Chapter 83: Tunnel Infiltration (1)
“W-Who the hell are you?!”
The gatekeepers, barely having regained their composure, shouted. But to their surprise, the robed figures didn’t attack them.
It struck them as odd—why hadn’t they finished them off?—but that thought didn’t last long.
‘They’re clearly looking down on us…!’
‘Damn it! Are they toying with us?!’
‘To think they’re the type to enjoy watching weaklings struggle… despicable!’
The gatekeepers swallowed their anger and resentment.
Because… as bitter as it was to admit, the power gap between them and these intruders was enormous.
‘We can’t beat them.’
The gatekeepers had always considered themselves among the strong. After all, their role guarding the Batevil Tunnel had been entrusted to them by that person.
And yet… they couldn’t even lay a finger on their opponents!?
‘We didn’t even graze their robes!’
No matter how desperately they attacked, the intruders effortlessly dodged everything—as if they could see the strikes coming.
And their counterattacks? They were slow, weak—restrained, clearly pulled punches.
‘This is like watching adults sparring with children…’
The gatekeepers grit their teeth. Defeat was inevitable.
They didn’t know who these intruders were, but they had no doubt—these people came with malicious intent.
Their instincts, honed from years of gatekeeping, screamed it.
“You wicked LAMPASians! We won’t open the gates for scoundrels like you!”
One of them roared, his voice rasping from the strain, while his hand dove into his inner pocket. He felt the hard, familiar shape.
If he destroyed this “Horn,” it would send an automatic signal to their Captain—the one who oversaw the tunnel system.
That captain was one of the most powerful individuals in the Northern Continent. They’d handle these intruders easily.
Even if the gatekeepers lost their lives in the meantime… it was a price worth paying. Compared to the countless lives inside the tunnel, theirs were but feathers on a scale. Worth the sacrifice.
“Wait, wait! This is a misunderstanding, I mean—it is a misunderstanding! We’re not enemies.”
The person at the front raised his voice quickly, and the robed strangers removed their hoods.
The gatekeepers’ eyes widened.
“You are…!”
They recognized them immediately.
“I never imagined I’d meet you here!”
“It’s a tremendous honor to see you in person!”
All traces of tension melted away as the gatekeepers shouted in unison.
So caught up were they in the identities of those before them, they seemed to forget they’d been defeated just moments earlier.
“Hm? You know who we are?”
The largest of the five asked. The gatekeepers' eyes sparkled as they responded enthusiastically.
“Of course! How could we not know? The heroes of Frauqi…!”
They were Hunters from Frauqi, the first to pass the exam in years!
—Batan, the golemsmith.
—Melasa, the witch.
—Hake, the archer.
—Natuia, the spearfighter.
—Frau, the martial artist.
And though absent here—Tamur of the Great Mountain.
They were members of the 616th class of Hunters, who had proven their worth during the latest Hunter Exam!
These five suspicious robed figures were none other than those very people!
‘No wonder!’
Their overwhelming strength now made perfect sense. They were Hunters.
“Since the ‘Golden Generation’ five years ago—when ten Hunters, including the Top Hunter of Yellow, emerged—there haven’t been any Hunters from Frauqi. Then this year, you all appeared like comets! We were so proud! Frauqi’s pride!”
“We were glued to the exam broadcast! That ambush at the end—so close!”
“Though, thanks to that bastard Zeraphe Gnaude, the broadcast cut out halfway through, and we couldn’t see the rest…”
“Tsk! To think he ended up in the hands of Depicio. That scum deserves to burn in hell.”
Since then, no more Hunters had emerged from Frauqi, so it was a great disappointment—until this year, when six Hunters from Frauqi passed. Half the total successful candidates!
“Frauqi? What’s that—ow!”
“Sorry, what was that, Mr. Batan?”
The biggest man, Batan, was about to speak when he suddenly grabbed his shin and crouched down.
“…Nothing. Batan must be tired. He came straight here after finishing his training.”
“I see. That must’ve been exhausting.”
Before the gatekeeper could say more, the only woman among the group—Melasa—covered for him with a smile stiff enough to shame a puppet.
“By the way, may I ask what brings you here?”
“Brief. Vacation. Hake. Home. Visit.”
“Aah~ Natuia, I’ll explain. This is my hometown. I got a few weeks off, so I brought my comrades along. I owe them a lot, you know? Just wanted to return the favor.”
Frau, the martial artist and kangaroo Beastkin, spoke smoothly after Natuia's choppy response and Hake’s bluff.
“Hmph. In any case, our faces are proof enough, aren’t they? That should be all the verification you need. May we go in now?”
“Well… you make a fair point, but…”
The gatekeeper scratched his head awkwardly.
