In A Fantasy World I Can Absorbs Abilities

The man running toward Michael was out of breath, unable to speak for a moment. After pausing to catch his breath, he glanced around cautiously and lowered his voice.

"Sir, I've discovered something incredible."

Michael led the man into a quiet office to avoid prying eyes. "What is it? Take your time and explain."

The miner's eyes sparkled as he began recounting the events. "I was hard at work, using the magical drill to break through the rock wall, when I noticed something odd. Normally, there's a consistent resistance when drilling into the rock, but this time, it felt different—subtly so."

The man hesitated briefly, watching Michael's reaction before continuing. "As I kept drilling around that area, I felt faint vibrations. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but then I placed my hand on the rock and realized I could feel a very faint breeze. I'm certain there's another space behind the wall."

After finishing his explanation, the miner looked up with a proud expression.

"Are you absolutely sure? This wasn't just a mistake?" Michael asked in a calm but serious tone.

The miner's face stiffened for a moment before he responded confidently. "I may not look like it, but I'm a Grade-2 miner from North Valley, personally selected by the previous lord. North Valley had a similar spot where a breeze was felt through the rock, and when we dug it up, there was a massive cavern."

Hearing this, Michael fell silent, deep in thought. North Valley was a complex iron mine, and a miner who had worked there could be considered trustworthy.

Eventually, Michael rose from his seat and made a decision. Calling over the mining supervisor, he issued a command. "Suspend all mining operations for now. There seems to be an issue in the mine."

The supervisor hesitated briefly but soon began clearing out the miners. Once the mine was quiet, Michael and the reporting miner ventured inside.

The mine was dark, and the air was thick with dust, despite the use of ventilation magic. After walking for some time, the miner finally stopped and pointed at a rock wall marked with a small X.

"It's here," he said.

Michael carefully extended his hand, feeling the cold breeze seeping through the cracks in the rock.

"What do you think? You can feel the breeze, right?" the miner asked, his voice trembling with excitement.

Michael nodded. This was indeed a significant discovery. "Has anyone else besides you learned of this?" he asked, his gaze sharp.

The miner, sensing Michael's intensity, instinctively lowered his head. A cold sweat broke out as he noticed the soldiers guarding the mine's entrance. Is he planning to silence me? Should I make a run for it?@@novelbin@@

Panicking, the miner hastily protested, "I swear, I haven't told anyone! My lips are sealed. Please, believe me, sir! I won't say a word to anyone, ever!"

Desperate, the miner prostrated himself, trembling in fear and cursing his loose tongue. Why didn't I just keep this to myself? Now my family might get dragged into this and killed because of me...

Michael snapped his fingers, and from the shadows emerged Isfer, who had been quietly guarding him. At Michael's gesture, Isfer deftly struck the back of the miner's neck, rendering him unconscious.

"Take him to my tent in the village and keep him under watch. When Leonardo arrives, have him cast an illusion and place the man under hypnosis. He'll need to be rewarded appropriately for his discovery."

Isfer nodded silently, lifting the limp miner and disappearing into the shadows. As a transformed demonic being, Isfer could remain concealed in the darkness indefinitely.

Contrary to the miner's fears, Michael intended to reward him generously. However, the existence of this cavern had to remain a secret.

Michael's thoughts turned to the underground temple he had discovered near the lake. According to Lucrezia, the temple had been built atop an ancient magic circle. If so, there was a strong possibility that something significant lay beneath this mine as well.

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"What do you think, Miaomiao?" he asked.

[We absolutely have to dig. If you can feel air moving through cracked stone, it's either a cavern or another passageway.]

Michael called over Marcus, who had shrunk to a smaller form and was closely examining the breezy spot, even licking it out of curiosity.

"Marcus, didn't you sense anything unusual here during previous surveys?" Michael asked.

[Nope. I didn't feel anything back then, and honestly, I don't feel much now except for the breeze.]

That could only mean one thing: a concealed space. Whatever lay beyond the wall was likely hidden by a powerful barrier or shielding magic, impervious to ordinary detection.

"All right, let's dig," Michael decided.

[Great! Call the Great Worm already,] Miaomiao said, her whiskers twitching with excitement as she rolled her paws eagerly.

Michael grabbed Miaomiao gently, meeting her gaze. "It's too risky for Marcus to handle this alone. Go fetch the Great Worm from the nearby forest. It's rested enough; just bring the first one you find."

Grumbling, Miaomiao stalked off into the shadows. Watching her small, lithe form disappear, Michael sighed internally. I should have brought my other retainers...

Unfortunately, everyone had their roles. His retainers were preoccupied with training soldiers and preparing for the population's relocation. Michael lamented the perpetual shortage of capable hands.

Before long, a well-trained Great Worm emerged, writhing under the control of the beast-tamer mages. Michael offered the Worm a special treat prepared by the mage guild. The creature squirmed with delight as it consumed the treat, indicating its satisfaction.

Michael patted its forehead and softly instructed, "Dig here carefully. There's likely a cavern inside, so be cautious not to cause a collapse."

Though unable to speak, the Great Worm understood human language. It nodded slightly before starting its work. As its massive head approached the wall, it began secreting acid. The moment the acid touched the rock, faint smoke rose, and the solid surface quickly melted into a sticky fluid.