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Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Zzzzing!
A piercing noise erupted in the air.
Bellen’s strike could hardly even be called a slash. She merely concentrated her mana into her blade and released it.
Still, the physical power it carried couldn’t be ignored—it was breaking through the barrier.
Ian let out a dry chuckle as he watched.
“Haha.”
It felt like déjà vu.
Before his regression, he was always cautious when traveling alone.
It was hard to predict where some dangerous trap might be lying in wait. Without prior information, the chances of getting swept into an Outerworldly space created by a long-abandoned Outer Gate weren’t low either.
The territory of the Xail Empire was such a place. But after he started traveling with Hero Abella, it was always like this.
Whenever monsters appeared, the Hero would charge in recklessly, claiming that reducing their numbers as much as possible would ease the burden on the defensive lines.
“Hm!”
Looking satisfied, Bellen sheathed her black blade and handed it over.
Ian took it with a wry smile and couldn’t help but ask.
“Is this really okay?”
She took out a pipe, lit it with a flick of her finger, and exhaled smoke before replying.
“Why wouldn’t it be? I was already ambushed by Mathis’s Cleaner. This is retaliation. If they laid a hand on a Level 6 Mage, they need to bear the consequences. Ah, what a shame. If I were Level 7, I’d have declared a domain right then and there.”
A Level 6 Mage is marked by a star that appears in their mental image, symbolizing that their body has stepped into the realm of the superhuman.
Then what about Level 7? It means perfecting one’s envisioned mental image and projecting it into reality.
Thus, those capable of declaring their unique domain in this world are known as Ascendants.
Looking up at the heavens and stepping beyond them was something to think about far in the future.
Ian noticed the unique scent of the smoke wafting from her pipe. It seemed to be some kind of doping agent for mages.
Perhaps mistaking his curious gaze for one of fear, Bellen looked back at Ian and chuckled softly.
“It’s fine.”
“……?”
“You won’t be in danger since I’m with you. Even if Mathis catches wind of what’s happened here, they won’t associate you with it, so Berger won’t have any trouble. If you’re really that uneasy, you can just watch from the sidelines. Just finding this place was enough to fulfill your role.”
Bellen wasn’t making any attempt to hide as she began stacking layers of defensive magic on her body.
Her aura, which had seemed relaxed and lethargic, gradually grew more intense as her mana accumulated layer upon layer. She clearly had no intention of concealing her position.
Crackle!
Sparks flew around her as she became the center of an electrical storm. It seemed she had mastered one of the more challenging elements—lightning magic.
This confidence in facing whoever might be inside the facility must have stemmed from her mastery over overwhelming firepower, large-area attacks, and solid defense.
“Well then, shall we head inside?”
The forest vanished, revealing the scene within.
The first thing that came into view was a tall iron fence.
While it might deter humans, it looked fragile enough that a single monster’s strike could leave it bent and broken.
Beyond that was a massive, antique structure—an unexpected sight in such a remote location.
‘……?’
But Ian felt a strange sense of discomfort. Hadn’t they broken through the barrier?
Even if an alarm were triggered, it wouldn’t be strange, yet the silence was deafening.
Despite the attack on the research facility, which should have been hidden in secrecy, people could be seen walking through the building’s hallways beyond the iron fence, as if nothing had happened.
It was possible there were no guards stationed because they trusted the barrier.
‘…Even so.’
Something felt off. Ian was about to ask Bellen for her opinion, but she merely grinned as though none of it mattered. She seemed to be enjoying the situation immensely.
“Wow, they must have poured quite a bit of money into this place. What a shame—it’s all coming down today.”
Hoo!
Bellen exhaled smoke through her lips, her expression one Ian had never seen before.
A surge of emotion—like she was ready to unleash the violence she had been suppressing.
With her lips curved into a sharp grin, she raised her hand. It wasn’t magic; it was raw mana concentrated in her palm.
“Ladies and gentlemen!”
The condensed mana shot out from her hand.
“Catch this!”
Her lively tone didn’t suit the situation at all. Ian thought it might be better if she didn’t use formalities in moments like this.
