Chapter 136: Ancient Ruins (1)
oiK“Right. He does look strong for real.”lVJdD
8iAd“Exactly.”M3bOOIZ
ShwWdShirone and Amy agreed. It wasn’t just the tattoos. Their keen senses were picking up on the latent force within the man.JYVfJVD
LeuPzHowever, Rian thought differently.W0ViJU
SLw“Hmph, just because he’s glaring doesn’t mean he has any real strength. No need to be scared.”wpdO
LlGTGwmRian’s senses were less sharp than others. That’s why he couldn’t open a Schema, but Shirone found reassurance in that. In any frightening situation, Rian would steadfastly be their shield.ScR
zogo“Great! Let’s start exploring the ruins!”EdsI6vZ
qgkiThey passed the toll booth and began their investigation in earnest.C9RcyW
fux60zThe Kergos Ruins were a temple dedicated to a deity, forming a square structure 2 kilometers in length and width.2MQ
hf6hCrossing a 200-meter-wide moat via a bridge led to a long gallery, and it was another 500 meters along the pilgrimage route before reaching the central temple.xdDViF
Odf“Wow, it’s really huge. Can you believe this was built thousands of years ago?”Lu1R6Q
kblqW“I heard from people earlier that it’s only this visible because it’s buried under volcanic ash. In reality, it’s several times larger.”PMVIHlo
7SqC41Shirone looked down at his feet. Since the volcanic eruption happened 500 years ago, the volcanic ash would be beneath the surface layer.wHryi9v
eO7Amy, who was ahead, turned back and shouted at Shirone.8xKa
qPFnv“Shirone, what are you doing? We need to check out the central temple too.”lds
bG4JW19Shirone didn’t respond. He just smiled faintly, deeply engrossed in something.GR0s
RooAmy approached him, puzzled.EBlYH
t6zcx“What’s wrong? What’s happening?”GwPmmse
8DCV“Amy, try entering Spirit Zone.”03ug84w
XrWCV0“Spirit Zone? Why all of a sudden?”QN2Xw
RLkRealization dawned on Amy, and she slapped her palm.DQR
T4Jxf“Oh, I see!”6Qnbc7X
Axi6AAWMages can extend their senses through Spirit Zone. If there was something hidden beneath the ruins, it would surely trigger their Synesthesia.vctrJd
rAFtl“Got it. I’ll give it a try.”mW0elc
RWBPAmy entered Spirit Zone. As she probed the underground with her Synesthesia, her brows gradually furrowed. After about 5 seconds, she seemed to have realized something and released the zone.R1xHNjd
DJNlUwS“Shirone, this”xtc
E0Rqq“Yeah. Nothing’s being detected. There should at least be some bedrock, but there’s nothing.”87a
fbFslO“Could it be because the layer of volcanic ash is too thick? What if we go deeper?”u6csLxy
VyBxmFhThat was the issue they were stuck on. But after a moment of thought, Shirone had an epiphany.OFVrWS
qiy“Aha, there’s a way.”yb9
goJAmy could do it. Her specialty was the Target Form among the Four Way Formation, known for its long range.YtEs
GZeThe Target Form, also known as the Cross Zone, places the mage at the intersection of two lines, rapidly rotating it to swiftly hit a specific target.m4NOKUe
uEJjzJQBut it didn’t end there.9geOJ
sUsPUpon entering the advanced class, Amy specialized her Target Form into Sniper Mode.Gm2Cnk
ernnSniper Mode, with a perfectly straight Spirit Zone, places the mage at the end of the zone to enhance range.TYpYk
YAl6This directional zone, despite its slow rotation, can achieve at least four times the range of the Target Form.9hOQ
xS6OgEven expanding the zone’s radius to just 500 meters makes it surpass 1 kilometer in Target Form. In Sniper Mode, it could hit a target 4 kilometers away.deujoBL
bOs4CAmy’s basic radius was 68 meters. In Target Form, it reached 143 meters, and in Sniper Mode, it exceeded 500 meters.8iA
X3c“Alright, I’ll try.”InZx
043JdAmy entered the zone with a Sequence Method. The transformation of the Four Way Formation was swift, and a tilted cross stood erect.deAgir
cb9QwA‘Sniper Mode!’gaPcdi
B3vAmy’s zone dove downwards like a cascade. A groan escaped her clenched teeth.BF8
