Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

Volume 4 Chapter 6.2

Into the Depths of the Pit Part 2

Translator : PolterGlast

Nozomu was brought to a facility in the administrative district called the Water Tower.

This is a facility consisting of one huge tower and two adjoining square buildings, one large and one small, at the base of the tower. This sucked up water from underground and sent it to the above-ground canals that stretched throughout Arcazam.

There are eight of these facilities, two in each of the four districts of the city, and they were built using the most advanced technology available in the experimental ritual magic city of Arcazam.

There are no water sources in the vicinity of Arcazam to sustain a city of this size.

The nearest river is the Vein River, but in order to draw water from it, one has to cut through the forest, which is infested with demonic beasts, and this is impractical.

Without water, people cannot continue their activities, and for this reason, these infrastructural functions, including the [Water Tower], were one of the most important facilities in Arcazam.

Among these facilities, this huge tower stood out from the rest. Nozomu's eyes widened involuntarily when he saw the people gathered in front of it.

"Everyone......."

"Nozomu! Thank goodness, are you hurt?"

"Yo, seems like you're all right."

There they were, Irisdina and the rest of Nozomu's friends.

They rushed toward him. Although he felt embarrassed when they touched his body as if to confirm that he was okay, at the same time he was relieved to know that they were concerned about his safety.

"Yeah, I'm alright. So......"

"It's been a day before yesterday. Nozomu Bountis."

Nozomu's gaze turned to Jihad and the others who were waiting behind Irisdina and the others.

Next to him were his assistant, Inda, and for some reason, Feo.

Jihad's gaze seemed to have a certain certain conviction in it. Nozomu then turned to Anri, who had guided him here, and she gave him an apologetic little nod.

That alone convinced Nozomu that Jihad knew about his secret to some extent.

"Right. So how much did Jihad-sensei know about me?"

"Roughly as much as Anri-sensei knows. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time, and our resources were limited. We've decided to keep it to ourselves because of its importance."

In other words, he knows that Nozomu is a Dragon Slayer.

At the same time, he chose words that would not reveal the secret to the guards passing by, and he made it clear that the secret would not be made public for now. Although Nozomu found it difficult to trust his words right now, there was no doubt that Arcazam would be forced to move with caution when it came to the Dragon Slayer.

Besides, Nozomu has something to do now. He accepted Jihad's words for the time being and urged him to proceed.

"I appreciate it. First of all, my objective is to eliminate the parasites that have been nesting in this city."

"Parasites....... Do you have any idea who is behind Ken?"

Jihad nodded at Nozomu's question and began to explain the current situation.

First of all, some people have been illegally leaking information about Arcazam to the outside world. This has been a problem since before Arcazam was built, and Ken seems to be involved with one of these factions.

"Is it Starlight?"

"No, it is just a part of it. Starlight was originally an intelligence agency owned by Arcazam. Helping the forces that would harm this city is against the reason for their operations."

"But Camilla said she was being surveilled by the Starlight......"

"Quite the opposite. I found out through investigation that Starlight was taking her situation into consideration and protecting her in secret. This was also approved by her maternal family. But the truth is that Ken Notice and his backers who found this information made her believe she was being monitored and used it to incite her suspicions."

Jihad then showed Nozomu the report that Inda had presented to him in his office. The report certainly had Camilla's name on it as a target for protection.

"Why wasn't Camilla informed of the situation?"

"We were concerned about her strong distrust of others. She was originally so cautious that she came to Arcazam disguised with magic. The person in charge at the time thought that there was no need to provoke her and instill distrust in her, so he planned to formally contact her after she graduated from the school or after she had settled down after a few years."

This action was done in consideration of Camilla's character and feelings. However, it backfired.

"Also, Starlight's headquarters was unaware of Ken Notice's true identity. The information was intentionally concealed along the way. It was Caskell Matthiart who was responsible for it."

"Huh?"

"He was also one of Starlight's Shadows. He is an agent who monitors the academy for any suspicious students and at the same time carefully examines the information that comes up and reports it to Starlight's headquarters. But I hear he was dissatisfied with his life in this city."

Caskell was originally an Empire aristocrat and a prideful person. For him, it seemed that his dispatch to Arcazam was not an honor.

