Chapter 14: Demon’s Lair – Part 13
The next day, I headed once again to the Adventurers’ Guild.
Although I had declared my participation in the battle, there was nothing I could do until the day arrived. In that case, it was easier to stick to my routine.
The atmosphere in the town was thick with the impending sense of war. More soldiers were seen carrying supplies, and the townsfolk were busy shopping and reinforcing their homes in preparation for the emergency.
What struck me as strange was that, while observing all this, a sense of excitement welled up within me. It felt akin to the anticipation I experienced as a child before a school trip. I didn’t want to believe I was becoming someone who craved battle…
The lobby of the Adventurers’ Guild was filled with a tension reminiscent of a major subjugation mission. Many local adventurers seemed to be gearing up for the fight. According to the marquis, they would primarily be facing the Undead, but it was unlikely that the battlefield would be limited to just that. As a result, the expressions on their faces were more serious than usual.
Despite the heavy atmosphere, I approached the male staff member at the counter as usual.
“Excuse me, I would like to have an item appraised.”
“Yes, which item would that be?”
I placed the Coral Necklace on the counter. I had stolen it from the Flying Jaws yesterday, but I hadn’t appraised it yet. “Please wait a moment,” the staff member said, taking the necklace and disappearing into the back.
He returned in about three minutes, and I noticed a hint of excitement on his face.
“I have appraised this item, and it appears to have a Water Attribute +3 effect.”
“Is that a rare effect?”
“Well, yes. There are very few accessories that grant elemental attributes to attacks, and on top of that, a +3 is quite impressive. It will significantly help in dealing damage to monsters that are resistant to physical attacks.”
“I see…”
Now that I thought about it, I was primarily going to be fighting the Undead on the battlefield. Considering that there are also spirit-type Undead, I might have faced some troublesome situations without this necklace. Acquiring it at this moment was more than just luck; it was a stroke of fortune, but I decided not to dwell on it further.
After receiving the necklace from the staff member, I put it around my neck and headed back to the C-Rank Dungeon to see if I could acquire another one.
In the end, I was unable to steal another necklace from the Flying Jaws. Instead, I managed to obtain a Pearl Ring from the Tiny Kraken, the boss of the lowest level. It seemed that consistently acquiring the same item was not going to be easy, but the increase in opportunities to obtain items beyond treasure chests was a significant advantage.
When I exited the dungeon, it was already past noon. I stopped by the guild to have the Pearl Ring appraised. It turned out to have a Dexterity +2 effect, so I swapped it with my current Dexterity +1 ring. By the way, it seemed that wearing multiple accessories with the same effect wouldn’t stack their benefits.
As I was about to leave the guild, a young adventurer rushed into the lobby, looking flustered. I recognized his face; he was one of the subordinates of Earthlin, the marquis’s trusted aide. He approached the counter and informed the staff, “A Demon has appeared on the highway. Please summon all B-Rank and higher adventurers currently present.”
I had thought the Royal Capital would be closer, but it seemed the Demon had chosen to come here instead. Still, it was better than having it show up during the battle.
After speaking with him, I learned that Earthlin and the others had already headed toward the castle gate.
Without hesitation, I ran toward the castle gate. Thanks to the newly acquired Dexterity +2, I could feel my movements becoming significantly faster. This was a great power-up right before the battle.
At the castle gate, five former adventurers directly under the marquis were gathered. They were the same individuals who had fought against the Slave Hunters that day. According to what I heard, Earthlin was B-Rank, while the others were all C-Rank veterans.
As I approached, Earthlin noticed me and spoke up.
“Oh, Soushi, my apologies. It seems even the Demons are avoiding the Royal Capital. What a nuisance.”
“From what I gathered from the Guild Master in the Royal Capital, it would be difficult to respond if they appeared there. By the way, how many and what size are the Demons?”
“There are three massive eight-legged ones, and in addition, about seven or eight large insect-like creatures.”
“I see… With that many, I can handle them on my own.”
“My subordinate mentioned that the eight-legged ones are as large as dragons.”
“They are monsters that I have a good match-up against. They continuously unleash magic from their mouths, so be cautious. Their outer skin and bones are also extremely tough.”
“Hmmm, the fact that they can unleash magic continuously is a threat in itself, but how powerful is it?”
“I believe you will understand once you see it.”
Still, I felt that their appearance would be the most concerning issue.
After a short wait, eight parties of high-ranking adventurers gathered.
Earthlin spoke to the adventurer parties, and it seemed that this was nearly all the B-Rank and higher parties available.
Earthlin approached me with a somewhat anxious expression.
“Do you think we can handle this number, Soushi?”
“I believe it will be fine. At first, I will take the lead and draw their attacks. Once I grasp their attack patterns, please instruct everyone to strike when there is an opening.”
“Understood. It would be best if you gave the signal to initiate the attack. Can I count on you for that?”
“Of course. Please tell them to move once I give the signal.”
Thus, our group, totaling around 40 members, began walking down the highway toward the forest.
