There is No Escape
Sounds of people scurrying around in a hurry, evacuation alarms and panicked voices everywhere.
All those loud noises could be heard outside the window.
...I don't wanna go out. Something bad is definitely happening.
"Please follow instructions as you take shelter! Bring only the absolute necessity and escape to the eastern side of the town at once!"
"Make doubly sure you do not go to the western side! It's dangerous with the magic beast cave nearby!"
Just what's happening?
I think they mentioned something about the cave, don't tell me it's another Stampede.
But we've been going in and out that cave everyday and never noticed any sign of that.
"Hikaru! Wake up!"
"Kajikawa-san!"
I heard Alma's and Reina's voices outside.
I left my room to see other guests running all over behind the two who looked bewildered.
"Good morning. What's with the commotion?"
"We don't know. People were saying something about the seal in the cave coming undone or such."
"Wonder if there was something in that cave?"
"Magic beast cave, seal?"
Eeh, what-even-is-that.
...Yup, it sounds familiar. Must've been about that crazy dangerous presence in the deepest part, no?
A being whose mana and lifeforce were beyond anything I ever encountered, detectable even from so far away. And you're telling me that thing got out?
...Alma Papa and Alma Mama could probably take care of it, but it's absolutely hopeless for us. Its Attribute values probably reach four digits.
"Alrighty, let's scram."
"That's a prompt decision. Do you know something?"
"Well if it's a seal they're talking about, it's probably about that dangerous presence deep inside the cave. There's almost nothing we can do if that thing escaped."
"Deep in that cave?"
"N-not even a match for you Kajikawa-san?"
"Nope. I'm just a rank D beginner to begin with. I think only Rank A or S stand a chance against that."
"Y-you mean that bad news was lurking in that cave all this time!? How come I wasn't told about it!"
"Well it never moved even a bit usually, just didn't think it was worth mentioning."
"It's worth a lot!"
"Save it you two, we have to get away quick."
Urged by Alma, we left the inn.
It's a chaos outside with people running around to take shelter, people urging people to evacuate and people bumping into each other.
"Oy! That's the west side! Didn't they tell you to go east!"
"Can't, no way to leave the eastern exit!"
"Wha!? What are you talking about!"
"There's some kinda invisible wall blocking the exit! That was probs a barrier or something!"
"W-who the hell put up that crap dangit! This ain't no time for pranks!"
"Oy! The western exit's no good either! Rather, the whole town's been blocked off! What the hell's going on!!"
I overheard one ominous conversation.
The whole city getting blockaded can't have been a coincidence.
Are you telling me someone went out of their way to undo the seal in that cave? They then put up a barrier around the entire city, preventing people from leaving.
Someone is planning to have that something sleeping in the cave lay waste on the entire city and its populace. Give me a break.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"The exits are blocked they said...!"
"But who, would..."
"Probably the same culprit who took off the seal... How about going up?"
I put on the disguise mask and flew up with mana.
I tried to keep going but it was no good, the barrier covered the sky as well.
Our culprit sure is thorough, dangitall... What do now.
I went back to Alma and Reina to report the news.
"So we can't leave from the sky too..."
"According to gnomes, underground is no go either."
<Bumped into a hard thingy down there. It's so thin yet so tough. No breaking or slipping through that thingy.>
<Isn't this, y'know, that? [Bedridden Magic].>
<Making a barrier covering an entire city, how dumb can you be. The spellcaster's probably dead meat by now.>
Bedridden magic? Bedding magic, no wait, did they mean Forbidden Magic? ...What even is that anyway. I don't get it.
<<[Forbidden Magic] ancient magic that can only be learned by those whose INT exceeds a certain value. Its power far surpasses ordinary Offensive Magic Skill and the likes. However due to its heavy drawbacks such as reduced lifespan and such, people avoided the usage of this magic until it eventually became known as Forbidden Magic. It has no relation to bedding.>>
...Was the last part necessary? Feels like my quirky train of thought has been getting to Menu lately. No wait, putting that aside.
How tough is this barrier?
<<[Sacrifice Protect], an ancient barrier magic that nullifies all attacks below 1000 ATK value. It is difficult to break through in present condition.>>
Difficult? So it's hard but not impossible?
<<It is possible to slightly whittle the barrier down if Kajikawa Hikaru consumes all his MP on his new high powered technique. However, it will accomplish virtually nothing, therefore taking this action is not recommended.>>
That's no good. Heck, using all my MP on that technique is gonna break my body ahead of the barrier.
There's no escape. There's no breaking the barrier. At the rate this is going, whatever the thing lurking in that cave is gonna come our way. Since that thing's Attributes are at four digits or higher, it should get past the barrier no problem. Our survival chance will then plunge.
...What do we do.
"K-Kajikawa-san, what should, we do?"
"...Hikaru..."
The two looked anxious as they turned at me. I wonder myself.
They look like they're expecting something out of me, but the situation is pretty hopeless right now.
"...What to do."
"What indeed, Soarer-kun."
!?
"Finally found you. Would've taken me longer if I missed you flying just now."
"Lo-cough... Guild master!"
"Oy, what were you gonna say again?"
Lolimast of Vinfitt, Ivuranmi-san spoke behind me before I realized she was there.
"Well whatever, there's no time to waste. I'll press for it later. Come with me, I have an important task for you."
I've got a bad feeling about this.
Why do these guildmaster types always shove more work on me.
...Times like this make me wish I never came up with Mana Flight.
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