Chapter 31

[―I'm te--ing you, wh-t -f he wak-s up an- bl-mes us!? Wha- if -e's for----en -s, a--er us n-t being -ere for two y--rs!?]

Voices...

[W-ll, it w-s Sl--- fa-lt, af--r --l... He sh--d do --mething ab--t it.]

Huh...?

[-ey! It's not my fault, bas----!]

Jae's head throbbed painfully as he groaned.

"Ugh..."

[O-oi, he's waking up. Quick, Sloth, apologise!]

[I already said it ain't my fault, dumb bitch! And you know it!]

Ah... It hurts...

The pain was turning sharp, and it felt as if a dagger was piercing through his skull. However, Jae knew instinctively that he hadn't died after falling asleep.

No, it was actually the consequence of acquiring new knowledge and information, all of which that weren't originally his. And along with it, new strength naturally followed.

[Shut it! Where do you get off sayin' that, you fucker?! What, you evolve to a different fuckin' species after transferrin' your power or something!? Where'd ya put the real Sloth, huh!? Stop being so damn abnormal!]

Once the pain subsided, Jae stood up and brushed the dirt off of his clothes. When it was done, he opened his mouth.

[What...? Say that again, you--]

"Hey."

Everything fell silent to the sound of Jae's voice.

"Fhuuuuu...."

Exhaling a cold and steady breath, Jae noticed something about himself.

―He felt calm. Serene, like a lake, and his mind was perfectly clear.

So this... is Sloth, huh.

Jae wasn't talking about the skill itself or the voice in his head. No, he was instead talking about the sin, Sloth. At first, Jae thought that 'Sloth' just meant to be tired or languid all the time, but that wasn't entirely correct. It also means to have constant calm, but not slow, thinking. Jae could definitely feel the physical effects of it too, but it's not like it was something he couldn't deal with.

That wasn't all. Taking the great-sword off his back, Jae simply held it in his hand.

And then―

"Wow..."

―it disappeared.

"It really is like an「Inventory」then, huh."

Suddenly, the great-sword re-appeared back in Jae's hand. Thinking about whether to carry it or just put it in the Inventory, Jae decided to go with the latter. He did the same with the Death God's scythe, because it was troublesome.

Really convenient. I don't even have to say or think the name of the skill, I just use it and it works. I'd try limit testing, but I really just can't be arsed. I feel so lazy... Is that also an effect? Well, whatever.

It was probably a side-effect of Sloth, but nothing could be done about it. Anyway, because of that, Jae moved on.

"So, my initial plan was to become an adventurer, right? To gather information. Well, I'd like to do that, but..."

Jae scratched his head.

"I don't know where I am, yet again. Hah, not only that, but this place seems to be contained within some barrier. I never knew this sort of thing existed in the forest, so I guess it's quite far away compared to before, huh, considering the size of the thing."

Looking around, this place was undoubtedly different in comparison to the forest from before. Well, the fact it was a forest was the same, but like Jae had said before he fell unconscious, this place was very 'dark' and felt terribly sinister, like something straight out of a horror movie.

Jae wore a troubled look.

"Kinda unsettling, isn't it..."

Especially when you consider the fact that there are most definitely high-level monsters here, Jae also felt the very prominent presence of contaminated magic energy everywhere―as if this entire forest was corrupted or something.

"...Yeah, I can definitely see why they decided to seal it off with a barrier..."

Jae obviously didn't know who set up the barrier, but whoever it was certainly had some sense in them. This definitely wasn't the type of place humans should involve themselves with after all.

"Well, it's not a problem for me."

Nevertheless, Jae was already shrouding himself in mana since before, so he was already protected.

But, if I recall correctly, didn't Aphy once say something about contaminated magic? What did she call it again...? Ah, 'miasma', right? And, can't it be purified with Holy Magic? But I can't use Holy Magic, so there's nothing I can do. I'll be fine thanks to the mana coating though.

Holy Magic was another type of unique thing, similar to Transportation Magic or Time Magic. Since it was something created by humans. Even Aphy admitted her inability to recreate it exactly―she could only replicate it to a certain degree, and even then, there was something odd about it.

