Don't use Type-Moon references in Oregairu!

"Oh, how so?" Fujimaru Ritsuka, a professional straight man who was good at getting information, naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity to get his senior's experience for free, so he naturally flattered him in an enthusiastic tone.

The team leader was delighted to receive such a warm response from a big shot like Fujimaru Ritsuka. He said, "Don't be fooled by how easily we arrived. The old Albion was not like this at all."

Next, those who hadn't been to the Spirit Tomb much before listened intently to the leader's boastful talk.

In the past, the Spirit Tomb Albion was home to a vast number of monsters, diverse in species, living in large groups, and each with its own territory. The closer one got to the next level of the cave, the greater the quantity and quality of the monsters became. Take the stairs they were descending, for example; in the past, this area was inhabited by numerous dragons and fantasy creatures, occupying the top of the food chain in the second-level labyrinth, guarding it like gatekeepers.

This ecosystem once attracted the attention of many extraordinary individuals, with some even suggesting that there might be a mastermind behind the maze, tightly controlling the entrance and preventing anyone from passing through.

Such conspiracy theories have always been popular and have been accepted by most extraordinary individuals who cannot easily pass through the lower entrances.

But today they have different evidence.

Just now, when they passed by the two mountain peaks near the entrance, they noticed that there used to be a large number of high-level monsters in the vicinity. In particular, the rocks on the mountain peaks often bore traces of the lives of dragons or chimeras.

"...Personally, I think the monsters inside the Spirit Tomb should also be able to benefit from the remains of the original dragon. At the same time, the concentration of mana in the air increases the further down you go. There are large pieces of remains and a higher concentration of mana near the entrance, which may be the reason why the higher-level monsters gather at the entrance of the lower level of the cave."

The team leader carefully displayed the records he had just collected using special tools, his heart filled with joy—in a way, he still had to thank the possibly existing extremely evil dragon on the third floor for driving all the high-level monsters from these floors to large areas on the first floor, allowing them to collect specific map information and secrets.

Even if we don't get any extraordinary materials as compensation, just handing over this information to the organization should be enough to earn us a considerable reward.

Lisa nodded with interest, agreeing with his conjecture: "That makes a lot of sense. If we can collect evidence of the activities that higher-level monsters have carried out on the dragon's remains in the future, it should be able to be fully confirmed."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master." The team leader happily fiddled with the recording props in his hands, feeling that this was a sure thing.

His teammates smiled without saying a word—although they weren't as well-prepared as their leader, they each used their own methods to record some rare traces of monsters, planning to hunt them down or sell the information once the situation was resolved and the ecosystem returned to its original state. They expected to reap considerable rewards.

But the slightly pleasant atmosphere in the group quickly dissipated. Even walking on the long, steep staircase where the bottom was obscured, everyone sensed something was amiss.

With each step they took down, their primal instincts constantly warned them of the terrifying presence that lay ahead, a threat they could hardly withstand. A fierce aura began to conjure a deep, unfathomable shadow in everyone's mind.

The further down you go, the clearer the blurry outline of the shadow becomes: ferocious scales, enormous wings, and seven long heads, gradually transforming from shadow into a clearly visible dragon.

"—"

No one was willing to back down. Even the non-awakened support team members had paid an immeasurable price to get to where they were today, having gained extraordinary abilities. But objectively speaking, even the slightest step they took was draining their mental and physical strength.

Even though it was so slight, it was relentless, like being tied to a gallows and watching the executioner tighten the rope around your neck inch by inch.

Driven by a mix of fear and anger, everyone quickened their pace, some even running down the wide steps.

There was no more conversation; all that could be heard was the sound of the wind, frantic footsteps, and panting.

"Stop! How long have we been walking!" The silence that had started sometime earlier was easily broken, and Fujimaru Ritsuka finally broke free from the inexplicable atmosphere.

He stopped in his tracks and forcefully pulled the others back. Only after he stopped did they gradually halt their running and come to a stop.

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked around and sensed something was wrong—many people in the group were already breathing heavily, which meant they were quite exhausted.

For these extraordinary individuals who have surpassed the limits of the human body, even running 40km at full speed would not leave them nearly exhausted.

"Hmm...it's been less than 20 minutes. Speaking of which, Abby was wondering why everyone was so quiet." Abby eagerly raised her hand to indicate that she was one of the few members who didn't seem to be acting strangely.

It seems that if Fujimaru Ritsuka hadn't been the first to wake up thanks to the boost from [Iron Will], even the unaffected Abigail would have noticed something was wrong.

After mentally calculating and relying on her vague impression, Fujimaru Ritsuka estimated that her team was about 10 kilometers away from the next level. She found it hard to believe—even if the invincible king below really had turned into a red dragon and was exerting pressure on them from more than 10 kilometers away? If it was really possible, Fujimaru Ritsuka turned and left.

"No, it's not the dragon's might, but something like a declaration." Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to be affected as well. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then planted the iron cross in her hand into the ground, praying as she restored everyone's condition.

