Chapter 32 The Caves Dark Secrets （1）
As night finally fell, the city took on a different face. Lanterns lined the streets, their flickering light casting long shadows that swayed with every breeze. The noise of the day had faded, replaced by the quiet hum of crickets and the distant creak of wooden signs.
I arrived back at the guild, pushing open the heavy doors. The warm glow from inside spilled onto the dark street.
Inside, everyone was already waiting—Daito, Yanie, Hiro, Ayame, Kairo, Zachi, and Yuchikimo and everyone else—all geared up and ready. Their eyes turned toward me as I stepped in.
I scratched the back of my head, giving a sheepish smile. “Sorry for being late, everyone.”
Daito grinned. “Don’t worry, you’re just in time, Sir Raito.”
Before I could respond, the Guild Master’s deep voice cut through the room. “Alright then. Since everyone’s here, we can now begin the mission.”
“Right!” everyone replied in unison, their voices echoing off the wooden walls.
Moments later, we were walking through the quiet streets of the city. The cobblestones glistened faintly under the moonlight, and the air carried a faint chill. The Guild Master split us into groups to cover more ground. He went with the royal knights, while I was assigned to accompany the heroes.
Our footsteps were the only sounds breaking the silence. The city felt different at night—empty, tense, as if holding its breath.
“Man,” Yuchikimo muttered, his voice a little too loud, “how long till we find these guys?”
Zachi immediately shot him a glare. “Keep it down! We’re supposed to stay quiet during a mission like this.”
“She’s right, dude,” Daito added with a small laugh. “Try not to shout, alright?”
But of course, that only sparked more chatter. Yuchikimo rolled his eyes, muttering something back. Then Yanie joined in to tease him, Ayame threw in a sarcastic remark, and Kairo sighed, trying—and failing—to calm them all down.
Watching them bicker, I couldn’t help but shake my head with a faint smile. They’ve definitely change… but they’re still the same as ever.
As I was lost in thought, Hiro walked beside me, his voice low and curious. “So, Sir Raito… how long have you been an adventurer?”
I glanced at him. “Not that long. Maybe three weeks?”
His eyes widened, though he kept his tone quiet. “Three weeks? You’re kidding, right?”
“Yeah,” I said with a small grin. “It is.”
“That’s… awesome,” Hiro murmured. But as I looked closer, I noticed his expression shift—his smile faltering slightly, eyes clouded with worry.
“Is something bothering you?” I asked.
He hesitated, then shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. Just… worried about a friend, that’s all.”
Before I could ask more, a sudden scream tore through the night—sharp and echoing from somewhere up ahead.
Everyone froze.
Then Daito raised his voice, his expression turning serious. “Let’s go, you guys!”
We all replied in unison, “Right!”
We sprinted toward the direction of the scream, our footsteps echoing through the empty street. The cold night air bit against my skin as we rounded a corner.
“Alright, finally some action!” Yuchikimo shouted, excitement flashing in his voice.
“Just hurry it up!” Zachi snapped back. “Someone might be in danger!”
We turned the corner—and stopped.
A group of cloaked figures stood in the dim light of a street lamp, forcing a woman and two children into a covered wagon. Their movements were quick, efficient… practiced.
Before anyone could react, Yuchikimo grinned, his hands already gripping the hilts of the twin blades strapped to his back. “Let’s go!”
He dashed forward with incredible speed, his cloak flaring behind him. In a single, fluid motion, he swung his sword and severed the arm of the man dragging the woman. The cloaked figure let out a strangled scream and stumbled backward, clutching the stump.
Yuchikimo planted himself firmly in front of the terrified woman, raising his blades defensively. “Stay behind me!”
The other cloaked figures turned sharply, noticing him. Their movements became aggressive, tense—like beasts preparing to strike.
Daito caught the shift immediately. “Let’s go, everyone!” he shouted, drawing his sword and charging forward.
I followed alongside the others, the sound of boots pounding against stone filling the air.
One of the kidnappers raised a hand, chanting under his breath. Dark energy began to gather in his palm.
