Chapter 5: The Strongest Onmyoji, Lost in an Underground Labyrinth

　I can't see anything.

　I don't hear anything.

　In the pitch dark world, I took a deep breath and clasped my hands together.

　I can feel my body heat coming from my hands.

　I am conscious. I have physical sensation.

　It seems I'm not dead.

"Seika-sama"

　At that moment, I heard Yuki whisper in my ear.

“We seem to have been teleported. There are no enemies in the surrounding area for ​​about 30 meters.”

　Apparently, Yuki was also teleported together with me. I am saved.

　I ask Yuki with a voice so low that it disappears on my lips.

"... do you know where we are?"

"Afraid..."

"I'm good. What about Amiyu?"

"She's close by"

"Amiyu, can you hear me?"

　I called out at a higher volume, and a light went up in the dark world.

"... I'm glad. You are safe too."

　Amiyu, who had lit up the tip of her staff sword, said with a relieved expression on her face.

　I say while looking around.

"Where is this? It looks like it's underground."

　We were now in a place that looked like a wide passageway covered with rock walls.

　A pitch-black pathway stretches back and forth.

　It was hard to believe that we were in a mere cave.

"Come on. But... I don't have a good feeling about this."

　Amiyu says.

"After all...I wonder if it's because of that magic circle?"

"Maybe, the small magic circle on the stump was only part of the magic circle of the entire vacant lot. I guess it was designed to shift if someone stepped on it."

　The reason why only the stump was painted with a different colour was probably to attract attention and draw people to them.

　I was completely beaten.

　I guess my intuition is still a little off

"I don't think we're so far away from that entrance..."

"...? How do you know that?"

"No, somehow"

　There is a reason.

　It is because my link with the shikigami I left behind at the academy is not broken.

　Distance has nothing to do with the first level, but if the two points are too far apart, the connection cannot be maintained and the justsu is lost.

　So maybe this is the basement of the temple rather than the basement of the forest.

　Well, I'm not so sure.

　Well, let's see what we're going to do.

　Since I left all the surrounding hitogata behind during the transfer, I am now left with nothing to work with. However, we have enough Hitogata to open the door for the stock, so we can replenish it.

　If I want to be sure, I should fly the shikigami to explore the structure here ...... but I don't think we can find a way out so easily. Especially if this was a trap.

　Hmmm, if only I knew our exact location, I could swap positions with the hitogata in the forest and escape. ......

"Psst! Seika-sama!"

　At that moment, I heard Yuki's nervous whisper in my ear.

"Something is coming from the passage on the right."

　I could hear it too.

　I heard the sound of footsteps. And a faint metallic sound.

"Amiyu. From the right."

"I know."

　Before long, the shadow of the enemy appears in the light of the sword.

　It was a lizard human.

　It walked on two legs, but its entire body was covered with green scales, and its arms and legs were covered with claws. It was something of a joke to see such a being carrying a curved sword and shield and wearing simple armor.

I think those are monsters called Lizardmen or something like that.

　There are three of them in total

　Six emotionless eyes catches ours.

　The one on the right opened its mouth menacingly.

　Amiyu had already jumped forward.

　The tip of her sword cuts through the oral cavity of a menacing lizardman.

The one on the left, raising his curved sword, was kicked through the breastplate and slammed into the wall.

　Then a chantless flaming fireball is released at the one at the center in the rear.

　The last lizardman, engulfed in flames, gave a muddled cry for a while, but then collapsed and fell silent.

　What, that flame bullet fireball is pretty strong too.

　Amu stabs the Lizardman who is stretched out by the wall.

　His breathing doesn't seem to change. 

"... That's amazing. Are you used to this?"

"Somewhat"

"But you probably shouldn't use fire magic in a confined space. The air will get worse."

"I can handle it for a little while. What are you going to use?"

"Something like this"

《Wood Phase――――Pile driving jutsu》

　Nine stakes emerge from the void and were launched behind me.

　One by one, they trust into the giant orc that was approaching from behind.

　The pig-faced monster staggers slightly and then falls on its back.

　It seems dead.

　Amiyu looks at the dead orc and frowns.

"What? This magic. A wooden stake...?"

"that's right"

　《Pile Driving》 is a jutsu that I made on purpose as a countermeasure against vampires while traveling in the West. I heard that plain wood stakes work well.

　In the end, although I never saw it in Transylvania or Hungary, I used it occasionally after returning to Japan because the base Toneriko had some evil power.

　It's not a four-attribute system, so it's probably a little suspicious, but jutsus that can be used safely in confined spaces were limited.

　Under these circumstances, it would be unavoidable.

"I've never heard of it. Such magic."

"Really? Well, I'm from the Lamprog family. I have the opportunity to learn even magic that is not commonly known."

　I hope this fools you.

"... Well, that's fine. Anyway, that clarifies one thing."

　Amiyu looked at the monsters she had defeated and muttered.

"This is a dungeon."

※Pile driving jutsu

The technique of driving out a stake of plain wood. White wood for exterminating vampires includes ash, juniper, hawthorn, and poplar, but Seika chose ash because it grows naturally in Japan and was familiar to him, and because it was used as a building material and looked sturdy. Seika visited Eastern Europe in his previous life long before the birth of Dracula, but since then there have been many legends of vampires in Europe, including Strigoi and Kudrak.

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