After about thirty minutes of progress, multiple gigantic shadows appeared ahead. They were enormous humanoid figures with three heads, and from their sides extended four pairs of eight legs, resembling grotesque pink spiders. There were three of them, but their approach made them look like massive robots.
At their feet, about ten six-legged Demons, each around five meters long, were running alongside them. Each had a blank human face, making them all the more unsettling.
“Whoa, what the hell is that? I’ve never seen anything so disgusting!”
One of the adventurers shouted, and the others began to murmur in shock. Earthlin, who had been walking beside me, also widened his eyes in disbelief.
“Is that a Demon, Soushi?”
“Yes. It is said in the Arshuram Religion that it is a form that desecrates humanity.”
“Indeed, I’ve never heard of such a grotesque monster existing.”
“They seem to instill fear with just their presence, so there’s no need to be overly afraid.”
Perhaps my words sounded too casual, as Earthlin frowned and looked at me.
“How many battlefields have you experienced, Soushi? To maintain such composure in front of that… I must learn from you.”
“It’s just a matter of getting used to it. Now, I’ll take the lead. Be careful, as they might unleash a few spells.”
With that, I pulled out the Immovable Fortress Wall and my mace from my Item Box and charged toward the group of Demons.
As I closed the distance to about 200 meters, the Demons seemed to recognize me and began unleashing magic all at once. The giant spider-like creatures shot rock spears, while the insect-like ones launched ice spears.
The barrage was intense due to the sheer number of Demons, but the skill-enhanced orichalcum shield transmitted barely a tremor to my arms. I felt almost like an indestructible object from a game.
However, with such a rapid-fire assault, there was no opening to counterattack. Ah, I should have given instructions to the adventurers. They must have figured out the enemy’s attack patterns by now.
I turned around, lifted my mace, and swung it down.
“Attack!!”
I shouted to match the sound of the magic impacts, and from behind, I heard a startled “Wha—!?” It seemed they were still taken aback by the sight of the Demons.
Yet, just a moment later, nearly 200 fire spears rained down upon the Demons. The combined firepower of the B-Rank party was astonishing. Four of the insect-like creatures were charred and flipped over.
For a moment, the Demons’ faces turned toward the adventurers behind, but I activated Provoke to force their attention back to me.
“Let’s go!!”
As someone shouted, the front-line adventurers rushed in, each engaging their targets.
I observed them as they sliced off the legs of the insect-like creatures, stopping their movements before delivering fatal blows to their necks. It seemed that while their heads were tough, their necks were not as resilient.
However, the giant spiders appeared to be a bit more challenging to deal with. Additional fire spears pierced their bodies, but they didn’t seem to be taking much damage. It was clear that these Demons had a high resistance to magic.
Still, one of the giant spiders fell after losing several legs. The adventurers then targeted its neck, systematically severing its heads. Their ability to quickly identify weaknesses and strike accurately was a testament to their experience as higher-ranked adventurers. It was a valuable lesson for someone like me, who often relied on brute strength.
Now only two giant spiders remained. With the barrage thinning out, it was my turn to finish them off.
With my Dexterity +2 enhancing my agility, I dashed through the magical spears to reach one of the spider’s feet. Above me, ten meters high, were its three heads.
I unleashed Shockwave directly upward, and the giant spider, with its jaw shattered, collapsed heavily in front of me. I swung my mace in a single motion, obliterating all three heads at once.
Seeing that, the last remaining giant spider attempted to flee, flipping its massive body around. It seemed that unlike monsters, it had the option to escape.
Of course, I couldn’t let it get away, so I chased after it, ensuring it met the same fate. I had become overwhelmingly stronger since our last encounter, and it was now nothing more than a weakling.
As all the Demons dissolved into black particles, only the ominous Magic Stones remained.
“That was easier than I expected. It’s impressive how powerful a gathering of B-Rank and higher adventurers can be.”
As I returned, Earthlin shook his head.
“No, only you, Soushi, could call that battle easy. If we had fought that magic storm head-on, the damage would have been catastrophic. And to crush that massive Demon in a single blow… I can hardly believe my own eyes.”
“Ah… now that you mention it, I suppose that’s true.”
“Indeed. But that mace and shield are incredible. I doubt even A-Rank adventurers could wield such items. And the shield… is it entirely made of orichalcum?”
“It appears so. I acquired it from the Foundation of the Royal Family.”
“It seems that you, Soushi, are quite extraordinary in many respects. Meeting you feels like a divine blessing for us.”
I wondered if it was really that much of a compliment, but perhaps my sense of perspective had become skewed. Looking around, I noticed that the other adventurers were also gazing at me with expressions of awe.
I should have been aware of my own strength by now, but it seemed I still had a long way to go.
Notice and Apology for Posting Schedule Change
I have been posting daily up until now, but due to various circumstances, it has become difficult to maintain that schedule.
I sincerely apologize for this, but for the time being, I will be updating every two days.
Specifically, I plan to post on the 1st, 3rd, 5th of March, and so on. Thank you for your understanding.