Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 223

Episode 223: Eastern Swamp

There are several reasons why the eastern swamps were designated as off-limits.

An area large enough to occupy part of a map.

Yet the environment is so dire that human habitation is completely impossible.

The dense jungle obscures the view and creates a gloomy feeling for the viewer. The swamp below is at a level where the lower half of a person's body would be submerged.

It is difficult to visually identify what is hidden in the turbid water that can make you sick if you drink it. The putrid stench makes it difficult to distinguish smells and adds to the discomfort.

Narrowness of senses is terror itself.

And the swamp dwellers are also a big problem.

The crocodile hiding in the swamp bites its prey and spins around. It has the power to rip off even the lower body of a warrior who has eaten a fair amount of sword food.

Mosquitoes will suck your blood day and night, and giant snakes are ready to swallow you whole. Carnivorous plants, deadly poisonous insects, and poisonous plants are a given.

Even the eastern swamps have multiple rulers.

The survivors are notorious and have left their mark on the world. It is a lucky thing to encounter them in the middle of a swamp and hope to survive.

Also, a deep swamp is lying there, knowingly or unknowingly.

The moment you take a wrong step, the clay and sand will pull you in without mercy. There is no bottom. It is a nightmare shackle that you will slowly fall into the more you struggle.

If you're a wizard, you can escape by flying, but if you have no other means, you're finished.

A corpse that has been suffocated to death will remain alone in the mud for thousands of years, unable to decay as if it had just died.

Clearing the swamp is extremely difficult.

In addition, the benefits of pioneering were insufficient. It was not a good economical calculation. The territory that the kingdom already ruled was large.

The only benefit is the reduction in travel time. It's not particularly useful. It would be more economical to go back even if it takes longer than it is now.

Eastern swamps.

From a human perspective, it was no different from trash.

And it seemed like the same was true for elves.

“Look at this sick forest, brother. This is not nature. Nature should be overflowing with life since ancient times, but this place is full of rot.”

“Still, it seems like there is a lot of life.”

If you include bugs, the numbers relative to density are overwhelming.

“Vitality and life are completely different. And what elves value is harmony that can be used as a home. From that perspective, this swamp is no different from a wasteland. Also, the spirit I contracted with is not a swamp spirit, but a forest spirit, so this environment is not suitable for me or the spirit.”

“I understand. But is there such a thing as a swamp spirit?”

“None. I don’t know if the spirit of the forest will settle down, but I don’t think that’s the case. That means the swamp is so horrible that it’s avoided. If it weren’t for my brother’s request, I wouldn’t have even come near this swamp. I’d rather live among humans.”

Do you hate it that much… … .

Now, Karans is moving towards the roots made with spirit magic. He is determined not to even dip his feet into the foul-smelling water, no matter what happens.

The disgust that Karans displayed was comparable to that of seeing a human.

'Well, that applies to me too.'

Verden maintains his altitude with flight magic.

To be honest, I instinctively felt very reluctant to throw my precious robes and equipment into the swamp. Who wouldn't feel that way?

“Do other elves think the same way?”

“I believe that more than half, if not all, will agree with me. At least if my sister saw it, she would turn this place upside down. She hates rotten water and wood even more than I do.”

If you say sister, are you talking about the manager of the world tree?

'The name was definitely Serendia.'

It was an elf I had seen in Karans' memories.

By the way, it seems that elves have different tastes.

It would be natural if it were obvious, but I thought that elves, who have a collectivist ideology with a combination of horizontal and vertical, would have relatively uniform tendencies overall.

Anyway, most elves hate rotten things.

Verden kept that fact in his mind and began to understand the elf race a little better.

As we moved forward, we discovered a huge tree.

Unlike other swamp plants, it felt full of life. Karans, who thought it was suitable for communication, touched the tree.

A sound that disappears the moment you close your eyes.

“In the embrace of the quiet swamp, Karans spoke.

“It seems that the power of the forest spirit is not working properly. I tried concentrating, but the communication is not deep.”

“Does that mean tracking is impossible?”

“It is possible, if only barely. The group of humans my brother is looking for has passed by here. However, if we delay for too long, this swamp will forget their traces. So we’d better hurry.”

It's a blessing in disguise.

Verden and Carans picked up the pace.