Crash!
The wooden front gate was obliterated by the mana-infused strike.
At that moment, a powerful gust of wind erupted from within the shattered gate, carrying with it a foreign mana that quickly enveloped the surroundings.
“Huh?”
Bellen, thinking it might be a counterattack, immediately deployed a defensive spell, but it wasn’t that kind of phenomenon.
Ian looked around. The sky had turned a deep purple.
This was another world—an Outerworldly Realm.
The scenery inside had changed.
The fence remained unchanged, but the building was now covered in a sluggish, pulsating membrane, and the garden was filled with grotesque figures staring their way.
The intense hostility radiating from them was palpable. They bared their teeth, lowered their stances, and prepared to charge.
Screeech!
Horrific.
They had human-like forms but were far too grotesque to be called people.
It would be more accurate to call them monsters—creatures that must have once been human in life.
Either way, Ian wasn’t overly concerned. He was with a Level 6 Mage, Bellen Cordelia.
Knowing she could wield lightning magic, there was no need to worry about these lesser creatures.
Crackle!
Brilliant light sparked from her hand, illuminating the surroundings.
Boom!
A deafening roar tore through the air as a massive lightning strike shot forward.
Its speed made it nearly impossible to react unless one could predict it.
The bolt struck the lead monster, charring its grotesque form black, and spread to the others in an instant.
For a brief moment, Ian’s eyes perceived the monsters in the garden as if they were all connected into a single mass.
Sizzle!
The creatures in the garden burned to ash. As their bodies collapsed, Ian turned to look behind him.
The forest they had just passed through seemed drained of color.
He reached out, but as if touching water, ripples formed in the air, distorting the forest’s appearance.
Seeing Ian sigh, Bellen kindly explained.
“It’s useless. The space has been isolated. To break out, you’d need an enormous amount of mana.”
“Or you’d have to close the Outer Gate that’s open inside.”
When Ian responded, Bellen’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“Did you already know?”
“I’ve been aware that this was an Outer world from the start.”
“You make it sound like you’ve experienced this before.”
“Impossible. It’s just been a while since I last entered one, so I wanted to confirm.”
This was the first time such an event had occurred since Ian’s regression.
“Still, I didn’t expect to enter it in this manner.”
Until the very moment the mansion’s door shattered, he hadn’t anticipated that an Outer world would have opened here.
It was clear now—this was no accident but an intentionally concealed trap.
The surprising part was that even Bellen, a Level 6 Mage, hadn’t detected it.
Or maybe she had been so fixated on Mathis’s research facility that nothing else mattered. The latter seemed more likely.
A deep, guttural groan rumbled low.
Ian blinked and turned his head. The charred monsters that had collapsed moments ago were rising again, releasing white steam as they moved.
The cells destroyed by the lightning were reactivating, pushing away the useless, scorched skin as they regenerated.
“Huh?”
Bellen let out a puzzled sound, snapping her fingers.
Crackle!
This time, the output was even greater. Just like before, the monsters burned to a crisp, their flesh reduced to ash.
Only their skeletons remained, yet they still tried to rise.
“This regeneration is absurd. It must be due to the influence of the Outerworld. Shall we head inside? We might as well find out what’s causing this.”
Ian nodded. Having come this far, it only made sense to continue investigating. Returning alone wasn’t an option.
He pushed open the mansion’s tightly shut door. Surprisingly, it opened smoothly, evidence of diligent maintenance.
Inside the mansion, more grotesque figures awaited, similar to the ones in the garden. There were also demonic entities likely drawn in through the Outer Gate, their appearances just as horrifying.
“Take a step back.”
Confirming Ian’s position, Bellen lightly stomped her foot.
Crackle!
Lightning radiated outward from her as its base, pulsating and lingering in place.
Within the blue-glowing electricity, vague forms seemed to take shape.
However, the forms were not fixed. At times, they resembled worms, wolves, or birds.
Like the ever-shifting lightning itself, the forms couldn’t settle, as if they were deliberating. An unfinished technique, perhaps.
