Chapter 111: The Ambush in the Depths

The Sordin Order’s temple was drenched in an aura of death.

With every step, a sharp energy seemed to pierce my entire body.

But it had no real effect on me.

Because Beast’s Heart was activated, beating back the dark energy.

—Whoa! This is seriously scary. You’re like a total thug. A thug.

“You be careful too. If you get any funny ideas, you’ll end up like that.”

—Gasp!

“Why that reaction? You’re not planning to stab me in the back or anything, right?”

—O-of course not.

Shugl folded his tiny ears flat and curled up.

Sometimes Beast’s Heart activated on its own; could it be because of this guy?

Well, it didn’t really matter.

He already knew the score.

He’d seen my strength up close plenty of times.

“Anyway, where can I find that rotten Feltron?”

—Ahem!

As I muttered to myself and looked around, Shugl suddenly cleared his throat.

He’d been trembling in fear just moments ago; how’s the attitude flip so fast?

“Know something?”

—From what I see, that guy’s like a demon too.

“Probably.”

—Then there’s an easy way to find him. We can sense each other’s energy right away.

Come to think of it, there was a half-demon hiding in the emperor’s inner circle, right?

This guy was the one who figured that out.

“Perfect. You’ll have to track him.”

—Don’t worry. I’ll find him quick.

Shugl hopped down to the floor and bounced around here and there.

He could go in his original form, but lately he insisted on this one.

People react well, and it’s energy-efficient or something.

A smaller body meant less spiritual energy consumption, apparently.

Of course, his strength would drop sharply too, but that didn’t matter.

He was always with me anyway.

No need for him to use power.

—This way!

He seemed to have finally picked up Feltron’s trail.

I immediately followed Shugl to the left side of the building.

The Sordin temple was built right against a sheer cliff.

So walking along the outer edge inevitably led to facing a massive wall.

It looked deliberately smoothed; the cliff was incredibly sleek.

It should be rugged if natural.

But that was the only odd thing.

Nothing else seemed particularly strange.

“What’s supposed to be here?”

—Look closely. Hup! Hup!

Shugl folded and unfolded his body, shaking his upper half side to side.

Then an astonishing change occurred.

Rumble rumble rumble!

With a heavy noise, the wall rotated, revealing a large hole.

It was a massive secret door, at least several meters thick.

And he opened it with that weird dance?

“How’d you do that?”

—Just used my authority. The door’s designed so only demonic power can open it.

“No, but what’s with the dance?”

—It’s a kind of ritual to use power effectively.

“Oh? So that’s a thing?”

—No, normally it’s not.

I furrowed my brow deeply.

I could tell this guy was messing with me.

“You—”

Thwack!

I snatched Shugl and applied pressure with a rotten smile.

As crimson flames tried to rise, he flailed his front paws wildly.

—Hey hey hey! Calm down. Other demons maybe, but for me, yeah. To use authority in this small form, I need big movements!

“Ah, so that’s it? You should’ve explained fully, not cut it short.”

—I was going to! You didn’t let me finish!

“Whoops! My bad, dude.”

I gently set Shugl down and offered my head.

This way, some of my energy transferred to him.

Meaning, take this at least and cheer up.

Then Shugl crossed his arms with a sulky expression.

—Just this once.

“Sure thing.”

I looked at the secret passage ahead.

It felt like gazing into a demon’s maw, with an ominous atmosphere.

Hard to even guess its purpose.

Too gloomy for the Sordin Order to have built.

But it didn’t seem like Feltron’s work either.

No reason to put so much effort into a hidden door.

Probably an existing facility corrupted by half-demon authority, turning it like this.

Before entering, I went down the stairs to meet the party briefly.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be inside, so better head somewhere farther away.”

“You’re going in alone? It could be dangerous; are you sure?”

Derrick said with a worried look.

Heading into a temple with an unusual aura; how could he not worry?

But I was truly fine.

Even without the emperor’s order, it’s a task I have to finish someday.

Feltron had a deep grudge with Abel Carius.

He’d already pulled weird schemes twice.

No guarantee he wouldn’t continue.

As long as he had the strength, he’d keep at it.

“I’m good. It’s His Majesty’s command; I have to see it through.”

I climbed back to the Sordin temple.

Then carefully inspected around the secret door.

With such an elaborate device, there must be traps too.

Sure enough, there was a strange pattern on the floor.

—Whoa! This is overkill. Definitely made by a total idiot. Who’d fall for this?

Shugl clicked his tongue at the sight.

