Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Tanaka actually felt quite uneasy.

After all, this was the Empire’s capital, and the presence of Demon Race was much more than in the previous border cities. Not to mention the majestic Muling Castle in the distance, which housed the legendary Emperor of the Empire and the Blood Race ancestor.

However, upon hearing the title "Blood Race Ancestor," Jiro suddenly snickered.

Without saying much, Jiro simply raised a finger to his furry mouth, simultaneously glancing up at the blood-red canopy enveloping the city above.

Tanaka could only swallow back his questions and dissatisfaction.

Jiro was always like this, arranging everything and revealing the plan only at the very end.

Over the next two days, Jiro led him aimlessly wandering through the city. They passed through bustling markets and ventured into dim alleys, each time skillfully avoiding the newly added patrols.

Tanaka found Jiro’s familiarity with the city astonishing, as if every street was already imprinted in his mind.

On the third day, a low hum suddenly emanated from the sky. Tanaka was shocked to see the blood-colored canopy, which covered the city day and night, begin to churn and flow southward like a retreating tide.

Amidst the confusion and complaints of the Blood Race within the city, long-lost sunlight shone upon the mottled bluestone streets of Mulin City.

Once the canopy completely receded, Jiro promptly led Tanaka into the cellar of a secluded house. The damp air was filled with the odor of mildew and a distinct herbal scent.

There, they sought out a frail and seemingly nervous old member of the Demon Race.

Finally, Jiro revealed the purpose of their trip, his voice echoing clearly in the cellar: "Do you know, three hundred years ago Mulin City was actually called Demon King City? Naturally, there was a Demon King in Demon King City!"

Tanaka shuddered as he heard this: "Wait, are you trying to tell me... the Demon King is sealed inside Muling Castle?"

Jiro shrugged: "To be precise, a part of him."

Tanaka felt dizzy.

Originally, he thought "unsealing the Demon King" would be like those adventure stories, where you head to some ancient Underground City or ruin.

"How can the first mission be directly tackling the Emperor’s own lair?!"

As Tanaka lamented in despair, the Demon Race elder beside him erupted into hysterical laughter.

Once that frenzied laughter gradually subsided in the cellar, Tanaka took a deep breath, trying to calm himself: "So... how many folks have you planted inside Muling Castle?"

"Muling Castle?" Jiro dismissively waved his hand, "None. It’s full of the Emperor’s direct Blood Race descendants, and even if we could turn them, it would be unbelievably troublesome. In fact, everyone involved in this operation is currently standing in this cellar."

Tanaka gaped, first pointing at the nervous elder, then turning to himself, and finally looking at Jiro in disbelief.

Upon getting a nod of affirmation from him, he almost jumped up: "Are you crazy? Even if the Emperor is gone with the Divine Artifact, the place where the Demon King is sealed must be heavily guarded with our mere three? This old man... he’s just Diamond Level!"

Having been in this world for so long, Tanaka had gotten used to checking panels upon meeting someone. The old Demon Race member, Latir, was indeed formidable, Diamond Level, an important figure wherever he’s placed.

But relying on such manpower to assault Muling Castle could only be seen as the most laughable joke.

"Don’t rush, let me explain," Jiro’s tone remained calm and composed, "The area outside the sealing chamber is naturally heavily guarded, with layers of defenses. But within the sealing chamber, the entire space is occupied by the seal itself, with no additional defense arrays, nor is there any possibility of arranging guards. All we need to do is teleport you inside, and you can easily break the seal."

"Hold on! Are you trying to fool me, acting like I don’t know about magic?" Tanaka couldn’t help raising his voice, "Teleportation requires two-way positioning to succeed; I at least know that basic fact! And for a seal as important as the Demon King’s, why would the Emperor leave such an obvious flaw?"

Jiro nodded approvingly: "Under normal circumstances, it’s indeed impossible. There’s a barrier interfering with magic outside the sealing chamber, making any long-distance teleportation impossible even if you’re standing outside the door, unless you break the barrier first."

"However," his tone changed, a trace of cunning flashed in his eyes, "there is a type of magic that transcends common logic, which ordinary people can’t guard against nor utilize!"

Tanaka instinctively glanced at the old Demon Race’s panel, suddenly realizing: "We won’t be talking about Abyss Magic, will we?"

"Exactly!" Jiro pointed at the elder, "Latir possesses Abyss Magic known as ’Random Teleportation Technique.’ With the blood curtain’s surveillance now absent, it’s the only way to enter the seal chamber besides brute force! In fact, if the blood curtain were still present, even this method wouldn’t work; it would’ve been detected before the magic even activated."

Tanaka remained skeptical, pursuing further: "If it’s called ’random’ teleportation, what guarantees I end up inside? Are we just gambling on luck?"

"To most people, Abyss Magic indeed seems mysterious and unpredictable, full of uncertainty. In identical locations, employing identical arrays, the results might differ strikingly from one moment to the next. But for me," Jiro’s voice suddenly turned clear and powerful, brimming with confidence, "every outcome at any given moment is preordained. As long as the spell is cast at the right moment and place, I’m bound to achieve my intended result!"

Tanaka rarely saw Jiro with such an expression. The usually placid eyes now gleamed with an unusual sharpness, prompting him to nod almost involuntarily: "So... am I the one to go?"

He figured his own ability to split into clones was likely the key, though Tanaka spoke somewhat obliquely due to the unfamiliar elder in their midst.

Yet Jiro seemed to trust him immensely: "That’s right, your clone is the only method that leaves no trace. Once you destroy the seal, just dissolve your clone, and they’ll never trace back to us."

"Can’t they trace us? Doesn’t Abyss Magic leave distinct marks?" Tanaka still held doubts.

Beside him, the silent elder suddenly let out a hoarse chuckle. Latir raised a face marked with dimmed Demon Patterns, his eyes gleaming unusually under the candlelight:

"Rest assured, human. After the teleportation, I’ll take your secret as Alien Races... and end my own life using Abyss Magic." His bony fingers formed an eerie sigil on his chest, "I guarantee, nothing will remain."

The elder’s voice suddenly sharpened, laden with suppressed fervor and hatred, his eyes boring into Jiro: "I don’t care whether you’re targeting Mortis the traitor or doing something else. Whether you want to destroy the entire Empire matters not! As long as you can unseal Lord Demon King, I’m willing to sacrifice my wretched life for you! Tell me, you can succeed, can’t you?"

Jiro clapped a few times, locking eyes with Latir: "Of course, everything is on schedule. There’s no need to rush; the Emperor has just left. Wait till he’s gone far before acting; meanwhile, there are many preparations needed..."