Chapter 0324 Intermission – Kukuku
-x-X-x-
"Kukuku, finally, finally, I'm back!"
Wingston, the residence of the Duke of Shrewsbury. Lord's office.
Seated in that office chair, a man … no, a boy, although his voice was subdued, seemed unable to hide his joy.
Perhaps you could describe his expression as an ominous smile?
At the very least, it could hardly be called the smile of a thirteen-year-old healthy boy.
"Richard's restraints are stronger than I imagined, but just a little bit more… I'm glad that I was able to obtain this body and cast a spiritual curse on that boy… Both are close to Richard's bloodline… Kukuku."
The boy couldn't hide his happiness.
His appearance was that of Erwin Ortiz, the current Duke of Shrewsbury, whose duke authority had been suspended…
"However, I don't understand why Finn of the South was released first… No matter how I think about it, I thought I would be able to escape 100 years earlier, but… did she consume some sort of unique magical power?" (TN: Likely the Fiend released in the Kona Village arc Ch159)
He withdrew his ominous laughter, tilted his head and thought.
He still appeared as the thirteen-year-old Erwin.
"Well, it's fine. Like this, I've returned to the immediate vicinity of my main body… The Crystal Palace was definitely too far. Just a little more… I'm almost out of these restraints… Kukuku, I'm looking forward to the future. What should I do… Do I destroy the Central Countries? Well, that's a given… but then how do I want to do it… what would be the most enjoyable… Kukuku, so much to look forward to. Hope for the future? Aren't those wonderful words, Richard? You're gone, but my future is full of hope? Kukuku."
-x-X-x-
"Your Excellency, here is a report from Dr. Frank."
"Doctor's report? How unusual…"
The Union Capital Jayclaire, the administration office.
Union Governor Lord Aubrey received a report from his aide Lamber.
Doctor Frank is Frank de Velde, one of the most talented alchemists in the Central Countries.
Currently in charge of all alchemy in the Union.
"It seems that it was delivered directly from the research institute."
Lamber explained how the report came about while Lord Aubrey looked through it.
"… Magic stones are behaving strangely?"
"Yes. It seems that it is occurring in the western part of the Union. Further research results are written in the back."
Lord Aubrey accelerated his speed of turning over the documents at Lamber's words.
"The memoirs of Baron Luke Rochecaux? If I remember correctly, he was the greatest folklore expert in the north… he was caught up in the war and lost his life."
"Yes. He governed over the city of Matthew. In the memoirs compiled by the Baron, there was once an abnormality in the behavior of magic stones…"
"Nine hundred years ago? Associated to the Djinns?"
Having read that far, Lord Aubrey also frowned.
Of course, Sir Aubrey also knew that someone in the Kingdom had been affected by the 'Rupture Spirit Curse'.
He also knew that adventurer was included in the mission and went west.
At that time, he received an explanation that the 'Rupture Spirit Curse' was related to Djinns.
But…
"I don't want to believe that it is related… to the resurrection of the Djinns…"
He didn't want to believe it.
No one wanted to believe such a thing.
However, he also knew that the world doesn't work that way just because you don't want to believe it.
"In the first place, there isn't any way to deal with Djinns, right?"
"Yes…"
Lamber frowned as nodded at Lord Aubrey's question.
Here, too, the same conversation that was exchanged at the royal castle was held.
Yes, dealing with Fiends is not something within the realm of humans.
-x-X-x-
"We, who left the Holy City, have returned to the Holy City once more."
Ryo declared solemnly.
But Niels knew better.
He only said it because he thought it sounded cool.
So he let out a small sigh and shook his head slightly.
In response to Niels' reaction, Ryo said with a lonely face.
"I will tell Abel that Niels is terrible!"
"Hey, come on, stop it."
Inside the carriage heading to the Holy Capital Marlomar.
The party agreed to report to their leader, Hugh McGrath, for now.
There were opinions that it would be dangerous to return to the Holy Capital, which is the home of the Western Church, but at the very least, they were not openly fighting with the Church.
As for the Knights Templar, they had decided that they were just unable to stand due to some paranormal phenomenon…
It was also true that they had the official 'Sacred Seal' issued by the church.
At the very least, it was decided that even if they returned to report, they would not cause any trouble to the mission.
"A dungeon dive? So nostalgic."
Ryo said to no one in particular.
"But, Ryo, you haven't really dived into dungeons, have you?"
Niels looked at Ryo suspiciously and commented.
As far as Niels knew, Ryo should have only gone up to the 5th floor to mine the magic copper ore used in his alchemy…
"What are you talking about, Niels? I hold the 40th-floor record for the deepest depth reached in Rune's dungeon."
Ryo puffed out his chest, cleared his throat, and replied.
The three from Room 11 looked at Ryo with wide eyes.
Respectful gazes… or perhaps two steps short of it?
"Ah… I heard that from His Majesty Abel before. He said that you drilled a hole in the bottom of all floors with water and went straight down to the 40th floor. That's not exploration…"
"Eh…"
Ryo stiffened at Niels' calm retort.
It seemed that to Ryo it was enough to be deemed a 'dungeon dive'…
"E-Even if it wasn't an exploration, I did 'reach' the floor!"
"Well… you did reach it. Although reaching it was all you achieved."
Niels somewhat agreed with Ryo's assertiveness.
Ryo decided that his defeat was getting worse and asked Etho for help.
"Etho, please say something!"
"Eh~ah~tto… ah, look, Ryo, the dungeon in the West of the Holy Capital has a teleportation function, right?"
Etho said while looking at the 'Travel Guide'.
"Well, I recall that on the 'Travel Guide' it's listed that the record is the 150th floor?"
"Yeah."
"That's pretty deep, but… there's still more below…"
After saying that, Ryo frowned a little and continued.
"Just how far should we dive…"
The search party entered the Holy City again.
Of course, since they had the Holy Seal, there were no issues.
"What's wrong, you guys?"
Commander Hugh McGrath was in the lodge lobby.
He was always stationed on the first floor, where it is easy to contact him.
The search party explained the circumstances.
"West dungeon…"
Having said that, Hugh fell silent.
He was lost in thought.
The search party also waited quietly.
No one else approached them.
Only the scent of coffee drifted in the air.
"Any other way… did you find any other method to find the Demon Lord?"
When Hugh finally opened his mouth, he asked.
Niels was a little surprised but answered calmly.
"The Centaurs said this is the most surefire way and they can't think of any other way."
"Is that so… is it unavoidable?"
When Hugh muttered so, he glanced at Ryo.
And said.
"Ryo, you may have heard from Magic Adviser Arthur and Ilarion, but the western dungeon has transfer traps."
"Ah…"
At Hugh's words, Ryo's mouth involuntarily leaked a sound of concern.
Come to think of it, he heard about it… probably.
"If you get caught in the teleportation trap, there's a possibility that your party will be split apart… that's what's brutal."
"I see…"
Etho and Zeke were the first to understand Hugh's concerns.
A party is, so to speak, a living thing.
Only by working together can they overcome many challenges.
But if it is forcibly split apart…
You can't live with just your arms and legs…
Of course, you can't live with just your head either…
Without a healer, even the slightest wound can prove fatal.
Without a tank, even goblins can become great enemies.
If the attacker is gone… there will be no choice but to flee… in an unfamiliar dungeon.
But….
"We have no choice but to go."
