Chapter 73: [Arc 2] Chapter 20: Temple Infiltration: Preparations

"...You know, I've not seen many temples in my life, but I know this one doesn't fit the bill." - Garami

We had arrived at the ruin, not so far from the point where we were blockaded by the bulls. However, just as I said, this ruin ain't so... ruined.

Its facade looked like that of a Greek temple, only that this one had several floors, four of them to be precise, and it had walls between the pillars. One of the stranger parts was the hunks of metal that were perched on the balconies. If you're asking if we could see any cultists, or any being at all, living or not, then the answer is negative.

Nothing was moving in the vicinity of the temple, despite being an open field around it, while with some pillar-like rock formations here and there. To compensate, there were some large hills, that formed natural walls that hid the temple so that people couldn't spy on it from the north, or better said, from the city.

"The temple was big news when they first found it, as the hills over here could act like protective walls, but the inside was empty for anything valuable. Still, much of this stuff looks new, like those rock pillars, and the metal sculptures on the temple." - Jack

"You know, many artists are gonna pummel you if they find out you treated metal lumps as art. Anyway, there's no doubt that somebody has set up shop in that temple." - Garami

"Then, why don't we get closer then?" - Mira

"Because the alarm's gonna bust us." - Garami

"What alarm? There's nothing out there." - Mira

"Wait, you can't see them?" - Garami

"See what? All I can see is some dusty rocks and a non-forgotten temple." - Mira

"Same here." - Jack

Wait, am I the strange one? Or not, Levi looks like she has noticed them too, as she's been growling at the red security lasers that are placed between the rock pillars. Wasn't this supposed to be a fantasy world? What's high-tech security lasers got to do here?

"Hmm, you guys don't have any serious recon-skills, didn't you?" - Garami

"Nope." - Mira

"Only for traps." - Jack

"That's it. One of my skills is [Magic Sense], and it-" - Garami

"MAGIC SENSE?!" - Mira

Yikes, that scared me. What's the bonehead all about this time?

"[Magic sense], as in the skill that allows one to see even aether with? The skill crowned the greatest vision-skill ever?" - Jack

"Not sure about the last one, but yeah, that [Magic Sense]." - Garami

"That would explain why Garami can see some magic contraption that we can't. [Magic Sense] is a skill that usually is acquired when one combines the [Mana Detection], [Heat Detection], [Aura Detection], [Material Detection], [Motion Detection], and [Space Detection]. If there's something that can escape that skill, then nobody can detect it." - Mira

"Wait, [Magic Sense] was that awesome? For me, it only gives an aching headache without mental-support skills, and it's useless on stealth-related stuff." - Garami

"It's an observation-type skill, not an alarm skill after all." - Jack

Oh come on, give me some slack here. This thing almost made me crazy the first days, or years, of my life. Would some danger detection be too much to ask for? 

"Anyway, there are some beams made of red light out there, stationed between the pillars. And if I'm right, then the alarm will ring out when we touch them." - Garami

"That's... bad. If only you can see them, then there's no way the three of us can enter the temple." - Jack

"Well, looks like Levi can see them as well, but she's too big to slip through the beams." - Garami

"Right, good point. Then, what do we do?" - Mira

"I've got a crazy idea, but it may change this recon-trip into a real raid." - Jack

"You have? Don't think I wanna trust someone that killed himself by getting on the bad side of the worst spider in the region." - Mira

Hear, hear.

"Let me tell you, that wasn't some regular spider. That was an incarnation of grudges and bad temper. Anyway, work in the wildness was never my cup of tea. My specialty was inside buildings and cities." - Jack

"Then, what's the plan? Ringing the doorbell?" - Garami

"Ha-ha, smart guy. However, don't expect it to be foolproof though." - Jack

---

Jack's plan was this:

1. I'll sneak into the temple, using [Magic Sense] to keep myself away from the security lasers.
2. When I reach the temple, I'll start exploring, having the controls for the 'alarm magic item', as Jack called it, as my main focus.
3. If I find the item, I'll try to figure out how it works, then go back whenever I have the chance. This is so that Mira and I will have it easier on our real attempt at the temple.
4. If 3 ain't possible, then I'll look for something else of value, informational only. Cult or not, as long as there's no proof of them doing anything criminal, then we'll get put in jail after all.
5. If I find anything criminal about the cult members, then I'll secure some evidence about their crimes, for then showing it to the Adventurers Guild, and the local police force. This one ain't something I'm planning to do right away, as it could reveal the existence of the Eternal Heart thingy. If the temple turns out to be too much for us, then I'm planning on revealing it.
6. In case there's no cult in the temple at all, I'll return here after turning off the alarms so that the three of them can join me in the plundering of whatever's in the temple.

"Is it me, or does this plan only involve me?" - Garami

"You're the only one with stealth-, movement-, and detection-abilities necessary for the job. Blame yourself for being so talented." - Jack

I know that, and I'm glad for being able to do that, but it still doesn't feel right.

"Who cares about that? Go in there, and smash up all the bad guys!" - Mira

"You know, there might not be any-" - Jack

"There has to be! The info I bought about this place wasn't cheap you know! I've even raked up a debt back in the city, so I need some results from this heist!" - Mira

Don't force us to help with your debt. And she's darn set on this being the cult's hideout, and to rob it for everything. I was wondering how her karma value was in the red so much, now I've gotten my answer.

