Chapter 9: The Incident
Three days had passed since I had dinner at Rin's place.
After pinpointing the direction where the Labyrinth Church was gathering, I told Rin and the others to stick together as much as possible and not to go out at night.
I also went ahead and consulted the police, providing them with the video footage as evidence.
They said that while there hadn't been any noticeable damage yet, they wanted to resolve the situation as quickly as possible since the group might take action in the future.
Since I had evidence, they seemed willing to conduct an investigation and interviews, but no results have come back yet.
I had also thought about investigating the Labyrinth Church's base a bit, but I quickly gave up on that idea.
Right after that, I tried to use 【Multi Lock-On】 to find the place where the Labyrinth Church was likely gathering—their meeting hall—but I couldn't get close in the end.
The reason was simple and clear.
The location I found was heavily guarded, and I couldn't approach it. That was all.
The Labyrinth Church followers were gathering quite far from Rin and the others' house. In fact, it was an abandoned church at the foot of a mountain, far from the city center.
I had to run quite a distance since it was so far from the city.
Moreover, there were always five or more lookouts posted at that abandoned church, and the probability of being discovered was too high if I tried to get closer, so I couldn't approach.
I was using 【Stealth】, but they still sensed my presence and started moving toward me, you know? That's just too much to handle.
"Well... what's the plan, then? I managed to pinpoint their location, though."
I said, looking up at the ceiling while sitting on the sofa.
It was currently early afternoon on a weekday.
Normally, I'd be diving into a Dungeon, but I decided not to go, just in case I needed to keep an eye on Dragon's Eye.
"But I guess it's about time to make a move...!"
I hadn't done anything for three days.
No, to be precise, I'd been checking on Rin and the others once every three days to make sure they were safe.
That's it.
"Hmm... for now, maybe I'll just dive into a Dungeon?!"
Perhaps because the police have been active for the past three days, the Labyrinth Church and Dragon's Eye haven't shown any particular movement.
So, now might be my chance to dive into a Dungeon.
I'll just keep it to the morning, though.
"Alright, let's get going!!"
And so, I arrived at the familiar Lamplight Dungeon.
As usual, there wasn't a soul around; it was deserted.
Well, that suits me just fine.
"Now then, how many laps can I do just this morning?"
In the end, most of the morning was taken up by travel time, and I couldn't hunt the Seven Demon Flame very much.
Even so, I leveled up, and I secured enough SP to raise the skill level of my 【Lock-On】 Skill, which was stuck at a marginal level, to 20.
I'll have to allocate those points later and raise the skill level to 20.
Well, I'm already out of the Dungeon, so I guess I'll grab some lunch and head home.
—Purururururu
Just as I was thinking that, my smartphone's ringtone went off.
I looked at the screen and saw...
"…Anju?!"
The name displayed on the screen was Anju.
I was a little concerned that it wasn't a message, but...
I answered the call anyway.
Then—
'Amamii! Where are you right now!'
—I heard a shout that was far louder than I'd ever heard from Anju.
"Uh... in a Dungeon, why...?" I replied, wondering if it was urgent.
Then, in an even louder voice, she said,
'A Dungeon?! Please! Come to our place right now!!'
"W-What the hell's going on?!?"
'Just come right now! Rina is—!'
"…!!!"
The moment I heard those words, I bolted from the Lamplight Dungeon toward Rin and the others' house.
—Rina... was kidnapped...
I pushed my speed to the limit and finally reached Rin and the others' house.
But unlike the last time I was here, there were people moving around in a frantic rush.
Police cars, ambulances, and rubberneckers.
And there were also people who looked like Explorers, carrying weapons.
"What the hell is this...?"
The sight that greeted me was worse than I had imagined.
Since the police were already here, a restricted area had been cordoned off.
Furthermore, there was a car with its front end completely destroyed, and a hole had been blown through the fence and wall of Rina's house.
A little distance away from Rina's house, Rin and Anju were standing with several police officers and Explorers.
