The phrase “secret passage” brings to mind a heart-pounding adventure.
A dark, shadowy corridor whose destination is unknown. A place without a single source of light.
Whatever its original purpose may have been, the fact that it’s hidden is more than enough to spark people’s curiosity.
Reaching some secretive place after a long, winding path…. that alone is thrilling in its own right.
Maybe that’s why people often fall for this sense of excitement and overlook the dangers of such passages.
The filth of a place left unmaintained and uncleaned, or the structural risks. These are things people tend to ignore.
And in a world where magic exists, it bears repeating over and over again: such places are even more dangerous.
It’s entirely possible that the waves of magical power that have accumulated over countless years may have given rise to something mysterious.
Fwoosh—
“……”
After descending the stairs and walking for quite some time, the magical flames flickered unexpectedly.
Looks like it’s about time.
Seeing that, I readied myself for combat.
This passage could safely be said to be completely unknown to anyone within the academy.
Naturally, it was old and untouched by human hands, making it a perfect haven for creatures with nowhere else to go.
Of course, saying “creatures” broadly… whatever had taken up residence here was bound to be something on a completely different level than rats or bugs.
In the game, different monsters would appear in each playthrough. Sometimes it was a simple mimic-type monster, and sometimes a serpent-like beast. Whatever it was, a fight was inevitable when passing through here.
And then, I saw something writhing at the far end of the corridor.
When I pointed the flare spell forward, a massive shape was revealed, blocking the passage completely.
A “barrier”.
It had a texture like the surface of a giant soap bubble.
Its surface seemed to flow slowly, and inside it, things were caught and thrashing around.
It looked like a spider’s web.
To put it more accurately, it was like a web with not a single empty space.
Grrrk—
A toad caught in the membrane let out a croak. It wasn’t just the toad. The area was littered with the corpses of small animals, long dead.
A bizarre phenomenon.
As if it were deliberately preventing anything from going beyond this point.
Quietly, I murmured its name.
“…‘Living Wall’.”
A Living Wall.
A phenomenon where magical energy waves accumulate over long periods and begin to take on physical form.
When magical waves are condensed at high density, they generate a strong gravitational pull.
And what they attract isn’t limited to inanimate matter. Even the magical energy waves of living beings are no exception. If anything alive attempts to pass near the wall, it gets forcibly drawn in.
Once caught by the wall, it’s no different from being trapped in a spider’s web.
Unable to move, the mana inside one’s body is gradually drained away. Eventually, when the mana is depleted, the victim becomes fuel for the Living Wall.
This was a fairly infamous magical phenomenon.
If you get caught with no companions nearby, you’re as good as dead…. doomed to dry out and die on the spot.
“Guess I’m lucky.”
But for me, it’s a different story.
A Living Wall was a physical manifestation of a force that pulls mana outward.
On the other hand, my Shifter trait prevents mana from ever escaping outward, no matter the method.
So then, what happens when two forces with perfectly opposite directions collide?
Simple.
One side gives out and gets torn apart.
“Sorry about this.”
I confidently shoved my arm straight into the wall.
Crackle—
◆ Trait Activation: [Shape Transformation]
“The Shifter’s mana constitution is absolute, after all.”
A setting that never changes even across the entire world.
Squelch—
Screeeeeeeeeech—
Just as I said, the Shifter’s mana waves, instead of being pulled, pulls the Living Wall’s mana toward itself.
The mana waves that had accumulated over centuries…
Fractured effortlessly.
Booooom!!
And just like that, it exploded.
Everything that had been caught in the wall came raining down in chunks onto the floor.
But… this wasn’t over yet.
◆ Available Mana: [1,490] → [71,490]
◆ Mana +2
“Khhh…”
A low groan escaped me.
The mana waves that made up the Living Wall surged into my body all at once. The pain shot through me like lightning.
“Seventy thousand is way too much…”
The overwhelming surge forcefully pushed my mana stat up by two levels.
Normally, overcharged mana just disperses into the air… but at this volume, something inside my body was bound to break.
I have to release it.
But I was underground. If I carelessly let it loose and hit something…!
“……”
At that moment—
Up ahead, something was stampeding toward me in a swarm.
And I instantly realized what they were.
They must’ve been blocked by the Living Wall and couldn’t reach this side!
From minor beasts to dangerous animals… like summer insects drawn to light, they were now flooding into the passage that had just opened.
“…Come on, then.”
I muttered softly and reached down to pick up a piece of metal from the floor.
“Aureus.”
◆ Available Mana: 「71,490] → 「21,490]
Brilliant white light gathered at my fingertips.
Aureus. It was a combat spell that heats metal and launches it as a projectile.
But what I was preparing now… was a version powered with ten times the usual mana.
“Wipe them out.”
In an instant, a blinding white light filled the underground corridor.
***
“…Destination: Black Alley. Door number six.”
Rumble—
The exit opened.
Climbing the stairs, I emerged through a wall in some back alley within Black Alley.
Rumble—
Before the door closed again, I took off my school uniform, folded it, and stored it inside. The clothes underneath were just plain civilian attire. Nothing suspicious.