ww4KyAs the zone extended, its durability inevitably weakened. Without obstacles, it wouldn’t be an issue, but the underground was unpredictable, causing the zone to bend erratically.N4UBv4
eiOUh5XAmy pushed deeper with desperation.fd4otB
tcayBkAnd just when she thought she touched something, her zone shattered, shaking her consciousness.GYwNh1
W5tMin2“Ugh! Ugh!”9j8g
if9KV“Amy! Are you okay?”I4VV
apXU2dhShirone quickly supported her. Sweat beaded on her forehead.jAr0fAP
38foe“I’m fine. But this seems tough. I penetrated up to 300 meters, but beyond that, it’s impossible. It’s like tossing a thread into the ocean; it just drifts aimlessly.”CqH
wfRbRQShirone could guess the immense force at play. Amy’s zone was not weak, yet she compared it to a fragile thread.9c6
f3MAe“Still, we discovered something might be there. That’s significant.”soP6zo
ZlcQ“It’s a result, but it’s not enough. We need someone capable of maintaining durability while expanding the zone. At least a top-level Zoner, or else Spirit Zone exploration is impossible here.”rQkhz
T8nQbIt seemed to Shirone that without such expertise, the underground of the ruins would remain unexplored.XcbGiJm
qJI4“If only we’d talked to brother Ares. His exploration team might have a Zoner capable of investigating this place.”of9C4M
cnt“Or we could ask Professor Ethella.”QRKD
yfkjfEthella, true to a monk, was a Zoner specialized in durability, perfect for exploring such terrain.CQ9p
WoBO“If it’s Professor Ethella, it might be possible. I’m not sure how deep it is, but she could easily break through where I reached.”01raaGQ
8ydi2DRian chimed in.anrgkc
yarmJ“But if that’s the case, we don’t need to investigate ourselves, right? I heard the headmaster gave you a hint. Maybe he meant for you to figure it out on your own?”u9CMpz
IVk5Shirone and Amy exchanged glances, their mouths sealed. Sometimes, in pursuit of efficiency, they forgot the meaning behind their actions.zXBCs
1M8SAmy candidly admitted.YUeWv
b5Kq7“Rian’s right, but it’s such a waste. If we just break through here, we wouldn’t even need to explore the ruins. How about we keep thinking this way?”M5X26Zz
ZJqSWlShirone understood Amy’s feelings. This journey was to find a hint for the maze, not just to play around in the ruins.0rzW
XASW“Let’s consider various options for now. It’s not something we can do right away. It’s even more intriguing now. I feel like I won’t be satisfied until I see it with my own eyes.”RjRoNo
fB5Leaving their vague imaginations about the underground, Shirone and his friends continued their exploration.7iC
GUghnkBut the Kergos Ruins were truly just an ordinary tourist spot.0zu
wHewA1As they earnestly investigated, groups of men chatting and children running around with windmills seemed to mock their efforts.aM8P
Jg0“Amy, are we really doing the right thing?”Str
lNLJ“Don’t ask me. I’m feeling like self-loathing right now.”5vL
xFBDUbAfter checking the central temple, the last route, the group eventually halted their investigation. They couldn’t find anything unusual in the surface ruins.nxFhs
nd4Zo“I don’t get it. The headmaster said we’d understand once we got here. But what does an ancient ruin have to do with the maze?”iq8
9qXC6“Anyway, something’s definitely down there. Looks like we have no choice but to explore with Spirit Zone, right?”UnXS
AVuNZOARian suddenly lit up with an idea.dNj97
vHwaD“I’ve got a good idea. If we can’t break through with Spirit Zone, why not dig into the ground directly? Maybe we’ll find something.”JrgSZe
dqYjazShirone and Amy looked at Rian incredulously before resuming their conversation.XF4bh
Zpl“How about contacting the natives? Since they live here, there must be someone who speaks the common language.”rMCAq7m
qKx3H5“Hmm, that’s a good point. But I doubt those people would know anything important. Maybe we should find an interpreter…”oJRFss
g9OI8ZRian protested, feeling slighted.DO3lfU
N6eUkz“Hey! Why aren’t you responding to me? I said, let’s dig!”fJKbN0
