The Author's POV

348 Planting the seeds of chaos [2]

BANG— BANG—

A loud metallic sound rang as an energy blast shot towards a large metal door.

The sound rang in the air for a brief moment before it disappeared completely. What followed after was the cacophonous sound of several alarms ringing, completely drowning out the banging sounds that ensued after repetitive attacks towards the metallic door.

"Step to the side."

Seeing that the attacks were not working, a duergar stepped up.

Holding onto a large metallic barrel in-between his armpits, the duergar channeled his mana towards it. Soon, spherical orbs of mana agglomerated towards the center of the barrel, forming a concentrated ball of energy.

The threatening energy expanded in the hall as it steadily increased in size.

Before long, once the ball reached a certain size, the duergar firmly planted both of his feet on the ground and discharged the energy.

BOOOM—!

What followed after was a terrifying blast that shot towards the massive metal door. A colorful trail of mana traced behind the attack.

Once the attack connected with the door, a thunderous sound rang out, and smoke diffused in the air.

"Did it work?"

The duergar who shot the attack wondered out loud as he tried to see through the large cloud of smoke.

"It's no use. The door is designed to withstand the impacts of ranked individuals. All you're doing is wasting mana."

Before the duergar could get a proper look, a cold and apathetic voice spoke from behind.

Turning to the direction where the voice came from, the duergar's face paled considerably.

"L-Lord!"

"Stay put."

Scanning the metal door, the mood of the duergar elder sank.

"Damn it."

Placing his palm on the door, the elder circulated the mana inside of his body towards the palm of his hand and closed his eyes. He was trying to gauge what was going on inside the room.

While the elder was busy, the duergars behind him stood silently with their backs straight, not daring to mouth a single word.

After a while, opening his eyes, the elder's face relaxed a little.

"He's still alive…"

After having scanned the internal structure of the room, although he wasn't able to tell what exactly was going on inside, he could tell that there were two people alive.

Out of the two, one was a demon and the other was Karl.

Recognizing Karl's mana signature, the elder was able to tell that he was still alive. At this revelation, he felt a lot more relaxed. As long as he was alive, all was good.

"Hm?"

However, apart from those two energies, he felt no other energy. This meant only one thing.

Every single researcher inside had been killed.

'Why did a demon betray us?'

The elder wondered as his brows tightly knit in consternation.

For the perpetrator to be a demon, no wonder the Duergars assigned to Karl had failed to protect him. Nobody would have seen it coming.

—How is the situation going on your side?

It was then that a voice suddenly entered the elder's ears.

Completely unfazed by the voice, the elder tapped on his ear and responded in a calm tone, "Karl is still alive. However, he is currently being held hostage inside of the room with a demon."

—A demon?

The voice sounded a bit surprised. It quickly followed up with a question.

—So you're saying that the one responsible for this is a demon?

"That is correct."

The elder darkly replied.

situation on your side? What exactly is going

had naturally heard a large explosion

the elder was curious, he still chose to pursue his role, which was to find out what

we under attack?" The

moment of

of our base has been compromised. We're currently under siege by

those words, the

has been breached? That's impossible! Our dampening system has made it impossible for those bastards to find the coordinates of our base!

the elder as he turned his attention back towards the Rhimestone

—Unless what?

voice in the elder's ear

thought for a moment before

the one that exposed

—…That's impossible.

after a

just how much Karl hates the dwarves. His hatred runs even more deeply than some of us present in the council. How can it be him? Furthermore, he is also responsible for taking

"…You might be right."

soon realized the validity

hated dwarves with a passion, the probability of

had proposed in the past. Each dwelling in the neurological field and memory extraction area. Something that was considered taboo to the dwarves. As such he was treated

not for them, he would've long died by

seethed hatred he saw in Karl when he signed the mana contract

He was there.

witnessed

a testament to his possible innocence… That was, of course, unless he was

for him to have been faking it for so long...the elder didn't want to believe

skeptical look to the door, the elder massaged his forehead as he tried to think

could it

room while he was decoding the beacons? Since the dampening system was turned

Karl ever entered that room.' The elder shook his head in confusion. He couldn't make heads or tails of

we already have

by that? Why are you telling me

surprise, the

now because I just got a

could feel

human bastards that asked for

knit at

it related to

—Yes.

voice in the elder's ears

towards our location. Moments after they appeared, we were suddenly attacked.

I don't

elder's face sank

elder

incompetent bastards would scheme

—…BANG!

a loud explosion rang in the elder's

"What is going on?"

instantly became

attack.

off, and the elder was left panicked, wondering

to say that

that the voice in his ear was trying to say. But, before he could even think properly, the hair at the back of

WIIIIIING—

elder

Clang—

pressurised wind that expanded from the point of contact

"Khhh…who!?"

several steps back, the elder stabilized his body and lifted his

and getting a closer look at who had attacked him, the elder immediately identified

"Human…"

eyes narrowed

"Guess that didn't work."

opposite the Duergan elder, Waylan raised his broadsword and once again slashed down. Not

enveloped the body of the blade. What followed after was a terrifying attack that shot out from the broadsword, headed straight for

WIIIIIING—

the slightest. Raising his

thin transparent shield materialised in

BANG—

Connecting with the shield, ripples formed around its surface as it completely absorbed the energy of

the elder did not waste any time. Extending his hand towards the right, a large hammer appeared in

of the hammer, the