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.

the situation on your

had naturally heard a

curious, he still chose to pursue his role, which

under attack?" The elder

moment of

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

the elder's

system has made it impossible for those bastards to find the coordinates of our base!

he turned

—Unless what?

the

elder thought for a moment before

exposed our location is

—…That's impossible.

after a brief moment of

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 down

"…You might be right."

the matter, the elder soon realized the

background, and the fact that he hated dwarves with

in the neurological field and memory extraction area. Something that was considered taboo to

for them, he would've long died by

elder could vividly remember the deep seethed hatred he saw

He was there.

witnessed

also took down two beacons was a testament to his possible innocence… That was, of course, unless he

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

massaged his forehead as he tried to

who could it

was decoding the beacons? Since the dampening system was turned

ever entered that room.' The

already have

Why are you telling me this

surprise, the elder

I just got a live feed of what happened prior to the

moment. The elder could feel a tone of malice emerge from

for us to let them

knit at

related to

—Yes.

the elder's

towards our location. Moments after

don't think

elder's face

elder trembled with

think that those incompetent bastards would

—…BANG!

loud explosion rang in

"What is going on?"

instantly

currently under attack. The

the signal cut off, and the elder was left panicked,

he trying to say that someone has infiltrated the

calming down, the elder tried to make out the last words that the voice in his ear was trying

WIIIIIING—

hesitating, the elder raised

Clang—

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

"Khhh…who!?"

stabilized his body

look at who had attacked him, the elder immediately identified the perpetrator of

"Human…"

narrowed into

"Guess that didn't work."

and once

the sword, 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—

in the slightest. Raising his hand, a thin arm

mana towards the bracer, a thin transparent shield

BANG—

attack arrived right as the shield formed. Connecting with the shield, ripples formed around its surface as it completely absorbed the energy

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

on the handle of the hammer, the elder glared