My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s - Chapter 196~Secret Base~ Tsuda Tomoya POV

After that, we searched five collapsed passages.

Among them, one of the passages had collapsed completely, and because there was not even a crevice that was big enough for a person to pass through, Yoru-san shrank himself and checked it, but it had caved-in completely and it seems that he had brought back a single note.

As if it had been there for a long time, the worn-out note was yellowed with age.

I wonder if the color that could barely be seen was red.

Perhaps Kurou-san did not remember ever seeing that, as he had tilted his head in confusion, but because we did not have the time to read it now, I put it in by bag that I carried on my back, along with the other magic stones.

「Now then, is there any place else?」

Yoru-san looked up at Kurou-san who was walking in front.

Somewhat in a low mood, Kurou-san sluggishly looked down at Yoru-san.

「The last one is the place where the base is. Over there, we created the instrument that produced the magic stones in the passages. There might be something that could be of use there.」

We hurried after Kurou-san who started walking at a brisk pace.

When I saw it in person like this, I understood that the former heroes were really amazing.

Every single passage that led to the demon territory, I wonder just how long it took to build them.

Unlike us who had no other choice than to go to where the demon king was, they probably had a family and a place where they belonged.

If it were us, what would we have done.

Most likely, if there was no Noa-san when they were here, there would not be a guide like Kurou-san either.

If we were in the same situation, would we be able to do the same thing.

No, we probably could not.

I gave a bitter smile and followed after Yoru-san and Kurou-san.

We soon arrived at the place that Kurou-san mentioned.

It’s natural that it was close since it was at the passage’s opening, huh.

「It’s here.」

Hidden by the trees, it was a place that could not be found easily.

Although it was a building, it looked to be in ruins, and seemed somewhat worn out.

It was like a secret base, making me excited.

Seeing that place, Yoru-san snorted.

『Hou, you did well to discover a place like this.』

「Yeah.」

Those days were fun, Kurou-san grumbled.

Hearing the various emotions in his tone of voice, I wonder how I should respond.

「Waah!!」

The moment we entered through the hidden entrance of the concealed building, Ria-san, who was walking in front, raised a cheer of joy.

The clean interior, which could not be seen from the outside of the building, was unified in a bright color.

『This is….』

Yoru-san’s eyes widened as well and we saw the elevated lights and some instruments that were covered in dust.

「Don’t randomly touch. You might lose a part of your body.」

Hearing Yoru-san’s warning that sounded like a threat, I drew back my hand from the thing that I was about to come into contact with in a fluster.

I didn’t even know what the thing covered in dust that I was about to touch was.

It was because of that that I wanted to touch it.

「There’s not that many dangerous items placed in this room, but there might be some that changed due to the passage of time. Be careful.」

Looking at them fondly as if nostalgic, Kurou-san said this.

The former hero party consisted of a person from each of the continents, with the exception of the demon territory, and it seems that there were four of them.

Among them, those who survived were Kurou-san and the hero.

The former hero was no longer alive, so currently, there was only Kurou-san who was still living.

He who was living in a different time than those around him most likely separated from many friends in death.

I wonder just what kind feeling that was.

Perhaps it was because I was thinking such things, I did not notice Kurou-san come in front of me.

When I moved to make way for him in a panic, my leg was caught by something and I was about to fall.

Reflexively, I clung onto something near me and in doing so, I touched it.

「Ah.」

It was the thing that I tried to touch just now and was warned by Kurou-san.

I was really curious as to what it was, so it seems that standing near it, thinking of asking about it later, backfired.

I felt a little of my magic power being taken by that dusty and rough thing that I, who unconsciously stiffened, and Kurou-san, who could not react in time, were staring at.

「Idiot! Hurry and let go!!」

Befuddled, Kurou-san hurriedly grabbed my hand

In that instant, a light from that something in my hand enveloped the room.

Kurou-san and I closed our eyes due to the extreme brightness at point-blank.

「…what was that just now.」

The strong light receded, and the moment it disappeared, Kurou-san muttered this.

It seems that the phenomenon was something that Kurou-san didn’t understand either.

『Oi! Who are you guys!!』

In our field of view where there was a white haziness here and there, Yoru-san menacingly faced towards something.

「…eh….」

There, stood a man and a woman who had not been here when we entered this place.

No, they were standing, but their bodies were transparent.

The word ghost flashed in my mind.

I felt Kurou-san’s hand that was still gripping my arm tremble.

『You seem well, Kurou.』

『It’s been a long time, oniichan!』