Chapter 465

Under Cardina's guidance, they descended the metallic stairs for a while, clattering along while illuminated discreetly by Tatsuro's small red-light magic.

After descending about 300 meters, they reached a passage that split in six directions.

"Peewee"

"That way, huh."

But the path to the goal was already fully grasped.

Without hesitation, Cardina began walking toward the second passage from the right.

In this manner, at the next fork and the one after that-they proceeded downward without any sign of pondering, striding steadily.

They must have spent about five hours walking like this. Along the way, pitfalls and traps from magical devices that fired attack magic were all advanced past without activation, thanks to Leah.

And after correctly choosing the umpteenth branched path, they discovered an open space ahead.

"There's nothing here... just one weird door."

"From what I can see, it appears to be an elevator. There's a box-shaped space beyond that door, and it seems we can go straight down from there."

"Is there no chance that's a trap?"

In the back of the room, there was a single metallic door that slid sideways to open.

Next to it, a button about the size of a fist.

To Ishtar, it seemed nothing but suspicious.

She furrowed her brows and stared intently at the door.

"I don't think so, Ishtar. There are no hidden passages, and it looks like that's the only way down. The path isn't wrong, right? Cardina."

"Peewee"

"It's not wrong, apparently."

"If that's the case, then that must be the correct one. Still, perhaps we should check inside as well."

"That might be a good idea."

Everyone walked to the back, and while on guard, Tatsuro pressed the button from a distance using a vine from Tree Magic.

Then, the door clanged open like a familiar elevator from Japan.

"There don't seem to be any traps inside either. I'll step in a bit."

"Then I'll accompany you as an escort."

Led by the True Form adult Nana, Leah entered the elevator.

She looked around from top to bottom, neatly peeled off parts of the ceiling and floor with Smithing Skills, took them outside, and thoroughly inspected even the exterior of the elevator box, but no issues were found.

"Moreover, there are signs that this has been used recently. It seems someone is indeed living here. If that person built this facility, they must possess technological prowess incomparable to the city above."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Just the magic formulas and magic circles engraved on the elevator's magical device convey the depth of the creator's knowledge."

"Could we say that person has higher technical skill than you, Leah?"

To such a question from Leela, Leah showed a slight gesture of contemplation before shaking her head in denial.

"I... couldn't say that. Certainly, the person who made this elevator has advanced technical levels even in this future. However, they haven't yet caught up to the level of my Magic Brain or multi-attribute magical devices. But..."

"But what?"

Leela tilted her head, urging Leah, who had suddenly trailed off.

"But that's based on observing this elevator and the surrounding facilities. And this facility and elevator have been built for quite some years. If they're reproducing Transfer Magic with a magical device, something even I with the All-Seeing Eye haven't fully theorized yet... In that specific field, it might be fair to say they surpass me."

"Come to think of it, unlike the Transfer Magic I use, it lacked what you'd call human thought patterns, or remnants of thinking-the personal quirks that are always present when humans use magic. That's why I suspected it might be a natural phenomenon rather than artificial, but if it's a magical device... that explains the reaction. Well, even so, it's speculation from information read from fragment-like remnants, so I can't say for absolute certain."

"But the possibility exists. If there's a human capable of causing all this, I'd like to see their face."

"If it's a human, they're definitely no good, though."

Everyone agreed with Athena's opinion.

Having finished investigating the elevator, Tatsuro and the others discussed who would go first.

The thing was, this elevator couldn't transport everyone here at once.

There was a weight issue, and size-wise, five people at most could fit.

If they returned Cardina and the others inside Tatsuro, they might barely squeeze in, but then if something happened right after descending, it would be hard to move immediately.

For that reason, they were deciding the order, but heading nonchalantly into an unknown area with few people was also dangerous.

Moreover, Dispel Magic countermeasures were applied throughout the facility, making it difficult to peek with Cardina's spirit division.

Now, everyone was puzzling over what would be the safest way to explore.

At that moment, Aito and Aika, who had been quietly following behind until now, raised their hands.

"What's up? You two."

"Either one of us going first alone would be safe, right?"

To the two's identical words, Tatsuro momentarily thought what on earth these kids with the most unreliable combat ability were saying, but upon thinking carefully, he recalled that these two-or rather Sai-had a skill perfect for times like this.

Incidentally, Sai is a bokukko even in girl form. (T/N: Bokukko: a girl who uses the masculine first-person pronoun "boku")

"Huh? Alone- oh, right, Separated Body Immortality."

"Yeah, yeah, that'd be safe, right-"

With Nature Separation Fusion - Extreme, a skill that splits one existence into two, Sai's status nearly halves in exchange for creating another self as Aito and Aika.

And the Separated Body Immortality Tatsuro mentioned means that if one of the separated two is destroyed or dies, as long as the other lives, they just return to one form-a skill that's essentially immortal in a sense.

Furthermore, even as two, strictly speaking, the existence is one, so what one sees or feels is shared by both.

In that case, using this skill, if either Aito or Aika goes down in the elevator alone, even if there's a lethal trap that Tatsuro and the others missed, the separated body just temporarily vanishes.

If there's something using transfer to forcibly send them somewhere, the separated body can be pulled back no matter where, effectively nullifying it.

