NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 108.2
After a while, they arrived in the western forest zone.
Looking over the road cutting through the forest, they found several huge puddles.
Moreover, due to the daily rain, it was terribly muddy.
Stepping off the road and into the forest, water seeped from the moss underfoot, yet it was still easier to walk than the road.
Wrapping themselves in a blue cloak, they activated ]Eternal Darkness Explorer].
Even during the day, forests had many shadows. The [Stealth] modifier should work.
Hunting only on the return journey. Ill hurry on the way there.
Additionally, activating [Stealth 4] and [Detection 6], they set off running through the forest.
Although they managed to bypass most of the monsters along the way, they somehow attracted the attention of a pack of Mudrocks.
It would be pointless to shake them off if they kept pursuing.
They met the Mudrocks with a sword and managed to fend off several before driving them away.
After that, without encountering any troublesome monsters, by the time the sun reached its zenith, they had arrived at the foot of Ranello Mountain.
The entire mountain was covered in trees, forming a gentle ridge.
It didnt seem like a very tall mountain, but given the landslides, they couldnt afford to let their guard down.
Natural phenomena were tougher enemies than monsters.
They deactivated [High-Speed Movement] and cautiously began climbing the mountain path.
The mountain path was only wide enough for a carriage to pass.
However, at strategic points, shelters were provided to allow carriages to pass each other coming from opposite directions.
It seemed these also served as campsites, as they saw stones arranged in circular formations several times.
Shortly after climbing, they also found stones on the road.
However, these were not man-made.
Looking up at the mountainside, they saw scars of collapses amidst the dense foliage.
These landslides gradually increased, eventually leading to the appearance of large boulders.
And soon, they arrived at the scene.
Breathing in the fresh mountain air, they looked around slowly.
Its quite the landslide.
The view was dominated by earth tones.
To their left was a steep slope leading to the summit, and to the right was a cliff, but the side facing the summit was deeply gouged.
The landslide had carved away the road, spreading radially down the cliff.
Carefully peering over the cliff, they saw broken trees protruding as if struggling, and upon focusing on the faint sound of water, they saw spring water flowing over the debris, creating a river.
Was the landslide limited to just this area?
Stretching their neck to peek at the Philsatch side, they couldnt see beyond the undulations of the mountain.
There was no choice but to investigate.
They distanced themselves and activated [High-Speed Movement], darting along the mountain path.
They leaped, relying on their speed, jumping onto large rocks along the way.
Quickly scanning the entire area from above, they searched for any other anomalies.
There it was
They changed direction around the middle of the landslide, sliding down the slope.
Stopping near the end of the landslide, they approached the blue peeking through the earth tones.
Carefully pulling it, it came out without resistance.
It was human clothingbut only a scrap.
There seemed to be no indication of it being buried.
So they werent caught in the landslide, but something happened afterward.
Searching the surroundings, they found more signs: broken knives, parts of leather armor, and numerous stains that seemed like blood.
Not just one person, but severallikely an adventurer party.
And judging by the state of the traces, they were wiped out by monsters.
Examining the knife, they checked its make.
From Istal to below Narbano, just an ordinary knife you could find anywhere.
It seemed to be a possession of D or E rank.
They continued searching but found no bodies or items to identify them.
They gathered these items, put them into a leather bag, and stored them in the magic bag, Teres Bag.
At that moment, they had a thought.
Could it be that their companions were caught in the landslide?
It was possible. Thats why they descended.
While the landslide covered a considerable area, with the right catalyst, removal wasnt impossible.
Rather than searching blindly, it seemed faster to work on restoration concurrently.
They climbed back up the slope to the road and moved toward the Philsatch side.
It doesnt seem like there are any other landslides. Well, I wont know until I descend a bit more.
They looked back at the collapse site.
Regardless, they had to start from here.
The landslide was more extensive than expected. It would take three to four days to restore it.
They had enough preserved food, and several Mudrocks they had hunted down at the foot were stored.
Food wasnt a concern.
They could produce water with [Pure Water], so if they wanted, they could live for half a month.
Thenbedding.
Descending into Philsatch territory, they found a shelter after a while.
They pondered while gazing at the empty space and shook their head.
They could make a simple hut with [Earth Wall], but they decided against it.
If they had that much magical power, they should proceed with the work, and sleeping under branches would suffice.
Returning to the landslide site, they examined the slope and the condition of the debris this time.
Both contained a considerable amount of water, making it difficult for [Earth Wall] to pass through.
They could drain the water with [Operate Water], but it would be quite laborious.
Well, there was less moisture than in clay, and with added magical power, they could force it through.
If it didnt work, then theyd see.
More importantly, how to repair it.
The mountain path, called a road, had collapsed and lost its original form.
Reinforcing it with stone walls was easy, but they were concerned about weight and durability.
Just covering it wouldnt prevent it from peeling off or sinking under the weight.
They regretted not consulting with Dobar.
While regretting, they sat down on the mountain path, contemplating the landslide.
In essence, they just needed something that wouldnt peel off and could withstand weight.
The construction of a forge might provide some insight.
Rightthe first step was driving stakes, wasnt it?
They picked up some suitable branches and began sketching on the ground.
First, they would drive stones vertically and cover them while integrating them.
They should make the stone walls thin. They wouldnt collapse under their weight.
Come to think of it, they had also carved drainage channels. They needed an escape route for water too.
When they looked up to the mountaintop, they could see the soil quite high up.
It would be impossible to cover everything. Just the road and the nearby slopes would suffice.
They might as well make the slope two-tiered.
If they fused only the upper and lower parts and left the sides open, the water would flow.
Or was it still weak?
If they fused the sides of the upper tier as well, it would connect firmly. The overall strength would also increase.
With a rough plan in mind, they tried activating [Earth Wall] underground to see if it would work, and although there was resistance, it was successfully generated.
Alright, it was an amateur plan for an amateur job, but the general plan was now in place.
If it didnt work, they would secretly come back to fix it.