"Fine, fine, I'll take a look. But don't expect me to singlehandedly defeat a whole cult on my own." - Garami

"Great! Then, why are you sitting down?! Get to it!" - Mira

"Oh, be quiet. There's no way I can just enter the front door like that. I need to do some preparations first. Also, hand over some of those scrap weapons you're holding. I may need them for a surprise." - Garami

---

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SYSTEM MESSAGE

Granting Title, [Kin of Garami], to Levi.

Skills, [SP Reduced Consumption LV1], [Shadow Magic LV1], [Stealth LV1], [Aerial Movement LV1], [Poltergeist LV1], [Ghost Step LV1], [Acrobatic LV1], [Magic Talent LV1], [Heretic Immunity], successfully granted.

You are reading story A Reincarnated Demon’s Tales of Wonder (Prototype) at novel35.com

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A truck-load of skills later, and Levi was ready to work. Despite the large amount of skills I gave her, my only goal was to give her the [Stealth] skill, in case I needed some back-up inside the temple. Have that promotion skill increased in level? It must have done so now, if never.

"Aaaare yoooou fiiiniisheeed nooooow?" - Mira

"I am, so stop complaining." - Garami

"Who wouldn't complain? It's already turned dark now!" - Mira

"That's the point. Which guy would infiltrate a potential criminal cult-base in plain daylight?" - Garami

That's right, it's currently night now. Only 8 hours before the bull tracks cool down, meaning I have that amount of time to investigate the temple. No matter if the cult hides in this temple or not, searching in the night is better for me who can see in the dark as good as in daylight. 

I explained this to Mira, but then she complained about them being unable to see anything. Due to that, I stacked Night Vision spells. Unlike regular buffs, which increase in power when stacked, Night Vision increases in duration when stacked.

Therefore, I piled on as many Night Vision as possible, which turned out to be way more than I first thought. Between the [MP Reduced Consumption] skill, and [Darkness Divinity], I could spam out tens of spells for nothing, if not tons. And I'm not joking here. I pushed on so many buffs on them, that the buff stacking started to fail. Is that even possible? These two aren't gonna become able to see in the dark for the rest of their life, right? 

By the way, Levi didn't need the buff, as she already could see in the dark due to being an Undead Dragon.

Even so, I think I overdid it a little. Just look:

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Proficiency has reached the required amount:

Skill [Darkness Magic LV11] has become [Darkness Magic LV12]

The spell, Dark Bullet, is added to [Darkness Magic].

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[Darkness Magic] went up 7 levels on the stacking fest alone! Dark Bullet is the dark-attribute of Light Bullet, and have higher destructive powers than it as well.

I also got a spell at LV7, Dark Drain. Not sure about this one, as it can "absorb hostile energies", or whatever. It looks like some shield made of darkness. It didn't do any damage on Levi when I tested it, but it's useful against light or fire, according to Jack anyway.

"Well, time to go now. If I'm not back by the time the bull-tracks have cooled down, then-" - Garami

"Then we'll leave you behind, got it." - Mira

"As she said." - Jack

"Wrong! You're supposed to come charging in with guns blazing! Levi, force them to attack if they do try to run away." - Garami

"Eeeeh." was the response of the two cowards, but whatever. Even when they had just told me they would betray me if I'm too late, they're still excited about how I'm gonna cross the alarm field. Are they thinking that I'll do some acrobatic maneuvers to bypass the laser grid?

"Transformation!" - Garami

"Huh?" - Mira and Jack

Betraying their expectations, I transformed into a Grey Demon and stuffed all my clothes that had fallen to the ground into my storage. I dragged along Orimaru and Raoul, as they couldn't be placed inside the storage, and crawled underneath the lasers, making my way towards the temple.

"That's cheating!" - Mira

"Give me my money back!" - Jack

The unluck duo was shouting complaints, but I never said that I would cross the security lasers in my original body. Never mentioned that I had transformation-powers to them either. Levi, on the other hand, looks like she's this close to exploding in laughter from watching the two of them complaining.

---

Some minutes later, and I had arrived at the temple. I was planning on transforming back the moment I reached the temple, but something made me freeze in shock and surprise before I could change. 

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Item Name: Stationary Gun Turret

Rank: C

Type: Fortress Armament (Turret)

Durability: 776/1000

ATK: 300

Weight: 600

Ammo: 992

Requirements:

• Bullets (Ammo)

Description: A stationary turret that is placed on fortresses or other buildings. Can be used manually, or automatically. Made with technology from the worlds of the Migrants.

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WHY IS THERE A GUN TURRET IN A FANTASY WORLD?! And it's not only one; all those metal lumps that Jack mistook as sculptures are turrets. No matter how you look at this, this temple has been upgraded from "Empty", to "Villain lair". 

[Appraisal] said that this thing could be used automatically, so they must be connected to the alarm field. Seen in another way, I just need to follow whatever connects this turret, and I'll find something related to the alarms. If push comes to shove, I'll escape, and give this info to Mira and the rest. Seriously, who thinks of gun turrets in a fantasy world?

*Screech*

Ouch, that hurts one's ears. And how am I able to listen to stuff as a Grey Demon again?

"This door needs some oil sooner than later." - ???

"I know, but tell that to the high priest instead." - ??? Nr.2

"No way. If I do that, then the old moneygrubber is going to use me as the next sacrifice." - ??? Nr.1

...... Well whaddayaknow. Mira's gonna be happy now.

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