Chapter 55 – 16. Beyond the Gate (1)
Chloe quietly folded her fan.
Her face revealed through the fan was full of surprise for a moment.
“A gate…?”
I too looked at the gate in silence. The place where the party entered was an abandoned wilderness where people stopped walking.
A green gate with a radius of about 2m was summoned in the air.
“It is different from the normal gate. The owner of Green Gateney Dungeon is definitely a type 3 monster. But the exterior of the gate is much more sinister.”
Around the gate, purple, that is, ominous sparks of purple were constantly flickering.
Anton answered me.
“You’re right! Count Julian. I have also seen many gates summoned to my estate. But I’ve never seen a gate with such an ominous feeling!”
For a moment, I remembered the setting of Demon King’s Slaughter. The gate was a kind of energy source that became the source for the Witchbeast to move.
Among them, the largest source of energy is, by far, the super-large gate, the Keiatic Gate. The closer it was to that gate, the larger the size of the attached gate.
‘Among them, the particularly large gates have evolved into nests.’
Conversely, as the distance from the Keiatic Gate increased, the size of the sudden gate summoned decreased.
It was because the power of the Gate and the Witchbeast, the energy called demon power, was reduced due to the distance.
‘So it was a surprise that a Type 2 monster’s sudden gate was formed in the Colosseum when school started.’
The Keiatic Gate closest to the ecliptic existed in the Old Hwangdo. The distance between the two cities is not too far.
However, the distance was not close enough for a type 2 or so high-ranking monster to open the sudden gate and appear.
In addition, sacred obelisks were installed throughout the ecliptic. Its function is to cut off the magical power that exists in the air.
Through the obelisk, the emperor was blocking the summoning of the usually dangerous high-ranking monsters.
So, most of the monsters that appeared in the ecliptic were low-grade monsters. The lower magic beasts did not require a lot of magic power to open the gate. So, rather, the radius of activity was more free.
It was the low-ranking demons who mainly penetrated the blind spots of the sacred obelisk.
So what happened at the Colosseum is unprecedented. It was not surprising that the General Assembly kept quiet about it.
Chloe closed her eyes for a moment and stretched her fan out toward the gate.
“As expected, it is different from the normal type 3 gate. Because the tip of my fan vibrates differently.”
She didn’t shake her hand with her hand, as she said, but the tip trembled.
“My fan is a special magic tool. It reacts sensitively to the magic power of the demon. If you react so violently. The dungeon formed beyond the gate might be much more dangerous.”
Anton’s expression became serious.
“That’s right. The monster that came out of that gate slaughtered all the villagers in 3 villages. The soldiers of our territory gathered now are also elite here, but… I couldn’t even use my hands!”
The number of monsters reported in the request is definitely one type 3. Three 4 brothers. Looking at the level alone, it wasn’t enough that the 50 or so gnomes couldn’t catch a single one.
However, in the report from yesterday’s dinner, it was said that the soldiers of the territory could not catch even a single brother. In other words, it was proof that it was not an ordinary witch beast.
Anton continued.
“Those guys became stronger as they preyed on nearby creatures, including local residents. So we couldn’t subdue them no matter what, so we had no choice but to entrust them to the Pantheon.”
I answered.
“You are right. Sir Anton. As a normal soldier, it is difficult to deal with the Witchbeast. Going into a dungeon would be more difficult.”
According to what I heard yesterday, the level of the estate army in Nevers was not as high as it should be in the countryside. Only Anton, who was a lord and a low-level knight, said he could barely use mana.
The Pantheon was a place where talented people from all over the country gathered, so most of them were mana users. When looking at the empire as a whole, there were never too many of them. It was natural.
Anton saw that Chloe and I looked serious. After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke up.
“I’m sorry to say this, but… You two seem to think that gate is dangerous. You’re right. You never have to be overbearing. We, who have been through it, are well aware of the risks. There is absolutely no shame in giving up.”
It seems that Anton has come to a conclusion. I answered.
“But if we leave the gate unattended, won’t it cause damage to the territory again?”
