I Am A Wizard Who Can Travel Between Earth And The Other World-Chapter 62 - 64 Ruin Expedition Continued

"These characters here are common in ruins," Owen explained, gesturing toward the ancient inscriptions. "This one means 'Emperor.' That one means 'Praise.' And here—'World,' 'Master,' and so on."

Though his tone bordered on condescending, Gin understood that Owen's intentions were sincere. Still, he couldn't fathom why the noble mage had taken such a friendly interest in him. They had only just met.

"Thank you. That was helpful," Gin said politely, returning the smartphone.

Despite their superficial similarities, the inscriptions on both ruin entrances were vastly different in meaning.

Ancient runes were complex—simple rearrangements or combinations could alter their message entirely.

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The runes on the entrance Owen had shown described something far more intricate than mere praise for an emperor. From Gin's analysis, the site in the photograph was a hidden supply depot, designed to stockpile provisions for war.

As he absorbed this newfound knowledge, pieces of forgotten symbols and combinations resurfaced in his mind.

He still had much to learn.

"What did you find in that ruin?" he asked, curious but cautious.

Owen, to Gin's surprise, was more than willing to share. "Spatial artifacts—over a hundred of them, in fact."

Gin's curiosity deepened.

Spatial artifacts were incredibly rare, even in this world.

He himself had no way of manipulating such space-defying tools, making them all the more precious in his eyes.

"They're highly coveted, as you know," Owen continued, pride in his voice. "It's the most valuable discovery I've made in my expeditions so far."

Gin nodded.

It seemed these artifacts held immense value even in this magical realm.

"The problem," Owen added with a sigh, "is that each artifact is secured with advanced protective spells.

Unlocking their full functionality has proven difficult. These particular artifacts are especially stubborn."

Gin's eyes gleamed with interest. Hundreds of spatial artifacts, yet they remained unusable due to their security enchantments.

Before he could inquire further, Marcus interjected smoothly. "It's time to begin the exploration."

Owen hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Of course. Apologies—I got carried away." He composed himself, and the group made their way toward the entrance.

Marcus briefed the team as they advanced.

"The initial thirty meters of the ruin are clear. However, a creature—a Carapace Troll—is stationed beyond that point.

We'll need to eliminate it before proceeding further."

"Carapace Troll?" Gin echoed.

"It's a troll whose outer skin has hardened into a natural exoskeleton," Marcus explained. "I suppose this is your first ruin expedition, so you wouldn't know."

Gin recalled a similar creature he had encountered before—a monstrous, armored gorilla in Shedim's beast enclosure. It, too, had sections of its hide reinforced with carapace.

He wondered if this troll possessed multiple mana cores like that beast had.

Marcus continued, "Our combat specialists can handle it, but feel free to assist—just avoid disrupting their coordination.

The troll's defenses are formidable, so reckless interference could put the team at risk."

"I understand," Gin replied.

He had no intention of hindering the battle.

With his abilities, he could provide support by subtly weakening the creature's defenses without casting any flashy spells.

As they reached the tunnel where the troll awaited, Gin caught his first glimpse of the creature. It stood motionless, like a sentinel guarding the path ahead.

Its massive form was encased in thick plates of natural armor.

"Something about this feels... wrong," Gin muttered, narrowing his eyes.

He extended his domain magic, sending its patterns sweeping through the narrow corridor.

The magic brushed past everyone in the vicinity, including Owen. As expected, Owen's body instinctively repelled the magic. Yet, within the confines of Gin's domain, the repelled magic continuously reattached itself, allowing Gin to gradually analyze Owen's defensive mechanisms.

But his main focus remained on the troll.

The domain's reach enveloped the creature, and Gin's senses sharpened as detailed information streamed into his mind.

"It's incredibly tough," he murmured.

"Most ruin creatures are," Marcus affirmed.

Despite the troll's formidable armor, Gin noted several vulnerabilities—gaps in its plating that exposed softer flesh beneath.

He delved deeper, analyzing the creature's biology, mana flow, and internal structure.

"Five cores," he whispered, astonished.

The troll possessed five mana cores, each serving a distinct function.

Two of them emitted threads of energy that strengthened its muscles, weaving in spirals around every fiber and anchoring into its bones like reinforced pillars.

The enhancements mirrored Gin's own methods of physical augmentation.

The remaining three cores were equally specialized.

One radiated ice-based mana, while another channeled a piercing attribute.

The final core distributed mana evenly throughout the troll's body, creating a shock-absorption field similar to Alaric's ability.

"This thing's more dangerous than I expected," Gin muttered.

The others nodded in agreement. Marcus issued a command to the combat specialists. "Move in."

The warriors advanced cautiously toward the Carapace Troll, their weapons gleaming faintly with prepared enchantments. Gin watched intently, ready to act if necessary.

This was only the beginning—both of the battle and of the secrets hidden deep within the ruins.

A deep, resonant growl echoed from the depths of the chitin-covered troll's maw—cold and foreboding.

A wave of frost spread outward, plunging the surrounding temperature into an icy abyss. It was a shift that coincided with the exact moment the ability-wielders ventured too close, passing within ten meters of the dormant beast.

As though an invisible switch had been flipped, the troll's colossal form convulsed and came to life.

At first glance, its massive frame gave the impression of sluggishness, but that illusion was swiftly shattered. The creature moved with an agility that belied its size, faster and more lethal than expected.

With a bone-rattling snarl, the troll clenched its fist, muscles rippling as it drew its arm far back. Arcane cores embedded within its armored body pulsed with a fierce glow, channeling raw magical energy to its fist.

BOOOOM!

The troll's strike cracked through the air like a thunderclap, its arm snapping forward with whip-like force.

"Hold the line!" a voice shouted over the chaos.

Several defenders surged forward, unleashing their magic in unison. Barriers of transparent energy shimmered into existence, layering themselves five-fold between the beast and the defenders.

CRAAASH!