“I never imagined someone would find this place before us. I didn’t even consider it!”
The voice belonged to the cheerful adventurer, Luke Markner.
With his usual friendly demeanor and smile, he approached Jun and spoke to him.
“Huh? But that’s strange. Isn’t Sir Mage usually with that handsome guy? What was his name again… Aiden, right?”
“It doesn’t seem like you’re asking because you don’t know.”
When Jun pointed to the barrier behind him, Luke shrugged his shoulders.
“I was really just curious… But how did you find this place?”
“Who knows …”
“I don’t understand why mages all insist on being so mysterious. Ahaha.”
In response to Luke’s words that were blurted out like a joke, Jun asked in return.
“Why didn’t you trigger my detection magic?”
“Ah… So that’s why you’ve been so on guard?”
The moment Luke casually reached for his waist,
[Shield]
Clang!
Scarlet flames sparked against a blue shield that had suddenly materialized in front of Jun.
With a thud, a bolt fell to the ground beneath the shield made of magical power.
“Haah, Luke, your problem is that you’re naive and foolish.”
“Hey, how can you blame me for the fact that Sir Mage is so quick-witted?”
The voice belonged to Lucy, the twin adventurer who appeared behind Luke.
“Did you forget that you just said ‘us’ yourself?”
“Huh? Oh, did I? Ahaha… Yeah, I did.”
As the scolding continued, Luke sheepishly scratched his head and admitted his mistake.
“But… I’m really curious. How did you get here?”
“If you answer my question, maybe I’ll tell you.”
“Are you talking about detection magic?”
Naturally, since Jun operated with Aiden alone, he was cautious of other teams.
If they discovered a great treasure, betrayal could happen at any moment.
That’s why he thought he had used detection magic without any gaps.
“A skilled adventurer would carry at least one of these, don’t you think?”
Lucy held up a ring that emitted a purple glow.
It was something Jun hadn’t seen before. This meant it was an artifact she had kept hidden until now.
And Jun knew exactly what that ring was.
“Tsk. The [Hermit’s Ring], huh.”
It was a useful artifact for assassin-type classes, as it reduced one’s presence and could counter detection magic beyond a certain range.
I need to hurry and learn a higher-level detection magic.
Since Jun still wasn’t in a position to acquire a large number of spellbooks, he pushed his regret aside.
“Well then, could you tell us this time why you’ve come here?”
“If I must say, knowledge isn’t necessarily the exclusive property of you adventurers. For example… the ancient book that the ‘Azure Cloud’ found in the Temple of Beasts.”
“…….?!”
While the two adventurers were in shock, Jun swiftly unleashed the magic he had been quietly building up.
[Detecting Target]
[Wind Cutter]
***
They were the ones who fired the bolt first. Although it wasn’t aimed at a vital point, the fact remained that the attack had been initiated by the twin adventurers.
It was safe to say there was no longer any room for negotiation.
Though Jun’s magic was released almost instinctively, Luke’s response was swift.
He raised a shield that was large enough to cover his small frame and blocked Jun’s magic.
The fact that he’s already holding that shield means he was prepared to face a mage like me.
Luke, who originally had a combat style that emphasized agility with twin swords, now showed he had enough skill to effectively use a shield as well.
The shield in Luke’s hands completely blocked Jun’s magic.
Rumble!!
The wild winds battered the shield mercilessly.
But apart from being pushed back slightly, Luke didn’t allow a single attack to get through.
However.
“Lucy, is this really the power of a low-ranked mage?”
“…It shouldn’t be.”
The shield was completely reduced to shreds.
The power itself wouldn’t have been impossible if he had been prepared to risk an overheat and poured in a large amount of magical power all at once.
But was it really possible for a spell cast so quickly to be this strong?
If such a thing were possible, low-ranking mages wouldn’t be looked down upon so much.
Phew, that was close.
However, this was a misunderstanding on their part.
Jun had already been secretly channeling his magical power ever since he first heard Luke’s voice.
It was a skill he had learned while desperately trying to survive under the guidance of his master, who had once aimed for his heart.
“Anyway, this shield is useless now.”
Luke discarded the broken shield without hesitation and drew his twin swords.
Blue aura began to rise from both blades.
As expected, he’s a Level 3 adventurer.
Since the Azure Cloud Adventurer party was based in a Level 3 field, it was only natural.
From level 3, there were those with exceptional talent who occasionally awakened Aura.
With this, I can’t even think about escaping.
Not only had they blocked the exit, but that aura was powerful enough to tear through the barrier behind him.
“Ahaha, there’s no need to be so scared. I’m not going to kill you.”
Luke who was holding the aura-infused swords prepared to charge, while Lucy drew the string of her crossbow.
In response, he cast [Shield], but something caught Jun’s eye thanks to his [Keen Eyesight] skill.
Jun immediately began chanting another spell.
