Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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The massive lizard had completely vanished from sight, yet no one dared to leave the cave.

It wasn’t hard to understand their reactions.

They must have been anxious, since that gigantic creature could reappear at any moment.

However, we couldn’t just sit around in this cave forever.

I sprang to my feet and cautiously approached the cave entrance.

“Uh, hey…”

I heard the anxious voices of the adventurers behind me, but no one came closer.

I slowly exhaled and moved outside.

Peeking out from the cave, I could see traces of the lizard.

Huge footprints and the slimy drool smeared at the cave’s entrance.

Best to be cautious; the monster’s saliva might be toxic.

I carefully stepped around the sticky drool as I made my way outside.

“Hey, is it safe out there?”

When I stepped outside without any immediate issues, the adventurers began to follow suit, one by one.

Gripping their swords tightly, their hands had turned pale with tension.

I nodded and responded, “Looks like it just went back.”

It seemed it had given up waiting at the entrance and chose to retreat.

Quick to give up indicates it wasn’t that desperate.

Given the abundance of prey in this forest, that behavior made sense.

Being the one who monopolized the large water source, it was likely the monster was the ruler of this area.

“Phew… I can’t go on any longer. How about we take a quick break?”

Those were the words of the wizard Isolin.

She removed her large witch hat and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

With no wind swirling around her, it seemed she had lost the strength to use magic.

No one disagreed with Isolin’s suggestion.

Everyone was physically and mentally drained.

Our client, Luna, just collapsed onto the dirt floor.

The adventurers began unpacking their gear and relaxing, while Isolin headed into the cave for a moment’s rest.

I too set my bag down and closed my eyes.

Was it because I had run deep into the forest being chased by that giant lizard?

I noticed the mana flowing around me was filled with strange heat.

It was dense and hot. It felt like a scorching metal lump was pressing down on the surroundings.

Indeed, it was a different quality of mana from what I had sensed outside.

“Hoo…”

I let out a long, thin sigh.

To form a new mana circle in my heart, I needed to absorb the surrounding mana.

However, this hot and heavy mana refused to budge according to my will.

This mana was egocentric. It was a stubborn blaze, advancing while rejecting change.

The effort to absorb mana continued until our rest break came to an end.

Even after the break, I hadn’t been able to contain the hot mana within me.

With a sigh full of regret, I had to rise from my position.

“Alright, everyone, let’s move out!”

We began our journey once more.

As before, Luna led the way.

She moved without hesitation, as if she knew the complicated jungle paths like the back of her hand.

After walking for a while, just as the sweat that had stopped flowing started to soak my body again, Luna exclaimed.

“We’ve arrived!”

I tilted my head at those words. I couldn’t see the entrance to a dungeon anywhere.

Just then, Luna pulled out the machete she had at her waist and began cutting through the thick foliage.

After a few cuts, the cleverly hidden entrance to the dungeon revealed itself.

The large stone door was covered in a strange magic circle, with green moss enveloping it.

Was it due to the passage of time? The giant stone door had harmoniously melded with nature.

If I hadn’t known that a dungeon entrance was nearby, I would have passed right by it.

Finally facing the dungeon, the adventurers began to get excited.

“Hey, Isolin? Please do your thing.”

At Luna’s request, Isolin stepped forward.

She took out the short wand she had shown us before and held it up against the giant stone door.

Then, Isolin’s wand and the magic circle engraved on the stone door began to emit light.

I watched closely, curious about how she was unraveling the magic.

Of course, I wanted to approach Isolin and take a look at her mana manipulation, but seeing her focused expression kept me at bay.

Time passed as we waited.

Just when sweat beads dripped from her forehead onto the ground, a small burst of light erupted from the giant stone door.

The adventurers flinched and stepped back in surprise.

I, on the other hand, moved closer and asked Isolin,

“Is, is it all over?”

“Yep. There shouldn’t be any more problems. I’ve cut off the circuit connected inside, so the magic inscribed on the door won’t activate… understand?”

I nodded at Isolin’s question, though I didn’t fully grasp it.

Seeing me like that, Isolin seemed to find me adorable and let out a small smile.

“Alright, it seems like it’s your turn now?”

Isolin said this to the swordsmen waiting behind her.

Hearing this, the swordsmen nodded and approached the giant stone door.

As three robust men exerted their strength, the massive stone door slowly began to move.

Creeeak-!

Proving it hadn’t been moved in ages, rubble and dirt tumbled down chaotically.

