Chapter 148

Episode 148. Special Forces Science Officer Scope (5)

****

This is the Large-Scale Containment Room.

All the Foundation’s resources have been gathered here. The objective is to locate the Soviet nuclear submarine ‘Komsomolets’ and move to its location.

Inside the Large-Scale Supernatural Containment Room, three magic circles were drawn. At the center of the circles lay various artifacts and miscellaneous items.

The first magic circle was for Same-Type Magic to establish a connection with the target. For this, auxiliary mages and the intelligence team were gathered outside the containment room.

The second magic circle was for Tracking Magic to confirm the target’s location. At this stage, the precognition team’s auxiliary mages and Dr. Chae were on standby.

The third. Spatial Magic to open a gate toward the target. For this, the Mahogany Door and a magical tome were placed at the center of the circle.

I looked down at the Large-Scale Containment Room from the control room. Since the battle with the aliens, this is the largest operation conducted by Facility 82.

Dozens of people were mobilized.

“Ah, ah. Can you hear me?”

My voice echoed through the Large-Scale Containment Zone. Have all the components for the operation been gathered?

“First magic circle team. Are you present?”

[Same-Type Magic, connection establishment magic is ready. Intelligence team on standby. Auxiliary mage team on standby. Magic circle complete.]

“Second magic circle team.”

[Tracking Magic ready. Dr. Chae is on-site. Precognition team mages are on-site. Second magic circle is drawn.]

“Third.”

[Spatial Magic is ready. Artifact Management Team has brought the Mahogany Door. Subspace Research Team is on standby.]

I nodded.

“Magic circle support team, 72 members confirmed on-site. Please confirm Hasti’s status.”

[Hasti. On standby.]

To explain the scene again.

Three magic circles, artifacts, and Hasti are inside the Large-Scale Containment Room.

Most of the support personnel were outside the containment room, watching Hasti.

This is all Hasti needs to know.

I switched the radio.

“Recovery and Security Teams, please report.”

This isn’t being broadcast to the facility but sent via military communication. I don’t think Hasti would be unaware of this situation, but there’s no need to boast to everyone.

[4 snipers, on standby.]

[Recovery Teams 1 and 2, on standby.]

[Security Teams 1 and 2, rear guard on standby.]

[Security Special Equipment Team 1. On standby.]

[Nanami. On standby.]

We can’t rule out the possibility of Hasti going berserk or monsters emerging from the gate. We need a way to control the situation.

Well…

As seen in Yulje-myeon, modern weaponry rarely solves problems directly. It’s just the starting point of solving the problem.

Hasti’s weaknesses have been identified, so the likelihood of causing trouble is low. But since it’s a supernatural phenomenon of the Niguras system, known for its unpredictability, we can’t let our guard down.

Anyway.

“The ritual will begin at noon.”

****

Dr. Chae is in overall charge.

[First Reality Anchoring Device, reverse output initiated.]

A massive machine began to move. The sound of turbines spinning. I don’t know what the Reality Anchoring Device does or how it works, but it’s related to the intensity of physical laws.

The Research Department Head walked up to me.

“Dr. Kim. Do you want to know how the Reality Anchoring Device works?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a machine that boils water to spin turbines.”

The shameless Research Department Head strikes again.

I can’t tell if he’s joking or not.

Lately, I’ve been itching to grab him and lock him in the containment room for a beating. Anyway.

The Reality Anchoring Device makes physical laws act more ‘strictly.’ Within its range of influence, most supernatural phenomena weaken.

Is that a good thing? Well.

In the past, maybe. But in the present, where the Foundation uses supernatural phenomena like salt or water… it’s hard to say.

Running the Reality Anchoring Device in reverse output means weakening providence. We’re degrading the physical laws in the area so Hasti can use magic.

[Incantation begins.]

Hasti raised her staff.

A tactical staff with a Picatinny rail and camouflage paint, made by the Foundation.

[Ia! Ia! Ia! Ia!]

The mages supporting the incantation began a chorus for beings that are not human gods.

The sound started to distort with the radio static. I held my breath.

[One is all, all is one.]

[Imitation is symbol, symbol is bloodline. The large is the small, the small is the large. This is the same as the original.]