The one who said it so clearly was Niels, the leader of Room 10.
And then Etho and Amon nodded.
Yes, there was no other choice.
If there was a possibility, they'd bet on it.
That was what made an adventurer.
Emphasize potential outcomes over risks.
Where an ordinary person would hesitate, they would take the step forward.
That courage.
Or recklessness.
But some are drawn to it.
"Thank you"
Harold stood up straight and bowed his head deeply.
Immediately, Zeke and Gowan also stood up and bowed their heads.
Hugh looked at the seven without saying anything.
At that point, he understood that even though he was the Grand Master and the leader of the mission, he had no choice but to send them off.
The people in front of him were important subordinates and companions but at the same time adventurers.
If they decided to do it after considering everything, he had no right to stop them.
Hugh nodded and said.
"Okay, good luck."
((Hey, Ryo…))
((What is it, Abel, it looks like we're getting Hugh's approval.))
((Yeah, I can see through 'Soul Resonance', so I know that…))
((Why are you talking to me then if you know.))
((To be honest, I regret sending Ryo and the others a little.))
((Hah?))
That was beyond Ryo's expectations.
((Is something wrong?))
((Well… I understand that they are adventurers, but… risking their lives for Harold's sake…))
((Harold is your precious nephew, right?))
((That's why. If it exposes Niels and the others to danger… I wonder if it's okay to let them proceed…))
((Really, this king…. you became a king and forgot something important.))
((What?))
((Niels and the others risk their lives not because he is the king's nephew. They will always risk themselves for the sake of their fellow adventurers without hesitation.))
((…))
((Why? Because the senior they respect has always shown them such a figure, such a back))
((…))
((It is natural for them to do so))
((…))
((Abel… they are your juniors after all.))
-x-X-x-
After reporting to Hugh, the search party immediately left the Holy City and headed to the western dungeon.
"It's good that we were able to resupply!"
"Mm-hmm."
Ryo and Etho were pleased to see the supplies they had received from the mission… mainly money and Kona coffee…
"But we haven't even expended our initial supplies, though?"
"Good heavens… what are you talking about, Niels. It is an old and unchanging truth that a thorough and steady stream of supplies is the most important factor when executing an operation! A leader with that kind of insight may end up failing where he could otherwise have succeeded, you know."
"Eh… uh… my bad…"
Ryo lectured him snobbishly in a pompous manner, and Niels apologized for some reason.
Though he wasn't wrong in saying that.
Even though he wasn't wrong… how he said it could have been better…
The dungeon to the west of the Holy Capital Marlomar, literally called the 'Western Dungeon', was surrounded by a huge city.
Before the mission arrived at the Holy Capital Marlomar, they approached the dungeon to the north when they passed by, alongside the town that had formed around the Northern Dungeon.
But the scale was too different from the town around the Western Dungeon!
To put it bluntly…
"A city the same size as Rune…?"
"It's expanding outward since there are no walls…"
"There are only three dungeons in the Western Countries that have teleport capabilities, and the other two seem to be in remote regions…"
"The Holy Capital Marlomar acts as the center of the Western Countries, so a dungeon with a teleport function right next to it is very attractive…"
Etho was amazed at the size of the city, Amon pointed out the expansion of the city, Zeke presented information from the 'Travel Guide', Harold expressed the unadulterated feelings of adventurers, and Gowan nodded next to him.
"With all these people here, then surely…"
"Yeah. There are sure to be tons of delicious treats."
Only two people… Niels and Ryo, however, were a little off in their impressions…
No, considering the importance of food, perhaps it was a more honest impression than anyone else's.
At least, no one there who listened to their impressions disputed it.
The inn where the party decided to stay was the best in the city.
The name of the inn was 'Holy City Ginyu'.
Incidentally, the group did not pay for the lodging.
The Western Church, through Hugh's negotiation, was to pay for their lodging.
It is a very serious matter that they could not provide what they promised… that is, the blood of the Demon Lord, to the delegation of the country.
In addition, the party also presented the 'Holy Seal' at the reception.
C'est fini.
They carry the 'Holy Seal', the church paid for their accommodations, and they are part of the foreign delegation.
Even the best inn in town would provide top-class treatment to such guests.
The inn would put its honor and pride on the line to ensure flawless service.
"Now our safety at the inn is pretty much guaranteed."
Ryo muttered to no one in particular, and Etho and Zeke nodded.
Niels, Amon, and Gowan were nervous because they had never stayed at such a luxurious inn before.
Harold, being royalty by nature, was not nervous at all.
Although it's a dungeon dive, the dungeon in question is one with a teleport function.
It meant that, technically speaking, after conquering several floors each day, they could return to the inn to refresh themselves and then go back in… such a strategy was also on the table.
With that in mind, the inn, a place to recover from fatigue, should not be compromised.
There were ten rooms on the top floor.
And all were rooms with open-air baths.
Seven of those rooms were occupied by the party.
"Now I can sleep without worrying about Niels' snoring."
"I.. don't snore, do I…?"
Ryo said, and Niels asked a little nervously.
But of course, Niels doesn't snore.
Though he seemed like someone who would snore terribly when sleeping… but that's just an impression.
But, when it was time for discussions, they would gather in Niels' room, just as they were doing now…
"Now then, I guess we're all set as far as lodging is concerned?"
Etho asked no one in particular.
"The innkeepers might keep quite the tight ship when we are around, but the problem is while we are in the dungeon. A prowler might break into our rooms."
"That's true, but then… we just have to make sure we don't leave anything of value inside, right?"
Ryo's point was answered by Etho while tilting his head.
The valuables were basically accessories… as well as money and the 'Holy Seal'.
Then, the other thing of value would be….
"That, obviously."
Ryo said so and pointed at it.
The thing he pointed to was placed separately in both Niels' room and Ryo's room…
"Kona coffee…"
Niels muttered.
No one else said anything.
Then Niels continued muttering.
"Why is it even in my room in the first place?"
"Of course, it's for us to drink when we're all together like this."
"I-I see…"
Ryo's answer was very logical and perfect, which was unusual for him.
That even Niels couldn't refute him.
On the contrary, one of them even muttered, "Good thinking…".
It might have been Etho or Amon….
At any rate, it was clear that all seven members of the group were coffee lovers.
And then, Ryo quickly took out coffee beans and began to grind them in an ice mill that was instantly generated.
Just like that, the aroma of coffee wafted through the air.
He puts the ground coffee beans into the newly generated ice coffee press and produced hot water.
He put the lid on and then turned over the ice hourglass he had also generated.
The process was smooth and fluid up to this point.
Meanwhile, all six of them watched him while he was doing that.
It certainly wasn't a common experience to see someone preparing coffee….
"Uh, that's it."
Niels, who came to his senses, interrupted.
"I think the only way to protect the beans we'll be leaving behind is for Ryo to freeze them, what do you think?"
"Well, I guess. That would be the most practical way to go about it."
Niels suggested, and Ryo nodded in agreement.
Freezing coffee beans… may not seem very 'practical' in the literal sense, but in their case, it was the most practical….
There really are all kinds of people in the world…
"Oh, by the way, the receptionist gave me this."
Etho chimed in and took out what looked like a small notepad.
It was labeled 'Dungeon Map'.
"It seems to contain a map of the upper floors of the dungeon, from the first to the tenth, and the types and characteristics of monsters that appear on each floor."
"Holy shit."
