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In Capricorn 1 stopped in front of the warding .

"Warding?　Do you know what they are?"

"Yes. It is a detection field. If it is crossed, it will probably send an alarm to the user.

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We were about two kilometers from our destination.

If we go any further, we'll be noticed.

What are we going to do?

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"We just have to get past the wards in a way that they don't react to us.

Anne said nonchalantly.

"How in the world are we going to do that? ......"

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"It's easy. The boundary touches the ground but does not extend into the earth. All you have to do is dig through the ground to get to the other side.

"I see. ......"

Basically, wards have the same characteristics. If the ground is cut by an attack, it instantly spreads to cover the area, but does not reach the ground.

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"However, it is not realistic to dig a hole big enough for this Capricorn 1 to pass through.

Anne, who is the chief strategist of the operation, makes a precise plan.

"Me and Reiko. And I'd like one more person from the demon tribe to come.

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"Then I'll go."

The candidate is Alexus. <. He knows the situation well. Istaris and the others had no objection.

Jin (his double) remained in Capricorn 1 to provide logistical support.

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In about 30 minutes, the hole that leads to the other side of the barrier is completed.

It took this long because we did it as quietly as possible so as not to be noticed by the noise and vibration.

I'm off then.

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Take care.

I'm off.

Take care, Mr. Alexas.

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May God put an end to this mess.

And then the three of them disappeared through the hole to the other side of the ward. Reiko took Momoka and Anne took the Vibration Sword.

All that remains is to wait.

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* * * * * *

"I didn't know that was going to happen."

has. I have called you here because I think we should be very careful.

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<, was because he had a feeling that the climax of the expedition was approaching at last.

It is an irony born of technology that we can get more detailed information here in distant Horai Island than the members in Capricorn 1.

"Reiko, Anne, and the demon Alectus, huh?

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In front of Jin was a that had been sent to him through a warp gate.

"Indeed, such a small object with such a heinous function."

Most of the mana for the operation is supplied by the body of the wearer ...... victim.

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Now that it has been removed, the supply of mana has stopped. In other words, we can imagine that the wearer is considered to have died.

All that remained was a weak connection of magic power lines.

"It's a good thing this can't send visual information, isn't it?"

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Muttering to himself, Jin gazed at the images sent in conjunction with Reiko's eyes.

* * * *

The land in front of him is covered with frozen ice. The average temperature in summer is 1 degree Celsius, and the area is covered with snow for a million years.

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The accuracy of Reiko and Anne's magic detection function is lower than that of Capricorn 1's magi-detector. Therefore, they were moving in a somewhat zigzag manner while checking the location of their destination.

They were moving in a somewhat zigzag manner, checking the location of their destination, while surrounding themselves with a < ward, including Alectus.

Since the <> could not provide optical concealment, they wore white cloth like ponchos as a protective color.

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"...... is about 500 meters away."

There is nothing in the direction the group is going. Just a white plain with gentle undulations.

"It must be subterranean."

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It's quite possible, considering the weather conditions.

Let's keep going.

400 meters to go, 300 meters to go, 200 meters to go. 400 meters to go. .......

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Please stop.

Reiko said, about 150 meters before the destination.

"It looks like a second boundary."

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I threw a piece of ice that had fallen at my feet, and it bounced back in the air, where nothing seemed to be there.

"It's a physical defense."

<>. <, magic power would not be able to pass through it.

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"How would it pass through?　Do we have to dig the ground again?"

"Yes. It won't take long, since there is snow and ice here.

At Anne's suggestion, we start digging in the snow under our feet. However, Anne has done most of the digging. Her improved and strengthened physical abilities are no mean feat.

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After digging a 10-meter hole under the snow, the group finally approaches the core of the site.

"About 100 meters to go, right?

Ahead of us is a gently rising snowfield. What could be hidden under there?

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Metal?

Reiko's shoes felt something different from a rock.

She bends down and pulls away the snow to reveal a silvery-gray skin.

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"Mithril?　...... No, it's an unknown metal."

Reiko thought about using magic to search for it, but decided against it for fear of being detected.

"It's definitely close.

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At Anne's words, Alectus braced himself.

"If this is the and the < lives underground, there must be a way in and out.

Anne looked around.

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"But Mister Anne, with such a large area, isn't it difficult to find a way in and out?"

Alectus looked anxious, but Anne looked cool.

"Lady, please use your to search the surroundings. If you find a high temperature area, that area is suspicious.

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"Yes, sir."

Reiko's eyes are equipped with various functions. is what we call thermography. It can detect the temperature distribution of the surroundings in different colors.

Reiko probes the area for about a minute, but concludes that there is no change.

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"Well, let's move a little."

Reiko moved about 50 meters to the center of the destination and did the same thing.

"......2, there is an area with a high temperature.

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"Let's check it out."

We start to investigate from the nearest location.

"......Oh, this is just a plant growing here."

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Nearby was an area where cold-resistant, lichen-like vegetation thrived.

"Let's check another spot."

It was a flat snowfield. But there was something unnatural about it.

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"It's a beautiful circle, isn't it, miss?"

"Yes. Yes. The temperature is higher in a circle. About 2 degrees higher than the others.

Anne and Reiko are talking. Alektas is not following.

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"Could there be a hatch?"

"That's very likely. Let's move the snow out of the way.

Reiko and Anne started to move the snow out of the way. Alexus rushed to help them, but she said, "You're in my way.

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"You're in my way. Please stay still."

Reiko said, "You're in my way!

Three minutes passed.

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"...... is definitely a hatch."

A round metal hatch about 2 meters in diameter was right in front of them.

"Do you know what the mechanism is?"

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"Probably."

A square compartment on the side of the hatch. The lid was opened by hooking it with a finger. Inside was a lever.

If you move this lever, the hatch will probably open.

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"Yes. Before we do that, let's discuss again what we should do.