Anyway, what came next was leaving this place. From but a glance, Jae could tell that this barrier was quite strong. He probably wouldn't be able to just walk out of it, so he would most likely need to break it to escape.

"Hm. I should probably wait until I get to the edge though. Just in case. I might be able to get out with Sloth too."

Taking a step in a seemingly random direction, Jae began to walk.

It didn't take long to come across a monster.

Actually, Jae started in the direction he did precisely because he knew there were monsters, and he wanted to examine them. Of course, he was interested in the kinds of skills he could acquire from such abnormal creatures, and he also sensed something rather strange further in.

Upon first sight, Jae realised that the monsters here, were more unusual than he first thought. For starters, they were much bigger than what was ordinary; the almost completely black―a sinister, murky black, that one might associate with death or illness―had many bioluminescent, crimson lines, flowing all over their bodies, like LED-infused veins, as well as a single, black horn, sticking out of their foreheads.

It was a wild pack of fiendish-looking wolves that, at first sight, seemed to have come from Hell itself.

Soul State - Hell-Fiend Wolf (Alpha) Soul Level : 52 / 60

Title : Pack Leader

Age : 18 Years Health : 40

Magic Energy : 17,850 (Boosted) Power : 5,446 (Boosted)

Magical Ability : 382 (Boosted)

Defence : 3,242 (Boosted)

Magical Defence : 862 (Boosted)

Resistances : 1,432 (Boosted)

Speed : 5,860 (Boosted) Condition : [Beserk], [Infected], [Cursed], [Limit Break]

"Hmm..."

The majority of stats are higher than mine. If the entire place is filled with things of this calibre, then it's no wonder at all that they had to seal this place off. And, I'm guessing the culprit of that is that '[Limit Break]', huh? Isn't that interesting. But, hm, isn't [Limit Break] a [Hero] thing? Why do monsters have it?

These monsters were definitely strong; not your run of the mill forest dwellers. Clearly, it needed investigating. However, to Jae...

Well... Multiply the Defence by 100, and it still wouldn't be enough. In the end, these guys are no issue.

He decided to kill them with a bang.

I do need to keep the bodies intact though, otherwise the skills will disappear. Shall I... try that one thing out?

Thinking about an attack he hadn't yet been able to test on 'live' targets, Jae calmly joined his palms and fingertips together, as if praying, before slowly bringing them apart.

*crackle*

―and as he did, countless arcs of purple electricity jumped between his hands.

Hah. This is always so fun.

With a grin, he glared at the wolves who seemed ready to pounce on him at any time, causing them to suddenly be cautious. After all, even if they were [Beserk], they are still animals, faithful to their survival instincts.

Okay, I think I've warmed up a bit.

Abruptly, the electricity ceased its jumping. Jae stretched one arm out towards the pack of wolves, and then his index finger. Then, with his gun-shaped hand pointing towards the Alpha Wolf, Jae opened his mouth.

"―Bang."

*zzt--BOOOOM!!*

Lightning crackled from his fingertip before a tremendous thunderclap sounded. An explosion of light erupted, and by the time it dissipated, the wolves were all knocked down―they were dead, as if fried by a lightning strike. This was something Jae had spent numerous days experimenting, but he just didn't have suitable test subjects for it―only things like undead species and the Sloth clone.

*whistle*, Jae whistled in satisfaction and amazement after seeing the roasted pack of wolves. It was good that the attack wasn't created for purely offensive purposes, so he was still able to eat them.

Indeed, what Jae had used was not an attack created to kill the enemy; it had only done so this time because he wished it. It was an attack--no, a utility spell, with the sole purpose of confusing the enemy's senses:

By overloading their brains with immense noise, light and heat, their alarmed self would simply panic, with only a single thought of "What the hell is happening?" remaining, while being completely unable to take action. As well as this, it would provoke the amygdala's fight or flight response. However, this would only leave one feasible action left―flee.