Etho explained, and Niels was astonished.
"This is what I like about luxury lodgings. The service is very attentive. It's not just about offering their rig. But to make their guests happy that they would think of coming back to stay again… making them genuinely feel that way. After all, the basis of management is to secure repeat customers."
"Indeed…"
"By the way, what do you mean by rig?"
Ryo said, Zeke nodded in agreement, and Harold tilted his head at a term he didn't quite understand.
Whether in management or the hospitality industry, the fundamentals are the same on Earth or on 'Phi'.
It is not unusual for royalty, nobles, and famous adventurers to stay at such a high-end inn… in fact, only such people would stay there.
So, it's only natural that they would provide attentive service.
"If we ask the receptionist… won't they provide us with all the equipment we need to explore the dungeon?"
"Eh… you jest…"
Ryo's suggestion surprised Etho.
The receptionist's reply was, "I'll have it ready for you at the reception by morning"…
Luxury inns are not to be underestimated.
In the end, the group ended the day drinking coffee brewed by Ryo, without making any preparations whatsoever.
-x-X-x-
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
Those words could be used to describe the beginning of the party's exploration of the West Dungeon.
As promised the night before, in the morning, the inn had prepared all the necessary equipment for the dungeon exploration.
At an extra cost, of course, but it wasn't much.
Compared to going around a foreign city on their own and getting all the gear they needed, it was surprisingly stress-free.
Moreover, with the party diving into the West Dungeon for the first time, they wouldn't fully understand 'what they needed' in the first place.
Of course, some members of the party had been in the Rune dungeon many times, but there are infinite varieties of dungeons.
Things that are not considered important in Rune, or not necessary at all, may not be the case there.
However, an inn of this class knows more about dungeons than the average adventurer.
It is not acceptable for them to prepare inappropriate equipment for the royalty or famous adventurers who stay there, or to fail to meet their expectations when they make a request.
That is something that directly affects the reputation of the inn itself.
Hence, owning to their prestige, they must know as much about dungeons as the adventurers who actually dive into them, and in some cases even more…
That is the inn's hospitality.
Armed with such perfect gear, the party arrived at the dungeon reception at the entrance to the dungeon.
And even there too, like clockwork, the inn had informed them that the party would be visiting the dungeon.
Their headcount and the fact that they were carrying a 'Holy Seal' was also mentioned.
"Here you go. Please put this around your neck. It is a transfer plate."
Each person was given a small plate the size of a thumb.
To be worn around the neck like a necklace.
Each floor has a human-sized stone monument in front of the stairs leading down to the next floor.
The 'stone monument' has a record function, and once one reaches it, they are considered to have cleared that floor.
Once the floor is considered cleared, it is possible to return to the entrance via the transfer function.
Then, subsequently, one will be able to jump to the cleared floor by using the transfer function of the 'stone monument' at the entrance.
And one can only jump by transfer:
Only from the 'stone monument' at the entrance.
Only toward the 'stone monument' at the entrance.
For instance, someone who has cleared up to the tenth floor cannot jump… from the tenth floor to the fifth floor.
Similarly, it is not possible to jump… from the third floor to the fifth floor.
Only from the tenth floor to the entrance. From the entrance to the fifth floor.
Otherwise, one has to go down the stairs normally…
"Okay. Sure."
Niels answered on behalf of the others.
Beside him, Ryo was trembling with joy.
"Finally, at long last! After all those flags that were thwarted one after the other… I, too, am finally taking part in a classic development in isekai reincarnation stories! Finally, a decent dungeon exploration! How long I've waited for this moment… after months upon years of imagination… Fufufu… here I come…"
Ryo murmured so quietly that no one heard him clearly.
But…
"Ryo's expression is…"
"I guess he's at it again, as usual…"
"He's up to no good again…"
Amon called their attention, Etho guessed, and Niels concluded.
And so, the party finally ventured into the first floor…
"Everything was proceeding smoothly', up to this point.
"…What's with all this crowd."
"There are people… everywhere."
Etho muttered involuntarily, and Amon agreed.
The first floor was crowded.
There was not even a shadow of a monster to be seen.
However, even the overflowing crowd weren't there for a picnic or to hang out.
Many of them had pickaxes…
"Mining for crystals… I suppose."
Niels said.
"Yeah… in Rune, there are sometimes adventurers with pickaxes on the fifth floor, where the magic copper crystal is mined."
Etho nodded, recalling the scene in Rune.
"But there weren't this many of them. Perhaps because it's still the first floor."
Amon said, nodding his head.
Speaking of which, the three from 'Room 11' remained dumbfounded.
To begin with, this was the first time for 'Room 11', a party that has always operated in the royal capital, to dive into a dungeon.
Nevertheless, anyone can understand their surprise at the dissimilarity between the dungeon they had heard about and the dungeon they had just seen for the first time.
Gowan, for example, had his mouth wide open, literally…
Ryo was… on both hands and knees on the ground.
In a pose of despair.
"Another… classic… development… flag, thwarted… again…"
He muttered, but none of them could be bothered anymore.
"Let's see, according to the 'dungeon map' we were given, the first floor is the floor of the Lesser Mouse…"
Etho explained.
Of course, not a single mouse… was there…
"Let's get on with it and go down."
"Yeah."
Niels said with a sigh, and Harold nodded in reply.
Ryo, who was still in a pose of despair, was pulled up from both sides by Amon and Gowan.
Ryo's steps were naturally weak.
Tottering would be the perfect word for it…
In front of the stairs leading down to the second floor, there was a 'stone monument' to record their progress, which confirmed that they had completed the first floor.
There was not a trace of satisfaction on any of the faces of the party…
"…We've cleared the tenth floor."
"…Yeah."
"…It's a far cry from the dungeon in Rune."
"The fact that we haven't defeated a single monster, must be all in my head."
Etho stated the facts, Niels agreed, Amon made comparisons, and Ryo tried to turn away from reality.
The three from Room 11 were silent.
Looking at the three from Room 11, Amon said:
"But our objective is to meet Merlin."
"True…"
Niels, Etho, and Ryo said in unison.
The three from Room 11 nodded.
That's right, they had an objective going there.
To meet Merlin, the Demon Lord's Advisor, inquire about the Demon Lord's whereabouts, and use his blood to break Harold's spirit curse.
That was why they were diving deep down.
"Well, for now, should we call it a day? I hear there's a map from the tenth floor down, so let's get it and come back tomorrow."
Everyone nodded at Etho's suggestion.
Venturing into a dungeon without information is but a reckless endeavor.
It's common sense for adventurers.
The next day.
They consulted the inn again and obtained a map up to the 50th floor.
"According to the innkeeper, the hustle and bustle up to the tenth floor is a recent development."
"The church said they would purchase a large quantity of crystals extracted from each of the floors up to the tenth."
"Geez…what a mess!"
Amon said, Niels added, and Ryo was indignant.
It seemed that from the tenth floor down, there was no such clamor…
Finally… the curtain rose on the party's dive into the West Dungeon.
-x-X-x-
Holy City Marlomar West Dungeon. The 11th floor.
"It's true… there's no one here."
"Yeah… the difference is too stark from the 10th floor, it's eerie."
Amon commented and Niels nodded in reply.
Up to the 10th floor of the West Dungeon, it was like a cave or a rock tunnel…
Although the previous floors had exposed bedrock, the 11th floor was like a 'corridor' with marble embedded in the floor, ceiling, and walls.
