Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 130

Episode 130: The Commander's Jewel (3)

A cave where no light enters.

According to the records of adventurers who explored this place, there are a total of two underground passages at the entrance through which Verden entered.

It is said that there are no dead ends and that each leads to a special location.

One is a vast ravine, the other a natural maze filled with hundreds of large and small passages.

'If possible, I'd like to leave a trace towards the serpent.'

Because that would be easier to find.

It is possible to connect passageways by large-scale terrain manipulation, but this should be avoided as much as possible.

The Commander's Orb might bounce off somewhere, and any traces that might remain might be erased.

Verden's goal was always the Commander's Orb.

As we walked down the sloping entrance, the light suddenly disappeared.

Two passages appeared in Verden's vision as he was casting the spell. They were clearly the passages mentioned in the adventurer's records.

He spread his magical power and closely analyzed his surroundings.

Finding the traces wasn't difficult.

The moss on the cave floor was stained black. It stretched straight out into the deep darkness.

It must be the trace of the Commander's Orb that Warren threw rolling down.

'Is it so bad that it will rot just by touching it for a moment?'

Verden turned his head forward.

The trail of rotten moss leads straight to the first passage.

It is a passage leading to a deep abyss.

Since it's a single path, if we follow it, we'll be able to find the Commander's Jewel.

But that doesn't mean there are no risks.

Because it was recorded that countless subhumans and alien species were living in the long passage leading to the deep abyss.

'It's a simple task.'

Verden's main skill is elemental magic.

Its destructive power is perfectly suited to combat. It's not much different from what we've been doing so far.

Whoaah.

Verden, who had activated the magic circuit with electricity, entered the first passage.

* * *

“It was a den of monsters. We couldn’t stop for even a moment. To avoid being eaten.”

────Platinum rank adventurer, Halparon.

* * *

By the time we reached the end of the passage the slope had almost disappeared.

However, the floor was still slanted enough for the jewel to roll.

Finally, as we crossed the passage, a quiet space came into view.

'They said if you go past here, a snake will appear.'

According to records, it is about a four-day journey to the gorge.

Of course, this is assuming that there are no interruptions along the way.

“…….”

Verden stared silently into the void.

Water drops falling from the ceiling, bugs crawling, animals hiding their bodies.

None of the usual sounds that would be heard in a cave were heard.

The same goes for senses enhanced by the Rune Ring.

It was truly a desolate darkness.

But Verden had already experienced it.

On the move with the alchemist Rito Barslan in the Duchy.

I'm talking about the spiders that I met in the spider forest, the ones that can erase their very presence.

Although I clearly didn't feel anything, my experience at the time speaks for itself.

There are cave hunters everywhere.

They will be waiting.

For Verden to come into their nest.

Using invisibility allows you to avoid combat.

If you advance as far as possible, hide inside a wall using terrain manipulation, or protect yourself with a magic circle, you will be able to move more safely.

'But I don't think so.'

It's a waste of time and money.

Darkness where not a single ray of light enters.

Strange enemies that hide their presence and hide their teeth.

Why should I care about something like that?

If an obstacle blocks your path, just break it down and pass over it.

As always.

Verden spread his magic.

Magic power filled inside the room.

As countless creatures were detected, monsters reacted to the magic and stirred.

[Kaaa… … .]

Without eyes or nose.

Blinder, a bizarrely shaped creature with only ears and a mouth left.

Dozens, each about the size of a cobalt, crawled out of the darkness.

This is the beginning.

After that, stronger and more numerous monsters appear with glaring eyes.

Verden lit up the walls.

Kill all enemies that block it.

A magical power swirled around his staff, which was thick with murderous intent.

Triple casting.

<Chain Lightning>

* * *

Kukukukukuku… … !

There was a thud and dust fell from the ceiling.

This was already the sixth earthquake.

“……It seems like there’s a lot of noise in the cave, Kun’el.”

Kun-El laughed at Daniel's words as if they were nothing.

“This is a cave where no light enters, one of the forbidden places. It’s a place where anything can happen without any surprise.”

I heard that giant burrowing insects, stone eaters, also live there.

It is said to be as large as a high-rise hotel, so it is only natural that it would shake whenever it moved.

Plus, cave ogres and giant spiders are said to live there.

'Still, it happens too often.'

Although he was a little nervous, Kun-El soon lost interest.

As I said, it wouldn't have been strange if anything had happened.

Now was the time to focus on the Commander's Orb.

Kun-El stopped walking.

As I concentrated, I heard the commander's voice.

It is the voice of those who died in the cave where no light enters. They are whispering and screaming.

A place where death is rampant.

About the location of the Commander's Orb.

With such an excellent guide, there is no reason to hesitate or worry about your movements.

Kun-El's footsteps were unstoppable.

"huh?"

At that time, Lee Hyeong-jong appeared in front of Kun-el and his group.

A venomous fox. And the blinder riding on its back.

They were sniffing and drooling at the warlocks.

“Without fear, I dare.”

Kun-El held out his staff.

<Cry of Pain>

The skull of the staff rattled.

A burst of black waves swept across the front.

[Keeeeeeeek!]

The heteromorph exposed to the curse writhed.

Daniel and Karzan muttered in low voices toward the monsters that had fallen to the ground, their whole bodies twisting.

Then Kun'el's curse was strengthened.

Burp burp! Burp burp!

The raccoon and the blinder died from the pain.

The scent of bodily fluids was close to a foul odor. Kun'el sensed the death of his enemies and summoned his magical power.

