Chapter 9: Reunion and the Footsteps of the Demon – Part 05
When I woke up the next morning, I found two other tents set up in the Safety Zone.
Before they could start moving, we prepared ourselves and descended to the sixth floor.
The corridor on the sixth floor was wide, with a high ceiling. The first monsters we encountered were the Elemental Ghosts. These were wizard-type monsters, formless and resembling basketball-sized orbs of light cloaked in flames.
It seemed that the color of the flames indicated their attributes, and the seven that appeared before us were all yellow, indicating the Earth Attribute.
Since physical attacks were generally ineffective against them, I left the attacking to the other three while I focused on defending against the flying stones. By using my shield in conjunction with Shockwave, I ensured that their magic wouldn’t reach us.
With Freinir’s Double Holy Light, Sfenia’s wind magic Air Cutter, and Larni’s wind attribute magic sword, the seven Elemental Ghosts were swiftly annihilated.
However, if I hadn’t been in a party, I would have been stuck here. I could only express my gratitude for our fortunate encounter.
By the way, the materials dropped were crystals corresponding to their attributes. We collected a large amount and quickly advanced to the eighth floor.
On the eighth floor, we encountered the Elemental Beasts. These were large dog-like monsters cloaked in flames, and while they were resistant to physical attacks, they charged at us in close combat, making them quite formidable.
When eight of them appeared, I wondered what would happen, but we managed to fend them off with Shockwave, allowing the others to take them down with magic. It was a significant advantage that Larni could intercept any stragglers with her magic sword.
The materials dropped were colorful furs corresponding to their attributes, which could be used for armor or even regular clothing.
At the very bottom, on the tenth floor, we faced the Elemental Giant. This giant, cloaked in an aura, stood about three meters tall, but it could appear in groups of up to five, creating a considerable sense of intimidation.
Fortunately, it was somewhat susceptible to physical attacks, so my mace, which was already overkill, made quick work of it. Since I hadn’t had a chance to use it until now, I left the defense to Larni and took the opportunity to vent my frustrations.
The materials dropped were larger crystals, which were said to fetch a good price.
As we continued to battle the giants, we soon arrived at the entrance to the boss room.
“The boss is the Elemental Guardian. Remember, there’s a possibility of two appearing, and we shouldn’t forget the chance of a Rare Boss.”
“There’s also the possibility of both happening at the same time,” Larni chimed in, and Freinir nodded while Sfenia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yesterday, we faced two bosses, but does that happen frequently? And a Rare Boss, too…?”
“Exactly. In fact, it might be more common than not.”
Larni replied, but in reality, it was probably about fifty-fifty. Even so, it was still abnormal.
“Alright, let’s go. Freinir, use Divine Light with Charge. Sfenia…”
“I’ll prepare the counter-attribute magic once we determine the attribute of the Elemental Guardian since we don’t know which one will appear.”
“Sounds good.”
We opened the stone door and entered the boss room. The fog was at its usual density, and the giant cloaked in blue aura appeared. It stood about four meters tall, matching the description we had, indicating it was a standard boss.
“A standard boss, huh? How boring,” Larni said, while she infused her sword with fire attribute.
“Here comes Divine Light.”
After Freinir weakened it with her magic, I stepped forward as usual.
As I approached, shield raised, the Elemental Guardian thrust both arms forward. Water surged from its arms, shooting straight at me. It was a powerful version of the water attribute spell, Water Spear.
I braced myself and took the hit with my shield. The combination of Stability, Immovable, Steel Core skills, and my overwhelming strength allowed me to withstand the powerful water spear while still advancing.
Seeing me press forward, the Guardian halted the water flow and took a martial arts stance.
“Magic incoming! Flame Bolt!”
An inferno spear soared over my head and struck the Guardian, causing steam to erupt as it staggered.
“I’m going in!”
In that instant, Larni dashed past me and slashed at the Guardian’s knee. With a single blow, she severed its log-like leg and quickly retreated, wary of a counterattack.
The Guardian, now missing a leg, toppled over but managed to prop itself up and extended an arm to unleash another Water Spear. It seemed to target Larni, but I stepped in to absorb the blow.
“I’ll stop its movements!”
Sfenia’s voice rang out as an arrow with a trail of light pierced the Guardian’s forehead.
In that moment, the Guardian froze, its water flow interrupted.
“Nice job, Sfenia!”
Larni used Swift Run to dash past again, severing the Guardian’s remaining arm.
Now struggling with one leg and one arm, the Guardian writhed in desperation. I seized the opportunity to close the distance and swung my mace down upon its head.
What I gained was the skill Adamantine Strength. It was an advanced version of Herculean Strength, and considering I had felt that the level of Herculean Strength had plateaued, it seemed likely that I had reached its maximum level. Regardless, my focus on physical prowess remained unchanged.
Freinir had acquired a skill called Remote Cast, which allowed her to activate specific spells from a distance. For instance, she could use a healing spell of the Life Attribute on a distant frontline fighter.
Larni seemed to have gained my Stability skill, which would allow her to wield even heavier swords, and she appeared quite pleased with herself.
