68 - Episode 66 Barriers to Crossing the Hierarchy

After passing through the firebird nest, we stayed overnight. After dinner, we fell asleep while watching the belles eat the fruit with a delicious smile on their faces. After that, I got tired of climbing the volcano, so I took a short cut by flying and reached the 49th layer. Sorry for calling it the romance of the labyrinth. Climbing volcanoes has become a chore for me.

"Yuta. A base is being built at the foot of the volcano. More than a dozen adventurers are making a base there.

A base all the way in the labyrinth?　I remember in the beginner's class that if more than 30 adventurers work together, the labyrinth gets angry and stampede happens.

He also explained that five to six people are safe, not more than ten, considering transportation, food, and the scale of the battle, but this is not the case here.

"Maybe this is why we can't get out of the volcano. Sylphy. We're going to take a break here.

"Yes, okay."

While Sylphy is gathering information, I have some free time to play with Belle and the others. This kind of time is important. Fluffing Belle's cheeks and rubbing Rain's chin. Stroking Tulu's silky head, and flicking Tamamo's tail. They are happy.

"Mmm. Yuta. I understand the gist of it now. The bosses of the 49th and 50th layers seem to be special.

"Special?　What do you mean?"

It's not a bonus stage since we can't go any further.

"Maybe it's a milestone of the 50th layer. It's like the level of the demons has suddenly increased. There are wyverns and assault dragons. Both of them are sub-dragons, but they are a kind of dragon and rank A."

I got a dragon. A-rank is a rich class. A-rank is a rich class. Are there any of those hanging around?

"Well, do you think I can win?"

"Winning is no problem, but the boss of the 50th layer is still tough enough for Yuta and Belle and the others. The adventurer said that the boss is a fire dragon.

"Isn't the level too high all of a sudden?　Why do they have to be so strong?"

"Well?　Well, so it seems that the adventurers who are making a base are preparing to gather in numbers to defeat the Fire Dragon."

"So you're saying you're going to take action once you have a base?"

"Yes. It seems to be an Adventurers' Guild-led operation. Once the base is established, they will send in their best men to fill it to the limit.

...... Adventurers' Guild-led operation. I want to harass them so badly, but lives are at stake. I'd rather not touch them. I'm tempted to destroy the base a little. Patience.

Is that going to work?

"Well?　It depends on the elite they send in. But it will still take time, won't it?　It's hard to find people who can take on a fire dragon."

I see. Even some of the strongest people will refuse to fight fire dragons.

"Hmm?　But there are S-rank adventurers and SS and SSS-rank adventurers, right?"

Yes, it is possible to conquer if you have a monster adventurer, but there are really only a few of them. Besides, I don't think guilds in other countries would want to send such people. It's possible to get adventurers in this country alone, but I think the risk is too high for them to take the plunge.　If we lose them, it would upset the balance."

I have an image of strong adventurers being free, but I wonder if there are fences. I hear there are a lot of wars, and the balance of power must be quite delicate.

"It must be difficult."

"Yes, and it's even more complicated because you have to send a lot of adventurers to the labyrinth city as a base.

"Oh, yeah."

It is said that once a boss is defeated, if only the members who have defeated it before open the door, the boss will not come out, but if the members who have never defeated it before are mixed in, the boss will come out.

Even if the boss is defeated, it is meaningless unless we gather people who can attack the 50th layer and beyond. Gilmouth must be having a hard time. Sigh.

"Sounds like it's going to be hard. I heard it's tough for us. Can Sylphy beat Fire Dragon?

"Easy peasy. Hmmm. I'll show you the power of the Great Spirit.

It's a piece of cake. You're so cool, Mr. Sylphy. It's good news for me that it's going to take a while for the adventurers to defeat the fire dragon. It means that we will have the monopoly on the materials from the 50th layer onward. Besides, we can destroy Gilmas. I'm excited.

"The power of Sylphy. ...... is both exciting and frightening. Well, if we ask Sylphy to take care of the fire dragon, what about the assault dragons and wyverns along the way?"

"Assault dragons are ferocious, and if they find you, they will attack you with all their might, but Yuta and I are good together, so I think we can beat them without any problem. Wyverns can fly and flap their wings in a similar way to a wind blade, so it's safer to enlist the help of Bell and the others.

