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 side? What exactly

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

pursue his role, which was to find out what was going on with the artifact

under attack?" The elder

moment of silence, the

compromised. We're currently under siege by those bastards. We've called for reinforcements, and have set up the

words, the elder's face sank

made it impossible for those

thought struck the elder as he turned his attention back towards the Rhimestone

—Unless what?

voice in the

elder thought for a moment before replying

exposed

—…That's impossible.

after a brief moment

well 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

"…You might be right."

matter, the elder soon realized the validity of the words

the fact that he hated dwarves with a passion,

was someone that the dwarves had rejected and scorned due to the various ideas he 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

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

He was there.

had witnessed the whole

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

faking it for so

look to the door, the elder massaged

who could

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

ever entered that room.' The elder shook his head in

already

that? Why are you telling

in surprise, the elder hurriedly

you now because I just got a live feed of what happened prior to

a moment. The elder could

that asked for us to

elder's brows knit

it related to

—Yes.

the elder's ears

the attackers towards our location. Moments after they appeared, we were

don't think

elder's face sank once

elder trembled

incompetent bastards

—…BANG!

rang in

"What is going on?"

instantly became

attack. The dwarves

and the elder was

he trying to say that someone has

last words that the voice in his

WIIIIIING—

the elder raised his

Clang—

a circular, pressurised wind that expanded from the point of contact between the two

"Khhh…who!?"

stabilized his body and

at who had attacked him, the elder

"Human…"

eyes narrowed into

"Guess that didn't work."

his broadsword and once again slashed down. Not wasting a

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

WIIIIIING—

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

towards the bracer, a thin transparent shield materialised in

BANG—

arrived right as the shield formed. Connecting with the shield, ripples formed around its surface as it

the attack, raising his head, the elder did not waste any time. Extending his hand towards the right, a

of the hammer, the elder glared