"As a result, he reverted back to the Empire and kept leaking information about his students to the outside world without their permission to gain status there. The fact that the intelligence agency failed to notice this is a shortcoming on their part, as they have very few horizontal connections."

Furthermore, with his wrongdoings coming to light, Starlight reexamined past reports to investigate him and those who were linked to him. In addition, they even searched around with bloodshot eyes for any wrongdoing among their own members.

As for the two Shadows who attacked you, I checked their appearance, and they are not members of the Starlight. They were probably a group of outsiders who had infiltrated from outside the city. The claim that they are members of the Starlight is a bluff to put Camilla and you into a corner."

The hooded men were manipulated by Mefi and attacked along with Lisa. Considering the risks involved in manipulating people within the city, it was certainly reasonable to think that these men had been brought in from outside the city.

"But capturing Caskell is not the end. He alone cannot keep the existence of the spirits a secret. There are others who are helping Ken Notice and harming the city."

"So you want to catch Ken and find out who that is?"

"That's right. Ken Notice is now believed to be hiding within the waterways that stretch throughout the city."

The figure of Lisa being manipulated by Mefi flashed through Nozomu's mind. He must find Ken and that spirit as soon as possible. Jihad, perhaps seeing through his inner thoughts, urged Nozomu to follow him and headed for the spire inside the Water Tower.

In front of the building were two large magic circles, each more than ten meters in diameter.

They were clearly designed for large-scale ritual magic. The two magic circles were drawn with different characters and shapes, as if they were for different purposes. However, both of them had a flat platform on which a stone the size of a clenched fist was placed.

Jihad opened his mouth, pointing to the magic circle on the ground.

"This is a magic circle to locate Ken Notice's spirit. Through beings of the same nature and its contractors, we will determine where the source elements of water are particularly concentrated within the city."

A spirit. At these words, Nozomu turned his attention to Shina and Razward, who were standing by his side.

When their eyes met Nozomu's, they gave a small but firm nod. Apparently, they had already heard the details from Jihad and agreed to cooperate.

"This is a magic circle to communicate with the search team. This operation will be carried out simultaneously in each district of the city. This is for deploying the necessary communication magic. It's still a prototype, but it can be used to send voices even within the underground canals, and if we limit the target, we can also share vision through a magic tool."

"What about that stone in the center?"

"It's a curbstone made with a special processing. It's the key to communication magic. And this magic will be controlled by you, Tima Lime."

A curbstone. A special stone that allows one to share information with another. It was used in the Special Comprehensive Exercise.

Jihad glanced at Tima this time, and she nodded firmly, though nervously.

"Perhaps Ken Notice is currently with his contracted spirit. Now that he has failed to kill you, his objective should be to take Lisa Hounds with him and try to escape from Arcazam."

According to Jihad, Ken is already on a wanted list, albeit unofficially, as a suspect in a serious crime. In other words, he no longer has a place in the city. If caught, he will be banished from the city and face the appropriate punishment as a criminal.

"Now, here's the main issue. Nozomu Bountis, I would like to make a request to you."

"A request?"

"That's right. A request that I, the headmaster of the school, am making directly to you. It's simple, I need your cooperation in this pursuit."

Jihad did not say it clearly, but Nozomu knew the reason why. The other party is a person who has made a contract with a spirit. Since Shina, who can also communicate with the spirit, has to remain above ground, he needs another trump card.

Nozomu had no reason to refuse. He met Jihad's gaze squarely and nodded quietly.

"I appreciate it. Here, take this with you. It's the magic tool you'll need to communicate in the underground."

Saying so, Jihad handed Nozomu a small earring. A simple, unadorned earring made of brass and silver. If one looked closely, one could see that there was a small curbstone embedded in the earring as well.

Nozomu put on the earrings without hesitation. Irisdina and the others also received the same earrings from Inda.

However, only Mars shook his head and refused to accept the earring.

"Sorry Nozomu, I can't accompany you."

"What's wrong?...... Wait, where's your usual greatsword?"

On closer inspection, he did not carry his treasured greatsword.

"I left it with a certain fellow. So, I'm staying here."

Nozomu pondered over Mars's words, but then switched his mind.

"Speaking of which, Jihad-sensei, I received this from Camilla......"

Nozomu showed Jihad a piece of paper that he had been keeping hidden all this time. When Jihad saw it, he frowned and groaned quietly.

