It’s dark in the pipe, and even with the light from the seeker device, I can’t see what is ahead.
I have a theory that the pipe was built to send the ether from what are now those ruins.
Actually, many ruins found in dungeons are facilities where magic energy was turned to ether and sent to various places… This is one theory anyway, but I think it’s valid. Ether is liquid, and this feels less like a power station and more like an oil field. Many magic energy crystals grow here, so this place must be overflowing with magic energy.
Then does this pipe lead to where people of this world live… It feels like it could lead to a city, but sadly, I can’t imagine that is the case.
When people advance far enough through the gates that exist on Earth, they can’t advance past a certain line, called the boundary of existence. Because of that, humanity hasn’t made it to the surface, and we don’t even know if this is underground or something completely different.
I advance through the large pipe, lighting the way with my seeker device. I haven’t encountered any magic beasts, and since this is a one way road, I won’t get lost. But after an hour, my seeker device makes a sound warning me of a boundary of existence.
It’s not visible, but once one crosses it, the world detects it as a foreign body and ejects whoever crossed it. That won’t kill someone, but it will injure them severely and leave them unable to enter the dungeon for a while.
That means I can’t progress any further, and my adventure ends here.
But before I go, I want to test something… Part of the pipe is cracked, and I can see outside. Can I get out from here? I’m brimming with curiosity, so I try breaking it a little.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
I fire three air bullets from up close, and it finally comes down. I believe the cracked part deteriorated with age. If I were to try to destroy an undamaged part, it would have taken quite a while.
Also, releasing air bullets from my hands like that reminds me of qigong I would see in manga or movies, and I think it’s cool. Well, it’s a gimmicky technique for someone who is basically a regular person, and is scared of fighting up close.
The hole is open, and I see the cave with magic energy crystals growing. This place has probably never been touched by a person. I see some fat ether crystals that look like they have a lot of ether too.
I can also see something floating in them. What is this?
Hum, let me search using the seeker device’s camera… I see, mana jewels. If ether crystals are like regular batteries, these are like rechargeable batteries. And they charge automatically by sucking magic energy from the atmosphere.
I see five in total. Each… Can be sold for half a million? And they cost one point two million? Hm, I could sell a couple, buy a searcher drone, and keep the rest. Collect, collect… Any more? Hn…?
I hear a rustling sound approaching.
Is that… A spider? It’s huge?? And how many are there???
———————————
A scream echoes, and the man despairs.
The monster blocking his passage is a spider. A giant spider with many younglings.
In his desperation, Zenjurou will reach for the principle of time.
That will be the first step. The hour of awakening.
And the battle will begin.
Ooh, spiders 🕷🕷🕷. I wonder if he can tame it. 🤔