New chapter of Plant Magic Lord is out! (1/2 chapters)

 

 

Hypothesis of the Underground Passage

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After being rocked by the carriage for about an hour, the cockatrices ran piyo-piyo, resting in the shade of trees, then looked back at us before running ahead again. It seemed that everything was fine. The weather was good, making it a perfect day for travel by carriage.

By the way, I was riding atop Wood as he ran. It felt as if it had been a long time since I had ridden on Wood.

“Are you all right, Wood?” (Elt)

“Ugogo! It is fun to carry Tou-san on my shoulders!” (Wood)

“I see. So, that is how it feels.” (Elt)

Wood was much taller than I was. From his perspective, it must have felt like carrying a small father.

My heart ached. He had grown so splendidly.

Outside the village, there were thickets, grasslands, and streams. The paths had been maintained, making travel comfortable. Along the way, there were several large tree houses that I had built in places as rest points.

They were stocked with limited food and water, enough for a sudden rain or other emergencies. Guards dispatched from Zanzas patrolled the roads, ensuring they were well maintained. The carriage made a rhythmic clattering as it progressed.

From inside the carriage, Hattori called out.

“We are nearly there, degozaru!” (Hattori)

“Ah, understood. Let us prepare ourselves.” (Elt)

The carriage stopped, and the adventurers began to disembark. The entrance to the underground passage lay hidden in the thicket. It was secured with adventurer-style seals, so there was no danger of someone entering by mistake. Our expedition party, along with Brown’s carriage team, would separate at this point.

“Alright, proceed ahead without us.” (Elt)

“Nyaan. Understood, nyaan!” (Brown)

At the signal from the adventurer in his thirties, the carriage team moved ahead. We would reunite at the next underground plaza.

Iskamina’s eyes burned with determination as she disembarked.

“Mogu. Then, today too, we shall explore the underground passage, mogu!” (Iskamina)

“Yes, indeed. I roughly know the layout, so today we should move at a faster pace.” (Elt)

“Last time, potions were not needed. And this time, the piyo-chan are with us as well.” (Anaria)

Anaria glanced at the cockatrices that had already arrived.

“Piyo, piyoyo.” (Let us loosen up our bodies.) (Cockatrice)

“Piyoyo, piyo.” (Stretch your wings and rotate your neck.) (Cockatrice)

“Piyo… piyo…” (One-two… three-four…) (Cockatrice)

The cockatrices twisted their bodies and stretched their wings. Though they had already run a fair distance, I could not oppose such thorough warm-up. After all, I did not know how well their muscles had loosened.

“We must not be careless, but it seems we can advance at speed without issue. However, as we approach Zanzas, mana will grow denser and unforeseen events may occur. Do not forget that.” (Elt)

“Ugo, understood!” (Wood)

Thus, we once again descended into the underground passage.

What lay at its end? Would it connect to Zanzas, one of the world’s ten great labyrinths, or would it terminate somewhere else?

 

—

 

By evening, our exploration of the underground passage had proceeded steadily.

As expected, the passage led to underground plazas at regular intervals. There was nothing particularly noteworthy. We simply advanced while defeating Puzzle Mushrooms along the way. As we proceeded, the mana gradually became denser.

On this day, we discovered five underground plazas, bringing the total to eight. At the eighth plaza, Iskamina nodded thoughtfully.

“Mogu. It is slight, but the underground passage has extended, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“Extended…?” (Elt)

Beyond the plaza, three cockatrices were munching on defeated Puzzle Mushrooms. Comments were unnecessary. They had been dispatched instantly.

“Mogu! The interval between the seventh and eighth underground plazas is longer than that between the first and second, mogu!” (Iskamina)

“…I see, that is how it is.” (Elt)

“Mogu. This underground plaza has been modified with mana, mogu. We can formulate one hypothesis from this, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“A hypothesis, is it…” (Elt)

Why did these underground passages and plazas exist? They were clearly not natural. They had been highly designed with mana. There had to be a purpose behind them.

The materials Leia had shown me previously contained various hypotheses. Theories included the secret passage of the Demon King, an extension of Zanzas’ dungeon, and an underground shelter. Some of the more extravagant ideas suggested an unknown subterranean civilization created them, or that they were built to honor the Cockatrice God.

Ugh, those absurd magazines from my previous life…

Iskamina, however, claimed there was a hypothesis that seemed increasingly plausible.

“Mogu. Perhaps the former Demon King… there is a guiding hypothesis, mogu!” (Iskamina)

Iskamina then raised her hands in a dramatic gesture.

“This entire underground passage exists as a conduit for the resurrection of the Cockatrice God, mogu!” (Iskamina)

 

—

 

My mind recoiled at the thought of unknown powers emerging from pyramids and affecting the world…

No, that is ridiculous.

“…Are you speaking casually?” (Elt)

“I am sorry, mogu. I said it on a whim, mogu.” (Iskamina)

Iskamina admitted it lightly.

“Yet half of it is serious, mogu. I believe this underground passage serves as a conduit to release mana from Zanzas’ dungeon, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“Meaning…?” (Elt)

“I think it is still incomplete, mogu. But if it ever functions fully…” (Iskamina)

Iskamina waved her hands frantically.

“It will deliver a shock to whatever lies at the bottom of the dungeon, whether creature or device, mogu!” (Iskamina)

 

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