Episode 51.4

The pair encountered relatively powerful magic beasts just before lunch that day. Two of them. Never seen before type. They're likely classified under <Demon Lion> just like the previous one. Their roar had <Intimidation> effect mixed in. Against opponents weaker than them this roar will immobilize their targets in fear. Their limbs were stout, strength tremendous and claws and fangs sharp. Their jaws must pack some serious power too. They would be around floor 100 beasts by Palcimo's standard. They shot out fireballs but since the move was very much telegraphed, Lecan and Eda easily dodged it. Eda instantly killed one of them with her magic bow, while Lecan cut down the other's head. They collected magic stones from these two magic beasts.

During lunch break, Lecan told Eda about the stuff he heard from his duel's opponent. Eda listened to it with gleaming eyes and asked Lecan all kinds of things about the duel afterward.

"Ooh I see. That person did seem like a good person for sure. So like. He got a hit on Lecan to dispel Heles-san's regret and then he'd propose to her with that deed under his belt. Uwaa, that's so nice. So so, has that guy made the move already?"

"Beats me."

"Going up against an overlord for the sake of your love, that's soo poetic."

"Who the heck's an overlord."

"I mean the look alone is already intimidating, but it's actually even worse once you cross swords. Humans can't hope to match that."

"I'm a human. Ah, yeah. That guy's probably disciplined under Arios's school of swordsmanship."

"Eeh? So someone from Iris Clan taught him? Hee, I see. Fufu. Hey, Lecan. Do you think Heles-san will accept his courtship?"

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"By the way Lecan. Weren't you trying to lose on purpose during that duel?"

"What makes you think that."

"That match could have ended much faster with your speed, yet you purposely overlooked so many chances."

"Hou."

"How do I put it. It's like you've accepted his challenge or something."

Good insight. When did she got all this power of observation anyway.

"And the referee was gonna declare your victory at the end, didn't he. But then you said something to him."

"Yea. I would have died if it were a real blade or something."

"Hee. So you yielded victory. It's like you're a wingman. To that viscount person."

"Beats me."

"I love that part of you, Lecan."

"...."

"Only issue is that there's surprisingly a lot of women who noticed that quality of yours too."

"There's no one like that."

"There are. See here, me. Norma-san. And Sushana-san at Vouka. Heles-san. You didn't do anything sketchy with that woman at Tsubolt, did you."

"I've done nothing of such."

"Sounds fishy. Was there really nothing going on with that Eliza girl?"

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"Nothing at all."

They took a longish break after lunch.

They didn't encounter any more foes that day, smooth going all the way.

They camped in the Meadow again that night.

"Hey, hey, Lecan."

"Hm?"

"Tell me about the time you descended to this world. And thereafter, in detail please."

"Yea."

Lecan talked about how he lived in his previous world and in Zaidmahl Household. And since Eda still wanted to know more, he dug up his memory to talk about all kinds of things. This topic would continue on for several days. He even talked about his exchange of Guardian jewel after several days.

The day after. The third day of dungeon expedition. The tenth of month two.

They came across a pack of 200 Ashen Wolves. Lecan used <Demon Wolf Cutter>. The Grace had tremendous effect on them, killing everything in one slash.

After lunch, they didn't cross path with any more magic beasts. Lecan detected the presence of an extremely powerful magic beast, but they took a detour and managed to get past it without being detected. It was moving alone. Lecan took a peek of it, another magic beast he'd never seen. They got near the Mountain by the end of this day.

The fourth day of dungeon expedition. The 11th of month two.

They departed in the morning and arrived at the Mountain foot despite not running all the way. They went around the Mountain foot and reached a huge forest, with the entrance to Lake and Marsh area sandwiched between Mountain and Forest.

They took the route that'd bring them deep into Lake and Marsh area.

Lecan found Soil Grazes (Ajezal) and Mock Rocks (Hietera) along the dry route he picked, he took care of them with strikes from <Lightning Dragon Gauntlet>

This is the reason Nodlein believed Lecan could reach Dungeon Yufu's deepest area.