"Well, they definitely can't mine ore here."
Zeke muttered.
Etho nodded after hearing that.
According to the 'Dungeon Map', the West Dungeon changes completely every ten floors.
Much deeper down there are even floors with blue sky.
"Amazing!"
In stark contrast to yesterday's depressed, trudging appearance, Ryo's face was full of joy and he looked happy.
"This is it! This is what I was looking for!"
He exclaimed, but no one answered him.
Everyone was just watching with wry smiles…
"Four Lesser Wolves are coming from the front."
Ryo announced the approach of monsters caught in his
The party had already formed a dungeon exploration formation.
First row, Niels in the center, Harold on the right, and Gowan on the left.
Second row, Etho and Zeke.
Third row, Amon and Ryo.
At the front, on top of having offensive power, it is desirable to have a vanguard swordsman who can respond to the enemy's first attack.
Or position a Shield-user there.
For that reason, the swordsmen Niels and Harold and the twin swordsman Gowan were positioned there.
Naturally, Etho, the priest whose defensive power and endurance were in no way great, was in the center, and Zeke was also in the center.
The reason being, that position makes it easier for them to heal anyone's injuries.
And the reason why Amon, whose talent as a swordsman is blooming, was placed at the rear was that it is extremely difficult to respond to the first attack from the rear, and that response is the most important.
Unlike a plain with an open sky, in a dungeon with a ceiling, with the additional consideration that there can be sudden attacks from directly above, it can be said that the rear guard is the most difficult position.
That is because you will need to cover not only yourself but also the heads of the priests in the second row…
Ryo is a jack of all trades, so he took the most troublesome last position too…
Even from the tail end, he could spot enemies coming from quite a distance, so he didn't have any issue with that aspect.
Then, they engaged the four Lesser Wolves.
Niels, Harold, and Gowan each defeated their foes in one hit.
The one that slipped past the three…
"
An ice spear was shot into its mouth and it died.
"Since they are 'Lesser', there's no point in harvesting their magic stones. Slimes will dispose of the corpses, so let's move on."
Niels said and everyone nodded in response.
The magic stones that can be obtained from 'Lesser' monsters are very small and have almost no value.
The time taken to harvest them is generally wasted.
And more importantly, slimes are the true mvp.
"It's a straight road, but it's considerably wider than the 10th floor."
By now, the group had dived into the 11th floor and continued walking for about three hours.
Amon commented to no one in particular.
"Generally, it seems that the deeper you dive, the wider it becomes…"
Etho answered with the information written on the 'Dungeon Map'.
Three hours later.
"Hey… isn't it strange?"
Niels posed the question to everyone.
"Seven hours after entering the 11th floor… Six hours excluding the breaks, right?"
"Since it's a straight road, we shouldn't be lost."
Etho answered and Amon supplemented.
They were still on the 11th floor.
Since it had been a single passage of marble corridor, it's hard to imagine that they had deviated from the proper path.
Of course, the 'Dungeon Map' didn't record anything like that…
Or rather, there was no map drawn for the 11th floor.
Just one sentence.
"Just walk down the corridor."
The rest was just information about monsters that appear.
It didn't record any traps either. Since it's not recorded, it was either there weren't any or they didn't know.
It's hard to imagine that the makers of the map didn't know if there were traps or not since it's a floor with frequent explorers.
In other words, there were no traps on the 11th floor.
No traps, a straight path.
However, they couldn't see the end.
"Ryo, what do you think?"
Amon, walking in the third row at the end, asked Ryo, who was walking next to him.
"Hmm~, I occasionally used magic to explore the surroundings, but I've not encountered any end within 1km to our front and back. Moreover, we have not encountered any foes in the past 2 hours."
"Oh, come to think of it, we haven't."
"We may have been transported into a space-time gap!"
Amon noticed that there was just a little bit of joy mixed in Ryo's words for some reason.
He didn't really understand the meaning of the words 'space-time gap' either.
"Ryo, are you saying that this is no longer the 11th floor?"
Zeke, in the second row, glanced at Ryo walking behind him and asked.
"There is a possibility. But… if we were forcibly transferred, we would have felt something, right?"
"Yes. I felt a floating sensation for a moment that time."
Amon answered Ryo's question.
In the ruined country Baudelin, they probably experienced a forced transfer… he answered while remembering that.
"But since we entered the 11th floor, I haven't felt that sensation even once…"
It was at that moment.
With Ryo's
However, an old man appeared in front of the group.
He had gray hair, a wide red hat, a red robe, a staff, and was slightly bent forward.
Ryo hesitated.
On whether or not he should set up
But his hesitation only lasted a moment.
After a moment, he made a decision.
It would be useless to do such a thing against this opponent.
If that's the case, it's better not to take hostile action until the last moment.
"...Who are you?"
Niels asked without pulling out his sword, even though he put his hand on it.
Harold and Gowan next to him saw that Niels had not drawn his sword, so they stopped drawing them.
"That's my line. Who are you?"
His voice was soft.
But peeking from under the hat were two eyes… sharp, and shone with a golden light.
(Golden eyes…? I remember seeing them somewhere… but where did I…)
Ryo was curious about the red old man's golden eyes.
No one answered for a while.
Niels was deciding whether or not to answer.
And he eventually decided to.
He let go of his sword.
They weren't sure if he was an enemy or an ally, but at least he was someone they could converse with.
"Excuse us. We are a mission from the Kingdom of Knightley in the Central Countries. The reason we dived into this dungeon was to meet Merlin and ask about the whereabouts of the Demon Lord."
Niels spoke the truth.
Ryo was surprised by that, but he quickly agreed.
In their current situation, it is better to speak honestly.
Because there is no point in lying.
"Hoh. That's interesting."
After saying that, the old man in red fell silent.
When Niels judged that the old man would not continue, he asked.
"Sorry but who are you?"
It felt like the red old man was grinning.
"Me? I'm the… manager of this dungeon, or I'm becoming one. I heard that some interesting people have come, so I came out to say hello. You lot are certainly… surprisingly interesting."
Saying that, he turned those golden eyes toward Harold.
"You're cursed by 'Rupture', aren't you… you've been tagged by something troublesome."
Harold was surprised when he said that.
At least from the outside, no one could tell that he was under the 'Rupture Spirit Curse'.
Sometimes even Harold himself forgot about it.
However, the old man in front of them pointed it out naturally.
"And there are two priests of the Goddess of Light… You lot certainly seem to hail from the Central Countries…"
Glancing at Etho and Zeke, he commented… but he quickly paused.
His golden eyes were now clearly directed at Ryo.
And he said.
"The problem lies with you."
There was no doubt that he was looking at Ryo.
Ryo was aware of it, and so were the others.
So Ryo introduced himself.
"My name is Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo. Revered Djinn."
-x-X-x-
TLN: Majin/Fiend changed to Genie. Fiend actually has a more negative connotation than Majin, where the literal translation can be either 'Magical Being'(more likely) or… 'Demonic/Monsterous Being'… so maybe Genie might be a better translation. What do you all think? Let me know in the comments.
-x-X-x-
"Djinn… you say…"
Niels' mutter was barely loud enough to reach Ryo's ears.
The others were stunned.
A full minute passed, where no one spoke nor moved.
"… I see, interesting."
The red old man slowly articulated.
"Why do you claim that I am a Djinn?"
