Chapter 279: Dark Maneuvering
“That one is cloaked in poison! Don’t approach carelessly!”
Dinoss’s voice rang out.
Between the cliff where the Earth-Burrowing Serpent lurked and us, there was a distance, with workers busy at the cliff’s edge.
Among them, an adventurer rushed to shield a miner, but by the time Dinoss’s warning reached him, he had already taken off running and couldn’t stop. He collapsed before reaching the serpent, his knees giving way.
The serpent’s spiked tail swung high, and poison was spewed forth.
“Damn it!”
Retze suddenly dropped to one knee.
I hurried to support him, wondering if the poison had splattered on him, but then I noticed the vine…
“Hey, are you okay?!”
The Guardian rushed over.
You can suck it from my side if you want.
Impressive situational awareness. I had been too focused on the serpent to notice. I spoke to Retze’s sword.
The vine extended and disappeared into the cliff. It was probably supporting the Iron Cage.
Ah, just suck it from the visible non-participants. In exchange, please assist with healing the injured and supporting those fighting the serpent.
I called out to the spirits around us, mainly to the Zabuton and the White Snake.
“What!? A spirit rampage…?”
The bespectacled man dropped to his knees, while the body of a person who had been poisoned by the serpent nearby was enveloped in a faint light.
“Oh? What’s this?”
“Probably a poison resistance.”
I responded to Dean’s voice.
“That’s helpful!”
“I’ll go!”
Following Dean, Chris and Ash also took off running. Dinoss and Karn were already in motion.
The fetish spirits were joining in, and Az was eagerly poking at the serpent. Some unfamiliar spirits had joined the fray, and it seemed that the glowing person was no longer affected by the poison.
That faint light was visible even to those who couldn’t see spirits, as the fallen person rose, staring curiously at their softly glowing hands. Just run away already.
The butler spirit was peeking at us from the shadow of the wall. —You can join in, you know?
While I was busy maneuvering in the shadows, the Earth-Burrowing Serpent was being pummeled by Dinoss and the seemingly annoyed Karn.
Oh, the bespectacled man looked like he was about to faint, and the light was dimming.
“Please provide a light similar to what the bespectacled man had around the serpent.”
I wanted to see more of his magic, but it seemed I hadn’t had the chance. Wait, could this be that opportunity!?
“Thanks for the help.”
Following Retze’s voice, the Iron Cage clattered and rolled. It seemed there were two people inside, groaning slightly. It looked like we had successfully pulled them up.
The vine smoothly returned to the sword. Before it completely retracted, it wrapped around me and Retze as a greeting. Retze even brushed away the bangs that had stuck to his sweaty face, showing how fond it was of him, which was a relief.
Better for Retze’s sword to be revealed than my own. I could always find another chance to see magic. Maybe I could request a demonstration at the Adventurer’s Guild?
“Alright! Feeling great!”
“Yeah, today we can draw the path we want.”
Dean and Chris were noisy even amidst the battle.
The fight was resolved quickly.
“Really cuts well. Not a single chip.”
Dinoss held his sword up to the light to check.
It was my sword, but during the battle, the power of the Dragon Form spirit flowed through it, scattering flames and making it look even cooler.
“Disassembling it looks like it’ll be a hassle.”
“Either way, we’ll be staying here for the night. I’ll make them help.”
Dinoss conversed with the butler.
“Let’s tend to the injured—no, they seem to be healed. Let’s gather them in one place.”
Ash checked on the fallen and began directing those who could move.
The Guardian glanced at Retze, and when Retze waved, he hurried over to the Iron Cage.
“This is tough…”
Retze flopped down again, clearly exhausted. Magic Power Depletion makes even sitting feel like a chore.
I helped the wobbly Retze to the wall, laid out a blanket, and let him rest.
The Earth-Burrowing Serpent, if I recall correctly, needed its heart removed before it bled out. You, a mage… and stop with the princess carry…
He seemed to have enough energy to poke at my side.
Was it odd to carry a man bigger than me so easily? Everyone else seemed busy, so I didn’t think anyone noticed.
Now, I should line up the unconscious ones.
With a large campfire and a big pot, since everyone would be coming back outside, there were no restrictions on the food we could use.
With root vegetables and salted meat as the main ingredients, it was time for pot-au-feu. The meat might not be great, but for some reason, when boiled in a large pot, it always turned out delicious.
Under the butler’s direction, the able-bodied men chopped vegetables and tossed them into the pot. Who didn’t peel the onions!?
Perhaps because they had just survived, the men were unusually cheerful and lively. The ones suffering from Magic Power Depletion were groaning, but Retze was recovering. The Zabuton and the White Snake seemed to have absorbed to their limits.
I arranged the sleeping positions to be in the shadow of Karn, preparing for an early morning escape. I was considerate, but it felt quite fun, like a campfire gathering.