†

After entering the underground canal from the Water Tower in the administrative district, Nozomu, Irisdina, Mimuru, Feo, and Anri were guided by Shina and Razward through the network of canals.

[Turn right into that canal and go straight ahead for thirty meters. After the next intersection, take the third turn to the left.]

Normally, when entering this waterway, one would bring a map and check the path one by one, but now that they had guidance from above ground, Nozomu and the others rushed to Ken's location at once.

By now, the guards would also be rushing in through other entrances to block off the waterway in the residential district.

It was all thanks to the information Camilla had provided.

[There is a strong reaction underground in the residential district. South, Fifth Avenue. It's near the place written on the paper after all. And watch out, there's something up ahead.]

Along with Shina's warning, a large number of amorphous bodies wrapped in mucous membranes emerged from the depths of the canal.

"Blobs, huh!?"

"Oi, oi, this is the water supply canal, you know!?"

Nozomu and the others run through the canal, clearing off the Blobs that stood in their way.

They are in the water supply canals, where demonic beasts should never be able to enter. No doubt ...... Ken must be the one who brought them here, or more precisely, Mefi. In the Spasim forest, that spirit was manipulating the surrounding demonic beasts in the same way.

At the same time, Nozomu's mind recalled the recent incident where a large number of Blobs had infiltrated the sewers.

"Don’t tell me, the magic circle at the outlet of the sewers was damaged......?"

"Most likely they have prepared themselves for this. Shina, how are the other raid teams doing?"

[The other teams are also fighting demonic beasts as soon as they enter! Just how many demonic beasts did they bring into the city!?]

Apparently, there are also demonic beasts stationed at the other canal entrances.

[The target is currently moving southwest from the underground of South Fifth Avenue in the residential district ...... ~, it seems they've noticed us. They're moving faster!]

Nozomu and the others speed up their pace upon hearing Shina's report.

However, a huge wall of slime stood in their path.

It was a swarm of large numbers of Blobula that had congregated together. The Blobs had grown so large that they blocked the waterway, and their sheer mass threatened to crush Nozomu and the others.

"You've got to be kidding me......!"

"Nozomu, get down!"

Irisdina stepped forward, deploying her magic.

[Intermediate Magic・Javelin of the Abyss]. A dark spear with superb penetrating power was shot out, piercing the swarm of Blobs, and exploded. A hole drilled through their bodies.

"Now, slip through!"

The five jumped into the hole and passed through to the other side. However, the Blobs immediately reversed their directions. As if trying to catch up with them, they began to chase after Nozomu and the others.

"They're coming after us. I'll hold them off here, so you guys go on ahead."

"But, Mimuru-sa~n. You're not a good match for them......"

"Don't worry! Tom gave me this. Tei~!"

Disregarding Anri's complaint, Mimuru reached into her pocket and threw a bottle she had taken out.

The bottle was filled with impure white crystals. When it collided with the Blobs, it cracked and spit out its contents.

The crystals that came into contact with the air were instantly swallowed by the Blobs' bodies and disappeared. Then, the Blobs swarm trembled in agony, and the nuclei inside their bodies began to corrode one after the other. Following this, the epidermis of the swarm crumbled, and the contents, which emitted a foul odor, flowed out.

"This is......"

"This is a chemical that Tom made. It's something made by boiling down acid and crystallizing it......"

Some strong acids crystallize when they lose their moisture. This was stored in a sealed bottle.

When it reacts with water, it rapidly turns into sulfuric acid, which corrodes any organic matter it comes in contact with. For Blobs, which contain a large amount of water, it could be highly poisonous.

An extremely hazardous substance. If it gets into someone's eyes or mouth, it reacts with the fluid in their mucous membranes, turning it into concentrated sulfuric acid.

"Ugh~, there are still so many of them. Well, let me take care of this, so you guys hurry on ahead."

Hearing Mimuru's confident words, Nozomu left the place to the two and rushed out again.

[Ken and Mefi have moved from the water supply canals to the sewers. They must be trying to get out of the city. They went down into the sewers through the connecting passageway at the end and-......~!?]

"Shina-kun, what's wrong?"

[A cluster of Blobs has appeared over here too. There are three of them!]

It seems that Ken had sent demonic beasts toward the base as well. While Nozomu gasped, Mars' voice, which had remained calm, resounded in the depths of his ears.