"Those golden eyes."
Ryo answered the red old man's question.
Ryo recalled.
Where he saw 'Golden Eyes'.
They were the same golden eyes as the 'Djinn of the South' released near Kona Village.
"I see, golden eyes…"
Not only Ryo but also Etho seemed to have noticed and muttered so.
He must have heard those words.
The red old man continued.
"Apart from the Fairy King's favorite, the others also know about these eyes…? Hmm… I have not heard that it is knowledge circulating in the human world…"
"Favorite of the Fairy King…"
Niels murmured, seemingly taken aback by those words.
However, Ryo ignored him and answered.
"Three years ago, a Djinn was released from its constraints. We happened to be present when it happened, so…"
He honestly revealed.
"I see. That explains it."
The red old man nodded sagely.
Then, he looked at Harold once again and said.
"The 'Rupture' of one different from the one that was set free…? You'd better dispel it as soon as possible. The 'deadline' is still a long way off, but there's no benefit in having it looming over your shoulders."
"We are looking for the Demon Lord to dispel it."
Harold answered himself.
Of course he wanted to remove the curse.
"Hmm? Isn't there Demon Lord blood in the church? As long as you donate, they'd at least put a drop of blood on your forehead."
"The other day, someone raided the church's vault, and at that time, the jar that contained the Demon Lord's blood shattered and the blood is gone."
The red old man asked, and Etho answered.
"What…"
The red old man was at a loss for words, and after a while continued.
"That's bad…"
He paused for maybe five seconds after that.
"I'm sorry, but I no longer have the time to talk with you. You can come back later."
"Ah, what's your name…"
"My name is Merlin."
After Merlin answered Zeke's question, he disappeared.
At the same time, the endpoint of the 11th floor appeared in front of the group.
Out of nowhere.
"Merlin is a Djinn…"
"Yeah …"
Etho nodded to Niels' words.
They were in the lounge on the first floor of the inn 'Holy City Ginyu' where the search party stayed.
The group returned immediately from the 11th floor transfer [Stone Monument].
As expected, after that, they didn't feel like capturing the 12th floor and beyond.
"What do we do…"
When Niels muttered that, he looked at Harold and continued.
"Harold, what do you want to do?"
"Huh…"
Harold probably didn't think that he would be asked that.
The leader of the party is Niels, and the sub-leader is Etho.
Niels makes the decisions regarding the group's course of action, and Etho speaks up when advice is needed.
When 'Room 11' has a request, it is usually Zeke that brings it up…
However, the leader of Room 11 is Harold.
And to undo his spiritual curse, the party is placing themselves in danger.
Harold's opinion is important.
"To be honest, I'm really sorry for putting everyone in danger."
"Hey, that's…"
He interrupted Niels who was about to say something and continued.
"No, I can tell. However, at the same time, since we have come this far, I would like to meet Merlin again and ask him about it. If he can remove this spirit curse. If he can't, I hope he can tell me where the Demon Lord is."
He took a breath there and continued.
"True, I'm afraid of angering him, but I don't wish to meet my end without asking."
He said it.
Hearing that, Zeke and Gowan nodded.
They agreed with Harold.
If the alternative was Harold losing his life, they would rather attempt it too.
"Well, that's the only path forward."
Etho said with a wry smile.
Amon nodded silently.
"Understood. Then, starting tomorrow, let's dive into the dungeon. Merlin told us to come back later. If we continue to dive, we'll be contacted again, and at present, there's no other way."
Niels nodded and announced.
A course of action has been decided.
There was only one person… all this time, there was a water-attribute mage who had been eating delicious cakes.
Of course, he listened to the story and sometimes nodded…
And then, at the same time that Niels gave his decision, he finished eating the cake and looked satisfied… for a short while.
Right away, he was looking at the cakes lined up in front of the others.
Furthermore, he glanced at the employee standing at the entrance of the lounge.
As if he wanted to order additional…
Seeing Ryo like that, Niels solemnly expressed himself.
"…Ryo."
"Yes?"
"Aren't you only allowed one cake per day?"
"How do you know!?"
((Because I told Niels earlier))
((Abel! You traitor!))
Information sharing is very important.
"I-if there are special circumstances, of course that rule won't hold."
"Special circumstances? What special circumstances?"
Ryo made a pitiful excuse and Niels asked.
"Th-that's… um… that's right! The course of action from tomorrow onwards has been decided, and I'm going to refocus and do my best! When it's a special situation like now, it's a special circumstance."
((…))
Abel's exasperated sigh could be heard from the other side of the 'Soul Resonance'.
Abel didn't seem to recognize it as a special circumstance.
"… I don't think this can be considered a special circumstance… well, it doesn't matter."
After saying that, Niels called the employee.
Ryo happily ordered another millefeuille.
"Niels is a nice guy."
"Su-sure…"
"I will make sure to convey to Abel, until it sticks in his mind, how much Niels has grown. Please leave it to me."
"Ohh, please do!"
You scratch my back I'll scratch yours…
Give and take…
That's right, the world works by the principle of give-and-take…
-x-X-x-
The next day, the exploration of the West Dungeon began in full force.
The West Dungeon basically has no such thing as floor bosses.
However, it is known that unusually powerful monsters appear on the 50th, 100th, and 150th floors, and unless they are defeated, the passage to the next floor will not appear.
"The lowest floor reached was the 150th floor, right? Could it be that…?"
"Yeah. It seems that no party has ever defeated the monster on the 150th floor."
"What about monsters that's already been defeated, do they respawn over time?"
"Looks like it."
Ryo and Etho were talking about it while looking at the 'Dungeon Map'.
The party was advancing through the dungeon as they talked.
Currently, they were on the 49th floor.
From the 41st floor onward, it became a cave-like, rocky dungeon.
Predominantly filled with bat and wolf-type monsters.
Bats from above and wolves from below made for quite a nasty combination.
They were by no means easy to deal with.
Except when it came to this particular party….
"
Ryo would create roofs with ice, making it impossible for the bats to attack the party.
The four vanguard members then proceed to slaughter the wolves without fail.
Once they're done defeating the wolves, the
Flawless coordination.
"Okay, I guess this is it for the 49th floor."
The party arrived at the end of the 49th floor.
"Guess we'll be hitting the 50th floor tomorrow."
Ryo said happily.
He's glad to be able to explore the dungeon 'properly'.
"It seems that the only monster on the 50th floor is the boss."
"Ooohhh!"
Ryo was even more excited by Etho's explanation.
"The tricky part is, the monster that appears varies from time to time, and so does the floor conditions…"
"Floor conditions?"
Ryo tilted his head.
"Yup. For instance, a flaming bird and a floor with magma spewing out…"
"Whoa!"
That's an awfully treacherous combo.
It would be very challenging for an average party to clear.
"It'd bone-breaking to defeat such a monster, wouldn't it?"
"You said it. In fact, the success rate of breaking past the 50th floor is less than one percent, apparently."
"I'll be damned…"
"Moreover, the word is that only when you're extremely lucky enough to draw a weak boss can you break through, and that most, the so-called 'looting' parties, stop at the 49th floor."
"I see…"
Unlike in a game.
The lives of the entire party are at stake.
It's not a place one can just say, "Let's check it out real quick".
"What about retreating midway…?"