[Enchantment: Elemental Armory]
[Attribute Enchantment: Wind]
Jun’s feet, now wrapped in wind, quickly moved him out of the spot.
It was a wise choice because the [Shield] that had initially blocked Lucy’s bolt was now easily pierced without the slightest resistance.
The bolt was now lodged in the spot where Jun had just been, with the tip glistening in a brown liquid.
“Basilisk blood too? You’re certainly thorough.”
Since it was Basilisk blood that was basically resistant to magic, it explained why Jun’s shield was easily pierced just now.
“…You’re a very perceptive mage.”
The reason Jun sensed something amiss was due to the bolt’s fletching, which he had never seen before.
Normally, she used bolts with blue fletching, but this time, she had suddenly used one with red fletching.
Fwoosh!
While Jun was burning the bolt stuck in the ground to make it unusable, Luke made his move.
“But magic is useless against my aura!”
Indeed.
In such a confined space, a swordsman wielding aura was extremely dangerous to a mage.
When Luke approached, Jun launched a Wind Cutter but this was where the strength of a warrior with aura came into play.
Saaaah—
The wind blade flying toward Luke was torn apart by the aura-infused sword.
This was why it was difficult for a mage to gain the upper hand against a swordsman with aura.
Even the most carefully cast spells were rendered useless in the face of aura.
Unless I learn higher-level magic, it’s hopeless.
For now, there was no way to break through that aura.
Moreover, Luke was a far more skilled swordsman than Jun had anticipated.
Judging by the distance he covered with a single leap, his body was also enhanced with magic.
Usually, swordsmen who have just learned aura struggle to maintain it.
Compared to him, Luke knew how to disperse and use his magical power with relative ease
When the gap between them closed in that brief moment, Jun chanted another spell while moving his feet.
[Rock Hold]
Rumble—
It was the same earth-binding magic he had used against the Outer Wolf in the past.
Though there wasn’t enough time to project his full intent into the chant, which made it less powerful than before, it was enough to momentarily stop Luke’s steps.
“Ah! Lucy, help me!”
The time he managed to buy was only a fleeting moment, but already, another one of Jun’s spells was flying toward him.
Luke had already sliced through one Wind Cutter, but his expression wasn’t good.
Having only recently awakened his aura, he could only maintain the physical enhancement and continue slicing through magic for about 20 to 30 seconds at most.
Because of this, Lucy needed to somehow distract Jun’s attention by firing from a distance, but for some reason, her help wasn’t coming.
“This isn’t going to work here! He’s a cunning mage!”
Just as Lucy had said, Jun was continuously taking advantage of the terrain.
At first glance, the narrow straight passage seemed to favor Luke and Lucy since they were blocking the exit.
However, Jun had also been positioning himself in line with Luke and Lucy’s direction. This was repeatedly obstructing Lucy’s attack path.
Yet if Luke pressed himself against one wall, he would only become an easier target for Jun.
“I’ll get in close too!”
When she realized that she couldn’t be of much help from a distance, Lucy put away her crossbow and drew a short sword.
Though she couldn’t use aura like Luke.
[Gentle Breeze]
There was a skill she had learned from a skill book.
Her figure which had been at the back was suddenly enveloped by the wind and in an instant she was right behind Luke.
No matter how skilled Jun was, he couldn’t survive against both of them up close.
Especially when he also had to protect Aiden’s barrier behind him.
“Haaah.”
As if he had no other choice, Jun pulled a small flask from his pocket and threw it along the path the two were charging down.
Crash!
It was a deadly poison potion he had secretly prepared during their independent exploration time.
It was made to vaporize the moment it came into contact with the air.
Sure enough.
A purple mist flowed out from the shattered glass bottle on the floor and it quickly filled the narrow passage.
“It’s poison!”
“Ugh! That’s so cowardly!”
Although the two had never imagined he would resort to such tactics, they were still skilled adventurers. They hurriedly pulled out dark brown beads from their pockets.
As expected, they were carrying antidote beads.
These artifacts granted resistance to poison just by holding them in your mouth.
Their prices varied greatly depending on their grade, but even the lowest grade was quite expensive.
It was something a level 1 adventurer could only dream of affording.
But as level 3 adventurers, the two had a lot of items on hand.
However, Jun’s plan remained unchanged.
He had anticipated this to some extent, but more than anything, what he wanted was time.
He began chanting a spell.
And he started to imbue it with his imagination.
What kind of scene was forming in his mind?
“Lucy! Another spell is coming!”
“Stop talking and just run!”
They charged forward through the poisonous mist.
Unlike Luke who had aura, Lucy had no way to counter Jun’s magic.
So Luke turned off the last bit of his aura and burst his remaining magical power beneath his feet.
Lucy also repeatedly used [Gentle Breeze] to leap forward.
In an instant, they both pierced through the poisonous mist and reached right in front of Jun almost at the same time.
He smirked.
“You’re too late.”
[Dig]
Just before their swords could strike Jun’s head and chest, a sudden sense of weightlessness overwhelmed them.