“It is, but…”
The Gnostic soldiers around Anton were buzzing. If the two of us, the platoon members of the Golden Wings, give up, the higher up must move.
Of course, the upper line is the royal guard of the ecliptic. However, it was impossible for the royal guards to rush to the border town of the ecliptic.
For once, Anton raised his hand to stop the commotion of his soldiers.
“As the soldiers here also lost their comrades and family to those monsters, their vengeance is indescribable. But you two are precious. And very young. So we cannot force you to take the risk.”
The gnomes lowered their heads with sorrowful expressions. However, Anton, the lord, was not wrong.
I saw the danger of the Witchbeast with my own eyes, so I couldn’t just ask for a fight.
Chloe also slightly covered his face with a fan, as if sympathizing with his words.
I guess you don’t even have to look. It must have been the expression that the noble me would never have to work too hard for such an insignificant village. Said it again
“Count Julian. As the lord said, there is no need for us to overdo it. Better to go back like this…”
But I answered Chloe’s words exactly.
“Chloe. I will go through the gate. To prepare.”
“Yeah? Count. What are you saying?”
I said it loudly as if everyone in this place could hear it.
“The golden wings of the Pantheon are not a place that can only be entered by nobles! In particular, here Chloe, the daughter of the Marquis of Aitern, Chloe de Aitern is the cadet representative of the Alchemy Order. Her skills are so well-known even in the imperial capital!”
There was a commotion among the soldiers again. All the way to this place, the soldiers were only interested in me, who was Reinhardt’s bloodline.
Besides, Chloe was making a lot of displeased faces as if she didn’t want to mix with the soldiers. The soldiers would have thought of Chloe as nothing more than an attendant.
‘The Marquis of Aitern is also famous for merchants. Although there is alchemy.’
I kept praising Chloe in front of them.
“If you are a member of the Golden Wings platoon, you will be able to deal with type 3 monsters. Of course, it wasn’t difficult for Chloe. Even more so, seeing her as the cadet representative of a religious order, telling her to go back like this. Those words would harm the reputation of the Marquis of Aitern.”
A soldier who heard me shouted.
“I’ve heard from relatives living in the ecliptic before! The representatives of the cadets of the Pantheon are already proficient in combat at the level of guardsmen. As the Count said, it might not be anything to the extent of the third brother’s monster.”
“That’s right! I heard it too. In particular, the golden platoon is evaluated as the cadets who will become the next core of the Guard.”
“Really? Then there is hope!”
At my words, the soldiers cheered. For a moment, I calmed Anton, who had a puzzled look on his face, again.
“Also, I am also a member of the Golden Platoon, and I am also Reinhardt’s bloodline. If the two of us give up without trying anything like this, it will rather hinder that future. You don’t have to worry. Sir Anton.”
Then, in front of the soldiers, he pulled out the imperial sword and shouted.
“Also, we cannot leave the danger looming over the Nevers Territory as it is! Sir Anton, the lord, helped my maternal grandfather to protect the empire together. So, it means that the territory of Nevers is no different from the blood alliance of the Margrave of Essenmund. It would be against Reinhardt’s pride to turn away from this place! Also, neglecting the duties of a high-ranking aristocrat. No need to worry! I will definitely save this place!”
At my words, the soldiers cheered again.
“Reinhard!! Reinhardt!! Great Reinhard!!”
Anton, who was swept away by the atmosphere, could not stand it and spoke.
“As expected… The heroic figure of Marquis Wilhelm I saw when I was young is exactly the same! After all, the lineage of a great Highborne cannot be fooled! You are so full of upright courage! That Anton was truly moved!”
Even though I was a little embarrassed to say it. Still, heroic actions greatly increased the title and the proficiency of Reinhardt’s Heir, so there was no need not to do it again.
Seeing me like that, Chloe covered her face with a fan as if resigned. I told Anton.
“It’s too much. Sir Anton. And if it’s really dangerous, I’ll use the hearthstone and come back. The reserve platoon members of the Pantheon rent hearthstones.”