"Yeah, that's not possible with the boss of the 50th floor. Although retreat is possible on the 100th floor, the entrance door to the 50th-floor boss closes shut. In other words, either you defeat the boss and leave a record on the 'stone monument' or…"
"Fail to defeat it and face annihilation, huh."
Ryo asked, Etho affirmed, and Niels nodded.
The role of the 50th floor is to sift out… those who are serious about conquering the dungeon.
"When put like that… there's really no need to go out of our way to conquer it then…"
Harold said.
That's right, their goal was to meet Merlin.
That being the case, there's no real need to attempt conquering the dungeon.
However…
"Merlin is said to be the caretaker of this dungeon. I doubt he will appear before those who cannot even defeat the boss of the 50th floor…"
The party agreed with Niels.
Just like with anything.
Show strength.
Else, you're not moving anyone.
If you show strength that cannot be ignored, you won't be ignored.
Who will listen to someone without any strength to speak of?
Like they don't have better things to do!
So, to demonstrate their strength, the party would have to clear the 50th floor.
The next day.
The party stepped into the 50th floor.
There, they found a huge stone side-by-side doors.
On the door was a huge relief carved into the stone.
"Such a magnificent door."
Ryo crossed his arms in front of the door and commented in a pompous manner.
"Just as we discussed yesterday, two rows, one front one back. The four of us will act as the vanguard. While Ryo, Etho, and Zeke will bring up the rear. Guys, don't die!"
"Yeah!"
Niels said, and everyone responded.
The stone door opened smoothly.
Once everyone was inside, it closed by itself.
The room was as wide as a playground, with a high ceiling of at least… forty meters high.
The room must have been designed to accommodate flying monsters.
Though the ground was still rocky.
The lighting was from a bonfire.
And as the party advanced….
It emerged.
"A Skeleton… King? Never heard of it…"
Etho muttered.
At first, Ryo was also surprised at the sight, but his attention was soon drawn to something else.
It was a feeling of discomfort.
One he had experienced before.
Actually, he's experienced it on several occasions.
Speaking of which, he remembered hearing about some kind of trap in the West Dungeon that triggers such… discomfort.
"No way… a magic nullification field."
-x-X-x-
"Ryo… what did you just say…?"
Niels asked, fearfully.
And not just Niels.
Everyone's face was tense.
Although they couldn't tear their eyes away from the Skeleton King, it's obvious that Ryo's words had gotten them all anxious.
"It's possible that this place has turned into a magic nullification field…"
When Ryo said that, Etho and Zeke tried something.
"I… can't use magic…"
"Me too…"
Both Etho and Zeke's faces were tinged with despair.
"If we can't use magic, then the same applies to our opponents."
"No… that may not necessarily be the case."
"Huh?"
Ryo claimed, but Niels didn't sound convinced.
Little Behee, the Behemoth, sealed the magic of the wyverns using magic nullification, but it was able to use magic just fine…
He was not exactly sure how it works, but… it was very likely that the Skeleton King could use magic too.
"In the first place, we don't even know what kind of monster that lump of bones is…"
"If only we can use Turn Undead…"
Niels blurted out, and Zeke muttered in frustration.
"Oh, now I understand. The magic nullification is to seal Turn Undead…"
Ryo surmised.
At that moment, something welled up from the ground.
"More Skeleton? Knights?"
"Whoa, so it's not alone?"
Amon pointed out, and Niels blurted out more.
There's only one boss monster on the 50th floor.
"So it's saying even though there's only one boss monster, sometimes the boss summons others?"
Etho said, and Harold and Gowan nodded.
There were eight Skeleton Knights summoned.
"Amon, you face the boss, be careful. Harold, Gowan, Zeke, and I will carry out guerrilla attacks on the rest and take them down. Ryo, I leave Etho to you."
"Okay."
Niels gave out orders, and everyone got moving.
Amon, who had begun to outperform Niels in terms of his prowess as a swordsman, was paired with the boss.
The remaining three vanguard members and Zeke, who can also wield his staff to fight in melee, went around defeating the Skeleton Knights that sprung up.
And Ryo was tasked with protecting Etho, who has almost no offensive or defensive capabilities but must not be allowed to perish.
Niels, in a sense, entrusted Etho's safety to the man he trusted the most.
And Ryo, of course, understood this.
Protecting Etho from multiple enemies in this situation where magic is sealed… was a surprisingly difficult task.
But he could not betray his trust.
Ryo pulled out Murasame and generated an ice blade.
After all, Murasame could be used even in a magic nullification field.
"Etho, back up to the entrance door. We'll defend there."
"Okay."
If they were to be ambushed from all directions, it would be impossible to defend.
At the very least, Ryo had to secure the rear and protect it by placing Etho between a safe area and himself.
In that situation, the safest place to be would be the door they came through.
As for the other walls… there's no guarantee that new Skeleton Knights won't emerge from them…
Ryo placed Etho behind him, searched for signs in all directions, and dispatched the Skeleton Knights attacking from the front.
He backed away little by little while tearing them apart.
Always keeping his body between the Skeleton Knights and Etho.
Occasionally, he would make a large side cleave, sending the Skeleton Knights flying, and at that moment, back up sharply and create distance.
Be it solo or in a party, retreating is the most difficult.
Thus the nerve-wracking retreat battle continued… a few minutes later.
"Ryo, I've reached the door."
"Copy that."
Etho, who was behind him, reported that he had arrived at the door.
At last, he had succeeded in securing a safe area behind him.
"Now, it's time to counterattack."
The moment Ryo said that…
"More Skeleton Knights…"
Eight new Skeleton knights Appeared before Ryo and the others, that was, between Ryo and Niels and the other three.
Ryo jumped right in.
He took a large step with his right foot while parrying the sword of the Skeleton Knight which swung down at him.
While shifting his center of gravity to his right foot, Ryo pulled the sword lagging behind him and linked it to his movement, and with that momentum decapitated the Skeleton Knight.
From the previous retreat battle, he already figured that he could defeat them by beheading or breaking the mana stone in their chest.
Retreating can also be an act of gathering intelligence for a counterattack.
At the moment of decapitation, he shifted his center of gravity once to his left foot, which he had put forward with the force generated from the decapitation, and then took another large step forward with his right foot.
At the same time, he released his right hand grip from Murasame and thrusts his left hand out at once.
A single left-hand thrust.
The tip shattered the mana stone in the chest of the Skeleton Knight in front of him.
"Incredible…"
Etho muttered to Ryo's two consecutive kills.
Etho is a complete amateur in close-quarters combat.
To help the party, he equipped himself with a small rapid-fire crossbow that allowed him to attack at medium range.
Of course, arrows are useless against skeletons, so he had no means of attacking this time…
And even an amateur like Etho could tell that Ryo's sword art was out of the ordinary.
Though a layman, he had seen Niels and Amon train over the past few years and had fought shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
Subjugating monsters and bandits more times than he could count together.
So he was quite in touch with the capabilities of a B-rank swordsman.
Compared to them, Ryo was… simply extraordinary.
His way of the sword felt totally different.
That's right, that's probably it.
Amon seemed to have learned the basics of Hume-style sword arts.
Niels was mostly self-taught.
Ryo's swordsmanship… was significantly different from either of them.
He had the chance to watch the mock battle between Amon and Ryo on their way to the Western Countries.
But it ended in a single bout…
Thinking back, it was probably his first time seeing Ryo's sword art in action.