*Thud!*

Hasti’s staff struck the ground.

Hasti walked to the center of the magic circle, and black mana seemed to redraw the circle, but then azure mana spread out in all directions. Like wetting a tissue.

[Ia! Ia! Ia! Ia!]

Hasti held a model of the nuclear submarine in both hands. Same-Type Magic creates a magical connection based on the similarity of two targets. Voodoo Magic is probably the most famous example of Same-Type Magic.

The model of the nuclear submarine was raised toward the sky.

Ah… not toward the sky.

A worship and earnest plea toward the twisted beings that occupy heaven. But unlike Dr. Chae, Hasti didn’t beg.

To Hasti, the magic of the abyss is an inherent human right. Not something obtained by bowing, groveling, pleading, or paying with blood.

[Ia! Ia! Ia! Ia!]

It’s both a chorus and a declaration.

“Hmm. I was unsure, but the ‘real thing’ is different. It makes Dr. Chae look like an amateur.”

Nanami muttered while holding binoculars.

This is also a way to handle experts. I asked Hasti if she could find the nuclear submarine.

****

[Second Reality Anchoring Device, reverse output initiated.]

The second phase of the incantation.

Assuming the connection is established, this phase will use that connection to locate the nuclear submarine.

Hasti picked up the staff she had planted on the ground earlier and began to dance a certain kind of dance.

A dance with the staff as her partner.

It wasn’t a particularly beautiful dance.

Hasti herself is a pretty figure, but the staccato movements felt more eerie than beautiful.

[Ia! Ia! Ia! Ia!]

Again, the supporting sorcerers’ chorus could be heard. The magic circle flickered, and a transparent form appeared above Hasti’s head.

[What is not observed does not exist. I will give you the chance to prove your existence, so reveal yourself now.]

The Foundation staff threw something onto the magic circle. What is that… round, white with something red on it.

Ah, animal eyeballs.

Hasti began to step on the scattered animal eyeballs one by one as she danced. I frowned in discomfort.

[We are the eyes of providence. All that is hidden, all that is not hidden, is within our domain. You are seen. Hiding is meaningless.]

The dance continued.

****

[Third Reality Anchoring Device, reverse output initiated.]

[Magic Engine, activation started.]

[1000 chickens consumed per minute.]

The final magic circle. Hasti bowed reverently to the Mahogany Door.

[Ia! Ia! Ia! Ia!]

And then…

For just a moment, the bustling Large-Scale Containment Wing filled with equipment and personnel fell silent.

*Click. Screeeeeech.*

The Mahogany Door opened slightly.

“Time to go down, Director.”

“Indeed.”

Full gear for the first time in a while.

Time to head to the battlefield.

****

From head to toe: a ballistic helmet with night vision goggles, tactical headset, and gas mask.

An artificial muscle suit with joint protectors, topped with Level 4 CBRN protective gear, ballistic plates, and equipment belts.

Primary weapon: the Gauss Musket. Sidearm: an automatic pistol. Melee weapon: Niguras-5, the black sword forged from the blood of thousands.

Escorts: a few Popo entities circling around. In my pocket, a crystal clock ticks, and a cloaking cape hangs over my shoulder.

A bowling ball, Wilson, slowly rolls by, wrapped in a net for use as an improvised projectile if needed.

There’s also the problematic powder made by the Metaphysics Department, and a pen I can’t afford to lose.

And in my pocket, a USB containing fragments of the AI Ganymede.

I stood next to Hasti.

“Is this the passage?”

“Yes.”

“Where does it lead?”

“Uh, a cave. Beyond that, I’m not sure. It seems like a subspace…”

Subspace. We don’t know where the door leads now, or if the environment on the other side is survivable.

But it seems we avoided the gate opening in the deep sea. That would have destroyed the containment room. Whether the gate collapsed as the door broke, I’m not sure.

“Well… let’s think about entering.”

We don’t even know if there are hostile entities. I glanced around.

“I’ll go in first. It doesn’t seem immediately dangerous. If there’s no threat, I’ll come back or call for support.”

****

Nanami looked at the door.

Well, yeah. It’s best for the strongest person to go first. Highest chance of survival.