00275 <-- Episode 275 Pillar of Imperator (2) -->
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According to Kelteron’s investigation, there were three top-level secret locations in the Pillar of Imperator.
The first is the top floor.
It was a place where all kinds of practical artifacts, including the color extraction barrier, were installed.
The tower’s defense system is also located here, and various spells that connect to the four ivory towers are placed here. If it were a battleship, it would be like the bridge.
The second was another central tower located at the center of the Pillar of Imperator.
The Pillar of Imperator is shaped like a chiffon cake with a hollow center. There is a separate garden and another small tower built there.
The purpose of this place is unknown. It is a place where others are strictly prohibited from entering, and even Lilstein himself rarely enters.
So, there were many Magians who were curious about what on earth that place was.
First of all, it was not a replacement for the existing Red Tower. It was much smaller. It was only two stories high, similar to the Cheomseongdae Observatory in Gyeongju, Korea.
It’s not really big enough to do anything inside. Maybe a secret warehouse at best?
However, Seong Si-han actually knew about the secret of the central tower.
It was thanks to Levina.
“You said there was a space passage there that connected to the ruins of Rusclan.”
If you don’t have any reason to go to the ruins, you won’t have any reason to use the space passage, so it’s only natural that Lilstein hasn’t used it. But it’s too important to be handled carelessly, so it should be banned.
The third was the underground area of the Pillar of Imperator.
This place’s purpose and structure were never revealed. Not even the red-ivory tower magi working at the Pillar of Imperator had ever entered here.
Thanks to that, Kelteron was unable to obtain any information about the underground level.
A truly complete unknown place.
“So, this underground area is our target.”
The deadline was also agreed upon.
“Considering the size and alertness, this is bound to be Lilstein’s main laboratory.”
As he was looking at the map, he was mentally mapping out the route that would take him to the basement.
“First of all, there are two important prerequisites for infiltration, Shihan.”
Kelteron opened his mouth in a cautious tone.
“You must never use magic.”
“Hey, that’s common sense.”
The barrier that detects the use of magic could be considered a tradition of Terranor’s security system.
“I know very well what magic is okay to use and what isn’t.”
Direct attack magic or long-range magic that spreads magical waves outward will be affected.
You can use mental magic or self-directed physical ability amplification magic, but you must also prevent the magical waves from protruding through direct contact with the target.
“I thought so. Actually, the second one is real.”
Kelteron’s eyes became serious.
“You must never kill.”
It wasn’t like that villain of the world suddenly opened his eyes to the preciousness of life and said something like that.
“To be precise, ‘the death of a large life form exceeding a certain mass’ must not occur within the Pillar of Imperator. The sphere will detect the phenomenon and immediately issue a warning.”
The reason for setting such a condition is simple.
If it detects the death of even small animals such as mice or birds, the alarm will sound all day long. Humans are surprisingly large creatures, so it is unlikely that something will go wrong.
This time, Shihan also showed a surprised expression.
“Is that even possible with magic? I don’t think there was a barrier like that in Rusclania either.”
“I heard that this is a new magic developed by Lilstein recently. Of course, it wouldn’t have existed ten years ago.”
“Oh, I see.”
Seong Si-han asked again, worried.
“Even if you faint, you might get caught, right?”
If that’s the case, infiltration itself becomes impossible. No matter what, you can’t move without touching the guards at all.
“That’s not true. No matter how great Lilstein’s magic is, it doesn’t seem to be that sensitive.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Shihan sighed.
“Anyway, we shouldn’t kill anyone, right?”
Of course, I was planning to avoid killing as much as possible. However, there is a huge difference in difficulty between ‘avoiding’ it ‘as much as possible’ and ‘absolutely’ not doing it. Even if I can’t avoid it, I won’t be able to deal with the guards.
Of course, that isn’t the only defensive barrier. That’s just a passive that’s spread across the entire tower, and there are also various barriers installed in each area.
“It really won’t be easy.”
Seong Si-han stuck out his tongue.
“As expected of Lil Stein. I told you to recognize his paranoia.”
Well, there were actually a lot of enemies, so I guess it couldn’t just be paranoia. Kelteron snickered.
“This is why people shouldn’t live a life of sin?”
Shihan grumbled in frustration.
“… … Kelteron, I don’t think that’s something you should be saying.”