'To fight', wouldn't be an option. In such a situation where all of your senses are completely and utterly overwhelmed by a sudden, enormous sensory overload... No one would be able to stay calm.

And, in addition to all of this, even the simplistic action of Jae, slowly yet steadily, shaping his hand into a gun, and pointing it at you―it would increase tension, and raise sensitivity, only making the following shock even more powerful.

―It was an exceedingly plain concept, and yet it is infinitely effective. In fact, there was already an invention similar to this back on Earth.

"I'll call it...「Flashbang」."

The stun grenade: It was a 'less-lethal explosive device', first used in the late '70s, with a main purpose of disorienting the senses, by producing a blinding light and powerful *bang* noise. It can have other effects such as disrupting balance, but these two are the bread and butter.

Jae developed his Flashbang based on the Earthen weapon of the same name.

Staring at the dead wolves, Jae had a thought.

Wait, could there be a chance to acquire [Limit Break] from them...?

Just as he was about to put a piece in his mouth...

You have levelled up

Jae's eyes widened at the flurry of level-up notifications.

You have levelled up You have levelled... You have lev... You hav...

...

.....

.......

You have levelled up You have reached the maximum level limit

"..."

Jae was still wide-eyed and speechless for a while before muttering.

"Wow... I... completely forgot about that..."

What had happened was obvious.

The stockpiled experience...... huh.

Once Jae had increased the level limit through [Lv.MAX]-ing a Sin-grade skill, he only needed to kill something and the mass amounts of experience points he had stockpiled until now would kick in, instantly boosting his level to the max. Unfortunately, there was no Level Up Process this time, but it's fine since Jae really didn't expect it would happen anyway.

It must be at 200...

He was still a bit excited, but after letting go of the refreshing feeling he got, he decided to resume what he was doing.

"Anyway, this meat... Hey, this'll be fine, right? I know I can eat normally inedible things, like raw meat, thanks to you, but can I really eat this stuff.....? It looks... bad. In more ways than one."

Jae glared warily at the meat that was literally emitting purple, toxic-looking fumes―it was the same miasma that had taken over the entire forest.

...There's no way I'll be fine after eating this, realistically speaking, is there. Like, come on now. What even is this? It appears the monsters here have absorbed the miasma wholly; making not only the meat toxic, but also giving them a [Limit Break]-type thing? Haaah...

[No, you'll be fine Jae. My power is strong.]

Jae, who licked his lips, doubted what he heard.

"...Yeah. Likely story."

Well... I might as well try it. There's nothing to lose, and I'll just starve in this place if I don't eat anything anyway.

And so, Jae gulped down the meat that was, probably, extremely lethal. He tried to do it as quickly as possible, so as to not retain any of the meat's revolting flavours, but unfortunately, the piece of meat was too big for that, and stuck to his throat. His brain automatically registered the texture and taste, and the whole process was too fast for him to stop it.

He ended up making a very bitter face.

Yeaahhh...., Jae shook his head side-to-side, It tastes like shit alright. Not good.

On top of that, there was no skill gained.

"Ugh..."

―Eventually, Jae had eaten all of the monster carcasses without a single skill being acquired or levelled up.

I swear, I'm gonna--...Ugh, Seriously. What is this shit man? Agh. Let's just keep going.

With that said, it wasn't like Jae was actually affected by the meat, and he could easily eat an entire truck's worth of the stuff without throwing up, so in reality, he was fine. He just hated it, despite knowing that he would continue this farce.

He continued through the forest while thinking about certain, more pleasant things.

Jae was impressed by the sight of the beast he came across.

A bear. It's strong.

Compared to the Alpha Wolf from earlier, this 'Hell-Fiend Goliath Bear' was another thing entirely. It had the same Conditions as the wolf, but its stats were about four times as high; they were all similarly (Boosted). Not only that, but it was physically outclassed too―the bear was comparable in size with an elephant, and even had three pairs of limbs to boot.

Hmm.