wC6Tess interjected.ZnC6X
48RO7“Idiot, it’s a heritage site that even the autonomous government doesn’t touch. You’ll end up with a heavy sentence for cultural heritage destruction if you try anything like that.”8hSJsrc
sWtAfter reprimanding Rian, she turned to Shirone.kzKu
cQ2BGMe“What now?”NJZI7ry
ig3gK“I’m not sure. Asking around seems like best bet, but that’s difficult for now. We need to find an interpreter and get permission to enter the native autonomous zone.”Y13Vhp
GSm“Really? Then, I have an immediate solution. Want to hear it?”vM8y
yMQf“Yeah, definitely! What is it?”Ms6t2t
ssphoQRian, not wanting to be the only one embarrassed, grumbled.WfZ3E
6U5HIdU“You’re not suggesting we dig secretly, are you?”ZvYQxu
yj7xTess struggled to contain her anger before continuing.tFk
BSd“Anyway. Here’s my idea. While you guys were focused on the ruins, I took a look around. And I noticed something odd.”TPuzde
q6dS“Odd? What is it?”lsToRkt
pw23jTess scanned the surroundings.eyA2eU
1LsY“Look at the people. Most are tourists, but some aren’t. They move in groups, are armed, and seem uninterested in the ruins.”5tSmwB
92fThe three looked around. Indeed, there were armed individuals, albeit not many, wandering about.kkOphn
kOOCRBv“Aha! I see!”J2TGqUC
hUaD“Yes, they’re mercenaries. Why would mercenaries roam a tourist spot? Some look quite strong. There must be something in these ruins.”UccLsV
zG4U23“And the mercenaries know about it?”cgfS
rsGt61B“Exactly. Contacting the natives might take time, and they might not talk. But mercenaries are different. Just being here means they know something.”q96X
yPloDShirone admired Tess’s insight. While others focused on the ruins, she alone observed the external situation.Avt6
PBvtIt made sense, considering Tess’s background. The Elzain family had a history of producing commanders and diplomats, but their true power lay elsewhere.jnJNll
cXllX2iThey were spies.Yl9r
GgCoTo enemies, they were spies, but the information they sent from infiltrating various countries significantly contributed to the Thormia Kingdom’s diplomatic strategies.Vl0
984v‘It’s definitely a good idea. No, it’s the only idea we have right now.’Tvy
Ndv34AShirone decided to go with Tess’s strategy.gqrzEe
m6fHq“So, we just need to tail the mercenaries now?”NzVCmzD
VlS0yt“Tail them? Hmm, I’m not so sure. If we get caught by high-level mercenaries, especially those with sensory Schemas, it’ll be troublesome. I might manage alone, but…”Lon
re0d“That’s a problem. I don’t even know how to hide my presence. What should we do then?”WZS
ckkz0“Hehe, do we really need to go looking for them? There’s a place where mercenaries are common, right?”bKP
mFgLdF“Really? Where?”fi7Ot
zC82UH2Tess winked and pointed somewhere.4jQr3dw
HYh“Fancy a drink in the afternoon?”TGD5tIF
23iIlw* * *O122
6ffOn the southwest inner wall of the ruins, several shacks made of planks lined up, including restaurants, bars, and provisions stores. While these were modest compared to regular shops, they did much better business.Jq1o
7B87eIuDespite being inside the ruins and having high prices, people visited for the convenience.k9g
DYURUShirone and his group entered a bar. They wondered who would drink in the middle of the day, but except for two tables, it was fully occupied.NYvitW
hMh80SThey chose a corner spot. Amy sat next to Shirone, with Rian and Tess across from them.mmN
J0Eo“Are we drinking?”ZVrPpMe
qe0zWi“We probably should order something; it is a bar, after all. But let’s focus on the snacks. It’s better to have our lunch here.”sTOFs
Q1FTess ordered. Traditional Galiant island liquor came with hot noodles and minced meat.Qtv
cr2UAfter a skimpy breakfast, the four momentarily paused their conversation to eat.FGf1
DVoeThen, snickering sounds came from the side. Initially ignoring it, the continuous mocking laughter eventually got on their nerves.hOBn
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