Bellen spoke to the waiting lightning.
“Go. Burn everything that moves.”
Her tone suggested she didn’t care whether any survivors were present.
The lightning surged forward like a creature unleashed.
Zap! Zap!
Flashes of light scattered throughout the mansion, which was coated in a sticky darkness, accompanied by the pungent smell of burning.
Without hesitation, Bellen strode forward into the chaos. She showed no sign of caution.
Her confidence was unshakable, a belief that she could defeat any foe and overcome any trap.
‘…The escort was just an excuse.’
She must have only wanted to locate this place. She had clearly known about the research facility beforehand and had been combing the forest under the guise of collecting supplies to pinpoint its location.
Mathis must have sent cleaners to warn her away, hoping to prevent her from finding it.
‘And now the research facility is in this state?’
Judging by the supply cycle and the warehouse located at the edge of the forest, it was likely that the research facility had only recently been consumed by the Outerworld.
Ian followed closely as Bellen thoroughly searched the mansion.
She meticulously examined each room, leaving no corner uninspected. Even notebooks, memos scattered on the floor, and books on shelves weren’t spared her scrutiny.
It wasn’t clear if she was committing this massive amount of text to memory, but her attention to detail was undeniable.
Thud.
“……”
Ian picked up a notebook that Bellen had discarded—it was a diary.
The entries began several years ago.
—
[80.02.13]
I’ve finally been appointed as a senior researcher. Seems all those papers I wrote weren’t a waste.
I’m getting thirty gold coins a month now—double my previous salary!
—
[80.02.14]
My workplace has changed. I even had to sign a confidentiality agreement, but they didn’t tell me where I’m going.
—
[80.02.17]
The facilities here are incredible. For something built in such a remote area, the equipment is cutting-edge.
My job here is to develop an elixir—a day when Mathis can crush Cordelia for good!
—
[80.02.18]
I think I’ve stepped into something dangerous. I should have been suspicious when they offered such high pay.
They’re using humans as test subjects, not just animals like rats or rabbits.
They’re conducting experiments to drastically enhance regeneration and physical strength. Is this really okay?
—
[80.02.28]
I’m starting to adapt to this place. The elixir’s development was already somewhat advanced when I arrived.
I was brought in to fill a personnel gap in the process.
Is this facility really meant for elixir development? I doubt it.
What they’re actually doing seems to be creating rampaging monsters—humans and beasts turned into weapons with just one dose.
—
The following entries were mundane, detailing meals, shopping plans during monthly outings, and other trivial matters.
Bellen moved to another room, and Ian followed her, diary still in hand.
At some point, the daily entries began to appear months apart. Initially tempted to close the book, Ian’s attention was caught by an entry written a month ago.
There were only a few pages left. He decided to read until the end.
—
[83.09.06]
It’s been three years since I came here. Progress is still slow.
We’ve presented by-products from our experiments as achievements, but it’s not enough.
There is a method to create superhuman physical abilities: sustained drug administration and regular training.
It’s textbook, really. But that’s not what Mathis wants.
What they demand is a single-dose drug that can elevate an ordinary person to the realm of the extraordinary.
Is that even possible? Perhaps. There’s potential, but it’s in a realm of knowledge we simply don’t possess.
Unless some groundbreaking discovery or a genius of unparalleled brilliance appears, there’s no solution.
Otherwise, we’ll have to keep pouring manpower and time into minimizing errors. The director surely knows this.
—
[83.09.09]
The director returned after being absent for days, and it seems she’s finally gone mad.
Looking haggard, she claimed to have acquired “new knowledge” and began performing insane experiments.
We had already abandoned humanity with our experiments on live subjects, but soaking humans and beasts in drugs and alternating them as filters—is that really the right path?
Can this truly bring glory to Mathis?
—
There were no more entries. The next page bore a date, as if the writer had intended to continue, but it seemed they hesitated and ultimately left it blank.
Ian closed the diary, his eyes narrowing.
“So they never even intended to hide it.”
“New knowledge,” “acts of madness”—what else could those words signify?
———-