Chapter 266: The Visible World
After finishing our lunch break, we headed deeper into the area. Adventurers seek unknown discoveries, traversing dangerous paths without trails—though, to be honest, most are just a bunch of muscleheads who couldn’t find other jobs and rely on their physical strength. It’s a business of weighing the value of what they can obtain against their own safety to earn some coin.
With that in mind, we quickly made our way back to the base after dinner. At each fork leading to potential profit, Retze meticulously examined the surroundings.
“See how the side that’s been underneath is darker?” Retze explained. I could understand it once he pointed it out, but noticing it in the first place is tough, you know?
“If it were dirt, it’d be a bit easier to tell. But there are quite a few traces left behind. Seems like they didn’t care about bumping into things or making a mess.”
Well, it’s clear that only Retze understands this stuff. I bet the Butler gets it too.
Having so many things to recognize like those two makes the world seem vast and exciting, but the journey to get there feels so far!
In the Twentieth Layer, we found two other parties, each at different Magic Silver mining points. One of them was sane, without any signs of the Black Spirit. They were just using their tools to dig normally!
Of course, I sent the sane party to find their way to the glasses on their own. They were a bit nervous knowing the situation, but there were no Demon Beasts or signs of the Black Spirit on the way, so they should be fine.
They were aware of their lack of strength to be in the Twentieth Layer, but they said they came down for the first time because they were following the Hero. Apparently, they managed to mine a little Magic Silver and seemed happy to brag about it to their friends.
The second party today was the usual bunch. I’m getting used to them, but it’s still too much!
Dinner time has probably passed, but I tossed the party possessed by the Black Spirit into the Magic Circle of the glasses. They thanked me as I helped unpack with the second party.
There were a few new faces, fixing the ropes that had been lowered from above and working hard. It seemed they were preparing to lower the Iron Cage.
“Impressive speed as always.”
“It’s not that we’re quick to deal with them; we just find them quickly. Even if the Spirits are invisible, we’re quite skilled.” Dinoss said with a grin.
And they’re fast at transporting too. They’ve got plenty of strong folks around.
“I’m glad we made it in time. The equipment for capturing the Black Spirits has arrived, please take it.”
It seems they had prepared beforehand, as the glasses handed out ropes and talismans divided by the number of people.
“Next time we come, can we also resupply? It’d be great if we could use water freely.”
“I can guarantee that.”
Dean said while watching the work, and the glasses smiled in agreement.
After placing the glasses down to recover their fingertips, we quickly moved to another base. I wanted to have dinner normally, and it seemed they were planning to work through the night to lower the Iron Cage, which would likely be noisy for sleeping.
We had cut down the Black Spirits that had possessed them, but that didn’t mean they vanished completely; they still lingered within. If we infused our strikes with Magic Power, we could obliterate them, but we hadn’t done that.
It wasn’t that we were slacking off; damage from the point of fusion also affected the host. I wonder if the person I pulled off in the Forest is okay?
In any case, the part that had fused was heavily influenced by the Black Spirit, so they’d need to head to the Temple for purification.
After emptying the Iron Cage, we’d be stuffing humans into it to send them back up. Good luck pulling an all-nighter. I feel like the glasses might collapse from lack of Magic Power and overwork, but since they’re glasses, I guess it’s fine.
Speaking of which, it seems none of the people I’ve helped so far are the ones the glasses are after. Maybe they went to the Twenty-Fifth Layer?
Because of that fake guy devouring Spirits, there seem to be fewer Black Spirits than expected. Well, considering the direction the fake is heading, if the Black Spirits are fleeing, it’d be either the Twentieth Layer or the Fortieth Layer—especially the Fortieth Layer. From the Forty-First Layer onward, the Demon Beasts would still be around, so I have no idea what’s going on there.
It feels like the Black Spirits that were too late to escape and couldn’t be eaten are now possessing adventurers.
“Dinner’s ready!”
We arrived at the base and unloaded our gear.
“Think about something other than eating for once.”
Dinoss said with an exasperated tone.
“I am thinking, I am thinking!”
I was just thinking about the Black Spirits a moment ago!
“By the way, why did your demeanor towards the Vice Guild Master soften midway?”
Retze asked.
“Did I really change that much?”
I hadn’t spoken, so I didn’t think there’d be such a difference.
“Lord Jean is quite easy to read.”
The Butler chimed in.
I guess those two have some special insight.
“The atmosphere changes quite noticeably. When you’re in a good mood, the Spirits around you get closer.”
Karn revealed a new fact. The distance the Spirits keep is a barometer of my mood! Stop making it so obvious!
“…For now, the glasses are being pitifully drained of Magic Power by the Spirits, which is kind of funny, considering the Spirit possessing them is quite mischievous.”
“Can you even tell that much? I’d love to see what kind of world you’re looking at, Jean.”
I’d like to see Retze’s world too; it seems like there’s a lot more to it than what I’ve been told.
“Before, someone who could see Spirits said they were scary. Another person who could see them said they were beautiful. It might depend on the viewer how they perceive things. I’d love to peek into the world I see!”
Chris said dramatically, as always, with his fingers elegantly posed.
The Jaw Spirit is still around.
“Your world seems like a kind one, Jean.”
Ash said something embarrassing.
“No, it’s more like a world where the Spirits’ fetishes are on full display.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dean said while taking off his shoes.
I’m talking about the Lizard-type Spirits and the humanoid Spirits gathered around his feet!