Chapter 283: 【Adventurer Mitran】Overcome the 'Trial of Severance'

【Adventurer Mitran】Overcome the ‘Trial of Severance’

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“Leseida-san, did you figure something out?”

Emi-chan and I headed toward Leseida-san.

Leseida-san was standing in front of a large door with splendid decorations.

Unlike the surrounding stone walls, that door seemed to be made of some kind of metal and had a very ominous atmosphere!

“A few things. First, it seems this is a room in the lower levels of these ruins. Take a look at this.”

While putting away the monocle used for investigations into a pocket, Leseida-san pointed to the side of the door.

What was there was…

“Ah, this is… ancient magic characters?”

That’s right, what was there was something like a signboard written using the ancient magic characters we saw in the upper levels of the ruins.

At the top of the signboard, relatively large characters spelled out a short phrase, and below that, small characters were arranged in a list-like manner.

“That’s right. Here, it says ‘The 18th Trial’.”

Leseida-san pointed to the large characters at the top of the signboard this time and began explaining while nodding deeply.

“It has been reported that the lower levels of these ruins have several floors with traps, and at the entrance of those floors, there is always a description of ‘The Xth Trial.’ In other words, we have unintentionally taken a shortcut through the middle levels and arrived midway through the regular route of the lower levels.”

“Eh! That’s lucky! Maybe this means we not only have a chance to catch up to the villains but might have already passed them!?”

“Hahaha… Mitran-kun, you’re quite positive.”

Seeing me jumping up and down with joy, Leseida-san said that with a wry smile and shook their head.

“While I can’t deny that possibility, let’s estimate it as low. In the first place, those stairs they were trying to descend were definitely unknown ones that hadn’t been reported before. It’s a route that villains would use even at the cost of killing people. There must be a great advantage to using it… For example, something like a detour that allows skipping these trials in the lower levels.”

“No way…”

“Well, let’s put that aside. For now, judging from the state of the dust, it’s certain that they haven’t passed through this path… In any case, we have no choice but to clear this trial in order to proceed.”

Saying that, Leseida-san glared at the large door with a determined gaze.

I also slapped my cheeks and renewed my spirit.

That’s right, now’s not the time to be down.

I just need to think about moving forward!

“Alright… Ruins exploration while avoiding traps… This is what adventuring is all about! I’m getting fired up!”

I pushed the metal door with all my might and opened the path to ‘The 18th Trial’!

Creeeak… creak… creak…

The rusty door slowly moved while creaking.

Clank, clank, clank… clatter clatter…

Perhaps in conjunction with that, I could also hear the sound of something starting to operate.

“What in the world is this…?”

Well, what was beyond the door was a long, narrow corridor.

It was so narrow that one person could barely pass through.

Just like before, magic lamps were installed on the walls on both sides, brightly illuminating the corridor.

I was about to carelessly step into that corridor…

“Wait!”

Leseida-san hurriedly grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me back!

At that moment!

Swoosh!!

A metal blade descended from the ceiling with that sound!

“H-Hiih…”

Ah, that was close!

If I had proceeded as is, even with my cheat physique, I would have been sliced in half!

W-Work, 【Super Intuition】!

“Really, Mitran-kun, you’re too careless!”

Leseida-san scolded me while letting out a big sigh.

“This signboard politely explains the content of the trial. According to it, this ’18th Trial’ is also known as the ‘Trial of Severance.’ You have to proceed to the end of the corridor while dodging the blades falling regularly from above… That seems to be the trial.”

Swoosh!!

Swoosh!!

Swoosh!!

Even while listening to Leseida-san’s explanation, the scene of metal blades falling from here and there in the corridor in front of me and slowly returning to the ceiling… kept repeating.

Ehhh… so in this trial, I have to completely memorize the pattern of the falling blades and proceed accordingly!?

“By the way, it also says ‘Magic is forbidden.’ Unfortunately, it seems we won’t be able to use magic at all in this space. Cheating is prohibited.”

“…’Water bullets, appear and pierce the enemy! 【Water Bullet】!’… Huh?”

It’s true!

Normally, after chanting, my magic power would be absorbed and the magic would activate, but nothing happens here!

It’s just a waste of magic power being absorbed!

“This is quite an interesting discovery, Mitran-kun! The technique to seal magic has already been technically established by us in modern times through much research, but in fact, there have been no cases where such mechanisms were found in the ruins of the ancient magic civilization. This is also good material showing the uniqueness of these ruins, but…”

“Hey, hey, you’re getting off-topic again, Leseida-san…”

After admonishing Leseida-san who was getting excited, I faced the corridor where blades were raining down… the ‘Trial of Severance’ once more.

This corridor is quite long.

Even with my physical abilities, it seems difficult to dash through it in one go.

It also seems difficult to proceed little by little.

Looking up at the ceiling, cracks with blades embedded in them are densely arranged without gaps.

If I were to pass one blade and feel relieved, stopping my feet without a plan, a blade would surely fall on my head and I’d be sliced in half immediately.

Then… in the end, I have no choice but to seriously memorize the pattern of the falling blades and proceed carefully…!

A trial that tests memory… That is… the ‘Trial of Severance’!!

“…Well, we can’t keep hesitating here forever.”

At this point, Leseida-san took out a notebook and started writing some notes.

“Leave this to me. From now on, I’ll note down the timing of the falling blades and try to find patterns as much as possible. You two rest for a while…”

But that’s when it happened.

“…………”

Emi-chan, who had been silently listening to our conversation the whole time, pushed us aside and stood in front of the entrance to the trial.

“…Emi-kun?”

“W-What’s wrong? It’s dangerous.”

Swoosh!!

The metal blade falling in front of Emi-chan with a loud sound.

Emi-chan stared intently at the blade that hit the corridor floor and was slowly being pulled up to the ceiling, and then…

“…Haah!!”

She punched it with all her might!!

“”Ehhhhh!?””

Leseida-san and I unintentionally shouted in surprise at the unexpected action!

But our surprise didn’t end there!

Clang!!

Amazingly, the metal blade punched by Emi-chan shattered into pieces and flew off while making a high-pitched sound!

“”Ehhhhh!?””

We shouted again without pause!

I-I see, that’s right!

Indeed, it’s very troublesome to memorize the timing of the traps, find patterns, and avoid them!

In that case, a reversal of thinking!

We just need to destroy all such traps!

…Wait, that’s absurd!?

“Haah!! Haah!! Haah!!”

Emi-chan destroyed the metal blade traps one after another, not minding our astonishment and confusion at all!

Once a blade is destroyed, naturally that point becomes safe.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

In the blink of an eye, the ‘Trial of Severance’ is being reduced to just a safe, long, narrow corridor…!

No… no, no, no…

That idea… it’s not like it never crossed my mind, but…

“Even if I wanted to do that, I couldn’t… Emi-chan, just how much monstrous strength do you have…?”

Watching Emi-chan’s back as she steadily advanced while smashing the metal blades, I unintentionally muttered.

“As an archaeologist… originally, I should also consider the preservation of the ruins, but… this isn’t the time to be saying such things…”

Leseida-san had a pale face and was holding a hand to their forehead as if having a headache.