Chapter 42: Research Presentation
ㅤTherefore, with the expectations of the three guilds on my shoulders, I once again arrived at the site of the great collapse.
ㅤ
ㅤAccompanying me are Shizu-san and Arne-san.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Are you really sure we don’t need to prepare a rope?”
ㅤ
ㅤShizu-san asks.
ㅤ
ㅤBy the way, we are currently hidden near the collapse site, at a point where the Flame Lizards won’t notice us, observing the situation inside.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes. I have various thoughts on the matter.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe plan that came up in the guild representatives’ meeting was to descend using a rope, but I rejected it.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Because…… it would mean putting our lifeline in someone else’s hands, right?）
ㅤ
ㅤIf there are no stairs to the third floor, it means we’ll need to climb back up the rope as well.
ㅤ
ㅤWhat if the rope is cut while I’m descending……?
ㅤ
ㅤI can’t possibly explore the lower levels with such anxieties.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Of course, I trust Shizu-san and Arne-san, but I don’t know what could happen while I’m gone.）
ㅤ
ㅤIf the Special Envoy Knights or Latifa-san find out that I’m going ahead, it will definitely cause a commotion.
ㅤAt that time, I would be the only one under the rope, with the rope’s management left to others.
ㅤ
ㅤ（For example, someone who doesn’t want me to get the credit could secretly cut the rope at night, or something like that.）
ㅤ
ㅤAt school, my shoes were often stolen from my shoe locker and my desk was often vandalized when I wasn’t around.
ㅤIt’s important to keep truly important things close at hand.
ㅤThis is especially true if it’s your lifeline.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well then, I’ll take care of the troublesome monsters for now.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, but ‘for now’……”
ㅤ
ㅤIgnoring Shizu-san who seemed to have something to say, I approach the collapse site.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’ll help you.”
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san chases after me, but
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, I’ll be fine with this much.”
ㅤ
ㅤI decline her help and take out the Wand of Regret from my back.
ㅤ
ㅤ（According to the minimap, there are 19 Flame Lizards. And 2 Salamanders. A male and a female, I guess.）
ㅤ
ㅤSalamanders have males and females, and the males are slightly stronger.
ㅤThe males protect the nest, and the females lay Flame Lizard eggs.
ㅤHowever, they don’t seem to engage in any parenting behavior.
ㅤAs soon as the Flame Lizards are born, they become soldiers of the male Salamander, their father（?）.
ㅤThis is the Salamander kingdom.
ㅤ
ㅤ”The theory is to attack the male first, but…… well, it’ll work out either way.
ㅤ–Drifting magic power, obey the guidance of my magic power and transform into a force of destruction.”
ㅤ
ㅤAlong with the chant, 21 lumps of light appear before me.
ㅤI said light, but to be precise, they are aurora-colored distortions of space.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Eh, this is……!”
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san is surprised.
ㅤIt seems she immediately realized the true nature of this “light.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I learned from Arne-san and tried various things. What kind of image is effective for attack magic?
ㅤFire, rock, water, ice, wind, metal…… and also things like a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, methane gas, hydrogen sulfide, and so on.
ㅤEach one is useful, but it creates an opening while you’re imagining it, and the more complex the spell, the worse the damage efficiency.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s true. You’re reducing the power and using it for the construction of the spell formula.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s right.
ㅤBut then, it should be possible to simplify the construction of the spell formula and increase the power accordingly.
ㅤAnd that’s how I arrived at this magic.”
ㅤ
ㅤI swing the wand and launch the light bullets I created.
ㅤ
ㅤJwdddooodooon!
ㅤ
ㅤ”……! ……!”
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san’s mouth moves as if she’s trying to speak.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s magic that condenses Ether in its raw form and shoots it out. For the time being, I’m calling it Ether Shot.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe light bullets I fired drew gentle arcs and landed on their respective targets.
ㅤThe targets — the group of Flame Lizards and Salamanders.
ㅤShot through the head and body by the Ether Shot, the group of monsters turns into black particles and disappears.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Phew…… That’s taken care of. Now, let’s prepare for the descent…… Shizu-san, Arne-san?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”……”
ㅤ”……”
ㅤ
ㅤThere’s no reply, so I turn around and see that both of them are speechless with their eyes wide open.
ㅤ
ㅤ（D-Did I overdo it……?）
ㅤ
ㅤBut before heading to the third floor, I needed to show them a glimpse of my power.
ㅤOtherwise, they might insist on bringing someone else along.
ㅤ
ㅤ”W-What was that just now?!”
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san asks with an intensity that almost makes her grab me.
ㅤ
ㅤ”A-As I just explained, it’s an attack magic I developed…… Arne-san was also developing various things, wasn’t she? I just tried to imitate it in my own way……”
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s not just imitation! To condense Ether, which is already difficult to imagine, to the level where it can be converted into power and used as attack magic…… and about twenty of them simultaneously?!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”B-But, Arne-san was also manipulating Ether during Sanctuary. What I’m doing isn’t that different……”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ugh, w-well, if you say so, maybe it is……? No, no, the difficulty of the spell is completely different!”
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san shouts, holding her head.
ㅤ
ㅤThen, Shizu-san speaks.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m amazed. No wonder you were able to completely conquer the second floor solo.”
ㅤ
ㅤShizu-san sighs in exasperation.
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san finally regains her composure and says,
ㅤ
ㅤ”Haa…… I thought you were amazing, but not to this extent.
ㅤSo? You said you didn’t need a rope, but you’re not going to tell me you’re going to do something with magic……?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Eh! You mean create a rope with magic?”
ㅤ
ㅤShizu-san is surprised by Arne-san’s words.
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, even Minato can’t create a concrete object like a rope from scratch, I think…… You can’t, right?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Creating a rope is impossible. I can create something like a string with a uniform material, but it wouldn’t be strong enough to hang from safely. And besides, I wouldn’t be able to secure the upper part once I’ve descended.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Then, what are you going to do?”
ㅤ
ㅤI answer Arne-san, who asks with a questioning look on her face.
ㅤ
ㅤ”–I’ll just fly with magic.”