It has been a long time since the White Wolf Store was closed.

　At the time when all the employees were probably spending their holiday, I was visiting the first labyrinth of the "Ark of the Elements".

　It is also known as the "Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss" - a great labyrinth that no one attempts to capture since a direct route to the first level, the "Demon King's Castle Realm" below it, has been opened.

　Strictly speaking, since it was discovered that mithril was being used in the labyrinth's interior walls, it is sealed off in principle except when I collect mithril.

　However, announcing the reason for this might cause a number of mithril-related problems, so it is ostensibly 'sealed off because the attack is pointless and dangerous. If you want to challenge a dungeon, you must enter it from the first level.

　Now, the purpose of setting foot in the Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss today is not only to collect mithril for the weapon shop.

　Of course, that is one of the purposes, but it is more of a disguise for hiding the primary purpose.

　And the original purpose is, of course--.

''The information that the divine beast Helu left out. After all this time, I wonder how reliable it really is.
That's what you came here to find out.

　Dismissing Hild's anxious overflow of concern, I descend the stairs of the hidden passage and descend into the labyrinth.

　The space is as gloomy and depressing as ever.

　It's an environment you never want to linger in, even if you have bad memories of wandering around for half a month at the risk of your life.

That's true, but isn't it possible that the act of investigating ...... a triggered trap?
I'm sure the White Wolf knows that. It's a risk worth taking, and if a divine beast planted something dangerous in the first place, it's something the White Wolf Knights need to investigate on their own accord.
I guess that's why I got dragged into this.

　Chandler also agrees with Garnett's opinion, while casually casting a wary glance at the surroundings.

　This time, I brought three members from the White Wolf Knights.

　As usual, Garnett, the guard, Hild, a wizard and researcher, and Chandler, an additional force since it's a case involving a divine beast.

　With this much strength, we should be able to deal with most of the events.

''I'm wondering what that divine beast is hiding. What are you talking about and where are you hiding it?
'I don't have any details. Just a general location and a tip that 'if you're going to fight the successor to Eivaldi, it will be useful.'
So, the place you wanted to see was this labyrinth. It's not big enough to search every inch of it, but it's a great place to hide something.

　Chandler doesn't try to ask any more in-depth questions, but follows behind us as part of his very commonplace work.

　The information that Garnett presented, saying that it was 'communicated to him by Hel,' was vague, telling us to 'check out a certain area of the Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss'.

　There is no way to know for sure what kind of intention Hel had in mind, but there's no point in complaining about the lack of details.

'All right, let's go then. If anything happens along the way, I'll ask you to do it then.

　With a map reflecting the results of my investigation so far in hand, I took the three of us and headed to our destination.

　Demons such as golems and ghosts had appeared along the way, but for this member of the team, it's a good thing they were useless.

　Every time they appeared, they were easily kicked away and arrived at their destination without posing any threat.

'The area from here is not even close to being mapped out. Hel's information isn't very detailed either, so from here on out we'll have to find it on our own.
But you'll have it easy.
...... It's hard to say if it's a cakewalk until you've tried it.

　I let my hand touch the labyrinthine wall to activate the skill.

　It's not the usual 【Decomposition】 to be exercised.

　It's an 【Analysis】 to examine the entire surrounding area.

　Magic power permeates the wall in an instant, and the 【Analysis】 spreads with such force that it seems as if the luminescence of magic power can be seen.

　The complex physical branching of this compartment - the internal structure of the labyrinthine wall - all kinds of information flows into my head, but it doesn't make my thoughts go flat, and I calmly finish the 【Analysis】! I was able to do so.

　With the rough [analysis] done, I slowly took my hand off the wall and started walking towards the place I had set my sights on.

For now, though, I've got my mark. It looks like it's buried in the wall, so let's take it out with [disassembly].
You're early!　I was hoping it would take longer: ......

　Garnett is surprised, and I'm surprised, too.

　Even Hild and Chandler, who are relatively new to me, seem to agree that if Garnett is surprised, it must be a significant change.

(......) "It seems like the load is definitely less than it has been in the past. Both the range and speed of the [analysis] at a time have improved: ...... Is this also because of Alphasul's support?")

　If even 【Analysis】, which I casually activated, is this much, how much more so for a skill that I had to risk my life to activate?

　It's a response that can't help but raise my expectations just by imagining it.

''Well, ...... I think it's around here: ......

　At first glance, it's a nondescript wall.

　But my [analysis] tells me that there is something here.

"Specifically, you don't know what's hidden, do you?
Yeah, I guess they were prepared to play a magical analysis. Well, ...... they didn't hide it from us in the first place, they didn't mean to give it to us.

　The person Hel was originally entrusting something to was not me, but Alfazul.

　If it's a cover-up based on that guy's standards, it's no wonder I can't figure it out now.

"Skill activated ...... [Decomposition]!

　The wall of mithril disguised as a mere rock wall is [disintegrated].

　It becomes connected to the pathway on the other side of the wall and becomes airy at once, and the crushed mithril sand fills in underneath my feet.

　I found what(...) fell mixed with the mithril powder and reached out my hand to pick it up - and felt both a deep-seated astonishment and a deep-seated conviction at the same time.

'It's a medallion,'
'Huh!　Well, no way, that's just it: ......!
'The Helu guy must have been planning to meet Alfazul himself.

　I dusted the mithril sand from the surface and stared at the medallion that kept its ancient glow.

I am convinced that wherever he was resurrected on earth, he would certainly return to the Ark of the Elements (this dungeon) where his friends hid. They're really ...... a really long-winded bunch.