◈ 308. [Free Exploration] Farming in the intermission (5)
After receiving the equipment, Kelly Bay and Hannibal declared a week’s vacation and went somewhere without receiving additional requests.
Me and the main party re-entered the dungeon. It was to finish the search by joining the rest of the party members who were searching the dungeon.
So I rode the teleport gate and entered the [Laboratory] dungeon again… … .
“Guys, we’re here… … .”
lively.
Roaring – roaring.
“… ?”
What?
The [Laboratory] was already in ruins, and thick flames were raging everywhere.
About 20 other party members are sitting in the safe zone with soot and ashes all over their bodies with stunned faces.
“What’s happening.”
Belldandy trudged in front of me as I muttered in bewilderment. The shiny light green hair was scorched and a mess.
“Ash… … You are here… … ?”
“No, Belldandy. What the hell happened?”
“… I will tell you from the beginning.”
With a face that had lost everything in the world, Belldandi explained.
“We had obtained information that the Holy Grail we were looking for was located here in the Lab Dungeon.”
“Ah, so that’s why you volunteered to search.”
“yes. It was the most probable piece of information in the last 100 years of searches. So I was in the middle of sweeping every nook and cranny of the lab… … .”
Belldandy held out what was in his hand.
It was a leaf that boasted a fresh green even in this superheated hell.
“It is the leaf of our world tree. It became clear that this was a research facility.”
Did the Holy Grail Expedition Team seek the Holy Grail in order to raise the World Tree again?
The Holy Grail itself was deeply involved with the World Tree.
“We were absolutely certain that the Holy Grail was here… .”
“I see.”
But why did this place become a sea of fire?
“So I’m happy to go inside more.”
Belldandy glanced around with resentful eyes.
Right next to me, I saw Dusk Bringer whistling with his clasped hands behind his head.
“That dragon… He suddenly released his breath… … The laboratory facility was swept away, the building collapsed, and a fire broke out… … I had no choice but to run away.”
“… breath? You mean Dragon Breath?”
Like a beam coming out of that mouth? Can you shoot something like that? No, why did you shoot?
Let’s take a hard look at Dusk Bringer! He then made excuses.
“No, the remaining trolls were hiding and suddenly attacked. Guwain was so surprised that he hiccupped.”
“… Does your breath go out when you hiccup?”
“Sometimes?”
Dusk Bringer smiled handsomely. No, it’s not a situation to catch up!
Belldandi seemed to want to pull out his sword and attack Dusk Bringer at any moment, but the objective difference in fighting power was clear, so he endured it tremblingly.
I patted Belldandy on the shoulder.
“Wait a little. Later, when the lights go out, you can go back inside and explore-”
Kwa-gwa-gwang-
!
A splendid explosion occurred in the laboratory facility along with a relentless explosion.
Debris from the facility fell like hailstones along with the tremendous heat wave.
Evangeline, who ran in front of us who were frightened, deployed her shield.
Chandang-!
Glacier, the ice spirit embedded in the shield, spun around and expanded the size of the shield dozens of times by deploying an ice barrier along the shield surface.
Patter!
The huge shield caught all the debris of the research facility pouring down. Evangeline cheered with a flushed face.
“Wow! My new shield is dope!”
No, it’s cool! Grasp the atmosphere!
The ice shield, needlessly clean and clear, reflected the view beyond as transparent as glass, and I could see the laboratory being reduced to dust in the explosion without leaving even a handful of dust behind… .
“… .”
dump.
Belldandy knelt on the floor.
Stunned, she sighed dejectedly.
“It’s all over… … .”
“Oh no, Belldandy. Until the end… … .”
“no. It’s the end. Our 100 years of hard work and the future of our species are all over… … .”
In her hands, the leaves of the world tree fluttered miserably like the last leaf.
Holding it in her arms, Belldandi let out a devastated laugh in a stunned state.
“It’s all over! It’s over! Now the elves are doomed! Accept the end!”
“Get your mind together, Belldandy!”
I hurriedly took out emergency sunflower seeds (?) from my pocket and put them in Belldandi’s mouth.
I finally told Verdandi another piece of information to Verdandi, who was now completely chaste and began to sing the elven nursery rhyme.
“The Holy Grail is elsewhere!”
Belldandi’s eyes, which had been blurry, became clear.
Belldandi, who hurriedly chewed and swallowed the sunflower seeds in his mouth, asked.
“yes?”
“The Holy Grail is not here. I know where I am.”
It was a guaranteed drop item in the game, so I was definitely aware of its location. I couldn’t tell you because the timing was ambiguous… … .
“Area 8 Magic Tower. It’s there.”
Area 8 Dungeon [Magic Tower].
This is a place that can be called the top tech tree of the research institute. You can think of it as a college-graduate relationship.
Belldandy, who was looking up at me with squinted eyes, licked a piece of sunflower seed from the corner of his mouth, swallowed it, and stuttered.
“You’re not lying to me… … ?”
“no. Absolutely not. If it doesn’t come out then, I’ll be really responsible.”
“Responsibility… ? what responsibility… … ?”
“I will do my best so that your species can survive without the Holy Grail. So real! don’t worry.”
Well, since the Holy Grail really comes out there, it can’t be called an empty check.
Then, Belldandi cautiously held out her hand.
“A promise?”
“Yes, yes. promise.”
I took that hand and shook it. Belldandy squeezed my hand tightly and shook it up and down.
The situation was sorted out somehow, and there was no reason to stay in the ruined dungeon, so I ordered a withdrawal.
While the other party disappeared through the teleport gate one by one, I went in front of Dusk Bringer and frowned.
“grandee… What kind of breath do you suddenly blow up and blow up the entire dungeon… … ?”
