“Run — faster!!”
The road connecting Isvall to the foot of the rocky mountain.
Cutting straight through the forest, I rode it on a horse-shaped golem at full gallop.
The Sleipnir-type — a new mobility golem I’d developed.
Our operational range had been expanding, so I’d built it when we returned from the Mage Kingdom.
The black-lacquered body was roughly twice the size of a normal horse, with eight legs to match.
Its running speed was enough to cover the distance to the Elven kingdom — ten days on foot — in a single night.
And its greatest feature——
“Should be usable now. Wind Accelerate!!”
A switch set into the base of Sleipnir’s neck.
I pushed it, and the massive body wrapped itself in wind instantly.
This was Sleipnir’s defining capability — acceleration through wind magic.
The mana consumption was too high for continuous use, but from here to the foot of the mountain it would be more than enough.
“Here we GOOO!!!!”
Sleipnir’s speed climbed at a startling rate.
The scenery blurred and shot past, and the wind began to roar.
I flattened myself against its back and held on with everything I had.
After what felt like only a few minutes of hanging on for dear life, the village at the mountain’s base came into view.
“STOP!!”
I shouted it as we approached the village entrance.
Sleipnir halted abruptly, and the momentum threw me clean off its back.
I hit the ground and went rolling.
“……Ow — yeah, this thing definitely still needs work.”
I rubbed my bruised hip and slowly got to my feet.
The Sleipnir-type clearly needed more refinement before it could be reliably operated.
Still, it hadn’t broken down mid-journey.
Thanks to that, I’d arrived considerably ahead of schedule.
“My lord……? You came yourself?”
The Kobolds who’d noticed my arrival came running over.
It seemed they’d been gathered together discussing what to do about the Crawlers.
Fortunately, most of the villagers appeared to already be assembled.
“I’m here to save everyone! Listen carefully and follow my instructions!”
Every eye in the crowd fixed on me.
Slightly nervous, I looked up toward the rocky mountain and spoke.
“We’re evacuating the village together — all of us — to somewhere safe. That place is the dungeon.”
“Th-the dungeon!?”
“That’s right. The dungeon gate is made of indestructible material, and the interior exists as a separate space — seal the entrance and it’s completely safe.”
The Kobolds looked surprised at my explanation.
I’d been telling them for so long that dungeons were dangerous places, so the idea of running to one for safety clearly hadn’t occurred to them.
But as they listened, they began nodding in understanding.
“Of course……that’s something we’d overlooked.”
“When you put it that way, yes.”
“There’s no time. Everyone — move to evacuate, now! Quickly!!”
And so we hurried toward the dungeon on the mountainside.
――〇●〇――
“Don’t push! Watch your footing!”
I stood at the cave entrance where the dungeon was located and guided the Kobolds through.
As I did, a rumbling like distant thunder reached us from far away.
Bad — the Crawlers!!
I spun toward the sound, and the black wave was visibly bearing down on us.
“They’re climbing — run!! Now!!”
I could see a portion of the Crawlers beginning to scale the mountainside.
They were slower on the slope than on flat ground, but time had run out.
I pushed the Kobolds who hadn’t yet entered the cave and drove them forward into the passage.
It was rough treatment, but at this point brute force was the only option.
“……Lancelot!!”
At that moment, the advance elements of the swarm reached us.
I sent the Lancelot Mark IIs I’d brought from the village to intercept.
Blades flashed, and the nearest Crawlers were cut in two immediately.
Each individual really was nothing. No threat at all.
I was still thinking that when an overwhelming mass of black bodies threw itself at the Lancelot Mark IIs.
“Oh no!!!!!”
The Lancelot Mark IIs swung their swords in a frantic blur.
And were swallowed up in an instant.
No way — those Lancelots, gone in a second!?
The sight of it exceeded anything I’d imagined. I nearly froze.
But I started running.
“Hurry, hurry, HURRY!!”
Stumbling over my own feet, I pushed deeper and deeper into the cave.
The passage suddenly opened up, and a vast chamber appeared.
In a cave in this mountain — this was here all along!?
Countless stalactites hung from the ceiling. The place felt otherworldly, almost sacred.
And at its center stood a gate of white so pure it seemed like it had been carved from solidified light.
“That’s it……!!”
Beyond the gate was something like a black vortex.
Its eerie atmosphere had clearly given some of the Kobolds pause.
A handful of them were still standing in front of the gate, unable to make themselves jump through.
I ran to them and literally pushed them from behind.
“Go! The Crawlers are right behind us!”
“B-but……!”
“Be brave — now!!”
“Y-yes!!”
Urged on by me, the Kobolds finally threw themselves into the dungeon.
Once I went in myself, the evacuation would be complete.
The black vortex churned with an unsettling energy, and I hesitated for just a moment — then stepped through the gate.
And then——
“W-wait!?”
I had stepped through what should have been the dungeon entrance — and somehow passed straight through to the other side——.