Episode 37.5

Lecan drew <Comet Cutter> out as he took a powerful step forward.

As if they were in sync, Zoltan too drew his sword. A long sword. Around a step long.

Lecan poured his mana into <Comet Cutter> as he took another step. Its magic blade manifested right away.

Zoltan also poured mana into his sword. Then its white blade got engulfed in a blade made of magic.

(Dammit.)

(He's got a magic sword too!）

Lecan charged out.

He lunged at Zoltan at tremendous speed and swung down <Comet Cutter> from overhead.

Zoltan held his magic sword high to meet <Comet Cutter>.

Blinding sparks flew everywhere as Lecan's and Zoltan's swords clashed.

This was surprising to Lecan. He had no idea this was what would happen when two magic swords clashed.

Zoltan kicked with his right leg.

"<Wind>!"

Lecan recited a spell to employ <Gust> and jumped backward.

His Overking Bear overcoat flapped in the wind.

"<Wind>."

A bassy voice recited a spell. It's Zoltan's.

Zoltan charged out riding the wind on his back.

His speed far exceeds Lecan's.

(What?)

Zoltan who immediately caught up to Lecan swung down his sword overhead.

Lecan tried to block it with <Comet Cutter>, but he was a moment too slow.

(Crap!)

Zoltan had predicted him jumping backward with <Gust>.

A slash that would have split Lecan's head was stopped by an invisible wall. Magic barrier produced by <Necklace of Intuador>.

Zoltan looked surprised. Lecan as well. His necklace couldn't block <Comet Cutter>. Hence he thought the necklace doesn't consider magic blades as magic and will let them pass. But that's not the case. Or perhaps, Zoltan's magic sword is a special case. At any rate, he's saved.

"<Wind>! <Wind>! <Wind>! <Wind>!"

Lecan escaped backward with rapid <Gust> casting.

Zoltan isn't trying to go after him.

(That thing he used was no <Gust>.)

(It's <Gale>!)

The dungeon boss of Dungeon Karkassian is a Redwing Warbird, beating it could give you <Gust> skill at high probability. But in a very rare instance, a Goldwing Warbird would spawn instead and defeating it could grant you <Gale> skill at a fixed rate. Lecan spent many days in an attempt to get <Gale> there but could only obtain <Gust> in the end.

(Shit.)

(You damn dungeon maniac!)

(How many damn days you stayed there to get that <Gale>!)

<Gale> is a more powerful version of <Gust> skill. It's activated by the same spell recitation, but its effect is superior to <Gust>.

Lecan quickly arrived near the entrance to Floor 120. He swiftly chose to go to the right corridor between two.

Then he pushed his left sleeve on his mouth and recited a spell.

"<Concealment>."

Right after putting <Concealment> on himself, Lecan moved onto the next spells.

"<Float><Move>."

Lecan floated high up hitting the ceiling and moved to the left corridor.

The ceilings and walls on this floor are not floor, they're quite undulated. He hid himself in those undulations. And since he's got <Concealment> on, not even Zoltan should know that Lecan had moved to the left.

Lecan went around the left corridor while hiding his presence.

Zoltan hasn't moved from where he was earlier. In other word, he's a bit forward from the center of the four room.

(He's waiting.)

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

(For me to go out of the right side.)

(But I'll actually attack from the left side.)

(And the slight opening created from that lapse.)

(Will bring me victory.)

There's around 120-130 steps from the floor's entrance to the left corridor edge, same distance from there to the left end of the crossroad. Then from that left end to the center of the crossroad is also 120-130 steps. Lecan ran a distance of around 360 to 400 steps at full speed while hiding with <Concealment>.

As Lecan reached the middle of the crossroad, he immediately turned right and raised his sword overhead to swing at Zoltan. Yet Zoltan who was supposedly taken by surprise is already in position to meet Lecan.

(Dammit.)

(Guy's got good instincts.)

But Lecan's got another trick.

"<Flash>!"

A dazzling flash of light flooded out. Zoltan who was observing Lecan's sword got hit directly by it. He must be blinded now.

"<Wind>!"

Lecan cast <Gust> to the left of his body and swung down his sword. To shift his attack position.

However, Zoltan moved his own magic sword to block <Comet Cutter> at precise timing without any hint of hesitation. Frightening level of instincts.

(Dammit.)

Lecan unleashed a barrage of rapid slash at his maximum speed.

From above, the sides, slanted, he swung <Comet Cutter> at Zoltan without even pausing to breath.

Zoltan easily parried every single slash with his magic sword.

Lecan's attack may be overwhelming, but he can't keep it up forever. A momentary opening was created. That's when.

"<Blade (Spartz)>!"

Zoltan shot out a magic attack.

(<Spartz>? <Shadow Blade>!)

A blade of magic manifested out of nowhere to assault Lecan, but <Necklace of Intuador>'s dim light barrier stopped it.

"<Goar>!"

Zoltan recited a spell Lecan is unfamiliar with. At the same time, Zoltan swung his magic sword. Right toward the spot where his <Shadow Blade> got blocked.

Lecan thought the barrier would stop it again. But that never came to.

The slash was unhindered by the barrier and deeply gouged out Lecan's left shoulder.