Raon immediately utilized his Perception of the Snow Flower upon hearing Alice's words. He felt a mystical sensation as if the mana in the air was transforming into his skin, and he spread his Aura Perception beneath his feet.
'It's definitely there.'
Not directly below, but about three floors down, he sensed people hiding with suppressed breathing.
'Shamans? No, Martial Artists with magical artifacts.'
It seemed they hadn't been detected by his Aura Perception because they were concealing their presence with magic.
'Hah...'
Raon let out a wry laugh as he looked at Alice.
'Did Aunt notice this right away?'
He had been satisfied with his growth after defeating the Second Apostle, a Transcendent Warrior, but it seemed he still had a long way to go to reach a true Transcendent Warrior.
'I didn't need to worry.'
He thought Alice had become hasty due to worrying about her son Sif, but even in her dizzied state, she hadn't forgotten her duties as a leader. As the saying goes, one shouldn't worry about a Transcendent Warrior.
"When we first came to this dungeon, there were only monsters and traps."
Alice lowered her voice and nodded slightly.
"Judging by the lack of outside footprints, it's safe to assume they came up from below."
She lowered her finger, indicating that they should consider them enemies.
"Oh, they came up from below?"
Paras blinked, looking at the ground.
"It seems your traces have been discovered, Paras."
Raon narrowed his eyes as he placed his hand on his sword hilt.
"M-Me? Absolutely not! I may not look it, but I'm a descendant of great thieves, and I even received hellish training from Alice..."
Paras insisted with trembling lips that he had perfectly erased his traces.
"Nothing happened when you entered the dungeon alone again, right?"
"Y-Yes. I just secretly followed those Shamans."
He rolled his eyes, claiming nothing had happened at that time.
"I can sense magical energy from the Martial Artists below us now. They wouldn't suddenly be on guard, so it's reasonable to assume your traces were discovered."
Raon shook his head calmly.
"Ah..."
Paras clutched his head with both hands, seemingly feeling it was his fault.
"I-I'm sorry. Because of my strange actions, I've put Young Master in even more danger..."
"It's not your fault, Paras."
Raon waved his hand towards Paras's pale face.
"They probably didn't actually find traces, but detected it through magic."
"M-Magic?"
"Yes. The instinct that made you feel it might be dangerous to follow the Shamans into the secret space at the end of the dungeon was probably your subconscious detecting the magic engraved in that space."
Unlike regular magic, magic using negative mana has unparalleled power in tracking and detection. Paras's footwork and ability to suppress his presence are impressive, but his overall martial arts level isn't high enough to deceive magic.
"T-Then, have they already noticed that we've entered..."
"That's unlikely."
Raon shook his head, sensing the presence of the Martial Artists still hiding motionless in that spot.
"Covering the entire dungeon with magic to detect intruders would be extremely wasteful. The Martial Artists down there are probably sentries dispatched to reduce magical consumption."
The Martial Artists remained hidden in the magic, motionless as statues. Judging from their current state, they were clearly sentries meant to alert headquarters of intruders.
"Of course, this is just my opinion, but I think it would be best to move forward with our senses heightened as much as possible from now on. There's a high possibility that detection magic has been set up."
"As expected of my nephew! So sharp!"
Alice grinned and patted Raon's back.
"Let's move while suppressing our presence as much as possible, as Raon said. I'll handle the magic detection. Just follow quietly behind me."
She slightly bent her knees, indicating she would take the lead from now on.
"I'll create an aura barrier to block the sound of the Light Wind division."
Raon drew in the surrounding mana to envelop the entire Light Wind division. He couldn't block all sounds, but it was enough to muffle the footsteps of the swordsmen.
"Then let's set off again."
Alice took a deep breath and led the way down the dungeon. Whether they trusted the sentries or not, there were no visible traps or monsters.
After descending the winding path for about five minutes, a small entrance leading to a brown cavern appeared.
"They're in there."
Alice lowered her voice even further as she turned her gaze.
"I-I can't see anyone?"
Paras widened his eyes, saying there wasn't even a shadow of a person.
"I can't see anything either..."
"Yeah. It just looks like an ordinary cave."
The Light Wind division swordsmen also seemed unable to detect anything. The magic seemed too strong for even the Masters to detect.
"Three Martial Artists are hidden in the magic, watching the entrance."
Raon shook his head as he examined the entrance.