“Procedure is procedure, you know.”
“I’d love to make things easier for heroes of Frauqi like yourselves, but I’m just a grunt. I need official verification.”
“This world is a dangerous place. Please understand.”
Despite their earlier excitement, the gatekeepers now resumed a cautious stance.
Even after being thoroughly outmatched, they still showed a willingness to resist—if it came to that.
The five stood silently, their expressions unreadable. Tension thickened…
“Of course, we’ll cooperate.”
Clink.
Led by Batan, each of them pulled out a device from their robes.
A gleaming rectangular artifact.
Nexion!
A cutting-edge magical communication device permitted only to official Hunters.
Zing—
As they tapped their Nexions, a giant image appeared in midair: a sharp-edged yellow star at the center, surrounded by six white stars…
Seven radiant stars glowing brilliantly in the darkness—symbolizing hope itself.
The emblem of the World Hunter Association.
[The individual before you is certified as a member of the World Hunter Association.]
The gatekeepers’ eyes widened in shock.
No doubt about it. That was a Nexion!
“Is this proof sufficient?”
“It’s more than enough! Thank you for your cooperation!”
The gatekeepers repeated the same tapping rhythm on the wall’s symbols and opened the passage.
“Follow this path straight ahead, and you’ll reach the Batevil Tunnel. Please go on in.”
“Much appreciated. Keep up the good work.”
“Have a pleasant visit!”
Bidding the courteous gatekeepers goodbye, the five novice Hunters stepped into the tunnel.
Rumble…
The stone door closed behind them, hiding the passage once more.
“……”
The gatekeepers exchanged puzzled looks.
Meanwhile, the five Hunters walked in silence, as if exhausted.
The narrow, straight corridor barely fit two people side by side.
Drip, drip!
Torches mounted along the walls lit the heavy darkness. Water dripped from the ceiling, and moss glimmered between the flames.
“…I think it’s safe to speak now.”
It was Natuia who spoke quietly after they had walked a good distance.
“At this range, even the most sensitive Beastkin won’t hear us. And I’ve already placed a barrier, just in case.”
Used to breathing and communicating underwater, Natuia had always spoken in halting LAMPASian. But now, he spoke fluently.
“Then shall we take a short break here? We’ve still got a ways to go before reaching the entrance of the tunnel proper.”
Frau, usually passionate and energetic, spoke with calm and grace.
“Oh, can I finally ask? What the heck is ‘Frauqi’? I’ve been dying to know. Does it have something to do with you, Frau?”
Batan, normally solemn and grave, was now laughably unserious.
“…‘Frauqi’ is a term non-humans and minority tribes use to refer to themselves. LAMPASians see them as non-humans, but to them, they’re just fellow kin. You didn’t know that? Tch. Your head’s full of nothing but booze, smokes, and gambling.”
Melasa, usually kind and gentle, spoke with chilling sharpness.
“Break time sounds good~”
Only Hake remained the same as always. The reason for this bizarre role-reversal…
—This potion allows you to transform into someone else! I had Melasa create transformation potions based on your four companions in advance.
It was Melasa’s transformation potion that had done it. After drinking it, their appearances completely changed.
Gale became Batan the golemsmith.
Sercia became Natuia the merfolk spearfighter.
Jana became Frau the martial artist.
Calix became Melasa the witch.
—The potion acts quickly and normally lasts three days after brewing. But two days were lost during delivery…
—So you only have about 24 hours left.
“We’ve spent a chunk of that just getting here. I’d say we have 18 hours remaining.”
“Yes. We must find it within that time.”
The goal of the Spero members, Jana, and Hake in coming here was one:
Depicio!
Why did they plot to strike the Hunter Association? What were they planning to do with the Clover Trade Company?
And ultimately… what was the key to building—and destroying—Depicio?
What was their true objective?
The answers to all of it… lay here, in the Batevil Tunnels.
‘I still don’t get why it has to be here, though.’
But Elwin had said it with certainty, so it was probably true.
So far, everything Elwin had done had had a reason.
Beep-beep-beep-beep.
“And… done!”
Gale grinned as he fiddled with the Nexion.
Their location and movements had now been transmitted to Elwin.
Unlike Viewing Orbs or Voice Orbs—which had terrible efficiency and lost connection over long distances—Nexions worked flawlessly with each other across the globe.
Even with the great distance, they had no trouble contacting Elwin on the surface.
“That brat… what’s he up to this time, staying topside?”
And what outrageous event would he drag them into next?
Just imagining being swept into another one of his absurd schemes made them anxious—and yet, somehow…
“A regular guy like me couldn’t even guess.”
…it was kind of exciting.