***
They move forward without making a sound. Three shadows pass secretly through the silence.
Suddenly footsteps were heard.
Step by step.
‘Patrol!’
Shihan gestured. Karen and Alita quickly pushed themselves into the wall.
He pulls out his sleeping bag, turns dark, and heads to a secluded corner, waiting for the patrol to pass by.
The light of a torch shone across the passage, and two burly guards with grim expressions appeared.
They were not even chatting, but were steadily looking around. They were checking every nook and cranny of the passage with torches, and it seemed like they might be caught in the darkness of the sleeping quarters if they continued like this.
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‘Should I knock him out?’
There was a moment when the time limit was being considered. Alita gestured to the ceiling.
Luckily, there was a crevice in the ceiling. If I could squeeze in between them, I could avoid being seen.
The three men immediately jumped into action. At the same time, the guards turned the corner and entered the passage.
Step, step, step.
Along with the sound of footsteps, the light from the torch spreads across the passage. Instead of just holding it blankly, the torch is moved here and there from time to time, so the light follows suit and illuminates every corner of the passage.
Even these guards didn’t miss the ceiling, which was a blind spot in their minds. The ceiling where Shihan and his party hid was the same, and if it weren’t for the curved shadows, they would have been discovered.
The lights illuminated the floor, corners, and ceiling. The guards were sure of it.
‘No problem.’
The sound of footsteps began to grow distant. The light from the torch also disappeared down the passage.
As darkness fell again, three people fell from the ceiling.
Shihan grumbled softly as he straightened his posture.
‘It’s really uncomfortable because my senses are dull.’
Sword Hierarchs who use the sense of touch can sense the presence of enemies located in blind spots of their vision.
Those with high levels of intelligence can even sense movement beyond walls or ceilings. When they reach maturity, they can even sense movement hundreds of meters away.
Yet Shihan didn’t notice the approach until he heard the footsteps of those guards.
A massive ‘Energy Blocking Barrier’ has been installed throughout the Pillar of Imperator.
In this barrier, which constantly emits magical waves similar to human presence, Sword Hier’s sense of presence becomes useless. You will feel presence in all directions.
‘Well, the Rusclania was like that too.’
It was a barrier that was essential to place in key locations even during the imperial era, as you never know when a powerful swordsman might come to take the emperor’s head.
‘Well, it wasn’t in the eyes of the night.’
Certainly, the Pillar of Imperator was on much tighter alert than the Eye of Night.
‘The level of utilization of Gwanghwa Iron is different right now.’
During the Night’s Eye infiltration, Sung Si-han was able to easily cut through the Gwanghwa Iron using a submersible. However, such a method was impossible here.
The bars made of iron are not installed independently like the eyes of the night, but are linked to other bars, so that when one is destroyed, an alarm sound is emitted from the other side.
If you don’t break 10 bars at the same time, you can’t avoid being caught. But if you break 10 bars at the same time, you’re bound to get caught anyway.
“Oh, by the way, I ignored Terrano because it didn’t develop… … .”
Suddenly, Shihan stuck out his tongue.
“It’s not that Terranor has no development, but is it just that the Eyes of Night have no development?”
The landlord(?) who was listening got angry.
“How expensive is the maintenance cost of such a barrier? I can’t afford to waste money like that when I think of my people.”
There was also a reason why Karen didn’t pay much attention to the royal guard posture.
“What about me? It’s not like getting my throat cut is going to cause any big problems anyway.”
Unlike other kings, she has powerful regenerative powers.
Let’s say an assassin were allowed into her bedroom and she was beheaded. If it were any other king, it would lead to his death, but Karen would simply wake up.
“Assassins are one thing, but shouldn’t thieves be on guard?”
“The royal vault and confidential information room were separately protected by a sacred barrier. If the deadline had been set for that area, it wouldn’t have been that easy, right?”
“Was it so?”
Seong Si-han shrugged and continued walking.
It may seem strange to be rambling on about a topic that involves secret infiltration, but the current conversation of Shihan and his party is protected by Karen’s sacred magic. As long as they don’t make a loud noise, the sound won’t spread outside.
Meanwhile, Shihan and his party were steadily moving inside the tower.
When I saw the guards, I hid in the darkness and escaped, or I regained consciousness and waited for an opening. That way, I was able to escape the southern area of the tower without anyone bothering me.
