Ossan Saikyō Chapter 13 Part 19
We reached that ridge without any particular problems as well. It took about 3 hours, I suppose.
Considering that it was a mountain trail and we had been clearing fallen trees along the way, that was a good pace.
When I stood on the ridge and looked down beyond it, something somewhat strange yet familiar caught my eye.
“What could that be, I wonder?”
“It looks somewhat like the hole that appears when using【Item Box】.”
It was Mariane who answered Shizuna, but just as she said, at the bottom of the slope below the ridge, a long, vertical black hole had opened as though a section of space itself had been cut away.
Of course, this was the endpoint of the rampaging Devil's path, making it look as though the it had emerged from that very hole.
Judging by its size compared to the surrounding trees, the hole appeared to be at least 20 meters tall.
However, it was only 2-3 meters wide. If a Devil had emerged from that hole, it should have been about 20 meters wide as well. Thinking about it that way, perhaps the black hole below was in the process of closing.
“For now, shall we go up to the hole? Fray, can you sense anything?”
“I can only sense an evil power leaking from that hole. I don't sense anything else.”
“What about you, Rani?”
“I don't smell anything particularly strong. I can faintly smell the ‘Devils’, though. I think that's just the ones we defeated before.”
“Got it. Let's keep our guard up as we go.”
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It took us about 20 minutes to reach the front of the hole.
I could feel the unpleasant presence growing stronger as we approached, and now that I was looking up at the tall black hole looming before us, it was clear that the presence was flowing from deep within it.
“This isn't a dungeon, is it? Have you heard of anything resembling this phenomenon?”
When I asked, Freynil was the first to answer.
“The scriptures of the Church say that ‘Devils’ emerge from the『Abyss of Hell』. Regarding that Abyss, I believe it was also described as a ‘hole darker than darkness itself’.”
“That sounds like it could describe this hole. What about Sphenia?”
“I've never heard of anything like it in the elven village, but it might turn up if we search through the records.”
“So we really do need to go to the hidden elven village. Mariane, can you use【Appraisal】?”
“I've been trying since earlier, but all I can determine is the name,『Gate to Another World』.”
“『Gate to Another World』... That certainly sounds appropriate. But what should we do about this? Judging by its appearance, the hole seems to be in the process of closing.”
I looked up at the hole again, but there was nothing noticeably different from before.
I picked up a fallen tree nearby and pushed one end into the hole. It slipped inside without the slightest resistance. When I pulled it back out, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it either.
Even if there was another space or world on the other side, did that mean we could freely travel back and forth as long as this hole remains open?
“Should I take a peek inside...?”
Hearing me mutter that, Freynil grabbed my arm.
“Soushi-sama, please don't do that. This seems like an extremely dangerous thing.”
Even Rani, who was practically made of curiosity, was shaking her head. Indeed, the presence flowing from within this hole was extremely ominous.
“Alright, let's not. But we might want to keep an eye on it for a while. Let's spend the night somewhere a little farther away today. The immediate problem is whether or not ‘Devils’ will emerge from here.”
“I don't wish to stay here for very long either. I feel as though the Spirits are frightened.”
“Does that mean it really is something evil?”
“I suppose so. I said that the Spirits are close to the Gods, but if they fear this, then surely something opposed to the Gods must be involved. ‘Devil’ is indeed an apt name.”
“Something that exists as the counterpart to the Gods...”
I don't know how the people of Orz, including Shizuna and the others, understand the concept of Gods, but if Devils actually existed, does that mean that beings corresponding to Gods existed as well?
This world really was quite fantastical compared to my common sense.
In any case, if the Devils were harmful to humans, we would have to deal with them. I had a feeling that someday I would have to go beyond this hole...
Just as I was thinking that, the black hole suddenly began shrinking at a visibly rapid speed. At the same time, it started sucking in the surrounding soil, branches, and other debris into its depths.
I could even feel a force pulling me toward the hole.
“Get away from here!”
At my shout, everyone began running back the way we had come. Naturally, as the leader, I was at the very rear.
Freynil, who was running ahead of me, apparently made it outside the range of the suction force. She was suddenly released from the hole's pull and stumbled forward, falling face-first.
I tried to help her up, but for some reason, her body seemed to be moving farther away from me.
No, it was me who was moving backward. The ground beneath my feet was being dragged toward the hole along with me.
“Damn!”
I dug my feet in and tried to leap forward, but the ground beneath me had already begun collapsing.
“Soushi-sama!?”
“Soushi!”
“Soushi-san!”
“Soushi-dono!?”
The cries of Freynil and the others grew more distant.
“I'll definitely come back! Wait for me in the city!”
That was all I could somehow manage to shout. A moment later, my body was sucked straight into the『Gate to Another World』.
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E/N:
I felt dread, seeing Ossan getting separated from his team but… Worry not! It's time to rampage!
Stay tuned!
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