Arifureta: From Whelp to Dragonlord (ON Hiatus)

Part 7: Raisen Great Canyon

Their view was filled with the light from the magic circle; the air definitely felt different, although nothing could be seen. It was clearly different from the air at the depths of hell. Sensing a breeze, Hajime's cheeks began to loosen.

The sight that came into view after the light settled was...

A cave.

"You've got to be kidding me we're in another fucking cave!" Keiji angrily spat.

"Wait, what?"

Without any further thought, Hajime, who believed that the other side of the magic circle was the surface, unintentionally inserted a tsukkomi at the sight that wasn't any better. Honestly, he was extremely disappointed.

After feeling a tug on his shirt, he turned his head towards Yue and she comforted him with reassuring words.

"... It's a secret passage... it's not uncommon for it to be hidden" 

"A- ah, is that so? It certainly is. There is no way that the entrance to the Abode of Traitors wouldn't be hidden, right?" 

"I guess that would make sense they were the enemies of the gods,"

Hajime felt considerably ashamed to not realize something so simple. He pulled himself together while scratching his head. Without the aid of the Green Light Stone, They continued their advance through the pitch-black cave without any problems.

On the way, although there were many doors with seals and traps, the Orcus Ring would react at every instance, canceling their activation altogether. The three of them were cautious at first as they continued but soon lost interest as nothing happened. Their uneventful advance continued until they finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It was the sun; the light which Hajime and Keiji, for the past few months, and Yue, for the past three hundred years, had been looking for. 

they came to a stop and grinned. Exchanging glances, they simultaneously ran toward the light that they yearned for. 

As they approached the light that was gradually growing larger, they could feel and breathe the air from the surface. It was different from the stagnant air of hell, being cool and refreshing. Keiji never knew how much he cherished air could be until this moment.

Feeling renewed and gratified, the trio both jumped into the light in excitement and reached the long-awaited surface.

The location Hajime, Keiji, and Yue ventured into was perceived as a nightmarish realm on Tortus, resembling an execution ground for humans residing above the surface. Within it resided an unknown count of formidable and ruthless creatures. Adding to the challenges, the utilization of magic was severely limited in their current position. Stretching across an approximate length of 8 kilometers, with an average depth of 1-2 kilometers and a width of 900 meters, this immense waste acted as a great scar that separated the northern and southern regions of the continent. Referred to by the locals as the area spanning from the west's "Gruen Great Desert" to the east's "Haltina Sea of Trees."

The Raisen Great Canyon 

The group was currently outside of the cave at the bottom of the Raisen Grand Canyon. Although they were at the bottom of the canyon; bright, warm light poured down from above. The fragrance of the earth mixed with the wind tickled their noses.

Compared to the kind of place it could have been, this place was surely the paradise known as the surface. While they were in a daze looking at the sun above their heads, Hajime and Keiji's facial expressions of shock and awe gradually turned into a smile. Even Yue, who was expressionless by default, could be seen smiling in broad daylight.