Seongshihan was startled as he looked at the intersection leading to the eastern district.
‘Huh?’
***
It was a large space with a radius of about 30 meters. There was a passage connecting the south and east areas on both sides of the circular space, and in the middle of it, two guards were standing guard with their eyes wide open.
Up to this point, everything was exactly as Kelteron had said.
‘But I never heard of it being this bright?’
The whole place was bright. It wasn’t a torch, but a magic lantern. It was a lantern with a very high level of magic, so the amount of light was no joke. It was almost as bright as the lights on modern Earth.
‘Anyone can tell that this is a countermeasure for the sleeping period.’
This is why I am wrapped in darkness and cannot move. There are no shadows in the space at all?
The deadline was a concern.
I was in a similar situation when I infiltrated Rusclania, but I had my own countermeasures then.
The Rusclanaum was a castle, and of course it was decorated with statues and ornate pillar-like structures on all sides for decoration, so you could move between the shadows.
But there’s nothing here. It’s just a passageway that’s been opened up for really practical reasons.
The only good thing was that the passage on the other side was dark. Even Lilstein didn’t seem to have enough money to install magic lanterns like that in every area.
Anyway, I managed to sneak past like this.
‘What should I do? Should I knock him out this time?’
The distance was too vague for that.
When it comes to Shihan or Karen, you can easily control the power to stun your opponent. However, if you are more than 10 meters away, it is a different story.
Each person’s physical condition is different. The amount of strength that must be adjusted to avoid dying and just passing out must be entirely tailored to the opponent.
If it’s a close range, you can simply observe them calmly, check their breathing, posture, and physical condition, and then knock them out by hitting them on the back of the neck, but 10 meters is too far.
‘I guess I’ll have to take a risk.’
Shihan exchanged glances with Karen, just as the two were about to fly away.
Alita whispered to them, trying to dissuade them.
‘Just a minute. Let me try.’
‘Huh? Is there a way?’
She nodded silently at the question of time. Then, operating the sleeper, she coldly glared at the guards on the other side of the corner.
Suddenly, Alita stuck out her right foot and pressed it hard against the floor. A secret spurt ran briefly along the floor before disappearing.
‘… … ?’
Shihan and Karen looked puzzled. That was it.
“eww…….”
“Ugh… … .”
The guards who had been standing still made strange expressions and let out faint groans.
“I suddenly have a stomachache… … .”
“You too? Me too.”
“Did you eat something bad for dinner?”
“Really? Did the cooks use the damaged ones?”
After a moment, one of the guards shook his head.
“Oh, I can’t stand it. I’m going to go to the back room for a bit.”
“Wait a minute! I’m about to explode too! I can’t wait until then!”
“Then what should we do? Should we both just leave this place?”
The guards looked at each other in silence, sweat dripping down their faces.
Weighing the strict military discipline and the impending crisis of the anus.
The conclusion came quickly.
“Hey, what could possibly happen in just a few minutes?”
The guards hurriedly left the room. The space was empty.
There was nothing left to do. In an instant, Shihan and his party passed the intersection and entered the eastern area. Shihan asked, hiding himself in the darkness again.
“Was there such a usage in the submerged period? I’ve never seen Levina use it.”
If there was such an amazing technique, there’s no way Levina didn’t use it when she was stealing in the old days.
Indeed, Alita shook her head.
“I developed it by chance while practicing.”
The technology originally intended to be developed was a type of penetrator that would use the stealth of a submarine to attack the enemy’s internal organs. However, due to its failure, it ended up only massaging the internal organs.
“I didn’t know it would be so useful. It doesn’t work on opponents with speculation or magical powers.”
Shihan looked at her with renewed eyes. After all, it means you’ve created a new usage, right?
‘Actually, isn’t this the thing that I’m the least talented at?’
Anyway, it was an attractive method.
“Please teach me later.”
“Why don’t you just watch and follow along?”
“I thought it was nothing special, so I didn’t look closely.”
“… … That’s really the reason I don’t feel like teaching you.”
“Uh, sorry.”
After that, there was no problem passing through the eastern section. I was able to pass through without any trouble, avoiding the patrols and guards.
In this way, we arrived at the northern section leading to the basement.
“According to Kelteron’s information… … .”
Seong Si-han muttered as he looked out into the darkness.
“Didn’t you say that using speculative skills is prohibited from this area onwards?”