The center tile was different from the surroundings, with an obvious square groove.

“Even the village idiot would know not to step there.”

I smirked and tried to edge around it.

But right as I took the first step.

Click! Slide slide slide!

“Uh?”

—Eek?

The center stayed put, while the surrounding floor all sank down.

I slid down with a dumbfounded expression.

Soon, Shugl’s mutter echoed endlessly in my mind.

—We were the village idiots.

“Ah, damn. Me on the same level as this guy.”

Absurd as it was.

Priority was dealing with the situation.

Sliding down like this, who knows what danger awaited.

Plus, whatever they’d coated the sloped walls with, speed was increasing.

Something to create friction…….

Pushing my feet sideways brought my body closer to the wall.

But it was useless.

That was slathered in oil too.

—Damn, do something. At this rate, we’ll kiss the floor at insane speed!

“I know! Idiot.”

Amid sliding, I balanced and rose as much as possible.

It was practically circus-level, but holding for a bit was no problem.

Standing like on water skis, I drew the communication rod and swung.

Swish! Boom!

Crimson energy surged, smashing the ceiling.

A massive resistance flowed through my arm.

“Yes!”

My guess hit the mark.

No matter how oiled the trap, they couldn’t coat the ceiling.

Gravity would make it drip down.

Crack! Crack!

Maintaining Beast’s Heart, I punched holes in the ceiling.

This created holds, so I could control the descent.

After repeating this for a while, the bottom finally came into view.

Surprisingly, it was packed with rusted-red spears.

Dozens of skeletal corpses lay around.

“Whoa! Brutal?”

If I’d slid straight down and crashed, I’d end up like those victims.

Well, not that there was no way to survive.

Extreme defense max could save me.

But in the urgency, I hadn’t thought of it.

“We survived, right? But why’d you freak out?”

—What?

“You could’ve spread your legs and glided.”

—You think a flying squirrel’s a bird? It’s just short glides. Plus, no wind here.

“Oh?”

—Showing your idiot side?

“Oh yeah? You didn’t know the trap either?”

—Ahem! That……. Let’s drop it. Makes us both look bad.

“Y-yeah.”

It felt weird when Shugl said something right for once.

Soon, I focused on exploring the secret passage.

First, I pulled out all the rusted spears angled in the floor.

Removing any potential hazards, just in case.

Snap! Crack!

Then rummaged my inventory for something shiny.

—Oh! A glowstone, prepared huh? Even dungeon-ready?

“Expensive, but useful. Good for camping too.”

Yeah. Might need to light a fire in dark places.

I illuminated around with the glowstone.

Even a trap should have some outward connection.

Needs maintenance to function.

Sure enough, a linking passage appeared immediately.

But after passing through, the problem arose.

“Whoa……. Filthy huge? Can we find traces?”

—It might be a bit hard?

Shugl seemed flustered too, just blinking.

No choice but to be.

The underground space we faced was insanely vast.

Like the entire cliff interior had been hollowed out.

“Headache. Why hide in a place like this?”

—But the presence isn’t zero. He’s definitely in here.

“Good to hear, but how long to search it all?”

—No choice but to roam. Probably fine near; his energy will strengthen.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

Relying on the glowstone’s faint light, I cautiously searched the cavern interior.

But about 30 minutes in.

Flash flash flash!

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, bright lights burst from everywhere.

Only magic lanterns could produce such abrupt brightness.

Meaning, this commotion was man-made.

“What?”

“Who are you? The Sordin temple isn’t open to just anyone.”

With a gloomy voice, a group appeared.

Holding magic lanterns, robed with hoods pulled low.

The Sordin assassins Jaren Burgess mentioned.

From attire to small sleeve emblems, to the crossbows in hand.

They looked ready to unleash a hail of arrows any second.

But I didn’t want to fight them.

What was the original goal?

To reform the Sordin Order and deal with Feltron.

No reason to clash.

“I’m Duke Abel Carius of the empire. Here on His Majesty the Emperor’s command to visit the Sordin Order.”

I clearly stated purpose and identity.

After verification, we could proceed normally.

Though entry was a bit intense.

But the Sordin assassins seemed to think entirely differently.

“We know. Duke Abel Carius. You were the target from the start.”

“Huh?”

At the unexpected reply, as I let out a dumbfounded exclamation.

The front one’s arm dropped decisively.

Soon, dozens of arrows flew in.

Swish swish swish swish!

“Hey, what’s with the hospitality here?”