Episode 28.14

Bruska came down as Nark had breakfast.

"Good morning, Nark-san."

"Mornin' schloning this late. Ya eatin'?"

"Please."

Bruska looked happy when his meal was brought to him, but he stopped his spoon after three scoops.

"Ya sure look tired."

"Yup."

"Things not goin' well with <Willard>?"

"Eh? No, not at all. They're the easiest party we've ever worked together with."

"Hou?"

Bruska scooped vegetable with his spoon into his mouth, before poking vegetable in the soup with it.

"Besides, how we managed to conquer floor 90s with just five people took me by surprise."

"Ya guys didn't drop by mediation office to look for more members?"

Solo adventurers are the easiest to invite along.

Asking for five solo adventurers at the mediation office will get you a party of five in no time.

"That was the plan at first. But Lecan said that the more people there are the more difficult to coordinate, so he proposed we have a go on floor 79 with just us five first."

Floor 79 would have eight enemies.

Adventurers who have reached floor 90s can easily handle floor 79's enemies even if there's eight of them. Though it would be a different story if they're up against foes with special kind of Grace Gear.

"We then proceeded to floor 89 since it was an easy victory. Us <Grindam> held the command up until this point."

Meaning Bruska was leading them.

"But Lecan and Arios moved too fast I couldn't give the right instructions well enough. In my panic, our formation broke down and Yoana almost got attacked."

Yoana attacks from the back with her magic. Protecting her is Bruska's role.

"That was when Lecan took command, getting us out of the pinch. After that point on, Lecan naturally held the commands."

Nark wasn't surprised by this since he could tell that was the case from their conversations in <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn>, but he still wonders how such a curt man like Lecan even does all the commanding.

"Lecan swapped our formation around. Arios was to breach deep into enemy's line to disturb them. Me and Tsuinga were to support him on the front line. Lecan was in the back, protecting Yoana. He told us that we could let up to three hostiles get past us."

Since Yoana probably would kill off one enemy the instance they got in a room, Lecan dealing with three means the other three would deal with five.

"Yoana was a bit nervous at first, but Lecan's protection turned out really reassuring. Arios and Lecan also got some real amazing offensive powers. Tsuinga and I could take on our opponents handily thanks to them. No really, it was super easy."

Bruska scoop in a big lump of vegetable into his mouth and chewed it. Then he drank water to quench his throat before continuing his talk.

"And even when Tsuinga or I got hurt, Lecan would cast <Recovery> on us after battle. What's surprising is how Lecan don't use a wand. Without Preliminary Casting too."

"Hou."

Adventurers who use magic without preliminary casting are not that unusual in the depths. However, Nark has never heard of anyone using <Recovery> without one. It's one thing if the <Recovery> is intended to heal scratches, but adventurers who walk in the depths normally employ a wand to raise <Recovery>'s efficacy.

"Our coordination got better after few more fights, and I and Tsuinga finally got to fight without getting ourselves worked up. Honestly, I can't even remember the last time we fought that leisurely."

It seems <Willard> and <Grindam> have good compatibilities. Nark was relieved as he listened to Bruska.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"And Arios has got a really good intuition, he's always the first to notice if there's a magic beast bearing Grace Gear. This was really helpful too."

Foes bearing Grace Gear possess speed and destructive force unthinkable for the floor they're on, they can also cause abnormal status. Most adventurers who died or sustained severe injuries are due to Grace Gear. Having ways to perceive if a magic beast bear Grace Gear or not is a huge advantage. And you can get good money beating those magic beasts. Motivating you even further.

"Hmmph. Guess gotta count yerselves lucky ya got to work with <Willard>."

"Yup. We're truly fortunate. We broke through so many floors in the blink of an eye."

"I see. But ain't ya pushin' yer luck breaking through two floors in one day?"

"Haha. I was like, 'What the hell is this guy saying', when he told us we'd press on ahead just after we broke floor 92. But then we really went and did it. And even broke through the floor for real. Nark-san."

"Hn?"

"Those two belong to <The Other Side>."

"Hou."

<The Other Side> here refers to what lies beyond Floor 100. Adventurers who step inside those places are special beings. There's something about them that's unlike ordinary humans. In powers and thought process.

One thing nagged on Nark when he was told that. Those who belong to <The Other Side> tend to have a paralyzed sense of moral, some won't even hesitate to use ordinary adventurers as sacrificial pawns to get ahead.

"Ya guys ain't' gonna get cast aside like trash, ain'tcha?"

"Eh? Aah, no, I don't think we need to worry about that. They don't feel like that."

"I see. That's good. But don't ya push yerselves too hard now."

"Yup. We personally like to take it easy the day after an entire day of hard fight. But that doesn't seem to be the case with those two. Or rather, the whole thing probably doesn't feel hard at all to them."

"Just five of ya managed to get to floor 99. They ain't no human if they don't struggle."

Hearing Nark, Bruska watched him back with an indescribable look on his face.

"Nark-san. Those two might just be"

"Might be what."

"No, nevermind. Anyway, this is our once in a lifetime chance. We can't afford to split up with those two now of all time."

Doesn't matter how you get through a fight, you gain more strength regardless so long as you defeat magic beasts in deeper floors. <Grindam> who were on a standstill against giant variants on floor 92 a few days ago could likely defeat those same giant variants easily now.

"Breaking floor 100 huh. I thought it was completely impossible..."

"Oy."

"What is it, Nark-san."

"I won't tell ya don't go. But if ya think ya can't do it when it comes to it, then don't go in the room. Ask 'em if they're fine with that first."

"Yup, I got it. Thank you."

Those who defeat floor 100's giant variants and get their hands on the pass onto floor 101 are heroes. There is no adventurer in this town who doesn't long for that.

Lecan and Arios must be really good then. Perhaps they have conquered other dungeons already.

But five can't beat floor 100's giant variants.

Nark could only see them as being reckless.