As the temporary leader of the adventuring team and provider of all the information, the fox was clearly set to profit the most. Yet now, after a pretense of discussion, the three other wizards demanded a staggering 60% of the spoils.
Clearly, they had concluded that the fox would never turn against them at this point—after all, in terms of numbers, they had the upper hand.
Even such a demand, if the treasure were split evenly, wouldn't leave the fox with catastrophic losses.
So when she reluctantly agreed, her face dark with displeasure, the three wizards' expressions immediately lit up with joy. They didn't hesitate to reveal their deductions about the treasure's location—after all, they had the numbers to back up their claims.
Seeing this was extraordinary. Among these three wizards, all far older than human wizards, one had studied geomancy and dabbled in knowledge about tombs. Though the team had gained little so far, he successfully deduced the approximate location of the main tomb chamber.
Though vague, it was far better than wandering blindly like headless flies. After a sufficient rest, the group set off in the direction predicted by the wizard claiming to have sighted the destination.
It turned out he was correct.
A tomb must be constructed according to geomantic principles, and so the ultimate guide for grave robbers was undoubtedly a book on feng shui.
Following the correct path, the decorations along the way grew increasingly lavish. Gold, silver, and gemstones adorned the walls. Allen, however, was utterly unimpressed.
Some magical spells were notoriously irritating. Chief among them were permanent adhesive spells—like the cursed tapestry at Sirius Black's home. And now, all the decorations on the walls were bound by these irritating enchantments.
After silently cursing countless times, Allen and the others maneuvered around twists and turns, finally reaching an enormous hall.
Inside, statues of wizards lined the hall from end to end, crafted lifelike in every detail. At the far end, a large door bore the words "Root Country," clearly marking the main tomb chamber.
"Yes… this is it. Root Country—the death realm of legend. This is the main tomb!" The lead wizard stammered in excitement, but the others understood completely.
It had been far too easy. Except for the initial mechanism, there had been no real danger. It was practically gift-wrapped!
Allen immediately pulled the overjoyed fox back a considerable distance. Are you kidding me? Even thinking about this now is dangerous!
Seeing Allen retreat swiftly, the others realized their mistake—they had been celebrating too early. It was obvious this was the most likely moment for a trap to activate.
Sure enough, before they could move far, the stone skin of the statues began to crumble. Mummified corpses emerged, raising their wands in unison.
Spells shot toward Allen and the group. Though each spell was weak individually, multiplied by fifty, the effect was terrifying. If they had remained in place, casualties would have been inevitable.
Fifty wizards' combined spells were enough to rival fireworks. Though the corpses had lost reason and flexibility, their numbers alone could overwhelm most wizards.
Even the formidable Allen and his companions suffered light injuries before they could neutralize this terrifying wizard ensemble.
"Madman! Absolutely insane! How crazy must someone be to kill so many wizards to create these puppets?" muttered the short, stout wizard as he dispatched the last animated corpse, tending to his injured left arm.
These puppets were crafted from living wizards, and considering the failure rate, the number used must have far exceeded fifty. Completing this massacre left almost everyone uneasy—using wizards as puppets was profoundly disturbing.
After concealing the corpses with magic, the group calmed themselves and pushed open the grand door—after performing the necessary checks, of course.
But the moment they opened it, everyone froze—facing them was a smiling young girl!
This was terrifying. After all, encountering a living person inside a tomb is wholly unexpected.
Instinctively, all raised their wands, unleashing spells without hesitation. Yet, before the spells could strike, the beautiful girl was reduced to a cloud of powder by the wind generated by the magic.
The fox stepped forward, examined the remains, and said, "She's dead. Long dead. Her body was just preserved by magic in this windless place. When we entered, the air we brought in scattered her remains."
A moment of stunned silence followed. Without pause, they pressed forward—after all, their bubble-head charms protected them from air problems.
The deeper they went, the more astonishing the tomb became. Inside, a small town had been recreated—complete with flowing water, trees, and even a miniature magical sun.
But without wind, the water did not move. When Allen and the others took larger steps, the air they stirred turned everything into powder. This magical town, frozen in time, disintegrated the moment they arrived.
After walking for a while, the fox finally concluded, "If I'm correct, the main tomb chamber should be at the shrine. It's hard to imagine a wizard capable of bringing an entire village into his tomb would tolerate another deity having a shrine on his land. I suspect this town's shrine is dedicated to him."
Everyone agreed. Logically, the village occupying the main chamber couldn't have been chosen at random. Outside, wizards were buried as accompaniments, but inside, living people would not be placed arbitrarily.
Sure enough, only a few steps toward the shrine confirmed the fox's deduction—it was far larger and more extravagant than the rest of the village.
Most importantly, as they approached, the shrine remained standing, radiating immense magical power.
Clearly—they had reached the final destination.
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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