That wasn’t the only thing I had prepared.
I tied a rope I’d brought from the academy around my forehead. Then I tucked a sheet of paper between the rope and my forehead that was large enough to obscure my face. The lower half of my face was wrapped in cloth, fluttering with the wind.
It was to conceal my identity. The academy didn’t provide things like masks, so this was the best makeshift option available.
“…I already feel half-dead.”
I muttered quietly, then leaned against the wall for a moment before disappearing into the alleyway.
◆ Secret Passage Discovered!
◆ Mana Phenomenon [Living Wall] Resolved!
◆ Combat Victory!
◆ Hidden Exit Found!
◆ NP +55,000
***
“Lady Camilla?”
“……”
“Are you alright, Lady Camilla?”
“…Ah. Alice.”
Camilla slowly lowered her sword.
“Is something the matter?”
“No… It’s just… You’ve been standing like that for hours.”
“…Hours?”
Looking around, Camilla finally realized there was no one else around.
It was the training grounds reserved for the Knight Department.
A space attached directly to the building where classes were held reserved solely for the elite.
Even the once-crowded students of the Knight Department were nowhere to be seen. The now-chilly air made it clear that it was the middle of the night.
“I see… I apologize for causing you concern.”
“Is something the matter?”
“…Nothing at all. I’m fine.”
“As the head maid of Robain Dormitory, a student’s health is a serious matter. You’ve been training all day, almost as if punishing yourself.”
“Training is something I’m used to…”
“Lady Camilla.”
Alice pressed firmly against Camilla’s forearm. Camilla flinched, wincing from the soreness.
“Today, you stood still without circulating mana. Sword in hand.”
“…To build basic physical strength.”
“A human body doesn’t improve beyond a certain point, no matter how much you train. As far as I know, you’ve already reached that limit.”
“……”
“……”
“……”
Silence.
In the end, it was Alice who surrendered first.
“…Haah. It can’t be helped, I suppose. If you ever feel the urge to talk, please come find me…Alice.”
“I see. Thank you for your concern.”
With that, Alice returned to cleaning near the training grounds. She was sweeping up flower petals that had just begun to fall.
“……”
Even with her back turned, Camilla could feel her gaze. She was watchful and concerned.
Camilla let out a faint sigh and walked off in another direction.
She had no intention of resting. She walked to a quiet space between the buildings and once again raised her sword.
If I try harder. More, and more…
The sound of her blade slicing through the air echoed endlessly through the academy grounds.
Camilla, her hair damp with sweat, paid no mind. Her eyes stayed fixed on the path of her sword.
Again and again….without rest.
***
In the Black Alley, known as the Empire’s underworld, there was no distinction between weekdays and weekends.
No matter when you came, the place always felt lively….yet, always carried a faint disturbing discomfort.
I quickened my steps toward Deeks Magical Tools Shop.
“Hey, owner. I’m here… Huh?”
There was no one inside. There was always an old man sitting still, like he’d turned to stone. But now, he was nowhere to be seen.
“…Don’t tell me, he went and died right after making the contract?”
“You dare speak such rude nonsense!”
Suddenly, someone poked their head out from the back of the shop.
“Oh, it’s you. But what’s with that odd getup?”
“They say it’s the latest fashion trend, so I gave it a try.”
“Ho. In all my ninety years, I’ve never heard such nonsense. If that ever becomes a real trend, that’ll be the day I die.”
“…Oh no… Then that means today is…”
“You insolent brat. At the very least, I’ll kill you before I die.”
“You have to live a long, long time, owner. Otherwise, my gold coins are gone.”
“Cheeky little punk. Still, you came at the right time. I was just sorting out some odds and ends for our appraiser. Care to come in for a bit?”
“Not really in the mood, but sure…”
I spoke while glancing at the random assortment of items scattered about. Like prosthetic arms and legs, magically engineered eyeballs, and metallic devices of unknown use.
“Do all these things even work?”
“If I keep tinkering, they’ll function properly one day. That’s this old man’s dream.”
Like most folks in Black Alley, owner Deeks was informal and cheerful even at his age.
I’d seen him often enough in the game to get used to him quickly, but he seemed a bit intrigued by how comfortable I was around him.
“You’re too slick for someone so young. Strange. I thought you were just pretending to act grown-up, but turns out that’s just how you are, huh?”
“Maybe…”
In the modern world, I wasn’t exactly considered young anymore so it made sense.
I activated [Total Magical Structure Analysis] and began examining the magical tools.
They were all pretty decent magic tools, but this visit had a clear purpose.
I needed a magical tool inscribed with an enchantment designed specifically to counter Camilla.
“Owner, got anything that goes like….pow! and then shoom-shoom! Something like that?”
“…Is that another trendy phrase or what?”
“No.”
“You cheeky brat… You want a counter-type magical tool. Something good for fighting a swordsman, right? Come with me.”
“?”
“If you’re going up against a swordsman, this is perfect. I hadn’t found the right owner for it yet… hehe.”
Wait….how did he even understand that? I was just rambling like I would in the game.
Maybe it’s that veteran sixth sense from years of experience. Still dazed, I followed Deeks inside.
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