Chapter 201


    Lets turn back time a little.


    While Schwartz, disguised as Jonah, was returning to Daikokuya with the ves, let us see what happened to the members of Sasanqua who received the join request from the Genereal Guild and the Margrave Dragrange. Frau, Miche, Ruu, Malinda, and their colleagues Ophelia Dragrange and her knight Virginia Barrenburg.


    Lets camp around here. Miche, please scout the surroundings. Ruu and Malinda, start preparing food.


    Go it, nyan.


    Sure, leave it to me!


    Rogar that.


    The group had left the forest city and headed for the minebyrinth again. Frau has thought that if they left at sunrise tomorrow, they could enter thebyrinth by early morning. But


    Frau, something is wrong.


    ording to the report of Miche, there was little to no signs of beasts or monsterspared to their first pass. In that case, there was one possibility. Something was nearby that both animals and monsters were trying to avoid.


    Is it Drak riders?


    Ophelia guessed.


    Theres a possibility. However, just like the Frontier Knights are prohibited from entering the mountains without good reason, so are the Drak soldiers.


    Drak hasnt informed us about them entering the mountains. Moreover, its our turn to clean up the mountain anyway.


    Youre right, Virginia. Then, what couldve happened?


    Im going to increase the lookout tonight to three people in the rotation. Anything suspicious, let me know immediately.


    Fray determined the night watch policy. An existence that both animals and monsters were avoiding was wandering somewhere in the mountains. Judging by the surroundings, it was nearby. And a few hourster, they heard something. A continuous explosive sound that roared loudly throughout the mountain. So loud, one mightve mistook it for a true dragon.


    What is that? This is the first time Ive heard something like that.


    Ophelia and Virgina noticed first on their watch.


    This sound


    Virginia heard Ruu mutter, who was the third watch.


    Ruu-dono, have you heard those sounds before?


    Ive heard something simr before this. Its a skill so urate and unrivaled in long distance, difficult to see through and difficult to survive once being hit by it.


    What kind of skill is that


    Wake everyone up.


    Indeed I may havee here to the Devils Mountain to track Nekoyanagi, but I also have to investigate what is happening


    Frau, Miche, and Malinda were asleep but woke up to the distant sound.


    What is going on?


    A fight.


    This sound.. Ishefighting?


    No no no! He cant possibly be here all the way in Devils Mountain!


    But Malinda, no matter who is fighting, we still need to investigate, Miche!


    Its not that far-nya Thebyrinth No, it seems to have originated from Druhm fortress.


    Get ready to leave.


    While the four members of Sasanqua discussed, Virginia cleaned up the camp and lit a torch. There was some time before sunrise and the six people would have to share it. Led by Miche, they started to move to the source of the still-echoing explosions.


    Shortly after the move, the six saw the early morning sky dyed red. The sky  which should have been dark  was illuminated from the opposite direction the sun shouldve rose from. They had a grasp of what that implied. Naturally, they increased their speed, ensuring their footsteps to be silent as they neared the area. The vegetation eventually thinned, giving way to a gravel wastnd. So Miche hid behind arge rock.


    Druhm Fortress Its on fire


    Its dark, so I cant see clearly, but theres a battle out front.


    Following Miche, Frau came with the rest of the group.


    Is it him?


    Ruu muttered, but Ophelia had another opinion.


    The fortress wall has been demolished Are they being attacked by a swarm of monsters?


    It seems like the battle is ongoing.


    They couldnt peer inside the fortress from their location. But its obvious to them that the fortress was badly damaged.


    What is it, Frau?


    We should be the only one with permission to traverse the mountains, right?


    Indeed, we are. In order to keep this investigation and thebyrinth a secret, the Margrave had stopped other adventurers from hunting monsters. We have also advised the merchants from using the mountain road.


    Is there any other adventurer who received the same request as we did?


    Not that I know of. If there was, then my father would most likely know


    After talking so far, Ophelia and Frau noticed the fortress had gone silent. Miche and the others had already noticed and were staring as well.


    Is the battle over? Ophelia, lets put that matter aside  for now..


    Yes, lets investigate what is really going on inside


    =+=+=+=+


    Standing before me was the adventurer party with their weapons out and beginning to chant their spells. I mustve fought too shily.. Between the M202A1, the missiles, and the sentry turrets, the sound mustve been loud. They may have came here due to that. No one to me but myself. However, to meet them face to face like this Its a bit too early.


    Its not him.


    I could hear Ruu-san muttering


    Im curious, who is this he youve been mentioning?


    After the chanting was over and the spell was casted over their group, asked Ruu. But Ruu stared at me without answering.


    An acquaintance, but I cant talk about him in detail.


    Instead, Miche answered while keeping her eyes on me. It seemed they were still keeping their promise.


    Dont tell me that undead did all that by itself!


    There mightve been more, be careful.


    Ruu is right, Miche, watch for our surroundings.


    Other than that one, I have yet to smell another monster!


    Fray An undead that could cause this much destruction on its own, it might beparable to a gate guardian, or even abyrinth master.


    Ophelia-sama, Frau-sama, there is no way we can defeat that undead on our own


    But Virgina, what if we leave this guy alone here and ites to Dragrange? If we dont defeat it here, it will definitely harm the people who live in Dragrange!


    Aiyah theyrepletely in battle mode What to do now?


    My UMP only had 8 bullets with one spare mag left. I still had the silenced pistol with two spare mags. There were also three grenades for the grenade ax, but I had no intention to fight them in the first ce. Maybe If I had some simtion bullets ready, but there was no time to switch. If battle broke out, itd most likely end with dead on both sides. There was some distance between us If I want to run, this would be the time.


    I tossed the M18 smoke grenade art Malinda who was about to attack. Using the moment the smoke came out, I retreated back to the fortress behind me.


    What is this?!


    Malinda, be careful! It might be a corrosive haze!


    I heard Frau-san calling out. It was just colored smoke though.


    Its escaping!


    Ophelia-sama! Its too dangerous to go in alone!


    Only one light spot came after me. I tried to return to the mountains from behind and hide myself in the wilderness, but it was annoying to move. I stopped and looked back at who was chasing me.