Chapter 716
Chapter 716 – Prison (3)
Immediately after hearing news from Raven on the ground
The first thought that came to my mind was this:
‘It’s not too late, is it?’
Of course, it hasn’t even been 3 minutes since that huge vibration was heard. But even so, I’m not sure if this is really the ‘golden time’.
Well, I don’t know what their ‘plan’ was, but that explosion I heard earlier told me something.
The plan has already begun.
‘···perhaps·’
‘Golden time’ may have meant the time before the plan began. The escape has already begun, and when you get down there may be no one below.
No, you might end up in a difficult situation if you run into those guys coming up.
but····
Tada da dat-!
Rather, that is why I am running down the stairs with all my might.
Kwajijijik-!
Removing the thick iron doors on each floor.
‘Not yet·’
Seeing the iron gate intact, I had even more hope that the guys might still be locked up in the prison.
Tadadadad-!
Basement 2, Basement 3, Basement 4…
Going down quickly
Well, that’s definitely a possibility, right?
Haven’t missed the ‘golden time’ yet?
“Ugh, ugh···!”
As I was going down the floor at such a fast speed, I heard an urgent voice from far behind me.
“Hey, Mr. Yandel…!! Wait a minute…!”
He said he had to run away right away, but it looks like he’s worried and is following me.
I feel like telling them to go up first just in case, but····
‘Because it all came down anyway.’
Now you just need to check below:
If they are still locked up with restraints on, you can just go in there and ‘deal with’ them quickly.
If it’s already been released…
‘Well, at least he can buy some time to escape.’
After making my decision, instead of sending Raven back, I tore open the last iron door connected to the 5th basement floor.
Whatever happens beyond this
Without any worries, boldly like a Barbarian.
Kwajijik-!
An iron gate that is torn apart like a piece of paper by overwhelming strength.
It was quiet beyond that.
“······”
A five-story underground prison with a checkerboard layout.
Instead of torches that require constant maintenance, magical tools that emit a soft light are embedded in the ceiling, illuminating the surrounding area.
It’s not that bright, just enough to make people feel depressed.
Anyway, this is not the important thing····
Left, right, straight ahead·
There are three choices right now:
Since I don’t know exactly where the Noarks are imprisoned on the 5th basement floor, I have to go and find them myself—
Thump·
Oh, I guess there’s no need to look for it.
‘Nimiral·’
When I heard a noise from the front, I hurriedly checked in front and saw people appearing around the corner in the distance.
Clank, clank·
Two knights of an unknown kingdom, whose names and affiliations are unknown, walk in front, making a noise as if guiding us.
and·
“···I knew you would come·”
Ma-an and Banozant follow behind him as if they were supporting him.
“Pishit···”
And so on, and so on, and so on, even the juniors
Even if the situation doesn’t work out as well as I thought, I accepted it and accepted it as soon as I saw it.
Yeah, it’s already too late.
‘At first glance, it looks like he was waiting in front and then released me····’
However, this fact does not come across as completely fatal.
That’s understandable, I didn’t have high expectations when I came here.
In my experience, when you think it’s too late, it’s very likely that it really is too late…
‘I guess it was a good thing I came anyway.’
Thinking back, it was a place I had to come to at least once.
Well, if those guys go outside, something’s sure to happen, right?
If you think positively, you just missed the timing to eat it.
We may not have missed the ‘golden time’ yet.
Thump, thump···
The terrain was not bad at the time.
Kwak·
It is possible to stop it now.
To prevent those guys from going up to the city and moving ‘according to plan’
“···As you know, our mission ends here·”
As they were making that resolution, the two knights who were leading them spoke to the vice-captain.
“From now on, Ma-an, you have to take care of it.”
From what I’ve heard, it seems like they only want to help get you out of prison, and they don’t plan on helping you any further than that…
“Haa, haa… Hey, Mr. Yandel?”
Raven arrives at that very moment with perfect timing.
Well, isn’t that good timing?
“Haa, haa··· You stopped··· Now that I have the heart to go back··· Heek!”
Raven, who had been holding onto hope for a moment after seeing the day that had stopped, frowns when he sees the front that was hidden by my large body.
“Those people, uh, how come they…?”
What, how, how?
It’s out there because someone with deep reach into the royal power released it.
‘I see that you brought all the equipment and returned it····’
Somehow it still remains on the 5th basement floor.
It took some time to put on and maintain the stolen equipment.
