"Although I didn't have time to look closely before, I can confirm that the Third Netherworld is a desert region."
On the bridge of the Storm Border, Shiomi was holding a brief strategy meeting with Romani and the others.
After all, both their overall direction and their operational policy were already very clear.
While trying to reclaim the authority stolen from Shiomi, they would continue descending through the underground world of Mictlan in search of ORT.
And along the way, they would eliminate any enemies who might become a threat.
"But for a desert region, the weather is a little too harsh," Olga Marie said as she looked at the footage on the monitor. "This is basically a sandstorm zone, isn't it? Weren't we told there was no guardian here? Somehow it feels even worse than the First Netherworld."
The First Netherworld, governed by Morgan of Proper Human History, had been wrapped in dense fog and turned into a massive natural Magecraft Workshop that amplified the Fairy Queen's power.
"As for that..." Romani switched through several images and displayed them side by side on the screen. "According to the observations from Trismegistus II, this really is a natural phenomenon. There are no signs of workshop formation anywhere in the Netherworld, and no barrier has been detected either."
"No, more precisely, the Mana here is just too abundant. If something is hiding inside it, that alone could be enough to cover it up."
Sion pushed up her glasses as she added that in a not particularly responsible tone.
Shiomi gave a helpless smile.
"So in short, even if we call it a natural phenomenon, we still have to take Mictlan's unusual nature into account. Maybe the distinctive phenomenon of the Third Netherworld is connected to the will of Maya?"
"That's the only assumption we can really make," Romani said with a nod. "Also, you said the 'Alien God' is in this place. Are you sure?"
"At the very least, that's what my sense of my own authority is telling me," Shiomi replied with a nod. "If the authority was stolen again by someone like Camazotz, then that would be a different possibility."
Speculation was one thing, but considering the overwhelming power of the 'Alien God,' there were probably not many beings in Mictlan capable of defeating her and taking something from her.
Kukulkan was one possibility.
Then there was Tezcatlipoca fighting at full power in his chief god form.
And also Camazotz, whom they had just mentioned. Though that man had claimed he had returned to the Fourth Netherworld to recuperate and would wait there for Chaldea to arrive.
Judging by the structure of Mictlan's Netherworld layers, the Fourth Netherworld was most likely the eighth layer of the underground world itself, the final checkpoint before reaching Mictlan's deepest depths.
"Then for now, let's proceed on the assumption that the 'Alien God' is hiding somewhere in the Third Netherworld," Romani said.
"We'll start the operation five hours from now," Olga Marie added. "Since it's a desert region, the temperature inside the Third Netherworld is probably going to be very high, and the environment itself is extremely harsh. Even for Teacher as the Unity God, and for Lady Morgan, it's bound to have some effect."
"Yeah, probably a little," Shiomi said with an easy laugh. "Just imagining fighting in there and ending up with a mouthful of sand if I'm not careful is already pretty awful."
"Teacher..."
Olga Marie could not help smiling at that.
Even though she knew Shiomi was only trying to lighten the mood and help everyone relax, it still worked. The tension in the room eased naturally.
"The other thing is the situation in Mexico City," Romani said with a gentle smile as he changed the display on the screen. "The infiltration mission you carried out earlier seems to have produced very noticeable results."
What appeared on the screen was Mexico City, with more than half of it devastated by the flood.
They could see surviving Ocelotl working hard to rebuild the city, and their progress was anything but slow. The city was recovering at a visible pace.
"Based on the current rate, Mexico City should be rebuilt in about five days," Sion said, then could not resist adding a teasing comment. "That really is a shocking speed of recovery. Even in Proper Human History, after a catastrophic flood on top of the destruction a Noble Phantasm would inflict on a city, it shouldn't be possible to rebuild this fast."
"Maybe it's because of Tezcatlipoca's power, or perhaps that rain god Tlaloc?" Shiomi guessed. "Either way, in a sense this place is still in the Age of Gods. So being protected by gods and receiving the corresponding blessings isn't strange."
At that point, Olga Marie operated the display and enlarged several surveillance images from outside the city.
"Look. Ocelotl warriors are patrolling, and some of them clearly seem to be moving closer to the Third Netherworld."
"Then we need to keep Mexico City under watch," Shiomi said. "If we get shot in the back while we're investigating the Third Netherworld, that'll be a problem."
After all, Tlaloc and Tezcatlipoca were still around. There was no telling what they might do.
The Storm Border was flying through the sky. Even though it was far from Mexico City, that did not mean it could not be observed.
No concealment method would escape Tezcatlipoca's eyes.
Whether the god of war would watch Chaldea's battle with the 'Alien God,' and perhaps even with unknown enemies, like a spectator enjoying the show, or whether he would jump in himself, was impossible to say.
That was simply how hard it was to predict the whims of the wind of impermanence.
And in any case, the Storm Border had no plans to enter the Third Netherworld. The sandstorms full of turbulent Mana would be a serious obstacle to navigation.
"While Teacher is fighting on the front line, Storm Border will switch to cruising alert mode and stay on guard against attacks from Mexico City," Olga Marie ordered. "And Master Scáthach will remain on standby aboard the ship. If Tlaloc gets around our firing range and jumps onto the ship to launch a surprise attack, we'll need Master's god-slaying power."
Shiomi approved of that plan.
"I'll talk to Master about it."
"That leaves the question of whether we should go straight into the Third Netherworld, or send someone in first to scout the interior and then come back," Sion said, raising the final issue. "Or maybe we should find a way to stop the sandstorms in the Third Netherworld?"
Of course, the latter was possible, but it would also amount to announcing Chaldea's arrival to whatever was inside.
Even if they had the advantage in strength, they still ought to make use of surprise to increase that advantage further.
"As for that, my suggestion is to send someone in first to investigate," Olga Marie said. "Though that in itself is dangerous..."
"How about asking Kukulkan?" Sion suggested. "Since she's moving together with us, this might be a good chance to confirm what she's really thinking."
"That makes sense," Shiomi agreed.
Just then, Olga Marie suddenly grabbed Shiomi's arm.
She had almost instinctively reached for his hand.
"Teacher, there's something I'd like to discuss with you in private."