Episode 31.17-18

(That's it!)

Lecan finally recalled something that had been bothering him all this time as he bit on a soft-shelled Moonlight Jumping Crab at the <Bloombright District>'s food court.

The word Shira spoke of once regarding Dungeon Tsubolt.

That was right after he bought <Zaka Kingdom Dungeon Maps> at Vouka. He was asking her on stuff related to dungeons during the Vouka-Vantaroy escort job from Chaney Company. It was Nike, not Shira back then. This was the conversation.

"Dungeon Tsubolt has around 120 floors I suppose."

"Well, just check it out with your own eye."

It remained in Lecan's memory because it sounded like she was implying something.

What was it that Nike trying to say then.

Is it the fact that Dungeon Tsubolt is actually deeper than 120 floors?

To begin with, Lecan cannot imagine a dungeon without a boss.

It's just common sense for a dungeon to have a boss even in his previous world. That rule was ironclad even after he arrived at this world.

A dungeon has a boss. Dungeon bosses are wholly unlike other magic beasts, they're deeply intertwined with the dungeon itself. So Lecan believes. That's what he's come to believe at the end of diving in countless dungeons.

Nark mentioned that there was an old hearsay about how Dungeon Tsubolt only has one <Guardian>. That one <Guardian> is the dungeon boss. The true <Guardian> of this dungeon.

(How Dungeon Tsubolt has no boss.)

(And how that's the reason why the dungeon never went dormant.)

(But that's inconceivable.)

(In short, Dungeon Tsubolt.)

(Is a dungeon whose boss has not been discovered yet.)

(So where's this boss at.)

(Probably below floor 120.)

(Alright.)

(Wait for me, you <Guardian>.)

(I'll be taking your life.)

Thus Lecan resolved as he munched on soft-shelled crab, both his hands dyed red from sauce.

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

On the 40th of month two, Lecan and Arios fought in four normal variant rooms on floor 112, and went in <Guardians> room afterward, they beat it and got down to floor 113.

"Lecan-dono. I am truly in awe over your stairway flying maneuver. You have completely mastered the art of stairway flying. But, don't you think you have enough already?"

"Enough of what?"

"Let's just walk down the stairs."

"You're keeping up just fine."

"I saw it as part of training, but you're going too fast. One mistake could mean death."

"In dungeons, death always haunts you."

"I don't want to die from a broken neck due to falling down the stairs. Besides."

"Besides?"

"At our current situation, shortening the time to walk down the stairs won't make a difference to the number of floor we break through in a single day."

He's right on the money.

The enemies they're fighting now are very tough. The battle itself only takes a few moments, but the density of it is extremely high. They're completely spent after every single fight. <Recovery> is used, but that doesn't ease the mental burden. Flying down the stairway in that state is simply reckless.

"Got it."

"Eh?"

"I'm walking down from now on."

"I just blurted that out loud, never thought you would actually listen."

"I heard that before."

"Oh, you did."

They took a break on the first of month three, the on the second, they fought three normal variant rooms before going up against the <Guardians> on floor 113.

Another break on the third, then on the fourth they fought two normal variant rooms before challenging <Guardians> on floor 114. There was another party exploring this floor, but they never saw each other.

From floor 110 down, the spawned magic beasts will always have Grace Gear on them. All five magic beasts would likely have Grace Gear on them had they gone in as a five person group.

(Unless the other members are at least as good as Arios.)

(They'd just drag us down instead.)

They had a break on the fifth, took on two normal variant rooms and defeated <Guardians> of floor 115 on the sixth.

They rest for three days from the seventh.

Lecan spent all three days mostly sleeping.

Then it's the tenth of month three.

"Arios."

"Yes."

"We're not going in normal variant rooms today. We go straight in <Guardians> room."

"Yes. I think that's a good idea as well."

Getting in normal variant rooms and adapting with fighting magic beasts on that floor as well as to gain experience before facing off the <Guardians>. That procedure is no more.

At the end of the day, it's the same.

Whether they're up against normal variants or <Guardians>, they have to end it in that one match and even the slightest mistake will lead to death. In that case, they might as well minimize wasteful resource spending and go straight for the <Guardians>.

Thus the two went down floor 116, heading straight to <Guardians> room.

"Arios."

"Yes?"

"Some people are fighting on this floor."

"Oho."

"Five magic beasts. And on the human side... they got 16 people."

"Oh so there are parties with that many members around."

"I wonder about that. You might be right, or they might be a joint party. We're here. Get in."

The two got in the inner passage.

Two <Armored> beasts spawned inside the room.

(Maybe we should've held off fighting today.)

Fatigue has amassed.

On Lecan and Arios, they're exhausted.

Bodily fatigue and damage should have gotten neatly cleansed by <Recovery>, yet the sense of fatigue piling up deep within one's body cannot be rinsed off by magic.

The fight has been getting fiercer the further down they go, the gap of power between them and the enemies keeps widening.

Floor 115's enemies are pretty much superior to them in terms of overall attributes even individually.

Lecan barely managed to triumph over these superior adversaries by relying on <Power Sword> and <Necklace of Intuador>. It's likely the case with Arios as well.

This forced march is gnawing on their entire beings.

Even his once overwhelming slash afforded by <Power Sword> has plummeted to a slash that can narrowly kill his enemies.

That said, they've gone in the inner passage already.

There is no choice but to fight.

(Once this fight is over.)

(Let's take a slightly long vacation.)

(Might be a good idea to take a look at Eda.)

(Gotta remember to buy gifts for Jericho this time.)

"Now then, let's do this."

"Let's."