Chapter 16   - Chapter 2: Alliance #7

The orcs rested around the perimetre while In-gong, Caitlin, Carack and Seira gathered in a circle in the middle.

"It might be too early to judge but the Red Lightning tribe doesn’t seem to be using this passage.”

After hearing Carack’s words, In-gong asked,

"Is it because a lot of monsters came out?”

“Yes, if they use it, there wouldn’t be many rock spiders.

The rock spiders had poured out from every direction in the cave. Orcs weren’t small worms, so it was hard to imagine the rock spiders leaving them alone.

‘By the way, is Carack really a genius among the orcs?’

In-gong stared at Carack with admiration while Seira, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.

“Isn’t it possible that the Red Lightning tribe are controlling the monsters? That is a possibility, so we should stay on guard.”

Seira displayed caution despite how young she looked and sounded.

In-gong was confused because he hadn’t thought about that, so he asked Carack.

"Carack, is there anyone who has that ability in the Red Lightning tribe?”

Was there an occupation with the ability to control monsters?

Carack immediately responded to In-gong’s question like there was no need to think.

"How can I know that?”

It was reasonable that Carack wouldn’t know about the enemy.

In-gong stared at Carack with a sour expression before shifting his gaze to Seira. However, Caitlin was the one who spoke instead of Seira.

"The possibility is low. If they had such abilities, they would be controlling the monsters in the battlefield, instead of the cave. Isn’t that right, Seira?”

"Yes, Caitlin."

Based on her reply, it seemed like she had already thought that way.

’No, then why did she ask me about it? A quarrel? Or is it to keep me in check? She wants to keep me in check?’

However, it gave him a chance to review a possibility he hadn’t thought about before. In-gong calmed down his excitement and said to everyone,

"Well, okay. Then let’s check this location for a while. Carack, give me the bag.”

"Understood.”

Carack handed him a small bag tied to his back. In-gong placed his hand in the bag, activated his inventory and pulled out blank paper, a map and writing instruments.

‘It is too complicated to explain the inventory to Caitlin.’

He might explain it someday but not right now.

“Huh? Those things were inside the bag?”

"Yes, that’s right.”

In-gong lied and spread out the map while Carack stayed silent. It was a large map showing the mountain and swamp where the cave was located.

‘The scale of this map and the mini-map...’

When he focused, the cave couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. In-gong drew the mountain on a blank piece of paper. It didn’t take a long time because the map was laid out next to it.

Caitlin watched In-gong and asked.

"Are you trying to draw the map?”

“Yes, if I draw a map of the cave and the mountain then we can tell where our current location is.”

Caitlin nodded at In-gong’s words but Seira and Carack made a strange sound.

"Prince, haven’t you walked with me so far?”

"Yes, that’s right.”

Carack watched as In-gong drew lines slowly. It was a lot easier than the last time he drew a map in front of Caitlin and Chris due to the ‘Map Reading’ skill.

At first, Seira stared blankly but then her eyes gradually turned to disbelief. She thought he was just drawing the map roughly but it was too accurate.

"Did you remember the path all the way up to here? No, how is this possible even if you memorize it...?”

It wasn’t simply memorizing. That fact that the passage coincided with the shape of the mountain meant that he knew the exact direction and length of the passage.

Was this possible for a person? Did he had a compass in his head?

“I told you that Shutra is amazing.”

Caitlin spoke on In-gong’s behalf, boasting proudly in an odd tone.

In-gong laughed because it was quite cute, then went back to focusing on drawing the map again. Then after approximately five minutes? In-gong had completed the map up to their present location and put down the writing instrument.

"We’ve come approximately half-way.”

In-gong had moved near to the centre of the mountain. No matter what direction they travelled, they would have to move the same distance in order to leave.

"Seira, is this the place where the Red Lightning tribe is supposed to be?”

"Yes, Princess."

Caitlin picked up a stone and placed it on the map.

"The passage will open near that area.”

If there was an exit behind the base of the Red Lightning tribe, they could plan an operation to strike. Some troops would lure the Red Lightning tribe while the ones moving through the cave would occupy the base.

"Uhh, but won’t it take a long time to move through the passage? We can only pack enough for a day.”

Carack asked with an anxious face. The shape of the passage in the cave changed quite often.

Despite moving for a long time, they had only reached the middle of the passage in the cave. However, there were five passages connected to this area. It was unknown how many days it would take to go through this cave.

"Well, once Caitlin noona finds the passage linked with the cave, we can return. So, there is no need to worry.”

“Ah, is that so? Then should we go through this passage?”

Carack pointed to one of the passages on In-gong’s map. It was the passage with the shortest line towards the base of the Red Lightning tribe.

“Yes, we will most likely have to go through a swamp.”

As expected, Carack was smart.

In-gong nodded then pretended to place the map in the bag while storing it in his inventory and spoke to Caitlin.