Thump·
Maan and Banozant slowly walked forward between the two knights who had stepped aside, then looked at me and asked quietly:
“Are you planning to stop it? Alone?”
well·
“What do you think will happen?”
When I asked him again with a smirk, he stared at me quietly.
The eerie, dynamic eyes that make it seem like they don’t see people as people.
But is it because of the tutoring I gave you last time?
“Hmm, in my opinion, you are······”
But this time I got the answer right.
“I think I’ll make a foolish choice again this time.”
Well, I can’t agree with the word ‘stupid’ choice, but…
Well, after all, my actions have been corrected.
Yeah, so···
“······”
Instead of answering, he raises the ‘Aegis Wall’.
And he activates [Giantization] and blocks the only passageway connecting to the ground with his body.
and····
“Mr. Yandel… This is too reckless—·”
Raven cuts off her words, expressing her feelings of concern.
“You go up first. I will block this place. There is no reason for you to take the risk too.”
Let’s say it so bluntly. After a short pause, the answer comes back.
“···Ah, are you really going to keep saying things like that to make me feel bad? If you were going to do that, you wouldn’t have even come down here in the first place.
“uh····”
“You plan on holding on, right? So that those people can’t go up and do something bad.”
“that····”
“I’ll help you. It may not be of much help in this situation, but I’ve learned a lot of auxiliary spells while I was in the military, right?”
“hmm····”
A voice that doesn’t convey any hesitation at all.
I have a feeling that something is filling my chest for some reason, but on the other hand, I also have this thought:
What should I say in this situation?
Should I decline and say that it’s not necessary? Or promise to pay back later?
The worries didn’t last long.
“Raven·”
“yes?”
“Always··· Thank you·”
“······”
There was no reply to my heartfelt thanks, but I did not ask for a reply.
I thought I would feel even more embarrassed if I got an answer.
Besides, the other person is looking at us with an expression like, “What is that?”
“···Are you done? Pishit·”
Yeah, it’s splitting into two parts.
As I look ahead, I see the Noark guys slowly approaching me.
Corpse Collector·
The Screaming Witch
Maan·
And there are also members who don’t know their names, including those who wear glasses, but who seem to be skilled at it.
‘How long can I hold on to this?’
A thought suddenly crossed my mind and I just let it pass by.
“Behel—raaaa …
Come on
I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’m never going to let you have it your way—
Kwaaaaaaaang-!
Then, once again, a loud noise comes from above ground and the entire underground space shakes violently.
Ddddddddddd···!
The shaking was so violent that it couldn’t even be compared to before.
The damage to the pillar, which was already dangerous due to the impact the other day, has worsened, and it is now at a point where it would not be surprising if it collapses at any time···
Ddddddddddddd···!!
In fact, it is not surprising that a collapse could occur at any time.
“Mr. Randolph, is the multi-teleportation spell ready?”
···huh?
“Yes, the magic power depletion has been lifted as of now, and can be activated immediately.”
···what?
“Run it”
“But if that happens, the plan to release other prisoners won’t work.”
“It is strategically detrimental to waste more time here.”
“All right·”
The two of them were having a quiet conversation, and then at some point a blue light started to shoot out from under their feet.
It was clear what the situation was.
‘No, wasn’t it because of the equipment that you stayed on the 5th basement floor?’
I don’t know, but if this continues, I’ll have no choice but to open my eyes and let them go.
The weakness of Mess Teleport is that it takes a long time to activate and is easily interrupted····
I see, it looks like everything is ready already.
But I can’t give up because of that…
Tadot·
Dash forward, kicking the ground in a hurry.
Although he is called a tanker, the body of a top-tier explorer is enough to quickly close this short distance.
Oh, of course, if there are no interruptions.
“Roland Vanozant cast [Green Eye]”
The irises of the vice-captain, who had been standing motionless even as a tank-sized barbarian charged toward him, turned green.
And at that moment···
Hoooooow-!
A translucent green barrier is erected between the two, blocking their path.
Boom-!
A wall that doesn’t crack even when you hit it with a hammer.
This was the same even if I swapped weapons with No. 687 Siege Slayer····
Kwaaaaaaaang-!
Starting with the unmoving wall, the precarious ceiling begins to collapse, showing signs of building collapse.
One way or another, I struck down the hammer.
Shh …
The blue glow beyond the wall is getting darker and darker, as if to signal the imminent completion of the magic.
Kwaaaaang-!
Ma-an said as he watched me persistently striking down the hammer without giving up.
As if giving advice to a young man who is behaving foolishly.