"Rin! Anju!!"
I called out to the two of them.
They turned to face me, showing a slight look of relief.
The police officer at the cordon must have judged me to be an acquaintance of Rin and the others, because he let me through.
I hurried over to them.
"Kaede-san... I'm so sorry for dragging you into all this..."
"I'm truly sorry... If only I hadn't been so careless...!"
Rin and Anju said, looking apologetic.
"No, don't worry about that... But what exactly do you mean Rina was kidnapped?"
"Actually...!"
"Hold on a moment."
Just as Rin was about to explain, one of the police officers cut in.
An Explorer was standing behind him.
"Excuse me, but who are you?!"
"Ah, sorry for the sudden intrusion. I'm the Explorer Kaede Amamiya. I'm their friend, and I rushed over when I heard Rina was kidnapped!"
"Ah, ah, I see. Thank you for coming all this way. I am Hashimoto of the Metropolitan Police Department's Explorer Division. I'm the one in charge of the investigation for this case. If you don't mind, may I brief you on the situation at the scene?!"
"I'm Iida. An Explorer affiliated with Astral, and I'm investigating this incident!"
"Understood. I look forward to working with you!"
When I bowed my head, the detective, who introduced himself as Hashimoto, immediately began to speak.
"First, the victim's name is Rina Kinasaki. She is 18 years old. Ms. Kinasaki was at home when she was forcibly taken after that severely damaged car over there blew out the wall and snatched her!"
"…So she was caught up when the wall was blown out!"
"Yes. It is presumed she was taken after losing consciousness from the impact. From what we've heard, Ms. Kinasaki is an Explorer. There were no signs of resistance, either!"
"I see... And the culprits?"
"That... I'm sorry. We chased after them right away, but..."
Rin and Anju replied with frustrated looks.
They apparently heard the sound of the car smashing through the fence and wall, rushed outside, and immediately gave chase, but...
"I see... using guns in the middle of the city, huh...!"
"Yeah. We chased them for a while, reporting their location, but they started shooting wildly..."
"And that's how you lost them."
"Yes... I'm sorry. If only I had been faster...!!"
Rin looked down, clenching her teeth.
I was surprised that Rin, who possesses the Unique Skill 【Godspeed】, which grants a high Agility stat correction, was shaken off, but...
To do something like that in the middle of the city, and in broad daylight, no less...
"They're really throwing caution to the wind now!"
"Huh? What do you mean?!"
I continued, answering Anju's question.
"Something's been off for a while now... Rin, Anju, did the guys who snatched Rina have the Labyrinth Church's mark on them anywhere? Or maybe a tattoo on their calf?"
I had already told the three of them about the Labyrinth Church and Dragon's Eye when I reported it to the police three days ago.
That's why I asked this question, but...
"Hmm... I couldn't confirm a tattoo, but..."
"I confirmed the Labyrinth Church's mark!"
"Is that right?!"
"Yeah. Plus, my 【Analysis】 Skill showed they were a mixed team from the Labyrinth Church and Dragon's Eye!"
Anju told us the information she got using her Unique Skill.
But...
"Are you sure about that? Revealing you have a Unique Skill!"
I was about to continue, thinking she was trying to keep it a secret, but Anju stopped me.
"It's fine. It's for Rina. I couldn't not use it. Besides, it was gonna get out eventually!"
Anju said with a smile.
I could feel a strong will in her expression.
"Thanks, Anju!"
I expressed my gratitude to Anju.
Then, I thought about the information Anju had given me.
"It is the Labyrinth Church after all... and Dragon's Eye!"
"Hashimoto-san, we should...!"
"Yes. Let's move to secure the Labyrinth Church and Dragon's Eye. If we were fully prepared, I'd want a warrant, but... we have no choice!"
"In that case, I'm going."
I said that and leaped onto the roof of Rin's house.
Rin and Anju immediately panicked.
