Chapter 10: Kin of Twilight – Part 12
The boss room was, as usual, a space the size of a school gymnasium. In the center, a black mist gathered, and from it emerged the towering figure of the armored warrior, the Alter Guardian, standing three meters tall. In its hands, it wielded a broad-bladed sword and a shield.
“How disappointing! A normal boss, huh?”
Though it didn’t seem like the armored warrior was angered by Larni’s complaint, it charged forward with a clattering sound.
“I’ll cast Divine Light!”
“Stone Lance!”
As the debuff took effect, ten stone spears pierced through the air. However, they struck the shield instead. The main body remained unharmed and swung its sword at me.
I braced myself against the blow with my shield, but the impact was tremendous. Still, it wasn’t enough to push me back, thanks to my robust defensive skills. I retaliated with a strike from my mace, and the shield was blown away along with the left arm of the armored warrior.
Realizing my strength from that attack, the armored warrior quickly backstepped to create some distance. That movement revealed it possessed the Honshin skill.
With the shield and one arm lost, arrows from Sfenia and throwing darts from Mariane rained down upon the armored warrior. Yet, it skillfully deflected them with its sword.
“I’ll cast Holy Light!”
Two beams of light shot down from above, piercing the armored warrior’s head. It was a well-placed attack from a blind spot, thanks to the Remote Cast skill. The armored warrior took damage but twisted its body to evade the beams.
“Over here!”
Larni dashed in, slashing with her Mithril Sword.
The armored warrior attempted to block with its sword, but a third of the blade was cleaved away. I had already noticed in previous battles that a Mithril Sword +2 had exceptional sharpness.
The armored warrior retreated further, wildly swinging its sword. Blades of light erupted from the tip of its weapon. It was a skill that launched slashing attacks, likely a high-tier one.
“Hide behind me!”
As I absorbed the light blades with my shield, it seemed the armored warrior had focused its attacks on me. However, that was a poor choice.
“Cyclone Edge!”
Sfenia unleashed a high-level wind magic. Small tornadoes formed around the armored warrior, leaving multiple gashes across its armor.
Unable to withstand the assault, the armored warrior moved, and Mariane’s dart struck true, causing it to freeze momentarily. The Action Stop effect was likely due to the considerable damage it had already sustained.
“Gotcha!”
Seizing the opportunity, Larni lunged forward and expertly severed the armored warrior’s head with her Mithril Sword.
Even without the leader’s command, we had formed a solid synergy. I felt we had managed this battle quite smoothly. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dissatisfaction… Perhaps it was a sign of my inadequacy as a leader.
“Even though the boss was normal, it’s C-Rank, so the skills should be worthwhile, right?”
“That’s true. However, since this is a tenth-floor dungeon, I wouldn’t expect too much,” Sfenia replied to Larni.
As they spoke, I felt a surge of energy coursing through me.
I had gained the skill Iron Wall. This defensive skill reduces the effects of the opponent’s Slash and Penetration skills. It seems to apply to shields and armor as well, though I shouldn’t dwell on the reasoning behind it.
Freinir acquired the skill Vitality Surge, which accelerates her stamina recovery. It appears to help her recover quickly after casting spells. Given that multiple magic effects can drain stamina significantly, this skill is crucial for someone like Freinir, who has relatively low stamina.
Larni obtained Steel Core, which enhances her core strength, beneficial for both offense and defense. It may seem subtle, but it should reliably increase her combat power.
Sfenia gained the skill Curved Shot, allowing her to bend arrows mid-flight. This skill is essential for archers, as it enables them to hit enemies hiding behind cover or target concealed weak points.
Finally, Mariane received Slash. While its rarity is low, it was a skill she had long desired, and she seemed genuinely moved by it.
After a moment of contemplation, Mariane exhaled and opened her eyes.
“I think I understand what you mentioned, Larni. It seems that we can acquire the skills necessary for our party members. This kind of serendipity is what Soul’s Guidance offers us.”
“Exactly! I think everyone here feels the same way,” Larni replied casually. However, if that were truly the case, it would be quite a significant matter. If my Bad Luck skill were to be deemed the cause… that could lead to serious trouble.
Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Mariane cast a meaningful glance in my direction.
“It’s a fascinating topic, but I doubt it can ever be proven. Even if everyone acquires the necessary skills, we can’t rule out the possibility that it’s mere coincidence.”
“That’s true. Personally, I believe it’s due to individual potential.”
Upon hearing this, Larni made a slightly displeased face, but after Sfenia whispered something to her, she seemed to accept it with a “Hmm…”
Ultimately, Mariane acknowledged the phenomenon but refrained from concluding that I was the cause. In other words, this was not something worth reporting… essentially, she was implying it should remain unspoken.