“Baron Yandell, isn’t this the time to be doing this? Stop wasting your energy on useless things and hurry up.”
Soon the guy’s blank, motionless eyes turn to look beyond my shoulder, not to me.
I could tell what he was trying to say without even having to listen.
That would be the case···
“They say he cares a lot about his colleagues.”
Kuuuuung-!
The collapse has begun in earnest.
***
The ceiling collapses and a huge piece of debris hits my shoulder.
From that point on, I stopped swinging my hammer.
Now I had to admit it.
There is nothing I can do to stop these guys from getting out right now.
but····
“I don’t know what you guys are up to”
I had to say this.
“It will never go the way you want it to.”
Barbarians are a race that specializes in ruining things.
“···I don’t expect it·”
Yeah, pretending to be cool
‘Okay, okay·’
Anyway, I’ve finished what I wanted to say.
Ta-da-!
As soon as I finished my business, I turned around and dashed towards the stairs where Raven was.
Flash-!
There was a strong light flashing behind me once in the middle, but I didn’t bother to look back.
Even if we do that, there will be no one left anymore.
First of all, the urgent task is to evacuate Raven to the ground—·
“Mr. Yandel! The stairs up are blocked!”
“···what?”
Once I picked up Raven and checked the top of the stairs, the path up there had really completely collapsed.
‘Ha, so I have to go up by breaking through these one by one?’
I sighed as soon as I saw it, but I couldn’t give up on it.
I didn’t have time to think, so I headed up the stairs right away.
And just as I was about to start clearing away the debris blocking the road with my bare hands,
“Mr. Yandel, it’s too late!”
It’s late…
Well, it could seem like that.
“So you’re saying I should just die here?”
For K-Barbarians, giving up is like counting kimchi—·
“No, that’s not what I meant! Let’s go down! We can escape with the multi-teleportation magic!”
ah···?
Is there such a way?
“Just give me time until the magic is complete!”
Why didn’t I think of this and tried to use my body right away?
I felt embarrassed because I felt like my brain had become a real barbarian, but there is no doubt that this is the best method.
thus····
Ddddddddd-!
At that time, I was running down the collapsing stairs and trying to find a place to hold on.
“Over there!”
Raven points to the corner furthest from the entrance.
Upon inspection, it was discovered that the thick pillars had collapsed and interlocked with each other, creating a space where two people could hide.
‘Okay, if you hold me up from below, I can easily hold out until the magic is complete—’
At that time, while making that judgment and running down the passageway,
“···huh?”
“···Huh? Gyaaaahhhh!!”
The floor collapsed.
and····
Kuung-!
When I came to, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
Well, I guess it’s a bit strange to say that I came to my senses.
The Barbarian’s body is not so weak that he would faint if the ground collapsed while he was running and he fell down.
The heavy footsteps I took touched the floor.
The floor where the leak was was broken and
Even while falling down, Raven, who was holding him, twisted her body to avoid getting hurt and fell on her back.
I saw and remember everything vividly, like a slow-motion video.
If there is one question, it is…
“Here······”
I could feel with my whole body that this place was safe, even without anyone explaining it to me.
Somehow, while the upper floors were all collapsing, the space below where I fell remained intact and unshaken.
If I were to look for a place that was broken, it would be a small part of the ceiling that was created when I fell…
“Basement… 6th floor…?”
Apparently the royal dungeon ends at the 5th floor.
It was the same in the game, and in real life, there were no stairs going down from the 5th floor.
I have never heard of the royal prison being expanded.
‘No, more than that, from the beginning·’
···Can we call this place a prison?
A huge space with a cubic structure.
There is no entrance to this space, let alone iron bars, and there is only one cubic structure in the center of the space.
It’s like a box inside a box, like a Matryoshka doll.
“······”
What the heck is this place?
Surely they wouldn’t have created a space that had no meaning like this, hiding it away.
“Raven, wake up. Hurry up.”
To get the answer, I quickly woke up the wizard.
Fortunately, Raven only lost consciousness for a moment while falling, and regained consciousness quickly after shaking his body.
“Hey, this is······”
“I fell and found this place. Is there anything I should know?”
Raven, who was looking around with a blank look at my request, fixes his gaze on the cubic structure in the center.
“Do you know what that is?”
When I asked him again, shaking his shoulder, Raven answered in a voice that seemed uncertain of her own.
“Well, I don’t really know what it is······”
“however?”
“I… think there’s a portal inside…?”
What on earth is this space?