The New Gate

Book 20: Chapter 3 (1)

What the hell is going on?

He didnt feel like he had been teleported. Besides, aside from Yuzuha, who was clinging to Shin, what did it mean that Milt, who was supposed to be behind Schnee and the others, was with him?

Shin couldnt understand the situation.

Calm down. Weve been summoned.

Summoned?

Yuzuha seemed to understand the situation and stroked Shins cheek with her tail to calm his questioning eyes.

Oh, no, I see. Hades, right?

The answer was clear in his mind. It came to him immediately, and Shin exhaled heavily to calm himself.

Thats when the Mind Chat call came in.

(Shin! Can you hear me!? Shin!)

(Its okay. I can hear you. Im okay.)

Hearing Schnees screaming voice, Shin realized that he was calmer than he thought he was. When he responded, he tried to keep his voice as calm as possible.

Even though it was through Mind Chat, they could tell a little bit about the other person by listening to his or her voice. 

After Schnee calmed down, they checked each others situation.

(Theres only me, Milt, and Yuzuha here. Is there anyone else missing?)

(All the other members are here. It looks like its the same resupply area as before.)

(I guess things went smoothly over there. Judging from the location on the map, it looks like we were the only ones who took a shortcut to the arena. I think its probably at or near the destination.)

(Are you okay there?)

Shin guessed that they were further into the final area. He thought it would be behind the throne, where he had expected Hades to be at the beginning of the search.

Schnee must have made the same prediction, and he could tell that she was worried about him and the others. 

Shin

In the middle of our conversation, Milt tugged at the sleeve of his clothes as he looked toward the far side of the room.

The reason was obvious: the enormous presence emanating from the back of the room. Shin noticed this too, but put his index finger to his mouth and motioned for her to be quiet.

Although he had not yet confirmed it with his own eyes, he was also aware of Yuzuhas words earlier. It was almost certainly Hades who was waiting for him in the back of the room. 

If he told Schnee that Hades was already nearby, it would only make her worry more than she needed to under the current circumstances. Even if she hurried, she wouldnt be able to come to his aid right away, and there was a possibility that she might do something reckless by prioritizing joining with him.

Hades had not yet been identified to be an enemy.

Even though Schnee and the others were in contact with Shin, Hades did not attack them, nor did she interrupt their conversation.

She might have a presence, but Shin didnt feel any hostility, so she was probably waiting for them to finish their conversation.

(It should be fine. Well be wait for you here, so take it easy.)

The part about It should be fine wasnt just said through Mind Chat, but he actually said it out loud.

Those words were also directed at Milt. He tapped her lightly on the shoulder and gave her a look that said it was no problem.

He had no idea what was going to happen, but he couldnt let her worry.

Now, lets go.

Gathering his courage, he stepped deeper into the darkness.

I dont like it. My skins tingling.

Milt said and rubbed her arms, but walked next to Shin. Yuzuha stayed at Shins side, her tail wagging.

For now, the Burning Sword remained sheathed to show that there was no hostility from them. There was no reaction that he could see or feel.

However, the feeling of oppression seemed to increase as they walked on.

After about five minutes of walking, the darkness suddenly lifted. 

The walls, floor, and ceiling emitted a faint glow, illuminating the room.

Thanks to the map function, Shin and his team did not lose their bearings, but since night vision could only be activated near the entrance, they moved slowly, illuminating their surroundings with their light arts skills.

They were now about two-thirds of the way across the room.

Then, about 10 mels away, there was what looked like a shimmering pillar. It was translucent and seemed to have something sealed inside.

Drop of Erathem?

It was a rare item called Drop of Erathem, that stretched from the ground to the ceiling like a pillar.

It was translucent and looked as if something was trapped inside, reminding Shin of the Drop of Erathem that had sealed Filma.

When Shin asked Filma why she was in such a state after the commotion had subsided, she replied that she didnt really know.

All she remembered was that she was suddenly surrounded by light, and the next thing she knew, Shin was right in front of her. She said that this happened while she was moving through the wilderness, so he could only guess that some tectonic movement must have occurred after she was trapped in the Drop of Erathem. 

There seemed to be no people or monsters around that could be the cause.

If it was the same as when Filma was trapped, it was believed that a person, not an object, was trapped inside the Drop of Erathem.

Is this the same one that trapped Filma?

Perhaps. But why is it in that state?

If one used their skills to process the Drop of Erathem, they could get out from inside. 

Shin thought that maybe Hades was sealed away after talking to Eleven, but he also doubted that such a coincidence could exist.

Huh? Is it starting to get transparent?

Just as Milt had said, the transparency of the pillar was rapidly increasing, to the point where it was almost as if there was something humanoid inside.

It seems to be different from Filmas.

The Drop of Erathem that sealed Filma was transparent from the beginning, and there was no change to be seen until Shin touched it.

The only thing they had in common was that they were found underground.

The pillar made of Drop of Erathem became transparent enough to clearly see the other side in about 30 seconds.

This allowed them to see what was inside.

Milt looked into the pillar.

Is it a Dragnil?

By the look of it, yes. Origin looked like Shibaid, so maybe this one is more human-like.

Inside the Drop of Erathem was a woman with white translucent horns.

Two horns sprouted from between her silver hair, which extended down her back, as if they were reaching for the sky. She also had a tail and wings, which were all silver, from the scales to the wing membranes.

Everything else looked human. The well-developed face was of Western European descent. She had feminine curves and a tall, model-like figure. 

However, it was a little difficult to look at her because she was not wearing a single stitch of clothing.

The womans eyes opened.

Immediately, the Drop of Erathem that had confined her body melted away, creating an open space.

Part of the melted Drop of Erathem wrapped around the womans body, transforming into a light bluish silver dress. It was a simple but high-quality type of dress that fit her body well, and if one did not know her original appearance, one would not be able to tell that the dress was made from the Drop of Erathem.

In addition to the dress, the melted Drop of Erathem also took the form of a chair behind her.

As if she knew it was made, the woman sat on it without looking back and slowly crossed her legs.

The skirted dress had a slit in it, exposing her thighs. Her legs remained bare. It seemed that the dress would not change into shoes.

Have you finished speaking with your companions?

Her voice was a little deep and calm for a woman. Her eyes, directed at Shin and the others, had long, golden pupils.

The way she looked down from above gave her the air of a queen.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

I dont mind. It was a bit of a rough move. I guess you heard from Eleven, right? I wanted to contact you, but I too have various restrictions. I apologize for summoning you here so abruptly.

As Yuzuha said, the sudden move seemed to be her doing.

Now, before we discuss anything, let me first introduce myself. I am Hades. I am the half-body of Origin, the one who knows the outside of this world.

The pressure increased slightly when she said her name.

When Shin fought Origin, it was a game, so he could not directly compare the feeling of pressure, but with the opponents he faced here, it was close to that of Reforgerer and Tzaobath.

And that was without being in battle mode. She was definitely strong.

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