<Crumblr>

The shattered fragments and scattered bodily fluids gathered together to form a grotesque shape.

Crumblr.

A low-grade species created with black magic. However, it is only useful for hunting small fry.

As Kun'el clicked his chin, the crumblers dashed through the cave.

After a while, the screams of the cave dwellers reached my ears.

Kun-El smiled brightly.

“Let’s go again.”

Kun-El and his party headed deep underground to the Commander's Orb via the shortest route.

* * *

Dozens of lightning bolts flashed in the darkness.

Corpses with their internal bodies burned fell to the ground. New mutants filled their empty spaces.

A crowd that gathers every moment.

Within, red lightning struck, followed by cold and flames that annihilated the Blinders blocking the path.

'Now I can see the path.'

Verden, who had written the flight, raced deep underground.

But this was just the beginning.

[Kagagagagak!]

[Ki-ga-ga-gak!]

A swarm of vampire bats the size of Verden swarmed us.

He immediately started moving and dodged down without much difficulty.

Kukukukukuku… … !

At that moment, a vibration was felt beneath the ground.

Verden, sensing danger, immediately moved to the side.

Soon, cracks appeared in the floor and large and small rock fragments flew out in all directions.

[Sigh, sigh.]

Stone Eater Adult.

A giant insect that can easily chew through even hard rocks has appeared.

Then, the one that decided it had missed its prey disappeared straight into the ground.

It moved so deeply and so quickly that it was out of the range of magical power detection in an instant.

“……It’s definitely worth warning.”

A stuffy, confined space.

You have to move forward for several days, enduring attacks from those coming from above, below, and underground.

It's definitely something that even veteran adventurers might find challenging.

If a normal wizard had come alone, his magical power would have been depleted along the way, and he would have been eaten before he could do anything.

Of course, there are always exceptions.

<Flame Wave>

Hwaaaaah!

Some of the vampire bats that were flying in again were eliminated by the intense heat.

He focused his magical power on the fleeing men.

<Inferno>

Super-hot flames filled the air.

Immediately after, it rapidly lowered its altitude and landed on the ground.

I felt a shaking from below. It meant that the Stone Eaters were charging towards me.

Verden slammed his staff on the floor in response.

The opposing characteristics of the Earth and Lightning series were disassembled and reassembled.

Magic that didn't exist before was born at his fingertips.

Lightning in the earth.

<Reverse Thunder>

The lightning bolt of chaos disappeared beneath the cave floor.

A moment later, rocks and dirt shot up with a loud vibration in the distance.

[… … !]

A Stone Eater who was directly hit by the force of lightning.

The flesh beneath the hard shell burst, and purple blood flowed out from various places.

The bastard writhed in agony without even being able to scream, perhaps because he had no tolerance for such pain.

Verden flashed his eyes without hesitation.

<Lava Strike>

Kkwadduk!

A spear that pierced the Stone Eater's stomach.

The lava boiled and melted the inside, and the superheated heat burst out like an explosion.

────Kuuung!

The Stone Eater, whose body was torn in two, cried softly and then fell to the ground.

Verden shook the dust off his head.

'Is this the only remaining big shot around here?

Verden's gaze turned to the side.

As if hearing the commotion, the giant creature was slowly approaching.

Judging by the magic sense, it was clearly an ogre… …or more accurately, a cave ogre with degenerated eyes.

'It has two heads, so it is a superior species.'

It's not much different from the Twin Head Ogre I defeated before.

There is no problem in handling it.

“……?”

But the bastard's appearance was strange.

[Grrrrrrrr… … .]

The right half of the body is rotten.

The limping cave ogre was in a miserable state.

It would be more accurate to say that he is half dead.

It was obvious why it had changed like that.

'Did you touch the Commander's Orb?'

That could be the only reason.

Because I've never heard of someone being naturally half-undead.

'That means the Commander's Jewel is inside there.'

Moreover, unlike before, a very faint sense of death is felt.

A similar feeling to what I felt in the duchy.

The existence of the Commander's Jewel has become more certain.

Magic focused on the Oculus.

As soon as the buffer was filled, a light flashed on the staff member's head.

Verden lunged at the ogre in one breath. He lightly dodged the creature's slowly outstretched hand and thrust his oculus at its chest.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

A loud noise shook the cave.

The ogre's half body, which had rotted away completely, disappeared.

The corpse of an ogre that fell backwards.

Verden headed deep underground without looking back.

* * *

I moved around, appeasing my hunger with the beef jerky and water I had prepared in advance.

When I was tired, I used intermediate and advanced magic stones as sacrifices to set up a defensive magic circle.

I was thinking that maybe an intermediate magic stone would be enough, but I'd rather be sure.

There was no reason to take unnecessary risks to save a few pennies, let alone hundreds of millions.

After eliminating obstacles like undead and aliens, it felt like two days had passed.

“Is this a deep gulf?”

Literally empty space.

A circular cliff, so deep that it could not be seen even by hint, blocked the path.

I lightly threw a small stone.

As time passed, no sound was heard.

A depth you've never experienced before.

This was the last place recorded by adventurers.

It is said that some wizards tried to go down, but instead of finding the bottom, they were attacked along the way and died.

That's why they had no choice but to retreat.

I understand.

A deep darkness that is difficult to even fathom.

If I fall down there, how far from the ground will I be? And what dangers might there be?

It would have been scary to take on the challenge out of simple adventurous spirit.

But Verden had no intention of turning back like them.

Because the ominous aura of death felt even stronger down there.

There was no hesitation.

Verden threw himself into the pit.