Of course, if you use the hearthstone, you will be excluded from the mission for a while. Of course, I had no intention of using a hearthstone.
Because I have enough confidence to clear this dungeon. In fact, the dungeon beyond this gate was a dungeon that I had cleared countless times through Demon Kingslaughter.
It’s a difficult dungeon, so it’s a lump of proficiency. In addition, there was a special reward item that could only be obtained through Anton, the lord of Nevers.
That item was one of the main reasons why I chose Nevers as my mission.
“So don’t worry too much. I will come back safely.”
After I said that, Chloe and I entered the gate.
***
The space around me went dark with a momentary feeling of nausea.
And when all around is light again. Chloe and I entered a completely different space from the outside.
Chloe was a little dissatisfied with my sudden behavior, so she didn’t say anything for a while. However, I was surprised to see the scenery around me and immediately opened my mouth.
“What the hell is this…?”
When the monsters do not come out of the gate, they create a sub-space called a dungeon and call their own power.
The dungeon did not disappear unless the boss monster was defeated and the core of the gate was destroyed.
So, the method of going over the gate and attacking the dungeon directly like now was a one-sided monster strategy.
However, the scenery unfolding in front of them was completely different from that of a normal dungeon. Said Chloe, uncharacteristically embarrassed.
“This is the first dungeon I’ve ever been to…”
The sky was full of dark clouds. And a lot of crumbling roads around. And the wreckage of huge buildings.
It was as if a modern city in ruins had spread out in front of the two of them.
“Right. It is an unfamiliar landscape.”
Of course I was used to it. It is as if the modern city has become an apocalyptic ghost town.
The background of Demon King’s Slaughter is the medieval European fantasy world of Island. However, the dungeon now looked more like the reality I was in than that island.
However, if you look closely at the details, it was different from the modern building. It feels like a skyscraper made by raising the floor as it is in a medieval European building.
It was a bizarre landscape that mixed modern and fantasy architecture.
I knew very well which era this dungeon copied from through Demon King’s Slaughter. An old book kept in the Imperial Palace. The appearance of the ‘Old Empire’ mentioned in the old book was just like this.
I said calmly.
“Don’t panic. Chloe. Demons are originally the power of chaos, things that grow by eating demon power. So, there is no law that the dungeon must appear as it is.”
At my words, Chloe calmed down. After covering her face with a fan for a moment, Chloe’s expression was revealed again as usual.
Then, as if he remembered what I had just said, he said again.
“This will be your first combat mission, Count, but you are really relaxed. And what did you just say? Unusually, you praised me a lot. I too was taken aback by that statement.”
It seems that the praise he gave in front of the soldiers was bothering him. But. If it was her usual me, I would have been puzzled because I only sold her.
However, a good education requires both a stick and a carrot. The whip was whipped, so it was time to give him carrots.
Above all, she had a lot of work to do in this dungeon.
“I was just telling the truth. Chloe is the cadet representative of the Alchemy Order. And a very famous alchemist, and a golden-winged combatant. Am I wrong?”
“That… That’s… That’s not wrong… But still.”
I must have felt ashamed of her when I praised her again and again. Her cheeks flared and I stopped her from trying to cover her face again with her fan.
“Anyway, the chat ends here. Stay focused. Also, the dungeon is full of curses caused by demon power. So hurry up and use the divine power.”
The curse of demon power that dungeons and monsters exude. The curse was hard to bear with his sober mind without the help of divine power.
The most advanced form to counter the demon is the divine priests of the Pantheon. It was not for nothing that the cadets were ordained as sacred priests of each sect.
Two men in combat uniforms. Chloe’s and mine’s bodies were covered with a light green light for an instant.
And Chloe said.
“All preparations are complete. I don’t know how big this dungeon will be. No matter how much the divine power helps, there is nothing I can do about the decrease in physical strength in the dungeon. We move quickly.”
She, with her dungeon combat experience, took the lead. She was a bit hesitant at the unfamiliar scenery around her, but she soon proceeded without hesitation.
That was the moment.
“Chloe! Stop!”
Sensing her danger, I shouted at her.