“.…..?!”
“Ah!”
The source of this weightlessness was the ground that had vanished beneath them.
The earth, now a deep pit so profound that its bottom was out of sight, had opened its gaping maw toward the two of them.
The two of them helplessly plunged downward.
As they fell into the gaping hole, another spell was cast.
[Rock Hold]
The earth-binding magic.
Soon the hole began to fill in and Luke and Lucy could be seen, unconscious with only their heads above the ground.
***
He had pushed himself quite hard.
After spending the entire day exploring the dungeon and fighting monsters, he continued his independent exploration without rest while using detection magic.
Following that, he had to confront the twin Level 3 adventurers.
It’s fortunate that their equipment was not that good.
The equipment those two adventurers used was only at Level 2, not matching their actual skill level.
Jun’s life was saved because the two of them had disguised themselves in a way to avoid revealing their affiliation with the Azure Cloud party.
If it hadn’t been for that, he wouldn’t have been able to overpower those two so easily.
“So… those two are adventurers from the Azure Cloud party, and the reason this dungeon went to hell is because of the Azure Cloud party?”
“That’s right.”
“And you subdued two Level 3 adventurers. By yourself, as a low-ranking mage.”
“That’s right.”
“Well, seriously…”
A few dozen minutes later.
Colton, who had been tracking the sudden change in the dungeon’s atmosphere and the disappearance of Luke and Lucy, wore a baffled expression on his face.
His reaction was understandable.
A low-ranking mage was generally so weak in direct combat that even a Level 1 warrior could defeat them.
Though Jun’s casting speed was impressively fast, defeating Level 3 users—especially those who used aura—was practically impossible.
“Are you, by any chance, an intermediate mage?”
“I’m pretty close to that level.”
Even without considering his [Mana Body] skill, Jun’s magical abilities were nearly at the intermediate level.
The problem is that I haven’t been able to get my hands on a fourth-circle spellbook, which is what intermediate mages study, and I haven’t taken the official exam either.
It was an issue he would have to address eventually, but it wasn’t the most pressing concern at the moment.
“So… what exactly do you know, Mr. Mage?”
“From the overall problems that occurred during this raid to the problems we will have to face in the future.”
“Ugh.”
Colton’s face twisted with frustration.
“This situation just got a lot more complicated. And when is that friend of yours coming out?”
Colton pointed to a black barrier beyond Jun.
Jun wiped away a nervous bead of sweat.
“Maybe… about a day?”
He didn’t know the exact time either.
“But I’m certain he’ll be out before the day is over.”
While he couldn’t give an exact time, he was sure he would appear before a full day passed in-game time.
“Alright then, Mr. Mage, let’s hear what you know. And I’d like to know what we’re going to do with these guys.”
After all, weren’t they the ones responsible for this mess?
From Colton’s perspective, it was better to kill off these unpredictable adventurers.
But aside from that, since Jun was the first to recognize the situation, he decided to ask for his opinion first.
“For now, we need to keep them alive. Regardless of what they’ve done, we’ll need the raid’s strength to survive.”
“Tch… I guess there’s no choice then. Damn bastards, why did they have to pull this stunt…”
“They probably wanted to attract the attention of the noble sponsoring them.”
Jun hadn’t heard this directly from Luke or Lucy, but he had a rough idea of the circumstances surrounding the Azure Cloud party.
I had almost forgotten. Azure Cloud was an adventurer party mentioned in the game’s lore.
It was a story that took place several years before the game’s starting point, so it required a separate investigation into the game’s backstory.
That’s why Jun, who wasn’t particularly interested in the game’s story, hadn’t recalled it right away.
“On the surface, Azure Cloud may appear to be a solid group of adventurers backed by a noble, but in reality, things are quite different.”
Repeated failed expeditions and long-stagnant members.
It was only natural that the noble’s interest in them had waned.
What would it take for the Azure Cloud party to win back the favor of the nobles?
The answer was obvious. It was this very raid.
Clearing the hidden stage of the Black Forest, which had remained unsolved for centuries.
What could possibly impress their sponsoring noble more than that?
Of course, I’m not entirely sure if this information is accurate, since I learned it from a history book in the game.
Nonetheless, the fact remained that the Azure Cloud party was the true culprit behind the unexpected turn of events in the current raid.
“So they gambled with our lives?”
“That’s one way to put it.”
Of course, neither Jun nor Colton had the slightest interest in the Azure Cloud party’s internal affairs.
They were just furious at finding themselves in such a dangerous situation.
“Haah… But this really complicates things. The biggest problem is that, despite what we’ve uncovered, we have no way to prove it, do we?”
And Colton understood perfectly well why Jun had kept quiet until now.
How would they explain the current situation to the other teams?
One wrong move, and it would seem like they were challenging the raid leader.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already prepared the evidence.”
Jun waved the ancient book in his hand with a smile.
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