Episode 33.4

The enemies are standing still in the center of the room.

They're imposing magic beasts with overpowering presences.

Floor 100 beasts were about as tall as Arios, but this floor's are around Lecan's height. They probably weigh more than Lecan.

Lecan and Arios lined up in front of the entrance, then they walked off to the right and left at the same time as if they timed it.

The enemies still aren't moving.

However each of them are paying attentions to the person coming at them, Lecan on the right, Arios on the left.

Gaze may not exactly the right term here since these beast have no eyes, but they could feel something akin to that. A strong gaze that feels like it burns through your skin.

As if stirred up by that burning gaze, Lecan raised his walking speed. He's also boosting his concentration even further.

As Lecan got within 20 steps to his target, he made a sudden charge.

And as if it was premeditated, so did Arios.

The longsword magic beast rushed over toward Lecan.

The short spear magic beast went for Arios.

The longsword beast swung its sword from right to left. From Lecan's point of view, the sword was coming from left to right. That swinging sword suddenly changed course.

(Leg!)

Lecan blocked the attack aiming for his leg with <Shield of Wolkan>. He let out a thrust at the open throat of the beast. The thrust broke through the white wall covering the front of its throat and the tip of Lecan's sword went in the throat.

The beast swung its sword overhead before swinging it back down the left from right overhead. From Lecan's perspective, the attack came from upper left. He blocked the attack with one handed <Shield of Wolkan>. A thunderous clashing sound reverberated. Lecan pulled his sword and let out another thrust. His sword pierced through the beast's throat slightly to the right, digging in far deeper than earlier.

The beast swung its sword at Lecan's right hand, his sword hand. He quickly pulled his sword back.

The beast's downswung sword got swung back up at Lecan without changing its blade's direction. A common strategy for double-edged swords.

Lecan blocked it with <Shield of Wolkan>, sealing the beast's movement, then he thrust out his sword from above his own shield.

The third Puncture pierced into the left side of the beast's throat. Lecan swung his sword to the left, tearing off the beast's head.

Arios had cut off his target's head almost at the same time as well.

As it wasn't a battle Lecan could afford looking elsewhere, he didn't really get how Arios's battle went, but Arios probably just dodged every attack before unleashing his own.

Lecan basked in a sense of accomplishment while gasping for breath.

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

(Managed to keep up.)

(With those swift offensive maneuvers somehow.)

The magic beasts' attack speed up until this floor was truly hair-raising-ly menacing. However, unlike humans, they never use petty tricks. Each and every one of these beasts attack holds tremendous power, but it's not impossible to block them with a shield.

There were two treasure chests.

The Longsword is a <Withering Sword (Kavinscyilla)>, bearing a Grace that scrapes off a huge portion of your life force when it touches your body. Same with <Curse Mark Sword>, the Grace is ineffective unless the blade touches your body. These swords aren't that hazardous as long as you have yourself good protection. Arios said that he didn't need it either.

The short spear is called <Chain Fang Spear (Zeruegwitr)>, with a Grace that deals the same amount of extra damage twice right after dealing one to your target. It's got <State Retention> as well. With high offense.

Lecan thought of claiming it for his own for a moment. He's been troubled with the confined battlefield in middle to depths parts of this dungeon. A short spear is small, powerful and can be swung around well in a confined space. Many more possibilities in battle will open up if he wields this.

But then, Lecan abandoned that idea right away. He's had some experience wielding short spears, but honing it to the level of an expert like Tsuinga is no small task. He'd better off fully focusing on honing his sword skills. Thus he decided.

Lecan walked to the inner wall in the back.

There's an exit right in front of him now. It was covered in a gray mist earlier, but that mist is gone now.

Then to the right of the exit, where all previous stairways were, there's nothing but bare rock wall.

Lecan pricked the rock with the short spear he just got and poked at the rock bedding.

"Is that where the stairway at?"

"Around this spot here yeah."

<Graph Make> is a magic that shows you the rough map of a floor in your mind. Although he can't tell the exact location, the spot he's at now is supposedly where it should be. But he got no feedback from hitting the rocks.

<3D Perceptions> can only detect in the floor he's at. But it should still tell him whether there's another exit or a hole there, yet it won't show him anything.

"Fumu. The stairway won't show up even after defeating the <Guardians> huh. What's the condition to make it manifest?"

Lecan concentrated on <Graph Make>. Trying to find if there's any clue in the rough map displayed in his mind.

(Hm?)

(This stairway <Graph Make> shows.)

(Isn't it quite a bit smaller than other stairways so far?)

"Perhaps."

"Have you thought up something?"

"I have. But the testing will be for tomorrow."

"Could you tell me your finding?"

"No. Gotta think it through some more."

"Is that so."

"Show me your magic defense jewel. I'll refill it with mana."

Arios produced a pure white smooth jewel, Lecan poured his mana into it.

"Alright. It's full now."

Arios took the jewel back with blinking eyes.

"That was quite effortless. Don't you recite spells when you absorb mana from magic stones?"

"No. It's just like what I did. No spellcasting needed. Mana gets sucked right away. Haven't you seen me done some before?"

Lecan felt like he had absorbed mana from magic stones in Arios's presence, or perhaps not.

"I must have never noticed even if I did."

Lecan and Arios took the exit into the passage outside, and went around toward the floor's entrance.

They'd get to the stairway to floor 119 if they just head straight from here. They can go back above ground with <Warp> once they're there.

"Mwu."

"What's the matter?"

"Someone's coming."