"It looks like they're positioned so that if one is taken down, the other two can report. Seeing how well they've blended into the magic, they really do seem to be remnants of the Iron Chain."
"Then the three of us can each take one down."
Alice nodded towards Raon and Rimmer.
"Center, bottom left, top right, correct?"
Rimmer also seemed to have detected the presence of the Martial Artists hidden by magic as he rotated his finger.
"I'll take the left."
"Then I'll take the right."
Alice and Rimmer grabbed their sword hilts, each claiming the left and right sides.
"Wait a moment. If those guys have artifacts or something similar, the report might be sent before we can subdue them."
Raon raised his hand to stop Alice and Rimmer. Even the slightest movement could potentially alert headquarters, so rushing in wasn't a good approach.
"Then what do you suggest?"
Alice furrowed her brows.
"We can't proceed without breaking through this entrance."
"Let's throw one in."
Raon gestured towards Dorian, who was standing blankly.
"M-Me? What am I supposed to throw..."
Dorian's eyelids fluttered nervously.
"Please."
Raon grinned and threw Dorian towards the cavern entrance.
"W-Wait a second!"
Dorian tried to resist but ended up tumbling at the cavern entrance.
"Now's our chance."
Raon didn't miss the opportunity as the sentries' attention was drawn to Dorian. He stepped into the Supreme Harmony Steps. With the wind of the Gale Wind Style at his toes, he charged towards the Martial Artist hidden in the center of the cavern.
"Ah."
The sentry's gaze left the fallen Dorian and urgently moved upward, but it was far too late. Raon's fingertips were already at his throat. The sentry collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, struck directly by Raon's technique. He was subdued by Raon's aura, unable to move a finger.
Almost simultaneously, two more impact sounds rang out. Rimmer and Alice had also successfully taken down the hidden sentries and descended to the floor.
'Fortunately, it wasn't transmitted.'
The magical energy in this space hadn't moved at all. Luckily, it seemed they had subdued them before any signal could be sent.
"You were right."
Alice nodded, showing a small button that had been in the sentry's hand.
"It looks like pressing this would send a message below. How did you come up with such a plan?"
She smiled, saying his judgment was quick and his plan was good.
"I've done it often."
Raon smiled back and shook his head. Judging by his appearance, Dorian is the very image of a harmless creature like a rabbit or squirrel. Anyone would be caught off guard seeing such a naive guy trembling alone in a cave.
"I keep saying this, but our Division Leader's real talent isn't swordsmanship, it's that clever mind of his."
Martha shrugged, saying his mind works incredibly well.
"We're on a mission. Don't say 'clever mind,' say he has good judgment."
Burren shook his head, telling her to show respect to the Division Leader.
-What nonsense!
Wrath shook his head.
-This guy's real talent is neither his mind nor his swordsmanship, but his mouth!
He frowned, wondering why they didn't understand.
"I want to try throwing Dorian too..."
Runaan slightly clenched her fist, saying she also wanted to throw Dorian.
"D-Don't do it! If even Runaan does it, I'll really die!"
Dorian's lips trembled as he said his heart nearly fell out.
"As expected of the Light Wind division's quartermaster. Now he's even supplying himself as bait."
Krein whistled teasingly at Dorian.
"Hey!"
Dorian, as if he couldn't hold back anymore, lunged at Krein.
"Let's start with the interrogation."
Alice lowered her hand, saying they should each interrogate the subdued sentries.
"Yes."
Raon nodded and examined the sentry's condition. Seeing the iron armor connected by magic, it really did seem to be an Iron Chain Martial Artist.
"What's your name?"
He asked for the name, but the sentry kept his mouth shut tight without even lowering his gaze.
"Alright. It's been a while since I've used this."
Raon smirked and applied his self-developed torture method of heat and cold over the sentry's body. Given how much he had grown, the quality of the heat and cold had increased, making it impossible to endure no matter how strong one's willpower.
"..."
Usually, people would start making a fuss immediately, but this sentry only reddened in the face without screaming or showing any excessive reaction.
"You're from the Iron Chain, right?"
"..."
"Answer me!"
Even Alice, using the subtleties of her Spatial Sword to tear into the sentry's flesh, couldn't make him open his mouth.
'This might take some time.'
He decided to examine the magic engraved on these guys' bodies while his torture gradually increased in intensity. As time passed, his torture would inflict greater pain, so he would interpret the magic covering the sentry until he opened his mouth.
-You don't even know the character for 'magic,' do you?
