I come across kobolds two more times before reaching my destination. Why are there kobolds in a place with nothing but crystals? Because they’re also here for the ether crystals, to take them somewhere else where they live.
Sometimes people come across ones carrying ether crystals. And they attack people for their precious proteins.
In any case, I take them down, take their magic stones, and collect four ether crystals filled with ether I find along the way.
I follow the map and reach a cliff. The ruins are beyond it.
There is a broken bridge nearby. A previous team sent to investigate built it with earth magic, but it degraded over time, and it’s broken in the middle. There’s a sign warning that it’s dangerous.
Well, I can use my Storage Gates as footing, so even if it’s scary, I can get through it.
Once I get to the other side, it’s time to start exploring.
I looked into it a little, and apparently there are a few ruins like these in dungeons. They’re thought to have been thoroughly investigated by research teams and regular seekers, but that’s not necessarily the case.
There are quite a few gates open near ruins, meaning quite a few ruins have been discovered too.
After investigating and finding enough things, research teams compose a report, and move to other ruins. They want to take what is valuable, and move on to the next one swiftly. Or are there specific things they’re after that regular people don’t know about?
I feel like one day there might be problems with ownership rights, like with grave robbing pyramids, but what I really care about right now is that there’s still room to explore.
I received information from Miss Sawaki. If I enter the ruins, move forward to a wide room… There should be something above.
When I get to said room, I see the ceiling is quite high.
Apparently a research team camped here, and seekers came in after them, and they reported that there’s a hole close to the ceiling that might just fit a person.
I can see it. It’s about three meters above me.
Adventurers with good physical abilities would have trouble getting up there, and not many have flying skills.
I could be the first person to enter it… And so, I go up.
It doesn’t look like anyone has been here… It feels like this was exposed after a pipe came off, and it’s not a real passage. But I don’t see any empty pillars that could fit the bill.
Then, on the wall opposite this one… Yes, I see it. It caved in so it’s not visible from below, but there’s another hole.
I imagine there was a pipe connecting them, with something flowing in it.
But that means that hole leads inside the ruins, and this hole could lead outside. Then…
Hm. Well, let’s step into the hole that could lead outside first. I hope I find something interesting.
———————————
Beyond the pitch black, there is a world wall blocking the path of people.
Once he cuts it open, what will Zenjurou gain from this new land? What are the monster hands that will attack him?
Zenjurou will once again be swept into a tempest of trials.
Hope there is something valuable.