Chapter 44: Journey To Save The Hero! (17)
Tristan adjusted his gear, ensuring everything was in place, before heading to wake Rowen. "Get ready. We're moving out uncle Rowen" he said firmly. Rowen groaned but nodded, quickly preparing himself.
Tristan exited the room and made his way to Thoran's office, where he found the man fully equipped and waiting.
"I didn't expect you to be ready already, Uncle Thoran," Tristan remarked, slightly impressed.
"Of course! This is my first mission under your command, so I have to set an example," Thoran replied with a sly grin.
"Good. You're more disciplined than the knight in my room," Tristan said, casting a teasing glance as Rowen entered the office.
Rowen rolled his eyes. "Hey, cut me some slack. We ran ourselves ragged yesterday."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get going. I've prepared breakfast for us. We'll eat while we walk to our destination," Tristan said, waving off the excuse.
"Yes, sir," Rowen and Thoran replied in unison, their tone both serious and playful.
The group set off toward the sewer entrance Thoran had identified.
When they arrived, Tristan studied the entrance, a stone arch partially concealed by overgrown vines and grime. "So, this is the entrance?"
"According to my information my subordinate give, yes. This is the path the kidnappers used," Thoran confirmed.
"Good. I'll scout the entrance and its surroundings first," Tristan said.
Rowen and Thoran exchanged curious looks as Tristan approached one side of the sewer's pathway. Placing his hand on the damp wall, he closed his eyes and channeled his mana. A faint glow spread from his palm, creeping into the stone and vanishing along the tunnel's length.
A few moments later, Tristan opened his eyes. "All clear. There are no hostiles along this stretch. However, I detected movement on the right path, most likely the entrance to their base."
Thoran's eyes widened. "How did you do that?"
"It's simple," Tristan explained. "You flow your mana along the path and project its feedback to form an image of whatever it encounters."
"You make it sound simple," Thoran said, astonished. "From what I know, only Grand Mages or Archmages can use magic that sophisticated."
"It's not that special," Tristan replied modestly. "If you can use mana, I'll teach you later. For now, let's focus on the mission."
"Understood, sir," Rowen and Thoran said, suppressing their awe as they prepared to enter the sewers.
The three of them entered cautiously, with Tristan signaling them to stop. "It seems this is indeed the entrance to their base. I can sense mana from four individuals, two standing guard at the door, and two others guarding inside," Tristan explained.
He turned to face Thoran and Rowen, his expression serious. "You two handle the guards at the door, and I'll take care of the two behind it. Remember, this is a rescue mission, not a massacre. Keep it clean and quiet."
Both Thoran and Rowen nodded in agreement.
Tristan placed his hand on the wall, channeling his mana through its structure. A moment later, he condensed it into sharp, arrow-like tendrils that pierced the heads of the two guards inside the door. With precision, he whispered, "Now."
Thoran and Rowen moved with remarkable speed, grabbing the two guards outside the door and twisting their necks in one fluid motion.
Impressed, Tristan smiled. "Amazing. I really admire your speed and precision, you two."
Thoran and Rowen exchanged satisfied grins before Tristan continued. "Alright, let's move in. There's no magical alarm or traps set up here."
As they entered the doorway, Thoran couldn't help but think to himself, "He can even detect magical alarms and traps? If he became an adventurer, he'd undoubtedly reach SSS rank in no time."
The trio advanced deeper, reaching a fork with three paths ahead. Tristan knelt down and spread his mana through the surroundings, analyzing the pathways. "The middle path leads to a staircase going down. The right path heads back up to the surface. The left... it looks like their barracks, there's a lot of mana fluctuations and several rooms in that direction."
He stood up and turned to Thoran and Rowen. "Wait here for a moment. I'll set up a barrier to block their escape route."
The two men nodded, watching as Tristan moved to the staircase leading up. He skillfully set a trap, crafting a magical barrier that would activate if three or more people tried to pass through at once. Once satisfied, Tristan returned to them, his face calm and composed. "It's done. Let's move."
The three of them continued down the central corridor, descending into the depths below. At the base of the staircase, they were met with four branching hallways. Tristan knelt once more, channeling his mana to survey the paths ahead.
As the mana waves from the middle-left corridor returned to him, his eyes widened, and his heart tightened. "It's her... Cheryl. I've found her. Two presences are near her, likely torturing her based on the erratic vibrations of her mana."
