Episode 38.9

(Hold it.)

(<Ring of Undying King> is still unusable until midnight.)

(Going up against those seven at once is unfeasible without that ring.)

(Glad I had it checked.)

"Oy, Chubby. Vangard said he wants me to come alone, yeah?"

"Yep."

"What's he gonna do if I bring someone else with me?"

"Well, I wonder? They might still come at you since it'd be seven to two. But Vangard-san seems awfully wary of you chief. He's probably going to try to talk his way out of it, insisting he asked you to come alone."

"Fumu."

"Vangard-san might believe that he'd became be the prey instead if chief used that someone as a shield and fled. I mean, just taking a step back from the floor's entrance gets you back to the stairway where you can warp away. Hmn. Yep, I don't think it'll turn into a fight unless chief comes by yourself."

"I see."

(No telling what kind of scheme they'd cook up instead if I avoid fighting them here.)

(That's bad and most importantly, I wanna fight.)

"Chubby. Has Vangard gone in the dungeon?"

"No. He's waiting for a contact from me. They'd have enough time to set up an ambush if I run back there and all."

"Tomorrow."

"Eh?"

"I've got things to do today. So tomorrow morning is when I can go see the guy. Tell him to wait on floor 120 tomorrow morning."

"Morning, at what time?"

"Right. Third period of Fengel."

"I gotchu."

"Also got some other things to ask you."

The discussion continued on for a while.

Arios asked Lecan once Chubby had left.

"Should I follow after you out of views?"

"No. It'd be better off without you around for the method I have in mind."

"Eh? Really?"

"You stay here and keep a watch on Nark and Nell. If Chubby is to be believed, no one gonna attack <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn>, but we mustn't put complete trust in Chubby."

"That is indeed true. I had the impression he's hiding something behind our back."

The following morning, Lecan was headed for the dungeon alone.

Lecan personally wanted to test out how far he could go against those seven alone. He wouldn't even entertain the idea if it was the him before his fight with Zoltan. They are not opponents he could win alone at all. No, more than that even, even if he had Arios with him, taking on all seven of them at once was simply impossible.

However, he feels the him now could take them on. And if he managed to defeat those seven by himself, he would tread on a new frontier. Lecan can't help but believes that.

He warped to the stairway that connects to floor 120.

One step forward from here will take him to floor 120.

(I knew it, one of them is hiding himself there.)

It can't be seen at all with bare eyes, but there's someone lurking right outside the stairway, aka the entrance area.

It's probably the shield fighter with scout skill, Toldo.

He must have the mage, Cylunaris cast <Concealment> on him.

(Wonder how they've positioned their ambush on the floor itself.)

There are five rooms on floor 120. Two on each sides with the <Guardian> room in the furthest back.

Going straight the middle passageway will take him to the <Guardian> room, but this passageway is not shaped completely straight, and there are some spaces you can use to hide around the rooms on the sides as well, so one can't see much of the space there from the entranceway.

They might launch their attack the instance Lecan set foot on the floor. He'd run back to the stairway if that was the case.

Either way, he can't use <3D Perceptions> until after he's stepped on the floor.

Lecan carefully took that one step.

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

"Heya. Glad to have you here."

Lecan ignored Vangard who was welcoming him in the passageway ahead and checked the surrounding area with <3D Perceptions>.

The woman ready with a short wand hidden in the right passage further back is probably the mage, Cylunaris. Looks like she's used <Concealment> on herself as well. This woman can use advanced level <Petrification> and <Recovery>.

"Got something to discuss with ya, see."

Hiding near Vangard, invisible from Lecan's positions, are two people on each sides.

Hiding to his right must be offensive mage Komif and twinswordsman Daivun. And hiding to his left should be short spearsman Soujo and axe fighter Bouman.

Thanks to Chubby, Lecan is aware of the enemies' formation and characteristics. He's not trusting it fully though.

Vangard took a stance with his greatsword.

Looks like he's given up on trying to hide the charade anymore. No, he's trying to attract Lecan's attention so Toldo can block Lecan's escape route while Cylunaris cast <Petrification> from behind. Even if you have a gear that can resist it, advanced level <Petrification> cannot be completely blocked. Afterward, Komif would shoot offensive magic, and the twinswordsman and shortspearsman would attack wounding Lecan before letting Vangard deal the finishing blow. A perfect synergy.