As the door swung aside, it revealed a stone staircase leading down.

The moss on the floor and the mold blooming across the walls were quite the sight.

As I got closer and sniffed, an extremely unpleasant odor wafted up.

Even though I had discovered the dungeon entrance, I didn’t immediately rush down.

Everyone except Isolin began to prepare a campsite and meal.

This was to have one last warm meal and proper rest before entering the dungeon.

Isolin, who was left out of food preparations, started to draw a magic circle on the ground at the dungeon entrance.

Noticing her, I stared intently, and she smiled and said,

“Are you curious about what I’m doing?”

“Yes.”

“I’m drawing a magic circle with illusion magic.”

After finishing the food preparations, I approached Isolin and listened closely to her explanation.

She didn’t seem to mind explaining the magic circle to me.

She explained that a magic circle is a device that stabilizes a wizard’s magic in one place, constantly activating its effects.

“If you just create a magic circle, can you keep using magic?”

“No, the magic circle needs a continuous supply of mana to function.”

“So it requires a power source?”

“You’re quick to understand.”

“Then what’s this?”

I pointed to the blue powder sprinkled over the magic circle.

Isolin had been scattering this blue powder all over the magic circle.

“That’s mana stone powder. It absorbs surrounding mana to supply the power for this magic circle.”

“It absorbs the mana around it…?”

“Although it’s a low-quality mana stone, it’ll last for about 40 hours.”

So the mana stone has the property of absorbing surrounding mana?

Isolin shared various stories about the magic circle, but they didn’t really register in my mind.

My attention was solely focused on the fact that it was a mana stone.

“Hmm…”

Once Isolin completed the magic circle, she tilted her head.

Seeing her displeased expression, it seemed the magic circle hadn’t worked properly.

That might be to be expected. The mana absorbed by the powder wasn’t ordinary mana.

Isolin attempted to create the magic circle several more times, but each time, the result was the same.

Ultimately, the magic circle Isolin created was left unattended.

Everyone gathered to start their meal.

Warm stew, large pieces of meat, and soft bread were served.

Luna provided truly delicious food, just as the request had stated.

I picked up my plate and sat beside Isolin.

“Isolin.”

“Yes?”

“Where can I get a mana stone?”

“Uh, I’m sorry, but you won’t be able to get one.”

“Why not?”

“Mana stones are managed by the Mage Tower. It’s illegal for outsiders to obtain them.”

I gaped at that revelation.

It seemed the Mage Tower was even more closed off than I had imagined.

I pointed to the unfinished magic circle and asked,

“Then, can I take some of that mana stone powder?”

“That powder…? Hmm… Are you looking for a souvenir?”

“Something like that.”

“In that case…”

Isolin pulled out a small leather pouch from her waist.

Inside was the blue mana stone powder.

“Here.”

“But you said it’s illegal for outsiders to take them.”

“The mana stone powder is a different story. It’ll turn into ordinary stone powder after a few days, so people usually overlook this.”

“Wow… Thank you so much!”

That evening, after finishing our meal.

Because Isolin’s illusion magic hadn’t been completed, we had to take turns keeping watch.

During my watch, I poured a handful of mana stone powder into my mouth.

Isolin had claimed that the mana stone absorbs surrounding mana.

And her words were true.

As I swallowed the mana stone powder with water, the hot mana surrounding me began to pour into my body like a response to the mana stone.

The heat within me began to rise almost instantly. The wild mana of the forest started to spread its warmth throughout my body.

If this continued, I’d be cooked alive.

I urgently summoned the cold mana of the Karum Mountain Range.

However, even the frigid winter winds couldn’t cool down Kalbain’s heat.

As I bit my lip, I desperately tried to relocate the mana within me.

Wrapping the intensely heated mana with the cold chill, I pulled it toward my heart.

The two mana types, each with their fundamentally different properties, clashed against each other, creating a tempest.

I held my pounding heart tight and gasped for breath.

The breath escaping my lips was alight with flames.

Fwoosh-!

At the same time, a cold chill rushed out.

Kalbain’s mana was a ferocious tyrant. It couldn’t reach harmony. I instinctively understood that I had to suppress it with greater force.

Fortunately, the Kalbain’s mana pouring into my body was just a handful.

I mobilized all the mana I could to envelop Kalbain’s mana.

As it became surrounded by the cold starlight, Kalbain’s mana gradually calmed down, forming a burning ring.

A new mana circle had been completed.