He continued probing the other corridors. "The next corridor to the right seems to be the leader's quarters. As for the far-left and far-right paths... they match the descriptions from that report I found on the Middle-Class demon last night. Likely their experiment sites."
Tristan stood and spoke, his voice steady but intense. "I've found her, Uncles." He pointed toward the middle-left hallway. "But I have specific tasks for each of you Uncles. Please listen carefully."
Thoran and Rowen stepped closer, their focus sharpening.
"Uncle Rowen," Tristan began, "your task is to destroy everything in the far-left and far-right corridors."
Rowen tilted his head. "What's in there?"
Tristan's gaze turned steely as he answered, "Once you're inside, you'll understand why I want it obliterated."
Rowen hesitated for a moment before nodding firmly. "Understood."
"And you, Uncle Thoran," Tristan continued, pointing to the middle-right corridor, "your mission is to eliminate the enemy leader stationed here."
Thoran smirked, his expression brimming with anticipation. "You really know me Tristan."
"Of course," Tristan replied with a faint smile, then added a warning. "But don't underestimate them. they are a scientist, maybe they are hiding something under their sleeve."
"Don't worry," Thoran said confidently. "I'll go all out."
Tristan straightened, followed by Thoran and Rowen. He then declared with unwavering resolve, "If any enemies appear along your path, don't hold back, kill them. There's no need to hide anymore."
"Yes, Captain!" Thoran and Rowen answered in unison, their voices filled with determination.
"Alright," Tristan concluded, drawing his weapon. "The mission starts now."
With that, the three of them charged into their respective hallways, their footsteps echoing with purpose in the dim, foreboding corridors.
***
Outside the Laboratory
A group of knights greeted Deluc as he approached. "Greetings, sir."
"Yes, yes," Deluc replied dismissively. "Anything interesting to report?"
"Nothing at all, sir," one of the knights answered.
"Very well, I'm heading into the laboratory," Deluc declared.
"Understood, sir. We'll accompany you. It's time for a shift change anyway," the knight added.
"Fine, let's go."
The group of knights followed Deluc down the staircase leading to the lab. Just as Deluc stepped onto the lower level-
BOOM!
The staircase erupted in a violent explosion, instantly killing the four knights and hurling debris in every direction. Deluc, bloodied but alive, blasted away the rubble pinning him with a surge of raw mana. As he stood, his lips curled into a maniacal grin.
"It seems we have some rats scurrying around, this is going to be interesting" he muttered, his voice dripping with sinister glee.
***
Meanwhile, Rowen sprinted down the far-left corridor. At its end, he encountered a heavy iron door guarded by two men.
"Hey! Who are you?" one of them barked.
Rowen didn't respond. In a flash, his blade sliced through the air, cleanly severing both their heads before they could react.
Without hesitation, Rowen placed his hands against the cold steel of the door and pushed with all his might. The hinges groaned as the door creaked open, revealing the sight within.
Rowen froze, his breath hitching as his eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell is this...?" he whispered, staring at the unimaginable horror laid out before him.
***
Thoran arrived at the iron door blocking his way and, without hesitation, delivered a powerful kick that sent it flying off its hinges.
"Knock, knock! Who's inside?" he bellowed with a grin, stepping into the room.
The scientists inside froze, their faces a mix of shock and terror as the massive figure strode in.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?" one of them stammered.
Thoran didn't answer. Instead, he dashed forward with startling speed, bringing his axe down in a devastating arc. The scientist who had spoken barely had time to scream before his body was cleaved in two, split from his head down to his legs.
The room fell silent, save for the sickening sound of blood dripping onto the floor. The remaining scientists stood frozen, their expressions a mix of horror and disbelief.
"Haha!" Thoran laughed, his grin widening. "What's wrong? Are you just going to stand there and watch?" His wild gaze scanned the room as he taunted them.
But before he could act further-
"Squash!"
Thoran's eyes widened as a shadowy tendril pierced through his abdomen, the force knocking the air from his lungs.
"Where did this lunatic come from?" a calm, sinister voice asked.
From the shadows, a woman emerged, Elza. With a flick of her hand, the shadow tendril retracted from Thoran's body, leaving a gaping wound.
Thoran staggered but managed to stay on his feet, blood pooling beneath him. Elza approached, her high-heeled boots clicking against the floor as she stopped in front of him.
With a cruel smirk, she kicked him to the ground, placing her foot on his chest. She peered down at his motionless form with disdain.
"I feel like I've seen this bastard before," she mused. Then she shrugged. "Oh well, never mind he's dead now."