But first, he had to kill this monster. For practise, Jae decided to stick with only his great-sword until he reached the barrier, unless there were circumstances that required him to use his magic. Taking the sword out from his Inventory, Jae was pleasantly satisfied. He was currently hiding his presence with both magic and the「Stealth」skill, so the bear shouldn't be able to detect him.

In an instant, Jad had disappeared, along with the bear's head.

*CRASH!*

The body of the bear fell to the ground, causing tremors, and the head soon followed.

Level limit reached. Excess experience points stockpiled until the limit is increased

"Haha. Again."

...This is crazy. If it happens too much, I'll seriously get addicted.

[Wahh... You're really a monster, you know, killin' it just like that...]

"Be quiet?"

[...]

Consuming the bear's meat, Jae gained something.

Skill「Limb Control」has been acquired

Oh...? Does it have something to do with the bear's six legs? This skill makes it easier to precisely control the arm and leg movements, huh. I can kinda feel it. Well, it's better than I expected―makes me feel more flexible, even though I'm pretty sure my Dexterity is already pretty high.

Jae had a basis for this claim, even without once checking his Status. It was because, some of the things he had done most in the past 5 years―cooking, crafting, and enchanting―all required high amounts of concentration and very fine bodily control was needed to improve at them.

Maybe there's such a rule as, 'the more Dexterity you have, the skill's effect increases proportionally'? Well, it doesn't matter. Let's just continue.

...

.....

After moving for a while longer, Jae stopped in front of the entrance to a dark cave with a dubious look on his face. Within it, Jae could sense something off, though he couldn't quite name what it was.

......What's going on down there...?

Jae was rather curious about it, and suddenly, a thought creeped into his mind that it may have something to do with the whole situation―the miasma, barrier, and abnormal monsters. From what he could tell, the cave was pretty shallow, so it shouldn't take long to reach its end where Jae thought the strangeness was located.

Since he wouldn't be able to use it from this point forward, Jae returned his great-sword to the Inventory and entered the cave.

Ahh, this place brings back memories.

Flashbacks to when he was clearing that goblin-infested cave began to arise. It was a very short period of time when compared to everything else he's done in his life, but it was very memorable. Reminiscing, Jae momentarily immersed himself in nostalgia before deciding to ignore it, being more concerned about the situation at hand than anything else. He began to think this cave was weirder and weirder the further he advanced.

This place... smells funny. And the level of miasma is decreasing. Can it not penetrate the depths of caves like this?

He couldn't pinpoint what it specifically was, but the smell wasn't exactly pleasant, perhaps in part due to some of the miasma that clouded the place, although, Jae was even beginning to gradually see less of that as he explored deeper, so he doesn't really know.

"Yaaa~aahh..."

Just as Jae was starting to get bored, and he yawned, his bat-like sharp ears picked something up (Incidentally, his auditory senses were also strengthened by some of the skills he picked up from the Giant Bats back in the Sloth Dungeon).

Huh? Wait, is that... a voice?

Jae listened carefully while making sure to hide his presence as much as possible.

"―Whaaat? But why--"

Although the voice, that sounded like it belonged to a young teenager, suddenly stopped, Jae knew he was safe.

It's fine. He doesn't notice me.

"...Ahhh, fine. Yeah, yeah, I get it... I said I get it! I'll try my best... But, like I said earlier, don't expect any results, okay? You don't understand what these monsters are like, sis. You really don't... Huh? ...Wait, you're saying you haven't seen them before? What the-- then you sent me here without any prior research on these things!? What the hell!"

Who's he talking to? 'Sis'... A family? There's nobody else there... Long-distance communication? It's definitely suspicious. I need to catch a glimpse to use「Envy」.

"Well, my sister, let, me, tell, you. They're all black, for starters, and they have these... terrible, 'crimson veins' all across their bodies, right? And, their strength cannot be compared with ordinary monsters. At the very least, they are all B-rank or above... Huh? 'Limit Break'? What's that?"

Hm... So, that sister of his can identify the [Limit Break]-ing monsters just by description, huh? That means, either she already knows what [Limit Break] looks like, has heard of its characteristics, or is thinking that way because of the monsters' strength. I'd say... the chances of it being the latter are low, so it's probably one of the former two. Seems she'll be much more formidable than this kid. Well, now I know too; those glowing veins are a characteristic gained when using [Limit Break]. Interesting.