The scattered, clear light slowly soothed everyone's state, their breathing began to return to normal, and the chaotic fantasies in their minds gradually disappeared.

Only after everyone had recovered temporarily did Fujimaru Ritsuka ask Hiratsuka Shizuka:

"What did you mean by the declaration you just mentioned?"

This was the question that everyone present began to care about. Before Hiratsuka Shizuka denied it, everyone who had been forcibly brought back to their senses by Fujimaru Ritsuka had similar thoughts.

Hiratsuka Shizuka twirled the iron cross in her hand, and the howling wind caused those around her to turn pale and distance themselves from this woman of superhuman strength. Ignoring these details, she said with great irritation, "In Saint Martha's memories, I also experienced the oppressive aura of that evil dragon in a similar way. It was an incomparably ferocious aura, the oppression of a dragon at the pinnacle of fantasy beings on its inferiors, filled with brutality and greed, a terrifying aura of predation."

"But what we just experienced felt more like a declaration, subtly like both a divine oracle and the might of a dragon."

Without going into the differences between the two, Fujimaru Ritsuka grasped the key point: "If we continue like this, our condition will obviously have a big problem. Hiratsuka-sensei, is there a solution?"

"Ha, you've come to the right place, kid." Hiratsuka Shizuka puffed out her large chest, looking quite impressive. "Although Lady Martha's level of miracles is a bit... cough cough, as a saint, she can still maintain her powers through constant prayer. With my protection, you don't need to worry."

Fujimaru Ritsuka was overjoyed and showered her with compliments, saying things like "Hiratsuka Shizuka is so yyds," and "If the heavens hadn't created my Shizuka, it would have been an eternal night." Hiratsuka Shizuka was so proud that she stood with her hands on her hips, her nose practically sticking out.

"However, I need someone to carry me forward, because when praying for miracles, one must be focused and not distracted."

"Hey, this is nothing. Dorarisa and Bemurami, we're counting on you two."

Lisa and Beki clicked their tongues. After preparing to hang it up for research at Chaldea, their big spender started making a fuss about. But considering the small amount of money involved, it wasn't shameful.

While the protection provided by Hiratsuka Shizuka had not yet completely dissipated, they fiddled with the materials they had brought and easily solved the problem.

"Stretcher?" Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the two calm-faced great magicians with disbelief.

I thought you two were going to pull out a flying carpet or something, so I could relive the joyful treatment of Disney characters.

"This is not an ordinary stretcher."

"It gained a balancing function through our magic."

"Even at this downward phase, you'll feel as stable as if you were on flat ground."

"Furthermore, there is also an adsorption mechanism to prevent passengers from falling, and the levitation technique allows the stretcher to land lightly even when it slips."

"It's truly an essential item for home, travel, and even murder and arson."

The two magicians enthusiastically praised their hastily made creation, made to save on materials, though their facial expressions weren't quite up to par. Fujimaru Ritsuka decided that if they ever actually developed anything with Chaldea, she definitely wouldn't let them promote it.

"Stop reading, stop reading! It's so jarring to see you two with such serious faces reciting these weird sales pitches from who-knows-where. I'll sit, I'll sit, okay?" Hiratsuka Shizuka quickly begged for mercy, then flipped herself onto the shelf.

The two support team members who were dragged out to do the hard labor had their faces flushed red, and the veins on their arms were bulging. They used all their strength to lift Hiratsuka Shizuka.

Everyone casually glanced at Hiratsuka Shizuka's iron staff out of the corner of their eyes, marveling at the power of the clergy. They thought that when Yago was preaching, he had a group of top-notch henchmen to help him get around.

As the light shone, Hiratsuka lay quietly on the stretcher, praying silently. The light continuously restored everyone's condition and helped them fight against the eerie aura, finally making everyone feel much better.

The sight of her lying on the stretcher with her eyes closed, seemingly waiting, made anyone with free time afraid to look in that direction; it was absurd and bizarre, like a dying person.

However, this state of mind that affected the morale of the troops did not last long. After they quickened their pace and advanced for about ten minutes, they saw the entrance to the next level.

Ahead lay a sea of ​​fire.

The boundary was so vast that even from the steps overlooking this level, only a distant and blurry boundary line could be seen.

The cave, which couldn't be defined by the color of soil or rock, was occasionally illuminated by a faint glow. Occasionally, small, indistinct figures of monsters could be seen on the distant cave walls. However, their specific species remained completely unidentifiable, like insignificant ink specks on a strangely colored sheet of paper.

In the third level of the cave, there stood something sinister and terrifying.

It was a blurry figure formed by fiery red spiritual energy, with a shape that could be vaguely seen as having seven heads and ten crowns. It was enormous, just like the mythical Kunpeng, a divine beast capable of soaring three thousand miles with its wings.

Are we late?

No.

In the center of the red dragon composed of crimson spiritual energy, there is an enormous dragon skeleton. Through the gap that is large enough for several people to pass side by side, one can see that the hundred-meter-tall heart is still slowly pulsating tirelessly.

Outside the heart, atop the skeleton, stood a person.

