Chapter 52: The Beginning of Chaos

'Is it too late to shout 'Fus Ro Dah'?'

The reason for Lan to think of such a thing was the rather... Excessive effect. He did succeed in making an 'air cannon' or whatever else he should call it, but the result was a bit much.

As the Air Mana followed the path he laid out for it, an enormous force erupted suddenly, blasting away all the Mist in the direction leading away from the boss room. As for the rodent which was lying on the ground previously... Well, now it was nowhere to be seen.

Thanks to the presence of Mist Crystals, however, it didn't take long for Mist and Fog to once again flood the previously emptied corridor. Meanwhile, Lan was reviewing the process before the blast, trying to find the mistakes that led up to this blast of Unrelenting Force.

'...Well, obviously the quantity was too much, I gathered Air Mana from too broad an area. While that would be fine if I wanted to blast away all intruders at once, it wouldn't work for selective blasting. Suppose I should focus more.'

This time Lan gathered one-tenth the previous amount of Air Mana before compressing it and shooting it out. The result was something like a laser made of wind. It even struck an unfortunate Beast passing by on the outside of the corridor, drilling a hole through it, resulting in death.

'Oops... I compressed it a bit too much, overconcentrating the force. Plus, with it impacting a small point, the impact was further worsened. At least the amount is about right. Maybe a little bit more and it'll be fine.'

Leaving the body of the casualty for the scavengers to pick apart, Lan once again repeated the sequence of gather-compress-release along with needed adjustments. This time the result was much more agreeable, with the blast being the size of a human torso, along with its force being less concentrated.

Unfortunately for the Beasts, a test subject was needed for comprehensive testing, so Lan waited for another one to pass by and executed the wind blast.

To the great bewilderment of the victim in the form of a boar, as an unstoppable force of wind slammed into its side, it was sent sailing through the air before crashing down, sliding on the ground briefly. It scrambled away in panic but suffered no major injuries other than some scrapes and bruises.

'Okay, I guess it's a success. It would be good to test on a human to account for any abnormalities such as their Mental Aura which might disrupt the gathering of mana, but I doubt anyone will challenge the boss other than the veterans for now. And considering they bring around fifteen people and struggle, I'm not sure if I need to limit their numbers for now...'

But then an image popped up in his imagination, where two dozen weak adventurers group up to try and take down the bosses for the Crystals, overwhelming the two wolves with sheer numbers. So Lan decided on the maximum number in the end.

'Alright, let fifteen be the limit. If they can't win with that many people, they won't survive down below either. Add that to the do-or-die boss battles, and the casualties caused by under-preparation, and that should be enough to teach any arrogant young masters a lesson.

But Lan didn't know just how long it would take for the average strength of an explorer to increase that much. It may even take a year or two for the Second Floor to be considered a 'casual' destination. As more strong explorers appear, they will retrieve more Crystals, resulting in more capable explorers gaining strength, creating a snowballing effect.

Depending on calculations such as these, Lan also began implementing Fog Gates on floors below just because he could. It's not like his dedicated thought channels had much to do outside of research. As for his First Floor, it currently had regular visitors in the form of a regular hunting party.

At this point, it was more of a routine than an exciting experience to watch them, at least for Lan, as they did the same things. Come in, kill a Beast or two, get out. It was only two times in total that a Mana Beast was formed and encountered on the First Floor outside of the boss room, and both sent the teams packing only to be hunted down for their Heart Cores the next day.

To the hunting party as well the First Floor seemed to have lost its thrill as long as they didn't stay for too long, some even considering whether it was worth challenging the boss. But the tales from veterans about the slaughters that happened during those fights dissuaded the ambitions they might have had.

By all means, this day seemed to be the exact same as this particular hunting party, but it would seem that this day would be different. The regular hunt was interrupted by an observation by one of the party members who glanced toward the boss room.

"Hey guys, was that thing there before?"

"What're you talking about?"

The hunter pointed towards the looming entrance, where fog now flowed down like a wall.

The rest were bewildered too, as it was previously a simple corridor... Leading to certain death. Nevertheless, they were now both curious and frightened at the same time.

"Should we check it out?"

Upon being met with agreement, the five men came in front of the weird thing. One of them tried to touch it, and his hand passed clean through. The fog even started to seep out around his arm, startling him.

"What the hell is this shit? I'm not going in there!"

"Yeah, I heard the monster boss is past that corridor anyway. Two of them even. Let's just get out of here, this place is giving me the creeps."

And so, the party retreated out of the Dungeon quickly, returning to camp without any hunted game. Lan's surface thinking channel followed them out of boredom. But when he, along with them, returned to the encampment, he was met with a far different atmosphere than he remembered.

There was none of the previously demonstrated harmony and cheer, the camp instead had an aura of gloom over it, and it was raining to boot. Lan, being confused, spread out his senses and searched for the source of such a change. It didn't take long to find it.