The most troublesome thing about Lake and Marsh area is how the area is full of wetlands you can't travel across, the little dry spots of land it has are proliferated with lurking Soil Grazes disguising as grounds and Mock Rocks disguising as rocks, while the grassy part is full of Sod Fluid (Sosuut). These Odd Mud beasts take humans by surprise, rob them of their freedom and choke or melt them to death. Doesn't matter how much firepower you have, it doesn't work on Odd Mud.

This place is awfully problematic to Dungeon Knights, but Nodlein changed his mind once he found out Lecan has the ability to discern magic beasts.

All of the aforementioned magic beasts are weak to magic attack, especially lightning type. If Lecan has the ability to reliably detect them, he only needs the right weapon afterward. And if he's able to safely traverse through the Lake and Marsh area, arriving at the deepest part is no longer an impossibility.

Nodlein recommended some spears infused with lightning elemental to Lecan, but Lecan refused since he's not so good with long reaching weapons.

He's had experience fighting Soil Graze in Dungeon Golbul. They disguise themselves as rocks in rocky areas, and mud in wetlands. He fought some Mock Rocks in Dungeon Rotor.

The two found a spot suitable for resting under a giant tree. A huge magic beast is laying down there, but bare eyes can't tell it apart from a grassy patch of land. That's probably Sod Fluid. You will find yourself entangled within Sod Fluid if you carelessly sit down on that spot.

Lecan attacked the tip of Sod Fluid with <Lightning Dragon Gauntlet>. The lightning paralyzed Sod Fluid but only a part of its gigantic body, the rest turned over, stood up and came attacking. Without its disguise, it looks like a water body. Lecan cut at it with <Odd Mud Cutter> in his right hand and then he unleashed a barrage of attack all over its giant body with <Lightning Dragon Gauntlet>. It stopped moving by the eight hit, dead.

They sat down and had lunch there.

"Four days to get us here. Since we initially got in here at noon, and it's noon now, I guess full three days."

"Right yep."

"Nodlein predicted it would take us five days to get to the wetlands, so we're two days faster. And since the prediction was two days to reach the entrance, that's three days saved in total."

Lecan took the map and glared at it.

"This wetlands are ending soon. Afterward, Nodlein recommended we took a detour around the Rocky Mountain foot to the Meadow. However."

Lecan slid his finger on the map.

"It's far shorter if we cross over the Rocky Mountain from where we are."

"Then why did Nodlein recommend we take a detour?"

"Crossing straight through the Rocky Mountain means getting near its summit. A mighty magic beast lurks there. But you and me should have no problem taking this route."

Eda looked at the map. Types of spawned magic beasts according to areas are written on the top left.

Rocky Mountain has Blight Bugs, Rock Masses, and Flame Dragons.

"Lecan."

"What."

"What are kinds of Flame Dragons again?"

"Petitfire Dragons,

Fiery Ball Dragons, and Great Flame Dragons. Dunno if there's anything else."

"Are you maybe going for Great Flame Dragon's meat?"

"Wrong."

Not meat. But hide.

"Hmmm. Well okay. I'll go along your wish, Lecan. But don't forget that we can't use magic in this dungeon, okay."

"I know."

They took a straight path toward the exit of wetlands.

They kept walking ahead while killing Soil Grazes and Mock Rocks along the way. They'd go around Sod Fluid whenever possible, if not they dealt with them. They would evade Sham Swamp (Roufat) and Landfall (Graviel) if they met one along the way. They didn't fight Bewitching Waters magic beasts lurking in the bogs and lakes. There were also a lot of Crag Snakes (Goljimuin) and Flat White Snakes (Urslarin) around, but these beasts wouldn't attack so long they kept their distance. <Comet Cutter> and <Cold Wave Sword (Raktorscylla)> were proven effective here. Magic beasts that were likely Hammerhead Snakes (Dorgozuin) were also plentiful, but they didn't engage with them. The whole area is packed full with magic beasts. You can't walk a few steps ahead without encountering one.

They got right before Rocky Mountain area on Water Buffalo period that day, thus they set up camp at the edge of Lake and Marsh area.