[Vol. 8] Chapter 193: The Abdomen
After being startled several times by the swordsman who clearly knew the secrets of this place, Rowan finally calmed down. Curious again, he raised his torch and looked around, then couldn’t help but ask.
“So, Ashnard, where exactly are we going now?”
“Just follow. If you don’t want to, that’s your choice.”
“Uh… alright then.”
Even though Rowan was silently grumbling inside, he really didn’t dare go off on his own. Without Ashnard, he would be as good as dead in this place.
“By the way, the magic crystals here are so densely packed, totally different from what we saw above the valley. Could this be one of those legendary [Source of Magic]? But if so, why are the crystals formed here poisonous? That doesn’t match what the professor’s theory says.”
“[Source of Magic]?”
Ashnard turned and glanced at him again.
“Never heard of it. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s an academic term…”
Not hiding anything, Rowan gave a simplified explanation of Professor Malcolm’s theory for the strange magical phenomena in the Chaos Magic Valley, called the World Center Theory, in a way that even a non-expert could understand. But to his surprise, Ashnard simply shook his head and let out a mocking laugh.
“Heh… pfft, hahahahaha… That Malcolm guy sure has an imagination. Talking nonsense with such a serious face and still making it sound believable, that takes talent, I’ll admit that. Guess that’s what happens when someone does too much research, their brain starts going weird.”
Rowan frowned in displeasure and quickly defended him.
“Hey, Ashnard, I admit the professor’s theory has some logic gaps, and it may not be the absolute truth, but isn’t that what science is? You make a guess, and then you try to prove it. Mistakes in theories are normal. But if you’re too scared to even think or imagine, what’s the point of being a scholar?”
“The professor was already old, yet he still risked his life to explore and test his theory. He even died in an accident while doing fieldwork. Even if you don’t agree with his ideas, you should at least respect his dedication to knowledge, and show some respect to a senior in the field, right?”
“Oh really? But I don’t think his motives were as simple as you believe. And besides, he was just a junior who spent a few decades in the academic world, what makes you think he’s worthy of my respect?”
“…Huh?”
Rowan frowned. As a merchant’s son, his instincts were sharp. He could tell there was something deeper, something shocking, hidden in Ashnard’s words. But before he could think more about it, the swordsman ahead suddenly stopped walking.
The sudden stop almost made Rowan bump into him face-first, and all his built-up frustration burst out.
“Hey! What are you—”
“Quiet.”
Ashnard’s voice had suddenly become deep and serious, calm and heavy like a mountain, full of quiet authority. It was the same feeling Rowan had the first time they met: that bloody sword, that figure stepping out of the shadows, terrifying and unstoppable like a storm. That overwhelming pressure made Rowan instinctively obey, quickly shutting his mouth and not daring to make a sound.
“So strange… What’s wrong with this guy? Earlier he looked like he was barely alive, but now that we’re close, he still hasn’t reacted at all. It’s like a cat that’s been scared stiff… but this is Tartanos. What on earth is happening outside?”
Muttering things Rowan couldn’t understand at all, the swordsman snapped out of his casual attitude. He gave Rowan a long look, then after a brief silence, tossed him an old-looking broken sword. Putting his cloak back on, he said only a few simple words, straight to the point.
“From now on, stay close to me. No matter what you see, keep your mouth shut and stay calm. Don’t stop walking. If things get really bad, use this to protect yourself.”
Use… this rusty broken sword?
Rowan blinked in surprise, but when he met the swordsman’s eyes, so serious and firm like a mountain, he could only nod without thinking. Seeing that, Ashnard said nothing more and continued walking, leading Rowan around a bend in the underground river tunnel.
And then, the scene before them suddenly changed.
“!?”
Even though Rowan had tried to prepare himself, the strange and terrifying sight that appeared made his pupils shrink and his face turn pale. As a student with little real-world experience, he was completely shocked.
It was still the same underground river structure, but unlike the previous path, the tightly packed high-grade magic crystals all over the tunnel, on the walls, ceiling, and floor, had started to crack open. From inside, thick black pus-like liquid was oozing out. Some crystals had even fully changed shape, becoming swollen like infected flesh or tumors, disgusting and horrifying!
Even the underground water that had been flowing in uneven streams had now turned. Around the corner, it had become dirty and thick, almost the same texture as the pus coming from the crystals. It bubbled as it flowed in the same direction, toward the darkness far ahead in the tunnel.
Drip… drip…
The water still dripping from the rock walls above now also looked infected, thick, black, and sticky. It dropped into the black river below, mixing into the foul current.
This place wasn’t just an underground tunnel anymore. It was more like the nest of some strange monster… or maybe even the inside of a living creature.
A chill ran through Rowan’s entire body.
He instinctively wanted to ask a question, but then he remembered Ashnard’s command to stay silent. So even though goosebumps covered his skin, he clenched his teeth and forced himself to keep walking behind the swordsman through this nightmare-like tunnel.
As for Ashnard himself, he didn’t seem disturbed at all. It was as if he was used to the horrible scene. He didn’t react, just calmly walked ahead, holding a torch in one hand and his massive sword in the other. His face showed no emotion, and his eyes quietly swept over the disgusting, mutated crystals, clearly watching and judging something.
The tunnel kept going on, seeming to stretch endlessly into the distance. But the further they walked, the worse the mutations became. More and more of the crystals had turned into fleshy, oozing lumps. The black river grew thicker and murkier, as if warning of something terrible up ahead.
And then… when every single magic crystal in sight had fully turned into disgusting, pulsing lumps, Rowan noticed something else: the walls themselves were starting to move. Just slightly, in a slow, breathing-like rhythm, as if the whole tunnel was alive. He thought he could hear something from deep in the darkness ahead. A faint trembling… a sound that filled him with fear and unease.
But when he listened carefully, he was shocked to realize…
That sound… wasn’t it the sound of his own heartbeat?
“Four… three… two…”
Suddenly, Rowan noticed Ashnard, who was walking ahead, had begun whispering something very quietly, some kind of chant or countdown. Feeling uneasy, Rowan leaned forward a little, trying to hear it clearly.
But at that moment, a wave of intense danger surged through his whole body, as if something terrible was coming!
Right then, the swordsman let out a loud shout.
“…One! Now—run forward! No matter what happens, don’t look back!!!”