"Then Noona, we should depart. We can rest somewhere else.”

The rock spider corpses didn’t smell strangely but he couldn’t ignore the possibility of other monsters coming.

"Yes, I’ll be in the rear like before.”

Caitlin nodded, wore the hood again and moved with Seira.

"We are leaving. Set off.”

“Understood.”

Carack ordered the orcs in a loud voice. It didn’t take a long time for them to depart.

&

Fortunately, the passage they took had a simple structure. In-gong stretched out a hand and touched the air as he walked with Carack.

‘If I use it a lot, the skills will increase.’

There were generally two methods to increase skill levels in Knight Saga.

One, investing skill points to instantly raise the level.

Two, just use it often and the skill level would naturally increase.

It was obvious but the second option took longer than expected. There weren’t enough skill points.

‘There is a third method that isn’t common.’

It didn’t involve the amount of experience or skill points. There was nothing certain about it. If he experienced a certain event or reached a certain level, the level would automatically rise.

As In-gong walked, he classified skills into four categories.

One, important skills that were worth investing skill points in. Aura and Telekinesis belonged here.

Two, there were those he would use in order to naturally increase the level. Skills like Map Reading that weren’t worth investing skill points in belonged here.

Three, there were the skills that In-gong couldn’t increase. Skills related to the Conquest Knight, such as Below the King’s Flag and the mysterious Protagonist Correction, belonged here.

Of course, there were four categories. The last one contained things like Basic Swordsmanship.

‘Uhh, should I invest the points earned this time into Aura again?’

Or Telekinesis?

‘I would like to learn swordsmanship and martial arts.’

Although he didn’t want to invest skill points into Basic Swordsmanship, the story was different when it came to powerful martial arts.

Zephyr’s sword technique, Heavenly King Sword, sounded strong just by hearing the name. There was also Locke’s Warrior’s Sword.

The names of several martial arts techniques flashed through his mind.

‘What should I pick up?’

In fact, there were many hidden techniques in Knight Saga. They could be attained by clearing special events, defeating powerful monsters or by purchasing them from a treasure trader.

’Okay, I will focus on the things I can do.’

In-gong organized his thoughts and activated Aura. He thought about investing skill points but there was no time to do that.

“Prince.”

As soon as he activated Aura, Carack called out to him. In-gong deactivated Aura with a little bit of distress and looked around for Carack.

“What?”

"There is something over here.”

Carack pointed to a small room off the passage where the interior could be seen because there was no door.

In-gong stopped the troops and entered the room with Carack. It was a square-shaped room, approximately seven metres on each side.

There was nothing special on the ceiling or walls but the floor was different. There were complex patterns engraved inside a large circle.

“Town Portal?”

“Huh? You know what it is?”

Carack asked after In-gong muttered reflexively. In-gong responded moderately with a lowered posture.

“No, I just guessed.”

He wasn’t sure. No matter how he looked, it was similar to the magic circles that were town portals in the game.

‘It must be a dwarf version.’

He never saw them as Zephyr but he had seen it a few times when playing as Locke.

‘Will it work if magic power is injected?’

He looked around and found a crystal ball in the middle of the circle where someone could insert magic power.

“What’s going on?”

It was Caitlin and Seira. In-gong replied,

"That. It seems like a town portal. Doesn’t it, Noona?”

Caitlin seemed confused by In-gong’s question.

“Seira?”

“It is highly likely.”

"Indeed."

Her cheeks turned slightly red. In-gong looked around the magic circle and asked,

"Where does it go?”

“It looks like a dwarf circle... It should go near here.”

While Seira was replying, Carack called out to In-gong from one side of the room.

"Prince, letters... There are pictures that look like letters.”

In-gong went over and saw letters that weren’t commonly used in the Demon World. Caitlin spoke from next to In-gong and Carack.

“They are dwarf characters.”

“Ohh, as expected of Princess. Can you read dwarf characters?”

Carack asked with great admiration. In-gong also watched Caitlin with anticipation in his eyes.

Caitlin frowned and spoke in a timid voice,

“Uh...Seira?”

She couldn’t read it. In-gong suppressed his urge to smile and glanced at Seira but Seira also looked confused.

“Uh... Well... They are dwarf characters.”

“Who doesn’t know that? Princess just said it.”

Carack stared at Seira like she was ridiculous. Seira just looked elsewhere and didn’t reply.

‘Well, it can’t be helped.’

The dwarves had left hundreds of years ago. It was amazing that Caitlin and Seira even recognized that they were dwarf characters.

"Carack, it is natural. I mean this is... Jishuka Mountain’s Portal Two. It is connected with Portal Three. Eh?”

In-gong spoke unwittingly and Carack, Caitlin and Seira stared at him.

At the time, In-gong heard a clear voice in his head.

[Dwarf Characters Lv1 has been learnt.]