“Watch out !” Ayame warned. Her bow was already in her hands. In one swift motion, she drew the string back, mana swirling into a bright blue arrow. She released it, and the glowing projectile struck the caster’s hand. The magic fizzled instantly as the man cried out in pain, stumbling back.
Realizing they were outnumbered, the cloaked figures quickly regrouped, grabbing hold of the wagon reins.
“They’re retreating!” Kairo shouted.
The horses neighed loudly, and within seconds the wagon sped off into the darkness, vanishing down a side street before we could give chase.
“Damn it!” Yuchikimo growled, lowering his swords. “What a bunch of cowards.”
Daito sheathed his blade and placed a hand on Yuchikimo’s shoulder. “The important thing is that we managed to save one of them.”
Yanie hurried over to the trembling woman. “Are you okay, ma’am?”
The woman nodded weakly. “Y-Yes… thank you but my children.”
“Will get them back let’s just check if you have any injuries,” Yanie said gently, helping her sit by the wall.
Moments later, the sound of armor clanking echoed down the street as the Guild Master and several royal knights arrived.
“Is everyone alright?” he asked, his deep voice cutting through the tension. “We heard a scream and came running.”
“Yes, sir,” Daito said, saluting slightly. “We managed to save this woman from being kidnapped, but the others got away.”
The Guild Master’s expression darkened. “That’s not good. We were so close… and yet they still slipped through.”
Something clicked in my mind. I narrowed my eyes, piecing the signs together. “Maybe they didn’t.”
Everyone turned toward me.
Daito frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I might know where they’re hiding,” I said.
Daito’s eyes widened. “Where?!”
“They might be in the abandoned mine near the city,” I explained. “I went there yesterday to look for leftover ore. I noticed wagon tracks leading inside—and judging from what we just saw, there’s no doubt those belong to them.”
The Guild Master crossed his arms. “Are you certain they’re there, Raito?”
“Positive,” I said firmly. “When I went inside that mine, I could feel something watching me. Whatever’s in there doesn’t want anyone finding out about it.”
Daito nodded sharply. “Then there’s no time to waste here sir!”
“Right,” the Guild Master replied. He turned toward the knight commander. “Sir Gallagher, take the guards and accompany the heroes to the mine. I’ll escort this woman back to the guild so she can recover.”
“Yes, sir!” Gallagher said, bowing slightly before signaling the guards to form up.
As I glanced at him, I thought to myself, So that’s his name. Easy enough to remember.
Then Daito raised his voice, his usual confidence returning. “Alright, let’s go, everyone!”
Minutes later, we were sprinting through the forest, the cool night air brushing against our faces as our boots pounded the dirt path. The faint glow of the moon peeked through the canopy, guiding our way.
Sir Gallagher ran at the front, his heavy armor clinking softly with each stride. “It seems you were right, Sir Raito,” he said, his voice steady yet alert. “There are definitely wagon tracks here.”
I nodded, glancing down at the deep marks in the soil. “Yeah. They’re fresh too… probably not even an hour old.”
Moments later, we reached the entrance of the abandoned mine. The jagged rocks surrounding it looked like open jaws waiting to swallow anyone foolish enough to enter.
Gallagher raised his hand. “Stay cautious, everyone. We don’t know what’s waiting for us inside.”
“Hold on,” Hiro said as he stepped forward, pressing his palms together. “Guiding Light.”
Several small orbs of radiant light floated into existence around him, drifting gently ahead and illuminating the dark tunnel in a warm glow. Shadows retreated from the walls, revealing the cracked stone and rusted mining rails.
That’s a useful spell for dark places like this, I thought as we began our descent. But I’ve already got my Advanced Search skill. I can sense literally everything nearby… it’s basically night vision.
We moved cautiously, the echo of our footsteps bouncing off the narrow walls. The air grew colder the deeper we went, and the scent of damp earth mixed with something faintly metallic — blood, maybe.