"Ohhh... N-no, I have examined them with the Spirit Scope, but I didn't see anything like that..."

'Spirit Scope'? Now that's something.

"By the way, Jiera―...U-uuh... R-right, sorry... Sorry, my bad..."

Jiera? Isn't that familiar somehow? Argh, that name, I swear I've heard it before... Damn, just where the hell was it...

Suddenly, Jae recalled Rena.

Ah! It was then!

〔Mn! There's Me, Mama, Sister Jiera, Brother Jiyeru―lots of people!〕

So this kid is the 'Brother Jiyeru', and he's reporting to 'Sister Jiera'?

Jae let loose a short sigh of alleviation―

Wait.

―Before immediately sharpening his mind.

Ordinarily, Jae probably would've lowered his guard at this point; they were Rena's family, after all, so they should definitely be trustworthy. Nonetheless, Jae kept vigilant.

Because he also remembered something else about Rena's situation.

She lived in a castle with many people and guards. It also sounded like she was in the care of her mother most of the time―someone Rena claimed to be 'the strongest out of everyone'. If her siblings inherited even a fraction of the mother's strength, and held no ill-will towards Rena, it'd be almost impossible for her to be kidnapped by the likes of such weak humans as those bandits.

This was a similar suspicion to what he came up with two years ago. There was no way to confirm it, but Jae was certain that not everyone involved had Rena's best interests in mind. Worst case, it could even be that he was the only one.

It's likewise possible that the mother let Rena get kidnapped on purpose, in order to draw out her real father. There's no way to know who's on who's side at this point. It'd be safer to just assume everyone is an enemy until further information is acquired.

Well, there was also the fact that the younger brother, Jiyeru, was currently alone in a miasma-filled forest of infected monsters. In this kind of situation, anyone would be considered shady, even if they were a little kid, or appeared to be an ally at first glance.

"―Yeah, fine. I'll take care of things, so don't worry about it... Uh, I'll probably stay for about another week or so before making my way back... Mmn. See you then."

*vrhoom*

A short humming noise was heard, and Jae could sense that Jieryu's report had ended. It actually sounded very alike to how a computer powers down. Sneaking closer to the room ahead, Jae decided to act.

I've got a week, huh... Let's move.

Going back about five minutes.

"Listen. You're there because you're the best beast-type monster tamer we've got. If even you judge that it's improbable, then it can't be helped; we'll just give up on those cursed monsters. Just make sure to keep safe, okay? That's the priority, since it's not like this suggested force is necessary. And again, don't you dare get cocky, trying to fight one of them; it's really a bad habit you need to work on. There was that strange Mana Detonation earlier, too. Be careful."

『Yeah, fine. I'll take care of things, so don't worry about it.』

"Good. So, what do you think is the estimated duration of your stay?"

『Uh, I'll probably stay for about another week or so, before making my way back.』

"Alright. Well, I'll require a report when you get back."

『Mmn. See you then.』

*vrhoom*

The call ended with a short hum, and Jiera stared at the blank crystal ball on her desk that reflected her own image―a girl who looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, and with almost all black features; long black hair, opal eyes, and a pair of two black horns protruding from her forehead. Contrasting with all that dark colour, she had porcelain-like, white skin.

"Haaaah..."

The girl closed her eyes and sighed exhaustingly.

Honestly, that brat... I told him not to spout names carelessly when this method of communication is still in its experimentation period, and yet he goes and does that. I'm almost certain it is secure, but I still suggest not to say names, just in the case that the calls are traced by an enemy. It's not like I don't understand his feelings, but he needs to reign in and control his anger somehow. It's already been so long since...

"Haah, ohhhh..."

She sighed once more, before groaning in pain. She held her head in her hands and thought.

Rena... That poor child... Just where are you? ...It's been months, and yet there's still no sign of her anywhere. I just... I don't understand how Mother doesn't care in this situation...!