If it becomes ruined to this extent, its function as a dungeon will also be closed. The monsters that were refilled every season won’t be replenished.
One farming point disappeared into a ball. What is this as soon as you debut in the dungeon?
Then, Dusk Bringer calmly shrugged.
“I’m sorry. But there were reasons to bury this place.”
“yes? Breath… … Wasn’t it a mistake?”
“Does Gwain look like an idiot who can’t even control his breath?”
Dusk Bringer smiled, teeth sharp like a shark, and took something out of his bosom.
“Do you know what this is?”
It’s black and small… … It was a piece of thorn.
Receiving the piece of wood, I only blinked my eyes curiously. What is it?
“The guardian tree of mankind. A black thorn tree that has been with the empire since its founding. It is a twig of ‘Everblack’.”
“yes?”
“I found it here in the lab. That’s why I blew it up so that others couldn’t dig further.”
As the flagship, I examined the piece of wood closely.
Looking back, I’m sure… … It looks like the giant tree I saw in the throne room of the imperial palace… … ?
“But why is it here?”
This tree that touches the origin of the Everblack Empire.
Why was it found in the ruins of the world’s southernmost lake kingdom hundreds of years ago… … ?
“well. You’d better think about it.”
Dusk Bringer shrugged and headed for the teleport gate.
“Anyway, the secret of the Lake Kingdom is… … It seems to be deeper than we thought.”
Flash!
She disappeared into the gate first and I stood there blankly.
‘It’s related.’
everything is related
Everything encountered on the way to the true ending is related in some way.
I had a hunch. As in the game, simply blocking monsters and clearing dungeons is not enough to reach the true ending.
The truth hidden behind this world… … That I can only grasp it after I dig it out.
But how?
how… ?
***
Free Exploration has ended.
It was an unprecedentedly large party of 25 people, so the exploration itself was very easy. the problem is.
‘Because I’m N-breading my experience… … I haven’t eaten much… … .’
Even so, from level 49 to level 50, there are many necessary experience points.
There were a lot of monsters I cleared today and a lot of EXP I gained, but since 25 people shared it, it was not enough for me to level up.
So my awakening was pushed to the next turn… There was a blind spot in large-scale party management.
‘I want to quickly wake up and use my ultimate skill… … .’
I wonder what kind of ultimate I will get.
Don’t be in a hurry, let’s get experience points safely. Then I’ll be level 50 too.
“oh.”
Return to the Crossroads from the dungeon and come out to the backyard of the manor house.
Something cold touched his cheek. I looked up in surprise and saw white snowflakes falling.
“It’s snowing.”
He mumbled softly and was hit by snowflakes.
Fluffy snowflakes fell, dyeing the sky white, and then dyed the ground white and piled up shallowly.
The young party members were already starting a snowball fight with not much snow.
Seeing the children laughing and throwing snowballs at each other made me laugh without knowing it. You don’t seem to be tired even after going to the dungeon.
“It’s still late autumn, but the first snow is early this year.”
Lucas, who was looking at the sky with him next to him, muttered calmly. White breath leaked from the corners of the knight’s mouth.
“Winter will come soon.”
“Yes, winter is coming.”
The season when I first set foot in this world.
And- the season when the world changes dramatically.
The first year of falling into this world is coming to an end.
The second year of the attack will begin soon.
***
[End of Free Exploration!]
[Level Up Character]
> Sub Party 1 < Punishment Unit >
– Tuesday(R) Lv.45 (↑1)
– Wednesday(R) Lv.45 (↑1)
– Becky( R) Lv.45 (↑1)
– On the Rock (R) Lv.43 (↑1)
> Sub Party 2 < Shadow Army >
– God Hand (SR) Lv.47 (↑1)
– Body Bag (R) Lv .42 (↑1)
– Burnout (SR) Lv.41 (↑1)
– Lily (R) Lv.37 (↑1)
– Marherita (R) Lv.40 (↑1)
[dead and injured characters ]
– None
[Acquired Equipment]
– Cross Family Spear Change – Ifrit Edition (SSR) < Cavalry Spear >
– Cross Family Shield Change – Glacier Edition (SSR) < Shield >
[Acquisition Item]
– Summon Scroll: Magic Turret < Player Skills >
– Standard Advanced Magic Core (SR): 5
– Standard Advanced Magic Core (R): 10
– Troll Corps Bodily Fluid: 40
– Troll Corps Mana Stone: 52
***
A few days later.
As the next stage is just around the corner, I am preparing a defense battle plan and checking the weapons and equipment of the soldiers for the last time.
“majesty!”
Serenade ran into my mansion panting.
A large eagle perched lightly on her shoulder, glaring at us with glaring eyes.
It was Jeon Seo-eung (傳書鷹) operated by the Winter Silver Merchant to exchange information at high speed over long distances. It is the first time to see it in real life.
And there is probably only one piece of information that Serenade, along with Jeon Seo-eung, urgently conveyed to me.
Serenade barely managed to catch her breath and shouted at me.
“In the middle of the continent… This is the news of the collision between the Imperial Army’s 1st Corps and the Imperial Defense Army!”
The party members who were listening together swallowed gasps in unison, and I clenched my fists tightly.
The 1st Corps of the Imperial Army, a border guard unit in charge of the Western Front of the Everblack Empire.
The Ecliptic Defense Force, a standing army directly under the imperial family, responsible for the outer defense of New Terra, the ecliptic.
In other words, the two collided.
“And on the same day, His Highness First Prince Lark and Second Prince Fernandez declared war on each other… !”
A bone-striking war that washes blood with blood.
The Everblack Imperial family’s civil war has finally begun.