"I have an idea where the Labyrinth Church people are gathering. I'm heading there. You two stay with the police!!"
"Wait! Kaede-san! Where is this place you have an idea about!!"
Rin asked in a flustered voice.
"Ah, ah, that would be..."
That was close... Was I rushing too much?
I was about to leave without even telling them where I was going.
"It's the abandoned church at the foot of the mountain in that direction! Iida-san, Hashimoto-san, if you have the manpower, please send some people over there! See ya!!"
And after relaying just that, I didn't wait for a reply and jumped from the roof, heading toward my destination.
The destination is the abandoned church. If Rina wasn't there, she'd be somewhere else, so I'd prefer it if she was at the abandoned church... but what is this uneasy feeling in my chest?
Just wait for me... Rina.
"The security is tight, just as I thought."
About thirty minutes after running across the rooftops, I finally arrived at the intended location.
I passed several Explorers on the way here, most of whom were armed. They were probably Explorers who had gone out to search following this incident.
"Now... what should I do?"
It's a bit late to ask, but would this count as trespassing? Well, it's an emergency, so it should be fine.
As I was thinking that, two men who appeared to be guards standing in front of the church door noticed me and approached.
"Hey, you! What the hell are you doing there?!"
Both men who approached were carrying spears. And their aura felt somewhat rigid... or rather, murderous.
This is a hit.
The two men who approached didn't have anything that would suggest they were Labyrinth Church followers. They were probably members of Dragon's Eye.
"Just wanted to ask a few questions!"
"I see. But I'm afraid this area is off-limits. Please leave."
"No, but..."
"Don't be dense! Get out now!!"
One of the men shouted at me.
If this continues, it's going to get troublesome.
Perhaps hearing the man's shout, the other guards nearby also started to approach.
"Alright, just one thing then... Where's the girl you kidnapped?!"
"—"
I spoke to the men as intimidatingly as possible.
And finally, the guards seemed to realize that I had come to rescue Rina, and without any hesitation, they all threw the spears they were holding at me.
"—Indestructible Body!!"
I used the 【Indestructible Body】 Skill to boost my Defense and received all the countless spears thrown at me with my body.
...Just as I thought.
I had predicted they wouldn't be powerful weapons, given the strength I sensed and the fact that all the spears were identical, and that turned out to be the case.
"Hmph!!"
I deflected all the thrown spears, then dodged the spears the two men in front of me swung down, and sent one flying with a roundhouse kick.
"Guh-ha!!"
The other man tried to punch me, but I pretended to catch his fist, grabbed his arm, and slammed him into the ground.
"Gah...!?!"
Then, in a fluid motion, I threw the remaining three men to the ground and knocked them unconscious.
"Phew... I guess that's enough for now."
I muttered, looking down at the five unconscious men.
"And just in case..."
I rolled up the pant legs of the five unconscious men so their calves were visible, and there, the symbol of Dragon's Eye was tattooed.
"That confirms it!"
I only had information that the Labyrinth Church had taken Rina, but this makes it almost certain that Dragon's Eye is also involved.
Even if they weren't, it's undeniable that one of them is involved.
"I need to hurry."
I said that and reached for the doorknob of the church entrance. It didn't seem to be locked.
When I opened the door, it creaked open with a Giiiii sound.
Inside, it was indeed a church.
Light streamed in through the cracked stained-glass windows, dusty pews were lined up, and a cross was displayed behind the decaying altar.
But...
"No one's here...? Neither Rina, the Labyrinth Church, nor the rest of the Dragon's Eye members."
There was no sign of anyone in the silent church; only my voice echoed in the abandoned building.
"Rina! Where are you—!!"
I shouted loudly, but there was no reply.
Damn it! Where is she?! Was this the wrong place...?
But members of Dragon's Eye were here.
There's a good chance Rina was brought here.
"Hey! Rina, if you're here, answer me!!"
I raised my voice again, but just like before, there was no response.
"Don't tell me... they've already taken her away!"