Jiera thought that perhaps her mother was grieving behind closed doors, so as to not show weakness. That, or, her mother knew something she didn't. Whichever it was, Jiera didn't fret too much over as she believed she would find out soon enough.

Clearing her mind and standing up from her desk, Jiera exited her office. She walked down a mostly-white hall; one decorated so that it clearly indicated the fact someone powerful resided here. She stopped at a certain set of wooden double doors and furrowed her brows. Jiera could hear the muffled noises of people talking beyond them.

Opening the doors, Jiera brazenly entered the room without introduction or warning, as if she owned the place.

""" !? """

The group of nine people―all Demon-race―who sat around a large table and having what looked like a discussion, or conference, were startled at her sudden appearance.

"Y-Your Highness...!", someone shouted, surprised.

One man, tall and with glasses, stood up, bowed his head respectfully towards Jiera, and spoke calmly, but with a hint of frustration.

"My apologies, Your Highness, but we are currently in the middle of holding an official meeting. Even if it is Your Highness, to just intrude like that is--"

"It is alright, Abel. We were planning to take a break soon, anyway. Isn't that the case?"

Someone interjected with a warm smile. It was a melodic voice.

It was the only person who sat at the end of the table―a remarkably beautiful woman who seemed to resemble Jiera herself slightly, what with the same black features, white skin and similar facial structure. It was the kind, yet strong, face of a parent with duty.

"...Mother."

―It was the current Queen of the Demon race, Leila Illujhin. Looking at her mother's face, Jiera noticed she wore a lovely, kind smile.

Why are you...

Seeing that smile, Jiera became very irritated.

"...I apologise for my rudeness."

Of course, there was no way that she would let it show though.

"There is no need for apologies; Like I said, we were about to take a break. Now then, my lovely daughter, may I inquire as to what the matter you wish to discuss is? As you chose such timing, I take that it is something urgent?"

There were signs of hesitation from the people around her as she talked, but they knew their say meant nothing against her will. They went dismissed as Jiera responded.

"Well... It is not yet certain, but I believe that yes, Mother, it could be deemed something that requires consideration. Ahem. Firstly, I've received a report from my esteemed brother."

Leila formed a look of surprise.

"From little Jiyeru...? My, already?"

Then, as her pleasant smile returned, she spoke in a rather carefree attitude.

"Wow~, so he arrived there quickly, didn't he?"

Unfortunately, her tone only worsened Jiera's mood.

How... In these circumstances... How can you be beaming so excitedly...? How can you act like nothing is wrong...!?

She didn't understand.

I don't get it... Mother, how can you smile like that... when Rena has been missing for over half a year...?

But, she didn't let it take over her mind. The professional Jiera continued, reminding herself of what she currently needed to do.

"Yes. The recently experimented Teleportation Magic was a success, and after testing its efficacy through magic barriers, we found it possible to penetrate into the Cursed Zone after many days of experimenting and adjustments. Using this method, we sent two separate infiltration squads; one to set up a basic camp in a safe location, and the other to scout, capture, and analyse the Cursed Monsters that reside within the zone. That was all a few days ago, and Jiyeru will be returning in about a week."

Jiera explained how the attempt to infiltrate the Cursed Zone had succeeded, and then how Jiyeru was sent to see whether taming the cursed beasts was possible or not, since the plan was to use these special monsters as additional, expendable troops in battle. Of course, Leila already knew about this plan, as she was the one who consented to it in the first place. Jiera simply explained it as a short recap.

If it ever turned out that taming the cursed beasts was highly improbable or if it wasn't cost-efficient, then they would give up on the taming plan and instead simply capture them as wild beasts to release onto the battlefield.

"Yes, that was the plan, wasn't it? So, what went wrong?"

"No, there is nothing wrong, per se... It's just that... Earlier today, a 'Mana Detonation' was detected within the zone."

To this, the whole room erupted into murmurs. What Jiera called a Mana Detonation was simply a spontaneous discharge of magical energy in the environment, usually leading to an explosion of some kind occurring, and often times resulting in something strange happening to the surrounding area, such as spots of increased gravity or anti-gravity, decreased mana regeneration or even mutation of the surrounding creatures.