“By the way, Mariane, you just got a series of good skills. Don’t you think about returning to being an adventurer?”
Larni began her casual recruitment again, as if to dismiss the serious discussion. However, Mariane shook her head.
“No, not yet… I want to support everyone in Soul’s Guidance as a guild staff member. I have no intention of abandoning that role.”
“I see… But you’ll still join us in activities, right?”
“Yes, if it helps, I would be glad to fight alongside you.”
“See? That’s great, Soushi.”
I was taken aback by the sudden attention directed at me.
“Uh, yes, I believe Mariane’s strength is essential for our party, and I trust her as a bridge to the guild. I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“Thank you. I will continue to serve as a dedicated staff member and… as a member of the party.”
As Mariane bowed, her expression seemed different from before.
When we returned to the surface via the teleportation device, the sun was directly overhead.
We all stretched our bodies, basking in the sunlight, and set off towards Bartran.
After walking along the highway for a while, I sensed an unusual presence rapidly approaching from the nearby forest.
“Soushi, I have a bad feeling about this. It feels different from the demon we encountered last time—it’s a sinister presence.”
If Freinir felt that way, it was clear this was no ordinary monster. We immediately entered a combat stance.
“Could it be the monster that attacks adventurers that Toronto mentioned?”
“Maybe. I didn’t expect it to show up at this timing; I was too naive.”
As I replied to Larni, I focused my gaze in the direction of the presence.
What burst from the forest was a monster resembling a red-black dog.
It stood about as tall as a person, but its elongated body made it look quite unusual for a canine. Parts of its body glimmered with a hard, beetle-like exoskeleton, suggesting it had high defensive capabilities.
Three, four… five of these monsters leaped out from between the trees, forming a line before us.
“A red-black aberration of a dog… Could it be the Twilight Hound…?!”
At Mariane’s words, everyone except me reacted strongly. Sfenia’s reaction was particularly intense.
“The Twilight Hound… from the Garden of Twilight…?”
“Yes, there’s no doubt about it. Soushi, it’s a monster equivalent to B-Rank from C-Rank. Be careful!”
It seemed that anything with the name “Twilight” was common knowledge in this world. I realized just how much I still had to learn… but for now, defeating these creatures took precedence.
While we were assessing the situation, the five Twilight Hounds spread out in a semicircle, surrounding us. It was a scenario not often seen in narrow dungeons. We needed to protect the rear guard.
“Larni, Mariane, prioritize the defense of the rear guard. After Divine Light, Frei and Sfenia, stop their movements with magic and arrows. Let’s take them down one by one.”
Since we had just fought a C-Rank earlier in the day, we shouldn’t fall behind.
As Frei activated Divine Halo, the five Hounds lunged at us simultaneously.
I sent three of them flying with a Shockwave, while Larni and Mariane intercepted the remaining two. They immediately engaged in close combat, leaving it to them.
Of the three that were blown away, one was already dead. The other two struggled to rise, dragging their feet. They unleashed red-black fireballs from their mouths, but they were extinguished before my Shockwave.
In the next moment, one was shredded to pieces by Sfenia’s Cyclone Edge.
As I moved to engage the last one, a beam of light shot down from above, piercing through the head of the Hound.
Larni and Mariane, who had been in close combat, effortlessly decapitated the two they faced.
Despite the rumors, they seemed weak… or so I wanted to say, but I mustn’t forget that Freinir’s Divine Light had been in effect.
As we gathered, collecting palm-sized Magic Stones, Sfenia wore a relieved expression.
“I’ve heard stories about the Twilight Hound for ages, but it seems their strength is only this much. Perhaps we are simply strong.”
“With Divine Light active, we wouldn’t fall behind in a one-on-one fight. By the way, is the Twilight Hound famous?”
When I asked, Mariane looked slightly surprised.
“Anyone from this continent would know of its existence…”
“Sorry. I’m from another place, so there’s a lot I don’t know.”
“You come from outside this continent? Well, that’s fine. The Twilight Hound is—”
According to Mariane, to the north of this continent, across the sea, lies a place called the Garden of Twilight. Legends say it was once the battleground of the gods, but all that is known now is that it is a magical realm teeming with powerful monsters. Thus, the Twilight Hound is a creature that resides there, and the people of this continent grow up hearing, “If you do bad things, the Twilight Hound will come.”
“But why would a monster from another continent suddenly appear here?”
“Actually, the Twilight Hound has been known to appear from time to time throughout history. In such cases, it’s usually because someone has unleashed them. The Kin of Twilight, who dwell in the Garden of Twilight, often come to this continent for amusement.”