And if it's safe, the remaining one just needs to convey that it's okay, so no problem at all.

"Then, I'll go"

"Yeah, counting on you."

With that, Aika, who had higher physical status and could move more instantaneously, boarded the elevator alone first.

Pressing the only button inside, the metal door closed, and it descended downward.

"It's taking a while. It's been about ten minutes already."

"It's still descending-"

Just as they were wondering how deep it went, it seemed to finally arrive at the bottom.

Aito, beside Tatsuro, opened his mouth.

"We've arrived-. The door's opening."

"How's the situation?"

"Um, a room about the same size as here, with just one passage leading ahead and nothing else."

"No traps or anything?"

"Doesn't seem like it, Athe-nee."

What a capital-like way to call her-Tatsuro thought irrelevantly, then asked Aika below to explore a bit more and send information.

After looking around thoroughly, since there was nothing particular in the room with the elevator below, this time he had her proceed down the single-path passage without branches, unlike before.

As Aika toddled along the passage alone, a space notably larger than before came into view.

Slowing her pace, Aika cautiously peeked just her face from the entrance of the wide square room.

(Those are... golems? They look kinda strong)

Along the walls of the large room, multiple golems stood motionless, filling the sides.

Each about five meters tall, angular golems forcibly shaped like humans by stacking rectangular metals like bricks.

Even without moving, they accumulated considerable magical power, and Aika immediately saw they weren't unable to move.

Aito, learning of the situation through Aika, conveyed it to Tatsuro and the others.

"Golems, huh. Like guardians protecting the facility, maybe tamed by the administrator."

"It's possible, but if it's a person with this level of technology, they might be magical device golems rather than monsters. I can make autonomously acting golems if equipped with a Magic Brain, and if they can create some substitute for that, manufacturing wouldn't be difficult. If so, I'd like to capture and investigate them."

"But investigating is fine, but it seems like we'd have to fight them?"

"As Tatsuro says, if they're in a guardian-like role, the probability of them attacking us intruders is high."

"Well, there seem to be a lot, so even if they're somewhat strong, we should be able to capture two or three in pristine condition."

"Hey~hey~. So, what should I do?"

As they were deep in discussion, Aito tugged at Tatsuro's sleeve and looked up.

Part of him wanted to send Aika in as is to observe the golems' reactions, but considering the possibility that the elevator might stop working in conjunction with the golems' movements, they decided to have everyone descend first.

So, he had Aika return for now and stay near the elevator exit below, on alert for any golem movement.

Aito would stay as the contact until the end, near the elevator entrance above.

After seeing Tatsuro and the others descend to the underground in three groups, with the effect of Nature Separation Fusion - Extreme, he instantly fused with Aika, becoming Sai, and joined them.

"Now everyone's together. Shall we proceed ahead?"

"Let's go-!"

Following Ai's slightly quiet command, they began advancing down the only passage.

"Those are the golems in question. Indeed, not monsters but a type of magical device. I'm looking forward to what kind of core they're operating on."

"Any idea how strong they are?"

"Judging solely by the accumulated magical power, it's around level 100 to 110 equivalent, but factoring in the amount needed to move the body, think of them as having combat ability of a level 80 monster."

"They're nothing much to us, but to the residents above, they'd be an outrageous force. Is the master here planning a war or something?"

"Or perhaps they're doing something so guilty they think they need this much force to protect it-or something like that."

The field fell silent for a moment at Leela's meaningful words.

If that were the case, the humans brought here by transfer probably weren't being treated decently.

But currently, it was all speculation, so for now, they decided to handle what's in front of them.

"Leah. How many do you want?"

"If I can be greedy, five. Preferably three. At minimum, one."

"Then, big sis will try to capture five!"

"Then big bro will capture another five too!"

"I don't need ten!"

While admonishing the two who suddenly got fired up, Leah explained the golems' weaknesses.

"They have high durability, and they'll automatically repair to some extent even if damaged or limbs are severed. But apparently, the core is in the position of a human's brain, so destroying that will stop function…

…Also, regarding capture, if you sever the limbs as cleanly as possible-meaning with minimal damage-the design attempts reconnection rather than repair. So, if you cover the severed surfaces with ice or earth, they won't fuse and will endlessly repeat the connection attempt…

…Therefore, if you can cleanly sever the four limbs in an instant and cover them with something, it should be fine. Ah, but don't separate the head. The neck likely has important neural circuits connected to the core. After that, I'll interfere with Smithing Skills and neatly remove the core."

"Then, Ai does the severing, I freeze the surfaces. We can rotate like that and secure five quickly."

"Then, is it fine if we destroy the other golems?"

"Yes, that's okay. Ishtar."

With the plan decided, they each chose which ones to charge at.

Because if they approached all at once and neutralized them before they could rampage, they might avoid detection of the intrusion.

Geared up with full enthusiasm. Tatsuro possessed the Oni Warrior Ghost-Musashi, Leah boarded her machine and transformed it into the speed-type Qilin form.

But this time, to settle it quickly, the underpowered Aito and Aika would follow behind everyone and handle surrounding vigilance for anything else.

"Then, annihilation in one go. Operation-start."

With Tatsuro's quiet command, everyone leaped silently from the passage's shadow and charged toward the golems lined up against the wall.