[Jihad and I can take care of it. You guys hurry on ahead.]

"...... Alright."

Nozomu and the others hurried on anyway. The only way out of Arcazam was through the sewers. Following Shina's words, they ran toward the sewers through the connecting passageway, where a foul smell was wafting from the inside.

Just as they were about to leave the water supply canals and enter the sewers, a jet of black water shot out of the sewage at a high speed.

"~!?"

Nozomu reflexively ducked and dodged it. The compressed water stream scraped the walls of the sewer, sending droplets of water and dirt flying. Then, from the surface of the flowing sewage, a dark-blue, horse-like creature emerged.

*Bururururu!*

"~, Kelpie. To think they're even inviting in such a dangerous demonic beast......"

Kelpie. A strange creature with a horse from its head to its waist and a fish for its hind legs.

It has two horns on its head. It has fins instead of a mane and specializes in moving in water.

It has a fierce nature. It also manipulates water-based magic and preys aggressively on humans, giving it an A-rank danger rating. Undoubtedly, it is also a demonic beast brought in by Ken and Mefi.

The odd-looking beast neighed in irritation and glared at Nozomu and the others with its black eyes.

"I'll take care of this one~~. Nozomu-kun, you go ahead~~"

"Sorry, but please!"

*Buhihii――n!*

Seeing Nozomu and the others trying to hurry ahead, the Kelpie's horns glowed with magic light, and a water ball was formed at the end of them. It was a sign that magic was about to be activated. The aim, of course, was at Nozomu and the others' backs, who were trying to hurry onward.

"Oh no you don't~~!"

However, before the magic could be activated, a whip struck Kelpie on the shoulder.

With a jolt, Kelpie glared begrudgingly at Anri, who had interrupted it, and then invoked the magic that had been on standby. A powerful water blade loomed over her, threatening to bisect her below the groin.

"Oopsie~~. That was dangerous."

Anri gracefully dodged the water blade by spinning herself around.

Despite her frail appearance, Anri is a physically skilled woman who specializes in Qi-jutsu. Her weapon of choice is also a whip, which is out of character for her innocent appearance. And as a teacher at the Solminati Academy, her ability sets her apart from her students.

"What a rough fellow~~. Bad boys should be punished~!”

In an instant, she strengthened her entire body and unleashed her whip like a gale. The whip, accelerated by the reinforcement provided by the Qi-jutsu, struck the shoulder again at a speed that exceeded the dynamic vision of the demonic beast.

"~!?"

With an impact incomparable to the previous one, Kelpie's body was sent flying and slamming into the side of the canal.

The beast was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

However, it immediately got up in a fit of rage, and its magic power raged as it growled.

*B-Burururu!*

A powerful magic light radiated from the corner of its forehead, spreading to the surface of the water.

The next instant, countless water spears were generated from the surface of the water and shot out toward Anri. The number of spears was roughly more than 20. That's enough to turn several soldiers into hedgehogs at once.

"Phew!"

Anri easily knocked away the rain of water spears. The whip was unleashed at high speed, undulating like a serpent, and the water spears scattered away.

[Qi-jutsu・Ten-Pronged Whip].

With a flip of the wrist and a swing of the arm, the whip moves at high speed, a defensive technique to ward off an approaching threat.

Kelpie was surprised at how easily its magic was repelled, and Anri unleashed her whip once again.

*Gugyau!?*

Three rapid consecutive strikes. The intense shock and pain that hit both shoulders and the side of the head caused Kelpie to almost collapse into the water. The skin where it had been hit was torn and blood oozed from the skin. Kelpie's confusion increased as its own blood dripped onto the surface of the water.

What? What is going on?

Originally, Kelpie was a powerful demonic beast. Ever since it became a full-grown beast, it has rarely been in danger.

Humans were just a meal for it. Weak, fragile, and tender, they were high-quality prey. That was all it was supposed to be.

But now, it was being hunted down.

"What's wrong~? Come on, get over here~. Sensei will give you plenty of guidance~~~.”

A blatant provocation, clear even without understanding the words. Again, Kelpie, angered, further intensified its magic power.

However, the other party was a teacher from the Solminati Academy. And the weapon she wielded was specialized to break the enemy's spirit.

Kelpie's spirit was eventually shattered, and it sank into the sewage canal.

†

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