Chapter 165 (1/2)

Chapter 165 – Stinking water

「Pitfall?  This is?」

In front of us, a big hole appeared.

「It's a big hole, oniichan.」

I've tried to peer in but I can't see the depth because it's dark.

「Now, how are we going to get down?」

「We're going to get down from here?」

Lela is also anxious.

「Seiji-sama, nothing can be seen below. It's pitch black.

Going down there as it is, isn't it dangerous?」

「That's right, we have to first make sure of what's down below……」

I took out an adequate wooden stick from the inventory, wrapped a piece of cloth that I don't need around it and soaked it in a firelighter for camping.

「Hilda, can you please set fire to this?」

「Yes!」

When Hilda used【Ignition】magic, the improvised torch vigorously burst into flames and brilliantly illuminated the surroundings.

「Why bother with a torch, oniichan?

Besides, its light can't reach the bottom.」

「Well, you'll see.」

I attached again the【Tracking beacon】, which I had put on myself, to the torch and tossed it into the hole.

The torch fell down dozen of meters below and with a splash, it fell into a water, extinguishing the fire.

「Oh, it has been extinguished.」

「So the bottom is water! I give up.」

「But, I saw something before the fire has been extinguished.」

「Let's review it.」

I tried to playback the【Tracking beacon】's video that I attached to the torch from the beginning.

「Seiji! W-, What's this!?」

It's awkward when you get surprised every time.

Not only Lela, it seems Hilda is also surprised.

「This is the view that can be seen from that torch.」

「Even such magic……」

When I paused the video just before the torch fell into the water, it showed the view at the bottom.

At the bottom of the hole was a room, filled with black, muddy liquid.

I had no way of knowing how deep the liquid was from the video.

Inside the room, not just black liquid but also something like a wreckage could be seen.

If I had to take a guess from its form, wasn't it formerly the stairs?

That means―

there have been stairs in this hole before and collapsed into this state for some reason.

「The bottom seems to be somewhat dangerous.」

「If we use【Teleportation】on top of the wreckage, we might be able to come down.」

I can't let the girls go, if we get on the top of the wreckage below in great numbers, it might collapse~.

So I should get down alone first.

I'd been seen off by everyone who was anxious,

and moved to the bottom of the hole alone with【Teleportation】.

***

When I moved toward the bottom of the hole using【Teleportation】,

the wreckage under my foot shook for an instant with a bang, I almost fell over but I was able to resist it somehow without falling over.

However, what's this smell?

An oily kind of smell wafts through the air.

When I turn on the【Incandescent light bulb】and look around―

there's a wide room and it's entirely flooded with black liquid above floor level.

Looking a little further ahead, a doorway can be seen.

Let's head towards that doorway first.

I took out an adequate wooden stick from the inventory slowly and tried to put it into the black liquid.

The stick immediately reached the floor and I found out that the depth of the water was around 20 cm.

It seems to be alright to walk through this.

I took out the『boots』from the inventory and put it on, and went toward the doorway whilst confirming my steps with the stick.

When I arrived at the doorway and left the room―

it was followed by a passage way.

As far as I can see, there are several forked roads in the passage as well as several places which seem to be the entrance of the room.

This is completely the『first floor's underground』as soon as I thought whether there's only a hidden passage.

When I check the map, unidentified enemies covers a wide range.

It's no good.

Once I get back, I'll inform everyone of the situation.

***