Not to this abandoned church, but as a target for the human trafficking that Dragon's Eye was involved in...
—Clatter
"—!!!"
I heard a noise from the direction of the altar in the back.
Was someone... there?
I approached the altar where the sound came from, slowly and cautiously.
"Nothing strange... especially not here."
But there was nothing there, and the scene was no different from before. Except for one thing.
"Is this... blood?!"
There was a small red stain on the floor. It was a very thin trail, like a mark left by something being dragged, so faint you wouldn't notice it unless you looked closely.
And when I looked ahead of it—
"—The altar?!"
—It led toward the altar.
"It stops here..."
But beyond this point, it should just be a plain wall...
"Is there a hidden passage!"
I thought so and examined the altar. Then, I noticed an unnatural indentation right about at the height of my face.
"What is this... huh?!"
When I touched the indentation, it turned out to be a switch. When I pressed it, a part of the wall opened up, revealing a staircase leading underground.
Since I could feel magic power in the switch, it must be a type of magic tool.
"...Do I have to go down?"
Just as I was thinking that.
—Flap, flap
I heard the sound of wings flapping from the stairs, flying toward me.
I instantly used 【Magic Arrow】 and, as I moved away from the spot, I shot an arrow at the creature that appeared from the stairs.
The transparent arrow I shot hit its mark perfectly, and the creature fell to the ground with a high-pitched shriek.
"Is that... a bat...?"
Lying there was a creature with large black wings, about thirty centimeters in length.
"But this is... a monster, right?!"
It certainly looked like a bat, but it was different from anything I knew.
The bats I knew were supposed to be much smaller.
But even if it was a monster, I had never seen or heard of one like this.
"Oh, come on... does that mean...!"
A staircase leading underground. A monster emerging from that staircase.
A bad feeling surfaced in my mind.
"Don't tell me... a Dungeon?!?"
I muttered, looking at the bat-like creature in front of me.
I thought there was no way, but given the situation, it was the only thing that made sense.
Wait, wait. Even if that's the case, why is it here...?
"For now, I'll check it out...!"
I steeled my resolve, stepped over the bat's corpse, used the 【Stealth】 Skill, and descended the stairs.
The stairs led to a passage lit by candles on sconces. And at the same time, the light from the sconces revealed something else.
"...It's confirmed...!"
What the light revealed was a swarm of the same bat monsters I had defeated above ground.
And not just a few, but dozens of them.
"Seriously...!"
After confirming that, I went back up the stairs to the surface.
"Haa... it really is a Dungeon, isn't it... But why here? I'm sure there wasn't a Dungeon around this area!"
As far as I could recall about Dungeons, none existed in this vicinity.
Even if the Labyrinth Church was hiding this Dungeon, it would be pointless if they couldn't deal with the monsters.
In fact, the monsters would likely overflow from the Dungeon.
I secretly used 【Appraisal】 on that monster, and its level was around 500. It's not the kind of enemy that a newly licensed Explorer could defeat.
But...
"If Dragon's Eye is involved, that would explain it!"
There's a high probability that the Labyrinth Church and Dragon's Eye are connected.
If multiple members of Dragon's Eye's execution squad formed a party, they could probably handle that much.
However, if this is a Dungeon, I don't understand why the Labyrinth Church brought Rina here.
Since they didn't take Rin or Anju, it's clear they were targeting Rina personally, not just someone with an 18-year-old Status.
Human trafficking isn't their goal.
"In that case, I really have no idea what their objective is anymore!"
Why go to the trouble of bringing her to a Dungeon?
Even if their goal was to barricade themselves in a monster-filled Dungeon, they'd be quickly breached if a strong Explorer showed up.
"...Well, rescuing Rina comes first. I should contact Rin and the others, too..."
I said that, took out my smartphone, and sent an email to Rin and the others.
At the same time, I reported the Dungeon's appearance to the Explorer's Association and the police.
That should prompt some kind of action.
"Now then, shall we go!"
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