Following the wagon tracks, we eventually reached the same massive boulder I had seen yesterday. It stood in the center of the passage, unmoving and solid like a gate.
Daito crouched, tracing the wagon marks that disappeared beneath the stone. “The tracks go straight under this thing.”
Ayame frowned, lowering her bow slightly. “How are we supposed to move it? It’s way too big.”
Daito smirked and drew his sword. “Don’t worry about that.” He raised his weapon and began gathering mana, the air around him shimmering from the sheer pressure. His blade pulsed with blinding light as he took a wide stance.
“Divine Edge!”
With a shout, he swung down with incredible force. The sound of steel meeting stone echoed through the tunnel like thunder. In one clean strike, the enormous boulder split in half, each chunk sliding to the sides with a heavy crash, revealing a hidden passage behind it.
I couldn’t help but grin to myself. Not bad, Daito. Still as flashy as ever.
Gallagher raised his shield. “Let’s move. Stay alert.”
We rushed forward through the opening, following the passage until it widened into a vast chamber.
The air was thick with dust and the faint flicker of torchlight illuminated the space.
It looked almost like a throne room — massive stone pillars lined the walls, and broken banners hung from the ceiling, long faded and torn.
We stepped cautiously into the center, weapons ready. Every sound — every breath — echoed through the hall.
“Come on,” Yuchikimo said impatiently, scanning the area. “Where are they?”
“Calm down,” Zachi replied, gripping her sword and shield. “They’re here somewhere. I can feel it.”
Then, suddenly, the floor beneath us began to glow. A massive magic circle appeared, its intricate runes spinning with eerie blue light.
“Uh, guys?” Kairo said nervously. “What’s happening!?”
The ground trembled violently, dust raining down from the ceiling as the glowing runes pulsed faster and faster. My instincts screamed danger.
But suddenly the circle vanished — and in that instant, then the floor cracked beneath us.
The next thing I knew, the ground exploded open, and the world dropped out from under our feet.
As we fell into darkness.
The air rushed past me as we plummeted into the darkness. I could barely see anything — only faint streaks of torchlight fading above us.
“Brace yourselves!” Gallagher shouted.
Before we hit the ground, Hiro’s voice rang out, calm but firm despite the chaos. “Water Sphere!”
A massive sphere of shimmering water materialized beneath us, cushioning our fall like a liquid pillow. We splashed into it with a dull thud instead of bone-shattering impact. For a brief moment, we floated inside the glowing sphere, suspended in its gentle pressure.
Then Hiro waved his hand, dispersing the spell. The water dissolved into mist and vanished, leaving the ground beneath us slick but safe.
I exhaled, landing on my feet. “Nice save, Hiro.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling faintly. “Heh, couldn’t let anyone break their legs before the real fight starts.”
We took a moment to observe our surroundings. The chamber was massive — an underground hall carved from black stone, the walls lined with faintly glowing crystals. Broken pillars jutted out of the ground at odd angles, and the air was heavy with moisture and an unsettling stillness.
Sir Gallagher stepped forward, scanning the dark corners of the cavern. “Sir Raito,” he called, his tone wary, “do you know where we are?”
I shook my head. “No… this isn’t part of the mine I explored before. It feels… different. Older.”
Before he could respond, the faint sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber. Dozens of them — quick, uneven, and growing louder with each second.
The others froze, instincts kicking in.
From the darkness ahead, a chorus of low growls rumbled.
Gallagher’s eyes hardened. “Monsters are approaching! Get ready, everyone!”
Weapons slid free of their sheaths — steel glinting under the dim crystal light. Daito unsheathed his sword, standing beside Yuchikimo, who already had both blades drawn and a grin on his face. Ayame nocked an arrow, her eyes narrowing toward the shadows.
I extended my hand, summoning the Jian sword from my item box. A flash of light flickered, and the weight of the Sword filled my grip.
“Finally let's see what this sword can do,” I muttered, taking a stance as tension filled the air.
From the gloom, pairs of glowing red eyes emerged — one after another — until the darkness itself seemed alive.