In the first place, back when Ryo was with 'Room 10', he was always wielding magic…
If it weren't for the situation in this magic nullification field, there would scarcely be an opportunity to see him wield his sword…?
Even so, it was such an elegant sword art…
Even while such things were going through Etho's mind, Ryo dispatched the Skeleton Knights that charged at him.
But his top priority remained Etho's safety.
Not straying too far out.
Always inserting himself between the Skeleton Knights and Etho.
And at times, returning right in front of Etho.
That was essentially the battle of Ryo and Etho by the entrance door.
Between Ryo, Etho, Amon and the boss, Niels, Harold, Gowan, and Zeke were fighting against the Skeleton Knights.
Already, eight Skeleton Knights had appeared, twice, anew.
"Dammit! It seems it's the kind where they'll keep springing up unless the boss is defeated."
"Seems so."
Harold agreed to Niels' quip.
Of course, their swords didn't stop moving in the meantime.
They kept moving, and swinging their swords.
Ordinarily, swords are a bad match for skeletons.
A bludgeoning weapon such as a club or a hammer is better.
However, as one would expect from a B or C-rank adventurer, they are capable of defeating skeletons with a sword.
They can even crush bones with a thrust.
C-rank adventurers and above are indeed first-rate.
Compared to Niels, Harold, and Gowan, who used swords, Zeke's staff could attack a wider area.
His wielding was especially effective.
Like a spear or a Naginata, it can be swung over the head with one hand or held with both hands and swung sideways as if swinging a baseball bat…
'Cuts like a sword, thrusts like a spear, sweeps like a naginata.'
An old Japanese saying that describes the characteristics of the staff.
Of course, Zeke was unaware of such a saying, but he was fighting a battle that made full use of the characteristics of his staff.
Occasionally, Zeke's staff would annihilate a Skeleton Knight with a single blow.
That was because the staff was a holy blessed weapon.
It had proven to be the strongest weapon against skeletons and other undead.
So what about the sword-wielding trio?
The swords of the Skeleton Knights were, quite frankly, of a very high caliber.
If they were ranked according to adventurer ranking, they would be of C-rank… or perhaps, even B-rank.
That's how formidable they were.
Even Niels couldn't easily overcome them.
However, although not easy, it was possible with enough patience.
And a situation had been arranged in which there was no need to rush.
Etho's safety, which was the biggest concern, was entrusted to Ryo.
Even though they're in a magic nullification field and Ryo is after all a magician… even so, Ryo will surely get it done.
He would protect Etho 'at all costs'.
An absolute trust.
Perhaps, Niels trusts Ryo more than he trusts himself… when it comes to protecting his comrades.
As for dealing with the boss, he assigned Amon.
He had already surpassed Niels in swordsmanship… Niels himself was aware of that.
Moreover, Amon still had a lot of room to grow.
He is undoubtedly a sword genius.
And Niels didn't feel frustrated about it at all.
On the contrary, he wanted to see how far he could go… and that desire was strong.
He is talented and hardworking.
And also possess an honest personality.
There aren't many who possess all of those factors for growth.
Niels saw the image of King Abel, whom he respects, in Amon.
That was why he left the boss to Amon to handle.
Abel would surely produce results in a situation like that.
And Amon too would surely…
The Skeleton King was an amazingly skilled swordsman.
Without a shield, he wielded his sword with both hands or even one hand, wielding it with dazzling skill.
In his lifetime, he must have been a swordsman heralded as the greatest in his country.
His sword art was that great.
Amon, however, was smiling as he parried the sword.
No, one might even say he looked happy.
The sword fight, in a nutshell, had Amon on the defensive.
The Skeleton King was attacking, while Amon was on the receiving end.
That had been the arrangement the whole time.
However, Amon's expression didn't look displeased at all.
With not even a tinge of despair.
Receiving the Skeleton King's attacks one by one carefully.
Muttering things like, "I see", or "So, the Skeleton King prefers thrusting" and so on…
What was perhaps surprising in their fight was the number of moves the Skeleton King made.
While unleashing his sword, he also shot out stone pebbles.
At a close range enough to cross swords, he would unleash magic…
It was simply abnormal.
Amon recalled the battle he had once seen between King Abel and Princess Fiona.
Fiona also mixed magic attacks during sword fights.
Perhaps it was because he had seen it before.
Amon responded perfectly.
Now, would he have been able to respond the way he did if he was seeing it for the first time…?
Moreover, it was also thanks in part to the statement Ryo made earlier which stuck to his mind that "the opponent might be able to wield magic" even in this magic nullification field.
And the boss actually ended up using magic.
Although he didn't know the exact logic, Amon felt as if the magic nullification field was distorted just at the moment when the Skeleton King released his magic.
It was as if the magic nullification was removed only between the Skeleton King and himself.
If so, then it would make sense why only the Skeleton King could use magic.
"That's some impressive magic control. Ryo said something similar once before."
Amon said with a smile.
The Skeleton King, of course, said nothing.
Since he was a skeleton, his expression didn't change.
He just… felt that he was smiling a little.
Of course, it was probably Amon's imagination.
Even so… Amon felt that he smiled and said, cool right?
The sword fight between Amon and the Skeleton King raged on.
Since the Skeleton King is an undead, he did not tire at all.
Therefore, the longer the fierce sword fight went on, the more disadvantageous it became to the human side.
Since humans get tired.
Naturally, Amon was at a disadvantage since he's human….
But he didn't show any fatigue at all.
On the contrary, he had even begun to fight back.
The arrangement of the Skeleton King on the offensive and Amon on the defensive remained the same, but Amon was beginning to attack a little.
Imitating the attacks that the Skeleton King had shown…
Muttering stuff like, "Hmmm, maybe I should try pulling back a little faster".
Or, "Perhaps I should shift my center of gravity a little to the back".
"I see, the reason you switched to one hand here is to return the sword", and so on.
If the Skeleton King had feelings, he would have felt shivers.
He has been fighting so intensely, yet he did not show any signs of fatigue.
What's more, he was copying his techniques.
And yet, he had no gaps in his defense…
Threatened, he may have begun to feel impatient.
The more time passed, the more the swordsman in front of him absorbed his techniques and became stronger.
In fact, Amon was having fun.
The more they crossed swords, the more he felt his skills increasing, and he could even sense that he was getting stronger.
That is what sometimes happens in serious competition.
It is something that people can experience, not only in swordsmanship but in many other fields.
But some people die without ever experiencing it… that is also true.
Or some people experience it, but spend their lives without realizing it… that is also true.
Amon, though, was different.
He experienced, realized, and grew.
He was growing at this very moment.
For the tens or hundreds of times, he copied the Skeleton King's technique and performed it.
Crack.
He cracked one of the Skeleton King's ribs.
He unleashed more techniques than the Skeleton King had ever unleashed and surpassed the Skeleton King's expectations.
This was the moment when the copy surpassed the original.
The Skeleton King was especially good at thrusting.
Amon, too, could understand this because he liked thrusting.
The Skeleton King had delivered thousands of thrusts thus far.
And also….
Three series of thrusts, four series of thrusts, five series of thrusts… an unstoppable series of thrusts.
A series of lightning-fast thrusts.
"Do you know? The moment the arm and sword are fully extended in a thrust, it is at maximum power, but at other times…"
Amon muttered and took one of the Skeleton King's thrusts with the 'flat' side of his sword, his arm outstretched.
