Dragged Into Another World Because of My Otaku Friend-Chapter 82: Secret Path

We walked through the narrow path behind the fake waterfall. The tunnel was so tight that only one person could pass at a time. Beltimore led the way, followed by Bob, then me, with Alice bringing up the rear.

My heart pounded faster with each step.

The illusion covering the waterfall meant someone had intentionally hidden this path. That alone raised more questions than answers.

According to Beltimore’s deduction, if this illusion was truly the work of someone, then whoever cast it might be waiting in the chamber up ahead.

Was it just a person who wanted some me time, away from people?

Or was it someone dangerous?

If it was the first, then we could just leave them be.

But if it was the second... then another battle was waiting for us.

Despite everything I had faced so far, my stomach still growled before every battle. It seemed my body had not yet gotten used to the battlefield.

After several minutes of walking, Beltimore suddenly stopped.

His abrupt halt made me bump into Bob’s fat body, which earned me an annoyed grunt.

"Someone’s here," Beltimore said quietly.

Me and Bob instantly summoned our weapons, preparing for anything.

We entered a large chamber. The ceiling stretched high above us, with bats fluttering at the top. The stone walls were jagged and uneven, like nature never intended for this place to be found. At the center of the chamber, a single flame burned brightly.

We moved closer, following a zigzagging path that led downward. Beltimore had his grimoire open, scanning the area carefully. Alice’s left hand glowed with golden light, ready to unleash her overpowered skill at a moment’s notice. Bob and I stood back-to-back as we walked, our eyes darting in every direction.

On either side of the path were two still lakes, their surfaces dark. At the very center ran a stone walkway leading toward a large opening and if my memory served me right, it led to the cave’s exit.

But something else stood out.

Along the rocky path, I could see signs of life, tents, worn mats, scattered pillows, a few cups and bowls. Someone, or more likely, multiple people, had been staying here.

Then we saw it.

A structure in the center of it all.

As soon as my eyes landed on it, I felt my stomach twist.

Bob tapped my shoulder and pointed, his hand trembling.

"Alan..." he whispered, fear in his voice.

"I know, Bob," I replied, my own voice shaking.

There, pulsing faintly with power, stood a crystal-like structure, just like the one we saw in Lily Town.

"Kaoslith," I said.

"You said what?" Beltimore asked, his voice stern.

"He said Kaoslith," Alice replied calmly. She stepped forward without hesitation, walking straight toward the crystalline structure.

"The Oblivion Crystal of the Abyss. The Damnation. Whatever name they give it..." she muttered, her eyes narrowing as she examined the strange formation.

"Is it safe to get that close to it?" I asked nervously. Bob and I stayed rooted in place, a safe distance away. The trauma of what happened at Lily Town and those grotesque creatures was still fresh in our minds.

"This one isn’t active... yet," Alice replied. "The magic inside it is still faint. Dormant."

What? How can she be so sure? She said that like she’s seen it before. Like she knows it.

I looked at Bob. He shrugged. We both slowly inched closer, drawn by a mix of curiosity and dread.

This was the first time we were this close to a Kaoslith. From afar, it looked ominous. But up close... it was oddly beautiful. The surface shimmered with a pristine white glow, covered in jagged crystalline formations of varying sizes and shapes.

But then, something inside caught my eye.

I leaned in, squinting at a shadowy figure trapped within.

My stomach twisted in horror.

There was a woman inside.

Her wide, white eyes were frozen open in terror. Her mouth was agape, and jagged shards of crystal erupted from her lips, her skull, even her chest. It looked as though the crystal had grown through her, violently and grotesquely.

"Th-there’s a woman inside!" I gasped, staggering back.

Bob looked at the crystal, his eyes locking onto the corpse inside. He immediately jumped back, horrified.

"Why are you scared?" Alice asked, her voice calm but sharp. "You knew its name already. Shouldn’t you know what it’s made of?"

"We’ve only seen it from afar... back at Lily Town," Bob said, still shaken. "This is the first time we’ve seen it up close."

"Lily Town?" Alice repeated softly. Her brows furrowed as she processed the name of that town. Then, a small, knowing smile curled on her lips.

"Now I get it... It’s all connected." She glanced at the two of us, her expression unreadable, the smile still lingering.

"Alice," Beltimore spoke up quietly. "This... is it the same as ten years ago?"

She turned to look at him and nodded.

"Yes. It’s the same... although this one seems a little different."

Her voice held a hint of unease. Alice had studied the Kaoslith obsessively after the disaster ten years ago, she was one of the few who could be considered an expert on the subject. But something about this crystal did not sit right with her.

"What do you mean?" Beltimore asked, sensing her hesitation.

"This Kaoslith is—" Alice began, but before she could finish her sentence, her eyes suddenly darted upward. Beltimore followed her gaze, sensing the shift in her tone.

Something small and sharp fell from above, swift and silent, piercing the air before landing with a metallic clink on the rocky ground near the center of the group.

"Kunai?" Bob said, narrowing his eyes at the strange object.

But before he could take another step closer, a strange purple writing glowed across the blade’s surface.

Beltimore’s eyes widened. "Everyone, get away!" he shouted.

The moment I heard him, I acted on instinct,diving to the side, hitting the rocky ground hard. I covered my head with both arms just before—

BOOM!

The explosion ripped through the chamber, shaking the cave walls with a violent force. My ears rang from the shockwave, the sound almost unbearable.

"What was that?!" Bob shouted from the other side. He had also managed to jump just in time like me.

"We’re under attack," Beltimore said grimly.

Then I saw it, shadows dancing along the ceiling. Figures leapt from one wall to another, their movements swift and fluid, like living shadows slipping through the cracks of light.

One of them suddenly landed in front of the Kaoslith. It wore a black robe, its face hidden beneath the hood. A chilling silence followed as it slowly raised its hands, crossing them over its chest.

Between each of his fingers were gleaming kunai, glinting menacingly in the dim light.

"Die!" a cold male voice snarled.

Then, with a sharp motion, he flung both arms forward, launching the kunai directly at us.

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