Someday Will I Be The Greatest Alchemist?

Chapter 304: For the next generation

Having cleared the ancient ruin dungeon, I touched the core control unit and ended up having new issues.

「Everyone, I have something to talk to you about.」

「What is the matter?」

I returned to the caverns where the Aligerous Tribe was for the time being, and set up a meeting which included both Valzak-san and Valkan-san.

「The malfunction plaguing the device controlling the dungeon core had been resolved, but a new problem had come to light.」

The dungeon core keeping the Sky Island afloat was likely equal to the size and performance of the core of an S rank dungeon. And now, that magic power was running dry. Of course it would, a dungeon would lure monsters and people into it and consume their magic power to grow and preserve itself.

When the ancient civilizations flourished, there were many people living in the Sky Island, and I think this land had such high concentrations of mana that an S rank dungeon and powerful monsters inhabit the monster nest within it. Because of the wisdom of the ancients, the dungeon core’s ability to produce monsters was taken away, and adopted a method that would forcefully use it as energy.

「No, please wait. If we’re talking about monsters, when our ancestors arrived in this land, the forest only had monsters that even children could defeat.」

Valzak-san was perplexed by the sudden discussion.

「He’s right. At this rate, those monsters would also disappear……」

The reason why the magic power of the core was being exhausted was naturally because it was being used to keep this island afloat and manage the climate and barriers, but the reason it didn’t deplete completely was because the intake and output of magic power was only slightly tilted to the negative. The Ancients were amazing.

The Ancients seem to have been using a mechanism for replenishing magic power from mana in the surroundings far more efficiently than what I have been using heavily , as it had taken many thousands of months and years for the mana of the first class monster nest to weaken, and that is why there are no powerful monsters in this island.

「I think that the people of the ancient civilization who built a city in land which was still a monster nest at the time were amazing. Though it isn’t known for what reason they made this island float.」

It definitely was a mystery. There were practically no monsters that could become threats. Yet the ancients abandoned the easily habitable Sky Island. For what reason? Though it may be gone now, there must have been a strong barrier put up around the town even after it was suspended in the sky. Flying in the sky in a mass of high concentrations of mana, ………they must have come. The wyverns and, at times, dragons………

「I can’t say it clearly without thoroughly investigating the ruins, but the city that it once was wasn’t used for very long.」

When we first landed on the Sky Island, it didn’t have monsters that could become threats, and I thought it was a good place.

「In the end, the mana concentration of the land gradually weakened, turning it into an environment unideal for powerful monsters, and they disappeared from this island. Though I don’t know how many months and years that took.」

「S-so, what is the issue……」

「There wasn’t an issue when the Sky Island had high concentrations of mana, but even though it’s slight, the effect of intake and expenditure of magic power continued to be on the negative for several hundreds or thousands of years, so it wouldn’t be strange if it happened at any time. Put simply, the Sky Island might possibly fall.」

「Wha!? T-that’s!」

「！！ …………」

Valzak-san and Valkan-san turned pale. Valkan-san, who was happy to be home after 200 years, questioned me, as though imploring.

「C-could something be done?」

「……we would need the continuous cooperation of the Aligerous Tribe, but it’s not not like there’s no way.」

「We will do whatever we can. Please. Please save our birthland.」

「……understood. It would take a bit of time to prepare, but at the bare minimum, the Sky Island will continue to fly in the sky.」

「「Thank you very much!」」

There’s no way you could refuse if aged adults asked for your help so desperately that they’re in tears, could you?

Actually, after I found out how much the flow of magic power was losing in a day, I knew that it was an amount that could be replenished if there 2-3 people from the Aligerous Tribe do so every day. However, it was a ton of work to get 2-3 people to refill the core with magic power every single day. I’d like to maintain a slight surplus since the expenditure is gradual.

Also, I definitely have to research the magic devices that gather mana from the atmosphere and the ground as efficiently as the ancients did so I can upgrade Titan’s performance. Laeva would definitely be happy to research this as well.

***