Then, when he reached the end of the trail he had previously obtained, he searched for a suitable tree again and continued the chase.

Thanks to Carans' performance, Verden was able to avoid getting lost.

But it couldn't be all smooth sailing.

Swamp dwellers flock in.

* * *

The Explorers are a relic exploration group with quite a reputation.

Due to the nature of the mission, it was inevitable that we would frequently encounter arachnids and alien species as we explored all kinds of rough terrain.

For them, who were not adventurers, avoiding combat was a basic principle.

For that reason, they use magic items or special perfumes made through alchemy to erase their scent or hide their presence, deceiving the hunters' senses.

This is a method mainly used when pulling a carriage through deep forests or swamps.

Naturally, Verden and Karans were not prepared for this, since they were not part of a relic exploration team in the first place.

The fresh smell stimulated the predators.

“Oh no, it’s chasing me again!”

Karans shouted, pulling back the bowstring.

Bang! Bang! The wooden arrow flew straight and pierced the insect's head. Another heteromorph filled the empty space.

Although the spirit magic continued to create arrows, there was no sign of their number decreasing.

A spark flickered from Verden's staff.

<Fire Plague>

Five streams of flames spread out in all directions.

The target was a heteromorphic insect-like creature. A swarm of giant mosquitoes with sharp stingers and bipedal insects dripping green acidic liquid were instantly annihilated.

[Kirrrrrrrr.]

The commotion is getting louder.

The more this happens, the more monsters there are.

Even though I had magically swept away the three-digit number of bugs, a swarm far larger than that still surrounded me on all sides.

From a distance, you can feel the faint presence of the Ainz race gradually approaching.

Karans' gaze caught his eye.

“The movement is organized. Perhaps…….”

“Yeah, it looks like there’s a leader leading the pack.”

It seems likely, given the mix of heteromorphs and subhumans.

Of course, there are cases where they bite each other and eventually coexist, like in a cave where no light enters, but that is because the environment is so closed off.

It doesn't fit into the broad terrain of the eastern swamps.

As I was thinking that, I heard a vibration.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

It's very similar to the sound of human footsteps.

But the sound was dozens of times louder. A huge shadow was cast in the dark swamp where the sky was obscured.

[Sigh… … .]

One of the rulers of the swamp, the swamp giant, Swampfiden.

A sticky voice leaked out. Similarly, a body made of swamp churned repeatedly.

Karans immediately unleashed his magic.

Tree roots pierced its body, arrows blew off its head, and the <Fireball> fired by Verden caused an explosion.

But the giant was so fine that his power was insignificant.

The body, which was close to a fluid, quickly regained its original shape.

“Ugh, it feels like I’m floundering around in a rotten puddle. It’s like fighting a giant slime.”

It's slime.

It certainly seems that way.

The amorphous nature of that giant is very similar to that of a slime.

Maybe it was a variant of slime. If so, it wouldn't have a core. I wondered for a moment how it could survive without a clear energy source, but I quickly shook the thought away.

Because among the heteromorphs, there are many beings that defy human common sense.

In any case, completely destroying the body would be the only way to subdue it.

“Carans.”

“Yes, brother.”

“What if I wipe out the swamp? Will that disrupt my communication with nature?”

“It might be like that in a small forest, but not here. A place like this where life is dying is not nature.”

This is extremely elven standard.

I don't quite understand it, but if there's no problem, then that's fine.

Verden has taken control of Orient.

“Go up the tree for a moment.”

"All right."

Karans soared upward, carrying the forest spirit with him.

He immediately understood what Verden was going to do. Verden, who was left among the monsters, unleashed his magical power. The pressure was so strong that the ones closing in from all sides flinched.

'It was already annoying, so this is good.'

The tomb of the Demon King is right in front of you.

I have no intention of wasting my time on swamp monsters. Verden, who rarely showed his irritation, calculated the magic.

A sphere of flame appears in the air.

The swamp began to boil in the heat, and the bugs writhed and burned red. Swampfiden took a step back from the heat he had never felt before.

The alarm bell of instinct has rung.

But it was already too late.

If you wanted to remain one of the rulers of the swamp, if you wanted to remain a feared anomaly among adventurers, you shouldn't have shown up.

Triple casting.

<Yeom-gu>

Giant fireballs crashed into the swamp.