Even though they couldn't see it clearly, everyone could notice that the breathing rhythm of the spiritual dragon was similar to that of its heart, and it was probably similar to that of the mysterious figure.

The support team members swallowed hard, looking at Fujimaru Ritsuka in disbelief: "Boss, you said it was a dragon, but this isn't a dragon. Wait, this doesn't look any easier to deal with than a dragon."

Based on their undiminished common sense, inside this cave, which is nearly tens of kilometers high, this dragon composed of spiritual energy must be at least several tens of meters long. This thing is beyond our capabilities! Quickly, go and summon Ultraman Ancestor M78 Nebula!

Fujimaru Ritsuka ignored the support team members who had silently assumed a shouting stance, and instead turned to look at the members beside her, exchanging frantic glances.

Then, they made their decision: full speed ahead for DA.

As expected, Fujimaru Ritsuka was pulled away.

The leader of Squad B struggled to speak: "Lord Fujimaru, shouldn't we sit down and discuss this?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka understood what he meant, which was roughly: Commander, we really can't fight this.

However, he ruthlessly shattered the leader's illusions: "According to reliable intelligence I've obtained, this dragon will become even more terrifying after it goes out; its current state is probably just a weak one."

The team leader glanced at the massive machine that could work on the next film set and shook his head frantically: "Let's call for backup. It's not that I'm a coward, I'm just against pointless sacrifices."

"Ah...but, because everyone was too slow, I personally witnessed a significant amount of the magic power accumulated during Galahad's ritual being transferred down."

The team leader's face turned pale. As someone who had seen a lot in the field of mysticism, he understood what Fujimaru Ritsuka meant—if they delayed any longer, that guy might wake up.

The current state of the Spirit Tomb makes communication with the outside world difficult. If timely support cannot be called upon, the dragon might awaken while they are on their way back and forth, arguing and mobilizing their troops.

The information provided by the Chaldea leader, while not exactly a joke to other organizations and officials, was met with skepticism. However, the support team, having journeyed alongside Chaldea, had personally experienced the accuracy of Fujimaru Ritsuka's information. He believed that the danger he described should have led them to imagine things to be far worse.

The team leader took a deep breath, ready to charge forward, when Fujimaru Ritsuka slapped her forehead: "But then again, you also need to send a few people to report back. After all, in this situation, we can't be sure we'll succeed. It's better to leave some seeds of hope."

Actually, I suspect that the weaker members of your team might be wiped out in a single encounter.

Fujimaru Ritsuka was filled with emotion. At first, she had thought of finding someone to help her clear the landmine, but now that this place looked like a nuclear bomb, it would be better to send some of the people who couldn't handle it back.

The team leader paused for a moment, saluted, and accepted his kindness.

The team leader jogged back. After various arguments, most of the people chose to go back and report, leaving only a few strong volunteers in the team.

Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded, observing the situation. They hadn't simply retreated; under the leader's arrangement, those weaker members who were beginning to feel unwell even with Hiratsuka Shizuka's protection had left. Several others with ties also departed, leaving only three strong individuals. But out of the approximately twenty-person team, only these three would likely be effective in the upcoming battle.

Looking at the figure wielding the spear, Fujimaru Ritsuka was filled with fighting spirit: The undefeated king, is your reserve of holy spear magic enough? I'm going in!

Chapter 141: They actually did all sorts of things to the Dragon Girl underground! (6K5)

After making a bold and ambitious shout, Fujimaru Ritsuka glanced over there.

The dragon, formed from magic, continued to breathe slowly and motionless, while the Gunslinger, whose details were obscured, remained unmoved, simply standing quietly in place.

“Great! They really do look like they’re asleep, there’s no movement at all.” Fujimaru Ritsuka turned around and gave everyone a bright smile.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Yui patted her dumpling hard and let out a long breath: "Ato, your test came out of nowhere, it scared me to death." In her excitement, she even slurred her words.

"We've been delayed for so long, and the other side hasn't reacted yet. I'm just checking to make sure everyone understands~" Fujimaru Ritsuka said confidently. He was sure he could do this, and the reason he didn't tell everyone was just to see their shocked reactions.

"Yes, yes~~" Everyone dragged out their words, but after a little commotion, their fear of the enormous creature in front of them had lessened considerably—the other side was practically deaf and blind now, so there was nothing to be afraid of about the dragon.

Fujimaru Ritsuka squinted and observed for a moment, then nodded secretly: Not bad, everyone's condition has improved slightly.

Without saying much, he gathered everyone together and began discussing tactics.

When facing Lijiang Galahad, they were able to make relatively precise arrangements based on the information the other party revealed, but now, facing the huge guy in front of them, they can only fight by constantly probing.

Fortunately, there were three magicians in the team—no, four in total, including the magicians left behind by the support team.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, as an Awakened One with limited sorcery skills, excels at countering demonic attacks from non-human beings. However, this is less effective against dragons. Therefore, in this battle, her role is primarily to provide defensive buffs, suppress the opponent's trump cards, and act as a mana battery.