However, Mana Detonations were exceedingly rare, and every time one has happened in the past, it has been documented; after all, they always have an inexplicable effect on the surrounding environment and are very popular subjects of study. They are also easy to detect, so if one does occur, it is unlikely that it will be overlooked.

Leila raised her hand, signalling all the officials to be quiet, before asking Jiera in a much more serious tone than previous.

"Jiera... Are you positive about the analysis?"

"Yes, Mother. I am confident that what occurred was definitely a Mana Detonation―the sudden spike in magic energy levels almost exactly matches that of previously documented detonations, and the magic energy that caused the detonation was natural; it wasn't caused by an individual's mana. Obviously, the reason behind it.... remains unknown."

That was the case for all Mana Detonations―no one knows exactly why they occur.

"I see... Jiera, has the site been investigated?"

"Regrettably, we have not had enough time to examine the site due to it being an unforeseen circumstance, in addition to the unfortunate timing, however, I have informed my brother that an examination unit is on the way to review the incident. As well as this, there was also something strange about the spike."

"Something strange...? And, what might that be?"

"Well, specifically, there were two odd things we found during the data's preliminary investigation.", Jiera raised two fingers, "When analysing the energy levels of the detonation, it was discovered that there may have, in fact, been two detonations."

Leila was taken back.

"...Two detonations, you say?"

"It may have been the case, but as I said before, we are not yet certain until after the examination unit arrives on-site."

The room once again erupted into a loud clamour. Leila didn't raise a hand to quiet them, as even she was astonished by the discovery. After a few moments of thinking, she opened her mouth, resulting in the room calming and listening to her words.

"Jiera. Elaborate."

It was a simple command, and everyone here understood that it was all that was necessary. Jiera, too, perfectly understood that she should explain the matter in further depth. She nodded.

"Of course. When we first looked over the data, we realised there were two spikes that both occurred within a short time frame of each other. Since nothing like this has happened previously, we have dubbed it a 'Dual Detonation'."

"What exactly do you mean by 'short time frame'?"

"They both occurred today, and not even five hours had passed from the first to the second spike."

"...Indeed, it seems we will have to patiently wait for the analysis team to arrive at the location to learn more about this. For now, Jiera, explain the second irregularity."

"Yes. It is about the detonation's attribute."

"My, they have strange attribute's too?"

"No, Mother. The first, smaller spike was attribute-less; it was the second, and larger spike of the two, that was found to have an attribute of the Lightning element."

"Lightning...", Leila muttered in surprise.

Everyone present was stunned speechless. Not only were there two Mana Detonations, but the second one even possessed an attribute never-before-seen in a detonation―Lightning. As such, the utmost caution was advised.

"This certainly could be... an urgent situation. Jiera, mobilise as many analysis units as possible; we need to examine this incident to completion as soon as possible. Additionally, send two more combat squads. When they arrive, evacuate Jiyeru and postpone the original mission until investigations are complete. If it is deemed safe, continue, otherwise, the mission is dismissed."

Jiera, a tad shocked at Leila's seemingly over-protective manner, continued after a moment of hesitation.

"...Mother, I'm afraid that won't be possible. We don't yet have enough protective equipment to defend against the miasma; the equipments used by my brother and the unit I sent to him earlier today, are all we are currently in possession of, and it is too expensive to produce more at this time."

Listening to her daughter's logical words, Leila began to feel frustrated. This was all they could do, and considering that the situation they are in right now is a complete anomaly, there was an imperative need for more effort that simply wasn't available. The deadly miasma of the Cursed Zone was just that tough to overcome.

It really was a desperate situation in which nobody here, in the castle, can do anything―they all knew this, and so everyone present just sat, agitated and unsettled.

Yes, Mother. I'm frustrated because of the whole situation too, but... All we can do right now is rely on Jiyeru, Jiera thought.

Little did she know, Jiyeru was in dire straits himself.