'I don't. But I can see it if I use my traits.'
With the increased ranks of his Ring of Fire, Evil Eye of Wrath, and Perception of the Snow Flower, he could sufficiently interpret even unfamiliar powers given enough time.
-Heheh, since your own abilities are lacking, you rely on strange traits. That's why you can't grow...
'The Perception of the Snow Flower and Evil Eye of Wrath are your powers, though?'
-Uh...
Raon shut Wrath up and focused on the flow of magic.
'It's nice and quiet now.'
* * *
The baby sea otter stopped after swimming through the sea at a rapid speed as if it had turned into a shark.
"Hey!"
The sea otter, Merlin, pointed at the empty space to the right.
"Why are you going that way!"
A pink current rippled on the sea to the right in response to Merlin's shout.
"Isn't it this way?"
The pink current, Lust, tilted her head in confusion.
"That's the sea! We need to go to land now, why do you keep going in different directions!"
Merlin pounded her chest, saying she didn't understand.
"Oh, is that so."
Lust nodded and flowed towards the south.
"That's not it either!"
Unable to contain herself, Merlin threw the Soul Crystal she was holding into the sea.
"Aaaah!"
She panicked and dove into the sea to retrieve the falling Soul Crystal.
"Ah, I think I get it now."
Lust said she understood and approached Merlin's side.
"You just follow me without doing anything. Got it?"
Merlin nodded her chin, telling Lust to only intervene during fights.
"Got it."
Lust nodded confidently, not seeming intimidated at all.
"Sigh, how frustrating."
Merlin sighed and started moving through the sea again.
'Why can't a Transcendent Warrior find their way?'
Lust's martial prowess is strong. Especially the size of her soul, which was larger than any being Merlin had ever seen. She still couldn't understand how such a powerful monster could get lost.
'We should have arrived by now, but because of that damn... Huh?'
When she looked back, Lust was flying towards the distant sea again.
"That's not the way!"
Merlin shouted with a hoarse voice.
"You idiot!"
* * *
'I think I understand now.'
Raon nodded as he removed his hand from the sentry's chest.
'It's magic using blood and negative mana.'
The magic, armor, and artifacts possessed by the sentry all had a common feeling of blood and negative mana. The magic itself wasn't very complex, but it exuded a vicious and sticky malice.
'Is this enough?'
The sentry's entire body was covered in bulging blood vessels from the torture he had endured so far. Any more and he might die or go insane, so Raon only released the paralysis around his mouth.
"What's your name?"
"Ugh..."
Despite being on the brink of death from the pain, the sentry still wouldn't open his mouth. He only let out broken groans without even looking at Raon.
'He's resisting?'
People who could endure his torture were only known to be from the White Blood Religion and Eden, both infamous for their madness. He didn't expect the remnants of the Iron Chain to be this relentless.
"You'll die in a few more seconds if we continue like this."
"Urgh..."
The sentry seemed not to care if he died, keeping his mouth shut until the very end before his breath ceased.
"This bastard is crazy! He wouldn't open his mouth even when I tore up his insides!"
Alice also frowned, having failed to make the sentry talk before killing him.
"It's certain. These guys are from the Iron Chain."
She bit her lip as she continued.
"The magic-linked armor and the tenacity reminiscent of the White Blood Religion. They're exactly like the Iron Chain members I've heard about."
Alice shook her head as if feeling nauseated.
"W-Why would such people kidnap the Young Master?"
Paras swallowed hard as he looked at Alice.
"We're not even sure it's Sif yet!"
Alice shook her head, telling him not to talk nonsense.
"R-Right."
"For now, let's not think about the worst..."
As she was trying to comfort Paras, it happened.
"I-Iron Chain..."
The name 'Iron Chain' spilled from the mouth of the Martial Artist Rimmer was torturing.
"V-Vice Leader?"
"What? How did you get him to talk!"
Raon and Alice simultaneously gaped at Rimmer.
"Just..."
Rimmer tilted his head as if he found it strange.
"I tickled his feet with wind?"
He blinked, saying he only tickled the soles of his feet with wind.
"T-Tickling?"
Raon's eyes widened.
"We told you to interrogate, why are you tickling!"
"Interrogation isn't my style, so I trusted you two, but look how it turned out. As expected, the Light Wind division's hero is me!"
Rimmer laughed, calling himself a genius.
-As expected...
Wrath shook his head.
-As expected, you're true to your reputation as the original madman.