The number of humans present at camp increased sharply, being nearly double what it was before. Many among the new arrivals didn't seem to be any kind of combatant, however, instead looking like civilians. Their desperate looks betrayed their nature though.

'Refugees. Something must have happened back at the Town.'

Lan immediately continued the search, listening in on any conversation that seemed in any way related to the current predicament.

"...Those poor bastards..."

"...Katheryn? Katheryn! Where is my wife!"

"What could have happened? So many are wounded!"

Overall he could gather that something happened at the Cypress Town, causing civilians to flee one after another to the camp where they knew the majority of explorers went. But, apparently, they were attacked by Beasts along the way. Many didn't make it.

As for the exact nature of the disaster, he couldn't find out. Just as he was about to intensify the search, a shout somewhere from the camp caught his attention.

"The Tower Master is back! She brought back more!"

Lan immediately looked towards the camp's western gates which faced the Cypress Town's direction. He witnessed the sight of the all-too-familiar woman, looking much more ragged and exhausted compared to the last time he had seen her, with a group of refugees trailing behind her.

'Just what the hell happened while I was holed up once again? Seriously, I need to make a clock to know the passing of time...'

Members of the camp opened the gates, which were previously closed tightly shut, and began helping her and the refugees. Those who were wounded were immediately taken away for treatment. The Tower Master Matilda then called one of the senior explorers nearby towards her with a shake of her hand.

"Gather the combatants. I have things to say."

With a nod, he ran off. The woman herself, however, trudged towards a wooden building in the very center of the camp which served the purpose of the administration and command headquarters.

She sat down in a chair that was not far from the entrance heavily, slumping into it momentarily. Matilda then said three hate-filled words through her gritted teeth. 

"Fucking Beast Worshippers!"

Although such a term didn't make Lan recall anything, he could feel her anger. Lan supposed that he found the cause of misfortune... At least the name of it, not what it was.

Meanwhile, the Tower Master stood up, and after drinking a cup of water, went out once again. A sizeable crowd had gathered in the meantime thanks to her orders, comprised completely of combat-capable personnel. Explorers, Hunters, Mages, and whoever could fight were present.

"People of Cypress Town!"

All heads turned toward her, anxiety brimming in many of the gazes directed at her.

"I'm sure you already know, but our home and our people came under attack."

Sure enough, thanks to however long the refugees were present, most of those present already knew the general gist of the situation, raptly listening to what the woman had to say next.

"And yet it is not the mindless beasts that were scratching at our walls, no! Instead, we are dealing with fellow humans!"

This statement sent a visible shock rippling through the masses, whispers erupting, as this was not what the people were expecting.

"What we previously thought a mere rumor, a distant threat, came to our home. In the form of Beast Worshippers!"

"What!"

"How can this be!"

This time the reaction was even more severe, as the group in question was known to many one way or another. To some, it was an imaginary boogeyman for keeping the children in the Town. To some, it was a horror story to tell, or a rumor of brutality to shudder at. Hell, most dismissed such a group as a figment of someone's imagination.

And suddenly they were told that this was what caused the crisis they were facing.

"Although it may be hard to believe, I have personally verified this, and have encountered them myself! And their actions may have already doomed Cypress Town."

Ignoring the shouts of various causes, she continued.

"You all know that I went back alone two days ago. And when I came back to the Town, I found the city far from how I left it. The gates: damaged beyond repair. The people: hiding in the safety of their homes!"

She continued her story.

"And some were fleeing out from the Town and towards this camp. When I asked them the reason for their actions, I was told what would have been thought of as a horror story. Murders in the night! The food supply was sabotaged and poisoned! Figures masked with skulls stalking the dark..."

"But how did this happen so quickly?! And there are plenty of explorers in the Town, aren't there? How could they allow such a thing to happen!"

Matilda merely sighed.

"This may have been a consequence of our mistake. Almost all explorers capable of combat moved to this camp, lured by the bounty of the Dungeon. This left the Town nearly defenseless."

She then breathed in before continuing.

"In my incompetence, I thought that the sturdy walls would protect our home while most of us were away. I too... Was lured away by the promise of knowledge instead of prioritizing the Town."

A silence descended among the previously loud crowd, but the woman continued.

"But there is still hope for our people! Led by Joseph Larring, guard teams were assembled to protect the people. It is only thanks to them that they repelled the attackers from the shadows, not letting them reign."

But as she finished speaking, she beckoned towards one figure in the crowd.

"But I alone only witnessed the consequences of the struggle, not the conflict itself. It would be better for one of those who were there to tell the rest. Come forward."

A tattered-looking woman unsurely walked out from amongst the crowd, clearly uncomfortable at all the gazes that suddenly turned toward her. Anna and Marilyn, who were present, recognized her. She was the receptionist who greeted them when they returned at night.

