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At the Bottom of the Dark Pit – Part 01

Although it was early morning, the sky above the holy city was blanketed in dark clouds, casting gloom over the residents who gathered to converse in hushed tones.

Rumors abounded of the Undead completely taking over the city, and that this was the result of the appointment of the new Pope.

The appearance of monsters in the Church’s own backyard every night had already damaged its reputation. Coupled with their consecutive losses against the Confederacy of Einbiest and the encroachment of the Quinbrand Empire, it was natural for anxiety to grip the citizens.

“…”

A short man, hood drawn low, observed the residents, then swiftly distanced himself from them. He eventually reached the nearly empty Adventurers Guild, and instead of using the front entrance, made his way to the rear.

As he knocked on the door in a specific pattern, the lock disengaged, and he slipped inside.

“What’s happening? The atmosphere in the city is getting worse.”

Unken, shedding his hood, spoke to the guildmaster before both entered the guildmaster’s office.

The guildmaster of the holy city’s Adventurers Guild was a composed individual in his early thirties, known for making rational decisions without getting flustered.

“I’ve heard that Mr. Silver Face, whom you seem to admire, received a secret mission from Pope Luvain and has gone somewhere,” the guildmaster explained. “Einbiest also joined him.”

“What in the world?”

After recounting historical events to Silver Face at length, Unken departed from the holy city. His visits to Adventurers Guilds in other regions aimed to assess the border situation as per the guildmaster’s request.

During times of war, long-distance communication magic items like the Linga Quill Pen were restricted in usage. Consequently, individuals outside the military were cut off from information if they remained within the holy city.

“What could they have been up to these past few days?”

“Perhaps the new Pope, Lord Luvain, and Silver Face have some personal connection.”

“I have no clue.”

“I see… May I please have your report, then?”

“The conflict at the border is escalating. Refugees are heading toward the holy city, and the first group will arrive in about ten days.”

“…And Einbiest’s forces are blocking their path.”

“Chaos seems imminent. We need to alert Leader Gerhardt promptly to ensure the refugees’ safe passage—what’s wrong?”

The guildmaster crossed his arms and stared at the ceiling. “I mentioned that Einbiest also joined the Pope’s secret mission.”

“Don’t tell me Mr. Gerhardt went with him?”

“Not only him; Deputy Leader Jillarte is with them.”

Unken, too, crossed his arms and looked at the ceiling. “Why are their leaders so impulsive?”

“Well, we don’t know the details of the secret mission, so they might return soon.”

“I hope so. What could this secret mission be, anyway—” Unken paused. “The Undead in the holy city and those dark clouds…”

“Mr. Unken?”

“It can’t be.”

Unken recalled the events he had recounted to Silver Face earlier, events dating back to ancient times.

The underground of the holy city concealed a large hole that had been sealed by Funai, ancestor of the Man Gnomes, at a great cost.

Did they go to the pit?

It seemed plausible, and knowing Gerhardt’s temperament, he wouldn’t pass up such an exciting opportunity.

The problem was that, even if this hunch were accurate, there was little Unken could do. He didn’t know where the pit was, and if they had already descended, catching up would be nearly impossible.

Stay safe, Silver Face.

All Unken could do was offer a silent prayer.

---

A vast, hidden expanse unfolded before their eyes, a place no holy city resident would have ever imagined existed beneath their feet. To them, the sky above the holy city seemed to stretch infinitely, while the ground below consisted of densely packed soil and rocks.

However, here, deep beneath the earth, Hikaru gazed upon a spacious cavern, and there stood Ranna, who had arrived before them.

“She’s here, isn’t she?” Jillarte asked, sensing the change in Hikaru’s aura.

Even without using Mana Detection, Hikaru would have sensed it. His Soul Rank had increased by two, and he now had a total of 3 points on Instinct, which allowed him to perceive an overwhelming presence emanating from the source of evil mana beside Ranna.

“Ranna’s here. Everyone, stay on your toes,” Hikaru advised before taking the lead.

Lavia followed closely behind him, accompanied by Paula. The Four Eastern Stars trailed, flanked by temple guards and Igloo on the right, while Jillarte, Gerhardt, and the Beastmen kept to the left.

The ground consisted of damp, blackened bedrock. Their magic lamps revealed massive stones, resembling shrines, standing at regular intervals. It was apparent that these gigantic stones served some magical purpose. Ranna likely held the key to understanding their function.

As they passed these towering stones, the darkness turned even darker. From the core of that darkness surged an energy so immense that it sent shivers down their spines, even from a distance.

Compared to that colossal mass of energy, Ranna appeared smaller. However, she had grown to a size even surpassing Hikaru’s own, a height of about two and a half meters, and any trace of her former self as a Man Gnome was barely discernible on her face, if at all.