If we can win, it doesn't matter. I'm finally a dragon slayer. I'm more than a little excited.

"I think I can handle it, let's get going. Sylphie! You'll show us the way?

"Wait a minute. We're not going to let the adventurers find us, are we?　If we fight too close to the adventurers, they might come scouting. We can either fly all the way to the top of the mountain, or we can fly to the middle of the mountain and climb up from there. If we fly up, we might be able to see them, but we won't know who they are.

We're fighting dragons, so there's going to be loud noises. These adventurers here must be top-notch, so there's a good chance they'll come scouting. It's better to be seen flying from a distance than to be seen in full view. They'll find out when they start distributing the materials anyway, and we hope they won't be convinced by then.

Now we have to decide whether to go to the top of the mountain or to the middle of the mountain. ...... Normally, the top of the mountain would be the best choice, but if we fight dragons or other men, we should choose the middle of the mountain. After all, you are a dragon slayer.

I should put on a jacket to hide my face to make it more difficult to see from a distance. There is a high possibility that there is some skill that allows us to see far away.

"Okay, we're ready. Sylphie, please make sure to go as far as the middle of the mountain so that the adventurers won't notice us.

"Okay. I'll fly out of sight, so be careful not to make any sudden changes in direction.

"Yes, sir."

**

"I was so scared."

I know, right? Wyverns fly in the sky, right?

"Sorry, Yuta. That route was the best route to avoid being spotted by adventurers, but the wyvern suddenly changed course on a whim, and our paths collided.

"Uh-huh. It's okay. Everything's fine. Thank you, Sylphie."

It's just... The moment I passed between the wyvern and the wyvern, the wyvern opened its big mouth and bit me. The cocoon of wind caught me, but I don't tell you I almost leaked a little.

I didn't know what was happening because I pulled away in an instant, but the moment the big, jagged teeth were coming at me is strangely burned into my mind. At that moment, I was prepared to die without knowing why.

"Yuta. Are you okay?"

I'm in a cold sweat, and Bell and the others are comforting me. I'm too pathetic to be worrying about them. This is the time to show off as much as I can. I brace my knees, which are a little wobbly, and stand up straight on the ground.

"I'm fine. I was just a little surprised. Don't worry."

He pats the heads of the belles to show them that he is okay. He continues to play with them. It's wonderfully soothing. I've finally calmed down.

Hey, guys. Shall we get going?"

We don't have to avoid the demons, do we?

"Yes. I want to fight."

It would be shameful to leave you in a state of fear. Let's make sure to defeat both the wyvern and the assault dragon to dispel our fears. Sylphy leads us up the volcano.

**

"Yuta. That's the assault dragon. It rushes forward with its huge body and strong jaws. Its skin is as hard as iron."

...... dragons. It's bigger and louder than I imagined. It looks like a small mountain even though it is lying down. About the same size as the giant toad we killed in the marsh. That's about the size of a three-story building when it's sprawled out. That thing is going to come at us full force. ....... I'm going to the bathroom.

I'll go to the bathroom behind a rock and figure out how to take it down. It would be easy if I could cut off its head, but then it might get hit by the rush of its huge body. We can make him fall down by turning around and take off his head. Something like that. Then attack the legs first.

You could hit it with a hammer or saw it off with a saw. I think either of them would work. ...... saw would be safer. Sylphy said the skin is as hard as iron... but I heard that the pioneer tool's saw can cut through iron... so it should be fine...

"Now that I have a general idea of how to fight, I'd better get going."

"Yuta. Wear your natural armor just in case."

...... I think everything will be fine as long as Sylphy puts up a wind wall, but he will push the natural armor when he can go with it. And then they will put on their natural armor because they can't resist the sparkling eyes of Bell and his friends. Just like now.

"I'm off then. I'm going to start out on my own, but if I'm in danger you'll have to help me.

I know it's a bit pathetic to say, but looking at that huge body again, I'm a bit worried.

"Yuta. Good luck!" "Cute!" "You'll win!" "Cooooooo!"

Waving to the cheering belles, we cautiously approach the assault dragon. I had hoped I could get close enough to it without being spotted, but it was impossible. The assault dragon stands up facing me and is already in a rush position. ......I must first dodge the assault.