"<Barrier>!"

Lecan's left hand, hidden under his overcoat had <Wand of Harvos> gripped. And of course he had already prepared to cast the magic before entering this floor.

Vangard looked startled.

Lecan dashed out with the wand still in his left hand.

"<Petrification>!"

Cylunaris cast her magic from behind, but it got stopped by <Necklace of Intuador>'s barrier.

"My magic got repelled! It's a magic barrier!"

"Daivun, Soujo, Bouman! Go around the right!"

Lecan kept running without minding them. Once he got to the corner, he turned around.

Lecan is in the end corner of the left passage right now. The only other routes from here is either forward or to the right. In other word, a dead end.

Vangard and Toldo were coming from the right. With Cylunaris following behind them.

Soujo, Daivun and Bouman are coming from up ahead. With Komif following behind.

Toldo walking next to Vangard has a short but thick sword in his right hand and a high performance-looking shield on his left.

All seven of them were moving quickly but none broke into run. They're aware that Lecan has nowhere to run.

(Alright there.)

(Come at me all together.)

This is the ideal situation to Lecan as well.

It'd be bad if the five physical types don't come all at once. The magical types too, they can't get away anymore now that they've gotten this close.

Vangard walked closer while grinning.

"Good, good. About 20 steps away. Stay still will ya."

He's telling his distance here to inform the four coming at Lecan from behind.

"15 steps left. Real sorry 'bout this. Blame your idiotic self falling for Gwislan's lies."

20 steps are only 15 when you tread the path. They will likely come as close as they could before initiating a synchronized assault.

"Ten steps left. So hey, I don't mind sparing yer' life if ya just get us what we want, y'know?"

Lecan has never heard such a barefaced lie in his life before.

He drew <Comet Cutter>.

"Five steps more. Halt."

The five physical types stopped moving at once. The two magical types behind them also did after a slight delay.

Silence fell.

A deadly silence.

"Go!"

The four physical types besides Vangard charged at Lecan all at once.

Doing such a feat in this cramped space shows the level of coordination they've nurtured.

All of the four's weapons hit the barrier almost at the same time and bounced back.

They saw Lecan putting up <Barrier> earlier, but since it repelled <Petrification>, they had been led to believe that it could only repel magic. The four stopped moving for a moment due to the unexpected outcome.

Vangard let out a slash. A terrifying slash of sword.

Lecan's barrier broke into pieces.

This shocked even Lecan. However, Vangard's sword also got bounced back in midair.

<Comet Cutter>'s magic blade already expanded to its thrice.

"<Tiri Warda Roa>."

Lecan's whole body instantly turned dull white once he recited the spell in whisper.

Lecan thrust out his <Comet Cutter> and Vangard reacted with tremendous reflex. It slipped past his greatsword and reaped Vangard's head.

Lecan felt a light impact from Daivun's right sword hitting his shoulder, he paid it no heed and cut off Toldo's right arm, who was next to Vangard.

Soujo thrust his short spear at Overking Bear's overcoat. Lecan twisted his body to dodge this thrust. Soujo's head flew in the air a moment later.

Daivun's left sword and Bouman's axe went for Lecan at the same time.

He could have dodged them if he wanted, but that would cost him precious time. Lecan daringly stepped forward and swung down <Comet Cutter> at Daivun's head.

Daivun's left sword hit Lecan's neck at the exact same time Lecan's <Comet Cutter> split his head into two. Immediately after, Bouman's axe struck Lecan's forehead.

Lecan's body only shook slightly after receiving this powerful blow, a thrust from his sword penetrated through Bouman's heart.

A <Flame Spear> hit his barrier, blazing up a pillar of flame. It's a highly condense and precise <Flame Spear>. Quality-wise, not even Lecan could match it.

Shield fighter Toldo threw his shield away, grabbed a dagger with his freed hand and came slashing at Lecan before getting decapitated.

"<Wind>!"

"Kyaa."

Lecan cast <Gust> at Cylunaris who had turned around and tried to run away, pulling her back to him. He swung his sword to the right. Cylunaris's body fell down after losing her head.

Lecan swiftly moved and reaped Komif's head while he was trembling with his wand pointed at Lecan.

The effect of <Ring of Undying King> expired just as Komif's head hit the rocky ground.