“Is this the same Ranna?” Igloo muttered in astonishment. He had met Ranna more times than anyone else here.

Ranna was no longer clothed, and her dark purple body was covered in thick fur, particularly on her back and face. Legs thicker and more solid than Gerhart held up her massive frame. She had sprouted additional arms, one on each side, and another below her nape, totaling five. And she had wings, reminiscent of bat wings rather than birds, and smooth in texture.

“Hmm… So you’ve come,” Ranna said, sounding somewhat uninterested yet mildly impressed. Her voice still sounded like two or three people speaking at a time, carrying an unsettling quality, even more so than when they first heard it at the entrance to the great pit.

Fangs protruded from the corners of her mouth that split her face all the way to her ears, while a third eye had opened on her forehead. Strange horns had grown on either side of her head. Hikaru sensed mana condensed within these horns through his Mana Detection.

It appeared that Ranna was directly absorbing magical power from the malevolence’s source.

“So you cast aside your humanity,” Hikaru said.

“I’ve decided not to dwell on trivial matters. Humans, demons, whatever. Oh, yes. This power, this incredible power, the heart of the pit. All the evil of the world condensed, ready to be unleashed,” Ranna responded with a sense of delight.

What? Is this pit some kind of a device?

At that moment, Hikaru was struck by a vague sense of unease. Perhaps it was due to the heightened Instinct he had obtained through the Soul Board, or maybe he had always carried this knowledge deep within him.

Funai concluded that the pit needed to be sealed. Hikaru had assumed this was because they couldn’t reach the deepest part of the pit.

What if I was wrong?

What if Funai believed that the pit should not be destroyed? As to why: because this pit was one gigantic device of some kind.

“Heads up, Silver Face!”

Ranna had turned toward them unnoticed, nonchalantly taking a step closer.

Shit.

Hikaru’s Instinct sounded a silent alarm. He grabbed Lavia, who stood beside him, and leaped aside just in time. Ranna’s powerful arm swung precisely where Hikaru had stood moments ago.

“Oh, you dodged that, eh?”

Everyone was left stunned by her teleportation-like movement. Gerhardt, however, swiftly raised his greatsword high and charged into Ranna.

“Uoohhhh!!”

Ranna caught the massive greatsword with two arms, producing sparks and a metallic clank you wouldn’t expect from flesh. Her skin appeared to be incredibly tough.

“Gaahh!”

Her remaining arms dug into Gerhardt’s abdomen, lifting his massive frame into the air before hurling him backward.

“Milord!”

“It’s on, you shithead!”

“Haaaahh!”

Beastmen lunged at Ranna simultaneously, but she remained unperturbed, easily deflecting each attack with a single arm.

“Temple guards! Help us out here!”

“…Ah, yes!”

The bewildered temple guards placed their magic lamps on the ground and sprang into action, but every swing of their sword was parried. Techniques and skills were irrelevant. Ranna effortlessly repelled every attack with her sheer strength, as if reflexively swatting away pesky insects.

“Ugh, out of my way.” Ranna extended her wings and spun, generating a whirlwind that sent the Beastmen and temple guards tumbling through the air. “Bunch of weaklings… Huh?”

An opportunity presented itself, and two people took it. Selyse, brandishing the White Ray Blade, and the dual-wielding Jillarte.

While Jillarte’s swords left only superficial wounds on Ranna’s body, the White Ray Blade effectively severed one of Ranna’s arms, causing dark liquid to spurt forth.

“How dare you!”

Ranna’s shout was infused with mana.

“Ugh!”

“Ahh!”

Receiving her attack at point-blank range, the two were sent hurtling backward as if struck by an oncoming vehicle. Selyse, who had used her shield to protect herself, managed to roll away safely, but Jillarte was flung through the air and crashed onto the ground.

“That thing… is annoying,” Ranna growled, panting.

Regrettably, Selyse had lost her grip on the White Ray Blade, and to make matters worse, the sword had fallen directly beside Ranna.

Ranna raised her leg and stomped on the blade with all her might. Lying on uneven terrain, the White Ray Blade snapped into two pieces. Selyse’s eyes widened in shock.

Known to cut through anything by feeding it mana, the White Ray Blade had indeed proven to be an invaluable weapon against Ranna.

“Damn it…”

Hikaru had sought temporary refuge with Lavia, but the situation was grim. The enemy surpassed Gerhardt in pure strength, Jillarte’s attacks were ineffective, and the potentially potent weapon, the White Ray Blade, was now shattered. The holy sword remained as a viable option, but Igloo was huddled in a distant rocky area, trembling and of no use.

Paula and Sophie raced about offering first aid to the injured. Ranna set her sights on them.

“Lavia, when I give the signal, unleash your most powerful spell.”

“Got it. What about you?”

“I need to protect Paula and Sophie. They’re supporting the front lines.”