The Skeleton King totally did not expect that, at a timing he had yet to achieve maximum power.
The Skeleton King's sword was deflected backward greatly.
At the same time Amon parried with the flat of his sword, he took a large step forward with his right foot, while taking his left hand off the hilt altogether, and with his right hand alone, he swung his sword widely sideways.
Just as Ryo had performed previously… the stance at the moment of releasing the quick draw technique, as it is called in Japanese swordsmanship.
The sword reached the Skeleton King's neck… and in a single breath, he cut it off.
He thought he saw the tumbled skull… smile a little.
Then… he thought he heard him say the words.
Brilliantly done…
-x-X-x-
The moment Amon decapitated the Skeleton King, all the Skeleton Knights disappeared.
At the same time, the discomfort Ryo felt was lifted.
"The magic nullification has been dispelled…?"
Ryou muttered, then turned around and confirmed.
"Etho, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay."
Etho nodded and replied.
With that, the two of them started walking forward to join Niels and the others.
"Is it over…"
Seeing all the Skeleton Knights disappear, Niels muttered.
"Yeah…"
Zeke answered while breathing heavily.
Harold and Gowan were so exhausted that they couldn't answer.
In the second half, they had no choice but to concentrate on protecting themselves… both of them sported looks of frustration.
They were keenly aware of their lack of endurance.
Three years ago, the three from 'Room 10' had been hammered into them by Ryo about the importance of endurance.
And they continued to train.
So they managed to persevere through the fight.
Endurance is the ability to continue fighting.
And in battle, the last one standing wins.
No matter how great your skills are, no matter how great your magic is, if you falter in the middle, you lose.
And an adventurer's loss means death.
If so, building endurance means increasing the possibility of living.
"Harold and Gowan, build up your stamina."
"…yes."
Niels commented and they both agreed.
Since Zeke was trained from a young age, he was able to endure, defeating Skeleton Knights until the very end.
Even so, when it was over, he couldn't stand without breathing heavily and used his staff for support…
At that point, Ryo and Etho joined.
"You're all not hurt? Thank the heavens."
Etho took a look and felt relieved.
"It's tough being a swordsman when you have a lot of enemies."
Ryo, who fought as a swordsman this time, said while looking at the exhaustion of 'Room 11'.
"As usual, Ryo isn't tired…"
Niels said in amazement.
"Fufufu, our training method is different."
Ryo claimed proudly.
In fact, he didn't even break a sweat.
Amon finally joined them.
"Sorry for taking so long."
After saying that, he bowed his head slightly.
Did he mean taking so long to join up or to defeat the boss…
"No, you did a good job. As expected."
Niels didn't hold back and praised him.
Beside him, Ryo also folded his arms and nodded.
Etho praised Amon by patting him on the shoulder.
The three from Room 11, who had finally caught their breaths, bowed their heads together.
At those praises, Amon laughed happily.
There was nothing left where Amon defeated the Skeleton King.
Even the bones had disappeared.
It seemed to have vanished.
And then, the door ahead opened, and they could see the 'Stone Monument' on the other side.
The party waited for a while after recording their clearance, but Merlin did not appear.
"Is he saying this isn't enough?"
Niels frowned and muttered.
"Maybe he simply went somewhere and hasn't returned to this dungeon yet?"
Ryo answered.
"Went somewhere?"
Amon tilted his head.
"Judging from the way he panicked, he probably went to the Demon Lord's place, right? Since the blood of the previous generation that had been kept was lost, he decided that the church was going after the current Demon Lord's blood."
Etho gave a guess that had a high degree of certainty.
The three from 'Room 11' nodded.
"Well, if that's the case, let's try to dive even deeper. But for now, let's go home today. That fight was tiring."
Niels smiled wryly and said while shaking his head.
Even though they still had physical strength, they accumulated a lot of mental fatigue.
Niels is a man who grasps that concept rather firmly.
His appearance is completely a muscle-brain, but he's actually quite intelligent.
"I didn't find any dungeon map below the 50th floor, so our exploration will be slower."
Etho reported.
"Well, I was surprised by the magic nullifying space, but I'm glad I was able to prove that it doesn't work on modern magicians."
"Hey, it's a bit unreasonable for you to claim to be a typical modern magician, Ryo…"
Ryo commented and Niels immediately retorted.
Thus, the party's exploration of the 50th floor ended.
On the way back to the inn 'Holy City Ginyu'.
"I can feel the gaze of quite a large number of people."
"Yes, there are more than twenty people."
"Usually there would only be about five."
Niels muttered, Amon answered, and Harold made a comparison with the usual numbers.
Disquieting gazes were directed at the party.
Actually, they have been experiencing it for some time.
After entering the city of this West Dungeon, they were monitored from the next day.
However, they were not attacked, not interrogated, and never saw the figures of the people watching them.
However, he also felt that they were not as covert as the 'Assassins Order' that he experienced in the past.
This group was more blatant.
Probably the Western Church…
"Wait"
They finally made an appearance today.
As expected, they had seen them before…
"Knights Templar!"
Ryo exclaimed happily.
Niels frowned and looked sideways at that.
He didn't understand why he was so happy.
Ryo looked happy because they resembled the 'Knights Templar' that appeared in the history of Earth.
Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental…
"We are the Knights Templar. I am Andre de Bachelet, Commander of the Third Detachment."
The knight in front called out his name.
"It's the person from before."
Ryo muttered.
"Yeah"
Niels nodded slightly.
Etho stepped forward and answered.
"We met you the other day. I'm glad that the curse seems to have been lifted. So, what do you want from us, Knights Templar?"
Same as last time, he spoke courteously but his eyes and words were still full of power.
Some of them stiffened, perhaps they remembered the Icebahn Hell.
The other knights were also somewhat taken aback by Etho's air, which was unimaginable from his usual kind, dignified, clergy-like aura about him.
However, Commander Andre de Bachelet continued bluntly.
"Give us the information about the Demon Lord that you guys have obtained so far."
"We refuse."
Etho refused without hesitation.
"Wha…"
Andre was inflamed by the swift refusal.
"You bastard… you know what happens when you piss us off, don't you?"
Saying that, Commander Andre tried to take a step forward, but he stopped.
It was obvious that he remembered what happened last time.
Of course, Ryo wasn't thinking about making them slip with
Miracles never happen twice… If the same thing happens again, they won't know how, but they'll find out that they were causing it.
In that case, use another method!
Ryo looked up at the sky and cried.
"Something is coming from the sky!
He surrounded only their party with
At that moment… something fell from the slightly clouded sky.
Gakkin kakkin, kokkin, kakkin…
"Ow"
"Argh"
"Ouch…"
Something fell from the sky in large quantities.
They hit the armor of the knights, causing metallic sounds.
"This is… hail?"
Zeke muttered.
Some were even about half a fist size, and if struck badly… it won't kill you, but it will knock you out with one hit.
The Knights Templar were in turmoil.
In a panic, they tried to hide under the surrounding eaves, but perhaps in a panic, quite a few knights slipped and fell.
Of course, unlike last time, they didn't slip in quick successions or were unable to stand up.
They only slip and fell once.
However, there was hail…
About three-quarters of the knights fell unconscious.
"Such abnormal weather. I'm glad I noticed it early."
Ryo said in a slightly louder voice than usual.
The other six had already realized something.
But wisely said nothing.
While the hail continued to fall, the group slowly moved to the inn while being protected by