As for Sfenia…
“This is… Penetration. I was about to give up on obtaining it after so long…”
She explained that despite its low rarity, it was an essential skill for archers, and she had desperately wanted it. Hearing that it increased the piercing power of arrows, it was clear that having it would make a significant difference.
“Could this be the power of the party that Larni mentioned? To suddenly acquire the skills we desire seems too coincidental…”
“Hehe, isn’t it amazing? Ever since I teamed up with you all, I’ve been gaining great skills one after another. I’m glad Sfenia feels the same way.”
“Indeed. Perhaps Freinir as well?”
“I feel the same. I’ve acquired many skills that enhance my magical power. At first, I thought it was the guidance of God Archulum, but now I realize it was thanks to you, Soushi-sama.”
As Freinir spoke with a dreamy expression, Larni and Sfenia turned their gazes toward me.
“No, I don’t think my skills hold that much power… I believe the skills one acquires depend on their own qualities and efforts. However, it’s true that encountering Rare Bosses increases the chances of obtaining Rare Skills.”
“Hmm. But both Sfenia and I gained the skills we wanted as soon as we teamed up with you, so I think there’s definitely an influence.”
“From what you’re saying, could it be that the increased likelihood of encountering Rare Bosses or two bosses is also due to your skills, Soushi-san?”
Now that I think about it, I hadn’t properly explained my Bad Luck skill to Sfenia yet. It might have been better for her to experience it firsthand before believing it.
“For now, it’s still just a hypothesis. I think we’ll uncover more as we continue working together.”
“Such a thing… I truly feel fortunate to have met you all, Soushi-san.”
Sfenia smiled sweetly, her eyes narrowing. She seemed to be on the verge of tears, but it was clear that whether or not one could acquire the necessary skills was of great importance. It seemed she felt pressure to rise above her current status, and if my skills could help her achieve that, then it could indeed be considered a stroke of luck.
Afterward, we entered the door at the back of the boss room, which led to a small circular chamber. In the center stood a stone pole topped with a crystal ball. Touching it would instantly return us to the entrance of the dungeon. This felt somewhat game-like.
Larni expressed her desire to touch it, so I let her. In an instant, our surroundings changed, and we found ourselves back at the entrance of the dungeon.
“How mysterious, Soushi-sama.”
“Yeah, it’s surprising.”
I replied to Freinir, who was wide-eyed in astonishment. Larni was wagging her tail, exclaiming, “This is amazing!” She was completely in awe. It was fortunate that there were no other parties around the entrance.
“Hehe, I reacted the same way at first. Dungeons are truly fascinating places.”
Sfenia’s words made me ponder a little about the meaning and existence of dungeons… Perhaps they were a part of the “natural” order in this world, and thinking about it wouldn’t yield any answers.
Since it was still before noon, we decided to return to the town of Tolson.
When we arrived at the guild to sell our materials, Kisara called out to me in a flustered manner from behind the counter.
“Soushi-san, um, I have a favor to ask.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Actually, Kaim and the others who went on a subjugation request didn’t return yesterday, which was the last day of their schedule. I need you to search for them.”
I felt my heart rate spike for a moment. It was only natural to feel uneasy when a friend was missing.
I turned to Freinir and the others. Although we had just returned from the dungeon…
“They’re acquaintances, right? We need to go find them immediately.”
“If they’re someone important to Soushi-sama, then we should definitely go.”
“I believe it’s essential for adventurers to help one another.”
I was grateful for the thoughtful girls who considered the leader’s feelings. Or perhaps I was just getting used to the darker side of things?
I turned back to Kisara.
“Understood, I’ll take the request. Please provide the details.”
“Thank you very much.”
According to Kisara, Kaim and the Ginrin party had gone to a rocky area east of Tolson to subjugate Rock Worms. Rock Worms were giant worms that literally consumed rocks, and while they typically stayed hidden in rocky areas, they could become a nuisance if they bred like Goblins, as they were E-Rank monsters.
“Given that they’re from Ginrin, they shouldn’t have trouble with such monsters, so something must have gone wrong.”
Regardless, we wouldn’t know anything unless we went, so we accepted the request and set off toward the rocky area.
After running for about an hour, the ground changed from grassy plains to reddish-brown soil, gradually revealing red rocks. It was a strange landscape, but it was probably normal in this world. Ahead of us lay a bizarre sight, with numerous rocks jutting out. The smaller protrusions were about the size of a house, while the larger ones towered like five-story buildings, countless in number, rising from the ground. It was a sight I had never seen in Japan.
We paused just before entering the rocky area.
“Let’s proceed with caution, keeping an eye out for monsters. Larni, especially, try to sniff out any human scents. Sfenia, is there anything we should be particularly cautious about in situations like this?”
“If there’s a party that went ahead, they should have marked their route. I think it would be wise to follow those marks.”
“Thank you, that’s certainly true. Let’s keep an eye out for monsters while we search for those marks. They’re probably scratches on the rocks or something similar.”
After a short break to check our gear, we entered the rocky area.