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

artifact testing room, the elder had naturally heard a large explosion that seemed to have come from outside

he still chose to pursue his role, which was to find out what was going on

attack?" The

of silence,

by those bastards. We've called for reinforcements, and have set up

the elder's face sank

Our dampening system has made it impossible for those bastards to find the coordinates

elder as he turned

—Unless what?

in the

the elder thought for a moment before replying with a deep

one that exposed our

—…That's impossible.

spoke after a brief

hatred runs even more deeply than some of us present in the council. How can it be him? Furthermore, he is also responsible

"…You might be right."

realized the validity of the words presented to

he hated dwarves with a passion, the probability of him being the culprit

various ideas he had proposed in the past. Each dwelling in the neurological field and memory extraction area. Something that was considered taboo

for them, he would've long died by

remember the deep seethed hatred he saw in Karl when he signed the mana

He was there.

witnessed the

he also took down two beacons was a testament to his possible innocence… That

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

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

who could it

Karl's room while he was decoding the beacons? Since the dampening system was turned off in that

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

already have an

Why are you telling me this

his head in surprise, the

I just got a live feed of what

moment. The elder could feel a tone of malice emerge

those human bastards that asked for us

knit at those

related

—Yes.

voice in the elder's ears

led the attackers towards our location. Moments

I don't think

elder's face sank

fists, the elder trembled with

incompetent bastards would

—…BANG!

a loud explosion rang in the elder's

"What is going on?"

elder instantly became

I'm currently under attack. The dwarves have

cut off, and the elder was left panicked, wondering what had just

that someone has

words that the voice in

WIIIIIING—

elder raised his

Clang—

loud clashing sound rang out. What followed after was a circular, pressurised wind that expanded from the point of contact

"Khhh…who!?"

back, the elder stabilized his body and

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

"Human…"

eyes narrowed into

"Guess that didn't work."

and once again slashed

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

WIIIIIING—

did not panic in the slightest. Raising his hand, a thin arm bracer appeared on

a thin transparent shield materialised in front

BANG—

the shield formed. Connecting with the shield, ripples formed around its surface

waste any time. Extending his hand towards the right, a large hammer appeared in his

the hammer, the elder glared at