241 - - the baptism of the tenth floor

The stairway to the tenth floor seemed to be a little wide.

Thor, who had raised the magic stone lamp into the dim darkness, stopped when he put his toe down on the first step.

He stops when he reaches the bottom of the first step, for he has found a black mass in the middle of the stairs.

Mu's "electric search" is still jammed.

Raising his arm to alert the others, Thor steps cautiously into the staircase.

A few steps closer, he easily discovers who it is.

Sheathing his sword, Thor waved for Sora and the others waiting in the upper room to come down.

"Wow, that's amazing. This..."

"Well thought out."

"I'm gonna get it!　Tor-chan."

"Hey, don't get in. You'll get in trouble.

Halfway up the stairs was a leather-covered bunk.

There were metal legs of different lengths in the middle and at the ends, and the bed was adjusted so that it was level with the difference in the steps.

Furthermore, the joints between the legs indicate that the bed can be folded up.

The part where the body lies down is covered with black leather, which feels soft and bouncy when pushed by hands.

It seems to be surprisingly comfortable.

Five bunks are lined up along the wall, each with a pillow and a blanket.

It seems that the Tianrashi Alliance is using this place as a resting place.

"Is it because it's a hassle to go back to the sixth floor all the time?"

It took me half a day to get to these stairs.

Thor nodded as if he understood the reason for the light clothing of the chitas he had seen yesterday.

And perhaps they would leave their winter clothes here as well.

As they went down the stairs, the piercing cold air became stronger.

"Ugh, it's a little cold.

"It's a little better if you tie up your sleeves. You should tie your sleeves up a little better.

Yuril, who was born in a cold region, quickly adjusts everyone's clothes to keep the warm air out.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they found a familiar chain hanging from the ceiling.

Careful tugging on the chain, the bars came down in front of Thor and the others with a deafening noise.

A similar sound echoed from the top of the stairs.

Pulling again, the bars retracted into the ceiling.

"I see. That's a good idea."

If we go in and pull the chain, the bars at the upper and lower entrances will close, making this stairway a safe zone.

Thor and the others finally descended to the tenth floor, impressed.

The damage to the walls and floors is immediately noticeable.

The damage to the walls and floors had been quite noticeable up to this point, but from the tenth floor, the place was in such a state of disrepair that one could hardly question whether it could be called a ruin or not.

The walls and floors are riddled with large cracks and holes, and it would not be surprising if the building were to collapse at any moment.

Thor and the others nodded to each other as if to tighten their spirits, as the atmosphere became even more gruesome.

After leaving the room under the stairs, the group decides where to go by tossing a large copper coin.

Having found the back of the room, they decided to search the north side of the room first.

The previous pattern had been the prisoners' area, but that does not seem to have changed.

However, the quality of the imprisoned criminals seems to have changed a little.

"Hey!　Isn't it getting bigger?"

Sola was startled by the sight of the spirits of the dead prowling the aisles.

The monsters used to come in packs of several, but here there is only one.

But it was so tall that it could reach the ceiling even when bent over.

The spirit of death, dragging a nearly ragged robe, noticed Thor and the others and turned his body around.

This exposes the monster's chest.

Lining up where the ribs should have been were several skulls.

The skeletons, perhaps sensing the presence of the living, began to move their jaws up and down one after another.

Although they were translucent spirits of the dead and therefore made no sound, it was an eerie sight to see several skeletons moving their mouths in a jerking motion.

No, it was not only eerie.

Something like a mass of white air floated in front of the skeletons.

They started to move toward Thor without a sound.

The strange haze of air moved across the corridor one after another.

Thor quickly increased the strength of his snakeskin cloak to cover himself from the mysterious incoming attacks.

But the physical protection seemed to be of no use.

The moment the mist touched his cloak, Thor let out an involuntary moan as a chill passed through the core of his body.

He fell to his knees.

Then he is hit by a continuous blast of white air, and his consciousness rapidly fades away.

"Torchan, don't lose!"　

Thor recovered just in time to hear a child's voice raised in the air.

With , he instantly returns his body to its original state and kicks the floor toward the monster.

The skulls on the chest of the spirit of death had begun to move their jaws again.

The skulls on the chest of the spirit of death have begun to move their jaws up and down again, and even the head above it has begun to move its jaws up and down.

Thor closes the distance of a few steps in an instant, but he is slightly slow.

Just when it seemed that he would not be able to reach the monster in time, a purple electric current from Moe's fingertips was sucked into the monster's body at just the right moment.

The skeletons in the chest stop moving as if paralyzed.

Thor, seizing the opportunity, swings his sword.

However, it seems that the effect of the arrow did not reach the skulls of the spirits of the dead at the top of the body.

As the monster finishes moving its jaws without a care in the world, a black fog-like mist is created around it.

Thor's foot feels strange as he steps into it.

But he does not care, and he leans in closer.

A silvery blade shines.

The next moment, the blade falls to pieces.

At the same time, the leather gloves covering Thor's arms begin to rot.

--

The silver sword, now restored to its original state, slices the body of the spirit squarely in two.

But it is shallow.

The rotting soles of his shoes were so muddy that he could not find his footing.

The area where the black mist had touched had begun to decay rapidly.

And with a moment's delay, the decomposition proceeded at full speed.

The fog touches the exposed body, and the skin begins to turn a blackish-black color.

As if to embrace Thor, who has stopped moving, the hands of the spirits of the dead reach out.

The skeletons on his chest, now free of paralysis, open their jaws to the fullest, gleefully clenching their teeth over and over again.

--

Thor moves himself out of the range of the black fog in an instant.

He inhales lightly and raises his sword to the sky.

He swings it down into empty space, and at the same time releases his magical power--.

A moment later, Thor's body is somehow standing on the other side of the monster.

A breath later, the body of the spirit of death is cut in two.

Thor exhales a sigh of relief as the monster vanishes.