Chapter 8: To the Elf Village – Part 11
The following day, as discussed, Lady Sfenia joined us from the morning.
We began with an early morning training session, and it was evident that someone of Lady Sfenia’s caliber was consciously honing several of her Skills. However, it seemed she hadn’t focused on the more nuanced abilities like Dynamic Vision or Explosive Power. When we trained together on those, she expressed her surprise, saying, “I think it’s remarkable to notice this concept.” For me, it was merely knowledge I had acquired from my previous world, so her admiration felt a bit awkward.
Regardless, the four of us then delved into a D-Class Dungeon. The village’s D-Class Dungeon was indeed the type with a large tree hollowed out, and it was a small-scale dungeon with five floors.
On the first and second floors, we encountered the “Killer Bee Soldier.” This was the boss from the F-Class Dungeon, but against Freinir’s “Holy Light,” Larni’s “Swift Run” combined with “Jump,” and Lady Sfenia’s archery, even seven of them were almost instantly defeated.
On the third and fourth floors, we faced the “Iron Bug,” a giant pill bug. With a carapace as hard as steel, it rolled toward us, making it a troublesome monster. However, before my mace, it shattered like a watermelon.
“I believe it’s impossible for even a C-Rank to crush an Iron Bug in one blow. Your strength, Soushi-san, is truly astonishing,” Lady Sfenia remarked, to which Freinir nodded in agreement, and Larni gave another thumbs-up.
On the fifth floor, we encountered the advanced version of the worm-type monster from the F-Class, the “Large Worm.” It measured about six meters in length, twice that of its predecessor, and its slimy surface made it difficult to land attacks. However, aside from its brief moments of movement, it was slow, making it easy prey for Freinir and Lady Sfenia’s magic.
Regarding Freinir’s “Holy Light,” Lady Sfenia commented, “While ‘Holy Light’ is particularly effective against the Undead, I’ve never seen such power against regular monsters.”
As we progressed, we reached the boss door in about four hours. With Lady Sfenia’s presence, our pace was remarkably swift.
“To reach the boss on our first run through a D-Class Dungeon?” Lady Sfenia’s words seemed to echo the sentiments of the group. Well, it wasn’t too surprising this time since we had a C-Rank with us… or so I thought.
The boss was, as expected, the “Murder Tree,” a standard boss without any irregularities. This large tree-like monster was troublesome with its ten whip-like branches for close-range attacks and its ability to launch poisonous fruits for ranged attacks.
That said, I managed to block all the ranged fruit attacks, and while I did that, Freinir and Lady Sfenia took down the branches with their magic. After that, it was just a matter of Larni’s fire attribute magic sword and my mace striking the thick trunk to finish it off.
The new Skill I acquired was called “Steel Core,” which seemed to enhance my core strength and stabilize my posture. Combined with “Immovable” and “Stability,” it appeared I could withstand the charges of large monsters head-on. My physical specialization was advancing even further.
Freinir gained “Life Force,” which enhanced the effects of her healing magic, “Life Attribute Magic.” This would certainly improve the party’s overall survivability, but it also seemed to amplify Freinir’s saintly aura.
Larni received “Impact Absorption,” a Skill that, as the name suggests, lessens the impact of received shocks. It would reduce damage when attacked, as well as lessen the impact from falls or the physical strain when using “Swift Run.” It might seem subtle, but it was undoubtedly a very useful Skill.
“Your party is unbelievably strong, Soushi-san. You face numerous monsters without a hint of danger. Moreover, your teamwork is impressive, clearly showing the trust you share. May I join this party?” Lady Sfenia said with a gentle smile as we exited the dungeon.
“Of course! After spending time together, it’s clear that we absolutely need you in our party, Sfenia-san. Would you be willing to join us?” I replied.
“Exactly! The essence of our party is far beyond this. Let’s grow stronger together!” Larni added enthusiastically.
“It would be reassuring to have you, Sfenia-san,” Freinir chimed in.
As we all encouraged her to join, Lady Sfenia bowed deeply and said, “Thank you very much.” Larni and Freinir embraced her, celebrating their newfound camaraderie. It seemed they had grown quite close after spending so much time together.
However, I couldn’t help but feel a strange anxiety at the thought of a high-ranking C-Rank, especially a beautiful elf, joining our ranks. Would I eventually become unnecessary? With that unsettling thought lingering in my mind, I led everyone out of the dungeon.
The next morning, the four of us visited the guild, where the receptionist, Lady Miran, called out to us from across the room.
“Soushi-san, may I have a moment of your time?”
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“Actually, we’ve seen an increase in reports of Undead sightings since yesterday, and we’re currently preparing a subjugation request,” she explained.
“Really? What kind of monsters have appeared?” I inquired.
“Mostly zombie types. It seems there are many animal zombies emerging from the western forest. We’re increasing patrols on the roads, but their numbers seem to be steadily rising,” she replied.
“I see…”
When I turned to my party, the three of them nodded in understanding, as if they had grasped my thoughts. Confirming their agreement, I proposed to Lady Miran, “If you could issue an investigation or subjugation request, we can look into it ourselves. We’re quite adept at dealing with the Undead.”
“Is that true? Then I’ll process the request immediately,” she said, pulling out a ledger to begin the paperwork.
I turned back to my party. “Is there anything on your minds?”
“I wonder what happened to that party we saw the day before yesterday? They haven’t been around yesterday or today,” Larni remarked.
As if she had heard Larni’s words, Lady Miran responded, “Now that you mention it, that party hasn’t shown up at the guild for the past two days…”
“Alright, that’s settled. I’ve processed the investigation and subjugation request. Since it’s urgent, the reward will be the standard amount for now, but it may increase based on the investigation results,” she concluded.
“Understood. Thank you very much,” I replied.
With that, we accepted the request and headed toward the forest stretching west of the village.
Now, let’s see what kind of work the “Bad Luck” Skill can do.