Kwakwakwakwakwang!

The surrounding area was engulfed in flames, accompanied by an eardrum-shattering explosion. The destruction that followed continued unabated, slaughtering the swamp's inhabitants.

It didn't matter whether they were the rulers of the swamp or not. Resistance was colorless and the result was the same. No one who got on the Gray Wizard's nerves survived.

The worst ecosystem disruptor in the history of the eastern swamps.

The name was Verden.

* * *

Parts of the eastern swamp were scorched.

Verden, who had no need to restrain himself, scattered elemental magic without mercy, causing massive damage to the swamp's homeland.

It will take years for me to get my form back.

Verden was a terrifying environmental destroyer to the swamp monsters.

[Keeeeee… … .]

[Crunch… … ! Crunch… … !]

But we couldn't even protest.

The villagers who had been chasing their prey hid in their dens and disappeared. This was the case after the three rulers of the swamp, including Swampfiden, were massacred.

It was during this short period of time that he realized that he could survive if he was not disturbed. This was a phenomenon that was especially rare in heteromorphs.

“It’s finally quiet now.”

“…….”

Karans was silent.

Even though he was a local racist elf who hated the rotten swamps, he never thought it would end up this bad… … He felt a little guilty.

Well, it disappeared soon after.

Tracking in the swamps has become much easier.

The accelerated speed was faster than the explorers. They arrived at their destination shortly after.

A camp for explorers built at the entrance to the ruins and around it.

There was no sign of life at all. There were traces of the magic circle, but it had already lost its effect due to the passage of time and lack of maintenance.

As a result, the horses that pulled the carriage were probably eaten by the monsters that came looking for them. Judging from the bloodstains that remained thickly around the messy camp and the horse reins that were strewn about, this is clear.

'I don't think anyone has escaped like Hans.'

Verden approached the ancient ruins.

When I touched it lightly, I could feel the magic. This was definitely the architectural technology that the Magic Nation was proud of.

Unlike in the past, information is now somewhat available and it is no longer a monopoly technology, but in the present era, the only country that can achieve this level of sophistication is the Magic Kingdom.

It was one of the pieces of knowledge I gained from the rooftop.

Now the ancient ordeal is upon us.

Control your breathing and calm your nerves and excitement.

Then Karans said,

“I’m glad that you’re satisfied, brother. It was a very rewarding experience.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Haha, don’t mention it.”

Karan scratched his cheek as if embarrassed.

Then, he wiped his smile away and stared at the entrance to the ruins. The darkness of the underground filled his eyes.

“As you know, brothers, we elves live longer than humans. Among them, the elves who are in the managerial position live for a long time, and there are even some who have experienced the era of 500 years ago. That is why the name of the Dark King is well known to the elves.”

The elf recalled the teachings of the past.

“The old administrator said that the Demon King was a mixture of the temperament of a saintly king and a tyrant. In addition, he was extremely human, but his power was so transcendent that he was no different from a natural disaster. He was also said to be the most dangerous being in the world, separate from the human species.”

“…….”

“So you must be careful. If it is the tomb of such a Demon King, it will be filled with things I cannot even imagine.”

Karans does not accompany the exploration of the ruins.

This is because of the many dangers lurking in the Tomb of the Demon King. If it is not on par with Verden in terms of power, it will rather be a hindrance among the unknown variables.

This was the first thing Karans had mentioned before coming to the swamp.

Verden accepted Carans' heartfelt advice.

They shook hands with each other.

“Yes. Thank you for your guidance, Karans. I left a lot of money for Fernet, so you can spend it without any hesitation until I get back.”

“I hope the wait won’t be boring. Thank you.”

Karans nodded once.

“Then I wish you good luck, brother.”

Karans, who had lightly kicked the ground, went back the way he had come.

The back of the head moving away. Since we've already swept away the monsters, we probably won't be attacked along the way. Even if we were to be surrounded like last time, with Karans's skills, we should be able to escape without a scratch.

There is no need to worry otherwise.

‘… … I guess this is enough.’

Newly registered magic spells for the wizard's remorse, etc. Verden checked and recalled all the secret methods he had in front of the ruins.

That's real power.

It's as perfect as it gets.

The Tomb of the Demon King.

The wizard of the reverse celestial body took a step into it.