Episode 29.12-13-14

Lecan got out of the stairway and recited a spell.

"<Graph Make (Coznitt)>!"

Floor 56's map surfaced up in his mind.

The boss rooms are occupied.

"Alright. Let's get in some room near here and give this <Thunder Sword> a go. I'm going in ahead. Gonna be swinging the <Thunder Sword> around, keep your distance."

"Understood."

Lecan got in a nearby room, and once he confirmed Arios was in as well, he swung the <Thunder Sword>.

The attack hit all six magic beasts. They're a size smaller than giant variants. The magic beasts that were about to rush at Lecan stopped at their tracks and backed off a bit.

But, that's it. A moment later, the three <Black Body> started charging forward.

Lecan swung <Thunder Sword> once again. It hit all six again. But it couldn't kill even one of them.

Afterward, it just turned into a scuffle. Lecan wielded the <Thunder Sword> the entire fight, but it was just utterly maddening since flashes of lights and lightning would fly off whenever he swung it. He even got hit a few times. Though they beat the <Red Body> before they could cast magic.

"Yeah it's busted. This <Thunder Sword>."

"I don't think so. It all depends on the opponents. As it does possess sufficient firepower in itself. A single swing should be capable of annihilating tens of Red Apes and Spider Monkeys outside. Not to mention your average bandits. And I'm certain it would have been quite effective on higher floors in this dungeon."

"I guess you're right. This things gives swordsmen ranged attack. Rookie swordsmen can take on swarms of magic beasts or bandit gangs if they got this."

"I'm sure it will fetch for a good price."

"You wanna?"

"I'm good."

The boss rooms are both still occupied.

They traversed to a spot near one of the two.

"Lecan-san. Will you reconsider running in dungeon passageways?"

"Why?"

"Everyone we passed by looked startled."

Lecan would always try to find a path without other party around using <Graph Make> but there are times when that just isn't feasible.

"What about it?"

"Won't it make them unnecessarily wary of us?"

"Fumu. Then I'm gonna slow down if someone is in the way."

"Slow down, you mean we're still running in the end?"

"Yeah. All right. Let's get in this room."

"That's not a boss room, is it?"

"Yea. Got a little experiment to test out."

Lecan tried using <Life Drain Sword> in that room. It was a good chance since he had been slightly injured. He cut off the heads of the magic beasts inside with <Life Drain Sword> then his wounds got healed, pain went away from the bruised parts too. It also felt like his fatigue was healed.

"Ah damn. Should have lightly wounded them instead of killing outright."

However White Spectres that aren't beheaded would keep coming at you no matter how badly they are hurt. These magic beasts are incapable of feeling pain or flinching. Just lightly wounding them is simply out of question in a fight.

They reached floor 61 at the end of the day.

There was no Grace Gear drop, but they got two spears and four swords. All of which are good gear.

(Weapons dropped around these floors are all mighty fine eh.)

(And in terms of performance and perfectness.)

(The Graceless weapons are better.)

The Graced ones likely fetch much higher prices.

But if someone asked Lecan which one would he use himself, he'd pick the Graceless weapons.

(Either way, can't believe how many kinds of swords and spears get dropped here.)

(Glad I came to this dungeon.)

At this point of time, the thought of how Eda is doing didn't cross Lecan's mind. Let alone about Boudo, he had completely forgotten him.

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

After their expedition, they got back to the <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn>, back to a small and crowded dining hall. Though it's only got four tables to begin with.

Just as he was about to go back to his room and had meals later, a group of adventurers who booked long term rooms in the inn opened up seats for Lecan and Arios.

They were a pleasant group of people.

Three person party <Good for Nothing (Grindam)>.

Short spearsman, Tsuinga.

Twin axeman, Bruska.

And mage, Yoana.

Every one of them was born in this town.

And since the dine-in guests were also mostly townspeople who live nearby, <Grindam> readily chatted with them.

It's the 15th of Month 1. Lecan made Arios who insisted on having an off day resign to his fate and off they went in the dungeon.

They defeated the floor boss on floor 61, then as they got in the boss room on floor 62, Arios shouted out loud.

"The black one second from the left!"

At this moment, Lecan cast a spell almost reflexively. His instinct told him that <Appraisal> would work here since the target was not moving.

"<Appraisal>!"

"Eh?"

"<Curse Mark Sword>! Your life gradually depletes if it wounds you."

"Uwaaa. That sounds scary."

Arios nonchalantly reacted while rushing into melee. The <Curse Mark Sword>'s bearer naturally fell to Arios to deal with.

(Will he be all right?)

Lecan has been hit a few times by the White Spectres they encountered so far, but Arios has never let any attack hit him except during the one time Lecan got knocked out by the <Exploding Sword>. Although, even if this curse sword somehow grazed him, it shouldn't work on his armor anyway.

(Hold it.)

(Venom won't get through his armor.)

(But that might not apply to that sword's curse.)

(It's gonna be a hectic fight.)

(He'd be hard pressed to perfectly dodge every hit.)

Lecan's got Silver Ring on, as well as <Dagger of Harut>. Even if he gets hit by the <Curse Mark Sword>, it won't be fatal. But that's likely not the case with Arios. It could get dangerous if the <Curse Mark Sword> works just from grazing his mantle.

"Arios!"

"Anything I can help you? Currently got my hand's full if you haven't noticed."

"Will <Curse Mark Sword> affect you if it hits your coat or armor?"

"Eh? I'm unsure. But it might work."

Lecan decided on it immediately.

"Arios, we're swapping opponents!"

"Got it."

Lecan and Arios lured their opponents toward the center of the room before swapping positions.

Lecan is bad at not letting his opponent even as much as graze his equipment. That's Arios's forte. That said, even Arios has done away with trying to dodge every attack after coming this far. Especially against magic, he'd block it with the harder part of his armor instead.

They eventually defeated all seven magic beasts and got their hands on the <Curse Mark Sword>.

Lecan cast <Recovery> on Arios and himself.