brought the students and my team members back out of the cave.

As we walked down the mountainside back to where the vehicles were parked, a warning came from the sky.

“Emergency! Emergency! Multiple monsters approaching!”

No sooner had the warning been given than groups of Ataqwan appeared from among the rocks and ice piles. Their four eyes, embedded in their faces, turned towards us.

“Kwooo!”

“What! Why are those things coming now again!”

As I screamed, Lucian shouted as if something had just occurred to him.

“Damn it, that amplifier or whatever it is attracted them! Some of the magic power from when we activated the device must have leaked out of the cave!”

Annoyance surged within me. Those monsters were interfering with us again!

“From Command: Use aerial-guided bombs!”

Conveniently, there was a distance between us and the monster horde. I didn’t hesitate and launched the bombs.

“Kyah-ho!”

Soon, five Violet bombs soared into the sky. With a thunderous boom, the monsters shattered into pieces. The startled Ataqwan fled.

“Hooray!”

Their joy was short-lived as a rumbling roar was heard. Snow was pouring down from the mountaintop.

“An avalanche! Why?”

“Because you detonated so many bombs!”

Oh dear, the aftermath of the Violet aerial bomb attack caused an avalanche. The team members began to flee in a hurry.

“It’s too late! Gather around me!”

Daphne urgently called out to all of us. The avalanche swept everyone away. Standing directly before a massive natural disaster, the power of an Awakened person felt like child’s play.

“Stick together!”

The Violets who had been separated from the team members grabbed onto each other, holding tight, and lay flat on the ground.

“Whoa! We’re getting swept away!”

“Hold on tight!”

After confirming they were securely fixed to each other, the Violets endured as much as they could.

How long did they hold on? The mountain quieted. The Violets dug themselves out of the snow one by one, greeting the outside air.

“We’re alive! Hooray!”

“Yay!”

We dug our way out of the snow and headed back. The avalanche’s effects did not reach where the vehicles were parked.

“It’s time to leave now!”

We finally reached the parked vehicles. After putting the clients’ children into the armored vehicles, we also got into a car, ready to return.

Before leaving, I took out the Holy Grail and showed it to the client’s son.

“Is this the Holy Grail you spoke of?”

“Th-that’s right! It’s definitely this!”

Seeing the Holy Grail, Alex’s eyes widened.

“Um, you said you were the rescue team, right? That Holy Grail… could you give it to me? Please! I beg you!”

I asked.

“Why? We picked this up first. You know the dungeon rules, right? The one who hunts and picks it up first owns it.”

“Th-that’s…”

He hesitated. The answer could be heard from behind. One of his friends had burst out with a complaint.

“That guy, he’s planning to use that to get stronger and then confess to a girl! To our academy’s student council president!”

“Hey! Yuri! Why would you say that?!”

Alex shouted, having heard his friend’s revelation. I asked again, a bewildered expression on my face.

“Student council president? Are you perhaps talking about Adela?”

“How do you know that…? Yes. That’s right! I’m going to use the power of this Holy Grail to get stronger. And I’m going to confess! Student Council President Adela’s family is a family of knights and warriors with a martial tradition! So…”

The hesitant Alex shouted something.

“I’m going to become a strong man. With the power of this Holy Grail, I’ll become the strongest hunter! That way… I’ll be able to win President Adela’s heart, right?”

I deflated. Unit 621 handed the cup to him.

“Sure, that’s a good idea. Here, take it.”

“R-really?”

“Yep! Good luck.”

He clutched the golden cup to his chest as if it were a precious item and got into the car.

“Violet, isn’t that valuable? Can you just give it away?”

When Kalia asked, I shook my head.

“No, that’s probably not worth much.”

His father was said to be a businessman who primarily dealt in artifact trade. Even without a status window, he’d know what that was.

And even if the artifact was the real Holy Grail, it would be hard to win Adela’s heart.

“Honestly, to win Adela’s heart, you’d need to be a man of scholarship. He really doesn’t know anything.”

“Foolish fellow.”

Imagining when and how his dream would be shattered, we returned to the gate entrance.