She walked towards a position near the Tower Master before turning to the crowd and beginning to speak.

"M-my name is Laura... And I was there when it all began..."

And so, she began to tell of the struggles the Town had faced, having experienced them first-hand.

----------------------------------------------------

Two days ago

It was yet another normal day for the receptionist. Greet explorers, collect, and give out tasks. With the exception of the fact that there was less than a fraction of how many people there were before, with them going away to the Dungeon. And so, she had more spare time than she knew what to do with.

Currently, she was speaking with Stacy, the one-armed woman who was one of her good friends, although she was rather grumpy about not being permitted to go out of Town.

"...So I don't understand what those old farts are thinking. I can fight even with one arm! I can still hold a sword, so what's the fucking problem?!"

"Yeah, I get you. But maybe consider yourself a protector of the Town? Nearly all explorers went away, so maybe you'll protect us all if we get attacked?"

Laura said so half-jokingly, reports of increasing Beast activity ringing in the back of her head. Well, the swordswoman seemed to take it as a joke nonetheless.

"Oh? You want me to protect ya? Maybe even stay by your bed at night? Give you a goodnight kiss?"

Being as brazen as ever, she turned the joke around onto Laura, causing him to blush slightly. The receptionist waved her hand dismissively.

"I can take care of myself plenty, thanks... Who is that?"

A cloaked figure suddenly caught Laura's eye as it walked into the Tower. She didn't know anyone who would conceal themselves in such a way, even though she had worked as a receptionist for years. That alone made her cautious, even more so when four more similarly dressed people walked in.

Stacy was also on alert having turned around, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Most of the other guests seemed rather oblivious to the unusual intruders, treating them as an afterthought, but some did notice Stacy's attitude with curiosity.

Suddenly, with a movement, one after another, the figures took out something from under their clothes. Though indiscernible at first, Laura's eyes soon widened as she recognized what they held. Weapons. White as if made from bone.

Just as she prepared to shout a warning, a collective shout erupted from the cloaked ones.

"We reject humanity, and accept the Beast!" "Glory to the Scarred Lord!"

As they shouted, they immediately began moving, their weapons in motion as well. It was only then that Laura shouted out.

"Be careful! We're under attack!"

But it was too late for some.

A man screamed out as a bone sickle tore into his shoulder before brutally being pulled out. A woman was stabbed in the back with a dagger, and another explorer swung a sword at the neck as a target but managed to block it, causing the blade to slide down and slash his chest.

At this point, everyone noticed the hostile intruders and the hall erupted into chaos. The civilians fled away in pain, even some explorers not being an exception. Yet those who remained took out their weapons and surged towards the attackers together.

With overwhelming numbers, the fight turned in the Townfolk's favor. And yet the intruders didn't succumb, each being stronger than three men. As one cloaked figure, in particular, slashed away with his dual-wielded sickles, an explorer who blocked his attack was sent tumbling onto the floor due to sheer force behind it.

However, this also gave an opening to other people, who quickly exploited it, with an arrow and swords surging towards the figure. Though it had blocked one of the attacks, two fists can't win against four hands.

An arrow hit the cloaked man in the chest, and swords slashed across his back and side, causing him to fall to his knees. At this moment, the cloak fell down, revealing the face covered with a mask... That seemed to be made out of a human skull, with a manic smile underneath.

"Glory... To our..."

He wasn't given a chance to finish, being decapitated shortly after. But other fights weren't so smooth, as the masked people were fighting like beasts with no concern for their injuries, some even using their teeth and nails once they lost their weapons. And yet, they were killed one by one at the cost of multiple lives and grievous injuries.

Stacy, however, fought just like them. With her one arm, she wielded her sword like a berserk, with no finesse and only strength behind it. And she remained nimble, avoiding every attack thrown her way. On her own, she fought a masked woman, and after dodging her attack, Stacy slashed her sword from below, cutting through the woman's neck.

Finally, everyone sighed out in relief as the battle was won. That peace was short-lasted as suddenly explosions sounded from the edges of the Town along with distant screams.

As everyone was in panic, an old man who no one saw descend down the stairs, suddenly spoke out.

"Our home is under attack! Split into groups of ten, and defend our families! Those explosions came from the directions of the gates, secure them! I will assist as well."

Under his rapid commands, no one even had time to question him, instead quickly doing as he said. The man himself also joined one of the groups, true to his words. Only when he was nearly out of the Tower did Laura finally ask her question.

"M-mr Larring?! What are you doing!"

The old man merely looked back with a smile before responding.

"I am doing my duty as a Mage of the Cypress Town's Magic Tower."

As if on cue to his words, more Mages, young and old descended down the stairs, surging to the defenders, joining them and healing the injured. Everyone would need to fight earnestly to protect their homes.