Episode 396: Fierce Battle in the Depths
Red Dungeon, 171st Floor—
Before them towered a massive rock mountain.
The rock mountain was moving slowly. An unseen monster walking on four legs. At first glance, it was a giant turtle carrying a rock on its back.
“This is huge! Probably a type of Dragon, it’ll be worth taking down!”
Akito, looking up, licked his lips. The turtle’s height easily exceeded forty meters.
Tennoji, Ishikawa, and Elceed’s Seekers deployed around them were intimidated by the overwhelmingly large monster.
A large amount of magma erupted from the top of the rock the turtle carried.
The temperature inside the floor soared, and the Seekers wiped away dripping sweat.
Volcanic rocks spewed from the turtle’s back fell around them, and the ground shook from the impact.
The turtle spewed magma from its mouth, turning the earth into a sea of fire. It was an exceptional monster with abnormal Magical Power, but the threat didn’t end there.
From behind the giant turtle, three monsters came running. With bodies larger than a light truck, they ran unperturbed across the magma earth.
“Cerberus! Don’t approach carelessly!!”
Tennoji shouted loudly. Cerberus was a large dog with three heads, thought to be a higher species of Hellgarum.
They were considered extremely strong even among the Abyssal Monsters, so the Seekers hesitated.
Furthermore, five Ancient Dragons glided down from the sky. Normally, this would be a situation to retreat from immediately.
Even so, Tennoji didn’t consider backing down.
“I’m counting on you… both of you.”
As if responding to Tennoji’s thoughts, there were two shadows running through the sky and land.
Akito flying with Gae Bolg, and Rui running at Godspeed.
Rui drew his Katana and held it in a lower stance. Lighting flames on his feet, he ran across the magma just like Cerberus.
“Guooooh!!”
Cerberus roared with a terrifying expression. It gathered embers in its three mouths and attacked Rui.
It was an extremely dangerous situation, but Rui didn’t panic.
He calmly drew his Katana and increased his movement speed.
The next moment—all nine heads of the three Cerberus fell. No matter how strong the monster, the current Rui would not be outmatched.
Akito, who was in the sky, also increased his flight speed.
“I can’t lose either!”
Six spearheads shot out from the tip of Gae Bolg, wrapped in Lightning, and raced through the sky.
Together with the main body of Gae Bolg, they zigzagged through the air and attacked the Ancient Dragons.
The spears and spearheads approached with terrifying speed.
The Dragons couldn’t avoid them and were shot down one after another.
Attacks with weapons wrapped in powerful Lightning. They easily pierced through the “Flame Barrier” deployed by the Dragons, and in a matter of seconds, the five Dragons were buried.
Tennoji and the others watching below were speechless at the two’s fierce attacks.
“All that’s left is that ‘Turtle’! Can we take it down in one shot? Rui!”
Akito shouted loudly, and Rui, running on the magma, replied.
“We can do it if it’s the two of us. Let’s time it right!”
“Yeah, got it!!”
Akito created a black “Lightning Dragon” in the air and released it towards the turtle. Rui drew another Katana from its sheath and slashed a cross with the two swords.
A black flame “Lion” jumped out and headed towards the turtle. Everything was decided by the two’s coordination. The “Lion” hit the turtle’s leg, exploding and bursting into flames.
The black Dragon released by Akito swam zigzag through the sky and struck the turtle’s back directly. The rock on its back shattered and scattered.
The giant turtle, letting out a deafening cry, staggered back a step or two.
The electrifying black Lightning and the spreading black flames burned the turtle to ashes. In less than five minutes, the turtle fell and returned to sand.
Walking across the earth where the magma had cooled and solidified, Rui approached the mountain of sand.
There was a large Magic Gem there. A brightly shining ‘Red Diamond’.
“A good Magic Gem dropped. You’re probably the only one who can use it.”
Akito, who jumped down from Gae Bolg, said in a light tone. Rui crouched down, picked up the Magic Gem, stared at it intently, and then shook his head.
“Using a Magic Gem this big, my current Mana wouldn’t be enough. I’ll entrust this to Tennoji-san.”
“Then why not raise your Mana in this Dungeon?”
“If we can make it to the lowest floor, that is.”
Rui and Akito shifted their gaze to the end of the rugged earth. They were currently on the 171st floor. This Dungeon was said to have about 210 floors.
They were just a little away from reaching the lowest floor. Inevitably, the two’s tension was rising.
◇◇◇
A week since Yuma entered the White Dungeon—
He had finally reached the 180th floor. Having come this far, the food they had prepared was running low, and the continuation of the exploration was becoming precarious.
It was probably bad that they had been stuck on the ‘Mist Floor’.
Yuma, with a stern expression, passed through the beautiful plateau.
Looking up, he noticed something swaying in the sky.
“An Angel, isn’t it. It hasn’t been confirmed in the Hokkaido Dungeon before, but… it seems they were here after all.”
Akiyama said while glaring at the sky. Yuma had also fought Angels in Indonesia.
He recognized them as quite troublesome opponents, but—
“It’s not the same Angel I’ve seen before.”
Akiyama nodded at Yuma’s words.
“It’s an Angel in such a deep floor. Probably a higher species.”
“An Angel, a higher species…”
From the sky that Yuma and the others were looking up at, a flock of Angels slowly descended.